Fun Flandrau Weekend!

Here's the 2011 Flandrau group! It was a fabulous weekend with great weather and fun people! You are already invited to next summer's Flandrau adventure. Save the dates...August 24-26, 2012!

Jubilee Needs & Prayer Requests

Jubilee 2011 will be held at the Apple Valley Water Park parking lot Saturday, September 17 from 10 am to 3 pm. Last year Jubilee had over 2100 attendees; this year we are expecting over 2500. Here are the needs/prayer requests expressed at the last Jubilee planning meeting:

• Pray for good weather! This really affects the numbers that come


• Carry Out: Needs more volunteers (helping the people load their items into their cars


• Clothing & Commerce Tents: More volunteers and clothing/household donations (donations can be dropped off in the Fellowship Hall); Leftovers from garage sales welcome


• Family Photography: Leaders needed


• Grocery Tent: Need donations of 4-packs of toilette paper


• Guest Services: Need message therapists and hair cutters


• Parking & Traffic: More volunteers


• Prayer & Evangelism: Need helpers for the prayer tent and Spanish speakers

Next Jubilee planning meetings: Tuesdays, Sept. 6 and 13 at 7 pm at River Valley Church in Apple Valley. Visit the Jubilee website for more info. Questions and to sign up to volunteer in an area, email jubilee@ssefc.org.

Evening at the Movies!

You are invited to an evening at the movies to see The Help on Wednesday, August 31 at 7:30 pm at the Carmike 15 in Apple Valley. Let's meet at 7:15 pm to get tickets and sit together and enjoy the show! Call Margie Broman at 651.406.8542 with questions. See you at the movies and invite your friends!

SSEFC Women's Bible Studies

Two new women's Bible studies at SSEFC will be starting in September. Sign ups are happening now. See previous blog posts for info on the Tuesday morning study and the 1st and 3rd Monday evenings study. Register online here. Invite your friends, family and neighbors to join!

Jubilee Needs....

At the last Jubilee planning meeting a huge need was expressed for 4-roll packages of toilette paper and 64-100 oz. size bottles of laundry detergent. These types of items are not covered through food stamps so they are like “gold” to individuals and families in need. So far SSEFC has collected 50 bottles of detergent and it would be wonderful to move that number up into the hundreds. The Jubilee event is coming up Saturday, September 17 from 10am to 3pm. So as you grocery shop in the coming days, please consider putting these items in your cart to donate. You can place your donations in the marked bins at SSEFC. If you would rather not shop, please consider offering a monetary donation. You can write a check to SSEFC and put “Jubilee” on the memo line. Thank you so much for your prayers for Jubilee and your considered involvement. Together we can be a light for Jesus in our surrounding community showing our neighbors that because Christ has freely given to us, we too can freely give! Visit the Jubilee table in the SSEFC foyer area on Sundays or http://www.jubileemn.org/ for more info.

Last Park Days Gathering of the Summer!

The last Park Days gathering is this Wednesday, August 24 at 11 am at Farquar Park in Apple Valley. Pack a lunch and stay awhile for some fun and fellowship! Call Katie Rodgers at 952-997-3686 with questions. See you at the park!

What a Wonderful (and Tasty!) SSEFC Church Picnic!

Sunday, August 21, 2011 was a wonderfully fun, blessed and tasty day! Thank you to all the people of SSEFC who planned such a great church picnic. It was a fabulous time for all ages! How wonderful to celebrate the 3 baptisms of dear young men. Their testimonies were so well done and inspirational. All the food, games, prizes were fantastic! And the pie contest was a hit! Congrats to all the participants and thanks again picnic planners and all the SSEFC church family that attended and made the day so fun and memorable. (If you are on Facebook, be sure to look around for posted photos!)

Ways to help with Jubilee

Let’s bless our guests at Jubilee with some yummy deserts! Please sign up at the Jubilee table in the hallway area at SSEFC to bring pies, bars, cakes or cookies for the Jubilee event on Saturday, September 17 from 10 am – 3 pm. Desserts need to be dropped off at the event site Friday evening (9/16) or Saturday morning (9/17) before 10 am. The next Jubilee planning meeting is Tuesday, August 23 at 7pm at River Valley Church in Apple Valley (14898 Energy Way). SSEFC is now collecting 4-roll packs of toilet paper, laundry detergent, diapers of any size and baby wipes. If you would like to give a monetary donation to Jubilee, write a check to SSEFC with “Jubilee” in the memo. We are also collecting gently-used clothing and household goods. So clean out closets and cupboards and bring items to the Fellowship Hall. Visit http://www.jubileemn.org/ for more info about the event. Email Lyle and Kathy Luppes at jubilee@ssefc.org to sign up to volunteer and get involved with this wonderful outreach event!

Can You Help?

Please contact Jacque in the church office (952.431.5466) if you would be willing to lead and/or help coordinate the church-wide fellowship luncheon for Sunday, September 11 after the second service. Thank you!

1st & 3rd Monday Evening Bible Study

1st & 3rd Monday Evenings: 6:30 - 8:15 pm
September 19 - April 2012

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver

Cost: $10 for book (no childcare available). Room E255 @ SSEFC. Questions: Mary Dahlen 952.432.0742 / Bernie Finne 651.688.8561. With her fresh approach to the familiar Bible story, Joanna Weaver shows how all of us—Marys and Marthas alike—can draw closer to our Lord: deepening our devotion, strengthening our service and doing both with less stress and greater joy. Register online or just show up to the study and register there. Join us anytime! Stop by the Women's Bible Study tables during the Ministry Fair on upcoming Sundays for more info!

New SSEFC Women's Bible Studies! Tuesday am

Tuesday Mornings: 9:30 -11 am
1st Session: September 13 - December 13, 2011
Walking in Power, Love & Discipline by Kay Arthur

Cost: $10 for book / $20 for childcare (birth - K). Journey Room @ SSEFC. Questions: Stephanie Buckland 952.240.4465. Discover through the study of 1st and 2nd Timothy and Titus what God expects of believers in all areas of life including faith, deeds, morality, leadership and attitude. Challenge yourself to walk in power, love and discipline as outlined in these powerful books of the New Testament. This exciting inductive study series brings readers face-to-face with the truth of God's precepts, promises and purposes—in just minutes a day! Register online or just show up to the study and register there. Join us anytime!

Come by the Women's Bible Study tables during the Ministry Fair in the coming Sundays for more info!

Next Book Club: Thurs. Sept. 8 @ 7 pm

The next Book Club gathering is Thursday, September 8, 7 pm at Ring Mountain Café. We will discuss the novel, Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate. Stop by the South Sub Book Club table at the ministry fair on Sunday, August 14 to get a Lisa Wingate bookmark. Copies of our upcoming books will be for sale. If you have any questions about the book club, send Sharon Moore an email at bookclub@ssefc.org. Our next good reads and the dates we will meet to discuss (Thursdays, 7 pm at Ring Mountain Café): October 20 – Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark. December 1 – Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews. Hope to see you at Book Club! Please invite your friends!

Family Camping Weekend! Aug. 26-28

Join other SSEFC families Friday to Sunday, August 26-28 for a fun weekend of camping (cabin style) at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, MN (about 2 hours south). Enjoy fellowship, games, tasty food, campfire treats/singing, swimming in a sand bottom pool and more! Cost: $60 per family/cabin. Space is limited. Contact Margie Broman at 651-406-8542 or MargieBroman@comcast.net with questions and to RSVP. This is a wonderful weekend that creates fabulous memories...Hope to see you at Flandrau! (Photo above is from our 2010 group that went to Flandrau...18 families!)

2 More Park Days of the Summer!

Park Days is a fun time to meet with other parents and their kids to play and fellowship at Farquar Park in Apple Valley. Parents and kids meet at 11 am to whenever you need to leave. Pack a lunch and stay awhile! Park Days provides the perfect opportunity to invite friends and neighbors who are not from SSEFC to a casual and fun setting. So mark your calendars, invite some friends and see you at the park the following last two gatherings of the summer: Wednesdays August 10 & 24. Questions? Call Katie Rodgers at 952-997-3686.

Book Club this Thursday the 11th!

The next Book Club gathering is this Thursday, August 11, 7 pm at Ring Mountain Café. We will discuss the novel, The Secret Life of Becky Miller by Sharon Hinck. If you have any questions about the book club, send Sharon an email at bookclub@ssefc.org.

Our next good reads and the dates we will meet to discuss (Thursdays, 7 pm at Ring Mountain Café): September 8 – Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate; and October 20 – Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark.