Richfield Area Lutheran Youth - RALY

June 12, 2023

Dear friends of RALY, Woodlake Lutheran, and House of Prayer Lutheran,

RALY (Richfield Area Lutheran Youth), a shared ministry of Woodlake and House of Prayer Lutheran Churches, is undergoing program restructuring and staffing changes that we want to make you aware of.

Effective June 12, 2023, Daniel Ditmanson will no longer be serving as Youth Outreach and Program Director.

Daniel has contributed much to Woodlake and House of Prayer during his time here. We wish Daniel the best in his future endeavors and pray for his next chapter of ministry.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Neal Cannon [email protected] or Pastor Eric Luedtke [email protected].

Pastor Neal Cannon

Woodlake Lutheran Church

Pastor Eric Luedtke

House of Prayer Lutheran Church

RALY, Woodlake and House of Prayer,

I am overwhelmingly blessed to have been a part of this ministry. Thank you to the youth and families who participated in programming as we were coming out of Covid and living into a new ministry partnership. Thank you to the congregation members who support children, youth and family through financial gifts, volunteer time and prayer. Thank you to both leadership teams and all the staff for the ongoing support, wisdom, flexibility, and patience.

To the youth,

Thank you for being such the gifts of creation that you are! I will cherish all the memories, and I know each and every one of you have greatness in your future!

Daniel Ditmanson

Look, it's us!
We had a ton of fun last week!

RALY director Daniel and one of our youth drumming, and you can just barely spot the rest of the group on the tight edge.

Go Minnesota Aurora FC!

It's musical season in Richfield!

Last night was an amazing performance of The Wizard of Oz at Richfield Middle School.

We're going, and would love for you to join us!

RMS The Wizard of Oz Trailer

An incredible new opportunity!

We'd love to hear from all y'all to help gauge interest in building this into our other National Youth Gathering plans!

Mark your calendars for our registration deadlines for the 2024 Young Adult Gathering! More info coming soon.

Quick!

Go register for camp!

✨LAST DAY for the $25 early bird special- offer is good on all of camp's summer programs✨

Grand Camp is even included in the $25 off special! Come to camp with your grandchildren July 13-16 and enjoy all the camp activities, but with a special, grand twist. Worship, swim, boat, play games, do crafts and get outside to create special memories with your grandchildren that will last a lifetime! We welcome all ages of grandchildren, but activities are geared towards ages 4 and up.

More information and registration: http://www.lutherpark.com/grand-camp.html

Camp Sundays are well underway at Luther Park!

Two weekends ago, Leah was at Woodlake in Richfield for the very first time! We are excited to now partner with them. This past weekend, Leah and former camper, summer staff member and now board representative Caity, shared about camp with the House of Prayer Community in Richfield. It was a morning full of lots of camp stories!

2/5 is Elim's Camp Sunday (Robbinsdale)
2/12 is Nativity's Camp Sunday (St. Anthony)

There are still Sundays available for other churches to have a Camp Sunday! Contact Camp to get on our calendar.

Registration for all summer camp programs are now open. Visit www.lutherparkdanbury.com for more information!

As a long time camper, and a former camp director, camp is such a large positive influence on who I am today! Not just faith stuff! Camp taught me, and let me practice, interpersonal communications, problem solving, team work, and so much more!
-Daniel D, RALY Director

We strongly belive that camp is such a wonderful place! So strongly, in fact, we're paying 50% of your registration cost for attending Luther Park Danbury this summer! Reach out for our special registration code!

Also, if a financial barrier would stop you from participating, we have special funds allocated as well! No questions asked, just ask!

If you had to guess, which fundamental would your camp be the strongest in?

Image by Pastor Beth Wartick

"Prepare the royal highway; the King of kings is near! Let every hill and valley a level road appear! Then greet the King of glory, foretold in sacred story; Hosanna to the Lord, for he fulfills God’s word!" (ELW 264).

Share this opportunity with the young adults in your life! Staff Applications for summer 2023 are now open. Our summer season runs from June 1-August 5, 2023.
http://www.lutherpark.com/summer-employment-opportunities.html

Thanksgiving Eve Collaboration Worship

In thanksgiving to God for his bountiful blessings, our Richfield area ELCA congregations will hold a joint Thanksgiving Eve worship service on Wednesday, Nov. 23rd at 7pm at Oak Grove Lutheran Church (7045 Lyndale Ave South). A combined Handbell Choir will play, and a joint choir will sing (with a pre-service rehearsal). Details will follow. Come bring your musical gifts, and monetary donations for Lutheran Disaster Response. ALL ARE WELCOME! If questions, please contact Roselyn at: [email protected]

It's almost time for the Middle School lock-in!

Don't forget, all youth in grades 6 - 9 are invited to join us!

To attempt to share space with loaves and fishes, we're using the side door to the left of Woodlake's main entrance. Follow the banners!

We hold the Richfield and Bloomington Kennedy schools, students, families, and communities in our prayers tonight after the incident at Richfield's homecoming football game.

If anyone, youth or adults, needs someone to talk to, please don't hesitate to DM us or call/email RALY Outreach and Program Director Daniel Ditmanson.

An excerpt from the Sisters of Mercy's Prayer: Let the Shooting End:
"We ask that you touch our hearts with your love, heal our brokenness, and turn us away from violence toward peace. Help us to transform our own hearts and to seek peaceful ways of resolving our differences."

We're at Penn Fest!

Come say hi from 1 - 5 pm!

We're on the South end of Penn, booth 118

Look, it's a RALY youth at camp!
We love camp!

You still have time to register for the last couple weeks of camp, and yes, we're covering 50% of the cost for all of our RALY youth and their friends!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for worship this morning! And to those who sang and led the pop up choir!

We can't wait for an amazing week of Summer Stretch and Vacation Bible School!

Campers are arriving today for the first day of summer camp at many LOM camps across the country! We pray for energy, patience, and Holy guidance and wisdom for every member of camp staff across the country, and can't wait until we send campers to Luther Park - Danbury later this summer!

(Pictured are the staff and LT's at Luther Park - Danbury. RALY Director Daniel spent a couple of days at camp helping with staff training and site prep.)

Prayer is powerful!

And we request your prayers as RALY leadership enters a day long meeting filled with Mission and Vision Discussion, big questions, and program envisioning and planning!

We're hours away from the last RALY Youth Group for this academic year!
Pizza, ice cream, and laser tag!