Pont’s Ponderings

Proclaiming the Gospel! Living In Christ! Caring for Our Neighbors!

Pontoppidan Lutheran Church December 2015 Pontonline.org

December

Schedule of Events

December 1

WELCA Advent Tea-7:00 p.m.

December 6 Sunday School Pajama Party-

11:05 AM

December 13 Sunday School Christmas Program-

10:00 AM

December 16 Confirmation Class ~

Christmas Caroling-6:00 PM

December 20

Family Christmas Caroling-4:00 PM

December 24

Christmas Eve Worship~ 4:30 pm

December 25

Christmas Day- Office Closed

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Visitors Asking for Money

This past year we have had several occurrences where visitors to our church on Sunday mornings

have asked for financial assistance. People have been approached both in the church building and in

the parking lot.

We have compassionate hearts. We want to help. But we do not recommend helping by handing over

cash in such situations. So, what can we do? Three suggestions.

There are pamphlets titled Where to Go for HELP in four locations in the church. You may find

them on the table in the Church Office, in the Gathering Room, in Fellowship Hall, and in the

Narthex [back of the Sanctuary]. These pamphlets have names and addresses of the various

places which we as a congregation financially support, including places for food baskets and

meals, shelters, medical services, travel assistance, etc. Handing one of these to a person in need

will guide them to places where they can receive assistance. Feel free to look through the pamphlet

and see what is available, and to keep a pamphlet.

You may encourage people to call FirstLink at 235-SEEK [235-7335]. FirstLink has information on

all manner of help available for those in need.

You may also invite people to come back to the church on Tuesday mornings and visit with Pastor

Doug.

We hope this helps if you are approached and asked to help someone. Remember that you are

directing people to receive help from organizations which we support through our Mission dollars.

May God bless you this month, as you hear the message of the angels that the Savior is born, as you worship the newborn Son

of God, as you bring your gifts like the Wise Men; gifts of recognizing and receiving our King and Redeemer.

Merry Christmas

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Caring For Our Neighbors

This blessed time of the year brings even more opportunities than the rest to give some comfort and warmth and

joy…and even hope…to another soul. Just a reminder that, from hand-held clanging bells to giving tree

programs to shelter celebrations, sharing what you have, as you can, will brighten your Christmas season every

bit as much as it will the person or people you share with.

Here at Pont during the month of December, the cart is receiving donations of new or unworn winter socks,

caps, scarves and other warm clothing for the New Life Center. The need is ongoing, and critical during the

wintertime.

We also ask for cash gifts for the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund at this time of

the year. Pastor Doug sees many people in need of immediate assistance for a

variety of needs throughout the year, and this fund enables him to help as he

feels it is appropriate. Donations may be dropped in the offering plate or

delivered to the church office.

Have a Merry Christmas!

By Jackie Jabens

WELCA

AdVent Tea

Tuesday, December 1 at 7:00 PM. The musical

group, Prime Time Singers will entertain us,

followed by a delicious lunch in a festive

Fellowship Hall.

All Women and guests are welcome for this

special evening to begin the Advent season.

YWCA Unique Boutique

At the Unique Boutique event on December 11, the

YWCA is transformed into a holiday store where

families are able to shop for presents for their

immediate family members. Mothers lovingly search

for gifts on their children’s wish lists while children

excitedly race to find the perfect gift for mom — and

keep it a secret! This magical event would not be

possible without your help! We are seeking donations

of new gifts for girls, boys and moms as well as

wrapping supplies such as wrapping papers, tape, and

tissue paper. There is a box located outside of the

church office for your donations. If you are interested

in volunteering, please contact Jessica at 701-232-3449

or volunteer@ywcacassclay.org.

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Annual Holiday Service of Remembrance

The staff of Hanson Runsvold Funeral Home cordially invites you and your family to attend the 27th Annual Holiday Service of Remembrance.

7:00 PM ~ Saturday, December 12, 2015 in the Hanson-Runsvold Chapel.

Refreshments will be served in the Reception Hall following the service.

Christmas

Concerts Concordia Christmas Concert

Experience the region’s grandest musical tradition

performed by over 450 student musicians. “Let Every

Heart Wake and Sing” will be performed in front of a

magnificent 176’ wide mural. Concert dates are Dec.

4th, 5th and 6th. For tickets, call 888-477-0277 or visit

ConcordiaChristmas.com.

Doves of Peace

The Plains Art Museum will present the Doves of Peace

in a 1-hour Christmas Concert as a part of their Noon

Concert Series on Tuesday, December 15. This concert

is free and open to the public and will feature both

sacred and secular Christmas music. Optional lunch and

beverages may be purchased at the Plains Art Muse

Café.

CROP Hunger Walk

This year’s CROP Hunger Walk

involved 17 churches, with about 50

walkers, raising $7,500 to help feed the

hungry locally and globally. We are so

grateful for this shared effort, and we are

always hoping to involve more churches,

NDSU

Contribute to a Research Study on Stepgrandparenting

Attention grandparents who are part of blended or step-

families! If you are a step-grandparent, we want to hear

from you! NDSU’s Linked Lives Research team, led by

Dr. Heather Fuller (Assistant Professor of Human

Development and Family Science), is conducting

interviews to learn more about the experience of being a

grandparent within a stepfamily for a study called “Step

-Grandparenting Experiences”. Participants will be

scheduled for an interview in person or by phone, and

will receive $10 as compensation for your time. If you

are interested, please call 701-231-8268 or visit us

online at www.ndsu.edu/hdfs/linked_lives. We look

forward to hearing from you!

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A Message from Lutheran Social Services

I know there are a lot of questions in people’s minds about the terrorist attack in Paris. We have

provided the following statement to state officials and local news outlets. I wanted you to have it directly

from me as well. -Jessica Thomasson

Earlier this month Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota (LSSND) told the national agencies it works with

on refugee resettlement that North Dakota does not have the capacity to increase the number of resettlements

indicated for the upcoming fiscal year. LSSND submitted a plan to the U.S. State Department for 455 refugee

placements, of which at least 75 percent of the total people will be reunited with family already living in North

Dakota. The determination of who will be resettled in any resettlement site in the United States is made by the

U.S. State Department in conjunction with the voluntary agencies LSSND works with (Lutheran Immigration

and Refugee Service and Episcopal Migration Ministries). LSSND prefers to continue resettling refugees from

the countries that have an established community in North Dakota. LSSND has stated to these agencies,

including the State Department, that it does not feel Syrian resettlement to North Dakota makes sense due to the

lack of an established Syrian presence in our communities and due to LSSND’s focus of resettling families

wanting to reunite with family already living in North Dakota. LSSND has not resettled Syrian refugees in the

past. Over the last 20 years, Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota has resettled an average of 400 people in

the state each year; the total number of refugees resettled in North Dakota last fiscal year was 506. For the last

several years, the primary countries of resettlement for North Dakota have been Bhutan, Iraq, Somalia, and

Congo.

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QUESTIONS?

Please contact

Kim Stromberg at 232-0998

or kim@pontonline.org

Wednesday, December 9

Christmas Program rehearsal:

3 year olds, 4 year olds and

kindergarten at 6pm to 6:20pm.

1st grade through 6th grade at 6:25pm

to 7:15pm

Please gather in the Sanctuary.

Sunday, December 13

Sunday School children to come early

for a brief rehearsal at 9:15 am.

Parents, your child will stay with us

until the program begins. Following

our youngest 3/4 yr & kindergarten

portion, they will be dismissed back

to sit with their families for the

remainder of the program, please

stand so your child can see you!

Thursday, December 24

Christmas Eve Worship

4:30 pm

PJ’S WITH A PURPOSE

supporting Project Ignite Light

Please join us for a pajama party on December 6th! Wear

your favorite jammies, (church appropriate) this day as we

collect 2 pc pajama sets sizes newborn through child 18 for

boys and girls. Please place you donations by the Christmas

Tree upstairs in the Sunday School Hallway. We will

collect jammies through December 13th.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY JESUS! No Sunday School

December 20th and 27th

We will resume

January 3, 2016

at 11:05 am

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QUESTIONS?

Please contact

Lisa Johnson at 232-0998

or lisa@pontonline.org

December 6

Acolytes Charlie Beyer & Hunter Schock

Kitchen Kallod Family

December 13 (Sunday School Christmas Program)

Acolyte McKenna Truhlicka

Kitchen Johnson Family

December 20

Acolytes Sarah Jabens & Sierra Schock

Kitchen Nesemeier Family

December 27

Acolyte Jennifer Luehring

Kitchen Luehring Family

December 9

We will conclude the movie. Again, parents are encouraged and welcome to join us.

December 16

Confirmation Class will be Christmas Caroling at 6:00 pm!

No Confirmation class on December 23rd or 30th.

Classes resume on January 6.

Atomic Coffee Fellowship Hour!

Youth in grades 7-12 are invited to Atomic Coffee for

fellowship and a treat on Sunday, December 6, following

church! All youth will be given a $5 voucher to be used

for a treat of your choice!

Confirmation News

December 2

Confirmation Class will be having pizza and doing some Christmas decorating during the Confirmation hour. At 7:00 we are going to begin watching the movie “The Good Life”. Academy Award Winner, Reese Witherspoon joins an incredible ensemble cast of Sudanese actors in the film critics are calling “a deeply touching story about survival, perseverance and hope”. (parents are strongly encouraged to join us for the movie!)

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Memorials & Honorariums

FELLOWSHIP HALL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN Curt and Malvina Moe in memory of Opal (Bueide) Pennypacker Audrey Bueide in memory of Wayne H. and Opal (Bueide) Pennypacker Audrey Bueide in memory of Jerome (Jerry) Bueide Ray and Bev Hubbard in memory of Betty Olerud Lorraine Van Erem in memory of Elaine Zaeske

LIBRARY Jim and Kathy Kain in memory of Elaine Zaeske

MISSIONS Leon and Karen Andersen in memory of Alan Spanjer

RADIO BROADCAST Nyles and Joyce Christensen in memory of Bertha Anderson Ruby Craik in memory of Neil Roscoe Loren and Vivian Stangeland in memory of Betty Olerud Doug and Jan Klungtvedt in memory of Alan Spanjer

UNDESIGNATED Robert and Kim Stromberg in memory of Alan Spanjer

The Cardmakers

have given a gift to

go towards new

furniture for the

Trinity Room

Poinsettias for the Sanctuary

(Please order by Dec. 14, 2015)

You are invited to purchase a poinsettia for the sanctuary to remember or celebrate loved ones dur-

ing the holidays. The cost is $12 per plant. After the December 24 service you may take your

plant.

I would like to purchase poinsettia (s) for a total of $ . (Please PRINT clearly.)

In Memory of:

In Honor of:

Given by:

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December Birthdays

1: Ed Boettcher 2:Emily Collette, Grant Magnuson 4: Nancy Olerud 5: Beulah Forness, Carol Linstad, Phyllis Wrolstad 6: Cassie Sundby, Taylor Magnuson, Amy Olson, Hunter Elstad 7: Brooke Freeman, Adam Froseth 8: Helen Arnseth, Eric Sundby, Eli Nelson 10: Lance Myxter, Christian Skiple 14: Erin Sundby 15: Delores Hoaby, Julie Johnson, Sandra Schuman, Jack Stromberg 16: Hannah Leichtenberg 17: James Van Erem

18: Martha Schneider 19: Kevin Sundby, Maxwell Sundby, Travis Woyen 20: Doug Klungtvedt 21: Jennifer Luehring, Sara Gaik 22: Caleb Johnson 23: Marlys Peterson, Yen Truong 26: Anne Snyder 27: Bruce Froseth, Gen Korsmo, Cari Mack 28: Diana Thomas 29: Kathy Rogge, Lynnet Ysteboe 30. James Lanners 31: Christopher Berg, Brook Bakkila, Sonja Sundby, Tatum Seeger

December Work Group

Chairperson: Carol Anderson 236-1680 Vicki Anderson/LaDonne Vik 429-0533 Akrehaven, Jeanette 701-238-5052 Grimes, Camille/Paul 235-5923 Groener, Sean/Diane 218-940-7005 Haugen, Carissa/Steve 701-793-9148 Johnson, Amy/Jeff 293-6376 Kading, Jean/Vern 364-0382 Klungtvedt, Matt/Tara 218-498-2098 Korsgaden, Greg 297-9383 Leitchenberg, Dallas/Hannah 701-799-9552 Markovic, Carol 235-3673 Moe, Jean 701-793-5327 Mueller, Clara/Elmer 237-0750

Oelke, John/Marissa 701-269-2270 Rheault, Pat/Bob 701-200-7240 Smith, Bridget/Adrian 218-790-0489 Smith, Nancy 237-3140 Thorson, Ryan/Amanda 701-329-0544 Truhlicka, Nichole/John 293-5267

Clean refrigerators downstairs, In Sacristy and upstairs.

Clean the cupboards upstairs.

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Church Staff Pastor Doug Klungtvedt Church Secretary Jennifer Johnson Financial Manager Chuck Ritterman Director of Christian Education Kim Stromberg Youth Coordinator Lisa Vig-Johnson Organist Sue Jordahl Choir Director Del Jordahl Church Librarian Sandy Cegla Custodian Doreen Smith

Council Officers President Pam McGee Vice President Paul Linstad Secretary Eva Blanchard Treasurer Jenny Trogstad

Board Members Worship Cindy Linstad Evangelism Stacey Pfaff Discipleship Vacant Ministry Scott Spanjer Fellowship JoAnn Thornton

TV & Radio Broadcast

The worship service is broadcast at 10:00 am on radio 1100 AM and the TV broadcast is on the City of Fargo channel 68 on Sunday’s at 12:30 pm (there is a one week delay). Repeated Wednesdays at 2:00 pm.

Office Hours

Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Pontoppidan Lutheran Church

309 4th Street North

Fargo, ND 58102

701-232-0998

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