Category: News

Please pray for Pastor Mike and his family as they prepare to move for him to serve Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Rogers, Arkansas, as their Associate Pastor for Family and Youth. We will have a sending reception after the service on May 21. Bring an appetizer to share and plan to stick around for a time of fellowship and thankfulness.

Read Rev. Meyer’s farewell letter to The Rock at THIS LINK.

The third floor bathrooms are still unavailable for use due to water damage. Please use the bathrooms on the second level in the “locker” areas. We have filed a claim with insurance and are moving forward with mitigation and repairs.

It’s time to get ready for Camp Kingdom, our summer events for kids and teens, held June 12-15. Kids ages 3 years to 4th grade will gather from 9-11 a.m. for VBS activities and snacks. The youth will gather in the evenings from 6:30-8:30 for an event similar to the National Youth Gatherings.

We need your help, and there are many ways to get involved! You can be a craft leader or helper, lead or help with outside games, help coordinate a group of kids throughout the day’s events, provide a snack, help hand out and clean up from snacks, help decorate the church after the service on June 11, or just help wherever and whenever you’re needed. Sign up through the form below or find Heather Eckles on Sunday mornings with questions. Remember: even if you work during the day, there are still ways you can help with this event and contribute to the faith growth of the Rock’s children and teens!

• Sign up young children, ages 3 years to 4th grade THROUGH THIS FORM.
• Sign up older kids and teens, 5th through 12th grades THROUGH THIS FORM.
• Sign up to volunteer to help THROUGH THIS FORM. 

A call committee has been set up and will start the work of calling our next pastor at the end of May. A projected timeline of the call process is available HERE. (Please note that this is a “best case scenario” timeline and the process can take longer to complete. We expect an 8-12 month process.) Pastor David Loeschen, who currently serves part time at Messiah, Lincoln, will be serving The Rock as vacancy pastor beginning June 1.  Pastor Loeschen will assist with worship approximately twice per month, especially on Sundays when we have communion.  We’ll fill in with others on the Sundays when he cannot be here.

The Guatemala Mission Team is selling products to raise funds for their trip this summer. Any product bought through the cause team website will be donated to the Mission trip.  The Guatemala Mission trip products include the latitude and longitude of Amatitlan, Guatemala, the place where they will be serving.  The sale for shirts and hoodies will run through June 5. CLICK HERE TO SHOP and support the team.

You are invited to bring your family to Weller Auditorium on the campus of Concordia University for the Jennie Williamson (Arison) concert on Sunday, June 4 from 3–4:30 p.m.  The event is free of charge.  Jennie will have a variety of CD’s and t-shirts available for sale at the event. Sponsored by Concordia’s Early Childhood department in conjunction with the June Early Childhood Conference. For more information contact Annette.Anschutz@cune.edu

Blue Valley Community Action

Our May item for the Blue Valley food pantry is tissues, which we collect in a tub in the Rock cafe. Thanks for being a blessing to the community in this way! You can see our Blue Valley Pantry item schedule on our website. Year-round they also collect the following: pasta, pasta meal mixes, instant potato side dishes, and mashed potatoes. 

YogaFaith News

• Online Sonrise YogaFaith Class – No class in May 
• All Level Tuesdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – NO CLASS 5/23 (Sara – unless Ben makes it to Nationals), NO CLASS 5/30
• All Level Thursdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – 5/18 (Erika), NO CLASS 5/25
• Restorative YogaFaith from 7:00-8:00 pm CST at The Rock – NO CLASS ALL MONTH ON SUNDAY NIGHTS! 

*Restorative YogaFaith classes are limited to 8 students per class because of the limited number of props we have available. Please secure your spot for Restorative YogaFaith by signing up on Sign Up Genius at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904054baca729a1f94-restorative

If you want to take Sonrise or Restorative online, please message their Facebook page. Also, visit their Facebook page for a full calendar and more information.  https://www.facebook.com/YogaFaith-Seward-256010628294784/

Our Website | http://www.therockseward.org/

Giving while at home | http://www.therockseward.org/giving-at-the-rock/

Minutes from leadership meetings | CLICK HERE

Vimeo | https://vimeo.com/therockseward  

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRockSewardNebraska

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/therockseward 

Contact Us | info@therockseward.org 

Prayer Requests | prayers@therockseward.org 

Mail | PO Box 199, Seward, NE 68434

Prayer requests are received by our prayer warriors, as well as Pastor Mike Meyer. If you would like them kept confidential and not included in public prayers on Sundays, just let us know in your email.

Dear Elected Leaders, Ambassadors, and Congregants of The Rock Lutheran Church,

Over these past 13 years, I have been honored and humbled to be a servant of the Word among you!  We’ve experienced many “first” things in our time together…things to celebrate, mourn, learn, suffer, and grow.  With God’s help, we’ve grown into a large congregation that is GRACE DRIVEN, CONNECTING PEOPLE, ON MISSION.  

God has worked through The Rock in an extraordinary way — in shaping and molding me into the person, husband, father and pastor that I am today.  For all of this, I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL TO YOU!!!  

Now, God has made it clear that it’s time for me to GO to a different mission field….serving Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Rogers, AR.  While our mission fields may be different, we each have a role to fill and a game plan to execute in connecting people to Jesus in various ways.  The “Forever Family” of The Rock will always be close to my heart and I intend to take along its best practices in ministry as I begin in NW Arkansas.   

Jeremiah 29:11-13 has always been a ‘theme’ passage for my family, and I want to share it with you today.  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

We’re confident those words of God will be true for The Rock, for Holy Trinity, and for us as we seek Him together with all our hearts…being GRACE-DRIVEN, CONNECTING PEOPLE, ON MISSION!

Forever family in Jesus,
Michael J Meyer, Pastor

It’s time to get ready for Camp Kingdom, our summer events for kids and teens, held June 12-15. Kids ages 3 years to 4th grade will gather from 9-11 a.m. for VBS activities and snacks. The youth will gather in the evenings from 6:30-8:30 for an event similar to the National Youth Gatherings.

We need your help, and there are many ways to get involved! You can be a craft leader or helper, lead or help with outside games, help coordinate a group of kids throughout the day’s events, provide a snack, help hand out and clean up from snacks, help decorate the church after the service on June 11, or just help wherever and whenever you’re needed. Sign up through the form below or find Heather Eckles on Sunday mornings with questions. Remember: even if you work during the day, there are still ways you can help with this event and contribute to the faith growth of the Rock’s children and teens!

• Sign up young children, ages 3 years to 4th grade THROUGH THIS FORM.
• Sign up older kids and teens, 5th through 12th grades THROUGH THIS FORM.
• Sign up to volunteer to help THROUGH THIS FORM. 

The Guatemala Mission Team is selling products to raise funds for their trip this summer. Any product bought through the cause team website will be donated to the Mission trip.  The Guatemala Mission trip products include the latitude and longitude of Amatitlan, Guatemala, the place where they will be serving.  The sale for shirts and hoodies will run through June 5. CLICK HERE TO SHOP and support the team.

Last year the Seward County Pro Life Council Mother’s Day Ad campaign had a total of 65 names and $109 collected from The Rock. This year we had 70 names and $86 collected. If you haven’t seen the ad, it is in the May 10 edition of the Seward Independent newspaper. Thank you to all who contributed!

There was a break in the plumbing for the women’s bathroom on the third floor of The Rock. We will have church as normal on Sunday, but the third-floor bathrooms will not be open. You’ll need to head down to the bathrooms on the second floor, located in the locker areas. Thanks to all who have helped with the clean up, especially Don Bloebaum for getting the water shut off quickly!

The Paul Davis Restoration crew removed a very large amount of water and we will have fans/de-humidifiers running for several days to dry things out.  The source was a break in the water line to the women’s bathroom toilet on level three. The insurance company has been contacted and a claim has been filed.

Pastor David Loeschen, who currently serves part-time at Messiah in Lincoln, will be serving The Rock as vacancy pastor beginning June 1.  Pastor Loeschen will assist with worship approximately twice per month, especially on Sundays when we have communion.  We’ll fill in with others on the Sundays when he cannot be here. The leadership of The Rock has formed a pastoral call committee and they will begin meeting at the end of May, expecting an 8-12 month call process.

Please pray for Pastor Mike and his family as they prepare to move for him to serve Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Rogers, Arkansas, as their Associate Pastor for Family and Youth. We will have a sending reception after the service on May 21. More information coming soon!

Blue Valley Community Action

Our May item for the Blue Valley food pantry is tissues, which we collect in a tub in the Rock cafe. Thanks for being a blessing to the community in this way! You can see our Blue Valley Pantry item schedule on our website. Year-round they also collect the following: pasta, pasta meal mixes, instant potato side dishes, and mashed potatoes. 

YogaFaith News

• Online Sonrise YogaFaith Class – No class in May 
• All Level Tuesdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – NO CLASS 5/16 (Sara), 5/23 (Sara – unless Ben makes it to Nationals), NO CLASS 5/30
• All Level Thursdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  –   5/18 (Erika), NO CLASS 5/25
• Restorative YogaFaith from 7:00-8:00 pm CST at The Rock – NO CLASS ALL MONTH ON SUNDAY NIGHTS! Instead, join us MONDAY 5/15 (Sara)

*Restorative YogaFaith classes are limited to 8 students per class because of the limited number of props we have available. Please secure your spot for Restorative YogaFaith by signing up on Sign Up Genius at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904054baca729a1f94-restorative

If you want to take Sonrise or Restorative online, please message their Facebook page. Also, visit their Facebook page for a full calendar and more information.  https://www.facebook.com/YogaFaith-Seward-256010628294784/

Our Website | http://www.therockseward.org/

Giving while at home | http://www.therockseward.org/giving-at-the-rock/

Minutes from leadership meetings | CLICK HERE

Vimeo | https://vimeo.com/therockseward  

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRockSewardNebraska

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/therockseward 

Contact Us | info@therockseward.org 

Prayer Requests | prayers@therockseward.org 

Mail | PO Box 199, Seward, NE 68434

Prayer requests are received by our prayer warriors, as well as Pastor Mike Meyer. If you would like them kept confidential and not included in public prayers on Sundays, just let us know in your email.

It’s time to get ready for Camp Kingdom, our summer events for kids and teens, held June 12-15. Kids ages 3 years to 4th grade will gather from 9-11 a.m. for VBS activities and snacks. The youth will gather in the evenings from 6:30-8:30 for an event similar to the National Youth Gatherings.

We need your help, and there are many ways to get involved! You can be a craft leader or helper, lead or help with outside games, help coordinate a group of kids throughout the day’s events, provide a snack, help hand out and clean up from snacks, help decorate the church after the service on June 11, or just help wherever and whenever you’re needed. Sign up through the form below or find Heather Eckles on Sunday mornings with questions. Remember: even if you work during the day, there are still ways you can help with this event and contribute to the faith growth of the Rock’s children and teens!

• Sign up young children, ages 3 years to 4th grade THROUGH THIS FORM.
• Sign up older kids and teens, 5th through 12th grades THROUGH THIS FORM.
• Sign up to volunteer to help THROUGH THIS FORM. 

Please pray for Pastor Mike and his family as they prepare to move for him to serve Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Rogers, Arkansas, as their Associate Pastor for Family and Youth. We will have a sending reception after the service on May 21. More information coming soon!

An archive of the leadership meeting minutes (Ambassadors and Directors), starting from this January, is available at THIS LINK. Minutes for the April Director’s meeting are HERE.

Blue Valley Community Action

Our May item for the Blue Valley food pantry is tissues, which we collect in a tub in the Rock cafe. Thanks for being a blessing to the community in this way! You can see our Blue Valley Pantry item schedule on our website. Year-round they also collect the following: pasta, pasta meal mixes, instant potato side dishes, and mashed potatoes. 

YogaFaith News

• Online Sonrise YogaFaith Class – No class in May 
• All Level Tuesdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – NO CLASS 5/2, 5/9 (Erika), 5/16 (Sara), 5/23 (Sara – unless Ben makes it to Nationals), NO CLASS 5/30
• All Level Thursdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  –  5/4 (Erika), 5/11 (Sara), 5/18 (Erika), NO CLASS 5/25
• Restorative YogaFaith from 7:00-8:00 pm CST at The Rock – NO CLASS ALL MONTH ON SUNDAY NIGHTS! Instead join us MONDAY 5/8 (Erika) and 5/15 (Sara)

*Restorative YogaFaith classes are limited to 8 students per class because of the limited number of props we have available. Please secure your spot for Restorative YogaFaith by signing up on Sign Up Genius at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904054baca729a1f94-restorative

If you want to take Sonrise or Restorative online, please message their Facebook page. Also, visit their Facebook page for a full calendar and more information.  https://www.facebook.com/YogaFaith-Seward-256010628294784/

Our Website | http://www.therockseward.org/

Giving while at home | http://www.therockseward.org/giving-at-the-rock/

Minutes from leadership meetings | CLICK HERE

Vimeo | https://vimeo.com/therockseward  

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRockSewardNebraska

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/therockseward 

Contact Us | info@therockseward.org 

Prayer Requests | prayers@therockseward.org 

Mail | PO Box 199, Seward, NE 68434

Prayer requests are received by our prayer warriors, as well as Pastor Mike Meyer. If you would like them kept confidential and not included in public prayers on Sundays, just let us know in your email.

Pray for the Meyer Family!

Please pray for Pastor Mike and his family as they prepare to move and serve Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Rogers, Arkansas. Pastor Mike will serve as their Associate Pastor for Family and Youth. 

Honoring Mothers

Sunday, April 30th, is the last day to sign up any mother, living or deceased, for the Seward County Pro-life Council ad which will be in the Seward County Independent newspaper shortly before Mother’s Day. Mary Kropf will be collecting names in the cafe before and after the service. The cost is just $1 per name.

Child Abuse Prevention Month

Southeast Nebraska CASA is working to raise awareness during the month of April for Child Abuse Prevention Month.  Part of that awareness is partnering with churches on April 30th for Blue Sunday, a national event where faith communities come together and take time during their weekly service to acknowledge victims of child abuse and neglect.  Blue Sunday began in 1994 to raise awareness among the faith community and encourage churches to pray for the abused and neglected children.

We encourage you to pray this month for survivors and victims of child abuse and neglect. Please keep these vulnerable children in your prayers, take a moment to honor them, and join us in raising awareness of child abuse and neglect.

Leadership Meeting Notes

Minutes from the March Directors’ meeting can be found by CLICKING HERE. An archive of the leadership minutes, starting from this January, are available at THIS LINK.

Blue Valley Community Action

Our April item for the Blue Valley food pantry is paper towels, which we collect in a tub in the Rock cafe. Thanks for being a blessing to the community in this way! We will start collecting Kleenex in May. You can see our Blue Valley Pantry item schedule on our website. Year-round they also collect the following: pasta, pasta meal mixes, instant potato side dishes, and mashed potatoes. 

YogaFaith News

Join Erika Rolf (RYT-200) or Sara Moll (RYT-200) for Christian YogaFaith classes at The Rock!  

April class offerings are as follows:  

• All Level Thursdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – 4/27 (Sara)
• Restorative YogaFaith from 7:00-8:00 pm CST at The Rock – 4/30 (Erika)*  SIGN UP IN ADVANCE PLEASE. 

*Restorative and Restorative Wall is also offered online – please message us if you want this class.

*Restorative YogaFaith classes are limited to 8 students per class because of the limited number of props we have available. Please secure your spot for Restorative YogaFaith by signing up on Sign Up Genius here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904054baca729a1f94-restorative

If you want to take Sonrise or Restorative online, please message their Facebook page. Also visit their Facebook page for a full calendar and more information.  https://www.facebook.com/YogaFaith-Seward-256010628294784/

Our Website | http://www.therockseward.org/

Giving while at home | http://www.therockseward.org/giving-at-the-rock/

Minutes from leadership meetings | CLICK HERE

Vimeo | https://vimeo.com/therockseward  

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRockSewardNebraska

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/therockseward 

Contact Us | info@therockseward.org 

Prayer Requests | prayers@therockseward.org 

Mail | PO Box 199, Seward, NE 68434

Prayer requests are received by our prayer warriors, as well as Pastor Mike Meyer. If you would like them kept confidential and not included in public prayers on Sundays, just let us know in your email.

Remember to join us this Sunday!

Join us this Sunday, April 16 for Nico’s 7th birthday party & a BBQ Cookoff fundraiser lunch after the service. Nicodemus Comfort Dog is almost 7 years old! Praise God for this ministry and all the opportunities it has brought over the last 6 years. Due to the length of time required to apply for and receive a new comfort dog, we need to start considering Nico’s retirement now. The application process takes between 2 and 3 years to complete. When Nico eventually retires, Randy and Marcia Newsome will retire as top dogs as well. Our main concern when considering the continuation of the Comfort Dog ministry with a second dog is the need for volunteers. If you feel called to volunteer for the Comfort Dog ministry in the future after Nico’s retirement, please let a member of the Directors, Ambassadors, or Comfort Dog Team know! Over the next month we will be determining our capacity to support the Comfort Dog Ministry in the future, and considering the possibility of passing leadership of the Comfort Dog Ministry in Seward to St. John Lutheran Church if necessary. If you’d like further information, we will be discussing this situation and answering questions at Nico’s birthday party on Sunday, April 16.

Stepping Stones and Faith Ink Potluck

The weather is getting warmer and that means summer activities are starting and the Faith Ink/Stepping Stones year has come to an end. We hope all Stepping Stones and Faith Ink families will come to our end of the year potluck at The Rock on Wednesday, April 19 at 6:30 in The ROCK Cafe. Bring a dish to share.  It has truly been a blessing to be a part of your kids’ faith journey. We hope to see them at VBS this summer!

Please pray for Pastor Mike and his family as they consider a Divine Call for him to serve Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Rogers, Arkansas, as their Associate Pastor for Family and Youth. They are visiting that congregation this weekend. Please pray for them as they contemplate this opportunity, and share any words of encouragement and support you might have for them. He anticipates announcing his decision by April 16. 

Tribute for Mother’s Day

Names for the annual Mother’s Day ad sponsored by the Seward County Pro-Life Council will be gathered on April 16th, 23rd, and 30th. Names cost $1 and will be published in The Seward Independent newspaper just before Mother’s Day.  The $1 donations will be used to pay for the ad, and any excess will be used by the SCPC as they see fit.  A mother’s name (mother, grandmother, daughter, etc. – as long as they’re a mother – living or deceased) will be listed only once in the ad.  The theme is “Thank You Mom For Giving Me Life”.  Mary Kropf will be taking mothers’ names in The Rock Cafe before and after each of the three services listed above.  Let’s see if we can surpass the number of names collected at The Rock last year which was 65!

Southeast Nebraska CASA is working to raise awareness during the month of April for Child Abuse Prevention Month.  Part of that awareness is partnering with churches on April 30th for Blue Sunday, a national event where faith communities come together and take time during their weekly service to acknowledge victims of child abuse and neglect.  Blue Sunday began in 1994 to raise awareness among the faith community and encourage churches to pray for the abused and neglected children.

We encourage you to pray this month for survivors and victims of child abuse and neglect. Please keep these vulnerable children in your prayers, take a moment to honor them, and join us in raising awareness of child abuse and neglect.

Blue Valley Community Action

Our April item for the Blue Valley food pantry is paper towels, which we collect in a tub in the Rock cafe. Thanks for being a blessing to the community in this way! You can see our Blue Valley Pantry item schedule on our website. Year-round they also collect the following: pasta, pasta meal mixes, instant potato side dishes, and mashed potatoes. 

YogaFaith News

Join Erika Rolf (RYT-200) or Sara Moll (RYT-200) for Christian YogaFaith classes at The Rock!  

April class offerings are as follows:  

• Online Sonrise YogaFaith Class (online class – take anytime and as many times as you want – a new 30 Minute class is offered each month)  – 4/3 (Erika)
• Restorative Wall YogaFaith  –  This special class focuses on the “Legs Up the Wall Pose” and the many variations available in this position.   Monday, 4/24 7:00-7:45 pm  (limited to 3 spots on the north wall) If you don’t mind doing wall yoga on the cupboard side (west) of the room, please let me know by replying to this email.  The cupboard side works better for shorter people!  🙂
• Tune up Tuesday at CUNE (for Concordia University students) at 3:45-4:30 pm/Cattle Conference Center –  4/11 (Sara), 4/25 (Erika) FREE
• All Level Tuesdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – 4/4 (Sara), 4/11 (Erika), 4/18 (Erika), 4/25 (Erika)
• All Level Thursdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – 4/6 (Erika), 4/13 (Sara), 4/20 (Sara), 4/27 (Sara)
• Restorative YogaFaith from 7:00-8:00 pm CST at The Rock – 4/2 (Sara), 4/9 (NO CLASS), 4/16  (Erika), 4/23 – NO CLASS, 4/30 (Erika)*  SIGN UP IN ADVANCE PLEASE. 

*Restorative and Restorative Wall is also offered online – please message us if you want this class.

*Restorative YogaFaith classes are limited to 8 students per class because of the limited number of props we have available. Please secure your spot for Restorative YogaFaith by signing up on Sign Up Genius here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904054baca729a1f94-restorative

If you want to take Sonrise or Restorative online, please message their Facebook page. Also visit their Facebook page for a full calendar and more information.  https://www.facebook.com/YogaFaith-Seward-256010628294784/

Our Website | http://www.therockseward.org/

Giving while at home | http://www.therockseward.org/giving-at-the-rock/

Vimeo | https://vimeo.com/therockseward  

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRockSewardNebraska

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/therockseward 

Contact Us | info@therockseward.org 

Prayer Requests | prayers@therockseward.org 

Mail | PO Box 199, Seward, NE 68434

Prayer requests are received by our prayer warriors, as well as Pastor Mike Meyer. If you would like them kept confidential and not included in public prayers on Sundays, just let us know in your email.

Upcoming Activities at The Rock

April 2—Palm Sunday Service (with confirmation)
April 5—Stepping Stones Family Easter Devotional and Craft, 6:30-7:30
April 7—Good Friday Service with Holy Communion, 6:30 p.m.
April 9—Easter Service & Breakfast, breakfast starting at 9:00 and service at 10
April 16—Nico’s 7th birthday party & BBQ Cookoff fundraiser lunch after the service

Please pray for Pastor Mike and his family as they consider a Divine Call for him to serve Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Rogers, Arkansas, as their Associate Pastor for Family and Youth. They are visiting that congregation this weekend. Please pray for them as they contemplate this opportunity, and share any words of encouragement and support you might have for them. He anticipates announcing his decision by April 14. 

All are invited to join the Stepping Stones kids and their families for an Easter devotional and craft time on Wednesday, April 5 at 6:30. The children have prepared some songs to share with you as well!

Let the Guatemala Mission Team egg your house! On the evening of April 8th, 2023, the Guatemala Missions Team will come to your home (or the home of a friend/family/neighbor) and hide 12 Easter eggs in the yard. There will be 11 candy-filled eggs and 1 empty egg as a reminder of the empty tomb! Cost is $15 per dozen eggs, $25 for 2 dozen, $35 for 3 dozen, $45 for 4 dozen, $55 for 5 dozen. Please contact Jennifer Janousek by text/phone (402-499-3512) or email rachel.ada@cune.org with questions. They accept payment by cash, check (make check out to The Rock), or Venmo (@jennifer-janousek) by April 4, 2023. You can fill out the form LINKED HERE with your order.

Tales of the Wag – Stories about the Comfort Dog Ministry

I had a very interesting question asked of me at church by a 5 year old. “Why do we have a dog in church?”  Praise God who speaks to the basic question by way of a small faith filled child.  The answer is the very basis of the LCC Comfort Dog Ministry.  It is not about the dog, but the dog is a bridge to the Presence, Mercy, Compassion, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are in need or suffering. The dog—the very well trained dog—Nico is the bridge.  This bridge happens when we get invited into places.  

Do you know that the Nico Team is invited into places that Pastor Mike or the leaders of our church aren’t invited to visit?  We of the Comfort Dog Ministry are some of the Kingdom of God builders who go out ever so gently and are non-intrusive.  We take the Kingdom of God out to others by the very fact that the Handlers and the Ministry Helpers have the Spirit of God within them.  We take the Presence of God to those who are in need and are suffering. As we go out, we focus on the people around Nico. We listen to them, as well as have an ear opened to the Spirit of God for direction.  Nico relaxes our visitors and many times the visitors start talking.  We pray either with or for them if appropriate (separation of church and state in our public schools) in person or after our visit. As we know, our God hears our prayers and acts on them in His way and time.  It will be absolutely amazing to see in heaven all the connections to the Kingdom of God that Nico allowed us to make, connecting others to Jesus in His grace.  So, I say “Why not a dog in church if this dog can bring eternal threads of hope into others’ lives by God’s direction and design.”  Thoughts from Marcia Newsome 

After thought: if you would like to go out with the Nico team to see for yourself the wonders of God though Nico, visit with one of his Handlers or come to the monthly Comfort Dog Meeting each 4th Sunday after worship in Room 217.  

Blue Valley Community Action

Our March item for the Blue Valley food pantry is peanut butter, which we collect in a tub in the Rock cafe. We will start collecting paper towels in April. Thanks for being a blessing to the community in this way! You can see our Blue Valley Pantry item schedule on our website. Year-round they also collect the following: pasta, pasta meal mixes, instant potato side dishes, and mashed potatoes. They’ve had quite a few more families making use of the pantry this winter, so your help is greatly appreciated.

YogaFaith News

Join Erika Rolf (RYT-200) or Sara Moll (RYT-200) for Christian YogaFaith classes at The Rock!  

April class offerings are as follows:  

• Online Sonrise YogaFaith Class (online class – take anytime and as many times as you want – a new 30 Minute class is offered each month)  – 4/3 (Erika)
• Restorative Wall YogaFaith  –  This special class focuses on the “Legs Up the Wall Pose” and the many variations available in this position.   Monday, 4/24 7:00-7:45 pm  (limited to 3 spots on the north wall) If you don’t mind doing wall yoga on the cupboard side (west) of the room, please let me know by replying to this email.  The cupboard side works better for shorter people!  🙂
• Tune up Tuesday at CUNE (for Concordia University students) at 3:45-4:30 pm/Cattle Conference Center –  4/11 (Sara), 4/25 (Erika) FREE
• All Level Tuesdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – 4/4 (Sara), 4/11 (Erika), 4/18 (Erika), 4/25 (Erika)
• All Level Thursdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – 4/6 (Erika), 4/13 (Sara), 4/20 (Sara), 4/27 (Sara)
• Restorative YogaFaith from 7:00-8:00 pm CST at The Rock – 4/2 (Sara), 4/9 (NO CLASS), 4/16  (Erika), 4/23 – NO CLASS, 4/30 (Erika)*  SIGN UP IN ADVANCE PLEASE. 

*Restorative and Restorative Wall is also offered online – please message us if you want this class.

*Restorative YogaFaith classes are limited to 8 students per class because of the limited number of props we have available. Please secure your spot for Restorative YogaFaith by signing up on Sign Up Genius here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904054baca729a1f94-restorative

If you want to take Sonrise or Restorative online, please message their Facebook page. Also visit their Facebook page for a full calendar and more information.  https://www.facebook.com/YogaFaith-Seward-256010628294784/

Our Website | http://www.therockseward.org/

Giving while at home | http://www.therockseward.org/giving-at-the-rock/

Vimeo | https://vimeo.com/therockseward  

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRockSewardNebraska

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/therockseward 

Contact Us | info@therockseward.org 

Prayer Requests | prayers@therockseward.org 

Mail | PO Box 199, Seward, NE 68434

Prayer requests are received by our prayer warriors, as well as Pastor Mike Meyer. If you would like them kept confidential and not included in public prayers on Sundays, just let us know in your email.

Palm Sunday Service (with confirmation), April 2

Good Friday Service with Holy Communion, April 7, 6:30 p.m.

Easter Service & Breakfast, breakfast starting at 9:00 and service at 10

Please pray for Pastor Mike and his family as they consider a Divine Call for him to serve Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Rogers, Arkansas, as their Associate Pastor for Family and Youth. They are visiting that congregation this weekend. Please pray for them as they contemplate this opportunity, and share any words of encouragement and support you might have for them. He anticipates announcing his decision by April 14. 

No men’s breakfast this week!

Men’s breakfasts have resumed on Saturday mornings at 7:00 a.m. in the Rock cafe, but they will not gather this weekend while Pastor Mike is away.

Let the Guatemala Mission Team egg your house!

On the evening of April 8th, 2023, the Guatemala Missions Team will come to your home (or the home of a friend/family/neighbor) and hide 12 Easter eggs in the yard. There will be 11 candy-filled eggs and 1 empty egg as a reminder of the empty tomb! Cost is $15 per dozen eggs, $25 for 2 dozen, $35 for 3 dozen, $45 for 4 dozen, $55 for 5 dozen. Please contact Jennifer Janousek by text/phone (402-499-3512) or email rachel.ada@cune.org with questions. They accept payment by cash, check (make check out to The Rock), or Venmo (@jennifer-janousek) by April 4, 2023. You can fill out the form LINKED HERE with your order.

Tales of the Wag – Stories about the Comfort Dog Ministry

Nico is a commissioned service dog through the Lutheran Church Charities and The Rock Church.  That means Nico has been made available to be used by the Holy Spirit to give comfort where, when and how he may be needed. When the Spirit uses Nico, we call them God moments.  The team has logged so many God moments since Nico was commissioned in 2017 where The Spirit has put His power in the pet.  Tale 1:  Nico was invited to a Lutheran School in Fort Dodge, Iowa to offer comfort to the students who lost their much-loved Pastor to violence right outside the school’s doors.  One young student would not leave Nico’s side for hours.  He only spoke to tell us his name but kept a hand on Nico the full time as we invited him to stay next to us.  Tale 2:  A group of students were sitting around Nico to receive comfort dealing with the death of a paraprofessional, a teacher walked up to join the circle of students sitting around Nico. Nico ‘soldier crawled’ to him on the edge of the circle and laid his head in his lap.  Tale 3:  Nico was at a funeral for a young man who lost his life in a car accident. A boy of about 10 walked right past the puppies in training, past other smaller LCC Comfort Dogs right to Nico’s face and started to pet him.  The parents of the boy ran fantastically up to us to explain that the boy was deathly afraid of all dogs.  He came back 2 more times during our deployment at the funeral.  Tale 3:  Nico has often pulled his Handler to a specific person.  During a LWML meeting Nico wanted to stay next to a lady.  The next day her husband found out the results of some testing.  The husband had cancer.  Tale 4:  Nico has a special love for mentally challenged kids.  Nico was servicing at a Rest Home. One of Nico’s friends came around a corner to see Nico down a long hallway.  He pulled his hand from his mom’s hand and ran full out to get to Nico as he called out Nico, Nico, Nico.  Nico recognized him.  Nico sat down firmly on his but, raised his face to receive the full running force of his friend to receive lots of kisses and hugs.  All God’s promises prove true, so we ask The Spirit to use Nico to give others Our Lord’s Grace and Peace.  Until the next Wag where we will look at some of the tales where God put His power on His humans in the Dog Team, allow the Bible to read you as you read the Good Word.  Thoughts from Marcia Newsome.

Blue Valley Community Action

Our February item for the Blue Valley food pantry is peanut butter, which we collect in a tub in the Rock cafe. We will start collecting paper towels in April. Thanks for being a blessing to the community in this way! You can see our Blue Valley Pantry item schedule on our website. Year-round they also collect the following: pasta, pasta meal mixes, instant potato side dishes, and mashed potatoes. They’ve had quite a few more families making use of the pantry this winter, so your help is greatly appreciated.

YogaFaith News

Join Erika Rolf (RYT-200) or Sara Moll (RYT-200) for Christian YogaFaith classes at The Rock!  

February class offerings are as follows:  

• Online Sonrise YogaFaith Class (online class – take anytime and as many times as you want – a new 30 Minute class is offered each month) 
•  Tune up Tuesday at CUNE (for Concordia University students) at 3:45-4:30 pm/Cattle Conference Center (Erika) FREE
• All Level Tuesdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  (Erika)
•  All Level Thursdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  (Sara or Erika)
•  Flow and Go Saturdays from 8:00-8:45 am CST at The Rock – Possible Pop Up classes (watch your e-mail and social media for dates)
•  Restorative YogaFaith from 7:00-8:00 pm CST at The Rock – SIGN UP IN ADVANCE PLEASE.

Please see their Facebook page for a full calendar and more information.  https://www.facebook.com/YogaFaith-Seward-256010628294784/

Our Website | http://www.therockseward.org/

Giving while at home | http://www.therockseward.org/giving-at-the-rock/

Vimeo | https://vimeo.com/therockseward  

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRockSewardNebraska

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/therockseward 

Contact Us | info@therockseward.org 

Prayer Requests | prayers@therockseward.org 

Mail | PO Box 199, Seward, NE 68434

Prayer requests are received by our prayer warriors, as well as Pastor Mike Meyer. If you would like them kept confidential and not included in public prayers on Sundays, just let us know in your email.

Remember to join us for our Ash Wednesday service this week at 6:30. Imposition of ashes will be available for those who wish. Parents, this will take the place of Stepping Stones and FaithInk. Please plan to attend with your whole family. Join us before the service for a taco/nacho meal. See below for details.

Another way to support the building fund

If you’re looking for another way to support the Rock, Emmi Moll currently has artwork for sale with all proceeds going to the fundraiser for building repairs. The art is on display at Neutral Grounds coffee shop in Seward through the end of February.

The “Solid through the Storm” building initiative will prepare The Rock to address facility repairs arising from last summer’s hail storm.  As shared previously, The Rock’s insurance deductible is $45,000 and total costs are still not fully known. Any funds raised beyond the storm repair costs will be held in reserve for additional facility repairs and improvements deemed ministry priorities. Goal: $45,000 total by 6-30-2023

Men’s breakfasts have started again

Men’s breakfasts have resumed on Saturday mornings at 7:00 a.m. in the Rock cafe.

Support the Guatemala mission trip with upcoming fundraisers

Did you know The Rock has 12 mission team members traveling to Guatemala in June? With high airfare prices and inflation impacting team expenses/fees in Guatemala, they could really use your support with two upcoming fundraising opportunities:

• This Wednesday, February 22, the mission team will be hosting a nacho/taco meal from 5:30-6:30pm at The Rock before the Ash Wednesday church service at 6:30. Free will offering donations are greatly appreciated.
• Raffle Opportunity: The team will be hosting a raffle to give away 4 MercyMe concert tickets + $50 gift certificate for dinner at the restaurant of the winner’s choice! Package valued at $250. The MercyMe concert is on March 26 at 7pm at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. Seats are section 114, row 12, seats 7-10. Raffle tickets will be sold before/after church on Sundays and Ash Wednesday or by contacting a team member directly. 1 raffle ticket for $10 or 3 for $20; Drawing on March 1.

Muchas Gracias from the Guatemala Team Members: Pastor Mike Meyer, Michaela Twito, Keegan Beisel, Rachel Ada, Hannah Beintema, Emma Dannehl, Heidi and Joseph Gubanyi, Lawson Luebbe, Jen, Aubrey, and Lathan Janousek

Team Nicodemus Meeting

Interested in becoming a handler or ministry assistant for Nicodemus Comfort Dog? The next regular scheduled Nico Team Meeting will be on Sunday, February 26 in Room 217 on the second floor at the Rock at 11:20.

Tales of the Wag – Stories about the Comfort Dog Ministry

Last time I wrote about relationships being built over time in this ministry with God’s grace right in the middle of the construction. This time I would like to look at how God connects His dog and our brains. Our Nico is AKC certified and has passed the AKC good citizenship test.  He is trained to the level of a service dog.  Nico has been conditioned to remain calm in most situations. To this training Nico, just as all LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs, has been commissioned through the Holy Spirit into His service. Our God-created brains have brain chemicals or hormones to help us process our lives.  Cortisol, the fight or flight hormone, is produced under stress, fear, anxiety, and trauma. Needed, but if not controlled or removed, cortisol can have an ill effect on our health. This is where a ‘pet’ can help.  As one pets Nico, it is processed in a different part of our brains than the stress, fear, anxiety, and trauma.  During the ‘pet’ other hormones are produced, like oxytocin and dopamine.  These hormones calm us and actually give a rest to our brains.  The tale: A circle of CUNE students are petting Nico and are having conversation with each other, as well as the Handler.  A young lady walks up to the circle and gets a hand onto Nico but doesn’t talk, just pets.  The students leave but she remains to tell us that her stomach ache has stopped since petting Nico.  With some enthusiasm she expresses that she is ready to go back to meet the challenge of her project that caused her stomach ache.  Her brain rested, she received some calm, then her brain reset under God’s grace. Our Team has seen this happen on a very large scale with trauma, as well as with a kindergartener having a bad morning. The rest, the calm, the reset under God’s Grace.  Next time I want to write about the Power that God puts into the ‘pet’. Until that time, may you absorb our Lord’s Presence, Peace, and Love.  Thoughts from Marcia Newsome.

Blue Valley Community Action

Our February item for the Blue Valley food pantry is soup, which we collect in a tub in the Rock cafe. Thanks for being a blessing to the community in this way! You can see our Blue Valley Pantry item schedule on our website. Year-round they also collect the following: pasta, pasta meal mixes, instant potato side dishes, and mashed potatoes. They’ve had quite a few more families making use of the pantry this winter, so your help is greatly appreciated.

YogaFaith News

Join Erika Rolf (RYT-200) or Sara Moll (RYT-200) for Christian YogaFaith classes at The Rock!  

February class offerings are as follows:  

• Online Sonrise YogaFaith Class (online class – take anytime and as many times as you want – a new 30 Minute class is offered each month)  – 2/6 (Erika)
•  Tune up Tuesday at CUNE (for Concordia University students) at 3:45-4:30 pm/Cattle Conference Center –  2/14 (Sara), 2/28 (Erika) FREE
• All Level Tuesdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – 2/7, 2/14, 2/21, 2/28 (Erika)
•  All Level Thursdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, (Sara) 2/23 (Sara or Erika)
•  Flow and Go Saturdays from 8:00-8:45 am CST at The Rock – Possible Pop Up classes (watch your e-mail and social media for dates)
•  Restorative YogaFaith from 7:00-8:00 pm CST at The Rock – 2/5 (Sara), 2/12 (Erika), 2/19 (Erika), 2/26 (Erika)*  SIGN UP IN ADVANCE PLEASE.

Please see their Facebook page for a full calendar and more information.  https://www.facebook.com/YogaFaith-Seward-256010628294784/

Our Website | http://www.therockseward.org/

Giving while at home | http://www.therockseward.org/giving-at-the-rock/

Vimeo | https://vimeo.com/therockseward  

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRockSewardNebraska

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/therockseward 

Contact Us | info@therockseward.org 

Prayer Requests | prayers@therockseward.org 

Mail | PO Box 199, Seward, NE 68434

Prayer requests are received by our prayer warriors, as well as Pastor Mike Meyer. If you would like them kept confidential and not included in public prayers on Sundays, just let us know in your email.

Souper Sunday 2023 is almost here!

You provide the soup and desserts, we’ll provide the bowls! (And spoons, and cups, and extension cords for your slow cookers…) Please bring a soup and dessert to share for our potluck lunch after the service this Sunday, February 12. If you’re not able to bring something this year, please still come for food and fellowship with us!

Lawn Care Service Needed

The Nebraska District Office is looking for a new lawn care provider starting this spring. This job will require a spring cleanup in landscaped areas and bushes, as well as mowing and fertilizer as needed throughout the year for the property located at 152 S. Columbia Avenue. If you’re interested and have the equipment necessary to complete the work, please contact Elijah Luebbe at ElijahL@ndlcms.org or 402-643-2961 Ext 1005.

Men’s breakfasts have started again

Men’s breakfasts have resumed on Saturday mornings at 7:00 a.m. in the Rock cafe.

Support the Guatemala mission trip with upcoming fundraisers

Did you know The Rock has 12 mission team members traveling to Guatemala in June? With high airfare prices and inflation impacting team expenses/fees in Guatemala, they could really use your support with two upcoming fundraising opportunities:

• Ash Wednesday, February 22nd, the mission team will be hosting a nacho/taco meal from 5:30-6:30pm at The Rock before the Ash Wednesday church service at 6:30. Free will offering donations are greatly appreciated.
• Raffle Opportunity: The team will be hosting a raffle to give away 4 MercyMe concert tickets + $50 gift certificate for dinner at the restaurant of the winner’s choice! Package valued at $250. The MercyMe concert is on March 26 at 7pm at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. Seats are section 114, row 12, seats 7-10. Raffle tickets will be sold before/after church on Sundays and Ash Wednesday or by contacting a team member directly. 1 raffle ticket for $10 or 3 for $20; Drawing on March 1.

Muchas Gracias from the Guatemala Team Members: Pastor Mike Meyer, Michaela Twito, Keegan Beisel, Rachel Ada, Hannah Beintema, Emma Dannehl, Heidi and Joseph Gubanyi, Lawson Luebbe, Jen, Aubrey, and Lathan Janousek

Blue Valley Community Action

Our February item for the Blue Valley food pantry is soup, which we collect in a tub in the Rock cafe. Thanks for being a blessing to the community in this way! You can see our Blue Valley Pantry item schedule on our website. Year-round they also collect the following: pasta, pasta meal mixes, instant potato side dishes, and mashed potatoes. They’ve had quite a few more families making use of the pantry this winter, so your help is greatly appreciated.

YogaFaith News

Join Erika Rolf (RYT-200) or Sara Moll (RYT-200) for Christian YogaFaith classes at The Rock!  

February class offerings are as follows:  

• Online Sonrise YogaFaith Class (online class – take anytime and as many times as you want – a new 30 Minute class is offered each month)  – 2/6 (Erika)
•  Tune up Tuesday at CUNE (for Concordia University students) at 3:45-4:30 pm/Cattle Conference Center –  2/14 (Sara), 2/28 (Erika) FREE
• All Level Tuesdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – 2/7, 2/14, 2/21, 2/28 (Erika)
•  All Level Thursdays at 5:30 pm CST at The Rock  – 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, (Sara) 2/23 (Sara or Erika)
•  Flow and Go Saturdays from 8:00-8:45 am CST at The Rock – Possible Pop Up classes (watch your e-mail and social media for dates)
•  Restorative YogaFaith from 7:00-8:00 pm CST at The Rock – 2/5 (Sara), 2/12 (Erika), 2/19 (Erika), 2/26 (Erika)*  SIGN UP IN ADVANCE PLEASE.

Please see their Facebook page for a full calendar and more information.  https://www.facebook.com/YogaFaith-Seward-256010628294784/

Our Website | http://www.therockseward.org/

Giving while at home | http://www.therockseward.org/giving-at-the-rock/

Vimeo | https://vimeo.com/therockseward  

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRockSewardNebraska

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/therockseward 

Contact Us | info@therockseward.org 

Prayer Requests | prayers@therockseward.org 

Mail | PO Box 199, Seward, NE 68434

Prayer requests are received by our prayer warriors, as well as Pastor Mike Meyer. If you would like them kept confidential and not included in public prayers on Sundays, just let us know in your email.