W o r d s of. December 2018

Transcription

1 W o r d s of December 2018 December 2018 Children s Christmas Program Sun. Dec. 9 ~ 10 am Children s Program Practice Sat. Dec. 8 ~ 9-10:30 am Church Families: Please bring 2 dozen treats to share after the program. Christmas Eve Service 5 pm Caroling page 2 Pastor Keith... page 3 Rachel Youth News.page 4 Club56...page 4 Coffee Pot Counselor..page 10 Library Notes. page 8 Volunteer Schedule. page 12 Calendar.... page 13

2 Dream Center Caroling Tues. Dec. 4 ~ 6:30 pm Come Christmas Caroling to the residents at the Dream Center at th Ave. N in St. Cloud at 6:30 pm. Bring cookies or snacks if possible. Everyone is invited to join us. Donations for the Dream Center By Dec. 2 We are collecting coats, gloves, warm socks, etc. in good condition or new for the residents (men). Please leave donations in the box in the Welcome Center. Thank you. If you have any questions, contact Jan Wilde

3 From Pastor Keith... Dear Hope Family, At last Sunday s service I shared a decision I have made in regards to my semi-retirement from Lead Pastor Ministry. For the last year I have been in dialogue with the Northwest Conference s Mark Stromberg and Jeff Burton to pray with me about possibly semi-retiring from ministry, specifically, Lead Pastor Ministry. With great peace from God, I have concluded that my time as Lead Pastor should come to an end after this spring, or some-time on or before June 1, We know that this may come as a surprise for some, but also many of you know retirement was nearing for me. Speaking for Cheri too, we love the people of Hope but we think it is for Hope s best and that God has someone special for Hope s next chapter. We are grateful for what God has done through us in healing, refocusing and preparing Hope to flourish. So this means that I am not leaving Hope to be Lead Pastor at another church. Instead my semi-retirement will concentrate on mentoring pastors, writing on Spiritual Formation, pulpit supply and perhaps interim pastoral work or other part-time ministry. This will also give me time to devote more to my own self-care and reduce stress to maximize my physical health. Please pray for the Leadership Team as they take the next steps in putting in place a Search Committee. We look forward to ministry at Hope for the remainder of this ministry year ending in June! Blessings, Pastor Keith Meyer

4 Club56 Packed 48 Boxes Rachel Lassen HCY 7 th -12 th grade Wednesday Night HCY: 7-8:30 pm Dec. 5, 12, 19, Jan. 2 Friday, Dec 21 - Ice Skating Next Club56 2 nd Wednesday of the month Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018 Christmas Party! Thank you for all your donations! A total of 90 shoe boxes were collected at Hope! The boxes will be delivered by Operation Christmas Child to children in need all over the world. The gospel will be shared with each child. Thank you also for money donations for shipping, etc. Please pray for the children and for minimal obstacles in the countries so boxes reach the children. Pictured Row 1: Olivia Ronnei, Row 2: Reagan Noble, Althea Kerwin, Maya Strand. Row 3: Ethan Ronnei, Steve Kerwin, Henry Wagenius samaritanspurse.org

5 Sat. Dec a.m. In the Fellowship Hall - A time of food and fellowship. Invite a friend.

6 Svenskarnas Dag Girls Choir At Hope Celebrating over 50 years, the Svenskarnas Dag Girls Choir presents their annual benefit Christmas Concert and Lucia Pageant at Hope Covenant Saturday, December 15 th at 2 pm. The program features Swedish and American Christmas carols. The concert closes with an authentic candlelight Lucia program. Join us for a traditional Swedish Smörgåsbord, delicious desserts and beverages immediately following the concert. Swedish imports, baked goods, crafts, and CDs available for purchase after the concert. Come, experience the sights, sounds, and tastes of Swedish heritage! Tickets $12/Adults; $5/Children 12 and under ($30 Family Maximum) can be purchased at the door or by calling Diane Noble Salvation Army Bell Ringers Needed: Call to volunteer or registertoring.com

7 Would you like to order a poinsettia to decorate our sanctuary for Christmas? You may pick up the poinsettia following the service on Christmas Eve. Dilia Hope Sunday School has been sponsoring Hilda and Yacson from Children s International-Guatemala. Hilda is no longer in the program. Order forms are in the Welcome Center. Please enclose payment $9/each. Make Checks payable to Hope Covenant. Write Poinsettia in the memo line and place in the offering plate or in the office by December 5. As part of our ministry at Hope, we like to offer a time for fellowship following the service. We are in need of people to volunteer to bring a snack. Sign up in the Welcome Center or go to However, through your gifts, Hope Covenant gave Hilda hope and love; and those are immeasurable gifts. We will be sponsoring Dilia now and Yacson. Dilia is from Guatemala City. She is 11 & in 4 th grade. She loves singing and drawing. She has 2 siblings.

8 Library Notes from Kathy The Hardy Boys by Franklin Dixon The Hardy Boys, Frank and Joe Hardy, are fictional characters who appear in several mystery series for children and teens. The characters were created By American writer Edward Stratemeyer, the founder of Book packaging firm Stratemeyer Syndicate; the books themselves are written by ghost-writers under the collective pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon. The characters have remained popular; the books sell more than a million copies annually, several new volumes are published each year, and the adventures have been translated into more than 25 languages. Critics have many explanations for the characters' longevity, suggesting that the Hardy Boys embody simple wish fulfillment, American ideals of boyhood and masculinity, a well-respected father paradoxically argued to be inept, and the possibility of the triumph of good over evil. Many, many thanks to Roxie Fast for donating her collection of Hardy Boys Mysteries to our children s library!

9 December Birthdays 6 Shirley Hubert 6 Ralph Kluball 7 Bjorn Wagenius 7 Soren Wagenius 13 Bev Kluball 14 Jan Wilde 14 Caleb Theis 15 Dick Owen 17 Nyachieng Puoch 18 Scott Bjorklund 21 Rebekah Theis 22 Winston Christenson 23 Linda Fimrite 23 Liz Keith 26 Bernie Wager 29 Thomas Kaczor Open Door Ministry Response Dear Darrell: Thank you, along with everyone else, who made the retreat possible. It changed my life completely. God is Great always. I want to thank you for continuing to show and share God s love with, for instance, me who was hopeless before being born again on Oct. 13, 2018; my date, I was saved. I love you and all involved. You have helped me to better my life by opening my eyes and heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. I look forward to seeing you out of here. December Anniversaries 8 Jack & Laraine Forsell 9 Gary & Linda Ziebarth 13 Russell & Sue Simmons 18 John & Joanne Reinhart 21 Eric & Christy McCauley 29 Roger & Tracy Eriksson

10 Coffeepot Counselor.. Dick Mowe I ve got it (or do I?) As men, we like to be confident. We face a problem and when someone offers advice or help, what do we say? I ve got it. Or when we see someone else facing a problem, we might say, You ve got it. I like the way that Christopher Robin says it to Winnie the Pooh, Always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Wow! That s what I want: to be brave, strong, and smart. But, sometimes I m not. When I m not, it helps to have someone who is with me. I m reminded of an incident that happened 51 years ago when I was 22 years old. Some friends and I went on a hike in the mountains of Washington State. The weather was pleasant, and we enjoyed the hike. Eventually, the trail crossed a river on a single log. This log was about 2 feet in diameter and had good traction; the span was about 20 feet; and the fast-moving stream was about 10 feet below. I was a little nervous, but walked the log OK. Everything went fine until I encountered the log on the return trip. I looked across the log, looked down at the raging stream, and my feet refused to move. So, what was the big deal? This was the same log I had walked across before. However, the log was angled up a little on the first trip. As I walked, I had a good view of the log in front of me. On the return trip, it was angled down. To see the log in front of me, I had to look down, and when I did, I could see the water, and my imagination kicked in. There was no I ve got it. I was stuck. No expressions of You ve got it from my friends were going to make me step on that log. Eventually, one of my friends had an idea. She would walk behind me with her hand on my back. I reluctantly agreed, stepped onto the log, and slowly walked across. In the end, it wasn t I ve got it. It was We ve got it, because She was with me. Looking back on that incident, I am reminded of the 4 th verse of the 23 rd Psalm: Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (NIV) That log represented the darkest valley. In my imagination, it was the valley of the shadow of death. There is a good chance I would not have survived falling into the river. The person behind me was with me, gently directing and comforting me with a figurative staff. It would be an exaggeration to say that I feared no evil. However, I was able to subdue my fear enough to cross the steam. This story reminds me that God is with believers: men and women, young and old. He s got our back!

11 Hope Annual Meeting Sunday, January 13, 2019 Everyone is encouraged to attend the meeting to come and learn about what is happening at Hope. For any item that requires a vote, only Hope members can cast a vote. KIDS HOPE SHOP with journey to Bethlehem - Thurs. Dec pm Drop-off donations of new, unwrapped gifts for all ages at any Bremer Bank. For info, call Linda Guggenbuerger Please consider giving so kids can have a brighter Christmas! For volunteer info, visit hope@placeofhopeministries.org Pastor Carol & Pastor Geary Crusade Choir Concert Dec at 7 pm Dec 16 at 2 pm First Presbyterian Church Great River Chorale Fri. Nov. 30, 7:30pm-St. Mary s Cathedral, St. Cloud Sun. Dec. 2, 4pm-Bethlehem Lutheran, St. Cloud Tickets $16/$13 at door or greatriverchorale.org

12 DECEMBER VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE GREETER/USHER SCHEDULE Date North Door East Door West Door Dec 2 Andy Anderson Jack Forsell Carol Ervasti Mark & Limei Dec 9 Scott Bjorklund Danzeisen Deborah Owen Dec 16 Jeremy Forsell Dave Laliberte Family Ryan & Krystin Dec 23 Keith Olson Sutherland & Family Kristi Laliberte Jan Olson Dec 30 Jerry Lommel Russ Simmons Rosie Lommel If you would like to usher, please contact Janelle at or hope@hopecovenant.org NURSERY SCHEDULE Date Dec 2 Dec 9 Dec 16 Dec 23 Dec 30 Ryan & Krystin Sutherland Faith Sutherland Beth Krueger Debbie Godding Lori & Marshall Engevik Isaac Engevik Michelle Nelson Olivia Ronnei Sharon Scuteri / Jessica Rowen Maiya Couzens $ Did you Know? $ Hope Covenant offers an opportunity for financial giving on-line. Just check the website and click on the My Hope tab.

13 December 2018 Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat 1 3:30-5:30pm Lutefisk/ Meatball Dinner At Lake Beauty Bible Camp 2 1 st Sunday In Advent Communion Benevolent Fund Simi & Peter 9 am Class 10 am Worship 1 Korean Worship 3-5 SSudan Wor 9 2 nd Sunday In Advent 9am Class 10am Children s Program 1 Korean Worship 16 3 rd Sunday In Advent 9:00 Class 10:00 Worship 1 Korean Worship 23 4 th Sunday In Advent No Classes 10:00 Worship 1 Korean Worship 3-5 SSudan Wor 3 6:30 pm Heritage Girls 7pm Swedish Girls Choir 10 6:30 pm Heritage Girls 7pm Swedish Girls Choir 4 6:30p Elders 6:30 pm Caroling at Dream Center 6:30pm Women s NA 7pm Men s BSF pm Christmas Eve Service 6:30pm Women s NA 7pm Men s BSF 6:30pm Women s NA 7pm Men s BSF 25 6:30am Julotta Service 5 6:30pm Leadership 6:30pm Men s Study 7pm Choir 7-8:30 pm Youth HCY 12 6:30pm Men s Study 7pm Choir 7pm Club56 7-8:30 pm Youth HCY 19 6:30pm Men s Study 7pm Choir 7-8:30 pm Youth HCY 26 No events 6 9 am Women s Bible Study- Rm am Women s Bible Study- Rm am Men s Breakfast pm Choir Concert At First Pres. Youth Ice Skating \ 9-10:30 am Children s Program Practice 15 2pm Swedish Girls Choir Concert Lucia Pageant Smorgasbord :30am Community Meal 30 10:00 Worship No Classes 1 Korean Worship 31 New Year s Eve Day Merry Christmas Luke 2:12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

14 Hope Covenant Church th Ave. S St. Cloud, MN December 2018 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM Lead Pastor: Keith Meyer Christian Ed/Family: Kathy Armbrust Worship/Youth/Family: Rachel Lassen Facilities: Pam Schirmers, Jessie Kerwin Office: Janelle Rudningen Leadership: Chair: Gary Noble Renae Sternke Treasurer: Glenn Scuteri Recording Secretary: open Members at Large: Cheryl Larson / Michelle Nelson Elder Chair: Barb Scheevel Elders: Sandy Dopkins, Bob Koubsky, Keith Krueger, Marty Toole, Cindy Owen Christian Education Hour: 9:00 am Worship: 10:00 am Office Hours 9-3pm Tuesday through Friday hope@hopecovenant.org Children s Program Sun. Dec am Christmas Eve Service 5 pm Julotta Service Christmas Day Service 6:30 am

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