A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

The late musical storyteller Harry Chapin wrote and sang: "All my life's a circle, sunrise and sundown. . . . The season's spinnin' 'round again, the years keep rollin' by."

We have come full-circle in the life of the church year, and this weekend, we start the story all over again. This Sunday is the First Sunday in Advent; the color for the season is blue (hope); and the worship theme as embodied in our lessons is KEEP ALERT AND AWAKE! For we begin the new year watching and preparing for the daily and final coming of Christ.

This Sunday:

+ Christmas Pageant Rehearsal – 11:45 a.m., in the sanctuary; lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to Rachel Spry by this Saturday. If you forget to reply or discover at the last minute your youth is able to attend, there will be enough food for all.
+ Adopt-A-Family Tag Tree – there are still gift tags on the tree in the narthex, and this is the final week! Make sure you pull a tag this weekend.
+ St. Olaf Choir Simulcast – the world-renown St. Olaf (Lutheran) University Choir will present its Christmas Fest Concert this Sunday, and it is being simulcast in two local movie theaters: Hollywood (Farifield Commons) and Dayton South Showcase. Cost is $20/ticket. Elyse Fenstermacher, a junior at St. Olaf, is a member of the Choir.

New Sunday (Dec. 9)

+ Congregational Meeting – we will be "called to order" immediately following the late service to elect 5 new congregation council members. The five nominees are:

Chris Becker (2008-2009)
Wes Boord (2008-2010)
Sonia Davila (2008-2010)
Michelle Jackson Haun (2008-2010)
Nancy Henry (2008-2010)

+ ADVENTure Awaiting – our annual Advent Festival will be held in the fellowship hall after the congregational meeting. Youth are preparing food, and the silent auction and Advent/Christmas workshop will be held. Proceeds from the silent auction will benefit our Adopt-A-Family program; donations for the food will go toward the 2008 Youth Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic.
+ Chrismon Trees – anyone who can spare an extra 30-40 minutes after ADVENTure Awaiting is invited to help erect the new, pre-lit Chrismon trees in the sanctuary.

Deadlines
Christmas Eve Bulletin Drawings – Sunday, December 9 is the deadline to submit your artwork (children and youth) to the church office. Forms are available on the tables in the narthex or in the office.
Christmas Poinsettias – Sunday, December 9 is the deadline to submit your green reservation form and $7/plant to the church office. Forms are also on tables in the narthex or in the office.

Christmas Caroling
Saturday, December 8, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. – join the Holy Terrors children's group as we share the Good News of God in Christ in musical form with some of our homebound members. Then, at 3:00 p.m., we'll invade a local ice cream store for ice cream! All ages are invited to join us for this event.

Join me in faithfully starting the New Church Year by gathering in worship this Saturday or Sunday!

In Christ's Peace,
Gary

Advent Begins this Sunday

A new church year begins this Sunday, December 2. That day is the first Sunday of Advent. The liturgical color for Advent is blue, which is used to symbolize hope. (For more information on the use of liturgical colors, visit the ELCA's web site.) During Advent, the background color of this blog will be blue.

During Advent this year, we will use Setting Five of the Communion Service from ELW. This setting is based on plain chant, and is largely the same as Setting III in the LBW and one of the settings in the old "red book." In this setting, the Lord's Prayer is chanted by the congregation and the pastor. We haven't chanted the Lord's Prayer before, so this will be a new experience for some of the people attending our services. Some members have, however, visited other churches where the Lord's Prayer is chanted, and found the practice meaningful. The tune that is used is simple and beautiful.

The Color Red

The liturgical color for Reformation Sunday is red, the color used for Pentecost and for remembrance of martyrs. For more information on the use and meaning of liturgical colors, click on this link for a discussion on the ELCA web site.

The Color Green

If you've come to this site before, you'll notice that we've changed the color scheme to green.

Green is the liturgical color that is used by many denominations, including the ELCA, during the Sundays after Pentecost. The Gospel readings that are read during worship in this season emphasize the teachings and ministry of Christ. The color green is used to symbolize our growth in faith as we experience these readings in worship.

If you come to our services next weekend, you'll see that the paraments that hang on the altar, lecturn, and pulpit have been changed to green, as well as Pastor Gary's stole and chasuble. The next changes will occur in the fall when we celebrate Reformation (red), All Saint's Day (white), and the festival of Christ the King (white), then turn to blue for Advent.

For more information on the meaning and use of liturgical colors, click on this link to go to the ELCA's FAQs about worship: Liturgical Colors.