A Letter from Pastor Nancy Hansen~ The Vine Newsletter Dear Church Family, “Greetings favored one! The Lord is with you!” Luke 1:28 A very blessed Christ – mass to you! Did you hear about the Sunday school teacher who was asking the kids if they knew why the colors on the altar cloths changed from green to blue in December? One boy excitedly said, “That’s because it’s the season of Advil!” Whether December is the season of Advent (coming of Jesus) or the season of Advil for you, I’d like to especially encourage parents to lower your expectations of yourselves during this time. I’ve had numerous years of wondering why I am so relieved when Christmas Day is finally here and I think I figured it out. I think it starts when we’re kids and the expectation (whether spoken or unspoken) is that you must be better, sweeter, kinder, more obedient in December because Santa will know! Remember how that felt – the pressure that you were to be “nicer” because it is Christmas time? As a kid I remember feeling complete relief on Christmas Day. Those high expectations were over. Santa came, mom and dad were relaxed, and the unreasonable expectation of being “good” seemed to be over for another year. I wonder if we don’t carry those unreasonable expectations through as adults during December. I certainly do and have throughout all my adult life. It has nothing to do with being a pastor and everything to do with my unreasonable expectations of what I think I should be doing – buying great gifts, making special cookies, decorating for family, going to concerts, sending cards, and the list goes on, doesn’t it? But I think it comes down to not wanting to disappoint the people we love the most and, probably trying to meet our own unreasonable expectations. It should come as a relief to again hear and believe that we don’t have to work our way into God’s good graces. There are no ladders to climb or good works to do in order to simply receive God’s good grace. We already have it, because Jesus put us in God’s good grace. So try to enjoy and love the brightness in your children’s eyes this season. They won’t care whether you made the cookies from “scratch” or bought them at the grocery store. They will be looking for the brightness in your eyes instead. Pastor Nancy 40430 120th Street Waseca, MN 56093 Children’s Christmas program is December 14 at 8:45am (during Worship). Parents please have your students at the church by 8:15am to get them dressed in their costumes. It will be warm in the church/dressed in costume, please dress appropriately so that your students don’t get overheated. Students and adults we are looking for vocalists, pianists, musicians, ensembles to open up our program that day. Please contact June Rezac or Renae Halvorson if available to play for us. Congregational potluck following the program, please bring a dish to share for some fellowship time together. (Volunteers needed to organize the kitchen, start coffee, and assist with clean up on the day of the program, please see Renae Halvorson if available.) We had a response from Judy LaFond, she and her husband found one of our balloons in their soybean field. The balloon traveled 140 miles east to their field which is six miles north of Holmen, Wisconsin. Jacqie Senne and Phyllis Duryee have a sign up to order poinsettias ($8 per plant). If you wish to have a poinsettia displayed at the Christmas Eve worship, in memory of someone, please place your order. Sign-up is located in the overflow room. Worship 8:45am Sunday School 10-11am *Holy Communion on 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. December 7- 2nd Sunday in Advent North Waseca Choir Concert during Worship December 8-Council Meeting 7pm December 9—9:30am Hope Circle meets at “Out to Lunch” to deliver poinsettias. December 10 *11:30am 60+ Lunch Bunch – potluck –bring or wear either an ugly or nice Christmas sweaterbring story. *Dress rehearsal for Christmas program 7-8pm December 14-3rd Sunday in Advent -Children’s Christmas Program during Worship Congregational Potluck following Worship Noisy Offering December 21-4th Sunday in Advent December 24—North Waseca Christmas Eve Worship 7pm FLC (4:30pm) Worship December 28-In order to appear on your offering statement for taxes, all contributions must be made by this Sunday. My favorite Christmas Carol~ I’d like to thank everyone again who made this 29th Lutefisk Dinner a success once again. It is a very stressful 4 weeks prior wondering if we are going to have enough, in the right places, and again it worked out. I would again like to thank Lowell Wadd for the ticket sales because without them we do not have a dinner. I would also like to thank Mary Kunelius for doing the other half of my work getting the dining ready and the people to work the 3 shifts. There are so many wonderful people that make this dinner a success and don't forget the cleanup crew who does a fantastic job getting the kitchen back in order (thanks to Jacqui Senne). I still am taking in money for lefse sales but right now with all bills paid we have a balance in the check book of $4469.97. I always say this, but I can't wait ‘til next year. Happy Holidays and May God Bless each and every one of you. Thanks North Waseca for job well done. Greg Thomson When I think of my favorite Christmas Carol the first one that comes to mind is The Norwegian Carol “Jeg er saa glad hver ju-lekveld.” The words translated are “I am so glad on Christmas Eve.” I remember singing all three verses in Norwegian every year in my home church of Finley, North Dakota. My Mother and I were members of the choir there and it was a tradition to sing that Christmas carol some time during the Christmas Eve service. We always ended with “Silent Night” the same as we do here. Duane Johnson My favorite Christmas Song~ I have always loved Christmas music ever since my Mother taught me “O Little Town of Bethlehem” when I was a small child. However, my favorite yuletide song is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” It is a musical adaptation of a poem written, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, during the dark of the Civil War. The ringing of the bells brought thoughts of the season just as they do today. The words of “peace on earth, good will to men” followed by the less optimistic phrase “there is no peace on Earth I said.” Then the promise that “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep” and “peace on Earth, and good will to men.” The message expressing God’s love is as true today as when it was written over 150 years ago. Dave Berg Lefse, Lutefisk, and Rommegrat, Oh my!! Food ties generations together. As luck would have it, our family was served lutefisk and lefse on Christmas Eve. It has been a tradition in our family. The lefse was made by my folks about two days before Christmas, my Mother would roll out the lefse and Dad would fry them on the old black cook stove. We did not have any electric irons. The lutefisk was soaked in lye water and then it was boiled. Just before serving it, the fish was placed in a cheese cloth bag and placed in boiling water to cook. I remember one year Mother boiled the lutefisk too long and it disintegrated. Accompanying the lutefisk, to complete the meal, were the mashed potatoes, rutabaga, and rommegrat. Oh yes; we could not forget the Christmas cookies. That made for a fancy treat to close out the Christmas Eve dinner. On Christmas Day a turkey dinner was prepared with aunts and uncles present. Me and my sisters always had a new dress and shoes because of the Christmas program on Christmas night. That led to another tradition with my two sisters singing “Away in a Manger” and myself playing the piano. Jan Quiram Better than Lutefisk!! At the Rezac Christmas we have a buffet of cut meats, cheeses, crackers, veggies, dips, Vomachka, cider and Christmas cookies. Vomachka is a traditional Bohemian (Czech) dish. It is usually referred to as a soup or stew. It is a favorite of ours, and my siblings and I insist that it is part of the buffet. There are varied recipes for Vomachka see below for my family’s version: In the large crockpot overnight: 1 ½ lbs. chicken hearts and gizzards 1 minced onion ½ tsp. salt 3-4 bay leaves (remove before eating) Morning add 6 large potatoes (cubed) About 2 hours before you eat: Mix and add evaporated milk (1/2 can), vinegar (to taste), flour 4-5 Tbls. John Rezac Family traditions~ Our family tradition starts early on Christmas morning. The first thing everyone including the adults have to check their stockings hanging on the living-room banister. Then the gift opening begins with paper flying everywhere. When all presents and all the paper is picked up, we have our egg bake and caramel rolls while the children play with their toys. Here’s Egg Bake the recipe: 8-10 slices white bread cubed layered in a 9x10 pan. 1lb. bacon fried and crumbled over the bread. Sprinkle on 2 cups grated cheddar cheese 1 can 4oz. mushrooms 6 eggs beaten with 2 ½ cups of milk, mix well and pour over top. Top with grated cheese. Refrigerate overnight and then bake at 300 for 1 ½ hours. Merry Christmas from the Thomson’s Sonja Thomson Christmas memories~ My parents never believed in incorporating Santa Claus into Christmas, so Christmas morning always took second place to Christmas Eve. As a child in Sunday school, we always had our Christmas pageant on Christmas Eve. After the pageant, we'd get that brown paper bag with an apple, orange and nuts. When we got home we always had oyster stew. Once, after biting into an oyster and tasting "sand", I couldn't get the oyster down, but loved that white, buttery broth. Then came opening gifts with just our immediate family. Gifts were sparse but almost always included that 3-pack of Carters brand yellow, blue and pink underwear and a new slip. I do remember getting a doll in 5th grade. You know...the kind you set on your dresser for display only! Gifts were never the main theme, but I never remember having a disappointing Christmas. To this day, Christmas Eve is still the most special day of the year. I love a late night church service to cap off the day’s events and go to sleep all calm and comforted by the Christmas Story. Marita Wadd North Waseca Council Meeting October 13th, 2014 Present: Pastor Nancy, Royal Meyers, Clay Halvorson, Barb Paulson, Jacqie Senne, Scott Baker, John Rezac, Phyllis Duryee, Gladys Carlson Absent: Mike Lee, Renae Halvorson, Penny Joecks Secretary's report & Treasurer's report, and Financial Secretary read and approved by council. Pastor's report read. Old Business: 1. Digital hymn board ready and Melissa will advance, still need person to program early. 2. Brass plate for Penny's mom...follow up at Nov. meeting. 3. New council members needed for Trustee, and President. Jackie Senne is on the ballot for Deacon and Gladys Carlson is on the ballot for financial secretary. 4. Barb had church sprayed for Asian beetles. New Business: 1. Sunday school banner blew into tress, poles bent. Banner is being stored in basement for now. 2. Gladys will check on having cleaning crew do windows. 3. Matt will send bill in May 2015 for website work-annual payment is fine. Next meeting... Council, Nov. 10th, 2014 December meeting to be at Royals' home. The Christ candle (left) was donated in memory of Dorwin Peterson. Thank you to Don Schroeder for making the stand. Lord Jesus, Please forgive me for being so grumpy as I trudge through the neverending tasks set before me this holiday season... My to-do list seems to keep growing with shopping, church services, and family gatherings--and I'm running short of time! Restore the joy of Christmas to my heart . . . and help me to relax each day and make time for YOU-my one true Source of Joy. AMEN The new initiative set by our Synod is “Enough Food for All in MN” On the second Sunday of each month a noisy offering will be collected by the children to go toward the local food shelves. Thank you for your donations to these projects. Recycled Ink cartridges can be left in the bin in the Narthex. The Sunday school students can get $$ for the cartridges. A minimum of 20 cartridges must be sent in at a time in order to receive compensation. Thanks for your contribution and for recycling! Monies received will be used towards Sunday school projects/program. Prayers During this busy holiday season please pray for our home bound members and members in the nursing home. Members at their homes: Joyce Ziemke Marlene Bjelde Colony Court Memory Care Lowell Dahl Colony Court Arlen Larson Marv Wadd Selma Jellum Waterville Traditions Lloyd Chambers New Richland Care Facility Caroline Prehn Pray for all those who are hospitalized, sick, or suffering from illness. Pray for all those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. North Waseca Lutheran Church 40430 120th Street Waseca, MN 56093 www.northwasecalutheran.org Pastor Hansen’s Office Hours Monday, Friday, Saturday at her home: 1214 SE 4th St., Waseca, MN 56093 Home Phone: 507/835-9797 Wednesday and Thursday at the Parish Office: Church Office Phone: 507/234-6463 Pray for those serving in the military. 18 At all times, pray by the power of the Spirit. Pray all kinds of prayers. Be watchful, so that you can pray. Always keep on praying for all of God’s people. Ephesians 6:18
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