RELATIONAL MINISTRY     

“People won’t care about how much we know until they know how much we care.” 

            This was the statement made over and over again by the keynote speaker at our educator’s conference this year.  This speaker was talking to us as teachers about the relationship that we have with our students and families but it is also true for each one of us as Christians. 

            A devotion from the Department of School Ministry about Relational Ministry said this, Relational Ministry is a process of building personal relationships that serve as an avenue for sharing the Gospel message.  There is little doubt that we know some pretty important things.  We know that Jesus is our Lord and Savior.  We know that He is the personal Savior for all people of all time.  We know that He wants us to be the ambassadors that share this message.  However, if people will not pay attention to what we know unless we first pay attention to them, we better get busy and share some attention.

            Jesus understood this need very well.  When He saw Zacchaeus, He didn’t point to Zacchaeus in the tree and tell him what mistakes he had made and what behavior modifications he needed to make.  Instead, Jesus went to Zacchaeus’ home and spent time with him.  Many would like to believe that during that visit, Jesus gave Zacchaeus a great lesson and told him what a mess he had made of his life.  But the Scriptures don’t say that.  What they do tell us is that Jesus spent time with Zacchaeus, and because Zacchaeus got to know Jesus, his whole life changed.

            When Lazarus died, Jesus obviously did a great miracle, but He also spent significant personal time with Mary and Martha.  He talked with them, comforted them, prayed with them, and cried with them.

            The disciples are a whole story unto themselves.  Jesus spent three years with them.  During that time, He talked, prayed, coaxed, coached, disciplined, taught, loved, and cared for them.  (Three years of doing exactly what a school teacher does!)  Through that process, Jesus showed His followers that He was their personal Lord and Savior, taught them of the plan for salvation, and equipped them for their role in that plan.

            Whether it was fishermen, tax collectors, teachers of the law, the sick, the wealthy, the parents, the children… Jesus showed respect and love for all.  He built relationships and taught His lessons at a level His followers could understand.  He made time for people and their needs.

            Jesus showed us that while He never compromised the Gospel message, He worked through personal relationships and the Scriptures.  He showed us that He came because He cared.  He showed us that the people He loved had both personal and spiritual needs.  He showed us that although spiritual needs have eternal ramifications, personal needs require attention, too.  He showed us that He had as much time for a broken arm as He did for a broken heart.  He showed us how to work for Him. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13:35  And, He commissioned us to do it.  (excerpts taken from School Mailing.)

Kindergarten

The Kindergarten wants to thank all our speakers for Lutheran Schools Week.  We also send out a big thank you to Lori and Leroy for all their hard work preparing for the Irish Beef Stew Supper.  The supper and show were superb!

The kids were all looking forward to spring break.  We have been studying symbols of the country and have found out a lot about our history.  Next we will do St. Patrick’s day and Dental Health on Science and Social Studies.

In Religion we are working hard on the Lord’s Prayer and the happenings of Lent.

 Have a Blessed Easter,  Mrs. B.  

Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten

Wow can you believe that it’s already April!!  Last month the preschool and pre-kindergarten had a great Lutheran Schools week.  We had a great time singing at the Irish Beef Stew and Silent Auction.  On St. Patrick’s Day we visited Ireland and followed Leprechaun footprints to where they hid their gold coins.

 This month we are looking forward to spring and Easter.  We will look at some signs that spring is coming.  We will learn all about the resurrection eggs and how Jesus died to take away our sins and rose again so we can have eternal life.

 Have a Blessed Easter, 

Mrs. Lori and Mrs. Corina

4th - 6th Grade

What a fabulous week we had during National Lutheran Schools Week.  The children enjoyed dressing as their favorite occupation; we had truckers, an artist, a traveling salesman, and more!  On Wild West Wednesday, the school was filled with cowboys and cowgirls.  Then Open House Thursday they were dressed in their very best– skirts, ties, dress shoes, etc.  Polar Day found us out in the snow for an unusual kickball game in the snow.

The speakers throughout the week were so special.  The children were impressed with every speaker.  From dental care, to water color artist, and the sheriff, to the cowboy, and the wildlife experts, each one taught us so much.  Thank you to all these people who came to share their knowledge with us.

We also enjoyed our field trip to Bemidji.  The Concordia Language Village broadened our view of the world with information about many different countries and their languages.  The students will always remember the fun they had at the Headwaters Science Center.  The hands-on learning was truly exceptional.

 The children’s art work decorated the church and school this week with many beautiful art projects.  They also made the placemats for the Irish Beef Stew.  Then to wrap up the week we are making thank you cards for all the speakers.  As you can see we have really been a busy group.

God’s Blessings to all,  Lana Ludwig

1st - 3rd Grade

Spring is coming!  You can feel it in the air.  It is always so amazing to see the changes in the seasons and the new life springing up everywhere.  What a Great God we have!

 God’s Greatness was evident as addressed by our speakers during National Lutheran Schools Week.  Each of our special guests reminded us of how unique and wonderful our Lord made our world and everything in it.  From our teeth, to the colors in the sky, to our fingerprints, to the cows on a ranch, our languages, balance, gravity, the animals that he gave us and His command to use them wisely.  God has truly blessed us!

 Since Lutheran Schools Week we have moved back into our somewhat normal routines. We closed out the 3rd quarter of school and are coming down the home stretch.  We continue to add, subtract and now multiply.  We are also working with money and time.  We continue to learn new strategies in reading and comprehension.  We are really enjoying Book Club.  We will also be gearing up for our spring musical soon so keep a look out for more information.

 God’s Greatness continues as we move from the Lenten season to Easter. His plan is sad, wonderful, amazing and necessary.  From a fallen world to eternal life for all who believe.  Christ has won the victory over death.  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Christ is Risen, He is Risen, Indeed!  Celebrate!

                In Christ,  Miss Janna