Kerygma St. Luke Lutheran Church

Family Worship 10:00 AM, Holy Communion

Celebrated on the first and third Sundays

Located Between Napoleon and Wauseon St Rt 108, Wauseon, Ohio 43567,

Ph. 419-335-9170 www.st-lukechurch.org

Missouri Synod

Volume 39 Issue 11, December, 2018

The KERYGMA is the official monthly newsletter of the St. Luke Lutheran Church, Wauseon, Ohio Rhonda Ripke, Editor, Donna Frank,

Photographer, Debbie Wesche, Midweek School News. Darlene Oberhaus Assistant KERYGMA Editor

Midweek Advent Services:

December 5th, 12th, 19th at 7:30 p.m.

Children’s Christmas Program:

December 24th at 7:00 p.m.

Christmas Day Service:

December 25th at 10:00 a.m.

Welcoming New Members

Rev. Chris Sigmon

Rev. Alvia Martis

Mrs. Joyce Martis

The Gift Which Keeps On Giving

“For God so love the World, that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have

eternal life”. (John 3:16 NIV)

Right now, just about every single person who celebrates Christmas is focusing on ei-ther, what gift can I find to give to someone, or, what gift am I hoping to receive. The oft found difficulty in this, we sometimes get so caught up in this dilemma, we forget the gift we already have been given.

My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, by grace through faith, God’s grace, mercy, and peace be yours, from God the Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord, through the outpour-ing of God the Holy Spirit. Now, let me ask you this, do you understand what you just read? Or, are you so caught up in questioning whether the text chosen is a proper one for starting off the Advent and Christmas season?

During Advent we focus on the coming of the Lord. This year, the last Sunday in No-vember is celebrated, liturgically as the End the Church Year. The first Sunday in December, is liturgically, the First Sunday in Advent! This year it is different, for we normally celebrate the start of Advent on the Sunday After Thanksgiving.

No matter when we begin Advent the reason behind it, we celebrate the coming of Christ as the Babe in Bethlehem. If you notice, we always seem to start with a darkness in the assigned readings, and the closer we get to Christmas, the lessons take on a lighter or happy prophecy of His coming! Instead of the Lord coming in power to judge us, we see Him come as a babe, one with the promise of great blessings. The forgiveness of sins. Yes,

“For God so love the World, that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not

perish but have eternal life”. (John 3:16 NIV)

Think about this as you will. God has given us a gift! A gift that forever gives, hence the title, “The Gift Which Keeps on Giving!” This gift is not just for eternal life, but as the Scriptures say, life now, life in abundance.

This gift is the heartfelt acknowledgement that we are sinners, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.” The Law, judgement, that sick feeling of know we have missed the mark. Then the gift, “Whosoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life.” The gospel, the release from the prison of our sins. The chain has been broken! We are free in Christ.

This gift given to us by God the Father, (sending His one and only Son,” through Christ’s, “birth, life, death on the cross, and His resurrection on the third day” is adminis-tered to us through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. “If I go away, the Father will send you a helper, He will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

Think of it like this, as the Sainted Rev. Dr. Martin Luther point out to us in the Third Article of the Creed, we can not even think about Jesus as our Savior, our gift, unless we are drawn by the Holy Spirit, and given the ability to believe! Luther drew this from John chapter six, where Jesus told those following Him, “Unless the Father enables you, you can-not come to me, ... this is why I told you, unless the Father enables you, you cannot come to me.”

So, can we all now see in this blessed gift that God has given to us? The ability to be-lieve in Jesus and know that we have life everlasting. Yes, Faith, faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord is The Gift Which Keeps on Giving.

May each of you know you have this gift and have it in abundance. God’s Peace! From the Martis household to each of yours, Joyce and I wish you all a very Merry Christ-mas and a blessed, New Year. Pastor Martis

Take Note Please Note: Ladies Guild meeting rescheduled for Nov. 29 as it was cancelled on Nov. 15 due to weather. Same time 1:00pm

Children’s Christmas Practice will be December 9, 16, and 23. Meals are provided after church. Practice starts immediately after the meal.

COME and begin celebrating Our Savior’s Birth this Christmas season by helping deco-rate our church and Sunday School rooms for Advent and Christmas. We will gather here Saturday, December 1 beginning at 1:00 p.m. till done.

Midweek Classes will begin at 6:15 during Advent (December 5th, 12th, and 19th). They run from 6:15-7:25 with Advent Services following at 7:30.

Worship Opportunities: This year’s Mid-Week Advent services will be December 5th, 12th, 19th, starting at 7:30 PM. The Children’s Christmas Service will be Monday Decem-ber 24th, at 7:00 PM; and Christmas Day service at 10:00 AM. If there is to be a New Years Eve service, the church Council will let you know.

Ladies Guild Christmas Party will be on Dec 6 with appetizers beginning at 5:30 and dinner at 6 p.m. Meal is being provided. Please bring a plate of Christmas cookies for dessert. All ladies and girls are invited.

GREETINGS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. This Wednesday we gather in a worship of Thanksgiving. We gather at 7:30 PM, for our Wednesday evening services. The Text for Thanksgiving Eve is, “Remember to Give Thanks, and the text is, Luke 17:11a-19. Advent services are Wednesday, December 5, 12, and 19 at 7:30 p.m. to celebrate the first Coming of our Lord. The theme this year, “What Child is This? I look forward to being in worship with you. God’s peace, Pastor Martis

THANKS The Community Meal on October 25 served 82

people. A heart-felt thank you goes out to the 10 adults who helped serve the meal and cleaned up afterward. Also thank you to the 8 ladies who donated jello salads and cupcakes. We look forward to serving another community meal in Feb-ruary 2019. “Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above.” James 1:17a

THANK YOU to the women of St. Luke for their memberships to the Women's Guild

of the Filling Memorial Home of Mercy. This year we have eleven members with dona-tions of $55.00.

Morning Meditations

11/26-12/2 Rev. Logan Scheiwe

St. Paul, Napoleon

12/3-12/9 Rev. Jeremy Kleino

St. Paul, Liberty Center

12/10-12/16 Rev. Willie Stottlemyer

St. Stephen, Defiance

12/17-12/23 Rev. Jacob Stuenkel

St. Peter, Napoleon

12/24-12/30 Rev. Jeff Corder

St. John, Stryker

12/31-1/6 Rev. Lee Genter

Christ Our Savior, Defiance

A MESSAGE FROM THE STEWARDSHIP BOARD

Watch! Wait! Pray! These are wonderful words of Advent. The watchman's prayer is also the call to witness to stand faithfully and fervently, watching and waiting for the hands of God the Potter to work at the clay of His people. Isaiah understood the simple truth that in the hands of the Potter, nothing is impossible for the clay. Boldly share the watchman's prayer: Potter, God, mold me and shape me according to Your will, for in You there is life and purpose for eternity.

OUR MISSION OUTREACH The Mission Outreach for December is Fulton County

Christmas Cheer. This local organization provides food and necessities for those in need in our community. Envelopes to contribute are on the table in the Narthex.

LWML Grant #15 for the 2017-2019 biennium is Sharing Jesus with Peo-ple with Disabilities. This mission grant will provide funding for faith-filled services for brothers and sisters in Christ with intellectual disabili-ties. For more information, go to www.lwml.org/2017-2019-mission-grant-15.

Ohio District LWML Grant #1 is for POBLO Missionary/Evangelist at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Kettering, Ohio.

Ohio District Grant #2 is for Military Veterans and Families Ministries. They are helping veterans let go of their past, engage in the present, and have hope for the future. For more information, go to www.lwmlohio.org

Thanksgiving Display -

Thank You LaDonna!!

December

2 - Cross

9 - Open

16 - Open

23 - Poinsettias

30 - Open

December celebrations

Birthdays

Rev. Chris Sigmon, December 1

James Weirauch, December 2

Lucy Jones, December 5

Melissa Ripke, December 8

Denise Curtis, December 10

Cynthia Gerken, December 11

Ann Rabe, December 12

Alexander Stinner, December 18

Michelle Bockelman, December 20

Charles Moehrman, December 20

Angela Garbers, December 21

Bryce Thierry, December 22

Marsha Hallock, December 24

Charles Griffith, December 30

William Wesche, December 31

Anniversaries

Brian and Kristen Wesche,

December 6

Kenneth and Marilyn Sunderman,

December 8

Donald and Jeanie Schlueter,

December 29

OFFICIAL ACTS – October, 2018

Birth Samantha (Ferguson) and Craig Kotajarvi

a son, Conor Samuel on Sunday, October 21.

Velma Gerken

Kathryn Garbers

Ann Rabe

Mike Ferguson

Kay Ann Hallock

Joann Gerken

Rev. Alvia Martis

Janet Ferguson

Charles Griffith

Joyce Martis

Launita Plassman

Charles Moehrman

Judy Elling

Pray for Good Health

Mina

Eliza

SUNDAY

2017 2018 2017 2018 2017 2018 2017 2018

1 75 76 5 20 $4,327.00 $2,239.00 48 59

2 80 73 30 10 $2,396.00 $2,661.00

3 58 82 31 16 $2,244.00 $2,598.00 48 56

4 70 82 11 19 $2,125.00 $2,473.00

TOTAL 283 313 77 65 $11,092.00 $9,971.00 96 115

AVERAGE 71 78 19 16 $2,773.00 $2,492.75

HOME

MISSION BUDGET

BUILDING

RESERVE

SEPTEMBER TOTAL

Weekly (Sunday) Tithes and Offerings including Non-Budgeted giving

Home Sunday School $13.00

Filling Home $50.00

Youth $393.30

FUND MONTHLY OFFERINGS

COMPARATIVE STATISTICS FOR OCTOBER 2017/2018

AN EXERCISE OF OUR FAITH

ATTENDANCE SUNDAY SCHOOL TITHES AND OFFERINGS COMMUNION

Non-Budgeted Giving October 2018

$7,441.00

$859.00

$665.00

$258.00

$9,223.00

December Acolytes

2 - Eliza Jones

5 - Advent Service - Eliza Jones & Kylie Diemer

9 - Ryan Griffith & Ada Griffith

12 - Advent Service - Mina Wesche & Anneka Wesche

16 - Vivian Gebers

19 - Advent Service - Anneka Wesche & Vivian Gebers

23 - Ada Griffith & Macee Ripke

24 - Christmas Eve - Macee Ripke & Kylie Diemer

25 - Christmas Day - Macee Ripke & Anneka Wesche

30 - Mina Wesche & Anneka Wesche

Macee and Ada

Anneka and Ryan

Midweek Choir

Back Row: Mina, Eliza, Ada, Macee, Vivian

Front Row: Owen, Anneka, Alexis, Jack

Welcome to the St. Luke family!!

Pictures from the Youth Pancake Brunch -

Thank You St. Luke for your support!!!

Midweek classes helped to make ornaments and cards to go in the Ladies' Guild

Christmas baskets.

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