St. Paul Epistle, December 2014

Vol. 14, No.
12
St. Paul Lutheran

15156 E. Pony Hill Rd.
Nevada, MO 64772
E p is t
l
e
of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Nevada, MO
THE
December
2014
"Take time to be aware that in the very midst of our busy

preparations for the celebration of Christs birth in ancient
Bethlehem, Christ is reborn in the Bethlehems of our homes and daily
lives. Take time, slow down, be still, be awake to the Divine Mystery
that looks so common and so ordinary yet is wondrously present.
Edward Hays, A Pilgrims Almanac
417-667-7209 (O)
Stpaulnevadamo
@gmail.com
Worship 11:00 a.m.
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Office Hours
Tuesday, Wednesday, &
Thursday 9:00noon
Advent Services
Soup Supper at 6:00 p.m.
Worship at 7:00 p.m.
Everyone welcome
Wednesdays:
Dec. 3, 10, & 17
Childrens Christmas Program

Sunday, December 14
6:00 p.m.
Followed by chilli supper
Christmas Eve Candlelight

Service
December 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Thanks are in order:
Hats off:
Caroline Phillips, Susie Knuteson, Sarah Lathrop,

and Anna Seewoester for decorating the sanctuary
for Christmas.
Carol and Jerry Janes who help plan and cook the
community Thanksgiving dinner at the high school.
Fred Seewoester for sweeping away the leaves by

the front door before the Thanksgiving service.
Chelsea Deines is the Queen of Cheesecakes.
Her delicious cheesecakes have been a successful
fund-raiser for the St. Paul youth. So far she has
made 40 cheesecakes which have been sold to our
members and many in the community and has
about 15 to go.
Sarah Lathrop once again coordinated the purchasing of the poinsettias for the sanctuary.
Kathy Poe continues to do so many behind the
scenes things to keep St. Paul working. She
changes the paraments on the altar and each
month schedules the volunteers (not an easy job).
Thanks to all our St Paul members who donated
or bid on items for our SPY Silent Auction that was
held November 16th. With your help SPY raised
$594 to fund our trip to the 2015 National Youth
Gathering.We appreciate everyones generosity
and a special thanks to those who donated items!
Russell and Tamara Hogan
Connie Anderson
Larry and Sam Delaney
Interior Motives
Susie Knuteson
Julie Sitz
Mary Reinert
Gobblers Roost
Barbara Weakley
Pr. Chris
Grace Harold
Kristine Fulton
Jeannie Craig
Caroline Phillips
Anna Seewoester
Wanda Abele
Sharon Kamla
Anonymous Donations
15 adult and 3 children coats along with 7 stocking

hats were delivered Friday December 5 to the We
Care Center. Gently used and clean coats of any
size can be dropped off in the big green box in the
Narthex
The next book selected for the womens Book Club

is 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess
by Jan Hatmaker.
American life can be excessive, to say the least.
Thats what Jen Hatmaker had to admit after taking
in hurricane victims who commented on the extravagance of her familys upper middle class
home.
7 is the true story of how Jen took
seven months, identified seven
areas of excess, and made seven
simple choices to fight back
against the modern-day diseases
of greed, materialism, and overindulgence.
Food. Clothes. Spending. Media.
Possessions. Waste. Stress. They
would spend thirty days on each topic, boiling it
down to the number seven. Only eat seven foods,
wear seven articles of clothing, and spend money in
seven places. Eliminate use of seven media types,
give away seven things each day for one month,
adopt seven green habits, and observe seven sacred pauses. So, whats the payoff from living a
deeply reduced life? Its the discovery of a greatly
increased Goda call toward Christ-like simplicity
and generosity that transcends social experiment to
become a radically better existence.
Please let the church office know if you would like
to receive a copy of this title. The book club will
meet on Thursday, January 8. Watch for details.
Proud of our St. Paul kids for pitching in and

raking leaves at the homes of Susie Knuteson,
Wanda Abele, Ruth Sitz, and Ernest and Julia
Sitz. Were all proud of you!
A couple years ago at a retreat, a seminary professor pulled out book of the top 100 most necessary things in
our world. It was a fat book filled with information about different things. We went around in a circle and tried
to guess the number one necessary thing in the world. It came to my turn and I happened to guess one of the
top three (I cant remember which number) ANTS. The professor read a little about ants, about their strength,
about their leadership and cooperation and we talk as a group what it means for the church to be ants. One
thing that we discussed was that all the ants carried their weight in the colony, well actual multiple times their
weight, but they did their share. And so it goes with the church, we do our share.
The opportunities for ministry are beyond your imagination. Sometime that is the best kind of ministry, dreaming up, seeing a need and stepping up, and taking the ministry by the horns and running with it! Some of the
best authentic ministry is done when people imagine something anew and it grows and people share in it.
There are countless ways in which we gather as a colony of Gods children right here in this place and we do
our share. I was reminded this week that doing our share may be fixing the light on the organ, taking cardboard to the recycling, folding bulletins, and when someone could do nothing else, pray.
There is one opportunity that I want to lift up to you this month. Mary Reinert has for a long time gathered information, compiled it with photos, and sent it out to the members and non-members who want to know what
happens at St. Paul! I give thanks for her dedication and patience. I give thanks that she has done this ministry here when churches across the country are going away from newsletters because the worker ants in the
colony dont read them. And if I were to guess, we are not that much different, perhaps only a hand full of
people will even make it to this point in this article.
So, people of God, there is some stepping up that needs to be done, we are looking for someone to put together the newsletter each month. To take over what Mary has been doing for many years. I lift this up to you
as an opportunity for ministry, to highlight this congregation and its mission to the world. I pray for you as you
consider this newsletter ministry. You are not along, remember the ants? If you feel that this is something that
you are interested in doing, please let me know! This church is the ministry of the people! Thanks be to God
for leading and calling us! And for ants! Thanks for your consideration!
Peace,
Pastor Chris
So far this year, at least eight Action Grants have been awarded to members of St. Paul. Operation Thanksgiving was one that helped many members of the community.
Thanks to Patsy McCullough for organizing the

Thrivent Action team
Operation Thanksgiving
and to Fred and Anna
Seewoester, Wayne and
Mary Reinert, Dave
McCullough and Susie
Knuteson for helping.
Everyone at the convenience stores were surprised and thankful.
Harvest for the Holidays begins its sixth season collecting food items for Community Outreach. Continuing during December and January, you can place a food offering in the red wagon located at the rear of the sanctuary. Your gifts will be taken
forward during the offertory. Some food items were taken to Community Outreach for
Thanksgiving and the rest will be taken for Christmas for distribution to Vernon County
residents.
Any non-perishable food item you would serve your family is appreciated:
canned meats, fruits and vegetables, cereals, hamburger helper, pastas, sauces, etc.
On your next trip to the store pick up an item or two to bring to church.
A cash donation is also appreciated. The money will be used to purchase fresh
meat, vegetables, fruit and dairy products. Just make your check payable to Community Outreach. And as always, labels from Best Choice products are appreciated as all
are redeemed for more food items.
Thanks be to God for sharing your gifts with others. It truly does make an impact in our community.
A Nevada High School student is coordinating a Chrsitmas project to supply items for emergency kits for
those that are homeless. Max Daniel is partnering with the Nevada Housing Authority in collecting the following items. There is a box in the lobby at church to help collect. All donations of
the following are welcome: bath towel, wash cloth, bar soap, shampoo,
toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, toilet paper, packaged hand wipes, pen/pad of
paper, blanket, blue tarp, small cans of food items (with removable lids such as
soups, etc.), packaged food items that have a long expiration date (peanut butter
crackers, granola bars, etc.), bottled water. No perishable items, please.
December Birthdays
Kyptin Hall
Kathy Abele
Ali DeLaney
Mollie Deines
Wayne Reinert
Andy Robards
Bradley Ogle
Cassie Tweten Eador
Jennifer Westphal
Ada Yokley
Thomas Creech
Emily Borzillo
Larry DeLaney
Tyler Phillips
Martin Mannel
Mary Reinert
Taylor Norcross Kimbrough
Lauren Phillips
December 3
December 4
December 4
December 4
December 11
December 13
December 14
December 18
December 18
December 19
December 21
December 22
December 22
December 23
December 25
December 28
December 29
December 29
December Anniversaries
Don & Deanna Ness
Kenny & Bethany Jennings
Fred & Anna Seewoester
Larry & Nancy Kerbs
December 3, 1983
December 8, 2012
December 20, 1969
December 28
St. Paul Lutheran Church

15156 E. Ponyhill Rd.
Nevada, MO 64772
Vision Statement
To be like Christ in all things.
Mission Statement
We are a growing community of faith
called, committed, and sent
to Make Christ Known at all times
through words and actions
throughout the world.

St. Paul Epistle, December 2014

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St. Paul Epistle, December 2014

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Vol. 14, No.

St. Paul Lutheran

"Take time to be aware that in the very midst of our busy

Childrens Christmas Program

Christmas Eve Candlelight

Thanks are in order:

Caroline Phillips, Susie Knuteson, Sarah Lathrop,

Fred Seewoester for sweeping away the leaves by

15 adult and 3 children coats along with 7 stocking

The next book selected for the womens Book Club

Proud of our St. Paul kids for pitching in and

Thanks to Patsy McCullough for organizing the

St. Paul Lutheran Church

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