December 22, 2023

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Sunday, December 24, 2023 ~ Christmas Eve

In-Person Worship 

10:30am & 4:00pm

YouTube Livestream at

10:30am & 4:00pm

Click on the links below to watch the YouTube Livestream worship services this Sunday.

Church News

Upcoming Staff Vacation Time

Brenda will be on vacation December 22-26

Pastor Stephanie will be on vacation December 26-January 1

Pastor Jeff will be on vacation December 26-January 3

Karl will be on vacation December 26-January 5

Church offices will be closed on Tuesday, December 26th.

Christmas Dinner This Monday

The church will be closed on Christmas Day but the front entrance doors will be open for those attending dinner at 1pm in the Ministry Center.

The Beautiful Poinsettias Which

Decorate Our Sanctuary Are Given By:

Jim & Rose Ann Parks in honor of Chuck & Virginia Parks

Jim & Rose Ann Parks in honor of Mel & Leona Skoog

Jerry Flam in memory of his wife Mary

Clint & Audrey Faust in honor of Clint’s parents

Clint & Audrey Faust in memory of Audrey’s parents

Ed Anderson in memory of Ed’s parents Harold & Ester

Monte & Marilyn Miller in honor of our 4 children and their families

Barbara Kvernes in memory of Barbara’s parents Lawrence & Margaret Olson

Don & Patti Collier in honor of their family

Marilyn Hein in memory of her husband Bruce

Ted & Nancy Walczak in memory of Stanley & Joanie Walczak

Jim & Denise Holmquist in memory of Jim’s parents and our grandparents

Jim & Denise Holmquist in honor Denise’s parents

Holly Bayer & Richard Warzecha in memory of Judy Bayer & Dom Warzechz

Andy & Dana Cossette in memory of Bob Cossette & Ken Johnson

Erickson family in memory of her husband Dennis

John & Beth Grosen in memory of John’s parents, Knud & Kathy Grosen

Mike & Cindy Setum in memory of Emily & June Setum

Mary & Steve Hahn in honor of their daughters

Barb Sanders in memory of her husband Bob

Poinsettias can still be purchased 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”.

If you paid for a poinsettia and would like to take one home, please feel free to do so after worship this Sunday. 

Guest Pastor on New Year's Eve 10:30am

Sarah Bunge will be our guest pastor on Sunday, December 31st and will lead worship.

Laurie Sanderson will be the pianist.

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.

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.

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. 

Upcoming Services

Sunday, December 24th ~ Christmas Eve

8:30am - No service

10:30am - Advent 4 (livestreamed)

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 (livestreamed)

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 (livestreamed)

Other News & Church Activities

January, February & March 2024

Devotional Books are here!

“The Word in Season” devotional books are available in the narthex. This daily devotional, published quarterly, enriches life with a contemporary message for today's Christian. It reflects on the themes of Sunday's texts with relevant meditations throughout the week.

Room Schedule Located in Narthex

A new room schedule will now be posted on the kiosk in the Narthex next to the monthly calendar to show when & where groups meet and the time. If you'd like a copy you can pick on up from the church office.

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. 

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].

Nordic Walking Group Update

Nordic walking is taking a break during the winter (even though snow hasn't arrived just yet), but the group would still like to get exercise, and will be exploring snow-shoeing once we do get snow. There will not be a definite day scheduled each week but will depend on weather and group interest. If you’d like to be included on the email list, please contact Barb Sanders who is coordinating the group at (763) 559-5990. Watch for more details for snow-shoeing this winter. We will return to Nordic Walking with poles next spring.

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

Church Directory

There's still time to get your picture added to the 2024 directory. Send what you’d like to use to Brenda in the church office at [email protected].

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.

St. Barnabas Spotlight

Save the Date

Rock Around The Clock “A 50’s /60’s Music Review” will be held here at church on January 27th & 28th at 6:30pm.

Tickets are $7.00 and can be purchased at church before the event starts. 

This event will be located in the Ministry Center.

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.

Community Happenings

Donations Needed

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)

Volunteer Opportunities

December Birthdays

Resources & Links

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.

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

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.