Please join us for our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Tuesday, December 24, 5:00 p.m.

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1 Laurens United Methodist Church 201 W. Main St., Laurens, IA The Newsletter Volume 24 Issue 50 December 17, 2018 Please join us for our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Tuesday, December 24, 5:00 p.m. Please bring the entire family to this special service. Wed., Dec. 19th: Book 9 a.m. Confirmation 6 p.m. Pastor Ed & Kris, Autumm & Linda Administrative Council 8:15 p.m. Fri., Dec. 21st: Men s Bible 7 a.m. Sun., Dec. 23rd: NO Youth Group

2 POINSETTIAS 2018 Poinsettias in loving memory of: Joseph Sobotka and his parents, Jerry & Anna Sobotka and Clyde & Ethel Powers, her parents, from Doris Sobotka and family Brenda Lea Patrick from Richard, Autumm and family Tim Nystrom from his family Mary Kay Larson from L.J. Bud & Jeanette Hawley Gloria Grice from L.J. Bud & Jeanette Hawley Bill Hertz from his parents, Don & Grace Hertz and family Mary Frances Polly Kihlstrom, her mother, and Harry Fletcher, her father, and Jim Fletcher, her brother, from Don & Grace Hertz and family Dick Rigby, Samuel & Lillian Rigby, and F. Homer & Hazel Anderson from Joyce (Anderson) Rigby Francis and Danny Svuba, George & Dorothy Svuba from Mary Svuba and family Merle & Grace Wright from Mary Svuba & family Jack & Florence Pohlman from Linda, John, Tom & Joe and families Ivar & Vandla Frantz, Thelma Wass & Jasmine Greig from Dale & Pat Frantz and family Donald G. & Mardell Beneke and Anton & Theresa Beneke Don, Ann and Mary Cary Rusch from Beverly Rusch John & Norrene Perkins and Chuck & Vi Blake from Sonj & Larry Perkins and family Richard & LaDonna DeYoung, Doug DeYoung and Dorie Latham from Terry & Diane Latham Amos & Helen Hertz from their family Cecil & Leona Fuchs, Jon Fuchs and Cecil & Irene Rubel, John Rubel from Craig & Kathy Rubel Fred Forsythe from Oneta Forsythe Millie & Harvey Burnham from Nancy & Ken Kunickis, Ashley Stumpf, Katie & Devon Schreiner and Amelia, John Stumpf Arlene Hertz from Greg & Deb Hertz & family Poinsettia in honor and appreciation for Pastor Ed & Kris Frank from their church family and friends Poinsettia in honor and appreciation for our church staff, Autumm Brazel and Linda Olson from their church family and friends Poinsettia in honor of Fred & Ginger Moore, Gerald Hertz, Don & Grace Hertz from Greg & Deb Hertz & family

3 Christmas Around the World As you might imagine, Christmas in Hawaii is a decidedly tropical affair. Many locals import their traditional firs and pines from the U.S. mainland, arriving long before the holiday starts on the Xmas Tree Ship. Others get creative, decorating palm trees with lights and ornaments and using outrigger canoes and dolphins to resemble Santa s sleigh and reindeer. Jolly old St. Nick and his eyes wear aloha shirts instead of fur-trimmed suits. And of course the most popular Christmas dinner is a community or family luau, complete with roast pig and colorful Christmas leis. In the Marshall Islands, people prepare for Christmas months in advance, stockpiling gifts and dividing into jeptas, or teams, that hold song-and-dance competitions on Christmas Day. They also build a piñata-like wojke containing little presents (matches, money, soap) for God. In spite of Ethiopia s Christian heritage, Christmas is not an important holiday there. Most people actually call the holiday Ganna or Genna after a hockey-like ball game played only once a year, on Christmas afternoon. People in Iceland will often exchange books on Christmas Eve, then spend the rest of the night reading them and eating chocolate. The tradition is part of a season called Jolabokaflod, or The Christmas Book Flood. As a result, Iceland publishes more books per capita then any other country selling most of them between September and November. According to old English folk tales, the Devil died when Jesus was born. So some towns developed a Christmas Eve tradition of ringing the church bells near midnight to announce the Devil s demise. In England this custom was called tolling or ringing the Devil s knell. Scotland has historically made a much bigger deal of celebrating Hogmanay (the last day of the year, a.k.a. New Year s Eve) than Christmas. In fact, the latter holiday was banned by the country s Parliament for more than 300 years, and was only made legal again in The Grinch who Scrooged Scotland out of Christmas was 16th century minister John Knox, leader of the Reformation and founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. He believed Christians should only celebrate holidays mentioned in the Bible. So Christmas was strongly discouraged starting in 1583, and officially prohibited by law in In Argentina, Christmas customs are a blend of American, European, and Hispanic traditions. Their celebrations typically include the boots of Father Christmas, red and white flowers, and putting cotton on Xmas trees to simulate snow. But most family gatherings take place on Christmas Eve, with huge feasts, gifts exchanged at midnight, and children going to sleep to the sound of fireworks. In Peru, December 24th, which is known as La Noche Buena ( the Good Night ), is the main day for celebrations. After mass, families go home to feast, open gifts, and toast each other at midnight. The most important decorations are pesebre Nativity scenes intricately carved from wood or stone. Gifts are spread around the manger rather than a tree, and it s considered lucky to be the one chosen to put the figurine of baby Jesus into the manger on Christmas Eve. greenglobaltravel.com

4 There will be NO Sunday School classes (Cherubs-Adult) December 23rd or 30th. Classes resume on January 6, 9:10 A.M Giving Please make sure to get your End-of-the-Year Giving turned in to the church or Julie Potter by December 30th. Please do not wait until Monday, Dec. 31st because it may not get deposited for this year. Thank you for your cooperation and faithful stewardship.

5 Youth Group Christmas Party There were 28 youth in attendance for the Laurens Area Community Youth Group Christmas Party December 16 which was held at Bethany Lutheran Church. Pastor Ed gave an informational presentation on the next Boundary Waters trips coming up in July & August of The youth enjoyed many snacks, played games and had a gift exchange. Thank you to all who came to our Christmas party. It was a great time with all. Thank you to Pastor Ed for the Boundary Waters presentation. ~Angie Christenson, Youth Group Director Gift exchange!

6 Altar flowers this past Sunday were given in remembrance of what would have been Verlae & Orville Nicol s 73rd wedding anniversary. Thank you to Verlae s family for providing them.

7 If you would like to donate to the disaster relief efforts from the California wildfires please make your check out to Advance GCFA You can bring in or mail it to our church at 201 W. Main St., Laurens, Iowa and we ll get it sent in to UMCOR. Thank you for your generosity.

8 In case of inclement weather, church cancellations will be aired on KAYL (101.7 FM), KICD (107.7 FM & 1240 AM), and KJYL (100.7 FM) radio stations. Cancellations will also be posted on our church facebook page (Laurens United Methodist Church), our website ( and Channel 4 (KTIV). Hat, Mitten & Sock Tree The Festival of Trees has a Hat, Mitten & Sock Tree again this year. If you would like to donate these items for the tree please put them on or underneath the tree. They will be take to L-M School students later. Thank you! Youth Group Haiti Mission Trip date is set for June 10-June 16 of They are still in need of funds to attend the mission trip. If you would like to give a donation please make check out to the Laurens Area Community Youth Group and write Haiti Mission Trip in memo. Donations may be mailed to our church at 201 W. Main St., Laurens, Iowa All donations are greatly appreciated. NO Youth Group December 23rd or 30th. Choir will practice will be on the Sunday morning of the 23rd at 10:00 a.m. before singing in church. Church offices will be closed on December 24th & 25th in observance of Christmas.

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10 Quarter donations for the month of December will be going towards Cherish House which helps young struggling mothers. There will be baby bottles passed around to collect quarter donation during worship instead of the baskets for the month of December. For more information please visit Cherish Center online at Thank you to everyone who donates quarters each Sunday and to the children who collect them. Thank you to everyone who participates, helps, performs & serves each Sunday morning to help make our fellowship & worship service a wonderful & meaningful experience for all in the glorifying of our Lord. If your mailing address, phone number or address has changed please notify the church office at (712) or methodistsec@laurens-ia.com If you or a loved one are hospitalized and would like a visit from Pastor Ed please contact (712) or (712) Watch our worship services online at your convenience at Click on Sermons Worship services may be viewed on local Channel 2 every Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

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12 Contact information: Pastor Ed Frank: Pastor s Cell phone: (712) Pastor s swmreved@hotmail.com Autumm Brazel, Executive Secretary: Office (712) methodistsec@laurens-ia.com Linda Olson, Custodian Office Hours: 8:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M. Monday Friday visit our website at: Stewardship for Sunday, December 16, 2018 Weekly Year-to-date Special Total Receipts for Dec. 16th: Projected Budget Needs: $ 2, $ 3, $ 139, $ 175, $ Attendance for Dec. 16th: Sunday School ~ 63 Worship ~ 90 PRAYER REQUESTS: Pastor Ed s mother (recovering from broken hip), Pete Davis (Beverly Rusch s son-in-law), Carolyn Garton, Deb Buse, Jamey Turner, Amy Gustafson, Emmaline Roenfeldt, Edith Colleen White, Gabrielle Wingler, victims of natural disasters, our schools (safety), our military, our nation (unity), our world (peace). Sunday, December 23, 2018 WORSHIP NO Sunday School Fellowship Coffee ~ 9:30 A.M. Worship ~ 10:30 A.M. Choir performs Liturgist ~ Angela Christenson Pianist ~ Kaye Van Genderen Ushers ~ Jean Murray, Deb Hertz, Pat Frantz and Tami Tendal Greeters ~ Robert & Patsi Nystrom Acolytes ~Isaiah Schossow and Jacalyn Sobotka Children s Sermon ~ Chandler Todd Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Liturgist ~ Angela Christenson Pianist ~ Barb Ryon Ushers ~ TBA Acolytes ~ TBA