1 FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
Expectant greetings for December,
As we come into the busiest time of the year, I wanted to offer a word of encouragement and hope. This is what the season of Advent is all about, hope that the savior promised by God will come and come soon. Encouragement in knowing that the coming of the Lord is not dependent on the things that we do or get accomplished. Jesus’ coming is not linked to getting all our Christmas shopping done, or the lights up, or the house decorated, Christ’s coming doesn’t even necessitate that we all be gathered as a family on the 25th. These things are all nice, but they are not necessary for Christmas. What is necessary for Christmas is Christ and Christ alone.
It is my hope that if we can keep that thought in our heads as we gear up and buckle down into this season then we may do so free of the unneeded expectation that things have to be perfect, but they don’t; things, or gifts, decorating and family simply have to bee. So take heart and enjoy what you do get done, enjoy whom you do get to celebrate with and live as if you expect our Lord’s return at any moment. That is a good way to approach Christmas and the rest of the year.
One of the ways we can help prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ is by worshiping together, not as just one more thing to do in an already busy time, but as an opportunity to focus our attention on Christ. We have special opportunities this year for worship during the Wednesday evenings of December. We gather for the first Advent Service on December 2nd in McCool Junction at First Lutheran Church; worship will be at 7:00pm, there will be a time of fellowship before worship at 6:30pm (bars and coffee), and confirmation will follow worship and be done by 8:15pm. This schedule will continue through the next few Wednesdays at Prince of Peace in Geneva on the 9 th and at St. John’s in Ohiowa on the 16th. Our worship material will be the Holden Evening prayer service which we have used the past few years. Please come to worship!
I should also like to take a moment to thank the congregations for the good work they have been doing for Christ in the world. St. John’s has sent off lots and lots of quilts and school kits. Prince of Peace has sent off many Christmas presents for Operation Christmas Child as well as health kits, and First Lutheran, through their Oktoberfest fundraiser were able to give a sizeable monetary gift to the McCool Junction school district to provide Christmas presents for kids in the community that otherwise would not have presents, a gift that was supplemented by their Noisy November offering and food pantry contributions. Thanks to you all for your work in the world.
Please also note that our continuing online bible study is meant to help deepen our discipleship. This month our topic will be Stewardship. Please take a moment before Christmas to go to our website, www.tripointlutheranparish.com and watch the video. You’ll find it under the Online Resources tab, under Chuck Knows Church.
Blessings on your December, remember to keep the focus on Christ and not on presents or decorations!
Pr. James
2 DECEMBER 2015 – PRINCE OF PEACE SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 7am Men’s B. Study Advent Service @ 9-Noon Office Hrs. 10:30am Text Study First Lutheran 2-5:30pm Office Hrs. 6:30pm Fellowship 7:00pm Worship 7:45pm Confirmation 8:15pm Council mtg. w/ Brown Group 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 8:30am Worship w/ Pastors’ Sabbath 7am Men’s B. Study Advent Service @ 9-Noon Office Hrs. 2pm Hymn Sing Holy Communion 7pm NA Meeting 10:30am Text Study Prince of Peace at Heritage 9:30am Fellowship, 2-5:30pm Office Hrs. 6:30pm Fellowship Sunday School, & 7:00pm Worship WELCA Tasting Tea 7:45pm Confirmation Council meeting following service 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 8:30am Worship Pastors’ Sabbath 7am Men’s B. Study Advent Service @ 9-Noon Office Hrs. 9:30am Fellowship 7pm NA Meeting 10:30am Text Study St. John’s Noon Meal at & Sunday School 2-5:30pm Office Hrs. 6:30pm Fellowship Senior Center 7:00pm Luther 7:00pm Worship League Christmas 7:45pm Confirmation Pageant in Omaha Careletter deadline 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 8:30am Worship w/ Pastors’ Sabbath 7am Men’s B. Study Christmas Eve Christmas Day Holy Communion 7pm NA Meeting 10:30am Text Study 6:00pm Christmas 12:30pm Community 9:30am Fellowship 2-5:30pm Office Hrs. Eve Service Christmas Dinner & Sunday School at UMC 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 8:30am Worship Pastors’ Sabbath 7am Men’s B. Study 9:30am Fellowship 7pm NA Meeting 10:30am Text Study 7pm TPLP Mothers’ 2-5:30pm Office Hrs. Group @ St. John’s Parish Office 8:30-11:30am 8:30-11:30am 8:30-11:30am 8:30-11:30am Regular Hours
SERVERS FOR DECEMBER 2015 Counters for December: Chris Coash & Jim Whitehead Bread Baker for December: Dorothy Smith Worship Date December 6 December 13 December 20 December 24 December 27 Greeters Bespalec Family Whitehead Family Ackland Family Max Lichti Family Trowbridge Family Ushers Jividen Family Loontjer Family Stan Meyer Family Whitehead Family Miller Family Reader Chris Coash Roger Coon Jim Donovan Lisa Hopken Acolytes Kelsi Gaston & Bella Lichti & Lexi Theis & Aidan Trowbridge Trenton Srajhans & Trevor Meyer Halle Theis Travis Meyer & Sadie Birky KayLynn Sieber Video Hannah Norvell Ashton O’Brien Ryan Poppert Lydia Birky Communion Prep. Sandy Lichti Nancy Meyer Joan Ackland Communion Asst. Jim Whitehead LaVon Parde Chris Coash Sound Board Roxann Hafer Elmer Hessheimer Marsha Kennel John Steider Chad Gaston Sunday School Snack Komenda Family Sunday School Nedrow Family Teachers Fellowship Moses Family Ackland Family & Norvell Family Max Lichti Family
3 PRINCE OF PEACE NEWS
PRINCE OF PEACE COUNCIL MEETING Worship: Submitted earlier. The advent services will be Wednesday, November 11, 2015 held again this year with coffee, cookies and rolls being served prior to the service instead of meals. Members present: Clark Poppert, Chris Coash, Jim Whitehead, LaVon Parde, Sandy Lichti, Mark O’Brien, Youth: Submitted earlier. The Luther League went LaDonna Pendleton, Larry Smith, Pastor James bowling, worked at the annual soup supper, and served dinner and passed out winter coats at the mission in Clark called the meeting to order and led us in prayer. Jim Lincoln on 11/8. The POPs Youth worked the soup supper made a motion to accept the minutes from the and cleaned the sanctuary on 11/8. September meeting, LaDonna 2nd. Motion carried. Pastors’ report: Submitted earlier. New Business: Nominating committee: Jason Bespalec is the only New business: nominating committee member at this point. Larry Smith The council will be meeting with the Brown Group on has agreed to be another member. It was agreed to have Dec. 2 at 8:15 after the advent worship service. Jason find one more person to serve on this committee. Playground equipment: Clark sealed it and poured new Committee Reports: concrete. Jim and Clark will put the pellets out in the next Treasurer’s report: It was agreed to have Chris transfer few weeks. $15,000 from the building fund to the general fund to Internet update: Pastor Becky is working on this with cover payments made to the Brown Group so far. Ope Windstream. made a motion to approve the treasurer’s report, Larry Parsonage update: Ryan Koenig will be working on the 2nd. Motion carried. gutters soon. The front and back steps have been Evangelism, Fellowship, Parish Ed: No report. completed but need to be checked for safety and stability Property: Submitted earlier. A list of was submitted of on the front steps. items they have been working on, including completion The next council meeting will be Dec. 9 after the Advent of the parsonage porches. worship service. Ope made a motion to adjourn the nd Stewardship: Submitted earlier. LaDonna reported they meeting, Chris 2 . Meeting adjourned. are in the process of Operation Christmas Child. The Time LaVon Parde, Secretary and Talent sheets will be out this Sunday.
ELCA GOOD GIFTS ORNAMENTS In the hallway there will be a tree adorned with ornaments from ELCA Good Gifts. You are invited to look over the ornaments and pick one you would like to donate toward. Simply pick out the ornament you’d like, make a check out to ELCA Good Gifts, and put the item you are purchasing in the memo. Put the check in the offering plate, and then take the ornament home and put it on your tree or wrap it as a gift or donation in honor of someone else. On December 21 st, all gifts/checks will be collected and sent off. This is just another way we can be a blessing to someone who could truly use our help and prayers!
DECEMBER 2015 – FIRST EVANGELICAL 4 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 10:30am Text Study 3-5pm Office Hrs. 7pm Men’s B. Study Advent Service @ First Lutheran 6:30pm Fellowship 7:00pm Worship 7:45pm Confirmation 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 10:30am Worship Pastors’ Sabbath 10:30am Text Study 3-5pm Office Hrs. 7pm Men’s B. Study w/ Holy Communion Advent Service @ Prince of Peace 6:30pm Fellowship 7:00pm Worship 7:45pm Confirmation 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10:30am Worship Pastors’ Sabbath 10:30am Text Study 3-5pm Office Hrs. 7pm Men’s B. Study Family Sunday Advent Service @ School after service St. John’s 6:30pm Fellowship 7:00pm Worship 7:45pm Confirmation Careletter deadline 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 10:30am Worship Pastors’ Sabbath 10:30am Text Study 3-5pm Office Hrs. Christmas Eve Christmas Day w/ Holy Communion 6:00pm Christmas Council meeting Eve Service following service 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 10:30am Worship Pastors’ Sabbath 10:30am Text Study 3-5pm Office Hrs. 7pm TPLP Mothers’ Group @ St. John’s
Parish Office 8:30-11:30am 8:30-11:30am 8:30-11:30am 8:30-11:30am Regular Hours
SERVERS FOR DECEMBER 2015 Worship Date December 6 December 13 December 20 December 27 Reader Mindy Mertz Carol Brozovsky Jim Norquest J.T. Hamm Ushers Mike Vorderstrasse & Mike Vorderstrasse & Jim Kaliff & Jim Kaliff & Dustin Chrisman Dustin Chrisman Jack Bellis Jack Bellis Communion Asst. Doug Smith Terry Chrisman
5 DECEMBER 2015 – ST. JOHN’S SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 10:30am Text Study Advent Service @ 9-11am Office Hrs. Noon – Over-65 First Lutheran Christmas Dinner 6:30pm Fellowship 1:30pm WELCA 7:00pm Worship Bible Study 7:45pm Confirmation 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 9am Worship w/ Pastors’ Sabbath 10:30am Text Study Advent Service @ 9-11am Office Hrs. Holy Communion Prince of Peace 2pm Hymn Sing 10am Sunday School 6:30pm Fellowship at Heritage 7:00pm Worship 7:45pm Confirmation 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 9am Worship Pastors’ Sabbath 10:30am Text Study Advent Service @ 9:30am 9-11am Office Hrs. 10am Sunday School St. John’s Birthday Coffee 6:30pm Fellowship at Ohiowa Café 7:00pm Worship 7:45pm Confirmation Careletter deadline 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 9am Worship w/ Pastors’ Sabbath 10:30am Text Study Christmas Eve Christmas Day Holy Communion 7:30pm Christmas 10am Sunday School Eve Service Council meeting following service 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 9am Worship Pastors’ Sabbath 10:30am Text Study
Parish Office 8:30-11:30am 8:30-11:30am 8:30-11:30am 8:30-11:30am Regular Hours
SERVERS FOR DECEMBER 2015 Organist: Nancy Cradduck Ushers for December: Ryan & Linda Barnell, Chris Mussman Flowers for December: Louise Wulf Communion Assistant for December: Chris Mussman Worship Date December 6 December 13 December 20 December 27 Acolyte Kimberly Schropfer Conner Nun KayLynn Sieber Kala Most Lay Reader Sharon Kuska Jan Wolfteich Kim Mussman Deb Rohr
6 7 ST. JOHN’S NEWS
ST. JOHN’S COUNCIL MEETING An Increase in the Parish Administrator wage was also October 18, 2015 recommended to go into effect in May of 2016 to $12/hr. St. John’s Council met on Oct. 18, 2015. Present were Darcy moved to increase the wage to $12/hr. in Gaylord, Darcy, Chris, Scott, Luther and Pastor Becky. May of 2016 and Scott seconded. Carried. Barb was absent. Darcy moved to have the Pastors’ turn their monthly Gaylord called the meeting to order. Minutes were read. expense reports in by the 15th of the following month. Treasurer’s report was give. Pastor Becky gave their Chris seconded and the motion passed. monthly report. Parish board report was also given. A donation was given for the window replacement in the Scott moved and Chris seconded to approve the reports. basement. Carried. Next council meeting will be held November 15th Old Business Luther Roit, acting secretary There was no report on the memorial boards at this time as well as no word on the statues on Wayne’s Memorial. ST. JOHN’S COUNCIL MEETING A plumber has not yet been contacted about a bathroom November 15, 2015 in the basement. St. John’s Council met on November 15th following Pastor Minderman will fill in for Pastor Becky while on church. Present were Pastor James, Gaylord, Luther, maternity leave. Scott, Darcy & Barb. Chris was absent. Looking into getting rock from the alley to the building. Minutes of the last meeting were read. Treasurer’s report was given. Pastor James gave their report. Scott made a New Business motion to accept reports, seconded by Luther. Motion Thanksgiving Eve Service will be held at 7pm. carried. Advent Services will be held at St. John’s on December 16 Old Business at 7pm and will utilize the Holden Evening Prayer for No report on memorial boards. No report on basement Services. No meal but will have snacks at 6:30. bathroom. Thanksgiving Eve service will be at 7:00. St. John’s annual meeting will be held on January 24. Following the service, we will decorate the church for Pastors’ salaries and pension were discussed along with Christmas. the recommendations from the parish board. It was New Business recommended that Pastor Becky’s salary be increased to Gaylord & Nancy will look into different kinds of organs & $42,450 and Pastor James’ to $41,400. bring prices to a meeting. Scott moved and Darcy seconded to recommend A committee will be chosen to work on the 2016 budget. the increases in the Pastors’ salaries. Carried. St. John’s will host the Advent service on Dec. 16th. Each It was also recommended that their retirement council member will bring 2 dozen cookies or bars. contribution be increased from 10% to 12% Chris is December communion assistant. Luther moved and Chris seconded the increase. Next meeting is December 20. Carried. Barb made a motion to adjourn and Scott seconded it. Secretary Barb Dunse
8 DECEMBER CELEBRATIONS BIRTHDAYS ANNIVERSARIES PARISH-WIDE Dec 25 Jesus! PRINCE OF PEACE Dec 01 Jodi Fintel 18 Dan Nun Dec 04 Jim & Carlene Whitehead 04 Becky Reinsch 20 Joan Ackland 08 Robert & Joan Ackland 05 Carol Trapp Ryan Poppert 17 Kenneth & Beverly Gibson 08 Sharie Hubert 22 Paden Lauber 31 Richard & Jeanette Dolph Harley Schultz 23 Jim Donovan 10 Pamela Nunns Roman Gaston 12 Alice Fangmeyer Courtney Pendleton 16 Zachary Coash Aaron Poppert 17 Joyce Knoche 30 Aaron Fintel Kaitlynn Nelson FIRST EVANGELICAL Dec 05 JoAnn Norquest 14 Ted Norquest Dec 03 Terry & Kathy Chrisman 07 Keith Bredenkamp 20 Bailey Fisher 10 Kyle & Pattie Bailey 11 Elfie Seng 21 Doug Smith 12 Margel Fassnacht 25 Ariel Michel ST. JOHN’S Dec 01 Sharlene Most 09 Pat Dunse Dec 22 Ron & Georgia Schropfer Bonnie Rippe 13 Sheri Reinsch 30 Gaylord & Nancy Cradduck 03 Robert Sanders 18 Larry Nun 04 Saege Barnell 20 Michaela Kapperman 05 Cortney Bulin 21 Gaylen Dunse Tanya Anderson 22 Bruce Soukup Toni Niederklein 29 Lynn Mussman Spencer Reetz 30 Opal Matejka
ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS PLANS Our mid-week Advent services will begin this year on December 2nd. As in years past, Advent will be a shared rotation of services which will begin this year at First Lutheran. Unlike years past, we will be suspending the pre-service meal in favor of a time of fellowship over warm drinks and cookies/bars. Our worship service will continue to be the Holden “Evening Prayer” service which we have used in the past. Advent schedule: Christmas Eve Services: 12/02: 6:30 pm Fellowship, 7:00pm Worship, 7:45 pm Confirmation at First Lutheran 6:00 pm at First Lutheran 12/09: 6:30pm Fellowship, 7:00pm Worship, 7:45pm Confirmation at Prince of Peace 6:00 pm at Prince of Peace 12/16: 6:30 pm Fellowship, 7:00 pm Worship, 7:45 pm Confirmation at St. John’s 7:30 pm at St. John’s
Thanks and Peace in Christ,
Pr. James
9 ‘TIS THE SEASON!
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