Amy Grunewald Mattison,
Sunday School coordinator

“Remembering, therefore, his salutary command, his life-giving Passion and death, his glorious resurrection and ascension, and his promise to come again, we give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, not as we ought, but as we are able…”

These words come to us each week as we prepare to break bread together in communion with Christ and with Christians all over the world and with all the saints. But as often as we hear them, they always startle me. Not in the fearful sense as in when your child darts away from you near a street, but in a wonderful jolt that awakens me. Whatever are my worries this moment, there is a much greater life I am invited to live. This life is what God offers us in Christ; it is boundless in love and filled with life, even in death. And for this life, we give thanks not as perfect individuals, but as a family that sometimes fumbles more often than it gets it right.

Those last few words, “not as we ought, but as we are able” also remind me that gratitude for God’s gifts is not easy, but nor are we expected to get it right. At bedtime we ask our children to give God thanks for one thing from their day. Sometimes it is hard to limit it to one thing. Other times, there are a number of grumpy “nothings” before they eventually find some small thing, like food, or air. Like our children, we have good days and bad, rough hours and warmth-filled moments. But God accepts our gratitude as it comes, as we are. Thankfully, we are offered again and again the jolting reminder that we are not alone in our lives, but are formed and found in Christ. This Advent may that reminder come to you and your family often and in new a special ways.

In Christ,
Amy

What’s happened

Communion class

On Saturday, Oct. 29, several families joined Shirley Crary, Sandy Bertics and Pastor John Worzala Dumke to talk about why we celebrate communion, make bread together, and visit the sacristy to learn about how communion is prepared and presented each Sunday. Children went home with a greater appreciation for this weekly remembrance and a freshly baked loaf of wonderful-smelling bread!

Reformation Sunday

On Sunday, Oct. 30, LM celebrated Reformation Day in part by distributing picture storybook bibles to 3-year-olds and NRSV Spark bibles to 2nd and 3rd graders. The picture bibles remain a favorite of children in our Sunday School—many years after they first receive them. The Spark bibles are used in the elementary classes and include probing questions, helpful historical notes and bright stickers to mark favorite passages, difficult passages and memorized verses. Students are encouraged (but not required) to bring their own bible to class so they can personalize them as they study.

Handbells

New this year to the older elementary class is handbell exploration! Guided by Bevi Haimerl, the students are learning how to hold, ring and trill the bells, ring multiple bells at the same time, read bell music and how to make melodies as a choir. They meet during Sunday School hour once a month and some have asked, “Can we play every week?” It is a welcomed addition to the curriculum!

Training Choir

Training Choir Director Ann McDermott leads children ages 5–2nd grade in a weekly gathering to explore music through the introduction to notes, playing rhythm instruments, singing together and musical active games. This group is an amazing introduction to music in general and to choral singing in particular. The children in this group are eager to sing and are almost always still singing when their parents are ready to pick them up! If your child is interested in trying it out, practices are from 4:15–5 pm (or a little after) on Sunday afternoons in the room next to the nursery (which is open during choir for younger children and their parents to play). You need not sign up ahead of time or be able to attend every Sunday to participate, though Ann appreciates knowing whom to expect to see.

What’s happening

Book drive

This December, children are asked to bring a gently-used book or two to donate to our nursery. Books may be put in the offering plate during worship or in the basket by the piano in the gathering room. Children are encouraged to choose books from their collection but may also purchase new books. They need not be church-oriented, just well-loved.

Library collection

Don’t forget! There are 3 areas where you can browse books for your family: the table at the end of the hall by our classrooms, the church library near the Great Room, and the red library cart available in the narthex each Sunday.

Family Pizza & Treats

Sunday, Dec. 18 | 5 pm
LM families are invited to help green the nave at 4:15 pm, and then come downstairs to the Great Room afterward to make pizzas and share in holiday treats at 5 pm. Please bring a pizza topping, salad, and/or your favorite holiday treat to share.

Christmas at LM

This magical time of the year, when we remember the mystery that God gave us his son to be with us always, but came to us first as a child, offers many opportunities to gather and celebrate together.

Christmas Eve
Saturday, Dec. 24 | 5 pm & 11 pm

Christmas Eve Carol Sing
Saturday, Dec. 24 | 10:30 pm

Christmas Day
Sunday Dec. 25 |10:30 am

Third Day Carol Sing
Tuesday, Dec. 27 | 7 pm

What’s gonna happen (with God’s help)

“Welcome!” Singing at baptism

This fall, Bruce created a song to bring us around the theme of “Welcome.” The children have learned it well and on Sunday, Oct. 30, they were happy to share this song around the font before the baptism of their new brother in Christ, Phillip. We hope to share it again soon! In January, the Sunday School will be making a banner to mark the baptisms of children in the congregation. If you would like to participate, please let us know your child(ren)’s baptism date on the sheet in the gathering room.

Family Ministry Task Force

As a result of the master planning our congregation completed last spring, the pastoral leadership along with Suelyn Swiggum suggested the creation of a task force to brainstorm and prioritize issues and programs involving families with children of all ages at LM. This group, chaired by Kirsten Heggeseth, will meet for 6 months and will present its recommendations to the council in March 2017. They have covered topics from changing tables to confirmation classes so far, and still have many topics to discuss before March! If you would like to learn more or have issues you would like to see raised, please talk with one of the task force members. In addition to Kirsten, the task for members are: Pastor John Worzala Dumke, Bill Hunnex, Angela Read, Laura McGuire, Janice Ferguson, Katie Branscomb and Amy Grunewald-Mattison.