The Philippian The Monthly Newsletter of St. Philip’s Lutheran Church of Hastings, Minnesota

Come and Worship...Come and Serve...Come and Learn...Come as you are

…Philip said to him, “Come and see” John 1:46

JANUARY 2019

JANUARY EVENTS

January 2

Senior High Meet Up

Begins

January 16

Children’s Musical

Rehearsal Begins

January 19

Quarterly Men’s Group

Meeting

January 27

Camp Sunday

January 30

Senior High Summer Trip

Sign Up Deadline

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"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its

taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no

longer good for anything, but is thrown out and

trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world.

A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after

lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but

on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the

house. In the same way, let your light shine before

others, so that they may see your good works and

give glory to your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16 Think about it for a minute - Jesus tells us - "You are

the salt of the earth..." And again, "You are the light of the world". What an incredible thing that is! What an incredible gift! Somehow - because of who God has made us, we are made into salt - into light - for the world. That is the beautiful realty of what God does to us. In fact, it is the most important thing

that God does through us, when we live by our faith. Think of the people who have touched you, the people who first spoke to your yearning heart, the people who first, because of their love and care for you, inspired you to believe in the God of love. Did they not light up your life? Did they not bring new savor and zest to the diet you once lived on? Did they not penetrate and change your lives with their care and concern and honesty? That same divine is a light within us, and faith is the match that sets it glowing. We are Christians because the light of God has come into our life. The only question we need to address is - what are we going to do with that light? God makes us the salt of the earth. Salt, however, does not exist for its own sake. No one sits down to eat salt and salt alone. Salt is a seasoning meant to be applied to something, it is meant to penetrate and preserve and flavor the food that people eat. And in the same way light is not meant to be looked at, it is not meant to be covered and treasured like some precious object, it is given so that people might see

what is around them and walk in safety, it is meant to penetrate and overcome darkness. In other words we are saved - not just for ourselves, but to do the work of God. Through our lives, we point others to Jesus. Through our witness, others come to know that God loves them. Through our service, those who are marginalized or without voice learn that they are cherished and valuable in God’s eyes. When we believe and act in faith, then we will be full of light, and of power, and of grace, we will be beacons in a dark place, and praise and glory unto God will be the result. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father in heaven. Thanks be to God!

Your Servant in Christ,

Pastor Geier

Sunday School Minute

In the 56rs (5th and 6th grade) classroom on Sunday mornings, questions are being asked, and some are even being answered. The big questions in January are: “Can I be a Christian and not go to church? If there is only one God, why are there so many religions? And Why do Christians believe Christianity is the best?” Great questions, right? I think one of my favorite things about the 56rs curriculum is the use of questions. Sometimes, the answers are clear, easy to explain, have lots of context, and are very satisfying. Sometimes, they are not. Some answers only lead to more questions and can be frustrating. And they talk about it in class and hopefully go home and talk more. Fostering young minds to ask big questions and wrestle with dissatisfying answers is not an easy thing to do, but our Sunday School teachers make room for those experiences. If you have a 56r, don’t be afraid of the big questions. Acknowledge that you don’t have all the answers. Wrestle with what the big questions mean…and who is bigger than those questions. God knows us and loves us—questions and all. Stephanie Becken Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministries

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Preschool Chatter

December, as for everyone, was a very busy but blessed month for us in preschool. We enjoyed following a book called “The Mouse and the Miracle” this month. The book is about a little mouse that travels with Mary and Joseph. It taught our students about giving, sharing, and caring for others. Each day the mouse arrived with a new message of how to share God’s love with others. Some of the projects we did were cards for Sunday school students, ornaments for third Thursday, and a candy cane prayer book to share with families. The children really looked forward to what the mouse had to share each day.

At the end of the month our 53 beautiful children shared the amazing story of Jesus birth with a packed house on the evening of December 20. It truly is a blessing to experience the story through young children’s eyes. We, of course, enjoyed great fellowship of cookies after the program.

Thank you to those of you who bought boxes of cards for our greeting card fundraiser. Between our church and preschool families we sold 115 boxes. We are really looking forward to being able to use the proceeds to pay for our spring field trip and have special visitors come in with enriching programs for the preschoolers. New Years Blessings,

Becky Kaphing and Lorelei Rein Preschool Co-Directors

THANK YOU to all the persons who have prepared

and/or donated many food items to Sharing and Caring Hands with Our Saviour’s over many years.

Elaine Wilbur

Thank You! Cookie bakers, costume hangers,

angel chasers, shepherd coaxers, sheep guardians, narrator coachers, kid drivers, calendar adjusters, joyful worshipers, and everyone in between—thank you for all the amazing effort that went into making this year’s Christmas Program such a special time for nearly 50 children and youth at St. Philip’s. It takes many hands and many hours of work in the background to ensure the time the children are together for practice are meaningful and enjoyable. It is a blessing to worship God together in this special way.

A big thank you to all our friends at St. Philip's

for the prayers, cards and support during Darryl's heart surgery and recovery. We so appreciated your love, caring and concern!

God Bless you all! Darryl and Camille Nelson

PROJECT SHARE UPDATE - In early December fifty five gift tags were taken to help with Hastings Family Service’s Project Share and at least that many gifts came back. It is so special to share the joys of Christmas with our neighbors. Every family gives and

shares in different ways, so thank you for

making this part of the St. Philip’s family Christmas story.

- AMONG OUR OWN -

Congratulations to…. Luke Jacob Hauck (son of Jake and Emily Hauck) blessings on his baptism.

Sympathies to… Duane Hunstad and family as they mourn the death of his niece Barbara Carlson. Sharon Glade and Family as they mourn the death of her father Edward Kruse.

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Early in December we closed the books on November financials. The Finance Team recaps the following details:

General and Miscellaneous Fund January-November: Actual Budget Actual Year to Date: 2018 2018 2017 Income: $450,329 $489,633 $448,947 Expenses: $480,162 $513,251 $440,710 Over/(short): ($29,834) ($23,619) $8,237

Capital Fund Year to Date: $204,052 $165,231 $155,690 Children are a very important part of our church family. A variety of programs are offered, ranging from Sunday school and confirmation to music. Many thanks to our experienced and talented staff, as well as the many volunteers who generously donate their time; they help our kids to grow in their faith. When combining children and Christmas, a magical time is had by all. Christmas is even more special when seen through the eyes of a child. Sunday offerings help to make this magic happen. Below are some numbers for the month of December. 50+ Sunday school students each week

15 Average number of worship wanderers per week

48 Students in Christmas program

15 Adult volunteers for the Christmas program

450 Rough estimate of delicious cookies at the cookie party

75 Ornaments purchased for Pastor to give out on Christmas Eve

35 Current number of confirmands

9 Pizzas purchased to feed confirmands and their teachers at the Christmas party

0 Leftover slices of pizza...

Many thanks for your gifts of time, talent, and treasure. The continued success of St. Philip’s depends on each and every one of us!

JANUARY SUNDAY SCRIPTURE READINGS

January 6 Matthew 2:1-23 Day of Epiphany: Magi Visit January 13 Matthew 3:1-17 Jesus’ Baptism: Matthew January 20 Matthew 4:1-17 Tempted in the Wilderness January 27 Matthew 5:1-20 Beatitudes

A REMINDER: We don’t cancel worship services

when the weather is bad. I am admittedly very hesitant to cancel worship because no matter how hard we may try to get the word out, someone would not get the message. Since I am blessed to live very close to St. Philip’s, I can always make it over and I figure that even if there are just a few who show up, then we will worship.

HOWEVER, having said all this I wish to make one thing as clear as possible. DO NOT COME TO WORSHIP IF IT IS NOT SAFE TO DO SO! (Please note the underlined boldface type not to mention the explanation point.) It doesn’t matter if you are scheduled to be a worship coordinator or lector or communion server. If you feel at all anxious about going out, please stay home and read Scripture or sing hymns or spend time in prayer and know that we will look forward to seeing you the next week.

LIKEWISE, if you are feeling ill please stay home. Although we love you and love worshipping with you, we are all less fond of viruses and germs and such. I am sure that God understands and wants you to stay home and recuperate so that you can feel better as quickly as possible. SEE YOU IN WORSHIP! (When we can.)

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LADIES NIGHT OUT - St. Philip’s Annual Ladies Night Out this year will be Wine, Women, and Wellness. Join us with Dr. Emily Hauck at Health Solutions Center - 117 3rd Street West on February 8 at 6:00-8:00 pm

Social hour with beverages and appetizers

Interactive Wellness Workshop 1. Eat Well—healthy eating to reduce stress through

diet 2. Think Well—importance of emotional health and

stress relief 3. Move well—exercise and stretch routines

Wear comfortable clothes. We’ll have room for 25 participants. More information will be available in upcoming bulletins. Sign-ups will be between services.

2019 GARAGE AND PLANT SALE EVENT - JUNE 8

There will be a 15th Garage and Plant Sale the second Saturday of June. You are reminded to save things appropriate for the sale. January is a time when we sometimes go through things that have lost their purpose or you simply have two or more of the same thing. SAVE SUCH ITEMS FOR THE SALE, PLEASE. Sale Coordinator Team welcomes Deborah Dreher to its ranks.

THAT’S A WRAP! Over Advent, confirmands and Sunday school parents

wrapped and ribboned gifts for the Preschool children. It was a joy to see the different levels of wrapping

skills—and to teach confirmands how to tie and curl ribbon.

QUARTERLY MEN’S GROUP MEETING. The next meeting of the Quarterly Men’s Group will be on Saturday, January 19 at 8:30 am. All men are invited to attend to meet Hastings Police Chief Bryan Schafer and hear his presentation on recent events and initiatives of the Hastings Police Department. Q & A will follow. As usual, prior to the speaker, the meeting will begin at 8:30 am with some good coffee, a light snack and fellowship with others. Come and bring a friend! Please mark your calendar now for this casual yet informative time. If you have any questions, please contact Dan Retka at 651-295-7835.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD (Samaritan Purse) SHOEBOX PROJECT - Robyn Tank and Emily Preston are seen with the 60 shoebox-size containers filled with items for children in poverty-stricken countries. Thank you to members of the congregation who elected to complete one or more boxes for this well known program. Thank you to Robyn Tank for leading this endeavor and for Emily Preston's help completing the project.

ST. PAUL AREA SYNODICAL WOMEN’S

ORGANIZATION ANNUAL SOUP LUNCHEON Saturday, February 2 10:30 am - 1:00 pm

Luther Memorial Church 315 15th Avenue North, South St. Paul

The Saint Paul Area Synodical Women’s Organization (SWO) will sponsor its annual Soup Luncheon. We are excited to have Rev. Nancy Nord Bence, Executive Director of Protect Minnesota, join us to share her insight about gun violence prevention.

Great food, great fellowship, an opportunity for learning. Sounds like a great day doesn’t it? Please consider inviting friends and family.

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STEWARDING THE OTHER 90 PERCENT By Pastor Rolf Jacobson What if God cares as much about the 90 percent that we do not give charity to as God cares about the 10 percent that we do give? Maybe God might want to say something like the following to us: "You are not done with me once you give away the first 10 percent. In fact, you are just beginning. I am just as interested in how you spend and use the rest of the good things that I give you." How can we invite the people of God to imagine God? The big question for God's people might be this: How do those who belong to Jesus Christ think about all of the things that belong to them? Maybe one or more of these questions might spark your imagination:

Does God care as deeply about how much we tip as God cares about how much we put in the plate?

Does God care as much about how and where we invest our accumulated wealth as how we first acquired that wealth?

If you could put a radioactive tracer on every dollar that passes through your checking account and follow those dollars around for a month, how many lives would those dollars touch? What stories would those dollars tell? And which story might tease the broadest smile out of God?

Does God care about where we spend our money?

It is fun to think about these questions. It is even more fun to live these questions, to entertain these mysteries, to wonder with other baptized and forgiven sinners, "Now that I belong to God, how shall I live with all these belongings?"

CAMP SUNDAY - Let’s get camp-happy! On January 27 representatives from Green Lake Lutheran Bible Camp will be with us to celebrate Camp Sunday. The children’s choir will lead worship at 8:30 and 10:30 am and during the education hour we will re-create camp, complete with music, snacks, crafts, and games. You can get all your camp questions answered—for kids, youth, and families! All are welcome for this intergenerational ministry time where nurturing faith through camp experiences is celebrated.

PRAISE BAND LEADER INSTALLED - On December 2, Nathan Griner was installed to be the new Director of Second Service Worship and leader of St. Philip's Praise Band which provides the worship music for the 10:30 service. Nathan resides in Hastings with his wife and two children. He's worked professionally as a musician in both church and secular settings. Nathan is employed with Tennis Sanitation. The Praise Band will begin leading worship December 23 at the 10:30 service.

CHILDREN’S MUSICAL REHEARSALS BEGIN IN JANUARY! Rehearsals for the Children’s Musical will begin in January! Kids in grades 2-8 are invited to participate in this unique worship opportunity. Registration forms may be found on the music bulletin board or will be handed out at rehearsals. Parents of kids who are currently members of Children’s Choir will receive forms via email.

JANUARY MUSICAL REHEARSAL SCHEDULE:

Wednesday, January 16: 5:00-5:30 pm Children’s Choir 5:30-6:15 pm MUSICAL REHEARSAL

Friday, January 18 (No school Hastings): 9:30-11:00 am MUSICAL REHEARSAL

Wednesday, January 23: 5:00-5:30 p.m. Children’s Choir 5:30-6:15 p.m. MUSICAL REHEARSAL

Saturday, January 26: 9:30-11:30 a.m. MUSICAL REHEARSAL

Wednesday, January 30: 5:00-6:15 p.m. MUSICAL REHEARSAL

What is the name of the musical? Come to a rehearsal to find out! Questions? Contact Ellen Diischer at 651-470-2106. Come and See!

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Happy New Year! Again!

As I mentioned during my sermon on December 2, we began a new liturgical year with this first Sunday in Advent. Our liturgical new year begins with the season Advent followed by the 12 days of the Christmas season which goes through January 5. After the Advent and Christmas seasons we have the Epiphany, on January 6, festival day that commemorates the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles in the persons of the magi / wisemen. The season after Epiphany that follows varies in length, climaxes with the Transfiguration and leads directly to Ash Wednesday and the 40-weekday season of Lent. Lent concludes with Holy Week with Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. We celebrate the resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday and the 50-day season that follows. The Easter season includes the Ascension 40 days after the resurrection and leads directly to Pentecost and long season that follows. The season after Pentecost is often referred to as ordinary time and the pinnacle of this season is Christ the King, the Sunday which leads us back to Advent!

CONFIRMATION CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE - Can you…name four epistles, find two accounts of Jesus’ birth in the Bible, share ‘what is baptism’ from the small catechism from memory, and memorize Isaiah 9:6? If so, you could have gotten a tic-tac-toe on this year’s Confirmation Christmas Challenge. Confirmands were challenged to take on extra memory and Bible work over the Advent season, with fabulous prizes up for grabs. Challenges ranged from reasonably easy (Lord’s Prayer by memory) to more labor intensive ones like, memorizing small catechism passages. New challenges will be issued every month. If you’d like to donate prizes, you can leave them in Steph’s office.

ADVENT IS KICKED OFF AS A "NEW YEAR" EVENT - December 2 was the first Sunday of Advent. Pastor spoke in detail about the church year and that we were about to begin a new church year on that day. A screen graphic was shown to illustrate the number of seasons in the church year and their length.

Pastor Geier is emphasizing the beginning of the church year with party hats and

noise makers for each child

BABIES GALORE! Pastor Geier enjoys meeting new babies either at Baptism or just visiting worship. The most famous baby visitor recently was November 25, when Pastor Geier's new granddaughter, Lily, came for her first visit to SPLC from near Milwaukee. He had a good time between services making introductions.

Content baby, Luke Hauck, is seen being introduced to the congregation following his Baptism on November 25.

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ANNUAL MEETING - SAVE THE DATE! February 3, 2019 will be our Congregation Annual Meeting and you get to decide where some of our benevolence goes! In addition to electing new council members and approving a budget, we will decide where 10% of our offerings to the Capital Campaign and Miscellaneous Income Funds from 2018 will be designated. Our church council unanimously decided to break possible ministries into “Hastings Area Ministries” and “Ministries Beyond Hastings” with the ministry receiving the most votes in each category splitting our tithe. There are three ministries in each category. MINISTRIES IN HASTINGS: Lewis House and Outreach Services: This ministry provides a safe haven for women and children who have experienced domestic violence. Trained advocates also offer emotional support, referrals to community resources and help navigating the court system.

Hastings United Way – “Food4Kids”. This ministry provides bags of easy to prepare kid friendly food each weekend during the school year. The 2017/18 school year began with distribution of 70 weekend meals per week and grew to 136 by the end of the school year.

Hastings Family Service: Provides a food shelf, emergency assistance, Meals on Wheels, transportation, and school supplies for residents of Hastings. MINISTRIES BEYOND HASTINGS: Matrix Emergency Shelter Dakota County: This ministry provides a temporary winter shelter for 50 adults in Dakota County from November 1, 2018 through mid-April, 2019. The shelter opens nightly at 6:00 pm and closes at 8:00 am. Dinner and breakfast are served daily. The shelter location rotates through churches throughout Dakota County.

Mission Congregations in the St. Paul Area Synod: Our support would be divided between the four mission worshipping communities in our synod. Joy Fellowship Chinese Outreach is an outreach to Chinese Christians in the Northern St. Paul.

Good Samaritan Lutheran Church is an intentional outreach to the Hmong community on St. Paul’s East Side.

Humble Walk is a “worshiping community of seekers" in St. Paul’s West 7th neighborhood. Shobi’s Table is a ministry of, by, and for folks in St. Paul's Eastside

who struggle on the margins of our community, bringing church outside the walls and onto the streets.

ELCA Domestic and International Disaster Response brings God’s hope, healing and renewal to people whose lives have been disrupted by disasters in the United States and around the world. When the dust settles and the headlines change, we stay to provide ongoing assistance to those in need including: U.S. Wildfires, Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami, 2018 Hurricane Response, West Virginia Flooding, Middle East and Europe Refugee Crisis.

If you have ideas for ministries you would like to include on next year’s ballot, please let Pastor Geier or a member of our church council know. Your voice is important!

See you on February 3, (and hopefully all the Sundays between now and

then!)

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! St. Philip’s Leadership Retreat

Sunday, February 10 2:00-7:00 pm

at Schaar’s Bluff Gathering Center

On Sunday, February 10 our church council and all of our ministry team members are invited to a planning retreat at the beautiful Gathering Center at Spring Lake Regional Park in Hastings. The primary purpose of this retreat is to:

1) Get better acquainted with each other 2) Grow spiritually as we reflect on our ministry and

God’s will for us and for St. Philip’s Lutheran Church

3) Set attainable goals for each area of ministry

There will be fellowship, there will be laughter, there will be learning, and there will be food. (We are Lutheran after all.) If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask Pastor Geier. Your participation will make this a better event!

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LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICE MESSENGER BRINGS WORDS OF THANKS AND INSPIRATION Pastor Kathryn Tiede of LSS preached a sermon and thanked the St. Philip's congregation for its ongoing support to Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota. The program she focused on was the Camp Noah program which provides physical and emotional support to children who have lived through catastrophic weather systems or separation from parents who are deployed military members. St. Philip's members attend an annual Homeless Youth Luncheon every May and an ambitious fundraiser in September which supports LSS. In addition, SPLC donates 1% of its actual annual offerings to LSS. The fall Pie and Ice Cream event helps meet this pledge. This fall 30 cartons of gently used children's clothing was given to the annual garage sale LSS has for families which they are currently working with. As the congregation's LSS "ambassador" Glenda Schnirring extends her thanks to the congregation for its loyalty to the programs of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota.

Elaine Wilbur, a regular supporter of LSS, visits with Pastor Tiede.

Pastor Tiede, discovers a baby named Noah and his mother who she enjoys meeting. Camp Noah is a program for children who have lived through floods, fires and separation. It was begun after the Grand Forks, North Dakota flooding some years ago.

LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES CHERISH ALL CHILDREN COMMUNITY EVENT: Raising Healthy Boys and Young Men: Ending Exploitation Saturday, January 26 at 10 am-12 pm at Lutheran Social Service, 1605 Eustis Street, St. Paul, join LSS in this community event to help raise boys and young men to be their best selves, ending the demand for sexual exploitation. As people of faith, we have a critical role to play in supporting young people. Come to learn what we can do in our own lives and communities to affect changes in society to raise a more healthy generation. Go to Eventbrite.com and search “Cherish All Children” to register or just come that day if you missed signing up. For more information call Joy McElroy at 651-207-3357 or email info@cherishallchildren.org.

SAVE THE DATE! 56rs (families with 5th and 6th graders—whether you attend Sunday School regularly or not) the Spring Study Unit with Pastor Geier starts February 24 and meets every Sunday 9:35 -10:25 am until March 31. This year’s focus is Holy Communion. You’ll study the catechism together and get a start on confirmation. The 56rs will then help lead worship on Maundy Thursday (April 18 at 7:00 pm).

ELEMENTARY-AGE LOCK IN GLOW PARTY

When: February 8 at 5:00-8:00 pm Ages: Kindergarten-4th graders

Suggested Donation: $10

How much fun can a pack of elementary students have? We’re going to find out with our first ever Elementary Glow Party! Parents are welcome to sign in their students at St. Philip’s starting at 5:00 pm, just be back by 8:00 pm. We will provide pizza, drinks, snacks, and tons of fun. During this time, we’ll have tons of activities, including a glowing dance party. Bring a white shirt to decorate, if you’d like. Many more details will be included in the February newsletter, but get this on your calendar! *Does this sound like so much fun that you, the adult, would hate to miss it? You don’t have to! Contact Stephanie Becken or any of the Faith Formation Team to volunteer to make the night extra special.*

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CAMP SUMMER 2019 - Registration for camp is open now with early bird discounts through February 15 (save $40 per camper!)

St. Philip’s will be heading to camp during ‘Week 2’ June 16-21. Every year, St. Philip’s sponsors the bus, and every year we hope to fill it with children and youth! Fundraising opportunities are available to make camp affordable and full camperships are available through Green Lake—making the cost of camp reasonable at any budget. You can register online at www.gllm.org. After you register, please let Stephanie know so you can be in the loop for fundraising, bussing information, and other details as they come up.

Remember—Early Bird discount of $40 per camper is available through February 15. The cost of camp does NOT need to be paid at that time.

Available for different ages (check the overlap—some grades can choose which camp suits them better. If you have questions, please let Stephanie Becken know and she’ll be happy to answer.

1st-4th graders: Half Blast—go to camp for just a taste (this is a Sunday-Tuesday evening program. Parents would need to pick up their student on Tuesday evening).

2nd-5th graders: Andy’s Gang—this week at camp will include all the fun Shores of St. Andrew has to offer. Long afternoons on the beach, hiking at Sibley State Park, raiding the kitchen, Bible study, music and more go into making lasting memories.

5th-7th graders: Trailblazers **New This Year**—this week at camp will be at Shores (formerly at Green Lake). All the favorites from what was formerly known as Chrysalis Crew will be available at Shores with the added bonus of new programming just for the camp ‘big kids’.

7th-9th graders: Stargazers at Green Lake—stay up late, sleep in, and get all the fun of camp while exploring the woods and beyond.

9th-12th graders: M.O.B (Members of the Body)—High Schoolers have a blast at camp, too, and MOB is just for them.

9th-12th graders: S.I.T (Staff in Training)—Are you thinking being a camp counselor is in your future? Sign up for SIT! Throughout the week, you’ll be a camper…who has opportunities to learn more about what it means to be a counselor. You’ll be part of worship planning, game leading, and more as you have a great week at camp.

SENIOR HIGH SUMMER 2019 TRIP - Service St. Philip’s follows a three year rotation on summer travel. This year is our year of service. We will be going to Serve Ventures Ranch where we will be serving the people of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, including the Lakota people of the Pine Ridge Reservation. This trip will include:

Dates: June 9-14 (travel times will be announced later)

For: 9th-12th graders (finishing 9th-12th grades) Cost: $450 (includes travel expenses, all meals,

housing and the events of the week) Sign Up: Registration and information sheets are

available on the Welcome Center. Registrations need to be turned in by January 30.

Please contact Stephanie Becken with any questions.

SENIOR HIGH MEET UP - Wednesday Nights January through the start of Lent at 7:00 - 8:00 pm in the Old Sanctuary.

You’re confirmed. Now what? Being an adult in the church means different things to different people. At St. Philip’s, the love of learning, fellowship, and service is a life-long pursuit. For High School students, we will be kicking off meet ups starting January 2—a New Year with new programming. This time together will focus on a few different things—fellowship, learning, and service—and it can adjust to meet the needs of those who are joining in. That means if you love doing service, we’ll do that. If you have questions about Judges, we’ll explore them. If you love Minute to Win It games, we’ll play them. Let Steph know if you have any questions, ideas, or if another time would work better.

Sunday, February 3, 2019 11:30 am

Potluck Followed by Meeting

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Pinterest Night

Monday, December 17 fourteen crafters gathered to create some fun holiday gifts and enjoy each other’s company. A felt ball garland, pinecone Christmas tree, brown sugar scrub, wine cork gnome and a fabric wreath were the treasures they left with. Makayla Kaphing was the door prize winner of a cute Christmas tree ornament holder which was created by Tanner Becken.

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Sunday School Christmas Program 2018

“Too Many Shepherds””

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FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN SERVICE PROJECT

November 21

50 Confirmands and Family Members

169 Boxes Packed = 36,504 meals!

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CHRISTMAS CHERUB CHOIR - Little voices, ringing bells, songs of praise, and lots of laughs—that’s what cherub choir is made of. For two Wednesdays in December, Cherub Choir was back with Christmas songs and so much joy. We would love to offer Cherub choir on a regular basis. If you would be interested in leading our cherubs, with lots of help from staff, please contact Ellen Diischer.

ADVENT FUN AT SUNDAY SCHOOL

WORSHIP WANDERERS IS WONDERFUL!

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ST. PHILIP’S STAFF Gregory Geier, Pastor pastorgeier@splchastings.org Noreen Swanson, Organist Ellen Diischer, Music Director ellend@splchastings.org Nathan Griner nathang@splchastings.org Stephanie Becken, Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministries stephanieb@splchastings.org John Bergland, Business Manager johnb@splchastings.org John Diischer, Sound Board Technician johnd@splchastings.org Becky Kaphing, Preschool Co-Director HastingsELC@yahoo.com Lorelei Rein, Preschool Co-Director HastingsELC@yahoo.com Lista Klocow, Office Manager listak@splchastings.org

ST. PHILIP’S LUTHERAN CHURCH 1401 West 15th Street Hastings, Minnesota 651-437-6541 www.splchastings.org

ST. PHILIP’S PRESCHOOL www.splchastings.org

Church Office Hours: Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm Friday: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Worship Service Times:

8:30 and 10:30 am

Holy Communion offered every Sunday