In conjunction with Grand Forks Head Start and extreme generosity and kindness from Family of God Church, a mother and son have been reunited after 12 long years apart. He arrived safely stateside from Africa and has meet his half siblings and stepfather.
Your donations have forever changed this family’s life for the better. They are eternally grateful. Thank you so very much!
SUNDAY, MAY 21
10 a.m. Worship service followed by fellowship and garden planting
We’re planning a joint service with the Unitarians with their tradition of Flower Communion. This service represents what each person brings to our community and celebrates diversity. It’s also a chance for us to plant our favorite flowers in the church landscaping (weather permitting) and to take home flowers to enjoy. Be thinking about what bedding plants or fresh flowers you would like to bring to that service.
Educate, Embrace, and Empower New Americans in Greater Grand Forks.
Global Friends Coalition is excited to be part of a thriving, diverse community. Our goals include continuing our work with New Americans and with Greater Grand Forks so that everyone feels welcome and like they belong.
We are always evaluating what we are doing and where we are going as an organization. Thank you for coming along with us! With YOUR help we are able to educate, empower, and embrace New Americans in the community.
Join us at an Open House at our new office at 1815 Demers Avenue, Grand Forks, ND. Visit gfcoalition.org for more information.
Valley Senior Living is hosting the 8th Annual Around Our Table event to support spiritual growth through their Chaplaincy Ministry for residents, tenants, family members and staff. It will be held at Calvary Lutheran Church on April 22 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. You are invited to host a table and invite your friends to join. You can also bid on items included in the online auction act give.classy.org/aroundourtable2023.
At Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota (LSS), we are seeking caregiver support and respite volunteers to socialize with our Afternoon Adventure participants at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in East Grand Forks. Your giving of time will allow family caregivers time to run errands, rest and recharge.
Volunteers will participate in a variety of activities such as playing games, assisting with craft projects, exercise and visiting. Volunteers will receive training and no prior experience is required. To qualify you must be 18 years or older, have some availability each week, and have reliable transportation.
Meet new people, share your skills and make a positive impact on your community
Feel the satisfaction of giving back
Be matched with someone who shares your interests
Offer older adults friendship and support
If you are interested in volunteering in Afternoon Adventures, please contact Julie Praska-Moser at 218-686-6228 or email julie.praska-moser@lssmn.org.
The mission of New Hope for Immigrants is to promote the social wellbeing for Immigrant families and the youth by providing self sufficiency through employment, education, culture, social support, and economic empowerment.
Join us at a cross cultural celebration on April 22, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the East Grand Forks Senior Center, 538 Rhinehart Drive SE, East Grand Forks. Celebrate together with food, music, children’s activities and more! Open to all.
For more information visit www.facebook.com/nhfi2021 or email CriticalConversationmn@gmail.com.
Whether you need a break from your caregiving responsibilities to tackle your to-do list, resources to grow your caregiving skills, time to see friends and family, or a nap to recharge — we can step in. We also offer groups where you can connect with others in the same situation.
Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, through Caregiver Support & Respite Services, supports adults 60 years and older who receive care so that they can remain active, healthy and living in their own home as long as possible. Participants enjoy fun activities like playing cards and doing crafts. This is a great way for them to make new friends in a safe environment with trained volunteers.
Afternoon Adventures Group meets Mondays, noon - 4 p.m, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1515 5th Ave. NW, East Grand Forks. To learn more or get started, contact Julie Praska-Moser at 218-686-6228 or email julie.praska-moser@lssmn.org.
With Noisy Offering money, Family of God purchased 13 coats for kids throughout the GFPS schools who need a midwinter warmup. That noisy change in our cans adds up to a lot of good!
Join us for our next Connections event where we will explore how our brain is hardwired toward bias. That’s right, our brains are naturally conditioned to be biased! So what does that mean for a diverse and inclusive world? We’ll look at the research of Standford Social Psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt and discuss why bias happens and how we can overcome our brains natural tendencies so that we are experiencing the full joy of being part of a world full of differences!
Take a peek at this video where Jennifer explains this tendency to bias. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD5a3-v9KZs&list=PLynnNYWbZL3TjUui4ADmt8rfslMveRKij
Then join us on Wednesday, February 22 at 5 p.m. via zoom to engage in an informal conversation about this! To get the link and learn more, email Sue Hedtk skhedtke@gmail.com
Family of God is one sponsor of a new community group called Connections. The monthly meetings are a time to meet with people who share a hope for a better world and a more connected community. The next meeting is February 25 at 10:30 a.m. at the Campbell Library, 422 4th St NW, East Grand Forks, MN. We’ll be talking about our hopes for our community and ways we are making those hopes into reality. Everyone is welcome. Invite a friend!
Are concerned about a family member or friend showing signs of Alzheimer’s? If so, you are invited to attend a Dementia Friends Information Session on Tuesday, February 21 at 12:30 pm. at the East Grand Forks Senior Center, 538 Rhinehart Dr. SE, East Grand Forks. This session will discuss what is Dementia/Alzheimer’s, what is normal aging versus early signs of Alzheimer’s and effective communication. Everyone is welcome to attend this one hour informational session. This presentation is provided by the Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging.
The Memory Cafe is a weekly educational event for people living with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia and their family, care partners, friends, and professionals. All are welcome and the event is free. Resources are available at the event. Refreshments are served following the program.
The Memory Cafe will be held next week on Tuesday, February 14 from 1 - 3:30 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church, 1405 S. 9th St. Grand Forks, ND. The program will begin at 1:30 p.m. with Sara Gusaas, OTR/L with Ethos Home Care talking about "Ideas for Dementia Home Care." Sara has been certified in Dementia Capable Care and she will have great information for us!
UND's annual UND Interfaith & Worldview Week is January 30 - February 4. We will highlight some of the spiritual, religious, cultural, philosophical, and (non)belief communities present on our campus and in our city. This event is an opportunity to learn more about some of our neighbors and their theistic and nontheistic perspectives.
During the week we'll have both multi-worldview events featuring over a dozen perspectives and others that focus on one. You'll have the opportunity to meet some practitioners, learn about their practice, and debunk misinformation and stereotypes about them. Join us as we join with UND's mission to learn and discover in ways that are transformative.
6:30-8:30 PM | Memorial Union Main Floor
Interfaith & Worldview Fair (free parking in Swanson ramp)
5:00-5:30 PM | Christus Rex
American Buddhist Meditation
6:30-8:30 PM | Memorial Union Main Floor
Interfaith & Worldview Fair (free parking in Swanson ramp)
12:30-1:30 PM | Christus Rex
Lunch with a Muslim (free)
8:00-9:00 PM | Memorial Union 340
Can Spirituality be Scientific?
7:30-9:00 PM | Archives Coffee House
God Talk on Tap: The Moon’s Pull – Tides of Faith
1:00-2:00 PM | Islamic Center of Grand Forks
Observing Muslim Prayer
Our annual meeting will be held Sunday, January 29 following worship. We will be voting on proposals to merge our congregations. Rev. Deborah Blood, our Conference Minister, will be preaching. We’ll celebrate our history in worship, enjoy a potluck, and then conduct official business. Please plan to join us!
Family of God Church members are asked to purchase Christmas gifts for a neighborhood of residents at Valley Senior Living. The resident’s wish lists will be ready November 13 and gifts need to be returned by December 14. The Wednesday Kids will be doing the gift wrapping. Valley Senior Living asks that we stick to the lists and spend $20-25.
At a time of year when we gather at tables filled with holiday favorites, many of our neighbors are worrying if they’ll have enough food to feed their families.
The overwhelming cost of food and everyday needs is putting thousands in our community at risk of hunger this holiday season. You can provide delicious Thanksgiving meals to families facing hunger with your support of North County Food Bank.
Every $10 you give provides 50 meals. Please share the blessings of the season with neighbors in need. Your gift will ensure everyone has nourishing food to put on their table this holiday.
Join Riverside Christian School for this monumental anniversary, celebrating 40 years of God’s faithfulness in providing Christian education in the Greater Grand Forks/East Grand Forks area and looking ahead to what the next 40 years may hold.
You won’t want to miss our featured speaker, evangelist Nick Hall. Nick is the Founder and President of Pulse, author of the book Reset and former Riverside Christian student. As an evangelistic voice to this generation, Nick has shared the Gospel at hundreds of events to more than 300 million people and nearly 2 million people have responded. For more information on Nick, go to pulse.org.
Tickets to this inspirational night are on sale in the office or online at rcsrams.org.
Join The Human Family at the Empire Arts Center in Grand Forks for the sixth annual North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival.
The event is free and open to the public. Two screenings will take place on Tuesday, November 15: The first at 1:30 p.m., and the second at 7 p.m. Different films will screen at each showing.
Our feature presentation at 7 p.m. will be THE WISDOM OF TRAUMA, with a community conversation about trauma-informed care to follow.
