CARING MINISTRIES
Funeral Luncheon Ministry
The Funeral Luncheon Ministry at Elk River Lutheran Church provides a warm and welcoming space for families to gather after a funeral or memorial service. This time of fellowship allows loved ones to support one another and share memories in a caring environment.
Each year, our Hospitality Team serves both church members and those in the community without a church home. Many of these families come to us through Dare’s Funeral Home, located next door to the church. In 2024, we hosted 22 funeral luncheons—11 for our members and 11 in partnership with Dare’s. Each luncheon requires a dedicated team of volunteers who help set up, serve, and clean up, ensuring a seamless and comforting experience for grieving families.
For more details on planning a funeral and luncheon at Elk River Lutheran, please visit our Funeral Planning Guide.
This ministry is coordinated by the Hospitality Team, but anyone in the congregation can sign up to be on the list of available volunteers. When a funeral luncheon is scheduled, volunteers will be notified and can choose to help with setup, serving, or cleanup.
If you’d like to join this meaningful ministry and help provide care and comfort to grieving families, please reach out—we’d love to have you!
Each year, our Hospitality Team serves both church members and those in the community without a church home. Many of these families come to us through Dare’s Funeral Home, located next door to the church. In 2024, we hosted 22 funeral luncheons—11 for our members and 11 in partnership with Dare’s. Each luncheon requires a dedicated team of volunteers who help set up, serve, and clean up, ensuring a seamless and comforting experience for grieving families.
For more details on planning a funeral and luncheon at Elk River Lutheran, please visit our Funeral Planning Guide.
This ministry is coordinated by the Hospitality Team, but anyone in the congregation can sign up to be on the list of available volunteers. When a funeral luncheon is scheduled, volunteers will be notified and can choose to help with setup, serving, or cleanup.
If you’d like to join this meaningful ministry and help provide care and comfort to grieving families, please reach out—we’d love to have you!
Hospitality Team
The Hospitality Team at Elk River Lutheran Church is dedicated to fostering a warm and welcoming environment through food, fellowship, and service. Whether providing Sunday morning coffee, funeral luncheons, or special event meals, our team ensures that gatherings are meaningful and hospitable.
How We Serve:
☕ Sunday Fellowship Hour – Serving coffee and doughnuts to encourage conversation and community, supported by congregational donations.
🍽️ Funeral Luncheons – Preparing and serving meals for grieving families, including those from Dare’s Funeral Home who may not have a church home.
🎉 Seasonal & Special Events – Hosting and assisting with meals and refreshments for events like Ash Wednesday Soup Supper, the Block Party, VBS meals, Pie Sunday, and Heritage Sunday.
👨👩👧👦 Children, Youth & Family (CYF) Assistance – Supporting meals and gatherings as needed.
🎈 Special Member Celebrations – Helping members celebrate milestone birthdays, anniversaries, and other significant occasions.
In addition to serving meals, the Hospitality Team also decorates for seasons and special occasions, maintains the Café, Fellowship Area, Community Room tables, and kitchen, and ensures that supplies like coffee, lemonade, table coverings, and paper products are stocked.
Get Involved!
The Hospitality Team meets on the first Monday of each month at 10:30 AM. We welcome new team members and anyone who would like to occasionally help serve coffee on Sundays.
📩 Interested in joining or volunteering? Contact Co-Chairs: Barb Overbye or Gwen Krizek.
How We Serve:
☕ Sunday Fellowship Hour – Serving coffee and doughnuts to encourage conversation and community, supported by congregational donations.
🍽️ Funeral Luncheons – Preparing and serving meals for grieving families, including those from Dare’s Funeral Home who may not have a church home.
🎉 Seasonal & Special Events – Hosting and assisting with meals and refreshments for events like Ash Wednesday Soup Supper, the Block Party, VBS meals, Pie Sunday, and Heritage Sunday.
👨👩👧👦 Children, Youth & Family (CYF) Assistance – Supporting meals and gatherings as needed.
🎈 Special Member Celebrations – Helping members celebrate milestone birthdays, anniversaries, and other significant occasions.
In addition to serving meals, the Hospitality Team also decorates for seasons and special occasions, maintains the Café, Fellowship Area, Community Room tables, and kitchen, and ensures that supplies like coffee, lemonade, table coverings, and paper products are stocked.
Get Involved!
The Hospitality Team meets on the first Monday of each month at 10:30 AM. We welcome new team members and anyone who would like to occasionally help serve coffee on Sundays.
📩 Interested in joining or volunteering? Contact Co-Chairs: Barb Overbye or Gwen Krizek.
Meals on Wheels
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Meals on Wheels has a mission of delivering nutritious meals and a smiling face to people that are homebound or cannot prepare meals for themselves.
The meals are prepared at the Guardian Angels Senior Dining Center and are administered by Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Cloud. Elk River Lutheran Church volunteers to deliver the meals the months of September and February, Monday through Friday. Thank you to all the people that have given their time to deliver meals. We have a sign up sheet out a couple of weeks before the start of our month to deliver. We are grateful to have this opportunity to help others. If this is something you might be interested in doing, please contact Barb Overbye (612 799 5929) or Linda Felska (763 242 5319). ERLC provides volunteer drivers during September and February. |
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Prayer Shawl Ministry
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Quilting
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The Quilting Ministry is a hands-on way we share warmth, comfort, and care with our community and beyond. In 2024, our dedicated quilters created 265 quilts, blessing 88 for Lutheran World Relief and wrapping our graduating seniors in love and support. We also provide quilts to organizations such as Lutheran Social Services, River of Hope, and the Fire Truck Toy Drive, ensuring they reach individuals in need.
Beyond quilts, we assemble school kits, create holiday-themed items, and partner with other ministries to support various causes. We are grateful for the generous donations of fabric, supplies, and funds that make this work possible. New members are always welcome! We gather on Tuesdays at 9:00 AM in the lower level of the church. Come join us in stitching love and hope into every quilt we make. “Those who sleep under a quilt, sleep under a blanket of love.” |
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Other Caring Ministries
Prayer Requests: Prayer requests may be called in to the church office (763) 595-1216 or entered here. Prayers may also be requested through the Registration form included in the bulletin each Sunday. (Fill out and place in the offering plate.)
CAER—ERLC supports and promotes CAER which provides food and referrals or limited financial support for basic necessities to people in our community. CAER has its foundation in Christian outreach and maintains a strong partnership with faith based organizations. ERLC provides volunteers to help with distribution on a scheduled basis, collects donations designated for CAER, and provides support in fundraising. Sign up to volunteer
Guardian Angels Senior Services
CAER—ERLC supports and promotes CAER which provides food and referrals or limited financial support for basic necessities to people in our community. CAER has its foundation in Christian outreach and maintains a strong partnership with faith based organizations. ERLC provides volunteers to help with distribution on a scheduled basis, collects donations designated for CAER, and provides support in fundraising. Sign up to volunteer
Guardian Angels Senior Services
- Monthly Worship Service The first Thursday of each month at 10:30 am, Our Pastor and Music Director lead worship at Guardian Angels Riverview Landing in Otsego.
- Birthday and Holiday Events—(Lori Werk) Joining other local organizations, ERLC provides one birthday party a year at Guardian Angels where some members of our congregation reside. We provide and work at the Holiday Craft Sale with the Silver Tea and help with the Root Beer Floats Summer Festival in August.
- Hymn Sing - Elk River Lutheran leads an early afternoon Hymn Sing at the Guardian Angels Care Center.
Neighbor to Neighbor
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Our Neighbor to Neighbor ministry continues to thrive with our members serving each other by visiting, checking in, and sharing in communion together. If you would like someone to bring you communion or visit with you through the phone or a personal visit, please let Pastor Anne know. We want everyone to feel connected and valued as a part of our ERLC community. Someone is waiting to connect with you - just say the word!
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
(Matthew 18:20) |
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Please fill out this form whenever you meet with your neighbor
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Partnering people together to build a community that cares for each other! We have many people within our ERLC Community that could use a listening ear, a caring heart, or someone to reach the lightbulb, bring a meal or sweep a sidewalk. We partner people togerther to share God's grace with each other.
Talk Team: People gifted at listening and showing empathy
Task Team: People who want to help out with small household duties.
If you or someone you know would benefit from having someone come over to visit or help out with a household job, we'd love to include you in this ministry. Contact Pastor Anne: [email protected] or call 763-595-1216 |
