This Week
The Lord’s plan for . . .
No one likes a detour. It always means a longer drive in a direction you didn’t want to go. It’s one thing to encounter a detour on a trip, it’s quite another to encounter a detour in your life, a change of plans you can’t avoid and don’t like. On that kind of detour, when your life takes a turn for the worse, it’s tempting to hear Satan’s muttering that God has left you. But a detour doesn’t mean you won’t arrive at your destination; only that you won’t arrive as you planned. After Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, the Lord led Mary, Joseph, and Jesus home via quite a detour. That was his plan to protect, help, and save them. He’s leading you home, too, even if it’s not the way you planned. He’s leading you home by another way. Read Matthew 2 this week and gather with others on their detours. Be encouraged by the Lord’s plan for his Son, for the people around his Son, and for you, too. Weekly Thursday worship (7:00 PM) resumes, or join us on Sunday at 8 or 10:30 AM.
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Highlights
Events and ministry news needing immediate attention
Growth Groups
Spend time in God’s Word with God’s people. Sign up for a spring Growth Group! Here’s what you will get: meaningful discussion, godly encouragement, a safe place for your questions, and Christian friendship. Go here to sign up and learn more about Growth Groups at St. Andrew.
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Worship
Resources and opportunities for you to worship
Thank you
The Spirit moved the hearts of many St. Andrew members last week to help take down the Christmas decorations. So many willing hands helped us get the decorations down, packed up, and back over to storage! Thank you to everyone who had a part in beautifying our church building this Christmas season, whether it was through decorating or helping to pack up the decorations!
Adult Choir
Blend your voice with others to sing God’s praise this new year. We’ll rehearse at 7 PM on Wednesdays January 22, 29, and February 5 in the Soul Café to sing for worship on Sunday, February 9. High-school-age and older are welcome to attend. Questions? Email Minister of Worship Naomi Laabs.
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 on Sunday. 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.
“I Believe” by Phil Wickham
“Cornerstone” by Hillsong
“Jesus, Messiah” by Chris Tomlin
“Ancient of Days” by CityAlight
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Nurture
Ways to be connected to Jesus throughout the week in your personal life and with others
Grow in Grace
God may be hidden, but that does not in any way mean God is not in your life. He’s everywhere! Grow in Grace returns with discussion about The Hidden God on Sunday at 9:30 in the sanctuary. Join this whole church Bible study on how God reveals himself in hidden ways. Childcare is available in room 104 for children 3 and younger.
Men of His Word conference
For the past several years, hundreds of men have attended Men of His Word for encouragement and growth as Christian leaders. Brothers from St. Andrew are inviting you to join them for this day trip to Oshkosh on February 8. Find more information about Men of His Word 2024 and the registration link, click here. If you are attending, contact Brian Fritz or Tom Shepard to join the carpool.
Impact podcast
God’s promise of salvation through Christ is an anchor for your soul, and because it is God’s promise, that is one heavy anchor. Listen to Pastor Greg Lyon talk about that and more selected verses from the wonderful book of Hebrews. You can listen to Impact here or by searching for “Kjenstad Impact” wherever you listen to podcasts.
PowerHour
Let’s Be Healthy! That is the theme at the next Power Hour. PowerHour is a children’s ministry that serves children and their caregivers. Children up to school-age are welcome. The next PowerHour is Friday, January 17, at 10:15, in the gymnasium. Go here to learn more.
Sunday children’s ministries
To help your children learn more about the love of Jesus and the Word of God, St. Andrew has a children ministry for every age. Now is the time to get your children involved!
Plugged into Jesus returns January 12 with a lesson on the story of creation. Stories will continue in sequence, so this is a great place for first timers to begin attending. PIJ starts at 9:20. Kids in 4K – kindergarten meet in room 102, and grades 1 – 5 meet in the gym.
Musikgarten (3 and younger), Spark (grades 6 – 8), and FUEL (high school) return January 19.
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Service & Outreach
Opportunities for you to live your faith and love for Jesus by sharing Jesus with others
Help us help you serve
The One Body, Many Members survey is a tool for you to let us know areas in which you might like to serve. Some are recurring; others are situational. The responses have been used successfully many times, allowing lots of members to find new or different ways to serve. But the greater the response, the greater the ministry. So, if you still have not, please take the survey and help us help you serve.
One Body, Many Parts Survey
Service opportunity | children’s ministries
Here’s a way to serve with immediate opportunities. If you are passionate about children and their Christian instruction, consider joining the Plugged into Jesus team. You serve about once a month on Sundays by teaching children Bible accounts and leading them in planned activities. Contact Yvonne Onsager if interested.
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. Last month’s video anticipates the 175th anniversary of our church body in 2025 and highlights a few points of history.
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Monthly Mission Partner
Our January partner is a sister church in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Illumine is a mission church and was a host to one of our teen mission teams last summer. We hope to send another team this summer to assist with their science camp. Get more acquainted with Illumine at illuminechurch.com.
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Westside Christian School
A ministry of St. Andrew, preparing students for academic success and lives of Christian service founded on God’s Word
Call update
Westside Christian School had two calls out for teachers before we broke for the Christmas break. Both calls were returned to us during that time which means that we are again looking toward another call meeting.
The call meeting has now been scheduled for Thursday, January 16, at 6:00 PM. We will be calling for a 3rd grade teacher (replacing Mrs. Shepherd) and a School Music Program Director/Children’s Ministry Director position.
We invite all to attend. If you are unable to attend, please continue to keep Westside Christian School and its staff in your prayers. |
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Serving This Week
Serving Jesus at St. Andrew this week, January 9 & 12, 2025
Musicians
Lead musician: Malia Faessler, Naomi Laabs
Vocalists: Amanda Faessler, Naomi Laabs
Guitar: Clayton Grow, Chad Schaal
Drums: Aaron Faessler
Cello: Kaelana Faessler
Piano: Scott and Kristen Kock
Greeters
Thursday: Sharon Saxby
8:00 AM: Kevin and Sherry Kessler
10:30 AM: Pete and Alice Zimpelman
Ushers
Thursday: Greg Bleck
8:00 AM: Bill Beier, Brad Hougaard
10:30 AM: Cole Brickner, Dan Simpson
Lay Readers
Thursday: Mitch Hutter
8:00 AM: Jamie Lundgren
10:30 AM: Brandon Brickner
Communion Assistants
Thursday: Andy Bindl
8:00 AM: Jack Murphy, Ed Murray
10:30 AM: Brandon Brickner, Tyler Simmons
Communion Care
Thursday: Lisa and Stella Bindl, Glennda Brandt
8:00 AM: Chris Hougaard
10:30 AM: Stephanie Grow
Audio
Thursday: Naomi Laabs
Sunday: Terry Jacobs
Slide Tech
Thursday: Alex Bindl
8:00 AM: Sarah Wendorf
10:30 AM: Jacob Miller
Livestream Video
Seth Fenske
Hospitality
Thursday: Jill and Ashlynn Buechner
8:00 AM: Michelle Murphy
10:30 AM: Ana Belstra
Connection Card Assembly
Mary Bruskewitz
Offering Caretakers
Andy and Lisa Bindl
Children’s Ministries
Childcare: Esther Bohl, Ellie Jafferis, Jane Povich, Kim Volberg
Plugged into Jesus: Erica Dammann, Jared Dammann, Sarah Gilbert, Isaac Heckmann, Natalie Onsager, Natalie Spillman, Lola Weiss
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