News from Advent Lutheran Church December 2015

STAFF

Pastor Jason Peterson Pastor Andrea Windsor-Peterson

Pastors

Ginny Sweeton Director of Music / Admin. Assistant

COUNCIL

Mary Filpus-Luyckx President

Heather Herrmann

Vice President

Scott Fiegen Secretary

Debbie Merzlak

Treasurer

Jared Fischer

Ann Simon

WORDS FROM THE PASTORS “Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, be-

cause he was descended from the house and family of David. He went with Mary, to whom he was engaged and

who was expecting a child.” Luke 2: 4-5

December is such a difficult month to write a newsletter article. There is a desire to be faithful to the season of

Advent where we watch and wait and prepare for Christ to come again praying come Lord Jesus, come. On the

other side, we also want to lift up all the joy and wonder that the Christmas season brings remembering Jesus,

the Messiah, being born in the city of David which is good news of great joy for all people.

Each year we wrestle with how to be faithful to both our Advent and Christmas preparations. This year we be-

lieve there is a great balance of honoring the season of Advent while looking forward to the celebration of

Christmas. We will begin our Advent season with a Lessons and Carols service that will incorporate the use of

the ancient tradition of the O Antiphons. Each antiphon is a name of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in

Scripture. They are O Wisdom, O Lord, O Root of Jesse, O Key of David, O Dayspring, O King of the nations,

and O Emmanuel (God with us). Through this service we will sing familiar Advent Hymns that coordinate to

the ancient name of Christ.

Our lifting up the season of Advent continues on Wednesday nights with a special midweek service in Advent.

Our midweek theme this year will be “Yet in thy Dark Streets Shineth…” Each week will take us on an Advent

journey to three significant locations in ancient Israel: Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem. We will hear

voices of past, present, and future as they share the ancient prophecies of those areas being fulfilled in Christ

Jesus. December 16th will also be a time for us to continue the tradition at Advent of sharing the stories about

the Chrismons and decorating the trees.

On December 20th, we will have ONE worship service together at 9:15am where the children of Advent will

present a program in worship. Many of us at Advent Lutheran travel to other places this time of year to be with

family and having this one service will provide an opportunity for many of us to gather together and have a pre

-Christmas with your church family.

On Christmas Eve, we will have two candlelight worship experiences at 7pm and 9:30pm with special music at

both services.

We look forward to these special days of worship and fellowship in Advent and Christmas.

May you have a blessed Advent and a Merry Christmas.

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Andrea and Pastor Jason

December Weekly Worship Celebrate the presence of Jesus in worship each week!

Refresh your Spirit! Nurture your Faith! Come to the Lord’s Table! Be blessed by the fellowship of His Spirit!

Sunday, November 29th 1st Sunday of Advent

Worship & Holy Communion 8:15am Service of Advent Lessons and Carols

Sunday School & Confirmation 9:30am Fellowship Coffee Hour 9:30am

Worship & Holy Communion 10:45am

Wednesday, December 2nd Advent Potluck Dinner 6:30pm

Midweek Advent Worship 7:15pm

Sunday, December 6th 2nd Sunday of Advent

Worship & Holy Communion 8:15am Sunday School & Confirmation 9:30am Potluck Fellowship Breakfast 9:30am Worship & Holy Communion 10:45am

Wednesday, December 9th Advent Potluck Dinner 6:30pm

Midweek Advent Worship 7:15pm

Sunday, December 13th 3rd Sunday of Advent

Worship & Holy Communion 8:15am Sunday School & Confirmation 9:30am

Fellowship Coffee Hour 9:30am Worship & Holy Communion 10:45am

Wednesday, December 16th Advent Potluck Dinner 6:30pm

“Decorating of the Chrismon Trees and Carol Sing” 7:15pm

Sunday, December 20th

4th Sunday of Advent Worship & Holy Communion 9:15am

ONE SERVICE Children’s Program

Men’s Pancake Breakfast 10:30am

Thursday, December 24th Christmas Eve

Candlelight Worship & Holy Communion 7:00pm & 9:30pm

Sunday, December 27th

1st Sunday After Christmas Worship & Holy Communion 8:15am

Service of Christmas Lessons and Carols

Sunday School for All Ages 9:30am Fellowship Coffee Hour 9:30am

Worship & Holy Communion 10:45am

Poinsettias For Sale Poinsettias are on sale for $15 each, beginning December 6th. Flowers can be purchased in honor of or in memory of a loved one and may be taken home after Christmas. There will be a table in the Narthex with youth present who can help you. Decorate the sanctuary for our Christmas Eve worship services with a poinsettia & take yours home afterwards!

Prayer Ministry

Pray for Healing & Provision: Dee Alderson, Marge Rahn, Edgar Bollinger, Ruth Neumann, Ann Furlong, Art Suprek, Tania Hayes,

Virginia Reedstrom, Elizabeth Smith, Gertrude Dix, Luis Lane, Con-ner Marzee, Stephanie Dockins, Lynn Dillard, Austin Guidry, Char-

lie Boggs, Kathy Riley, Mary Jackson, Ashley Gibbons, Carlette Dolatowski, Christine Franken, Margaret Damm, Kathy Frank,

Scott Fiegen, Joe Doweling, Rene Hopkins, Wouter Klaasen, Al Trappe, John & Mary Moore, Ingrid Zamecnik, Hilda Sullivan, Chris

Clark, Jordan Rash, Sister Barbara Lee, Trish Cresanta, Mary

Jones

Pray for Our Deployed Military: Peggy Martin, Aaron Hanes-Dodd,

Phil Lewis, Jim Coffman, Rob Gulbrandson, Rayland Dawood

Education News

Children’s Christmas Program will be on Sunday, December 20th—ONE service at 9:15am.

We will have our next 2 practices at the church on December 5th & 12th at 9:30 am, and will

have song practice every Sunday morning at the beginning of Sunday School.

Just a reminder- The play will be performed during the 9:15 service on December 20th. We

will have the first 2 pews reserved- front ones for play participants, second one for parents &

teachers. Service will begin as usual with the prayers, then the performance, and we will finish

with Communion and blessing.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Lynn Reed by e-mail or phone 706-830-

4570 cell, 706-860-5878 home.

Advent Season Potlucks

Wednesday, December 2rd 6:30pm

Wednesday, December 9th 6:30pm

Wednesday, December 16th 6:30pm

Epiphany Dinner, Tuesday, January 5, 2016 January is right around the corner so get ready! Fellowship will be hosting an Epiphany Dinner at 6:30pm on Tuesday, January 5th, and

there will be a worship service at 7:15pm. After the service we will gather back in the Fellowship Hall for a special dessert of Flaming Cherries Jubilee for the adults and make your own sundaes for the children. This is the time to give “Thanks” for the grace and blessings we receive, and you all have shown us your grace and you are such blessings to us! Thank you!! Augusta Chinese Christian Fellowship

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Dear Advent Lutheran Church, On October 5, 2015, 20 golfers chased, hacked, chipped, and beat hundreds of little white balls from dawn until dusk in an all-out effort to keep Family Promise of Au-gusta in full swing.

Thank you so much for your contribution of $250 for our 2015 Thomas L. Saul Golf Marathon. Your corporate sponsorship means a lot to our families. We raised $92,421.60. With your contribution, we are able to maintain our facility and help homeless families achieve self-sufficiency. Being able to help one less child wake up in a car means we are making a difference in our community. Without your help, we could not be effective in fighting homelessness.

We greatly appreciate your donation.

Family Promise of Augusta

Notes from the Music Room Calling all musicians! We would love to have you participate in our music ministry dur-ing this wonderful time of the year. Please consider joining the choir for our Advent and Christmas seasons, and if you have any instrumental ability that you would like to share, please let Ginny know. We would love to have brass on Christmas Eve and other instru-ments as well. Choir rehearsals for the month of December are as follows: For December 2, 9 and 16, we will meet immediately following the Wednesday evening Advent worship services - about 7:45 pm, and will meet until 8:30. On December 23 we will meet at 6:30pm. We will not be singing on Sunday, December 27th or January 3rd. Regular choir rehearsals at 6:30pm on Wednesdays will resume on January 6, 2016. On Sunday, December 20th, the children will be presenting a Christmas program enti-tled, “Twas the Night Before Christmas” at ONE service at 9:15am. We will be rehears-ing the music every Sunday morning during the first 15 minutes of Sunday School time. On Christmas Eve, the children will be presenting the music at the 7:00pm service. We will be playing Krystal Bells. Rehearsals are on Sunday mornings from 9:30am to 9:45am in the music room. The adult choir will be singing at the 9:30pm service on Christmas Eve.

Teddy Bears for Tots

Shirley Chipman is spearheading a Teddy Bears for Tots drive to collect teddy

bears to give out to children at the local hospitals during the holiday season.

Please purchase and bring in a new teddy bear for this great cause.

Service Ministry News

Our Angel Tree and Food Tree are up in the Narthex and ready for your se-lections. We hope one of these children will call to your heart. Each child is living in poverty, in economically-challenged areas of Augusta, and their parents work in low-paying jobs. They are appreciative of your gifts to their children. The lists supplied for the children are suggestions and wishes, it is not expected that you will guy everything on the list—just what your heart leads you to do.

ANGEL TREE STEPS 1. Select your Angel.

2. Remove the top angel with the gift suggestions. 3. Write your name and phone # on the second, blank angel

and drop it in the box by the tree. 3. Shop and wrap the gift(s).

4. Wrap, label and return your gift(s) no later than Dec. 20th.

FOOD BASKETS To compliment our hams, we are asking for donated food

items. The Food Tree is also in the Narthex and has sign-up sheets with the items and quantities needed.

FOOD BASKET STEPS

1. Select your food item and sign the sheet. 2. Shop and return the non perishable items to church no

later than Dec. 2013. 3. Return perishable items to church no later than Dec. 20th.

Please continue to save your plastic shopping bags, cosmetic bags, hotel toiletries, eye glasses, winter coats, men’s shoes and socks, pop tops and box tops for education. Just leave

them on the table outside the adult Sunday School room and we will disperse them.

Have a wonderful holiday season—Your Services Ministry.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Service Service

TimesTimes December 6 December 13 December 20 December 27

Assisting Ministers

8:15 Kip Hamilton Pam Tipler

Francesca Furlong

Bobby Bisbee

10:45 Heather Herrmann Tom Alderson Jared Fischer

Lectors

8:15 Bob Holm Zachary Hubble

Children’s Program

Various

10:45 Rhett Bickley Will Huerth Various

Communion

Assistants

8:15 Patty Williams Barbara Plumley

Pam Tipler

Di Hamilton

10:45 Paris Fiegen Mary Suprek Maggie Heaney

Acolytes /

Crucifers

8:15 Stormi Hubble /

Zach Hubble

Lilly Summers / Holly

Sadenwasser Max Van Bladel /

Sophie Van Bladel

Kate Peterson /

Holly Sadenwasser

10:45 Kate Peterson /

Marissa Goodrich

Sam Taylor / Jeff

Fiegen

Niki Whitaker / Ina

Prescott

Ushers Early: Joe Pravato

706-447-4308 Late: Steve Merzlak

706-855-8006

8:15 Don & Mable

Plueger

Bobby Bisbee,

Joe Pravato Jim Williams,

Art Rahn

Dieter & Ulrike Beck

10:45 Will Huerth,

Steve Merzlak

Jared Fischer,

Sam Jimenez

Don & Mable

Plueger

Greeters

8:15 Gary & Linda Law-

rence

Jane Burnette,

Donna Meisner

Patty Williams,

Maria Pravato

Eric Jablonski,

Jim Plumley

10:45 Rhett & Nancy

Bickley

Nancy & Wyatt To-

karska

Lisa Cheek,

Shirley Chipman

Flowers Given By Kip & Di Hamilton

Missionary Support Given By *Sign up in the Narthex*

Hospital/Shut In Minister Martha Ostendorff 706-736-8673

Bobby Bisbee Dee Alderson Di Hamilton Alice Glisson

Visitor of Visitors Nancy Bickley Gayle Ricklefs Jim & Barbara Plum-

ley Di Hamilton

Fellowship Coffee Hour Advent Women Coffee only Advent Men Coffee only

Eternal Candles Given By *Sign up in the Narthex*

Altar Guild Maria Pravato 706-447-4308

Early/Saturday: Linda Lawrence Late: Heather Herrmann

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

Sunday Worship 8:15am & 10:45am Sunday School for All Ages 9:30am

1Pastor’s Bible

Study 10am Service Ministry

2:30pm Ministry Night

6:15pm

2 Potluck 6:30pm

Worship 7pm

Choir 7:45pm

3 Pastor’s Bible

Study 6:30pm

4

5 Property 9am Children’s Re-

hearsal 9:30am NDT Programs

Christmas Party

6 7

Handbells 6pm

8 9 Potluck 6:30pm

Worship 7pm

Choir 7:45pm

10

11 12 Women’s Small

Group 9:30am

Children’s Re-

hearsal 9:30am

13

14

Handbells 6pm

15 Pastor’s Bible

Study 10am Council

6:30pm

16 Potluck 6:30pm

Worship 7pm

Choir 7:45pm

17 Pastor’s Bible

Study 6:30pm

18 19

20 One Service

Children’s

Program 9:15

21

22

23

Choir 6:30pm

24

7pm & 9:30pm Worship & Holy

Communion

25 26

27 Service of Les-

sons & Carols

28 29 30 31

AA 8-9am AA 8-9am AA 8-9am AA 8-9am

AA 8-9am AA 8-9am AA 8-9am AA 8-9am AA 8-9am

AA 8-9am AA 8-9am AA 8-9am AA 8-9am AA 8-9am

AA 8-9am AA 8-9am

AA 8-9am AA 8-9am AA 8-9am

AA 8-9am

AA 8-9am

3232 Washington Road

Augusta, GA 30907

Phone: 706-860-0439

Web: adventaugusta.org

Email: advluch@adventaugusta.org

DATED MATERIAL

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

12/4 Bill Burkman

12/5 Albert Trappe

12/6 Martha Ostendorff

12/7 Art Rahn

12/8 Jack Zamecnik

12/13 Maria Pravato

12/17 Nicole Fiegen

12/18 Bob Holm

12/20 Jim Williams

12/20 Brian Sadenwasser

12/22 Marge Rahn

12/22 Judy McQueen

12/24 Dory Toth

12/25 Alan Ostendorff

12/28 Tim Sadenwasser

12/30 Marilyn Tupper

12/2 Mike & Caroline Tefeteller 12/31 Jim & Barbara Plumley