This season of Advent 2010 we are again waiting, waiting for the birth of the Christ child and waiting for Jesus to return and push back the darkness of this world.
What do you do when you waiting? I know some of us just sit and wait. But there are a few of us who just can’t abide being idle so we plan for such things. Some people have books or magazines with them and they read while they wait. Others who are waiting for something or someone work while they’re waiting.
So, if we think about waiting for Christ to return or for God to reveal his plan to us in that context then we have three options. We can sit quietly waiting or we can pick up our Bibles, either our old well-worn, old faithful one or a new study Bible, and read God’s word for us, or we could be out working for the Lord, doing whatever he has called us to do, while we wait for his return. Or, I guess we have a 4th option, we do a little bit of each.
We could spend time in quiet meditation/contemplation and we could read a prescribed study and we could, also, go out and do the work God has called us to do.
As you wait for what God has planned this coming new year what are you going to do?
The question for all of us is, “What are we going to do with the time God has given us?” Well, good friends, I believe that God has granted us the grace of his good gifts so that we can help others to come to know the love of Jesus as we do.
In this Advent season as we wait may we be blessed with God’s grace so that we are able to share his love with friends, family, neighbors, and those we haven’t been privileged to meet yet.
May you be filled with the joy and peace of Jesus as you wait,
Pastor David
Sunday School Christmas Program
The annual Sunday School Christmas program will be December 19th during worship at 9:00 AM. The title of this year’s program is “Bethlehem – Nothing Ever Happens”. Come and enjoy watching our youth (and adults) perform and sing for us. They will also be performing at Allen House in Atlantic on Dec. 22nd at 7:00 PM.
Fall Party
Wednesday, Oct. 27th Robin Tooley and Jim McDermott hosted a Fall Party
for youth in 7th-12th grade. Fourteen young people attended along with Bobbi McDermott, Chuck & Linda Ploen and Pastor David. They started a Bluefish Bible Study, played games (pumpkin bowling!) and enjoyed good food. Their next meeting will be a bowling party on Wednesday, December 1st (meet at church at 6:45) in Harlan (Atlantic has league bowling on Wed.) along with the Bible Study.
Eli Holtz bobbing for apples in jell-o water at Fall Party. Also in picture: Ty Johnk, Michael Mertz, Robin Tooley and Tori Bruck.
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men!
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
GOOD GUYS FOOD BASKETS
The Food Pantry needs names, addresses, phone #’s & number of people in the family by Dec. 6th for food boxes for people in need. The boxes will need to be picked up by the client on Dec. 18th between 9-10AM at our church. Help is always needed to fill the boxes. Meet at the United Church in Avoca at 7:30 AM on Dec. 18th if you can help.
Thank-you
Thank-you to EVERYONE for making the Fall Supper/Bazaar a success. Teri Abel was
the winner of the drawing for Dixie Schirm’s afghan.
Golden Oldies
The Golden Oldies will be meeting at 12:00 at Peace Haven for lunch. If you are planning on attending please call 784-3709 by Dec. 14th for reservations.
Baptism
On Sunday, Nov. 14th Pastor David baptized Blake Allison Wood, sister of Devin Wood, daughter of Jason and Shannon Wood, granddaughter of Dennis and Connie Jensen. Sponsors for Blake were Samantha and Jolene Jensen, daughters of Dustin and Cindy Jensen and Tory Bruck, daughter of Jay and Kami Bruck. Singing before the baptism were Cindy, Samantha and Jolene Jensen, Kami and Tory Bruck, Julie Nash and Pastor David Krueger.
Walnut’s Angel Tree
Friends, there is an Angel Tree located in the Walnut Public Library where you will find “Angels” decorating a Christmas tree. These “Angels” have gift suggestions written on them for special people in the community who will not be able to experience Christmas like the rest of us without the help of Walnut’s Angels. If you are able and would like to make someone else’s Christmas something special please stop in and pick and “Angel” from the Angel Tree and buy the gift noted on the “Angel.” Then return the numbered item with the “Angel” to the Walnut Communications office in Walnut by December 13th.
Thank you for thinking of others this Christmas season. May God bless you and yours as you have helped to bless others.
Margo Matthies & Linda Ploen
POINSETTIAS
Poinsettias will be placed in the sanctuary in memory of family and friends who have passed on. Please let me know who your poinsettia is in memory of.
January Ushers and Communion Servers
Ushers: Dennis Jensen, Dustin Jensen, Allan & Diana Sievers Communion Servers: Dennis Jensen-chm., Allan Sievers, Linda Ploen, Linda Woltmann. December ushers and communion servers are at bottom of calendar.
The Simple Life
Customized for you whatever your needs
Inside/Outside
Cleaning, cooking, laundry, painting, organizing, errand running
Call Julie Peck 712-249-3461
References/Reasonable Rates
A lot of people like snow. I find It to be an unnecessary freezing Of water-Carl Reiner
January Flowers
January 2 ----- Jo Jane Walter
January 9 ----- Margo Matthies
Session Minutes
November 9, 2010
The session of Walnut First Presbyterian Church met in regular session on November 9, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sunday School south annex. Those in attendance were: Linda Ploen, Dennis Jensen, Robin Tooley, Bonnie Holtz, Linda Krueger, and Jim Tooley. Absent were: Jim and Bobbie McDermott, Val Sievers and Margo Matthies.
Moderator David Krueger opened the meeting with prayer and a reflection on hope, based on scripture from Luke 20:27-33.
The minutes of the October 12th meeting were read and approved.
The treasurer’s report was given and approved.
The pastor’s report was read and approved. Pastor David traveled 92 miles this month. Communion was served to 9 residents at Peace Haven. David will be attending a Transformational coaching training at Calvin Crest on November 16-17 and he will be going with the confirmation classes from Walnut and Avoca on a retreat to Calvin Crest on November 12-13. There is a Presbytery meeting at Westminster in Clarinda on November 20th.
Linda Ploen reported that our church books were reviewed and they were OK. She also read a letter from the Presbytery asking that our elders try to attend more Presbytery meetings.
There were two deaths this month. Tom Fell on October 16th with burial at Layton Twp. Cemetery, and Jeanette Rechtenbach on October 19th. There was no interment at this time.
Stewardship and Mission
Pledge cards were dedicated on Sunday November 7th.
Christian Education
Confirmation will begin on Saturday, December 11 from 8-12 at our church. The class will go on a retreat to Calvin Crest on November 12 & 13. Robin reported that 30 children attended the Harvest party at church and 14 youth and 5 adults attended the youth group gathering. The youth group will be going bowling on December 1st in Harlan. We will meet at the church at 6:45. December 19th will be the Sunday School Christmas program during worship service. Robin will also take the program to Allen House in Atlantic on December 22nd.
Worship
Communion was served to 6 residents at Peace Haven on November 7th. Bobbie McDermott was the serving elder. David served communion to 40 residents at Salem Home in Elk Horn. Advent will begin on November 28th.
Finance and Property
We reviewed the report and quote from Midwest Lighting and Sound. We decided to have them come to explain the quote. David will check with the Neola church to see how much their system cost. Dennis will talk to someone about fixing the leaky faucet in the kitchen, and fixing the light in the round window and our sign out front. We also need to clean gutters and the sidewalk. Jim Tooley reported that he had gotten quotes for cleaning our church carpets. It was moved and 2nd to accept the bid from “Classic Clark” from Atlantic.
New Business
We discussed Christmas gifts for church staff. It was approved to give cash gifts to Sunday School teachers and helpers, Sunday School Superintendent, Janitor, Financial Secretary, Treasurer, and clerk of session, our pianist and choir director, and Pastor David. Linda Ploen will get the candy for the children at church on December 19th. David and Linda will get for our senior members. Perhaps the youth group could put these together and deliver them if we can go Christmas caroling. Next on the agenda was the budget for 2011. We discussed increasing our mission giving. We will review the budget next month.
The meeting was closed with prayer.
Next meeting will be December 14th, 2010 at 7:00.
Linda Ploen
Clerk of Session
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