December 2016

The Redeemer Reporter

One of the joys of having our daughter in a cooperative preschool is that we as parents

are expected to be classroom assistants from time to time. The tasks that we are assigned

are quite simple and range from helping out during free play to providing snacks or

simple clean up. And while the tasks are fine the joy comes in interacting with three and

four year olds. The joy is in the relationship.

I know it is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I find this age group to be so enjoyable to be

around. Their constant energy seems infectious – though tiring. Their engagement with

our language makes me smile – most of the time. But most of all I really appreciate their

enthusiasm. When I dropped my daughter off this past week I came to face to face with

a most enthusiastic classmate of hers.

Several members of her class have been awaiting additions to their family. One boy’s

wait came to end on Thanksgiving break as his mom gave birth to a baby brother. As I

walking my daughter into her school, his family pulled into the parking lot. No sooner

had car been turned off and the door opened then he started yelling to us to stop. His

mom got him out of the car and he ran to the sidewalk to tell us with a smile as wide as

could be that he had a little brother.

He took us over to the other door to show us the newest member of his family. He was

so proud and did the same thing to every person he saw as he walked in. It was quite a

gift to witness the obvious love he felt for his new brother, but even more striking to me

was the enthusiasm with which he desired to share the news of his family with

everyone.

As I drove away from the preschool that day, I couldn’t help but wonder if each of us

couldn’t learn something from this young boy’s enthusiasm. For each one of us is the

final month of waiting for the birth of a baby. I realize it is a baby, whose birth we

celebrate each and every year and that may take its toll on our enthusiasm. But what if

this year we tried to engage the birth with the same vigor as this three year old boy?

What would it look like to really anticipate what the birth of this baby means for us?

What if we truly wondered how the birth changes our very lives, as births do? What if

we engaged the birth as we do others and talk to people about it?

I think of Mary and Elizabeth’s conversation as recounted in the Gospel of Luke. The

baby that was growing in Mary hadn’t been born and yet she burst forth in song. In

Eugene Peterson’s translation The Message Mary said, “I’m bursting with

God-news; I’m dancing the song of my Savior God. God took one good look at me, and

look what happened—I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!”

Mary couldn’t contain herself. And the Good News is that what was true for her is true

for us. We are the most fortunate people. God took on flesh and was born into our

world. God lived among us, not to bring more of the same, but to bring about real

change.

Mary sings of God being born to stand up for the marginalized; to feed the starving; to

give drink to the thirsty; to be with the lonely. Mary sings, “God embraced God’s

chosen child, Israel; God remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.”

Enthusiasm and Joy — A note from Pastor Ken —

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This birth is everything for us and I just wonder if this year we might share it with others in a way we haven’t shared

before. For each of us that will look different. For some it may mean that we volunteer to serve those in need in some

way. For others it might mean we invite another to join us in worship. For another it will be something different…

For me, I just know that I am caught by the scene of this three year old bursting through that open door – running at me

and my daughter – so eager for us to share in his joy – a joy brought forth by the birth of his brother… and that each of

us have a birth on the horizon that is meant to bring forth an even greater kind of joy within us.

For as the angel will proclaim on Christmas Eve, “I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for

everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master.”

May we all experience an abundance of enthusiasm and joy this coming Christmas.

Peace,

Sanctuary Christmas Flowers

Help make our sanctuary

beautiful for Christmas by

ordering a poinsettia.

Flowers cost $13.00.

Your flower can be dedicated to

a memory of someone, or

something special in your life.

Poinsettias will be on sale the

first week of Advent,

until they are sold out.

Pick up order form in

church office.

—BIBLE STUDY—

11AM ON THURSDAYS

The format for the study is quite simple. We open in

prayer asking for the Spirit to guide us in our study.

Then we read a passage and discuss.

-What stood out to us?

-What do we hear God saying to us today?

-What questions does it raise?

As the discussion lessens and time allows we continue by

reading another passage. This type of study does not re-

quire any prep work to join. Simply come and we will

read the bible together. Please consider joining us. All

are welcome.

-

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On Thursday, December 1st,

come join us for a bowl (or two) of homemade soup,

bread and dessert in the Fellowship Hall.

Great food and fellowship!

Flowers and Fellowship for 2017

The Flower and Fellowship sign up sheet is up in the

Fellowship Hall for the upcoming new year.

The Altar Guild will order your flowers at a cost of $27 and place your dedication in the

bulletin for the week selected. You can take your flowers home after the 10:30 worship

service.

Please sign up to provide snacks for Fellowship hour. If you have not done it before, let the

church office know and we will be sure you have a partner to help train you. Or simply take a

simple instruction sheet from the bulletin board.

Thank you to all who add to our worship and

fellowship time each Sunday!

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Join us on Wednesday evenings during

Advent for Soup Supper and Bread

before attending the mid-week Advent

services.

Soup will be served at 6:15pm in the

Fellowship Hall with worship at 7:00pm

in the Sanctuary.

There is a lot of work to be done to prepare the sanctuary to welcome the

birth of the Savior.

All people, all ages are invited to

stay after the 10:30 worship service on December 18th to help prepare

the worship space and fellowship hall for Christmas

Pizza lunch will be provided!

Yes, gift giving season is fast approaching!

Redeemer’s council has chosen to continue the

practice established in recent years. If you desire to

give the pastor a monetary Christmas gift, the

council requests that you offer the gift directly to

the pastor. If anonymity is important to you, please

seal cash in an envelope and give it to the pastor

through a fellow member in the congregation.

This practice of giving will ensure the money is a

true gift. Money given to the pastor from

Redeemer qualifies as income, not as a gift, on this

personal tax return. Thank you for understanding.

Faithfully,

Redeemer Lutheran Church Council

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WORSHIP

4:00 pm Family Service (Participatory communion service with candles)

8:00 pm Traditional Service (Musical offerings by ensemble with communion and candles)

10:00 pm Candlelight Service (Reflective communion service)

Christmas Day 10:30 am Christmas Worship

Advent Mid-Week

Redeemer will be holding mid-week Advent worship

services on Wednesday evenings from

November 30th through December 14th.

Soup supper at 6:15pm

Worship at 7:00pm

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The focus will be to prepare cookie tins for our home bound members and the groups who meet in the basement. This is an “open to everyone” gathering,

so please join us.

RSVP

Carol James

991-8125 OR Cjames6446@gmail.com

If you are not a member of this circle.

Esther—Naomi Circle

December Meeting

Wednesday, December 14th

Potluck lunch

1:00 pm

Coffee, water, & punch will be provided

Got Cookies?

The Esther~Naomi Circle will gather to prepare tins of cookies for the

home bound and the groups who meet in the basement. We welcome cookie

contributions for this much enjoyed task for us and much appreciated gift for

the home bound and groups. If anyone in the community would like to donate

2 dozen cookies, please have cookies in the Fellowship Hall no later than

noon on Wednesday, December 14th.

Thank you !

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NO NAME MEN’S GROUP

MONTHLY MEETING: MONDAY, DECEMBER 12TH (7:00 PM)

WHERE: SOCKEYE GRILL & BREWPUB

(3019 N COLE RD. BOISE, ID) IN O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM, WE SING ABOUT

“THE HOPES AND FEARS OF ALL THE YEARS…”

OUR QUESTION FOR THIS MONTH:

-WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND FEARS FOR THIS CHRISTMAS?

STEVE, ACTING SECRETARY

December 11th

Family Brunch after church.

We have a what and a when, but we need a who and where.

RSVP by December 4th with attending number in your family, and

watch your email for location and specific time.

If you’d like to be included in the email list, please let

the Redeemer office know. Remember friends are

invited and encouraged to join any Ruth Circle event.

RUTH CIRCLE

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In his service, Ruth Makovsky

Outreach Activities

Wash , Wipe, & Wear

Distribution in

November 2950 diapers

126 Soap

504 rolls of toilet paper

Am back from the "Cheese-Head State" and getting back in the groove! First of all I want to thank Katie Davis for heading up the WWW Program from May thru October! Also kudos to Brad Jones for picking up and delivering the soap all summer! Now that will be Mr. Makovsky's job! Thanks go to the following folks for their help.

Sort and bag diapers: Katie Davis, Martina Ngabonziza, and myself.

Writers the day of: Shirley Gilchrist, and Kari Spencer

Rest of crew: Brenda Matata, Pacifique , Dominique, and myself

Clean-up: Laurel Simos

BIG crowd! Served 126 families! 118 families took diapers.

Also thanks to Emmett Voigt and another anonymous donor for the candy that was passed out to children in attendance by Brenda's daughter Becky Nikuza.

Soap will now be ordered on-line and delivered to Dollar Tree with no shipping!

An opportunity for ALL OF YOU reading this newsletter is to sign up on the sheet in the fellowship hall for 3 months in advance to assist in the many facets of our WWW program. Check it out and sign up for an hour or two of your time. Remember "It is in giving that we receive"!

May god richly bless each one of you reading this newsletter in the upcoming celebration of our Saviors birth and yes!! Merry CHRISTmas!!

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Ministry of the Month for October

Misty Hawkins, with St.Vincent de Paul, is shown receiving our check for $350.00. Proceeds are used to purchase goods for the community Thanksgiving Food Baskets. Thanks for your continued support of our outreach ministries.

-Kari Spencer

Ministry of the Month for December

Hope Lutheran's food pantry is our ministry of the month for December.

Thank-you for helping stock Hope Lutheran's food pantry. This is a big help to many families.

Ministry of the Month Updates

Ongoing Outreach Opportunity

Fred Meyer is donating $2.5 million per year to non-profits in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and

Washington, based on where their customers tell them to give. Here’s how the program works:

Sign up for the Community Rewards program by linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to (non-

profit) at www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. You can search for us by our name or by

our non-profit number (insert NPO# 85976).

Then, every time you shop and use your Rewards Card, you are helping (non- profit) earn a

donation!

You still earn your Rewards Points, Fuel Points, and Rebates, just as you do today.

If you do not have a Rewards Card, they are available at the Customer Service desk of any Fred

Meyer store. They can also assist in signing up for Redeemer’s account.

For more information, please visit www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards.

The items most needed are:

-Healthy breakfast cereal

-Canned pasta sauce

-Canned tuna

-Tuna Helper

-Canned fruit

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Readings for Sundays in December

Dec 4 Joel: God’s Promised Spirit Joel 2:12-13, 28-29 Luke 4:16-21

Dec 11 Spirit of the Lord upon Me Isaiah 61:1-11 Luke 4:16-21

Dec 18 Jesus’ Birth Announcement Luke 1:26-49 Psalm 113 or 113:9

Dec 24 Birth of Jesus Luke 2:1-14 [15-20] Psalm 96 or 96:3

Dec 25 Shepherds’ Visit Luke 2:8-20 Psalm 123:1-2 or 123:2

December Altar Guild: Connie Seymour

Dannette Blakeslee

Coffee and Fellowship Time: Flowers:

Dec 4 Carol James___ _____ Advent

Dec 11 Prayer Group_______ Advent

Dec 18 Le Boeuf______ Advent

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE: New prayer requests are shown in bold print.

Military Devan Irons

Matthew Jay

Jason Kinsey

Carol Kohtz

Jim Schmeits

Brian Waybright

Ryan Albers

Deitmar Bargh

Frank Blackbum

Peter Bond

David Boyington

Joy Brizee

Tiffani Burkett

Penny Cady

Lois Child

Family of Kandie Clark

Janice Collins

Kristi Davis

Dr. Debbie

Lex Denen

Draney Family

Mike Edgekoski

Erickson Family

Karen Frank

Louise Gaedeke

Thom Garzone

Jill Greene

Connie Hachquet

Willow Hahn

Family of Debbie Haines

Don Harter

Dennis Haught

George Hess

David Hayward

Terry Hopfenspirger

Patsy Horton

Julie Hulvey

Ed Irons

Leia Jane

Jen Jay

Betty Kidd

Grace Kinsey

Bob McDonald

Lidia McFarland

Sean Michael

Michelle

Moreland Family

Family of Nadeane Nass

Roger Oldheimburger

Linda Olson

Mia Patterson

Kitty Patton

Mike Reynolds

Family of Ardene Riddle

Kacey Roe

Family of Maren Roisland

Sonia Safron

Sarah

Family of Shirley Sather

Art Schmidt

Flora Schweitzer

Scott and family

Pamela Shugrue

Wiley Smith

Jerry Stoor

Elton ”Shorty” Tangedal

Taylor

Tom

Jan Vinson

Dorcas Wang

Deanna Watson

Dorothy Ward

Elsie White

Kristina Zipser

Redeemer Lutheran Church

2920 Cassia Street

Boise, ID 83705

Office: 208-344-6758

Web: www.redeemerboise.org

Table of Contents:

Note from Pastor Ken Pgs 1-2

Flowers/Fellowship/1st Thurs soup Page 2-3

Advent/Christmas Pgs 4-5

Redeemer Events Pgs 6-7

Outreach News Pgs 8-9

December Calendar Page 10

Readings/Prayers Page 11