Buckley, Illinois
Volume XIV Issue 11 Monthly
November 2008
“Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” Mark 13:33
There are few things more exciting than watching young children wait for Christmas. There is a clear tension in their lives. They know that something really good is waiting for them, but they have trouble with the whole concept of time. They know something is coming, but they can't quite understand exactly when it is going to happen. It seems like the wait is forever for them. However, it is something that they don't forget. They are constantly asking when it is going to come. They live their lives in anticipation of that great day arriving.
This month there will be a major shift in our focus in the church and even in our everyday lives. It may be hard to believe but we will celebrate Thanksgiving in a very short time. It is certainly good and appropriate that we should take the time to stop and thank God for the harvest and be reminded that He is the one who gives us all that we have in this world. It is also a good time for us to stop and reflect on how we will respond to God's goodness by considering our offerings to His church. How will we respond to God's love?
But there is more that is happening this month. We will be entering into a new church year on the last Sunday of the month. We will be entering into the Advent Season. We know that Advent is all about waiting. The word advent simply means “coming.” It is a time when we focus on the coming of our Lord. People often times think that this means that we are waiting for the coming of Christmas. The idea seems to be that we are to act like we don't know that Christmas is really coming and that we don't know what is going to happen when it does come. We are not as God's people waiting for Christmas. We know that Jesus has come once and we know the outcome of that coming.
Advent is a time when we focus on the fact that Jesus is going to come again. We celebrate Jesus' first coming into this world because it was when He came into this world the first time that He accomplished all that was necessary for us to be prepared for Him to come again and take us to be with Him. During Advent, we look at how the people of God in the Old Testament waited for Jesus to come the first time. We see how they eagerly awaited the coming of their Savior. We see how they trusted that God would keep His promise to send the Savior. Yes, we also see how they sometimes lost sight of that promise, gave up, or became distracted. We look at how they waited and we learn to wait as well.
We are a people in waiting. We are waiting for Jesus to come just as they did so long ago. We are waiting for Jesus to come again and take us to be with Him in heaven. This is something that we look forward to with great joy. We look forward to the day when Jesus will come and bring the suffering and problems of this world to an end and take us to be with Him in heaven. However, we know that this may take time. We have no idea how long our wait will be.
During Advent, we learn to wait. We have to wait to celebrate Christmas, and we wait for our Lord to return. We don't just skip Advent and go to December 25. We don't start singing Christmas hymns during Advent and forget our need for repentance. That flies in the face of what our society tells us and what our society does. Our society demands instant gratification. Our society tells us that we shouldn't have to wait for anything. Why wait until tomorrow for what you can buy on credit today? The reason for that is because our society is celebrating something much different than what we are celebrating in the church. Our society is celebrating an excuse for overindulgence in all of the things of this world. It is celebrating its materialism. In the church, we are celebrating the fact that our Savior has come and will come again. We look forward to that day. We are truly a people in waiting.
In His service,
Pastor Olson
To God be the Glory Forever and Ever!
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LET US HELP
We have people willing to bring meals to others. If you or someone you know is having surgery, had a death in the family, or is experiencing some other tragedy, contact one of the following to have meals delivered for one week:
Pam Baillie 387-2463
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ST. JOHN'S LADIES AID NOTES
Ladies Aid met on October 2, 2008. Glenda Weisenbarn led a devotion and topic, “Share Your Faith.”
The following was discussed:
Betty Plath reported that she had volunteers for the Prairieview bingo party.
The Human Care Committee reported that approximately 30 quilts and 4 sewing kits are completed for Lutheran World Relief. A motion passed to donate $25.00 to Lutheran World Relief for postage costs. Congregation-wide donations are requested for men's and women's casual clothes and children's books for Prison Ministry and a motion passed to collect nonperishable groceries for Ford County Food Pantry until Thanksgiving. Tote bags are being made by our members for Prison Ministry to be finished by Thanksgiving. Lois Krumwiede displayed 4 tote bags that she has finished, and she has a pattern and material available to anyone who wishes to make more bags. We plan a continuing ministry to our college students and military. Five addresses of college students have been received. The goal is to receive all college students' addresses.
Norma Niemann gave quilt blocks to members to embroider. The finished quilt blocks should be returned at the November meeting.
The garage sale report was made by Donna Steiner. Ross Cluver was thanked for offering his home as a storage place for leftover garage sale items.
New work committee chairmen for October through December are Helen Niemann and Ruth Jones.
The quilt made by Ladies Aid for Prairieview Quilt Auction brought $1,825. Glenda Weisenbarn needs to make a year end report of the number of volunteers, hours volunteered, and a list of Thrivent families who volunteered.
It was reported that 6 of our members attended the LWML Fall Rally in Ash Grove.
Iroquois County Historical Fall Festival needs donations of 5 dozen cookies to sell. Cookie donations should be brought to Betty Plath's home by 8:00 a.m. on October 4.
Millie Baier gave our members an invitation to Open House at Paxton Mall on October 17 from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. A buffet and crafts will be available.
The quilt made for a seminarian is finished and was displayed at our meeting.
A volunteer sheet is available for any member who wishes to help with the 2011 National LWML Convention in Peoria . Names are to be sent by November 1, 2008.
Our 2009 Program Book is in progress. Next year's work sheets were passed for volunteers to sign. Work committee chairmen will still serve for 3 months. The fall garage sale will be handled by the October through December work committee chairmen. Also a separate committee will take care of baked goods baskets for CLHS Auction. This will lighten the responsibilities for the July through September chairmen.
Christmas cards are on sale in the church basement.
The nominating committee continues to seek candidates to serve as president and secretary for 2009 through 2011.
Members were asked to help quilt a quilt to raffle at Buckley Fun Day 2009. Lori Tjardes donated a completed quilt top. Quilting will take place at Marilyn Niemann's home in the afternoons from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
October visiting committee is Ruth Jones and Mil Schuldt. October flower committee is Lois Teske and Irene Hilligoss. November serving committee is Donna Steiner and Jane Wagner.
We closed with the birthday song, Lord's Prayer and table prayer.
Arliss Dettmering
Secretary
St. John's Lutheran Church
