December 2006

OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN STAFF

Our Savior Lutheran Church Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Inside this issue:

Scrip 2

Gratitude 2

Financial Report 2

Dinner & Movie 2

Poinsettias 2

Friendly Beasts 3

Giving Tree 3

Sharing & Caring 4

Quilt Raffle 4

Caroling 4

December 2018

Volume , Issue MINISTERS ALL PEOPLE OF OSLC

PASTOR STEVEN HERZBERG

OFFICE MANAGER SUE WADGYMAR

MUSIC DIRECTOR KENNETH RIVENS

PIANIST RON ACEBUCHE

BELL CHOIR DIRECTOR CONNIE LAUMANN

YOUTH DIRECTOR DAWN EVERSON

COUNCIL MEMBERS

PRESIDENT JASON MILLIGAN

VICE PRESIDENT MEGHAN CAMPOS

TREASURER BILL MAUCK

SECRETARY VICKI DREWS

SOCIAL CONCERNS FRED VARNER

FELLOWSHIP JASON MILLIGAN

EVANGELISM LIZ PETERS

PHYLLIS YARDLEY

LEARNING & YOUTH SHERYL CARRIER

PROPERTY SAM MILLIGAN

STEWARDSHIP LYNN ENGEL

STEVE HERZBERG

WORSHIP & MUSIC VICKI DREWS

KELLY VANHEE

Financial reports and minutes are available in the Narthex.

CHRISTMAS EVE

CANDLELIGHT WORSHIP

Monday, December 24

4:00 & 6:00 pm

prepare for over these next several

weeks. . . .

A lot of activity will transpire in

these upcoming Sundays. On the

Dec. 2nd

, we will have a special

presentation of the Chrismons fol-

lowing the Hanging of the Greens

on the Saturday before. On the 9th,

any and all are invited to go caroling

to our shut-ins following a light

snack after 2nd service. On the 16th,

the children/youth will share their

Christmas presentation at the 11am

service, followed by a potluck for

those attending. . . . On Monday,

the 24th, we will celebrate the birth

of Christ at the 4pm and 6pm Can-

dlelight Services. . . . O Come, O

Come, Emmanuel and ransom us in

our darkness. We need your Light

anew!

Pastor Steve Cell 956-340-0020

Greetings to all as we enter this

Advent Season with heavy hearts.

It is not easy to say goodbye to

someone whom we have loved and

cherished for many years. The

passing of our Deacon Janet West

has been a difficult road for us to

journey down. But we know that the

power belongs to God – including

the power of the resurrection of His

Son Jesus Christ. Just as He lives,

we will live also! We believe that for

Janet, and we believe that for all of

us as we put our faith and trust in

Jesus Himself. It is only fitting that

we end the Church Year on Christ

the King and begin the New Church

Year in Advent. We put our hope in

this season in the baby to be born –

the Savior of the World. It is Jesus

Himself who leads the way through

life and death, and then on to resur-

rection. That is the One who we

Pastor’s Notes

Our Savior Lutheran Church Living Faith Center

WORSHIP WITH US EVERY SUNDAY Traditional Worship at 9:30 AM

Contemporary Worship at 11:00 AM

Communion will be offered on the first and third Sundays of this month.

HOMBRES & their spouses

are invited for their traditional

Christmas dinner together on

Thursday, Dec. 13th at the Red

Lobster, 701 W. Expressway

83, McAllen, at 6:00 p.m.

Please sign up in the Narthex if

you will be attending.

All are invited to a special concert on Sunday, December 9

th, at

3:00 pm in the Liv-ing Faith Center, by the Rio Grande Valley Concert Band. This has become a wonder-ful annual tradition!

BELL CHOIR NEWS: I will be arriving late in Texas again this year. We will not be leaving Minnesota until the mid-dle of December. Connie Laumann

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS Healing: David Almquist, Duane Bagaus, Jim Birkelo, David Bour-bois, Nessa Brooks, Sandy Camacho, Don Dunshee, Lynn Engel, Marsha Erps, Cheryl Haw-kins, George Mergler, Micheal Minor, Jim Offerdahl, Alexa Peña, Russ Powell, Pastor Sylvia, Irma Shafer, Shirley Weltzin. Friends of Congregation: Leon-ard Aitkens, Rene Anliker, Carrie Askins, Brianna Beasley, Levi Bolton, Tracy Campuzano, Mae Capili, George Convery, Cristy Dee, Matt DeWild, Julie Erps, Belinda Garcia, Denise Garcia, Pat Garcia, Kali Hassebrock, Gene Haynes, MaryBeth Heikes, Donna Hiltner, Ted Hochenauer, Wyatt Kamp, Barry Kelley, Fidel Monreal, Leann Martens, Mary Louise, John McIntire, Heidi Meerdink, Clarice Nystrup, Jeff Oby, Glenn Quizon, Lola Reslow, Michelle Roby, Alicia Rodriguez, Melissa Rodriguez, Nancy San-drock, Noah & LaVida, Jean Sahm, Merle Thompson, Valentin Family, Melody Voss, Phyllis Wells, Anne Worske, Andrew Ze-zulka. In military service: Justin Gar-cia, Jason Hiles, Justin Hiles, Bri-an Hovland, Logan McLaughlin, Ned Long, Christopher Otten, Ramiro Sandoval, Michael Win-ter. For the Family and Friends of Janet West, who passed from life through death to life eternal on October 25th and for Norma Bilu-nas, who passed to life eternal on November 13th and for Melvin Janssen, who passed to eternal life on November 13th.

SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES 9:30 a.m. in the LFC Dec. 2 & 9th. On Dec. 16th is the Children’s Christmas Program. Meet at 10:30am. We will not meet Dec. 23 or 30th.

CONFIRMATION CLASSES meet Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., but not Dec. 26th.

WEDNESDAY EVENING ADULT BIBLE STUDY We will celebrate the season with Bible studies at 6:30 p.m. in the Library. All are welcome.

THURSDAYS AT 10:00 AM: “Embracing the Prophets,” a study by Walter Brug-geman on Confronting Today’s Pharaohs. Join us in the Parish Hall.

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Dinner & Movie

Tuesday, Dec. 4 5:30 p.m. Dinner at Cowboy Chicken on Nolana & 10th in McAllen.

7:00 p.m. Movie: An elderly man struggles with the death of his wife until his es-tranged foster child and her young daughter re-enter his life and give him a new purpose to live.

POINSETTIAS FOR CHRISTMAS

I/We ____________________________________would like to order _______(how many) poinsettias to decorate the church.

Please make checks to Our Savior Lutheran Church and mark them Poinsettias. Each plant is $6.00. Send your order slip to

the office or place it in the box in the Narthex marked Poinsettias.

In Honor of __________________________________________________

In Memory of _________________________________________________

To the Glory of God (______) Total amount enclosed ______________

SCRIP ORDERS FOR CHRISTMAS! Orders will be received on Sun, Nov 25 to be picked up on Sun Dec 2. As has been done in previous years, we will have an extra Christmas order on Sun, Dec 16 with delivery on Sun, Dec 23. That will be our last order for the calendar year. In order for our treasurer to wind up the budget for 2018, we will delay the Jan order until Jan 6 with deliv-ery on Jan 13. After that, we will return to orders being turned in on the last Sun of the month and delivered on the first Sun of the month. Thanks to all who participate in this program! Mary

Stewardship: Gratitude and Generosity We welcome statements of support from all of our Members, Associate Members, Friends, and Winter Texans. The estimates help in planning the budget and expenses for our church ministries and can be changed if needed. If you did not receive a Commit-ment Card, or need a new one, you can pick one up at the red desk in the Narthex. You may also automate your offerings by picking up an authorization form for

SimplyGiving, a program to give to the church by electronic transfer at no cost to you.

Tuesday, Decem-

ber 18, at 6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary, for all in need of healing and comfort, join us for communion, laying on of hands, anointing, and prayer.

Dime Ministry Our 4th quarter dimes will

used for Christmas Decorations for the Par-

ish Hall. Bring your dimes on the last Sun-

day of the month.

TREASURER QUICK SUMMARY OCTOBER, 2018:

Income $17,869, Actual less than plan by -$3,473 (-16%). Expenses $21,187, higher than budget by $279. Income year-to-date is $221,006, less than plan by -$10,140, while expenses are below plan by $7,242 at $225,213, leaving us -$4,207 short for the year so far. Thank you for your continued sup-port of our ministries.

Wittenberg, Germany is the scene of a week-long cultural immersion that blends vacation and adventure in the land of Luther. When? June 16-22, 2019. How much? About $1200 each person, flights not included, but 2 meals/day, lodging, & excursions & activities are. Interested? Contact Ronda Wen-zel at TexasVisitsLuther@gmail.com. She is a former Luther-an Youth Minister & a member at Grace Lutheran in San An-tonio. Flyers are in the Narthex with more information.

The Friendly Beasts Children's Christmas Program This is our schedule for our Children's Christmas Program! Please note, we will start working on our program on Sunday, December 2nd with songs. On Sunday, the 9th, we will sing and try on our cos-tumes. On Saturday the 15th - we will practice in the sanctuary - costumes and music and readings! On Sunday the 16th - we will meet at the Living Faith Center at

10:30 AM o get our costumes on! At 11 AM - we will present our program at the beginning of worship. There will be no Sunday School on the 16th. A Celebratory Potluck will follow worship on the 16th. Please make these practices! Call Kathy Herzberg at 956/631-6707 Email is: kherz3@live.com or call or text Tonia Herzberg 956/956/662-4719.

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1st Sunday in Advent 2 9:30am Communion 9:30am Sunday School 11:00am Praise Commun

3

4 8:30am Piecemakers 1:00pm Ladies Cards 5:30pm Dinner & 7:00pm Movie

5 6:30pm Confirmation 6:30pm Choir 6:30pm Adult Class 7:30pm Praise Team

6 10:00am Adult Class 5:45pm Wors&Music 6:45pm Learn&Youth

7

1 9:00am Decorate 10:30 English 5pm Spanish svc. ______________________

10:30 English 8

2nd Sunday in Advent 9 9:30am Worship 9:30am Sunday School 11:00am Praise Worship 12:00pm Caroling 3:00pm Band Concert

10 12:00pm NEWS-LETTER DEAD-LINE for January

11 8:30am Piecemakers 6:30pm Council

12 6:30pm Confirm. 6:30pm Choir 6:30pm Adult Class 7:30pm Praise Team

13 10:00am Adult Class 6:30pm HOMBRES

14

15 9-10am Pantry 10am Children’s rehearsal 10:30am English class

3rd Sunday in Advent 16 9:30am Communion 9:30am Adult Class 11:00am Christmas Program 12:00pm Potluck

17

18 8:30am Piecemakers 9:00am Deanery 1:00pm Ladies Cards 6:30pm Service of Healing

19 6:30pm Confirm. 6:30pm Choir 6:30pm Adult Class 7:30pm Praise Team

20 10:00am Adult Class

21

22 10:30am English class

4th Sunday in Advent 23 9:30am Worship 9:30am Adult Class 11:00am Praise Worship

Christmas Eve 24 4pm Communion 6pm Communion

Christmas Day 25 Office Closed

26 6:30pm Choir 7:30pm Praise Team

27

28

29

10:30am English class

1st Christmas 30 9:30am Worship

New Year’s Eve 31

Sharing and Car-ing Items: 12/2: Food Sta-ples 12/16: Neighbor-hood Pantry Items

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS 2 Margaret Mueske 4 Joan Ortenstone 6 Marguerite Baumann 6 Dayle Haaland 7 Bob Bauer 7 Yolanda Riesterer 8 Ian Eason 9 Sally Askins 11 Marlene Fasse 11 Barbara Lundgren 12 Mary Curll 12 Joann Goede 14 Cheryl Hawkins 15 Edith Engel 15 Donna Knaus 18 Norma Bilunas 23 Jeanne Fuentes 27 Elizabeth Peters 30 Irene Robinson ********** Christmas Tree of Giving *********

The Tree of Giving this year will benefit the children in the colonia we help. The names and sizes of

these children are on cards hanging from the tree in the narthex. Please bring a sweatshirt only (not

toys), gift wrapped in a box with the tag secured outside of your gift by Sunday, Dec. 9th. Thanks! ANNIVERSARIES

3 Gary & Judy Colbenson

9 Vern & Joan Einhorn

9 Stan & Veretta Johannsen

26 Dick & Sue Rohloff

28 Burdell & Margaret Hammel

30 Waldo & Marion Platte

31 Donald Sletner & Kathleen Brookover

BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS will begin on Sun. De-cember 9 in the Library of the Living Faith Center. High blood pressure is often called the "Silent Killer", as often the first symptom is a stroke, leading to disabilities &/or death. Be aware of your blood pressure, have it checked regularly. Come see Mary Lovig monthly for this free screening.

****************

HANGING OF GREENS

SATURDAY, DEC. 1

9:00 A.M.

In Memoriam

Deacon Janet West

September 25, 1938 — October 25, 2018

BORDER AREA MISSION MINISTRIES

CARING & SHARING: On the 1st Communion Sunday in Dec., the 2nd, please bring FOOD STAPLES for Christo Rey Lutheran Church in Las Milpas. For the monthly Neighborhood Food Pantry, a list of needed food staple items is in the Narthex. Please bring in one item in bulk or an entire bag, if you wish, on Sunday, Dec. 16. You may also donate money and designate Food Pantry. On Saturday, Dec. 15, Pantry will be from 9:00 to 10:00am.

PIECEMAKERS QUILT RAFFLE! $1 PER TICKET, $5 FOR 6 TICKETS! The drawing for both quilts will be held Sunday, Dec. 23. This fundraiser is to buy batting to make more quilts. The quilts we did have were blessed Nov. 4 and distributed to local schools in time for the holi-

day season and cold weather. Come and help us make a new batch on Tuesdays beginning at 8:30 a.m., and bring your lunch.

God’s Work, Our Hands

Our Savior Lutheran Church

1105 West Fern Ave

McAllen, TX 78501

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

PERMIT #65

Phone: 956-631-6121

Email: oslcelca@aol.com

www.oursaviormcallen.org

Need to send a fax? Call the office.

DATED MATERIAL

This newsletter was taken to the Post Office on November 15, 2018.

If you received this newsletter in error, please

contact the church office.

DECEMBER 2018

Where...

God is seen,

Love is felt;

Lives are changed.

We’ve been busy! The Sanctuary ceiling is done and the choir loft has been fitted into the corner. Animals were blessed in honor of St. Francis. Trunk or Treat: LOST entertained the kids with stories, Hot Potato and Musical Chairs. We celebrated a Baptism and wel-comed a New Member. Afghans were taken to Veter-ans for Veteran’s Day. Thanks to everyone involved!

CHRISTMAS CAROLING

We will spread our good cheer in song to our shut-ins after the late service on Sun-day, December 9th. Everyone is welcome for this annual event.

M erry

Christmas

indeed!