Thursday, November 29, 2018

Announcements

ANNOUNCEMENTS and NOTICES

December 2, 2018

First Sunday in Advent

 

Collect of the Day - Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

LWML Christmas Coffee will be held today following the service in the church basement.  

 

Christmas CDs Available - Last year the faculty and students of the St. Paul's Music Conservatory in Council Bluffs produced a professional Christmas album.  These CDs are available to you free of charge thanks to a Thrivent Action Team donation.  Take one for yourself and take as many as you'd like to share this beautiful, gospel-filled Christmas music with family and friends.  If you'd like to support this ministry of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Council Bluffs, feel free to make a donation on the back table.  Don't be shy about taking as many CDs as you'd like, we can always order more! 

 

Church Decorating – The congregation is invited to come and spend an evening of fellowship and fun as we decorate the Church for Christmas on Wednesday, December 5th at 6:30 p.m.  We’ll begin with a brief Advent devotion and then get right into decorating, snacks, and activities for the kids.

 

Poinsettias – If you would like to purchase a poinsettia for the church to use during the Advent and Christmas season, there is a sign-up sheet on the table in the back of the church. Please sign your name and what color of poinsettia you would like to order. The colors are listed on the sheet. The cost is $18.00 per poinsettia. Please pay Cheryl Batt by Sunday, December 9th.  Thank You!

 

Advent Open House – The Cowell Family would like to invite St. John’s to their home on Sunday, December 16th from 2-5 p.m. for their annual Open House.  Address: 609 E Kennedy St. Algona, Iowa.

 

Advent/Christmas Cards – There are special notes on the back table for our newer members and members we haven’t seen in a while inviting them to our Advent and Christmas services.  Please consider delivering some of these letters to family and friends to add a personal touch to the invitation.  There are also some un-addressed letters on the table if you’d like to send one out to someone who isn’t a member at St. John’s.

 

Food Pantry Offering – Collected $357.25.  Thanks to all who so generously gave!

 

Lessons and Carols Service – Our service on Sunday, December 30th will feature a long list of Christmas hymns.  We want to make sure your favorite hymn is included!  There is a sign-up sheet in the back along with hymnals for you to write down your favorite Christmas hymn. 

 

A Special Voter’s Meeting will be held on Sunday, December 9th following the service to review and vote on the 2019 budget and nomination of officers.

Children’s Christmas Program Practice will be held on Saturday mornings at 9:00 a.m.  We will be practicing on December  8, 15th and Dress Rehearsal on the 22nd.  Be sure you are at all practices!

Adopted Family – We have adopted a family again this year.  One Adult and 4 children

·         Child one Age 17-  Female : Top XL Women and Pants size 16/17 women

·         Child Two: Age 13- Female:  Top - L Women and Pants size 14 Jr.

·         Child three – Age 9 – Male: Top size 10 Boys and Pants size 10/12 pants

·         Child four – Age 6 – Male: Top size – 12 boys and Pants size 12 pants.

Gift Cards:   Gas and Groceries

Deadline:    December 16, 2018

Cash donations and Gift Cards can be left in the church office or given to Deb Steven or Doris Blocker.

A box will be available in the back of the church for you to put your wrapped and marked gifts.

A list of all the above is on the back table in more detail.  Be sure to pick up one before you go shopping.

 

Lessons on the Liturgy  - Advent

“Advent” is a Latin word that means “coming.”  During Advent we prepare to celebrate the past coming of our Lord into human flesh and the future coming of Jesus on the Last Day, even as we prepare for Jesus to come to us in the present at the Lord’s Supper.  Thus the season of Advent is not only a time of preparation for Christmas, but it is a time to prepare our hearts for all of the ways in which Christ has come, comes, and will come to be our Savior.

 

Thank-You for the invitation to participate in your Reformation Service and the opportunity to share about our work among the Hispanics in Siouxland. We thank you for your prayers and  support and for the special offering given at the service (Reformation Service at Trinity). We pray that God continue to bless all of us in the sharing of His Word so that more may come to know of His Gospel message and the reformation it makes in our lives.   The offering total was $425.00.   Pastor Henry Witte

 

Flocknote – If you haven’t already, please be sure to sign up for Flocknote using the flier in back. As winter arrives we want to make sure you receive your cancellation announcements in the most convenient way for you.  After our first few weeks of Flocknote many members have especially enjoyed the announcements, prayer chain, and “text on the text” features as well.  Remember that you can update your preferences at any time.

 

The Blessings of Every Sunday Communion I’d like to schedule a special Bible study and time of discussion about the blessings of Every Sunday Communion some time other than Sunday morning.  If you are interested in attending please suggest to me a day and time that works best for you.   

 

This Week at St. John’s  – (December 2, 2018 – December 9, 2018)

Today               8:00  am       Sunday School/Adult Class

                        9:00  am       Divine Service (Holy Communion)

                       10:00  am       LWML Christmas Coffee and Cookies

Wednesday       6:00  pm       Religion School      

                         6:30  pm       Advent Meditation Service – Church Decorating

Saturday           9:00  am       Children’s Christmas Program Practice

Sunday             8:00  am       Sunday School/Adult Class

                        9:00  am       Divine Service 

                       10:00  am       Voter’s Meeting

 

Greeters Next Week:             Doris Blocker and Mary Steven

Acolytes:                             Jordan and Caelum Blocker

Ushers for December:         *Tony Hatten and Joey Heyes

Elder for December:             Boyd Shipler