On Sunday, December 18, a group of kids from Calvary will present a short play. Cast members are as follows:

Anthony Schnarr, Darren Gibson, Ryan Hutcherson, Maverick Anderson, Conner Anderson, Colton Anderson, Gabriel Jacks, Glorianna Roll, Hailey Manues, and Brayden Hutcherson.

Combined committee will again be coordinating ADVENT DINNERS on Wednesdays before Advent Service. Please see sign-up sheets in the hallway. We will have supper starting at 6:00 p.m. On SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11TH, we will be hosting lunch before the congregational meeting which begins at 2:00 p.m. The Combined Committee will be providing the meal. Hope you will be able to join us for food and fellowship! After lunch we’ll need volunteers to help decorate the tree. Please plan on joining us!

December 4 "Wait Until He Comes!"

Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz A broken world waits, yearns, and hopes for restoration. Jesus has already done

everything to make that restoration a reality. (Isaiah 11:1-10)

December 11 "Let the Adventure Begin"

Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz In Christ, all of life is an adventure, one that is full of His promise and hope. (Isaiah

35:1-10)

December 18 "Peace On Earth, Peace That Lasts"

Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz What is the key to real and lasting peace on earth? Jesus, God with us. (Matthew

1:18-25)

December 25 "What We Really Want"

Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour: Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus What do you want this Christmas? Jesus is God's greatest gift to a sinful world.

(Galatians 4:4-5)

Calvary Messenger

bringing you news of our congregation and God’s love.

Volume XIII Number 12 December 2016

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

December . . . 3 Pat Curtis 6 Missy Anderson 7 Dylan Porter 8 Connor Anderson, Maverick Anderson 9 Janet Phillips, Chris Thompson 12 Donna Gerth 13 Bryan Roberts 22 Selma Kluender 27 Margaret Naumoff, Chad Phillips 29 Jacob Leach 31 Kristen Abbott

HAPPY ANNIVERSAY!!

December . . .

1 Tom & Sally Ann Williams 20 Cheryl & David Nichoalds

CARING and SHARING

TREE

SHARING AND CARING TREE will again

be in the narthex the 1st Sunday of Advent. We invite all to participate in this season of sharing God’s underserved love. If you purchase a gift, please WRAP and place the ornament from the tree on it by December 21st. Food items need NOT be wrapped. Thank you for making someone’s Christmas more blessed!

Lutheran Ministries Media, Inc.

5 Martin Luther Drive Fort Wayne, IN 46825-4996 Worship for Shut-Ins Sermon Summaries

2016 LCMS Stewardship Newsletter Article

December 2016

Every Christmas present that sits wrapped under your Christmas tree will wear out. It

will break or go out of style. This fact was there, somewhere, in the back of your

mind even as you bought them, but you bought them anyway. For you love the

person you bought them for, you wanted to see that look of joy it brings to their face.

So also God gives to you. But greater. What He gives will never wear out, break

down, or go out of style. For what He gives is His eternal and only-begotten Son,

wrapped in your flesh, and placed upon the tree of the Cross. He gives His Son for

you. He gives that you may have everlasting joy. He gives because He loves you.

This is why the Word became flesh to dwell among you.

And that is who is given to you. The Word who is God yet was with God from all

eternity. The Word through whom all things were made. The Word who is the only-

begotten Son of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, being

of one substance with His Father. The One who called all things into existence, the

One who spoke to Moses from the bush that burned yet was not consumed, the One

whose glory filled the tabernacle to dwell among His people, God Himself, has taken

on your flesh.

Even though the Word is made flesh, even though God became Man, His Divinity is

not lessened. His Divinity is not changed. His Divinity remains, pure and

unchanging, but your flesh, your human nature, is exalted. Your flesh and humanity

is assumed into God. God became man so that you would become like unto God—

holy and righteous, without sin, without death.

And so it is that the Son given to you wrapped in your flesh is placed upon the tree of

the Cross. And no tree was ever adorned more beautifully. Its ornaments were

nothing less than the Blood of God, poured out as an atoning sacrifice for your sins.

Its garland the Body of God, hanged in death that you may have life. Its light the

incarnate Light of the world, strung up to call you and all men unto Himself, to

enlighten you, to make you His own. He gives you HIs life, He gives you joy and

peace—peace with God in heaven and peace with one another on earth.

And from the tree of the Cross the Lord Jesus places another gift for you upon the

Altar. It is the Fruit of the Cross, His crucified and risen, living Body and Blood, the

Fruit of the Tree of Life, wrapped in bread and wine and given to you. He fills you

with His Glory. He makes your mouths and your hearts His manger. He abides in

you and you in Him.

The Word became flesh to be placed under the Cross for you. You are forgiven. This

is why we give. We give because He has first given to us. And just as it was a joy for

Him to give all He had to us. It is a joy for us to give to one another and His church

so that this message of forgiveness, life, and salvation may be proclaimed.

December 4, 2016 - Second Sunday in Advent

Psalm: Psalm 72:1-7; Old Testament: Isaiah 11:1-10; Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12 “The Perfect Ruler” - Sermon Text: Isaiah 11:1-10

by Rev. Dr. Walter A. Maier III, Concordia Theological Seminary - Fort Wayne, IN

We know from history about imperfect rulers. Isaiah speaks about the perfect ruler: Jesus Christ. His rule means for you forgiveness, life, peace, and rest.

December 11, 2016 - Third Sunday in Advent

Psalm: Psalm 146; Epistle: James 5:7-11; Gospel: Matthew 11:2-15 “Discouraged Prophet?” – Sermon Text: Matthew 11:2-11

by Rev. Dr. Daniel J. Brege, St. Paul Lutheran Church - Decatur, IN

Could it be that John the Baptist was discouraged, even depressed? Some debate whether this is possible since he was the great way-preparer. Yet, after all, John was part of our fallen race, as was his discouraged predecessor Elijah. As we face

such discouragement and perhaps depression, we too have our faith reinforced by returning to the works and words of the Savior.

December 18, 2016 – Fourth Sunday in Advent

Psalm: Psalm 24; Old Testament: Isaiah 7:10-17; Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25 “Go Ahead…Ask!” - Sermon Text: Isaiah 7:10-17

by Rev. William Mueller, Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran Church - Fort Wayne, IN

Are we too timid to ask God the tough questions of life? Go ahead and ask…for He has something gracious to tell us!

December 25, 2016 – The Nativity of Our Lord - Christmas Day

Psalm: 2; Epistle: Hebrews 1:1-6; Gospel: John 1:1-14 “Joy To The World” - Sermon Text: John 1:1-14

by Rev. Paul E. Shoemaker, Emanuel Lutheran Church - New Haven, IN

The true joy of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our Lord and

Savior Jesus Christ. While we celebrate the gift of God’s Son we remember the purpose of His coming, to save us all from the consequences of our sin

so that we may “become the children of God.”

“THE LUTHERAN HOUR” every Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m.

on WBIW 1340 AM or on the Web at: www.lutheranhour.org.

Lillie Chastain Kirra Morris

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

Calvary Lutheran preschool strives to enrich the spiritual, academic, physical, and social lives of the community children via the Word and example of Christian living.

December Happenings… December 8th: Cookie Dough may be picked up between 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. in the preschool room. December 8th and 9th: the Lions Club will be doing eye exams for the preschool kids. December 16th at 6:30 p.m.: the Christmas Program. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. THANK YOU, LADIES for baking cookies for the program! December 20th or 21st: Field trip to Judy and Pete Hasket’s “Christmas House”. This is a yearly tradition that is always looked forward to. December 21st: Last school day before Christmas break Each year the preschool children present a Christmas program telling their audience of loving mothers, father, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and special friends about Jesus and His message of salvation. “GOD had a PLAN” is this year’s presentation. The PLAN begins in Genesis and follows the Old Testament right through the Bible into the New Testament Book of Matthew. COME and HEAR, GO and TELL! December Birthdays:

December 7 Landyn Nikirk December 13 Haley Wray December 25 JESUS

December Half-birthdays: June 10 Anna & Rachel Morgan

Lillie Chastain is the daughter of Jason and Melanie. We

have been fortunate to have had many of her cousins in our school throughout the years. Lillie is a girly girl with a tom boy side. She usually plays with the boys creating things at school. She used to be shy but as she has grown, she is coming out of her shell. Lillie is such a sweet child and does very well at school. We have enjoyed her over the years as well as her family.

Kirra Morris is the daughter Ryan and Kelsey Morris,

and the great-granddaughter of our church member, Betty Morris. Kirra is a really bright child and so excited to learn as much as she can. She is strong in phonics and so many other things. She is one of our younger children in the class but is a leader in academics in the class. Can't wait to see what her future holds.

(812)275-2519 Preschool (812)275-5488 Church