News from Advent Lutheran Church

January Newsletter 2020

Staff

Pastors Jason Peterson

Andrea Windsor-Peterson

Director of Music/Organist

Melinda East

Secretary

Tara Spray

Nursery Attendant

Brandi Pate

_____________

Church Council

President

Angie Hubble

Vice President

Erin Taylor

Secretary

Marcy Jimenez

Treasurer

Steve Merzlak

At Large Members

Diana Perry

Zack Teffeteller

_____________

Ministry

Chairpersons

Christian Education

Heather Herrmann

Evangelism

Mary Filpus-Luyckx

Fellowship

Linda Jaath

Property Peter Kohler

Youth Marcy Jimenez

_____________

A Word from the Pastors

"For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. ’ Jeremiah 29: 11

2020. It is hard to believe that we are in a new year, let alone a new decade,. What will 2020 hold for us? What will 2020 hold for you? With all the vision jokes going around about seeing 2020, maybe this is a year of clarity. When reflecting on this idea of 2020 vision, we couldn’t help but think of the above scripture passage. For whatever 2020 holds for us, we know that our Lord has a plan for us, a future with hope. We know and believe this because of the gift celebrated at Christ’s birth. We will celebrate the gift of Jesus once again during our Epiphany celebration on January 5th with a special worship ser-vice. In this service we will ask for God’s blessings upon Advent’s house and all people who come here. Worship will be followed by a special luncheon and flaming cherries jubilee. Throughout the sea-son of Epiphany we will experience little epiphanies as to who Jesus is, and how we have hope in our future because of his redeeming and saving us. As we move into 202, we also would like to pause and give thanks for the gift of you all in 2019. · First we give all thanks and glory and honor to God for the many blessings here at Advent Lutheran Church. We thank God for calling us to be your pastors here in this place each and every day. · Thank you Melinda for being the organist and music director at Advent. Thank you for all of your hard work putting together all of the special music, instrumentalists, choirs, joint choirs, programs, ser-vices and so much more this Advent/Christmas season. We truly give God thanks and praise for you! We are so blessed not only by your talents on the organ and directing, but through your love and friend-ship. You truly are a gift to this congregation, but also a blessed gift to us as well. · Thank you Tara for your work as Advent’s Church secretary. You too are such a gift to Advent and to us personally. You are such a kind and loving representative of Advent as you welcome people, visit with visitors, answer phone calls, prepare countless bulletins, newsletters, signups, etc., and so much more. Your kindness and love can be felt in everything you do and we are forever grateful to God for you! · Thank you to all who serve on the Altar Guild throughout the year. We know this has been a year of transition, but Advent’s Altar guild continues to rise above and beyond in your calling to serve. Thank you Renee Blanchette for serving faithfully as the Altar Guild chairperson. Thank you altar guild mem-bers who work so diligently behind the scenes. We want to say a special thank you to Jaime Saden-wasser and Linda Lawrence who have stepped down from the Altar Guild. We truly give God thanks for the many years you have served our Lord through the many ways of worship preparation! · Thank you to the choir for sharing your love of music and praise of God through music. Thank you for your faithful time given in choir practice. Your voices and special music offerings in worship truly help lift our worship to God! · Thank you to all those who help to lead worship. A special thank you to all who serve as greeters, aco-lytes, crucifers, ushers, lectors, assisting ministers, and counters. Your faithful stewardship of time and talents really help the whole church give all praise and glory to God in the most highest. Continued on next page...

· Thank you Heather Herrmann, Lynn Reed, , Marcy Jimenez and Melinda East for all you did with the In-tergenerational Christmas Program. Thank you to all who came to practice each and every Saturday in De-cember. From the children to the adults to the choir, the program this year truly was a Joy Story all around! · Thank you to all of our special musicians who shared their musical gifts during the Christmas Eve ser-vices! We had wonderful pre-service musical pieces from members of Advent. It was amazing to hear the choir share multiple anthems and our children share a musical gift as well. The special instrumental offer-ings also added so much to make this Christmas Eve so elevated as we join together in our praise of Christ who is born for us and in us! What a most blessed Christmas Eve worship time it was! · Thank you to the Service ministry led by Marcy Jimenez and Jared Fischer for all your work with the An-gel Trees, Holiday Food Baskets, and Elder Angels. Forty families were blessed through the angel tree and holiday food baskets. Thank you to the Angel Tree Task force who worked so faithfully together to make this happen. Thank you to the congregation for continuing to be so generous in giving to those in need! · Thank you to our congregational council members. President Angie Hubble, Vice President Erin Taylor, Treasurer Steve Merzlak, Secretary Marcy Jimenez, and council at-large members Zack Teffeteller and Di-ana Perry! What a faithful and special group who work tirelessly on behalf of God’s people at Advent. You truly are examples of John 13:35 when Jesus says, “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”. We are truly blessed to have such dedicated leaders such as you! · Thank you Steve and Debbie Merzlak for your continued faithfulness as Advent's financial secretaries. You continue to go above and beyond in everything you do here at Advent. Your strong leadership is a Godly example of what good stewards look like. Advent is truly blessed to have you serve in this way! As pastors we are truly grateful for everything you do! - Thank you ministry chairs, Peter Kohler, Heather Herrmann, Linda Jaath, Mary Filpus-Luyckx, and Marcy Jimenez! We cannot thank you enough for your leadership and dedication to the life and ministry here at Advent!!!! - Thank you Vicki and Peter Kohler for the new Card ministry you began this Christmas season! Many people used this gift to share Christ’s love with one another through Christmas Cards while also raising funds for Advent’s Youth Group. This has been a wonderful addition this Christmas season. · Thank you for the many special personal cards, gifts and the congregational monetary Christmas gift this year. We are always humbled by the love, generosity, and support of you all, the people of God at Advent. We truly feel God at work at Advent through all the many ministries and activities that go on here. Each time we gather together for worship, fellowship, or serve in God's name, we feel your love! Advent is truly a chuch home that is centered on the love of God in Christ Jesus. We look forward to serving together in 2020, which truly is a future filled with hope! In Christ’s love, Pastor Jason and Pastor Andrea

January Worship Schedule

Sunday, January 12th Baptism of Our Lord

Guest Preacher: Pam Tipler

WOV Service of the Word Worship 9:30am

Sunday School Classes 10:45am

Confirmation Class 11:00am - 12:00pm

Sunday, January 19th Second Sunday After The Epiphany

Worship & Holy Communion 9:30am

Sunday School Classes 10:45am

Confirmation Class 11:00am - 12:00pm

Worship Service for January

Sunday, January 5th Epiphany of Our Lord

Worship & Holy Communion 9:30am

Epiphany Luncheon and Flaming Cherries Jubilee

Following worship

No Sunday School & Confirmation

Sunday, January 26th Third Sunday After The Epiphany

Worship & Holy Communion 9:30am

Sunday School Classes 10:45am

Confirmation Class 11:00am - 12:00pm

Pray for Healing & Provision:

Members: Maggie Heaney, Betty & David Kadlewicz, Vicki Kohler.

Homebound Members: Edgar Bollinger, Bill Burkman,

Irmgard Crowder, Tania Hayes, Marge Rahn, Robert Rankin,

Helen Schuneman, Irene Trappe.

Members Family and Friends: Virginia Reedstrom,

Otis Smith, Diana Walker (friend of Hilda Sullivan),

Bruce Carlton (brother of Melinda East’s neighbor),

Greg Dross (friend of Daisy Morgan), Toni Jimenez

(Sam & Marcy Jimenez’s Aunt), Todd Casey (Melinda East’s

neighbor), Bo (Alli Prescott’s step brother),

Jim Merzlak (Steve Merzlak’s brother), Leah Marie

(Carol Billings granddaughter), Noah Fillgrove

(Julie Fillgrove’s grandson), Karen Corry, Suzie Sadowski

(Romona Galloway’s friend), Carole Walters (Lynn Reed’s

friend/neighbor), Gary Knuth (Diana Perry’s son),

Lori Schmader (friend of Karlene Fillgrove),

Harvey (Family member of Dottie Rasche), Brantley Hyatt

(grandson of Suzanne Fouche), Betty Thompson

(Kim Falzone’s grandmother), Varia (Nancy Tokarska’s friend),

James Combs (Pastor Jason’s friend), Don Burris

(Ed & Donna Stover’s friend), Jean Wright (Aunt of Nancy

Bickley & Erin Taylor), Kevin Jiminez (Joy Jiminez’s son),

Katie Randell (Brenda Hoops’ friend.)

Pray for Our: Military, First Responders, EMT’s, Firefighters, and

Police Officers.

Pray for our Missionary: Pray for our missionaries

Dr. Pamela Tipler, the people of Uganda, especially for Latif,

Henry, William, Noah, Daniel, Frank,

and Advent’s sponsored child “Hope.”

ADVOCACY MINISTRY

Thanks to everyone who wrote Christmas cards for the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Ser-vices "Hope for the Holidays". We wrote over 100 cards for children and families in detention camps. Join us on Sunday, January 12, after Sunday School when we will go to the movies! The movie ‘Just Mercy.’ It is a legal drama based on a true case of Wayne McMillian convicted of killing a white woman in Alabama. Bryan Ste-

venson, the young attorney, wrote the book ‘Just Mercy’ and presented at the ELCA National Youth Gathering. We will decide on a time when it gets closer. Youth are encouraged to come with us!

I want to say a Great Big Thank You to everyone who helped make our Ad-vent and Christmas Seasons so wonderful! Thanks to our choir who have done such an outstanding job all season. Thanks to everyone who partici-

pated in “Joy Story” our Intergenerational Christmas program, to our chil-dren and youth, to Heather Herrmann, and the rest of the Christmas com-mittee. Thanks to all our Advent musicians and guest musicians who pro-vided wonderful pre-service music Christmas Eve and to the brass players who played so beautifully during the service and our adult and children’s

choir, and to Paul Filpus-Luyckx for their beautiful music. A special Thanks to Pastor Jason and Pastor Andrea for all their love and support

and to the wonderful people of Advent for their love and support. I am re-ally looking forward to seasons coming up!

See you in church,

Melinda

Strength for Suffering

Will meet the first Saturday, January 4th at 10:00am.

Then, we will resume to the regular meeting date of the second Saturday of the month.

Epiphany of Our Lord, January 5th

Worship & Holy Communion with special worship space blessing 9:30am

Following worship: Luncheon with Flaming Cherries Jubilee.

Please bring the Kings from your personal nativity sets to help decorate the fellowship hall.

No Sunday School or Confirmation Classes

Pastor’s Vacation

The Pastor’s are taking their vacation on Tuesday, January 6th and will return on Tuesday, January 14th.

Please contact the church

office if you have any questions.

Morning & Evening Bible Studies

The morning Bible Study will be Jan. 14th and Jan. 28th at 10:00am. The evening Bible Study will be Jan. 16th and Jan. 30th at 6:30pm.

Both will resume regular dates and times in February.

MISSIONARY NEWS

Dear Advent Family,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! I am so blessed to be a part of this family

and to celebrate the holidays with you all!! I am so thankful for all the wonderful

opportunities I had in 2019, and am also thankful for all the trials and tribulations

that continue to help me grow in my faith. I found myself brought to tears several

times throughout the year...from joy, from pain, from love, from sorrow, from loss.

In the end, these gifts that God has given us all makes us draw on Him and fully

trust in Him.

I see this faith in the eyes of the people of Uganda. They have so little and have

been through some incredible trials. Yet their love of Jesus exudes. They fully trust

in Him. You hear it in their words, their prayers, their songs. You see it in their

eyes, their hugs, their kisses, their handshakes. Every year RUHU has a street chil-

dren’s Christmas program where 800-900 children receive a feast, gifts, feet wash-

ing. They play games, sing, dance. They get to be children. Think of your joy on

Christmas morning when you open your favorite gift or the joy in your children’s

eyes as they open what they have asked for all year. I see the same in the eyes of

the children in Uganda. I see the light and hope that can only come from knowing

Sunday, January 19th 12:00pm - 2:00pm

“Youth Group Review”

Lunch will be provided by the church, and Parents are invited!

Eternal Candle, Flower Chart, & Missionary Support For 2020

Eternal Candle is $30 each month.

Flowers are $45 each Sunday.

Missionary Support is by donation.

Sign-ups are on the bulletin board outside the church office.

You may place your donation in the

offering plates on Sundays, but please mark on your check and envelope the selection for which you are paying. Thank

you in advance!

Thank you to everyone who generously donated gifts and food for the Angel Tree. We provided gifts to 31 children and 12 nursing home resi-dents, and meals to 10 families. Thank you to those who were willing to serve by planning, cutting out angels, organizing gifts, wrapping presents, coordinating the purchase of and pick up of turkeys, delivering the gifts, and so much more. Your serving heart showed the true spirit of Christmas. Thanks also go out to Kroger Washington Walk for extending a discount on turkeys!

FFF Group

Once the list of names are compiled, if you are designated as a group leader, you will contact the other members of your group to set up the first dinner meeting. Every three to four months the groups change. This helps

everyone to get know each other better. Please feel free to invite others not on the list, new members or even visitors.

If you would like to be part of this group, please sign-up on Sign-Up Central.

This is a wonderful way to get to know other members better. If you would

like to be a group leader, please indicate on the sign-up sheet. The group lead-ers just coordinates the first meeting with the group, then the members de-cide where their next meeting will be. Once we have a list, then an email will

be sent out with all the information for the groups.

ADVENT BOOK CLUB 2018—2019

Meetings are on the 4th Monday of the month at 7:00pm unless otherwise noted.

Join us on Monday, January 27th at 7:00pm

in the Adult Sunday School Room as we meet to

discuss the book, “Kinfolk.” The Discussion Leader

for the evening will be Michelle Pollard and the Hostesses will be Susan Ditslear & Patty Munson.

All are welcome!

ADVENT BOOK CLUB SCHEDULE 2019 - 2020

DATE BOOK AUTHOR LEADER HOSTESS

1/27/20 Kinfolk Pearl S. Buck Michelle Pollard Susan Ditslear &

Patty Munson

2/24/20 Last Bus to Wisdom Ivan Doig Gayle Ricklefs Pat Grim

3/23/20 This is How It Always Is Laurie Frankel Pat Grim Mary Filpus-Luyckx

4/27/20 Without You, There Is

No Us Suki Kim Ulrike Beck Mary Suprek

5/25/20 Ordinary Grace William Kent Krueger Martha Ostendorff Ingrid Zamecnik

THE WOMEN OF THE ELCA of Resurrection Lutheran Church

is inviting all of the women of Advent Lutheran Church to an

Epiphany Luncheon

Saturday, January 18th at 12:00pm At Resurrection Lutheran Church’s Reiser Hall

Pastor Terri Landers will present information on and the history of

Epiphany.

Meat and drinks will be provided, Please bring a side dish or dessert to share.

And your favorite Nativity Scene.

Family and Friends are always welcome.

Please Sign-up on Sign-up Central, so we can plan for the amount of food.

If you have any questions, please contact Tara Spray.

ADVENT HAPPENINGS

Property at Work Repairing Front entrance of Church.

Intergenerational Christmas Program

Advent Hosting Community Screening of “Same God”. Baptism of Benjamin Rivera

Family Promise

Youth Christmas Party

Coming Soon for Lent

Mardi Gras—February 25—6:30pm Dinner and Festivities

Ash Wednesday—February 26—Services Noon & 7pm

Wednesday’s in Lent—6pm Dinner; 7pm Worship—March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1

Theme:

Signs for Lent is a Lenten Series based on the concept of road signs and how

their messages apply to our life in Christ during the season of Lent: U-Turn, Stop,

Merge, Yield, One Way, Dead End, Road Narrows, Food, Cross Road, Road Work

Ahead.

Month Set-Up Take Down

January Vicki Kohler Julie Fillgrove

February Heather Herrmann Gina Hammock

March Martha Ostendorff Brandi Pate

April Renee Blanchette Kate Peterson

May Vicki Kohler Julie Fillgrove

June Heather Herrmann Gina Hammock

July Martha Ostendorff Brandi Pate

August Renee Blanchette Kate Peterson

September Vicki Kohler Julie Fillgrove

October Heather Herrmann Gina Hammock

November Martha Ostendorff Brandi Pate

December Renee Blanchette (ALL ARE ASKED TO HELP)

Kate Peterson (ALL ARE ASKED TO HELP)

1/5/20 1/12/20 1/19/20 1/26/20

Assisting Ministers Bobby Bisbee Worship Leader

Mary Filpus-Luyckx Heather Herrmann Jamie Sadenwasser

Lectors Tom Alderson Paul Filpus-Luyckx Hilda Sullivan Mackenzie Yerger

Communion

Assistants Angie Hubble Service of the Word Gayle Ricklefs Mary Suprek

Acolytes/Crucifiers Marianna Hammock

Stormi Hubble

Violet Herrmann/

Kate Peterson

Alli Prescott/

Timmy Peterson

Bryan Tupper/

Brian Sadenwasser

Ushers Dieter & Ulrike

Beck

Jared Fischer/

Steve Merzlak

Diana Perry/

Jim Williams

Tom Alderson/

Marcy Jimenez

Greeters Renee Blanchette/

Shirley Chipman

Julie Fillgrove/

Alice Glisson

Peter & Vicki

Kohler

Ed & Donna

Stover

Flowers Given By *Sign up in

Front of office*

*Sign up in

Front of office*

*Sign up in

Front of office*

*Sign up in

Front of office*

Eternal Candle *Sign up in

Front of office*

*Sign up in

Front of office*

*Sign up in

Front of office*

*Sign up in

Front of office*

Missionary Support

Given by

*Sign up outside

church office*

*Sign up outside

church office*

*Sign up outside church

office*

*Sign up outside

church office*

Fellowship Coffee

Hour Epiphany Luncheon Coffee Only Coffee Only Coffee Only

Altar Guild Set-Up Vicki Kohler Vicki Kohler Vicki Kohler Vicki Kohler

Altar Guild Take

Down Julie Fillgrove Julie Fillgrove Julie Fillgrove Julie Fillgrove

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1 AA 8am -9am

Church Office

Will Be

Closed

No Choir

Practice

2 AA 8am -9am

Toastmasters

6:30pm

3 AA 8am -9am

4

Property

Meeting 9:00am

Strength for

Suffering

10:00am

5 Epiphany of

Our Lord Worship & Holy

Communion

9:30am

Following Worship

Luncheon With

Flaming Cherries

Jubilee

No Sun. Sch. Or

Confirmation

Classes

6

AA 8am -9am

7

AA 8am -9am

8

AA 8am -9am

Choir Practice

6:30pm -

7:30pm

9

AA 8am -9am

Stephen

Ministry

6:30pm

Toastmasters

6:30pm

10 AA 8am -9am

Red Cross

Blood Drive

11am - 6pm

11 AA 8am -9am

Celebration

12 WOV Service of

the Word

Worship 9:30am Sunday School

10:45am

Confirmation

11am - 12pm

Advocacy - Movie

After Sun School

13

AA 8am -9am

14 AA 8am -9am

Bible Study

10:00am

15 AA 8am -9am

Lunch Plus

Group 12pm

Choir Practice

6:30pm -

7:30pm

16

AA 8am -9am

Bible Study

6:30pm

Toastmasters

6:30pm

17

AA 8am -9am

18

WELCA

Epiphany

Luncheon 12pm

at Resurrection

Chinese

Church

6pm -9pm

19

Worship & Holy

Communion

9:30am Sunday School

10:45am

Confirmation

11am - 12pm

Youth Group Review 12pm

Lunch Provided,

Parents invited!

20

AA 8am -9am

21

AA 8am -9am

Ministry

Night

6:30pm

22

AA 8am -9am

Choir Practice

6:30pm -

7:30pm

23

AA 8am -9am

Stephen

Ministry

6:30pm

Toastmasters

6:30pm

24

AA 8am -9am

25

26 Worship & Holy

Communion

9:30am Sunday School

10:45am

Confirmation

11am - 12pm

27 AA 8am -9am

Book Club

7:00pm

28 AA 8am -9am

Bible Study

10:00am

Church Council

6:30pm

Ladies Night

6:30pm

29 AA 8am -9am

Choir Practice

6:30pm -

7:30pm

30 AA 8am -9am

Bible Study

6:30pm

Toastmasters

6:30pm

31 AA 8am -9am

3232 Washington Road

Augusta, GA 30907

Phone: 706-860-0439

Web: adventaugusta.org

Email: advluch@adventaugusta.org

DATED MATERIAL

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Deadline for February Newsletter

Articles: Monday, January 21st