SLICE OF BREAD Monthly Newsletter of Bread of Life Lutheran Church 1415 17th Avenue Southwest, Minot ND 58701 (701) 838-3360

Web Site: breadoflifeminot.com ~~ Email: bollc@srt.com

January 2019

As we look back on the year 2018 it is a

time to remember time past. A time to

remember those who began the process and

to remember those who have made it possible. It has truly been “God’s

Work Our Hands.” May the Bread of Life ministry in the community

continue to grow.

Pastor Dan Paulson

The Annual Meeting ~ Sunday, January 20 , 9:45am.

At the annual meeting the congregation will be electing new council members and team leaders. Consider how you can be a part of the leadership at Bread of Life. Anyone interested can contact Cody Roteliuk, council president, at 340-5684 At the meeting we will review the past year and share plans and excitement for 2019. This is a important time at Bread of Life. We have watched the building progress and now begin to visualize how the space will be used and what a asset it will be for the congregation ministry. Note - there is no Faith Formation classes this day. A reminder ~ If you are a Ministry Team or group leader and responsible for

an annual report, please have the report in the office as soon as possible.

From Beginning to Now

A Slice of Bread

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and our Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.”

As I write I am realizing how much I need Christmas this year. To be able to stop a bit and take a breath and look forward to all things new again. Funny, The church new year is the beginning of Advent most often the first week in December and the World’s New Year is of course Jan 1 of each year, but for me, Christmas is the start of the New Year. Jesus revealed to us anew. And the 24

th for

me can be explained in this way. ‘Tonight’s the night the world begins again.

I have been thinking of some Christmas gifts and by that I mean some of the gifts given us. It’s a season of giving - and yes, it’s over-commercialized - but giving in the right spirit can help us develop a habit and spirit of generosity. And that is a gift.

The months leading up to Christmas are a good time to practice delayed gratification. You know the warning? Don’t buy that now—Christmas is coming. I know I need to practice that sometimes. So that’s a gift.

For Some, it’s a change of habit just to be thinking about what to get for the others in our lives —thinking more about others. And we take into consideration: who they are and what do they need? This practice can feel like an obligation but it can also become a healthy, joyful, even life-giving habit. That’s a gift.

At Christmastime we are intentional about asking people what they may want. That’s a good exercise for keeping us from being “curved in upon ourselves.”

Christmas, itself is a gift. It’s a change of focus. It comes with some built in themes that are important. Themes of Giving. Receiving. Gathering. Family. Peace. Hope. Joy. Love. Remembering. Birth. The Presence of God Wonder.

I don’t know about you, but I really need the gift of Christmas, this year. It’s been that kind of year.

I need to be reminded to stop and breathe and think about giving and receiving and gath-ering and family. I need time to stop and remember! I need a time to stop and listen to songs, songs about beauty and joy and angels and promises fulfilled… and God showing up in surprising places. I need the wonder of it all. I need the songs. I especially need the songs and carols.. because the music goes straight to my very soul and heals me and rekindles my hope and my joy and my faith faster than the words alone can ever do. “Those who sing pray twice,” said Martin Luther. Even off key…

Do you have a favorite Christmas song or Carol? Is there one - or maybe there are several? - that touch you in some particularly powerful way?

Three are a lot of Christmas songs and Carols that I dearly love and I listen to them over and over and over and sometimes I just sing them in my very self. There is one Old Hymn that I keep coming back to every year and right at this moment is captivating me fully. . It goes way back to the 16

th Century.. Listen to the words..

A Slice of Bread

Winds through the Olive Trees, softly did blow,

Round little Bethlehem, long.. long ago.

Sheep on the hillside lay whiter than snow,

Shepherds were watching them, Long, long ago.

Then from the happy skies, Angels bent low,

Singing their songs of joy; Long, long, ago

For in a manger bed, Cradled we know,

Christ came to Bethlehem, Long, long ago.

I was about 6 years old when I first sang that song. I was in Children’s Choir at St. Luke’s Lutheran in Waukesha, Wisconsin and as you can tell, It is not that difficult to remember. If you imagine the scene.. the words practically jump out. Our director was a kindly woman who had the patience of Job and directed us each together into a unified voice filled with wonder and joy. That first production, I think it was the 5 PM Christmas Eve Service. We all had white half length robes pulled over an all black tunic and we were all, so proud to be standing at the altar stairs singing our hearts out. I think it was after this service that a few weeks later my choir director called and asked my mother if I would sing a Solo? My mother somewhat shocked said, “who, Danny?” to which the director responded, “Yes, Danny, I’d like him to sing so-low that no one can hear him.” No matter for you see, this song brings me back and the Spirit of Christmas past, present, and future fills me with all the themes of Christmas. Giving, receiving, gathering, family, peace, hope, joy, love, remember-ing, birth, The very presence of God d wonder.

And I am reminded as well to stop and breathe and think about the Joy of Christmas that God gives us in Jesus Christ our Lord.

I’m not sure of your song or hymn or even if you have a special one, but my prayer is that even now the craziness of preparation is over and now is the time to realize God with us!. And now is the time That God’s special love for you be manifested in all of who you are.. in Jesus our Lord. Amen

Once again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

A Slice of Bread

Pastoral Acts

Baptism ~ Max Johnny Lambrecht

Bereavement ~ Don Torgimson

Bread of Life

Women There will be a general meeting on January 21, 7pm at the church. All women are invited to come and fellowship together and help as plans are made for up-coming events.

Lutheran Campus Ministry Bread of Life will next serve the utheran Campus Ministry Soup on Tues-day, January 22. A sign-up sheet is in the narthex. As you are able, let us know if you can furnish a crock pot of soup, bars, or financial assistance to purchase frozen soup.

A big thank you to all who have helped and supported this program in the past. Weekly 200+ are served. The meal is very appreciated.

Stewardship Note

Offering envelopes for the coming year are in the narthex.

If you do not find yours or you would like to have a box, please let the office know.

If you are interested in on-line giving, please let the office know.

If you have not filled out and returned an estimate of giving card for 2019, cards are available in the narthex. As the projected budget for the year is planned, this is a very important part of the possible spending.

A Slice of Bread

Ladies ~~ You are invited

to come for Bible study and Fellowship.

Merry Circle meets 1:30 pm, Wednesday, January 2 at the church

Eve circle meets 7 pm, Monday January 7, at the home of Bev Ward , 1620 9th St Southwest.

A Slice of Bread

January Birthdays 1 Mary Probst 2 Marsha Dupre’, Kasie Vetter, Brooke Godejohn 3 JoAnn Kjelshus 4 Ana Drevekcy, Sydney Holmgren 5 Jared Francis, Blake Vetter 6 Amanda Huber, Ashten

Warmen, Fran Fylling 7 Kynzee Bjordahl 8 Kathy Wickman 9 Alexa Lauckner, Alexa Lauckner 10 Jason Anderson, Renden Roteliuk 11 Kirk Abrahamson, Mindee Boyce, Jarred Weed, Verle Anderson, 13 Stephanie Jesperson, Jaydon Grosz 15 Quentin Hill, Meagan Myers 16 Kaydee Boyce, Paul Hamm 18 Ron Kjelshus 19 Mel Diers, Lindsay Hovey, Margaret Crawford, Elaine Hornaday 20 Ryan Branson, Brynnlee Godejohn 22 Nancy Lawson, Katie Holmgren 23 Sandy Gilbertson, Kirstin Nelson Clarashea Roos 25 Taylor Godejohn, Rolan Bye 26 Curtis Hill, Mataya Sauby 27 Alex Emerson, Marlene Hill 28 Myrna Stromberg 29 Judy Mock, Kate Fylling 30 Saylor Olson 31 Karol Lowe

Celebrate The Baptism Birth days are

traditionally celebrated each year. At each Bread of Life baptism a candle is given to be used each year to help celebrate the baptismal birth day. To encourage remembering this special day, individuals and their baptism date are included in the newsletter. Make it a special day in your household.

January Baptisms 1 Leone Bolinske, Marsha Dupre’,

Dawn Evenson, Todd Flaten,

Ron Huber, Kyle Kreutzbender,

Jerry Lawson, Brenda Lemere,

Mae Ludwig, Morris Ludwig,

Kim McCarty, Renae Weatherspoon

4 Stan Ralph

10 August Estenson

15 Heather Mathews, Joyce Olson

18 Angie Hanson

19 Benson Huber, Adelyn Rieke, Rylan Roteliuik

20 Margaret Crawford, Robert Magandy

22 Corey Carstens, Flora Hedstrand, Cecelia Lillemon, Rowen Risbrudt, Brenda Snodgrass

24 Kiera Hardy

25 Aiden Bye, Griffin Hanson

30 Cord Redding

31 Dustin Lawson

January

Wedding Anniversaries 1 Leslie & Troy Herslip-Stevens

15 Tom & April Warman 17 Shawn & Kristi Stredwick 19 Jerry & Janet Lawson

A Slice of Bread

A Slice of Bread

Gospel Seeds – January 2019 ~ A Monthly Update from Western ND Synod Staff

A Year that is New… One of the gifts of the New Year is the chance to “start anew.” We enter January as an artist facing a blank canvas – white, fresh, clean. The possibilities ahead are infinite. What colors will fill in the background? What is the subject of the painting? Where will the brush move us? As I sat in worship recently we sang Marty Haugen’s “Gather Us In.” My imagina-tion took ahold as I sang the words at the end of the second stanza, “…give us the courage to enter the song.” I began to wonder about the new beginnings offered at this time of year. What would it mean to enter the song? Where might courage push me?

I invite you spend time pondering Haugen’s words, his invitation to pray for courage to be the Good News of Jesus in a new or different way this coming year. I am not certain what that would look like in your life; my guess is that it would be different for each of us. But what if in the midst of our daily routines we looked for opportunities to let the Gospel sing through our words and deeds. No matter where we work, or reside, or wander, or shop, or live – each of us have opportunities to “enter the song” by truly loving others.

It seems to me our faith in Jesus is not lived out through extraordinary acts of self-sacrifice, as much as it is lived out through the very ordinary and mundane daily tasks which show we love others. Opportunities to be Christ’s love come to us often. May you keep your eyes to notice them and then have “…the courage to enter the song.”

Assembly… As you prepare for your annual meetings a reminder: each congregation of the synod is invited to elect at least two people (larger congregations may send more depending on membership). Assembly this year will be at The Grand in Minot. June 6 is pre-assembly and June 7th and 8th is the Assembly. We will gather under the theme: The Kingdom of God is Like: Dreams – Desires – Demands. Assembly is a time of worship, Bible Study, faith-filled conversations and more. Plan to attend now.

A deep word of appreciation to all congregations who generously shared Mission Support this past year. We are able to be in ministry together because of your generosity.

LSS of ND Celebrates its 100th Birthday in February! - Every congregation in the Western North Dakota Synod is a part owner of Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota. Our Social Ministry organization is turning 100 years old in February. Here is an invitation from LSS: On February 24, 2019, we’d like to invite congregations to continue their long support and partnership with us by simultaneously hosting a celebration potluck meal in each church after services. This mass breaking of bread (or lefse!) seems like the ideal way to celebrate a century of partnership in bringing healing, help and hope to our neighbors.

If you would like to have an LSS staff or board member present with you on this special day call LSS.

You can be proud that over the past 100 years your social ministry has helped with adoptions, cared for senior citizens, provided in-patient mental healthcare for youth, done in-home coaching for young parents, resettled refugees and much more.

GIFTS Event… What opportunities is God providing for your congregation to be the Gospel in your community? In what ways are we being called to engage ministry differently today? What experiments are needed to test our hunches? These are some of the questions that Dr. Dwight Zscheile will help us engage during our next GIFTS event on February 2 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bismarck. This would be an excellent event for any church council. A way to wonder together about making Gospel-sized plans for your congregation.

A Couple of Quick Notes… Now is the time to fill out the annual parochial report. Check the synod website for a link. It the re-sponsibility of the congregation pastor ensure this report is filed.

-It is also time to send your Bishop’s Report. This is a chance for us to hear how ministry is going in your place.

-If you have GIFTS members in your congregation, please help them get their annual tuition paid now. Many congregations cover this expense as a way of helping build up lay ministry within their congregation. GIFTS helps build stronger lay leaders.

Blessings. ~ Mark Narum, Serving as Bishop of WND Synod

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