Program

"Before he was even born, Sarah and Ross knew that their son Thomas wouldn’t live long. But as they let go of him, they made a decision that reverberated through a world that they never bothered to think about. Years later, after a couple awkward phone calls and an unexpected family road trip, they managed to meet the people and places for whom Thomas’ short life was an altogether different kind of gift."

Join us today as we listen to and reflect on a special Radiolab Podcast about a purpose that took equal parts loss and curiosity to exist.

Matthew Tift, a Minnetonka native, is an Eagle Scout, accomplished choral and violin performer, has a PhD in Music and an awesome job as a Web Developer. So why is he obsessed with his heart rate monitor? From long shots to side tracks, Matthew's life hasn't seemed simple, and yet he can attribute nearly everything he's done to one, clear purpose. He will share his story and his mission with us in his humble and thought-provoking presentation.

February is the month of Valentine's Day, Cupid, and all things schmaltzy. But what purpose does love serve in our lives? In addition to a brief history of the life of St. Valentine, we'll host a lively group discussion about the merits, shortcomings, and mysteries of love.

Sandwiched between January's theme of Revision and March's theme of Faith, we're kicking off February's theme of Purpose with an open discussion about what Lake Fellowship means to you. Why do you come? What keeps you coming back? What would you do without LFUU? Whether you're a long-time member, or an infrequent guest, you're invited to share your thoughts about the purpose of this small, lay lead fellowship in the woods. The discussion will be lead and moderated by member Dan Larson.

How many times have you looked around your home and thought, "Golly, I've got way too much stuff!" If you're like most of us, this is a common occurrance, and Spring Cleaning is a dreaded and annual event. Jumping on the bandwagon of the bestselling book by Marie Kondo, many members of Lake Fellowship have embraced the concept that tidying up can be both "Magical" and "Life-Changing." Join us as we collectively review this book and discuss the main take-away points, as we wrap up our exploration of the theme of revision, renewal, and respite.

Dr. Gina Moseley is a paleoclimate scientist at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. During the summer of 2015, Dr. Moseley lead a team of explorers to the Arctic Circle in order to explore, survey, and photograph caves of Northeast Greenland. The samples they collected from these Arctic caves will provide a record of past climate change, which may contribute significantly to our understanding of long-term climate change in Greenland and the Arctic. Join us as she recounts their expedition to the remote and beautiful region of Northeast Greenland.

Please join us as we welcome Jane Graupman, director of the International Institute of Minnesota (http://www.iimn.org/).

In this week's program, Amelia Black and Colin Wendt will describe their most recent trip to Haiti where they worked for a Catholic NGO performing hematology research with Akron Children's Hospital. They will touch on the ideas of medicine in limited resource settings, the role of foreign NGOs listening and working with local communities, and their personal experiences encountering new life and premature death within a pediatric population.

Bring it on, 2016!

Around the turn of a new year, many of us consider making resolutions -- changes to the way we want to live, hopes for a new year, and plans to make it all happen starting on day one. With that in mind, we will explore ways and reasons to make changes in our lives as well as reinforce the elements that need to stay. Lake Fellowship member Marnie Karger will lead this program with slides, videos, and discussion.

There will be no program today. Enjoy your holiday and seasonal gatherings. Programs will resume on Sunday, January 3rd, 2016. See you in the new year!