the redeemer reporter redeemer reporter ... mary sings, “god embraced god’s chosen child,...
TRANSCRIPT
December 2016
The Redeemer Reporter
One of the joys of having our daughter in a cooperative preschool is that we as parents
are expected to be classroom assistants from time to time. The tasks that we are assigned
are quite simple and range from helping out during free play to providing snacks or
simple clean up. And while the tasks are fine the joy comes in interacting with three and
four year olds. The joy is in the relationship.
I know it is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I find this age group to be so enjoyable to be
around. Their constant energy seems infectious – though tiring. Their engagement with
our language makes me smile – most of the time. But most of all I really appreciate their
enthusiasm. When I dropped my daughter off this past week I came to face to face with
a most enthusiastic classmate of hers.
Several members of her class have been awaiting additions to their family. One boy’s
wait came to end on Thanksgiving break as his mom gave birth to a baby brother. As I
walking my daughter into her school, his family pulled into the parking lot. No sooner
had car been turned off and the door opened then he started yelling to us to stop. His
mom got him out of the car and he ran to the sidewalk to tell us with a smile as wide as
could be that he had a little brother.
He took us over to the other door to show us the newest member of his family. He was
so proud and did the same thing to every person he saw as he walked in. It was quite a
gift to witness the obvious love he felt for his new brother, but even more striking to me
was the enthusiasm with which he desired to share the news of his family with
everyone.
As I drove away from the preschool that day, I couldn’t help but wonder if each of us
couldn’t learn something from this young boy’s enthusiasm. For each one of us is the
final month of waiting for the birth of a baby. I realize it is a baby, whose birth we
celebrate each and every year and that may take its toll on our enthusiasm. But what if
this year we tried to engage the birth with the same vigor as this three year old boy?
What would it look like to really anticipate what the birth of this baby means for us?
What if we truly wondered how the birth changes our very lives, as births do? What if
we engaged the birth as we do others and talk to people about it?
I think of Mary and Elizabeth’s conversation as recounted in the Gospel of Luke. The
baby that was growing in Mary hadn’t been born and yet she burst forth in song. In
Eugene Peterson’s translation The Message Mary said, “I’m bursting with
God-news; I’m dancing the song of my Savior God. God took one good look at me, and
look what happened—I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!”
Mary couldn’t contain herself. And the Good News is that what was true for her is true
for us. We are the most fortunate people. God took on flesh and was born into our
world. God lived among us, not to bring more of the same, but to bring about real
change.
Mary sings of God being born to stand up for the marginalized; to feed the starving; to
give drink to the thirsty; to be with the lonely. Mary sings, “God embraced God’s
chosen child, Israel; God remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.”
Enthusiasm and Joy — A note from Pastor Ken —
Page 2
This birth is everything for us and I just wonder if this year we might share it with others in a way we haven’t shared
before. For each of us that will look different. For some it may mean that we volunteer to serve those in need in some
way. For others it might mean we invite another to join us in worship. For another it will be something different…
For me, I just know that I am caught by the scene of this three year old bursting through that open door – running at me
and my daughter – so eager for us to share in his joy – a joy brought forth by the birth of his brother… and that each of
us have a birth on the horizon that is meant to bring forth an even greater kind of joy within us.
For as the angel will proclaim on Christmas Eve, “I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for
everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master.”
May we all experience an abundance of enthusiasm and joy this coming Christmas.
Peace,
Sanctuary Christmas Flowers
Help make our sanctuary
beautiful for Christmas by
ordering a poinsettia.
Flowers cost $13.00.
Your flower can be dedicated to
a memory of someone, or
something special in your life.
Poinsettias will be on sale the
first week of Advent,
until they are sold out.
Pick up order form in
church office.
—BIBLE STUDY—
11AM ON THURSDAYS
The format for the study is quite simple. We open in
prayer asking for the Spirit to guide us in our study.
Then we read a passage and discuss.
-What stood out to us?
-What do we hear God saying to us today?
-What questions does it raise?
As the discussion lessens and time allows we continue by
reading another passage. This type of study does not re-
quire any prep work to join. Simply come and we will
read the bible together. Please consider joining us. All
are welcome.
-
Page 3
On Thursday, December 1st,
come join us for a bowl (or two) of homemade soup,
bread and dessert in the Fellowship Hall.
Great food and fellowship!
Flowers and Fellowship for 2017
The Flower and Fellowship sign up sheet is up in the
Fellowship Hall for the upcoming new year.
The Altar Guild will order your flowers at a cost of $27 and place your dedication in the
bulletin for the week selected. You can take your flowers home after the 10:30 worship
service.
Please sign up to provide snacks for Fellowship hour. If you have not done it before, let the
church office know and we will be sure you have a partner to help train you. Or simply take a
simple instruction sheet from the bulletin board.
Thank you to all who add to our worship and
fellowship time each Sunday!
Page 4
Join us on Wednesday evenings during
Advent for Soup Supper and Bread
before attending the mid-week Advent
services.
Soup will be served at 6:15pm in the
Fellowship Hall with worship at 7:00pm
in the Sanctuary.
There is a lot of work to be done to prepare the sanctuary to welcome the
birth of the Savior.
All people, all ages are invited to
stay after the 10:30 worship service on December 18th to help prepare
the worship space and fellowship hall for Christmas
Pizza lunch will be provided!
Yes, gift giving season is fast approaching!
Redeemer’s council has chosen to continue the
practice established in recent years. If you desire to
give the pastor a monetary Christmas gift, the
council requests that you offer the gift directly to
the pastor. If anonymity is important to you, please
seal cash in an envelope and give it to the pastor
through a fellow member in the congregation.
This practice of giving will ensure the money is a
true gift. Money given to the pastor from
Redeemer qualifies as income, not as a gift, on this
personal tax return. Thank you for understanding.
Faithfully,
Redeemer Lutheran Church Council
Page 5
WORSHIP
4:00 pm Family Service (Participatory communion service with candles)
8:00 pm Traditional Service (Musical offerings by ensemble with communion and candles)
10:00 pm Candlelight Service (Reflective communion service)
Christmas Day 10:30 am Christmas Worship
Advent Mid-Week
Redeemer will be holding mid-week Advent worship
services on Wednesday evenings from
November 30th through December 14th.
Soup supper at 6:15pm
Worship at 7:00pm
Page 6
The focus will be to prepare cookie tins for our home bound members and the groups who meet in the basement. This is an “open to everyone” gathering,
so please join us.
RSVP
Carol James
991-8125 OR [email protected]
If you are not a member of this circle.
Esther—Naomi Circle
December Meeting
Wednesday, December 14th
Potluck lunch
1:00 pm
Coffee, water, & punch will be provided
Got Cookies?
The Esther~Naomi Circle will gather to prepare tins of cookies for the
home bound and the groups who meet in the basement. We welcome cookie
contributions for this much enjoyed task for us and much appreciated gift for
the home bound and groups. If anyone in the community would like to donate
2 dozen cookies, please have cookies in the Fellowship Hall no later than
noon on Wednesday, December 14th.
Thank you !
Page 7
NO NAME MEN’S GROUP
MONTHLY MEETING: MONDAY, DECEMBER 12TH (7:00 PM)
WHERE: SOCKEYE GRILL & BREWPUB
(3019 N COLE RD. BOISE, ID) IN O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM, WE SING ABOUT
“THE HOPES AND FEARS OF ALL THE YEARS…”
OUR QUESTION FOR THIS MONTH:
-WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND FEARS FOR THIS CHRISTMAS?
STEVE, ACTING SECRETARY
December 11th
Family Brunch after church.
We have a what and a when, but we need a who and where.
RSVP by December 4th with attending number in your family, and
watch your email for location and specific time.
If you’d like to be included in the email list, please let
the Redeemer office know. Remember friends are
invited and encouraged to join any Ruth Circle event.
RUTH CIRCLE
Page 8
In his service, Ruth Makovsky
Outreach Activities
Wash , Wipe, & Wear
Distribution in
November 2950 diapers
126 Soap
504 rolls of toilet paper
Am back from the "Cheese-Head State" and getting back in the groove! First of all I want to thank Katie Davis for heading up the WWW Program from May thru October! Also kudos to Brad Jones for picking up and delivering the soap all summer! Now that will be Mr. Makovsky's job! Thanks go to the following folks for their help.
Sort and bag diapers: Katie Davis, Martina Ngabonziza, and myself.
Writers the day of: Shirley Gilchrist, and Kari Spencer
Rest of crew: Brenda Matata, Pacifique , Dominique, and myself
Clean-up: Laurel Simos
BIG crowd! Served 126 families! 118 families took diapers.
Also thanks to Emmett Voigt and another anonymous donor for the candy that was passed out to children in attendance by Brenda's daughter Becky Nikuza.
Soap will now be ordered on-line and delivered to Dollar Tree with no shipping!
An opportunity for ALL OF YOU reading this newsletter is to sign up on the sheet in the fellowship hall for 3 months in advance to assist in the many facets of our WWW program. Check it out and sign up for an hour or two of your time. Remember "It is in giving that we receive"!
May god richly bless each one of you reading this newsletter in the upcoming celebration of our Saviors birth and yes!! Merry CHRISTmas!!
Page 9
Ministry of the Month for October
Misty Hawkins, with St.Vincent de Paul, is shown receiving our check for $350.00. Proceeds are used to purchase goods for the community Thanksgiving Food Baskets. Thanks for your continued support of our outreach ministries.
-Kari Spencer
Ministry of the Month for December
Hope Lutheran's food pantry is our ministry of the month for December.
Thank-you for helping stock Hope Lutheran's food pantry. This is a big help to many families.
Ministry of the Month Updates
Ongoing Outreach Opportunity
Fred Meyer is donating $2.5 million per year to non-profits in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and
Washington, based on where their customers tell them to give. Here’s how the program works:
Sign up for the Community Rewards program by linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to (non-
profit) at www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. You can search for us by our name or by
our non-profit number (insert NPO# 85976).
Then, every time you shop and use your Rewards Card, you are helping (non- profit) earn a
donation!
You still earn your Rewards Points, Fuel Points, and Rebates, just as you do today.
If you do not have a Rewards Card, they are available at the Customer Service desk of any Fred
Meyer store. They can also assist in signing up for Redeemer’s account.
For more information, please visit www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards.
The items most needed are:
-Healthy breakfast cereal
-Canned pasta sauce
-Canned tuna
-Tuna Helper
-Canned fruit
Page 10
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Page 11
Readings for Sundays in December
Dec 4 Joel: God’s Promised Spirit Joel 2:12-13, 28-29 Luke 4:16-21
Dec 11 Spirit of the Lord upon Me Isaiah 61:1-11 Luke 4:16-21
Dec 18 Jesus’ Birth Announcement Luke 1:26-49 Psalm 113 or 113:9
Dec 24 Birth of Jesus Luke 2:1-14 [15-20] Psalm 96 or 96:3
Dec 25 Shepherds’ Visit Luke 2:8-20 Psalm 123:1-2 or 123:2
December Altar Guild: Connie Seymour
Dannette Blakeslee
Coffee and Fellowship Time: Flowers:
Dec 4 Carol James___ _____ Advent
Dec 11 Prayer Group_______ Advent
Dec 18 Le Boeuf______ Advent
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE: New prayer requests are shown in bold print.
Military Devan Irons
Matthew Jay
Jason Kinsey
Carol Kohtz
Jim Schmeits
Brian Waybright
Ryan Albers
Deitmar Bargh
Frank Blackbum
Peter Bond
David Boyington
Joy Brizee
Tiffani Burkett
Penny Cady
Lois Child
Family of Kandie Clark
Janice Collins
Kristi Davis
Dr. Debbie
Lex Denen
Draney Family
Mike Edgekoski
Erickson Family
Karen Frank
Louise Gaedeke
Thom Garzone
Jill Greene
Connie Hachquet
Willow Hahn
Family of Debbie Haines
Don Harter
Dennis Haught
George Hess
David Hayward
Terry Hopfenspirger
Patsy Horton
Julie Hulvey
Ed Irons
Leia Jane
Jen Jay
Betty Kidd
Grace Kinsey
Bob McDonald
Lidia McFarland
Sean Michael
Michelle
Moreland Family
Family of Nadeane Nass
Roger Oldheimburger
Linda Olson
Mia Patterson
Kitty Patton
Mike Reynolds
Family of Ardene Riddle
Kacey Roe
Family of Maren Roisland
Sonia Safron
Sarah
Family of Shirley Sather
Art Schmidt
Flora Schweitzer
Scott and family
Pamela Shugrue
Wiley Smith
Jerry Stoor
Elton ”Shorty” Tangedal
Taylor
Tom
Jan Vinson
Dorcas Wang
Deanna Watson
Dorothy Ward
Elsie White
Kristina Zipser
Redeemer Lutheran Church
2920 Cassia Street
Boise, ID 83705
Office: 208-344-6758
Web: www.redeemerboise.org
Table of Contents:
Note from Pastor Ken Pgs 1-2
Flowers/Fellowship/1st Thurs soup Page 2-3
Advent/Christmas Pgs 4-5
Redeemer Events Pgs 6-7
Outreach News Pgs 8-9
December Calendar Page 10
Readings/Prayers Page 11