Call updates, meeting December 18
Malia Faessler has accepted the call to serve as a 4^th grade teacher at Westside Christian School next year. We look forward to welcoming her to the team and the great blessing she will be to many children in her ministry. See her letter below.

Pastor Ben Kuerth still deliberates the call to serve as our Pastor for Outreach. He currently serves at Divine Savior Church in Doral, Florida, just outside of Miami. Around the turn of the year, Pastor Kuerth will decide whether to continue in his present ministry at Divine Savior in Doral, Florida, or come join us at St. Andrew. Please pray for the Kuerth Family throughout this process.

Join us December 18 at 6:00 for our next call meeting for a 5^th grade teacher at Westside Christian School. After discussion on several suitable candidates, we will decide by tally of present voters to extend the call to one of them.

Dear members of St. Andrew and families of Westside Christian School,

After several weeks of deliberation and prayer, God has led me to accept the call to teach fourth grade at Westside. I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as a teacher at Westside. Thank you so much for your prayers, one-on-one conversations, and kind words. As a life-long member of St. Andrew, I look forward to joining the teaching ministry at Westside Christian School.

In Christ,
Malia

Construction update
Masonry work continues on the exterior of the building, and the lower roofs are being completed. Steel studs are going in, and rooms are beginning to form. Windows were also installed this week.

A Place of Peace giving
Giving can be set up like other offerings. Go to “Give” at the website (pushpay.com/g/standrewmiddleton), and you can set up a one-time or recurring gift. Choose “A Place of Peace” as the “Fund.” If using a check, please put “A Place of Peace” in the memo line. If using St. Andrew offering envelopes, use the designation “Ministry Expansion.”

Even if you didn’t make a formal pledge, you can still give. Every bit helps, as St. Andrew will still carry some debt, and the less debt, the more ministry.

Christmas worship schedule

• Friday, December 19 | Westside Christian School Christmas programs in the gymnasium
  • Preschool and kindergarten program—10 AM
  • Grades 1 – 8 program—2 & 6 PM

• Wednesday, December 24 | Christmas Eve worship at 1, 3, 5 PM (livestreamed at 5 PM)
• Thursday, December 25 | Christmas Day Lessons & Carols at 9 AM (livestreamed)
• No Thursday evening worship on December 25
• Sunday, December 28 | normal worship at 8 & 10:30 AM
• Sunday, January 4 | Epiphany worship at 8 & 10:30 AM (no Thursday worship on January 1)

Milestones
This past weekend, St. Andrew welcomed 11 new members: Richard Karau; Taylor Laufenberg; Caleb and Jordan Leach; Dave and Christa Peterson and their children Weston, Brinley, and Vanessa; and Doug and Rachele Rickels. We’re excited to minister to and with them, so please continue to make them feel like family.

Worship check-in
If you worship on-site, please fill out the Connection Card attached to your worship folder. Online worshipers, please continue to check in here.

Weekend worship songs
Preview some of the songs we will use for worship this weekend. Obviously ours won’t sound exactly like this, but listening to the links provided will certainly help you be more comfortable participating in the service.

“Lord, Remind Me” by Jon and Valerie Guerra (this song is the basis for our Advent and Christmas series)
“God So Loved” by We the Kingdom
“Soon and Very Soon” by Andrae Crouch
“Angels (Glory to God)” by Phil Wickham
“My Soul Longs for the Lord” by Keith and Kristyn Getty

Grow in Grace: Mission Possible
St. Andrew, we are on a mission. Our mission is to share Jesus. Join us for Grow in Grace on Sunday as we discuss very practical ways to tell others about what Jesus did for them. Grow in Grace is at 9:30 AM in the sanctuary. Childcare is available in room 102.

Women’s conference
WINGS is Women in God’s Service. They are holding a conference at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Lake Mills on January 24. The conference lineup looks very fulfilling! Go here for more information. If you plan on attending, let Mr. Kjenstad know. He will work with you to arrange carpooling.

Impact
If ever a person was born to do what he did, it is John the Baptist. Pastor Jon Bilitz is our guest to take us through the story of his birth, including the Song of Zechariah. You can listen to Impact here or by searching for “Kjenstad Impact” wherever you listen to podcasts.

Children’s ministries
Plugged into Jesus has begun a 3-week break. PiJ will return January 11.

Musikgarten, Spark, and FUEL are off until January 25.

LifeBoat Christmas party
The LifeBoat Christmas party is this Sunday at St. Andrew from 5 – 7 PM. Christmas games, Christmas cookie decorating, Christmas karaoke, and a white elephant gift exchange will be part of the fun. RSVPs are appreciated to Hilary Griswold at 608-234-8882 or hilary.griswold@westside-christian.org. LifeBoat is open to grades 6 – 8.

Christmas gift assistance
We celebrate the gift of Jesus’ birth every Christmas. A fitting longtime tradition is giving gifts to others, both responding to and magnifying God’s perfect gift of salvation to us. If your temporary or ongoing circumstances make Christmas gifts a significant financial burden for your family, let the St. Andrew family help by completing this assistance request form by December 18.

WELS Connection
Every month, our church body releases a video to highlight a specific project or ministry of some of our brothers and sisters in faith. December’s video, focusing on our commission to bring Christ to the nations, is the last video in a series that provides some details of the synod’s 10-year plan to address ministry challenges in today’s world.

Monthly Mission Partner
Our December partner’s mission is to build eternal friendships. Friends Network recruits, trains, sends, and supports lay missionaries around the world. The organization started in 2000, primarily focusing on China. It has now sent hundreds of evangelists to over a dozen different locations. Executive Director Aaron Wakeman presented Mission: Possible at St. Andrew in May and last weekend. One more follow-up is coming 21 at 9:30. Learn more about the ministry at friendsnet.org.