THE KEY TO ST. PETER THE PARSON S PEN... Last Sunday the Christmas season of Advent began. Advent is a time of preparation for Christ s coming. We live between two advents: Advent I was Christ s first coming to the world through human birth as Mary s Son at Bethlehem, and Advent II is Christ s second coming in judgment on the last day. 80% of the world s 1.5 billion Christians observe the liturgical season of Advent in some way. Advent has been around since 490 A.D. when Perpetuus, Bishop of Tours, advocated fasting from St. Martin s day, November 11, to Christmas Eve. Sometime later Advent began the Sunday closest to St. Andrew s Day, November 30. The season can last anywhere from 22 to 28 days and is usually observed with some solemnity, its color being purple for penitence, or more recently, blue. Advent is always the time to prepare for Christ s coming. Among many Middle Eastern Christians, St. Barbara s Day, December 4, signals the beginning of the Christmas season. In Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and parts of Germany, St. Nicholas Day, December 6, begins Christmas festivities when shoes or stockings are set out to be filled with gifts for good children. Some Dutch people still gather to watch St. Nick s ship land in Amsterdam, then watch him ride off on his white horse. Obviously, a lot of this pageantry crossed over to America, except that our St. Nicholas arrives via the Macy s Thanksgiving Day Parade but doesn t deliver his gifts until December 24. Swedes wait until St. Lucy s Day, December 13, to commence their Christmas observances. Lucy, who died in Italy in 304 A.D., became a favorite among Scandinavian Christians in the eleventh century. Lucy s name comes from the Latin word lux (light). Her annual remembrance involves a girl from each household wearing a wreath of lingberry leaves and lighted candles on her head while coming down the stairway, and then serves the family breakfast. Advent II is a time of waiting, not just for Christmas, but especially for Christ s Second Coming. Our Lord Jesus came to be our Savior, and He will come again on Judgment Day at a time no one knows. Christians should be prepared by worshipping the Lord regularly, reading His Word often, and daily trusting Him for all things. Like Jesus parable of the Wise Young Maidens tells us, only those who are ready for the Lord will be invited into the Wedding Feast. Being ready means trusting God for all things at all times. Looking at the history of Advent as well as the future Advent, it is a very fitting thing for us to do as we are in transition from our old Sanctuary and await the construction of the new Worship facility. There are so many memories and it is important to hang on to those memories and traditions. This is part of the reason that we chose to go with our Children s Christmas program entitled Our Family Memories of Christmas. Some of you have been interviewed by children of the congregation while some of you have picked up the questionnaire to share with us some of your memories of Christmas. If you have not already done so, please turn them in soon so that we can remember many of the traditions that have been with us for so long. DECEMBER 2011 ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCH 906 Hwy 59 N. P. O. Box 133 Bowie, TX 76230 Phone: 940.872.1886 Fax: 940.872.8837 E-mail: stpetertexscty@att.net INSIDE THIS ISSUE: THE PARSON S PEN NEWSLETTER BIBLE STUDY / ST PETER COOKBOOK / KELSEY KNOBLOCH SERVING GOD S HOUSE / LWML TRICK OR TREAT PICTURES GROUNDBREAKING/ CHRISTMAS CAROLS KID S PAGE 6 DECEMBER CALENDAR ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS SERV. 1-2 2 3 4 5 7 8
Speaking of traditions, traditionally the children s program has been at 7 p.m. and closed the evening of Christmas Eve. This year, due to the limited seating in our temporary worship space, we are going to have the Christmas program at 6 p.m. with an additional Candlelight Service at 7:30 p.m. I am still working on that service but I plan on it containing readings from the Christmas narrative from the Gospels interspersed with our favorite Christmas hymns. It will close with Silent Night and candlelight just as the Children s Christmas program will. With our transition during the construction, there are many changes going on. We are short on space, there is aggravation and often some uneasiness as we try to do things like we have become accustomed to. Let s use this time to grow as a congregation. We should work with one another to help things go smoother, to learn to tolerate and get along better with one another. Get to know your fellow members of the body of Christ and always, always be ready to share the Gospel. Just because things are a little cramped does not mean that we can forget about evangelism during the construction. We have renewed opportunity to invite our friends and neighbors to worship with us because they are asking questions about why we took down the old sanctuary and where we are worshipping now. Use that opportunity to tell them about Jesus, to share your faith with them! One day we will all transition again. This time from Christ s church on earth to our heavenly home. We don t know the day or the hour but what a glorious day that will be! As we continue into this Advent season, let us look forward in great anticipation as we remember Jesus first coming as a child in Bethlehem, but with even greater anticipation to His second Advent when he comes again in His glory to carry us to our eternal home in heaven. Pastor K. BIBLE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES Pastor s Bible Study A Closer Look at the Lessons 9:30 a.m. - Sunday mornings Led by Pastor Knobloch Young Adults Bible Study Join the Young Adults Bible Study to explore scripture 9:45 a.m. Sunday mornings Led by Arn Anderson Wednesday Night Bible Study Study of Second Corinthians 7:00 p.m. (will meet again 1/4/12) at the Nelson Street House Led by Jim Atkinson Women s Bible Study Studying Ephesians Finding your identity and purpose in Christ 9:30 a.m. Thursday mornings at the Nelson Street House Led by Wanda Brummett Congratulations! to Mr. Kelsey Knobloch as he graduates from Texas Lutheran University on December 17 with a Bachelor s Degree in English ST. PETER LUTHERAN COOKBOOK The LWML is working on publishing a cookbook. We need your recipes! Pick up a form in the basket in the back of the church, turn them in to the church office or e-mail to revksfrau@yahoo.com. Recipe deadline is January 20. We also are in need of people to help type recipes into a easy to use form on line. If you would like to help with this project, please contact Cyndi at 872-2809.
PAGE 3 SERVING IN GOD S HOUSE IN DECEMBER Elder Kurt Roberts Counters Brent Husfeld, Art Noack, William Pickett Nursery 12/4 - Maci Ferguson & Monica Mayfield 12/11 - Rebecca Horton & Char Lasch 12/18 - Molly Atkinson & Cyndi Knobloch 12/25 - Sherry Hammer & Chanda Rhyne 1/1 - Valarie Gill & Dana Moeller Altar Guild - Rebecca Horton Altar Care-Wendy McCarty, Brenda Jones Lisa Lawson, Lynda Medley, Jo Kleinhans Lay Readers 12/4 - Bryan Roth 12/11 - Monty Moeller 12/18 - Arn Anderson 12/25 - Bob Aune 1/1 - William Pickett Acolytes 12/4 - Hattie Hammer & Marli Moeller 12/11 - Katie Jones & Will Jones 12/18 - Victoria Lasch & Shelby Horton 12/25 - Aubrey Gill & Lauren Gill 1/1 - Cade Roth & Grant Roth Lutheran Women s Mission League The LWML Christmas Party will be at the home of Glenda Roth, at 796 Roth Road on December 13th at 6:30 pm. Bring a snack or dessert. In lieu of the gift exchange this year bring a monetary gift to be sent to the Hope Center in Russia. If you have any questions or need directions to Glenda s, please call 872-5362. True Christian Christmas Christmas isn t showy gifts or glittering decoration; It s honoring our Savior, Jesus Christ in humble adoration. It s serving those less fortunate, meeting their needs before our own; It s making sure at Christmas time that no one is alone. It s taking what we would have spent on things that no one needs, And using it to help someone with service and good deeds. Our Savior showed us how to live with charity, faith and service. It makes the holidays a joy, more peaceful, and less nervous. So let s remember Christmas is about our Savior s birth; That s the way to happiness, the way to peace on earth. By Joanne Fuchs
A group of members got together on Saturday, October 30 for some hot dogs, a hayride and trick-or-treating around Bowie. P AGE 4
PAGE 5 There will be a Groundbreaking Ceremony this Tuesday, December 6 at 5 p.m. This will begin the next memorable step in our building program. Please join us! Christmas Carols We will be spreading Christmas joy through the gift of song on Saturday, December 10 at 3:30 p.m. We will be visiting shut-ins, Bellmire & other friends. Following the caroling, we will meet back at the Fellowship Hall for a light supper & hot chocolate. Come join us and be a bright, cheery beacon of the hope of Jesus as we sing carols throughout Bowie!
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PROCLAIM the WONDROUS BIRTH A Series of Special Services for Advent Advent Service I Nov. 30 Isaac Advent Service II Dec. 7 Samuel Advent Service III Dec. 14 John the Baptist Advent Service IV Dec. 21 Jesus Christmas Day Dec. 25 Christians Saturday, December 24th Children s Christmas Eve Service 6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 7:30 p.m. Sunday, December 25th Christmas Day Celebration 10:00 a.m. St. Peter Lutheran Church P.O. Box 133 Bowie, Texas 76230