The Visitor. Merry Christmas from the Staff of MLC! Join Us! Vol. 44-No. 23 December 24, 2013

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1 The Visitor Vol. 44-No. 23 December 24, 2013 A publication of Morningside Lutheran Church, Sioux City, Iowa Merry Christmas from the Staff of MLC! From left: Zack Skokan, Custodian; Kathy Yoder, Children s Ministry Director; Paul Andell, Associate Pastor; Judy Kane, Administrative Assistant; Charity Koehler, Director of Music Ministries; Barb Baker, Administrator; Kim Mathers, Communications Specialist; Darrin Vick, Senior Pastor; Jim Ewoldt, Custodian; Charity Peterson, Contemporary Music Coordinator; Paul Peterson, Senior High Youth Director; Tom LoVan, Associate Pastor. Join Us!

2 Ac k n o w l e d g e m e n t s Food Drive Thank you to our generous congregation for supporting the Thanksgiving food drive. More than $3,600 was donated and will go a long way to feeding the hungry in our local area through the Food Bank of Siouxland, the Center for Siouxland, and the Gospel Mission. Social Concerns Sympathy To the members of Morningside Lutheran Church, the pastors and the staff, thank you for the many expressions of sympathy, cards, calls and memorials we received following the death of our brother, Al Herbold. Your kindness is deeply appreciated. Don and Judy Herbold Christmas Celebration Events What a wonderful Christmas presentation surprise! Thank you MLC youth choirs for your joyful songs; they were so sweet! Thank you Christmas Carol actors, crew, director and the two chickens; the sets were extraordinary and the sound audible. Thank you for the adult choir for their voices raised to our King. Thank you for the tasty cookies and delightful gingerbread setting. Praise be to Him! Marcia Hovland Thank You Many thanks to the team of 12 men who came out Wednesday, Dec. 18, to set up our nativity scene on Gordon Drive. It looks great! Pastor Paul 2013 A Christmas Carol another MLC Hit A near capacity crowd filled the gym Dec. 15 for another entertaining MLC rendition of A Christmas Carol. Special thanks to Jerry Houpt, Scrooge, and the entire cast of 40 persons for their wonderful performances. New this year was a Scrooge office set, and an impressive Scrooge bedroom fireplace and large window created by Ray Monlux with the carpentry help of Vern Brown, Gary Judd and Louie Sager. During the play, Jerry actually walked through the window with the spirits of Christmas! The inclusion of chickens, donated by Ken Gard, for the street scenes was well received by children and adults alike! Pastor Paul was director. M L C by t h e N u m b e r s Budget: Ministries of MLC $US YTD as of 11/30/12 YTD as of 11/30/13 Giving 965,266 1,019,075 Less Exp.: 951,483 1,079,310 Net 13,783 (60,235) While MLC s YTD 2013 giving has increased by 5.6% over that of 2012, our expenses have increased by 13.4%. Attendance Worship Sunday School 2013 YTD Average Dec Dec. 15 1,190 N/A Attendance at worship and Sunday school over the past two weeks was 12% higher and 19% lower, respectively, than our average attendance for Giving $US Worship Sunday School 2013 YTD Average 19, Dec. 8 20, Dec ,238 N/A We appreciate your continuing support through your giving! O u r C h u r c h Fa m i ly Hospitalizations Unity Point (St. Luke s): Mercy: Rachel Storm Karen Newan Diane Dekok Mike Miller Baptisms Paisley Ann Patrick Roth and Gaige Austin Bennett Roth, daughter and son of Stuart and Marisa (Hirschman) Roth were brought to the Lord in Baptism. We pray that God will richly bless and guide them in the years ahead as they grow in their Christian faith.

3 C h o o s e J oy Morningside Lutheran presents Choose Joy, an event at which women can learn to experience the joy of Jesus in their lives. Join us from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the sanctuary to begin your journey of sharing your life with others an intentional journey, a journey to deepen your faith and build relationships, a journey to choose Jesus to Choose Joy. There is no cost, and we encourage you to bring a friend or two. F i n a n c i a l P e a c e U n i v e r s i t y MLC will offer Financial Peace University, a 9-week course that will teach you to achieve financial peace and learn to manage your finances in a biblical way. The course features videos by Dave Ramsey that will help you learn to take control of your money, invest for the future and give like never before. Kelly and Eric Hoak will lead the program, which will be held weekly on Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 6:30 in the kitchen lounge. Classes start on January 5, You will need course materials, so we urge you to register in advance. You may do so online by going to Morningside Lutheran s website at morningsidelutheran.com. Using the menus at the top of the page, click on Resources, then tools. From here, you will be guided to the Morningside Lutheran registration page on Dave Ramsey s site. If you need help registering, please contact the church office. Ye a r - E n d G i v i n g As 2013 draws to a close, MLC s financial picture for the year comes into clearer focus. We are grateful that, as illustrated in the MLC by the Numbers table on Page 2, offerings for 2013 have been very generous. On a less positive note, our expenses have increased by 13% over those of As year s end approaches, so does your window for making donations that can be deducted on your 2013 taxes. One fast, easy way to give is through our online method. Scan the code at left with your smart phone to get started. Should you decide to write a check, it must be delivered or mailed (and postmarked) on or by Dec. 31, 2013 for you to claim your offering as a charitable donation deduction for Checks written in December 2013 and placed in the church offering during a 2014 worship service or postmarked for 2014 will not qualify as a 2013 charitable deduction. As always, thank you for your generosity! W h at Wo u l d J e s u s D o? Learn how Jesus used assertiveness to cope with daily life. MLC is offering five classes on Christian Assertiveness on Sundays January 12 through February 9 at 10:40 am in the Fireside Room. Please register in advance in the church office as there will be a accompanying paperback book. Hope to see you there! Marcia Hovland, Instructor MLC celebrated Christmas with events throughout the day on Sunday, Dec. 15. Left: The children s choir performed and ministered at all three regular services. Center: MLC s production of A Christmas Carol featured a cast of more than 40. Right: Celebration Choir performs What Sweeter Music, a festival of carols.

4 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 5 5:00 Financial Peace University 12 10:40 What Would Jesus Do? 5:00 Financial Peace Unversity 19 9:30-10:30 Budget Forums 10:40 What Would Jesus Do? 5:00 Financial Peace University 6:30 Agape Circle 26 9:30-10:30 Budget Forums 10:40 What Would Jesus Do? 11:00-12:30 Roast Beef Dinner 12:30 Annual Meeting 5:00 Financial Peace University 6 5:30 Worship & Creative Arts Team 6:45 Social Concerns Team 13 5:30 Finance Team 5:30 Multicultural Team 5:30 Christian Ed Team 5:30 Youth Team 7:00 Council 20 7:00 Rachel Circle :30 Morning Glories Quilting (Tying) 5:30 Parish Fellowship 5:30 Prison Team Mtg. 14 8:30 Morning Glories Quilting (Tying) 7:00-8:00 Choose Joy 21 8:30 Morning Glories Quilting (Tying) 1:00 Sarah Circle 5:30 Care Core Team Mtg. 28 7:00-8:00 Choose Joy 1 NEW YEAR S DAY 8 CHURCH OFFICES AND BUILDINGS CLOSED NO Women s Bible Study 10:30 This & That 5:30 Evangelism Team 9 6:30 Property Team 16 9:30 Miriam Circle 1:00 Esther Circle 23 7:00 Altar Guild :00-8:30 Choose Joy Women s Retreat Men s Basketball No Men s Basketball No Men s Basketball 10:00-11:00 Choose Joy Men s Basketball

5 A Good Book for December Title: Twas the Night Before Author: Jerry B Jenkins Here s a quick read to get you in the spirit. Noella and Tom are engaged to be married, but they just aren t sure. She really believes in Santa Claus. This novel is much like the story The Gift of the Magi and you won t put it down until you come to the last few pages. Find it in F- 800 with other Christmas books. Tu e s d ay M o r n i n g T y i n g & S e w i n g The Tuesday morning tying and sewing group s accomplishments for 2013 include: 138 quilts to Lutheran World Missions 12 fabric kits 20 pounds of soap 7 quilts for the Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp Quilts to each of our high school graduates, Sun & Fun Senior group, Dialysis Center and anyone in need. The group extends a big thank you to all who have donated time, material, sheets, thread and good sewing machines, helping make this such a successful year for the group. January Caring & Sharing Following is the list of those who are on Caring and Sharing for January. You will be contacted if and when you are needed to help provide food. Pamela Anderson De Laine Barchinger Shelly Barto Diane Behrens Julie Breiner Sarah Colfack Dianne Dorale Judy Enfield Julie foster Pat Fravel Nicole Garnand Doris George Lori Glade Nicole Goodwin Christina Gordon Ronelle Gordon Tiffany Gordon Roxanne Gould Della Grindberg Nancy Gutschow Tina Haar Tina Habeger Debra Hafits Vicki Hansel Nancy Hecht Valentine s Day Celebration Marcia Hovland Brenda Iwen Mari Jackson Michelle Jensen Sherri Johnson Sandy Jordan Pam Lapke Joan Lewis Lois Lubben Lisa Lupkes Joann McGuill Lori Mehlhaff Pamela Mellott Christy Miller Gina Mycka Sherry Nettleton Robbie Norby Roxanne Peters Sheila Plendl Lori Pruehs Shirley Schuett Deb Stiles Barbara Swanson Cynthia Swenson Delores Visser Mark your calendars for the Valentine s spaghetti dinner and dance on February 14th. Seating for dinner will start at 6:00 p.m., with the dance starting at 7:30. This will be held in the gym and cost will be a free-will donation.

6 Morningside Lutheran Church 700 South Martha Street Sioux City, Iowa Address Service Requested Periodical POSTAGE PAID Sioux City, Iowa The Visitor (USPS #708360) is a semi-monthly publication of Morningside Lutheran Church, 700 S. Martha St., Sioux City, IA 51106, ph. (712) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Visitor, Morningside Lutheran Church, 700 S. Martha St., Sioux City, IA An LCMC Congregation Office Hours Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Phone: (712) Fax: (712) Website: morningsidelutheran.com mlc@morningsidelutheran.com Church Staff Darrin Vick... Senior Pastor Tom LoVan... Associate Pastor Paul Andell... Associate Pastor Barb Baker... Administrator Charity Koehler... Director of Music Ministries Charity Peterson... Contemporary Music Coordinator Paul Peterson... Senior High Youth Director Kathy Yoder... Children's Ministries Director Kim Mathers... Communications Specialist Judy Kane... Administrative Assistant Jim Ewoldt... Custodian Zack Skokan... Custodian Lisa Coates... Preschool Director Julie Larson... Preschool Teacher Next Issue of The Visitor The deadline to submit articles for the Jan. 7 issue is Monday, Dec. 30th. Please submissions to Kim Mathers at kimmathers@morningsidelutheran.com. We reserve the right to revise copy. MLC s Mission To bring people into a relationship with Jesus Christ, which results in changing lives and a commitment to follow his example. Our Worship Schedule 8:00 am: Traditional Worship 9:30 am: Celebration Worship 11:00 am: Contemporary Worship 11:00 am: Multicultural Worship