Current prayer concerns are posted on the RLC bulletin board. If you are not currently on the prayer chain, you may sign-up to receive prayer concerns: log-on to RLCIndy.org and click on “join prayer chain.”

“EYE” Workshop coming to RLC Saturday, January 20, 9am-1pm with lunch included! “Exploring Your Expectations” is an interactive, congregational feedback, assessment and training event designed to help guide healthy congregations into future strategic planning. Led by Rev. Stan Petersen, deployed consultant with Indiana-Kentucky Synod (and Pr. Dave’s Spiritual Director). Have a stake in the future of RLC? Mark your calendar for Jan. 20th!

On November 12^th, our Fellowship Hall will be transformed into a Ministry Fair which will take place during the 9:30am Discipleship Hour and following the 10:45am worship service. Each of the ministries of Resurrection will be represented at a table. At each table we will be able to learn about what takes place through that ministry and what it takes to carry out that ministry.

There will be a page conveniently listing all of the ministries as you enter the Fellowship Hall. Then as you browse through the tables, you will be able to check-off the ministries about which you would like more information. The pages will be collected as you exit the Ministry Fair. The information will be summarized and distributed to the respective ministry team leaders – who will then contact everyone who has indicated an interest in the ministry they represent.

This will be a fun and informative event – a celebration of all the ministry that happens in and through Resurrection – ministry that requires a community of faith to make it happen!

Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life used a populist format to describe five basic purposes central to a meaningful, fulfilled life. We are created, he said, to get to know and love God (worship), to learn to love each other (fellowship), to grow in becoming like Jesus (discipleship), to practice using our talents in serving God (ministry), and to share the Good News with others (evangelism). During these “40 Days of Community” we have been stating the rather obvious insight that those five purposes are accomplished so much better when we work on them together! More to the point, Pr. Mitch and I have prepared our sermons, readings, and small group materials jumping off from that basic format in order to reflect on the biblical and theological foundations of our community.

Quoting Lutheran pastor and martyr Deitrich Bonhoeffer, the LWF booklet reminded us that Christian community is a gift of grace. Because it is so, our life together needs to not be shaped by a restless search for community or by an endless striving to create or perfect it. Rather, we can live in trust that we are bound to one another in community and in gratitude to God for this gift. To some this approach toward our life together may appear complacent, lacking intentional actions and attitudes that would honor, nurture, and strengthen the visible community of faith. We can indeed take this precious gift for granted, neglect it, forget to live in gratitude for it, or even reject the gift, wishing to “live on our own.” At other times we fail to see what is already among us because we are looking for something more exciting or exotic or “spiritual.” All the while Christ has been at the center of community – we simply have not had the eyes to see, or the determination to live in it and celebrate its reality.

I believe that 2007 will find our congregation at a number of crossroads. For example, this November we will finally be hearing from the Perry Township School Board whether the land adjacent to us will be for sale or not. What will that mean for our future? RLC continues to grow in numbers – will we continue to grow as a disciple-making, mission-minded community? As we face some significant decisions that will shape our future for years to come, my prayer is that this 40-day exercise will help us re-member, re-new and re-commit ourselves to the core of what indeed does make us a community in Christ. Building on that strength, then, we will be better equipped to engage in the kind of free, respectful discussions – even arguments – that will make for better decisions and more faithful and spirit-led discernment. (By the way, save Saturday, January 20^th for a special workshop related to this task.)

November, of course, is also a time for us to pause and give thanks to God for blessings far beyond that of the wonderful blessing of community. As a tangible reminder of those gifts, as an act of worship, as a response of faithful stewardship, and as a fitting capstone to these 40 Days of Community, we will gather together in celebration worship on Thanksgiving weekend for the festival of Christ the King. During our worship together, we will be invited to return our estimates of giving for 2007, placing them all on the altar as a symbol of what God can accomplish through God’s own gathered community, sent into the world. It will be a time of inspiration and celebration, moving us from the 40 Days of Community into the 4 weeks of Advent, from one church year to another, from 2006 to 2007. As we do so, God continues to call us to grow deeper through discipleship, warmer through fellowship, stronger through worship, broader through ministry, and larger through evangelism.

All adults are welcomed to grow in their faith through these educational opportunities – this month each session is a self-contained experience – please come any Sunday, even if you are not able to attend the series.

The S.S. Discipleship is getting ready to leave for a 4-week tour of Community in Worship. What does it mean to be a community in worship? Why do we need worship? How can I worship as a 3-year-old or 5^th grader? All of this and more will be part of the November Discipleship Hour Rotation.

The Discipleship Hour offering will continue supporting Jean Carlos in Colombia South America. Jean Carlos has been corresponding with our children and you may read information about him and his family on the bulletin board outside the Fellowship Hall.

In addition to supporting Jean Carlos during the month of November we are challenging the children to raise enough money to purchase 100 chicks for families in other countries served by Food for the Poor. Protein deficiency is one of the greatest causes of malnutrition. The gift of baby chicks not only helps provide a family with a sustainable form of protein from eggs, but the sale of extra eggs can also be a supplemental source of income. There will be a special jar sitting at the Safe Harbor to collect monetary donations for Food for the Poor. Please visit the Safe Harbor bulletin board or with Julie Peralta to learn more.

Kids Club will meet on Sunday, November 19^th from 12:00-4:00pm. Come join in the fun of eating, watching a movie, and fellowship together! Yes there will be popcorn!!! Please sign-up on the bulletin board across from Ms. Julie’s office or email: julie@rlcindy.org no later than November 16^th so we have enough food!

is the Christmas story told through song from the viewpoint of the stars, the angels, the shepherds and the kings, incorporating tunes which may already be familiar. We will have a practice on Saturday, December 16^th from 9:00-11:00am. The children will tell the story during the 5:30pm worship service on Saturday, December 16^th. If you missed the sign-up to participate in the RLC Christmas Musical (3 yr. olds–5^th grade) please contact Lynn Wolff (859.8920) or Ann Buie (889.8060).

On Friday, November 10 we will meet at RLC around 5:15pm and be ready for departure at 5:30pm. Please eat dinner before you come or bring something with you, we will not be stopping on the way to Lutheran Hills. All participants will be receiving a letter the first week of November about details for the trip. If you have any questions before then, please contact Julie Peralta at julie@rlcindy.org or call the church office: 317.881.7854.

Just a friendly reminder during the cold and flu season, for your child to utilize the nursery they must be fever-free for 24 hours. This will help eliminate other children, volunteers, and staff members from becoming ill. Thank you!

One evening in October, Andy and I had an opportunity to witness a Home Huddle while visiting friends and having dinner with their family. While the parents were busy organizing the meal, each person around the table had an opportunity to share the best thing about their day, the worst thing about their day, and one thing they learned. How exciting . . . yes some did not really “feel” like sharing, but eventually they did!

Home Huddles are not meant to add more to our busy schedules, they are there to enhance our relationships with our family and God. As we continue building relationships with others and God through our 40 Days of Community, I lift up the opportunity to begin or continue Home Huddles. Share with each other the best and worst thing about your day, prayer concerns, a scripture verse, and forgiveness. One of the greatest gifts my parents gave me was taking time to share with me and nurturing

I share the following information with you, knowing that you, as members of this congregation, are already aware of the many needs of Gulf Coast families and are already helping people in two communities there. It is my hope that you will also help one lady from Ocean Springs, MS, a lady who is at a turning point as she strives to regain stability and normalcy in her life.

Peggy is a 53 year old woman who has spent the past year living in a FEMA camping trailer since Katrina took her apartment home, clothing and all other possessions. She was recently moved into a handicapped accessible, 2 bedroom mobile home in the FEMA park, after a fall resulted in a broken tailbone. Peggy had been working as a home health aid, but was off work for almost 2 months and is now in school to earn the newly required state certification to return to work as a home health aid. Recently, Peggy and others in the mobile home park were informed that they could purchase their mobile homes, but must have the purchase price and insurance coverage by December 1, 2006. Peggy has found this dwelling suitable to her needs and wants to purchase it. She can afford the monthly lot rental and utilities and other living expenses on her $450/month, but does not have the $5000 purchase price and insurance payment required.

I am asking you, my church family, along with my own family, club friends and business friends to help Peggy obtain this dwelling that meets her needs and her ability to maintain on her income. I ask that you prayerfully consider this request.

If you choose to help, please make your donation check payable to Resurrection Lutheran Church (RLC), designating “Family Hurricane Relief” in the memo field, and place it in the Sunday Offerings by November 12, 2006, at the latest.

➀Funds raised in excess of the $5000 for Peggy will go into RLC’s ongoing Gulf Coast relief efforts.

➁RLC families interested in connecting with other individual families in the Ocean Springs, MS community may contact Pat Hamby at 889-9218 or jimhamby14@aol.com.

Thank Offering Boxes . . . .

The weekend of November 11 and 12 has been designated for the return of the boxes that were distributed in January. You may bring them to any of the services, but note that the Women of the ELCA will be very much involved in the 10:45am service on Sunday, November 12. So please come that weekend, making a joyful noise as you drop your collected coins into a special container as you pass through the narthex and into the sanctuary. Also, be sure to attend the Ministry Fair to learn more about what WELCA is doing here at RLC and worldwide with Thank Offerings and funds raised for missions.

WELCA Bible Study . . . .

Thursday, November 2, 9:00am. The WELCA Lutheran Woman Today Bible Study group will meet at RLC in a classroom in the Sunday School wing. We welcome the women of Abundant Grace Lutheran Church who will be joining us monthly for the present study that extends through June of 2007.

Holiday Bake Sale . . . .

The 3rd annual holiday bake sale to raise funds for global mission projects, will be sponsored by WELCA the weekend of Dec. 9 and 10. Be sure to sign-up in November to give yourself lots of time to make your favorite holiday treats. We will again be looking for Christmas cookies, quick breads, pies, cakes, rolls, and candy. Watch for more information in the December Bell Ringer as well.

Dinners for Eight

The Dinners For Eight group now has enough people signed-up for four groups. The first dinner will be scheduled for the January/ February months, so there is still plenty of time to be included.

Dinners for Eight will be small groups of eight or so that will get together at an individual’s home for a meal and fellowship. The hosts will be contacted and arranged by us and we will randomly assign group members to one of the hosts to form their dinner group of about eight people. The hosts will then contact the people in their group to arrange a convenient time to meet within the two month period. The hosts are responsible for the entree and beverages while everyone else will bring food (as requested by the host) to complete the meal. Groups and hosts will be changed each time in order to enjoy fellowship with people from all worship services.

We will meet 5 or 6 times per year with at least once being the entire Dinners for Eight group getting together at a restaurant or possibly a pot luck in the church. If you are interested in joining please call Donn or Jackie Mitchell at 317-885-6553.

Habitat for Humanity – 3 Options on various days (Contact Chris Wise 887-5975)

• Assisting in the Home Store: Pricing, Data entry, receiving, organization of warehouse, truck runs, etc.

Lutheran Child & Family Services – 4 Options on various days (Contact Chris Wise)

• Sorting and stocking food and clothing at the new Sharing Place stores. (Adults only)

• Working with kids at Lutherwood, which includes playing games, arts and crafts, reading, etc (Adults only)

Meals on Wheels (Marion County) – 1 Option on various days (Contact Chris Wise)

Sorting donated books from Greenwood library in preparation for donation to Long Beach, MS library in February 07.