Adult Education

In his book, Losing the Will to Live, Arnie Burzynski recounts years when he experienced profound tragedies including the deaths of multiple family members; five by suicide and three due to violent car accidents. Years later, he struggled with severe depression, alcoholism, physical pain, and, on many occasions, the nearly overwhelming desire to end his own life. Yet, Arnie survived and found a path to living life successfully. He has learned to let go of the past and says that he wants to leave the world with something when he goes. Arnie wrote his book to share his story and to possibly help others overcome their struggles. Come meet Arnie and bring your questions.

“What happens after we die?” We will compare common cultural ideas about what comes after death with the testimony of scripture, particularly the promise of new life after death.

“The Process of Dying” - Centra Care Hospice director Paula Lindhorst, M.D. will join husband Pastor Tim in a discussion of the process of dying – the decisions that families face and the role faith plays in those decisions.

Have you thought about what you might like your own funeral to be? Pre-planning is a gift to your children and extended family. James Neppl provided more than 12 years of spiritual care as a hospice chaplain in Central Minnesota before joining Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Homes as a Pre-Planning Consultant, Resident Chaplain and Celebrant. He will facilitate a conversation in all topics related to planning your own funeral celebration. Join us in relaxed conversations, share your stories, ask questions about end-of-life, and explore the possibilities of ritual and gathering. What is meaningful to you?

Pastor John will introduce the Lenten theme of “We Know How this Ends: Aging, Dying, Death, and What Comes After.” Whether you are confronting the end of your own life or the loss of a loved one, death is a certainty of life that everyone will face. But that certainty does not mean we feel prepared to deal with death and the grief that follows. Bring your questions and insights on these topics and join our conversation.

Join Pastor Maddie Elliott, Executive Director of Luther Crest, as she leads our exploration of the profound influence that camp experiences wield in shaping resilient and faithful individuals. Discover the power of personal growth, community connection and leadership development through heartwarming stories and new research. Uncover the spiritual and moral dimensions that camp activities develop, fostering a lasting impact on values and faith. Join us and bring your questions.

Our own Alex Frederikson will tell us about her work with vulnerable adults. Alex is an Adult Protection Investigator for Stearns County Human Services. She will explain who a vulnerable adult is, the types of maltreatment that the County considers, and how to make a report involving a vulnerable adult. Alex will leave time for questions that you may have. Join us to learn about Alex’s path to her significant work and how her efforts can change the lives of vulnerable adults and their families.

Tracy Schreifels, MS, LMFT, IMH-E®, is an Infant Mental Health Clinical Mentor and Executive Director at Ellison Center. She will explore what Infant Mental Health is and how primary relationships are essential to the early years of development. Because young children’s social experiences and opportunities to explore the world depend on the love, care, and security they receive in primary relationships it is essential that we are support caregivers of young children. Ellison Center is a local nonprofit that supports the health, social, and emotional development of our little ones.

There are many options for care as we grow older. Jodi Danielson, the VP of Sales and Marketing for the Good Shepherd Community in Sauk Rapids, has spent most of her career in senior housing and health care marketing and the past 20 years at Good Shepherd. As such she has acquired a wealth of information about senior housing resources, different levels of care, how much they cost, and how people pay for them. She is passionate about her work with older adults, promoting active aging, and connecting seniors with local resources. Join us as we learn about this crucial part of life. Knowledge is power; learning before the need arises makes sense.

Pat Flicker is the Development Manager at WACOSA, a nonprofit that annually serves over 550 people with a disability. Pat and guest Sam Kjolhaug, a WACOSA Client, will describe what WACOSA is and how the staff there empower all individuals with a disability to reach their full potential and live an amazing life. Bring your questions and join us to learn about WACOSA!