January 6, 2008

Bulletins/Announcements

St. Paul Lutheran’s Mission is to be an expression of God’s compassion in our community and beyond. 

 WE REMEMBER IN OUR PRAYERS:  Jim Stafford, Deb Lange, Hilma Burnham, Brett Precord, Elana Aal,  Lisa Borchard, Karen Bisson, Chuck Connolly, Cliff Wyman, Sue Robb,  Lois Cramer, Pamela Anderson Courtright, Lisa Taylor, Alice Cornell, Donna Stepanski, Randy Stewart, Courtney Kindt, Chet Barney, Sally Barney, Nicholas Laurent, Karin Hamann, Mary Lou Holmes, Lillian Kingsbury, Mark Hamann, Janice Janeski, Gus Kuhl, Sammy Wozniak, Coleen Martin, Gunner & Gauge Moe,  Jodi Headley, and Fritz & Jan Stafford and family as they grieve the death of  their daughter, Mary Lou Hamer. (Prayer is the best medicine and we are prepared to pray indefinitely for folks. Would you please help the church office keep our list current?  Unless we know otherwise, our normal practice is to remove names after a month.  Thank you for your partnership in prayer.) 

We remember our prayer partners in the North/West Lower Michigan Synod:  

* St. John Lutheran Church, Lake City, Pastor Richard Bachman 

CONDOLENCES TO: the family and friends of Mary Lou Hamer who joined our Lord in eternity January 2, 2008. Her funeral service will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church on Monday, January 7, at 11:00 a.m. 

WORSHIP ATTENDANCE           

Monday (3 Christmas Eve Services)         736

 Saturday          5:30 p.m.         (12/29)     82                 

 Sunday            8:00 a.m.         (12/30)     42                 

                      10:30 a.m.                       154             

Total                                                      278                                                          

The January Service Activity is Layettes for refugee camps, hospitals, and villages around the world.  Items needed in each layette are:  two shirts or Onesies, two gowns or sleepers (with or without feet), two receiving blankets, four cloth diapers, flat fold preferred, one sweater or sweatshirt, two washcloths, one bath-size bar (4-5 oz) of gentle soap (in its original wrapping) and two diaper pins.  Please place one or more items in collection baskets in the narthex, fellowship hall or entry in to the Sanctuary.  Questions? Call Sandi Owens at 356-4039. 

Reading God’s Word at Home: The Egermeier’s Bible Story Book readings for next week are:  The Wise Men Follow a Star, page 363, and When Jesus Was a Boy, page 364. Parents, will you invest ten minutes a day in your children by reading God’s word with them? All it takes is time.  I’ll bet you’re willing to give it. 

Congratulations to: Brian and Tina (Yuchasz) Rondeau on their wedding, January 1, 2008.  May the Lord bless this union. 

Lutheran Basics for Ordinary Sinners (January 6 – February 24):  This 8 week course will look at: who was Martin Luther?  What is the freedom of a Christian?  What does God demand of us and promise to us?  Why bother doing good works if we are saved by grace?  What goods does God want us to have…and who does he use to deliver these goods?  Teachers: Pastor Rod and Pastor Paul; meets in multi-purpose room at 9:15, Sundays. 

This week we join in prayer with the other LARCC churches (Grace Lutheran, Trinity Episcopal, First Congregational, St. Anne, St. Mary, St. Bernard and St. John the Baptist Catholic churches) for the Music Ministry at St. Anne Catholic Church.

UPCOMING BAPTISM CLASS:  Would you like help raising a healthy baby and becoming the parents you have always wanted to be?  Join us January 13, 20, 27 and February 3 from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. in the lounge.  Classes are taught by Dr. Jamie and Marga Decker and Pastor Paul.  Contact Kristine Johnson at 356-4225 for questions and to register. 

Money Basics: just in time for the post-Christmas bills that come in the mail with their dose of reality…here is a simple financial workshop for couples.  Bryan Strong will help participants address 3 basic questions:     1. What is money? 2. How do we plan a budget and stick to it? 3. What does God say to us about money?  Sponsored by the Christian education committee, this workshop will be held in the dining room, Wednesday, January 16, 6:30-8:00.  Contact Bryan Strong to register or with questions (356-0934 wk or       595-6412 hm).  It is a perfect time to examine how you use money. 

The LARCC Christian Unity Service will be held on January 23 at 7:00 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.  All are invited to join us.  Please call Don Smith, 354-4479, if you have any questions. 

About St. Paul’s Eucharistic Ministry:  Christianity is essentially a lay movement.  Think about that for a moment.  Long before there were ever ordained pastors, Christians were gathering to hear the word and share the Lord’s Supper.  We have in our congregation now trained lay people who will help extend the Lord’s Supper, extend God’s table, if you will, to our homebound members who are not able to come to God’s house.  These folks will see that more regular visits are paid to our shut-ins and that they have a chance to be nourished at God’s table.  So, the first weekend of each month, you’ll see the communion kits that they will use out on the altar.  We will bless the Eucharistic Ministers present at the service and then everyone will be sent out to “Serve the Lord with gladness.” Again, this ministry is an extension of the meal that we share here together.  If you have questions or want to learn more, please contact Gerry Ludwig, 356-1059, or Pastor Paul (paul@stpaul.org), 356-1658. 

Coffee Hour: WELCA is going to do the coffee hour for the month of January. If you or your group would like to host a month please call Sandy Froggett at 358-0118. 

CHERUB CHOIR – Our next rehearsal will be Wednesday, January 30, 2008 after Mrs. Cantleberry returns from Cameroon, at 6:45 p.m. 

The next Esther Bible Study will be Tuesday, January 8, at 12:30 p.m.  Lunch will be served.

WEEK AT A GLANCE:  JANUARY 6 - 13, 2008

SUN.    Worship – 8:00/HC, 10:30/HC; Education Hour – 9:15 a.m.  (mid-year Rally Day)

MON.    Holy Communion at Luther Manor – 1:30 p.m.; Girl Scouts – 6:00 p.m.; Stephen Ministry Training Class – 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.

TUES.   Esther Bible Study – 12:30 p.m.; Cub Scouts – 6:30 p.m.; Boy Scouts – 7:00 p.m.; Outreach  –      7:00 p.m.

WED.   Youth Praise Band – 6:00 p.m.; H2H Theme Event – 6:30 p.m.;  Evening Adult Bible Study – 6:30; Prayer Shawl Ministry – 6:30 p.m.  Faith Stepping Stone #4 “My Bible” 6:30 p.m. -8:00 p.m.;  Children’s Choir – 6:45 p.m.;

THURS Staff Meeting – 4:00 p.m.; Adult Choir– 6:00 p.m.; Praise Band -7:00 p.m.

SAT.     Worship Service – 5:30 p.m.