Concordia Lutheran Church

Concordia
CONNECTION
In this Issue ...
December 4, 2014
Pastor’s Note, Advent ... pg 1 Kids ... pg 2 Business Administration ... pg 3 Youth Trips, Women’s Retreat ... pg 4
Older Adults, CK Deaf Ministry ... pg 6 New Members ... pg 7
Outbound Ministries, CFNA Pictures ... pg 5
Pastor’s Note
R
hythm is to a human what the color red is
to a St. Louis Cardinals uniform. In other
words, it is inseparable. God created us
with a disposition to repetition. You can see it
in the way we learn to read and write to the way
we begin athletic events. Who could imagine the
Star-Spangled Banner after the game? Or, how
about the day, when after 9/11, we began singing
God Bless America all the time? Rhythm helps us
remember and be reassured.
Advent and the days before Christmas are filled
with repeated words, phrases, images, songs.
They help us remember the great things God has done. They reassure us that
life's constant change is anchored to the changeless grace of God in Jesus
Christ. Take in the rhythm of this season. Through it we know that there is more
to being human than just making it through the next day. Being human is about
being connected to God every moment of every day. I hope these December
days are rich for you in worship and faith in God.
ADVENT MIDWEEK
SERVICES
God with Us in Our Trials
Wednesday, December 10
11:00am - traditional service
with liturgy, organ, and preaching in the Sanctuary
6:30pm - 30-minute devotional
service in the Sanctuary
God with Us in Our Need
Wednesday, December 17
11:00am - traditional service
with liturgy, organ, and preaching in the Sanctuary
6:30pm - 30-minute devotional
service in the Sanctuary
Rev. Dr. Scott Seidler
Senior Pastor
sseidler@CKhome.org
December 14 - Worship Led with Music from The Lutheran High School South Band
8:00, 9:30, and 11:00am in the Concordia Center (no 9:15am worship)
The Lutheran High School South Music Department proudly announces its annual Advent Band Worship Service.
The service of traditional Christmas music will feature the school’s Wind Symphony, Concert Band, and Jazz
Band.
December 21 - The Christmas Cantata
8:00, 9:30, and 11:00am in the Concordia Center (no 9:15am worship)
Our festival choir and children’s choirs, accompanied by a full orchestra, will share a musical service of illumination
filling the Concordia Center with music and light. With Scripture, narration, carols and candles, this compelling
cantata tells the treasured story of Christ’s birth. This is a great opportunity to invite a friend to hear this special
morning of music.
December 24 - Christmas Eve
4:30, 7:00, and 11:00pm
Our 4:30pm service is designed with families in mind. We will involve our children in music, readings, a live Nativity, and close the service with Silent Night sung by candlelight. The 7:00 and 11:00pm services will feature beloved
Christmas carols, preaching, Holy Communion, and will also conclude the evening by candlelight.
December 25 - Christmas Day
10:00am - Concordia’s Sanctuary is filled with festive singing and a special sermon by Rev. Walt Schoedel, our
Pastor Emeritus from 1971-1991.
December 31 - New Year’s Eve
5:00pm - Bring in the New Year with worship that remembers “Our God, Our Help in Ages Past.”
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Kids
My favorite Christmas Eve tradition, as a child, was definitely attending our church’s Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.
The church I grew up in had two Christmas Eve services – with the last one beginning at
11:00pm! When I was old enough to stay up for it, that midnight service was by far my most
treasured time of worship during the Christmas season.
My sisters and I would sing loudly, in three part harmony, all our favorite Christmas hymns,
and then as we raised our candles in praise to the newborn King, “Silent Night, Holy, Night, All is Calm, All is Bright,” it
was almost magical as God wove family and worship and Christmas Eve all together in one night. The memory hangs
around my heart like an heirloom.
This Christmas Eve, Concordia offers so many opportunities for families to worship together, but one service that especially is dear to our heart is the Christmas Eve Family Worship Service at 4:30pm on December 24.
You will experience, that night, a packed house full of children and families and every generation coming together
singing the great Christmas hymns of old … it will be, well, “almost magical.” There will be little ones singing and a
children’s liturgical dance team twisting and leaping to “Joy to the World.” A live Nativity and story banners processing;
ribbons waving and bells chiming, candles being raised collectively giving praise to the newborn King. Join us as you
make your own treasured family memories together.
Below are the beloved hymns we will sing during the Christmas Eve Family Worship Service; you can help your child
learn some of the Christmas songs and hymns that they will hear or will be singing (if you are reading this electronically,
you can click on these links):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Joy to the World
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Away In a Manger
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Adore Him - Kari Jobe
Wonderful, Merciful, Savior
Silent Night
Audrey Duensing-Werner, DCE
Minister to Families
awerner@CKhome.org
Children’s New Year’s Eve Party
Each year Concordia hosts a New Year’s Eve party for children and their
families. This year the party will be on Wednesday, December 31, 5:007:30pm. The evening includes 2015 Countdown challenges, crafts, a special play area for preschool children, face-painting, family trivia with a pizza
dinner, and a magnificent magic show by Circus Kaput! The evening will
end with a special “midnight” celebration. This event
is a perfect opportunity to invite friends and neighbors
for a safe, fun evening. The cost is $5 per person with
a maximum of $25 per family. Children under 2 are
free. Sign up today at CKhome.org/nyeparty.
Adventapalooza
Week 1: Rock
Nativity Sets
Join us Sundays, December 7, 14 and 21 for the
2nd Annual Adventapalooza Sunday School
from 10:45-11:45am. Children, adults, grandparents, everyone will experience the coming
of Jesus in a creative way and watch it unfold
through story, song and a family Advent project.
All ages join us in the Dining Hall.
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Business Administration
Concordia’s 2014 Year-End Offerings Need
Concordia's ministry this year has shown significant growth. Light is shining more brightly in
the darkness because of it. We are approaching some 200 new members in our congregation
and our worship attendance is growing significantly, as well. Thanks to the work of staff and
lay leadership alike, there is a welcome and warm energy at work in this congregation and,
through it, to our community and world (Belize, Uganda, Alaska).
Your financial support this year has sustained the work of God among and through us. Thanks!
As we approach year end, we are looking at a very tight finish to our 2014 ministry race.
Please consider a generous year-end gift to Concordia before December 31. Your intentional,
sacrificial and joyful generosity can help settle accounts for this very successful year of ministry and provide a solid foundation for continued growth in 2015 and beyond.
Consider Donating Stock
Did you know if you donate appreciated stock you will have no capital gains tax to
pay? In addition, your tax-deductible contribution equals the market value of the
stock on the date of the gift. This is a great way to maximize your gifts to ministry
and save you money at the same time. Concordia has an easy process to donate
stock. If interested, contact me.
Remember, You Can Give at Our Giving Kiosk or Online!
Forget your envelope? Visit our Giving Kiosk in the Commons or at CKhome.org
and click on the “Giving” box next to the main picture. The process is simple and
allows for one time or recurring transactions.
Kristin Anderson
Business Administrato
kanderson@CKhome.org
2015 Offering envelopes are available in
the Commons — alphabetical order by last
name.
Stand Up
The prophet Daniel faced unbelievable pressures to compromise his faith, to live in a hostile culture, and to confront
temptations and threats. Today, believers in Jesus Christ face many of these same trials. We are called to STAND UP
in the face of these difficulties.
Daniel’s reaction? To get on his knees. And while on his knees, on the side of the Tigris river, an angel of God appeared and said to him, “Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. STAND
UP, for I have been sent to you. When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling.Then he said, “Don’t be afraid,
Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request
has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.” Daniel 10:11-12
Join us Sunday mornings beginning January 4 from 10:45-11:45am in the Gymnasium for a congregation wide Bible
Study where we dig deeper into the book of Daniel and get on our knees and hear God’s voice speak into our world
today.
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Youth Summer Trips
Alaska — July 1-12, 2015
A group of youth and adults will travel to a small village called TETLIN on the east side of Alaska, 90 miles from the
Canadian border. While there, they will feed many people in the village and lead a Vacation Bible School program for
the children and youth. Concordia has been sending teams of youth and adults to Tetlin for almost 20 years. We are
looking to strengthen that ongoing relationship with the village of Tetlin, as well as model long-term commitment and
relationships for other groups that serve in Alaska.
North Carolina Expedition — July 18-25, 2015
Team-Building Initiatives, Backpacking, and Whitewater Rafting on the Nantahala River. The Slickrock Creek Wilderness in western North Carolina will be our classroom for the week. LeaderTreks Wilderness Trips combine the challenging wilderness environment with our leadership development program to create a trip that is transformational for
students. LeaderTreks is unique from other service organizations because each of their trips are encompassed by four
distinct philosophies that aid in the transformation of students.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Team focused, but individually challenging
Student Led
Experiential
Real Wilderness
This is a very real way for students to see how God has gifted them and start to put it into action in a controlled learning
environment, which prepares them to reach their community more effectively when they return.
For more information on either of these trips, please contact Jayme Nichols, DCE at jnichols@CKhome.org.
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Outbound Ministries
Through your designated offerings (“Outbound” on your
envelope), Concordia supports two cross-cultural ministries; Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA) and
International Student Ministry (ISM).
ISM is an active ministry among international students in
the St. Louis area. English classes, social events, friendship groups and host families gather students together to
offer them greater social support. There are numerous opportunities to share the Christian faith among the people
who participate, many whom have had little exposure to
Jesus Christ in their native land.
CFNA befriends, supports and witnesses to many new
Americans each month. It serves the refugees and immigrants by providing “English as a Second Language”
classes, health-and-welfare screening, tutoring, household items, nurturing and Lutheran educational scholarship support. Through servant events, of which many
Concordia members participate, CFNA connects these
new Americans with the community at large.
Both of these organizations are personally supported
through board participation by members of our own congregation. Pastor Hank Rowold sits on the ISM board. Pastor Allan Buckman serves as Chairperson on the CFNA
board. Your designated donations help them to reach people with the Good News! Be sure to ask them for more
details about these worthy organizations when you greet
them at Concordia.
Over the past years, four students have attended CCLS
(pictured below are the 13 students—total—supported
across the St. Louis area) with support from this scholarship program and contributions from Concordia in Mission. Two of them, Lekator and Lezoghia Member-Meneh,
are now at Lutheran South, and contributing particularly to
South’s athletic teams; both are active in their youth group
at Messiah. A new family just started at CCLS—Edwin
and Thelma Wornor, who are in grades 7 and 2.
For more information on all the Outbound initiatives,
please visit CKhome.org/COM. If you would like to support
cross-cultural ministries at Concordia or any other Outbound ministry, please designate to “Outbound” on your
envelope or online offering.
Quiwonyen Hallowanger
Diana Seo Wulu
Marchello Kaka
Lutheran South - Grade 10 Lutheran North - Grade 10 Grace Chapel - Grade 6
Sujan Basnet
Word of Life - Grade 4
Lezoghia Member-Meneh Spencer Ferguson
Lutheran South - Grade 11 Green Park - Grade 5
John Okine
Leketor Member-Meneh Wayea Hallowanger
Lutheran South - Grade 12 Lutheran South - Grade 10 Grace Chapel - Grade 7
To hear directly from a CFNA family of how their lives were
touched by a Lutheran School, visit vimeo.com/40369949
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Edwin Wornor Thelma Wornor Kiran Basnet Karina Ferguson
CCLS - Grade 7 CCLS - Grade 2 Salem - Grade 1 Green Park - Gr 8
Food Collection for December
In cooperation with our sister congregations, Chapel
of the Cross Lutheran and Grace Lutheran Chapel, we
will be collecting food for the pantries in North County
throughout the month of December. Please designate
the donations for North County and place them by the
Market Basket off of the Lobby.
Belize Informational Meeting
Join us Sunday, December 14, 10:45am, in the Music
Room for more on the Belize Mission Trip; March 1522, 2015 (Spring Break). On the trip, we will participate
in prayer walking, facility maintenance, family nights,
skits, worship and more. All are welcome. Minors must
be accompanied by a parent. Cost is estimated to be
around $2,000 and fundraising opportunities are available. Contact Pastor Billy, bnewell@CKhome.org, for
more information.
Older Adults
W
ell, we did it. We took one of our first steps toward Christmas in the Meggers
household. We cozied up in the living room after Thanksgiving and watched "White
Christmas." And this reminded me of another step toward Christmas at Concordia ... the
annual AOA Christmas Party coming on Thursday, December 18.
Last year, Pastor Billy and I were cast in the roles of Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye to "perform" (in the broadest sense possible) our rendition of the show's "Sisters" number. Good
news for all who love that particular musical: we will not be reprising those roles! And
more good news: staff rehearsals began. Further news: we have no idea what our "show"
directors, Katie Killian and Starla Stoppel, have in store for us. But I do know that we will
have fun. And I do know that in the course of our festive lunch, we will also devote some serious time to the Christmas
Story and its significance for each of us and our families.
And, while we are getting ready for the December Lunch and
Learn, there are cookies being prepared for delivery to our
homebound members. "The cookies are such a treat, but being
remembered by my church means even more." This is a common sentiment from the grateful recipients of these cookie gifts.
I wish you JOY this Advent season as you wait hopefully and
faithfully to celebrate our Lord's first coming. And I wish you
Peace as together we wait watchfully for His return.
In His JOY,
Pastor Meggers
Associate Pastor
dmeggers@CKhome.org
December Lunch and Learn
Our annual Christmas Lunch and
Learn Party will be held on Thursday, December 18, in the Dining Hall at 11:30am. This year’s
theme is “Christmas Is ... Celebrating Christmas
Memories.” Lunch will be catered by The Hawthorne Inn at a cost of $12.50 per person. Special
music will be presented and there may even be a
surprise or two. Those who have attended in the
past know that our staff members usually have a
few Christmas surprises to share! RSVP by December 14 by signing up at our table in the Commons or to Patty Wilson, 314-822-7772. Please
bring a dozen cookies to share. All are welcome!
CK Deaf Ministry
Deaf Bible Study meets 1st & 3rd Sundays, following
9:30am worship ...
Consecration Service for Mark and Debbie Larson, Ministers to
the Deaf at Concordia
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Welcome New Members
The Hartmann Family
Royce, Krista, Jenna & Jared Hartmann have recently moved to St.
Louis. Royce is the new middle school principal at CCLS. In his spare
time, Royce enjoys watching sports, especially soccer. Krista is a realtor with RE/MAX Results. She enjoys singing with the worship team at
Concordia and with the Kantorei which sings for the Bach at the Sem
concert series. Jenna is a Sophomore at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. She is studying Visual Communication Technology and
hopes to get an internship this summer in St. Louis. Jared is a Junior at
Lutheran High School South. He
has played soccer since he was
three and, in recent years, has
traveled with teams to compete
in national tournaments in IL, AL,
NC, Washington DC, and more.
The Hartmann's are thankful for
the kindness that the Concordia
"family" has shown them since
they began attending worship.
Andy and Susan Bryant
Andy and Susan grew up in Arnold, MO, and
graduated from Fox High School. They were
married at Concordia four years ago. Andy is a
family physician at Mercy Hospital and Susan
is a 5th-grade teacher in the Lindbergh School
District. They have a sweet puppy named,
Ozzie, who loves to go on walks. Andy and
Susan are Cardinals fans and attend as many
games as possible, as well as visit other baseball stadiums around the country.
Darrell and Sharon Engle
Both retired, Darrell and Sharon have eight
grandchildren; one granddaughter is an angel.
Family is very important and spending as much
time with the grandchildren is what they truly enjoy. Darrell volunteers at Jefferson Barracks and
loves to fish. Sharon loves to be busy helping
others.
Doug and Sherry Haines
Doug and Sherry reside in Affton. They
have one cat named Ally and a husky/malamute named Zach. Doug is from Clinton,
IA and a former member of Trinity Lutheran Church. Sherry was born in the Philippines, but has lived in St. Louis since she
was three years old. She was a former
member of Gethsemane Lutheran Church
in Lemay, MO. Doug graduated from the
vet tech Institute in 2012, but is now working as a Vet Tech instructor for the Vet
Tech Institute. Sherry graduated in 2012
from Webster University in Photography,
and now works in Admissions for Webster
University, and is a photographer on the
side.
They
were married
at Concordia
back in March
2013, and are
so
excited
to
become
members of
this awesome
Lutheran
community!
David and Sharon Lashley
David and Sharon recently moved to this
area from Crystal City, MO, where they
were active members of Immanuel Luthean Church-Festus. They are both retirees;
David from the U.S. Postal Service and
Sharon from
the State of
Missouri, Division of State
Parks. They
have two children and seven grandchildren.
Interested in Membership? We would love for you to join our church home. Please contact Debbie Davis at
ddavis@CKhome.org or visit CKhome.org/Membership for information on our next orientation.
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