December 2007 Newsletter Contents [Newsletter Archive]
Pastor's Article	Vicar's Article
Christian Education	Parish Notes
Portals of Prayer

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PASTOR'S ARTICLE

HARDLY SORRY?

It's a problem that doesn't exist in Divine Services I, II, or IV in LSB. It's only in DS III and V. Both of these latter Divine Services repeats the old confession of sins that I grew up with from The Lutheran Hymnal. As a small child I never bothered to open the hymnal for the liturgy because I knew it by heart, as did nearly everybody in those days. That was a good thing most of the time, but probably by the time I was seven or eight I began wondering exactly what we were saying because a particular part of it didn't make sense to me. It went along:

O almighty God, merciful Father, I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment.

But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them.

But I am hardly sorry for them . . .

In a way, that may be the way many people tend to look at sin. They can admit the first part of it all, that they are poor, miserable sinners. After all, who is so foolish as to never admit to doing something wrong? Get together in a group of people on Sunday morning and recite the words of the entrance rite, speaking these exact words, and very few, if any, will opt out of speaking them. "Sure, we're all sinners." No danger in saying that. Even the best Pharisee can speak those words. There's safety in numbers to be sure.

The problem comes in the next part. Am I heartily sorry for them? Do I really mean it, or am I just blowing smoke hoping to fool God and others? God knows and you know, too. You can probably fool many of the other people by this.

Advent exists in the Church as a time of preparation for the coming of the Christ. Advent is a penitential season, worldly appearances to the contrary. The world isn't thinking repentance at this time of year, but parties and good times. Office parties, open houses with friends and neighbors, and whatever else is associated with the season makes up the focus for most people. "We're having a Christmas party at our house this weekend. Come on over!" What if we were to say, "We're getting together to reflect on our sins and why it was necessary for Jesus to become incarnate. How about joining us?" I can safely say that probably nobody would show up. Besides, the basketball season has started and many will be found worshiping in that other secular temple. Heartily sorry? Surely, you must be kidding!

It isn't necessary for you to do this at home. No, the Church provides those opportunities for you to reflect on your sins and the necessity of Christ becoming incarnate in order to earn your forgiveness. The Advent hymnody of the Church does a really good job of focusing on all this, but alas, most people-even in the Church!-don't want to sing those; they want the songs of Christmas! Coming to Private Confession would take your time and you've got more important things to do. Unfortunately, not one of those more important things will benefit you spiritually. Heartily sorry? I doubt that John the Baptizer would be convinced:

Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham." (Luke 3:8, ESV)

But I am hardly sorry for them! This seems to fit better, doesn't it? This way I don't have be bothered with that kind of preparation for Christmas. I can skip the Advent Vespers altogether and even the Sunday Divine Service. And Private Confession is for those people "who have a problem." But not me! After all, I am hardly sorry for my sins.

Dear friends, much of what I have written above is full of sarcasm. It is meant to be sarcastic. It is meant to get your attention. I've tried hinting, cajoling, and other devices. As your pastor I am very concerned about your spiritual welfare and for your preparation for The Nativity of Our Lord. As the years have gone by I have witnessed the decline of attendance at Advent Vespers and Christmas Divine Services. It can be traced to the lack of spiritual preparation.

The people who were heartily sorry for their sins asked John:

""What then shall we do?" And he answered them, "Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise." Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Collect no more than you are authorized to do." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages."" (Luke 3:10-14, ESV)

Anything less is being hardly sorry.

Pastor Meyer

VICAR'S ARTICLE

ZACCHAEUS

²A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. ⁴So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. (Luke 19:2-4)

What makes a hero? Some might say that police officers, fire fighters, and soldiers are heroes, because they put their lives on the line every day and fight for our freedom. Others might say that world class athletes are heroes because of their physical superiority and abilities in competition. Still others would credit good parents and those who faithfully serve each day as a hero. Perhaps within the church, you might even see your pastor as a hero. Why would we add a man such as Zacchaeus to this list, since most of us have heard very little of him?

We can look up to Zacchaeus (figuratively speaking) because he allowed God to work in his life. He didn't do so perfectly, and he fell and stumbled a lot along the way, but he's a hero nonetheless for trusting God. We also stumble and mess up all the time in our walk with God, but this doesn't make us any less Christian, and it certainly doesn't mean that we're not equally loved by Him.

When the Gospel writers really want something to be known, it usually appears more than once between the four books. Take, for instance, the feeding of the 5000 by Jesus. This occurs in each of the Gospels and is a crucial part of His ministry. Zacchaeus, on the other hand, is only in one of the gospels (Luke) and he only gets about ten verses, which are mostly filled with the words of Christ (which we don't mind at all). On the surface, it doesn't seem like he did anything at all, but his story is one worthy of mention. Zacchaeus was a tax collector by profession, one of the most despised and hated of all occupations. His job, essentially, was to make sure that people were paying their tributes to Herod. He was almost a reverse Robin Hood, always taking from the poor and giving to the rich, and he also became quite wealthy, as you can imagine.

Zacchaeus wasn't just any tax collector, but the chief tax collector in the city of Jericho, no less. What was significant about Jericho? "Jericho was a well-known toll place in Palestine, especially for goods passing east and west between Judea and Perea" (NAC 467). Zacchaeus is also the only person in the entire Bible and all of ancient Greek literature who's considered a chief tax collector, so he can be assumed wealthy and prominent in the community. We can almost see his role as a representative of all sinners in response to Jesus.

"He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way" (Luke 19:3-4). Here we get even more information about Zacchaeus. For starters, he's not a tall man. On the contrary, he's short. This has little impact on his character, but it does give credibility to the fact that he had to climb a tree to see Jesus. What's wrong with this picture? Do men of status climb trees? Shouldn't he be able to just elbow his way through the crowd, authoritative as his position was? Whether or not he could've used his position to get to the front of the line, he doesn't. His urgency to see the Lord was so great that he resorted to climbing up a tree just to get a look at Him. Do we ever feel this urgency in our lives? We constantly do things that we're not proud of, and sometimes we do them as part of our profession. This day to day struggle within ourselves can almost push us right into the arms of our Savior, but it can pull us in the other direction also.

I used to work at a high fashion clothing store, which shall remain unnamed. Our duty as sales representatives was to trick, scheme, flatter, and lie so that people would buy things that they didn't need. These tactics are not exclusive to the fashion industry, however, and many sales positions deal with this sort of thing in one way or another. It's literally your job to get people to spend more money than they want to. Now imagine if your job was to take people's money for some grand building fund or simply the king's wishes, and they got nothing in return. At least those whom I "swindled" got to wear nice clothing afterwards. When Zacchaeus was done with someone, they could only look on as the rich got richer, and, well, you know the rest. He must have felt great guilt for this way of life, and wanted to see the One who could cleanse any leper and heal any disease, even death. Surely this Jesus could help him as well!

"When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.' So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner'" (Luke 19:5-7). Jesus was famous for conversing with those whom society rejected, and in doing so, He became another 'rejected' member of society by association. No self respecting man with a reputation such as Jesus' would stay with a hated crook and swindler like Zacchaeus, and yet He does. Christ explains these actions in the fifth chapter of Luke when He's again dining with tax collectors and other sinners. "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:31-32). Christ is on earth to minister to the sick and sinful, and Zacchaeus qualifies.

Now note how Zacchaeus acts. He's overwhelmed and overjoyed that Jesus wants to stay with him. He doesn't drag his feet and feel the need to explain to Jesus what kind of scoundrel he's been, and Jesus doesn't ask him. He simply takes care of Christ and is glad to be around Him. We can take a lesson from this. So many hesitate their coming to Christ because they think He won't want them with all that they've done, but here's proof that such a thing needn't be worried about. Christ is ready and willing to accept them and us with open arms. When I decided to become a pastor, I figured that I'd meet quite a bit of resistance. After all, I didn't fit the 'profile' of a holy man of God. This was the beginning of my understanding of what it takes to serve God. He calls sinners, of whom I am one. He uses us for His divine purposes, and much good can come out of our less-than-perfect efforts. So what happens to Zacchaeus next?

Tax collectors did what they did out of greed and love of state. It's one of those jobs where if you think about it too much, you're likely to feel the pangs of guilt. One is certainly better off taking the money and moving on. Zacchaeus has had a change within himself, however, and this becomes very apparent through his next statement. "Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, 'Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount'" (Luke 19:8). Just this small time with Jesus has helped him to see that his lifestyle is contrary to Jesus' preaching and teaching. Zacchaeus is ready to live his life for Christ and his neighbor, a sure sign of true repentance. He'll certainly not be able to do so perfectly, but here's a good start. He's giving all of his excess money to those who can use it, and he's going to make reparations to those whom he's swindled. This is the beginning of a new life for Zacchaeus, one that'll be for others as well, and will be centered on Christ and His teachings.

Christ closes this section of scripture by stating his purpose with Zacchaeus. "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:9-10). Zacchaeus, yes even sinful Zacchaeus (and any one of you who feel as if you're the same way) is one of Christ's sheep. As their Faithful Shepherd, Christ will neither leave nor forsake them. Zacchaeus is a true 'son of Abraham,' because He realizes who Abraham's Father is-none other than Jesus Christ.

So what's a hero? Certainly we can see firefighters, police, pastors, teachers, soldiers, and parents as heroes, but the real hero is the one who believes in Christ's message and lives his life for Him. We are part of the redeemed, and as such we're blessed to live our lives in service to Christ. He's paid the price of our sins in full, and we're the benefactors. Zacchaeus, despite his past, knew this and clung to it. He's a true hero of the faith.

Vicar Heath Trampe

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

[Note: each month we shall endeavor to include a quote from the Lutheran Confessions about important items.]

ATTENTION THRIVENT FINANCIAL FOR LUTHERANS MEMBERS
Thrivent recently announced that they were phasing out the Fraternal Benefit program that made available holiday and inspirational music CD's as well as the many books that were directed towards younger children. These included Mouse Prints, Hush Little One, Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World, and the ever popular Money Smart Kids package which includes a Piggy Bank and a tutorial for parents to teach their children on learning about money. These items will no longer be available when the supply is exhausted and therefore if you are interested in obtaining these free items before they are gone you can click on Thrivent.com, members/chapters, benefits/services for members to learn more about these items and how you can acquire them. You can also call toll free to order by dialing 800-372-8236.

BOOKS FOR SALE - JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!

Lutheran Book of Prayer $4.00
The Defense Never Rests - A lawyer's Quest for the Gospel by Craig A. Parton $11.00
Luther's Large Catechism $8.25
The Spirituality of the Cross by Gene Edward Veith, Jr. $11.00
Lutheran Service Book $20.00
Reading of the Psalms with Luther $15.00

LIBRARY NEWS
These items are new in the library:

CD of the 63rd Regular Convention of LCMS. It is located on the shelf with the other AV items.
An audio tape by Dr. Oswald Hoffman titled Take Heart in Your Grief. There are six personal messages of encouragement. These tapes are also located on the AV shelf.

Catholic Lutheran Protestant by Gregory L. Jackson catalogued at 238J. This is a doctrinal confession of three Christian confessions.
I the Profit by Richard E, Bourele cataloges at 221B. There are dramatic monologs from 12 Old Testament profits.

Dorothy Senff, Librarian

A NOTE FROM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Our Church library has many books for our members to enjoy. Our Board of Education has adopted new rules for borrowing books from the library because some have not returned books in a timely manner and the books end up being lost. Books may be checked out for 30 days with the option to renew if there is no one on the waiting list. A reservation form is available. When checking out a book, please put your name and that day's date on the card. You are then responsible for this book . If the book is lost the book must be replaced or compensation must be made. Please place the books directly in the book return box to ensure proper return. That will prevent the book from being taken before the card has been replaced. Thank you for helping us keep our books available for all to enjoy!

PARISH NOTES

02 December		Advent 1, 10:30 AM			Divine Service
05 December		Wednesday, 7:00 PM			Office of Vespers
09 December		Advent 2, 10:30 AM			Divine Service
12 December		Wednesday, 7:00 PM			Office of Vespers
16 December		Advent 3, 10:30 AM			Divine Service
16 December		Weihnachtsgottesdienst,4:00 PM		German Christmas Service
19 December		Wednesday, 7:00 PM			Children's Christmas Service
23 December		Advent 4, 10:30 AM			Divine Service
24 December		Christmas Eve, 7:00 PM			Divine Service
24 December		Christmas Eve, 11:00 PM			Divine Service
30 December		Christmas 1, 10:30 AM			Divine Service

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CONGREGATIONAL ASSEMBLY
The Annual Meeting of the Congregational Assembly will be held following Divine Service on Sunday, December 2. Major items of discussion will be approval of the slates of nominees for Church Officers for 2008, approval of the annual budget for 2008, reports from the various congregational boards, and preliminary discussion on the plans for repair and renovation of the sanctuary.

Reminder: Communicant members wishing to become a voting member of the Assembly, need to have read Immanuel's constitution and by-laws and place their signature to that effect on the membership list. If you wish to do so, please see Leslie Bilyeu in the Church Office prior to the meeting.

Congregational members 18 years or older are eligible to be become Adult Members of the Assembly, and those communicant members under the age of 18 are eligible to become Advisory Members.

SLATE OF NOMINEES FOR CHURCH OFFICERS 2008 TO BE PRESENTED AT THE CONGREGATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEETING, DECEMBER 2, 2007
Nominees for Council of Deacons (3-year terms)

Dave Miller
David Robinson
Jim Russler

Chairman: Kris Bilyeu
Treasurer: Flynn Snyder
Secretary: Deb Riedel

NOTE: No one may hold more than one office, including that of Deacon, at any given time.

COUNCIL OF DEACONS REPORT FOR OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 2007

The Council of Deacons met on 20 October and 10 November 2007.
• The Council continued its study of the Book of Concord, discussing Article XXIV and XXV of the Augsburg Confession.
• Pastor Meyer reported that several inactive members who have not been present and have not responded to our inquiries for several years will be removed from the membership rolls. Several of the interior doors in the narthex are in need of repair and will need to be replaced because they open both inwardly and outwardly and thus are in violation of fire code. Fred Jahnke of Potente Studios was scheduled to visit on Thursday, October 25th, and the color board rendering of the renovation as suggested by Potente has arrived and will be displayed. He also reported that he had given a presentation on the hymns of Paul Gerhardt at the recent Good Shepherd Institute held at the Fort Wayne Seminary.
• Chairman Ron Dunbar reported that a nominating committee consisting of Pastor, Ron Dunbar, Kris Bilyeu and Bill Davis was formed to draft a slate of nominees to replace those Church Officers whose term expires in January 2008, and that the slate had been prepared. Nominees to fill the three vacant slots on the Council of Deacons were Dave Miller, David Robinson, and Jim Russler, and the nominees for the Officers of the Congregational Assembly were: Chairman, Kris Bilyeu; Treasurer, Flynn Snyder; and Secretary, Deb Riedel. The council approved both slates, and they will be presented at the Congregational Assembly for approval in December.
• Some preliminary planning was done for the annual Congregation Assembly meeting, which is scheduled for Sunday, December 2 after Divine Service. Committee budgets were brought forth and discussed. It was felt that, due a host of unanswered questions, it was likely that any detailed presentation on repair and renovation plans would likely need to be postponed until early January.
• It was suggested that, for part of the 150th year celebration, we could commission a hymn in recognition of the 150th anniversary of the congregation as part of the sesquicentennial celebration year. Cost would likely run around $500.
• Chairman of the Board of Outreach, Assimilation and Fellowship, Brad Cress, reported that there was preliminary interest for an updated pictorial directory for the Immanuel, with costs to be borne by individuals purchasing portraits.
• Membership on the Boards of OAF and Property and Grounds needs to be increased, and young people should be encouraged to serve on these boards.
• There was some discussion of the possibility of a Christmas carol and hymn sing, and that it might be best to combine that with an Advent dinner, although we may need to wait until next year, due to time constraints. There was also some discussion of ways in which we could procure a rental organ for the time period in which sanctuary would be vacated.
• The next meeting of the Council was set for Saturday, December 1st.

Ron Dunbar, Chairman, Council of Deacons

OUTREACH, ASSIMILATION & FELLOWSHIP MINUTES - November 14, 2007
• The meeting started at 6:35 with Early Evening Prayer. Attending were Pastor Meyer, Vicar Trampe, Brad and Kara Cress, Aunnee Trampe, Leslie Bilyeu, Jaymie Duerlinger, Chuck and Nancy Roush and Kristin Schulz.
• Minutes from October were read and approved with spelling changes made to Aunnee and Kristin's names.
• The Reformation Dinner went well with very few leftovers.
• The mass E-mail system was used and worked well. A reminder of the Reformation Dinner was sent and some additional members signed up via E-mail response. The auto-call system was not a free trial and had a cost involved so it was not pursued.
• Chuck Roush has talked to Baeslers and he's not ready to start the Scrip program yet. The Kroger gift cards are going well though. Our total donation from Kroger is $733.50 since June. There are still three cards available for sale in the Church office.
• Leslie was volunteered to take the Safe Serve course at Ivy Tech. It's two classes followed by a test. The certificate is good for 5 years. This will prepare us for any rule changes by the Board of Health regarding churches hosting dinners.
• The new pictorial directory is still being developed. Several companies have given us information. It appears most of the directory will be done online regarding layout and submission of photos.
• Themes were chosen for both Advent dinners. Dec. 5th will be a baked potato/salad bar. Dec. 12th is to be a breakfast buffet. There will be cookie decorating at each dinner with the cookies being frozen for use at the Children's Service. Members wishing to sing Christmas carols are invited to join Hoi Polloi. Meet at the church at 4pm on Dec. 8th. Caroling will take place at Westminster Village at 5:00pm. OAF will look into hosting some sort of informal "Carols and Cookies at Immanuel" during Advent 2008.
• Flyers for the Dec. 16th German Service were distributed for posting in the community. There will be an insert in the bulletin for refreshment donations.
Darryl Harris has said he will get the Christmas tree. Set up is evening Dec.14th. Morning Dec.15. is decorating tree and sanctuary. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
• Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 6th. Cinnamon rolls from Springhill Bakery will be served after the service. There are 5 dinners and we will be asking for hosts for each dinner. The first dinner is Feb. 13th.
• We are contacting the Trexler family about a funeral dinner following Bill's service this Saturday Nov 17th. Leslie will contact people to help if needed. Jaymie is looking into another Habitat for Humanity day for this spring.
• There will be no meeting in December.
• Next meeting date to be announced later.

Respectfully submitted,
Brad Cress, Deacon of OAF

BOARD OF EDUCATION
What a wonderful, enjoyable blessing the Cress and Lux families experienced Sunday evening October 21. Vicar Trampe's 500pm college student class came to our home for their Sunday meal and class, but this time they had to help cook and it was over an open fire. I came away from this experience with a renewed idea of what our young people are. Through the guidance and leadership of our future clergy it is very encouraging to view the paths that our young people are taking. The young people in attendance and the Trampes are truly blessings that we can readily see and be proud. Sign up to bring a meal to these folks and view for yourselves.

Didache has seven students - three for credit and four auditing.

Books are not being returned to the library!!!! At the November 13 BofE meeting a motion was passed "The person who checks out a book is responsible for it and needs to replace it, if it is not returned within 30 days".

All current 2007 BofE members have indicated their continued membership on the board. Thank you members.

We still need Sunday school students. Remember our obligations that we have committed to in our life with Christ.

Upcoming dates
Decorate the Christmas tree Dec 15
German Service Dec 16
Children's Christmas Service Dec 19
Undecorate Christmas tree Jan 06 after DS
Next BofE meeting January 08, 2008

God's blessings
Chuck Lux, Deacon Board of Education

BOARD OF PROPERTY & GROUNDS
Meeting minutes from 6 November 2007. Review of active and new projects.

Sealing the area around the door steps in the west alley to prevent water leakage into the basement is scheduled for spring of 2008.
Requested more quotes on replacing the refrigerator in the kitchen. Current quotes appear high.
Ceiling tile in the parish center that was soiled by water leaks or damaged were replaced.
A transformer in a flood light on the outside of the parish center was replaced.
A photo cell controlling the parking lot lighting was replaced.
We had a discussion on moving the pews to the parish center during the renovation of the Sanctuary. Darryl suggested we use inmates from the prison to help handle the pews. All agreed. Darryl will follow up and report back to the board.
The ceiling plaster in the area above the steps leading from the entrance to the sacristy to the upstairs classrooms is loose and has been falling on the steps and floor. It may have been from previous water leaks. Cause is being investigated.

Jim Senff, Deacon of Property & Grounds

WE NEED YOUR INPUT AND SUGGESTIONS
As you have probably noticed, the interior of the sanctuary is in grave need of repair, in particular the plaster on the ceilings and walls. The carpeting was installed nearly 40 years ago and is also showing real signs of wear. The Council of Deacons is considering several options in this regard and has contacted Potente Studios, the contractors who performed our last major renovation 25 years ago, for some ideas and estimates.

Potente has prepared an artist's rendering of their color and flooring suggestions. Their suggestion for flooring was a mixture of carpeting in the aisles along with hard surface flooring under the pews and possibly in the chancel to improve acoustics. The photos they have provided of similar flooring elsewhere look quite nice. Their suggestion for the necessary re-painting after the plaster repair was to keep the same general look of the sanctuary but to highlight the arches and also to replace the glass in the suspended lights with clear glass to increase the level of light.

The artist's rendering has been placed in the Parish Center for everyone to see. Please take a moment to look it over, and remember that this is only one suggested version of what the finished product might look like. We welcome any suggestions you might have in this regard, and we will discuss the matter in greater detail at the annual meeting of the Congregational Assembly on December 2nd.

The Council of Deacons

HOI POLLOI
The Hoi Polloi will be caroling on December 8th at Westminster Village at 5:00. Anyone wishing to join them may meet at the church at 4:00 to warm up their voices.

CHILDREN'S SERVICE REHEARSAL
The Children's Service will be held on December 19th at 7:00pm. Practices have already begun and will continue as listed below. Please have your child to Sunday School on time so they don't miss these important practices.

December 2 9-9:20 & 10-10:15
December 5 6:30-6:50 following Advent dinner
December 9 9-9:20 & 10-10:15
December 12 6:30-6:50 following Advent dinner
December 16 9-9:20 & 10-10:15
December 16 12:00 lunch and full rehearsal

Please see Stacy Gibbens or Aunnee Trampe if you have any questions.

FELLOWSHIP BOARD ACTIVITIES
The month of December is a very busy month for everyone, including the members of the Fellowship Board. Many activities have been planned and volunteers are needed. Please consider helping.

Midweek Advent Dinners-Dec. 5 & 12, served from 5:30-6:30. Decorate cookies for the Children's Service. Use dinner time to visit with other members, meet new people, help clean up!
Decorate the Sanctuary- December 14th put up tree and lights. Saturday the 15th, decorate tree and hang other greenery.
German Service- Sunday, December 16th at 4:00. Come early to help decorate tables, donate baked German items. Meet the visitors that come to this service every year.
Children's Service- Wednesday December 19th at 7:00pm. Donate cookies for reception.
Undecorate- January 6th following Divine Service. Lunch will be served.

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS
Poinsettia plants will be used to beautify our chancel for the Christmas Services. If you would like to memorialize or donate a plant, please see Kathy in the church office. Cost of each plant is $7.00. Your plant may be taken home following our 11:00pm Christmas Eve service.

WEIHNACTSGOTTESDIENST
Our annual German Christmas Service is scheduled for Sunday, 16 December at 4:00 P.M. Again, there will be an English translation provided those with little or no German ability. After the service, we will host a time of Gemόtlichkeit, a time of fellowship. We'll serve authentic German pastries as well as some American goods. If you could help us with donations of baked goods, please contact the Church office.

2008 FLOWER CALENDAR
The new flower chart for next year has been posted on the rear wall of the narthex. Cost is $16 per week. Please sign up for those Sundays you wish to donate. Any memorials must be reported to the church office the Tuesday before the Sunday you have chosen.

2008 OFFERING ENVELOPES
Watch for your offering envelopes, which will be placed on a table in the narthex by December 16th. Please pick yours up so we can avoid the extra cost of mailing them. Do not use these envelopes until January, since you most likely will have a new number. If you do not find envelopes, please call the church office.

TABLE TALK

Martin Luther used to sit around the dinner table and talk for hours with his friends about all kinds of topics, some of them merely reflections on what was happening in their society. In Luther's Works, American Edition, this is called "Table Talk," from the German Tischreden, which can be translated as "after dinner talk." In that spirit we include this monthly column.

Confusion over gender and how it affects who may be considered a clergy person continues to plague the United Methodist Church. Recently a council of that denomination decided to allow a transgendered minister to keep his/her job but refused to address whether or not this change violated their rules. The Rev. Drew Phoenix, who used to be the Rev. Ann Gordon, has been allowed to stay in his/her position because the denomination doesn't have a rule forbidding it. At the same time, the denomination says it does not allow "practicing" gay clergy nor does it support same-sex unions. Meanwhile, the lay president of the judicial council which decide such cases bowed out of the meeting because he has been critical of homosexual activity. Said doctor has also been nominated to be U.S. Surgeon General.

SMILES
Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?
Noah, because he was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.

What is the clue the God is a coffee and/or beer drinker? He-brews!

Sign in the narthex of a sanctuary: Come early if you want a seat in the back.

Shin - Device for finding furniture in the dark

Energizer bunny arrested, charged with battery.