December 1, 2024
Frist Week of Advent
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Readings and Psalm
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm 25:1-10
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Luke 21:25-36
Advent is about the “coming days.” God’s people have always lived in great expectation, but that expectation finds specific, repeated enunciation in the texts appointed for these four weeks. The ancients anticipated a “righteous Branch to spring up for David.” The Thessalonians awaited “the coming of our Lord Jesus with all the saints.” Jesus’ contemporaries hoped for the time “to stand before the Son of Man.” With them we eagerly await the coming days: another Christmas celebration, a second coming, and the advent of Christ in word and supper.
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Worship Support
Presiding Minister: Pastor Chris Repp
Assisting Minister: Helen Repp
Reader: Dan Lepp
Deacon: Jim Anderson
Cantor: Erica Ancell
Ushers: Brian & Amy Nicely
Greeters: Mary Jo Erickson
Livestreamer: Michael Miller
Sound: Kevin Vail
Music Director: Nicholas Pierle
Organist: Dana Robinson
Flowers: Marlys Scarbrough and Chet Alwes, In Honor of Our Anniversary
For the upcoming Worship Support schedule, see the spreadsheet found here on Google Drive.
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Please Note: If you are wondering about the carpet in the Hall, the Property Committee has been studying options for replacing the damaged area, or the entire Hall. Carpet tiles seem to be the best alternative. Three vendors have been asked for estimates. | |
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Adult Sunday School – New Bonhoeffer Study
For the next four weeks Pastor Repp will lead a new curriculum written by Augsburg College professor Lori Brandt Hale, an expert on Bonhoeffer's life and thought and the recent attempts by Christian Nationalists to co-opt his legacy. Each session is an hour long and includes a presentation, individual exercises, and discussion. Join us in the Hoffmeister Room at 11 a.m. for this timely study.
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Beautifying the Chancel for Christmas at Grace 2024
As we enter Advent, we are looking forward to the celebration of Christmas and the Christmas Eve service. We hope to again beautify the Chancel with poinsettias, Norfolk pines and greens. You may help participate by either giving a donation to the general Christmas flower fund and/or by purchasing a poinsettia or a Norfolk pine tree.
This year you may participate in three different ways:
· Give a donation of $15 or more to the general Christmas flower fund;
· Purchase a poinsettia for $15;
· Purchase a Norfolk pine for $30.
For each donation or the purchase of a plant, you will have the opportunity to make a dedication which will be included in the bulletins on Christmas Eve, on Sunday, December 29th, and in Grace Notes.
Shirley Traugott and Gloria Rainer will be available in the narthex on the Sundays of November 24th, December 1st and December 8th to receive your donations and for you to make your dedications. Please be prepared to pay at the time you sign up with exact money or a check.
The floral display will be in the sanctuary on Christmas Eve, on December 29th and January 5th. You may, however, take home a plant which you purchased any time after the December 24th service. If the temperatures are below freezing, there will be plastic bags available in which to place your plant to protect it from the cold.
Please make checks payable to Grace Lutheran Church, memo Christmas flowers.
We thank you for your participation and support.
If you have any questions, please contact Gloria Rainer.
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Greening of Grace!
Please lend a hand when you can.
We will decorate the Narthex tree after service Dec 15.
On Dec 22, we need all hands on deck, skipper for decorating the sanctuary.
Jan 5, back in the box it goes. Many hands make light work.
Reach out to Claire Vail with questions.
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MESSIAH SING-ALONG
Cap off your Thanksgiving weekend and ring in the Christmas season with Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana (BACH) at their annual Messiah Sing-along on Sunday, December 1st at 4:00pm at the First Baptist Church in Savoy. Join in as we sing portions of Handel's great work - such as "For Unto Us a Child is Born" and the "Hallelujah" chorus - and enjoy listening to outstanding soloists as well. This joyous CU tradition is BACH's gift to the community, and will set the tone for a festive holiday season. All singing abilities are welcome — listeners, too!
Musical scores will be provided and cookies will be served! This is a free event and we hope to see you there!
Click here for more information.
Thanks again for your support of BACH!
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Grace Lutheran Church Christmas Gifts for Children in Foster Care
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) is looking for help to provide Christmas gifts for children in their foster care program. Sign-ups to sponsor a child will be available through
November 17. The suggested donation is approximately $50 per child, and our initial target is to sponsor around 40 children. Any extra money raised will be donated to LSSI to use as needed in the foster care program. There are two ways that you can help:
1. Sign up to sponsor one or more specific children. You'll receive a copy of their wish list(s) and can go shopping yourself for their gifts. Please return the gifts in a gift bag to church on Sunday, November 24 or December 1.
2. Provide a monetary donation, and we'll do the shopping for you! Simply send a check to the church with LSSI in the memo line or contact Brian or Amy Nicely for Paypal/Venmo options.
Thank you for your generosity and help in making this Christmas special for the LSSI foster care children!
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The "TOILET-TREE"
You have heard of the Christmas Tree and the Money Tree. You may even have heard of The Giving Tree. Enter the whimsical play on words; the "Toilet--Tree."
Please join the Social Ministry Team as we collect needed "toiletries" for the Salvation Army's Canteen Run.
From Sunday, December 1st through Sunday, January 5th, we will be collecting TRIAL size (smaller than travel size) donations of toothpaste, shampoo, and hand/body lotion. These items, along with a small bar of soap, will be placed in a plastic sandwich bag and handed out to people in our community without a home.
The Christmas Tree in the narthex will be the drop off spot for your donations of TRIAL Size shampoo, lotion, or toothpaste, OR you can slip a dollar bill or two into one of the small Red Stockings on the tree and the Social Ministry Team will purchase these items, soap, and plastic bags for you. (No checks please. We found this smaller size at Dollar Tree)
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Advent Devotionals in the Narthex
Please choose an Advent Devotional from the narthex that suits you and/or your Family. They are free as a gift from Grace Lutheran. Included are past materials and new selections.
Happy Advent Season!
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Brown Bag Bible Study
Let’s meet for lunch and read the Bible together! Pastor Repp is leading an every-other-week Bible Study on Thursdays over lunch from 12:30-1:30, in the Narthex. We’ve started with Paul’s letter to the Galatians. There is no preparation necessary, but if you want an introduction and overview of Galatians, have a look at this video:
The last Brown Bag Bible Study of the year will be on Thursday, December 12th
Please bring your own lunch. (There is a microwave in the kitchenette if you need to heat anything up.)
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2025 ELCA Truth-Seeking & Truth-Telling Initiative
We will continue our practice of meeting online once a quarter to organize our Indian boarding school work, build relationships, and deepen our understanding about church complicity. Add these dates to your calendar now - then watch for details and a request for RSVP a few weeks prior to each gathering. Thank you for your faithfulness to this work.
Thursday, January 16, 7:00-9:00pm (CST)
Saturday, April 12, 10:00am-12:00n (CDT)
Thursday, July 10, 7:00-9:00pm (CDT)
Saturday, October 25, 10:00am-12:00n (CDT)
Also, please email me with any suggestions you have for the quarterly gatherings - content, process, etc.
Peace,
Liz Andress, Co-lead
lizandress312@gmail.com
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Do You Want To Build a Snow Man?
Or a Santa Claus, or a Christmas Tree? We can teach you how. Stop by the wood carving group on Mondays from 6:45-8:00 in the Narthex kitchenette. (It’s a warm place where we can make a mess that’s easy to clean up.) We can get you started on one of the ornaments in this picture.
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Stitch & Craft
Please join us for the next Stitch & Craft, Friday, December 13th at 7 p.m. We will meet in the Narthex at Grace Lutheran Church. Bring whatever project you would like to work on. We hope to see you there!
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Lutheran Summer Music High School Program
Enrollment for LSM 2025 is open now! Lutheran Summer Music (LSM) is a faith-based residential music academy for high school students who come together to immerse themselves in musical excellence and build a supportive and fun community. Musical experiences include large ensembles (band, choir, orchestra), chamber music, private lessons, and electives like handbells, jazz, musical theatre, composition, conducting, church music and more.
Priority enrollment deadline: December 1. Standard enrollment deadline: March 1.
Learn more at LSMacademy.org.
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Reminder - Meal Train for St. Andrew's Campus Ministry
“No matter how you support St. Andrew's, I am grateful for your support as we care for students and young adults at the University of Illinois!”
-Grace + Peace, Pastor Jon Fry
You can view the Meal Train page at: https://mealtrain.com/4wmkg5 or by clicking here.
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9:30 a.m.: Worship Service (in-person/livestream)
11 a.m.: Adult Sunday School (Hoffmeister Room)
12 p.m.: Women's AA (Hoffmeister Room)
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6:30 p.m.: Wood Carving Group (Kitchenette)
7 p.m.: Bell Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room)
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4:30 p.m.: Executive Committee (Pastor's office)
6 p.m.: Adult Children of Alcoholics (Chapel)
6:30 p.m.: Sweet Adelines (Fellowship Hall)
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7 p.m.: Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room) | | |
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10 a.m.: Food Pantry (Felloewhip Hall) | | |
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Grace Food Pantry Sunday
9:30 a.m.: Worship Service (in-person/livestream)
10:45 a.m.: Property Committee (Chapel)
11 a.m.: Adult Sunday School (Hoffmeister Room)
12 p.m.: Women's AA (Hoffmeister Room)
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Prayer Requests
We have two formal ways of praying for one another at Grace. One is in the Sunday morning worship service, where we pray for people by name in the Prayers of Intercession. They will also be listed in the emailed and printed versions of GraceNotes, but not in the web version. Please send prayer requests for the Sunday-morning prayers to office@glccu.org. You may also submit prayer requests on our website at https://glccu.org/prayer-requests/.
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Using GLC Facilities
Our facilities are available for use by members and by outside groups. If you would like to use any part of the facility, please fill out a Facilities Use Request, found on the web site, and contact Karen in the office to ensure that it is on the calendar, so that the space is ready for you and that you are aware of how to adjust the appropriate thermostat.
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Pastor's Discretionary Fund
The Pastor's Discretionary Fund allows the church to offer financial assistance to people in our community. The office receives requests for help with rent, utilities, and other needs, and your donations make this important work possible!
To donate to this fund, you can give online at https://glccu.org/donate/ or by mailing a check to the church office with "Pastor's Discretionary Fund" in the memo line.
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