12/14

Bi-Monthly congregational news magazine Brantford, Ontario, CanadaFaith Evangelical Lutheran Church, 57 Brant Avenue, Brantford, On N3T 3G9 (519)753-3833

Merry Christmas

echoesFaith Evangelical Lutheran church

FAITH YOUTH - ALSOCSCOUTS GO TO CAMP

Sewing Group Fundraiser

Congregational Christmas Concert, Pageant and Coffee Hour,Sunday, December 14, 10:30 A.M.

We hope that you can join us for our congregational ChristmasConcert, Pageant and Coffee Hour on Sunday, December 14.

After the concert, we will gather downstairs for coffee and delicious Christmas cookies, baked by the youth of our parish. Also, you can

see the Gingerbread Houses, made and decorated by the youth of the parish. Who knows, maybe you can even pick up some sweet real estate

at the silent auction!

On this day, the worship service for Advent 3 will be held at 9 A.M. You may wish to attend both the 9 A.M. Eucharist and the 10:30 A.M.

Congregational Christmas Event.

ContentsD E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4

24 5 6 7 8 9 101112

Sunday School Christmas Concert...

Pastor’s Desk - Lutherfest...

Scouting Report Apples, Apples, Apples...

Sewing Group has a great turnout ...

Scouts go to camp ...

Youth Group: ALSOC ...

Christmas Craft: Build an angel...

Groups and Committees: 39’ERS Christmas Celebration ...

Events Calendar, Youth get-together ...

Merry Christmas ...

is published quarterly byFaith Evangelical Lutheran Church

Publisher

We want to feature the news and events of the Family of Faith at Faith Lutheran Brantford

Contact us if you would like to be in future editions, have an article you’d like

to submit or an event you want to promote.Submitted manuscripts accepted but

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including advertisements, pictures or editorial content may be reproduced without permission.

CONTACT US AT:FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH

Editor Sandra Arndt

Writersthe Family of Faith

GraphicsSandra Arndt Advertising Sandra Arndt

Content submissions for the next issue are due on February 1, 2015

Send content submissions to sandy@arndtinthehouse.com

Contact us at:Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church

57 Brant AvenueBrantford, Ontario N3T 3G9

Phone: 519-753-3833 / Fax: 519-753-3228www.faithlutheranbrantford.com

email: faithchurch@faithlutheranbrantford.comPastor: The Rev. Stephen Scheidt

Pastor Emeritus: Rev. Calvin DiegelParish Musician: E. Shawn Lemp

Office Manager: Judy ClarkeCouncil Chair: Volker Storjohann

VOLUME 35 ISSUE 4

Member of ELCIC

December 2014 / Echoes 3

Please submit your materials by February 1, 2015 For the next edition. send your submissions to sandy@arndtinthehouse.com

NOTICES:The church has a large solid wood desk 30” deep, 29” high and 55” wide and an upright 4-drawer fire-safe letter-size filing cabinet 30” deep, 54” high and 17” that are no longer needed. These are available to anyone who could make good use of them. Parish Council would accept a donation to the Restoration and Renewal fund, to help off-set the costs of some essential projects that have had to be undertaken, in exchange for either or both items.

PARISH COUNCIL AND COMMITTEES:Please consider volunteering for Church Council and/or working with one of our Committees. We will need 2 new Council members as Helen and Wilhelm have completed their terms. We also need volunteers for the Service/witness and Education Committees.

From the Pastor’s desk:

Luther is smiling in heaven!

On Reformation Sunday, Oct. 26, around 90 people gathered for a marvelous German meal in celebration of the Reformation. It was an enjoyable evening of fellowship and food, with excellent service provided by the youth of our parish. At the Dinner, the youth spoke about the CLAY gathering they attended this past Summer in Kamloops, B.C.. We enjoyed hearing them speak about their experiences and listening to their insights. On behalf of the youth, Alyssa Gadsby graciously presented gifts to Petra Hilgendag and Janaki Bandara, thanking them for all their work as home team leaders for our group from Faith.Our parish is so fortunate to

have such a wonderful group of

youth who are c o m m i t t e d to living our faith in Christ. We are also fortunate to have so many in our parish who support the youth and who encourage them. It was the support and encouragement of the people of this parish that allowed our youth to attend this gathering, and indeed , all the CLAY Gatherings for the past eight years. Blessed are you! It is your generosity, good-will, and commitment that allows our youth to gather with other Lutheran and

Anglican youth from across this country for four days of education, celebration and friendship in the faith. It is a gift to our youth that will last a lifetime. Well done, good and faithful servants of Christ!

Stephen ScheidtPastor

pastor

4 December 2014 / Echoes

October – December 2014

Beavers

17 registered Youth1 more youth registering (Hunter)5 Registered Scouters

Twinning with 7th Brant1 Scouter2 Youth

Past events Oct 2014War museum trip all youth attendedTheme night, Forest, big hitBrantwood Farms trip 6 youth attended Apple Day

Upcoming Events Nov 2014Theme Night, forest part 2Investiture on Nov 11Fire station tour Shoe box drive for Christmas in 3rd world countries Santa ParadePopcorn completion Remembrance DayFall Frolics

Cubs

12 Cubs2 Leaders1 Kim

Working on Canadian Heritage badge, 3 camped out 2 nights & survived + 5 came for the day to Camp Nemo twinning with 48th /2nd Brant to work on their Tracking Badge-Naturalist & Observer, along with the Black Star. They hiked looking for animal trails & tracks (found Deer tracks) also exploring the HICOP Centre learning about different animals and habitats, fur, bones, etc.

Pumpkin carving which circled our campfire area. Cubs and Scouts had a joint Halloween Party with games, food and prizes.

Upcoming – More badge work. 2 potential Cubs to take Flex Training at Camp Nemo Nov. 8th; Games and crafts geared to Christmas and winter themed. Hiking to the Cenotaph for Remembrance Day hopefully with a Veteran spokesperson. Bowling trip in November. Possible winter hike in Dec.

Scouts

9 Youth; 4 Leaders + 1 part-time; 1 pending-finishing his trainingApple Day had 23 participants and we did very well. We could have had more there as one location was left vacant.Camp Nemo twinning with 48th / 2nd Brant Cubs and Scouts. 5 Scouts, 2 Leaders attended to learn and earn their Forestry Badge thru the HICOP Centre. We jointly worked with Scouts from the Scout Basics camp also going on at the same time. With these extra bodies they were able to clear away 3 log jams in the creek.

Scouters Jordan & Lorraine planned the joint Cub/Scout Halloween party with games, food and treats. It was a BIG success.

1 paid Scout for First Aid training with the possibility of another for Chief Scout completion.

They will take an active part in the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Cenotaph.

3 Scouts are looking at taking the Fast Training at Camp Nemo Nov. 8th.

Upcoming - Potential visit to the Scouting Museum in Niagara Falls with a sleepover in Nov. Book work is ongoing.

Venturers

6 registered Venturers2 registered Scouters

Past events for OCTOBER 20144 attended Apple DayStarted Planning for the Area Winter Scout campTwinned with 5th Company for Beware the Mania Camp at Everton, all 6 Venturers attended, minor first aid performed paper work filled out and sent in. 1 Venturer invested.Working on their QV badge.2 Venturers working with Beaver section.

Upcoming Events for NovemberAnnual Niagara Falls tripMore scout camp planningTrip to planetarium at Mac.More QV work.

Rovers

With work schedules, meetings are to be advised. We are now registered as two deep in leadership to make us accountable. Most youth are at school. Requested them keep in touch with each other electronically.

Yours in Scouting,Jane Redin - Group Commissioner

scouting

SCOUTING REPORT

20Th Faith Scouting, out in the community for our Apple Day

Campaign Fri Oct 17 & Sat Oct 18. 28 youth and adult members assisted collecting donations in return for

locally grown delicious, red apples.

December 2014 / Echoes 5

6 December 2014 / Echoes

sewing

S e w i n g G r o u p N e w s

On November 18, the Sewing Group hosted a delicious pot luck dinner co-sponsored by Faith Life Financial. Faith members, Sewing Group friends, and friends of Dammee Sero from the Oromo community “bulged” our church hall to well over 100.

Sales of Sewing Group blankets and other sewn items, designer scarves by Dorothy Emmerson, and many individual donations brought the total raised to over $4,000.

Many out-of-town guests braved the cold and windy evening to be present from Toronto, Hamilton, Kitchener and Woodstock. Individual members of Bethany Lutheran, Woodstock were honoured for recent, very generous financial gifts for our Refugee Fund.

A most welcome surprise contribution of $1,000 was given from the Oromo-Canadian Community Association of Waterloo Region. A representative gave his heartfelt thanks personally as a former Kakuma Camp refugee himself. An official letter also received from president Martha Kuwee Kumsa stated in part: “On behalf of my community, I would like to express our deepest and heartfelt appreciation for the work you do as a refugee sponsorship group in general and in supporting Dammee Sero’s family in particular. Your compassion is precious and exceptional in today’s hardening hearts and solidifying borders. We also send

our many special thanks to the Faith Sewing Group, the Faith Church, and the Canadian Lutheran World Relief. Our Oromo-Canadian community is organized to support newcomers in their settlement and integration into the broader Canadian society. Dammee is a member of our community, although we have not been able to do the work you are doing in terms of sponsoring her family. Members of our community are inspired by your generosity of spirit and we have come together to support your efforts. Despite the meagreness of our funds, we have put together $1,000 to support you in the small way that we can.”

Then, also, a collection of Oromo friends present that night handed in $550, in addition to donations from Faith members and friends of over $1,000.

We thank God for the many blessings in our lives. His spirit has moved many hearts.

Good news to share!

To date we have received over $38,000.00 towards our refugee resettlement project for the Sero family. We thank God for inspiring such generosity and compassion in all who have given to this appeal. We will continue to work towards the CLWR suggested target of $42,800 for this resettlement project.

FUNDRAISER FOR SERO SPONSORSHIP RECEIVES AMAZING SUPPORT

December 2014 / Echoes 7

Scouting

Twinning with the Scouts & Cub Pack At Camp Nemo Oct 24 - 26th. Cubs worked on their Tracking badge and Scouts on their Forestry Badge.

20th Faith BrantFord

youth

8 December 2014 / Echoes

Little update on our past event and future endeavor: Thank you to the participants that attended this week-ends’ ALSOC meeting held at St.John’s Lutheran Church in Hamilton. (Noah, Markus, Jason, Julia, Willem) Thank you to the parents for their wonderful support to en-sure their youngsters were able to attend this fantastic event. A special thank you goes out to Sandy and Heidi Kunej for donating the boxes of Latex disposable surgi-cal gloves that we collected for Liberia to fight Ebola. A big bag full of boxes were collected for this cause and I thought if every church could do this on a continuous basis we could really make a difference. What a great idea of the SOCs group to do this.

ALSOC (Anglican, Lutheran Stuarts of Creation) is a group of people that ensure that the youth stay in touch with each other after a CLAY gathering within a radius of their province, particular group for Ontario. This group start-ed holding these events in London, and now has spread throughout the whole South Eastern part of Ontario.

It all started with a simple chance for a church sleep-over (slumber party). Oh and was it ever a great Slumber - Party. :-)

The kids (all 64 of them) had such a good time. We played great “get to know each other” games. Fun games involving clean sock throwing in the parish hall between 2 teams. Whoever was left over won for their team. It was really funny to watch. Other games were just as fun. We ventured throughout the whole church.

We also did a Servants Event, where the kids could choose from 3 activities. This involved volunteering to their nearby community. This church is right in the heart of the city so this was really a wonderful experience for the kids and they got to see the real life of a big city, where lots of homeless and cold people hung out.

One group was sent to give out hot chocolate in front of Jackson Square Mall. That kids really got to see the heart of the city, and were glad to be part of this group. Their stories were very humbling, and one could see that they really experienced the unexpected.

My group went out to clean up a local skateboard and playground park. We did fill our bags with lots of gar-bage, and some which I don’t even want to mention, where Pastor Daniela and I were the sole people picking up these items. Someone even honked their horn at us showing us a sign of support and happy to see us clean-ing up. The kids saw that some people who walked by casually helped pick up some things as well, and put it in

our garbage bags. So it was a very positive experience.

Pastor Daniela even found a $5 bill and said she would put it into our Sunday offering, the kids got a kick out of that. They really went out picking more whole heartedly seeing if they could find some money as well. Hahaha

The last group to mention: The horse loving people helped out at a Therapy horse Stable, where children and adults with physical disability get a chance to ride horses and do gentle exercises on them. This is a won-derful organization and it mostly exists from donations, so they are always looking for volunteers to help them groom, clean stables, and lead horses around for the therapy students. They had so much fun there.

We were all well fed by all the food that was brought along from participating churches. There was no cost involved in order to participate in this event. We had a Leaders meeting in the evening to discuss upcoming events and also a little sneek preview into our 2016 CLAY Gathering. Sorry can’t tell you, but I am excited to guide this group towards that trip. This leads me towards telling you that this ALSOC group would like to see Brantford be a regular participant in their get-togethers. We hope to gather a bigger group for the February event held in Windsor this time. They are trying to get a bus hired to take us from London on to Windsor. So please keep this in mind and let your youth know about this so that we can gather interest and get them excited about this to get involved. I know that the kids that went to this will most likely be participants for the next get-together. If we get more involved with this group we have a better chance to tap into a large group traveling to CLAY 2016 as they always organize the travel to the destination with lots of enthusiasm and show the kids some tourist attractions on their way and have places organized for staying over night, just as we did for the Whitehorse trip. This becomes a whole different adventure even just get-ting to our destination. The travel might even become a little cheaper because we will be travelling in a big group. They will bond so much more with their traveling companions before even arriving at CLAY.

So I ask you if you have Confirmation students or youth group members to become active in this activity: ALSOC.

God bless you all; yours truly,Petra Hilgendag, youth Leader

Youth GroupALSOC

Craft

December 2014 / Echoes 9

Groups

10 December 2014 / Echoes

Faith 39’ers Christmas Celebration

Festive home-cooked Christmas dinner (turkey and all the trimmings). Bring dessert or salad or both.

We’ll have a Carol sing-a-long.

Date: Wednesday, December 17th, Luther HallTime: 12:15 noonCost: 0, nothing, nil, nada----Funds will come from a matching grant from Faith Life Financial.

This year we have a special Christmas project that we hope you will help us with.........................

Please help to keep feet warm by donating socks which will be given to the City’s “Out of the Cold Program.” Please bring men’s socks, new or slightly used, any colour. You can either bring them to 39ers Christmas dinner or place in a box at the back of the church.

This message is for everyone retired, spouses and friends. Come and celebrate Christmas with us and join in the fun.

RESERVATIONS ARE NECESSARY:

CALL: Betty – 519-753-5472 or Karen – 519-753-9604 or Alice – 519-752-4271

The Last Wednesday Fellowship Group

By the time you read this you wil be busy wiith Christmas preparations and celebrations. Just a reminder that our fellowship group will start meeting again in the New Year on January 28th and the following last Wednesdays of each month 1:30 to 4:00 pm.

New members are always welcome.Hope to see you then. Florence Smith, Co-ordinator

Events

December 2014 / Echoes 11

Events Calendarand other stuff

UPCoMinG datES and EVEntS:

DECEMBERdEC 1 rEFUGEE CoMMittEE at 9:30 aM dEC 3 PariSh CoUnCil at 7 PM

dEC 4 ClothinG dEPot at 9:30 aM

dEC 14 SUnday SChool ChriStMaS PrESEntation dEC 17 39’ErS ChriStMaS dinnEr at 12:15 noon

dEC 20 MEn’S BrEakFaSt at 8:30 aM dEC 24 ChriStMaS EVE SErViCES at 7 PM and 11 PM

dEC 25 ChriStMaS day SErViCE at 10 aM

dEC 28 1St SUnday oF ChriStMaS – 1 SErViCE at 10 aM

FEB 22 annUal ConGrEGational MEEtinG

BiBlE StUdy MEEt MondayS at 7 PM

SEwinG GroUP MEEtS tUESdayS 8:00 aM to 3:00 PM aPProxiMatEly.Choir PraCtiCES on thUrSdayS at 7:00 PM.SCoUtinG GroUPS MEEt Monday, tUESday, wEdnESday and thUrSday EVEninGS.

Youth activity evening, Thursday, December 11, 6:00 P.M.

Join us for an evening of cookie baking and Gingerbread House making on Thursday, December 11, starting at 6:00 P.M.

The cookies will be devoured by our parishioners after the Christmas concert and pageant on the following Sunday.

Merry ChristMas

and happy new

year

2014