Friends and Family of Gregg Christopherson
PRAYERS – Jon Cook; Millie Mutka; Jim Moravec; Myria Strong; Kathy Mayo; Barb Zima’s friends Mick, Steven and Marilyn Hummel; Gregory Bowens; Laurie Nelson; Amber Ross’s daughter Linda; Jerrie Van Haverbeke’s niece Jolane Gervasi; Sandy Bishop’s friend Kelly Newman; Randy & Diane Niemczyk’s daughter Julia VanAvery, niece Sarah Joda, Denise Runde and Denise Hazel; Dick Volland; Valeria Hesselberg; Chris Markussen; Anne Verona’s sister/brother-in-law Pat & Woody Woodworth and friends Dennis Peterson, Natalie Madine, Eli Peters and Randy Ballard; Strong’s friend Erin Molle; Debbie Cyrtmus’ mother, Rose Wicker and sister, Corrie Trittin; the Ebert’s friend Patricia Kulzick; Karen Stanton’s friend Mary Lou Zelinski; Patricia Rasmussen’s sister Christine; Joyce Leander’s cousin Laurie Nelson and friend Casey Hohs; Sandy Bishop’s brother Larry; Ashley Clark’s friends Keith & Becky Hernandez and Kristie Dehart; the Waggoner’s sister-in-law Cheryl Busse, and friends Karla Zyhowski, Melissa Branta ; Karen Engels niece Lisa and friend Bob; Ann Carlson’s people David, Walt, Darren, Curt and Troy; peace for all nations and comfort for those in distress.
PRAYER LIST PROCEDURE – Submit your prayer requests to the office in writing, by phone, by email or in person. If requesting prayers for someone other than yourself or an immediate family member, please obtain permission – unless the circumstances are public in nature.
GUESTS – if you are visiting us today, please sign our book at the entrance to the sanctuary.
GRAB A CUP? GRAB TWO ! – we need assistance with coffee hour. There is a sign-up sheet in the Fellowship Hall. Please consider assisting with set-up or clean-up.
ENVELOPE PICK UP – if you requested offering envelopes – they are in the Narthex.
LWR QUILTERS ARE ON A HIATUS! Knot even kidding. Next quilters meeting will be Feb 18, 2026. Same time, same place, same bat(ting) channel.
NEW YEARS GAME DAY – but early. On December 28 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, the Christian Ed team will be hosting an appetizer potluck with games for all ages. Drinks will be provided. Bring an appetizer (or not. It isn’t required).
You are receiving TWO fun facts in this email due to the Christmas Eve bulletin and the Dec 28th bulletin.
FUN FACT: Boxing Day, also known as Offering Day, is the second day of Christmastide, is a holiday celebrated on 26 December, the day after Christmas Day. Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it has evolved to become a part of Christmas festivities. It originated in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in several Commonwealth nations. There are competing theories for the origins of the term, none of which is definitive.
The European tradition of giving money and other gifts to those in need, or in service positions, has been dated to the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is unknown; it may refer to the alms box placed in the narthex of Christian churches to collect donations for the poor. the second day of Christmastide. On this day, it is customary in some localities for the alms boxes to be opened and distributed to the poor.
The Oxford English Dictionary gives the earliest attestation from Britain in 1743, defining it as “the day after Christmas day”, and saying “traditionally on this day tradespeople, employees, etc., would receive presents or gratuities (a ‘Christmas box’) from their customers or employers.
In Britain, it was a custom for tradesmen to collect “Christmas boxes” of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. This is mentioned in Samuel Pepys’ diary entry for 19 December 1663. This custom is linked to an older British tradition in which the servants of the
Dec 26 is also Saint Stephen’s Day, also called the Feast of Saint Stephen, is a Christian saint’s day to commemorate Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
According to the Acts of the Apostles, he was a deacon in the early church at Jerusalem who angered members of various synagogues by his teachings. Accused of blasphemy at his trial, he made a speech denouncing the Jewish authorities who were sitting in judgment on him and was then stoned to death. Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee and Roman citizen who would later become an apostle, was a witness in Stephen’s execution.
FUN FACT: The 12 Days of Christmas, also called Christmastide, begin on December 25 and end on January 5, and that this is a sacred season that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and leads up to Epiphany, when the Church remembers the visit of the Magi.
These 12 Days are celebrated mostly by liturgical Christian denominations such as Catholics, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and Lutherans.
In 567, the Council of Tours “proclaimed the twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany as a sacred and festive season, and established the duty of Advent fasting in preparation for the feast.” The Council of Tours (FYI I didn’t finish this thought in the printed bulletin) is a city being an old seat of Christianity, and considered fairly centrally located in France. It is NOT a traveling Council on Tour with a press kit, band, venues and t-shirt sales – much to my disappointment. Anyway – in 567 – according to the interwebs – a council of churchly men – met in Tours and decided the following schedule.
Christmastide begins on December 25 and ends on January 6, and there are key events and observances during each day during Christmastide
The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Dec. 25, one of seven Principal Feasts)
Stephen, Deacon and Martyr (Dec. 26) (the Feast of Stephen is mentioned in the carol “Good King Wenceslaus”)
John, Apostle and Evangelist (Dec. 27)
The Holy Innocents (Dec. 28)
Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr, 1170 (Dec. 29)
December 30
John Wyclif, Priest and Translator of the Bible into English, 1394 (Dec. 31)
The Circumcision and Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Jan. 1)
Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah, Bishop in South India, Evangelist, 1945 (Jan. 2)
January 3
January 4
Epiphany Eve (Jan. 5)
The Feast of the Epiphany (Jan. 6)
Days that do not commemorate people are days of personal prayer and reflection.
Celebration is the main theme of Christmastide, as there is so much to acknowledge about the gift of the incarnation of Jesus. In Bible reading, prayers and songs, we have many opportunities to thank God for sending Jesus to earth to “share our human nature, to live and die as one of us and to reconcile us to you, the God and father of all”. Christmastide also reminds us of the hope and joy we have as we look forward to an eternity that Christ made available through his sacrifice. Another key theme is ensuring that we keep Christ in Christmas.
If we use the Anglican Church again as an example, there are special services on the two bookend holidays, and special prayer services or suggested readings on other days.
Some families may choose to hold back on gifts until the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6, choosing instead to celebrate Jesus’ “birthday” with special treats.
NOTES FROM ANN: I have so much excitement for the upcoming days. Tonight I make my debut -along with others – as a PoPDinger. I have about six dings to accomplish this evening. I’ve been a very lax PopDinger. Forgetting to show up to rehearsals. Thank goodness for Sherry. She’s a great teacher, very patient and hasn’t kicked me out yet.
Tomorrow Burt and I will be celebrating our Savior’s birth in a relaxed manner. Enjoying the day with a walk with the dogs, a pan of cheese lasagna and ending the day watching “Song Sung Blue”. There’s a long involved story around the cheese lasagna that might be worth sharing at some point in the future, but not now. Because I have a better story (to me) to share.
And I dislike it when people do this to me -so I apologize. Sharing a recipe, an event, a tradition, an idea RIGHT before the day so you basically have zero time to prepare for it.
Way back when – my Mom used to make an amazing cranberry pudding around the holidays (Mom made all sorts of amazing things. She loved making spritz cookies. Made a wicked mincemeat pie. I could go on and on, but all it is going to do is make my grocery list longer) We ended up calling it Booger pudding because it isn’t the most attractive dessert. I’ve included the recipe at the bottom. Why? Earlier this month I was going to share the history of Figgy pudding according to the experts. I have several pages of information and recipes. Instead of wading through all of that – I thought I would share a tried and true recipe with you and the story behind “our” version. You’ll see names mentioned in this Becky (my estranged sister – bless her heart – who lists the last ingredient first) and Dwight (who is far from a crockpot – or a crackpot – he is my older younger brother. Super intelligent. He is my December twin. Only born 3 years and 10 days later than myself). You’ll also notice an almost impossible to find ‘tool’ of the recipe – a metal 2lb coffee can. You can probably substitute a glass container. But the cylinder shape seems necessary.
To make this even longer – I have to tell you what happened this morning. I left the house without finding this recipe. I asked Burt to find it for me and send it to me. I have a rather large drawer stuffed with printed recipes. This man – jumped into it without hesitation. Undaunted, but concerned about his ability to complete this mission for me. He started sorting through the pile. He found a bundle titled “Mary’s Recipes” (part of a project I’ve been meaning to start for the past 3 – 5 years). He initially set this bundle aside. Then he had an inkling to check it. He opened it up and this pile FELL OPEN to the Booger Pudding recipe! Not quite a Christmas miracle, however, he was deeply pleased and had to thank Mom for giving him a hand.
If you do try this recipe – let me know how it turned out.
The picture up top is from a sleigh ride Burt and I went on Dec 21. A delightful time. The local place does such a nice job. Definitely bundle up. It’s a lovely jaunt through the woods.
