This Week @ St.John

• MON JAN 1- Office Closed; Blessed New Year
• TUE JAN 2- 6:30AM Men's Bible Study (pending weather)
• NO LWML THIS WEEK- Moved to next Tues, Jan 9
• WED JAN 3- 3:30PM Confirmation resumes (unless school is cancelled)
• SAT JAN 6- 6:00PM Worship at St. Paul, Triple Parish
• SUN JAN 7- 8:45AM Sunday School & Bible Class
• 10:00AM Worship with Communion
• NEXT TUES JAN 9- 4:00PM LWML Guest Day; Gary Thies will discuss new creation theater at Mission Central outside of Mapleton. Treats & Hot Cider will be served. ALL women are invited, not just LWML members.
  
• POINSETTIAS- If you purchased flowers for the alter this Advent season, you may take them home if you'd like. Thank you.
• YEAR-END REPORTS- Please submit reports to the office as soon as possible before the January Voters' meeting. Thank you.
• OFFERING ENVELOPES- Family boxes are available on the tables in the back of the sanctuary.
• PORTALS OF PRAYER- Daily devotionals from Concordia Publishing House (CPH) are available free for Jan-March in the narthex (hallway in the back of the church) or on the counter in the walkway between the office and fellowship hall.
• ADULT INSTRUCTION CLASS- Pastor will be starting an adult information/confirmation class after the first of the year. This class is for those interested in membership, those who would like to know more about the Lutheran faith, and those who feel the need for review. If you're interested or know someone who might be, please let Pastor Merrill know.

WHY STOP NOW? Many of you took up Pastor's challenge to read the Bible in a year last year as part of the 500th anniversary of the reformation. There's no reason not to do it again? If you didn't give it a shot last year, there's no reason not to make it THIS year's New Year's resolution! Draw close to God and He will draw close to you (James 4:8) God says seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). Let God transform you through His Word, even if you end up being "hit-and-miss," every day you spend time with Him, He will bless you!

• Consider these resources from Concordia Publishing House
• ONLINE reading plans at Bible Gateway.com
• Download a free app to your phone or tablet, where you can read for yourself, or have God's Word read to you, along with daily commentaries

This Week @ St.John

• TUES-FRI DEC 26-30 Pastor on vacation
• No Confirmation Classes this Week 
• SAT DEC 30- 6:00pm Worship at St. Luke's, Ricketts
• SUN DEC 31- 8:45am Sunday School & Bible Class
• 10:00am Worship

This Week @ St.John

• WED 12/20- 3:30pm Confirmation
• 6:45pm Carol Singing
• 7:00pm Midweek Advent Worship
  "A light with a SPecial Purpose" Romans 1:1-7
• 8:00pm Elders' Meeting
• FRI 12/22- Offices Closed
• SAT 12/23- 6:00pm Worship at St. Paul
• SUN 12/24- Christmas Eve
• 8:45am Sunday School & Bible Classes
• 10:00am Worship
• 1:00pm Pastor preaching at Denison Care Center
• 2:00pm Pastor preaching at Eventinde
• 2:45pm Pastor preaching at Siveridge
• 6:30pm St. John Christmas Eve worship
  "The Brightest Light" Isaiah 9:2-7
• 10:00pm Candlelight Worship at St. Luke, Ricketts
• MON 12/25- Christmas Day
• 9:00am (10:30am at St. Paul)
  "Life in the Light" John 1:4-5
• TUE 12/16- Pastor leaves for vacation!

This Week @ St. John

• TUE DEC 12- 8:45Am Pastor at Circuit Pastors' Conference in Ida Grove
• WED DEC 13- 3:30PM Confirmation
• 5:15 Sunday School Christmas Program Rehearsal
• 6:45PM Carol Singing
• 7:00PM Midweek Advent Worship
• SAT DEC 16- 9:00AM-11:00AM All Grades Sunday School Christmas Program Rehearsal
• 6:00PM Worship  at Immanuel
• SUN DEC 17- 8:45AM Sunday School & Bible Classes
• 10:00AM Worship with Communuion
• 6:30PM Children's Christmas Program

MIDWEEK ADVENT WORSHIP

This year Advent began Sunday, December 3. We will  once again be having midweek services at St. John on Wednesday nights and the Triple Parish will be joining us. Services will be at 7:00PM and we will also have carol singing before each service at 6:45PM. The theme this year is "Behold the Light!" Advent candles, the lights on our trees, the lights that decorate the church during Advent and Christmas seasons, all point us to Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, the Light which no one can overcome.

• WED DEC 6 "Put on the light!" Romans 13:11-14
• WED DEC 13 "Many lights are brighter -together!" Romans 15:4-7
• SUN DEC 17, 6:30PM Sunday School Children's Christmas Program
• WED DEC 20 "A light with a special purpose." Romans 1:1-7
• SUN DEC 24 Christmas Eve, "The brightest light." Isaiah 9:2-7
   6:00PM at St.John, 10:00Pm at St. Luke
• MON DEC 25 Christmas Day, "Life in the Light." John 1:4-5
  9:00AM at St.John, 10:30AM at St.Paul

Sunday School Christmas Program Practices

• WED DEC 6, 5:15PM (after Confirmation) Grades 3-8
• WED DEC 13, 5:15PM Grades 3-8
• SAT DEC 16, 9:00AM ALL GRADES
• SAT DEC 17, 8:45AM Final Run-Thru during Sunday School
• Children's Christmas Service 6:30PM

This Week @ St. John

• TUES DEC 5- 6:30AM Mens' Bible Study
• 5:00PM LWML Christmas Party
• WED DEC 6- 3:30PM Confirmation
• 5:15PM Sunday School Program Prctice
• 6:45PM Carol Singing
• 7:00PM Midweek Advent Worship
• SAT DEC 9-  6:00PM Worship at St. Luke, Ricketts
• 7:30PM LYF Christmas Party (Location TBD)
• SUN DEC 10- 8:45AM Sunday School & Bible Study
• 10:00AM Worship
• 11:00AM Finance Board Meeting
• 3:00PM Caroling in Denison with Triple Parish
• NEW ADULT INSTRUCTION CLASS beginning the first of the year. Please let Pastor know of you're interested or know someone who might be.
• POINSETTIA TIME- If you'd like to help decorate for Christmas, you may purchase a poinsettia. Sign up in the walkway. Be sure to put who it is from, who it is in memory of, check if you paid for it, and let us know if you want to keep it after Christmas. The cost is $10. There is an envelope by the sign-up sheet for payments.
• PRAYER CHAINS- If you would like to be on the Prayer Chain, please let the office know. We have two prayer chains- one email and one phone.