Paul James Bower, age 62, died in his Minneapolis home surrounded by his family on October 19th, 2018. He was a kind, gentle soul who deeply loved his family, friends and life. Paul was born October 25th, 1955 in Madison, Wisconsin to the late David and Phyllis Bower. He was one of seven children and falls right in the middle of the Bower line-up. Paul worked hard all his life supporting his family, and had an interesting variety of jobs. Opening Tower Real Estate fulfilled his dream of owning and managing his own business. He sold real estate in the Brainerd area for over 20 years and earned a reputation for his integrity and willingness to go the extra mile to help people find homes. Ready for a new adventure, Paul sold his business and spent time serving in the Reading Corps where the kids called him “Mr. B.” He later took an opportunity to pursue his passion for renewable energy by taking courses in solar power, and working/volunteering for the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society (MRES).

Paul married the love of his life Barb in 1982 after proposing with a fortune cookie. He was a committed and adventurous father who loved his family dearly. He was always there for countless fishing trips, practicing jump shots, hours cheering in the bleachers, late night airport pickups, and treks from coast to coast and up the Alaska Highway. Paul was immensely proud of both his children. He sang, whistled, and playfully teased to keep everyone smiling.

Paul was diagnosed with cancer in June 2017. He faced this disease exactly how he approached all of life: with incredible steadiness, selflessness, and a good sense of humor. Paul is survived by his wife, Barb; children, Matthew (Melanie Lombard), Halen; brothers, Gary (Connie), Brian (Diane), Mark (Dianna); sisters, Connie Fausett (Carl), Diane Twiton (John), Jean Bower, many nieces and nephews and his beloved dog Sugar. He is dearly missed.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, October 27th, 2018 at Grace Lutheran Church, 1500 6th St NE, Minneapolis at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Emmy Kegler officiating. Visitation will be at the church 1 hour before the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Minnesota Renewable Energy Society (MRES), a cause near and dear to Paul’s heart.

This year the Golden Friends service project for Christmas will be gathering various items for the LSS Street Outreach Teams to support youth experiencing homelessness.

The Golden Friends will be gathering our donations over the next three Sundays, and assemble the kits at the Golden Friends meeting on November 16.

The items needed are:
– socks
– underwear
– blankets
– coats
– scarves
– winter hats and earmuffs
– gloves
– hand warmers
– face wash — sample size or small bottle
– body wash — sample size or small bottle
– deodorant — small container
– toothpaste — small tube
– toothbrushes
– feminine hygiene products, like tampons and pads

There will be a box at the back of the church for your donations.

With Jen Schultz’s departure, we have an open spot on the church council. The new council member would join us for our November 14 and December 19 meetings, from 6:30 to 7:45pm.

The church council has general oversight of the life and activities of the congregation, including financial and property matters. Meetings usually include a brief devotion, a pastor’s and treasurer’s report, and a list of issues to discuss or projects to tackle.

Our current council members are Barb Bower, Bella Hanson, Janet McGuire (treasurer), Jon Hamlow, Nancy Brazil, and Penny Hinderaker.

If you have questions or are interested in filling this vacant seat, let a member of the council know, or call the church office at 612-788-2444 or Penny Hinderaker at 612-788-8751.

Any voting member of the congregation is eligible!

With the departure of our church and Little Kitchen Food Shelf administrator Jen, we will be hiring to fill her position!

Jen brought an incredible array of gifts to her many years of service. To find the best qualified candidates, we’ve split the administrative position into two — one administrator for Grace Lutheran (who will handle finances, day-to-day office needs, coordinating with Grace Center, and working with volunteer teams) and one for the Little Kitchen Food Shelf (who will focus on food purchases, grant writing, training new volunteers, and continuing our community connections).  Candidates are welcome to apply for one or both!

The job descriptions can be found here:

Administrator for Grace Lutheran Church

Administrator for the Little Kitchen Food Shelf

We encourage any interested candidates to apply. Congregation members are welcome to spread the word!

Cover letters and resumes may be sent to Pastor Emmy at emmy@gracenempls.org, or candidates can apply online through Indeed.