Sunday, December 17, 2023 | | |
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In-Person Worship
8:30AM & 10:30AM
YouTube Livestream at 10:30AM
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Click on the link below to watch the YouTube Livestream worship service this Sunday. | |
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Zechariah's Song
Readings:
Psalm 113
Preaching Text: Luke 1:5-13, 57-80
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Upcoming Staff Vacation Time
Pastor Jeff will be on vacation Dec. 26-Jan. 3
Pastor Stephanie will be on vacation Dec. 26-Jan. 1
Brenda will be on vacation Dec. 22-26
Karl will be on vacation Dec. 26-Jan. 5
The church offices will be closed on Christmas day and on December 26th. The front entrance doors will be open on Christmas day for those attending dinner at 1pm.
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Christmas Dinner Sign-up
Ends This Sunday
This Sunday is the last day to sign-up for our Christmas dinner, prepared by Don and Patti Collier, here at church on Christmas Day at 1pm. If you (or you and your significant other) are alone on Christmas Day, we would like to invite you to join us at St. Barnabas. The tentative menu will be ham, potatoes, vegetables, and dessert. There's a sign-up sheet in the Narthex.
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JustGifts Market Charitable Donation Forms
If you haven't turned in your donation form, we will be accepting them through Monday morning, December 18th.
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Christmas Eve Instrumental Group
Andrew Pole would like to pull together church members and guests of all ages to play their instruments about 30 minutes before the 2pm and 4pm Christmas Eve services this year.
Adults and children of all ages and abilities are welcome. The Christmas music he has is relatively easy, so anyone with a couple years of experience playing their instrument and can read music should be fine. All of the parts will be covered by multiple instruments, so no one ever has to play their part alone. Andrew has music for all band and orchestra instruments, as well as for guitar. In addition, there will be one optional practice scheduled in the coming weeks.
If you're interested, reach out to Andrew via email at [email protected]t or text (952) 242-5019 and let him know your name, which service you can attend, what instrument you play, and your email address where he can send music to. There will also be a sign-up sheet in the Narthex.
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E-News & Bulletin Announcements
If you want your small group information, community activities or church news in the weekly Sunday bulletin or weekly E-News, email your
info to Brenda in the church office with all the details by Wednesday morning of the week you want it shared.
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RIP Medical Debt Relief Challenge
St. Barnabas is again partnering this holiday season with Lord of Life Lutheran in Maple Grove, and many other churches in the area, to help support the work of RIP Medical Debt, a national organization working to end medical debt across the US.
For every dollar donated to RIP, they are able to forgive roughly $100 of medical debt for low income families- an incredibly efficient use of resources. For more information on this wonderful cause, check out their website at RIPMedicalDebt.org or talk to Heidi Mandt. Our church goal is to raise $5,000 over the next few weeks to complete our total goal of $10,000. Once we've met that goal, we will get another giving report from RIP. Our last report total was $343,000 forgiven for 433 families! Consider a gift of freedom from medical debt this season!
Donations can be made by writing in “RIP Medical Debt” on our general offering envelopes, or electronically on our website using the RIP Medical Debt button under Online Donations.
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2023 Year End Contributions
If you plan on sending a contribution through the mail, envelopes must be postmarked by December 31st to be counted as 2023 contributions. If giving a contribution in person at church, checks must be dated for 2023. Contributions given in church on Sunday, December 31st need to be noted if they are for 2023 or 2024.
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Upcoming Services
Sunday, December 17th
8:30am - Worship
10:30am - Worship
Thursday, December 21st: 6:30pm - Blue Christmas Service
Sometimes it’s hard to be joyful during the Christmas season. Sometimes we need to take a step back and acknowledge the pain and stress that this time of year can bring. On this day, the longest night of the year, we will gather to acknowledge and honor our struggles, and to hear a gentle message of hope and joy as the days finally begin to grow longer again.
Sunday, December 24th ~ Christmas Eve
8:30am - No service
10:30am - Advent 4
The calendar may say Christmas Eve, but it’s still Advent here until after the 10:30 service. We’ll enjoy a poetic service of Advent Lessons and Carols this morning that will give us a little taste of the Christmas we will experience in the later services that day.
2:00pm - Kid-friendly
This service is designed to be upbeat and interactive, with an engaging, activity-based sermon, lots of movement, and upbeat music. We’d love to involve as many kids in leading as possible.
4:00pm - Festival
We’re pulling out all the stops for this one. The adult choir and brass ensemble will be leading our music, and you’ll experience all the “traditional” elements of a St. Barnabas Christmas.
9:00pm - Contemplative
The lights will be low, the music will be mellow, and we will gently welcome baby Jesus into the world. Our Handbells will also be playing this service.
Sunday, December 31st
8:30am - No service
10:30am - Worship
Guest Pastor Sarah Bunge will lead worship and Laurie Sanderson will lead music on the piano that day.
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Christmas Poinsettias
Poinsettias can be purchased in memory of or in honor of a loved one for $12 each. There’s a
sign-up sheet in the narthex, along with an envelope labeled "Poinsettias". Place cash or check in this envelope or in your regular offering envelope with the designation “flowers”.
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Other News & Church Activities | |
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Choir Christmas Party
December 17, 6pm to 9pm
Jeanette and Randy Wedin are excited to host this year's Choir Christmas party at their house!! They have created a google doc for the potluck signup in an attempt to avoid having everyone bring the same thing.
If you're in the choir, check your email for party details and location.
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New Book Group
Another Sunday morning Book Group will be forming in January to read Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians by Austen Hartke. The first group learned so much from this experience that they wanted others to have a chance to read the book in community. If you are curious, or even confused, about the changing language of gender identity, and want to learn how God calls us to love our neighbors, no matter their pronouns, sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.
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Beacon Housing initiatives
Welcome to all Beacon Housing supporters who want to learn more about Housing initiatives in 2024. Whether you are new or an existing supporter, this will be an interesting and energizing event.
Beacon Congregational Convening – 1/18/24 at Richfield United Methodist Church from 6:30pm - 8:30pm (Zoom option available).
Join hundreds of Beacon community members to celebrate the impact of our advocacy and organizing power. We’ll ground ourselves in the urgency of the current housing crisis, explore Beacon’s proposed interventions and legislative campaigns in 2024, and identify actions we can take to increase access to deeply affordable housing. We’ll hear from Beacon’s CEO, Chris LaTondresse, and other housing champions. Plus, we’ll spend time in assembly and workshops that will equip us to build the power we need to meet this moment.
Sign up at this link: https://www.beaconinterfaith.org/event/congregational-convening-1-18-24/. If you would like to carpool, please contact Cindy Dogan at [email protected].
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Lutefisk & Meatball Dinner
Saturday, January 20 at 12 Noon
First Lutheran Church Columbia Heights.
Cost is $23 per person
There's a sign-up sheet in the Narthex. Deadline to sign up is Sunday, December 18th. Contact Sandra Halvorson with questions (612) 387-8412
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Church Directory
Get Your Picture Taken This Sunday
It's time again to update our church directory. If you’re missing a picture and would like one added or you’d like your current picture updated, send what you’d like to use to Brenda in the church office at [email protected]. If you'd like us to take your picture here at church, stop in during office hours or one of the pastors can take your picture before or after worship. If you have a new mailing address, a new email address, have added a mobile number or changed an existing number in the past 12 months, let Brenda know of the changes. Also, let Brenda know if you no longer attend St. Barnabas and would like to be removed from the directory. Deadline for submissions is December 31st.
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St. Barnabas Hosted Synod Pastor Gathering | |
Sunday School Christmas Program | |
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December "Gift of Love"
ELCA World Hunger
More than 820 million people - that's about 11 percent of people in our world today - are hungry. As members of the ELCA, we are called to respond. We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work. Working with and through our congregations in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Lutheran churches overseas and other partners, ELCA World Hunger is uniquely positioned to reach communities in need. From health clinics to microloans, water wells to animal husbandry, community meals to advocacy, your gifts to ELCA World Hunger make it possible for the ELCA to respond, supporting sustainable solutions that get at the root causes of hunger and poverty.
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IOCP Food Shelf Most Needed Items:
Brand Name Cereal
Hearty Soup
Healthy Snacks (e.g. popcorn, crackers, granola bars)
Healthy Beverages (e.g. sparkling water, tea, juice boxes)
Paper Grocery Bags (These are expensive to purchase and offer you an opportunity to recycle the bags you don’t need.)
Good News Prison Ministry:
Needs clothing donations for people who are being released. Sweat pants (sizes S-XXL), hoodies, sweatshirts, shirts (sizes L-XXL), winter coats (sizes XL-XXL)
Jonathan House (housing for asylum-seekers): Needed by Dec. 15th
Toilet paper (72 rolls), paper towels (36 rolls), Kleenex (12 boxes), printer paper (2 reams), 4-gallon trash bags (4 boxes)
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We are looking for a new Accounts Payable accountant to begin ASAP. Carolyn will aid with the transition during the month of December. The unpaid, volunteer position takes 2-3 hours a week in the St. Barnabas office with very flexible hours and time off. There is a complete job description available. Please contact Brenda in the church office or Bill Welshons at [email protected] or 763-412-5030 if you are interested.
To view the Accounts Payable Accountant Responsibilities click here
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Want something in the E-News?
Do you want your small group information, community activities or church news in the
weekly E-News? Please email your articles to Brenda Ericson with all the details by Wednesday morning of the week you want it shared.
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Church Council Minutes
Copies of the minutes are available in the narthex. They are also located on our website.
If you'd like to be added to the email list, call the church office at 763-553-1239
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Bulletin Delivery
Want a Bulletin Delivered? For those who are not able to access the worship video, some of our BeFrienders will deliver printed copies of the bulletin on Friday's or Saturday's.
If you'd like to have a Bulletin dropped off, you can call the church office at
763-553-1239.
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