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Dec 20, 2013 Lord of Life Lutheran Church
 | | Over 300 gifts donated for Christian Caring Center |
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Brothers and Sisters...
Just this week I had the opportunity to spend some time with one of our senior members who lives in Leisuretowne. Eleanor Fontaine has been part of our community for many years and is the person responsible for creating the beautiful paraments we use in the sanctuary for the Christmas and Epiphany seasons. While sharing time together, she retrieved a set of devotions that our congregation had produced for the advent season ...in the year 1994! What a joy to reflect on the efforts of so many members of Lord of Life who took time to write their thoughts on texts of scripture in the church's season of expectation and preparation. My devotion was written for Christmas Eve and is as follows...
Galatians 4:4 (Contemporary English Version)
"But when the time was right God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the law, so he could set us free from the law, and we could become God's children."
CHRISTmas comes but once a year; or so the saying goes. But the spirit of giving and sharing must be a year-round response on the part of CHRISTian people. Our CHRISTmas cheer and joy brighten the darkness of days tempered by acts of selfishness and violence in places all around us. What a blessing it is to see the miracle of CHRISTmas tackle our "Good Friday" world head on.
Even though the manger and cross are never very far from one another, it is our belief in a crucified and risen Lord that makes CHRISTmas meaningful at all. Easter people like you and I know that the story begins in a stable and leads to a garbage dump outside the walls of Jerusalem and miraculously to an empty tomb and a triumphant Savior.
When the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians he had a clear sense of God's timing for the church. The Lord's game plan called his church to become a celebrating and serving people. Yes, CHRISTmas comes but once a year. But its impact on our plans should last a lifetime!
Howard Thurman, a Baptist pastor and poet, once wrote about the challenge ahead when he penned these lines...
When the song of the angels is stilled
when the star in the sky is gone
when the kings and princes are home
when the shepherds are back with their flocks
the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost
to heal the broken
to feed the hungry
to release the prisoner
to rebuild the nations
to bring peace among the people
to make music in the heart.
Sisters and brothers, let our focus this Christmas 2014 be clearly on the "God who became flesh to live and dwell among us". And may we celebrate and savor the gift of a Savior given by the God who creates, saves and sustains us through all the seasons of life!
Your brother in CHRIST,
Pastor David Jones
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 | | 8 & 10pm Candlelight Service |
Dec 24 - Christmas Eve Worship Services
Family Friendly Worship at 2pm & 4pm
- with an interactive message for children
entitled "Oh, Christmas Tree" (communion at 4pm)
Traditional Worship 8pm & 10pm
with Holy Communion / Candlelight
Dec 25 - Christmas Day Service at 10am
Services of Lessons & Carols with Communion followed by light brunch
(Those staying for brunch are invited to bring something "brunchy" to share) |
Senior High Youth Ministry
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Sunday, Dec 29 - The SHYM Christmas party has been moved to Sunday, Dec 29th from 6-8 PM at the McMichael house! Please RSVP to Maureen at maureen.mcmichael@yahoo.com. All high school age youth are invited to attend!
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Music & Worship Ministries
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Kidz Praize! and Youth Praise!
 | | Lord of Life - Sunday School Kids - Dec 15, 2013 10am service |
Our final rehearsal for both groups is after the 10:00 service this Sunday. See you there!
Sue Dreisbach, sued@lordlife.us Rick Krause, rick@lordlife.us
Check out this YouTube of the
'Youth Percussion Choir' at last
Sunday's Service! (click to play) ==>
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Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
"(We) would like to say what a blessing it is for the great out pouring of toys and gifts, and we thank all of Lord of Life Lutheran Church. Thank You!" Christian Caring Center in Browns Mills
Hundreds of children and youth will have their Christmas brightened by your generosity.
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Beginning in 2014 the sewing talents with in Lord of Life will be channeled to a new ministry.  We will be making quilts for Lutheran World Relief. These quilts are distributed worldwide and are used for shelter, warmth, and carrying belongings.
There are specific instructions for these quilts. They will be sewn entirely on a sewing machine and hand tied when complete. We will need people to cut the fabric squares, arrange and pin the squares together, sew them, and finish with hand tying. Anyone is welcome to help.
A meeting will be arranged at the church in January where all details will be explained. Look for more information on the bulletin board in the narthex
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Fuller Center - LOL House - Update
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 | | Paul, Jim, Harry, Alan working in new kitchen |
Well folks the completion of the LOL sponsored house is within sight! My sincere thanks to those of you who donated your time and talent by going to Ventnor City and pitching in. The Nguyen family is overcome with gratitude. I want to offer a special thank you to the dedicated house captains, who volunteered countless hours regularly going down to Ventnor 2-3 times a week. They are Chuck Bubeck, Bill Dreisbach, Jack Gordon and Rick Osman. Without their leadership, dedication and guidance for unskilled workers like myself, this project may have never completed. THANK YOU GUYS!!!!
The house dedication will occur this Sunday between 2 - 3PM. If you would like to attend please contact Ed Hourihan.
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I will be in Haiti January 15 through January 22; earlier than usual. I will be working with the students at the school to show them how to make different items that they may be able to sell. They will learn how to make backpacks, cloth purses with a zippered closure, and baby slings to safely carry their infants. I will be purchasing the needed supplies for these items and taking everything with me. Sources in Haitie are very limited.
While there I will also visit the local orphanages and mend clothing. This has been overlooked in the past and there is a tremendous need to replace buttons on shirts, repair pockets and sleeves, and hem little girls dresses.
I look forward to this trip for many reasons. I enjoy seeing the many friends and co workers I have met over the years. They are such warm, loving, intelligent people who are so grateful for any assistance they receive. I am anxious to see the new building that houses the sewing school. And of course working directly with the students will be enjoyable yet challenging due to the language barrier.
Once again I ask for your prayers, not only for a safe trip but for all the Haitian people. Their struggle for survival continues every day.
- Penny Miller
Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!! 1496 items were collected to fill 45 bags for the orphans in Haiti. Please know that these items will make the children extremely happy. All bags have been delivered to Medford and have been shipped to Haiti. Thank you all! - Penny Miller
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 The excitement is building...Christmas is right around the corner! Grace Place children are putting on a musical "Stars, Angels, Shepherds, Kings on December 20th at 6:30 pm. Please feel free to join us in the Lord of Life Sanctuary.
Grace Place children with Thanksgiving
bags collected at the school! ==>
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Church Financial Stewardship Update
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 Thanks to those of you who designated Lord of Life for the Thrivent Choice program. Including the "double dollars" donations in November, we were able to receive $4614 during the year to help fund the ministries of our church.
Also the solar panels are working well and we are saving on our electric bills; for example one month for which we typically paid $1000 for electrical power, only had a bill for $28. In addition selling the SRECs (NJ state solar credits) allowed us to receive $3815 during 2013.
Despite these savings, we still need everyone to get 'current' on their 2013 donations so we can all pull together and be sure we have the ability to continue serving our church members and the community in helping to change lives for Jesus. The last date for tax year 2013 is Tuesday Dec 31st for donations to the church.
ALSO If you have not yet turned in your 2014 'Estimate of Sharing' we still need them! It can be done quickly at www.lordlife.us or with one of the 'EOS' cards in the pews at the church or by the entrance. Note that changing the EOS does not change the 'Simply Giving' withdrawals; these must be updated with the form at the church, which is also available to print from the website.
Thanks so much for the generous contributions you have made during the year, and please know that it makes a huge difference to many people inside and outside our church walls!
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Thank you all who came to the Christmas Party. The food and fellowship was wonderful once again. A special thanks to all who helped set up and clean up.
Please look in the bulletin and an email for the Steering Committee meeting to be held in the beginning of January to plan out our next few months.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
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 Book Club meets the 3rd Tues. of each month from 7 to 9 pm in the fellowship hall. It is a unique group of book lovers who share not only their opinions about our featured read, but also faith concerns, caring for each other and of course wonderful food. Members attend meetings as their schedules allow. The book club will be having discussions on the following books this season:
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Many thanks for all of the donations that showed up in the past month. The 2014 calendars, sweaters, boxes, jewelry items, toiletries, stuffed animals, purses, puzzles, games, etc. were all delivered in time for the residents' Christmas Shop where they were able to pick out gifts for their family members, at no charge. Some residents were also able to pick gifts for themselves since they have no living family. Your thoughtfulness helped someone to have a happy holiday.
- Carol Smith
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Eric Sinn (12/21), Mike Wojtaszek (12/21), Laura Evans (12/21),
Mike Mignogna (12/22), Carol Koskela (12/22), Paul Horner (12/23),
Keith Williams (12/24), Heather Vernier (12/25), Jennifer Prouse (12/25), Kristen Albinson (12/26), John Maurer (12/26), Jodi Shover (12/26),
Lisa Masly (12/27), John McMichael (12/27), Lance Patterson (12/27), Chason Jervis (12/27), Myra Bell (12/28), Andrew Roppoli (12/28), Benjamin Schaeffer (12/29), Mackenzie Mozitis (12/29),
David Albinson (12/29), Austin O'Brien (12/29), Aidan Vandegrift (12/30), Jack Kelly (12/30), Christie Hopkins (12/30), Marielle Sarlo (12/30),
Aaron Pyett (12/30), Jason Fennimore (12/31), Matthew Shields (12/31)
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Upcoming Wedding Anniversaries
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 Bruce & Hui-Fen Kirschbaum (12/21), Helena & Frank Humphreys (12/29), John & Brenda Engler (12/31)
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= = = = = = = = = = = = = = December 2013 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 
Friday (12/20)
6:30 pm - Grace Place Christmas Program
(Pastor Sue's Day off)
Saturday (12/21)
6:00 pm - Service of Holy Communion
Sunday (12/22) 4 Advent
8:30 am - Service of Holy Communion
9:00 am - Praise Team Rehearsal
10:00 am - Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving with Holy Communion & Sunday School
11:30 am - Kidz Praize
11:30 am - Youth Praize
Monday (12/23)
(open)
Tuesday (12/24) Christmas Eve
2:00 pm - Christmas Eve Worship - Family Friendly
4:00 pm - Christmas Eve Worship - Family Friendly with Communion
8:00 pm - Christmas Eve Worship - Traditional Worship with Holy Communion & Candlelight
10:00 pm - Christmas Eve Worship - Traditional Worship with Holy Communion & Candlelight
Wednesday (12/25) Christmas Day
10:00 am - Christmas Day Worship - Services of Lessons & Carols with Communion
followed by light brunch
Thursday (12/26)
(open)
(Pastor Dave's Day off)
Friday (12/27)
(open)
(Pastor Sue's Day off)
Saturday (12/28)
6:00 pm - Service Lessons & Carols
Sunday (12/29) 1 Christmas
8:30 am - Service of Lessons & Carols with Holy Communion
9:00 am - Praise Team Rehearsal
10:00 am - Service of Lessons & Carols and Sunday School
6:00 pm - SHYM Christmas Party at McMichael house (RSVP)
Monday (12/30)
(open)
Tuesday (12/31)
{open}
(Last day for tax year 2013 donations)
Wednesday (1/1/2014) Happy New Year!
(office closed)
Thursday (1/2)
LifeLines Inputs Due (send to: lifelines@lordlife.us)
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- - - - - "Save the Date" for these Upcoming Events - - - -
Estimate of Sharing for 2014 forms are due - available at office or online at www.lordlife.us ("EOS form")
Dec 24 - Christmas Eve Worship Services
Family Friendly Worship at 2pm & 4pm - with an interactive message for children entitled
"Oh, Christmas Tree"
Traditional Worship 8pm & 10pm
(Holy Communion at 4pm, 8pm & 10pm services)
Dec 25 - Christmas Day Worship Service at 10am - Services of Lessons & Carols with Communion followed by light brunch (Office Closed)
Dec 29 - SHYM Christmas Party (moved to this date) 6-8pm at the McMichael house. RSVP
ANYTIME: "Simply Giving" contribution form can be obtained by clicking here
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Pastor David Jones: pastor_dave@lordlife.us
1 Winchester Court 609-268-0262 (office)
Tabernacle, NJ 08088 609-268-3470 (fax)
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OUR Purpose: Lord of Life is a welcoming community of forgiven people proclaiming the perfect love of Jesus Christ!
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