Dear Resurrection friends,

It really was a great couple of days – although they turned out to be far different than we had expected or planned. My first draft of this newsletter article about those days was getting rather wordy and it finally struck me, “You really had to be there.” So here are the circumstances in a nutshell . . . our program staff – Pr. Dave, Julie Peralta, Sherry Andersen, and myself – were supposed to be going on an overnight retreat to Brown County State Park to reconnect after Pr. Dave’s sabbatical and set our trajectory for the coming year. Then instead of heading south, we ended up heading east to Columbus, Ohio, in order to attend the funeral of Walter Bouman, one of my professors at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, who Julie also got to know and appreciate during her time at Trinity, and about whom Pr. Dave has his own stories and connections to Walt’s family. The next morning we began our discussion of a book we are reading that is helping us to reflect on the culture at RLC. And then we paid a visit to pastor Jim Wilson and Lord of Life Lutheran Church – the site of my internship – and in addition to being my internship supervisor, Pr. Jim’s first call was to Julie’s home congregation in Missouri when she was a young girl.

My lasting impressions from those two days are these:

• I love the name of our congregation. The funeral was titled “The Mass of the Resurrection” and it was an awe-some experience. We have been provided with a glimpse of the end of the story, and boy do we have good news to share! If I can convey to others just a fraction of the conviction and passion for the Gospel that Walt passed on to us, then I think I’ll be doing well as a pastor. I hope that I can live out my faith – and face death, which Walt described as the final baptism – as well as Walt did.

• It is great to be a part of a staff team. We enjoy being together and supporting one another in ministry. Ask us about our dinner outside under the umbrella – or the card game that followed. I can’t imagine doing ministry any other way – nor can I imagine doing it any other place right now. I hope that our modeling and support for ministry through teams begins to permeate the culture of RLC, and that others can also experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from being part of a ministry team.

• It was wonderful to visit Lord of Life and see Jim Wilson again. They have been through two major building programs since I served my internship in 1988-89 – which was also Pr. Jim’s first full year there. They are a few years ahead of us when it comes to living out a mission statement, placing people in ministry based on spiritual gifts, and doing ministry through teams. In our walk through the building and then over lunch with Pr. Jim, we all got a glimpse of what it means to unleash a bunch of people to fulfill the ministry to which God has called them. I hope that we also glimpsed the potential of what is ahead for us at RLC. Lord of Life is a spirit-filled, fun place to be – so is Resurrection.

• We serve an awesome God. There are times when the task set before us seems so daunting. And then God’s love and grace flows . . . in the waters of baptism and in the breaking of break and pouring of wine in the Eucharist . . . in the work of the Holy Spirit, breathing into our lives and inspiring us . . . in the community of faith, the body of Christ, offering support and encouragement . . . in the presence of family and friends, pastors and bishops, colleagues and coworkers, professors and mentors – all who help, equip, and challenge us to become more fully the person God has called and gifted us to be.

As we move into this fall and coming year, focusing again on the marks of discipleship and working out what it means to live as Jesus’ faithful disciples today, it is my hope and prayer that we may recognize more and more in ourselves and in our congregation the community of faith that is described in our Vision Statement as we seek to make this journey of discipleship together.

Your partner in ministry,

Resurrection Life Course #2 . . . .

“Nurturing Life in Christ: The Marks of Discipleship”

RLC 1-2-3-4 is a cycle of classes offered through the entire 2005-2006 program year. Following our mission statement’s themes of “welcome . . . nurture . . . equip . . . serve” the goal of the cycle of courses is to develop and foster a spiritually healthy way of life – a faithful following of Jesus. While they are designed to be taken in sequence for folks new to Resurrection, we encourage all of our members/disciples, at some point, to take each of these six-session courses.

If you have completed all four courses, then bring someone into the discipleship journey by bringing someone with you and starting all over again! The courses are discussion-oriented, so even if the material stays the same, the discussion will be different with different participants. Each course, whether you take it for the first or tenth time, is a chance to grow closer to God and in community with other disciples of Jesus.

RLC 1 - “Welcome to Christ” will be wrapping up on October 16 – there are quite a few folks in this group we will then be officially receiving into Resurrection on October 30^th. Be sure to welcome these new sisters and brothers to our family of faith!

RLC 2 - “Nurturing Life in Christ: The Marks of Discipleship” will begin Sunday, October 23 at the 9:30 Discipleship Hour in the sanctuary. This six-session discussion course focuses on the six “PoWeR SuRGe” marks of discipleship: daily prayer, worship, reading the Bible, service, relationships that encourage spiritual growth, and giving. Since this course will be held in the midst of our Fall sermon series on “Real Faith, Real Life” we will be able to benefit from each other’s shared experience and practices of these marks we all are working on. Come join the journey!!

October 7^th RLC Hayride . . .

We will be having a church hayride on Friday, October 7^th from 6:30 to 9:30pm at Southeastway Park, 5624 S. Carroll Rd. in Indianapolis. We will supply the hot dogs, drinks and smores. Please bring a side dish to share. Sign-up is available at church. Call Sherry Richards at 881-3389 or Lynn Wolff at 859-8920 for questions or to volunteer to help. Come and have a great time!

RLC’s Christmas Program

Can you help? . . . .

Yes – Christmas! It is never too early to begin planning for our program. The Discipleship Hour 2005 Christmas Program will be Saturday, December 17 during the 5:30pm worship service. The story of that announcement of Jesus’ birth will be described by a shepherd and crew who were there on that eve. We are seeking interested folks to help with the Christmas Program in many different areas. If this is a ministry you are called to, please contact Julie Peralta.

Harry Potter

Movie Marathon . . . .

All Resurrection folks including Kids Club, FaithBuilders, and Youth Group are invited to watch the Harry Potter movies in the RLC Fellowship Hall Friday, November 11 beginning at 6:00pm. Save the date!

Blood Mobile at RLC . . . .

Yes, it is that time again! Our next blood drive will be Sunday, October 9^th from 9am to noon.

A unit of blood, because it can be separated into four components, can help up to four different people. At our last drive, 20 units were obtained. That’s 80 people you helped — maybe even saved their lives! Awesome! Thank you. (A special thanks to Holly Dorris and Kim Elsner for their help during the drive.)

Many people can donate blood. You need to be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. Contrary to popular belief, taking prescription drugs, such as blood pressure medication, usually does not disqualify one from giving blood.

So, please, stop by the sign-up table in the narthex and schedule a time for donation. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Gloria Aplin at 535-5648.

Equipping the Home

for Faith Formation . . . .

Do you have a passion for equipping your family to function as a center of faith formation? We invite you to attend an evening with Dick Hardel, the Director of Vision & Creative Ministries at The Youth & Family Institute on Sunday, October 16^th at 6:30-8:30pm at Cross and Crown Lutheran Church on East 79^th Street. Faith formation works best as a natural part of family life. The evidence is in! Expecting a church program to function in place of home-based faith formation is gambling with the souls of our little ones.

Martin Luther intended the catechism to be taught in the home. The role of the congregation was to encourage and teach parents how to form an authentic faith in a living God at home. Faith Stepping Stones, Head-to-Heart (confirmation curriculum), and Y3 are opportunities for equipping the families at Resurrection Lutheran Church to function as centers of faith formation. The evening with Dick Hardel is an opportunity to hear another’s radical thinking to the basics of faithful ministry of passing on the faith in Jesus Christ.

This event is sponsored by the Indianapolis Conference of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, ELCA. If you are interested in attending or have questions, please contact Julie Peralta.

Sam’s

Club . . . .

Senior Adult Ministry’s (Sam’s Club) first fellowship get together on September 19^th was well attended. A hearty lunch was enjoyed followed by an interesting program of “Hoosier Mixer,” table talk and music.

Watch for the Sam’s Club table in the narthex soon to sign-up for our October 17^th trip to Columbus, IN. Car-pooling will be available at the church at 10:15am. We’ll have a delicious lunch at Columbus’ Sirloin Stockade after which we will travel to the Chamber of Commerce center to view a short film before boarding our chartered bus to tour buildings of unique architecture in Columbus.

Many Thanks . . . .

❖ Thank you for prayers, cards, and phone calls during Ray’s illness and thanks to all the women who brought food and prepared the luncheon after the funeral. – Shirley Lowe.

❖ We would like to thank the Crew Leaders of the S.S. Discipleship’s Parable of the Vineyard fall rotation I: Holly Dorris, Ann Buie, Ashley Thompson, Kathy French, Aaron French, Michele Dew, and Penny Welch.

❖ Thank you for prayers, cards and notes regarding Mike’s dad’s passing. – Mike & Janet Albaugh.

Youth News . . . .

Kids Club . . . .

Sunday, October 16 we will be playing flag football and soccer. We will begin at 12:15pm with a build your own sub lunch in the RLC Fellowship Hall followed by games. Please sign-up on the bulletin board across from Ms. Julie’s office if you will be attending our event. Adults – remember we need your participation too!

Lord of the Rings

Exhibition . . . .

RLC FB & YG will be taking a field trip on Saturday, October 15 with other youth groups to the Indiana State Museum to tour the Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy – The Exhibition sets, costuming and technology that made the movies famous! The cost is $10 per person. Please contact Julie Peralta if you missed the September 25 sign-up deadline.

Faith Builders – Trailblazers Weekend . . . .

FaithBuilders will be having a special weekend at Lutherwood Nov. 4-6. Those who are planning to attend should already be registered! Contact Julie Peralta if you have any questions or concerns.

Graduating Seniors

& Parents . . . .

The Graduation Faith Stepping Stone breakfast will be Sunday, November 6 in the RLC Fellowship hall from 9:00-10:30am. Please make a note of it!

Children’s Thought

for October . . . .

Here’s a family that keep their young children in worship service with them and tips on how they have survived:

“My husband and I have chosen to keep our children (ages 18 months & 3) with us during worship services . . . I feel it is important for our children to learn to sit quietly and to learn how to worship as a family . . . We bring along quiet toys and simple snacks like Cheerios to keep them occupied . . . Over the course of time, they have both improved dramatically and usually make it through most of the service.”

– Danielle Jones, Chester, Virginia.

S.S. Discipleship . . . . What’s Happening?

What is involved with being a Crew Leader or Shepherd on the S.S. Discipleship? How long is my duty? What ages are involved? What’s happening with FaithBuilders & Youth Group?

The S.S. Discipleship, formerly known as Sunday School, happens on Sunday mornings from 9:30am-10:30am throughout the walls of RLC. As a congregation we have made a commitment to provide opportunities for ages 3-100+ years. Our 3-year-olds through 5^th graders focus for 4-5 weeks (depending on calendar) on a single biblical story. There are a number of lab-style stations – computers, movies, science, cooking, art, etc. – and students rotate each week from station to station. The Crew Leaders only have to prepare one station for the 4-5 week rotation. It is minimal prep time!

A Shepherd is one who moves from station to station with the 3-year-olds or preschoolers for additional hands at each station with the Crew Leader. Although one would want to familiarize themselves with the lessons, there is no lesson prep time involved.

Faith Builders (FB) & Youth Group (YG) during the Discipleship Hour engage in conversations around Media – Theology – What does this mean for me? Some of our fall conversation will be around Christianity and evolution.

If this is an area of ministry you are called to, either the 3-year-olds through 5^th graders or FB or YG, please contact Julie Peralta: email julie@rlcindy.org or call the church office 881-7854 ext. 204 or cell phone 696-6634. The S.S. Discipleship can only stay afloat with many crew members.

Among the many victims of Hurricane Katrina is the community around Grace Lutheran Church in Long Beach, Mississippi. The pastor, Barbara Hunter, is well-known to many of us at RLC. She was a pastor at Bethany Lutheran in Indpls. for several years. Her daughter Priscilla and son-in-law Matt, both Lutheran pastors, were Camp Directors at Lutheran Hills. Pastor Barb and her husband John are both safe, but have lost their home. Grace Lutheran Church survived the storm, but the community surrounding it was devastated. It now serves as a multi-denominational worship site as well as becoming an official FEMA site with regular shipments of supplies. The desperate need is for monetary assistance for this community.

Resurrection is able to match your donations dollar-for-dollar up to a maximum of $2,000. Contributions can be made directly to Resurrection with "Grace Lutheran" on the envelope and on the memo line. Please remember Pastor Barb and the Long Beach/ Gulfport community in your prayers and thank you for whatever assistance you are able to give. If you have further questions, please contact Donna Thomsen at 882-3804.

Men’s Breakfast

& Bible Study . . . .

The October Men’s Breakfast will be Saturday, Oct. 8^th with breakfast at 7:30 and the Bible Study from 8-9:00am. The Bible Study is titled: being God’s men . . . by pursuing friendships. All men are welcome!

Rice & Beans Dinner

Our Youth Group will be attending the National Youth Gathering in San Antonio Texas next summer with opportunities to meet 1,000 of other ELCA youth along with hearing awesome speakers and bands. Our youth not only are interested in raising funds for the Gathering, but they have a caring heart for the victims of Katrina. Plus the youth have an opportunity to receive $800 matching funds from Thrivent for 2005.

The youth have decided to have a Rice & Bean Dinner to raise funds for 1) the hurricane victims at Grace Lutheran Church in Long Beach, Mississippi plus 2) our youth to attend the National Youth Gathering. During the weekends of October 29-30 and November 5-6, the youth will be gathering orders to be picked up on Sunday, November 13. While you are watching the November 13 Colts game you can enjoy a bowl of beans & rice. If you have any questions please contact Julie Peralta. Thank you for your support.

Grace Matters

Radio Program . . . .

The Indianapolis Conference is sponsoring one Sunday a month Grace Matters radio ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Each week on the radio this program hosted by Rev. Peter Marty offers insights on faithful living, commentaries on cultural and biblical topics, and interviews with interesting people from around the country.

Pastor Marty talks about what really matters in life. He explores the shape of God’s grace working its way into human experience, and helps people to grow in faith and love for the one who makes joy possible in the first place – Jesus Christ. In the Indianapolis area you can listen to Grace Matters on WQME 98.7 at 7:00am every Sunday morning.

Fair Trade Coffee Orders . . .

Placing your Fair Trade Coffee order is simple. Order any time, by filling out a gold-colored order form available in the Fair Trade Coffee collection box. This can be found on the coffee host table in the narthex or in the Fair Trade mailbox in the church library (just to the left of the doorway). Deliveries take about two weeks. Questions? Contact Norma Blake at 865-1132.

Friendship Bible Study . . . .

Resurrection is the host for a Bible Study Class specifically designed for the mentally impaired every Monday night at 7pm (previously on Wednesday). Our goal is to have one volunteer for each student. Would you like to spread the Word of God to these wonderful people? Call Denise Wade at 887-0965 for more information.

Olivet Retreat . . . .

. . . .a wonderful weekend!