Announcements

Worship Services and Upcoming Events:

• The FaithPoint Memorial Garden Team is looking for your input for the planning and developing of this project. We hope to take the feedback and put it into action as we move forward. Please fill out our short survey. Thank you.
• Prayer Ministers: Prayer Ministers are available after both services at the front of the Sanctuary immediately following the service. If you would like prayers for yourself or a loved one, please come forward. We would love to pray for you!
• Loads of Love: 3rd Thursday of each month, 5-8pm at Soak Laundromat sponsored by FaithPoint. Next time is Thurs., May 16. We offer assistance with laundry needs providing the cost of the machines, detergent, and softening products for anyone needing budget relief.
• Spring Tea: Women, you are invited to a Spring Tea event at FaithPoint “Fill My Cup, Lord”. It will be on Sunday, May 5 from 3-5 PM. Join us for tea, some finger sandwiches, and dessert. Your cup will be filled with the stories from other FaithPoint women, a devotion, and fellowship around the tables adorned with beautiful china cups and saucers. This event is geared toward those 16 years and older. Please RSVP here!
• Confirmation Service: April 28 at 2pm.
• Graduation Sunday: Save the Date! May 19 at the 8:30 am service.
• Vacation Bible School (4 Years of Age – 5th Grade): “Scuba”: diving into friendship with God. June 10-14, 2024, 9am-12pm. Register online or at the VBS information table. To ensure a t-shirt for your child/ren register before May 25. Youth & adult volunteer opportunities are available. Registration here!
• Summer Stretch: Wednesdays in June (June 5, 12, 19, 26), 8:30am-4pm (times vary). Service work and fun activities for students entering 6-8th grades. Registration due May 19! See all info here!
• “GETTING TO KNOW JESUS” is a daily 8–10-minute devotional blog that will be sent out each morning (at no cost) to subscribers. The devotions are on a wide variety of subjects; all with the goal of getting to know Jesus better, so that we will be more able to follow him. These readings are being done by Leon Stier, a retired Lutheran pastor and a current FaithPoint member. Pastor Leon did a blog like this for about seven years while he was a pastor. He has now reworked his website and is restarting the blog BEGINNING MAY 1ST. For more information, and to subscribe (at no cost), go to: www.emailmeditations.com.

Youth:

• KidsPoint: During the 8:30am Sunday service. KidsPoint is a worship option for kids ages 3-8. Kids sit with parents at beginning of service and are released to KidsPoint before the message for a Bible lesson. Parents pick up kids after service in Rm. 2 and are released to KidsPoint before the message for a Bible lesson. Parents pick up kids after service in Rm. 2. 
• Sunday School (children ages 3-Gr. 5): held during our 10am services. Ages 3 – Gr. 1 have Sunday School for the full hour. Gr. 2-5 stay with parents in the sanctuary for worship and are excused before the sermon.
• Elevate Youth Group:(grades 9-12) Meeting Sundays, 6-8:30pm at FaithPoint. Help Needed: If you would like to provide a meal for these youth at 6pm when they meet, sign up at the Welcome Center or online ElevateMeals! 
• JAM “Jesus and Me” is our Wednesday evening program for 3rd-5th graders and meets from 5:30-7pm. There is small group bible study and large group activities.  
• Confirmation 2023-2024: (Grades 6-8) is wrapped up for the year. See you next fall! Our 8th graders will be confirmed on Sunday, April 28 at a 2pm service.
• Donuts and Devotions: Friday mornings from 6:55-7:25am at the New Prague Middle School. All 6th – 8th graders are welcome. This is a student-led Bible study group through an organization called Faith Club. Callie DenHartog and Debbie Trewartha are the adult supervisors. Please encourage your child to attend. Help Needed: If you would like to provide donuts for this, talk to Debbie Trewartha or leave your name at the Welcome Center. Note: a gift of $40 will cover the costs of a morning.

Adults:

• Prayer Team: You are welcome to join us virtually or in person at FaithPoint at 10 am on Mondays. Contact Gretchen Havlicek for details. Please let us know how we can pray for you.
• Agape: (1st Saturday of each month, Oct-May), 6-8pm at FaithPoint. Next meeting Sat., May 4. The Agape group (for singles and couples over age 50) meets for a potluck dinner, devotion, and prayer. If you are interested in participating, contact Jim Witty (952-758-9743).
• Sermon Discussion Group: An adult small group meets following the 10 AM service in Classroom 1B to discuss the sermon that day. Andy and Lori Monson leading.
• Gather Moms and Gather Moms: The Launch. 2nd Thursday of each month, 7-8pm at FaithPoint. “Gather Moms” is for moms of kids age 0-high school. “Gather Moms: The Launch” is for moms of high school seniors-young adults. Next meeting Thurs., May 9.
• Young Mom’s Bible Study: Every other Tuesday, 9-10am at FaithPoint. Childcare provided. Next meeting is Tues., April 30. Currently studying Psalms.
• Women’s Book Club: April book is “The Meeting Place” by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn. Book discussion is Sat., April 27, 9am at FaithPoint.
• Women’s Bible Study: Wednesdays at 10am. Thursdays at 10am. Meeting in person at FaithPoint or through phone conferencing. No homework or book needed. Come when you can. Currently Studying The Chosen, Season 2.
• Sunday Women’s Bible Study Meets Sunday evenings, 6:30-8pm at FaithPoint with Gretchen Smith. Currently Studying The Chosen, Season 2.
• Men’s Bible Study: Meets Thursday evenings, 8-9pm at FaithPoint. Lonny Kocina is the leader. All men are invited to join. Currently studying 1 Corinthians.

Thank You: Carol Jones and Nancy Franek for preparing and ironing the Confirmation gowns. Thank You Bob and Brenda Lukes for taking care of the Easter bulbs.

Volunteer Opportunities! (Register online if interested):

• • FaithPoint has a Kitchen Team that helps in the kitchen and/or brings food for special events (including funerals). There is another team, the Special Event Setup Team that helps set up and take down tables and chairs for special events. It’s great if we have some men on this team to help with the lifting and moving of tables and chairs. If you are interested in serving on either of these teams, please stop by the Welcome Center.
  • FaithPoint’s “First Impressions Team” are those who serve as Greeters, Ushers, host at the Welcome Center, and manage Sunday Fellowship. We need people to serve as Ushers, to be at the Welcome Center, and manage Sunday Fellowship (coffee/pastries after services). If you can help in any of these areas, please sign up at the Welcome Center.
  • Each Sunday, members of the Altar Guild carry out the meaningful ministry of preparing our place of worship. Members are responsible for setting the altar each Sunday, preparing for baptisms, weddings, and funerals, and making sure the linens, silver, and brass are in tip-top shape. One of the responsibilities of the Altar Guild is to serve communion. We serve communion one Sunday per month and that requires eight servers. Would you like to help serve the wine and bread? You will be joining other individuals who make a valuable offering to our community’s worship life. Contact Kamy Carlson, 952-334-4086. She will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
  • The beautiful FaithPoint Lutheran Church is our faith home. Did you know that over the years, several people have shared their time cleaning the church? This is a great way to help our community worship in a clean and safe environment. We need more people to serve on this team. For more information contact Shirley Stella: 952-297-7013
  • KidsPoint: We are looking for help with KidsPoint. Adults, high school leaders, and confirmation helpers needed.
  • Nursery: We offer Nursery for infants – 3 years of age. If you are interested in helping in the nursery, see the schedule here: Nursery Team 2022-2023: Serving in the Nursery (signupgenius.com)

FYI:

• FaithPoint now has a secure “Member Portal” and “Online Directory” available for its members. The Member Portal is where only you can see all your information and make changes if necessary. From the Member Portal you can navigate to the Online Directory which allows you to see all the current members of FaithPoint and only their contact information. If you would like access to the Member Portal and Online Directory, please call the church office and speak to Shirley (952-758-6297) or email Shirley@FaithPointLC.org.
• RightNow Media! Our church has access to an extensive, video library called RightNow Media! Contact Pastor Steve with your email address and he will send you a link.
• Our Daily Bread Devotionals: Available at the Information Desk.
• FaithPoint Sunday Worship services can be viewed on TV.  If you have Bevcomm as your cable/TV provider, you can view the previous FaithPoint Worship service on Wednesday night at 7:30 pm or Sunday at 1 pm on Channel 6.