PASTOR'S LETTER
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” -- Matthew 2:1-2
One of the wonderful gifts that comes with living in a small town or the countryside is the beauty of the night sky. We can look up on a clear night and see the brightness of the stars and the moon, free from the kind of “light pollution” that larger towns and cities give out. It is an amazing sight, isn’t it, one that we can perhaps take for granted too often. When was the last time that you paused outside in the dark, took a deep breath, and looked up into the heavens?
A colleague of mine met a fellow from California recently. This man had lived a life of wealth in that state during the time when new buildings were going up everywhere and remodeling contracts were coming in everyday. He was in the business of installing custom countertops for kitchens and was able to make quite a good living. He had a house both in this country and in Mexico, he owned several cars and had all the other kinds of things someone would want.
When the housing crisis came and the recession hit, all of the orders for countertops dried up. He went from having a booming business to knowing just a trickle of revenue. He ended up losing all of what he had, moving to a different state and becoming a truck driver. My colleague happened to talk with him while he was loading up a shipment of bees to take back to California. The man reflected on these last years and said this – “Sometimes, God has to knock you down flat on your back so that you can see the stars once again.”
As people, we do keep busy with all of the plans in our lives. We do our work as best we can, we take care of our families as we are able, and we praise and thank God for his goodness and mercy. We will have those times when we are humbled by the smallness of our endeavors when compared to the beauty and the greatness of the stars in the sky. We can see that these lights will always be on and will shine for our whole lifetimes and beyond. They were hung there by a God who lasts for all eternity and they will be taken down at a time of his choosing.
The great gift of Advent and Christmas is that we are called to follow this star to Bethlehem as well. We are called to tell one another that indeed, a child is born this day in a stable, in a manger for all of the world to see. Each of us can tell the story to another person, about how the brightness and radiance of the Savior is present and alive. Maybe we tell it best when we have been knocked down a bit – or maybe we hunger and thirst for it best when we are down on our luck in return. Regardless of our situation or our setting, we enter into this season with the hope that is ours through our Lord Jesus Christ.
May you and all of your family be blessed this holiday season,
Pastor Daniel Ostercamp
Dates of interest:
Dec. 27 - Annual Reports Due
NOON Dec. 30 - 2011 Financial Books close
Jan. 9 - 2011 Financial Reports Due
January 15 - Annual report available
January 22, 2012 - Annual meeting 11:00am
Sunday School News
The Sunday School children have started practicing their songs and memorized parts for the Sunday School Christmas program to be held on December 18 during the 9 a.m. worship service here at St. John’s. Please invite all your neighbors, friends, and family to enjoy this wonderful production that the kids are working so hard on.
During the month of December the Sunday School children will be studying about miracles! How is it possible that the Creator of the universe would send his only Son to a world that hates him? Why would a teenage, unwed girl say “yes” to the call to be the mother of Jesus? How come lowly shepherds get the first news of the new baby? And do you think some kings would really travel all that way following a star? The birth of our Lord and Savior is truly a miracle, one that we can only be humbled and thankful for!
May you all enjoy the miracles that our Lord gives us each day and especially here at Christmas time! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Shannon Garduno
Superintendent
"HARK! the HERALD ANGELS"
St. John's Lutheran Church
Worship with the Sunday School
December 18, 2011, 9:00am
Fellowship to Follow
Please check the kitchen and take home any
pans and containers that might be yours.
United Methodist Church, Webster
Bethlehem City
Sunday, Dec. 4, 1-5pm
Come and walk through the “Little Town of Bethlehem” with your family and friends. See the live animals as you enter the little town. Apple cider, coffee and cookies will be served. Free-will offering.
Welcome new members to St. John’s Lutheran:
Wallace & Jenean Aadland
Crystal Pies and Ari Sichmeller
Eleanor Koepp (Associate)
They were received into our fellowship on Nov. 13.
Duane & Joan Podoll transferred to
First Lutheran Church, Morris, MN on Nov. 17.
Rejoice, Believers!
Your Light Appears!
St. John’s
ADVENT SING
Sunday, December 11, 2011
3:00pm
Children’s Choir, Junior Choir,
Youth Choir, Senior Choir, and
Junior, Youth, and Senior Bell Choirs
A worship service for all members of
St. John’s and the Webster area community.
Please celebrate this season with the
choirs of St. John’s.
Coffee Fellowship afterwards.
H2H Update
December 7
Jesus the Lord
Supper 6:00
Event 6:30
December 18
Luther League Christmas Party
11:00 am
Pizza will be provided.
December 14, 21, 28 Christmas Break
Thank you to all who sent cards and flowers, made phone calls, and kept me in their prayers. Also, thank you to Mark, Doug, Nick, and Margaret for leading the choirs.
I am so thankful to the Lord for His care and healing.
Suzanne Olawsky
We would like to thank the wonderful people at St. John’s for all the cards, gifts, and phone calls for our 60th anniversary. God Bless each and everyone of you.
Glen & Jeanette Loterbauer
Christmas Cookie Exchange
For coffee fellowship on Sunday, December 25, let’s have a Christmas cookie exchange . People who come that day could bring a few cookies to share after worship.
Women of the ELCA Notes:
The women of St. John’s seem to be busy! Quilters, circle meetings, monthly W/ELCA assembly and serving in so many ways. And last but not least being in Prayer for many of our church membership and beyond.
We want to remind those that are on the telephone calling list for Serving Groups to be sure you contact every single member in your group. We have heard that some in our membership have never been contacted to do anything. I know it is hard to get people on the phone...busy signals… answering machines...you name it. If you have tried and get no response, then it is the responsibility of the member to make an effort to return your call.
For those of you who knit - a reminder that St. Dysmas Prison ministry needs yarn. They can use any color and any left over from your knitting projects. You can leave yarn at the church labeled ‘for prison ministry.’ We will see to it that it gets to East Side Lutheran in Sioux Falls. In the most recent issue of the SD Synod W/ELCA newsletter the St. Dysmas minister, Marlin Wangsness, thanks the women for the yarn. He said last year the inmates knitted over 2,500 stocking caps to be given away.
For programs for the year 2012, please look for those among us to contribute their talents. You circle members are to be commended for your creativity in programs - even for those that are called ‘meeting programs.’ Such a ‘joy’ to be present for those monthly meetings. Also, there are ideas we have been given from the Retreat at NeSoDak, so contact an officer for some suggestions.
Remember to invite friends to our December 8th Christmas party. Potluck begins at 6:00pm and the “Potluck Gospel Quartet” will be providing the program. There will also be installation of officers. Invite your spouse and friends. All are welcome. Sarah Circle is in charge of the program and the hostess is the Mary-Martha Circle.
Merry Christmas and may God richly bless you. Give thanks to God for his marvelous gifts.
Joy Hagen and Ramona Helgeson
Mission Action Report:
John and Beth Sigdestad were again generous in picking up our Lutheran World Relief boxes on October 7th and hauling them to Watertown where the Prairie Coteau Conference truck was loaded for shipment to Minneapolis.
Items sent were:
164 quilts
2 Blankets
13 personal care kits
22 school kits
60 bars of soap
8 layettes
$150.00 was sent to Project Comfort
for shipping items overseas.
We also presented 14 graduation quilts
5 baby quilts to Sanford Hospital
52 sweatshirt quilts to Orphan Grain Train
24 sweatshirt quilts to Pine Ridge
12 quilts to Watertown Women’s Shelter
Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible. A special thanks to Violet Solsaa for sewing the tops and backs of our sweatshirt quilts and everyone who sewed tops and donated fabrics to our effort.
Janis Berg, Carol McFarland & Joyce Wiemann
OOOPS! A couple work group chairpeople were omitted from the 2012 W/ELCA booklet. Please add to your booklet: Group 4 Carol McFarland and Group 7 Joyce Coyne and Esther Sandve. Thank you!
Gifts and Memorials OCTOBER 2011
In Honor of Dwayne Rehfeld’s birthday
Sharon Michlitsch
For Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month, in memory of little ones who have died and in honor of their families who remember
Revs. Daniel & Kristin Ostercamp
In Memory of Ruby Benfit
David & Margaret Trefz
In Memory of Anna Grimsrud
Russ & Marla Althoff Bonnie C. Anderson
Jeanette Anderson Jan Bergan
Shirley Bollinger LeRoy & Leone Brown
Marvin & LaVonne Bury Lois Carlson
Chuck & Virginia Chilson Irene Cavanaugh
Gibb & Marilyn DeSpiegler Bob & Joyce Coyne
Jay & Selma Evenson Family & Friends
Don & Linda Fleeger Glenn & Joy Hagen
Dave & Cindy Hahler Phyllis Hanse
Ramona Helgeson Elaine Herr
Luella Holden Richard Holden
Joanne Johnson Erma Knutson
Evelyn Likness Allen & Sharon Loe
Don & Becky Mahlen Mavis Mahlen
Sharon Michlitsch Thelma Monshaugen
Leonard & Shirley Naessig Rev. Will & Geri Olsen
Ed & Char Peters Duane & Joan Podoll
Lyle & Linda Reetz Jerry & Carol Richardt
Betty Lou Rohde Jim & Sandra Rood
Evelyn Rye David & Mary Sandve
Marlys Simonson Oscar & Alice Simonson
Violet Solsaa Ed & Yvonne Stahl
Don & Winnie Tvinnereim David & Margaret Trefz
Harvey & Joyce Wiemann Annetta Winkle
Leon & Donna VanderLinden
In Memory of Barbara Jacobson
Chuck & Virginia Chilson Allen & Sharon Loe
Sharon Michlitsch Duane & Joan Podoll
Lyle & Linda Reetz Harvey & Joyce Wiemann
In Memory of Rev John & Lorraine Nicolai
Daryl & Deloris Valsvig
In Memory of LeRome Raeder
Irene Cavanaugh Gary & Vivian DeJong
Jay & Selma Evenson Luella Holden
Don & Becky Mahlen Alice Olson
Albert & Pam Raeder Lyle & Linda Reetz
LeVern & Hazel Syhre David & Margaret Trefz
Leon & Donna Vander Linden
In Memory of Lauretta Schoenbeck
Irene Cavanaugh Marlys Clausen
In Memory of Ardelle Spindler
Bob & Joyce Coyne Don & Linda Fleeger
Glenn & Joy Hagen Phyllis Hanse
Luella Holden Erma Knutson
Harvey & Joyce Wiemann
In Memory of John Van Hunnik
Sharon Michlitsch
In Memory of Doug Weber
David & Mary Weber
We would like to update St. John’s address list for our students in college and our members who may be serving in the military. It you have family in college or the military please leave an address in the church office or e-mail stjohns@itctel.com.
If you wish to adorn the altar with a Poinsettia plant during this Advent season, please fill out this form.
Return this form to the office by
Sunday, December 18, 2011.
(Information for bulletin)
Poinsettia given......
In memory of ____________________________
_______________________________________
In honor of ______________________________
_______________________________________
Given by _______________________________
Poinsettias can be brought to the church before Christmas Eve. Please make arrangements to pick up your plant sometime after the 9:00am worship service on Christmas Day.
THANK YOU for sharing a Poinsettia!
FINANCIAL REPORT
Income
Oct. 22 & 23 $4,037.50
29 & 30 3,519.00
Nov. 5 & 6 6,559.95
12 & 13 3,903.40
19 & 20 5,471.00
26 & 27 2,179.51
Weekly budget for 2011 $5,094.23
CHURCH COUNCIL - Nov. 8, 2011
Present: T. Anderson, E. Gravley, B. Lux, M. Matthews,
C. Nelson, D. Rehfeld, J. Snell, B. Stulken, Rev. D.
Ostercamp, Rev. K. Ostercamp, T. Mikkelsen, L. Parker
Absent: N. Fosheim, M. Gusenius
COUNCIL NOTES: discussed commitment card numbers; Caring for Inactive Members Course Session 1 on Nov. 15; Sunday School program on Dec. 18, 9:00am; Mission of the Month in Dec. is Global Barnyard/ELCA Good Gifts, Jan. is camperships; annual meeting will be Jan. 22, 11:00am; discussed Bible camp sponsorships; discussed 2012 budget; additional new members for this Sunday are Crystal Pies and Ari Sichmeller; ‘Use of Facilities’ requests - two weddings in 2012; next meeting Monday, Dec. 9, 7:00pm.
Making God’s House a Home:
Caring for Inactive Members
Our first experience with this Stephen Ministries course is underway at St. John’s. The Evangelism Committee hopes to build our “caring capacity” at our congregation by offering this material several times per year. Gene Gaikowski, Glenn and Joy Hagen, Betty Lou Rohde, Yvonne Stahl, Donna Vander Linden and Pastor Daniel are the initial participants. Please pray for good fruit!
MEN’S MINISTRY UPDATES
Sunday Night Bible Study
This month, our 6:00pm group finishes the Gospel of Luke and starts to read about the birth of the church.
Sunday, Dec. 4 Luke 24:13-35 Road to Emmaus
Sunday, Dec. 11 Acts 2:1-41 Pentecost
Sunday, Dec. 18 Acts 2:42-47 Fellowship
Sunday, Dec. 25 Christmas
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
Leviticus offers us a good perspective on what life entailed for a people who were “holy to the Lord.”
Dec. 6 Leviticus 21:1 - 22:16 Rules for Priests
Dec. 13 Leviticus 25:8-55 Year of Jubilee
Dec. 20 Leviticus 27:1-34 Redeeming Values
Dec. 27 Next Book to be Decided Later
Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps
if you are not willing to move your feet!
Lutheran Liturgy
The Kyrie
Matthew 20: 30-31—There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, ‘Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!’ The crowd sternly ordered them to be quiet; but they shouted even more loudly, ‘Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!’
In the mid 1980’s, Mr. Mister recorded a song called “Kyrie”. The chorus is: “Kyrie eleison, down the road that I must travel, Kyrie eleison, through the darkness of the night, Kyrie eleison, where I'm going will you follow, Kyrie eleison, on a highway in the light.” For those who have attended liturgical worship services through the years, the song hit a familiar note. Not many pop groups outside of Greece were singing in the Greek language. Why was Mr. Mister?
“Kyrie eleison” means “Lord have mercy”. It is a cry to God for help and strength. It is a plea for favor from a people seeking the gracious will of their God and king.
In Mr. Mister’s Kyrie, they were asking God to have mercy on their journey. As we gather for worship at St. John’s we do the same. The tune is different. There aren’t too many synthesizers during our services. Yet we sing Kyrie following the opening hymn on most Sundays. We sing “Lord have mercy” as we petition God for peace, salvation, as we pray for the world, for those who have gathered in worship, and for the comfort and grace of God.
There are many variations of Kyrie, different petitions, different tunes. Yet the echo is always the same. Just as the blind men cried out to Jesus as he passed by them on the roadside, we beg mercy from God. We seek mercy in times that can be challenging. We yearn for God’s will to be done among us because despite all our attempts at creating peace in our hearts and peace in our homes, it is only God who can give us mercy.
Thanks be to God!
MISSION OF THE MONTH
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Kenya Children’s Fund during November. We are excited to start a second year of sponsorship for Hopelyn and Wyne. Please look at the bulletin boards for their pictures, drawings and most recently, Christmas cards.
Our mission for December will be “God’s Global Barnyard” through the ELCA Good Gifts program. We will have catalogs available that will show how $10 can buy ten little chicks, $60 can buy two pigs or $175 can buy an alpaca. These animals are examples of gifts that will be sent on our behalf to people who need resources to lift themselves out of hunger and poverty. The donations support long-term, sustainable solutions.
You can choose to make some Christmas gifts to people in your life by giving an animal in their honor. Maybe you know someone who is able to “get your goat” and you can return the favor by placing a goat in their name to help a family. Gift cards will be available that you can use to send an announcement.
You can also share a gift that the Sunday School students can designate in January. When we are able to total the money from our special offerings and from coin boxes we will send home, we will then choose the kinds of animals we wish to share.
God’s grace, peace and goodness be with you always!
GREETERS IN DECEMBER
4: Glenn & Joy Hagen
11: Dan & Sue Menking
18: Don & Becky Mahlen
24: 5:00 Wally & Myrtis Hanson
10:30 Gene & Nancy Gaikowski
25: Chuck & Gloria Sichmeller
DECEMBER ACOLYTES
4: Damian Coon
Tanner Valsvig
11: McKenzie Volesky
Jake Sauer
18: Taylor Eberline
Dawson Anderson
24: Mike Gravley (5:00pm)
Jake Sauer
Sami Chastain (10:30pm)
25:
DECEMBER USHERS
Lonnie Vander Linden - Head
Kurt & Chris Gravley
Don & Marcus Mahlen
Keith & Lucy Parker
Jerry Richardt
Ed Stahl
Todd Vander Linden
FELLOWSHIP SERVERS IN DECEMBER
4: Sandy & Terry Anderson
Elaine Bistodeau
Marie & Lonnie Johnson
11: Joyce & Harvey Wiemann
Cindy & Don Wolter
Carol Youell
18: Youth of St. John’s
25: Christmas Cookie Exchange
Claudette & Dwayne Rehfeld
ALTAR COMMITTEE IN DECEMBER
Barb Fosheim
David Fosheim
Pam Page
Bob Page