Mankato Seventh-day Adventist Church Participates in Peace Conference (5/03)
The Mankato Seventh-day Adventist church was represented at the 22nd Annual Mayday Peace Conference sponsored by Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota.  Pastor Fred and Heidi Shoemaker were invited to staff a booth at the Peace Conference and share with attendees the Seventh-day Adventist denomination's beliefs and stance on war and peace.

Placed between the Zen Buddhist and the Bahai' booths, the Shoemaker's (with the aid of home-baked cookies) were able to draw a significant number of people to their booth, providing literature on everything from Adventists in the Military to Conscientious Objection and Noncombatancy to Operation White Coat to A Seventh-day Adventist Call to Peace, as well as some basic information on Seventh-day Adventism.

This was a great witnessing opportunity, introducing many people for the first time to the Seventh-day Adventist message.

Pastor Fred and Heidi were invited to return next year and plan to attend the conference with more literature...and even more cookies!

by Heidi Shoemaker

Pastor Fred Shoemaker Ordained into Gospel Ministry at Mankato Church (4/19/03)
In a wonderful, spirit-filled ceremony, Pastor Fred and Heidi Shoemaker were ordained into gospel ministry on the evening of April 19, 2003 at the Mankato Seventh-day Adventist Church.  Pastor Shoemaker was formally presented by Pastor Donovan Davis, pastor of the Southview Church and Elder Dennis Carlson, Mid-America Union Conference President.  Minnesota Conference President William Miller gave the sermon.  Also participating in the service were Robert Wagley, David VandeVere, Bruce Moore, William and Frances Wilson, and Keith Severns.  Pastors from throughout the Conference participated in the ordination by the laying on of hands for Pastor Shoemaker.  Robin Davis presented Heidi with roses, and spoke eloquently about Heidi’s partnership and continued role in Team Ministry with Fred.  The evening was made especially special due to the fact that the ordination service took place at the Mankato church, amidst the support of their church family and friends from throughout their district and the conference.  Both Pastor Fred and Heidi’s parents were in attendance for their special evening.

On October 9, 1993, Fred Shoemaker walked into a Seventh-day Adventist worship service in Worthington, Ohio, for the first time in his life.  He had never knowingly met a Seventh-day Adventist, and he did not come due to the urgings of a friend or from an evangelistic handbill.  Fred came from a type of intellectual curiosity—from reading religious history books that had briefly mentioned Seventh-day Adventism and from a conviction that Saturday was the true Sabbath.  What he didn’t realize at that time was that the Holy Spirit led him there and that He had a plan for him that would very soon unfold in his life.

The week before Fred was baptized (December 3, 1994), he received his call to ministry with the understanding that he would soon enroll at the Theological Seminary at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan.  In March 1996, just months before he was to go to Seminary, he was co-leading a Quality Management Seminar in Canton, Ohio.  He casually mentioned to a female friend of whom he was quite fond, Heidi Tennant, that he was soon leaving the Industrial Commission in order to go to Seminary.  That piqued her interest (in both Fred and Adventism), and they soon began dating.  On June 8, 1997, Fred and Heidi were married at the Worthington, Ohio Seventh-day Adventist Church—the church Fred had walked into less than four years before.

In the fall of 1998, Fred accepted a call from the Minnesota Conference to pastor the Mankato district.  For the past four-and-a-half years it has been a great joy for Fred and Heidi to work with the church families in Mankato, Fairmont, and Arlington—in order to carry out the Great Commission in the district.   Fred and Heidi are a pastoral team, and anyone in any of their churches can verify how important Heidi is to Fred’s ministry.

by Heidi Shoemaker

First Fruits of Fall Evangelism (3/01/03)
Mankato witnessed the first baptism from Pastor Fred Shoemaker's fall evangelistic series.  Lori Slomkowski often drove past the Mankato church, feeling that she should stop by sometime, but never did.  When Pastor Fred began his evangelistic series on the Book of Daniel, Lori's mother (a Baptist from the church next door to the Mankato church) brought her to the Midwest Wireless Civic Center where the series was held - unaware that it was being held by the Mankato SDA Church.  Lori completed the series, and along with her daughter Kaylie, quickly integrated into the Mankato church family.  Lori has become an active member of the weekly prayer meetings, bible studies, and other church activities.  Her daughter Kaylie loves Kids Club and Sabbath School.  In fact, Kaylie cannot wait until she is old enough for baptism, and says that "this is her church."

Lori was baptized on March 1st, with Kaylie smiling beside her inside the baptismal pool.  All of Lori's non-Adventist family was present (her mother, aunt, and grandmother).  Both Lori and Kaylie are welcome additions to the Mankato church family!

by Heidi Shoemaker

PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE REACHES MANKATO (2/03)
As part of our continuing church-revitalization process, Mankato decided to begin a small group study of Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life .  The study, designed to reach both church members and nonmembers alike, touched a cord within the church family.  God has blessed us with a "small group" of 18 or so individuals, ranging in age from 16 to 60+, five of whom are not Adventist.  We will continue our study thru February, and there are plans to start another small group later in the year.

by Heidi Shoemaker

FOOD FOR LIFE PART II (2/03)
After reaching more than 50 people last year (30 non-Adventist) with their FOOD FOR LIFE Vegetarian Cooking Series, Linda Kaldahl & Heidi Shoemaker decided to present another series again this February to the Mankato community.  Despite threatening winter weather and slippery roads, the desire to learn more about a healthful diet and cooking prevailed.  Having completed only two of their three Sunday classes at the Mankato SDA Church, Linda and Heidi have reached almost as many people as last year!  The Lord has brought at least 40 people to the church over the past two weeks, with more than 75% being non-Adventist.  About half of the non-Adventist group are "repeat" visitors from last year, and the other half are new to the FOOD FOR LIFE series.  Attendance is expected to be at a record high the final Sunday afternoon, as many of the attendees want to share their excitement and knowledge with friends and family. 

by Heidi Shoemaker

Mankato Church Continues Annual Servant Evangelism Projects (12/02)
This Fall’s Servant Evangelism Projects got off to a bountiful start with our Pathfinders collecting 555 pounds of canned goods and other non-perishable foods in their 3^rd Annual Halloween Canned Food Drive.  While this might not seem like a lot to some churches, it was an excellent haul for a group of only six Pathfinders!  Echo Food Shelf was most appreciative of these Young People, for donating their time and energy to help those within the Mankato community.

The next groups to help were our Teens (from the Teen Sabbath School and Monthly Bible Study classes). For the 2^nd straight year, these Teens braved freezing temperatures one Saturday night to ring bells and collect funds for the Salvation Army, giving smiles and candy canes to all who walked by.

Site last updated: Tuesday, October 14, 2003 10:47 PM