24 December 2021
*Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord*
Dear Saints and Friends of Grace & Trinity,
*Merry Christmas!*
We’re entering into the 12 days of the Nativity season!
*Christmas Eve (tonight)*, we’ll gather for
*Lessons & Carols* service at Grace at 7pm (here’s the bulletin <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/02c6640d-b7f4-f3fa-ce10-b4b23570e99e/2021_12_24_Christmas_Eve_Lessons_and_Carols.pdf>); and,
*Midnight Mass* at Trinity at 11pm (here’s the bulletin <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/71f134b5-cd6b-c531-3bdb-69664c784558/2021_12_24_Christmas_Midnight_Mass.pdf> ).
*Christmas Day* (tomorrow), Nativity Divine Service at Trinity at 10am (here’s the bulletin <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/15538652-323f-d224-3d2f-310eb370cae6/2021_12_25_Feast_of_the_Nativity.pdf> ).
*Sunday is the Festival of St. Stephen* (here’s the bulletin <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/4d4bedb5-0999-d30f-11a0-7b5826a84e8f/2021_12_26_Festival_of_St._Stephen.pdf> ).
*Monday is the Festival of St. John*, which we’ll celebrate at Grace at 9am.
*Tuesday is the Festival of the Holy Innocents*, also at Grace at 9am.
*Bible Study this Week* is at Grace and we’ll continue our discussion of Christian piety as rooted in the Word of God. Join us at 9:30am at Grace. (Heads up: next week we’re at Trinity for Bible Study!)
*Those Serving* *at Grace & Trinity today…*
*Trinity** Grace*
*Counter: the Schneiders Counters: Jennifer*
*Greeters: the Smiths Greeters: the Unruhs*
*Ushers: Derrel Pressnell & Ushers: Jim & Sandy*
* David Ketteman Altar Guild: Stan & Janet *
*Altar Guild: Sheryl Anderson *
*Elder: Kendall Patterson*
*To prepare* your hearts and minds for the Sunday gathering of the faithful, here is the bulletin for Sunday <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/4d4bedb5-0999-d30f-11a0-7b5826a84e8f/2021_12_26_Festival_of_St._Stephen.pdf>. Meditate on the readings, pray the prayers, and consider what gifts our Lord has for us this week. Also, here are the news/notes <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/039215f2-a8c9-7e06-0c76-e288ed9a8a9f/12_26_21_News_Notes.pdf> and the congregation at prayer <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/c751ecba-5844-4b37-065f-71da77b71448/2021_12_26_The_First_Sunday_After_Christmas.pdf> .
*Prayer Requests…*
· For the family of Chad Baker, Amanda Carter’s brother-in-law, who fell asleep in Jesus yesterday.
*Coming up this week…*
· *Today: **Christmas Eve*
o *9am *Matins, Grace
o *4pm *Private Confession & Absolution, Trinity
o *7pm *Lessons & Carols, Grace
o *11pm *Midnight Mass, Trinity
· *Saturday: **Feast of the Nativity of our Lord*
o *10am* Divine Service, Trinity
· *Sunday (12/26): **The Feast of St. Stephen*
o *8am *Divine Service, Grace
o *9:30am *Bible Study, Grace
o *11am *Divine Service, Trinity
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· *Monday*: *Feast of St. John, Apostle & Evangelist*
o *9am *Divine Service, Grace
· *Tuesday: **Feast of the Holy Innocents*
o *9am *Divine Service, Grace
o *6:30pm *Sisters of Sophia, the Ladder
· *Wednesday: *
o **No Matins, Bible Study, or Divine Service**
o *7pm *Evening Prayer, Trinity
· *Thursday: *
o *9am *Matins, Grace
o *6pm *EDI Nativity Feast, Trinity
· *Friday: **Eve of the Circumcision & Name of Jesus*
o *9am *Matins, Grace
o *5:30pm *Divine Service, Grace
· *Sunday (1/2/22): **The 2nd Sunday of Christmas*
o *8am *Divine Service, Grace
o *9:30am *Bible Study, Trinity*
o *11am *Divine Service, Trinity
o *2pm **Misa en Español*, Grace
*Looking Ahead…*
· *Jan 6: Feast of the Epiphany – *6pm Divine Service at Trinity, followed by the Children’s Christmas Pageant downstairs, and an Open House at the Parsonage
· *Jan 13: Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord* – In years past, we’ve simply moved this feast to the Sunday following the Epiphany. This year we’re going to hold the feast on its traditional day. Join us for a *Divine Service at Grace at 7pm*.
· *Jan 14-15: EDI Symposium (St. George Orthodox Cathedral)* – Speakers: Rod Dreher, Carl Trueman, and Jennifer Roback-Morse. Friday runs from 10am – 3pm; Saturday from 9am – 4pm. Register now. <www.eighthdayinstitute.org/eighth-day-symposium-2022> If you’d like to attend the banquet on Friday night (6-9pm), register for that as well, but let me know. I’ll try to designate a couple “Lutheran Tables” for us. The banquet is a great taste (pun intended!) of what EDI is all about.
*Other Things*
· *The January Newsletter & Calendar* is available! This year we move from the Liturgy of the Word to the Sacrament. Here’s Trinity’s Torch <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/264e3dc7-5195-c08e-2818-5bc4f14bd9f2/January_Torch_2022.pdf>. Here’s the Grace Notes <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/8e18c02b-e058-f0a9-8d90-991206574db9/January_Grace_Notes_2022.pdf>. And here’s the Calendar <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/4eaf43c5-1c29-8b18-cf8a-e4b686f7f738/January_2022_Calendar.pdf>.
· *Relief Help for Western Kansas*: On Wed., Dec. 15, hurricane-force winds caused massive grass fires, threatening the towns of Ellis, Waldo, Paradise, Fairport, Natoma, and Plainville. The fires destroyed homes, farmsteads, buildings, and barns and wiped out large herds of cattle. Rev. Michael Schmidt reports that two of the devastated homes belong to members of his congregation, Peace Lutheran Church in Natoma. The KS District encourages us to consider making a donation to aid in the recovery. Donate Online <kslcms.org/business-office/donate/> or send a check to LCMS Kansas District (1000 SW 10th Ave, Topeka, KS 66604), earmarked “NW Kansas Fire.”
· *Eighth Day Books’ Year-End Sale* begins December 27. 35% off used & vintage books. You know where I’ll be…
· *Fairmount Servant Event: *Anyone interested may join those at Fairmount Ministry from January 3-7 in Kentucky to assist in cleanup efforts following the tornados that went through. For more info, go here <www.fairmountministries.org/kentucky?utm_source=Fairmount+Ministries+Updates&utm_campaign=4e30b59804-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_04_30_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9a4d9b3802-4e30b59804-61592591> .
· *As you consider Year-End Giving*…Please remember that your gifts flow from thankfulness to God for His gracious provision to you. From that thankfulness, we give glory to God and offer back to Him from what He has given to us. A helpful starting place is to offer 10% for the mission and ministry of the Church (of course, you’re free to give more!). Your generosity *may* extend above and beyond your regular giving to the Church (which you can do here for Grace <www.paypal.com/donate?token=kFQGHUzA0R87vozaXkYSQLXPQe4T2oiPMRSb0y4YlhOM5T6WaE2BTky4ABOFppGN7aXTHsHOMNrXk5CW> and here for Trinity <www.paypal.com/donate?token=aLn8ehnpj9bGF5ym_PhPfd4W-oenKowm5-MimQfk57jZZ_reKACoUVY3wHjli1vuXK3NwWC2Xh3i8Zhs>); should that be the case, you might consider supporting one of these worthy causes:
o Concordia Academy-Wichita <www.concordiaacademywichita.org/contribute.html>
o Eighth Day Institute <eighthdayinstitute.salsalabs.org/endofyear2021/index.html>
o Our Seminarian, Kyle Nelson, and his family (donate to Church, earmarked for the Nelsons)
o Our Missionaries: Rev. Jacob Gaugert & Rev. Daniel Conrad (to the Church, earmarked for the missionaries)
o Concordia Theological Seminary-Fort Wayne <pages.elevate.salesforce.org/ctsfw/support-ctsfw>
o Lutherans for Life <lutheransforlife.org/donate/>
o The Siberian Lutheran Mission Society <siberianlutheranmissions.org/donate/>
Many blessings and much joy to you all in Christ our life.
Merry Christmas!
-Pastor