This Week's News ~ December 11, 2015
 

In this Issue

Quick Links

St. John Calendar 

Chancel Choir Schedule

 

 

This Week at St. John
Friday, 12/11
9:45 am Friday Bible Academy 
7:00 pm Wild Lights at the Zoo
Saturday, 12/12
10:30 "God Had Different Plans" rehearsal
12:00 pm Chancel Choir "Holy Light" rehearsal at Holy Trinity
5:30 pm Evening Worship
Sunday, 12/13
THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT
9:00 am Early Worship
10:10 am Adult Sunday School
10:10 am Second Sundays
10:15 am Youth in the Kitchen with Mrs. Pam
11:00 am Late Worship
4:00 pm AA Meeting
4:00 pm Holy Light concert @ Holy Trinity
Monday, 12/14
10:00 am Quilters
12:00 pm Staff Meeting
7:00 pm Men's Basketball
Tuesday, 12/15
 
Wednesday, 12/16
7:00 pm Men's Basketball
7:00 pm Blue Christmas Service
Thursday, 12/17
8:00 am Men's Breakfast 
9:10 am Bible Study Fellowship
7:00 pm Confirmation Class
Friday, 12/18
9:45 am Friday Bible Study
Saturday, 12/19
10:00 am Chancel Choir rehearsal 10:30 am "God Had Different Plans" rehearsal
5:30 pm Evening Worship
Sunday, 12/20
THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
9:00 am Early Worship
10:10 am Adult Sunday School
10:15 am High School Youth Cooking with Mrs. Pam
10:15 am Supervised Time in the gym
11:00 am Late Worship
4:00 pm AA Meeting
Happy Birthday!
Dec 12  
Bob Oates
 
Michael Rajna
Dec 13
Michael Attard
 
Andrew Blazaitis
Dec 14
Jaymes Berkley
 
Angela Ozar
Dec 15
Brian Loruss
Dec 17
Eileen Johnston
 
Daniel Paulson
 
Amanda Lawrence
Dec 20 
Karen Bingham
9:00 AM
Lay Assistant:
Janice Locke
Reader:
Karla Halvagis
Communion:
Diane Rinehart,
  Donna TenHave
Acolyte:
Jason Stockmeyer
Slidemaster:
Elaine Pearson
Soundboard: 
Chris Fischer
11:00 AM
Reader:
Lucie Stricker
Screen/Sound: 
Caroline Kirsh-Carr
Acolyte:
 
Coffee Host:
The Henkel Family
Counters:
John Bell,
  Bill Davis
Altar for
   December:
Pat Gransee,
  Shirley Niesyto
God Had Other Plans
Youth and Children's Christmas Program
Sunday, December 20
11:00 Service
 
Saturday Rehearsals
Dec. 12, 10:30 am - 12 noon
Dec. 19, 10:30 am - 12 noon
 
All children through eighth grade are invited to participate! Adult and high-school aged volunteers are also needed.
 
Please go to this link to sign-up, or speak with Pastor Bill.

All Youth and Young Adults to age 25 are encouraged to participate!

Click here for more info.

Are You Being Called?
St. John would like to add to our group of Stephen Ministers for our congregation. Right now we are praying for the individuals God is calling to serve as caregivers. Please include this need in your prayers. God answers our prayers because He is faithful.
 
A Stephen Minister training course is starting in late January.  Please contact Kelly Monico [email protected] or Pastor Bill [email protected] if you would like more information or to apply.

"So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He answered our prayer" (Ezra 8:23).
Commemorations
This Week
Sunday, December 13
Lucy
martyr
Lucy was a young Christian of Sicily who was martyred during the persecutions under Emperor Diocletian. Her celebration became particularly important in Sweden and Norway, perhaps because the feast of Lucia (whose name means "light") originally fell on the shortest day of the year.
 
Monday, December 14
John of the Cross
theologian, died 1591
John was a member of the Carmelite monastic order, and worked to reform it. His writings reflect a deep interest in mystical thought and meditation.
 
Wednesday, December 16
Las Posadas
This celebration, long popular in Mexico, takes its name from the "posadas," or lodgings, sought by Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem. Their search is reenacted in a neighborhood, unsuccessfully, until finally they are welcomed in, and a party commences.

"Holy Light"

an Advent/Christmas Hymn Festival
at Holy Trinity, Livonia

THIS SUNDAY, December 13, 4:00 pm


St. John's Chancel Choir will join wth those of Holy Trinity and Emmanuel Lutheran Churches in the presentation of an Advent/Christmas Hymn Festival, "Holy Light," at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 39020 Five Mile Road in Livonia.
 
The concert is free; an offering will be received.    An appetizer afterglow will follow the concert. Here's a flyer you can print and share!
THIS SUNDAY! 10:10 am
December's Theme:
Advent and Christmas
 
Youth and kids, from 3 years old through 8th grade, and their parents, are invited to join us for another fun time of faith formation! Our theme in December will be Advent and Christmas. We will do family activities around the hope of Jesus's coming during Advent, and the celebration of his birth among us at Christmas. We might even have a visit from Santa Lucia!
For more information, click here.
Bell Tree Gifts are Due
THIS SUNDAY !
If you have purchased gifts for the bell tree, please deliver your gifts to the church THIS SUNDAY!!  Please attach the bell to the purchase and place it in one of our large collection boxes near the "bell" tree. We cannot deliver late gifts!
 
We ask that you do not wrap the children's gifts (their parents might enjoy doing that), but if you have purchased one of the parent's gifts, you may wrap that.  
 
Kroger Gift Cards and cash donations for utility bills are also badly needed (checks should be payable to "Neighborhood House"). Place these and any gift cards in the "Women's" mailbox in the office area.
 
Thank you for helping us to brighten the holidays for a family in need in the Farmington area.

Details of our family's story and detailed instructions are here
Wild Lights at the Zoo
TONIGHT!!! 7:00 pm
 
All ages are welcome to gather together and journey to the Detroit Zoo Friday, December 11. Enjoy a festive night illuminated by over five million LED lights.
 
If you have not signed up, you will need to buy tickets at the gate or online.  Check here to see if tickets are available.
 
More details here.

St. Lucia Day
Sunday, December 13
Girls age 3 and up are invited to dress in a white gown, red sash, and a crown of candles (battery-operated, not real flames!) and celebrate Santa Lucia Day this Sunday, December 13. Santa Lucia was an Italian saint who made her way to Sweden. According to legend, she came to sailors in peril on the sea, bearing light and bringing cakes. Older girls will guide the younger girls in distributing treats to the congregation and the S2 community. If you have a girl who would like to participate, please sign up here, and you will receive further instructions. 

Christmas

Year End Contributions

 
Thank you for your generous support of St. John this year! 
 
In order that we can prepare accurate statements of giving all contributions that are to be counted as given in the year 2015 need to be turned into the church office by Wednesday, December 30. 
                   
The blood drive was another BIG success! We saw 33 people and collected 27 regular pints plus 2 double reds total of 31 pints on goal of 26!!
 
Thank you to all the blood donors for saving 83 lives.
 
And a special thank you goes out to our St. John volunteers: Ashleigh Altemann, Charlotte Binhammer, Diane Dupuis, Beverly Gerhard, Pat Gransee, Rene Henriksen, Marilyn Kurmas, Larry Urevig and Ellen Zatolokin.
 
Beverly Androvich 
Thank you for your support of St. Alexander's food pantry and Thanksgiving baskets. Right now, St. Alexander is looking for specific items to fill Christmas food baskets.  Items requested are:
  • Coffee (11 oz), Tea or
    Hot Chocolate
  • Green Beans (canned)
  • Stuffing
  • Turkey Gravy (cans only)
  • Cake or Brownie mixes
  • Jelly (plastic containers only)
  • Canned fruit
  • $10 Kroger gift cards
Thank you for your support, and remember to Buy Two Weekly!
Mid-Week Advent Services
Wednesdays at 7:00 pm
Join us in our Advent journey as we pray for
Hope, Courage, Joy and Love.
Here's a sheet for you to color as part of your Advent meditation.

Faith Clouds
What are faith clouds?
Faith clouds are relationship networks for each pre-confirmation youth and child at St. John.
 
Each child is asked to find 6-8 St. John members of various ages to be a special group of friends, to support her on her journey of faith and life, and to be that extended family she knows at St. John. For more information please click here.  If you have an interest in being part of a child's faith cloud, or if you have a child who would like to build a faith cloud of relationships at St. John, please speak with Pr. Bill.
Ring a Bell - Feed a Hungry Person
It's not too late to sign up! There are lots of times left and our first day is Friday, December 11th, at 10 a.m. We average over $40 in giving each hour that you ring. WHY? Perhaps because they see our energy....our smile....our Christian spirit peeking out. Our neighborhood has benefitted from your effort for 20 plus years. Please sign up early and often.
 
Sign up in the narthex!  Contact Denny Mahle at [email protected] if you have question.