December 2023 Newsletter

December - March

St. Paul's - 10:30PM

Bristol - 8:30AM

Dec. 10th 8:30 a.m. Combined Service at Bristol, followed by fellowship and caroling.

Dec. 24th 10:30 a.m. Combined service at St. Paul’s

4:30 p.m. Christmas Eve service at St. Paul’s

6:30 p.m. Christmas Eve service at Bristol

Happy New Year!!!!!!

I know it sounds a little early right? But beginning in December we start the new calendar church year. And what better way than in celebration?

For many our first thought goes to Christmas morning. And why not? Jesus is the reason for the season after all.

But before we get to this most holy of days, the church asks us to hold our horses a little bit. We are asked to begin the church year not with Christmas but four weeks earlier with the season of Advent.

Advent is a time of waiting and expectation. We wait for Christmas to celebrate Christ coming to us as a child in a manger bringing forgiveness and salvation to the world. And as our Apostles creed reminds us we wait for Jesus to come again.

But sometimes it’s hard to separate Advent from Christmas. And maybe that’s not the worst thing.

The Advent wreath gently whispers, wait. But the rest of the world is telling us we better start gearing up; we better start thinking about presents and wrapping paper, decorations, and Christmas cards.

I’m pretty sure I am not alone in this, but as a kid, I would try and find the secret hiding place where my mom would hide all the Christmas presents that were wrapped up and squalled away.

In my house that secret hiding place wasn’t all that secret, so I would start sneaking peeks well before Christmas. I would shake and squeeze them trying to guess what they were and whose they were. I am pretty sure my mom knew of my clandestine efforts because those presents we not named. How she knew who was whose, I'll never know. Each present was a wonder. What were those presents? Who were they for? Would the one I have been pleading for be amongst them?

Advent is a time to wonder, to think what might be. To prepare ourselves for the wondrous gift that is precious and spectacular. That gift came on Christmas morning. That gift lives in and through us now. And that gift will come again.

My friends in Christ, the church has given us a four-week moment to look and squeeze, touch, and hold the package, and it’s OKAY. Go ahead and peek. Get used to the idea that the gift is indeed FOR YOU!

The gift is Christmas morning. The gift is Jesus and the gift is for you!

Happy Advent and Merry Christmas to you all!

You will again be able to order your poinsettia for St. Paul's from Waterloo Blooms. The order forms are on the narthex table. Please include your payment, checks payable to Waterloo Blooms. Valery will compile the orders and take them to the shop. Orders must be in by December 17th.

Blooms will deliver the plants to St. Paul's on Saturday, December 23rd. You may also purchase your own poinsettia and deliver it to the church that morning. If you wish it to be in memory of someone, please fill out the form on the narthex table indicating you are purchasing your own plant filling in your name and who the plant(s) are in memory of.

We will be practicing at 9:30AM BEFORE the 10:30AM services in December, with the exception of December 10th when we have the combined service. We will be ringing at the 10:30AM service on Christmas Eve morning.

Sunday School Caroling will be held December 23rd at 4:00PM until about 7:00PM. Pizza party after in the fellowship hall. All invited to join!! Please let Russel P. know by December 16th if you are interested. Thank you!

We will be decorating the church for Christmas on Saturday December 16th beginning at 9AM. Coffee and donuts will be provided. Undecorating will be taking place December 31st after the service.

The schedule for Beer and Bible Study is changing:

Instead of meeting alternating weeks with separate groups from St. Paul's and Bristol, we will be meeting twice a month with combined groups.

On the First Thursday of each month BOTH groups will meet at the MT Bar in Waterloo.

On the Last Thursday of each month BOTH groups will meet at Daly's in Sun Prairie.

There will still be two lessons a month, but we will be doing them together so that there will only be two sessions each month instead of four.

ALL are invited to join us at 5:30PM on the first and last Thursdays of the month!

Bible is mandatory, beer is optional, food is available at both places! The conversations are GREAT!

Saturday December 9th 4:00PM - 7:00PM or until sold out

Ham Dinner $10.00/Children under 12yrs old $5.00

Dine in/Carry out/Deliver in Waterloo call (920)478-4300

St. Paul's is doing a toy drive that will run through December 12th. There is a wrapped box for the toys in the narthex. New or gently used toys are needed. We are encouraged to get toys for ages 9 and older but all toys are welcomed. Thank you so much in advance for your support of the Jefferson County Christmas Neighbors program!

12/1 Romona Strand

12/5 Peggy Ratcliff

12/8 Logan Braunschweig

12/11 Wade Larsen

12/12 Brett Lanphier

12/14 Lilyana Smith

12/14 Cole Wegner

12/16 Christopher Kohn

12/17 Carson Heitpas

12/19 James Kasuboske

12/21 Haydenn Sellnow

12/22 Nancy Doschadis

12/22 Robert Dunneisen

12/26 Avery Meyer

12/29 Debra Ward

12/31 Rita Lewellin

12/31 Ronald Oelke

12/31 Christian Stahnke

December 10th – Combined Service @ BLC

December 17th

Usher: Bob S. Team

Greeter: Russ P. & Marilyn C.

Lector: Debra M.

Prayer Leader: Debra M.

Comm. Asst: Debra M.

Organist: Elizabeth C.

Videographer: Jill O.

Acolyte: Ivy Y.

December 24th (10:30AM)

Usher: Russ P. & Team

Greeter: Marilyn C. & Russ P.

Lector: Val S.

Prayer Leader: Val S.

Comm. Asst: Val S.

Organist: Elizabeth C.

Videographer: Jill O.

Acolyte: Laila H.

December 24th (4:30PM)

Usher: Russ P. & Team

Greeter: Marilyn C. & Russ P.

Lector: Terry S.

Prayer Leader: Terry S.

Comm. Asst: Terry S.

Organist: Elizabeth C.

Videographer: Jill O.

Acolyte: Lucy B.

December 31st

Usher: Bob S., David B., Rob R.

Greeter: Don & Phyllis V.

Lector: Jill O.

Prayer Leader: Jill O.

Comm. Asst: Jill O.

Organist: Elizabeth C.

Videographer: Debra M.

Acolyte: Adellyn B.

January 7th

Usher: Leroy & Helen H., James K., Lyndon S

Greeter: Kris W. & Jan C.

Lector: Terry W.

Prayer Leader: Terry W.

Comm. Asst: Terry W.

Organist: Elizabeth C.

Videographer: Jill O.

Acolyte: Tristan V.

January 14th

Usher: Leroy H. Team

Greeter: Russ P. & Marilyn C.

Lector: Jill O.

Prayer Leader: Jill O.

Comm. Asst: Jill O.

Organist: Elizabeth C.

Videographer: Debra M.

Acolyte: Adeline M.