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Strengthen Faith, Build Hope, Share Love in Christ Our Savior
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Christ Our Savior
Lutheran Church
ANDY KELTNER, PASTOR
5 South 8th Street
Louisburg, KS 66053
(913)837-4502
[email protected]
Worship 8 a.m. 10:30 a.m. & 7 p.m.
Sunday School 9:15a.m.-10:15a.m.
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Christmas Season Special Service Schedule
| December 7th |
Wednesday |
5:30 & 7:00 p.m. |
Advent Dinner / Service |
| December 11th |
Sunday |
11:30 a.m. |
Annual Voter's Meeting |
| December 14th |
Wednesday |
5:30 & 7:00 p.m. |
Advent Dinner / Service |
| December 21st |
Wednesday |
5:30 & 7:00 p.m. |
Advent Dinner / Service |
| December 24th |
Wednesday |
7:00 & 11:00 p.m. |
Christmas Eve Services |
| December 25th |
Sunday |
10:30 a.m. only |
Christmas Day Service |
| January 1st |
Sunday |
10:30 a.m. only |
New Year's Day Service |
We will not have a service on New Year's Eve this year.
Confirmation Classes will not meet in December. Classes resume January 4th.
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Pastor Andy Writes...
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| Pastor Andy Keltner |
The Immaculate Infection
Jesus was born of a virgin. This is what scripture teaches. We call this the Immaculate Conception. God comes into creation wrapped in swaddling cloth and lying in a manger. In the babe in the manger we see the incarnation of God's love for the world.
John Ortman in his book, "Life Changing Love", coins the phrase the immaculate infection. As the child Jesus grows he touches the lives of those whom he encounters. During his public ministry he changes those he touches. Ortman says that the love of Jesus infects those who come in contact with him. As contact spreads viral and bacterial infections so contact is the way God's love is spread.
Infections can become systemic. Infections that become systemic lead to death. The infection of God's love leads to life. It is a new life. When the immaculate infection becomes systemic it leads to the death of the sinful self and new life in Christ. Antibiotics can stop the bad infections. The things that stop the spread of the immaculate infection are apathy, jealousy, and bitterness. Satan wants to destroy the immaculate infection. He can't because he has been defeated at the cross.
We have been called to spread the immaculate infection. I know you have heard of someone who has an infectious laugh. We are called to be those who share infectious love. Jesus touched the disciples with his love. Filled with the love of Christ the disciples were changed. They began to spread the love of Christ. The more they served the stronger the infection grew. The immaculate infection grows when we study the Word of God and live to glorify the Christ.
When a baby is born a woman forgets her pain because a child is born in the world. This is what Jesus says in John 16. When the baby Jesus is born he is the incarnation of the love of God. He goes though excruciating pain so we can endure the pain of living in a sin filled world. He promises to deliver us from this pain. He comes to us. He lives the life we should live to honor our God. He dies to take our sin. He does this because of God's great love for us. This is the immaculate infection. It changes the world.
We are called to be carriers of the immaculate infection. We touch the lives of others with the love of Christ and the infection grows. We celebrate the Immaculate Conception and birth of the Word made Flesh. The birth of Christ infects us with the love of God. This is something we want to share with the World.
Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas Season
Pastor and Debbie Keltner
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Join us for great food and fellowship as we prepare to celebrate Christ's birth
The Christmas season is right around the corner. We will again host a variety of delicious dinners before the Wednesday night Advent Services this year. Below is the schedule and what will be served.
The Meals on Wheels group will host a Pulled Pork dinner
with cheesy corn and dessert
December 14th
Debbie Keltner & Rich Heishman will host a Mexican themed dinner with tacos, enchiladas and dessert
December 21st
Paul Richards will host a Chili and hot dog dinner
Everyone is welcome. The meals will begin at 5:30 followed by the church service at 7:00 pm. Watch the weekly bulletins for menus, sponsors, etc. Thank you so much to all of the groups and individuals who have already volunteered to host meals. We appreciate it so much! If you have any questions, please
contact Christine Fauss at
aunttine01
@gmail.com or 913-645-4003
.
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Financial News
We will present the 2017 budget at a Voter's meeting on December 11
th after the 10:30 am service. The financial report for 2016 through November will be available at that meeting; however, there is some information that we want to report to you now. First, our savings account (emergency fund) is very low. We have been able to pay all of the monthly obligations so far by drawing on our savings. Additionally we have a small balance in the checking account. Right now we are carefully monitoring all income and expenses to ensure that we can close out the remainder of 2016 without borrowing from an emergency line-of-credit. We ask for your continued prayers so that we can meet these obligations.
We also want to remind you that since Christmas Day falls on Sunday this year, the final Church Service for 2016 will be on that day at 10:30 am. There will not be an early service or an evening service on Christmas Day. Additionally we will not have a New Year's Eve service on Saturday December 31st. The Church Office will gladly accept offering or contributions during the final weeks of December from those who are traveling or are otherwise unable to attend.
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It's time to decorate the Church
Each year, Sandy Barsh and volunteers from our congregation work to make the Sanctuary and Church beautiful for Christmas. They put up two Christmas Trees, decorate them, and put other decorations throughout the church.
This year, Sandy would like to decorate on Saturday, December 17th, at 9:00 a.m. She is in need of several individuals to help put the Christmas trees together (this will involve being on a tall ladder). She also needs help with decorating the trees and the rests of the church.
Please consider taking time out of your day on the 17th to help. Contact Sandy Barsh at 837-2997 or 913-548-9588 if you are able to help.
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Christ our Savior is very pleased to announce a Thrivent Action Team and we need you!
Do you have painting or handy person skills? Are you willing to share your time and talents at COS for two to three hours, over one or two Saturday afternoons in December? Then this is the team for you!
On Saturday, December 10th from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
, the Thrivent Action Team will be Painting in the Kindergarten Classroom of the COS Church Basement. The purpose is to paint a couple classroom walls, baseboard trim, and a small bathroom ceiling. All supplies will be provided. The ability to stretch your arms overhead, stand on a ladder, and using painting neatness and accuracy a plus. Come and show off your skills! If we end up having more painters then walls, we will find a few more things inside in need of painting.
On Saturday, December 17th from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
, the Thrivent Action Team will be installing shelves and reassembling the Kindergarten Classroom of the COS Church Basement.
We are in need of several volunteers to help install adjustable shelving in the classroom. We will also need to perform some clean-up, move the furniture back, and re-assemble the classroom.
All volunteers will receive a FREE Thrivent T-SHIRT! Volunteers will know they are helping the Sunday School program, allowing the Kindergartener's back into their own private classroom, and putting smiles on the teachers and kids alike! What a great way to volunteer your time!
For more information regarding these two Thrivent Action Team events, please contact Richard Fauss. (913-219-7107 or [email protected]).
For more information on Thrivent Action teams, please contact
Rich Heishman at 816-896-1981.
Thank you in advance for your help and support!
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Order Your Poinsettias
Each year, members of the congregation purchase Poinsettias to adorn the altar during the week of Christmas. You may begin purchasing your Poinsettias for this year through December 16th. We will not be able to accept any orders after that date. Poinsettias will be $8.00 each.
There will be a display in the narthex of the church with envelopes. Please make checks payable to Sandy Barsh. If you have any questions, please contact Sandy at 837-2997.
Thank you!
Sandy Barsh
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Mark your calendar for the Christmas Craft & Gift Sale
Don't miss the Christmas Craft and Gift Sale on December 9th and 10th. We have crafts people and home business representatives who are eager to help you fill your Christmas list. Browse among crocheted items, machine embroidery, Dixie Belle
™
paint, hand-made cards, Pampered Chef
™
, Mary Kay
™
and Norwex
™
products. We will open from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Friday night December 9th for shopping and hot cider. Saturday the doors will be open from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm with coffee, hot chocolate and more shopping. Bring the kids to shop for a gift for mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, sisters and brothers. Hope to see you at the COS Community Center building.
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Youth Group says "Thank You"
The youth group would like to say "Thank You" to those who participated in Operation Christmas Child for our October/ November Servant Event either by bringing supplies to fill the shoe-boxes or praying for the people packing the boxes, the volunteers who will be collecting, processing, and delivering the gifts, and for the children receiving them - thank you! We exceeded our goal of 25 boxes - we packed 43 boxes, plus we enjoyed some good food with the youth group's Thanksgiving day cook -off competition & fellowship. It definitely put us all in the "Christ"mas spirit!
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No "You"th Group Meeting
Our next meeting will be in January!
We wish you and your family a
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Gerry & Michelle Eickhoff
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Save a Label and help us raise money for our youth group!
The Best Choice Save-A-Label program is an extremely successful program, which helps non-profit organizations raise money. These groups earn $.03 for each Best Choice UPC symbol redeemed. It's easy, we just save the labels of Best Choice products for cash. Be sure to save the UPC portion (proof of purchase). Our youth group will earn $30 in cash for each bundle of 1,000 UPC's sent in. We have a box in the narthex to collect the labels. So please bring in your labels and help us raise some funds!
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