Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 9700 Neenah Ave, Austin, Texas 78717 Phone 512.671.6100 Fax 512.671.6103 www.lordoflifeaustin.org

December 2012 Edition Volume No. 1212

Inside this issue:

Selected Gems for Advent 1

Kindred Sisters 2

Hill Country Ministry 2

Happy Birthday 2

Preparing for Sunday 2

Game Day 2

Birthdays/Anniversaries 2

Youth Focus: Giving Tree 3

Annual Cong. Meeting 3

Prayer List 3

Council Nominations 3

Christmas Time Schedule 3

Job Search Ministry 4

God’s Gift To Us SS Event 4

Women’s Advent Study 4

Camp C Advent Retreat 4

Global Initiatives 4

New Life Children’s Center 4

Library Notes 4

State of the Church 4

Worship Leadership 5

Calendar 6

God’s Work, Our Hands

Selected Gems from Luther's Sermons on the Nativity

I've always appreciated Martin Luther's use of vivid, even earthy language. His pulpit

messages on the birth of Jesus are no exception. I hope, then, that you both enjoy and are

inspired by these excerpts, which are taken from Martin Luther's Christmas Book:

“Among the downtrodden people [Mary] was one of the lowliest, not a maid of high station in

the capital city, but a daughter of a plain man in a small town....In the village of Nazareth she

appeared as a mere servant, tending the cattle and the house...And yet this was the one whom

God chose. He might have gone to Jerusalem and picked out Caiaphas' daughter, who was fair,

rich, clad in gold-embroidered raiment, and attended by a retinue of maids in waiting. But God

preferred a lowly maid...

Joseph intended to take her [as his] wife, and was very much disturbed when he discovered

that she was with child....Joseph could hardly place a good construction upon her condition.

If the like had happened to you or me, what should we have thought? Anyone in such a case

would have said, “I won't have her even though she is a princess”....But God inclines his ear to

all who call upon him. An angel came from heaven and said: “Fear not. There is no dishonor or

disgrace. She is with child by the Holy Spirit.” Joseph had nothing to go by save the Word of

God and he accepted it.

The law of the [Roman] census required that each householder must be present in his home at

the time of the enrollment. Joseph was of the lineage of David and had to go to Bethlehem, the

city of David....Perhaps they had a donkey for Mary to ride upon, though the Gospels say

nothing about it and we may well believe that she went on foot. Think how she was treated in

the inns on the way....How many great ladies and their daughters there were at that time,

living in luxury, while the mother of God, on foot, in midwinter trudged her weight across the

fields! How unequal it all was! The birth was more pitiable. No one regarded this young wife

bringing forth her firstborn. No one took her condition to heart. No one noticed that in a

strange place she had not the very least thing needful in childbirth....No warm water, nor even

cold. No fire, no light. The mother was herself midwife and the maid....Who showed the poor

girl what to do? She had never had a baby before.

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their

flock by night.” That was a mean job, watching flocks by night. Common sense calls it

low-down work, and the men who do it are regarded as trash....Why did not the angel go to

Jerusalem?... There were the temple and the high priests ordained of God. Why did not the

angel go to them? He went to Bethlehem, a dung heap...The shepherds did not see the angels.

They saw only a great light and heard the word of the angel, just as one can hear it now or read

it in a book, if eyes and ears are open to learn and rightly to use. If one does not know the baby

Jesus, it is impossible that one should rightly honor God. Because men do not know and revere

this child, they rage and devour each other....But those who hear the angels sing, who know

and receive the baby Jesus and give due honor to God, are like gods to their fellow men,

peaceable, kind folk, glad to help and counsel anyone.

Our God begins with angels and ends with shepherds. Why does he do such preposterous

things?...The Christian faith is foolishness. It says that God can do anything and yet makes

him so weak that either his Son had no power or wisdom or else the whole story is made up…

He suffered himself to be trodden under the foot of man and to be crucified, and through

weakness he takes the power and the kingdom.”

Christmas blessings, Pastor Alan

Page 2 Life-Lines

Preparing for Sunday

December 2 Jeremiah 33:14-16 Psalm 25:1-10 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 Luke 21:25-36 December 9 Malachi 3:1-4 Luke 1:68-79 Philippians 1:3-11 Luke 3:1-6 December 16 Zephaniah 3:14-20 Isaiah 12:2-6 Philippians 4:4-7 Luke 3:7-18 December 23 Micah 5:2-5a Psalm 80:1-7 Hebrews 10:5-10 Luke 1:39-45 December 30 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 Psalm 148 Colossians 3:12-17 Luke 2:41-52

Haenel, Herman 12/20

Mauel, Amber 12/20

Neeley, Melissa 12/23

Parr, Russell 12/23

Parsons, Benjamin 12/24

Lopez, Anthony 12/25

Schoss, Andrew 12/25

Krause, Sharon 12/26

Gold, Keri 12/27

O'Donnell, II, Patrick 12/27

Swink, Jack 12/30

Walker, Patsy 12/30

Krejci, Bill 12/31

Anniversaries:

Dan and Cathy Drake 12/31/1985

Birthdays:

Goode, Dade 12/04

Weston, Eric 12/04

Girard, Roselle 12/05

Saegert, Dylan 12/07

Hafner Jr, Marcus 12/09

Parsons, Raina 12/11

Breyer, Susan 12/13

Smith, Erica 12/13

Sellers, Breanna 12/14

Sellers, Tara 12/14

Brown, Deanna 12/15

Petry, Joseph 12/15

Wiruscheske, Hunter 12/15

Dailey, Barbara 12/17

Duarte, Roman 12/18

Simon, Christine 12/19

KINDRED SISTERS NEWS

Tuesday, December 4 @ 10:30 am, Kindred Sisters will meet at Glenace Klinker’s Home,

15004 Cordero Drive, Austin 78717 (Right behind Church in Davis Spring) for their

Annual Christmas Potluck Luncheon. Always a fun time … Each bring a new or old

favorite dish to share for our lunch. Ted’s trains should be up and running and Glenace’s

Santa Collection should be out for viewing. Plus a special Christmas program. All women

are invited to come join us.

The Kindred Sister met the first Tuesday of November in the cafe. We started the

meeting with a presentation by Carol Mcintosch from Thrivent Lutheran Financial.

She told of the many services which Thrivent has for people of all ages. She explained the

new bonus system where you can earn money for the church through the products you

have. We also heard about the seminars that Thrivent will offer in our church for all the

people in the community. We ended the meeting remembering all the Kindred Sisters we

have lost in the past year. Many stories were told and remembrances were recalled about

all our wonderful sisters. We ended with a lunch and fellowship time.

Please mark your calendars on the SECOND Tuesday, January 8, 2013, for Kindred

Sisters Meeting. Change due to New Year’s Day 2013 falling on our regular First Tuesday

date. A new 2012 Hostess Chart for our Monthly First Tuesday Meetings is up in the Café.

First to sign up gets FIRST CHOICE of months! Kindred Sisters offers Christian

fellowship and support to all ladies and friends of Lord of Life. Please join us whenever

you are able to do so. Any questions: Contact Marge Kretschmar 258-2988 or

Glenace Klinker 671-3690.

GAME DAY

We will have Game Day on the second Tuesday of December (12/13/2012), once again

because of the holidays. In January, Game Day will be the usual time the third Tuesday

of the month, we are hoping to play twice a month, because everyone enjoys it so very

much, perhaps this will give others an opportunity to join in the fun. Anyone wanting to

bring a visitor is welcome to do so. For more information please call Brenda Searcy -

788 - 4214 or Nell Pennington - 255-2318.

HILL COUNTRY MINISTRY

T hro ug h th e mo n th o f

November, Lord of Life donated

247 pounds of food to the Hill

Country Ministry!

Thank you for your continued

support!

H a p p y B i r t h d a y !

Olivia Corinee Covington,

born November 15th, 2012.

She is the granddaughter of

Frank and Gayle Covington.

Olivia is the daughter of Clay and

Shelly Covington.

Page 3 Volume No. 1212

REMEMBERING IN PRAYER OUR MEMBERS,

FRIENDS/FAMILY, AND HOMEBOUND

Ann Willman,

Angie Parr,

Linda Lane,

Daxton Simpson,

Herman Haenel,

Dianne Schoss,

Travis Mullins,

Barry Plessala,

Hunter Wiruscheske,

Don Lloyd,

Jack Hailes,

Julia Bernshausen,

Jeannine North,

Chris Nobles,

Bruce Romig,

Ray Orsbame,

Mark Parker,

Lilly Farris,

Sandra Walker,

Barb Patschke,

Ruby Ivy,

Dot Harrington

ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

The Annual Congregational Meeting for Lord of Life will be held on Sunday,

January 13, 2013. The meeting will be held immediately following the late service

in the Sanctuary. At the meeting we will elect officers, the committee reports from

2012 will be presented, the 2013 budget will be presented and voted on, removal of

inactive members will be presented and voted on, and other general business.

A light lunch will be served. Your attendance is requested and appreciated.

THE GIVING TREE

The youth have their Giving Tree in the Welcome Center with 120 giving

tags for items needed by Hill Country Community Ministries (HCCM).

Hill Country Community Ministries is a nonprofit organization, a coalition

of churches founded in 1983, to help families in crisis and those living in

poverty in southwest Williamson and northwest Travis counties. These are families we shop with, go to school with, work with

and live with and families the youth wants to help. The 120 giving tags on the Giving Tree are for various items which are

always needed: socks, underwear, baby formula, baby food, diapers, wipes, dish soap, bar soap, toothpaste, tooth brushes,

toilet paper, etc. The youth are asking members of Lord of Life to select a tag or two, purchase the items on the tab(s), and

return your items under the Giving Tree no later than Sunday, December 16th so that the items can be delivered to HCCM.

The youth and their parents will also take $500 of the money they have earned from various fundraisers, go shopping, and

purchase some additional items for HCCM. Remember, we are a small congregation but we are mighty and amazing things

happen here at Lord of Life!!

COUNCIL NOMINATIONS FOR 2013

The Nominating Committee (Linda Lane, Doug Searcy and Dick Fink) is looking

for nominations for council members for President-Elect, Secretary, Evangelism,

Worship. We have received suggestions already from Time and Talent survey

forms (THANK YOU!!). If you wish to be considered for one of these positions,

please talk with Linda, Doug or Dick or send an email to the church office. Thank

you for your prayerful consideration.

CHRISTMAS TIME SCHEDULE

Sunday, December 16th: Children’s Advent Presentation (9:30am)

Cookie Exchange (12:00pm)

Sunday, December 23rd: Combined Service: Christmas Cantata (9:30am)

Monday, December 24th: Family Christmas Eve Service (5:00pm)

Candlelight Christmas Eve Service (7:30pm)

Sunday, December 30th: Combined Service (9:30am)

GOD’S GIFT TO US - OUR GIFTS TO OTHERS

The Christmas program of the Lord of Life Sunday School

will be held December 16, at 9:30 during the regular time of

Sunday School in the Sanctuary. This will be an event that

we hope all of our congregation will be involved in. We ask

that each of you who attend will bring a gift to share with the

Hill Country Ministries. There will be a gift tree in the

Welcome Center from which you can select a gift to bring or

just bring food staples and packages of socks and such. These

gifts will be collected as part of our program. So do not put

them in the baskets before the program, please. We look

forward to all of you coming and sharing our spirit of giving

this season.

Page 4 Life-Lines

Worship Attendance

10/7/2012 79

10/14/2012 98

10/21/2012 96

10/28/2012 102

Weekly Average 94

YTD Total 4,573

Weekly Average 104

Income for Oct.: $16,026 Income YTD: $217,951

Expenses for Oct.: $21,656 Expenses YTD: $228,997

Net Loss for Oct.: -$5,630 Net Loss YTD: -$11,045

GLOBAL INITIATIVES

www.elca.org/global-links Through the benevolence we pay

to the ELCA we are supporting these global initiatives. A link

is now available on the “For Members” page of our website,

so you can keep up-to-date on what the ELCA is doing to

reach the world for Christ.

LIBRARY NOTES - DECEMBER 2012

by: Donna Estes

I came across this little poem and would like to share it. May

each of you have a very blessed Christmas and warm wishes

for a healthy & peaceful New Year.

JUST A LITTLE DONKEY, by Rita S. Beer

Just a little donkey, but on my back I bore,

The one & only Savior the world was waiting for.

Just a little donkey, but I was strong & proud --

I gladly carried Mary through the chaos of the crowd.

I brought her to a stable where she made a tiny bed...

A place for Baby Jesus to lay His little head.

I pray the world remembers that special Christmas night,

when just a little donkey carried Heaven's Precious Light.

Sessions by Appointment OnlyContact (512) 671-6100 to schedule an appointment

Free to EveryoneVisit our website: www.lordoflifeaustin.org/jsm

Sponsored by Lord of Life Lutheran Church

CAMP CHRYSALIS ADVENT RETREAT

Camp Chrysalis will be holding an Advent Retreat on

Dec. 7-9. If you are interested in attending this retreat,

please contact Lloyd and Barb Haskins for more info.

(335-6153)

WOMEN’S ADVENT BIBLE STUDY

The LOLLC Women’s Ministry will be preparing for the

Advent season through a 4-week Advent bible study.

This study is scheduled on Thursdays @ 6:30 through

December 20. This series is designed to help Christians

reconnect with the real meaning of Christmas by considering

the main characters of the Christmas story: 1. Mary

2. Joseph 3. The Shepherds 4. The Wise Men To sign up,

please contact Patti Kassel @ pkassel@austin.rr.com.

NEW LIFE CHILDREN’S CENTER

The “Make a Difference” Gala is scheduled for Saturday,

February 16th. At Scholz Garten in downtown Austin.

We have partnered with Lutheran Social Services in the past

to support this facility. Please consider becoming a sponsor.

Visit www.newlifechildrenscenter/mad for more details.

Volume No. 1212 Page 5

Worship Leaders for December 2012

DECEMBER 2, 2012 First Sunday of Advent Color: Blue

Presiding Minister: Interim Pastor Alan Watt Assisting Minister: John Paul Crawford

Lector/Petitioner: Chuck Neeley Communion Assistant: Shari Willenborg

Acolyte: Raina Parsons Media Assistant: Dee Smith; Barry Kincart

Altar Guild: Cindy Wilks & Dee Smith (setup); Heather Simpson & Avery Willenborg

Bread: The Wilks Family

Ushers: Doug Caldwell, Bill Saegert; Rachel Brown, Madeline & Natalie Smith, Maddy Penland, Callie Prather

Tellers: Julia Neeley, Barb Haskins Flowers: John & Patti Kassel, in celebration of Wes and Dade’s birthdays.

DECEMBER 9, 2012 Second Sunday of Advent Color: Blue

Presiding Minister: Interim Pastor Alan Watt Assisting Minister: Marilee Parsons

Lector/Petitioner: John Paul Crawford Communion Assistant: Dorothy Crawford

Acolyte: Carter Parsons Media Assistant: Doug Searcy; Dick Fink

Altar Guild: Barbara Snook (setup); Deb Grunska

Bread: Barbara Snook

Ushers: Doug Caldwell, Bill Saegert; Rachel Brown, Madeline & Natalie Smith, Maddy Penland, Callie Prather

Tellers: Julia Neeley, Barb Haskins Flowers:

DECEMBER 16, 2012 Third Sunday of Advent Color: Blue

Presiding Minister: Interim Pastor Alan Watt Assisting Minister: Mindy Penland

Lector/Petitioner: Deb Grunska Communion Assistant: Nell Pennington

Acolyte: Avery Willenborg Media Assistant: Jim Tarsi; Lloyd Haskins

Altar Guild: Lyn Caldwell (setup); Deanna & Lauren Brown

Bread: The Weston Family

Ushers: Roger Vaughn, Doug Searcy; Horace & Nell Pennington, Robert & Linda Lane

Tellers: Julia Neeley, Barb Haskins Flowers:

DECEMBER 23, 2012 Fourth Sunday of Advent Color: Blue

Presiding Minister: Interim Pastor Alan Watt Assisting Minister: Rex Schroeder

Lector/Petitioner: Dick Fink Communion Assistant: Gayle Covington

Acolyte: TBD Media Assistant: TBD

Altar Guild: Chuck & Julia Neeley (setup)

Bread: Dee Smith

Ushers: Horace & Nell Pennington, Robert & Linda Lane

Tellers: Julia Neeley, Barb Haskins Flowers: Viki Parsons, in celebration of Benjamin's birthday .

DECEMBER 30, 2012 First Sunday of Christmas Color: White

Presiding Minister: Interim Pastor Alan Watt Assisting Minister: John Paul Crawford

Lector/Petitioner: Mike Petry Communion Assistant: Shari Willenborg

Acolyte: TBD Media Assistant: TBD

Altar Guild: Tim, Diane, & Natalie Smith

Bread: Mike & Pam Kamensky

Ushers: Dave & Erica Smith, Mike Petry, Barry Kincart

Tellers: Julia Neeley, Barb Haskins Flowers:

December

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

2 ADVENT

8:15 Early Service

9:30 Sunday School

10:45 Late Service

3 4

10:30am

Kindred Sisters

7:15 pm

Book Club

5

6:30pm

Confirmation

6:45pm

Bells Rehearsal

7:45pm

Choir Rehearsal

6

6:30pm

Women’s

Advent Study

7:00pm

Finance

Committee

Meeting

7

Camp Chrysalis

Advent Retreat

(through Sun.)

1

3:00pm

Youth Event

_____________

8

1:30pm

Piano Recital

9

8:15 Early Service

9:30 Sunday School

10:45 Late Service

10

7:00pm

Stephen Minister

Meeting

11

10:00am

Game Day

7:15 pm

Book Club

12

6:30pm

Confirmation

6:45pm

Bells Rehearsal

7:45pm

Choir Rehearsal

13

6:30pm

Women’s

Advent Study

7:00pm

Church Council

Meeting

14

15

16

8:15 Early Service

9:30 Christmas

Advent Presentation

10:45 Late Service

12:00 Cookie

Exchange

17

18

7:15 pm

Book Club

19

6:45pm

Bells Rehearsal

7:45pm

Choir Rehearsal

20

6:30pm

Women’s

Advent Study

21 22

23

9:30 Combined

Service: Christmas

Cantata

24

CHRISTMAS

EVE

5:00pm

Family Service

7:30pm

Candlelight

Service

25

CHRISTMAS

Office Closed

26

27 28 29

30

9:30 Combined

Service

31 1

NEW YEARS

DAY

2 3 4 5

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