This year, the council of Our Savior's decided to send the Lenten service offerings to the ELCA Malaria Campaign. For the past several years, we have supported an important cause with the Lenten offerings. This is because almsgiving is an important tradition of Lent. This year, $609.28 was sent. We also learned more about the campaign during worship on April 29.
Watch the video below and read more about the ELCA Malaria Campaign, which is working to alleviate malaria by 2015 and is in the midst of raising $15 million to do so.
On the Sunday after Easter, April 15th, Our Savior's held its 6th annual festival of Holy Hilarity—the joyful celebration of Christ's resurrection. The following are pictures and video from the day.
Donna Reed and Angela Kerndt in their matching novelty glasses
"A church is in a bad way
when it banishes laughter from the sanctuary."
HELMUT THIELICKE
The Bahlmanns in their laughter-wear
"Christianity is a strangely cheery religion."
FLANNERY O'CONNOR
Carol Schaefer and her guests
Pastor Laura and Debbie Sero
"In Nigeria, the name of God is 'Father of Laughter.'"
JOSPEH R. VENEROSO
Don Thran with Georgia Troendle
“The Christian should be an alleluia
from head to foot.”
AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO
Donna Reed with Pastor Laura
"Humor is, in fact, the prelude to faith
and laughter is the beginning of prayer."
REINHOLD NIEBUHR
Emilio Rathbun, the cool acolyte
"The world will never be converted to God
until Christians cry less and laugh and sing more."
CHARLES SPURGEON
Ethan Schweitzer getting into the Easter spirit
Gary Bahlmann's fish pun shirt
“Keep company with the more cheerful sort of the Godly; there is no mirth like the mirth of believers.”
RICHARD BAXTER
Florence McKee with her great grandchildren, Kyle and Laurel Scott
Gayle's funny shirt
"From somber, serious sullen saints,
save us, O Lord."
TERESA OF AVILA
Gene Mueller in his pinwheel hat with Ceil Gray
Georgia as an Irish lass
Owen Kirk visiting with the green haired guy (Rick Gramlich)
Pastor Laura with the leaders of the UNI Interlude Dance, Cathy and Paula
"You have as much laughter
as you have faith."
MARTIN LUTHER
Kai in his hobo costume
Kyle in his wild hat
"Walk cheerfully over the world."
GEORGE FOX
Pastor Laura and Georgia
Laurel styling in Pastor's wig and hat
Margaret Cannon with the collection of quilts she'd help make for LWR
Melanie Wittman and Chloe in their laughter hats
"A good joke is the closest thing
we have to divine revelation."
G.K. CHESTERTON
The smiling Seeleys
The Timmerman family (note that Vern is Dr. Ha Ha)
Fairy Princess Zoey with Pastor Laura
The congregation getting ready for worship
Georgia in a witch hat
Pastor with Jazmine Rathbun and Kyle Scott
Chris Bolson getting into the Holy Hilarity spirit even as she's recovering from her hospitalization last week.
The big surprise of the day is that we had a "half time" during the worship service in which we did the UNI Interlude Dance. See it on the video below or click here.
Our Savior's Lutheran Church of Lansing, Iowa is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA). This blog covers news stories about the church. Visit our Web site at www.LansingLutherans.org.
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Click play to hear samples of laughter exercises and you'll get an idea of what it's like to attend the Lansing Laughter Club, which meets every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at Our Savior's Lutheran Church.
