July 22, 2020

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 16:18 NIV

My mom tells me that when I was a child my favorite saying was “I will do it all by myself.” Oh boy. Some would say I still live that way. As a single mom and as a charge nurse at the hospital, I would say that I choose to be a strong, independent woman. However, I know that it is a quick slide from that to pride.

I recently bought a house. My family and I had spent all day packing my moving truck in what certainly felt like the hottest, most humid day of the year. That night I was looking around my townhouse at all the many things I still had to do and I just sat down and cried. I was physically and mentally exhausted and I knew my family was too. To top it off, the next day was also my daughter’s birthday and I was scheduled for an overnight shift at the hospital. My closing was scheduled for the morning after my shift. I prayed and just said “Lord, help me have the strength to get this all done.” I felt that God was telling me to ask for help, specifically on Facebook. Ugh. The last thing I wanted to do was show Facebook me and my hot mess. I admit that I sat there for a few minutes trying to think of ways to get out of that Facebook post I knew I should write. I don’t like to ask for help and I thought, if I did, I would look weak or unable to do things all by myself. I realized that I can’t do things all by myself and God was telling me I didn’t have to. I recalled Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction.” So I put away my pride, posted my plea for help and went to bed.

The next day my home was filled with (socially distancing) people from all walks of my life who wanted to show me love in a practical way. I had friends I hadn’t seen in 10 years, coworkers, friends, my kids’ preschool teacher and her three teenagers and even Restoration pastors and staff. Side note: it was pretty amazing to be able to share with my realtor and the closer that my pastor helped me clean my fridge.

That night I was able to leave work early because my co-workers agreed to let me go home first even though it wasn’t my turn. And the next day was the same with more help. My mom’s co-worker sent her son and his friend over. Imagine introducing yourself to the people who came to help you move! This continued through the day with Rob and Daniel showing up at just the time we were needing to carry the heavy furniture.

After everything was in my new home and everyone was gone, I sat on my couch and cried again. Only this time it was tears of gratitude. I believe that God blessed me because I chose to listen to Him and lay down my pride and ask.

Kristi

*NEW*
Love Thy Neighbor Bingo
When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was, he replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” When Jesus was asked who one’s neighbor was he told a story about a compassionate outsider. Jesus wasn’t just talking about his (or our) physical neighbors; he was talking about all the people around us, whether it be the people we work with, play with, learn with or live near.

While all of these are included in his definition of neighbor, we want to focus on the neighbors we live near, especially during our beautiful Minnesota summers.

Our hope and prayer is that each of us can build relationships with our neighbors and hear their stories and have an opportunity to share ours. As an encouragement to our Restoration community, we created a Love thy Neighbor Bingo Card and Sign. We will hook you up with a free scoop of Culver’s custard if you complete the entire card by August 30. Just let us know by filling out the form HERE.

*NEW*
Life in Worship
“Show me where you spend your time and where you spend your money, and I will show you what you worship.” What is worship? What does it encompass? How do we do it? This series is designed to expand our understanding and practice of worship beyond singing and beyond an hour on Sundays. It will help us grow as people who, like Jesus said, worship him in spirit and in truth.

*NEW*
Baptism and Dedication at Restoration
Did you know Believer Baptism is a picture of how Jesus has changed your life and a response to God’s redeeming love for us? If God has been working in your life, have you considered being baptized? We will be doing believer baptisms this summer. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please contact MatthewGoerdt@restorationcov.org. If you are interested in having a child dedicated or baptized, please contact ChrystineVilhauer@restorationcov.org or contact the church office.

AmazonSmile App
AmazonSmile customers can now support Restoration Covenant Church in the Amazon shopping app on iOS and Android mobile phones. Simply follow these instructions to turn on AmazonSmile and start generating donations.

Open the Amazon Shopping app on your device
Go into the main menu of the Amazon Shopping app and tap into ‘Settings’
Tap ‘AmazonSmile’ and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process

If you do not have the latest version of the Amazon Shopping app, update your app. Click HERE for instructions.

Small Groups Meeting Online via Zoom
In these unprecedented times, it’s more important than ever to have face time with friends and family – even if it’s virtual. We recognize the huge value in this opportunity to stay connected and some of our small groups have formed online zoom chats to stay connected:

Men’s Group – Every Saturday morning at 7am – led by Chad White
Prayer Group – Every Tuesday 7-9pm – led by Mary Beshara and Michael Nybakken
Adultish? Group – Friday evenings – led by Daniel Morgenstern

These groups are all easy to join. Please reach out to DanielMorgenstern@restorationcov.org to get connected to these zoom chats or to find the group that fits best.

You are invited to Family Game Night! – August 3
We want to stay connected and have fun through these times, so every other Monday from 7:30pm-8:30pm we will be gathering through Zoom to play some fun party games together! No installation or purchase required. Anyone age 12+ can join the game via computer, phone, or any other device that can browse the internet. If you’re interested and would like to know more, please contact Matthew at: matthewgoerdt@restorationcov.org

Sunday Coffee Time
Are you missing after service chats by the coffee cart? Join us after the message Sunday on a zoom call for our virtual coffee meeting; we’ll bring the company you bring the coffee. We will break up into groups of 3-4 callers to give you a chance to chat and check in on folks you might not have connected with otherwise. Use this link to join. A link will also be posted in the Facebook chat at the end of the service on Sunday.

Online Giving
There’s no time like the present to set up online giving. Because our regularly scheduled worship service will be online for the next few weeks, online tithing is a way to remain faithful in your giving even in the most uncertain of times. Decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you need. We encourage you to consider giving online so that your giving is regular and easy to manage – it’s easy to sign up HERE.

Pray or Receive Prayer
Now more than ever, people are turning toward prayer or are in desperate need of prayer. We have an amazingly gifted prayer team you can depend on for prayer. They’re always looking for other prayer warriors if you want to join or if you need prayer for any situation, you can contact them. We believe in the power of prayer and know that God is listening. We would love to pray for you. If you’re interested in joining the prayer team or have any prayer requests, send them to our prayer team at prayer@restorationcov.org

RESTORATION KIDS

Contact: ChrystineVilhauer@restorationcov.org

Play & Pray – August 5, 19
Looking to get out of the house and connect with other parents and kids this summer? We are bringing back Play and Pray! Bring a chair or blanket so we can sit at a safe distance while we talk about the things going on in our lives and share prayer requests. We will be meeting at Apple Grove Park (by the fire station at CR42 and Hayes) on Wednesday, August 5 and 19 at 9am.

What We’re Learning in July

Preschoolers

June and July are all about what we can spy with our little eyes. Get ready for I Spy! It’s a great theme that helps us see the things that help us believe in Jesus. I Spy. It is all about the eyes. We are helping preschoolers see so they can believe in Jesus. We will have one key question and bottom line for June and July. We don’t think we can say these too much. They are that good. Get ready to ask, “who can believe in Jesus” and respond with, “I can believe in Jesus,” over and over again. Our hope is that your preschoolers will have the truth that they can believe in Jesus with them forever.

“These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God.” John 20:31

Elementary

This summer, our focus is going to be on faith. God has always been involved in the world He created. We see His handiwork on display in creation. We see God’s love on display through Jesus, who came to rescue us. We respond to God in faith, believing in what we can’t see because of what we can see. When we focus on what we know to be true about God and the world God created, we can have faith in what we can’t see or fully understand.

“God’s grace has saved you because of your faith in Christ. Your salvation doesn’t come from anything you do. It is God’s gift.” Ephesian 2:8 NIrV

RESTORATION STUDENTS

Contact Daniel with questions about any Restoration Students events at DanielMorgenstern@restorationcov.org or 952-686-8408.

Restoration Students at Cannon River – July 29
Let’s get out on the Cannon River; we’re going tubing! Meet at the Ministry Center (14201 Cedar Ave) at 1pm on July 29, with pickup at 6pm. We will carpool to Welch Mills (26389 County 7 Blvd, Welch) and grab dinner on the way back to the Ministry Center. Parents are welcome to drop off directly at Welch Mill at 2pm and pick up at 5pm. Bring a wet and dry set of clothes and shoes, water bottle, bag or backpack, sunscreen, and $20 cash ($12 for the tube and $8 for dinner). Signup cutoff is Sunday, July 26. Hand sanitizer will be provided during the event and Welch Mill requires a mask while riding the shuttles. Check email and Facebook for updates.

Restoration Students Summer Plans
Three small groups are available to our students during the summer, a High School Girls Group meeting on Tuesdays, led by Janice Svaren, a Middle School Girls Group meeting on Fridays, led by Lliane Blons, and a Student Boys Group meeting on Sundays, led by Michael Sorenson. There are several outdoor events open to all current students and incoming 6th graders.