LAST MINUTE ANNOUNCEMENT – we received this breaking news too late to notify you earlier. There will be a Christmas Hymn Sing on Friday, January 3rd at 7:00 pm. The Mennonite Youth Choir will be performing at Pioneer Lake Luther Church. Refreshments will be served after the performance. All are welcome!
Jon Cook; Millie Mutka, Zima family friends Stefan Sladek, Dave Butschli, Mick, Steven and Marilyn Hummel; Gregory Bowens; Laurie Nelson; Amber Ross’s daughter Linda; Randy & Diane Niemczyk’s niece Sarah Joda, and their dear friend Denise Hazel; Valeria Hesselberg; Chris Markussen; Anne Verona’s sister/brother-in-law Pat & Woody Woodworth; Dawn Gonitzke’s brother Scott Premo; Pastor Grant’s friends Jane Trasosech and Wendie Libert; the Eberts friends Patricia Kulzick and John Oliver; the Waggoner’s sister-in-law Cheryl Busse; Karen Engels’ niece Lisa and friends Bob and Dawn and Gail Wogsland; Ann Carlson’s people Carolina, Curt, and Troy; and the people of Israel, Russia, Palestine and Ukraine. Prayers for New Orleans and all of those impacted.
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.
WORSHIP ON FACEBOOK – Live on Facebook on Sundays at 9:00 am and posted for later viewing.
GUESTS – if you are visiting us today, please sign our book at the entrance to the sanctuary.
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE BULLETIN – if you want to get announcements in the bulletin, please get your information to the Front Office Wednesday before noon.
BLOOD PRESSURE SUNDAY – today is the day. Please see Mark and/or Catherine in the Fellowship Hall after worship. (Or – if you were an early bird – you already have it done). By the way – a huge shout out to Mark and Catherine for providing this service to our congregation.
PROTECT YOUR PEACE – when we share the peace at Prince of Peace – feel free to wave the peace sign; fist bump or avoid any sort of contact at all! We know you still share the love but want to protect YOUR peace and not get any cooties. There are mini-bottles of hand sanitizer in the Narthex.
PRINCE OF PEACE WOMEN’S CHRISTMAS! There are only EIGHT spots left to join us at our first ever Women’s Christmas. Sign up to join us on Sunday, Jan 12th from 5 to 8 pm for a gourmet meal prepared & served by the men of Prince of Peace. The cost of the dinner and special program is $40. Sign up sheet is in the Narthex or contact Ann in the Front Office.
FLAT LUTHER – Flat Luther has been traveling! Check out his adventures on the window to the Fellowship Hall! More adventures have been documented. AND we now have several Flat Luthers available to go out in the world.
FUN FACTS: Hmm – I’m going to have to rethink our celebrating next year!
New Year Celebrations Date Back 4,000 Years – the arrival of the new year was celebrated during the first full moon after the spring equinox, marking it as a fresh start with grand festivities.
Baby New Year Tradition Began in Ancient Greece – It started with the Greeks honoring Dionysus, the god of fertility and wine, by parading a baby in a basket. The baby symbolized a new beginning for the year ahead.
Midnight Kissing Tradition Dates Back to Ancient Rome – The Romans celebrated the festival of Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn, the god of time, and exchanged kisses as a symbol of good luck and good will.
Times Square Ball Drop is a Tradition Since 1907 – after fireworks were banned in New York City. Over the years, the ball has evolved into a 12-foot, 11,875-pound sphere covered with 2,688 Waterford Crystals, making it a breathtaking symbol of the New Year.
Kiribati is the First to Ring in the New Year – in the central Pacific is the first place to celebrate the New Year each year, as it sits west of the International Date Line. American Samoa is among the last.
Eating 12 Grapes Brings Good Luck in Spain – eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, one for each month of the year. This custom is believed to bring good luck and fortune in the year ahead, ensuring a prosperous start.
”Auld Lang Syne” Is a Scottish Tradition – “Auld Lang Syne” is a popular New Year song that originated in Scotland. While it became famous worldwide in the 1920s due to Canadian bandleader Guy Lombardo, its roots lie in a traditional Scottish folk song about friendship and remembrance.
Hogmanay is Scotland’s New Year Tradition – It is marked with singing, dancing, feasting, and drinking, as Scots believe the way you celebrate the new year influences the rest of the year.
Unique New Year’s Traditions Across the U.S. – Miami features a rising Big Orange, while Mobile, Alabama, celebrates with a Moon Pie drop, and in Pennsylvania, a Hershey’s Kiss is raised. In Bethlehem, PA they have a Giant Peep drop! Burt and I went to ring in 2020!
Denmark’s Plate-Throwing Tradition Brings Good Luck – In Denmark, people throw unused plates at the front doors of friends and family on New Year’s Eve. The more the plates are broken, the luckier the person is believed to be in the coming year. Dang it – missed it this year!
NOTES – I was surprised I hadn’t taken any pictures over the past couple of days. Burt and I were on the go from Fri, Dec 27 – Mon, Dec 30. When New Year’s Eve came along – I was exhausted. I honestly didn’t think I would stay awake to welcome the New Year. Burt and I surprised ourselves! Granted, we were in bed reading books – but still – we did make it until midnight. And were serenaded by all of those around us who set off fireworks.
My New Year’s Day tradition is to watch the Rose Bowl Parade (my brother is the one who placed seaweed on the tires of the La Canada-Flintridge float. I was very excited to see his handiwork). Then bowl games for the rest of the day. The Peach Bowl was an intense battle between Texas and Arizona State. Although I was rooting for Texas, Arizona State deserved the win – they played better football. Then it was off to the Rose Bowl – ouch. I was rooting for the Ducks and Ohio State demolished the poor Ducks. Sugar Bowl is on standby for today.
I had snacking food available for Burt and I. He spent the day reading his book he received Christmas Eve. “Masters of the Air” – he has been ‘trapped’ by the book. He said he laughs when he listens to me watching college football. I may get a little animated. Definitely I am NSFW*!
Back for my opening sentence – since I didn’t take any timely pictures and/or nab any from any of you – I stole some from my cousin/neighbor Kathie. I’ve shared some of her work with you before.
The first picture is a joyous gathering of forest creatures. It is a picture that Kathie likes – not one that she created. The next picture is our Milo with their dog Duke (cousin dogs). The craziness that occurs when the two of them get together is epic. (Taken at Duke’s house). The next picture is one Kathie took of our neighbors a couple of days previously. The Zimpleman’s had their whole family up and they decided to do a Polar Plunge! I bet the water was very refreshing.
What are some of YOUR New Year’s traditions? The old ones and the new ones.
Did you make any resolutions? Or are you shaking off the last year and moving forward this year with intention?
And when will you all start answering this random questions I add at the end of the announcements? I guarantee that your stories will be far more interesting than mine.
*Not Safe For Work.
