Sunday Monday Service Theme: “Heads Up….Your Redemption is Drawing Near”-Luke 21:28

Giving Intention Forms: The “Giving Intention Form” along with a stewardship note can be found in each of your mailboxes at church. Prayerfully consider your 2026 congregational commitment. Once you figure that out, we invite you to place your giving intention form in the Stewardship box in the narthex. These forms will be collected through December 22nd. If they are not picked up in your church mailbox by the early part of December, they will be mailed. Extra forms can be found in the church entryway.

First DCE Call Meeting: This past Thursday the call committee met to go over the “how to” of calling a DCE to our congregation with Jeff Fick from the District Office. As the committee is now looking over the material and will soon start considering various names. The committee members are Scott Peery (chair), Patrick Grandt, Becky Stevens, Mitch Essert, and Carleigh Ottwell. Feel free throughout this process to talk to them about how things are going. The next meeting of the committee will take place on January 8th.

Children’s Sunday School 9:25 to 10:15 am -3 years to 7th Grade Meet in Upstairs Hallway Rooms (Preschool 9:15) As we gather today, we will study “The Poolside Sign.” For thirty-eight years, a paralyzed man has lain by the pool of Bethesda, hoping to enter it and receive healing. Jesus asks if he desires healing and then tells the man to take up his bed and walk. When the Jews see the man carrying his bed on the Sabbath, they question him about who told him to do this, but the man doesn’t know who Jesus is. After encountering Jesus at the temple, the man reports back to the Jewish leaders, who persecute Jesus.

Adult Sunday morning Bible Study 9:15-10:15am on Luke

Fellowship Time: All ages are invited to join us after the 8am worship in the fellowship hall for refreshments from 9:05-9:25. Derrick Neihaus will lead us in a few songs before we begin Sunday School and Adult Bible Class at 9:30am.

Youth Events/News:

Youth 8th -12th grade Education Hour Sundays: 9:15 - 10:15 am Meet In the Loft upstairs

11/22 Boy Scouts Food Drive - Church Basement - 1-5

11/23 Friendsgiving at Peace Lutheran

11/30 Youth Put up Christmas Tree in Sanctuary

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

Jan 17-19 Teens Encounter Christ Retreat

Our youth will be putting up the Christmas trees in the sanctuary and fellowship hall on Sunday, November 30, after the 10:30 service. Everyone’s invited to join in — it’s a great way to kick off the Advent season together! Pizza will be provided. Come lend a hand and join the fun!

Thank You the Board of Trustees for building a wheel chair ramp for Barb Reis at her home last week using the Thrivent $250.00 action card.

One Service the Sunday after Christmas: we will have one 9am service on December 28th at 9 am and NO service on Monday, December 29th.

Thanksgiving/Advent/Christmas Service Schedule

Thanksgiving Service 11/27 at 9 am

Advent services in December…

Wednesdays 11 am & 6 pm

December 3rd, December 10th, & December 17th

Breakfast with Mary and Joseph – 12/13 9-11 am Fliers/Registration Forms in Narthex

OOPS - Know someone who has a PreK thru 4th grader? Pick up a flier in the narthex today and invite them to our December 13th BREAKFAST WITH MARY AND JOSEPH.

Columbia's Bright Night Lighted Christmas Parade Saturday, Dec 6, 5:00 pm. Join us to walk with our float in the parade and for a meal after the parade from Joe Boccardi's in the Fellowship hall! RSVP in the Narthex. Congregation is invited to the meal whether you are watching the parade or participating. We are giving our singers a break this year but still need your help to hand out fliers inviting folks to Breakfast with Mary & Joseph and to our Christmas services. Please sign-up in the Narthex for both the meal and walking in the parade with our float. We also need one person to ride in the truck to watch the parade route from the passenger side for safety purposes. Thank you for helping our church have a presence in the parade!

Congregation & Ladies League members: May we borrow your nativity set?The decorating committee of Ladies League asks you to join the holiday spirit by bringing a nativity scene to church which we will place on the window sills in the sanctuary or larger ones on tables in the back. They will stay in place until Sunday January 4. Please drop them off in the church office by Sunday Nov 30. Place them on the tables in the extra Sunday school room just past the library. Please label with your name and phone number. Thank you. Folks may also bring their nativity scene after Nov 30 and place directly on a window sill or the back table.

Our friends at St. Paul’s will have the opportunity to 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. At present $42,000 has been raised for this ministry.

Christmas Poinsettias - Last Day to Order: Nov. 16 Pick up Pink order forms in Narthex, and place completed forms and $7 payment in basket. Contact Marianne May with questions at 618-281-8622.

Please keep in mind: Boy Scout Food Drive We will need help on Saturday, November 22nd to unpack and sort food donated to the pantry. Sorting will take place starting at 11 am in the Fellowship Hall.

If you have a truck and are able to pick up food, call Carol Ericson: 618-530-7056. Thank you!

Food Pantry Update:

Next Pantry: November 19th 1:30—3 pm

Pantry Needs: Brownie Mix, Chili, Ramen

Served 11/12: 24 families (A:54 C:15)