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MIDWEEK ADVENT DEVOTIONALS
This year, for our Advent Wednesday night soup and devotional journey we will focus on four facets of Christmas:
Dec. 2   The Promise of Christmas   Mt.1:13-25
Dec. 9   The Peace of Christmas     Lk 2:8-20
Dec 16   The Faith of Christmas     Lk 2:15-21
Dec 23   The Christ of Christmas    Lk 2:1-14    Mt. d
We will meet at the church at 6pm for soup dinner and the devotional will begin at 6:45pm. Please sign-up to provide soup and/or bread on these Wednesdays.

CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
There will be two services on Dec. 24th: 5pm (for families with children) and 11pm. Both will close with candles.
 
BIBLE STUDY ON SCIENCE AND FAITH
Pastor Bjoern leads a Bible study on science and faith on Sunday mornings at 9:15. Topics include: uses and misuses of creation, science and faith in an evolving creation (ways people of faith refer to life’s origin), preaching and teaching in a scientific world, & preaching in consonance with science. Come and discuss the ideas presented by the writers of these articles.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY GROUP
We will meet for a Christmas potluck at Susan Lincoln’s home on Thursday, December 10th at 12:15pm. Bring your favorite casserole, salad, dessert, or ? We’ll savor the season and enjoy the spirit within each of us.

CHRISTMAS GOODIES
Our local food bank is serving more people in need this season. Since this is the season of giving and sharing and a time when a lot of us are baking goodies and making craft items, it is a good time to have a sale with proceeds going to the food bank.  We will have a sale on DECEMBER 13TH, FOLLOWING THE WORSHIP SERVICE. Bring your baked goods and craft items ready to sell in disposable containers and marked with a price the day of the sale. If you are not a baker, then please come and purchase items. For more information, call June at 463-5850.

THE GIVING TREE
This year we will again participate in the Vashon Island Youth and Family Services drive to provide gifts for needy children in our community. Look for the tree to be set up in the Fellowship Hall with cards giving a child’s age, gender, and Christmas gift wish. The gifts should be wrapped with the gift request tag attached. Help make Christmas joy for someone in need in our community. The gifts will be collected by Youth and Family Services on Dec. 20th.

COMPASS CENTER CHRISTMAS GIFT DRIVE
To help make Christmas joyful for the people the Center serves, the Compass Center has provided a wish list, which includes such items as gift certificates to grocery stores, sweatshirts, hats, gloves, etc. The full list is on the table in the Fellowship Hall. The gifts need to be received by the Center by Dec. 18th. For more information, call Andrea Steele at 206-357-3138.

INVITATION TO PASTOR’S OPEN HOUSE
The Meinhardt’s would like the congregation of VLC to come to an Open House at the Parsonage (Located behind the church) on Sunday, Dec. 27th between 4pm and 8pm. Food and beverage will be provided. If you would like to bring a favorite dish or dessert to share, please let the pastor or Lynn know when you RSVP at 463-9687. Please respond by the 26th.

BLESSING OF HOMES
There will be a blessing of homes on two consecutive Saturdays, Jan. 08th and Jan 15th. This is when the “Star Singers” will once again bless the homes of those who request the blessing. If you would like to have your home blessed this Epiphany, please sing the request sheet in the Fellowship Hall or call the church office at 463-2655.

VASHON CHORALE’S YULETIDE CONCERT
Will be on Sat. Dec. 5th at 7:30pm and Sunday, Dec. 6th at 3pm at Bethel Church. They will perform Vivaldi’s Gloria and pieces by NW composers. Tickets are available at island bookstores for $12.50 and $10.00 for seniors and students.

POINSETTIAS FOR THE CHANCEL
Please consider providing a poinsettia to decorate the chancel. You can either purchase one or give a donation of $13.00 toward the purchase of a plant. There will be a sign-up sheet in the Fellowship Hall and a bulletin insert. 

AN ELECTRONIC MOUSE IN 2010
In January of next year The Church Mouse will go electronic. There will be three ways in which you can receive it.
1. You can go the our website www.vashonlutheranchurch.org
2. You can sign-up to have it e-mailed to you
3. You can sign-up to continue to have a hard copy mailed to your home address.
You need to contact the church office to have the Church Mouse mailed to you or to give your e-mail address. You can e-mail your wish to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .(VLC is case sensitive so use capital letters).

IFCH SPONSORED DINNERS
This year again VLC will again participate in providing the IFCH Community Dinners for the homeless. We will prepare and serve five dinners during the first five Tuesdays and Thursdays in December, (1st, 3rd, 8th, 10th and 15th). There is a sign-up sheet in the Fellowship Hall. For more information, contact Jim Dam, 567-5279

ALCOHOL-FREE NEW YEARS EVE PARTY
There will be an alcohol free New Year’s Eve party at the Presbyterian Church from 7pm to 10pm on Dec. 31st. This is a community-wide, family friendly event, not a religious event. There will be interactive video game, foosball and bingo. Age-specific games will be provided. Coffee and ice cream sundaes will be provided. Bring a favorite snack or non-alcoholic beverage to share for the evening. For more information, call Rev. Dan Houston, 206-948-7746.

WORSHIP AT THE COMMUNITY CARE CENTER
Our next worship at the Care Center is January 24th at 9:15am. If you would like to participate, contact Pastor Bjoern.

BLOOD DRIVE
Puget Sound Blood Center will again hold a blood drive at our church on Thursday, January 7th from 1-7pm. Come and give blood and save a live if you are able.

THRIVENT FINANCIAL OFFERS CHOICE
Starting in 2010 a new program, Thrivent Choice, will be offered. It is designed to give members choice, and for eligible members, one of the choices will be directing charitable funds to your congregation. In addition, all adult benefit and associate members will be able to vote on how to direct charitable funding among a short list of national charities. For more information about the program: www.thrivent.com/ThriventChoiceInfo

A SERVICE of PRAYER and HEALING
We will have the opportunity to quietly gather for prayer and healing in the Lutheran church sanctuary from 6 – 6:30 p.m. the first Sunday of each month. Our next service will beNOVEMBER 4th at 6pm.
Regardless of who you are and what you carry, you are welcome in this place. Come to pray aloud or silently.
 Come forward to be prayed for through naming your concerns or retaining your silence.
 Or...simply come to sit for a while and unwind with your own thoughts.
No pressure, no intrusion...A simple service without music...without liturgy...in a candle-lit sanctuary where we gather to hear a few readings, pray and be prayed for, and sit and just be.

The Rev. Jeff Larson, Ph.D. is a Lutheran minister and clinical psychologist called by Vashon Lutheran Church to provide counseling services to the community. As a member of the body of believers he feels that spiritual health in its many shapes and forms is key to attaining psychological and physical health.

PASSION PLAY TOUR & MORE IN 2010
The Passion Play takes place every ten years and the next time in 2010. I will lead a group trip June 21- July 2, 2010. Goodspeed & Bach have put together a spectacular trip. The trip is custom-made and includes entrance fees to the play, many museums, a garden, and Heidleberg castle. Breakfasts and some meals are included.

We will visit the following cities: Heidelberg, Strassbourg, Colmar, Geneva, Zurich, Konstanz and Mainau, Neuschwantstein, beautiful Alpine village of Graswang (during the passion play), Berchtesgaden, and Salzburg.

We put a cap amount on the expenses for land-travel The more people who go on the trip, the less expensive it will be. Land Tour Cost (double occupancy) for 25 travelers is $2699. per person. Each traveler will need to make their own flight arrangements.

BAPTISM SCHEDULE FOR 2010
During 2010, baptism will be a special part of our worship on:

• January 10th, Sunday, Baptism of our Lord
• April 3rd, Saturday, Easter Vigil
• May 23rd, Sunday, Day of Pentecost
• November 7th, Sunday, All Saints Sunday
• December 25th, Saturday, Christmas Day

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS:
Brad and Jane; Lyanne Koehler (Patte Wagner’s aunt); Judy and Michele, who are friends of Gail Larson; Terri Hitch; Tim Marsh (Asst. Mgr. at Thriftway); Josephine (relative of Linda VanStone); Karen Rae; Doug Clark and his daughter (friend of J. Lincoln); Stephanie Lee & family. Also remember those in care facilities: Lelan Lau, Carl Nelson, & Oda Sorensen. Contact Gail Larson at 567-4779 to initiate a prayer request.
    
LESSONS FOR DECEMBER
2 Advent          Dec 6, 2009
First Reading        Mal 3:1-4
Psalm            Luke 1:68-79
Second Reading    Phil 1:3-11
Gospel            Luke 3:1-6

3 Advent           Dec 13, 2009
First Reading        Zeph 3:14-20
Psalm            Isa 12:2-6
Second Reading    Phil 4:4-7
Gospel            Luke 3:7-18

4 Advent           Dec 20, 2009
First Reading        Micah 5:2-5a
Psalm            Luke 1:46b-55
Second Reading    Heb 10:5-10
Gospel            Luke 1:39-55

Christmas Eve    Dec 24, 2009
First Reading        Isa 9:2-7
Psalm            96   
Second Reading    Titus 2:11-14
Gospel            Luke 2:1-20

1 Christmas        Dec. 27, 2009
First Reading        1 Sam 2:18-20, 26
Psalm            148
Second Reading    Col 3:12-17
Gospel            Luke 2:41-52

HAPPY DECEMBER BIRTHDAY
Adam Hoagland      Dec.  3
Hannah Scheer      Dec. 10
Meredith Hackett   Dec. 12
Carolyn Burdette    Dec. 12
Kimberly Scheer     Dec. 13
Patte Wagner        Dec. 15
Gretchen Yates     Dec. 20
Stamper, David      Dec. 22
Reynold Hokenson Dec. 22
Holly Zapel            Dec. 23
Rick Powelson       Dec. 23
Tristan Carbery      Dec. 23

HAPPY DECEMBER ANNIVERSARY
Mark & Kimberly Scheer    Dec. 6
Gretchen & Jack Yates     Dec. 21
Bruce & Penelope Cleland Dec. 29

DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE
12/3     Thurs  Francis Xavier, missionary to Asia 1552
12/6     Sun    Nicolas, Bishop of Myra, c.342
12/7     Mon   Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, 397
12/11    Fri      Lars Skrefsrud, missionary to India, 1910
12/14    Mon   John of the Cross, renewer of the Church, 1591
12/21    Mon   St. Thomas, Apostle
12/26    Sat    St Stephen, Deacon & Martyr
12/27    Sun   St. John, Apostle & Evangelist
12/28    Mon  The Holy Innocents, Martyrs

VASHON THRIFTWAY 1%  COMMUNITY DONATION PROGRAM
Remember to save your Vashon Thriftway receipts to be used for our missions program.  Thriftway will donate 1% of the total to VLC.  Remember the rules:
•    Cash register receipts must be from Vashon Thriftway.
•    Cash register receipts must be for purchases made  by members of Vashon Lutheran Church.
•    Receipts turned in cannot be more than one year old.
•    Purchasers must sign each receipt, and indicate their phone number.
•    Receipts may be placed in the indicated receptacle in the Fellowship Hall.
Thanks for helping
Stewardship Chair