Grace Notes 2024-12-11

Sixty-one percent of you completed the online survey for the re:Vitality program sponsored by our Synod, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. I would have liked to have seen a hundred percent of you participate (quite unrealistic), but we have been assured by the Synod that we have a large enough sampling for a fair and balanced assessment from which we can be assisted with guidance and resources in our faithfulness to Christ’s mission in our community.

Thanks for taking the time and effort to take and submit the survey. You only had a window of three weeks to do so at a busy time of the year. Your commitment, openness to learning, and giving things the good old college try is one of our congregation’s greatest resources. I believe there is broad hunger among you for impacting our surrounding community with the hope of the gospel. What a joy to be a coworker with you in our Lord’s mission.

There are a couple of dates that are important for you to try to save and participate in the events. The first date is the third Saturday in January, the 18th. Our District (South Wisconsin District of the LCMS) Mission Executive, the Rev. Dr. Nathan Meador, plans to spend time with us from 10am to 2pm. He wants to interview us and have conversations with as many of our members as possible. Like the aforementioned survey tool, this would be for the purpose of a trained outsider being able to evaluate and then mirror back to us our strengths and our challenges to our sharing in the mission of Christ.

This assessment is for the purpose of strengthening us in our ministry. It will also help to determine the best way for our District and Synod to walk alongside us and assist us with guidance and resources, even financially if need be.

The second important date is the Annual Voters Meeting after the Divine Service on Sunday, January 26.

Since You Asked…

What is the significance of the Advent Wreath? The Advent Wreath was first used in the home to count the weeks of Advent, but it soon also became used in the church. The Advent Wreath typically is a circle of evergreen branches with four candles (one candle is lighted for the first week, two for the second week, and so on). In a horizontal position it may be mounted on a stand or hung from the ceiling. Three of the candles match the color of the paraments, which in our case is blue. The Third Sunday in Advent is typically known as Gaudete, which means “rejoice”. This word comes from one of the lessons that Sunday if you are using the one-year lectionary (we keep the tradition even though we use a three-year lectionary). A rose or pink color candle is lit on this day. It is advised not to use the Christ Candle for a center piece, and the wreath should be removed on the Festival of our Savior’s birth. (drawn from the Altar Guild Manual, published by Concordia Publishing House)