Yes, I’m afraid the attendance was very light at church today, just a few birds clinging to the decorations by the front door. Yesterday, the weather service issued a blizzard warning for us, so the decision was made to cancel services. As you can see, visibility was not good this morning. Swedlanda was one of many churches that canceled services today.
Thankfully, our weather is expected to improve over the next few days. On Christmas Eve we expect to have a special Family Service and you are invited. It begins at 4:30 p.m.Your contributions are welcome for the Christmas Eve Family Service. We are looking for individuals or families who would like to provide readings, special music, or instrumentals. Please notify Deb R. or Pastor Stewart if you have something you wish to offer.
On Christmas Day, there is a service of Holy Communion that begins at 9:00 a.m. On Sunday, December 28, worship will also begin at 9:00 a.m. No other activities are scheduled for that morning. Then, we will go back to our regular schedule on January 4 with choir practice at 8:25 a.m. and worship at 10:15 a.m. Family Sunday School is being postponed until January 11 at 9:10 a.m. Hope to see you there.
I will be on vacation December 26 through January 5. If you need pastoral assistance during that time, please contact Pastor Ruth Edberg at St. Paul’s Lutheran or Pastor Keith Pearson at First Lutheran in Hector.
If you have family members or friends who would like to be added to our e-mail notification list, please send their address to me at ckstewart@hotmail.com
Yes, the weather was frightful in Palmyra Township today. We began with rain, which turned to sleet by the time our Sunday School Christmas Program began. The wind picked up by the end of the service and visibility was poor.Nonetheless, the Christmas Program, Operation Baby King, was held on schedule. The cast was there and family members came to see the production. Everything came together at the last moment, a great relief to the director, Jill B. We had Holy Communion after the program, and then went downstairs for some fellowship and excellent rolls and coffee cake provided by Nancy S.My daughter Jessica came from Bloomington with her son Benjamin to fill the roles of Mary and Jesus. Jessie just had surgery on Friday, but is doing well.I will put some pictures from the program on an album which you can view by clicking on the link on the right-hand side of the blog.Before worship, we had the Swedlanda Family Sunday School. Some were a little late in coming due to the weather, but we had a great discussion about family traditions around the holidays and how we go about sharing our faith in a natural way. Because Gail D. and I will both be gone for the first Sunday of January, it was decided to delay the monthly Family Sunday School until the 2nd Sunday of the month, January 11.
Next Sunday will be the 4th and final Sunday of Advent. Then on December 24, Christmas Eve, we will have a special Family Christmas Eve Service at 4:30 p.m. All are invited to come and we would love to have your participation. If you would like to offer something in the way of a song, instrumental or reading, please let Pastor Stewart or our choir director, Deb R., know. It could be an individual or group; all are welcome. There are also some brief parts to read if you would be willing.Then we will have a service of Holy Communion at 9:00 a.m. on Christmas Day. I will be gone for two Sundays after that and we are still looking for some individuals to lead worship or give a message on those days, so let me know if you are willing or contact the council president, Eileen R.
Keep safe during the inclement weather. I hope to see you at one of our Christmas services. God bless you during the coming weeks.
Pastor Stewart
Here are some announcements from today’s bulletin:
Help decorate the church for Christmas! Poinsettias, other flowering plants or arrangements are always welcome in the church at Christmas time. If you would like to dedicate flowers, be sure to notify Pastor Stewart or Nancy beforehand, so the announcement can be included.
Advent/Christmas Schedules
Sunday, December 21: Choir at 8:25 a.m., Adult Study at 9:30 a.m., Holy Communion at 10:15 a.m.
Wednesday, December 24: Christmas Eve Family Service at 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 25: Christmas Day Service of Holy Communion at 9:00 a.m.
The offerings for the Christmas Eve and Day services will be equally divided between the Renville County Food Shelf and “Reach out for Warmth,” an energy assistance program in Renville County.
Sunday, December 28: Worship at 9:00 a.m. No other scheduled activities.
The Swedlanda Men In Mission will meet on Wednesday, December 17 at 8:30 p.m. to pack up bags for the Christmas Eve service. Please join us.
The Renville County chapter of Habitat for Humanity is once again selling tickets for their new car raffle. First prize is a 2009 Chevy Malibu or $20,000 cash, 2nd prize is a 42” LG LCD HDTV, 3rd prize is a Dell Inspirion Laptop computer, and 4th prize is an IPod Touch. Tickets are $50 each and no more than 1000 tickets will be sold (probably more like 800-850). The drawing will be April 4 at the Frontier Bar in Fairfax between the 2 semifinal Final Four college basketball games. If interested, please contact Don Clasemann at St. John’s Catholic Church or Pastor Keith Pearson at First Lutheran Church in Hector, or check at Maynard’s Foods or Yesteryear’s Coffee Shop in Fairfax.
It seems that this past week has been all about concerts. After many weeks of rehearsals, the 2008 Christmas Cantata “Journey of Hope” was performed twice, first at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Olivia on Thursday, then at First Lutheran in Hector on Sunday. Approximately 70 people from across Renville County participated, several of them from Swedlanda. Deb R. was the director and Cyndi W. was the accompanist. Other participants from Swedlanda included Wendy W., Doug T., Brian and Karyn L., Adam G, and myself. The cantata was well received and a wonderful way to get in the spirit of the season. It continues to be an important ministry of outreach in the community and is very ecumenical. Besides that, a significant offering taken in Olivia went to support Santa’s Closet and the Food Shelf in our county. Such contributions have become very important in a time of economic downturn. My thanks to all who worked so hard on putting together the cantata. If you would like to see more pictures, click on the link to the photo album for "2008 Cantata Photos" on the right. My thanks to Carol T. and Mark F. for taking the pictures.
Swedlanda members were encouraged to attend the concert at First Lutheran this Sunday, so we canceled all morning activities except for our worship service. I raced back after the cantata and we started a few moments late. I’m afraid my voice wasn’t in very good shape due to a cold, but all went well and I didn’t get a ticket for speeding.
I also attended another concert on Friday. My family and I made our annual pilgrimage to Christmas in Christ Chapel at our church college, Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter. The chapel was beautifully decorated and the choirs were wonderful, as usual. The theme was “Joyeux Noel: A Feast of French Music, Art, and Culture.” We also attended a wonderful buffet, with many wonderful entrees, including the notorious lutefisk. I passed on it, but Nancy took some in honor of her Scandinavian heritage.
As Christmas draws ever nearer, other opportunities present themselves at Swedlanda. This coming Sunday, we will have our monthly Family Sunday School for all ages beginning at 9:10 a.m. This intergenerational event has become a favorite among members and a wonderful way of sharing the faith from generation to generation. All are welcome! At the beginning of our 10:15 a.m. worship time, the Sunday School will have a Christmas program, followed by Holy Communion. Bring a friend or neighbor with you to experience it!
A Family Christmas Eve Service is scheduled for the 24th at 4:30 p.m. and as is our tradition, families and individuals are asked to share something at the service. It could be a reading or song or something instrumental. Please let me or Deb R., our choir director, know what you would like to offer. Then on Christmas Day, we will have a service of Holy Communion at 9:00 a.m.
Here are a few more announcements from our bulletin. Have a joyous week and God bless.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Stewart
Announcements:
Consider the needs of others at Christmas time!
The Church Council is inviting people to bring non-perishable food items for the Renville County Food Shelf from now until Sunday Dec. 21st. Donations can be left in the church entryway.
The offerings for the Christmas Eve and Day services will be equally divided between the Renville County Food Shelf and “Reach out for Warmth,” an energy assistance program in Renville County.
Pastor Stewart will be gone on some future Sundays so we're looking for pulpit supply. No experience necessary and the crowd is very kind! Please consider volunteering to conduct the liturgy or give the message on December 28 or January 4. Let Eileen R. or Pastor Stewart know. Thank you.
The Swedlanda Men In Mission will meet on Wednesday, December 17 at 8:30 p.m. to pack up bags for the Christmas Eve service. Please join us.
Yes, I’m afraid the attendance was very light at church today, just a few birds clinging to the decorations by the front door. Yesterday, the weather service issued a blizzard warning for us, so the decision was made to cancel services. As you can see, visibility was not good this morning. Swedlanda was one of many churches that canceled services today.
