PEACE NOTES
A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF WORD OF PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH DECEMBER 2014
CHRISTMAS AT WORD OF PEACE
Pastor Rick Skare Senior Pastor
This is this year’s theme for our Advent and Christmas celebra6on. We will hear of the “good news” several 6mes in the coming weeks. From the “good 6dings” (Isaiah 40:9) and “good news” (Isaiah 61:1) that the prophet Isaiah proclaims, to “the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ” at the start of Mark’s gospel (Mark 1:1), to the announcement to Mary (Luke 1:30 -33) and the shepherds hearing “good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10). We too, like those of Biblical 6mes, listen for the good news in the reading and preaching of Scripture. And we listen to Scripture as if we are listening for an assignment, a summons that is spoken to us. Indeed, as we hear and receive God’s Word through the Advent and Christmas season, we listen to, and read, these ancient words of Scripture hoping to receive a summons from God, hoping to hear “the Word made flesh” now, today, through these words wri@en by people of the flesh so long ago. To read and hear Biblical literature like Isaiah and Luke, we must be prepared to have our concep6ons of God expanded. In the incarna6on, God become human, we find that we have a too limited no6on of what God can do and cannot do, of just whom God may and may not be. We don’t understand everything. Along with Mary, we respond to this good news with the ques6on, “How can this be?” And no clear explana6on is given; only the promise, the assurance, the reality that God is with us. But perhaps when we hear and read Scripture that’s all we really want—no explana6ons, but rather presence. That God is with us, speaking to us and enlis6ng us into God’s great, saving, loving movement into the world in Jesus Christ. May you be blessed by the “good news of great joy” this Advent and Christmas season!
Pastor Rick Skare, Senior Pastor Pastor Krista Strum, Pastor 21705 129th Ave. N. Rogers, MN 55374 Church Office 763-496-2400 (press 3 to leave an emergency message for the pastor) Office Hours Mon-Thurs 8am-4:30pm Fri 8am-12:30pm Our Vision Statement Our vision is to be a community where everyone knows Christ’s Love and shares Christ’s Love with all people. Our Mission Statement Christ works through us as we: • Welcome all people to grow in faith, love and devo6on, • Share Christ through word and deed, • Care for others and the world God made, and • Work for jus6ce and peace. NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS Contact Jennie Priebe at 763-496-2401 or jpriebe@woplc.org. January newsle er deadline: December 12
P.S. We’ve put together an Advent Calendar with ideas and inspira6on for every day of the season, along with the complete Christmas Worship Schedule on the back. Hang it on your fridge or bulle6n board and refer to it throughout the month. 2
WordofPeace.org
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BIG GIVE Opportunities to Give This Christmas One of the many blessings of a large congrega6on is that there are always many opportuni6es to give of our 6me, talents and money. This can also be a challenge for us if we feel bombarded by the countless requests for volunteers and for financial support, par6cularly this 6me of year. God tells us to give joyfully and out of a sense of thanksgiving, not from feelings of guilt or pressure. You are never obligated or expected to give to everything that is offered. If you want to joyfully give your 6me, talent and money to your church this Christmas, there are many ways to do so. Here are just a few: Volunteer—If you would like to volunteer this Christmas or any 6me, visit wordofpeace.org/serve or stop at the Volunteer table in the Gathering Area. Contact Mary Miller (worship volunteers), mmiller@woplc.org or 763-496-2408 or Tracy Rowe (all other volunteers), trowe@woplc.org or 763-496-2421. Local Christmas Relief—Monetary giKs will be collected now through December 15 and monies are distributed to families in need in our community. Please indicate “Local Christmas Relief” on your check or Direct Giving dona6on. Adopt-A-Family—Choose a wish list item from the Adopt-A Family wall in the Gathering Area and purchase a giK for a family in our community who is struggling financially. Include a giK receipt along with the request slip. GiKs must be returned by December 7. Contact: Tracy Rowe, trowe@woplc.org or 763-496-2421 CROSS—Word of Peace is collecting medium-sized Christmas stockings, stocking stuffers (candy, toothbrushes & small toothpaste, etc.), gift cards in small denominations ($5-$25 each*) and gifts for teenagers. If you would prefer to buy gifts for a local child, stop by the CROSS Corner to pick up a tag. Donations should be unwrapped and returned to the CROSS Corner by no later than December 20. *Please bring giK cards to the church office. Fair Trade Fair—Fair Trade giK items will be sold before and aKer worship on December 7 & 8 and 14 & 15. Purchase beau6ful, handmade Christmas giKs from ar6sans around the world, while making a real difference and par6cipa6ng in a mission to eradicate poverty. Navajo Lutheran Mission School—Monetary dona6ons may be used to purchase Christmas presents and food for these school children. Dona6ons may be sent to: Navajo Lutheran Mission School. P.O. Box 354, Rock Point, AZ 86545. Visit nelm.org for more informa6on. God’s Global Barnyard—See p. 6 for details
Thank you for spreading the joy of our Savior’s birth by GIVING BIG this holiday season! 3
Happenings You Shall Have A Song: An Advent Study Sunday Mornings | Nov. 23-Dec. 14 9:45am in Room 120 God promises, “You shall have a song” even when things look the most bleak and hopeless. This study explores four songs from the Bible: Song of Comfort (Isaiah 40), Mary’s Song (Luke 1:46-55), Angels Song (Luke 2:20) and the Song of Simeon (Luke 2:22-36). Join us for a 6me of sharing the season’s Good News with Great Joy through our favorite hymns of the season and their biblical stories.
Parents Night Out
Advent Family Night
Friday, December 19, 6:00 - 10:00pm
Tuesday, December 2, 6:30-8:00pm
Parents, bring your kids to Word of Peace and have some time to yourself while your kids have a fun and safe time at church!
Prepare for the birth of Jesus by spending 6me with your family and other families, grandparents, and neighbors to create meaningful Advent ornaments and craKs, hear the Christmas story, go on a prayer walk, enjoy refreshments and more! Come and enjoy these ac6vi6es at your leisure. This evening is free and everyone is welcome.
Infants through 5th Grade are Welcome! $3 per hour per potty-trained child $5 per infant ($35 family maximum) Sign up on the youth bulletin board beginning 11/30 Parents’ Night Out is a fundraiser for the middle school and high school youth. For more information contact Marcus Eads, meads@woplc.org or 763-496-2410.
Promises of Hope A Special Christmas Worship for Those Experiencing Loss and Heartache Tuesday, December 16, 6:30pm Christmas is not a joyful season for people experiencing loss and heartache. Perhaps you are experiencing the loss of marriage, a loved one, a job, a rela>onship, a pet or maybe you are living far away from people you love, having financial hardship, loneliness, a family crisis or illness. We invite you to aAend “Promises of Hope,” a special Christmas worship service designed to acknowledge this difficult >me of year. Please contact the church office for more informa>on. 4
In order for us to make sure we have enough supplies, please RSVP to Megan Moen at mmoen@woplc.org or 763-496-2423 or sign-up on the bulle-n board across from the Children’s & Confirma-on Ministry office.
Cocktails & Carols Cocktails & Carols Monday, December 15, 7:30pm at Harvest Grill in Rogers Oh the weather outside is frighVul, but the fire inside at Harvest Grill is so delighVul! Join your Word of Peace family and friends for a night of food, fellowship, warm drinks and lots of your favorite Christmas hymns and carols. All ages are welcome! Please RSVP to dswanson@woplc.org by December 10.
THANK YOU to those who par6cipated in Give to the Max Day 2014. In just 24 short hours, Minnesotans gave over $18 million to our state’s nonprofit organiza6ons and schools through GiveMN.org.
Our “Abundant Joy, Overflowing Generosity” campaign has helped us see the importance of giving to God in all areas of our lives through our prayer, our worship, our talents and our finances.
Word of Peace raised $645 on this year’s Give to the Max Day. That’s more than TWICE what was raised in 2013! We hope to raise even more awareness about this extraordinary day of giving in the years to come. Thank you!
Thank you for your financial pledge to the 2015 General Fund. Our goal is to receive 350 pledges. As of November 18 we have received over 225 pledges. If you haven’t pledged yet, it’s not too late! You can pledge online at wordofpeace.org/pledge or mail/bring in your pledge to the church office.
End of the year contribu>ons should be received in the church office by 12pm on December 31 or postmarked December 31. These contribu6ons will be included in your 2014 contribu6on record. Envelopes received January 1, 2015 or later will be a part of your 2015 contribu6on record.
Every giK of any amount makes a difference. With God and your financial support, we are achieving great things at Word of Peace. “Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.” —2 Corinthians 8:7
Dear Friends, One of my personal goals in life has been to follow the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ from Pales-ne to the U.S. I have been able, over my life-me, to visit Israel, Greece, Rome, and Scandinavia. However, when I traveled in Germany in 1971, the Reforma-on sites were behind the Iron Curtain and were impossible to visit. When I re-red from ministry at Word of Peace last year, one of the many very generous gi;s given to Becky and me was a financial gi; to be able to travel to Germany to see the places where the Protestant Reforma-on began. We were able to take a tour of Germany in September, visi-ng everywhere from Wi enberg where Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the church that started the Reforma-on, to Wartburg Castle where he translated the New Testament into German. A;er the tour we took a personal trip to Spain for a week. It was wonderful! Becky and I want to say “Thank You” to all the people of Word of Peace Lutheran Church for making it possible for us to take this trip of a life-me. It has been humbling to reflect on the generosity and kindness of this great congrega-on.
Pastor Ron and Becky with the statue of Mar6n Luther and his 95 theses in Wi@enberg, Germany
By God’s Grace, Pastor Ron and Becky Prasek 5
Church School & Confirmation God’s Global Barnyard Each year, our church school children dedicate their weekly offering to God’s Global Barnyard, an ELCA World Hunger Campaign. You can help too! God’s Global Barnyard provides families in need with animals that can make a world of difference. Animals provide food to eat, fer6lizer to grow crops and offspring to sell on the market. With our giKs, we can help a family escape the cycle of hunger and poverty for good. Please visit our God’s Global Barnyard table by the Children & Confirma6on Ministry office. You may purchase animals as Christmas presents to honor people you value and simultaneously change the lives of people around the globe. Printed cards with animals will be available to slide into a Christmas card. You’ll see that animals start as reasonable as $10 for a brood of chicks! For more informa6on contact Kris6n Skare or go to h ps://community. elca.org/elcagoodgi;s
Kids, bring in your church school offering and help kids around the world!
Important Church School and Confirma>on Dates: Sunday, December 7: 8:30am 3 year-olds through Kindergar- Monday, December 15: 5:00pm 2nd through 4th graders sing teners sing in worship. 9:45 & 11:00am 3 year-olds through in worship at 6:30pm. 5:00 students should a end worship 1st graders sing in worship. with their families and come forward to the altar when they are called forward. 6:15 pm 2nd through 4th graders sing in Monday, December 8: 5:00 and 6:15pm 3 year-olds through worship at 6:30pm. 1st graders sing in worship at 6:30pm. 5:00 students should a end worship with their families and come forward to the Sunday, December 21-January 4: No Church School altar to sing when they are called. Monday, December 22-January 5: No Church School Sunday, December 14: 8:30am 1st through 5th graders sing Wednesday, December 24-January 4: No Confirma6on in worship. 9:45 and 11:00am 2nd through 4th graders sing Saturday, January 10 and Sunday, January 11: Affirma6on of in worship. Bap6sm service for 9th grade students. Please pray for these 111 students as they prepare to affirm their faith.
Youth Ministry Upcoming Youth Events MS = Middle School | HS = High School MS: MSM.AM meets on Sunday, December 14 in the Youth Room for food, devo6ons and games. Invite some friends along! MS: Head over to the Rogers Ac6vity Center (RAC) on Thursday, December 11 for concessions, games and hangout 6me with friends! We call it “the LoK” and all middle schoolers are welcome.
6on service hours? Sign up on the Youth bulle6n board to help at Parents Night Out on Saturday, December 19. Volunteer spots go quickly, so sign up now!
Children for some holiday volunteering and then come back to the church for pizza, a Christmas themed movie, and indoor night games. This event is FREE but you must be signed up by December 7 so we have a spot for you at FMSC.
HS: Youth Night is Wednesday, December 10 in the Youth Room from 78pm. Bring your smartphones and get HS: Small Group Bible Study is Sunday, ready for our Instagram Challenge! December 14 from 11am-12pm in the HS: Ugly Sweater Service & Movie Par- Youth Room. We’ll have breakfast, fellowship, and read & discuss a story MS/HS: Looking for a fun way to add ty is Saturday, December 13 from money to your Word of Peace youth 3:30-11pm. Wear your ugly sweaters! in the Bible. All high school students account? Maybe earn some confirma- We’ll head out to Feed My Starving are welcome. Marcus Eads (Middle School) 763-496-2410/meads@woplc.org | Kate Gantz (High School) at 763-496-2430/kgantz@woplc.org wordofpeace.org/middle-school | wordofpeace.org/high-school 6
Seniors Thursday Senior Shop Rogers Bus— Thursdays at 10am, $1.00 per rider. Contact Judy at 763-428-7657. Jammers Potluck & Music—Sunday, 12/7 from 1-5pm (eat at 4pm) at Dayton Senior Center, 18461 Dayton St. (Dec. only) Bring a dish to share. Contact Dave at 763-428-4217. Rogers Senior Dining—Tuesday through Thursday every week at 12:00 noon at the Rogers Community Room. Call at least two days in advance by 2pm for reserva6ons, 763-428-0976. Cost: 55+ $4.00. Under 55 $5.00. Back to the 50’s Sock Hop: Friday, 12/12, 5:30-8pm at the Rogers Community Room. An evening of live music by guitarist Sco@ Fraser and a local barbershop quartet, dancing, refreshments, socializing, and silent auc6on. Dona6ons (collected at the door) and silent auc6on dollars will raise money for students who would like to a@end their
high school prom but can’t afford a 6cket. Transporta6on provided by the Wellstead of Rogers: Autumn Trails and Meadow Trails pick up at 5:30pm. Heritage Place and Pleasant Place pick up at 5:45 pm. No reserva6ons required but be at your building entrance at least 5 minutes before pick-up 6me. The bus will return you home at 7:15 or 7:45. Call Liz at 763-428-0939 with any ques6ons. Fraud Fighter Presenta>on: Wednesday, Dec. 10th at 1:00 pm at the Rogers Community Room, presented by AARP Minnesota and the City of Rogers. Learn how to protect yourself from tricks con ar6sts use, and the latest trends in phone and online scams, etc. Great Decisions: A Global Conversa>on Group - approx. 1 hour monthly foreign policy discussion of important global topics presented by videos, local expert presenta6ons and group discussions. 3rd Wednesday of each month at 10:00
am at the Rogers Community Room. $10 for the book used for 8 topics/8 months. Call Liz 763-428-0939. The Word of Peace Kids-Care Bus takes seniors shopping at Ridgedale every other month. The next trip will be December 9. Cost is $1.00 for the round trip. The bus starts picking up at 9:30am and returns to Rogers by 1:30pm. Call Judy to sign up at 763-428-7657. Please contact Judy Hanson at 763-428-7657 for resource, community or general informa-on for seniors in the Rogers area. To subscribe to the Rogers Senior Newsle er, call 763-241-3520. Or, read it online at Seniors. CityofRogers.org.
Coming in 2015: A New Sunday Morning Study Begins January 11 2015 will be here before we know it! Because of this, we want to give you a heads up on ways that you can study the Bible and grow in faith in the new year. For six weeks, January 11-February 15, we’ll be digging deep into the book of Ephesians through a study en6tled “God’s Extraordinary Church: Readings in Ephesians.” The le@er to the people in Ephesus uses the word “church” more 6mes than any other book in the Bible. Together we’ll explore how God is building a transforma6ve church that is rooted in love through Jesus and through us. Come join in the learning and the conversa6on, Sundays at 9:45am in Room 120!
FAREWELL TOUR Friday, Feb. 8 at Word of Peace www.speedwood.com 7
Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID ROGERS, MN PERMIT NO. 9
Change Service Requested
Sundays 8:30 a.m. Traditional 9:45 a.m. Blended 11:00 a.m. Contemporary Mondays 6:30 p.m. Contemporary
Staff Photo
From the Staff at Word of Peace