12-14-2014 Announcements

IN YOUR DAILY PRAYERS this week please remember all who are recovering from surgery and illness as well as those in cancer treatment programs, our shut-in and inactive members, and at least 2 family members or friends in your life who do not yet know Christ.

THE LORD’S SUPPER at St. Paul Lutheran Church is administered in accordance with the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.  It is celebrated in the confidence that we receive – in, with and under the consecrated bread and wine – our Savior’s true Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins.  All who commune at this altar are making this public confession of the faith that we believe and teach as is written in the Holy Scriptures.  If you are not a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church and yet desire to receive the Sacrament, please speak with the Pastor before the worship service.

Main Street Living – Dec. 14^th – The featured speaker is Rev. Aaron Asmus of Memorial Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls.  The program is interpreted for the hearing impaired.

ADVENT MIDWEEK SERVICES – We will gather at 7:00 p.m. this Wednesday for our 3^rd and final Advent midweek worship service.  At 5:45 p.m. we will also provide a soup and sandwich supper for all who wish to get together for a light meal.  The theme for this year’s Advent services is “Women of Faith.”  Please join us and please bring a friend or relative to share in this opportunity for worship and fellowship!

CHRISTMAS FUND – Through Dec. 28^th we will be accepting freewill offerings to replenish our Christmas Fund.  These monies will be used to replace or repair our Advent and Christmas decorations, as needed, as well as to purchase the Children’s Christmas Program gift bag items.  The offering basket is on a table in the Fellowship Hall.

CHRISTMAS PROJECT for Ladies Aid this year is Brad Lessman from Spearfish who is  in his final year at Fort Wayne Seminary. There will be a basket in the Fellowship Hall  on Dec. 14th and 21st if you are interested in contributing to this cause.  Ladies Aid will match any funds collected. 

THE CARING/GIVING TREE is set up in the fellowship hall. Please help the Sunday school classes fill the tree to benefit others in need stay warm and clean. We are asking for new items of warmth and any basic hygiene items.  All donations will be taken to local food pantries or shelters. Thank you in advance.

CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
Practice schedule:
Sunday Dec 14
PreK-1st 10:45 -11:45 with lunch provided
 3-8th 10:45 - 1 with lunch provided
Wednesday Dec 17 All kids 5-6:15p.m
Sunday Dec 21 All kids 10:45- ? with lunch provided
Christmas Eve Program at 7p.m

ST PAUL COOKBOOKS -  The Samaritan group will be selling cookbooks after church the next few Sundays. Nice $20 gift for Christmas.  Christmas savings - buy multiples and save 2- $35 and 3- $50

ADVENT DEVOTIONAL BOOKLETS (written by Lutheran Hour Ministries) were distributed after last week’s worship service.  Additional copies are in the library.

THANK YOU to everyone who helped us celebrate our 50^th wedding anniversary.  And thank you for your cards and messages; you made our day very special!  May God bless all of you!  (s) Harlin and Joan Neuharth

SURVEY – Final Call! – The Board of Elders is planning to open and recap the surveys on Dec. 19^th so please complete and return them if you haven’t already.  Only about 1/4^th of the surveys have been returned so far.  Thanks for your input and your help!

The CONFIRMATION PICTURE PROJECT is finally done!  Of the 83 possible years for which we have a written record of confirmands, we have 73 of the class pictures; thus, there were 10 years for which we were unable to locate a picture.  Some of the earlier missing pictures are unavailable because none were taken for those years.  The 10 missing years are 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1941, 1942, 1952, 1988, 1989 and 1995.  In addition to the 73 class pictures of our confirmation students, Pastor Borglum was also able to locate pictures of all 16 of our prior called pastors going back to 1882.  The pictures have been resized and their colors corrected (because of fading, sunlight exposure, etc.) as best as he could and are hanging in the Fellowship Hall.  Please feel free to browse through them at your convenience.

SMH ANGEL TREE – During the Christmas season, the Salem Mennonite Home will be decorating an “Angel Tree” in our Home to raise funds to purchase a Nu-Step machine (exercise bike) and a new computer for resident use.  For each gift of $25 or more, an angel ornament will be placed on the “Angel Tree.”  Help us attain our goal by sending gifts to:  Salem Mennonite Home, 106 W 7^th St., Freeman, SD 57029.  Thank you for your continued support of the Salem Mennonite Home.  May you have a Merry Christmas and many blessings in the New Year.