Table of Contents
Pastor’s Page 3
Message from Council President 4
2016 Church Council 5
Council Highlights,
Over 50 Club
Stewardship/Finance Cte News 6
Kids B.L.A.S.T., Toledo Symphony
Endowment Fund Committee 7
Altar Guild, Noisy Offering, 8
Fellowship/Sew Day
ChristCare News, FLCW News/Events 9
Birthday Card Shower
Christmas Caroling, Thank you… 10
Birthdays/Anniversaries 11
December Worship Opportunities 12
Poinsettia Order Form 13
LIFT News 14
The Messenger
Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church
www.faithfremont.org DECEMBER 2015
Pastor’s Page
This Sunday, November 29, we will begin the season of Advent. One of the changes that come with the Advent Season is the change in our gospel readings beginning with Advent 1. Our Gospel scripture readings came to us out of the Gospel of Mark and now we begin reading the Gospel of Luke.
How many of you use an Advent calendar to count down the days until Christmas? Jerie and I have been doing that since we had children and now that all our children are grown up and no longer living with us, we still use an Advent calendar to count down the days until Christmas. Doing so helps us anticipate the celebration of the birth of our Savior and sounds the warning that time is running out to get things done – to be ready and prepared.
During this Advent season, Jesus also tells us to be ready and prepared for His second coming, when He comes again in all of His glory at the end of time. As one of my favorite hymns goes (The King Is Coming – Hymns for the Family of God): “O the King is coming, the Kind is coming! I just heard the trumpets sounding, And now His face I see; O the King is coming, the King is coming! Praise God, He’s coming for me.” Yes, believe it - The King is coming. What if we had a calendar to count down the days until that day? Would that change the way you live? Would that help you be ready?
Of course, there is no such calendar. We do not know when Jesus is coming again. Even so, Jesus does promise us that we will be ready. He is coming, even now, to prepare us, forgiving our sins and strengthening our faith through His Word and Sacraments. In fact, each Sunday is like a dress rehearsal for that day, so that when He comes, we will be ready to rise and go with Him into the feast and joy of heaven.
So as you get ready for Christmas, don’t forget to get ready for Jesus’ second coming as well! He is here for you now!
Peace,
Pastor Bob
Greetings from Church Council President,
Dear Faith Members:
December has come and with it all the joys of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary baby. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over Bethlehem just to mark the way for those who were looking for this special child. As we celebrate with gifts under the tree, lights in the windows, cards in the mail, turkey dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hung, and shouts of "Merry Christmas" to those we pass, let us never forget the true meaning of this joyous season and remember those less fortunate.
On Thursday, December 17th, all newly elected officers of Church Council are invited to attend our Council Meeting. Please plan to join us at 6:30pm for a light meal and meeting.
This year’s Thanksgiving offerings will be donated to the Fremont Ministry Association Emergency Fund. The Liberty Center will be the recipient of offerings from the 4:00pm Christmas Eve service and Share and Care will be the recipient of the 7:00pm Christmas Eve service offerings.
Annual Congregational Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 24, 2016 beginning with a potluck following the 10:30am service.
Please be reminded if Sandusky County is under a Weather Level 2 or higher, all Sunday services and/or weekday events/activities/meetings will be cancelled.
In closing, I would like to thank each of you for allowing me to serve as your 2015 President. My sincerest thank you to the council officers and members whose terms expire the end of December for their time & dedication, as well as to welcome the new council officers and members. Thanks and appreciation is also extended to all the volunteers, teachers & leaders of Faith activities on each and every level. It is because of your active & positive involvement with Faith that has allowed our church to continue to thrive and grow.
God Is Good and May He Continue to Lead Your Path. Blessings to you & your families in this Christmas Season and the New Year.
Jadlynne Moyer
President
Stewardship/Finance Committee NEWS
-Larry Leow, Council Vice President
Chair of Stewardship/Finance Committee
The Current Fund is still a negative balance of $4,049 as of October 31, 2015. We started this year with a positive balance of $12,026. This means that our expenses this year in the current fund have exceeded our current fund donations by $16,075 for the first ten months.
Remember that at the end of 2012 we had a positive balance of $38,000 and within three years we are now in a deficit position in the current fund.
I ask you to do what you can to support this ministry.
Larry A. Leow
Chairman, Stewardship/Finance Committee
Kids B.L.A.S.T.
(Bible Learning and Sharing Together)
All children ages 3 through 11 are invited to attend Kids B.L.A.S.T.! This group will meet next on Saturday, November 7th, and again onSaturday, December 5th, from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM in the Fellowship Hall. The bible stories of Moses and the Burning Bush and The Shepherds will be discussed. A light snack will be provided. Any questions may be directed to Jackie Seibert at 419-665-4124.
THE TOLEDO SYMPHONY will perform their annual Community Christmas Concert in the Sanctuary of Grace Lutheran Church on Thursday, December 3 at 7:30 p.m. If you would like to be a sponsor of this fine event, you may send a check to Grace Lutheran Church. Sponsor categories begin at $50. All sponsor names will be listed in the program. General admission tickets are on sale now in the church office. Adults $10; Seniors (65 and older) $8; Students $5.
Greetings from your Faith Endowment Fund Committee.
Recent questions as to what our Endowment Funds are held for have prompted your Committee to provide the following information. Beginning in 1980 with donations to the Vera Kuns Memorial fund, now the Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church Endowment Fund, this fund was created to provide for the receipt of extra-ordinary gifts or resources to be used to enhance the mission outreach of our congregation beyond that expected or supported through regular giving.
Programs and projects which may be supported by earnings from monies within our funds may include but are not limited to Camperships, Leadership Conferences and Youth Retreats, Parish Education Programs, Church-related Youth Activities, Charitable Community Organizations, and Scholarships for Faith-based Educations (i.e. Heintz Scholarships).
In 2015, earnings from our funds have supported two Heintz Scholarships, Fremont Ministries Association, Fremont Soup Kitchen, Gibsonburg Ministerial Association, Heartbeat, Liberty Center, Luther Home of Mercy, Lutheran Outdoor Ministries, Share and Care of Sandusky County, and Village House. Other disbursements yet this year will include Lutheran Social Services and Sandusky County Food Pantry. Total monies disbursed in 2015 are expected to be $12,700.00 based on total fund balances of $294,723.50 as of September 30, 2015.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church Endowment Fund, please contact myself or another member of your committee.
Faithfully,
Randal Koch
Secretary/Treasurer, Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church Endowment Committee
For the month of November , the altar duties were handled by Dianne & Candic Fought. Thank you ladies! In December, the duties will be shared:
Dec. 6th –Linda Woessner, Mary Lou Cooper
Dec. 13th Sally Sleek, Bette Linker
Dec. 20th Kim & Jim Smith, Brenda Tooman
Dec. 24 & 25 Nancy Root, Martha Wise, Mary Lou Cooper
Dec. 27 Mary Lou cooper.
Special “thanks” this month to Becky Fox, for making the communion bread, also to Jerie Young for her help.
To Sharon Peña, who for many years was dedicated to the Altar Guild has asked to “retire.” We thank you for your time and your commitment to carrying out your part of the work schedule. I appreciate everyting that you did and you will be missed. In saying this, we are shor volunteers, as some are serving on the schedule two and three times. If you would be interested in helping, please see Mary Lou Cooper, …this is your church. -Mary Lou Cooper, Chairperson
Noisy Offering Update-“Change for Change”
The Noisy Offering ($122.46) was collected on Nov. 15, 2015, and given so Children from our Companion Parish of Bumila Lutheran Church have the opportunity to attend school in the Mpwapwa Region. Thank you for your support of the children of our sister congregation in Bumila, Tanzania. The next Noisy Offering will be Dec. 20, 2015, at both worship services.
Fellowship & Service Sew Day
Come out and join the fun. We meet the first and third Thursdays of the month and begin at 9:00 am and end at 3:00 pm, but come and leave whenever you wish. We work on quilts, health kits and sewing kits. Greeting cards are made and are available for purchase in Lounge for a donation. Our projects are ongoing as the need for these items are great here and afar. We presently are in need of clean sheets (new or used) to be used as filler material for our quilts.
ChristCare News
. Advent for many of us is a hectic time of trying to get things done – decking the halls, shopping for and wrapping those special gifts, baking, Christmas cards and on and on – in just four short weeks. Our Saturday morning ChristCare group invites you to take time out with us to explore God’s ongoing work of renewing all things, especially our stories, our spirits and our ways. We hope you join us on Saturday mornings at 9:00. Sign-up sheet on ChristCare bulletin board
We celebrate with members who are 90 years and over with a Card Shower. Please send a card to:
· Dec. 1, 1918:
Marie Wagner-97 years young , 1811 County Road 59, Fremont OH 43420
· Dec. 6, 1932:
Margaret Miller-93 years young, 1081 County Road 127, Fremont OH 43420
Christmas Caroling - Sunday, December 13 –
Meet at the Church 2:00pm
Mark your calendars to help share Christmas Joy to our Faith family homebound & Nursing Home residents. We begin at 2:00pm Depending on the number signed up, we will divide into two (2) or three (3) groups for the visitations. This will allow us to arrive back to the church later afternoon and enjoy a delicious chili dinner and fellowship; as well as getting the little ones home in a timely manner.Hot dog sandwiches will be available for kids. The sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the coat area.
Thank you…
· for the prayers, cards and food during my knee cap mishap. A special thank you to Women of the Church for the pink carnation! Also, thanks for the words of encouragement during the healing process! Sandie Reed
· to Pastor Bob for his call and to Jeri, Mary Lou and Faith Congregation for the flowers, cards and prayers during my surgery. God Bless, Sharon Shaull
· for the good thoughts, cards and prayers sent my way. “I am almost to the point of making it.” Thanks again. Ron Root.
· Thank you so much. What a pleasure it was to share with you and your congregation. Your wonderful giving from what you gave 57 Bibles or 230 Testaments will be distributed by members of The Gideons International to help transform lives through the Word of God. –The love of Christ, Bob Sutton.
· Thank you to all who donated items, who helped that day and those who purchased items at the FLCW Craft Fair & Bake Sale your support is greatly appreciated.
December Birthdays 20151 Marie Wagner
2 Shelby Keeran
4 Sheri (Pollock) Ochs
5 Craig Copley
6 Ellen Horn, Mary Keck, Margaret Miller, Dean Schneider
7 Connie Longabach, Ruth Ann Seibert
8 Sandie Reed
9 Andrew Fox, Jessica Hartshorn
10 Linda Stine
13 Nancy Krumnow
15 Debra Benson, Gary Cooper
18 Jackson Fought, Yvonne Vogel
19 Jacob Schneider
24 Joyce Myers
25 Millie Fetterman
27 Tom Miarer
28 Janet Willer
29 Larry Leow