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A publication of Hosanna Lutheran Church
Rochester, Minnesota
Volume 34 Issue 12 December 2013
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Discipleship Ministries
Fellowship Ministries
Music Ministries
Outreach Ministries
Council Page
President’s Message
Pastor Meiers’ Page
2-3
5
4
5-7
8-9
10
11
Worship with us in December Sundays at 8:00 & 10:30 a.m.
December 1 Liturgy: ELW Setting 2/Communion
Theme: Be Prepared at All Times Text: Matthew 24:36-44
December 8 “Shine!”
Instrumental Service King’s Ringers, Exodus and the Grace Team
December 15 “The Wonder of Christmas”
8:00 a.m. Youth Service Youth in grades 7-12
“Messiah” 10:30 a.m. Children’s Christmas Program
3 year olds—Grade 6
December 22 “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” Choral Service with Communion
Senior Choir
December 29 Service of Lessons and Carols 9:00 a.m. (one service only)
Christmas Eve - December 24
4:00 and 5:30 p.m. Family Carol Service with Communion
10:00 p.m. Candlelight Service with Communion
Gathered to Grow, Sent to Serve
Herald
Advent 2013
Christ’s
Family of Faith
Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. Holden Evening Prayer
December 4
John
December 11
Joseph
December 18
Mary
Page 2 Herald Volume 34 Issue 12
Discipleship Ministries “gathered to grow…”
HANNAH BIBLE STUDY CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON
December 11 All Hosanna adults are invited to the Hannah Bible Study Christmas luncheon on December 11 at noon in the quad room at church. Arrive at 12:00 for setup and the meal will begin at 12:30 pm. Please bring a dish to pass, a holiday candle, and a Christmas story to share. Please contact Lisa Nordman at 281-4981 or [email protected] with questions. Hope to see you there!
CHRISTMAS TREATS FOR HOSANNA’S SENIOR MEMBERS
Plates with a variety of treats will be assembled to provide Christmas cheer to Hosanna’s honored elderly or those who have physical limitations. Anyone in the congregation can be involved in donating, assembling or delivering these treats. Food donations of cookies, candies and/or fruit should be brought to Hosanna’s kitchen by 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 11. At this time the treats will be sorted and assembled. Those helping to deliver the treats may pick up the containers by 12 noon. (You are welcome to stay for the Hannah Bible Study Christmas luncheon at noon. See previous article.) A signup sheet is on the Welcome Center. If you have questions, contact Lisa Nordman [email protected].
MEN’S BIBLE STUDY BREAKFAST December 13 and 27 at 6:30 a.m.
Men of Hosanna meet the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month at 6:30 a.m. All men are invited to share a Bible study, fellowship and a hearty breakfast. Men take turns making breakfast and Karl Dirksen leads the study which this fall is on the book of Hebrews. Everyone is on their way to work or back home by 7:30 a.m. Contact Paul Anderson at [email protected] for more information.
THURSDAY BIBLE STUDIES
December 5 at 10:00 a.m. or 6:30 p.m.
The Morning Women’s Bible Study uses the “Gather for Faith in Action” magazine. Copies are available. Each month there’s a different focus to the issues that women face in their life of faith. Women meet at 10:00 a.m. and take turns leading the study and bringing treats. Contact Joanne Larsen, [email protected] with questions. All women are welcome. The Evening Women’s Bible Study is using the DVD series, “Real Women, Real Faith: Life-Changing Stories from the Bible for Women Today.” It’s not easy being a woman in today’s world. The demands and expectations we face can be overwhelming, and deep within, we long to meet with God and be changed. This six session video study describes how God moved in the lives of 6 influential women of the New Testament, and how the struggles they faced long ago are not unlike the struggles we face today. The December session focuses on Martha who had a sister named Mary and a brother names Lazarus. This is open to all women. Call the office, 285-0092, with questions.
Herald Volume 34 Issue 12 Page 3
Discipleship Ministries “gathered to grow…”
NOT MEETING IN DECEMBER
Pastor’s Bible Study Adult Forums
Book Discussion
BOOK DISCUSSION
Get an early start on your reading for 2014 during the holidays. Here are the books selected for 2014 and the book discussion meeting dates:
January 18—Giants in the Earth by O.E. Rolvaag
February 15—Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
March 15—The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
April 19—Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
May 17—The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club
by Wanda Brunstetter
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEAM LEADERS NEEDED
The Sunday School Ministry Team is looking for someone to lead (or co-lead) the team in coordinating ongoing Sunday School tasks beginning in January. The time commitment includes leading monthly team meetings and performing minimal weekly office duties. Please contact current co-chairs Jolene Olson, [email protected], or Amy Johnson, [email protected], for more information.
LITTLE LAMBS Parents and Pre-Sunday School Children
Sundays at 9:15 a.m.
The Little Lambs is a group of parents and pre-Sunday School children that meets every Sunday during the Sunday School hour beginning at 9:15 a.m. They meet in the nursery. The group meets to share fellowship and learning activities as new parents or those with older children in Sunday School. You may contact Mandi Mora at [email protected] for more information.
SEMINARY UPDATE
At the time of this writing, there are 3 1/2 weeks remaining in my first semester at Luther Seminary. It hardly seems possible that Greek is nearly finished. And yes, I am surviving. My other course, a study of ecumenical hymnody, is very enjoyable, and I have gotten to know the people in my cohort quite well. It almost feels as if we are family, as we have bonded through the rigors of study.
I am blessed to be able to serve here at Hosanna. Being a member for 31 years, I thought I knew nearly everything there was to know about our church. Boy, was I wrong. Pastor Meiers is a wonderful mentor. I have learned so much and I feel very lucky to have him and our congregation as support.
This is not an easy path, but with your prayers, it will make my journey a little easier. Thank you for all you have done for me.
Blessings to each and everyone of you,
Carol Strand
IHN SHARING TREE
The Sharing Tree will be set-up in the Education Wing on Sunday December 1. We are collecting for the Interfaith Hospitality Network again this year. IHN is in need of toiletries like last year: shaving cream, razors, soap, shampoo, laundry items, other household cleaners and paper products. Basic household starters like mops, plungers, sponges, etc. are also useful. IHN gives these items to families as they find a place to live.
The families are also in need of toys and books for 10-15 year old boys and girls. Some examples of age-appropriate items are: games, outdoor items (sports balls, Frisbees etc.), books geared towards tweens/teens and building/drawing/science sets. Please have these items under the tree by Sunday December 16. Thank You. The Sunday School Ministry Team
Herald Volume 34 Issue 12 Page 4
Music Ministries “gathered to grow…”
MUSIC SCHEDULE
December 1 Dave Walle December 8 Exodus, King’s Ringers, Grace Team December 15 8:00a Youth Advent Service 10:30a Children’s Christmas Service December 22 Senior Choir
SING TO THE LORD! Children’s Choir Festival
November 16
Six of Hosanna’s students in grades 1-6 attended the children’s choir festival on Saturday, November 16 at Bethel Lutheran Church. The students were Ian Carter, Lizzie Chadwick, Katelyn Mora, Ashley Olson, Taylor Sass, and Tyler Sass. The guest clinician was Amanda Smith who is the Director of Children’s Music at Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. There was a closing worship service which was open to the public. Below are the students’ comments:
We learned to use a nice singing voice and sometimes we use high voices and sometimes we use low voices.
My favorite songs were Emmanuel Will Come because it was fun and easy to sing; the 23rd Psalm because it was like the Awana memorization verse.
The highlights of the day were being with friends, singing and getting to play with the egg shaker for the 1st song.
It took hours to learn all the songs, the festival was super fun and we should do it next year.
SHINE!—December 8
On Sunday, December 8 the instrumental music groups, Exodus and King's Ringers, and the Grace Team will be presenting their annual Advent/Christmas music service. Please come and worship with us at either the 8:00 or 10:30 a.m. service and enjoy the music of SHINE!
THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS YOUTH SERVICE
December 15 at 8:00 a.m.
Youth in grades 7-12 will lead the service on December 15 at 8:00 a.m. All students are encouraged to participate. The message that we are all a part of the Christmas story, will be presented in art, drama and song.
MESSIAH Children’s Christmas Program
December 15 10:30 a.m.
Children, ages 3—grade 6 will present their Christmas program about the coming of the Messiah on December 15 at the 10:30 a.m. service. Several of the choruses from Handel’s Messiah will be included.
Practices will be held on the following dates:
Sunday, December 1 9:15—10:15 a.m. Saturday, December 7 9:00—11:30 a.m. Sunday, December 8 9:15—10:15 a.m. Saturday, December 14 9:00—11:30 a.m. Sunday, December 15 9:15 a.m. grds 1—5 10:00 a.m. 3yrs—K
O COME, O COME EMMANUEL December 22
The Senior Choir will lead worship services on December 22 at both services. The service will focus on the hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, which is based on a set of refrains called the O Antiphons. Each one of these refrains invokes the Messiah under a different title and were sung during the last 7 days of Advent.
Herald Volume 34 Issue 12 Page 5
Fellowship and Outreach Ministries “gathered to grow…sent to serve”
HANGING OF THE GREENS December 1
We will be decorating Hosanna for the Advent and Christmas season, on Sunday,
December 1 after the 2nd service. This process will take about an hour or so depending on the number of people who assist. Following the decorating, a light lunch will be provided. Help with the work and share in the fellowship.
YULETIDE DINNER Postponed until January or February
OLIVEWOOD CARVINGS FOR SALE
Olive wood carvings will be available for purchase during December at Hosanna. Carved Christmas ornaments, crosses and Nativity scenes make great Christmas gifts. The proceeds go directly to the Palestinian Christians who live in Bethlehem, Israel. The 2009 Holy Land tour by Hosanna members included a tour of the studio where these figures are carved.
CHRISTMAS COOKIE EXCHANGE December 7 and 8
Do you enjoy baking Christmas cookies. We will have our second annual Christmas Cookie Exchange as a fundraiser to support our missionary in Papua New Guinea, Ann Klavano, and our Luther Seminary student, Carol Strand.
You’re invited to bring your favorite Christmas cookie or treat (suggested: 4 dozen), and we will share them on Saturday, December 7 at 12:00 p.m. If you cannot make it on December 7, you can bring your cookies to the church kitchen anytime during the week of December 1-7. Label your cookies "Cookie Exchange" with your name. Each baker will get a plate of cookies to bring home. The rest of the plates will be sold on Sunday, December 8, to support Ann Klavano and Carol Strand. Sign up at the Welcome Center to bring cookies and/or to work at the Christmas Cookie Exchange on December 7! Contact Gina Razidlo at [email protected] with questions.
LIFE LINE SCREENING December 19
Have you taken control of your health today? Life Line Screening will be at Hosanna on Thursday, December 19 offering safe, painless, non-invasive preventive health screenings that are typically not a part of a routine physical. To be more proactive about your health and to live longer for yourself, your family and your community, please register for these potentially life-saving tests today. Please refer to the pink flyer included with this newsletter to get more information about how you can sign up while receiving $10 off any package priced above $139. For only $139 (regularly $149) you can learn your risk of having a stroke or vascular disease. There is no time like the present to take action!
MAYO BLOOD DONOR PROGRAM
During the “Season of Giving,” blood donations tend to decline due to holiday activities. The Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Program frequently hears “please call back after the holidays” when we call to schedule blood donation appointments with our established donors. Sadly, the need for blood does not decrease over the holidays; in fact, the opposite can be true. With an increase in trauma and transplant cases over the holidays, we all need to roll up our sleeves and do what we can to provide this life-saving therapy for patients.
Blood cannot be manufactured; it can only come as a gift from people like you. This gift will go on living through the lives of others. This holiday season, the Mayo Blood Donor Program asks new and previous donors to make blood donation part of your holiday giving tradition. Call 284-4475 to schedule an appointment.
From everyone at the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Program, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season. We hope that many of you will celebrate the season by giving with us.
Herald Volume 34 Issue 12 Page 6
Outreach Ministries “...sent to serve”
YOUTH SENT TO SERVE NEWS 26 Thanksgiving Dinners Prepared and Delivered!
On November 21 and 22, the Youth Sent to Serve Team prepared and assembled 26 Thanksgiving dinners for the needy. The meals were distributed on November 23, the day of the Hosanna Food Pantry distribution. 17 youth and 9 adults assisted with preparing, assembling, and/or distributing the meals!
Each meal included the following: a large frozen turkey, a homemade pumpkin pie, frozen homemade mashed potatoes, bread, a can of corn, a can of turkey gravy, a can of fruit, and a dinner prayer. The meals were put in boxes that were donated by Hy-Vee and decorated by Hosanna’s Sunday School students and youth.
Thank you to the following youth and adults who helped with the meals: Jonathan Bauer, Lizzy Bauer, Rachel Edvenson, Brenna Finnegan, Troy Finnegan, Andrew Gangelhoff, Sarah Grewe (a visitor), Kristina Johnson, Tanner Johnson, Ethan Kub, Kaitlyn Maidl, Aaron Neshem, Andrew Neshem, Lauren Rupprecht, Kia Schepp, Julie Wall, David Will, Terri Ashworth, Kristin Bauer, Sinde Finnegan, Kelly Gangelhoff, Keith and Jane Johnson, Kevin and Barb Schepp, and Dave Wall.
Additional thank you’s: The congregation for its prayers and support Thrivent for providing funding for the meals Hy-Vee North for donating boxes for the meals Barb Anderson for ordering the turkeys from
Channel One Pastor Meiers for leading the volunteers in
prayer Hosanna’s Sunday School students, age 3 to
Grade 12, for decorating the boxes
NEWS FROM ANN KLAVANO It is hard to believe, but the school year is almost over. We have finished eight out of nine weeks of class. Soon everyone will be out on summer vacation.
This last Friday we killed the campus cow. We don't usually have a campus cow. Our cow was given as a thank you gift from a village after one of the faculty members gave a sermon there.
There has been ongoing discussion and improvising as we cared for our cow. The most common meat animal in this area is pig, so many students would have known what to do with a pig, but, not a cow. Fortunately there is abundant grass on campus, so for feeding the cow only had to be moved to a different grassy area. I was surprised one morning to find the cow contentedly munching away while staked out across the road from my house.
It was decided to kill the cow last Friday and have it as part of our year end closing celebration - Amamas (tok pisin for "happy") Night. The meal was quite well organized, the leaders having passed out a list of which groups were to cook what foods. This included lots of rice and sweet potatoes like most meals in this area. My advisory group was assigned to cook "cow stew." This turned out to be boiling chunks of beef and then frying them up with cabbage and onions as the vegetables. There is little animal protein available to the students so having so much meat available was greatly enjoyed.
The evening ended with a talent show. I had expected a lot of singing and dancing but it was mainly skits and comedy routines. We have some very funny seminarians. Some of them could give the Three Stooges a run for their money.
Look for more articles to come in 2014 from Pastor Ann Klavano, Senior Flierl Seminary, Papua New Guinea
Herald Volume 34 Issue 12 Page 7
Outreach Ministries “...sent to serve”
JOIN HOSANNA’S IHN TEAM
Here are some facts about IHN: Interfaith Hospitality Network was founded
in Summit, NJ, in 1988 to serve homeless families on the belief that people are compassionate and want to make a difference. Locally, IHN of Greater Rochester opened its doors in 2001.
Homeless families now comprise nearly 40% of the homeless population—its fastest growing segment.
One out of every 45 American children will experience homelessness this year.
IHN in Rochester mobilizes more than 1,300 volunteers from 49 faith communities to deliver food, shelter, and HOPE to families who are homeless.
IHN provided shelter and services to 86 people last year . . . nearly 60% of them children. Through 9 months of 2013, we’ve already served 110 people.
IHN provides more than “just shelter”; our Family Stabilization Program follows the family for up to 24 months to help them sustain their independence through case management, parenting classes and after-school tutoring, assistance in building social capital, financial literacy and workforce development programs.
IHN is cost-effective. Because we utilize existing resources and volunteers, we are able to deliver $3 in goods and services for every $1 we receive.
IHN works. More than 80% of our guests secure housing within eight weeks, and our Family Stabilization Program gives them the tools to sustain that independence with more than 90% still in stable housing 12 months after exiting.
Hosanna is a “buddy church” with Mt. Olive Lutheran Church and helps to house and feed homeless families 4 weeks during the year.
Jobs include cooking and serving an evening meal, serving as a van driver, serving as an evening host or being an overnight host.
If you’re interested in joining Hosanna’s IHN Team, contact Sally Nelson at [email protected] or Lisa Nordman at [email protected].
SAMARITAN BETHANY BOARD POSITION OPEN
Hosanna is one of five sponsoring churches of Samaritan Bethany. Each church has at least one representative. There are also several public members. The campus is located on 24 8th St. NW. Meetings occur there, once a month on Monday evenings from 6:00—8:00 pm. Dinner is included.
Board members also have several choices of additional committees. Those meetings may be once a month or less frequently, depending on the need. We are also involved with a couple of fund raising activities during the year, usually as partners with the foundation board. Other activities to help the staff and residents are available.
The board commitment is three years, with a maximum of nine years. Mary Jane Rasmussen has been on the board for six years and will be moving out of town. Please consider joining the Samaritan Bethany Board as Hosanna’s representative. You may call Mary Jane at 507-356-6212 with questions. It is a great group of people and staff to work with.
Hosanna’s Pantry a satellite food shelf
HOSANNA’S PANTRY SERVES 28 FAMILIES!
Hosanna’s Pantry continues to expand the number of families it serves each month. Thanks to all the members who helped with set up, hosting, food distribution and cleanup in November. What a wonderful ministry this has become, especially during the holidays. Please consider helping on December 27 and 28 right after Christmas. Contact Barb Anderson with questions at 507-285-0092.
QUILTERS AND PRAYER SHAWLS Not meeting in December
Herald Volume 34 Issue 12 Page 8
Council Page “gathered to grow…sent to serve”
COUNCIL SUMMARY November 12, 2013
The 410th Council was called to order by President, Noel Sederstrom at 7:00 pm on November 12, 2013.
In attendance were: Noel Sederstrom, Keith Johnson, Lisa Nordman, Alice Kub, Paul Anderson, Karla Weis, Rachel Gray, Barb Anderson, Chris Johnson, Dave Wall, and Pastor Meiers. Also present were Nancy Wales, Mark Ingebretson and Kelly Gangelhoff.
Pastor Meiers led devotions using the devotional book “Reclaiming the “C” Word; Daring to be Church Again.”
The Council Minutes from October were approved. The Pastor’s Report from October was approved. The Financial Reports from October were approved.
Chris Johnson gave a Properties Committee report. They’ve been working on many things. They would like to budget for the following: installing heat tape for the new gutters put in to keep them from getting damaged in the winter, installing new spot lights in the sanctuary and possibly replacing the carpeting in the education wing. Bids are being gathered for the carpet along with estimates on fixing the parking lot.
Nancy Wales reported that they are looking to move the organ. Right now the organist is unable to hear the two pipe chambers in front. She is working with others on the placement and finding the correct electrical spot.
Pastor Meiers gave a Sunday School Ministry Team update. Amy Johnson and Jolene Olson will be stepping down at the end of December as the co-chairs of this team. The main responsibilities are recruiting teachers and setting up the curriculum. No one from the team has agreed to take over this spot. This is a required team so we need to find someone to lead it. Pastor Meiers said it will be made known to the congregation to see if there is
any interest. Keith Johnson will also work on filling this position by involving the nominating committee.
Mark Ingebretson gave information on the new Safety Ministry Team that he will be leading. Mark attended SEMN synod’s “Safeguarding God’s Children” training at Zumbro Lutheran. He is putting together a team to start the initial processes (determine team goals, background check provider selection, and developing a communication plan) do trainings, volunteer registrations, background checks and also looking at safety and security. The team will create a congregation wide communication plan to inform everyone of this caring initiative. There will be leadership and volunteer training which will start in January 2014. It is important to have security policies for safety, preventing harm, reducing liability and developing a policy for education and prevention of sexual misconduct. Mark will be the team leader plus trainer and Beth Wiegand will be doing the training documentation. They would like three or four additional team members. Thank you to Mark for leading this important team.
Kelly Gangelhoff from the Personnel Committee, along with Pastor Meiers, led a discussion on adding an additional staff position. Personnel has been gathering information and developing a job description for a Faith Formation position. The youth team is doing a great job but is looking for someone that can take over some of the additional duties that the staff has taken on to fill the gaps. It is important to have seamless programming so that we do not have a gap in any of the groups, especially with the middle school students. It should be someone to engage the youth and empower the parents. Right now the 2014 budget has this position being 20 hours a week. Rachel Gray made a motion that we have the Personnel Committee put together a job description for a Faith Formation position at twenty hours a week and bring it to the council in December. Keith Johnson seconded it and it passed.
Herald Volume 34 Issue 12 Page 9
Council Page “gathered to grow…sent to serve”
TREASURER & FINANCIAL SECRETARY REPORT Budget/Contributions Comparison
Receipts/Expenditures Comparison
Account Balances - October 2013
Stewardship Pledges To Date
The 2014 offering envelopes may be picked up In the narthex. If you have not been issued offering envelopes, contact Paul Anderson, Financial Secretary at 507-282-7213.
Respectfully submitted,
Paul Anderson Financial Secretary
General
2013 Oct YTD
Budget 33,283 332,830
Contributions 31,252 332,261
Difference (2,031) (569)
2012 32,778 314,228
Difference 12/13 (1,526) 18,033
Capital Appeal 260 5,101
General YTD
Capital Appeal
Receipts 332,261 143,898
Expenditures 296,704 143,638
Difference 35,557 260
Account Name Balance
General 19,065
General Reserve 25,023
Special Gifts 18,948
Endowment 42,261
Mortgage 473,189
Pledges 2013 2014
General 91/337,000 92/340,000
We need to be realistic about what is expected as this would only be a part time position. The current teams are continuing, but just needing additional support. It was suggested that personnel consult with the synod to help draw up a job description for our congregation.
Paul Anderson gave an update from Business and Finance and indicated that things are looking good this year. Work is still being done on the final 2014 the budget projections. The pledged total income for 2014 is higher than the current year and the additional staff position has been added to the budget.
The Memorials and Trust Committee could use more people. Pastor Meiers and Paul Anderson are currently serving and at least two additional members from the congregation should be a part of it as well. Keith Johnson will work on helping fill this team by involving the nominating committee.
Noel Sederstrom led a discussion on long range planning for the building. There are three things that are being considered; replacing the parking lot (right now bid of $45,000), replacing carpet in education wing (approximately $20,000 for everything) and looking at adding a campanile/bell tower (guessing approximately $70,000). It might be time to consider a capital campaign and also pay down the mortgage. Discussion on how to approach the capital campaign will be part of the council retreat in January.
Noel Sederstrom made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Rachel Gray seconded it and it passed.
The meeting closed with the Lord’s Prayer and adjourned at 9:44 pm.
Respectfully Submitted, Lisa Nordman Hosanna Council Secretary
Herald Volume 34 Issue 12 Page 10
President’s Message
Exactly seven years ago, my world was turning dark. The orange tomcat from John and Linda Miller’s farm near Star Lake who had adopted us in the summer of ‘88 came to the end of his 18 years, and we were devastated. At the same time, my GM retired and a new man swept in to shake things up and “go in a new direction” and I could feel it coming. After the Advent service at Prince of Peace in Portage, Michigan, I shared my sense of doom with a friend, and Ellen Nuechterlein’s reaction was “…can’t you just hide?” In such times, when hiding doesn’t work, I would feel most safe in our church
sanctuary, where a candle’s flame could hold off the darkness and where fear had less power. But God’s hand was there through it all. Cindy would later say that my year between jobs was the best year of our lives together. Our daughter Nickie got married, and I had the time to help them move to northern Virginia. I had time to drive to New York to help our son Chris. We grew closer than ever.
Two years later, we had settled in Rochester, and the night of our 25th wedding anniversary we came as visitors to Hosanna’s sanctuary for an Advent service. We got so excited. Pastor Bill was leading a Holden Evening Prayer service, what its creator Marty Haugen casually refers to as “Vespers.” We both love that service so; it was one of the things we had treasured at Prince of Peace. We had found our new church home.
Imagine my surprise just the other day to discover that Pastor Bill had been at Holden Village in northwest Washington State the summer of ’86 when Marty was there writing that liturgy we love so much. “What was it like?” I asked, curious as could be. I tried to imagine being there as God’s spirit was at work and this beautiful musical prayer was created among the mountains. Marty Haugen is from Wanamingo and was born on December 30, 1950, the very day my parents were married
in St. Anthony Park, only a block from Luther Seminary. God is at work in the universe, setting things in motion for us to discover and weaving patterns that make perfect sense. “A light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can not overcome it.”
It’s Advent once again, a time of traditions we treasure and memories we cherish. I remember one evening a couple years after we joined Hosanna… we joined a Hosanna Yuletide Dinner and in walked two young people we’d never met, with a
baby. Funny, gracious, young, and filled with the Christmas spirit—we laughed with them and others all evening. Now years have passed, and Shannon and Rachel Gray have grown as members of our Hosanna family. Their daughter Dani now lights up the room. She hangs on to every word of the Children’s Sermon, and she sometimes stands on top of a pew and hangs on to both Mom and Dad just so she doesn’t miss anything.
Advent and Christmas are for all of us, young and old, as God’s precious promise of Hope and Life and Love
rings out and we pass along the wonder of what happened in Bethlehem so long ago.
Peace,
Noel Sederstrom
Herald Volume 34 Issue 12 Page 11
Pastor Meiers’ Page
Dear Members and Friends of Hosanna,
“Our hope and expectation, O Jesus, now appear; arise, O Sun so longed for, o’er this benighted sphere. With hearts and hands uplifted, we plead,
O Lord, to see the day of earth’s redemption that sets your people free!” (verse 4 “Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers” ELW 244)
Advent is the season of high hopes and expectations! Perhaps, sadly, for some, hope and expectation end with the Christmas holiday festivities. But these celebrations, at best, are only a preview of another, higher expectation. We long for Jesus to come among us again for the renewal of all things… “the day of earth’s redemption, that sets his people free.”
With such great hope and high expectation, then, let us remember that our salvation comes from something small, tender, and vulnerable, something hardly noticeable. (a shoot from the stump of Jesse…a tender bud! Isaiah 11:1) God who is creator of the universe comes to us in smallness, weakness and hiddeness. God chooses to enter our existence amid the small.
We live in a world infatuated with bigness, with the loud, the impressive, the spectacular, the super-sized, the powerful! With all this constant distraction the temptation is to overlook the small, the “shoot that sprouts from the stump.” God turns our attention to the small during Advent and Christmas.
When our eyes are fixed on the glitz and power this world offers, we can miss the small signs of God’s presence…a baby’s smile, our children’s care free play, a gesture of love from friends and family, a word of encouragement and thanks. May we not neglect the richness found amid the small.
The baby of Bethlehem, the little known carpenter’s son of Nazareth, the rejected
preacher, the one riding on the back of a donkey, the abandoned one on the cross, he seeks us out and directs our attention to the small; the poor, the hungry, the stranger. The work of salvation takes place in the midst of a world that screams and shouts and overwhelms with its spectacular claims and promises. But the eternal promise is hidden in that little child of Bethlehem.
“Our hope and expectation; O Jesus, now appear; arise, O Sun so longed for, o’er this benighted sphere.”
Let us come again with great hope and expectation to worship and offer our thanks to our heavenly Father for the gift of God’s Son, Jesus, the baby born in Bethlehem.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Bill Meiers
PASTORAL ACTS
Funeral Charlotte Sprague November 8, 2013
More Youth Sent to Serve Pictures
Advent Worsh
ip
Wednesd
ays at 7
:00 p.m
.
Decem
ber 4, 1
1, 18
Hosanna Lutheran Church
2815 57th St. NW
Rochester, MN 55901
(507) 285-0092
www.hosannalutheran.org
Gathered to Grow, Sent to Serve
God’s work. Our hands.
NON-PROFIT ORG. U. S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 603 ROCHESTER MN
SUNDAY WORSHIP TIMES
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EDUCATION
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Hosanna Herald
Writers: Hosanna Staff & members
Editor: Barb Anderson
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OFFICE HOURS
9:00 am—4:00 pm Monday—Friday
STAFF Pastor Bill Meiers [email protected] Nancy Wales [email protected] Barb Anderson [email protected] Charlie Bohlke [email protected]
COUNCIL OFFICERS Noel Sederstrom, President [email protected] Keith Johnson, Pres. Elect [email protected] Lisa Nordman, Secretary [email protected]
COUNCIL ADVISORS Alice Kub, Treasurer [email protected] Paul Anderson, Financial Sec. [email protected]
COUNCIL ADVOCATES Karla Weis, Discipleship [email protected] Rachel Gray, Fellowship [email protected] Barb Anderson, Outreach [email protected] Chris Johnson, Support [email protected] Dave Wall, Worship [email protected]
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