www.auroratrinitylutheran.org

January 2016 Newsletter

Special Worship Services: Food Shelf Sunday

Sunday, January 3rd, is FOOD SHELF Sunday, and also Cleaning

Sunday! Soon, the Christmas decorations will

come down and be put away. The glitter, pine

needles, cookie crumbs, or any other holiday

leftovers will need to be cleaned up. Please

donate cleaning products for the area Food Shelf.

You may also donate cash. Please give to this

worthy cause, as we Feed Bodies with the Love

of Jesus!

Communion Worship Services: Sunday, January 3rd & 17th

Council Openings The nomination committee would like to invite those in the congregation who might be curious about serving on the council to reach out with questions. There are positions

available for trustees, deacons, board of education as well as the yearly nominated positions; such as, council president,

vice president, secretary and financial secretary. We’re happy to talk more about what each role means and how

your gifts can help the congregation. Contact: David Melby (339-1321) Marcia Thurnau (451-7195)

or April Prestegard (676-1047)

.

January Time Change

Worship times will be changing on Sunday, January 3rd

Aurora: 9:00 a.m. Worship Trinity: 10:30 a.m. Worship

Meetings: Worship Committee Meeting

Monday, January 11th

, 6:30 p.m. at Aurora

Annual Meetings:

Trinity Meeting – Sunday, January 24th – following the 10:30 a.m. worship service

Aurora Meeting - Sunday, January 31st

following the 10:30 a.m. worship service A lunch will be served. Hostesses are Kim Wilder,

Shelly Gregor, Dawn Miller, Terri Norland, Gail Larson and Julie Spinler

Note Service time Changes for the 31st:

Trinity – 9:00 a.m. Worship Service Aurora - 10:30 a.m. Worship Service

Annual Meeting items can be sent to:

auroratrinityoffice@gmail.com

Youth and Families Corner:

Confirmation Dates

January 6th, 13th & 27th at 6:30 p.m.

Aurora/Trinity Sunday School:

Sunday School will resume at both Aurora

and Trinity on Sunday, January 3rd.

Trinity Sunday School: 9:15 a.m.

Aurora Sunday School: 10:15 a.m.

Thanks! Thank you!! So much has happened in the past few

months that I need to say thank you! Thank you for the

fantastic celebration of my installation and our new

chapter together. Thank you for all the help provided

when I moved. It could not have gone faster and it is so

much easier when the burden (and heavy furniture) is

shared. There are so many other areas of which deserve

a huge note of appreciation, from that of the

oyster/stew supper, meals for hope, advent event, to

those who have served on council and so much more. I

give thanks for how Christ is at work in you all!

-Pastor Stephanie

Newsletter Deadline: Please have all information for the

FEBRUARY

newsletter and calendar to Lisa by

Fri. Jan. 18th.

Send your info to:

auroratrinityoffice@gmail.com or call 507-

456-0740.

Be sure to check us out on Facebook at:

Aurora and Trinity Lutheran Parish

Or on our website at:

auroratrinitylutheran.org

Donations and More: Trinity's 2015 Mitten Tree was another success!

Thank you to all who donated. We collected 10

pair MITTENS, 28 pair GLOVES, 38 HATS, 46 pair

SOCKS, 2 SCARVES, 2 HEADBANDS, 1

TODDLER'S SHIRT, and 1 TODDLER'S PAJAMA.

These items were given to the Blooming Prairie

Elementary School and the Blooming Prairie

Wish Tree Project. Folks in the Blooming Prairie

area will be warmer this winter because of your

generous donations. Thanks be to God.

Trinity helped light the Homestead Hospice

House Star of Hope this past Christmas season.

$100 was donated in memory of cherished

members who have recently died: Lucille

Peterson, Marvin Betlach, Lorraine Jante, Roger

Anderson, and Ella Benson. Blest be their souls,

and may the rest in peace.

Baptisms: 6 BLESSINGS became members of our

parish and the family of God through the Sacrament of Baptism in 2015:

London Grant,

Son of Briana Yanke & Brett Grant

Ripken Miller, Son of Nicolas & Bobbi Jo Miller

David Blaha,

Son of Dillon & Janelle Blaha

Isaac Criddle, Son of Ryan & Carmen Criddle

Kayla Wencl,

Daughter of Louie & Melissa Wencl

Esme Eckel, Daughter Brad & Angie Eckel

I have a feeling that for several months yet I will be stating how fast the last went

but it seems ever true this January.

Despite my preparation and planning, it wasn’t but 10 days before Christmas that I

realized that it was the next week. Perhaps the warm weather fooled me, maybe I

have been so invested in Advent that I ignored the approaching day and there is

always the possibility that I have been a bit busy. Regardless of the reason, here I

was with no decorations up of my own. Although this holiday seeps into every area

of our lives starting in October it had yet to get past my front door.

Thankfully, Christmas is actually celebrated for 12 days, just like the song. While

we have a tendency to celebrate throughout the month of December, the season of

Christmas actually extends into January culminating in Epiphany. Epiphany being

the day the wise men meet Jesus and the season we celebrate the light in Christ

being made known to the world.

I suppose if it took the wise men two years to find Jesus, I have an extra 12 days to

celebrate his birth. Perhaps there might even be a way to turn the Christmas lights

into the lights of Epiphany. The messiah has been born and it is not only his birth

for which we celebrate but who he is in his life and death. The one who brings

peace, mercy and forgiveness. The one who in the darkness of winter and the

darkness in our lives brings light. One who does not abandon us in the joy and pains

of this world but joins us in the form a little baby.

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Stephanie

Aurora Lutheran Church Council Meeting Minutes

December 17, 2015

The regular monthly meeting of the Aurora Church Council was held on December 17, 2015 at 6:30pm. Those present were: Sabrina Ulland, Pastor Stephanie, Jodi Keck, Mark Prestegard, Paul Korbel, Brett Paape, Jared Prestegard, Ryan Larson, Sara Pichner, Jeanne Pichner, and Holli Loken (observing). Pastor Stephanie led us in Prayer Secretary’s report read & approved Treasurer’s report read & approved subject to Audit

November income=$8,377.31 expense=$6,569.70 Net income = $1,807.61 General Checking Balance as of 12/17/15= ($1,001.26) Reminder that 2 council member’s should be counting offering after each Service Reviewed and approved proposed 2016 Aurora and Joint Budget

Pastor’s Report

Pastor Stephanie will be designating $50 per paycheck for housing allowance in 2016 Advent Bible Study just finished & Advent Event was well attended and fun Continue meeting people in the congregation Thank you for wonderful installation reception and those who helped her move into Parsonage

Old Business

Emergency/Safety Sheet: Jeanne and Alicyn will be meeting to review and have sheet posted by January 31.

Child Protection Policy Committee to be formed to establish child protection policy with goal to have draft policy by

February 28. Possible members are: Jodi Keck, Alicyn Prestegard, Roberta Jensen, Jerianne Hendricks, Sabrina Ulland, and Pastor Stephanie.

Library Speaker has been fixed and hooked up. The library speaker is connected to basement speaker and has a separate volume control.

Mark Prestegard has contacted the electrician on the yard light in the parking lot Nominating Committee is working on contacting people for 2016 Board/Committee nominations

New Business

Wireless microphone used by the Pastor is in bad shape Reviewed new microphone estimates and approved purchasing new microphone for $389 Memorial funds to be used for purchase of wireless microphone

Discussed snow removal at Parsonage – will be a topic at the Annual Meeting Church and Admin Copiers

Copier in church office doesn’t print double-sided and the double-sided function on Lisa’s copier stop working

New copier quotes reviewed; will keep in mind for the future Audit Committee needed to audit 2015 church records

Will ask for 2 volunteers at Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting is January 31 after church service

Meeting Adjourned

Respectfully Submitted, Sara Pichner - Secretary