Trusting in the Promises of God
Brews & Bible Study. Wednesday, June 5 at Viking Brew Pub, Stoughton at 7pm.
Join us for a monthly informal Bible Study ‘hopping’ around to various microbreweries. Our first study is Wednesday, June 5 at the Viking brew Pub in Stoughton at 7pm. We will discuss a Let the Bird Fly Podcast episode on “Vocation.”
Please listen in advance to add to the discussion.
The pick-up from our Spring Cleaning Drive is now complete! We got to (almost) every home we hung a door hanger at. If we missed you, we’re sorry! You can still donate by dropping items off here at Faith anytime through Saturday, April 6. (We will sort items first before taking them to the Food Pantry on April 6)
We’ve been thrilled with the positive responses from our community! A big thank you to all of our volunteers who helped hang flyers and collect items!
Here’s what we’re accepting:
unopened hygiene & cleaning products, including:
The end of the year is a time of giving. Often we see that we have “extra” from the Lord (which is really His in the first place) to give. Below are some items that various committees of Faith have decided would be nice to have. These are things that our committees think will benefit those we serve in one way or another.
Use your “designated offering” envelopes to give towards a certain item.
Thrivent Members may also apply for up to 2 Action Grants per year, each in the amount of $250. Many items on this list may fit the criteria for the grants. Talk to Pastor or Rick W. if you need help applying.
Goal: $1100 – FUNDED!
A musical instrument addition to the organ. When engaged, the star rotates, producing a continuous tinkling sound. Common in Lutheran churches in the 16th-18th centuries. Used during the Sanctus, a doxology, or other “bright” hymns.
$300 per season set ($150 per banner x 2 for each season)
LENT BANNERS FUNDED!
Priority: Lent, Easter, & Trinity Seasons. These liturgical banners were designed by a Bethany Grad and member of a church of our fellowship. They are Christ-centered and combine themes from an entire season. The entire collection of banners can be viewed here.
Even among Christians the season of Advent seems to get skipped over. Sometimes in our eagerness to defend against a culture war “Christmas” we do ourselves more harm than good, because we lose sight of the peace that Advent gives.
At Faith this year, we’re trying something new: a “DIY Advent Kit.” It is a kit designed to bring Advent back into the home.
The Advent Wreath (typically 3 purple/violet candles and 1 pink/rose candle) was a tradition that originated in the home. Only in recent centuries did it find its way into churches. And when the church took it in, like many other things, it came out of the home.
With our kit, we hope to reverse that. Here’s what our kit includes:
Each of our kits includes 4 small candles. Our family used these candles last year, lighting them as we did our devotion after dinner each night, and the candles lasted the entire season (We just found them again and used what was left to light our church centennial themed pumpkins for All Saints Eve!).
Also included in the kit is a devotion book produced by our church that ties in with the lessons we’re hearing at church each week. This church year, our sermons will be based on the Old Testament lessons. So inside the book for each day there is a suggested Old Testament reading for Advent, along with a simple discussion question or two. Our Christmas Eve service will serve as the conclusion to these devotions. It will be a lessons and carols service based on the Old Testament names for Jesus as presented in the Great “O Antiphons” of Advent in the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”
In addition, each book contains activities for families based on the “O Antiphons” as well as recitations for families to go along with our Children’s (Pre-)Christmas Program.
The devotional book can be viewed online here:
Despite department stores playing the Christmas favorites immediately after Halloween, the Christmas season doesn’t start until the night of December 24 and lasts for 12 days. The music of Advent is different than Christmas. Some beautiful music has been all but forgotten.
Rather than listening to ‘Rudolph’ ad nauseam, slow down and enjoy the music of Advent. Here is an Advent Spotify Playlist curated specifically for families at home. Below are chief hymns for each of the weeks of Advent.
The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer Jesus taught us to pray. He wants us to pray, and He even gives us a certain way we are to pray. He does this to show His grace and promises. Each petition is not only a request we make to God, but a promise He makes to us.
In Lent, Jesus fulfilled each one of these petitions and promises. See how in this video series.
Member congregation of the
