9:30am Advent 4 Worship with Holy Communion
10:30am Christmas Brunch
11:00am Confirmation Class
CHRISTMAS WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
6:00pm Christmas Eve Candlelight (Candelas)
7:00pm Christmas Eve Candlelight (Westminster)
9:30am Christmas Day Festival (Westminster)
12.26 - NO IN-PERSON WORSHIP SERVICE (The Christmas Day service will be posted online)
A member has informed us that they will match up to $25,000 of any special gifts given to restore our contingency fund by December 31. If you would like to participate with this generous gift, please label your offering as “Matching Fund Gift.” All the donor asks is that, if possible, any donations to the Matching Fund Gift be made above and beyond what you would normally give to support our SVL church and school. Thanks for your generosity! http://svlchurch.com/giving
TEACHERS' CALLS UPDATES
Kayte Gut, SVL's ECE Director & Teacher, has received a Call to be a professor of Early Childhood Education at Martin Luther College.
On Dec 12th, SVL extended our Principal Call to Luke Beilke, currently serving in Sarasota, FL.
DISASTER RELIEF
This last week we saw incredible devastation in the central US and again in the Midwest as the result of many tornadoes. If you'd like to help out those in need, our national church body has an arm called Christian Aid & Relief. They will get resources where they are needed while at the same time partnering with local churches as a base to offer spiritual aid. If you're interested or moved to help, here is the link to provide monetary assistance. In the designation dropdown box click "Disaster Relief." https://community.wels.net/page.aspx?pid=394
WOMEN'S BIBLE CLASS WILL RESUME JANUARY 5 @ 9:00 AM
DISCIPLESHIP 101 CLASS IS THURSDAY (12.23) @ 6:30 PM
Please see the sign-up sheet on the narthex table at the Westminster campus. Hope to see you all there!
RML Christmas Concert
The concert will be held at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Aurora. The concert is free to attend. Doors will open at 6:00pm; pre-service music will begin at 6:30pm.
CALENDARS ARE IN! Please see Cari Ranger for payment and pick-up.
Shepherd of the Valley has a brokerage account that can accept gifts of stocks or mutual funds – As we approach the end of the year you may be thinking about your 2021 tax situation. Donating gifts of stock directly to SVL’s brokerage account can be a win/win situation: If you’ve held stock for over a year and it has appreciated in value, neither you nor SVL has to pay capital gains taxes when the stock is sold. Additionally, you can use the full market value of the stock as the amount of your charitable tax deduction. This is a great advantage compared to you selling the stock, paying the capital gains tax, and donating a smaller amount as a result. The benefits are even greater if you are over 70 ½ years old and are donating the stocks or mutual funds directly to SVL from a traditional IRA. In this case the donation may also be used to meet your Required Minimum Distribution requirement, again with tax benefits for you. If you are interested in this option please consult a tax advisor and work with SVL Treasurer Jim Kelton to arrange the transfer.
Prayer Corner Hebrews 4:16 – Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Please remember to pray this week for:
- Luke Beilke - Deliberating the Call to be SVL's next Principal
- Kayte Gut - Deliberating a Call to be Martin Luther College's ECE Professor
- Pam Weimer - Recovery from wrist surgery
- Jackie Bauer - Needs hot water heater replaced
- Bonnie Schmidt - Recovery from a fall
- Siri Lichte – May need a second surgery on her back
- Kim Huss - Mother's cancer has advanced
- Deb Frey – Her cancer has advanced
- Connie Siebenrock - Recovery from a broken wrist
- Maryellen Sands - recovery from pneumonia
- Ferne Axelson - Recovering from back procedure
- Dave Stuht - neck and back issues
- Brent & Kara Caraway - Brent's mom Marilyn was taken home to heaven
- Pastor B and Kelsey - Pastor's grandma Ruth was taken home to heaven
BIBLE WALK - WEEK 46
MONDAY: GUIDANCE
BIBLE STORY: The Lord Guides His Children (Exodus 13:17-22)
What should our “little voice” say to us? (Isaiah 30:21)
Who has promised to counsel us in everything we do? (Psalm 32:8)
If we follow God’s counsel, where will it lead? (Psalm 73:23,24)
TUESDAY: GOD’S LOVE
BIBLE STORY: God’s Love Again and Again (1 John 4:7-21)
How much did God love the world? (John 3:16)
Whom does the Lord love? (Psalm 146:8)
Why do we love God? (1 John 4:19)
WEDNESDAY’S FAMOUS CHAPTER: Read Ephesians 6.
Discover the armor of God.
THURSDAY: WORK
BIBLE STORY: Daniel Is a Good Worker (Daniel 1)
What does God promise to do with our work? (Deuteronomy 28:12)
What is “the work of God”? (John 6:28,29)
What advice does God give? (2 Thessalonians 3:11,12)
FRIDAY’S PSALM: Read Psalm 62.
Even if we are wealthy, what will we NOT do?