Parade Float: Tomorrow , December 6th, our congregation have a float at the Bright Night Columbia Christmas parade. Over 20 volunteers from the congregation will be passing out brochures and handing out candy at the parade. Thank you to Lillian and many other who are organizing this event, and for those helping with the meal that follows.

Sunday/Monday Worship Theme: Advent Encouragement and Endurance with the sermon text coming from Romans 15:4-13. The choir will also be singing at both Sunday services.

The Sanctuary Flowers: this week are given in Memory of Bob Schaefer by Sandy Roessler and family.

Advent Devotionals: Last week I forgot to put in the narthex the new adult Advent Devotional “A Grand Miracle, Daily Devotions for Advent”. Feel free to pick one up for yourself and for any other who might be interested in such a devotional. There are numerous other Advent devotionals for children, youth, and young adults in the church entryway.

Sunday School: For the next three weeks those in Sunday School will be practicing from 9:15-10:15 for the children’s Christmas service which will take place at 10:30am on December 21st.

Adult Bible Class: Join us on Sunday mornings from 9:15-10:15 in the church fellowship hall for a verse by verse look at the book of Luke. This week we are covering sections of Luke 9 and 10.

Support Eve’s Restoration Ministries through a GIVING TREE. It will be located in the narthex from Nov 28th through Dec 31st. Please consider participating by choosing an ornament with a specific dollar amount as your gift. This will go help with 2025 goal of raising $55,000.

Advent Service Information

Wednesday, Dec. 10th 11a or 6p

Reflected Light Philippians 2:14-16

Wednesday, Dec. 17th 11a or 6p

 Healing Light 2 Peter 1:16-19

Sunday Dec. 21st-22nd *8 am; 6:30p

Eternal Light Daniel 12:1-3

2026 Giving Intention Forms: Please prayerfully consider filling these out by December 22nd. These were mailed this week, but extras can be picked up at church.

DCE Call Process: The call committee has met once with Jeffrey Fick form the Southern Illinois District Office to go over the process for calling a DCE. At that initial meeting we received documents on how the call process works. The committee is now reviewing those documents. In addition, Scott Perry and Pastor Krenz have received access to a data list of DCE names in the LCMS system. Due to the holiday schedule both for committee members and those DCE’s we would consider calling, it was decided to wait until January 8th for the committee to meet again. After that meeting we plan to share additional information on the calling process. The DCE call committee is made up of Scott Peery (Elder and chair), Becky Stevens, Patrick Grandt, Mitch Essert, and Carleigh Ottwell.

Food Pantry Update: Served 12/3: 21 families (A:45 C:13). The next time for food distribution will be December 10th from 4-5:30pm.

Pantry Needs: Granola Bars, Coffee

Youth Events: Dec. 7 Jr High Christmas Party 4-7; Dec. 13th Sr High Christmas Party 5-9:30

BREAKFAST WITH MARY AND JOSEPH: December 13th 9 am—11 am: There will be a collection of non-perishable food items/free will offering to benefit St. Paul’s Food Panty.

 Thank you: Thank you to the youth for setting up the Christmas tree, those who helped decorate the windows in the sanctuary at church with the manger scenes from various congregational members, and to Alice Jestus for decorating the windows in the fellowship with nativity sets.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS DISTRICT Lay Leader Training Join us for a Carload Conference on Lay Leadership Training! sidlcms.org/events January 17th or February 7th Send your lay leaders to gain skills and expertise at our Lay Leader Training! These workshops will cover areas that assist youth leaders, school boards, Sunday school teachers/superintendents, trustees, treasurers, evangelism committee members, and congregational presidents in carrying out their assigned duties. The day begins with Matins at 9am and wraps up at 2pm. Lunch is provided as part of registration. Find more information and registration at sidlcms.org/events Save the date today: Saturday, January 17th, 2026 (Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 1300 Beltline Rd. Collinsville, IL 62234) and Saturday, February 7th, 2026 (Trinity Lutheran Church 201 S. Pleasant Ave Centralia, IL 62801).

Who Can You Invite to Worship This Christmas?

Lifeway Research recently shared a study of U.S. adults who don’t typically attend church, and found that 56% of them are likely to attend at Christmastime if someone they know invites them! Half of those who don’t attend church were likely to come if someone simply invited them! We know this to be true not just from research, but from the Scriptures because we have a God who seeks out the lost sheep. Our Christmas service times are: Christmas Eve: 3pm or 6 pm Christmas Day: 9 am

Please Note: we will have one 9am service on Dec 28th at 9 am and NO service on Monday, December 29th