an electronic newsletter of Joy Lutheran Church,  Prescott, WI
www.joy-church.org    715-262-5800    office@joy-church.org
Relevant + Hopeful + Generous                                 December 18-25, 2016

Upcoming Events at a glance (and quick links)
  
 
Check out...
           links to the Faith Formation weekly video
           and the Faith5 home devotional  resource God's Story Our Story 
Fall/Winter Schedule
8:15 Traditional Worship   9:25 Faith Formation   10:15 Contemporary Worship  10:15 Sunday School
Christmas Worship Service Information
Wednesday, December 21st at 7:00PM
-Quiet Christmas Service. A special worship service for those who have lost a loved one or had a difficult year. All are welcome to attend this special service.
Saturday, December 24th-Christmas Eve Service at 3:00 PM. Candlelight Christmas Eve Service at 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM.

Sunday, December 25th-Christmas Day Worship Service at 9:30 AM. 
What about the weather?

It is winter in Wisconsin and weather always a concern.  We know it will be snowy and cold that is normal...but there are times when it is not safe to be out on the roads.  So occasionally we may have to cancel events.  If you are ever wondering, the place to find out is our church webpage www.joy-church.org  We will post any weather cancellations right on the opening page.

Weather is unpredictable and we rely on forecasts to help discern when cancellation is warranted, if we err we want to err on the side of safety.  Even if we are having an event or worship please use your judgment and your local conditions.

That said, because of the forecast we have cancelled the Christmas Program practice for Saturday, Dec.17 (which means we will not have the program on the 18th).  But we will still be having worship on Sunday the 18th at the regular times and will still have a Christmas program of sorts with whoever is able to make it (no rehearsal required, just come).

The other Saturday events:  Men's Bible Study and Memorial Service for Sue Haasis are still planning on going on (but again...if things change...check the web page.

 
Weekly Faith Formation Video

Our Bible reading for this coming Sunday is the story of Christmas. If you want to get a preview or see it again during the week just click here.

Weekly Home Devotion Resource

God's Story...Our Story

5 simple steps to help bring your household closer to God and each other. 

Click here for this weeks Faith 5 home devotion.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO JOY
 
BREANNA'S NEW WALK OF LIFE
 
Words cannot express the gratitude for your out-reach to Breanna and her family.
The food, gifts, love, and prayers were felt and appreciated.
The coming together to help others has always been the focus of the church and will continue to be its strength for years to come.
As Bre said, "Something good will come of all this!"
It's a new beginning to start all over in life. Just as every crisis in our church has been a new beginning to come back bigger and stronger than ever.
I'm sure the family of Joy joins our family in wishing her all the very best for her new life...and the life of the church.
The will of God will prevail regardless of how much we do to mess it up.
It is the "Power of Prayer" that will make it all right with God, who in turn makes it all right with us.
It is not for us to know WHY when we cry out for His love and mercy in taking care of Breanna.
 
We Love You All-
 
Ken and Loretta Knight
Support the Alternative Gift Fair this Christmas!

THANK YOU to all who supported the ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR last Sunday.
Fifteen families bought a special Alternative Gift for a loved one last Sunday. We received $1100 in donations to the ELCA Good Gifts Alternative Gifts program. Many people took an "order form" last Sunday and plan to return it this Sunday with their purchases indicated. We invite EVERYONE to stop by the table in the narthex following Sunday's service and purchase an Alternative Gift that will provide a very meaningful gift for friends or family while making a huge collective impact on the needs of our church and the world. Thanks to all for providing gifts that transform lives!

The last day of Joy's Alternative Gift Fair will be this Sunday, December 18th, between services and after the 10:15 service.


THANK YOU to all who adopted Joy's Poinsettia Plants!  They are all spoken for.


Your Poinsettias may be taken home after the Christmas services to further brighten up your holidays! 
Christmas message from our Bishop
Sue Haasis Celebration of Life
12/17/16, 12-4pm at Joy

Sue M. Haasis, 65, entered Heaven's gates on Friday, November 25, 2016. She passed away at Blake Medical Center in Bradenton, Florida, after a lengthy battle with medical complications.

Sue was born in Duluth, Minnesota at St. Luke's Hospital on December 29, 1950 to George and Betty Cawcutt. She grew up in Superior, Wisconsin, and graduated from Superior Senior High School in 1969. She attended UWS pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree, but only attended for two years. She married Thomas E. Haasis, in 1972. They moved to Virginia, Minnesota to make that their home for many years. They later moved to Hastings, Minnesota in the mid-80s, and settled down in Prescott, Wisconsin. There they raised their three daughters, Amanda, Lacey, and Christina.

Throughout her life, Sue was involved in many organizations and activities. She was a past honored queen of Bethel one, international order of Job's daughters, in Superior, Wisconsin. She later became Bethel guardian of Bethel 6 in Virginia, Minnesota. She was also a past Grand Guardian for the state of Minnesota, International order of Job's daughters. While living in Prescott, Wisconsin, Sue got the urge to return to college. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at Riverfalls Wisconsin, and began working for the Prescott School district at Malone Elementary. For a while she was teacher's aide, but then went on to teach kindergarten and first grade for many years. She retired from Malone elementary in 2013. Also during the course of Sue's teaching career, she went back to college, and received her Master's degree through St. Mary's College in Winona, Minnesota. Working, attending college, being a wife, and raising three daughters kept her busy, but never too busy to enjoy her favorite hobby of scrap booking. Sue and her husband Tom were also involved in foster care. Over the course of 15 years, more than 100 children passed through Tom and Sue's home in Virginia and Prescott.

Sue is preceded in death by her parents, grandparents Harvey and Margie Buchanan, husband Thomas Eugene Haasis, and father-in-law Bill Haasis. Sue is survived and sadly missed by her four daughters Amanda Haasis, Lacey (Corey) Marcum, Christina Haasis, and Linda McDonald. Grandchildren Adrian, Logan, Isabella, and Nichole Smith. Her brother Tom (Robin) Cawcutt, her several nieces and nephews, special friend "like a son" Jim Curtis, mother-in-law Joy Haasis and many other friends and cousins. 

Sue was a very loving and forever giving person. And she will be missed by all that knew her......
 

YEAR END GIFTS... To have your year end gift accounted for in the year 2016, please return to Joy by Friday, December 30th.
Here are some digital links to help with you estimate of giving

***Please return to Joy by Friday, December 30th***

Hopefully you received a letter in the mail asking you to consider making a prayerful estimate of giving for the coming year.  It is a great spiritual discipline to help us be more intentional about our giving, as well as a helpful tool for our congregation in its stewardship of the resources God has given us to manage.  (If you didn't get a letter, let the office know so we can update our records)

The letter had paper versions of the estimate of giving card and a form for setting up or modifying your electronic giving, like we have done for many years.   If you would rather work digitally here are the links:   Estimate of Giving    Set up or manage my electronic giving

If you like the convenience of working from your phone.  We also have a church giving app called Give+  available as a free download.     How it works

2017 Giving Envelopes are ready for pick up in the Narthex. If you use Simply Giving, you will not receive any envelopes.
Sharing & Caring Hands

Joy will be preparing and serving a noon meal for 250 - 300 homeless people in Minneapolis on Tuesday, January 3rd.
We need volunteers to sign-up for the following activities:
  • Help Kelly prepare the food on Mon. Jan. 2nd - 9:00 am to 12:00 noon at Joy.
  • Transporting and serving food - driving to downtown Minneapolis - leaving Joy at 9:30 a.m. and returning by 2:00 p.m.
  • Making Jell-O in ice cream pails (10 pails, each made from 3 large boxes)  (Pails available at Joy if you need them).
  • Making cakes (15 to 20) - All food donations need to be at the church by 9:00 a.m. on serving day (Tue. Jan. 3rd).
Please contact Kelly Poff at 715-262-4281 with any questions.
A love offering will be collected on December 18th, look for the offering envelopes in your bulletins.       
Please sign-up on the clipboards in the narthex. Thank you!

Thank You!

Joy Lutheran Church would like to say, "THANK YOU!" to the Prescott Cub Scout Pack #133 for their donation of the beautiful balsam cross hanging on the front of the church.

Wednesday Night Suppers at Joy!

December Menu
Dec. 21st ~ Chow Mein
Dec. 28th ~ NO SUPPER

Wednesday Suppers are a free will donation and all are welcome to Joy to enjoy delicious food and wonderful fellowship.  Supper time is 5:15 ~ 6:30 PM.

Searching For A Unique & Meaningful Christmas Gift?  

Please consider purchasing a gift certificate from Joy Lutheran Church! We have gift certificates available for $5.00 each for our always fantastic, Wednesday Night Suppers! This is a wonderful way to support Joy and to invite your friends, family and neighbors to
EXPERIENCE JOY! with us. Gift Certificates are available for purchase in the Office.
 
Thank You to the following who helped decorate for Advent and Christmas! Ken Roen for the beautiful table decoration in the Fellowship Hall and Narthex. Ken Roen, Carol and Tom Peterson, Tammy and Craig Orf, Joan and Lee Northouse and Jim and Bobbie Flatz for decorating the Sanctuary and Narthex.
CHRISTMAS SANCTUARY
Joy's Nursery
 
Joy Lutheran Church's Nursery is open from 9:15-11:15 and ready to care for your children.   

Joy's Nursery is professionally staffed with experienced child caregivers who will look after your precious little ones as if they were their own.

Joy proudly introduces Melissa and Kyra Miller, our professional Mother-Daughter Nursery Team!

Youth

JOY YOUTH
ATTENTION: Confirmation Parents night will now be scheduled for Wednesday January 25th 6:30-8:00pm at Joy Church.

Please note that we will still be meeting on Wednesday December 21st 6:30-8pm. Students will be participating in an on site service project...and we will be having a ton of FUN!!! 
Parents are always welcome at anytime!!
Applications are now open for new guitar students!!!

Guitar Camp ministry is offered FREE of charge to kids who are interested in learning how to play the guitar (a free guitar is also provided). As students progress through the camp they will be given opportunities to lead music in a group setting in and out of worship. This camp is intended to raise up and support music leaders in our community.

Guitar Camp Students meet Wednesday during the school year 6-6:30pm at Joy Church.

Click Here to Sign Up! 
Alcohol-Free Communion Wine

Joy is now offering alcohol-free wine for Communion. In the past we have offered grape juice as well as wine in the cup, in order to be sensitive to those who prefer not to consume alcohol.  But in doing so we loose the sense of unity of sharing a common cup.  So we are going to try offering alcohol-free wine for all.  Special thanks to Scott Calton for creating the beautiful common cups we will be using.  We will still  be offering gluten free wafers for those who need to avoid gluten.
Via de Cristo is a Spanish phrase meaning "Way of Christ."
Via de Cristo is a highly structured three-day weekend designed to strengthen and renew the faith of Christian people and bring them to a new awareness of living in God's grace. It is a combined effort of lay people and clergy toward renewal of the church.
Via de Cristo weekends are scheduled at Bethel Lutheran Church in Hudson WI.  Men's weekend is Jan 12-15, and the Women's weekend is Jan 19-22.  Prayerfully consider dedicating 1 weekend entirely to God and see what He can do in your life.  Contact Tom Swanson or ask around Joy for other members who have attended a Via de Cristo for information.
Worship Attendance and Giving
Sun.8:15 Sun.10:15 Sun. TOTAL Wed.6:30 Weekly TOTAL
13-November
85
148
233
N/A
233
20-November
67
112
179
N/A
179
27-November
65
62
127
N/A
127
4-December
60
109
169
N/A
169
11-December
53
66
119
N/A
119
Average 66
99
165
0
165

Regular Electronic Other Total
Offering Offering Income Income
6-November
$4454.00
$1222.50
$1271.00
  $6947.50
13-November
$2959.75
$4704.50
$554.00
  $8218.25
20-November
$2477.00
$1090.00
$339.31
  $3906.31
27-November
$1919.50
$7768.75
$399.00
$10,087.25
4-December
$2324.00
$1195.00
$685.00

$4204.00
Average $2826.85
$3196.15
$649.66 $6672.66
Budgeted Weekly Offering $5,780.00
November Actual Weekly Offering $7,289.83
*Remember we have a deficit budget and need more income than budgeted to reinstate
program cuts made in previous years and bring pastor's salary up to minimum guidelines.

Simply Giving Update

Thank you so much for using Simply Giving. We want to make it even easier for you to use.  We want to enable you to easily make changes or special gifts, as well as review your giving and print off reports anytime you want.  All we need is the email address you want to use.  Once we have that, and enter it into the system, you can access your Simply Giving anytime you want by entering a password that you will create from our church website. 
 
Obviously we have an email address because you are reading this. But in many cases we have more than one email address so we need to know which one you want to use to manage your account . So if you have not already done so please reply to bookkeeper@joy-church.org as soon as possible to let us know.
Worship Leaders for December   
worshipleaders
GREETERS
READERS
CHILDREN
WORSHIP
LEADERS
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS
DEC. USHERS
(ALL MONTH)
December 18
8:15
Betty & Jerry Pederson

10:15
Vicki & Emily Bowen


December 18
8:15
Carol Peterson

10:15
Erica Keezer
December 18



10:15


December 18
8:15 
Sue Hood, Carol Peterson, Wayne Lundgaard

10:15
Wayne Lundgaard, Greg & Jesalyn Gaunitz
8:15
Pete French, Jim & Bobbie Flatz

10:15
The Kleinschmidt's
December 25
9:30
Dick & Em Horken









December 25
9:30
Marcia Lindseth



December 25
9:30




December 25
9:30
 
Marv Lindseth, Phyllis Hoffmann



8:15 
Pete French, Jim & Bobbie Flatz

10:15
The Kleinschmidt's

Christmas Eve Service Helpers
Saturday, December 24th

3:00 PM-Greeters-Mike & Pauline Volkman,
Reader-Jim Flatz, Communion Helpers-Ken Roen, Al Klein, Joan Northouse, Usher-Jim Flatz

5:00 PM-Greeters-Ernie, Patti & Ella Schultz
Reader-Ken Roen, Communion Helpers-Ken Roen, Carol Peterson, Kathy Sommer, Usher-

9:00 PM-Greeters-Craig & Tammy Orf, Reader-Carol Peterson, Communion Helpers-Jim & Bobbie Flatz, Carol Peterson, Usher-

weekWeekly Calendar 
 
 
18 Sunday
8:15am Traditional Worship Service
9:25am Faith Formation
10:15am Contemporary Worship Service
9:15 & 11:15 am JWELCA Alternative Gift Fair
 
19 Monday
10am-Noon Joyful Seniors
7-8pm Joyful Bells Rehearsal
 
20 Tuesday
1-7pm Red Cross Blood Drive at Joy
7:00pm Joy Vision Council Meeting
 
21 Wednesday
5:15-6:30pm Wednesday Night Supper
6-6:30pm Guitar Camp
6-6:45pm High School Youth Band Practice
6:30-7:45pm Shift 67
6:30-8pm Confirmation Class-On-site Service Project
7pm Quiet Christmas Service-A special quiet service for those who have lost a loved one or had a difficult year. All are welcome to attend.
 
22 Thursday
7:00 Spirit of Joy Band Practice
 
23 Friday
Dec 23-Jan 1 Winter Break-Prescott Schools
 
24 Saturday
Christmas Eve
3pm Christmas Eve Worship Service
5pm Candlelight Worship Service
9pm Candlelight Worship Service
 
25 Sunday
Christmas Day
NO Sunday School or Faith Formation
9:30am Christmas Day Worship Service
 
 
 
Joy Lutheran Church  1435 St Croix St. Prescott, WI 54021
715-262-5800   office@joy-church.org   www.joy-church.org
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