Redeemer Lutheran Church January 2019 To Live and Tell the Story of Jesus Pastor Ponderings

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1 Redeemer Lutheran Church January 2019 To Live and Tell the Story of Jesus Pastor Ponderings Pastor Ann s Ponderings And you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel. Matthew 2:6 When we see children involved in worship or activities through the church where does our mind travel? In our senior years, children remind us of our own childhood memories. Their youthful energy and budding life may move us into thinking about the future. What will they see and do that we will not be around to experience? Whenever I prepare for worship on Christmas Eve, I know there will be a larger number of young people present. Extended families attending together and people from out of town who come to return to the church they knew as a child. Each year as I prepare for worship, I wonder what it is people will take away as they leave and go out into their daily lives. It is my hope that each person experiences God s love and a sense of hope and peace. When I looked up during worship as we moo d and baa d and said that followed the star in the sky I saw smiles and joy and some eye rolling and I knew the people found themselves in the center of the Christmas story. Participating in it as if it could be a story we live today. Some may have been touched by your handshake or word of Hello as you greeted them upon arrival. Others may have been moved by the light of the candles and the singing of Silent Night or the service of the many who helped that day. Worship is to be an EXPERIENCE in which the assembly participates in the story of God s expansive, abundant grace and love in the here and now. Rio is likely akin to Bethlehem in size and lesser known status. Yet, it is a place like Rio, God was manifested to the world. Let us continue to look to the wisdom which arises from the unexpected, from the young, from the aged, from a small city like Rio and may we continue to tell the story to a world who more than ever needs to hear it and experience it for themselves. We may tell it in new ways maybe in technological ways to engage our younger population and others too, yet touch and face to face engagement will continue to be vital. Let us invite others, let us tell people about our Star gift word we received Christmas Eve and tell how God is working in and through us. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Matthew 2:10-11 In the joy of the Lord, Pastor Ann

2 From the Pine Ridge Retreat Center. We received the following Thank You from twenty moms who were helped with the diaper donations. Hello; I would like to thank you for helping the Pine Ridge Reservation. There s a lot of elders and single parents trying to get by. By you donating diapers it helps multiple families! Know sometimes it was diapers or food for my family. So knowing this place has the diaper ministry gives me as a mom a relief. Knowing I am welcomed there! So I thank you for your donation. You will forever be in our prayers. Thank you! Their Thank you card will be on the bulletin board across from the office Let us all welcome our new organist Humility Wynn to our Church Family! Humility s first service will be Sunday, January 6th. Please make sure to greet her and make her feel welcome if you get the opportunity. She will be sharing the organist schedule with Claudine Hanson. A Big Thank you to Claudine for taking over for the Holiday Season. We appreciate her hard work and practice to help enhance each Service held.

3 Celebrating Advent At Redeemer Lutheran Church Thank you from Pastor Ann My dining room table is covered with Christmas greeting cards received from so many of you, all with well wishes and many came along with gifts. My heart receives these with joy and a sense of great blessing. You are a people with such generous hearts. I also thank you for the gift given by the whole community of Redeemer of money and a new leatherbound hymnal for use on visits and as a personal resource. Both are a blessing and a treasured gift from all of you. With this, it is my hope, we can further encourage a culture throughout Redeemer of acknowledging those who serve and giving thanks through gifts and words of affirmation and recognition as well as a handshake. Everyone can feel forgotten and that their work goes unnoticed. Every person is buoyed by encouragement which reveals the love of God, given through the church. We have so many that serve here in ways often unseen or forgotten. I am still learning of ways people serve. Thank you again for all that you do to further the mission of the church and show the love of Christ. You truly are a blessing!

4 From the Treasurer As 2018 draws to a close, we reflect on the year and events that have happened in our own lives and in the world around us but we especially reflect on the Advent Season and Christmas and how it affects each and every one of us. I can say that the final number for Redeemer's shortfall for 2018 was $ We pray that after having our listening sessions this number will be less next year and our real hope is that we don't have a shortfall at all for Redeemer's Stewardship Team is going to be looking at the use of personal envelopes to give our money. It has been suggested that people feel more ownership in giving their money to the church if they have their own envelopes to do that. If anyone has any ideas in this area please feel free to contact the church office. Our annual meeting for Redeemer will be held January 27, 2019 after our church service. We pray that all feel this meeting is important enough to attend so all may be heard. Talking about our church and issues that affect it, such as money, are never an easy conversation. If we follow Jesus and do God's work in our church then we should all feel the best is yet to come. Our council prays that all Redeemer's members have a happy and healthy Please keep your council, Pastor, staff and all members in your prayers. In God's service, Bonnie G. Pribbenow-Paddock Redeemer Treasurer January Birthdays January Anniversaries Kelsey Wismar January 2nd Jim Lois Dott January 5th Edna Pribbenow January 12th Tom Gayle Krueger January 16th Donna Kearney January 13th Jerry Beverly Stankiewics January 20th Kathy Johnson January 13th Scott Laurie Olson January 26th Debbie Reierson January 19th Ben Wisman January 22nd David Hinzman January 23rd Kristie Falk January 24th Arline Bradley January 25th Marilyn Rowley January 29th

5 Approved Minutes REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING NOVEMBER 19, :30 p.m. Present: Kevin Stoddard, Debbie Reierson, Bonnie Pribbenow-Paddock, Darlene Cutsforth, Pastor Ann Walsvik. Late: Steve Gilbert, Renee Miles - excused. Absent: Brenda Price, Sherri Kranz excused. Meeting was called to order by President Kevin Stoddard at 6:37 p.m. Approve Agenda Bonnie Pribbenow-Paddock made a motion to approve the agenda with the addition of: Move correspondence and/or Guest Comments to beginning of meeting. Seconded by Darlene Cutsforth. Motion carried. Corresondence and/or Guest Comments: Marilyn Rowley came to let the council know that she is resigning from counting money from church services. Someone else is needed to do this starting in February We thanked Marilyn for her time serving the church in this capacity. She also thought that we should go back to using offering envelopes for each family. Devotions were given by Bonnie Pribbenow-Paddock. Kevin Stoddard will have devotions for Dec. Spiritual Development Pastor Ann led a discussion of Chapter 10 from a book called Called by Mark Labberton. It is a book about the crisis and promise of following Jesus today. We are to read the epilogue for our next meeting. Review and Approve Minutes from 10/15/18; 10/19/18; 11/7/18; 11/8/18 Debbie Reierson made a motion to approve the 10/15/18 minutes; and the electronic meeting minutes from 10/19/18 Admin. Ads; 11/7/18 New Admin.; and 11/8/18 Leadership Conf. $99. from Bennett, minutes. Seconded by Darlene Cutsforth. Motion carried. Financial Reports for October, 2018: General Fund - $ short money taken from Memorial Fund Flexible Spending Bennett Mutual Fund Memorial Fund Motion was made by Bonnie P. Paddock to approve financial reports for October, Seconded by Pastor Ann Walsvik. Motion carried. Standing Committee Reports Property - Written report WELCA Written report Social Concerns - Written report Page 2 Redeemer November 19, 2018 minutes Lay ministry Not actively meeting Outreach Darlene Cutsforth gave a verbal report Stewardship Stewardship and Finance Team are working on 2019 budget. Education - Sprouts, Elem. Age and Confirmation Motion was made by Darlene Cutsforth to approve standing committee reports. Seconded by Bonnie Pribbenow- Paddock. Motion carried. Pastor s Report Pastor Ann gave a verbal report. Old Business: Status of 2019 Spending Plan A letter went out to members of the congregation letting them know about our finances. There will be an informal congregational meeting after church on Sunday, Dec. 2 to discuss our financial status.

6 Status of Listening for Wisdom Ideas Bonnie Pribbenow-Paddock will be going over the comments from our listening for wisdom session and will let us know her assessment. Status of Administrative Assistant Position A new Administrative Assistant has been hired. Her name is Susan Pulver and she began working on Monday, November 12, Status of Staff Annual Reviews All reviews have been completed. All staff reviews for 2019 will be done in September. New Business: Add Senior Care Info to our Website This item is tabled until our next meeting. Debbie Reierson will check on this company. Review Part Time Minister Info Council members were given a copy of part time minister information for our perusal. Assign Each Staff Member a Council Member A motion was made by Bonnie Pribbenow-Paddock that staff members could contact any of the Council Executive Committee members if they have a concern. Seconded by Steve Gilbert. M.C. Kevin Stoddard will send an /letter to all staff members letting them know who the executive committee members are. Switch All Staff to Calendar Year A motion was made by Steve Gilbert to switch all staff to calendar year (January-December). Seconded by Darlene Cutsforth. Motion carried. Page 3 - Redeemer November 19, 2018 minutes Approve Susan Pulver, New Church Administrative Assistant, to sign checks Motion was made by Steve Gilbert to approve having new Administrative Assistant, Susan Pulver, be an authorized signer on Redeemer Lutheran Church bank accounts. Seconded by Debbie Reierson. Motion carried. Thanksgivings: Thanks to Marilyn Rowley for all her years of service counting money on Monday s. Thank you to Louise Meske for being available here on Wednesdays to teach Elementary kids. Thank you to the Memorial Fund team for all their work. We are very appreciative of those on the Outreach team for all the work that they do. Adjourn/Closing Prayer: Motion was made by Darlene Cutsforth to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Steve Gilbert. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m., followed by the Lord s Prayer. Dates to Remember: Informal Congregational Meeting, Sunday, December 2, 2018 Next Council Meeting: Monday, December 17, 2018 Debbie Reierson Council Secretary

7 JanuaryAltar Guild * January 6th January 13th January 20th January 27th January Volunteer Schedule Communion Assistants Greeters Ushers Hosts Reader Acolyte Mary Gray Mary Gray Melanie Marilyn Gilbert Rowley Adah/Esther Circle Nancy Drehmel Scott Olson Mya Ross Nancy Wescott Sherri Kranz Cliff Kathy Johnson Kit Schmidt Barb VohAhsen Kristi Fehrman Anna Benisch Lauri Porter Darlene Cutsforth Dean Toni Roberts Kit Schmidt Connor Patterson Larry Gorman Geri Gorman Darcy Kevin Stoddard Bob Risgaard Ashley Laufenberg

8 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat :00 pm Sprouts Confirmation Group at Hometown Café 7:00 pm AA :00 am Worship/ 1:00 pm Quilting 6:30 pm Property Meeting 7:00 pm Mary Circle 1:30pm Ruth Circle 6:00 pm Sprouts 7:30 pm Deborah Circle Group at Hometown Café 1:30 pm Adah/ Esther Circle 13 9:00 am Worship/ :00 pm Quilting :15 pm Bells 6:00 pm Sprouts Confirmation 6:45 pm Choir Group, Hometown Cafe 10:30 am Covenant House 11:00 Covenant House Worship 7:00 pm AA :00 am Worship/ 1:00 pm Quilting 6:30 pm Council Meeting 2:00 pm Columbia County Healthcare Worship 5:15 pm Bells 6:00 pm Sprouts 6:45 pm Choir Group at Hometown Café 7:00 pm AA :00 am Worship/ Annual Meeting after church service 1:00 pm Quilting 5:15 pm Bells 6:00 pm Sprouts Confirmation 6:45 pm Choir Group at Hometown Café 7:00 pm AA