St.

John’s Lutheran Church ELCA

1300 W. Benjamin Avenue
Norfolk, NE 68701
(402) 371-1985
stjohn@cableone.net
www.stjohnsnorfolk.com

Our Mission: Disciples Through God’s Love, Celebrating In Jesus’ name.

SHORT TERM PRAYER CONCERNS AND JOYS:
Carol Ermels Carolyn Wilcox Tom Hagstrom

LONG TERM PRAYER CONCERNS:

Sara Fegley Sullivan Family Rosemary Westerhold
Joann White Susan Hansen Harlin Westerhold
Jo Schaefer Bonnie Hortness Orlo Rath
Darrell & Arlene Polenske Kurt Juracek Mike Wragge
Elvon & Vicki Suhr Betty Low Kenneth & Vendla Wrick
Conner Mitchum Pr. Norm Nelson Kevin Kluver
Lindsay (Brown) and son, River Jordyn (Wiebelhaus) & Brad Irlmeier
Jessica Rossiolis John Konken Roger Peters
Colton Wright Roger Echtenkamp Karen Widhalm
Scott Leader
Mike & Karen Widhalm as they mourn the death of Karen’s brother, Norman Hellbusch
Flowers on the altar this weekend are sponsored by Sara Fegley in gratitude for the many
blessings of Christmas; and by Denny & Lois Braesch thankful for all the blessings of the
Christmas season.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES will be held at 5, 7, and 9 PM on Monday, December 24.

We need you! The Finance Committee is recruiting new members to

help oversee the financial operations of the church and to help guide
the Church Council on matters regarding stewardship of the church’s
financial resources. Committee members meet monthly to review the
financial reports and work closely with pastoral staff and ministry teams to develop an annual
budget, track spending, and deal with financial issues that periodically arise. No formal training is
required...just a willingness to serve. Contact the church office for more information. Thank you!

Worship Services can now be viewed in their entirety on St. John’s facebook page at
www.facebook.com/stjohnsnorfolk
ST. JOHN’S STAFF
The Rev. Randy Rasmussen –Senior Pastor
Jacquie Samway – PMA, Coordinator of Congregational Care
Jolene Ziebell – Coordinator of Youth Ministries
Gail Ermels – Office Manager
Jim Carter – Custodian/Grounds Keeper Midge Hedrick – Office Assistant
 THE WEEK AHEAD OFFERINGS
Mission Emphasis (DEC) ................. Good Neighbors
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16 General offering for 12/16/2018 ...............$6,451.16
8:30 am ........................................................ Worship End of NOV General Fund Deficit ............... ($2,753.45)
Majesty Choir Cantata Year-to-Date General Fund Net Deficit ....... ($6,147.99)
First Communions
Attendance 12/16/2018 ................ 167, 85, 91 (343)
9:45 am…………………….…………………..Fellowship Hour
9:45 am .............................................. Sunday School
Birthday Party for Baby Jesus
11:00 am ...................................................... Worship
Majesty Choir Cantata
First Communions
MONDAY, DECEMBER 17
8:00 am .............................. Good Neighbors Packing
10:00 am ...................................... Friends ChristCare
Pat Monson, 402-371-8803
10:00 am .............................................. Staff Meeting
1:15 pm........................................ Chosen ChristCare
Carol Waggoner, 402-371-7642
8:30 pm..................................................... Solid Rock
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18
9:00 am ........................... Good Neighbors Deliveries
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19
1:30 pm.................................... Searchers ChristCare
Connie Hagstrom, 402-649-4862
2:30 pm.......................... 7th–8th Grade Confirmation
5:00 pm.......................... 7th–8th Grade Confirmation
7:00 pm.............................................. Church Council
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20
7:00 pm...............................Majesty Choir Rehearsal
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22
5:00 pm........................................................ Worship

SHOP FOR MINISTRY

DEC 16 8:30 AM Ken Hansen
11 AM Terri Denkinger
DEC 23 8:30 AM Carol Waggoner
11 AM Lisa Echtenkamp

PRINTED COPIES OF THE NEW DIRECTORY

ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN THE
CHURCH OFFICE.

Thank you for lifting up the following folks in
prayer this week:
John & Robin Erwin
Eugene & Julene Farr
Sara Fegley
Amie Fischer
Chloe, Hayden
Cleora & Don Fisher
Sandy Flege
Wendell & Ethelyn Fossum
Robert & Mary Ann Frady
Mike & Margie Frank
Nathan & Deb Frauendorfer
Chosen ChristCare will again be collecting
money and cookies to be given to the
Madison County Juvenile Detention Center
for Christmas meals. Any additional funds
remaining will be used to purchase a
pingpong table. Monetary donations may be
dropped off at the church office or placed in
the offering plate designated “JDC”. Cookies
can be brought to the office closer to the
pick-up date of Monday, Dec. 24 (no later
than noon). Thank you!
Thank you for being our loyal
volunteers. Best Wishes for a
wonderful holiday and a Happy
New year.
Norfolk Senior Center
Board of Directors & Staff
This is the final opportunity to
order poinsettias for the
Christmas altar area. Please
enclose your check in the
amount of $13 in your offering
envelope marked “poinsettia”
and your flower will be
available for you to pick up after the Christmas
Eve service of your choice. Thank you for adding
to the beauty of the season!
2nd Annual Youth
Fundraiser
Christmas Bake Sale
December 15th and 16th
(before and after all three services)
West Hallway
Let us do your Christmas baking!
If you would like to donate Christmas goodies
to be sold, creative creations can be dropped
at the Office on or after Wednesday, Dec. 12.
Please attach your name to the item.
Needed: Four (4) new Council
Members for January
elections. Please let the office
or a current council member
know if you are interested or
have someone you’d like to
nominate. Also Benefaction Board will need one
new member in 2019. Please prayerfully
consider helping!
ANGEL TREE GIFTS
If you still have a tag from the Angel Tree, please
bring your gift to the Office on Monday. Thank
you all for your support – the Angel Tree has
been a wonderful opportunity to reach into our
community during the holiday season.
 The Norfolk
Men’s Chorus It’s time again for
will be GOOD NEIGHBORS
presenting and we need your help! On Monday.
their Dec. 17. beginning at 8AM, boxes will be
Christmas packed for delivery, which is scheduled for
production Tuesday, Dec. 18 @ 9AM. After all have
“This Little Babe” under the direction of Ron
returned from deliveries on Tuesday, there
Lofgren on SATURDAY, Dec. 22 @ 3 PM at
will be chili and bars/cookies served. This is
the Johnny Carson Theatre. Tickets are $5 in
advance and $6 at the door, and may be a great opportunity for fellowship and it’s
purchased at The Abbey, Companion Animal guaranteed you will leave with a full heart! If
Clinic, Lou’s Thrifty-Way, and from chorus you would like to help, just come to the
members. (This event has been re-scheduled Fellowship Hall on Monday morning and
from Dec. 2.) we’ll put you to work! If you have questions,
please contact Carol Severa @ 402-371-3324.

The NEW 2019 Flower Chart is now hanging

in the west hallway. Thank you all for
sponsoring altar flowers in the past! If you ELCA GOOD GIFTS
would like to remember a special occasion or Each year, Americans
a love one, please add your name to the spend over $300
calendar as soon as possible as dates fill up billion on Christmas
quickly. Thank you for your generous shopping. Imagine
sponsorship! what would happen if
we could redirect that
spending toward the
things that really
matter, like putting
After a long wait, Keagan Sullivan is the
an end to
blessed recipient of a lung transplant. We
hunger. With ELCA Good Gifts, you can do
understand he is doing well, but will be in just that. Choose from more than 50
Texas recovering for several months. At the charitable gifts to give in honor of loved ones
back of the sanctuary are pre-addressed – from goats to water wells, school
envelopes for the Sullivan family. Please uniforms to food for refugees. All of these
take one and send a Christmas card, words of gifts can be given in honor of friends or loved
encouragement, or happy birthday wishes to ones and make great alternatives
mom, Katlinn Sullivan whose birthday is to traditional Christmas gifts. Shop now
December 19. Continue to lift up the Sullivan by visiting ELCA.org/goodgifts or watch for
family in your personal prayers! the “St. John’s window display” in the west
hallway.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15
ADVENT 3
MAJESTY CHOIR CANTATA
5 PM
COUNCIL PERSON OF THE WEEK –
DEL JOHNSON
GREETERS/USHERS – Rod & Shirley Hughes
SOUND – John Skogstoe
ACOLYTE – Maggie Merritt
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16
ADVENT 3
MAJESTY CHOIR CANTATA
8:30 AM
COUNCIL PERSON OF THE WEEK –
DEL JOHNSON
WORSHIP ASSISTANT
BRENDA CARHART
GREETERS – Richard & Leona Pfeifer
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS – Rollie & Linda
Downs, Rick & Diana Uhlir
USHERS – Denny & Lois Braesch
POWERPOINT – Carhart Family
SOUND – John Skogstoe
FELLOWSHIP HOUR – Friends ChristCare
ACOLYTE –Zac Carhart
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16
ADVENT 3
MAJESTY CHOIR CANTATA
11 AM
COUNCIL PERSON OF THE WEEK –
DEL JOHNSON
GREETERS – Kristi Johnson, Jeann Granstra
USHERS – Greg & Sandra Korth, Del Johnson
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS – Jeann Granstra,
Laurel Moore, Kristi Johnson,
Brenda Carhart
POWERPOINT – Rachel Carhart
SOUND – Spencer Dagerman
ACOLYTE –MaKyla Books
LECTIONARY READINGS:
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Isaiah 12:2-6
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22
ADVENT 4
5 PM
COUNCIL PERSON OF THE WEEK –
MARLA MUEHLMEIER
GREETERS/USHERS – Rod & Shirley Hughes
READER -- __________
ACOLYTE – __________
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23
ADVENT 4
8:30 AM
COUNCIL PERSON OF THE WEEK –
MARLA MUEHLMEIER
WORSHIP ASSISTANT
ROLLIE DOWNS
GREETERS – Donna Short, Doris McMahon
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS – Tom & Midge
Hedrick, Maryn Mead, Margie Frank
USHERS – Gayle Short, Jim McMahon
READER – Tom Hedrick
POWERPOINT – Janet Erickson
SOUND – Mark Nelson
FELLOWSHIP HOUR – Vern & Wilma Steinman
ACOLYTE – Ella Weitzenkamp
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23
ADVENT 4
11 AM
COUNCIL PERSON OF THE WEEK –
MARLA MUEHLMEIER
GREETERS – Ken Wragge, Terry Hall
USHERS – Mark Nelson, Echtenkamp Family
READER – Tracy Yost
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS – Lon & Jeanne
Timperley, Jeff & Cathy Erwin
POWERPOINT – Marcus / Adam Echtenkamp
SOUND – Spencer Dagerman
ACOLYTE – Harrison Blum
LECTIONARY READINGS:
Micah 5:2-5a
Luke 1:46b-55
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-55