Advent is a season of expectation. Christmas is a season of fulfillment. The paraments and the decor in the sanctuary reflect growing expectation as each week in Advent an additional candle is lit on the wreath. And then, on the Eve of Christmas, the sanctuary is transformed with flowers, evergreens, and scores of candles.
We invite you to add to this celebration by purchasing a poinsettia. The cost is $14. The flowers will be delivered by Cornell Florist on December 24 and remain in the sanctuary until January 4.
Though the city decks its halls with boughs of holly long before Christmas...we have the tradition of letting expectation grow during the season of Advent...and when Christ is Born...we enter into full celebration. So be patient...and you will be surprised by joy at the Nativity!
You are welcome to give the plant in memory of a loved one -- or simply as a sign of gratitude to God. Call the Parish Office (773-493-6451) or sign up on a Sunday bulletin insert.
The Evangelism Committee is sponsoring an Augustana Photo Directory!
Olan Mills Photographers will be at Augustana on:
Each family/person will receive a free directory and an 8x10 color print. You will have an opportunity to order photos, but it is NOT necessary to purchase photographs in order to be photographed for the directory. December photo sessions will have prints ready before Christmas. Please reserve a date and time for your photograph with a representative from the Evangelism Committee who will be in the narthex following worship services.
We want everyone who worships at Augustana to be in the directory to be included in this resource -- students, non-members, as well as members and associate members. Questions? Call the church office at 773-493-6451.
The Augustana Confirmation class -- Addy Bryant, Samuel Maxey, Andrew Hardy, Katherine Vokes, Nathan Worcester, Mary Zeigler -- will hike with intern Abby Zang to Ronald McDonald on December 3rd to help deck their halls for Christmas. Each year the confirmation kids help the staff at Ronald McDonald House, located on Ellis Avenue, prepare the 18 room guesthouse for Christmas. The facility is created to lodge families whose children are receiving extended medical care at the University of Chicago Hospital. The family pays a small daily fee for the room...and volunteers prepare meals and assist in numerous ways.
On November 2, the youth and other interested folks met during the Sunday School hour to talk about what we would like to see happen for youth at Augustana. The group decided that we do need more opportunities for youth to meet each other in fellowship and we began deciding on a few specific events. Some suggestions included a movie night, going ice skating, attending a Lutheran college fair, fundraising for bigger events (like synod gatherings or the ELCA Youth Gathering that happens every three years), attending a concert. We decided to start with a movie night at LSTC at 7:00 PM on Friday, December 5. Popcorn and soda will be provided. We are also planning to see the Christian band Lost and Found on February 22 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Des Plaines. Please join us! If you have questions or would like to be involved in planning or driving for any of these events, please let us know! Contact Abby Zang (773-412-9103 or azang@uchicago.edu).
Again this year, Augustana's Confirmation class will be supporting 100 foster children of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) through organizing a gift-giving project. There is a gift tree in the narthex with paper ornaments on and around it. Each ornament has the name, age, gender and gift suggestions of a child on it. Please take one, buy and wrap a present (worth about $20) with the child's full name on it, and bring the gift back to the church to place under the tree by DECEMBER 14! A representative from LSSI will come and pick up the gifts to distribute them to the kids. This is a wonderful way to bring some joy into children's lives who do not have much for Christmas. We all know how thrilled children become when they receive tokens of love in the gifts of Christmas.
In this season of giving we are reminded of an opportunity to remember loved ones and friends. It is possible to give a gift to the church in memory of someone who has died or to honor someone on a special occasion; i.e., birthday, baptism, wedding, graduation, confirmation, anniversary. These monies are put into a Memorial Fund and used for special needs that are not covered in Augustana's budget. Previously, for example, hand bells were purchased through Memorial Funds and this year Memorial Funds were used to help pay for Augustana's Centennial celebration. Currently we have about $340 in Unspecified Memorial Funds.
On December 7, Abby Zang, a University of Chicago Field Ministry Intern serving at Augustana, will lead an adult forum about what the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is, how we (as the ELCA) are involved, and her experience as a delegate to the Assembly this summer in Winnipeg, where she was also elected to serve on the Council. On December 21, Doug Larson will lead a general feedback and brainstorming session to help plan for future Adult Forum series.
| December 7 | Lutheran World Federation (LWF) - Abby Zang |
| December 14 | No Adult Forum - Sancta Lucia |
| December 21 | Looking Ahead - Doug Larson |
| December 28 | No Adult Forum - Christmas |
| January 4 | No Adult Forum - New Years |
For almost 50 years -- since 1957 -- a Sankta Lucia Celebration has been held at Augustana. This year's celebration will be held on Sunday, December 14 following the 10:45 AM service. The entire Sunday Church School will take part. The procession will include children in all the classes, star boys, the Sankta Lucia queen and her court. The Sunday School children, the parish choir and the congregation will join together in singing Swedish songs. After the celebration there will be a Festive reception in the Gustavus Adolphus Fellowship Hall.