December 22, 2013

THIS WEEK:

Monday:

  *Cards of Peace @ Salem – 8:00 A.M.

 

Tuesday:

  *Christmas Eve Services:
       Salem – 5:30 and 10:00 P.M.
       Elberon – 7:30 P.M.

 

Wednesday:

  *Merry Christmas!!!

  

Thursday:

  *Coffee & Devotions w/ Rose @ Keystone
   Care Center – 9:45 A.M.

 

Saturday:

  *Men’s Breakfast Study @ Salem – 7:00 A.M.



Basics for Advent:

The God of Those Ends, That Justice, and Such Reversals with Us

…. Since today’s gospel is Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus, it may seem we are beginning to celebrate the Christmas Season already today. Matthew, however, is less interested in the birth itself, and more interested in its meaning: “God is with us,” and more particularly, this God, the one born in these odd circumstances, is with us. The God who is with us in Jesus is the God prophesied by Isaiah, the one proclaimed by Paul and John the Baptist and Mary, this God whose presence changes and often reverses everything. This God is with us.… It is this “God with us” who will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead as harbinger of new creation. And it is this God with us whose incarnation and birth we celebrate during the Christmas Season and seek to follow all the days of our lives.

 

 

 

LIFT UP IN PRAYER:

Lois Stull (E), Larry Parizek (E), Barb (Kozlik) Petersen (formerly of VH), Lucylle Struve (VH), Evelyn Brecht (N), Elmer & Thelma Rohlena (N), Delbert and Barb Hastings (N), Steve Bridgewater (VH), Williamsburg, St. Paul’s – Pastors James & Helen Parks

 

 

 

Remember this week:

Karen Wiese (E)

  Keystone Care Center,

  250 5^th St.,

  Keystone, 52249

 

(See complete listing in newsletter)

 

 

 

COMING UP:

Making cards for “Cards of Peace” @ Salem, Mon., Dec. 30 – 9:00 A.M.

 

DeWall Circle @ Salem, Thurs., Jan. 2 – 2:00 P.M.

 

 

OTHER THINGS:

Attention Salem!

Due to the devastation in the Philippines, the quarters collected during church will be sent to the Philippines to assist the many needing fresh water. JAMS and Sunday School kids will be collecting quarters through the end of December as well as during our regular quarter collecting during the church service.

 

Salem will be without a church custodian for the winter and the Trustees are hoping interested individuals could assist by choosing a week to do the cleaning.  A sign up sheet is posted on the bulletin board.

 

Attention church treasurers!

The cut-off date for 2013 apportionment payments is January 8th, 2014.  All apportionment/gift payments received in the conference office by this date will be included on the December 2013 statement.  Any apportionment payments received after this date will show in 2014 as a prior year gift paid.