From Heaven Above. Pick up your copy of From Heaven Above in the narthex and focus your attention this Advent on the greatest gift of all.

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1 Black Forest Lutheran Church December, 2016 Vol. I The Scribe From Heaven Above Advent is the 4 week season before Christmas. It s the time where we await our Lord s coming and anticipate all that his birth means to us. This year, our Advent devotional booklet unwraps a different gift each week that comes from heaven above through the birth of Jesus Christ. The meditations reveal God s gifts of hope, love, peace, and life that were delivered to us in a holy child wrapped in swaddling clothes. Pick up your copy of From Heaven Above in the narthex and focus your attention this Advent on the greatest gift of all. Advent/Christmas Schedule Sunday, Dec. 4 Kindermesse Worship 8:00/10:30a Advent Event 9:30 Filling Pine Ridge Elder Bags 9:30 Sunday, Dec. 11 Cantata 8:00/10:30a Go Sing it on the Mountain Advent Event 9:30 Caroling for All Ages 4:30p Sunday, Dec. 18 His Birth-Hard to Believe 8:00/10:30a Advent Event 9:30 Christmas Pageant 5:30p Saturday, Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Services 3:30/5:30/7:30p Sunday, Dec. 25 Christmas Day Service 10:30a

2 Christmas Tea Theme: Peace on Earth Goodwill Toward Men... Saturday, Dec. 3 at 10:00a In the fellowship hall. Refreshments will be served. Our entertainment will be Music by the Youth of our Church. Please bring your daughters, mothers, grandmothers, neighbors or special friends. Reservations are required. Pine Ridge Reservation Thank you all for your donations for the Elder Bags. We will be assembling Sunday, Dec. 4 between services in the fellowship hall. Cantata Sunday, Dec. 11 At both services.

3 Sundays in Dec. 4-Putting together Elder bags for Pine Ridge between services. Dec. 11-Cantata both services. Dec. 18-Christmas Program in the evening. Dec. 25 Christmas Day Worship at 10:30a Caroling for All Ages Sunday, Dec. 11 4:30p Meet in fellowship hall. Christmas Program Rehearsals Dec. 4 at 2:00p Dec. 11 at 2:00p Christmas Pageant Sunday, Dec. 18 at 5:30p All Welcome!

4 Military Care Boxes We will be sending out Military boxes for Christmas, so if you would like to help by bringing in any of the following: Comics Chapstick Peanuts Lemonade (ind. pacs) Gum Snack pac of cookies Sm. Hygiene products Cracker Snacks Protein bars Trail Mix Slim Jims Jerky (ind. pacs) Lifesavers Personally signed Christmas card for service members. Please mark them military and put them in the laundry cart in the narthex. Deadline: Dec. 4 Thanks for supporting our military members in this way! Mark your Calendars! Ski Day for HS and Young Adults Tuesday, Dec. 27 at Cooper Thank you for prayerfully considering your part in our Stewardship Drive this year, it has been quite successful and the information you provided is helpful to our Finance Committee as they prepare the budget for next year. It is important how we give back to our Lord our time, our selves and our possessions, signs of His gracious love for us and our response to His love. Your Stewardship Committee

5 Going to El Paso for the Las Posadas Posada (Inn in Spanish) is a traditional Mexican Christmas Celebration. It starts with a reenactment of Mary and Joseph going from Inn to Inn and being turned away. There is also a children s play, singing, a special Posada dinner, Santa, piñata, Mariachi Band, music and dancing. We would drive Dec. 9 and will return Dec. 11. Sign-up! Aging Grace Fully A kick-off event in January! Ever wondered if your faith will be strong enough during your latter years? Hear what others are feeling in a small group setting called Aging Grace- Fully. See Jan for when the group will begin. December Closures for Church Office and Black Forest Cares Black Forest Cares will be closed on Dec. 23 & 30. Church Office will close at noon on Dec. 23 & 30.

6 BFLC Staff Christmas Gift It has been the practice for many years to invite special contributions from the members of the congregation towards a cash Christmas gift for the staff of BFLC. Designated contributions received are redistributed in proportion to the regular pay of each staff member. If you would like to contribute to the staff gift between now and Christmas Eve, you may indicate the purpose and amount on the front of the Other area on the face of a regular contribution envelope or indicate your purpose in the Memo section of a check. Finance Committee Bylaw Changes Bylaw change proposal gives the congregation better visibility of each council members term and ensures the congregation can re-elect them for a second term if so desired. Changes to Bylaw and are listed below: Bylaw Annual Meeting Addition - Vice President shall submit a written report outlining council members service dates and when they are eligible for re-election. Bylaw Election of Officers Addition -The Council Members willing to serve a second term must be re-elected at an annual meeting. IT S BACK! Book Stew is scheduled for February 19-March 12, A collection box is in the fellowship hall. THANK YOU!

7 Young Adults: Come join our Young Adults as we connect, fellowship and grow deeper in our knowledge, love and desire to serve the Lord in our lives. The group meets at Sedra and Kathryn s house on Tuesdays 7-8:30pm. We will be Studying Paul s letter to the ROMANS. For details, please connect with the church office. Black Forest Cares says a hearty thank you for so generously donating food, turkeys, and monetary donations for our families this Thanksgiving. They are very grateful!

8 Black Forest Cares Needs Restocking Cereal Spaghetti Sauce Spaghetti Noodles Ramen Canned Vegetables Canned Fruit Spaghettios Soup Cards Recycling Program What do you do with all those beautiful Christmas cards sent to you? What about all the sample cards from organizations wanting a donation? Do you feel sad throwing out lovely birthday and anniversary cards you ve received? Well, they can now be recycled. BFLC will be collecting them (look for the box in the Fellowship Hall) and sending them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children for its Recycled Card Program. St. Jude s turns the cards into new cards and sells them in packets. All occasion cards are accepted; birthday, anniversary, thank you, get well, holiday, etc. You can be of great help if you remember the following: Size preferred is 5 x7 or smaller; Hallmark, Disney and American Greeting cards are not accepted; and the backside of the card front must be clear of writing. If you have any questions, please see Chris Cooper.

9 Sunday, Dec. 25 & Jan. 1 we will be having one service at 10:30a. Christmas Eve Candlelight Services 3:30, 5:30, 7:30 Poinsettia Sign-up A sign-up will be posted on bulletin board. If you would like to help defray the $10 cost, please make a check out to BFLC with a notation in the memo line poinsettia and put in offering plate. You can denote the name of a loved one you wish to dedicate or remember on the sign-up sheet. The plants may be picked up following the 7:30p Christmas Eve service.

10 Didi in Germany (Didi auf Deutschland) Missionary Didi Panzo recently spent some time in Germany, as the guest of Lutheran congregations in Bavaria. It was a time for him to share about his work in the DRC and for the Germans to express their support for those in need. Didi participated in several well attended services, presented in both English and German. The Global Lutheran Forum was one of the organizations that helped bring this about. Didi explained about the poverty and domestic violence, brought about by alcohol and drug addiction, as well as his efforts to help more than a dozen orphans daily. There was a positive response from both the leaders and the congregation as they have a chance to hear, firsthand, about life and missions in the Congo. It was a good opportunity for Christians of different countries to come together. Part of the messages of the visit was We cannot serve two masters. (Wir können nicht zwei Herren dienen.) Didi is now back in Boma and Serafina will be joining him early in December. Please pray for the safety of them as well as those they serve. December Wedding Anniversaries Tom & Lorraine Wallace 6 Jim & Tina Patch 9 Rives & Jan Duncan 17 Jim & Martha Johnston 20 Tom & Ardie Paulsen 22 John & Angelique Spadaro 28 Mickey & Cindy Bannister 29 Bruce & Laura Betts 29 Jeff & Wesley Clifton 30 Mike & Mary Nifong 30

11 Dec. 3 Dec. 4 Dec. 9 Dec. 11 Dec. 17 Dec. 18 Christmas Tea Assembling Elder Bags Posada Cantata Confirmation Make-up Day Christmas Pageant HABITAT FOR HUMANITY APOSTLES BUILD This year Thrivent and the local Lutheran Churches have joined other churches in Colorado Springs to build a home for the Rodriguez-Cruz family in the Fountain area. Construction is set to begin November 19 th and projected to be completed in July, Two churches are being assigned each Saturday to provide volunteer help. Other weekday sessions are available if interested. Black Forest Lutheran Church is scheduled for two Saturdays. They are March 11 th and May 13 th. As in the past there will be a morning session and an afternoon session. Each church is asked to provide 5 workers for each session. A sign-up sheet will be provided in the fellowship hall after the new year or contact Ray Sherrier at ray.sherrier@gmail.com. Further information available will be forth coming. The ground blessing for our habitat home will be Saturday, November 19 at 2 PM. The address is 203 Red Finch Ln.

12 Results of Mosaic s Fundraiser Event About ten members of Black Forest Lutheran attended Mosaic s fundraising breakfast on Oct 25 attended by 144 people. We recently learned of the generous outpouring of support for this ministry that works with adults with intellectual disabilities. The event was a big success, raising $96,000 (goal was $75,000) in cash and pledges. We thank the congregation for supporting this local ministry with their donations. Mosaic traces its roots back to Martin Luther Homes in Nebraska. Nationally, Mosaic is a faith-based organization serving more than 3,700 people with intellectual disabilities in 36 agencies located in 10 states. They believe that every individual is a person of worth. Together Mosaic staff members, volunteers and the people they support work as partners providing services that are personalized to their wants and needs. Today, our local agency serves 103 people looking for a life of possibilities. Mosaic is currently seeking more volunteers (PR/social media, grant writers, planners, tutors) as well as ambassadors who help others learn more about Mosaic. To learn more, go to: or just chat with Linda Sherrier, Mary Montie, or David Reily all members of the Social Ministries Committee Flower Chart is up on the bulletin board in the narthex. Senior Social Will resume in January, 2017 Sunday, January 1 Worship is at 10:30a

13 OUR STAFF Pastor - Kenneth D. Hohag Director of Ministries - Jan Duncan Youth & Ed Director - Sedra Fitahiana Raz Administrative Assistant - Lisa Regennitter Organist - Barbara Gurnett Senior Choir Director - Melanie Hohag Ministers - All Members Weekday Hours 9:00am-2:00pm OUR HOURS Tuesday-Friday (Closed Mondays) Sunday Hours Phone: Fax: bflc@bflchurch.org Web site: bflchurch.org SUNDAY WORSHIP SUNDAY SCHOOL SUMMER WORSHIP 8:00 & 10:30 a.m. 9:30 am (September - May) 9:00 am (June August) Contemporary Worship Schedule 8:00 & 10:30 am 1 st Sunday of each Month 10:30 am - 3 rd Sunday of each Month Communion is offered at all services. OUR MISSION Our mission is to reach out to the world with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ through worship, education, service and witness.