INSIDE TLC WEEKLY FOR DECEMBER 15
  • Children's Christmas Program
  • Liberian Dinner & Silent Auction
  • Youth Christmas Party
  • Last Holden Evening Prayer Service
  • Service of Remembrance & Healing
  • Updated Christmas Schedule
  • Text Magnifiers at Usher's Desk
  • Church Council November Minutes
  • November Treasurer's Report
  • Who Are You, by Pastor Al
  • Poinsettia Ordering Extended
  • Bird Lady and "Monkey" Wards
  • TLC Circles Donate to Cornerstone
  • December Financial Update
  • Coffee & Conversation for Dec. 18
  • Country Wagon Photo by Barb
  • Recipe: Brown Sugar Meatloaf
  • VEAP and Target Gift Cards
  • Back Issues of the TLC Weekly
  • Electronic Giving
  • Altar Flowers for 2020
  • Sign Up for Stuff
Gathering in Grace • Growing in Faith • Going Forth to Serve
Third Sunday in Advent
December 15, 2019
8:30am & 10:00am Worship at TLC
Altar flowers today are given by Marilyn Erickson
In Memory of Susan Erickson
&
In Honor of Sarah Erickson.
Accommodations throughout the church for those with disabilities.
Wireless hearing assist devices available for worship services.
Closed Captioning available with on-demand playback (not live) of worship services.
Nursery available at both services.
Parent/children's Pray-Ground available in the Sanctuary during worship.

Hospitality & Social Activities from 9-11:30am in the Narthex and Fellowship Hall


Click on the live-stream logo below or visit www.tlcgo.live at
the time of the service to watch it on your media device.
THIS SUNDAY
Children's Sunday School Christmas Program
December 15 - 11:10am
Notice: This program will not be live-streamed.
Join us Wednesday Evening
December 18
During Advent we worship with Holden Evening Prayer services Wednesdays at 6:30pm. This Wednesday, December 18 will be the last for the season. Please join us in this lovely setting of vespers in a traditional form, while using contemporary and inclusive language.
Service of
Remembrance
and
Healing

This Thursday, December 19
7:00pm

All who are experiencing loss and grief this holiday season are invited to attend this meaningful worship experience. Join us to remember loved ones who have departed from this world; to give thanks for their lives, and to light a candle in their memory.

Notice, out of respect for those attending, this service
will not be live-streamed.
Text Magnifiers
Now Available
Need a little help in reading during worship? Now available at the usher's table, these flexible plastic magnifying sheets (4.5"x7") to aid in reading small print. They're lightweight and have a 3X magnifying power. Pick one up for use during the service. Please return to the usher's table when done.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US?
-a continuing series-
By Pastor Al Dungan
Who Are
You?
Sunday's Gospel
Matthew 11:2-11
It has been said that "Hind-sight is 20/20". Another term that is used is "Monday morning quarterbacking". Looking back, it's always easy to recognize what was going on in a particular situation. But it's not so easy at the time to have a clear picture of what was actually happening.

In the Gospel for this 3rd Sunday in Advent, John (called the Baptist) is sitting in his prison cell having been put there by the "tyrant du jour", Herod Antipas because of his fiery sermons that kept calling Herod to account for his behavior. Thus, it has always been. Tyrants don't like people pointing out their corruption, their moral turpitude, their vices. And they strike back when the heat gets too intense. Sound familiar? In this case, to silence him, Herod had John thrown into prison.

But now...? Now what??? How could he fulfill his mission of preparing the way for the Messiah sitting in a prison cell?

And then, his followers began bringing him snippets of information about his cousin, Jesus of Nazareth, who he had baptized, who seemed to be doing things and saying things that brought echoes from the words of the prophet Isaiah (35:1-10) to the forefront. Was Jesus "The One"?

Matthew thought so because he called Jesus "the Christ" or, in Hebrew terms, the Messiah, the "anointed one".

But at that time, the situation was not so clear and so John sent his followers to ask Jesus, "Who are you"?

"Are you The One we've been looking for, praying for, hoping for all these many hundreds of years or should we look for another?"

Today, we need to ask the very same question from our own perspective of the itinerant preacher/healer from Galilee, WHO ARE YOU?

First to John and then to us, Jesus says, "Answer your own question. Look at what I'm saying. Look at what I'm doing. This should be sufficient. If you believe that I'm the one looked for all those hundreds and, since that time, thousands of years, then that is your answer.

Advent confronts us with that hope, that promise and that challenge.

That is the purpose and meaning of Advent. How will we answer WHO ARE YOU during this Advent season?
 
-Al Dungan
Those Delivered and then Stolen Packages!
I knew there was a catch somewhere with everyone ordering on line. Actual photos of the thieves taking precious and recently ordered gifts, or whatever, show the deed right while it's happening... Someone sneaking up on a porch and just grabbing whatever lay there----the Grinch lives!
Courtesy Montgomery Ward, Inc.
Going to an actual store and shopping for things? Is it going out of style? In our small town that would have been hard to do, but we did have a wonderful substitute, which we looked forward to each year: The Montgomery Ward Catalog. We couldn't wait to receive the thick, maybe a few inches in depth, huge book. We called it “The Monkey Ward” catalog, or “The Wish Book.” My cousin and I spent hours looking, and wishing and deciding what we wanted for Christmas. Our folks took care of the ordering, and there would never have been a package just left on the doorstep... We had to pick up the order at our small post office a few blocks away. Back in our youth the postman did not come to our houses, the streets were not named, nor were there numbers on the houses.
We were never sure that our parents had actually ordered what we wanted, so a lot of reminding seemed necessary. When Christmas Eve came and it was finally time for the presents to be opened....this, after what seemed like a verrry long meal with dishes to be washed before anything could be opened, of course. I'm wondering what the kiddies whose parents order online (and get packages stolen) do with the disappointment that would follow.

Funny how when you get what you begged for, it somehow does not get used or played with very much. We wanted what looked like an authentic doctor's kit...stethoscope and all. One year I even asked for and received a nurse's cap, also found in the Wish Book. Guess I thought at one point I wanted to be a nurse... I used to play “dress-up” and my cat was the patient...poor thing.

As we try to get caught up with Christmas preparations right now, think back to how it used to be...We had not even heard of “Amazon” except in our geography book. No one could have gotten a picture of an actual thief taking packages from our doorstep. Is it a better time now, or not? Some of that child-like innocence seems to be disappearing as we learn about life sometimes the hard way.

-Bloomington Bird Lady
TLC Circles & Cornerstone
Donating Holiday Cheer
for the Children
-By Marilyn Erickson
Each year, Cornerstone Crisis Center is transformed into a winter wonderland for a Holiday Shop—a festive event for the children of clients served throughout the year. Trees laden with colorful ornaments and twinkling lights greet clients in the reception area. The hallways are decorated with snowflakes and music fills the air. The Special Events room becomes holiday headquarters with a life-size gingerbread house, treats and craft projects for all ages.
This year, Holiday Shop took place December 10-12. Children had the opportunity to select and wrap gifts for their siblings and parent with the help of friendly elves. For many of the children participating in Holiday Shop, it was the first time they had ever given a gift.

The event truly emphasizes the joy of giving. Its success is dependent on the generosity of community members like TLC. Gifts the children choose for their siblings and parent are provided by donations from individuals, groups and businesses.
Each year TLC’s Sarah Esther and Ruth Rachel Circles choose an organization to provide holiday cheer for children, teens, or adults. This year the members gave generously and these items were purchased for the Holiday Shop.
December Financial Update
By Pastor Arthur Murray
2020 Pledges - Many thanks to all who have submitted pledges for the 2020 year. Pledges are still gratefully received through the end of December at the office or can be completed online by clicking here.

Year-End Giving –We are currently projecting a $60,000 deficit for 2019. If you are able to make an additional year-end gift to cover these expenses, thank you! Also, many thanks to the Addiction and Faith Conference for fulfilling the $25,000 promised gift to TLC for Pastor Ed’s time spent in 2019.

Mission Recommendations – Every year the Mission and Outreach Team recommends worthy causes for those looking to make a special gift beyond TLC. In 2019, we recommend either:

  1. Supporting the PhD work of Irene Amon, a TLC member from Ghana, entering year 3 of her studies in Missions at Fuller Seminary in service of the global church.
  2. Meals on Wheels, Bloomington –TLC’s longest ministry partner. Though a nationwide ministry, our local affiliate benefits greatly from any donation. Donations allow more seniors and other shut-ins to received warm, home-cooked meals delivered on a daily basis by friendly volunteers.

Checks or online donations for either Irene or Meals on Wheels can be made through TLC and designated as appropriate.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18
Coffee and Conversation invites you to a steaming cup of coffee with good friends and conversation. The session this coming Wednesday, December 18, will encourage a discussion on Isaiah.

Merry Christmas! The next meeting will be January 8, 2020
Click Here to discover more about TLC's Early Learning Center.
Our ELC Children will be involved in winter photography soon. In the meantime, here is a photo by ELC Director, Barb Wigstadt.
"Country Wagon"
At the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
By Barb Wigstadt
Brown Sugar
Meatloaf
Blessings!
In the flurry of the season, let’s not forget about our neighbors in need. Although VEAP no longer has a Christmas toy drive, they do collect $10, $15, or $20 Target Gift Cards  for families whose resources are limited. If you are able to purchase and contribute a card or 2 (or 3), please turn them in at the TLC office at your convenience. AND, as always, the boxes are always waiting to be filled with packaged food and canned goods, paper supplies, diapers, and personal items.

When we all give a little, it adds up to a lot!
Back Issues of the TLC Weekly
including this issue (Today!)
[CLICK HERE] to visit the TLC web page where you can choose to read from the past 16 months of weekly E-newsletters from Transfiguration Lutheran Church. This is also a great way to share TLC Weekly with those that don't receive it in email. Tell them to visit tlcmn.com/tlcweekly
Also, there are a limited number of TLC Weekly's in hard copy at the TLC Welcome desk next to the Chapel.
ELECTRONIC GIVING HELPS SUPPORT TLC
It’s important to know that we can depend on financial support from TLC members. Electronic giving is fast, secure, and reduces administrative costs, allowing more of every dollar to support the important work we are called to do. You can give anytime, anywhere to specific funds with our GivePlus Mobile app (free from the app store). You can also schedule and manage recurring donations by visiting our website and clicking on TLC ONLINE GIVING icon at the bottom of any page, or [Click Here] to start the process, or contact the church office.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
Picture for illustration purpose only.
ALTAR FLOWERS
ORDER ONLINE
FOR 2020
See the chart online or stop in
at the church office to order.

The TLC website has an online form to order Chancel/Altar Flowers for any Sunday in 2020. Click Here to access the form now , or visit www.tlcmn.com later and look for the "Purchase Altar Flowers" button at the bottom of any page.
Free Subscriptions, sign up to be a volunteer, request care ministry and more!
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A Reconciling in Christ Congregation
A Culture of Diversity and Inclusion
~~LINKS~~
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