November 30 St. Andrew's Day

  Welcome.

We are glad that you have come.  May you be blessed by your time with us. 

News: The Lutheran World Relief Quilting for November was highly productive and each time 
brought us  together in the faith we share.  The hymn "Blest be the Tie that Binds" comes to mind as we visit and sing and pray when we gather and where."we share our mutual woes,  our mutual burdens bear,  and often for each other flows, the sympathizing tear."  This month a phone call came during our quilting time that a sister was entering into emergency surgery for brain aneurysms and the outcome was very unsure.  So everything stopped, for tears and prayers.  Our dear Food Bank friends joined us in this to our great encouragement and blessing.  Also this month another one of our quilters who had not been with us due to surgery was able to visit and work with us for awhile, again to our great encouragement and blessing.   Our Canadian sister in Christ was with us for two Sundays and one Quilting Day,  and much good was accomplished in that time. The light bulbs in the kitchen got changed while she was here with the industry and the height to do it,  the best bran muffins along with other generous dishes were served, more quilts were speedily finished,  new material was given and much love and gratitude were squeezed into that visit.  The support from Canada is a wonder to behold.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Another special things that has happened is that during our prayer time with some of our new quilters we learned of musical talents and we were sung to, with much feeling, both then and on a Sunday morning, with a solo of Amazing Grace. There are 11 very beautiful quilts now done.  The process is helped along by those who bring tops and bottoms all ready to be tied, and also by those who donate batting. The materials we need continue to be provided so generously that it is hard to comprehend the giving that flows to and through us.  The quilting days have been moved around during November to accommodate various needs.  Hopefully in December we will be able to meet on Wednesdays and have our Advent Prayer Service midweek also.  It has been wonderful to watch our group grow, to see so many quilts come together and to also know that we come together for those who need help most.   Please visit the Lutheran World Relief website at lwr.org
to learn more about their work and in which we share. 

 Another thing that is happening on Wednesdays is that the piano at the church is serving in a new ministry,  as the instrument for making a little girl into a pianist.  She wrote a note on Sunday, "Playing piano is good.  I am good."  Highly motivated and inspired by  the sheer desire to learn to play,  this little girl has turned down a road of wonders and taken obliging adults with her. On Wednesday she had her second lesson,  this time with the newly purchased book "Teaching Little Fingers to Play"  which was recommended by the venerable instructor and classical pianist in our congregation.   The book taught the seven year old a song; "Stepping up, Stepping down, Now a Skip".   If you come to church I am sure she will be happy to play it for you and you can learn the delightful little tune and sing along.  

The little girls who are worshiping with us have created many memorable moments.  Last Sunday two of them shared in putting out the candles,  beautifully each taking one in turn and bowing before the altar as they have been taught.  So we become endeared to one another by seeing others learn and share our faith.  We do hope that their mother is not getting lonely during church as the girls sit with other adults of their choice.  "I want to sit with             !" was heard across the room last Sunday morning and "May I call you 'Grandma'? has reached other ears in a whisper.  

  
Reflections: Today being the feast of St Andrew, we remember this disciple as one of the first to follow Jesus.  The color of the day is red, recognizing St.  Andrew's death as a martyr, inspired by the Holy Spirit to give his life for his Lord.  The feast days of the saints are usually observed on the date associated with their death, as these days are, as the ancient church taught,  their true "birth days" into life everlasting.  The Prayer of the Day for festival is; "Almighty God, as the apostle Andrew readily obeyed the call of Christ and followed  him without delay, grant that we, called by your holy Word, may in glad obedience offer ourselves to your service; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen."  The hymn in the Daily Office is "Jesus Calls Us" with its lines about Saint Andrew.  The texts are Ezekiel 3:16-21, Psalm 19:1-6, Romans 10:10-18 and John 1:35-42.   

Advent is set to begin on the closest  Sunday to St. Andrew's Day,  which is also always four Sundays before Christmas.  The color for Advent is blue.  This is a change in the tradition for many of us who lived through royal purple Advents most of our lives, but blue was chosen as the liturgical color of  hope and it has been assigned to the season for many years now.  Advent originated as a time of preparation for Baptism on January 6.   This  year at Lamb of God we are hoping to focus the preaching on beginning a new life in Christ during Advent and thus return in some ways to the more ancient tradition of the season.  Advent also begins the new church year. 
The word "advent" is a latin word and it connotes "coming". In Advent time the Sunday texts focus on God's coming, at the final judgement and also his coming into our world in our flesh and  his coming now,  into our hearts.  

 May it be so,  that God comes to you in this season even as you hear the Word;  " Watch!" 
   
Schedule 



December 2 1st Sunday in Advent  10:30 Worship  with Steve Egland.  Lunch Follows. 
                     We light the first candle for hope. 
December 5  10:00 Lutheran World Relief Quilting
                        3:00 Advent Prayer Service
December 9 2nd Sunday in Advent 10:30  Worship with Althea Sondahl.   Lunch Follows  
                       We light the second candle for peace.
December 12 10:00 Lutheran World Relief Quilting
                       3:00 Advent Prayer Service 
December 16 3rd  Sunday in Advent 10:30 Worship with Steve Egland 
                       We light the third candle for joy.  Pink is the liturgical color for joy.  
                        Possible Christmas Caroling Date 
December 19 10:00 Lutheran World Relief Quilting
December 23  4th Sunday in Advent 10:30 Worship with Althea Sondahl 
                        We light the 4th candle for love.  
                        Possible Guitar Concert with Kenyon and Brad 
                        4:00 Tentative Little Little Christmas Eve Service
                         Dinner Following?
December 30   1st Sunday after Christmas 10:30 Worship with Steve Egland