wordofpeace.org The Season of Light

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2 The Season of Light One of the Advent celebrations that my Swedish ancestors hold dear is the celebration of St. Lucia. St. Lucia delivered food and aide to Christians hiding in the catacombs who were being persecuted by the Roman government. Lucia wore a wreath of candles to free her hands to carry as much food and supplies to the people as possible. As she walked, her wreath lit up the pitch dark catacombs bringing hope to a desperate people. This celebration is now tied to what Swedes affectionately call the Season of Light. The Season of Light leads to the arrival of Christmastide, the arrival of the light of Christ. Advent is the liminal time where we wait for the light. We wait for the chemotherapy to work. We wait to feel less lonely after our divorce. We wait for people to speak with kind words. We wait for it to be easier to make ends meet. We wait in our catacombs for the light. On our Cover to Cover journey we read that time and time again people refuse to see or live in the light. Therefore, God does what only God can do. God becomes human. God lives, loves, eats, laughs, cries, and suffers with us. God does not do these things as a decorated military general, a crowned King or an influential political leader. No, God becomes vulnerable. God becomes a baby reliant on his mother s milk and on his father s protection. He begins life as refugee, who learns his father s trade, who wrestles with his brothers, and then is kicked out of the family nest by his mother in order that he become a man who heals, teaches, feeds, and loves people regardless of their ethnicity, religious beliefs or gender. Jesus is the light we wait for. Whatever you are waiting for in your catacombs, Jesus comes to you wearing a crown of light and frees you from the darkness. Jesus is also beckoning you to put on your own wreath of light to reflect his light to people who are still waiting in darkness. In Peace, Kristin Skare Pastor of Spiritual Care Rick Skare Lead Pastor Kristin Skare Pastor of Spiritual Care Tyler Strom Pastor of Faith in Action th Ave. N. Rogers, MN (763) (press 3 to leave an emergency message for a pastor) Office Hours Mon-Thurs 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Fri 8:00 AM-12:30 PM Our Vision Statement Our vision is to be a community where everyone knows Christ s Love and shares Christ s Love with all people. Our Mission Statement Christ works through us as we: Welcome all people to grow in faith, love and devotion, Share Christ through word and deed, Care for others and the world God made, and Work for justice and peace. NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS Contact Jennie Priebe at (763) or jpriebe@wordofpeace.org wordofpeace.org 2

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4 Churchwide Series Continues We began this series in September with the stories of the Old Testament, and our congregation has really gotten involved! We will continue with this until Christmas, when the miraculous birth of Jesus takes place and our lives are changed forever. We will pick up where we left off after the holiday. Bible discussion topics in worship, church school and confirmation Heroes of Faith Sunday adult forum Bible 101 Wednesday and Thursday class Weekly At-Home Guide with activities for individuals and families Daily Bible reading challenge (see below) Get all the details at wordofpeace.org/cover-to-cover Or, pick up a Cover to Cover handout at the Information Desk Bible Reading Plan Challenge In our Bible Reading Challenge, we ve been reading the Bible from cover to cover. It s not too late to join in or catch up! Sign up to take the challenge and you'll receive weekly inspiration and insight from Pastor Tyler throughout the rest of our journey through the Bible. Everyone who takes the challenge will be eligible to win a fun prize! Sign up at the Information Desk or online at wordofpeace.org/cover-to-cover. VISION & MISSION FORUM 2019 Sunday, January 28 at 12 PM Thanking God for the Ministry in 2018 and Looking Forward to the Future! Come and celebrate Word of Peace s vision and mission at all worship services on January 27 & 28. There will be a special Vision & Mission Forum on January 27 following the 11 AM worship hour, which will include a celebration of Word of Peace s ministry, the election of church leadership, and the approval of the 2019 vision and ministry resources. All Word of Peace members are encouraged to attend. Year-End Financial Update and Budget Discussion Sunday, January 20 at 9:45 & 11 AM You are invited to review the 2018 finances and learn more about the proposed budget for Get all your questions answered prior to the Vision & Mission Forum so you are prepared in advance when it comes to voting on the budget. If you have questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact Linda Thomas, Director of Administration, at (763) or lthomas@wordofpeace.org. 4

5 A Successful First Round of Fall Life Groups The fall session of Life Groups has ended and the people who participated in these groups were able to grow with God, connect with each other, and serve others. Here are some comments from our participants: A member of the cooking Life Group said, sharing recipes, traditions and conversation has been good for my soul. We feel like we have a really good group. Discussions have been awesome. Love the different ages involved. I wish that we were going to be around this winter to continue the group in January, but we will definitely encourage the rest of the group to continue. Each of our Life Groups met weekly from September through November, and they were able to share and connect with each other and serve our community. The Life Groups ministry helps people grow stronger in relationship with God and with each other. Stay tuned for more information about winter Life Groups, which will begin forming in January. If you are interested in or would like to learn more about leading a Life Group, please contact Lydia Svenulski at lsvenulski@wordofpeace.org or at (763) Heroes of Faith Continues Sundays at 9:45 AM Some of the most famous characters in the Bible show us what it means to wrestle and grow in faith. Join us as we continue to explore the in-depth character studies of these Heroes of Faith. Classes continue through December 16, and will resume January 13. Bible 101 Continues Wednesdays at 6:30 PM Thursdays at 10 AM Jump in any time! In Bible 101, we are examining the major themes of the Bible and discovering how this ancient collection of stories continues to transform our lives today. This study is offered on Wednesday evenings and Thursday mornings through December 20, and will resume on January 16. 5

6 Not Always a Joyous Time of Year by Pastor Kristin Skare A gentleman from our congregation approached me last November and said, Pastor Kristin, I have no desire to decorate my tree or gather with family during the holidays. This man had recently experienced hearing his wife s doctor deliver the news that there was nothing more she could do for his wife s cancer. Everywhere people were celebrating the season and he saw no joy. He had no desire to celebrate because the news he received would change his life. I told him he was not alone and that we had a special worship service for people who needed a different place to be during the holidays. A place where people could gather who understood that not everyone feels like celebrating. The Christmas season can be difficult for people who are experiencing the end of a relationship, a death of a loved one, unemployment, living away from family, financial hardship, depression, loneliness, a miscarriage, a family crisis, or illness. Grief is the conflicting feelings caused by the end of or change in a familiar pattern of behavior. The good news is that the promise of Christmas is not held in the celebrations, but in the transformational news that God became flesh. This word, this flesh, is Jesus who lives and moves among us and knows our suffering. The Christmas message is God with us. Promises of Hope is a worship service designed to be a comforting place to worship and pray when you don t feel like celebrating the holiday season. It s a time to hear that God is with you, to light a candle, and to gather in community where you will see that you are not alone. We invite anyone who is having a difficult time this holiday season to attend Promises of Hope. For more information, please contact Pastor Kristin Skare at kskare@wordofpeace.org or (763) Promises of Hope Christmas Worship for those experiencing loss and heartache Tuesday, December 18 6:30 PM 6

7 Save the Date! One Day Retreat: Daring Women of Faith Saturday, February 2, 9 AM-3 PM at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Maple Grove Do you want to show up really show up in who God created you to be? At this one-day retreat, we will focus on clarifying our values as living in our baptisms, understanding vulnerability as courage, naming what arenas God is calling us into, explore practicing self-compassion and empathy and leave with practical daily practices. This retreat is led by Pastor Sarah Ciavarri, who is an ELCA pastor and certified Brene Brown Daring Way Facilitator-Consultant. She is recognized as a leading expert on integrating Brene Brown s research with faith in Christ and leadership in the church. Sponsored by Word of Peace and Lord of Life Lutheran Churches, the retreat will be held at Lord of Life in Maple Grove (7401 County Rd. 101). For more information, contact Pastor Kristin Skare at (763) or kskare@wordofpeace.org. Festival of Carols by Michael Sahlen, Minister of Worship & Music The Ninth Annual Festival of Carols will be on December 16, I started this Christmas celebration in 2009 with three purposes in mind: 1. Because our Christmas Eve candlelight service is so intimate, I wanted to offer our people a Christmas worship that was big, bold, and beautiful. It would be the Music Ministries Christmas gift to our community. 2. I wanted to attract people who were not members of our church to worship with us. This is the perfect service to invite your friends and neighbors to attend. 3. I wanted to give our music ministry volunteers: ringers and singers, especially the children, a chance to do some high caliber music accompanied by larger forces then we usually have. This year s musical lineup includes the Cavatina String Quartet, Jim Buxton on harp, Dawn Saxton on flute, Sara Klingenhoffer on oboe, John Litch on timpani; in addition to our own Dr. Sharon Follingstad on organ, Amy Haigh on Piano, Steve Roehm on percussion, with Sol(e)d Out, Angel Wings, The Festival Chorus and Grace Choir. Our special guest this year will be singer-songwriter and Monday Night worship leader, Rachel Kurtz. Please mark your calendars and be sure to invite someone to come worship with you. There will be Holy Communion at all services. Brene Brown, celebrated author of The Gifts of Imperfection and her newest book, Dare to Lead Are You Ready to be Part of a Ministry Team? There are many wonderfully gifted people iin our church and they all bring their personal experience, insight and energy to the variety of activities and ministries at Word of Peace. Without the variety of our ministry teams, we could not even begin to offer all of the ministries to our community. Ministry teams at Word of Peace help us create powerful and enriching experiences of God; from church school to leadership and everything in between. The Property Team helps with projects around the church like staining the wooden crosses on the grounds, trimming trees in our parking lot, and making minor equipment repairs. These projects help us to be hospitable to people who come to our church. This is just one of many examples of the great work done by our ministry teams. Please prayerfully consider how you can help others encounter Christ through your leadership and involvement in a ministry team. For more information, visit wordofpeace.org/faithin-action/serve-at-church or contact Lydia Svenulski, Director of Adult Ministry at lsvenulski@wordofpeace.org or (763)

8 Gala 2018: An Evening in Venice In October, the Word of Peace congregation gathered together for our second annual Word of Peace Gala. This special evening made a strong impact to strengthen our mission of welcoming all people, sharing Christ through our words and actions, caring for others, and working for justice and peace. Our Gala committee created an evening of fun, fellowship, dinner, games and entertainment. The 2018 gala raised over $26,000. Over $10,000 was raised for a new church management software program called MyWordofPeace. We would like to thank our amazing Gala committee, our generous sponsors, our host for the evening, Jamie Guse, our church staff, and everyone who donated money and items for the silent auction. And, most importantly, we thank all of you who attended the gala and supported the event. Through your overwhelming generosity, we are able to continue to develop the mission and ministries of Word of Peace. Thank you! 8

9 THE BIG GIVE Opportunities to Give This Christmas God tells us to give joyfully and out of a sense of thanksgiving, not from feelings of guilt or pressure. You are never obligated or expected to give to everything that is offered. If you want to joyfully give your time, talent and money to your church this Christmas, there are many ways to do so. Here are just a few: NEW THIS YEAR! Christmas Care Kits for Westhaven Children s Home in Jamaica See article on page 10 for more information. Pick up a Christmas Care shopping bag in the Gathering Area and fill it with items on the provided shopping list. Return the filled bag to church by December 10. Volunteer If you would like to volunteer this Christmas or any time, visit wordofpeace.org/volunteer or stop at the volunteer desk in the Gathering Area. For more information, contact Lydia Svenulski at (763) or svenulski@wordofpeace.org. Local Christmas Relief Financial donations will be collected December 2-10 and distributed to families in need in our community. Giving envelopes and a credit/debit card reader is available at the Information Desk, or you can give online at wordofpeace.org/give. Adopt-A-Family Help support families in need from our congregation by purchasing gifts for them this Christmas. Choose a wish list item from the Adopt-A-Family wall in the Gathering Area and return your donations to the church office by Sunday, December 2. Please be sure to include a gift receipt along with the request slip. For more information, contact Jill Smith at (763) or jsmith@wordofpeace.org. God s Global Barnyard Donations are collected now through December 17 to support the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. ELCA World Hunger animal projects offer hungry families food, funds, fertilizer and a brighter future. Pick up a donation card near the Children, Youth & Family doors. CROSS CROSS is requesting gifts for children, teens, and adults, as well as wrapping paper and supplies. Donations of baking supplies (flour, sugars, etc.), jarred gravy or gravy mix, boxed potatoes and stuffing, and canned cranberries are also needed. Donations of non-perishable food items may be dropped off at the CROSS Corner in the North Gathering Area. Fresh produce and frozen turkey or ham should be delivered directly to CROSS. Fair Trade Fair Fair Trade gift items will be sold before and after worship on December 2 & 3 and 9 & 10. Purchase beautiful, handmade Christmas or special occasion gifts from artisans around the world, while making a real difference and participating in a mission to eradicate poverty. New: Order online by Dec. 17 and get items shipped to you by Christmas! Use this link: serrv.org?a=wordofpeace Thank you for spreading the joy of our Savior s birth by GIVING BIG this holiday season! 9

10 Faith in Action Christmas Care Program Westhaven Children s Home is an orphanage just outside Montego Bay, Jamaica that houses 80+ children and young adults with varying degrees of disabilities. It is one of the sites supported by Mission Jamaica, and those who have gone on these mission trips have a special place in their hearts for these children. We have learned their names, fed them, clothed them and played with them. The love and welcome that these children generously extend to us is truly a moving experience, and now it is our turn to give back. This year, Word of Peace will be launching a new ministry we are calling Christmas Care. The items collected through this program will support the mission of Westhaven Children s Home and the care provided for the girls and boys who live there. Simple donations such as batteries, wash cloths and toothbrushes help to augment the orphanage s very limited budget and meet immediate needs. The Christmas Care program replaces Word of Peace s involvement with Operation Christmas Child so that we can focus solely on this ministry need. While questions have been raised about Operation Christmas Child s practices, the new Christmas Care program continues in Word of Peace s tradition to support a global cause at Christmas time. And this is a natural fit for our church! We already have an existing relationship with Westhaven and we can be assured that the items we are collecting are meeting real needs and do not come with any strings attached. Because members of our church have interacted with these children face-to-face, we know exactly how our giving will be utilized and on the years that Word of Peace travels to Jamaica, we will be able to bring these Christmas Care packages ourselves. Please pick up a Christmas Care shopping bag in the Gathering Area and fill it with items on the provided shopping list. Return the filled bag to church by December 10. Questions? Contact Pastor Tyler at tstrom@wordofpeace.org. CROSS CORNER On Serve Sunday in October, we reached out to Operation Gratitude with letters to members of our nation s military, both home and abroad. We colored pages for senior citizens and people who were in need of a smile. We decorated bags for Open Arms, an organization that cooks and delivers free, nutritious meals to people living with life-threatening illnesses in the Twin Cities. 26 volunteers went to CROSS Services to sort clothing, clean and restock the food shelves, and put Kidpacks together for Dayton Elementary School Many people worked hard in God s name to help others on this day of service. It was fulfilling and fun for everyone! We are already planning for our next Serve Sunday, January 20, We hope you will join us! 10 George visits Helen every day. After spending most of their lives together and raising their family, he can t imagine a day without her. When George comes to CROSS for his groceries, sometimes there are fresh flowers donated by a local retailer. Buying flowers is beyond George s means, so the flowers at CROSS allow him to occasionally bring a bouquet to his wife. During his visits with Helen, George noticed that the woman in the room across the hall never has visitors. So now, when he goes to CROSS, George picks up two bouquets. One for his beloved Helen, and another for the woman across the hall. CROSS relies on the generous donations and volunteer efforts of individuals and organizations in the community to provide essential services to those in need. With the holiday season upon us, there is an increased need for donations. Please check the weekly worship bulletin for needed items, and bring your donations to the CROSS Corner in the Gathering Area. If you would like to volunteer, please visit crossservices.org.

11 Marcia Gums Marcia Gums and her husband Jim have been members of Word of Peace since March Marcia shared with us why they chose to join our faith community: Jim and I built a town home in Rogers about a block and a half from our son and his wife, and we needed to find a church closer to our new home. While exploring churches in the area, we felt at home at Word of Peace and joined last March. Marcia and Jim are high school sweethearts and have two grown children. They are originally from Jameston, North Dakota, and they decided to move here to be close to their children and grandchildren. Marcia worked in both public and private education, and she helped develop several programs for individuals of all ages in several communities across the state of North Dakota. Being involved in a variety of ministries and activities at Word of Peace has helped Marcia feel like this is her community and home. She enjoys being able to sing in the adult and women s choirs as well as serve communion, read scripture, and welcome people to worship. When asked why she got involved and why being involved is important, Marcia shared, It is a privilege and blessing to help the mission of Christ through the work and involvement in the church. I have been involved in the activity of the church since I was in grade school. It gives me a sense of peace and belonging to the body of Christ. The work of the church needs many hands. All activities are important and each individual has varying needs so should provide variety of services and programs. I love the variety and opportunities. She also shared that joining with fellow believers in worshiping God and learning his Word as well as having a sense of calling to serve are what she enjoys most about being involved with ministry at Word of Peace. Marcia, thank you for being a blessing to our community and for sharing about your sense of call to serve the body of Christ! PUT YOUR FAITH INTO ACTION! Visit wordofpeace.org/faith-in-action for opportunities to serve Each of us has a story of how we put our faith into action. If you have a story that you would like to share, please contact Pastor Tyler Strom at tstrom@wordofpeace.org. If you are looking for ways to serve, or are discerning how God is calling you to put your faith into action, please contact any of the following: Pastor Rick Skare rskare@wordofpeace.org Pastor Tyler Strom tstrom@wordofpeace.org Pastor Kristin Skare kskare@wordofpeace.org Lydia Svenulski lsvenulski@wordofpeace.org 11

12 From the Financial Office In the spirit of the season, now is the perfect time to make a year-end gift to Word of Peace and/or catch up on your 2018 pledge. One sixth of our church s income is given in the month of December through generous offerings like yours. Help us end 2018 with all ministry expenses paid and move forward into 2019 with our vision for ministry. End of the year contributions should be received in the church office by 12 PM on December 31 or postmarked December 31. (Donations received January 1, 2019 or later will be a part of your 2019 contribution record. ) A BIG THANK YOU to those who have pledged toward our 2019 Operations and Ministry fund! For those who have not pledged yet, there is still time. Pledge cards are available in the Gathering Area or you can pledge online at wordofpeace.org/give. If you have appreciated stocks that you have held for at least one year and one day, you can deduct the full fair market value. By giving appreciated stock to the church, you avoid paying capital gains tax as well as ordinary income tax, and Word of Peace can sell the stock tax-free. If you wish to give stock gifts to Word of Peace by electronic transfer, please give our Edward Jones Account # to your Financial Advisor. Please let me know if you need assistance. Thank you to those who designate Word of Peace with their Thrivent Choice Dollars. Thrivent members with products are given Choice Dollars and can direct those dollars to the congregations of their choice. These gifts have been used for things like Kids of Peace scholarships, adult education speakers, worship enhancements, etc. If you would like to designate your Choice Dollars to Word of Peace, visit thrivent.com/thriventchoice and log in or create an account, or call (800) Choose Word of Peace Lutheran Church as the recipient of your choice, and Thrivent will then send the donation directly to the church. Please consider setting up a recurring gift through Pushpay, our online and mobile giving option. Pushpay is a fast and budget-friendly way to manage your contributions. Visit wordofpeace.org/give for details. Word of Peace also has credit/debit card readers on-site to offer a more convenient payment option for you to make donations, purchases, and payments. Of course, cash and checks are accepted as well and blank envelopes are available at all the Sanctuary doors and at the Information Desk. As always, we thank you for your continued support and commitment to Word of Peace! Linda Thomas Director of Administration 12 Building Plans to be Announced at a Special Congregational Meeting Sunday, December 16 12:15 PM The Building Task Force has met with our architect, Randy Moe, from Bentz-Thompson-Rietow to develop initial plans to expand our facility to accommodate growth in our worship, fellowship, and education ministries. The church leadership has approved moving forward with these plans to explore their feasibility. Building plans will be presented to the congregation at a special meeting on Sunday, December 16 at 12:15 PM. Voting members should plan to attend.

13 Children, Youth & Family Christmas is coming! Have you heard? Of course you have. We spend so much time preparing for this season, for this one day, this one big event where all of our family and friends come together to say Baby Jesus is here! Hooray! Kari Osmek Director of Children, Youth & Family Ministry But if you ve ever had a baby, you know that the birth story is so much bigger than that one actual moment. The journey leading up to the birth, the journey of waiting, is a huge part of the story. And maybe, some of the miracles of the Christmas story are in those waiting moments, too. While our society tells us it s time for Christmas concerts and shopping and lights and parties, our faith tells us it s time to slow down and be still. Reconciling those two voices is difficult, and will take intention. One way to help children wait is to use an Advent calendar, slowly counting the days before Christ s birth. Or consider an Advent wreath, lighting a candle and sharing devotions together each week. Certainly, we celebrate the birth of Jesus. But during this time of waiting, there are other miracles to be found. Join us at Advent Family Night, December 4, 6 PM as we intentionally take time to wait. More information at wordofpeace.org/events. Preschool Registration Opens January 14 Registration for the 2019/20 school year opens on January 14, 2019 for all currently enrolled preschool families and Word of Peace Lutheran Church congregation members. Registration opens to the public on January 22. Kids of Peace Preschool serves preschoolers ages 33 months through 5 years. For more information, visit wordofpeace.org/kidsofpeace or contact Julie Picconatto, Director of Preschool, at jpicconatto@wordofpeace.org or (763) Affirmation of Baptism You have made public profession of your faith. Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in holy baptism: To live among God s faithful people, To hear the word of God and share in the Lord s supper, To proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed, To serve all people, following the example of Jesus, And to strive for justice and peace in all the earth? Can you still make these promises? Parents initially make them on behalf of their children as the child is baptized; the young person claims these promises as their own during their Affirmation of Baptism service. After three years learning, serving and growing in confirmation, 122 young people who will affirm their faith on January 12 and 13 at Word of Peace. It is a beautiful and powerful testament to who they are now and to whom they strive to become as adults. Look again at that first promise: to live among God s faithful people. That s YOU, Church. You have played an important part in the faith story of all of these young men and women. Please pray for them and continue to support them as they make this public profession of their faith. 13

14 Children, Youth & Family Camp Sunday, Monday and Wednesday January 20, 21 & 23 Join us the week of Sunday, January 20 to hear what we have in store for this summer! Registration information will be available for Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp, Luther Crest Bible Camp, Summer Stretch, and Vacation Bible School. Outdoor Camping Ministry and all of our summer activities really gets me excited! It s truly my favorite time of year. It is a busy time in Children and Youth Ministry, but I believe these summer programs are truly life-changing and where faith becomes deeply rooted. Christina Verbick Director of Youth Ministry I have attended Camp Wapogasset for practically my entire life! I went to Wapo for ten years as a camper, two years as part of the camp staff, and six years as the staff representative for the youth in my churches. You could say I believe in outdoor ministry a lot! Camp is where I found my place, I could be myself (loud!) and I was constantly reminded of how much Jesus loved me. I can honestly say that camp is my second home. I love going and once I m there, I never want to leave! Camp changes young people s lives through intentional relationships with amazing counselors, Spirit-led worship and campfires, authentic Bible studies, games, and meaningful friendships. The transformation that takes place in our youth during the week of camp is something that just can t be duplicated in any other setting. Thank you for supporting our youth in ways that allow them to experience God in the great outdoors at camp and other summer activities! 14

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16 Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID ROGERS, MN PERMIT NO. 9 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED WORSHIP SCHEDULE Sundays at 8:30, 9:45 & 11 AM Mondays at 6:30 PM