Saint Paul Lutheran Church and School

The Sword December 2012

750 W Keady Ct., Roseburg, OR 97471

541 – 673-7212 www.stpaulroseburg.org

As we approach Christmas this year, I am thinking about the song that we are going to sing on Christmas Eve: O Holy Night.

Specifically, I am thinking about the miraculous person and event that occurred on that holy night when our King, Savior, Lord,

God, and Christ was born into this world. He gives us life, makes all the difference, brings renewal, and will restore all things in

the end.

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining.

Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!

O night divine, the night when Christ was born;

O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Your Partner in the

Gospel,

Pastor Andrew

Visit our website for pictures and updates on all church activities

www.stpaulroseburg.org

you can also find a list of recommended book readings and download Pastors

sermons

Inside this issue: School News………………………......2

Thrivent News…………………………2

LWML………………………………………3

Community Outreach………………3

Care Ministry…………………………..3

Mite Sock Sunday……………………4

Youth Group Update………………4

Growth Groups…….………….….….5

December Celebrations…..…......6

The Children will be singing for the congregation

on Sunday December 16th

BIBLE BOOK CLUB The next meeting of the Bible Book Club is

Thursday, December 6, 7 PM at my home,

431 Old Garden Valley Road. We will

cover the Old Testament book of 2nd

Samuel and the New Testament book of 1st

Corinthians. We use Today's Light

Devotional Bible which is a 2 year journey

through the Bible.

All women are invited to come!

Call Barb at 541-672-6302.

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Saint Paul Lutheran School News

St. Paul Lutheran School is excited about our Christmas program which

will be held on Thursday, December 20 at 6:30 p.m. at Umpqua Community

College’s Jacoby Auditorium. The children have been working hard to learn the

songs and speaking parts for “CHRIST in Christmas Around the World”. God

has blessed our school and we are looking forward to sharing our love for Jesus

with the community through Bible verses and songs.

During our weekly chapel services where Pastor Andrew has a message

for the students, the children have been bringing their offering money or cans of

food to the UCAN pantry.

Parents enjoyed our Thanksgiving program and feast in November, as

well as conferences for our elementary students.

I would like to wish each of you a very merry Christmas and God’s blessings

to you and your family this holiday season and in the new year!

Christmas Vacation Child Care Available December 26-December 28 and January 2-

January 4. If interested, please contact Mrs. Yvette True at 673-7212

God's blessings to each of you! Sincerely, Gwen Crane, Principal

THRIVENT NEWS

Beginning in January 2013, Thrivent members will need to direct their "Choice Dollars" as they become available for

distribution. Thrivent will NO LONGER direct them automatically. I would encourage you to continue to direct your "Choice Dollars" to the school where they are used to help with tuition

assistance OR to the church where they will be used to provide upgrades to Timothy House. Timothy House is a busy place these days. Did you know that three different growth groups are using the facility to study God's Word and reach out with the love of

Jesus? Those growth groups include: Teens, young families and a women’s Christian Book Study group.

One of the upgrades would be the floor covering that is in need of replacement If you would like to learn more about Thrivent Financial, please see our Thrivent Representative Helen Hanson

Watch the Sunday bulletin for the Date and Time for the Christmas Tree Decorating Party!. Everyone is

invited; bring a favorite Christmas cookie or snack to share. Let’s make it a time for Fellowship and decking out the halls!

LABELS TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL Campbell Soup Labels and General Mills Box Tops for Education are two ways you can contribute to our school. A big thank you to all who have been contributing in this way, If you are willing to collect these items for us you can put them in Dorothy Chubbuck’s mailbox.

Dorothy wants to remind everyone to make sure you clip the complete label which includes the UPC

Dates to remember: PTO 5:30 pm December 6

School Ministry Team 8:30 am December 9

Children Sing in Church 10:00 am December 16

during Worship Service

Christmas Program 6.30 pm December 20

at Umpqua Community College Jacoby Auditorium

School Christmas Break from December 24-

January 6

Parents and Grandparents:

Please consider giving the gift of

learning to friends and family! We

have openings in our morning and

afternoon pre-schools and children

can start at any time.

Page 3

LWML News Barbara Campbell, President

Advent Greetings from St. Paul LWML (Lutheran Women in Mission):

A huge, huge “thank you” to all the wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ who helped with our annual “Turkey Dinner.”

Especially to those who worked on our “kitchen crew”. I hope you all had as much fun as we did. It was great fun and resulted in a

freewill offering of $694.00, in addition to a great meal!

May God bless your Christmas celebrations with His abiding love.

Barb Campbell, LWML President

Lutheran Women’s Missionary League Financial Report

July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012 Distributed about $4,000

At St. Paul: Vacation Bible School Good News About Jesus Child Care for a Young Family Growth Group Friday morning Quilters Chairs for St. Paul School classrooms Distributed Funds: Locally: Hope Pregnancy Center Camp Millennium Children’s Cancer Camp Fish Food Pantry Roseburg Rescue Mission UCAN Food Pantry Nationally: Focus on the Family Ministry LCMS World Relief for disasters within the USA Internationally: LCMS World Mission to Danielle Putnam, Dominican Republic, Handicapped children

We invite our church family to join us in our annual “Cookie Tin Sale”

at our Children’s Christmas program. If you would like to provide

cookies to “stuff” the tins, please have them here by 9:00 a.m. on

December 19. We will be filling the tins that morning; if you would

like to help with that task, join us at 9:00 a.m.

The filled tins will be offered for sale the evening of December 20

before, during intermission and after the program. Proceeds from

sales go to missions and school projects.

Ladies of all ages are invited to our LWML Christmas Celebration on Thursday, December 13 at 7:00 p.m. Come help us celebrate this

wonderful time of the year! Bring a White Elephant gift to exchange. Event is hosted by Fran Mueller & Vicky Kuester and St. Paul LWML

Michele Torvik, Director

Volunteer Opportunity:

The Day of Sharing is Friday December 7 from 10am to 2pm in St. Joseph’s school gym. This annual event is organized by the Douglas

County Housing and Homeless Coalition and is an opportunity for low income and homeless people to get warm winter clothing, blankets

and sleeping bags, a hot meal, toiletries, and information about services available in the area.

Volunteers are needed to help sort and organize donations, set-up for the event, serve food and assist during the event, and clean-up. If you

are interested see the sign-up sheet outside the church office.

Lynn Mathweg, Director

A reminder for our members to think of our homebound as they send out their Christmas greeting to family and friends. I know

our homebound would appreciate being remembered not only during the year but especially as we as a church family remember our

Savior’s birth.

A special thank you from our homebound members to Barb and Arnie Egli, Fran and Bob Mueller, Joyce and Bob Aldrich, Art

and Judy Adams and Irene Jones for delivering turkey dinners to them after our turkey dinner. Irene Jones also included the Roseburg

Mission. For those of you who included Nellie Nehring with birthday greeting on her 100th birthday a heartfelt thank you.

If you have questions or concerns please contact Lynn Mathweg at 541 672-8694

Pearl Kruusi is the director of the Prayer Chain.

If you have a prayer request please contact Pearl at 541 679-0564

Advent Services will be held at 6:00pm on

Wednesday, December 5th

and on Wednesday

December 12th

@ 6:00pm.

Mite Sock Sunday is coming on December 2, 2012 As promised in last month’s Mite Sock article, an update of the Oregon District LWML Mission Grants for 2012-2014 and the national

LWML Mission Grants for 2011-2013 are included here. Adding your mites, dollar bills or checks to this effort make the marvelous

work of our Lord far reaching. Please notice that the Oregon District mission grant goal is 40% met and that grant biennium began in

summer 2012. Also notice that the national mission grant goal is 60% met (as of August 2012) and that grant biennium began in

summer 2011. If the grant goals are exceeded, additional mission work can be accomplished. Please join in the effort so the work of

our Savior can reach the ends of the earth.

Pastor Andrew’s sermons air every Tuesday at 12:40 pm on KGRV radio

700 AM and can be downloaded anytime from our website. CDs are also

available from the church office

Don’t forget to bring your Mite Socks on Sunday

December 2nd

Youth Group Update

The youth group wishes to thank all the wonderful bakers who contributed delicious desserts to the bake sale Nov. 18th. We also thank

the congregation for their generosity donating $800 towards our costs for traveling to the National Youth Gathering next summer in Texas.

Youth Members: Remember we have just two meetings in December, Wednesdays Dec. 5th and 12th. The 12th will be our

Christmas party. See you at the Timothy!

Thank You!

Page 5

St. Paul Lutheran Church - Growth Groups Multi-Aged Bible Class

A class that reads and discusses different sections of the Bible together.

Meets Sundays and 8:45 AM, all year long in the Fellowship Hall at St. Paul Lutheran Church’s building.

Single and Couples (childcare available)

A group open to all that discusses the sermon text from Sunday in more detail and how to approach

application in their own lives.

Meets every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM from Fall to Spring in Timothy House next to the

Church and School.

For information contact Pastor Andrew Farhat at pastor.andrew@stpaulroseburg.org

Multi-Age

Del Rio Group is open to all and meets every Monday at 7 PM to apply the sermon from Sunday in more detail.

Call Mike at 541-673-2110 for more information.

Sutherlin Group is open to all and meets every Thursdays at 6:30 PM.

Call Kyle at 541-459-2385 for more information

West Harvard Group is a group open to all and meets every Tuesday at 1:30 PM.

Call Glenn at 541-957-0947 for more information.

Men’s Multi-Age

McMennamins Group

A group that discusses Scripture based books that are related to the meaning and application of the Bible in

one’s life.

Meets every 3rd Friday at McMennamins in Roseburg, call Dave at 541-914-0729 for more information.

Women’s Multi-Age

Garden Valley Group, Women of God’s word growing in the knowledge of God.

Open to all women. Currently reading through the Life Light Bible.

Meets the first Thursday of the month at 7 PM. Call Barbara at 541-672-6302 for more information.

Winchester (North Roseburg) Group

Through our weekly Bible study, we will be drawn closer to God; through fellowship, we will be a blessing to

one another; by giving of our time and talents, we will make a difference to others in our community.

Meets every Thursday at 9:30 AM. Call Elaine at 541-672-0477 for more information.

Christian Book Study- This group gives women a chance to get together and read Christian based books.

Then using scripture find practical ways to apply these lessons to everyday life.

Meets once a month. Call Sherri at 541-863-9750 for time and place.

Teens Group

A group of teenagers seeking fellowship and relevant application of the Bible in their lives. Once students

finish confirmation class they are encouraged and expected to get connected with this group.

Meets every Wednesday at 6:30 PM in Timothy House. Contact Dave at 541-580-3900 for more

information.

Children’s Church

Classes for children ages 3-10 to learn about the Bible.

Sundays during the regular sermon. Meets in the educational wing just past the elevator.

Confirmation

A group open to 5th- 8th grade students who want to learn the major doctrines of the Christian faith in

preparation for receiving their first communion.

Page 6

Gary Wilfong

Aysha True

David Larecy

Ralph Jaeger

Glen Pederson

MaryLou Carroll

Marjorie Derr

Vicky Kuester

Derek Simmons

Maureen Merrifield

Michael Brosius

Denny Napier

Addison Weckerle

Emanuel Skarlatos

Shirley Triber

Allessondra Belloir

Amanda Hunt

Sinah Pederson

Jeffrey Nelson

Todd Hinrichs

Jack Bass

Marilyn Makela

Thomas Murray

Gene Kemp

Meet with Pastor Andrew on

Wednesdays

in the sanctuary at 4:00 PM for a

time of dedicated prayer

for our church and school

If we have missed your birthday

or anniversary

Please contact the Church office.

We may not have your

information in our computer.

December 4

December 5

December 6

December 7

December 8

December 12

December 15

December 15

December 15

December 17

December 18

December 18

December 18

December 19

December 20

December 21

December 21

December 21

December 22

December 23

December 29

December 29

December 30

December 31

Christmas Eve Service

December 24th at 6:00pm

Christmas Day Service

December 25th at 10:00am

Pastor Andrew & Daisy Farhat December 4

Robert & Lois Ford December 11

Kevin & Rebekah Mathweg December 15

Bob & Joyce Aldrich December 17

Jeffrey & Shannon Sebastian December 17

Thomas & Kay Murray December 22

David & Lynn Mathweg December 27

December Calendar Events Sundays: Worship & Children’s Church 10:00 am Wednesdays: Prayer Team 4:00 pm Finance Committee 5:00 pm Fridays: Quilting 9:00 am December 9th School Ministry Team Meeting 8:30 am. In the Braille room LWML will meet the 2nd Thursday @ 7:00pm in the fellowship hall Elders meeting 2nd Thursday 6:00 pm

Special dates December 2, 2012 First Sunday of Advent

December 9, 2012 Second Sunday of Advent

December 16, 2012 Third Sunday of Advent

December 23, 2012 Fourth Sunday of Advent

December 24, 2012 Christmas Eve

December 25, 2012 Christmas Day