All summer long, we are inviting our community to pray specifically for creation, our country, and the world. As we pray together, our united prayers have the power to draw us closer as a community.

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You are welcome to pray in your own way, but we also offer these prayers to be repeated each day/week/month (choose your own rhythm).

The rhythm here invites you to pause for prayer three times a day, focusing each prayer pause on one of the petitions. These prayers come from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW).

Morning Prayer
Stewardship of Natural Resources (ELW pg. 80)

For God’s creation… Almighty God, in giving us dominion over things on earth, you made us coworkers in your creation. Give us wisdom and reverence to use the resources of nature so that no one may suffer from our abuse of them, and that generations yet to come may continue to praise you for your bounty; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Midday Prayer
Time of Conflict, Crisis, Disaster (ELW pg. 76)

For our country… God, our refuge and strength, you have bound us together in a common life. In all our conflicts, help us to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, to listen for your voice amid competing claims, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Evening Prayer
A Prayer for the Human Family (ELW pg. 79)

For the whole world… O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son. Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred that infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and, through our struggle and confusion, work to accomplish your purposes on earth; so that, in your good time, every people and nation may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

As announced in April, St. Philip the Deacon’s current organist, Kraig Windschitl, will be moving to another position at the end of July, 2024. The congregation is therefore currently seeking applications for our next Organist. A job description can be found here (PDF).

If you are interested in applying for this position, we ask that you submit the following materials by 5 p.m. CT on Friday, May 17, 2024:

• A cover letter expressing a desire to apply for this position
• A CV or resume
• Two or three recordings by you, including both a representative prelude or postlude, as well as a hymn of your choice
• List of references
• Written responses to the following questions, which are designed to give you a better sense of this role, and to give us a better sense of how your gifts and abilities might be a good match for it. Feel free to include examples from your own experience as part of your responses, and please limit responses to 500 words or less for each question.

• • • 1. Describe your philosophy of church music.
      2. In this position, you will be part of a Lutheran church, with a liturgical tradition of worship. Among other things, this means that our worship life has a shape and pattern—both in our weekly services, and throughout the seasons of the church year. It also means that our worship life is participatory—that the congregation is invited to be involved in our services, rather than to be simply mute or passive observers. How would your gifts support this approach to our worship life?
      3. In this position, you will be part of a large staff, and will need to work collaboratively with our pastoral team, with our Director of Music and other musicians, with our administrative team, and with staff members from other ministry areas. Discuss your approach to being part of a healthy and supportive team, and reference any experiences—either good or bad—that inform this approach.

Please submit your completed application to:

Music Ministry Search
Attn: Pastor Tim Westermeyer
St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church
17205 County Rd 6
Plymouth, MN   55447

OR – you may email your application materials to twestermeyer@spdlc.org.

Our hope is to identify a short list of finalists by the end of May, at which point we plan to schedule and conduct in-person interviews. We look forward to receiving your application. If you have any questions about the process or the role, please reach out to:

Tim Westermeyer, Senior Pastor
twestermeyer@spdlc.org
763-475-7136

OR

Sam Grace, Director of Music
sgrace@spdlc.org
763-475-7142

Dear St. Philip the Deacon Friends,

I write to share news that Pastor Cheryl Mathison, our Teaching Pastor, has let us know that she will be retiring this spring. Her final Sunday in worship will be Sunday, May 12, 2024.

During Pastor Mathison’s 21-year call to St. Philip the Deacon, she has—among many other things—taught countless classes on the Bible and theology, regularly instructed our families and youth on the sacraments, and led five different travel groups to the Holy Land, Germany and Greece. For more than two decades at St. Philip the Deacon she has been a gifted teacher, worship leader and preacher, a trusted colleague, and a caring pastor. We give thanks for her good and faithful service.

“As one might imagine, I have mixed feelings about the transition from full-time ministry to retirement,” Pastor Mathison says. “I am very excited about what retirement holds, but I will grieve the loss of this faith community and its worship life as the place my family and I have called home for 21 years. More than anything I will miss the many people with whom I have built and established valued relationships over two decades at St. Philip the Deacon.”

During retirement, Pastor Mathison plans to pursue her many hobbies and interests, which she says are “more than enough, I think, to fill my days.” She and her husband Mark hope to do more traveling and biking together, and she also looks forward to being more available to her children and grandchildren, all of whom live in the area.

We will begin a search for a new pastor immediately, and will continue to keep the congregation updated with news on that front as there is more information to share.

In the meantime, I invite you to put two dates on your calendars related to our celebration of Pastor Mathison’s retirement: Thursday, May 2, from 5 to 7 p.m., when we will hold an open house reception in her honor at Wayzata Country Club; and the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, May 11 and 12, when we will thank her during our worship services, and when she will preach her final sermon at St. Philip the Deacon.

“There is so much I could speak to after nearly 36 years in ministry,” Pastor Mathison says. “The highlights and memories are many. As I reflect on my ministry, most of all I feel honored to have been called and invited to bring God’s Word of love, comfort, hope, and promise at some of life’s darkest, and also at some of its most joyful, times.”

As we prepare to publicly celebrate Pastor Mathison for her long and faithful tenure over the next couple of months, I also encourage you to extend your gratitude and appreciation to her personally, and to keep her and the congregation in your prayers during this time of transition.

Grace and Peace,

Tim Westermeyer, Senior Pastor

Are you ready? It’s time for our 2nd Annual Hymn Madness challenge! This year’s hymns include the Elite 8 from the 2023 brackets, as well as some Lenten Longshots, Christmas Contenders and Easter Victors. Which hymn will come our number one?

Update April 29: The winner is: Beautiful Savior!

Thanks to all who participated in SPD’s Hymn Madness tournament!

We’ve got plenty of summer events planned, from Vacation Bible School to art classes, Minnesota Twins games to garden tours. Learn more about these events by visiting our online registration site, and sign up for summer events full of fun, faith and fellowship! You can pick up a Summer Preview brochure at church, or download a PDF here.

Holy Week

March 23—Saturday, 5 p.m.

March 24—Palm Sunday Worship at 8:15, 9:30 [L] and 10:45 a.m.

March 28—Maundy Thursday, 7 p.m. [L] 

March 29—Good Friday Worship:

• Children’s Service 5:30 p.m. [L] 
• Veneration of the Cross, 7 p.m. [L] 

March 30—First Light of Easter, 5 p.m.

Easter Sunday, March 31

8 a.m.*—Easter Worship
9:30 a.m.—Easter Worship [L] 
11 a.m.*—Easter Worship

[L] Livestreamed services can be watched in real time at spdlc.org/livestream, and later at YouTube.com/@SPDLC.
* Note Sunday worship time alteration