Passionate Spirituality?

Ok some of you know that we have a committee called the "Natural Church Development Health Team" working on improving our "Passionate Spirituality". Now I'm pretty sure if the founders of this great church wouldn't think we're NUTS, they would be convinced of it if they knew that the other trait we talked about was "Loving Relationships." So are we nuts, or is the Holy Spirit guiding us to really evaluate how we put our feet to our faith?

There are other ways of describing these traits like "Enthusiastically living your faith", "Witnessing Christ in you life during the week", or "Keeping the fire that God lit in your heart alive". During the last year, the Pastors have asked several members to witness their faith during the sermon. While I've shared how the kids help me wake up on a Sunday for praise time, we've heard Ken Damashke talk of being an example for his children, Dick Mannstedt spoke about his faith through health issues, Tony Hart related his witness with the children he teaches, Lou Pertzsch wrapped us in her prayer shawl ministry and there were many others.

Martin Luther recounted how we should witness & serve in our every day life, "The same is true for shoemaker, tailor, scribe, or reader. If he is a Christian tailor, he will say: I make these clothes because God has bidden me do so, so that I can earn a living, so that I can help and serve my neighbor. When a Christian does not serve the other, God is not present; that is not Christian living."

So where will our passion fire take us? We believe we have kindled a flame put in our hearts at baptism, and many more of us could and should be a witness to each other. We build our own faith thru our community, so let's spread the good news. If anyone wants to share their faith or recommend someone, please talk to Glen or a member of the NCD Health team.

Prayerfully yours,

Dave Schipper
photo credits

Annual Repot

Natural Church Development

Our committee consisting of Dave Woggen, Tony Hart, Barry Bertelson, Jeanne Curtis, Cathy Fonstad, Lou Pertch, Betty Sacia, and Audrey Olsen has been proud of the efforts to bring awareness of the Passionate Spirituality that is real at Holmen Lutheran. When we took on the effort to increase the weakest characteristic defined from a survey of 30 involved members, we realized that Spiritual Passion runs deep at our church. During the year we inspired members to model their faith in sermon interviews, we asked each other what are we could at and what do we like to do, and we facilitated some new adventures into prayer services. At the heart of the efforts is a passion fire burning in each of us, and it showed in our next survey. To our surprise, Passion Spirituality again was deemed the characteristic to work on for the next year. We were pleased how much higher all of our characteristics grew because indicated that we’re getting the message out that we truly see the work of Christ is alive in our church.

This year we welcome Jim Boatner, Stacey Swatek, and Nancy Luedtke to the committee and expresses thanks to Cathy, Betty, and Audrey for their help. In addition to Passionate Spirituality, we are going to see if we can strengthen a characteristic called Loving Relationships, which is named for friendships that are nurtured at church and taken out to the community as day-to-day friendships.

Pray for us.

Sincerely,

Dave Schipper
Chairperson.