WEEKEND MESSAGE: : Zechariah is a priest of the Lord, chosen to go to the Holy of Holies where he learns his prayer for a child has been answered. He doesn't believe it and as a result is rendered mute until the child is born. Are we ready for the Good News we are about to receive? Holy God, prepare us for your coming in the most unlikely ways. In Jesus' name, Amen.

WEEKEND MUSIC: "Blessed Be The God of Israel" text was written by Rev. Carl P. Daw Jr (1944-) set to FOREST GREEN, an English folk tune arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958). This text is based on Luke 1:68-79, a portion of our preaching text for this week. As we sing this hymn, what sparks in your imagination from the text Pastor Trudy told us.

WEEKEND WORSHIP TIMES: Saturday 5:00pm in the chapel Sunday 9:00AM AND 10:30am in the sanctuary Communion is celebrated at all services

Weekly eBlast December 19, 2019

GROWING SPIRITUALLY

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS EVERYONE IS INVITED!

GLC Symphony—All Orchestra and Band Instruments Rehearsals for the 4:00pm and 9:00pm Christmas Eve Preludes. Rehearsal TODAY Sunday December 22 @ 11:30am in the Sanctuary Q’s call/text/email Debbie Ayotte: 708-707-5330 or debbie@genevalutheran.org

Christmas Eve Services:

2:30 Family Service with Carols, Special Music and Communion

4:30 and 9:30 Service with Carols, Choirs, Communion, and Candle Lighting

Stuff You Missed in Sunday School will NOT meet Sunday, December 22 and Sunday, December 29; classes will resume Sunday, January 5.

The GLC Page Turners will be reading The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine. We will meet on Monday, January 20 @ 6:00pm to discuss. Questions- Karen Bentson @ k.bentson@att.net or 630-564-3075

THANK YOU to the people from GLC who volun-teered at Feed My Starving Children earlier this month. Along with a group from Covenant Living at Windsor Park in Carol Stream, we packed 224 boxes of meals to feed 133 children for one year!

Jubilation Choir (grades 3-5)— Rehearsal December 18 @ 6:00pm for the 2:30pm Christmas Eve worship service. Contact Amy Steenson with questions, amy@genevalutheran.org

You’re invited to come early to the Christmas Eve

Services to enjoy an extended prelude music time.

Bible study—New 8 week Bible study beginning January 9- Looking

for the Answer to the Meaning of Life- the book of Ecclesiastes. Led

by Pastor Trudy at 9:30 AM and Pastor Barb Ziah at 7 PM. To order a

copy of the book/study guide, contact Pastor Trudy by January

5. ($9.15 Study Guide/ Optional Commentary $12)

SERVING ON CHRISTMAS EVE

Serving Sunday Serving Next Sunday

Readers 9:00 Renee Riani 10:30 Monica Noonan

9:00 Dave Stoffel 10:30 Judy Richter

Prayers 9:00 Tara Lagana 10:30 Chrissy Swanson

9:00 Rick Tornberg 10:30 Sally Harmon

Altar Guild Mary Jensen, Bonnie Todd, Barb Ziah Mary Jensen, Bonnie Todd, Barb Ziah

Communion Assistants

9:00 Renee Riani, Payton Hunter, Mary Clare Voreis 10:30 Braden Fels, Sally Harmon, Dan Harmon

9:00 Barbara Noble, Jane Perkolup, Steve VerHalen 10:30 Dawn Hieggelke, Jane Jarrett, Sally Harmon

Acolytes 9:00 Declan Kane, Liv Schleyer 10:30 Charlie Loboda, Eli Loboda

9:00 Iris Balderas, Autumn Dawson 10:30 Audrey Stredde, Keegan Stredde

Greeters 9:00 Martha & Bob Sobie 10:30 Gabby & Matt Loboda

9:00 Alicia & Jason Saxton 10:30 Gabby & Matt Loboda

Coffee Bar Chrissy Voreis Brandy Hunter

December 18—Jubilation Choir Rehearsal @ 6:00pm for the 2:30pm Christmas Eve Service. December 22—NO Education Hour, NO SYMISS; GLC Symphony Practice @ 11:30-12:15pm, sanctuary December 23-January 3—NO PDO December 24—Christmas Eve Worship @ 2:30pm, 4:30pm & 9:30pm December 25—NO Christmas worship service December 25-January 1—Office Closed, during this time NO activities or meetings December 29—NO Education Hour January 9—Women’s Lunch Break 11:30am @ Houlihan’s in Geneva Commons January 12—Lazarus House meal making January 15—Northern Illinois Food Bank meal prep @ 9-11:30am January 20—Guys Group @ 8pm, Bar Louie, Geneva Commons January 20— NO PDO

DECEMBER/JANUARY CALENDAR

Wondering...real questions from real people to learn more about GLC: Why don't we sing most Christmas songs until after Christmas is over? Because Christmas is a season that begins on Christmas Eve and ends on January 6, Epiphany. Until then we are in the season of Advent, waiting and preparing!

SERVING IN WORSHIP TOGETHER

2020 Intern Update: The congregation voted to extend our mission by

applying for an intern in 2020-21, understanding that it would add $27,000 to

the 2021 budget. We have applied for interns that already live in the area, so

no housing is provided. We should have more information about the process

in February. Stay tuned!!

Budget Update- Thank you for your support of our mission to live generous lives in Christ! The generosity showed

up in the Live Nativity, cookie decorating, memorial service, tree decorating, Salvation Army gifts, etc.; culminating in

seven things happening at the same time in our building on one Sunday morning. We have just finished the first

quarter of our budget year and are currently $20,000 behind and have 240 families/individuals supporting the

congregation. As always, we trust that this information will prompt conversation and response. We will provide an

update in January.

Here are four ways to make sure your offerings are counted in 2019: Drop off in person in the office by December 19; received by GLC through the mail by December 30; dropped in the offering plate during worship on December 28 or 29; or given online by December 31. Thank you!

We surround with our prayers the Billquist family following the death of Joe's mother, Mary, on December 14. Here is a link to her obituary: https://www.thejonesfh.com/obituaries/Mary-Billquist/#!/Obituary

SERVICE LESSON PRAYERS COMMUNION ASSISTANTS ACOLYTES GREETERS

2:30 John Ortegel Dana Huot Stephanie Ortegel, Amy Steenson, Todd Steenson

Declan Kane, TBD

Joan & Walt Winter, Mike & Julie Slifka

4:30 Amy Olcott Chrissy Swanson

Brandy Hunter, Payton Hunter, Rebecca Riani, Renee Riani, Rob McKenna

Lily Autenrieth, Joe Swanson

Mike & Heidi Pryor family, Matt & Gabby Loboda family

9:30 Brandon Lagana

Jason Fels Braden Fels, Barbara Noble, Amy Parise

Evan Lagana, Jack Fels

Cindy Yeo, Barbara Noble, Jason & Holly Fels family

genevalutheran301

Geneva Lutheran Church

301 S. Third Street, Geneva, IL 60134 630-232-0165 www.genevalutheran.org 5

LAST WEEK IN PICTURES– SUNDAY SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

PASTOR TRUDY STOFFEL pastor@genevalutheran.org 630-661-1016

PARENTS DAY OUT KIM MCKENNA kim@genevalutheran.org 630-232-7085

CONGREGATIONAL MINISTRIES JULIE SLIFKA julie@genevalutheran.org 630-845-1594

CHILDREN AND FAMILY MINISTRIES CHRISTY HEINS christy@genevalutheran.org 630-845-1594

OFFICE ASSISTANT LISA KANZLER lisa@genevalutheran.org 331-248-6699

WORSHIP & MUSIC MINISTRIES AMY STEENSON amy@genevalutheran.org 630-232-7036

ORGANIST DEBORAH AYOTTE debbie@genevalutheran.org 708-707-5330

PRAYER MINISTRY FOR HEALING

We give thanks and praise for members celebrating birthdays: Zach Kurowski, Issac Stallard, Evelyn Heins, Chrissy Swanson, Leota Sprague, Zach Brusseau, Don Sprague, Maddie Parise

Bob Zimmerman David Donovan Tom Podjasek

Antonia Balderas (Marco Balderas’ father) Rich Ryan (Louise Hauge’s cousin-in-law) Andrew Gullo (Mary Balderas’ brother) Jack Miller (Linda Pierpoint’s father) Connie Schutze (Louise Hauge’s cousin)

Geri Moritz Dee Riani Shirley Zars Mindy Brusseau Linda Kersten

Prayer Ministry Guidelines: To add or remove a name, call Amy Steenson, (630) 232-0165 or email amy@genevalutheran.org. Submitted names will remain on the prayer list for four weeks.

GLC Prayer Chain is a confidential, telephone network ministry that intercedes on behalf of those in need by lifting up specific requests, concerns and emergency situations. Prayer Requests: contact Sally Harmon, (630) 377-0021.