THOUGHTS FOR THE NEW YEAR

The cartoon character, MARVIN is making his New Year's Resolutions:
1. Be more patient with my parents.
2. Be nice to my cousin Megan.
3. Eat my strained broccoli.
4. Sleep through the night.

Then, he looks at his fingers wrapped around a crayon and
thinks: "Man, it's tough to write with your fingers crossed."

"Dear Abby's" `resolutions' column is printed annually just before the New Year.
The following is a summary:

Just for today I will live through this day only.
Just for today I will be happy.
Just for today I will adjust myself to what is. I will face reality. I will change those things
that I can change and accept those things I can not change.
Just for today I will improve my mind. I will not be a mental loafer.
Just for today I will be totally honest. If someone asks me something I don't know, I will
not bluff. I'll simply say, `I don't know.'
Just for today I will do something I've been putting off for a long time.
Just for today, before I speak, I will ask myself, "Is it true: Is it kind?" And if the answer to
either of these is negative, I won't say it.
Just for today I will have a program. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it . . .
Just for today I will have a quiet half-hour to relax alone. During this time I will reflect on
my behavior and will get a better perspective on my life.
Just for today I will be unafraid. I will gather the courage to do what is right and take the
responsibility for my own actions. I will expect nothing from the world, but I will realize
that as I give to the world, the world will give to me.

There are some good and useful thoughts here. From the perspective of Scripture we might add
that we will live each day with an awareness of who we are as God’s children. Martin Luther in
his morning prayer suggested that when we get up in the morning, make the sign of the cross,
and say, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” Then say
the Apostles’ Creed, Lord’s Prayer, and other prayers. This practice is a good reminder of who
we are and whose we are.

Making the sign of the cross (crossing oneself) in the name of the Triune God was for Luther a
reminder of our baptism. At our baptism we were marked with the cross of Christ and made
children of God. Pray each morning for God to use you in His service and that you will be able
to recognize the opportunities He places before you.
 

Our Stewardship for December

Average Attendance: 95
Year to Date: 95
Christmas Eve: 209
Communed: 332
 

GOOD NEWS
As of this writing, all the offerings haven’t been tallied, but December was a very good month. We will finish in good shape and able to fund all of our obligations and mission work.

Thank you for your stewardship and faithfulness.

Christmas Giving Tree 2011 Report

We were given 58 Tags at an estimated “given” price of $25; this equals a donation of $1450.
We also gave some wrapping bows, tissue, bags and $100 in “real” cash.
Thank you for your generosity and warm giving spirit.

Yours in Christ,
Joan Gregory—Chair

LCMS Stewardship Newsletter Article

How did you do with your resolutions for the year 2011? About the same as for other years? Can you even remember what those resolutions were? Why do we struggle so much with resolutions? Is it because they are not realistic? Is it because we try to do it completely on our own without any outside help (even from God)? Failure is one of the biggest disappointments in life. Is it possible to start over successfully?

As we enter into this New Year we have another opportunity to start over. Having the privilege of starting over is one of the things in life that gives us hope and courage as we look to the future. As we take down our 2011 calendars and replace them with 2012 calendars we really can start over.

In Romans 12:12 (NIV) the Holy Spirit gives us some great ingredients for a really good New Year’s resolution. The encouragement is to “be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.” Life would be so sweet if everyone could adopt and live out those three pieces as a New Year’s resolution.

“Be joyful in hope” should be pretty easy for Christians because our hope is in Christ and “that hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” (Romans 5::5 NIV)

“Be patient in affliction” can be considerably more difficult because we do not like affliction. Who of us likes to be mistreated by people who are rude, inconsiderate and downright nasty? Where can we get the strength to be patient in affliction? It takes a giant transformation to behave so nicely when afflicted? Our comfort is that the power to do that does not come from within us, but from outside of us. When we were baptized “we were buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4 NIV) No one in the history of mankind had to deal with as much affliction as Jesus, our Savior! And He did it out of love for us so that we do not have to fear eternal affliction!

“Faithful in prayer” keeps us in touch with God--Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus spent entire nights in prayer with His Father in heaven so that He would have the strength to carry out His mission of dying for sinners so that they might have the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. Prayer is an excellent way to stay in touch with God and His love and power.

How does this threefold resolution make a difference in our lives and the lives of those around us? It does because the Holy Spirit is at work within us to make us more and more the children of God. As children of God we seek to do the same things that give Him such delight. John 3:16 tells us that God delights in loving and giving. God has entrusted us with all of life and life’s resources and desires that we manage them wisely according to His purposes. Loving and giving are at the heart of Christian stewardship.

May God bless us all as His stewards in this New Year of 2012!

THANKS
Our thanks to all who made the Advent and
Christmas seasons special and meaningful.
-to all who put up the tree and wreath and decorated.
-to all who took everything down at the end and cleaned up.
-to all who worked in the kitchen preparing, serving, and cleaning up.
-to the Altar Committee for all their extra work.
-to the choir and musicians who blessed us with their music.
-to Karen Halldorson for organizing the Woman’s Christmas Program and to all who participated and made it so meaningful.
-to those who rang the Salvation Army bell at the Post Office. (some cold days)
-to the Sunday School teachers who put on the program.
Many others worked in a variety of ways.
The result was that we were all blessed. Thank you.

The Guide
Picture a man stumbling along in a heavy fog, completely disoriented. Then, off in the distance, he sees the light of one small lamp. Its glow is sufficient neither to burn off the fog nor to illuminate the obstacles that might be on the ground between the man and that lamp. Still, it is a steadily burning lamp. Something within the man prompts him to believe that if he heads toward it, he will be going in the right direction. That “something” we can call “faith.”

While heading toward the lamp, he finds another lost man whose eyesight is so poor he can’t see the lamp. The first man takes the second by the hand and helps him toward the lamp also. The act of reaching out to another we can call “love.”

And the lamp that draws him? It’s called “hope.”

—The Wired Word (August 7, 2011)

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday
January 22, 2012

“Life Quote”
“The Bible has much to say about God’s concern for the defenseless. And the most defenseless of all people are unborn children. They are speechless to plead their own cause and helpless to protect their own lives. So it is our responsibility to do for them what they cannot do for themselves.” John Stott, English Christian leader and Anglican cleric – from Lutherans For Life www.lutheransforlife.org

A new Flower Chart for 2012 will be posted in the Narthex.
You are welcome to bring flowers, use a florist or share a Sunday.

HIGH SCHOOL – Bible Study and Youth Group
Coming by the end of January (2nd semester) will be a Sunday morning study and the beginnings of a youth group to gather at other times. More information will be coming.

The Annual Meeting of our congregation will be held after worship on January 22 over dessert and coffee.

OFFERING ENVELOPES
The new boxes of envelopes for 2012 are in the preschool room. If there isn’t a box for you, please speak to Maxine Vogt.

EPIPHANY EVENT
January 6 is Epiphany and the end of the twelve days of Christmas. In the Western church it commemorates the coming of the Wise Men.
On that Friday evening we will have a chili dinner with Epiphany devotions and then take down and pack away all the Advent and Christmas decorations at church. It all begins at 5:30 p.m.

GUEST SPEAKER

On Sunday, January 15, the Rev. Ervin Wichner will preach in the morning service and then speak to us over coffee and dessert afterwards. He is a retired pastor who oversees the Intentional Interim Ministry program for the district. He will explain what the congregation’s options are when Pastor Dennis retires, and answer our questions. An intentional interim pastor is one we would contract with for 1-2 years.
He would guide us through this transition and help get us ready to call a full time pastor. Otherwise, we would get a vacancy pastor, probably part-time, and enter into the call process much earlier. This is an informational meeting. In February or March we will need to decide which route to take.

El Buen Pastor Orphanage News
Dear ones,
wonderful news, Grace Lutheran Church in Blaine WA has given $4,117.00 US dollars to help with the new van that our orphanage needs so badly. These monies were gotten thru the Love Loaf program that Grace does every year and this year it was to go to the Amanicer orphanage in Morelia but due to circumstances beyond our control we could not give that orphanage the funds. In the December board meeting it was decided that since the money was earmarked for an orphanage and for kids, it would be sent to help the El Buen Pastor Orphanage with their van purchase which they desperately need. The kids in that orphanage also gave two Concerts with proceeds going towards the van. This money will be a big help for them. God is good!

Sincerely, Hazel Sibillia
President of the Board El Buen Pastor Fund

LCMS World Mission News

This story was shared by Alissa Asmus, who serves as a GEO* missionary in Macau.
“While teaching here, I have paid classes and free classes. The paid classes are to help keep the center running financially so that my job here is possible. My classes have started full swing! I am on my fourth week with most of my students, and it is exciting to keep getting to know them better! The free classes are twice a week, and during these, we teach from the Bible. Tuesday nights are more of a class using the Bible, and Friday nights are more of a Bible Study.
“During some of my paid classes, we recently learned about animals in the rainforest. We learned about the anaconda, the frilled lizard, and the basilisk. The basilisk was the most interesting, though, because it is nicknamed the ‘Jesus Christ Lizard.’

The reason for that is that the basilisk can walk on water.
Teaching about this allowed me to explain the nickname to the kids Jesus Christ walked on water! We were able to talk about God’s awesome power because of a lizard. Isn’t that cool how there are so many ways to bring God into a conversation?
“In the free classes, some fun things have been happening. I made a friend one day while riding in the elevator, and that friend has started coming to the free class. This person is not a Christian, and at first was very hesitant to come because of this, but has come every free class so far! I don’t know what God has in store for this friend, but please pray that God works in His on way to bring this friend of mine to the knowledge and belief of Jesus Christ as Lord and King! What a blessing to be able to share His Gospel with friends!”

Note: GEO missionaries are globally engaged in outreach and serve in locations around the globe for one- to two-year terms

JESUS CHRIST LIZARD
A part of the Iguana family, the Jesus Christ lizard is known so, because of a special ability it has. Upon, seeing danger, the lizard can run on the surface of water at a break neck speed. Also, known as the basilisk, the lizard comes with well equipped with webbed hind legs.

While, their tread upon water surfaces is more of an appearance, it does not usually last for more than 10-20 meters in a stretch, and in the case of older lizards, it's smaller. With very sharp toes and elongated toes, basilisks are seen scurrying around during day time.

Annual meeting promises
inspiration and hope

Please plan to attend Interfaith Coalition’s annual meeting with a friend or two on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1110 14th St. in Bellingham. The program will include first-hand accounts of how the homeless housing and health-care services the coalition supports make a difference in the lives of our neighbors in need. Following the program, you’ll enjoy refreshments and fellowship with Interfaith friends, and when the evening ends, you’ll leave feeling inspired and hopeful.

Cabin Fever NW performs winter benefit for Interfaith Coalition

Enjoy an evening of homegrown music when Cabin Fever NW performs a benefit concert for Interfaith Coalition on Friday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. at the Firehouse Performing Arts Center, 1314 Harris Ave. in Bellingham. Tickets cost $20 each and are available at the door. With banjo and guitar, along with their vocal harmonies, Dianne Wood Bochsler and Tara Caldwell Wolfe, who are Cabin Fever NW, blend musical genres that include folk, bluegrass, pop, alt-country, and blues. The duo won the People’s Choice Award at the 2008 Winter Folk Festival in Florence, Ore.

Happy New Year! The best way to enter into the gift of a new year is to worship the Author of time and eternity.

Sunday School
Merry Christmas!
I hope you are enjoying this blessed season and I would like to encourage you to continue celebrating the birth of the Christ Child all season long. Some people enjoy celebrating Epiphany (King’s Day) January 6th with a party, serving a King’s cake and exchanging gifts. Remembering that the Wisemen or Magi from the east came looking for the Savior following the Star and bearing gifts for him. This is a good way for children to learn about the Wisemen and the word Epiphany. (Bible reading Matthew 2:1-12)

Are you following tradition and making new year resolutions?
Here are a few suggestions you may want to consider:

Going to church more often
Reading the Bible each night before going to bed
Reading Bible stories to the kids every night at bedtime
Praying with the kids every day
Praying at meal times
Going to Bible study and Sunday School on a regular basis

May God bless our church and each member in 2012.
Carolyn Higby

SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN
Recently we gathered items needed by our troops in the field in Afghanistan. Thank you to everyone who bought and donated items. Eight large flat rate boxes totaling 61 pounds were sent. There is a box in the Narthex with a list of needed items.
Thank you once again, and this effort will continue.
Rob and Lenore Onyon’s son, Robert,
is serving over there.