THE PARISH NEWS
HAYWARD-TRONDHJEM
LUTHERAN PARISH
BOX 426, HAYWARD, MN 56043
Pastor Katie Fick
373-8479 – Office
605-261-4650– Home
Church e-mail – hlctlc@msn.com
Pastor’s e-mail- pastorkatiefick@gmail.com
Vol. 14, No.20
August, 2010
December, 2008 Vol.13, No. 12
From Pastor
Katie:
“Be still, and know that I am
God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in
the earth.” Psalm 46:10-11
How excited I am to come to Hayward and Trondhjem and
be your pastor! It is a great joy to me to enter into ministry here, to get to
know all of you. Thank you for your warm welcome and hospitality, and please
excuse me as I continue to meet you all and start to learn names.
This is my first call and I’m
discovering that when you enter a new community there is so much to learn, not
just about people, but about finances, buildings, worship, finding people’s
homes for visits, getting to know the communities, etc. This verse from Psalm
46 has been a nice centering verse as I start here, to remind me that this call
to this place is about God and God’s work among you, to remind me that I am
settling in here at a faith community and will learn many things with time. As
a seminary student, I had to enter into the life of many different communities
– at school, as a chaplain intern, as a pastoral intern – and leave them after
a few short months or a year. Now I have the time to plant my feet and really
be with all of you. What a joy. What a great place to be still and know God’s
presence.
New pastors also need as much
information as possible. Please let me know if there is someone you know who
needs visiting, or if there’s a particular ministry you’d like to talk to me
about. Part of what I’ll be doing as I’m getting to know things is seeing what
the needs of the church and community are – and I’d love to hear from all of
you. We are called to be disciples of Christ, to study
his word, to pray, to worship, to share the good news and to live with and
serve one another. I look forward to hearing about what is happening here and
being a disciple with you.
Norbert, Giles and Willow (our cats) and I
can’t wait to settle in and be still!
Grace and peace
to you all.
Pastor Katie
Thank you to the members of Hayward and Trondhjem for
your kind words as I was leaving the parish.
Thank you for the quilt I mysteriously won. As we drove home Beth said the colors would
go well with a quilt she is making. The
cake was delicious, and I always enjoy a pot luck meal.
As I write this you have had your
first Sunday with you new pastor. My
“informant” said it went very well. Of
course, this is as I expected. My track record as an interim is most
distinguished by the fine pastors who follow me.
Tomorrow we close on the house we have bought.
We have two weeks to move and then we close on our present home. I am most thankful for the way the timing
has worked out. We had no idea our
home would sell in five days.
Both our boys were home with
their families this past weekend. The
weekend was planned before we had any idea that our house would be sold. Again, we are fortunate and thankful.
May God’s richest blessings be
with you fine people as you begin a new phase in ministry with Pastor Katie.
Dick Spande
GOOD NEWS!!
December is our chance, as the church,
to get the jump on the rest of the world, for this is when we begin our NEW
YEAR. As we begin this New Year, we
focus on some new scripture lessons, as we focus on the Gospel of Mark, along
with other lessons from both the Old and New Testaments. Mark is the condensed version of the story of
Jesus; it comes at us quickly, ever using that word “immediately.” Mark does not even bother to give us the
birth stories of Jesus, leaving that to Matthew and Luke. He starts his story
of Jesus with the ADVENT, the coming, of John the Baptist, who will announce “the
way of the Lord.” In quick fashion,
Jesus is suddenly there, along the Jordan River, being baptized by John and
blessed by God the Father, and then moving on into His public ministry, where
He proclaims His preaching theme: “The
time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in
the good news.”
For the people of Jesus’ day, this TIME
that has come is the fulfillment of Jewish dreams, the TIME when God will show
His special love for the Jews by breaking the bonds of their servitude and
exalting them among the nations. It is
the TIME that they have been waiting for – waiting so long that they had almost
ceased to believe that it could ever come to pass. Suddenly, God comes near to them, among them,
in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, God’s Son, Savior, and invites His people
to REPENT, to open their hearts and change their minds, and believe that God’s
promises are now being fulfilled right before their eyes. Truly this IS the good news.
Today, we who claim Jesus as the Christ,
our Lord and Savior, as we hear those words of Jesus, we understand that He is
speaking not just to His fellow Jewish people then, but to us now, we who are
willing to listen to this good news here and now. Yet, it is a surprising and extraordinary thing
to say – that the Kingdom of God has come near you and that you must believe
it. As this Advent season moves on to
the Christmas – Epiphany season, this good news continues to be surprising. Suddenly, out of the blue, a young girl in
Nazareth gets the news from one of God’s own messengers that SHE has been
chosen by God to become pregnant and deliver into this world the very Son of
God, the Messiah. Who me? Pregnant? Really?
Mary quickly recovers and humbly agrees
to her new and chosen role as God’s own servant, and goes on to rejoice in it
all. But that shock – that of receiving
good, yet unsettling, news – that shock is also something that WE share with
Mary. For this message of Jesus is not
just glad tidings of hope for a weary, war-torn, terrorized world; it also is a
calling, an invitation to turn from all our worldly preoccupations and REPENT,
open our hearts and change our minds.
Something FROM us, then, is required.
And the ADVENT scripture lessons go on to tell us what that is: we need
to step it up, get to work, prepare, watch, wait, turn, open, and change.
The NEW YEAR begins once again with
these words and urgings for our new and continuing journey through the coming
months; that TIME, that ADVENT has come once again. This ADVENT season is a time of joy and
expectation. It is a time of HOPE amid
our various world crises, it is LIGHT come into our self-created darkness, it
is a time of EXPECTATION for One who
will, once again, come among us and deliver us, and it is a time of TRUST in
the sure and certain promises of God.
God IS among us and God has NOT abandoned us. Yes, the Kingdom of God is among us, with us,
embracing us. That is GOOD NEWS, and it
reminds us that we, the faithful, have a way at looking at this troubled world
in a GOOD NEWS way that, to the
non-believing world, looks rather odd and
senseless. These days the world can only
say, “Look around you. Look at this mess
we’re in, the economic mess, the natural disasters mess, the war, violence and
terrorist mess, the global-warming mess.
It’s all a big mess! Where’s the
good news in any of this?”
But into this human, self-centered,
greed-induced mess, comes Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior, and announces to
this whole, messed up world, “The Kingdom of God has come near to you; REPENT,
and believe in this good news.” The
angel of the Lord comes
to that young girl, Mary and proclaims “Do not be afraid!” A nervous mother listens to God’s Word and to
the hopes that it engenders in her heart.
A prophet stirs people to action, encouraging their expectation of a
coming age of justice and peace. WAKE UP PEOPLE! The NEWS will be good, even if, like the
people of Jesus’ day, we have almost ceased to believe that it could ever come
to pass. Take heart; be of good courage, for the Lord has come near to us. Dare to believe in this hope of the gospel,
and dare to share it with others. As we
have just heard from our Lord on the Day of Christ the King, continue to bring
that good news of salvation and hope to others by feeding the hungry, giving
drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting the lonely, imprisoned and
oppressed, caring for the sick and lame, and welcoming the stranger.
Joy to the world, the Lord is
come!
Let earth receive its King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room
And heav’n and nature sing.
No more let sin and sorrow grow
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings
flow
Far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and
grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love.
Pastor Malm
A NEW LUTHERAN STUDY BIBLE IS
AVAILABLE
Early in 2009, Augsburg Fortress will be
publishing a Lutheran Study Bible. This
is timed to coincide with our ELCA emphasis on Bible Book of Faith. The biblical text will be the New Revised
Standard Version, and will feature introductions, notes and articles on the
biblical books and texts that are written by over sixty Lutheran pastors and
teaching theologians. This can be a
valuable resource for you to experience the Bible and its message through solid
background material, unique Lutheran insights, and opportunities for faith
reflection. This is a Bible that is
reader-friendly, inviting, and engaging; a study Bible for both youth and
adults who want to encounter Scripture in a fresh, new way.
During December, we have an opportunity
to order this new Study Bible for a significant discount if we
can order ten or more copies. At the
discount, a hard cover version of this Bible will sell for $22.75 each (10 copies
or more). A paperback version will sell
for $17.50 (ten copies or more). If you
are interested, please let Pastor Malm know, or contact the church office
(373-8479) on or before Christmas Day, December 25th.
OPPORTUNITIES
FOR
HOLY COMMUNION
OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOLY COMMUNION
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
On June 15th, nine people
came to the parsonage to clean and paint, 5 from Trondhjem and 4 from Hayward. All of the
cupboards in the kitchen & bathrooms were cleaned and shined. Every room in
the basement has been cleaned and painted. All floors washed and 3 painted. The
wood and old items left there have been disposed of. One rug is in the garage
to be given away to whoever wants it.
A member from Hayward
came and swept out the garage. The parsonage committee recommends we offer the
home for sale first, once in our church paper and then list it with a realtor.
We don’t want it to sit empty another winter.
Thanks to all who helped that day and the next week.
Also thanks to you two who mow and care for the lawn.
There will
be a joint meeting on Sunday, August 1st
right after
church to discuss and vote on selling the parsonage. It will be Hayward and Trondhjem
meeting.
Hayward School
Reunion
December
7th – Advent II
December
24th – Christmas Eve
December
25th – Christmas Day
December
28th – Christmas I
“CANDLES
AND CAROLS” TO BE PRESENTED
Come and join us On Christmas
Eve, December 24th for a service of hope, peace, joy, and love,
entitled “Candles & Carols”. It will be presented by the joint HLC/TLC
Choir.
This is a cantata with narration
and choir anthems. The congregation will join the choir singing familiar
Christmas carols.
CONFIRMATION CLASSES
Confirmation classes in December and January will be at Oakland Lutheran and February at Trondhjem Lutheran. In March there will be no classes since it is
Lent. In April the classes
will be at Oakland
Lutheran.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The “Big Trip”! The ELCA Youth Gathering next July. Where else than historical New Orleans! 9th through 12th graders are invited, but you must sign up ASAP, because there is only room in the van for 9 students and 2 adults. The cost for the convention, transportation
and housing will be about $600, BUT as other youth trips, the students pay only half. So, your cost will be $300
plus money for meals and souvenirs.
Confirmation Christmas Caroling for the home bound
Imax and Science Museum in St.
Paul
PARISH TO HAVE
MEN’S ADVENT BREAKFASTS
You
are invited to parish Men’s Advent
Breakfasts held on Tuesday mornings at 7 a.m. from December 2nd
through December 23rd.
A breakfast of pancakes or French toast or some other warm and tasty
goodies will be served. Following the
breakfast there will be a short devotional before you head off to work or
whatever you have planned for the day.
Come and join the fellowship!! Bring a friend or neighbor!!
TRONDHJEM NEWS
DECEMBER AUGUST ASSIGNMENTS
Altar Guild Coffee Servers Communion Assistants
Shirley Kraushaar August 1-Mark &
Debra Brekke
Kiven & Cheryl Lukes
August 15- John &
Sandi Chapek
August 29- Food Committee
Linda Kraushaar December 2 Sunday School Steve
& Linda Kraushaar
December
14 Emil & Bev Prantner
Lectors
Acolyte/Usherss Lectors Ushers
August 1- Reed Thostenson August 1-
Kiven Lukes *Reed Thostenson
August 8 – Anna Severtson August 8-
Linda Kraushaar Anna Severtson
August 15- Ethan Severtson August 15-
Elaine Lukes Madalyn Wangen
August 22- Madalyn Wangen August 22- Sheldon Lukes Emily Brekke
August 31- Emily Brekke August 31- Shirley
Kraushaar
December 7 Linda Kraushaar December
7 Madalyn Wangen
December 14 Steve Kraushaar December
14 Cortney Thostenson & Allison
Wangen
December 21 Jill Krause December
21 Anna Severtson
December 25 Elaine Lukes December
25 Ethan Severtson
December 28 Pastor Malm December
28 Reed Thostenson
DECEMBER AUGUST BIRTHDAYS AUGUST
ANNIVERSARIES
August 4- Jessica Naatz August 5- Sheldon &
Ruth Lukes
August 6- Annette Naatz
August 22- Mark &
Debbie Brekke
August 19- Alayna Krause
August 23- Roger Severtson
August 27- Sandy Chapek
DECEMBER ANNIVERSARIES
December 19 Cindy Severtson December 5 Dean & Charlotte Lukes
December
20 Andrew Reese December 13 Dick & Shirley Kraushaar
December
20 Tracy Jahnke
MEMORIALS
General fund:
In memory of
Elaine Ziebell by M/M Dale Lukes
In memory of
Kathy Jordahl by M/M Emil Prantner
Sunday August 15th Myrtle Fire
Department Pancake Breakfast and Community
Church Service- Serving 8 a.m.- 12 p.m.
No
church service at Trondhjem that morning-We will see you in Myrtle!!
Trondhjem WELCA met for lunch on
June 24th at the Wedgewood Cove in Albert Lea. There were 9 members
present.
Betty opened the meeting with a
reading and prayer. Secretary's report was read. There was no
Treasurer's report.
Cheryl has purchased some quilt
top kits from the Calico Hutch and they are at the church and anyone wishing can
take some home and sew them together. Also anyone wishing to donate money
for a kit can do so, they are $10.00 each and this makes one top.
Week of August 16th is Bible School
in Hayward,
starting with supper at 6:00 p.m.
Trondhjem will be serving the supper on the 16th.
Coming Events: Martha Circle on
August 12th Barb Prantner Hostess.
Meeting was adjourned with the
Lord's Prayer.
Secretary,
Elna Mae Severtson
TRONDHJEM’S PIE & ICE CREAM
SOCIAL 2010
By: Lisa
Kraushaar
Hark! I bring glad tidings
of yummy
Food and pies
to fill up your tummy.
Trondhjem’s Pie & Ice Cream
Social is up
On August 29th be
ready to sup!
The goodies begin at 5 p.m.
Please come and invite him, her
and them!
The sloppy joes will be ready for
You with ice
cream and choice pies galore.
Rhubarb, lemon, sour cream
raspberry,
Sweet potato or tart razzleberry,
French silk or chocolate with
caramel drizzle
And peach pies will make your
taste buds sizzle!
Upstairs you will find silent
auction wares
Where handmade and woodworking
talent blares.
Not to be ignored is our baked
goods sale
With lefse and kolaches on a
homemade scale!
Outside you’ll find a wagon with
horses
That’ll take you on their horsey
courses.
Naatz Farms will take all on
those country rides –
Kim & Annette will be the
horse ride guides.
We all hope to see you at
Trondhjem at 5
On August Twenty-nine, come out
for a drive.
We will all be there rain or
sunshine,
So come to
talk, bid, ride, buy and dine!
MEMORIALS
GENERAL FUND
In memory of
CAROL MORGAN by Sue Ball
In memory of
OBERT HALDORSON by M/M Don Chapek, M/M Sheldon Lukes, M/M Nordune Haldorson,
M/M Keith Eastman, M/M Emerson J. Yess, M/M B. E. Haldorson, M/M Don Flatness,
M/M Jerry Schewe, M/M Tim Struck, Lila Esse, M/M Douglas Riskedahl, M/M Vernon
Nordaune, M/M David Prantner, Mr. Julius Hansen, Ronald Burkhow, David Hernes,
M/M Clayton Kearns
In memory of
KENNETH MUDRO by M/M Roger Krause, Barb Prantner, M/M Emil Prantner
ALTAR GUILD
In memory of
OBERT HALDORSON by M/M Richard Kraushaar
ORGAN FUND
In memory of OBERT HALDORSON by Barb Prantner
TRONDHJEM WELCA MAKES MANY QUILTS
The Trondhjem WELCA met every Thursday morning at 9
a.m. for nine weeks to tie quilts. They
tied 84 quilts and 10 baby quilts in that time.
Some of the women work all year round making the tops for the
quilts. Some of the quilts are given to
Nursery Crisis Center in Albert Lea & Austin, Salvation Army in Albert Lea
& Austin, Red Cross, Albert Lea & Austin, Blind and Deaf in Faribault,
and some are saved for needs that may arise in the area, and the rest are sent
to World Relief.
MARK YOUR
CALENDARS …..
FOR THE TRONDHJEM
FAMILY CHRISTMAS DINNER AND SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM!!
On Saturday, December 13th
12 Noon – Pot Luck Meal
Those Trondhjem Ladies know how to put on a pot
luck meal!!!
Christmas Program to follow the meal
The Trondhjem Christmas Program is always a “HIT”
Directed by Linda Kraushaar
Always fun for young and “not-so-young”
HAYWARD NEWS
MISSION
STATEMENT
We the people of Hayward Lutheran
Church confess the Triune
God, and strive to follow the words and deeds of Jesus Christ.
VISION STATEMENT
As a community of faith in Jesus Christ, we
will demonstrate care and compassion for one another and also to a world in
much need. God’s Word and the Holy
Sacraments are central to our life of faith.
As we grow and are nourished by these, we will bring the good news of
God’s forgiveness, life and salvation to those around us.
AUGUST ASSIGNMENTS
DECEMBER ASSIGNMENTS
Altar Guild Coffee Servers Ushers
Cammie Tennis/ August 1- Bob & Cindy
Armon/Scott Nelson
*Lowell &
Dawn Nelson
Marlene Thompson August 8- John & Kris
Schultz
Dean & Kellie Anderson
August 15- Wes &
Cammie Tennis
Kendall & Lila Johnson
August 22- Dale &
Millie Westland
August 29- Vern, Pat,
& Camilla Frydenlund
Marlene
Thompson December 7 Gary
& Paula Broitzman *Dave & Marlene Thompson
Stephanie
Larson December
14 Dave & Marlene Thompson Keith Iverson December
21 Steve & Kaye Tufte Vern & Pat Frydenlund
December
28 Nick & Jeanne Schermer Steve Johnson
Communion
Assistants Lectors Acolyte/Ushers
Todd Enderson & August 1- Barb Miller August 1- Logan &
Tate Tufte
Mary Anderson August 8-
Shirley Gray August 8- Mitchell &
Jay Skaar
August 15- Volunteer
Needed
August 15- Kadie &
Kasie Habana
August 22- Volunteer
Needed August 22- Anna Englin
& Lindsay Nelson
August 29- Volunteer
Needed
August 29- Bethany Tennis &
Shelby Eggum
Vickie Storlie & Todd Enderson
Acolyte/Ushers Lectors
December 7 Shelby Eggum & Bryce Skaar December 7 Shirley Gray
December 14 Caylee Tennis & Anna Englin December
14 Dan Johnson
December 21 Mitchell & Jay Skaar December
21 Volunteer
Needed
December 24 Logan & Tate Tufte December
28 Volunteer
Needed
December 28 Kadie & Kasie Habana
“A MOUSE’S TALE “……..
Is the title of
the Sunday School Christmas Program to be presented on Sunday, December 7th at Hayward
Lutheran.
The program is about the Christmas story told through the eyes of stable
animals on Christmas night.
DECEMBER AUGUST BIRTHDAYS
August 1- Cindy Armon August 20- Melissa Sather
August 1- Paulette
Paulson
August 21- Nick Schermer
August 2- Randy Eggum August 24-Sylvia Kycek
August 2- Caylee Tennis August 25-Phil Tennis
August 8- Sharon Malm August 25- Gwen Hanson
August 10- Natalie Larson August 26- Stephanie
Larson
August 14- Casey Jo Eggum August
28- Kay Skaar
August
14- Cody Eggum
August 28- Millie Westland
August
17- Min Westland
August 29- Katherine Skaar
August
17- Craig Nelson
August 31- Lila Esse
August 20- Lola Matson August 31-
Julie Erickson
December 3 Linda Johnson December 20 Patricia Frydenlund
December 4 Eugene Jenson December 22 Paula
Broitzman
December 6 Vernon Lunde December 23 Brie-Ann (Woitas) Tubbs
December 10 Erwin (Red) Larson December 24 Jill
Erickson
December 12 Shirley Gray December 26 John Habana
December 14 Bernhardt Anderson December 28 Isabella
Nelson
December 14 Dawn Jenson December
29 Wayne Kromminga
December
29 Travis Jacobson
DECEMBER ANNIVERSARIES
August Anniversaries
August 4- Curt Jr & Natalie Larson
August 6- LeMoyne & Carole Eggum
August 13- Frank & Faye Learn
August 14- Troy & April
Habana
August 16- Vern & Pat Frydenlund
August 18- Neal & Jean Skaar
A.
December
9 Vernon
& Bev Lunde
1.
December
27 Kendall
& Lila Johnson
1.
December
30 Paul
& Min Westland
1.
MEMORIALS
General Fund
In memory of Kathryn Jordahl
by Helen Dockwell
In memory of Lorene Behr by
Beatrice Wacholz
In memory of Betty Belshan
by Beatrice Wacholz
In memory of Elaine Ziebell
by Beatrice Wacholz
In memory of Kathy Jordahl
by Beatrice Wacholz
In memory of Bernhardt
Anderson by M/M Nick Schermer
Cemetery
Fund
In memory of Mr. Shirly
Sletten by M/M Dale Westland
MEMORIALS
GENERAL FUND
In memory of OBERT HALDORSON by M/M Neal Skaar,
Camilla Frydenlund
In memory of WILFORD QUAM by M/M David Paulson
BUILDING FUND
In memory of OBERT HALDORSON by LaVonne Williams
In memory of WILFORD QUAM by M/M Curtis Larson
CEMETERY FUND
In memory of ANDREW & INDIANA SANDERSON, MIKAEL
& DORA CHRISOPHERSON, IRENE REYNOLDS by M/M Harry Dunn
ALTAR GUILD
In memory of ANDREW & INDIANA SANDERSON, MIKAEL
& DORA CHRISTOPHERSON, IRENE REYNOLDS by M/M Harry Dunn
WELCA NEWSS
Hayward
WELCA gave seven quilts to Pastor Wendy Anderson of Concordia Pickerel
Lake Church.
Pastor Anderson had seven families in her church
that lost everything in the tornado over by Alden on June 17.
PURPOSE STATEMENT
As a
community of women created in the image of God, called to discipleship in Jesus
Christ, and empowered 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
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE
FRESH FLOWERS?
Fresh
flowers for the altar are a beautiful addition to our worship service. If you wish to furnish flowers, all you need
to do is call the Altar Guild president, Marlene Thompson (373-3895). The Guild will purchase and display the
flowers for you, and if you wish, will put an acknowledgement in the Sunday
bulletin. Cost of the flowers is usually
about $20. Your generosity and support
are greatly appreciated. Thank you.
GOOD EARTH VILLAGE OPPORTUNITIES
Join us for a week (or a day) of work projects at Good Earth
Village!
We have a wide range of projects to complete before
winter and we need your help.
We are looking for men of all ages and all
skill levels to
join us for this week of work. If you can't stay with us all week, you are
welcome to come down for an afternoon, a day or a few days. Meals and
housing available to all workers.
Projects may include the
following:
staining buildings - installing pavers -
fencing - siding buildings - shingling - tiling a shower house - replacing
doors and windows - replacing cement around buildings - splitting wood -
clearing trails
|
work and casual clothes
general tools if you have them
|
lunch
all materials needed for projects
|
If you are able to join us, please let us know by
contacting the camp
Phone - 507-346-2494
- or email - info@GoodEarthVillage.org.
WELCA TO HAVE
CHRISTMAS BAKE SALE
The Hayward
WELCA will have their Christmas Bake Sale and morning coffee on Saturday,
December 6th beginning at 8 a.m.
There will be a drawing at 11 a.m. for a Quilt Chest donated by Louie
Larson and a Quilt donated by Greg and Carolyn Matson. The quilt and quilt chest are displayed in
the social hall at HLC
HAYWARD WELCA
DONATES QUILTS TO GOOD EARTH VILLAGE QUILT AUCTION
On August 17, 2008 Good Earth
Village held a Quilt Auction. The
Hayward WELCA donated several quilts for the auction and they sold for a total
of $545. Diane Ladlie donated a quilt
and that sold for $210. Kay Noland Smith
donated some quilts and runners and they sold for a total of $415. The total credited to Hayward WELCA came to
$1,170. Thank you to the women who made
these donations to help the work of Good Earth Village.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE FRESH FLOWERS?
Fresh flowers for the altar are a beautiful
addition to our worship service. If you
wish to furnish flowers, all you need to do is call the Altar Guild president,
Marlene Thompson (373-3895). The Guild
will purchase and display the flowers for you, and if you wish, will put an
acknowledgement in the Sunday bulletin.
Cost of the flowers is usually about $20. Your generosity and support are greatly
appreciated. Thank you.
PARISH NEWS DEADLINE
The deadline
for turning in articles and calendar information for the Parish News is the 20th
of each month. Thank you for your
cooperation.
ADDRESS
CHANGE? If you or someone you know has had a change of
address or phone number within this past year, please inform the Church Office
as soon as possible. Thank you for your
help!
GOLD, COMMON SENSE AND FUR
My husband and I had been happily
(most of the time) married for five years, but hadn’t been blessed with a
baby. I decided to do some serious
praying and promised God that if He would give us a child, I would be a perfect
mother, love it with all my heart and raise it with His word as my guide. God answered my prayers and blessed us with a
son. The next year God blessed us with
another son. The following year, He
blessed us with yet another son. The
year after that we were blessed with a daughter.
My husband thought we’d been blessed
right into poverty. We now had four
children, and the oldest was only four years old. I learned never to ask God for anything
unless I meant it. As a minister once
told me, “If you pray for rain, make sure you carry an umbrella.”
I began reading a few verses of the
Bible to the children each day as they lay in their cribs. I was off to a good start. God had entrusted me with four children and I
didn’t want to disappoint Him.
I tried to be patient the day the
children smashed two dozen eggs on the kitchen floor searching for baby
chicks. I tried to be understanding when
they started a hotel for homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took
me nearly two hours to catch all twenty-three frogs.
When my daughter poured ketchup all
over herself and rolled up in a blanket to see how it felt to be a hot dog, I
tried to see the humor rather than the mess.
In spite of changing over twenty-five
thousand diapers, never eating a hot meal and never sleeping for more than
thirty minutes at a time, I still thank God daily for my children.
While I couldn’t keep my promise to
be a perfect mother, I didn’t even come close.
I did keep my promise to raise them in the Word of God.
I knew I was missing the mark just a
little when I told my daughter we were going to church to worship God, and she
wanted to bring a bar of soap along to “wash up” Jesus too.
Something was lost in the
translation when I explained that God gave us everlasting life, and my son
thougth it was generous of God to give us his “last wife.”
My proudest moment came during the
children’s Christmas pageant. My
daughter was playing Mary, two of my sons were shepherds and my youngest son
was a wise man. This was their moment to
shine. My five-year-old shepherd had
practiced his line, “We found the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes.” But he was nervous and said, “The baby was
wrapped in wrinkled clothes.”
My four-year-old, ‘Mary’ said,
“That’s not ‘wrinkled clothes,’ silly.
That’s dirty, rotten clothes.” A
wrestling match broke out between Mary and the shepherd and was stopped by an
angel, who bent her halo and lost her left wing.
I slouched a little lower in my seat
when Mary dropped the doll representing Baby Jesus, and it bounced down the
aisle crying, “Mama, Mama.” Mary grabbed
the doll, wrapped it back up and held it tightly as the wise men arrived. My other son stepped forward wearing a
bathrobe and a paper crown, knelt at the manger and announced, “We are the
three wise men, and we are bringing gifts of gold, common sense and fur.”
The congregation dissolved into
laughter, and the pageant got a standing ovation. “I’ve never enjoyed a Christmas program as
much as this one,” Pastor Brian laughed, wiping tears from his eyes. “For the rest of my life, I’ll never hear the
Christmas story without thinking of gold, common sense and fur.”
“My children are my pride and my joy
and my greatest blessing,” I said as I dug through my purse for an aspirin.
I Corinthians 13 – A Christmas
Version
If I decorate my house perfectly
with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show
love to my family, I’m just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen,
baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a
beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m
just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol
in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love
to my family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering
angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in
the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the
child. Love sets aside the decorating to
kiss the spouse. Love is kind, though
harried and tired. Love doesn’t envy
another’s home that has coordinated Christmas China and table linens. Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of
the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way. Love doesn’t give only to those who are able
to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can’t. Love bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. Video games
will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the
gift of love will endure.
1.
WHO STARTED CHRISTMAS?
A woman was out Christmas shopping with her two
children. After many hours of looking at
row after row of toys, and everything else imaginable, and after hours of
hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves,
she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids.
She was feeling what so many of us
feel during the holiday season time of the year – overwhelming pressure to go
to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats,
getting that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making
sure we don’t forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure
we respond to everyone who sent us a card.
Finally the elevator doors opened
and there was already a crowd in the car.
She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids in with her and
all the bags of stuff. When the doors
closed she couldn’t take it anymore and stated, “Whoever started this whole
Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot.”
From the back of the car everyone
heard a quiet calm voice respond, “Don’t worry; we already crucified Him.” For the rest of the trip down the elevator it
was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.
Don’t forget this year to keep the
One who started this whole Christmas thing in your every thought, deed,
purchase, and word. If we all did it,
just think of how different this whole world would be.
PARISH NEWS DEADLINE
The deadline
for turning in articles and calendar information for the Parish News is the 20th
of each month. Thank you for your
cooperation.
ADDRESS
CHANGE? If you or someone you know has had a change of
address or phone number within this past year, please inform the Church Office
as soon as possible. Thank you for your
help!
HAPPY NEW
YEAR!
