July 15, 2020

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:13-14 NIV

A year before the summer between my sophomore and junior year in high school, my youth group was planning our yearly mission trip. There were many ideas thrown out, all with varying costs and logistics. The group settled on going to Juarez, Mexico with a team called YouthWorks. We did the traditional fundraising with our church body and community, had all the meetings, and were an excited group of 14-17 year olds. For many, this was going to be a vacation to Mexico, not a mission trip.

Fast forward to about 2 months before we were set to leave for Juarez and there was a change in plans. Our group could no longer go to Juarez due to violence in that area, so we pivoted. We were now going to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with YouthWorks. For context, I’m from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which is on the far east side of the state. The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is in the southwestern part South Dakota, south of the Black Hills. Not much of a trip, right? Just across our own state?

Well, here’s some context about Pine Ridge. The population is approximately 19,000 with 97% of residents falling under the federal poverty line. Unemployment (without a pandemic) ranges between 85-95%. The infant mortality rate is 300% higher than the national average and the highest on the continent. And, 60% of homes on the reservation are at substandard level, meaning, no water, electricity, insulation, or sewage systems. Doesn’t even sound like this could be a community in our country, right?

Many of the youth in our group, including myself, were pretty disappointed we weren’t going to Mexico. Instead, we were staying within the borders of our own state. This attitude caused a lack of excitement, a lack of enthusiasm about sharing the love of God, and a lack of, well, loving our neighbor. See, when we got to Pine Ridge, my eyes were opened and my heart began to ache. I felt as though I was transported across the globe to a third world country, not my own state.

Throughout the week, we played and prayed with children, brought food to houses that hadn’t had visitors for years, and we saw just how important it is to love your neighbor. I’ll never forget that mission trip. It was one that made more of an impression on me than I think we did on them. Maybe that’s the point sometimes. Loving our neighbor is rarely a one way transaction. Loving our neighbor requires opening our eyes, letting our heart ache, and reaching out to be love. In the process of doing so, I’m confident your heart and attitude and mind will also be changed.

Allison

Move Update
We are mid-move and we could still use some help. Click HERE to see our current needs and sign up to give us a hand. To keep the number of people present at one time low, we are keeping the group sizes small and limiting helpers to adults only. If you have any questions, please contact ChrystineVilhauer@restorationcov.org. More information about our move decision, including a video tour, can be found on our website HERE.

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! – July 20
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 – July 22
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. For July, we will be meeting at Apple Grove Park (by the fire station at CR42 and Hayes) on Wednesday, July 22 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.

NEW Restoration Students Night Games – July 22
Hope you’re not afraid of the dark because we are playing some night games! Glow sticks, flashlights, and anything else that lights up the night are welcome. We are meeting at the Morgenstern house (5678 142nd St W, Apple Valley) on Wednesday, July 22 from 8:45-10:30pm. Wear athletic clothing, bring a water bottle, bug spray, and anything and everything reflective. Hand sanitizer will be provided at the event and masks are recommended but not required. Come join the fun. Check email and Facebook for updates.

NEW 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. Mask are not required outside the shuttle. 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.