Living Waters: November 2025

United in Spirit and inspired by God’s grace,

We welcome all, love all, and seek justice for all Creation.

Nov. 1 Cherish the Church 10:00am-12:00pm

Nov. 2 All Saints Day, Communion Sunday, Isaiah Presentation After Church

Nov. 3 Pastoral Relations Meeting 5:30pm

Nov. 4 Bible Study 10:00am

Nov. 5 Bell Choir 6:00pm, Choir 7:00pm

Nov. 8 New Member Potluck Party 4:30pm

Nov. 9 Stewardship (Pledge) Sunday & Bell Choir 9:15am Council Eggbakes and Congregational Potluck After Service

Nov. 10 Finance 6:00pm

Nov. 11 Bible Study 10:00am, Property 6:00pm

Nov. 12 Pilgrim Guild Noon, Bell Choir 6:00pm, Choir 7:00pm

Nov. 15 All Bodies All Minds 10:00am

Nov. 16 Disability/Access Sunday, Guest Musician Gaelyn Lea 9:15am, Disability Presentation After Church, Membership Growth Meeting After Church

Nov. 18 Bible Study 10:00am, Out to Lunch Bunch 12:00pm,

Coordinating Council 5:45pm

Nov. 19 Bell Choir 6:00pm, Choir 7:00pm

Nov. 22 Turkey Bingo 4:30pm Early Bird, 5:30pm Main Event

Nov. 23 Reign of Christ Sunday & Contemporary Band Service 9:15am

Nov. 25 Bible Study 10:00am

Nov. 26 Choir 7:00pm No Bell Choir!

Nov. 29 Decorate the Church! 10:00am-12:00pm

Nov. 30 First Sunday of Advent 9:15am, Inquirer’s Gathering 10:45am

Worship Page

November 2 All Saints and Communion Sunday!

Scripture: Luke 20: 34-38 (Message Bible) & Hebrews 12: 1-2a

Preacher: Rev. Kathy Itzin

Sermon Title: “God is not the God of the Dead, but of the Living!”

On this All Saints Day, we will discuss a few scriptures reassuring us that there is more life than what we experience here!

November 9 Stewardship Sunday, Bell Choir, and Council-Provides-Eggbakes-You-Bring-the- Sides Potluck (KI switched from last week)

Scriptures: Luke 19: 1-10 (Jesus and Zacchaeus, the tax collector)

Preacher: Rev. Kathy Itzin

Sermon Title: “Who’s The One Who’s Small?”

For years, Sunday School classes have talked about Zacchaeus as the ‘wee little man.’ But, who is small minded in this story? Jesus may be the only one who has a large vision.

November 16 Access Sunday - Guest Musician Gaelynn Lea

Scripture: Mk. 10: 46-52 (healing of blind Bartimaeus) & Lk. 8: 43-48 (healing of woman with hemorrhage)

Preacher: Rev. Laura Cannata

Sermon Title: “The Art of Healing"

The words ‘healing’ and ‘cure’ are often used interchangeably, but they are very different! .

November 23 Reign of Christ & Contemporary Band

Scripture: Colossians 1: 11:20 (Christ is the image of the invisible God…) &

Luke 23: 33-43 (Jesus is crucified and welcomes a criminal into the Realm of God).

Preacher: Rev. Kathy Itzin

Sermon Title: “The Kin(g)dom of God?”

Today was called “Christ the King” Sunday. We don’t have much room for kings in America (think ‘King George the 3rd’)! Given our history, what do we do with ‘the Kingdom of God?’

November 30 First Sunday of Advent

Scriptures: Rm. 13: 11-12, (The night is far gone, the day is near) Matthew 3: 1-12 (John the Baptist appears in the desert…’Prepare the Way of the Lord!’)

Preacher: Rev. Kathy Itzin

Sermon Title: “Prepare?”

As we are surrounded by decorations and holiday activities, (or their absence), how do we prepare our hearts to be more welcoming and more whole?

December 7 Second Sunday of Advent

Is. 11: 1-10, ( The Spirit of God shall rest upon him…the wolf shall live with the lamb and the leopard with the little goat…) Mt. 3: 1-12 (‘Tell what you see and hear: the blind see, the lame walk…the poor have good news brought to them…)

Preacher: Rev. Kathy Itzin

Sermon Title: “How do we look forward?” We hear these great announcements about the future, but what do we do when we don’t see it now?

Pastor’s Letter

I am glad to be back to work after last month’s medical leave! I want to thank all the people who worked to ensure the health and vitality of our church while I was gone; the pastors, staff and worship leaders, our Moderator and Coordinating Council who furthered our church business, and our many dedicated congregational members who took on extra leadership responsibilities in so many capacities! We are such an active and committed congregation! Thank you!

We are also looking ahead to Advent and Christmas. The attendance at our 10pm Christmas Eve service has been decreasing each year. Last year, there were fewer people in the pews than there were in the choir. Staff, choir and Coordinating Council each discussed this and together decided to continue our candlelight Silent Night tradition at the earlier service, and to discontinue the service at 10:00pm. We will continue to include meaningful traditions from that service.

Last week, I met with Kara, the pastor of Genesis Church, to discuss the timing of our Christmas Eve services, which have both been at 4:30pm. We raised the possibility of a combined service. Both churches have a strong progressive Christian tradition and we share similar structures for our worship services. Genesis has many younger families that include children and together, both groups would nicely fill the sanctuary. The service would include the important traditions of both churches. This could be an opportunity for a very meaningful, beautiful service! The Coordinating Council supported this idea, but it will not be confirmed until Genesis also discusses this with their governing body.

We are in the midst of our stewardship campaign, and I want to echo the message of last month’s excellent ‘Pastor’s Letter’ written by Lori Myren-Manbeck. She wrote, “They (her parents) understood that the giving, the reaching, the expanding, is what connected them most closely to the Divine; when they pulled in and contracted and centered on only their needs, they felt more alone as they pulled further from the holy, universal body.”

This is an important message for all of us, especially during times when we feel insecure, stressed, afraid or insignificant. ‘The giving, the reaching, the expanding, is what connected them most closely…” However and whenever we give, we strengthen community ties, and we contribute towards supporting the world and the Realm of God. Our gifts of time, attention, words, actions, prayers and money move everything forward. Stewardship is a continual process, and this is the time when our church asks for your pledge as part of our shared ministry together. We all make a difference! Please thoughtfully consider your pledge this year as we continue to address so many important societal issues!

Gratefully yours,

Pastor Kathy

Robbinsdale Parkway 2025 Stewardship Drive

This year’s Stewardship theme is “Dream God’s Dream.”

“The challenge of course is for us all to do what’s ours to do to make sure that the ‘Dream’ doesn’t just remain a dream. It needs to become reality, and the way that happens is in and through the lives of those who have been touched and energized and committed to the Spirit who gave birth to the Dream in the first place.”

Understand the impact our congregations can make in our communities if we generously support them! Our multi-week drive welcomes members of our congregation as they share what the church means to them, and why they give. This culminates with the submission of our pledge cards and an egg bake brunch (hosted by the RPUCC Council) on Sunday, November 9. Our Council is inviting members to contribute “sides” (fruit, breads, etc) to our meal. Let’s join together by offering our pledges in support of our community, and to celebrate with lunch!

Cheryl Nordquist

THANK YOU GREETERS!

We are a welcoming and hospitable congregation! However, no visitor realizes this until after worship when the smiles and handshakes happen. Therefore the role of the GREETER prior to worship is exceedingly important. Thank you to the following people who have greeted before worship in the past three months! Carol Anderson, Jim & Nancy Greenwood, Dan & Karrie Haugen, NormaRae Hunt, Lola May Moser, Millia Saade, and Garth Schumacher. Our apology if we missed your name on this list! Please join this list for a now and then opportunity to serve!!

-Your Membership Growth Committee

Interested in exploring church membership?

Would you like to learn more about RPUCC and what becoming a member involves? Please join us following coffee hour at 10:45 Sunday, November 30, for the next Inquirer’s Gathering!

Access Sunday & Guest Musician!

Come join Robbinsdale Parkway UCC on November 16th at 9:15 am for a fantastic Access Sunday service. We will have Gaelynn Lea, an internationally acclaimed, Minnesota-grown artist, as our special guest musician. She is a singer, violinist, author, and disability advocate. She will also be giving a talk during coffee hour after the service. Hope to see you there.

Rev. Laura Cannata

The Out to Lunch Bunch will meet at noon on Tuesday, November 18 at Lynde’s Restaurant at 209 Co. Rd. 81 in Osseo. This is an enjoyable group, and a good restaurant!

Come join us on the 18th!!

Turkey Bingo and Raffle

Saturday, November 22nd, is the date! We will begin at 4:30pm (Early Bird) with a main start time of 5:30. Win your Holiday Bird and a chance for hundreds of dollars in gift cards in raffle prizes. Cost is $5.00 per Bingo Card, $5.00 per raffle ticket, or save money by buying a book of five tickets for only $20. We’ll also have food! This will be a good night of Family Fun.

Update on Donating to Our Food Shelf Partners at PRISM and NorthPoint!

The federal budget has cut support for food shelves across the country. Our partners at NorthPoint and PRISM use monetary gifts to buy in bulk, to buy perishable items, and to buy from farmers. We encourage you to make a donation to our food shelf partners through the church any time of the year. Donations can be made by making a check out to RPUCC with the memo “Food Shelves”. You can also donate online at https://www.osvhub.com/robbinsdale-ucc/giving/funds and look for the “Give Now” button under “PRISM/NorthPoint”.

Our Food Shelf committee has decided to concentrate on one or two most needed items every 1-2 months. For October and November, we are collecting toilet paper, bar soap, and razors and shaving cream for men and women. Please place these items in the designation basket by the office. We appreciate your support! For more information or to help with sorting, bagging, or transporting items, contact Nicole Anderson (nicolejanderson11@gmail.com), Diane Amundson (loonlake200@hotmail.com), or Dianne Star (diannestar54@gmail.com).

Pilgrim Guild - Join us on Wednesday, November 12 at noon in Heritage Hall. We’ll visit with one another, play games and share dessert. We hope to see you there!.

And now, from our Faith Community Nurse!

‘Seat Yoga,’ commonly known as ‘Chair Yoga,’ is a form of yoga practiced while sitting in a chair, which makes it a gentle and accessible option for those with various physical needs. It combines yoga positions, breathing techniques and mindfulness as a way to improve strength, circulation, and flexibility as well as reducing stress and anxiety.

These are some benefits of Chair Yoga:

Increased accessibility: Ideal for seniors and those with limited mobility as it can be done at home.

Improved physical health: Increases strength and flexibility, and may help posture

Enhanced mental well-being: Promotes a sense of calm and can help manage stress

Offers Pain Relief: Can provide some relief from our aches and pains.

For all of the above reasons, I want to offer opportunities for “Chair Yoga.” I plan to take the month of November to learn how to lead sessions, then will offer opportunities to practice in December via Zoom. We will begin offering sessions twice a week.

If you are interested, please drop me an email or text.

Namaste, Carol RN

Kathyicarola@aol.com, 612-803-1479.

ADVENT DECORATING TIME SATURDAY,

November 29 th at 10 AM.

Come one, come all – it’s fun and shouldn’t take long!

The Chrismons (Christ symbols) that we have made over the past many years will be returned to members this Advent. Enjoy them on your own tree!! It’s time for something new. They will be in envelopes and given back during coffee hour.

Questions? Call or text Dawn at 612-281-6515

Come one, come all – it’s fun and shouldn’t take long!

UCC Daily Devotional

Recently, a member shared something he had realized after reading the UCC Daily Devotional with the Bible study group. I realized that many people may not know that this free online devotional is available to anyone through the UCC website. It’s good - both relevant and thought provoking. If you are interested, Google ‘Daily Devotional United Church of Christ’ and sign up right there. It’s easy and a great way to start the day!

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or 'food stamps') is set to end on Nov. 1, leaving many families without enough money for food. If this (or other financial difficulties) affect your family, let us help! RPUCC has a 'Congregational Care' fund to help when times are tough. Contact Pastor Kathy if you could use some help!

Hospitality Report

We’re coming to the end of another year. Lots of new committees, a new church renting

and a new caterer in our kitchen! We also have our 2nd Annual Turkey Bingo coming up on Saturday, November 22. We will be pre-selling raffle tickets. Hopefully every family will take a book or two and sell them to neighbors and family and friends. We are a community church

and wish to bring in the outside community in as many ways as possible.

The Raffle needs prizes to give away. Think of places you frequent-a free manicure,

haircut, $$ off on dinners, or items that you purchase - donations are acceptable, too.

We want to get many people involved in many ways. We are looking for a possible food sponsor that would provide the meal for the evening—Broadway Pizza for example.

Use your connections to help us out! Theresa George is our Turkey chairperson so please let her, Lyle, Kathy Jo, or Mary Cook know if you have more ideas. Help make our fundraiser successful and fun for everyone. Last year everyone really enjoyed it - even those who joined us online!

We helped Dawn Conn and Laura Herman send off Matt Anderson’s (Laura’s son) new family unit! Matt has two daughters, and new wife Lisa has a son. A day of commitment, good food, dancing, picture taking (booth) and much fun and sharing. Congratulations to the new family! We also expect to get some more RPUCC personalized shirts. Some have asked about cold weather items like hoodies or zip up jackets, which we’re checking into. Our next Spaghetti Dinner is in January. December brings our delivery of cookies and mailings of Christmas cheer to our shut-ins and many out of area folks, who are missed. If you know someone we need to add to our list please tell our Hospitality Committee.

Treasurer’s Report

From your Treasurer: My report here will be brief. Our overall financial situation is quite good.

The finance team will start working on an operating budget for 2026.

It will be brought to the congregation for approval at our congregational meeting in late January.

We are expecting costs to increase due to inflation, so next year’s budget will be tight.

Costs will be going up and some sources of income will no longer be available.

Karrie Haugen has joined the RPUCC Finance Team.

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Ken Beck Treasurer SheriKenBeck@yahoo.com

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (call or text)

Mental Health Connect offers navigators who can help remove barriers and complexity so that you can gain access to providers or resources for your unique situation. Navigation and follow-up services are free, individualized, and confidential. Call or text 612-642-1220

Email navigator@mhconnect.org, or fill out the navigator request form on their website at mhconnect.org.

RPUCC is part of the Mental Health Connect Collaborative.

Thanksgiving Dinner at St. Anne’s Place

I can hardly believe this is our 25th year to pay for the groceries and baked pies for this special occasion. There will be about 65 dinners provided on that day for the moms, kids, and staff. They will gather to give thanks for their new temporary home, new friends and new pathways they are exploring. If you want to donate to their special ministry please write “Thanksgiving Dinner” on the check or envelope.

We also need 10-12 pies. The list will be on the sign up table under the monitor. They ask for special pies; sweet potato, pecan, apple, and pumpkin. The pie tins cannot be returned to you. The pies can be left at church Tues. the 25th, or I will be there on Wed. the 26th at 10AM to meet you.

This is a gift of love to our Northside neighbors.

Thank you in advance for your generosity, Nancy Larson 763-226-1014

Share the Care Offering

The Share the Care Offering for November is the Northside Achievement Zone (northsideachievement.org), whose mission is to end multi-generational poverty in North Minneapolis by building a culture of achievement where all low-income children of color have the support they need to graduate high school and succeed in college, career, and life. To donate, drop coins into the offering plate at church; place coins, bills, or checks into the designated container at worship; or mail a check to the church.

Make checks to RPUCC and put “NAZ” or “Nov)” in the memo field.

To donate online, go to https://www.osvhub.com/robbinsdale-ucc/giving/funds,

click “Give Now” under the “Other” choice and follow the directions.

Summary of Council Meeting, October 21, 2025

If you would like a full version of the notes, please let Teresa George know and they will be emailed to you (tmorigeorge81@gmail.com).

1. The 10:30 PM Christmas Eve service will be discontinued due to low attendance. Traditions will be incorporated into the 4:30 PM Christmas Eve service. This may be held jointly with Genesis Church (see Kathy’s article above).

2. The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is a nationwide group dedicated to “all things historical” pre-1600’s. They would like to rent space for a December Toys for Tots fundraiser. The group engages in tournaments involving stage-like weapons replicating those of the 1600’s. An exception to the RPUCC weapons ban was sought. It was noted that the group carries insurance. Council approved the exception.

3. Treasurer Report – September on budget. Mortgage likely paid off in 40 months. Committee 2026 budget request process to be emailed to all Chairs of groups. Karrie Haugen approved as a secondary financial secretary.

4. Stewardship Sunday – Bring your pledges! November 9, 2025. Potluck breakfast. Council will provide egg bake main course with congregation providing sides.

People with Special Concerns

Amanda & Rosaria Busch (home)

Joe Charley (friend of Lori Myren-Manbeck)

Doug Fowler (Char's dad)

Andy Momont (Parkinsons)

Lisa Flynn (Carol & Kathy’s niece)

Kristine Tures (Barbara Kinnunen’s daughter)

Jim and Margaret Heglund

Brad and Laurie Jones

Jan Schwarz

Jim Watry

Bill Herrmann

Avery & Kylie Anderson (Dawn Conn’s great-granddaughters)

Cordelia Standskov

John Stoltzfus

Spence Pierce and Faith Cozier Pierce

Sharon Stevens (abdominal cancer)

Sean Stiff

Laura Cannata

KJ Davis (and Mom & Dad)

Dennis Scoville (Health)

All Caregivers