Last Week
On Saturday, several Living Faith-ers gathered at Rejoice to pull meat from turkey bones to help prepare for the annual Thanksgiving meal Rejoice puts on for the community. We helped with approximately 30 turkeys - just a few of the many needed for next Thursday!
Thank you to Mark and Angela Catton, Kay and Brian Michaelson, Sue Stream, Sharon Utesch, and June Ferguson for lending a helping hand! Other serving opportunities for this great event will be shared on Sunday!
Thank you to Pastor Joy Gonnerman, who, even though she could not be with us on Sunday, provided us with help to conduct the service in her absence! Get well soon, Pastor Joy! Thank you to those who attended Faith + Fellowship and gave the Leadership Team assistance with putting the service together: Sharon Utesch, Yvonne Law, June Ferguson, Karen Schroeder and Gail Kass! Thank you to Dawn Richards for the piano accompaniment, Tim Kass for ushering, Peg McAllister for providing the bread for communion and Sandy Heeren for assisting with communion. Thank you to the Leadership Team members, Tim Kass, Angela Catton, Kay Michaelson and Kari Kopperud for leading worship and a special thank you to Pastor Jean for presiding over Communion!
If you'd like to further reflect on the story told for the sermon and its accompanying questions, here it is!
As I was growing up, I couldn’t wait for Christmas. It’s not that I was eager for the gifts under the tree. No, I longed for Christmas because of a promise of the star – not the one over Bethlehem, but rather the promise to be the star of Bethlehem. For the budding thespians of the Sunday school, the coveted role to have in the Christmas play was to be Mary or Joseph.
True, the roles didn’t have any lines to memorize. But a truly gifted actor is able to embody the message through a gesture of a hand, an empathetic glance, a posture expressing love and adoration. And I had the part down pat.
The year finally arrived for my light to shine as Joseph. This was also the year the director was expecting her first child. Her first-born arrived three weeks before Christmas; and the birth inspired her to announce that the baby in the Christmas pageant that year would be a living, breathing infant.
The weeks prior to Christmas were spent in preparation. As the shepherds arrived on stage after their fear-filled encounter with the heavenly host, I was to gently pick up the child, cradle her in my arms with fatherly compassion, and hold her as the shepherds worshipped and adored.
Rehearsals went smoothly; the baby was adorable, a helpful supporting cast member for my acting debut. But the night of the performance was a different story. As I picked up the child, she began to cry. I tried rocking her back and forth as I had seen the director do, but the cries only increased. How could I emote love and compassion holding a screaming baby? The child was stealing my moment to shine! Finally, in desperation, I gave the baby to Mary, who wrapped the blanket (which I had forgotten to pick up with the child) around the cold infant; and of course, the crying stopped.
Afterwards, I was glum and disappointed. My big moment had been upstaged by a crying baby. But many said that they experienced Christ’s coming in a new and meaningful way through that shivering, crying child.
Christ came that night. I was ready, but I wasn’t prepared. I knew the part, but I had forgotten the most important role. I was so busy with my own aspirations that I failed to see the precious gift represented in my arms.
1. How do you face the challenge of waiting for Christ?
2. What distracts you from your waiting?
3. How do you prepare as you wait for Christ?
4. How do you face the challenge of being ready for Christ to return?
Next Week
Pastor David Halaas will join us in the Chapel at the PUCC at 11:15 for worship! Nathan Summerside will read Scripture and Kari Kopperud will assist with Communion.
10:15 in Room 103! Come be a part of our discussion! Last week we shared about the history of military service in our families but we didn't get everyone's responses before we had to adjourn so please come on Sunday - we are eager to hear about the military members of your family! We will also take a look at Sunday's Gospel lesson and discuss our reactions to it! If you would like to bring treats for Sunday, please let Kay know!
13 Days of Gratitude calendars are available for pick up on the sign up table! Practice the art of gratitude for the remainder of the month of November! Orange calendars have been created for children and families and the light yellow calendars are for adults. Pick one up for you, your family and anyone else you'd like to give one to!
Tag, you're it! We're thankful for you!
Thankful tags are also available on the sign up table for your taking! Pick up tags and surprise someone to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you to Kortney Kopperud for her help with putting the tags together!
Look for the Living Faith Christmas tree at the Pioneer Village Christmas celebration! Thank you to June and Dell Ferguson for donating the blue lights for the tree!
Please hold the following in prayer:
Pastor Joy - prayers of healing
Baby Morgan and her family - comfort and continued growth and progress towards health
Kevin Olson - prayers for treatments
Beth Kehrberg - prayers of healing
Rejoice Community Church - their Thanksgiving meal ministry
Safe travels for all this coming Thanksgiving holiday
Thankfulness for all the blessings Living Faith has been showered with this past year.
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