Sharing Grace

Below you will find ways to serve in the context of sharing the grace God has bestowed on us with others.

Generosity

Contact: Don Rosseisen

Have an interest in serving a very important service that’s behind the scenes? If so, the Teller Ministry is for you. There are currently four teams consisting of four members each. Each group works for two weeks and then is off for six weeks. Barring a conflict with holidays, volunteer work is done on Monday mornings, and typically takes one-and-a-half hours. Training is provided. As mentioned, this is a very important service. With a budget of over one million dollars, timeliness and accuracy are critical. This is a group that develops very close friendships.

Contact: Pastor Beth, Joie Folkers
The mission of the committee is to create awareness of the connection between our worship of Jesus Christ as Savior and the proper management and generous sharing of the time, talent and treasure with which we have been blessed by our Heavenly Father. The members facilitate the conduct of programs such as Financial Peace University, Temple Talks, as-needed capital campaigns and the annual Congregational Stewardship Pledge Drives.

The vision of this group is to increase the level of faith in Christ within the Kinsmen community, and in so doing, raise the level of time, talent and treasure contributed by the congregation. The committee typically meets monthly to plan activities to further its mission and to advance this vision.

Sherrie McMahon

Kinsmen would not be able to present our Abendmusik concert series, without the continued support of our many generous friends. We hope you’ll consider offering your support as we continue to strive towards experiencing excellence in the performing arts.

Contact: Lynnae Schatz

All are welcome to share Thanksgiving with their family, friends, and community at Kinsmen’s Annual Community Thanksgiving Feast. The meal is free, but the fellowship is priceless. We need many volunteers to support this ministry…cooks, bakers, hosts, servers, and more.

Contact: Melissa Turnquist

The Endowment Committee provides educational opportunities for the Kinsmen community pertaining to financial stability, end-of-life planning, and how to participate in the Kinsmen Endowment Fund. A percentage of the annual earnings of Kinsmen’s Endowment Fund provides financial support for special projects approved by the Endowment Committee. Endowment Committee Members are: Loretta Castaño, Benita Engle, Ron Reder, Craig Sutter, Melissa Turnquist, and Pastor Beth Warpmaeker.

Contact: Melissa Turnquist

The Kinsmen Lutheran Church Endowment Fund was established in 1997 to provide caring individuals with an opportunity to leave enduring financial gifts. The Endowment Fund enhances the financial stability of Kinsmen Lutheran Church and provides security for the future.

Endowment Fund contributions earn income that is used to fund ministries in accordance with the fund’s distribution policies and in keeping with donor intent. These ministries and programs are connected to the values, vision, and purpose of Kinsmen Lutheran Church. The remainder is invested to preserve the principal and prudently grow the Endowment’s value. As the Endowment Fund principal grows through gifts, the greater the support for the work of the Church.

Care

Contact: Lynnae Schatz

Volunteers create shawls for those who are suffering from illness or grief to provide a sense of comfort knowing Kinsmen cares about them while they are experiencing their difficult times. Volunteers also create baptismal blankets for infants and small shawls for children or adults who are baptized as a physical presence of the warmth of fellowship in the community of faith.

Contact: Sara Ray

The nursery is a safe and joyful place for the youngest children at Kinsmen. Infants through age five are welcomed to enjoy the nursery which is staffed by caregivers. Screening, training, and orientation is provided for the caregivers.

Contact: Lynnae Schatz

Tuesdays – the re-arranged bouquets from the weekend altar flowers are delivered on Tuesday. Deliveries are made to hospitals, rehab centers, homes, local schools and local businesses. An average of 6 – 7 bouquets are delivered every week and sometimes as many as 15 are delivered. A GPS system is helpful but not required.

Contact: Lynnae Schatz

This ministry helps our families “celebrate the life” of their loved one at a reception following a funeral. Receptions provide a place of hospitality for families and friends to gather for fellowship; to share, reminisce and remember the life of their loved one and their happy times together.

Contact: Mary Collins, Grace Mielke

The prayer team meets on Mondays at 5:30 PM to pray for the needs of Kinsmen. All prayer requests from the worship services are prayed over. In addition, the prayer team lifts up the prayer requests received during the week that are not designated for pastors only. The prayer requests are confidential. All members of Kinsmen are invited to join this group.

Contact: Lynnae Schatz

The Community of Hope is a spiritual formation training program shaped by prayer and Benedictine spirituality. It serves to equip laypersons to become pastoral caregivers (Lay Chaplains) in their homes, their workplaces and in various ministries within the church and community. The keystone of the Community of Hope is Benedictine spirituality, a devotion to the care of the whole person: mind, body and spirit. Such spirituality inspires individuals to seek balance and harmony in prayer, worship, silence, holy reading, work and service.

Upon completion of the 14 week training (42 hours), participants are commissioned and become a part of our congregation’s Circle of Care which provides on-going opportunities for spiritual growth, as well as become a member of the Community of Hope International. Lay Chaplains choose to serve in various settings where their spiritual gifts are best suited for giving comfort and care to those in need. One such setting is serving as Lay Eucharistic Ministers, taking Holy Communion to the sick and/or homebound.

All who are interested deepening their own faith and prayer life are invited to inquire about the initial training.

Contact: Lynnae Schatz, Joie Folkers, Jakki Schertle

The ministry of Walking the Mourner’s Path seeks to serve individuals who are in grief through a series of 8 weekly workshops. Together in the small group workshops individuals: acknowledge the pain and brokenness, recognize that each journey through grief is unique, share stores, experience both tears and laughter and find healing and joy. “Together we do what I cannot do alone.”

Contact: Michelle Ivey

The Caring for Creation Committee’s mission is to engage the Kinsmen community in respecting and protecting God’s creation. The Care for Creation Committee generally meets bi-monthly to discuss ways to generate and implement plans to improve energy efficiency at Kinsmen, explore methods to reduce waste and encourage decreased consumption, and promote education and awareness.

Service

Contact: Eric Turnquist

Council is an elected body made up of nine council members and pastors. Council tends to the mission of the congregation and works to move the church in a forward direction. Part of Church Council ministry is to be a visionary body for the congregation in our community. Council members are elected in November and take office in January.

Contact: Marisa Swann, Lynnae Schatz

Kinsmen has Wednesday Night Suppers available primarily during the school year and at other times due to special circumstances. A great menu is served each week, with a chef preparing the meals. Assistance is needed with the set up, serving, and salad and dessert preparation.

Contact: Lynnae Schatz

When appropriate, Kinsmen offers a delicious hot breakfast most Sundays from September through May from 9-11 AM. The menu includes eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, an assortment of fruit, juice, coffee, and donuts. The ministry has volunteer teams of three or four people who serve once every six to eight weeks.

Contact: Lynnae Schatz

Interested in capturing moments of Sunday school, milestones, congregational events, or working on the pictorial directory? Then become a Photography Volunteer. This important ministry shows the life of the
church —one picture at a time.

Contact Kathy Hanson, Pastor Beth Warpmaeker

Kinsmen has a rich history that needs to be preserved to tell our story. To do this, many documents, pictures, and videos need to be cataloged and organized. In addition, stories need to be researched and written and appropriate long-term storage solutions need to be developed. This is a new team with an expert archivist to lead, guide, and direct.

Evangelism & Outreach

Contact: Renee Alfaro

We are a church that believes God is calling us into the world — together.

The Outreach Team continually looks at our community (both local and global) to identify needs. We strive to grow and share our faith and the love of God with those in and outside of Kinsmen’s walls. This is accomplished through building reciprocal relationships with our Mission Partners and participating in initiatives which support global awareness to form fluid bonds with other members of the Body of Christ.

Sizohambe Naye, (See-zoh-HAHM-bah NAH-yeh) is a traditional South African song that says it best. The translation is “We walk the Lord’s road.” We will and we do walk the Lord’s road together with our local and global brothers and sisters in Christ.

Contact: Lynnae Schatz

Fellowship and more! This team assists with the pictorial directory, Easter Egg Hunt, Family Fall Festival, family caroling, crawfish boil, Kinsmen Summer University, and more. The Congregational Life Team is looking for volunteers to help make these Kinsmen events successful.

Contact: Lynnae Schatz, Renee Alfaro

In late November or early December, Kinsmen hosts a Fair Trade Fair to sell handcraft items to support artisans and farmers from around the world. In line with Martin Luther’s teaching that “we should fear and love God that we may … help [our neighbor] to improve and protect his property and business,” it is a way of doing business that acknowledges the worth and basic human rights of all people. When you buy Fair Trade items, more of the money you spend reaches the hands of the people who crafted them. Assistance is needed with set up, take down and hosting the Fair Trade Fair.

Contact: Sherrie McMahon

Following the Abendmusik programs a reception is held. Volunteers are needed to help with set up, serving and clean up.

Contact: Sara Ray

The children and teachers of Kinsmen Children’s Academy always enjoy some helping hands! They love help with tutoring, classroom parties, and reading. Contact Sara Ray if you would like to help in our classrooms.