OUTREACH
Memorial Lutheran supports many endeavors as an extension of the hands of Jesus. Memorial Lutheran members reach out to local and international communities with a variety of activites.
AUGUSTINIAN LUTHERAN CHURCH OF GUATEMALA
Memorial Lutheran Church is in an accompaniment mission with a sister congregation, La Virgen de Santa Elena 20 de Octobre, in rural Guatemala. Through prayers, visits, and other shared ministry projects, we grow in faith with our brothers and sisters in another part of the world.
FAIR TRADE COFFEE
Memorial serves Fair Trade Coffee for the greater share of all hospitality and welcoming opportunities at Memorial. This includes Sunday mornings, concerts, programs, meals, and meetings. Fair Trade practices of Coffee are promoted in Lutheran venues across the U.S., as it promotes fair and just payment for coffee and cocoa farmers in countries where coffee and chocolate are prevalently grown. Fair Trade practices allow farmers to be paid fair profits, forming cooperatives, allowing them a fair profit for their labor.
Memorial participates with Thrivent Builds for local Habitat projects. Volunteers are asked to commit a few days each summer to build homes in the St. Paul area.
HIGHWAY CLEANUP
Once or twice a year Memorial is responsible in the clean-up of the right of ways/ditches on County Road 18 from the corner at County 21 and County Road 18 to Manning Avenue. Weekends vary as to weather and availability of volunteers. Clean-up time takes approximately two hours with 12 people sharing the clean-up duties.
Arrangements are made through Washington County including bags needed for disposing of trash. Washington County also hauls the roadside debris once our clean-up is complete.
Lutheran Via De Cristo (also known as "Cursillo") is a weekend retreat usually held at a church. It is a fun time of fellowship and learning as participants learn some foundational aspects of growing our Christian faith. The primary emphasis is learning about God's grace. There are daily worship services with Holy Communion and opportunities are provided to discuss the fullness of faith in daily living.
Memorial Lutheran has been involved with Via De Cristo for many years. To learn more, check out http://www.mnviadecristo.org
Once every five weeks, Memorial takes its turn to deliver meals for community members who are nutritionally at risk, who are elderly and homebound, or may be chronically ill.
At the present time we pickup meals at Croixdale Nursing Home and Assisted Living complex in Bayport. We arrive approximately 11:15 a.m. to pick up meals for delivery as well as specific instructions for the day and who is to receive meals. It takes approximately one hour to complete the delivery. Empty coolers for the food storage need to be returned to Croixdale upon completion of delivery. Additional time is required for this.
Once a year Memorial Hosts the St. Croix Valley Blood Drive coordinated by the American Red Cross. This year's annual blood drive at Memorial is Monday, February 28, 2010.
We are asked to provide a facility, limited furniture, and volunteers to do significant calling to recruit donors. We also provide a meal for the Red Cross staff as well as our volunteers along with snacks and beverages for the blood donors.
SHUT-IN MEALS
An effort pioneered and promoted by our very own member, Linda Anderson. Linda has equipped her life giving of her time and money by making homemade soup to the members and community of Memorial. This act takes Linda's willingness to share her gifts and time with those who gratefully receive this basic need. We encourage each other to find the simple yet so necessary ways to give what God has FIRST given to us - ourselves, our time, our possessions
ST. CROIX VALLEY OUTREACH FOOD SHELF
Memorial volunteers quarterly for one week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) from 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Five volunteers are needed to stock shelves, unload truck, dispense items. Also, as needed, donated food from Memorial must be delivered to the Food Shelf in Stillwater.
XYZ CLUB
The XYZ Club is a great group of seniors 55 and over who meet each Tuesday at Memorial Lutheran Church. We begin at 9:30 a.m. with cards (usually 500) and play until Noon. We are always looking for new members. Please come and join us.