Kick off the holiday season at our Advent workshop! You and your young ones are invited to make a variety of Christmas decorations and ornaments this Sunday, Dec. 6, 3 to 5 p.m. Helpful hosts will show you how to make the projects, each costing between 50 cents and $2. Parents help preschoolers through first graders; older children are encouraged to create crafts on their own. See you Sunday!
Yesterday during worship, we lit the first candle of Advent, a time of hopeful anticipation and preparation. “Christ is coming. Christ is always coming, always entering a troubled world.” These were among the words we shared as we lit the candle, hoping for peace and looking forward to Christmas. If you haven’t participated in an Advent service yet, we suggest you light a candle and witness its power in the darkness.
This year’s shepherds practice their lines in our refurbished third-floor space during a rehearsal of the Christmas pageant. Our kids are looking forward to performing their musical version of this wondrous story for you on Sunday, December 20.
Two lefse stations, two lefse recipes and two lefse experts—longtime members Pam and Marge—led 75 people in the fine art of lefse-making this morning in our church basement. In between learning history of the beloved potato bread, picking up clever tips (like how to freeze lefse) and taking turns at the griddle, attendees got to taste other Norwegian delicacies (also made by Pam and Marge): krumkake, flatbread, rosettes and almond cake. Mange takk to everyone who joined us!
It’s not too late to register for our visit to Mia, a.k.a. the Minneapolis Institute of Art. EMC members will view the “Delacroix’s Influence” exhibit on Friday, Nov. 13. Molly Cox and Laura Simonson are organizing. Contact the office to register. Tickets are $20 each.
During our Sunday worship, member Bill DeLaittre gave a moving invocation in honor of his fellow veterans. Bill’s speech reminded us that too often we take our safety and security for granted and that we need to remember these protections are granted to us by many people whom we will never know or have the opportunity to thank. His speech included this reminder: “Please let ‘God Bless America’ never be an assumption, but always a beggar’s prayer.”
A dozen members kicked off last Saturday with a volunteer effort for our preschool. The energetic crew shoveled tons (and tons!) of gravel, ensuring that the stones were even with the sidewalk to keep little ones safe on our playground.
Five middle-schoolers volunteered Sunday morning at Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, prepping a snack of “pencils,” made from cheese sticks, spent time with several kids, and taught an impromptu class on braiding. Thanks for encouraging your kids to serve others!
Registration is open for the next Edina Morningside U class: Learning to Make Lefse
Marge Ellingson and Pam Olson will lead this free workshop on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to noon. You can sign up now on our Edina Morningside U page: Visit our Morningside U page to register now!
EMC was delighted to host its annual Halloween party for our young friends and neighbors last weekend. Dozens of EMC youth and adults spent many enjoyable hours planning and staging a party complete with contests, art projects, activities and, a super scary (yet age-appropriate) haunted house. We even had a fortune teller!
Our efforts were rewarded by the smiles of well over 100 neighbors, including local pirates, astronauts, cowboys, ninjas, good witches, bumblebees, robots, mice, fish, princesses, storm troopers and more. Popcorn was munched, junk food was won, glow bracelets abounded and, upstairs,the strange goings-on at Clown Town inspired even the very young to visit more than once.
Thank you to all who helped out and to our guests! See you next year!