Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
GOOD NEWS FROM S
December
2015
SUNDAY WORSHIP
9:00 am
Sunday School
9:15am—10:00am (during the school year)
Holy Communion
1st & 4th Sunday
PASTOR
Gail Sowell Office Hours: 9am-1pm
Tuesday-Friday
(And by appointment)
SECRETARY’S HOURS
Monday-Friday
9:00-1:00
ADDRESS
W1000 Hwy N
Edgar, WI 54426
PHONE/EMAIL
715-352-2524
EMERGENCY PHONE
715-352-2492
WEBSITE
www.stjohnelcaedgar.org
Items for print MUST be
submitted by the 20th of
the preceding month.
NEWS FOR ALL
JOHN
Pastor’s Ponderings
Here we are again, at the beginning of Advent. Liturgically speaking
(that is, speaking of things that happen in the church year), this is
the season when many Christians prepare themselves for the second
coming of our Lord. On November 22nd we celebrated Christ the
King Sunday, and our focus (in the church) is on the risen Christ who
sits at the right hand of God. The Nicene Creed contains these
words: He will come again to judge the living and the dead, and his
kingdom will have no end.
Meanwhile the world around us is gearing up for a very un-Christian
celebration: spend, spend, spend, and get, get, get. I have a pet
peeve: obnoxious commercials on television. I watch almost nothing
but football and basketball, so I don’t know if the commercials I see
are used during other programs. But I saw one of my all-time most
objectionable ads during Sunday and Monday football the week be-
fore Thanksgiving. Verizon was encouraging people to begin their
shopping on Thanksgiving night—and they called it “Thanksgetting.”
How have we come to so pervert a national holiday that originally
thanked God for shelter and enough to eat? I’ve always thought
Thanksgiving should be a special day in the liturgical (church) calen-
dar. Since God is the giver of all things, shouldn’t we have a day
dedicated to giving thanks to him?
The invitation of Advent is to watch and wait for the coming of
Christ—both the baby in the manger and the King who will come in
glory at the last day. Jesus is God incarnate (God-in-the-flesh), the
God who has chosen to relate to his chosen people with love, pa-
tience, and forgiveness.
God’s promise of salvation isn’t a response to something we’ve
done—as if we could earn our way into his grace. God offers salva-
tion fully and freely, no strings attached, because that’s just Who
God is, and what God does.
So watch, and wait, and ponder the mystery that God loves you so
much he came to die for your sins. And please, give thanks!
Page 2 GOOD NEWS FROM ST. JOHN Good News!
As Christmas approaches, please consider a gift that can’t be wrapped.
Donations to God’s Global Barnyard or ELCA Good Gifts help feed the hungry and
provide more healthy living, and many of these gifts cost less than we spend on
Christmas cards each year. Ordering information (example below) can be found in the
narthex. We are able to be a blessing to people we’ll never know—people who, like us, are
children of God. We have been blessed to be a blessing!
—Pastor Gail
OR...you could just make sure to sup-
port the Sunday School “God’s Global
Barnyard Bake Sale” that is being held
right here at St. John on Sunday, December
6th! You don’t have to wrap it, it will go
through the same well-run organization,
and there’s NO POSTAGE required!
Maybe you could donate by BAKING, or
perhaps by purchasing some of the yummy
treats to take home, or maybe even BOTH!
Sunday School parents are needed to over-
see the tables while the students are hav-
ing their Christmas program practice on
the 6th.
Therapy Putty Weighted Blankets Games
Slippers/Socks Bath & Body lotions Puzzles
Winter Jackets Stocking Caps Journals (not spiral)
Snomo/Sledding Gloves Stationary Frisbees
Sweatshirts Basketballs Bike Helmets
Wallets Craft kits/models Footballs
Towels/ Beach Towels Fishing Gear/Tip Ups Watches
Photo Albums Duffel bags Word Find/Sudoku Game Books
Badger/Brewer/Bucks items Jewelry Boxes Girls Jewelry
Mens/Teen Boys Necklaces Curling Irons Hair brushes
Hair dryers/Air Brushes Household cleaning supplies
Children’s & young adult books (age appropriate books-no violence or sexual
content)
Lutheran Social Services . . . another giving opportunity
LSS invites us to work together with
them to bring a Christmas wrapped
in Christ’s love to those they serve
through “Operation Christmas”.
To the LEFT is a list of items that
would be appreciated. It’s also
posted on the west bulletin board.
ALL donations must be to
St. John by Sunday,
Dec. 13th. Items should be placed (unwrapped) in the bin in the narthex.
Good News! GOOD NEWS from ST. JOHN Page 3
By the time you read this, things at St. John
Sunday School Bake sale to benefit God's Global Barnyard
on December 6th. Looking for baked goods donations—
will gladly receive any donations, but feel free to get into the
bake sale theme with items such as puppy chow, chocolate
haystacks, kettle corn, monkey bread, etc.
The Christmas windowsills will be getting decorated, the Christmas
tree will be up and Christmas program practices have begun!
Here are some other events & opportunities we have to look forward
to this month
Proceeds will go to help a family escape the cycle of hunger and poverty for good, through the
ELCA’s “God’s Global Barnyard” program.
Christmas Potluck Brunch and Caroling, December 13th!
After the service, we’ll head downstairs to enjoy a tasty Potluck Brunch before we head out
to share some musical Christmas JOY with some of our dear members who aren’t able to
worship with us as often as they’d like. We’ll split up between two different vehicles so
we’re able to cover more territory. We invite ALL to join us in spreading this Christmas cheer.
For the Potluck: If your LAST name begins with A-L Bring a HOT DISH
M-Z Bring SALAD or DESSERT
Christmas Caroling not your thing? Send a card filled with warm Christmas
wishes to them instead! Below are the mailing addresses of some of our
St. John family who are near & dear to our hearts, but not able to be near with
their presence.
Lillian Bauman
8005 Birch St. #322
Weston, WI 54476
Rosie Borchardt
F4120 State Hwy 97
Edgar, WI 54426
Marie Dahlke
680 Walker Rd.
Reeves, LA 70658
Ed & Lorraine Kralcik
707 N. 2nd Ave. #22
Edgar, WI 54426
Nancy Leffel
Pine Ridge Assisted Living
1110 N. Division St.
Colby, WI 54421
Allen & Elaine Mueller
W4019 Hilldale Dr.
Edgar, WI 54426
Hertha Werner
Copper Leaf Assisted Living
663 Maratech Ave.
Marathon, WI 54448
Page 4 GOOD NEWS FROM ST. JOHN Good News!
The Sunday School Christmas program will be presented during the service on
December 20th. Practices have begun, so please make sure your students are
consistent in their attendance if they want to be part of this original production!
Many thanks to all the teachers, students, parents, and other helpers who help
make this delightful event come about!
Following the program on December 20th, is the annual Christmas
COOKIE WALK sponsored by the Women of St. John (and all of our volunteer
BAKERS). See more about this on the Women’s page. You won’t want to
miss this YUMMY opportunity!
Christmas Eve Candlelight
Worship
5:30pm
Christmas Day
Communion Worship
9:00am
We are blessed to have these wonderful opportunities to reflect, worship, and rejoice together in response to the love demonstrated toward us by our God who sent his only son on our behalf. All are welcome to join us.
As you plan to attend, please consider signing up to minister in the service. There is a
sign up sheet posted on the west bulletin board for ushers, greeters, acolytes etc.
Thank you!
Sunday School will resume January 10th after taking a recess for a couple of
weeks following the Christmas program.
The ANNUAL MEETING of the congregation will be held January 24th immediately
following the service. In light of that, ANNUAL REPORTS need to be to the secretary
by January 10th. Thanks!
There will be a dedication of our new altar Paraments on January 17th, which have
been received through the memorial provisions of some of our dear ones who have
passed from our presence. Join us for this special time.
January 31, after the service. Time to start digging out those
award-winning chili and salad recipes! The Bible trivia quiz will be
taken from the book of AMOS. Get your team together, and
GET YOUR GAME ON!
WOMEN OF THE ELCA NEWS
As a community of women, created in the image of God, called to discipleship in Jesus Christ, and empow-
ered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves to grow in faith, affirm our gifts, support one another in our
callings, engage in ministry and action, and promote healing and wholeness in the church, the society, and
the world.
participate in our activities. Each woman of St. John is assigned to a funeral group and is relied upon to
help serve in the time of need.
Every woman that is a member of St. John is a member of
the women’s group. All are WELCOME and encouraged to
Good News! GOOD NEWS from ST. JOHN Page 5
Work continues on the yearbook for 2016. IF YOU HAVE CHANGES IN YOUR CONTACT IN-
FORMATION FROM 2015, PLEASE LET BEV UMNUS KNOW BEFORE THE BOOK IS PRINTED.
The Cookie Walk for December will be held on the 20th
(the same day as the children’s
Christmas Program). Members of the church are asked to donate a dozen or more cookies,
so that when all put together, each one can select a different kind of cookie and not have
had to bake them. It is so wonderful to see the various kinds that are brought. They will be
sold for $5 dollars a pound.
In January we will be receiving names of college students for the Valentine bags. It seems
early to be thinking about this item, but the women don’t have another meeting until
March, so we have to plan ahead.
We appreciate the willingness of the women to serve when there is a need, but would WEL-
COME more women to become actively involved in the planning and carrying out of the ac-
tivities of the St. John Women of the ELCA.. We meet four times a year – March, May, Sept
and Nov – at 6:30 PM on Wednesday nights. We continue to seek someone who will accept
the office of Vice-President. Please prayerfully consider becoming active in YOUR Women’s
Group and perhaps volunteer for this office.
Funeral Groups (Page 10 - 15 of “YearBook St John Women of the ELCA”)
Each woman who is married or over 25 years old are assigned to a Funeral Group. Each Fu-
neral Group has a Coordinator that is contacted when there is a funeral to be held at our
church. The Coordinator begins contacting all individuals on her group to obtain help with
bringing salads or desserts and to help with serving and clean-up. IF you are unable to assist,
you are encouraged to donate $5.00 to help with the cost of providing the luncheon. Please
take a look at the new Yearbook – 2016; please let your coordinator know if you have any
preferences for helping, ie when you work during the day. It may be difficult to assist, but
you might be willing to donate items or funds and drop off the day before. Thanks to the
many helping hands that make light the work; your generous spirits shine through.
Page 6 GOOD NEWS FROM ST. JOHN Good News!
PLEASE NOTE! All flowers must be off the cemetery by December 1.
Herbie Werner spent time making special flower holders that are used in St. John’s
Cemetery. If your flowers are in a BROWN metal, vase-shaped holder, PLEASE leave it
where it is! Somehow they have been disappearing, and they were meant to STAY for use
at St. John. If you know the location of any of the missing holders, please help their return!
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise,
give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever,
his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100: 4-5
I was so glad to be able to attend the Community Thanksgiving service at St. Stephen on
Wednesday. It was my opportunity to sit still and FOCUS on God’s faithfulness and to reflect
on the many ways he has blessed me over this past year. I couldn’t stay to have pie, because
I was not yet ready for the Thanksgiving gathering which was taking place at our place the
following day.
Something came to my Email this morning that was called “22 Positive Habits of Happy
People”. One of the habits was “Express gratitude for what you have”. It said that the best
way to do that was to keep a “gratitude journal” where you write down exactly what you’re
grateful for EACH DAY. What a great idea! I think I’m going to try to implement that. Then,
at Thanksgiving time, amidst the hustle & bustle it will help me to FOCUS, review, and once
again offer THANKSGIVING. Hope you had a nice time of Thanksgiving with your dear ones.
Now let’s embrace ADVENT, and then may you have a very blessed Christmas!
I can’t believe it! Did you know Pastor Gail sings TURKEY CAROLS? “We three
turkeys come from afar…” “O come all ye turkeys…” “Go, tell it in the barn-
yard…” “I’m dreaming of a fat turkey…” I heard her tell Rose she took her tur-
key carols to visit all the shut-ins! And she said they all liked them. That’s
pretty weird, if you ask me.
There’s another thing I can hardly believe, it’s almost Christmas, (I know, a good Lutheran
church Mouse should celebrate Advent before getting to Christmas, but it’s coming way too
fast.) Before you know it, the children will be putting on their wonderful Christmas program
on December 20th. (I know it’s wonderful, cuz I got to see some of the rehearsals!) Oh, and
the best part—that same day is the COOKIE WALK! I’m SURE there will be lots of crumbs for
Twink and me. (By the way, Twink and I will celebrate our first anniversary pretty soon. It
was just a year ago that E.K. gave Twink to Pastor Gail to bring home to me.)
I hope you all have a very merry, very blessed Christmas!
Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season!
Good News! GOOD NEWS from ST. JOHN Page 7
For God so loved the world
He gave his only Son
Rev. Ri
chard
N. Hoyme
See Inside for Articles:
Page 1 Pastor’s Ponderings,
Page 2 A Gift that Can’t be Wrapped
Page 3 It’s Beginning to Look alot Like Christmas
Page 4 Coming this Christmas/ For your 2016 Calendar
Page 5 St. John Women of the ELCA News
Page 6 Church Mouse/ Reflections
Page 7 A Christmas Message from Bishop Hoyme
REMINDER: December calendars are in your mailboxes!
Please remember to check your bulletin
for updates. If you would like to have us
e-mail the Newsletter to you, please let
us know.
GOOD NEWSGOOD NEWSGOOD NEWSGOOD NEWS St. John Lutheran Church ELCA W1000 Hwy N
Edgar, WI 54426
We’re on the Web
Www.stjohnelcaedgar.org
