THE PARISH NEWS
HAYWARD-TRONDHJEM
LUTHERAN PARISH
BOX 426, HAYWARD, MN 56043
Interim Pastor
Dick Spande
373-8479 – Office
377-8214 – Home
Church e-mail – hlctlc@msn.com
Pastor’s e-mail
dbspande@deskmedia.com
Vol. 14, No19
July, 2010
December, 2008 Vol.13, No. 12
Katie Fick
1410
Carling Dr. Apt. 106 St. Paul,
MN 55108 June 14,2010
Hayward and Trondhjem
Lutheran Churches P.O. Box
426
Hayward, MN 56043
Dear Hayward and Trondhjem
churches:
-_._
It is with
Christian joy and excitement that I accept the call to be pastor of Hayward and Trondhjem
Lutheran churches. My start date will be July 15.
I will be
ordained on July 11 at 3 p.m.
at Good Shepherd Lutheran
Church in Wells, MN, and
extend an invitation to anyone who wishes to attend.
I look forward to doing ministry
with you in the name of Jesus Christ and getting to know all of you and the
community.
Sincerely,
~'~
Katie Fick
CC: SEMN Synod,
ELCA
A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR SPANDE
The time to say farewell has
come. When I “signed on” I thought that
our trip to Chile
in January would come at the end of my time with you. I guess I misjudged that
by a bit.
As I review what has taken place
it is helpful for me to remember the purpose of an interim ministry. The purpose is not to replace the previous
pastor. The purpose is to make the
transition easier for your new pastor.
If I keep this in mind, I feel very good about what has happened. The
transition should go smoothly.
Initially when I began writing
this, I mentioned various people by name, people whom I found particularly
helpful. I found that the list kept growing. There were so many people whom I found very
helpful. As I have mentioned before one
of the important things you can do is to keep your new pastor “posted” on what
is happening in the congregations. You
may think everyone knows about a certain situation when your pastor does not.
I will meet with your new pastor
on July 9. It will be so easy to give a
very positive report on the parish. And
in doing this I will be telling “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the
truth.” Certainly there will be challenges in the future, but there is a good
foundation for meeting these challenges.
June 27 will be my last “normal”
Sunday with the parish. I will be gone
on July 4. On July 11 we will have the
community service as part of Hayward Days.
I will lead that service. That
afternoon Katie Fick will be ordained.
The invitation is included in this newsletter.
You are likely to be my last
interim call. Hospice demands
increasingly more of me. I find that
work extremely meaningful. As I have
mentioned previously, the requirements of the hospice program make it difficult
to do a good job in an interim ministry.
And, as my wife reminds me, “You are retired.”
Thank you for allowing me to be
part of your lives.
Pastor 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, July 4, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
I would like to let everyone know
that if you need anything you can contact me via email either through the
church email: hlctlc@msn.com or my
personal email : bobbi.hemenway@yahoo.com,
or you can reach me at home at 402-5398. Don’t be shy, stop and see me at the
office or drop me a line in an email. My office hours are Tues & Thurs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m…….Bobbi Hemenway Parish
Secretary =)
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 JULY ASSIGNMENTS
Altar Guild Coffee Servers Communion Assistants
Elaine Lukes July 11-Food Committee Steve & Linda Kraushaar
July 25- Dale &
Elaine Lukes
Linda Kraushaar December 2 Sunday School Steve
& Linda Kraushaar
December
14 Emil & Bev Prantner
Lectors
Acolyte/Usherss Lectors Ushers
July 4- Anna Severtson July 4- Linda Kraushaar *Madalyn Wangen
July 11 – Ethan
Severtson July 11- Kiven
Lukes Anna Severtson
July 18- Madalyn Wangen July 18- Jill
Rockers Reed Thostenson
July 25- Allison
Wangen July 25- Steve Kraushaar Emily Brekke
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 JULY BIRTHDAYS JULY ANNIVERSARIES
July 5- Shirley
Kraushaar July 22- Roger &
Betty Krause
July 6- Arlene Chapek
July 22- John &
Sandy Chapek
July 18- Greg Lukes
July 28- Anna Severtson
July 28- Joleen Krause
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
Edward Bustad by : M/M Emil Prantner
Barb Prantner
In memory of
Keith Miller by: Barb Prantner
M/M
Emil Prantner
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.
JULY ASSIGNMENTS
DECEMBER ASSIGNMENTS
Altar Guild Coffee Servers Ushers
Bev Lunde/ July 4- Lorraine Sandness/Phil
& Edie Tennis *Curt & Natalie Larson
Kaye Tufte July 11- Keith &
Janet Iverson/ Meta & Chris Johnson Tracy & Mitch Skaar
July 18- Ray &
Sharon Seidel Wes Tennis Family
July 25- Bob &
Bonnie Felt
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
Bonnie Felt & July 4- Sue Braff July 4- Mitchell &
Jay Skaar
Jim Becker July 11- Volunteer
Needed July 11- Kadie &
Kasie Habana
July 18- Phil Tennis July 18- Anna Englin
& Lindsay Nelson
July 25- Volunteer
Needed July 25- 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 JULY BIRTHDAYS
July 2- Ted Eggum July 17- Karen Sorenson
July 3- Barb
Miller July 20- Diane Ladlie
July 7- Bobbi Hemenway July 20-Scott Nelson
July 8- Jay Skaar July 21-Brian Berhow
July 12- Ray Hemenway July 25- Cheryl Enderson
July 12- Michael Nelson July 26- Gary
Broitzman
July 16- Sarah Wangler
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
July Anniversaries
July 3- Troy
& Sarah Wangler
July 10- Nick & Jeanne Schermer
July 11- Thomas & Stacey Westland
July 13- Jerry & Bev Noland
July 14- Wes & Cammie Tennis
July 17- Troy & Susan Eggum
July 20- Phil & Edie Tennis
July 27- Eugene & Bev Jenson
July 28- Steve & Kaye Tufte
Coming Soon: A
New Way To Help
Hayward Lutheran
Church
As you may know, Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans is launching a new charitable grant program and benefit
of membership called Thrivent Choice. Choice Dollars will be designated to some
Thrivent Financial members when that portion of the program launches this
summer. (Thrivent Financial member eligibility will be based on fraternal
benefit society product ownership and Thrivent Financial volunteer leadership,
and helping direct Choice Dollars will be subject to the Terms and Conditions
of the Thrivent Choice program.)
As Always, Hayward Lutheran
Church is grateful for
your consideration when you make charitable giving plans. If you are a Thrivent
Financial member who learns you will be eligible to direct Choice Dollars
(watch your mail for details from Thrivent Financial this summer), we ask you
to consider our congregation as you help direct Thrivent Financial’s charitable
funds.
Eligible benefit members for Choice Dollars will
receive letters over a 7 week period this summer, the exact dates are yet
unknown.
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 Charlotte
Fjelbroten by M/M LeMoyne Eggum
In memory of
Donald & Gerry Johnson by M/M Jay Hutchins
In memory of
Marjorie Hoium by M/M Dave Paulson
In memory of
Gary Lutter by M/M Dave Paulson
In memory of
Hermina Van Wilgen by M/M Paul Westland
In memory of
Marjorie Hoium by Rollin Hoium
In memory of
Elaine Ziebell by M/M Jim Becker
Altar
Guild
In memory of
Lucille Lyle by M/M Wayne Kromminga
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
Tickets for the raffle for Hayward Days are available in the church
office (Tues & Thurs 11-4 p.m.).
WELCA members have received the letter with the information for what WELCA will
be doing that day, including tickets for raffle.
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
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!