Laurel High School is hosting the Eastern A Band Festival on February 7, 2011. There is a need for housing out of town students who will be attending. 300 students are expected to attend and only rooms for 70 students have been found. 

• Students would stay overnight on February 7th - You would feed them DINNER
• Deliver them to the school in the morning on February 8th - You would feed them BREAKFAST

If you and your family would be able to host one (or more) of these students for the one night, picking up the student at the school and delivering them there the next morning, please give Rhonda Miller a call at 839-3852. 

Happy New Year! Christmas is officially behind us and we're are diving full force into a new year. Today was Epiphany Sunday and with the first Sunday in January, a Communion Sunday as well. While the pews were not overflowing on this frigid Sunday morning, it was still wonderful to see many back after the busyness of the holiday season. 

Announcement/Request: We will be taking down the Christmas decorations on Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. The more bodies we have, the faster it will go. Please consider coming out to help us get the church back to normal. 

Pastor Jones was pleased to announce that we have received enough funds for a new sound system!!! If you've been to church at all in the past few months, you'll know what an incredible blessing this is. We look forward to getting the work done on this, which will be a major benefit for the entire church. 

It will add a great deal to our pre-worship gathering time. In regards to the children and youth of our church, it will be awesome to have and be able to use during Vacation Bible School, the Christmas program, and we will be able to add more contemporary music to our worship, which is a major bonus to the youth and younger families of our church. My only suggestion: Keep an open mind as we find our footing in finding a beautiful balance of the old and the new. Some of the new music out there is phenomenal - if you listen to it with an open heart, it's practically impossible not to be moved. Bring on the change! 

Youth Lock-in: Was a wonderful success. We had ten youth attend the lock-in. It was a wonderful evening of games, food, and lots of laughter. We included a little Q&A session as well, which allowed the youth to ask whatever question floated their fancy. Thanks to Josh (our esteemed Youth Director) for putting it together, Renita (one of our youth's moms) for chaperoning, and Jennifer-who came in for the Q&A session. 

Sunday School News: You might recall that during the month of February in 2010, we made it a great month of caring and sharing. We are in the process of making that happen again. Be on the look-out for our plans, we're in the brainstorming stage now. 

Happy New Year! Wishing you much joy and many blessings in 2011. 

December 19th marks the fourth Sunday in Advent. Our reading/scripture pick from today's Worship Service was: 

      For a child has been born for us, a Son given to us; 
      authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named wonderful counselor, 
     mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 
     His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace 
     for the throne of David and his kingdom. 
     He will establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness
     from this time onward and forevermore. 
     The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this. 
                  -Isaiah 9:6-7

As you light the fourth candle: 

      We light this candle as a symbol of the Prince of Peace. 
      May the visitation of your Holy Spirit, O God, 
      make us ready for the coming of Jesus, our hope and joy...
      O come, O come Emmanuel
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Announcements: 

• Reminder: Tonight we will gather at the church for Christmas Caroling at 4:45 p.m. to carpool. A chili dinner will follow. Most of the caroling will take place indoors, as we will go to the nursing home and other assisted living facilities. All are welcome! 
• The youth will be having a white elephant gift exchange this evening following caroling and dinner. 
• Poinsettias - This year we are inviting members of the congregation to bring a poinsettia to church for the holiday between 12/19 and 12/24. If anyone would like to have theirs shared as a memorial or in honor of anyone, please contact the office by Wednesday, so we can put it in the Christmas Eve bulletin. 
• There will be NO Sunday School on December 26, 2010.
• Christmas Eve Worship Service will be at 7:00 p.m. 
• Our church family was shook with the death of the infant granddaughter/daughter/niece of long-standing members of our church. Please keep this family in your prayers.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Selected Readings from Sunday, December 19, 2010 Worship Service: 

            Micah 5:2-5a
            Luke 1:26-38

I apologize for not getting you your weekly Advent fix the past two weeks, but please remember that you can access all things Advent via the children's website. 

This coming Sunday, December 19, 2010 we will be heading out to the community for Christmas Caroling. Meet at the church at 4:45 p.m. to carpool. Following the caroling there will be a chili dinner to follow. 

The Mitten Tree for Intermountain Home has been set up by the elevator. The mittens, scarves, and hats collected will be sent to the Intermountain Home for their children's store. 

There will be NO SUNDAY SCHOOL on December 26, 2010. 

We hope you have a safe and special Christmas with your family! 

November  28th marks the first day of the 2010 Advent season. Accordingly, the Sunday school handed out wreaths and at-home worship guidelines for the family, and the Advent wreath was up and the first candle lit this morning in church.

First Advent Reading (Isaiah 60:2-3)

For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you, and His glory will appear to you. Nations shall come to your light, and King to the brightness of your dawn. 

Reading during the lighting of the first Advent Candle

We light this first candle as a symbol of Christ our Hope. May the light sent from God shine in our darkness to show us the way to salvation. O come, O come Emmanuel.  
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scripture Readings from the November 28, 2010 Worship Service: 

                      Isaiah 2:1-5
                     Matthew 24: 3-27
                     Luke 17:20-21
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Announcements: 

• Items for the newsletter are due Monday morning (11/29) in the church office - preferably via e-mail, if possible. 
  
• Wednesday, 12/1/10 - Christmas Program Rehearsal from  6:00 - 7:00 p.m. 
• Friday, 12/3/10 - Ruth Circle will meet at the church at 10:00 a.m.  to go to Red Lodge
• Saturday, 12/4/10 - Hanging of the greens! Bring the whole family to help decorate our church for Christmas. There will also be activities for the smaller children in the church basement. *Lunch will be provided* 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (lunch to follow)
• The Community Thanksgiving meal was a huge success with all who attended going home with leftovers. 
• Next Sunday, 12/5/10, is Community Hope Sunday. Please bring your canned food items to church. 
• Dress Rehearsal for the Christmas Program will be on Saturday, 12/11/10 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. We will feed the kids. 
• Sunday, December 12th - CHRISTMAS PROGRAM during church service. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Even with the C-O-L-D weather and terrible roads, the pews were not left to fend for themselves. It was wonderful to see everyone in church today; especially since we were gifted with a baptism and a new member during Worship. We'd like to extend a special welcome the Fischer family, and thank you for allowing us to be your church family!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
REMINDER: The Community Thanksgiving Worship Service is this evening, November 21st at 7:00 p.m. Don't forget, all are welcome to lend their voices to the choir. If you'd like to do so, please arrive at 5:00 p.m. for practice. 

Community Thanksgiving Dinner - There will be a pre-planning meeting held at Our Saviors Lutheran Church on Thursday, November 4, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. The dinner will be held at Our Saviors this year. 

If you're interested in helping or perhaps would just like to learn more, please attend the meeting. It in no way commits you. 

Family Ministries - As listed on the front page, Family Ministries will be collecting food for Thanksgiving dinners to be donated to Community Hope. For more information, please go to the Family Ministries page. 


Administrative Council - There will be an Administrative Council meeting on Monday, November 1, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. 


Daylight Saving Time Ends - Don't forget to set your clocks back next Saturday, 11/6/10 before you go to bed!

Note from website - If ever there is an event or anything that you'd like to see featured on our website, please e-mail Becca.