ADVENT & CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SCHEDULE Advent Communion Service - Wednesday – December 4 – 7:00 PM

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service – Tuesday, December 24 at 4 PM & 6 PM Christmas Day Communion Service - Wednesday – December 25 – 10 AM New Year’s Eve Communion Service – Tuesday, December 31 at 5:30 PM

CHRISTMAS DECORATING FRIDAY - DEC. 6TH

It is coming up on that time again to decorate the Sanctuary for the Christmas Season and we would love to have everyone come join us as we

do the work on Friday evening, December 6th. The fellowship we share while doing this with

other church members brings us great joy. We start the evening at 5:30 PM with the collection

of our supplies and then we all join together for a Carry-In Dinner at 6:00 PM. Then it is back to

work. Please join us in the fellowship and work. Everyone is welcome! Any Questions can be

directed to Kitty Davis.

CHRISTMAS EVE MUSICIANS Those students / musicians in grade school,

high school and college who would like to do a sacred seasonal solo or ensemble at the 4:00 PM Christmas Eve service may sign up with David Britton or Florence Moeller Thank you.

SMALL GROUPS Have you ever wanted to join a Small Group?

Small groups are currently being formed. Please feel free to contact Mark Dunkin, Ginny Hingst,

and Mark Pearson you have any questions. There is a signup sheet at the Welcome Center.

PASTOR ALLISON’S DECEMBER MESSAGE TO THE CONGREGATION

Dear Fellow Redeemed,

One of my favorite Christmas stories is about a 7th grade boy by the name of William Spurling. William Spurling was big for his age, and a little slow mentally. But he was a good boy and all the kids liked him. In fact, they wanted him for a friend because he was big enough to take their part if they needed him.

When it came time for the Christmas program to be presented, William Spurling wanted to be a shepherd, but the teacher decided that he would make a better innkeeper than a shepherd since he was so big. So she gave him the task of being the rough, mean innkeeper.

When Mary and Joseph came to the inn and knocked on the door, William Spurling opened it. And when they asked for a place to stay, he said harshly, “There is no place for you to stay. There is no room

in the inn.” Joseph said, “But my wife is tired and weary and she is expecting a baby. Isn’t there just a small room somewhere where we could rest?”

Once again, William Spurling said, with roughness in his voice, “You’ll have to find a place somewhere else. There is no room in the inn.” Once more Joseph pleaded just for some place for them to stay the night. Then there was a long pause, one of those pauses that is as embarrassing for the audience as it is for the cast. William Spurling had forgotten his next line.

Back behind the props you could hear the prompter saying, “No, be gone! No, be gone!” That was his next speech. Finally, William Spurling said, with softness in his voice, “No, be gone.” Mary and Joseph sadly turned to leave. But as they did, suddenly William Spurling regained his voice and said, “Wait a minute! You can stay in my room, and I’ll sleep in the shed.”

In the stunned silence that followed, the teacher thought the play was ruined, until she thought again of the words of a 7th grade boy, who may have communicated the real truth of Christmas better than any. “No, you can stay in my room, and I’ll sleep in the shed.”

Isn’t that what Jesus did? “No, you don’t have to die for your sins. I’ll take your place on the cross.” “No, you can enter the heavenly home. I’m preparing a place for you there.”

Christmas has made the difference. God wrapped up a gift and gave it. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” Is there any better gift? “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord.” Share the gift and have a great Christmas.

In His service,

Pastor Allison

Pastor Allison

“For God so

loved the world

that He gave His

only-begotten

Son that

whoever

believes in Him

will not perish

but have

everlasting life.”

John 3:16

For unto you

is born this

day in the

city of David

a Savior

which is

Christ the

Lord.”

Luke 2:11

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DECEMBER SENIORS

MARILYN MARSH WAYNE KINCAID TERESA KELLER BILL BARTON

Dec. 3 Dec. 6 Dec. 13 Dec. 14

LOIS GROTRIAN CLARA BURNETT JOELENE BOYLES

Dec. 14 Dec. 16 Dec. 30

LADIES’ CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON - AT GOOD SHEPHERD - TUESDAY – DEC. 10 Our sisters in Christ at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church invites the ladies from Our Redeemer and Zion to their annual Christmas luncheon, on Tuesday, December 10, 2019. The day starts at 11:30 AM with social time followed by a carry-in lunch beginning at 12:00 noon, and then a

program. Collette Hoover will be our entertainment. Collette sings a number of different types of songs, and her mother accompanies her on the piano.

Sunday School Grades Pre-K

to 4TH Christmas Bell Program

Sunday, December 8, 2019.

The end of early service /

beginning of late service.

Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer presents

"THE KING IS HERE"

CHRISTMAS CANTATA

Saturday - December 14

5:30 PM

Sunday – December 15

8:15 AM and 10:45 AM.

This multigenerational Christmas musical is designed to unite all ages rejoicing in the

birth of our Savior and King, with heartfelt, passionate songs of worship.

MY THOUGHTS ON SMALL GROUPS BY MARK PEARSON

Dear Christian Friends:

Most of you know in the last several months I have been working with Ginny Hingst and Mark Duncan to better organize and improve on our Small Group Ministry here at Redeemer. I was not assigned to work on this project, but instead I very much chose to be personally involved because I truly believe this to be very important for spiritual and personal growth in churches. I desire this for all of us here at Redeemer.

I once heard a Pastor state that “even Christ needed a small group during his ministry here on earth” …. his disciples. Jesus needed the support, prayers, friendships and fellowship with those who followed Him. His disciples needed and desired Jesus and his presence in their lives as well. We all know that in the early Christian church new believers met together, most often in secret, in what could be considered small groups. The need for fellowship with like-minded believers was paramount to the development of the church. Who of us can say that we do not need this same support and community within the church even now, when as Christians we all face a world that is working against us?

In talking with congregations with active Small Groups and searching out other resources, I have found many reasons why Small Groups can be beneficial for strengthening our Church as well as for personal growth. The following represents only some of what I have already believed and found to be true:

Small Groups “personalize” our Christian fellowship - It is true in my life personally that I need my church, my family, and my Christian friends. I will confess I have not been as diligent as I should be in growing my personal relationships with you, my fellow Redeemed, beyond Sunday morning fellowship.

Spiritual growth – My personal Bible study and learning until the last several years has been more inwardly focused instead of being focused on learning with others. I have read that it is not so much what I need to learn on my own, but what I need to learn along with others. I value the groups in which I am currently active… Sunday Morning Adult Bible Study, Tuesday Men’s Bible Study, and Tuesday Evening Bible Study. I also look forward to being active in a Small Group for this reason.

Accountability – I have realized over the past few years that I require accountability for my spiritual growth and personal study. Too often I lack discipline to pray, study, read, learn and have been negligent in these areas. Meeting with others on a regular basis, knowing I must be prepared, helps me to spend much needed time in personal growth.

These are only some of the things that are important for me as a Christian. I ask that if you haven’t already chosen to participate in a Small Group or Bible study that you please consider prayerfully to do so. We live in very difficult times,but with God’s guidance and with support from each other, as Christians we will be strengthened and grow to face life’s obstacles.

In Christ,

Mark Pearson

Mark Pearson

RLS NEWS FROM PRESCHOOL BY MRS. WAGGONER

Dear LCOR Friends, Greetings to you from Mrs. Waggoner, Mrs. Hoch and our 13 preschool students: Anika, Oaklie, Brooks, Jedikiah, Elijah, Elias, Evan, Divyana, Maximus, Liam, Remi, Zander, and Beckham. First, we would like to thank the LCOR congregation for your continued love, prayers and support! We are so blessed to be able to come to school everyday and learn about Jesus and his great love for us! Don’t let the size of those preschoolers fool you, they may be little, but they are mighty! With grit and Jesus, we can do anything! We are currently learning about Gideon in our Jesus time lesson. Even though he was scared, he trusted God, and just look at what the Lord did for Gideon and his army! We count to 100 everyday! This is a kind of a big deal. We learn the alphabet, not just saying the letters, but we can recognize most letters, uppercase and lowercase, and know what all of the letters say to us! Writing letters is a little more difficult, but, we will keep working on it because we have grit! Students are encouraged to do things for themselves. Put on their own jacket and shoes, (shoes come

their feet way more often than you would think), put papers in their folders and work out problems with their peers using kind words. Never do for a child what they can do for themselves. We went to Kendall Family Farm in October. We had a great time picking pumpkins, going on a hayride, playing mini golf, and going through a straw bale maze! We also had a picnic lunch. By the time we got back to school, everyone was ready for a nap! Especially Mrs. Hoch and Mrs. Waggoner! We all love going to the library on Tuesday mornings! Mrs. Johnson comes to read stories to us! She really is the best storyteller in the universe! Our class will be leading Wednesday chapel on December 18th at 8:45. We would love for you to join us! I thank you for all the wonderful comments I heard after the Early Childhood Choir sang in church on November 10th! “Pearly White Gates” says it all! Please look at the names at the top of this letter. Please pick one, two or all of them, put those names in your heart and pray for them. The teachers wouldn’t mind a prayer or two as well! Have a wonderful holiday season! God’s peace to you! Blessings, Melanie Waggoner

FEATURED LIBRARY BOOKS!

CHRISTMAS COMES TO CEDAR COVE by Debbie Macomber

Together for the first time in one volume,

two stories to celebrate the season with the good people of Cedar Cove.

A CEDAR COVE CHRISTMAS Mary Jo Wyse finds herself in Cedar Cove on Christmas Eve stranded, pregnant and alone. And there’s no room at

the local inn… So Grace Harding brings Mary Jo home to her ranch, where they’ve got a spare room over the

stable. And luckily a paramedic named Mack McAfee is there to help when Mary Jo goes into labor.

1225 CHRISTMAS TREE LANE Beth Morehouse expects this Christmas to be one of her best. But someone leaves a basket of puppies on her

doorstep, and now she’s determined to find them all good homes. Also complicating things is the invitation her

daughters extended to their dad…whom Beth divorced a long time ago.

As always in life, there are surprises. More than one family’s going to have a puppy under the tree. More than one

scheme will go awry. And more than one romance will have a happy ending!

A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS QUILT by Catherine Palmer

Quilts and Christmas themes run through this collection of four romantic novellas. In Palmer's "Lone Star," Texan

Star Ellis reluctantly travels to England to wed a nobleman. On the voyage over, she meets her intended husband's

black sheep brother and ends up falling in love. Debra White Smith's "The Wedding Ring" sends Rose Brandon to

Denver to return a wedding-ring quilt to her recently deceased grandmother's early love. Although the man is

unforgiving, she does meet his doctor son. In Ginny Aiken's "Log Cabin Patch," Melissa Barnhart and her surly

brother Craig relocate to a logging town where she has a job as a cook. Her rocky meeting with mill owner Cal

Stevenson ends happily. "Crosses and Losses" is Peggy Stoks's contribution. Joyce and Samuel Colburn's

marriage, strained since the death of their daughter, is healed by the Christmas season.

ONLINE CALENDAR:

https://www.lcorkokomo.org/full_calendar

DATE TELLERS

2 Ellen Benziger, Nancy Trout, Ross Morkal

9 Vivian Heronemus, Sharon Morkal, Connie Howard

16 Teddi Heinzman, Sue Allison, Jane Brubaker

23 Marjie Sullivan, Cindy Galford, Jama Youngdale

30 Ellen Benziger, Nancy Trout, Ross Morkal

Vivian Heronemus, Sharon Morkal, Connie Howard

DATE SANCTUARY STEWARDS COLOR

1 Marie Harvath & Jane Sipe Blue

8 Teddi Heinzman & Patti Stout Blue

15 Amy Shrack & Susie Yeakley Blue

22 Caroline Howard & Marietta Adelsen Blue

29 Cindy Sewell & Ellen Benziger White