Christ s Community Moravian Church

Transcription

1 Christ s Community Moravian Church December 015 Newsle er Glorify God as We Love and Serve Others Mark Your Calendar 1., 1.9, 1.16 Choir Prac ce 1. Unity Prayer Watch 1., 1.9, 1.16 Awake! 5:00 6:30 PM 1.5 Advent Women s Brunch 1.6 Kids Advent Workshop 10:45 AM Sabbath In The Suburbs Book Study Group 11:30 AM 1:00 PM 1.1 Men s Breakfast 8:00 AM 1.13 Simpson Shelter Sandwiches 10:30 AM KidPack Packing 10:45 AM Slipper and Comforter Ministries 11:30 AM 1.17 Senior Women s Bible Study 1:00 PM 1.18 KidPack Delivery 1:45 PM 1.19 Christmas Program Rehearsal 9:00 AM 1.0 Christmas Program 9:30 AM 1.4 Christmas Eve Candlelight and Lovefest Service 4:30 PM Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Gree ngs in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! May this season of Advent be a me when each of you experience the hope, peace, joy, and love that Jesus brings. This past weekend we gathered to decorate the church in an cipa on of Christmas, and it was truly a me of joyful Advent prepara on. The children of the congrega on were a huge part of the decora ng this year, assembling the tree and adding the lights and ornaments. My own children had so much fun that they insisted on decora ng at home that same day! We went home and pulled out all our much loved ornaments and decora ons. As we were sor ng through things, however, I no ced an undesirable quan ty of gli er covered items. I don t remember this as a problem in the past, but it must have been. You know what I m talking about. You pull out a gli er covered decora on and a cloud of gli er explodes, covering you, the floor, and anything in a two foot diameter with impossible to remove gli er. You try to brush it off, which only results in it s cking to your hands and then transferring to your face and anything else you touch. Before you know it, the whole place looks like a preschool art project and you ll be vacuuming and cleaning surfaces for an extra hour that night. Sound familiar? As I was contempla ng the gli er and grumbling about it, the kids were running around happily decora ng and exclaiming over how beau ful the gli ery ornaments were. They didn t see a problem with these ornaments at all. They were as thrilled with the gli er as I was crabby about it. Con nued

2 CORE VALUES 1.Discipleship.Come as you are! 3.Family 4.Community Outreach 5.Children / Youth CCC VISION We see Christ s Community Moravian Church as a caring and accep ng church, equipping people to serve, reaching out to the community, and sharing God s love as we invite people into the family of God. Purpose: We will offer opportuni es for the youth of the congrega on to raise money to a end church camps. Worship: We will host an annual outdoor worship service and picnic. Community: We will go Christmas caroling at a local nursing home. Mission and Service: We will par cipate in the Northwest Metro Feed My Starving Children Mobile Pack. So that made me stop and think that maybe it was my a tude about gli er that was the problem, not the gli er itself. Was it a mess or was it something beau ful? I also wondered if maybe my irrita on was because I knew I would be the one cleaning it all up! If I didn t have to clean it up, if it wasn t my mess to deal with, would I love gli er then, too? At first these seemed like unnecessarily deep thoughts over Christmas tree decora ng, but I think they point us to an important truth about Advent and Jesus birth at Christmas (pre y much everything points us back to Jesus!). Jesus arrival among us in the flesh changes the world from a gli ery mess that we can t escape into a world of beauty, full of hope and peace, of joy and love. Even more, his arrival reminds us that the mess in this world isn t ours to clean up. We can t avoid it and we need to do our best to minimize the mess, but ul mately God is the one who, through Jesus Christ, has already taken care of the mess. It is just le for us to enjoy His good gi s to us, giving thanks for our crea on and salva on through Jesus Christ. So the next me we are a bit irritated by gli er whether it s actual gli er or figura ve gli er remember that we can either focus on the mess, or rejoice in the beauty and ul mate restora on that Jesus brings to the mess; a choice we can make because of God s great gi to us. Thanks be to God! In Gli ery Advent Hope, Pastor Jenny Leadership: We will offer 3 opportuni es annually for members of the congrega on to lead the en re worship service while Pastor Jenny is present in worship. Stewardship: We will end the year with a balanced budget and will work to bring that about by finding unique ways to encourage people to give. Spiritual Forma on: We will develop our Adult Chris an Educa on program, specifically through offering new opportuni es for growth like a coffee and theology group and a monthly book club.

3 Outreach Opportuni es Month of December CROSS food shelf needs: Juice and Dish Soup December 13 10:30 am Simpson Shelter. Our next date for making sandwiches for Simpson Shelter following worship service. December 13 11:30 pm Comforter & Slipper Ministry. Do you know anyone who could use an extra hug to li their spirits? The Slipper Ministry is here to help! Slippers are available in a basket on the table by the kitchen. Feel free to take a pair of slippers to a family member, friend, or coworker to help raise them up. What a blessing that we can provide warmth, love and support through the slippers made at CCC. Thank you Slipper Ministry for providing God s work through your gi ed kni ng hands! December 13 10:45 am. During Children s Sunday School, we will pack 300 bags for KidPack. People of all ages are welcome to par cipate in this! December 18 1:45 pm KidPack delivery. We will meet at CCC to load the KidPack bags into our vehicles and then carpool to Park Brook Elementary School for weekend food distribu on. Please contact the office to sign up. Worship Opportuni es December 6 9:30 am Second Sunday of Advent Holy Communion Isaiah 40:1 11, Mark 1:1 4 December 13 9:30 am Third Sunday of Advent Luke 1:5 13, 57 80, Luke :5 8a December 0 9:30 am Fourth Sunday of Advent Christmas Program December 4 4:30 pm Christmas Eve Candlelight & Lovefeast Service December 7 9:30 am Join us as we share God s love this Christmas at The Villas home in Osseo! We will sing Christmas carols and read Scripture during a me of worship with the residents of The Villas on Dec. 3 rd at 10:00 am. We ll head back to the church a erwards for cocoa and Christmas cheer! Hymn Sing! Ma hew :1 1

4 Thank You Simpson Housing Services thanks us for dona ng 150 sandwiches to help provide services for men, women and children experience homelessness. Dear Pastor Jenny and Congrega on, Cookbooks Make Great Christmas Presents! 1 for $ for $0.00 Thank you so much for having part of the MN Adult & Teen Challenge Choir to your church for a visit. We appreciate the opportunity to share our message of hope, restora on and redemp on through the love of Jesus Christ. The Clients benefit so much from the sharing of their own tes mony and what God is doing in their lives. Thank you for your prayers and financial support, God bless you and your congrega on! From MN Adult & Teen Challenge Dear Pastor Jenny, Thank you so much for having MN Adult & Teen Challenge out to your church last Sunday, November 8, 015. It was such a blessing to be a part of your service. Everyone was very welcoming and loving to us all. We really enjoyed the fellowship with your congrega on. We are so apprecia ve of churches and congrega ons like yours that help is raise money to allow individuals to come in to our program that may not have the financial means to do so on their own. By partnering with us, you play a role in changing someone s life for eternity! We look forward to coming back in the future. Many thanks again. Have a blessed year and God s grace to you all. Sincerely, Pastor Terry Francis Thank you CCC! Your generosity collected $ for the MN Adult & Teen Challenge Choir on Sunday, Nov. 8th. What a blessing!

5 Advent Opportuni es December 5 9:00 11:00 am. Please join us for our Annual Women s Advent Brunch at the Straumann s home. December 6 10:45 am. Advent Workshop where kids of all ages will have the chance to paint their own ceramic Christmas mug! It will then be taken to Color Me Mine studio in Maple Grove where they will fire them. All mugs will be available for pick up at CCC before Christmas. Please contact Kris na in the office ASAP if your child/grandchild is interested. The cost is $11.00 per mug. Birthdays December 4 Keith McIlveen December 9 Ma hew Nastu December 10 Maren Johnson (4) December 13 Walter Hayes December 14 Christa Heupel December 16 Steve Giordano December 18 Sasha McIlveen () December 3 Noel Johnson December 7 Gene Heupel December 30 Casey Swanson December 31 Dale Beumer Anniversaries December 8 Kim & Sharon Benson Kids Opportuni es Hey Kids! Do you love to praise God? Have you always wanted to sing a solo or duet in church? Do you play an instrument? We d love to have you share your gi s of music during the Sunday School Christmas pageant on December 0 th at 9:30 am or on Christmas Eve at the 4:30 pm Candlelight Service. Please see Pastor Jenny if you would like to sing or play! Calling all Kids! Everyone is welcome to join us for our 1st program prac ce on December 6. Please let Pastor Jenny or Barb Kalland know if your child(en) or family members would like to be in the program. Christmas Program Prac ce Schedule Sunday, December 6: Rehearsal a er the ceramics workshop Sunday, December 13: Rehearsal during Sunday school Saturday, December 19: Rehearsal at 9:00 am Sunday, December 0: Christmas Program during worship, please be at the church by 8:30 am Thanks to everyone who helped pack boxes and purchased items for Opera on Christmas Child! We delivered 140 Boxes! That s 140 happy kids!

6 Joint Mee ng Minutes November 1, 015 Christmas Eve Service me approved for 4:30 pm. Christmas Eve Offering 50% CROSS, 50% Simpson Shelter. Nomina ng Commi ee formed, Corinne to chair. Trustees Mee ng Minutes November 1, 015 Reviewed YTD Budget: Year can end in the black if $35,000 received in November and December. Sanctuary and Parking lot lights upgrade approved. Apple trees to be removed at parsonage. Elders Mee ng Minutes November 1, 015 Flourish Team Update: Worship and Fellowship teams have combined into one team. Individuals will be pulled in as appropriate to plan and lead events. Chris an Ed Update: Sabbath in the suburbs study is ongoing and has steady a endance. Awake! The group con nues to meet and has had consistent a endance. Sunday School: SS is going well with a endance at all age groups. The Sunday School leaders are planning the Christmas Program. The Program will be on the Sunday before Christmas Eve. Stewardship Series: Posi ve feedback was received from the congrega on on the recent series. Outreach Team: The current Simpson Shelter coordinators are handing off the ministry. Corinne Omberg will coordinate going forward. Next Mee ng: Next scheduled is scheduled for 1/10/15. Unity Prayer Watch 015 Wednesday, December Be a part of the worldwide Unity a gi to us from God. We have the privilege to carry the joys and concerns of the worldwide Moravian Unity in prayer through the Unity Prayer Watch. Times are 4 5 am, am, 3 pm, and 7 8 pm. There is a signup sheet located on the table in front of the kitchen. Prayer topics will be ed/given to you later this month. Prayer Opportuni es While we at CCC believe that war is never good, we acknowledge that there is a need for our country to have a strong military presence. Below is an area where we honor our brave men and women serving in the military, to pray for them and to pray for peace. Sean O Rourke, Marine Corps, Okinawa, Japan Nephew of Kelly and Karen O Rourke Andrew Ve er Galt Marine Reserves Nephew of Linda Ve er and Godfather to Noah Ve er Jim Helvig and Kendal Ve er Served in Afghanistan Cousins of Linda Ve er Tyler Lenartz, Army Jon Dart, Navy Sons of Linda Ve er s Cousins

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9 From the Provincial Ecumenical Officer December 015 October some nine thousand people gathered in Salt Lake City for the World Parliament of Religions. This event is held every four to seven years somewhere in the world. The first was in 1893 in Chicago at the Columbian Exposi on (which also saw the debut of the Ferris wheel). At first limited to the major tradi onal faiths of East and West. the Parliament now includes many indigenous tradi ons from around the world, New Age groups, Chris an rooted groups like Chris an Science and Mormons and even atheists. Recently I heard remarks on the Parliament from someone who a ended this year, Bishop Mark Hanson, who from 001 to 013 was head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a full communion partner of Moravians. Hanson did not speak about specific religious differences or about evangelism. He spoke about the world s need for people who disagree with one another to get to the place where we know one another well enough to trust one another. We see this need in many arenas: among those with financial security and those who struggle daily to make ends meet, among persons in the United States with differing poli cal philosophies, between police and the people in the neighborhoods in which they serve, in the Middle East and elsewhere where there are long standing religious differences, among people in the Moravian Church with differing convic ons regarding sexuality, within families. The seeking of such trus ng rela onships will not solve all the problems of the world, large and small, but such rela onships may be the most important step in dealing with many conflicts. We hear stories in many places of efforts in this direc on. At the Reading (Pennsylvania) Moravian Church, former recipients of help to meet basic needs now help those in need. In Milwaukee, the Trickle Bee Café will bring together Lutherans and Moravians working to listen to and serve people whose lives may be quite different from their own. Our state council of churches is bringing together people with different a tudes about guns. Ecumenicity is about worshiping and working with other Chris ans who may do some things differently. May our ecumenical rela ons within the Chris an family help us to increase the quan ty of trust in the church. May our ecumenical rela ons help teach us how to increase the quan ty of trust in the world. May this be our Christmas gi, as Chris ans, to the world. Lord Jesus, this month we celebrate that you came to show us God more clearly, in the flesh, so that we may know and trust God more joyously and completely. Help us to come closer to the people whom we fear and argue with, in hope of coming to trust one another, so that we may be instruments of your peace in the world. Amen. Hermann Weinlick Ecumenical Officer Moravian Church Northern Province CONGREGATIONAL WATCHWORD 015 Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! Revela on 5:1

10 Volunteers for December December 6 December 13 December 0 December 7 Welcome & Announcements Karene H. Janet O. Pastor Jenny M. Linda T. PowerPoint: Langseth Norm B. Jim H. Paul S. Scriptures: Linda T. Kris B. N/A Maureen C. Ushers / Greeters (): Kris K. & Pat J. Linda T. & Brenda E. Wally & Marian M. John O. & Barb K. Nursery: Barb Langseth N/A Ombergs Children s Chat: Pastor Jenny M. Jenn S. N/A Jenn S. Snak & Yak Host: Pat J. Marian M. Kris B. Beth K. Treats: Pat J. Marian M. Kris B. Beth K. Prayers of the Church: Communion Pastor Jenny M. N/A Karen O. Praise Singers: Kris B. & Janet B. Karen O. & Terre S. N/A Marian M. & Kris B. Treasurer s Report Occasion/Cause November 015 Worship A endance Date Kids Staff Adults Total 1 Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov October 015 Designated Funds Total District Loan Principal Reduc on $50.00 Couples Retreat $1, KidPack $0 Cook Book Fund $40.00 Total: $1,40.98 Date October 015 Opera ng Accounts 1 Oct 15 $ Oct 15 $ Weekly Receipts 4 Oct 15 $1, Oct 15 $ Oct 15 $ Oct 15 $1, Oct 15 $ Oct 15 $ Oct 15 $1, Oct 15 $ Oct 15 $, Oct 15 $ Treasurer's Report General Fund/Opera ng Account Month Beg. Bal. Receipts Disbursements Balance August $1,680.7 $16, $17, $ September $ $17,87.93 $1, $5, October $5, $9, $1, $1, YTD $4,96.9 $13, $16, $1, E Giving: If you would like to sign up for e giving (have your the/ dona on go directly from your bank account to the church s account on a weekly, bi monthly, or monthly basis) please see Janet Ohrt for a form.

11 December 015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Unity Prayer Watch 5:00 to 6:30 pm: Awake! 7:00 to 8:00 pm: Choir 3 4 Office Closed 5 9:00 am: Advent Women s Jenn Straumann s House 6 Second Sunday of Advent 9:30 am: Worship Service with Holy Communion 10:30 am: Snak & Yak 10:45 am: Kids Advent Workshop, Candle Wrapping and Christmas Program Prac ce 11:30 to 1:00 pm: Sabbath In The Suburbs Book Study Group :00 to 6:30 pm: Awake! 7:00 to 8:00 pm: Choir 10 6:00 pm: Trustees Mtg. 7:00 pm: Joint Board Mtg. 8:00 pm: Elders Mtg. 11 Office Closed 1 8:00 am: Men s Breakfast 13 Third Sunday of Advent 9:30 am: Worship Service 10:30 am: Snak & Yak 10:30 am: Simpson Sandwiches 10:45 am: Sunday School, Christmas Program Prac ce, KidPack Packing 11:30 am: Slipper and Comforter Ministries :30 am 1:30 pm: Mom s Club 16 5:00 to 6:30 pm: Awake! 7:00 to 8:00 pm: Choir 17 1:00 pm: Senior Women s Bible Study at MGLC 18 Office Closed 1:45: KidPack Delivery 19 9:00 am: Christmas Program Prac ce 0 Fourth Sunday of Advent 8:30 am: Christmas Program Prepara on 9:30 am: Christmas Program during Worship 10:30 am: Snak & Yak 1:30 am: Piano Recital No Sunday School 1 First Day of Winter 3 10:00: Christmas Caroling at The Villas and Hot Cocoa 4 Christmas Eve 4:30 pm: Candlelight and Lovefest Service 5 Happy Birthday Jesus! 6 7 9:30 am: Worship Service 10:30 am: Snak & Yak 10:45 am: Sunday School 8 Office Closed 9 Office Closed New Year s Eve Pastor Jenny on Vaca on December 7 January

12 T C P : Reverend Jennifer Moran th Avenue Maple Grove, MN (763) pastorjenmoran@gmail.com Office: christscommunitymoravian@gmail.com Hours: 9:00 am to :00 pm Monday Thursday Closed Fridays C A : Kris na Samuel christscommunitymoravian@gmail.com C T : Bruce Kalland Bruce.Kalland@hotmail.com C M : Sara Milberg Sara.Milberg@ampor oods.com T C E : Casey Langseth (016) (61) casey.l.langseth@gmail.com Paul Straumann (016) (763) straumap@hotmail.com Norm Buchta (017) (763) ndbuchta@gmail.com Corinne Omberg (017) (763) co ageofmemories@gmail.com T C T : Dale Beumer (016) (61) djbeumer01@hotmail.com Gene Heupel (017) (763) gheupel@comcast.net Bruce Kalland (016) (763) bruce.kalland@hotmail.com Christ s Community Moravian Church rd Avenue North Maple Grove, Minnesota 55369