St. John s Lutheran Church & School a congregation of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. December 8/9, 2018 The Second Weekend of Advent

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1 December 8/9, 2018 The Second Weekend of Advent St. John s Lutheran Church & School a congregation of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3: Taylor, Grand Haven, MI Church: (616) School: (616) Pastor Kurt Wenzelburger Youth & Family Life Director Craig Kaschube Administrator/Business Manager Laura Harvey Early Childhood Education Director Heidi Bohn Worship Times: Saturdays at 5:00pm Sundays at 8:15am & 10:30am

2 Welcome to St. John s Lutheran Church and School This weekend s lessons are found in Malachi 3:1-7b, Philippians 1:2-11 and Luke 3:1-14. Pastor Kurt s message is entitled, Prepare the Way. It s based on Luke 3:1-14. Prayer before worship: Heavenly Father, God of all grace, waken our hearts that we may never forget your blessings but steadfastly thank and praise you for all your goodness, that we may live in your fear until with all your saints we praise you eternally in your heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. The Lord s Supper is celebrated at this congregation in the confession and glad confidence that, as He says, our Lord Jesus gives into our mouths not only bread and wine but His very body and blood to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of sins and to strengthen our union with Him and with one another. Our Lord invites to His table those who trust His words, repent of all sin, and set aside any refusal to forgive and love as He forgives and loves us, that they may show forth His death until He comes. Because those who eat and drink our Lord s body and blood unworthily do so to their great harm, and because Holy Communion is a confession of the faith which is confessed at this altar, any who are not yet instructed, in doubt, or who hold a public confession differing from that of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, and yet desire to receive the Sacrament, are asked first to speak with the pastor, or are invited to come forward to receive a blessing by simply crossing your arms on your chest. We have gluten-free communion wafers, as well as, non-alcoholic wine just ask the pastor when you come up for communion. A note to parents of young children We welcome and encourage the participation of all children in our worship, cooing and crying and all; however, there is an unmanned nursery downstairs available. There are also Activity Bags in the entryway containing many fun things to occupy your children. To the members of our church The presence of children is a gift to the Church and they are a reminder that our congregation is growing. Please welcome our children and give a smile of encouragement to their parents. For Pastoral Needs Please contact the church office at (616) or office@sjlcs.org.

3 For the Safety of Our Worshipers For the safety of our worshipers, we ask that you please review the following: Make yourself aware of all available exits. Exits can be accessed via all doors of our sanctuary (front and back). In the event of a tornado or tornado warning, please move to our church basement which can be accessed via the stairs in the back of the church near the glass doors, or the stairs which can be accessed via either exit in the front of our sanctuary. For those who have difficulty with stairs, please proceed to one of the school bathrooms, the bathroom located in the back of the church, or allow others to assist you to the basement. In the event of a fire, please use the nearest exit to vacate the building. Exits can be accessed via the doors in the front or the back of our sanctuary. If you have access to a cell phone, call 911. In the event that someone seeks to inflict physical harm, take cover. When you feel you are able to safely vacate the building, immediately do so using the nearest exit and proceed to a safe location. If you have access to a cell phone, call 911. For emergency medical needs, an AED (defibrillator) and emergency phone are located in the lobby by the parking lot entranceway. While we pray that we never have to enact any of these plans, our hope is that this will allow you to be prepared. We also encourage you to let our elders or pastor know if you feel there is a potential threat at any time. Sermon Notes & Prayers

4 Our Stewardship of Time and Talents December 9 15, 2018 Calendar *all meetings are in the Social Hall unless otherwise designated SUN. MON. TUE. WED. THUR. FRI. SAT. 8:15am Traditional Worship 9:30am Advent Bible Study in the Multi-purpose Room 9:30am Augsburg Confession Bible Study in the 5 th /6 th grade classroom 9:30am Sunday School in the church Basement 9:30am Youth Bible Study in the Youth Room in the Church Basement 10:30am Contemporary Worship 10:00am Quilters in the church basement 11:30am Recorders 2:45pm Boys BB practice 7:00pm PPC at the Parsonage 9:30am Prayer Shawl meeting 6:30pm Men s Bible Study 9:30am Ladies Bible Study 10:00am Chapel 1:00pm Church Staff meeting 2:45pm Boys BB practice 5:45pm JuBELLation Ringers 7:00pm Advent Service 8:00pm Celebration Choir 4:00pm Boys BB game at ISJ 7:15pm Praise Team Pastor Kurt s Day Off 2:45pm Boys BB practice 5:00pm Worship Stewards For the weekend of Dec. 8/9 Elders: Scott Taylor Lectors: 5:00 Mark Howard 8:15 Michael Kuras 10:30 Kathryn Spink Acolytes: 5:00 Jocelyn & Laurel Tolliver 8:15 Aysia Dress 10:30 Morgan & Brooke Oberlee For the weekend of Dec. 15/16 Elders: Daniel Spitters & Matt Williams Acolytes: 5:00 JJ & Avery Parylak 8:15 Sam Ohlendorf 10:30 Morgan & Brooke Oberlee December Altar Guild: Karen Lange (616) Sharon Rothe (616) Extra invitations are in the Narthex! As the Christmas season quickly approaches, we want to let you know that the church office will be closed on the following dates: Monday, December 24th through Wednesday, December 26th (Christmas) Monday, December 31st through Wednesday, January 2nd (New Years) If you have pastoral needs during these times, please contact Pastor Kurt at (414) or Craig Kaschube at (616)

5 St. John s Prayer Page Please lift up the following in prayer Those Celebrating Anniversaries: VAN DONGEN, Chuck & Dawn (11)12/15 Those Celebrating Birthdays: NELSON, Alexis 12/09 BEHM, Marguerite 12/11 DERHAMMER, Joyce 12/12 JONES, Jerry 12/12 FRANCIK, Terry 12/13 WOOD, Tim 12/14 VERBERKMOES, Rosalind 12/15 Lutherans For Life Quote: The very best light show comes from the smile on the Baby s face in the manger. He is smiling because He likes you and has come to rescue you. I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12 NIV). Rev. Mark Jeske, Time of Grace A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life Prayers from our Connect Cards: For Alaska's earthquake victims. Also, pray for our nation and for people to open their hearts and see the true meaning of Christmas. For all college students as they finish their projects and begin to prepare for final exams. For Craig & Janet Montgomery's sister-inlaw, Julie, as she prepares for cancer surgery. Praying for a successful outcome. For Bill, kidney issues; Olivia, who is fighting lung cancer; Al, lung cancer; Mary, fighting cancer. For Lauren, for strength and courage. For Bill, who has multiple health issues; for safe travels for Dean. For Ross Kittleman, prayers for strength as he goes back on chemo. For Mike Ripka, prayers for strength and healing following knee surgery. For Ruth Cooper, better health; Joan Krueger, dealing with cancer. For Sherry Brooky's mom, Shirley, for positive test results. For Bill Gierke's sister, Dorothy, that the kidney dialysis helps and only needs to be temporary. For Jamie Pendell Westcomb, recovering from kidney removal surgery. Prayers for the Grieving: For Mike Calliman & family, who suddenly lost his wife. The Calliman family are friends of Cliff & Angie Ankersen. For Pastor Tim & Tricia Taylor & family from Hope Reformed Church, on the recent passing of Tricia's father.

6 NEWS AND NOTES Our Stewardship of the Word Attendance: Sat.: 5:00 87, Sun.: 8:15 96, 10:30 106; Advent midweek: 48; Total: 337 (Weekly worship attendance goal is 300!) Enter to Worship Depart to Serve Our Stewardship of Gifts $19, is needed weekly for our ministry General Fund Gifts Received $25, Also received for: Capital Improvement $365, God s Pantry $90, Financial Freedom $100, Chapel $148.65, Poinsettias $8, Organ fund $70, Boys Basketball Uniforms $85, Men s Tuesday Bible Study $40 Simply Giving (online giving) totals for November: General Fund: $10,651.23, Building: $732, Missions: $100, School: $285, National Youth Gathering $33.13 TOTAL: $11, Memorials In memory of Grant & Viola Hall to the Organ fund by Karen Ralya Advent 2018 Bible Study: Join Randy Cooper in the Multi-Purpose Room for On Christmas Day Why Would Anyone Question God s Existence?, this Sunday at 9:30am (and again on Dec. 16). Scrooge is back, and now he s an atheist! Randy promises this will not be just one more retelling of A Christmas Carol. You won t want to miss this one! Sunday Morning Bible Studies: Plan to join Benjamin Bosch s Augsburg Confession Bible Study on the Church in the 5th/6th grade class room at 9:30am time. Sunday School for preschool-high school meets in the Church Basement from 9:30am- 10:15am. Pastor Kurt s Bible Study will resume on Sun., Jan. 6. This weekend s Altar Flowers provided by Gene & Donna Hasenbank in honor of Alexis Nelson s 17 th birthday. God's Pantry/Social Ministry: Contact Marlene Guske (616) for food pantry and meals; Monica Boeve (616) for all other financial assistance. God s Pantry Needs: Mac & Cheese, Pork & Beans Advent Coloring Project: All are welcome to color the God is With Us Advent coloring sheet in the Social Hall. Check out the sheets that our St. John s students colored for each week of Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Please Come: All are welcome to attend our Wed. chapel services at 10:00am. Advent Devotional Booklets are still available in the church narthex (the back of church). These devotions are a gift to you from St. John s Lutheran Church & School. We are also ing special Advent devotions from Lutheran Indian Ministries. (If you don t receive them, you can request them by sending an to office@sjlcs.org.) Thank you so much to all who donated towards the Organ Repair Fund. The balance has been met and repairs will begin the first of the year! Additional funds will be used for future organ maintenance. Thank you, also, to Theresa Richert s family and for the memorials given in her memory.

7 Please join the students of St. John s Lutheran School on Wed., Dec. 19 at 7:00pm as they present Arrest these Merry Gentlemen, an Advent Service (dress rehearsal is at 10:00am). Pigs in a Blanket Time! They are in the freezer in the school kitchen for $10 a tray. Help yourself and help to raise funds to meet the needs of our growing congregation, school and community. Interactive Family Christmas Eve Worship: St. John s members and friends are invited to attend our 4:00pm Christmas Eve Worship Service. This service is especially suited for families with children and grandchildren (or anyone who remembers being a child at Christmas time). Portions of the Christmas story will be interspersed with familiar Christmas carols. This family-friendly service will last less than one hour. Our traditional Candlelight Worship Service will be offered at 7:00pm on Christmas Eve. Please join us! St. John s Has 3 New Way of Giving: 1) Via your smart phone. Simply download the free GivePlus Mobile app through Apple s App Store or Google s Play Store. 2) Via text message. You can give simply by texting a dollar amount to (616) It directs you to enter your information. 3) Via (Please note that you will need to sign up, and you will be asked if you would like to add an additional 2.75% to help offset processing fees - this is optional.) For more info, indicate on the back of your Connect Card, on contact the church office at (616) Voters Meeting: There is a congregational voters' meeting set for Sun., Jan. 6. This will be a short meeting at 9:30am (between services) for the purpose of approving our nominations for Synodical President, 1st VP, and Regional VP. Please mark your calendars now and plan to attend. Your 2019 Offering Envelopes are now being directly mailed to your home. Here s how it will work: In late Dec., the first of 4 packets of envelopes will be mailed. In fact, each quarter, you will receive a packet containing 3 months worth of envelopes. Look for your first shipment to arrive before Jan. 1. If you don t receive your envelopes by then, please contact us at (616) This brings up a good point of the importance of keeping us informed of your addresses (especially snow birds). Prior to each quarterly mailing, we will be providing a mailing list to the envelope company. So, please notify the church office (or on the back of your Connect Card) when you are leaving for a warmer climate, if you are one of the luckier ones who gets to. Christmas Nativity Walk: Imagine what it would have been like to be present at the first Christmas. Now come and experience it! See the true Christmas story come to life at Trinity Lutheran Church (3225 Roosevelt Rd., Muskegon) on Dec ! The 50 minute tour takes you to 8 scenes that portray the true story of Jesus' birth. Also including: pre-tour scenes, Mangers and Going-Deeper displays, Chrismon Tree ornament find, Kids' Activity Table, Christmas Carols, and Videos while you wait for your tour. Bring your family and friends to this FREE event!

8 Gingerbread Houses: Our Sunday School will be building Gingerbread Houses on Dec. 16 at 9:30am in the church basement. MI District 2019 Theological Conference Be Constant in Prayer: Prayer is dangerous. It can change you. It can disrupt your life/routine. Don t pray, and let everything be the way it is. Pray, and receive peace, guidance, understanding, faith, purpose, protection from evil, and a deeper relationship with God. Jesus prayed often, and He tells us to be constant in prayer. Join us at Be Constant in Prayer on Sat., Feb. 2, at Our Savior Lutheran in Lansing and learn more about this gift from our heavenly Father. Conference runs 8:30am-3:00pm. Cost is $15/Student $20/General. Register at Don't forget about SCRIP Easy Gift Card Shopping! To find out more, stop by the SCRIP table on Sunday mornings or in the School office during normal school hours! Spring Auction Save The Date! The spring auction is scheduled for Mar. 22, 2019, at the Grand Hall above Porto Bellos. Our theme this year follows the Bible verse Psalm 107:30 with some nautical décor. Keep us in mind when doing your holiday shopping as donations for auction items are greatly appreciated. If you should have any questions, feel free to contact Megan Vink (616) or the spring auction team at sjlcsauction@gmail.com. Thank you for supporting our day school! The Sounds of Christmas: You are invited to attend the 2018 Christmas Cantata, The Sounds of Christmas (a musical celebration of the Christmas Story performed by the St. James Lutheran Choir) at St. James Lutheran (8945 Stebbins St., Montague) this Sun., Dec. 9 at 7:00pm. The Alzheimer s Association Caregiver Support Groups are designed to provide emotional, educational and social support for caregivers through regularly scheduled meetings. They help participants develop methods and skills to solve problems. The groups encourage caregivers to maintain their own personal, physical, and emotional health, as well as optimally care for the person with dementia. Second Reformed Church Library (1000 Waverly Ave., GH), on the 3rd Tue. each month, 6:30-7:30pm. For more info, contact Susan Thorpe at (248)