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Quick Notes and Reminders
Please check the calendar for more information.
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Faith Feast and Faith Night:
There will not be Faith Feast or Faith Night on November 23rd due to the holiday. It will resume on the 30th.
Food Pantry Items The food item for November is soup.
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Along the miles of sandy roads through county forest in northern Wisconsin are wild blueberry bushes. They thrive in the dry and acidic soils near scrub oak, jack pine and hazelnut. All part of what we call Pine Barrens. White tail deer, black bear and sharp-tailed grouse can be found there.
It was a tradition in my family to walk these roads and pick buckets of blueberries in the middle of summer. It felt mostly like work when I was a youngster but the rewards were worth it: blueberry pancakes, blueberry pies, blueberries on ice cream, or simply blueberries by the handful. And then there were the blueberries gladly given away for others to enjoy!
It turns out that the walking, gathering and eating were tremendously healthy. It was a shared labor, a time set apart to be aware of all that surrounded us.
It quietly gave needed perspective.
The ancient hymn from the opening words of Colossians was meant to give perspective to a community at worship when perspective might have been hard to come by: ... his beloved Son is the image of the invisible God... for in him all things in heaven and earth were created... and in him all things hold together... and through him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell...
So I have been thinking about the need to walk more. And maybe a long thoughtful walk on those forest roads would do me good. St. Augustine said that "It is solved by walking." And maybe this kind of walking is not meant to be only solitary. It might very well be the kind of walking that includes others. And maybe this kind of walking reminds us of what finally holds all things together.
In our Thanksgiving traditions, it might be healthy to find time to go for a good long walk, to breathe some fresh air and in the going quietly offer our prayers for the sake of faith and the needs of the world. And it might be a good thing to invite someone else to walk with us and to join in the kind of conversation that can bring a needed perspective. Then when we come back to the table we can better appreciate the journey we all share in together!
I am glad for worship. Times set aside to pray and to proclaim and to be in community.
Almighty God, our Father, your generous goodness comes to us new every day. By the work of your Spirit lead us to acknowledge your goodness, give thanks for your benefits, and serve you in willing obedience, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. - ELW
Pastor Randy
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Responding to God's Grace
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Recently in worship, we celebrated God's wonderful grace by offering our
regular giving
commitments of financial support for 2017. If you brought your card today (extras are in the pew racks), we invite you to place it in the offering plate. You may also go the Faith webpage and indicate your support by clicking here.
We are joyous as we embrace what God has in store for Faith Lutheran Church!
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This week's discussion topic for Faith Journeys, our Adult Sunday School class will be: "The Emergence of the New Testament Canon: How the Four Gospels Were Chosen." Faith Journeys meets from 9:30-10:15 a.m. in Messiah Hall, rooms 203 and 204, and is facilitated by Dee Paddock. Please join us!
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Thanksgiving Worship and Meal
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 On Sunday, November 20, at 5:00 p.m., we will gather in the sanctuary to give thanks for God's abundant blessings in our lives and in the life of Faith Lutheran Church through a service of song and Word lead by Crossroads and the youth. After worship, we will move to St. Michael's Hall for a delicious meal. Please join us!
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Messiah Art Gallery - Meet and Greet
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Linda Christ is someone many of you know. Not only does she design and arrange flowers for worship services every week, but she's also a gifted artist. Since retiring, she's been busy getting back to her art focusing on drawing flowers and landscapes. (Do you see a theme here?) Please walk through the Messiah Hall Revolving Art Gallery between services on Sunday, November 20, to visit with Linda and enjoy her beautiful artwork. Her pieces will be on display from November 18, 2016, to February 19, 2017.
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First Tuesday Women's Fellowship
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The First Tuesday Women's Fellowship will begin the holiday season with a Christmas supper at Susan Petersen's home, 927 40th Street, West Des Moines, on Tuesday, December 6, at 6:30 p.m. Please bring a salad, side dish or dessert to share. The main course (lemon chicken), beverage and table setting will be provided. Please let Susan on or before Sunday, December 4 at 371-5441 or by email at susansandholmp@gmail.com if you plan to attend. Please use "Reply to All" progressively to let everyone know what you will bring to the Christmas supper. The group will share in a devotional, "Advent Waiting," from the December
Gather
. For more information, contact Susan at the number or email address above or Stephanie Hoff at 278-4003 or sah@netins.net.
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 Advent invites us into a season of waiting and anticipation. We will come together for Holden Evening Prayer on Wednesday, November 30, at 7:15 p.m. to mark the beginning of the season. Going forward, a home devotion will be sent through email each Wednesday morning leading up to Christmas. If you would like share with others in the weekly devotions join Jerry Waage here at church at 7:15 p.m. on December 7, 14, and 21.
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On Thursday, January 12, Pastor Sarah will be bringing a group to the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women at Mitchellville. They will join the Women at the Well congregation for worship and heed Jesus' command in Matthew chapter 25 to visit those in prison. Due to prison requirements, participants must be 18 years old and physically able to walk without assistance. Both men and women are welcome. Please contact Pastor Sarah by Thursday, December 15, so that the necessary security paperwork can be processed
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Children and Family Ministry
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 Our Wednesday night choirs will be singing in worship for Lessons & Carols on Sunday, December 11, at both worship services.
Rehearsal for Lessons & Carols will be held on Saturday, December 10:
Alleluia Choir rehearsal: 9:00 to 9:30 a.m.
Messiah Choir rehearsal: 9:30 to 10:00 a.m.
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Youth and Family Ministry
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Registration is now open for the 2017 mission trip to Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Tucson!
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Any Faith student currently in grades 9-12 is eligible to participate in the trip, which is scheduled for June 10-18, 2017. The journey, a joint effort of the ELCA's Southeastern Iowa Synod and its partner synod the Grand Canyon Synod, will open our eyes to the opportunities that Christ sets before us as we serve and learn about the joys and challenges of the culture and the church's role in responding to issues like human trafficking, homelessness, and immigration/border issues. To register, go to http://faithlc.org/youth-mission-trip
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