Not all our High School graduates could be present last Sunday, but we celebrated for them all!  These six each told us about the most memorable experience they had had in the church, and we were all touched by their stories.  God Speed to all of our grads!

Don’t worry — I am not bragging about my own sermons. 

I just spent a week in Minneapolis at the “Festival of Homiletics” and learned about an easy way to hear to great sermons from Protestant ministers around the country. 

Day1 describes itself as “the voice of the mainline Protestant churches, on the radio and online.”  The online part is easy to use, and gives you the choice of text or podcast (voice).  The radio is not so easy in Minnesota, because Day1only list two stations as carrying their broadcasts: KAUS in Austin (1480 AM) and KCUE in Redwing (1250 AM)

It is tempting to make jokes about sermons — but some of the most interesting words about spirituality and religion are spoken every week from pulpits — and we might as well take advantage of them.

Last week it was African drums, this week it is the Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble from St. Olaf College.

I’m delighted to welcome this talented group of musicians to our worship service on April 20.  Led by St. Olaf faculty member Paul Niemisto, this group is unique in the upper Midwest — offering a special opportunity for tuba and euphonium (baritone horn) players to make a sonorous ensemble sound not often heard in concert.

This Sunday’s service will be led by our seminary intern, Damen Heitmann.  I’ll be sitting in a pew, eager to hear his sermon, “The Walker.”

Our April 13th service was energized by the Confirmation Class African Drum Choir.  Bob Gregory-Bjorklund and Kathy Kanazawa taught the group some basic rhythms, and they played to accompany our opening and closing hymns.

We also enjoyed our Spirit Voices Choir.  Along with leading the opening and closing hymns (with the drums), they sang “The Canticle of the Turning,” based on a traditional Irish tune.  It was an international day for music at First UCC!

We had a great morning on April 13, celebrating our 2008 Confirmation group.

These bright and curious youth, mostly 9th graders, have been meeting with their adult leaders on Sunday evenings since October. 

But it hasn’t just been meetings — they have been on retreat (to Camp Omega, near Waterville), visited other churches and places of worship, done service projects, and gotten to know many of the adult members of the church.

Please make it a point to get to know some of these new members of our congregation.  They have a lot to offer us!