Welcome to worship at... December 23, 2018 509-483-4218 www.holycrosslcms.net 7307 N. Nevada, Spokane WA
As We Gather This Morning... The Lord s Supper is celebrated in our 11 a.m. service this morning. For those who prefer, non-alcoholic (white) Communion wine is in the center cups on the individual cup trays and gluten-free wafers are available. We believe in the real presence of Christ s body and blood in and with the bread and wine for the forgiveness of our sin in this meal. Visitors and guests who are baptized believers in Jesus, who share this belief in the body and blood of Jesus present in this meal, and who consider themselves in fellowship with us including what we believe and teach at Holy Cross are invited to join us in this Sacrament. For those who have not had opportunity to learn about this or who do not share this faith, we invite you to join us in song and prayer during that portion of the service. Youth and children are welcome to come to the rail for a blessing. We offer confirmation and early communion instruction to prepare them to receive this Sacrament. We also invite you to speak with Pastor Mike to learn more. The Lord s Supper is also served every week in our 7 p.m. service and the bread is gluten-free and homemade. Serving Holy Cross Are... Large-print worship folders and earphones are available from an usher. Please silence your cell phone prior to the service. Blue Prayer Request cards in the pews may be filled out and handed to an usher prior to our morning s prayers or placed in offering plate. All visitors are invited to complete a Guest Welcome Card also. Welcome, children! Child-friendly worship folders and Activity Bags are available from the ushers. Thank you for returning the bag and crayons for future use! We love having kids in the service, but if your little one needs attention, an usher can direct you to our Quiet Room (speakers and a window will help you follow the service) or to our unstaffed nursery. Pastor... Rev. Mike Von Behren Visitation Elder...Mark Werfelmann Accompanists...Debi McBride, Heather Selset, Linda Stein Choir Director...Sharon Rancour Bell Choir Director...Heather Selset Office Administrators...Susan Comi & Taresa Hackett Business Manager...Terry Whitney Son Shine Preschool Lead Teacher.. Katie Holtzheimer 2
Welcome to Worship today... Our Worship Services Today: 8 a.m. Divine Service 2, with a Children s Message 11 a.m. Praise Team Led Service with the Lord s Supper 7 p.m. Spirit & Truth Service with the Lord s Supper Each week our worshippers normally participate in three distinct styles of worship. The 8 a.m. service is organ & piano led from the hymnal liturgies. The 11 a.m. service is piano or praise team led incorporating both hymnal and contemporary music. The 7 p.m. service is casual, contemporary, & non-liturgical. The same message from God s word is shared at all three. At 9:30 a.m. we offer Bible Studies and Sunday school for all ages. Adults: A Mind Set on Things Above meets in the Fellowship Hall. A small group study on the Book of Acts, led by David Snyder meets in the Adult Ed room. Junior and Senior High Youth meet in the youth room for Bible Study. Pre-school 6th grade: meet in the double classroom down by the Fellowship Hall for Sunday School opening before we split into our different age groups. Special Worship Schedule... Christmas Eve: 5 p.m. Family Worship with Children s Message and candlelight closing 7 p.m. Family Worship with Choir & Bells, Children s message and candlelight closing 11 p.m. Worship with the Lord s Supper and candlelight closing Christmas Day: 10 a.m. Worship with Choir Sunday December 30th: 10 a.m. Carol Sing with Christmas cookie fellowship to follow (Only one morning service and no Sunday School or adult Bible study) 7 p.m. Spirit and Truth New Year s Eve: 7 p.m. Holden Evening Prayer Service Jesus Is Here! In our prayers... All those who are traveling over the Christmas holidays. The missionaries we partner to support 3
News This Week... Coffee Needed for Fellowship Time: Our kitchen is running low on coffee (both regular and decaf) so if you would like to donate, please bring in a large container of Folger s coffee and leave it on the counter in the kitchen. Thanks. Mark Your Calendars Now: Shoshone Mountain Retreat (part of Lutherhaven Ministries) is adding on to their kitchen and dining hall. Holy Cross is putting together a team to help in the construction from May 19-24, 2019. Experienced and non-experienced workers are welcome. RV sites are available for reservation and we will have use of one of the bunk buildings. Meals will be provided and there may be a small fee of $30. For more details contact Art Ellwanger at 710-8425. Son Shine Preschool A mission outreach of Holy Cross to our community. The Preschool is on Christmas break. We currently have 17 students enrolled and there is still some space available. Pick up a registration form, call the office, or Check out our website: www.sonshineearlychildhoodcenter.com Friends of Son Shine Preschool is still looking for volunteers. Do you enjoy connecting with kids and families and being part of an exciting outreach to our community? We need a few volunteers to help with Son Shine, no more than an hour or two a week, prepping snacks, cutting projects or helping with special events. There is a sign-up sheet on the round table in the narthex if you are interested. Sunday December 23 Monday December 24 Tuesday December 25 Wednesday December 26 8am: Worship 9:30 am: Sunday School 11 am: Worship (Communion) 7 pm: Spirit & Truth Service (Communion) 5 pm: Candlelight Worship 7 pm: Candlelight Worship 11 pm: Candlelight Worship with Communion 10 am: Christmas Day Service 10:30 am: Royal Park Devotions Bible Readings For This Week Psalm 22 Isaiah 43-45 Psalm 23 Isaiah 46-48 Psalm 24 Isaiah 49-51 Psalm 25 Isaiah 52-54 4
News This Week... Support Group for Adoptee and Foster Families: led by Ben and Lindsay Anderson in partnership with A Child s HOPE Spokane. Their next meeting is Jan. 12th, from 9:30-11 a.m. Thank you to all who have volunteered to care for the children during these gatherings. Questions about the group contact Ben Anderson at benjamin.r.anderson@gmail.com. Interested in helping with childcare email Pastor Mike at mvonbehren@holycrosslcms.net Ten Talent Refugee family needs some help: One of the families in our Ten Talent house, from Mexico, currently works for a company that is moving from downtown to Spokane Valley and bus transportation to work will no longer be available. She is in need of either a car or a new job. She is bilingual (English & Spanish) and would be a great asset to a company. If you know of any help, please contact Art Ellwanger at 710-8425 or Becky Lucke at 710-7410. Thank You Notes from various groups that use our facility are on the kiosk. If you have a chance, stop by and read some of them. Often times the notes come with donations for allowing them to use our facility. This past week we received one from all the families that are part of one of the homeschool groups and it had a very generous donation and some lovely sentiments. These groups are all very appreciative of our congregation. Thank You! To all who baked and provided cookies for after the Children s Christmas Program last Sunday. And a special thank you to Mike and Betty Donahue for setting up and cleaning up afterwards. Happy Birthday Jesus!! Thursday December 27 Friday December 28 Saturday December 29 Sunday December 30 6 am: Men s Group 10am: Worship (Communion) There is no Adult Ed or Sunday School classes today. 7 pm: Spirit & Truth Service (Communion) Psalm 26 Isaiah 55-57 Psalm 27 Isaiah 58-60 Psalm 28 Isaiah 61-63 Psalm 29 Isaiah 64-66 5
Youth... Youth in Grades 7-12: We want to welcome you to join our Sunday morning Bible Class in the Youth Room & all of our upcoming activities. The 2019 LCMS National Youth Gathering is July 11-16, in Minneapolis. Call Ben (586)-612-8779 or Lindsay (614)-208-1639 with questions. Middle School & Confirmation Youth: Confirmation classes resume on Wednesday January 9 at 6:30 pm. Don t forget to take some sermon notes this Christmas season and work on any missing memory work. News for this Week... Cross My Art Schedule: Please be sure to pick up a 2018-2019 brochure and find a class and invite a friend to join you. Sign up online or through the church office. We have a fused glass Night Lights class in February; an Alcohol Ink Cards class and Watercolor Workshop both in March. And there are more. Check it out! GLOW (God s Light on Women): is currently on break for the Christmas holidays and we ll pick up again on Friday, January 12. This is Bible Study for women that meets on Fridays at 9:30 a.m. Come and share the journey with us! Thank You For Serving in Worship... 8 a.m. 11 a.m. Acolytes: Volunteer Needed Lillie Whitney & Vonn Schmook Duty Assistant: ~ ~ ~ ~ Jay Sorenson Lay Readers: Diane Zemke Kay Hilt Ushers: Paul & Marjie Wiersma The Sievers Family Greeters: Bev Newell Alan Meyers Sound System: John Rancour Lee Selset Organist/Pianist: Linda Stsein Heather Selset 6
News for This Week... The Bethlehem Tree is set up every year with tags from people in Northeast Spokane who need some assistance at Christmas and may not have any gifts without the generosity of others. Thank you for sharing the joy of Christ Jesus with others this holiday season! Photo Wall Pictures: Is your picture missing from our Photo Wall? Maybe you would like to update your current picture on the wall. Our resident photographer, Mike Donahue, will be outside the Fellowship Hall taking pictures between services TODAY, Sunday, December 23. Branches Young Adult Bible Study Group will start meeting on Sunday mornings at 9:30 (during Bible class hour) beginning January 20 in the music room. Snow Removal needs will be here before you know it. There is a sign-up sheet on the round table in the narthex. Sign up to take a week and see if we get snow on your week. If so, just come in the morning to clear all sidewalks around the church and preschool entrances. Musicfest Northwest is looking for volunteers. Musicfest Northwest Festival is a week long event in May for young musicians, dancers and artists to compete and we have some of our young people from Holy Cross that are involved. There are a variety of jobs of varying dedication level that need more volunteers. If you are interested, please contact Musicfest at 327-3455 or email Musicfest@smfnw.org. 2019 Offering Envelopes were recently placed in your box in the narthex. If you did not receive one and would like to, please call the office and let us know and you will have envelopes the next week. We appreciate you taking theses envelopes home to make room in your box for other items. LifeLight starts back up week of January 7: we will begin our new LifeLight Bible studies on the books of James & Jude. Classes will be offered on Mondays at 7 p.m., Tusdays at 10 a.m., or Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Sign-up sheets are on the round table in the narthex and can be placed in the basket on the same table. Books will be available by next week. The DELLS (Dinner Early, Late Lunch Set) is a group that meets at 2:30 p.m. on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at Applebees and on the 4th Wednesday of each month at Olive Garden. All are welcome so join us. Poinsettia: There s still time to order a Poinsettia, but today is the last day. There are order forms out on the round oak table in the Narthex. Please place forms in the basket provided. Thank you. 7
Next Sunday, December 30. Acolytes: Duty Assistant: Lay Readers: Ushers: Greeters: Sound System: Organist: 10 a.m. Natalie Clay Jim Clay Mike Faulkenberry Mike & Jacki-joan Shannon Alan Meyers John Rancour Linda Stein Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12 The Lutheran Hour: "The King s Strength" Speaker: Dr. Dean Nadasdy (Luke 2:27-32) As the year come to a close, we likely have regrets and guilt. We can beat ourselves up over work left undone, but Jesus Christ has assured us that He is your hope. His grace is more than sufficient to take us into another year and give us peace Our Response to God s Gracious Love... Contact Info... Phone: 509-483-4218 Pastor Mike Von Behren: mvonbehren@holycrosslcms.net Office Administrators, Susan Comi & Taresa Hackett: secretary@holycrosslcms.net or scomi@holycrosslcms.net Business Manager, Terry Whitney: finance@holycrosslcms.net Son Shine Preschool Teacher, Katie Holtzheimer: director.sonshine@holycrosslcms.net Prayer Chain, Barbara Ammons: 328-0213 Hear The Lutheran Hour on... KTBI 810 AM 8:00 a.m. Sundays KTRW 630 AM 8:00 am., Sundays Also online, MP3, podcast at www.lhm.org Last Sunday s Attendance (8am + 11am + 7pm= Total): 128+151+19=298 Last Sunday s Offering: $8,594.84 Last Sunday s Living Stones Offering: $305.00 Attendance Wednesday, December 5 (noon+7 pm=total): 28+91=119 Offering Wednesday, December 5: $270.00 2019 Flower Chart is now up in the narthex! Please check it out and sign up to bring flowers in memory or in honor of that special date or special someone. Or...just bring flowers for a normal Sunday morning. This is a great way to beautify our church and altar on a regular basis. Office Hours Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday: 8 a.m. to 12 noon