December 7, 2025
WELCOME! Thank you for joining us today in worship, we look forward to having you come again.
Please sign the registration books that are in the pews, and pass them to the next person. If you are worshipping from home and watching on Facebook please leave a comment (even if it is just Hi), it would be appreciated.
FELLOWSHIP TIME Please join us in the Hillmer Center following the service today for fellowship time. Following fellowship we will have members from Valley Lutheran School here to share what is going on and what to expect in the future.
POINSETTIA ORDERS Please get your poinsettia orders in by Tuesday, December 9th so I can get our order in. The sanctuary always looks good with the plants at Christmas. The cost is $14.50 and you can get a red or pink or white plant. Please fill out the red form, you can either drop the information off in the office or place it in the offering plate. If necessary you can leave me a message about ordering and send the money in by the 15th of December. Thank you.
ROOF REPLACEMENT Thank you to everyone for your generosity. We have now collected all the money to pay back the Endowment Board for the loan to cover the expense of the roof.
FROM THE BOARD OF STEWARDSHIP How quickly time flies! Here we are again into our annual holiday planning. And once again the Stewardship Board is asking for your assistance. If you know of a person or family in our congregation who is less fortunate or whom we should remember this Christmas with gift cards – please submit those names to the church office no later than Dec. 7th. Along with the request for names, we also request gift cards from Walmart/Target/Hy Vee/Fareway/Aldi’s/Casey’s or Quick Star or dollars with which the bard can purchase gift cards to be distributed. Donations can be left in the church office also by December 7th. We thank you for your generosity in Sharing the true Christmas Spirit.
ADVENT SERVICES this Wednesday December 10, at 11 am and 6:30 pm. We will have another one December 17th. We will have a potluck advent supper at 5:30 pm for those that want to come, bring one dish to share and we will see how full we can get. Drinks and table service will be provided. I know that Chili will be one of the options for the meal. The Advent Devotional books are ready to pick up. Please feel free to share with others.
VALLEY SUNDAY Today the Valley Choir, some teachers & staff are here to participate in worship and answer questions during the Bible Study hour. Please come and enjoy the time with them. Ask them about the school and what the vision is for the near future.
GRACE GREETINGS DEADLINE Are you ready to get your articles and thank you in the January edition of the Grace Greetings! For anyone wanting to submit an article or an announcement to be included in the next Grace Greetings, please make sure to have it to the office by December 15. We will be printing on the 18th so I will need the articles. You can submit your articles by email to officeadmin@gracewaterloo.org or leave a hard copy in the office.
CHRISTMAS CHORALE: St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church - Waverly, IA - will present a Christmas Chorale on Sunday, December 21 at 6:30 PM. The Chorale will feature beloved Christmas hymns, old and new, readings from Scripture set to beautiful music, instrumentalists and choir. Cookies and bars with ice cream will be served after the Christmas Chorale program. St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church; 415 4th St SW; Waverly, IA 50677; (319) 352-2314; stjohnlcmswaverly@gmail.com
A LIFE QUOTE “Children brightly signaled hope in our sin-infested world of old—consider the births of Seth, Isaac, Moses, Samson, Samuel, John, and, finally, of course and paramount, Jesus. And we, too, must become as children.” James M. Kushiner, Fellowship of St. James – A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life • lutheransforlife.org
“Hurting from abortion? Word of Hope can help. word-of-hope.org; 888.217.8679.”
BUILDING HEALTHY FAMILIES Trauma, emotional distress, depression, anxiety, or family conflict negatively impact many people, including those within our church fellowship today. When it does, we are often left searching for answers without knowing where to find help, especially help that will share and incorporate the important tenants of our Lutheran Christian faith. Lutheran Family Service offers professional mental health counseling with master’s prepared and licensed therapists who share your faith and world view, now available to all regardless of location through telehealth. Call us…it’s why we’re here! Lutheran Family Service www.LutheranFamilyService.org (515.573.3138 and LFSiowa.org)
MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE - This week the verse Genesis 3:15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
CATECHESIS – This week for those using the Catechism Study Guide you should be on the following page number according to what year you are doing.
Year 1 is page 5; Year 2 is page 64; Year 3 is page 123;
GRACE FOOD PANTRY
Anyone wishing to donate to the Grace Food Pantry, these are the top items needed:
Top Needs are in bold--canned fruit, peanut butter, hamburger helper, canned soups, Mac n Cheese, Pancake mix, syrup, dry cereal, stick butter, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti noodles, crackers, rice, 32 oz. juice, ramen noodles, body lotion, body wash, all purpose cleaner (no bleach).
We can always use money too. The committee would like to thank all those who have given generously to the Grace Food Pantry!
Anyone needing assistance with the Grace Food Pantry please contact either the church office or one of the following people: Nancy McHone or Judy DePaepe. Anyone interested in helping with the food pantry please contact the office or the people listed.
VALLEY LUTHERAN UPDATE
Our before/aftercare program has a wish list! If you have any of these items at home, would you consider donating them?
Candy Land
Apples to Apples
Uno Reverse
Puzzles
Chess/Checkers
Card Games
Sorry
Art Supplies
Figet Toys
Bean bag chairs to sit and read
Join us for our K-12 Christmas Program on Dec 12th at 6:30 pm at Bethany Bible Chapel (right across the street from Valley)
We still need a few items for our Christmas shop for our elementary students. While you're sifting through gently used items to give to Goodwill, consider bringing them to Valley. The last day to drop items off is Dec 12th.
Crossfire (Robotics Team) is doing an outreach project to help the Cedar Bend Humane Society. They are collecting blankets (without any stuffing) to donate. The plan is to turn them into the Humane Society December 15th so they need them before or by the end of the school day. Thank you for helping them reach their goals.
J.O.Y. group will be meeting on Tuesday December 16 from 1-3 pm. This group is made up of Just Older Youth.
Romans 15:5 – “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus.” All of our good works are indeed granted to us from our heavenly Father. We live in complete dependence upon His grace and mercy. What do we have that we have not received as a gift from His hand? And knowing that, how can we not be thankful?
The Schedule this Week:
The following events have been planned for this week.
TODAY:
9:00 a.m. Worship / Holy Comm. Sanctuary
10:15 a.m. Fellowship Hillmer Center
10:30 a.m. Bible Study/ Sunday School Hillmer Center/Upstairs
MONDAY:
6:00 p.m. Exercise Library
WEDNESDAY:
8:30 a.m. Sewing Circle Rm 17
11:00 a.m. Worship-Advent I Sanctuary
5:15 p.m. Choir Practice Music Rm
5:30 p.m. Supper Hillmer Center
6:30 p.m. Worship-Advent I Sanctuary
THURSDAY:
6:00 p.m. Exercise Library
SATURDAY:
9:00 a.m. Altar Guild Meeting Kitchen
11:00 a.m. Hillmer Center Rented Hillmer Center
NEXT SUNDAY:
9:00 a.m. Worship /Holy Comm. Sanctuary
10:15 a.m. Fellowship Hillmer Center
10:30 a.m. Bible Study/Sunday School Hillmer Center/Upstairs