Jesus… When we hear the name of Jesus spoken – I suspect many different images and thoughts come to mind. I suspect that many, maybe most of us, think of the stories we have heard about Jesus – maybe stories that our parents or grandparents read to us when we were young - or stories we learned in Sunday School.

At this time of the year – perhaps we think primarily about the stories surrounding the birth of Jesus.

Many symbols of Christmas which remind us of the stories of Jesus can be found around our home. We become busy decorating our home for the Christmas season in anticipation of the season.  We decorate the Christmas Tree. We display the Manger scenes - all symbols which remind us of the stories recorded in the Gospels. The stories of Christmas, however, are not the only stories we hear and share.

For some of us – maybe the first stories we heard were stories after we became adults. Whatever the case may be – the name of Jesus brings many different stories to mind and conjures up many different images and thoughts .So many relationships – that Jesus has established between Himself and us.

The Apostle John simply called Jesus – the Word of God. “The Word became flesh and lived among us and we have seen His glory, the glory as of a Father’s only Son, full of Grace and truth.”

In Jesus, the amazing grace, mercy and love of God was shown in all its glory. God’s enduring love to us is so wonderful.

Celebrate Jesus!

Remember and celebrate that Jesus came to us as the Living Word of God.

Jesus… my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End.

By Johnny Rhoad

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WORSHIP ASSISTANTS Dec 2010  through  Mar 2011 Dec 5 Boots Johnson 224-1172 Dec 12 Shirley Eisnach 224-2228 Dec 19 Jeff Ekle 494-1001 Dec 26 Duane Jenner 223-3136     Jan 2 Kate Nelson 270-6270 Jan 9 Paula Vockrodt 224-6776 Jan 16 Ron Woodburn 224-6088 Jan 23 Candy Sowers 224-9693 Jan 30 Ram Rhoad 494-0144       Feb 6 Glenda Woodburn 224-4236 Feb 13 Megan Vockrodt 224-6776 Feb 20 Shirleen Fugitt 224-8037 Feb 27 Kate Divis Nelson 295-3027       Mar 6 Dennis Pfrimmer 224-6424 Mar 13 John Ellefson 224-6020 Mar 20 Mike Fugitt 224-8037 Mar 27 Vicki Tipton 224-0394       Please contact John Rhoad for the information you need.  If you cannot serve on the date assigned, please exchange with someone else on the list and notify John or leave a message on the answering machine at the church.  PLEASE STAND AT THE NARTHEX DOOR FOLLOWING THE SERVICE TO GREET THOSE WHO DON’T STAY FOR THE FELLOWSHIP TIME.

There are three kinds of Christians: 1) Rowboat Christians have to be pushed wherever they go. 2) Sailboat Christians always go with the wind. 3) Steamboat Christians make up their minds where they ought to go, and go there regardless of wind or weather.

KATE’S PRESBYTERIAN HERITAGE

Rachel Tolles grew up in the Rustin Avenue Methodist Church in Sioux City, Iowa, where she had perfect attendance at Sunday school for 12 years. 

In 1937 she joined Morningside Presbyterian Church in Sioux City after attending with her friend Shirley Reid.  She was married at Morningside Pres on July 25, 1942, and was ordained as a deacon in 1980, shortly after her husband Howard passed away. 

She served three times on the board of deacons and spent much of that time visiting church members and sending cards to the sick and shut-ins.  She estimated that for a couple years, she sent roughly 7 cards per week! 

Although she doesn't often get to church these days, she still keeps in touch with her church through bulletins and newsletters, and she enjoys praying for and writing letters to family and friends.  She also likes finding jokes and other short quotes to send to her grandchildren in her many letters. 

She shared these gems with her granddaughter, Kate Nelson, in a recent letter. 

WORSHIP COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTS

Advent booklets for devotions for children and adults are in a basket in the narthex.

Nursing homes on Sunday, Dec. 12; all are invited to attend Mary House at 1:30 and Golden Living at 2:30.

Sunday, Dec. 19,  the 9:00 worship service will be our Sunday School program with the children and the choir. Afterward everyone is invited to a brunch provided by the choir. Then at 2:30 the entire congregation will meet at the church to go caroling; barbecues will be served at the Woodburn residence when we’re done. The choir will provide the rest of the goodies.

Christmas Eve service is at 7:00 PM.

Presbytery Meeting Highlights

The fall stated meeting of the Presbytery of SD met on October 22, 2010 at the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church located in Marion, SD. The meeting was called to order by Presbytery Moderator the Reverend Dr. Charles Ayars. Moderator Ayars welcomed everyone and asked at all members in attendance to pray for each other during the meeting as people spoke and reports were given. Attending the meeting from our church were: Pastor John, Meleta DeJong, past moderator of the Presbytery, Mary Jenner and me.

A major highlight of the meeting were the reports presented by the Presbytery Commissioners to the 219^th General Assembly which was held in Minneapolis,MN. the first week of July. Commissioners were Reverend Mr. Denzel Nonhof, the Reverend Dr. Peter Reynen, Elder Tacey Braithwaite, and Elder Paula Zavitz. A slide presentation of General Assembly was presented and the commissioners expressed their feelings about the meeting commenting at how they marveled at the diversity found at General Assembly and expressed their appreciation for the Young Adult Advisory Delegates and for the prayerful committee meetings. Throughout the meeting our commissioners presented the overtures that were voted on during the assembly.  Each Presbytery in the country must now vote either in the affirmative or negative before these overtures become a part of the constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Our Presbytery will be voting on these overtures at the Stated Winter Meeting of the Presbytery which will take place on February 21, 2011 at the First Presbyterian Church in Huron, SD.

A very brief summary of the overtures approved by General Assembly include 15 proposed amendments to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The most controversial of these is G-6.0106b which has to do with ordination standards. (Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness). The proposed change would include the following language, (The examination shall include, but not be limited to, a determination of the candidate’s ability and commitment to fulfill all requirements as expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003).  The current and proposed requirements relate to the ordination of not only ministers, but elders and deacons as well.

The second major overture is the proposed New Form of Government. The New Form of Government reduces the size of the present Book of Order. The purpose of the New Form of Government is to provide flexibility at all levels of church governance and to make it easier for the church to carry out its mission.

The third major overture proposes amending The Book of Confessions by adding the Confession of Belhar. The Belhar Confession was adopted in 1986 by the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa to denounce the sin of apartheid.

If anyone would like to see in detail what is all included in these overtures, Pastor John, Meleta DeJong, and myself have printed documents of each proposal. Any of us, I’m sure would gladly share this vital information with you.

The rest of the meeting included receiving standing committee and commission reports. The Presbytery also celebrated the retirement of the Reverend Ms. Joan Jacobus, and the Reverend Dr. George Furniss. Also a number of Commissioned Lay Pastors were re-approved for another 3 years. The Presbytery also commissioned a new Lay Pastor. Ms. Donna Nickels was commissioned as Lay Pastor to serve the First Presbyterian Church of Raymond, SD.

The Synod report was presented by Ms. Ardeth Kocourek and the Reverend Dr. Carolyn Visser, Synod Commissioners. We were very exited to hear that Ms. Ardeth Kocourek, who served here at Oahe a few years back has been voted in as the new Synod of Lakes and Prairies Moderator.

As always much more occurred at the meeting that if I reported everything it would take quite a number of newsletters to cover, thus if anyone wants additional information, please let me know and I will share detailed minutes from the meeting.

It is truly an honor to represent Oahe and I would ask for your continued prayers.

---by Duane Jenner, Oahe Commissioner to Presbytery

STEWARDSHIP NEWS

Each year the Session asks the Financial Secretary  to predict the income for the following year.   The best tool for predicting income is the commitment cards that have been received.   If you haven’t submitted a commitment card, there is still time to do so. 

If you still have the card and envelope that the Stewardship Committee provided, please mail it or drop it in the offering plate as soon as possible.   If you have misplaced them, feel free to write your name on a piece of paper with the amount of your commitment and drop that in the offering plate.  

As has been previously stated by the Stewardship Committee, I will be the only one to see these commitments and I do understand that they are estimates that often change based on changing circumstances.   Thank you very much, 

---John Ellefson, Financial Secretary

December Announcements

1. Come join us with a Christmas Celebration. We will be having a soup supper and a short study with DVD on Wednesday 8 December and Sunday 12 December. The Soup will be served starting at about 5pm and the DVD will begin about 5:45pm. Hope that you can join us for some fellowship and fun reflecting on the meaning of Christmas.

2. Sunday 12 December we will be worshipping at the Mary House Chapel at 1:30pm and at the Golden Living retirement Home at 2:30pm. Join us for Worship.

3. Christmas Choir and Youth Program is scheduled for Sunday 19 December at 9am. Be sure to come for this wonderful annual event remembering the birth and everlasting gift of our Savior, Jesus Christ. A Brunch will be after the Service.

4. Christmas Caroling to the Shut-ins and the Retirement Homes is scheduled for 2:30 pm on Sunday 19 December. We will meet at the Church at 2:30pm and arrange car-pools. Come take part in this uplifting ministry singing Carols and Hymns about the birth of Jesus.

5. Christmas Eve service will be at 7pm at the Church. Worship with the family on this Holiday!

Learning about the Disciples and Other Early Followers

This autumn and early winter, I have greatly enjoying Pastor John's Sunday School classes on the disciples and other early followers of Jesus.  We've learned about their place in Biblical history, their role in the early church, and their personal history.  Each disciple or follower gets his own Sunday.

Please join us.  Each lesson stands on its one.  You may attend as your schedule permits.  There will be one more session this year on December 12, 2010 and then a few more in the new year.