Happy New Year, Everybody!
Yep, it’s Advent, the beginning of the church year. And today is December 1 – time to open that first door of your Advent calendar (please be chocolate!). Or, even better, start our Reverse Advent Calendar! “What’s a Reverse Advent Calendar?” I hear you ask (or was that just the voices in my head?). With this calendar, on each day of Advent, instead of opening a calendar door and receiving a gift, you get to give a gift to someone in need! I’ve attached a copy of the calendar to this very email! (or you can pick up a copy at the Media Table) There are items on the calendar for both our Food Barrel and Marielle’s Winter Relief Project.
“What’s Marielle’s Winter Relief Project?” I hear you ask (you’re just full of questions today!). It was started by our own Marielle Miedema back in 2016 and has been our December Cause of the Month ever since. We are also excited to announce that Marielle is hoping to expand her operation by working with James Logan clubs (SLG and the Giving Club) on donation drives, with prep, and driving the supplies. We will be collecting items for snack bags and personal care bags to be distributed by Abode Services in Fremont, which provides care for those without shelter. There are boxes in the back of the church under the big bulletin board in which you can place your items. We can accept bottles of water, canned foods with pop lids, granola and protein bars, fruit cups, applesauce, crew socks, shampoo and conditioner, small soaps, toothbrushes and toothpaste, band-aids, hand sanitizer, utensils, napkins, and gallon and small Ziploc bags. If you are unable to purchase the items but would like to contribute, please consider donating money or a Walmart, Target or Amazon gift card, so that items can be purchased on your behalf.
Our Advent theme and devotional this year is How Does a Weary World Rejoice? To reduce our printing costs, our friends at A Sanctified Art have provided a special e-reader version of this year’s Advent devotional, which you can access on your computer and mobile devices (link sent to our email list) . In order to protect their work, please refrain from sharing this link or posting it on social media. We also have a few printed copies on the Media Table if you really need one (they cost us about $6 each for us to print in color, but the artwork is so much better in color). There are also new issues of the Christ in Our Home and A Word in Season devotionals and Living Lutheran magazine.
This Sunday, December 3 (yes, I finally got there), is the First Sunday in Advent and Nacho Name Tag Sunday. Worship is at 10 am, Sunday School and Confirmation will be rehearsing for the Christmas Pageant at 11:15 am, Bell Choir Rehearsal is at 11:30 am, and Psalms Bible Study is at 1 pm.
Please sign up to bring poinsettias for Christmas Eve. They can be any size or color you wish: red, white, variegated, etc. (if you really want to bring a sparkly shocking pink one, that’s between you and your conscience). The plants can be given in memory or honor of someone special to you and your family, and the dedications will appear in the Christmas Eve bulletin if you sign up by December 17. The sign-up sheet will be on the Media Table. Please deliver the plants to the church by 10 am on December 23 and mark them with your name so you can retrieve them after the second service on Christmas Eve (if you’re not too embarrassed to have people see you pick up that sparkly pink one).
Thank you to all who donated their Lutheran Loose Change this past year. And thank you to Christina Blevins for getting the heavy coins exchanged for nice lightweight bills we can easily deposit. We’ve received $300 so far this year – every little bit adds up!
If you’ve signed up to make a wreath at Christ the King’s Advent Wreath Making, don’t forget it’s this Sunday at 2 pm. Bring your greens, clippers, and gloves so you don’t get sap all over you (“What’s that scent you’re wearing?” “Eau de Pine Sap!”). For questions, call or text Kris Adams, 510 468-8709.
Speaking of sticky hands, Vicky Kuhlmann has made jams and other assorted items for the benefit of our kids’ Helping Hands projects. They are available in the Activity Room for a freewill donation. They make great Christmas gifts or enjoy them yourself! (Please bring back any empty jars so she can make more!)
Here’s a list of December’s Upcoming Events:
Dec 03: Advent Wreath Making at CTK at 2 pm
Dec 09: Christmas Pageant Rehearsal at 10 am
Dec 10: HTLC Council Meeting at 12 pm
Dec 16: Christmas Pageant Rehearsal at 10 am
Dec 17: Christmas Pageant at 10 am worship
Dec 24: Sermon in Song at 10 am worship
Christmas Eve Services at 4 pm & 8 pm
Dec 31: Service of Carols and Poems at 10 am
– Keith
your friendly Parish Life Coordinator (i.e. Church Secretary)