Weekly E-Newsletter: Friday Notes
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2020 Annual Report
March 2020
January 2020
News from the Smiths
December 2019
November 2019
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August 2019
2019 Session minutes
The 2018 Annual Report
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
Rebuilding the church and families in Russia – Spring 2019 Mission Crossroads Article – Ellen Smith
Mission Connections – letter from Al and Ellen Smith
News letter from Al and Ellen Smith
Church Calendar
SPC Worship Schedule
Morning Prayer, 9:30 am CT live-streamed on Facebook, available on YoutTube channel. You do not need a Facebook or YouTube account to watch the live service, nor access the video afterward Join us at the Southminster campus at 10:00 am for our in-person service:
Masks are optional but recommended at this time for those vaccinated. We ask that people still honor physical distancing while gathered indoors, as well as those who continue to mask for multiple reasons. We are back in the Sanctuary! 10:00 AM Sundays Fellowship following. We also need producers! Chuck will be leading a class in September on how to broadcast the services on Sunday morning as a producer (it is easy, and he has a checklist). If you are interested, connect with Chuck Heinzelman or Pastor Christian by replying to this email.
- Sunday, Nov 28, First Sunday of Advent Morning Prayer. Make sure to check your email for your Christian Formation resources focusing around the Advent season
- Sunday, Dec 5, Morning Prayer with Holy Communion
- Sundays, Dec 12, 19, Morning Prayer
- Friday, Dec 24, Christmas Eve Holy Communion
- Sunday, Dec 26, Lessons and Carols
Change in Worship Time
The Session discussed the recommendation from the Worship Ministry Team, which was supported by the Deacons, to move the Sunday worship time from 9:30 am to 10 am. Pastor Christian shared the data from the Survey Monkey poll sent out to the congregation, which showed 77% of those who participate in the poll supported the time change. Elder John Clausz shared similar support from worship attenders. After considerable deliberation, the Session unanimously passed the following change and plan:
- Beginning on Sunday, November 7th, Sunday worship time will move to 10 am. This will be in effect until Sunday, January 2, 2022.
- There will be coffee (only) available in Nelson Hall for those who desire to gather for fellowship, prayer, or cafe bible study at 9:30 am on Sundays.
- There will be coffee and treats available in Nelson Hall for fellowship time after Sunday worship, at 11 am.
- The session will re-assess the time change at its December meeting.
- Session requests members to live into the new time for a while. Members may provide feedback to all the Elders by emailing Pastor Christian. A feedback form will be available online in early December.
Wednesday, December 8 AND Wednesday, December 22 6:30 pm Vespers, also called Evening Prayer, takes place in Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, and Reformed traditions, giving thanks for the day and making an evening sacrifice of praise to God. Holden Evening Prayer was written by Marty Haugen during the winter of 1986, while he was at Holden Village, a Lutheran retreat center, in the North Cascade mountains of Washington state. It is an exquisite setting of the Evening Prayer, featuring congregational singing, soloists, and instrumental music. During the introspective season of Advent, as light leaves the physical world, take an evening to prepare to welcome the Light of the World. Rumor is that we may have one of the top sopranos in Milwaukee as our evensong leader.
Volunteers needed
Each week, on Thursdays, the Southminster campus is the location for Feeding America and SEWIESG Community Choice Pop-Up Food Pantry. This vital community resource is currently providing over 7,000 pounds of food per week to families in our community.
However, this resource does not function without the help of volunteers.Can YOU spare some of your time to help once… occasionally…. or weekly???
There are multiple ways to get involved:Click Here to check out available opportunities and sign up.
Southminster Blessings Box
The Blessing Box has been installed at the Southminster Church Campus, right at the entry to the car park. If you have the ability, and would like to contribute, you can stop by the church to place any items inside to share with the community.
The Blessing Box has been installed at the Southminster Church Campus, right at the entry to the car park. If you have the ability, and would like to contribute, you can stop by the church to place any items inside to share with the community.
As the seasons change so do the offerings in our Blessings Box. Please do not include any cans or glass containers or items that would be affected by freezing and warming temperatures. Since the initiation of the Thursday pantry, we have focused our items in the Blessings Box on items that will appeal to kids as they walk to and from the school bus and the park.
Popular items are flavored water or juice pouches, yogurt pouches, granola bars, trail mix, small size candy, and chips–the kinds of snacks kids might eat in or after school. Please no raisins or cereal. Judy Johnson encountered a Grandmother when she was filling the box who told her she like to get a couple of items that she couldn’t afford for when her grandchildren visited. As it gets colder, mittens, gloves, hats, lip balm might also be appreciated.
Advent Study Group
At Christmas, God came into our ordinary world in the form of a child, and still today, God is at work through the ordinary stuff of life, if we train our eyes to see. Advent in Plain Sight draws readers’ attention to ten ordinary objects that appear in the biblical narratives of messianic prophesy and incarnation. Through focusing on these objects, we can see the near kingdom of heaven on earth and ponder what that divine proximity enables and asks us to do and be.
THE BOOKS HAVE ARRIVED!!! “Advent in Plain Sight: A Devotion Through Ten Objects” These devotions are designed to be used through Advent with readings for each day, but there are also questions for small discussion either before or after church over coffee in Nelson Hall. If you missed the sign-up to receive a book and would still like to participate, you can visit Amazon and request a copy today (Kindle or paperback), or reach out to Pastor Christian to see if there are any extra copies available! Click here to visit amazon now
More information will be sent out by email, and included in the weekly bulletin. Join the group and discover what Advent in Plain Sight is all about!
Get Involved Opportunity: Whittier School Readers Café
Whittier Elementary School has been a SPC mission partner since October 2007 where Readers Café being the anchor activity. Readers Café is a lunchtime read-aloud program that pairs 2nd grade students with adult volunteers. Reading partners get to know the student’s interests and abilities through conversation. They encourage a child’s interest in reading, and they model reading for pleasure. The 2021/22 edition of Readers Café, Semester #1 starts October 19-December 14 @ 11:30am-12:10pm. Volunteers are still needed. Please consider participating in this wonderful program that is so valuable to the kids as well as the adult volunteers. Please contact Brian Falk @ #262-363-3488 or brian.falk@zurichna.com if you have questions or if you have an interest in volunteering.
Scam Text Messages
Pastor Christian’s identity is being used for a text message scam. Disregard any text message from any phone number that claims to be “the Rev. Dr. Christian Boyd”. This is a prevalent scam that tries to get people to buy untraceable gift cards, per news reports over the last few years. Do not respond to the text, and do not buy any gift cards. As Pastor Christian notes, he will never ask for gift card donations for any cause by email or text; he has one mobile phone (618-292-8583); and the fraudster committed multiple errors with his name (never use to abbreviates next to each other, missing the middle initial, and if he knows you, he would not be that formal). We have also received a message from the Presbytery indicating that another text message scam is being sent out using Rachel Yates information. Please do not respond to this– it is not legitimate!
Christian Formation
We begin this new year with a key aspect of being a disciple: Following Jesus. Each Sunday, Stephanie will send out an email to the congregation filled with opportunities and resources to delve into the theme and practice of the module. We will also be integrating the themes and practices into the various worship and activities of Southminster. **Don’t forget to check your email on Sunday mornings to receive the weeks study material and lessons**
**Life after Loss Support Group**
For the safety and protection and in response to the recommendation of social distancing, this group is currently on hold from meeting in person. We will provide updates here as we navigate through these times.
On Saturday January 11th, 2020, we will launch a Life after Loss Support Group that will offer us the opportunity to listen to and support one another; to love one another as God has loved us. The group will be coordinated by Jim O’Dell and Edee Rolli.
We will welcome those who have experienced any kind of loss:
the loss of a loved one; the loss of a job; the end of a friendship, relationship or marriage; a missed opportunity – where a door was closed, and no window opened.
The first meeting of the Life after Loss Support Group will be held at Edee’s home on Sat. Jan. 11th at 1:30 p.m.
Please contact Jim O’Dell or Edee Rolli if you are interested.
