CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP

 7pm at Immanuel
11pm at Bethany

Regular worship hours on Sunday, Christmas Day

CHRISTMAS PLANTS

Those who wish to help decorate with plants for the Christmas season are encouraged to bring a poinsettia plant to the churches before the Christmas Eve. Services.  Put your name on the container.  Plants will be used through the Christmas season and then you are welcome to take them home to enjoy.  If you wish to have your plant recognized as a memorial, please leave a note in the church office.  Those who wish to have a plant purchased for you, can sign up for a $7.00 plant prior to December 4.  Make check payable to Immanuel. 

BAPTISM (I)
November 13, Emily Mae Mullen whose parents are Glenn & Dawn Mullen.  Sponsors are Brian & Jill Mullen.

Public Recognition of Baptism:  Fionn Gavin Mary Connolly, Baptized July 25.  Parents are Peter & Kerry Connolly.  Sponsors are Tammy Podzamsky & Eddie Connolly

BAPTISM

September 25 - Ashlyn Alivia May was baptized into the family of faith at Immanuel Lutheran Church in the presence of parents, Mike & Diane May, sponsors, Shawn & Donna Curley and other family members and friends.  Welcome, Ashlyn.   

(This special event will be posted again in the February issue as it was inadvertently omitted in October.) 

WEDDING (I)

Congratulations to Matt Kalkwarf & Valerie Strouse who were united in marriage November 12 at Immanuel.  

SUNDAY SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS December 18

Bethany – during worship

Immanuel - 7pm

 BETHANY COUNCIL DINNER

The December meeting will begin with a meal at the home of Richard & Alice Steljes beginning at 6:30pm. 

 LOCK IN

Junior High Youth (6^th, 7^th & 8^th graders) will again have an opportunity to participate in the annual Lock-In event in Peoria.  See details on the full-page notice in this issue.  Please let Pastor Swenson know BEFORE January 8 if you plan to attend. 

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

Bethany once more collected shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.  Thirty-eight boxes were dedicated at the service on Christ the King Sunday thanks to the efforts of the Sunday School and other members of the congregation. 

The committee studying the feasibility of a before and after day care program has chosen a name  (His Kids) and created a logo for the program.  The name refers to the focus of such a program—it would be a ministry to children of the community, children  He loves. Such a program, while meeting the physical need of children, would also minister to their spiritual needs.

 A survey has been sent to parents of the children in grades K-6 in the local grade school.  Responses are beginning to come in.  A small article about the survey appeared in the Index.  Surveys are available at the Bond Library for anyone who did not receive one.

 The committee is trying to compile the various expenses and revenues that such a program would generate.  Input from the congregation would be appreciated.

 There are still a lot of issues to look at before the committee can make a recommendation as to the feasibility of the His Kids program.

BETHANY WELCA CHRISTMAS MEETING

The women of Bethany will hold their Christmas meeting on Wednesday, December 7, at 7 PM.  A special invitation is extended to all the women of our congregation  to attend the meeting and share a little of the Christmas season with your sisters in Christ here at Bethany.  Even if you are not a WELCA member, please come as our guest that night.  We hope to see you there.

IMMANUEL SECRET PAL DINNER & GIFT EXCHANGE

Monday, December 12, 6:30pm at Immanuel, catered by Pop’s Uptown Catering for $10.99/person.  Interested ladies should contact Karen Podzamsky or Eilene Young by December 5 so appropriate plans can be made.  WELCA will meet following the dinner to pack items for servicemen and shut-ins.  (Please bring cookies, candy & fruit.)  Canned goods or staple items are to be brought to create a basket for a Minonk family.

Linda Budde is receiving names for those ladies who wish to participate in the Secret Pal progam for 2006.  This program is an opportunity to pray for and remember someone with special notes, gifts, or cards throughout the year.  Please contact Linda if you are interested.     

 IMMANUEL SOLDIERS COLLECTION

We sent 10 boxes of collected items to Rick Butler and his troop.  The giving was fantastic.  Thank you to everyone and God is good.  - Laura

 HANGING OF THE GREENS – 7pm

Help is needed at Bethany on December 7 and at Immanuel on December 8. 

 GOOD QUESTION

One confirmation student asked a good question that is worth repeating.  “Does any of the World Relief stuff stay in the U.S.?” 

Lutheran World Relief is an agency that provides aide outside the U.S.  Lutheran Disaster Response provides aide within the U.S.  Recent disasters, however, prompted LWR to offer help to hurricane affect areas.  As defined in the following article. 

Lutheran World Relief provides quilts and kits for Katrina, Rita survivors
Baltimore, October 3, 2005 — Lutheran World Relief has sent additional shipments of material resources, including quilts, health kits and school kits, to the Gulf Coast area to help people displaced by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The three shipments, bound for Houston, Texas, and Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi, will be distributed throughout the region by International Orthodox Christian Charities, a Baltimore-based humanitarian aid agency.

The 22,400 quilts will be given to people displaced by the hurricanes who have no bedding, said Frank Carlin, field director of the IOCC emergency response team. “It’s getting colder now, and people haven’t had anything to sleep on,” he said. “One thing they lost when their places were flooded and destroyed was the bedding, and in come these beautiful, brand-new quilts – it really fills a need. There are people in shelters sleeping on newspapers, and concrete floors. These quilts give them something comfortable to lie on, something warm to cover up with. It’s an answer to a prayer.”

The school kits will provide school supplies for 4,510 displaced children, and the 6,600 health kits will help people maintain personal hygiene.
 
The quilts and kits will be distributed through an ecumenical network of churches and faith-based agencies, Carlin said. IOCC is cooperating with Lutheran Disaster Response and the Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, as well as the Salvation Army and churches of many different denominations. “There are so many volunteers helping out,” he said. “It’s so edifying to see.”

An initial shipment of health kits went to Lutheran Disaster Response, the domestic relief agency of the Lutheran church, on September 2, just days after Hurricane Katrina hit.

“Historically, Lutheran World Relief has focused on emergency response overseas, but, given the unprecedented nature of Hurricane Katrina, we feel that it is appropriate to make a rare exception and distribute some items domestically,” said Brenda Meier, LWR’s parish project associate, at that time. “I feel confident that the people who created and sent these quilts and kits to LWR will wholeheartedly support our decision to use these material resources right here in the United States,” she added.

The quilts and kits come from LWR’s existing stock, which was plentiful thanks to the hard work and generosity of the many parish groups who support the agency’s material resources program. As the parish groups continue to make quilts and assemble kits for LWR, those material resources will replenish the stock so that LWR is positioned to respond to the next need, whenever and wherever it occurs.