BAPTISMS FOR DECEMBER:         

Inspired by the congregational pledge made in the service of Holy Baptism (see page 228, EvLW), we will be including names of those baptized at St. Luke's Zion in our monthly newsletters. 

We hope this will be a reminder to lift them up in prayer, wherever they may be in their faith-walk. 

The following were baptized in the month of December in previous years: 

Sharon L. T.                  Albert J. R.
William G.M. M.             Dolphis V. S.
Anson P. G.                  Jody A. H.
Chase M.P. H.               Colton S. H.
Donald G. J.                 Emma R. B.
Bradley C. J.
                       

IN OUR PRAYERS:

Please remember in your prayers our shut-in’s in long term care:

Phyllis A. - Concordia Place

Helen B. - Holy Family Nursing Home

Laura G. - Red River Place, Selkirk

Agnes J. - Middlechurch Home

Irene K. - River Park Gardens

Anna M. - Fred Douglas Lodge

Mary M. - Luther Home

Elfrieda S. - Luther Home

Doreen S. - Luther Home

Alice V. - Middlechurch Home 

ST. LUKE’S ZION:

20TH Anniversary Pot-Luck Lunch:

1997 - 20 years ago St. Luke's Zion worshiped together for the first time. The first Sunday in Advent is a fitting day to get together and celebrate with a meal. Pass the word around! Old friends, new friends let's get together and share. Sun., Dec. 3rd following worship. Come one, come all.

NEWSLETTER ITEMS:

Items for the January newsletter can be given to Joanne Janzen or emailed to stluzi@mymts.net or joannejanzen007@mymts.net by December 28th.  Thank you!

YARD WORKER:

Beginning in 2018, a volunteer is needed to look after the yard work at the church (cutting grass, trimming, etc.).  Speak to a member of council or Pastor Lynne if you are interested. 

SUNDAY SCHOOL: 

Reformation 500 Community Chest final tally:

the ‘St. Luke’s Zion Community Chest’ collected 370 food items. As well, we received $270.00 in monetary donations. Thank you again to everyone for your support!!!

Operation Christmas Child:

28 shoe boxes were dropped off on Oct. 29th. Thank you for supporting the Sunday School, we appreciate all the support we have been blessed with. Thank You!!!

Bake Sale:

Last Sunday’s bake sale was a HUGE success!!! Thank you all for your support. The donations of baking that were received were absolutely amazing!!! Thank You to all!!!

Advent Wreaths:

On Sunday, Dec. 3rd you are all invited to join us downstairs to make an Advent Wreath for home. There is no cost. See you there!

Children’s Christmas Party:

December 17th – during regular Sunday School class

Children’s Christmas Play:

The Sunday School Children will be presenting their Christmas message on January 7th, during worship. If you are able to help out and or act please let the Sunday School staff know. We will be having a Christmas Play practice on Sun. Dec. 31st during Sunday School. Also, please let us know if your child would be available for a dress rehearsal on Saturday, January 6th at 11:00 a.m. at St. Luke’s Zion, with a pizza lunch to follow. Thank you!

2018 St. Luke’s Zion Amazing Race:

We have spoken with the Sunday School Children about putting on an Amazing Race – they are all very excited about doing this in the late Spring - the date will be determined in the very near future. If you are interested in participating in this event please let the Sunday School Staff know so that we can keep track of all interested. You can put together family teams, friend teams, etc. etc. The race will take place in and around the area’s from the church – down McPhillips St. to Inkster – Inkster to Main St. – Main St. to Leila Ave. – Leila Ave. to McPhillips St. and then back to the church. There will be clues and challenges along the way. It will be a fun time!

PALLIATIVE MANITOBA - GRIEF SEMINARS:

Palliative Manitoba offers monthly grief seminars which are free and are open to the general public.

Cropo Funeral Chapel: 1442 Main St.
December 12, 2017 - I’m Not in the “Holiday” Mood

Chapel Lawn Funeral Home: 4000 Portage Ave.
December 5, 2017 - The Holidays Can Be a Difficult Season

YOUTH:

Sun. Nov. 26th - Youth service at SLZ

Sun. Dec. 3rd – 4:15 p.m. – meet at Tim’s prior to Prairie Fire at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church

Sun. Dec. 10th – 9:30 a.m. SPLC YEM youth help

Wed. Dec.13th - 5:30 p.m. HAMPER HELP at ALL

Sun. Dec. 17th  – 4:30 p.m. Advent travelling supper / Need volunteer houses / Gift exchange TBA

Fri. Dec. 22nd - 6:45 p.m. – meet at Tim’s prior to MNO Sleigh Ride at Bird’s Hill Park (pick up at Tim’s at 10:00 p.m.)

Sleigh Ride:

Sherwood Park Youth are again hosting their (almost) annual Sleigh Ride on Dec. 22nd. This year, we are inviting youth and leaders from all congregations within the MNO Synod to join us for the ride. The cost is $10 per person, and we ask you to RSVP to Lisa by Wed., Dec. 13th so that she can book enough sleighs. For more information: http://sherpark.ca/event/youth-sleigh-ride/

*CLAY 2018 - Save the Date! 

The planning team is happy to announce the dates for CLAY 2018 in Thunder Bay, ON. Lutheran and Anglican youth from across Canada are invited to meet in Thunder Bay from August 15th – 19th, 2018. It is sure to be an amazing time! Watch for more details over the new few months.

NEST: 

Refugee Updates:

Mukendi: The family were guests at our September meeting, escorted by part of the caregiving team. They arrived in Winnipeg on September 20, 2017. The twins, Joseph and Josephine, attend Montrose School Kindergarten. Jack and Justin are in junior high at Grant Park High School. Marie and Rebecca have been attending the Entry Program in the mornings and finish this week. Bill attends mornings and has one more week to attend. Jean and Martha attend evenings and have two more weeks to attend. All 6 adults will have a language assessment test with WELARC to get their benchmark in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This score determines their placement in EAL classes as openings come up. We had 2 birthday parties – Marie, 22 on October 6, and Bill, 25 on October 23. The arrival documents we received said that no one spoke English or French, but did speak Swahili and Tshiluba (their cultural language.) They all have some English and French at different levels. The children are quite fluent in English as their schooling was in English. The twins attended an English preschool program.

     The family has gone to a walk-in clinic for minor items. They have all had their eyes checked. Bill was prescribed glasses for prolonged computer use. The rest are fine. Rebecca is about 5 months pregnant. Ethel will be taking her on November 3rd to the Midwife program offered by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. Marie has come along for emotional support and to help with interpretation. NEST can give Rebecca an extra $75 a month for food and other special needs. A one-time only amount of $200 is for maternity clothes.

B. Ejira: Betty’s file is still open. IRCC needs to know her marital status. We first asked her to tell them her status in June 2016. She has said she would tell them, in the past, but to date, has not answered IRCC.

R. Ejira: Her file was approved! They are getting vaccinations on Wednesday (tomorrow). They have handed over their Kenyan IDs for IOM to finalize their travel arrangements. 

The items from the Headingly storage unit, the beds from the Best Sleep Centre, Items from Pasqual’s garage, and from other houses, are now all at 364 Leila Avenue. We will use the basement of 364 Leila for storage for NEST for the next while. Pasqual is planning on taking off 2 weeks from work when they arrive, to help with their adjustment to life in Canada and Winnipeg. His wife and family and friends will supply the meal on arrival. Team members will be able to share the meal also.

Chance Kajinake – No report.

Abdelraheem Khatab – No report.

Nuur Hassan Digale – Application accepted and sent overseas.

Sibhatu Andom Gebremeskel – Application accepted and sent overseas.

Upcoming NEST Events:

*Next General Meeting will be held January 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at the Grace Lutheran Church (211 Kimberly Avenue).

*February 24, 2018 – Applebee’s Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser is booked for Saturday, February 24, 2018, from 8:00 am to 10:30 am, at the Applebee’s on Regent. Tickets will be available soon.

~ Thank You

 Dorothy Handkamer

MNO SYNOD:

Mark your calendars for next year's
MNO SYNOD CONVENTION  WINNIPEG, MANITOBA  APRIL 26-28, 2018  

Synod News pages in the Canada Lutheran:

We would love to hear stories from around the synod! If you have stories and or pictures to share, please send them to mnoeditor@gmail.com

Thank you,  

~Joanne Janzen (MNO Synod section editor)

LUM:

November 2017 News from your Ministry Manager

Six of our Urban community members took part in The Manitoba Lifestyles Personalized Research Program (TMPLR) over a 2 week period in October and were compensated by TMPLR for their time.

     This is a research study by the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals. A total of 800 Manitobans will form the basis of this study. It is a cross-sectional trial looking at how factors including nutrition, physical activity, sleep, genetics and gut microbiome affect the health of Manitobans with the goal of information compiled and analyzed to reduce the prevalence and severity of chronic disease. All six participants even had bone density scans in this mobile lab along with many other tests that gave them important information about their own health!  They all remarked that it was an interesting experience.

     The Lutheran Urban Ministry Short Documentary Film has been released!!  This film was made possible by an ACTS of the MNO Synod grant and the Urban is so grateful for the opportunity to bring the Urban to you.  We are hoping that you will enjoy having a peak into typical Lutheran Urban Ministry days, worship, meals, sharing circles and some of the events of 2017!

     Produced by Rick Scherger of Fate Communications, we feel that the heart and soul of the Urban has been captured.  The film can be viewed online:   http://www.fatecommunications.ca/Hope.html

     Winter Has Arrived: Most people who attend the Urban walk here and don’t use public transport.  Many have walked from quite a distance and are certainly happy to have coffee or tea when they come in the door.  Families with young children who attend are living in the immediate West End area within easy walking distance.

     The Topic of Homelessness was discussed at the Co-ed Sharing Circle over the past few weeks. It is a complicated subject and almost everyone in the circle had at one time been homeless, lived in unstable accommodations and/or couch surfed, or knew someone who currently is struggling or has struggled with this.  So many factors contribute to not having a home to call one’s own: eviction, fire, relationship breakdown, mental illness, addiction, job loss, poor choices, unsafe surroundings to name a few.  Shame, despair, hopelessness, anger, helplessness and worry were some of the feelings discussed.

     Thank you to the meal teams who ensure that no one leaves the Urban hungry.  Our website calendar shows available dates for meal teams: http://www.theurban.ca/calendar.php  Please contact me: rhonda@theurban.ca for additional information or to add your meal team to the calendar.

Kind regards,  Rhonda Gorham

2017-18 Winter Needs

Needs:  blankets/sheets/pillows, sleeping bags for the homeless; towels; facecloths; regular socks/underwear (for men, women, children); diapers (sizes 4 & 5); baby wipes; shampoos; socks; toilet paper; sanitary pads/ tampons; men's disposable razors; deodorant; toothbrushes; toothpaste; jackets/coats any size with all buttons and/or working zippers (particularly men's lge or extra-lge); slippers (handmade or otherwise); used backpacks (especially for adults - any condition as long as the zippers work) always welcomed. 

Need for Emergency Food at the Urban: 

Pasta (macaroni, spaghetti, egg noodles, Side Kicks, rice); pasta sauce, pork and beans, canned meat (salmon, tuna, ham, Klik or Spam, ravioli, zoodles); instant noodles (beef, chicken, mama noodles); cereal; soups (vegetable, chicken noodle, Campbell's chunky soups); Kraft Dinner; peanut butter; jams; regular tea bags (ex. Red Rose), crackers; cookies; juice boxes. 

Also needed:

plastic grocery bags; empty margarine/yogurt containers.

Coffee for the coffee urn and tea are welcomed donations as the coffee urn and tea pots are always on here for those who attend! 

Please contact rhonda@theurban.ca  for drop off times.  Thanks so much.  

We ask that you also consider donating men's clothing to the John Howard Society, 583 Ellice Ave. Call 204-775-1514 for drop off times. Clothing donations are also received at the Siloam Mission, 300 Princess St.

From LUM to St. Luke’s Zion:

Dear Pastor Lynne and congregation,

On behalf of the board of directors, thank you so much for the wonderful gift of the 250 lbs of food for the Urban in celebration of Reformation 500.

With this bounty of groceries, we have increased the number of bags of food that we have in our emergency food draw immediately following the worship service every week (Urban community members are eligible to put their name in the bucket, one name per address, if their name has not been picked in the previous 6 weeks).  This food will be finding it's way to many people who will be so happy to receive it.

It's so very much appreciated and thank you so much for thinking of the Urban in this way.

Kind regards,

Rhonda Gorham

Ministry Manager