Staff: Our Website: Synod Website: Congregational Officers Chair, Board of Deacons Chair, Board of Trustees

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1 Staff: Jim Demke, Pastor, cell , parsonage Gwen Arneson, Lay Pastoral Assistant & Organist, ; cell Rhoda Schmidt, Office Assistant, Jon & Jeannette Myrvik, Custodians, c (Jon) c (Jeannette) Our Website: Mailing Address: PO Box 166, Cottonwood, MN Phones: Office: Kitchen: s: christlutheran@christcotton.com pastorjim3@gmail.com gwenarneson@yahoo.com jeannette.myrvik@schwans.com jjmyrvik@charter.net Synod Website: telephone Congregational Officers President: Craig Aamodt Vice President: Shawn Myers Chair, Board of Deacons Tracy Sterner Financial Secretary (Giving) Mary Schwisow Secretary: LeeAnn Boehne Treasurer: Jonathan Olson Chair, Board of Trustees John Sterner Please let us know... ~ Your church family-the body of Christ, wants to bring you Christ s love in all the seasons of your life. Therefore, please notify Pastor Jim or Lay Pastoral Assistant Gwen Arneson when: There is a birth or adoption; There is a death in your family; There is a hospitalization in your family; Someone becomes homebound, moves to a care center or assisted living; Someone becomes unemployed; You move or get a new phone number; A child moves out of the house, attends college, graduates from college; There are other causes for sorrow or joy. 1

2 Wednesday Evening F.I.R.E. Events Begin Again Meal at 5:45 p.m. Worship for All Ages at 6:30 p.m. Discovery/Learning Time for All Ages at 7 p.m. Annual Meeting Set for January 25 th The Annual Meeting of Christ Lutheran Church will be held at 11:45 a.m. on January 25, A light meal will be served following worship which will lead us into our meeting time. Change in Distribution of Annual Report Book Rather than mailing a copy to your home as we have done in the past, the Annual Report Book will be sent by . Printed copies will be available from the church office. If you wish to receive a copy at your home address, please contact Rhoda. Office phone number is ; address is christlutheran@christcotton.com 2

3 New Old-fashioned Way Wait a minute...isn t that a line from a Christmas song? Yes, it is. Rockin Around the Christmas Tree written by Johnny Marks and popularized by the voice of Brenda Lee back in 1960 was an attempt to merge the traditions of Christmas with the new rock-n-roll style, and pretty successful in doing so given its play time still today. As you receive this, we will still be in the Christmas season, the 12 days of which lead up to January 6, the Day of Epiphany, the coming of the wise men. Fitting, I think, that Christmas both precedes and follows New Years Day. What a great way to tie old and new together. The promise of old, realized in the new! Also a great way to think about our life in Christ as individuals and as a congregation. We look to a Gospel that is 2000 years old, yet ever new, ever changing in the way it impacts us. Jesus said in Matthew 13:52, every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old. Jesus warns us, however, to be careful about which old things we keep. In Matthew 9:16, he reminds us that you don t sew new material to old, or when you wash it, the old will tear. In the next verse he says if you put new wine into old wineskins, the old will burst. Trying to contain something new in something old is risky business. We need to keep finding new vehicles for this old Gospel that continues to make us new. 3

4 We re in a world that s constantly upgrading itself. The world our young people live in now is more different from the world of the 90s than the 90s were from a century before. Humans landed on the moon when I was 15. Yet my way of learning was still one of receiving fixed information which was up to me to apply to my life and surroundings. Today, information is reshaped and transformed by those who receive it. They interact with it, and actually recreate the message as it passes through the social network. So what s a church to do! How do we compete with instantly interactive screens which form the reality of millions of our youth and young adults? Thankfully, the Gospel is magnificently able to take new forms in this interactive stew that s brewing in our culture! And we are free to explore all possibilities in which that may happen. What we discover, too, is that our young people still crave what all of us have for generations: opportunities to find meaning in interaction with others, to hear the wisdom of the ages, to be loved, cared for, affirmed, prayed for, and blessed. That s what s guiding what we re doing as a congregation. We re doing new things, and will continue to ponder others carefully. It s all so we can get back to the things which really matter, things which will enrich us even more as we move into God s preferred future in a new old-fashioned way. Traditionally and Newly Yours, Pastor Jim 4

5 Frozen Meals and Cookies Ready-to-Bake What fun it was on God s Work, Our Hands Day to assemble meals in a bag and cookie dough balls to be frozen and available at a moment s notice to be given away to somebody who could use encouragement or help through the gift of food! Many of these meals have been already given away, as have some of the cookies, as well. However, these freezer items are not meant to be stored here at church, but rather, to be distributed. We don t always know who could use a meal or treats those who have been hospitalized recently, or have just received troubling news, or are feeling completely overwhelmed by circumstances in their life at the present time. If you are aware of a neighbor or friend, or someone in the community whose day would be brighter with the delivery of a meal ready to be thawed and put into the oven, please let us know in the office, or contact Nellie Bjornebo who is serving as one of the members of our Care Team. If you would like to bake some (ready-to-go) cookies to deliver to someone in need, please let us know, too! Thanks for being the hands and feet of Jesus in these ways! A big thank you to Mike Lee from the Altar Care Team for making the new and beautiful liner stands. 5

6 Mission Action The next SEWING Day day is JANUARY 20, 2015, at 9 a.m. To find out what types of projects are available to work on, contact Nellie Bjornebo ( ), Anne Isaackson ( ), Rose Wisdorf ( ), or Barb Crouse ( ). Even if you re not good with a needle, there may be other ways to help. The next program and meeting of W-ELCA will be held on February 12 (not in January). The start time is still in the planning process! Watch for the 2015 booklet in the February newsletter. Esther s Kitchen/Loaves & Fishes The Loaves & Fishes new slogan is: Meals, Comfort & Kindness. In 2014, the board made a decision to serve the hungry, not just in the Twin Cities area, but also throughout the state of Minnesota. As a result they opened a Marshall site at the already existing Esther s Kitchen. They studied the census data, viewed the Hunger Free Minnesota Missing Meals maps, and met with leaders who had identified pockets of poverty. To address the need, new sites were opened in Marshall, Hopkins, Crystal, Brooklyn Park, and Richfield. We will continue our dedication to helping to serve at Esther s Kitchen one day a month, as the Loaves & Fishes is based on a volunteer model. Christ Lutheran has also made a commitment to support the project of feeding the hungry by asking its members to give generously to the freewill offering that will be used for providing food for the meals that are served. A container will be located in the back of the sanctuary dedicated to receiving monies that will be given to Loaves & Fishes. Checks can be made out to Loaves & Fishes. Read the whole story in the insert. Our next serving opportunity is January 19, 2015 (a Monday): You are invited to sign up on the sheet at the rear of the Sanctuary. 6

7 Worship Opportunities for January HOLDING by Ann Weems, in Kneeling in Bethlehem The Day is here and we made it to Bethlehem! The time has come for kneeling and we ve seen the Child! There is singing in the stable and we want desperately to hold on to it hold on to the Star! And the angels! And the spirit of love! How do we hold on to the Christmas spirit? Why can t every day be Christmas? The world mutters Be realistic, and sometimes we church people mutter, too. On our way back from Bethlehem sometimes we forget what we ve been warned about in a dream: To return another way. Once we ve seen the Child, we re left holding hearts wherein angels dance and stars sing! Once we ve been to Bethlehem, every day is Christmas! Sunday, January 4 Epiphany of Our Lord The Magi have just arrived to worship Jesus! We gather for worship this day and are fed around the Lord s Table of Holy Communion. Wednesday, January 7 F.I.R.E. Worship service at 6:30 p.m. after supper at 5:45 p.m. Sunday, January 11 Baptism of Our Lord and Remembrance of Baptism Sunday Wednesday, January 14 F.I.R.E. Worship service at 6:30 p.m. after supper at 5:45 p.m. Sunday, January 18 The Second Sunday after Epiphany brings us together once again to worship and celebrate our connection to one another in the Body of Christ as we receive Holy Communion. Wednesday, January 21 F.I.R.E. Worship service at 6:30 p.m. after supper at 5:45 p.m. Sunday, January 25 We gather for worship in this season of Epiphany and meet together after worship over a meal and our annual meeting. Wednesday, January 28 F.I.R.E. Worship service at 6:30 p.m. after supper at 5:45 p.m. 7

8 Thank You for Your Part in Our Shared Ministry With you, O Lord, is life in all its fullness, and in your light we shall see true light. This chant from the Taize community in France has been sung at the past two Christmas Eve Candlelight worship services as the lit Christ Candle is carried into our darkened sanctuary. It is a powerful message to witness and to hear. In the social media world in the days before Christmas, people posted from different perspectives about the desire to keep Christ in Christmas and suggesting ways to do just that. One particular media thread suggested that the way to keep Christ in Christmas is to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoners, remember the widows and orphans, give a drink to those who are thirsty. These words, directly from the 25 th chapter of Matthew are words to carry with us at all times of the year. They are especially important in the season of Epiphany which begins on January 6 th as we consider and celebrate all the ways that Christ is made known to us. It is also the season of light when we can bring the light of our Lord, Jesus Christ, in all its fullness and truth, into the world that needs it. Thank you for the ways that you carry the light of Christ to others in the ministry we share. Thank you to those who brought a lovely Cup of Christmas Tea to West Prairie apartments. Thank you to those who brought the gift of song by Christmas Caroling to folks in the Cottonwood community. Thank you to those who bake communion bread for our worship services and to those who prepare the altar paraments and flowers. Thank you for those who served at Esther s Kitchen to feed the hungry. Thank you for those who have contributed to the Well Project at the Kikatiti School in Tanzania to provide a drink to those who are thirsty. 8

9 Thank you to all who have brought clothes for Hunter s Helping Hands so that kids who are in need of clothing might be warmed and given dignity. Thank you to all who so generously provided Christmas gifts for others through our Angel Tree project. Thank you to Doug Warnke and BJ Bjorge for delivering the Angel Tree gifts to the Marshall Armory TWO LARGE VEHICLES FULL OF GIFTS!! Thank you to those who have worked with the Sunday Morning Live students teachers and Amy Jo Remmele (pianist) so that the message of the birth of Jesus would be proclaimed once again in our midst by these young disciples. Thank you to Jean Dahl for organizing and coordinating the Christmas Proclamation Christmas from A to Z for our Sunday Morning Live students. Thank you to our Choir members for their faithfulness in rehearsing weekly and for the gift of song to share the message we long to hear from God. Thank you to Ashley and Miracle, Shailey and Calli for singing with the Choir to Go, Tell It on the Mountain. Thank you to Mary Schwisow (Financial Secretary) and Jonathan Olson (Congregational Treasurer) for their steady (and quite regular!) presence in the office to help keep track of congregational finances. Thank you to those in the kitchen after the Christmas Proclamation for serving a great meal of hot ham and cheese sandwiches and delicious Christmas cookies to the congregation. Thank you to all who, each day, bring light to the world around them! 9

10 Remembering members in our Christ Lutheran Community of Faith Received into God s Kingdom of Grace through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism: Tavin James-Jonathan Jones, son of Shawn and Lisa Jones, on December 7 Averly Joan Benson, daughter of Troy and Andrea Benson, on December 14 Called to Eternal Life: Alice Martha (Schrupp) Peterson, on December 1 Delores Marion (Olson) Gniffke, on December 27 Workers in Mongolia Supported by Christ Lutheran Church: Charles and Anita Jackson Joint Christian Services Int. PO 51 Box 189 BZD Ulaanbaatar Mongolia sonrose.anita@gmail.com sonrose.charles@gmail.com Missionary Support by Christ Lutheran Church Robin s Nest Children s Home in Jamaica: Mailing address: P.O. Box 122, Lake Elmo, MN Kikatiti Secondary School (Tanzania) c/o Bill Koeckeritz Our Savior Lutheran Church 1400 S. State Street New Ulm, MN Headmaster at school: Tareto Elia Nassari Kikatiti Secondary School PO Box 262 Usa River Tanzania 10

11 Beginning Experience of Southwest Minnesota, a peer ministry support group for widowed, separated, and divorced people, is offering its Level II Rebuilding series for ten weeks beginning Jan. 12, 2015, through March 15th. This series is designed for those who are past the initial pain of losing a partner and are working to put their lives back together. The Monday night sessions begin at 7:00 at First Lutheran Church on Church and A Street in Marshall, MN. Registration is held the first two Monday nights starting at 6:30. Registration is then closed for that session. The support group is open to people of all denominations. There is a fee of $75 to cover the cost of materials. All dialogue is confidential and facilitators are individuals who have suffered a similar loss. If you wish to pre-register or have other questions concerning level participation, contact Kevin A , aanenson@msn.com Tammy B , tbhappiernow@hotmail.com Anna H. at , hawk33@charter.net January Birthdays 1 - Katie Bjorge 3 - John Rialson 4 - Susan Popowski 6 - Jan Falkum 6 - Chad Gregoire 8 - Inez Abrahamson 9 - Barbara Crouse 9 - Kenny Olson 9 - Kristen Swope Louwagie 10 - Tiffany Teske 12 - Taedan Smith 13 - Elaine Elston 14 - Brandi Payne 14 - Ricky Schultz 15 - Peyton Johnson 15 - Tony Rialson 15 - Amy St. Pierre 18 - Betsy Lavin 18 - Les Marczak 21 - Ron Bartels 21 - Laia Javens 24 - Lisa Varpness 25 - Alexis Laleman 25 - Teagan Viessman 26 - Tammy Berglind 27 - Donna Oftedahl 28 - Sandy Boehne 28 - Chris Erickson 28 - Austin Payne 30 - Sally Hanson 30 - Anna Hawkinson 31 - Destiny Anderson 11

12 Here at Christ Lutheran, the third Sunday of each month is ELCA World Hunger Appeal and Disaster Response Emphasis. Thank you for your 2014 offerings through December 28: $3, A family farm Nicaragua 12

13 - Who We Are - CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH Mission Identity The people of Christ Lutheran Church are daily called into God s new creation, empowered by the Spirit, and sent to show the Good News of Jesus Christ bringing welcome, forgiveness, healing, renewal and hope to our neighbors here and in all the world Come meet your Savior in Worship! Sunday Fellowship and Refreshment Time starts at 9:15 Sunday Morning Live! education hour: 9 a.m. Sunday Worship: 10:15 a.m. Worship on Cable Channel 8: Sunday 11:30 a.m. and Monday 5 p.m. Wednesday Worship: Faith Is Reaching Everyone 5:45 p.m. Meal 6:30 Faith5 Worship 7:00-7:30 Discovery Time 13

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