Author: Lisa Ellwoods

THE NEW TIMES
March 2022

December 2022 2022202220252 2022

THE NEW TIMES

BUFFALO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Inside this issue:

We hope you enjoy our monthly newsletter, The New Times.
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Missions	3
Calendar	4
Volunteers	6
Session	7

Pastor’s Page

“Comfort, O Comfort my people, says your God.” -Isaiah 40:1
Advent has always been the more difficult preparatory season of the church year for me to be present in. Maybe it's the fact that it is shorter than Lent and squeezed right between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Maybe it's because our culture starts Christmas sales and movie marathons so early, barely waiting till the Thanksgiving leftovers have been put into the fridge. Or maybe it's because unlike Lent and Easter Advent and Christmas don’t have a horrific act, like Jesus' crucifixion, as a bridge between the seasons and so it’s easier to rush right to the joy of the newborn baby. Regardless of why Advent might be a difficult season to give ourselves over to the rhythm of waiting and preparation I think the season has a lot to offer and teach us.
Perhaps one of the greatest lessons of Advent for our day and age is that of slowing down. The slowing down of Advent corresponds nicely with the darkening days of winter. Before electric lights, round the clock news, and next day delivery with Amazon the darkening days of winter meant spending more time inside at home. Our technological innovations have led us towards the instantaneous nature of our life these days. We can order something online and have it on the doorstep in a matter of days if not hours. The (perhaps instinctual) winter rhythm of slowing down has been watered down by the increased productivity provided by technological innovation.
The primary practice of Advent is the lighting of the Advent wreath, with its colorful candles and slow growing light. The wreath and the practice of lighting it serves as the perfect symbol for how Advent can help us slow down. The Wreath has a total of 5 candles, four for each week of Advent and one for Christmas. As we light the candles, lighting only one new candle each week, we are invited to slowly consider what the coming of Christ means for us. (Hope, Peace, Joy, Love) With each week we countdown the days till Christmas, slowly bringing us to the Christ child, but also helping teach us how to slow down more generally.
Another aspect of the wreath that helps us to slow down is the simplicity of it. The average Advent Wreath is not complicated. You have the wreath of greens in which are set 5 candles. While the colors of the candles vary based on tradition the number remains the same. These simple elements help teach us to slow down in that they provide less distraction, a “clean slate” so to speak.
Lastly, the waiting of Advent and the slow progression of the wreath lighting help communicate to us that Christ comes in God’s own time, whether that is his first coming at his birth or his second coming at the Last Judgment. This reminds us that most of what happens in life happens outside of our control, even with our technological innovations. Having a busy and packed schedule doesn’t put things anymore in our control that slowing down does.
May you find the time this Advent to slow down in any way that you need. May your slowing down be a moment, a morning, a day, whatever you can do. May you remember that Christ comes in God’s own time, but does in fact come, what good news! May the growing light of the Advent wreath be a symbol of the growing light of Christ in each of us and in our church.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Brian
Above all, trust in the slow work of God, our loving vine-dresser. -Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

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Christmas is swiftly coming. Now is the time to be thinking of gifts, and your church has some wonderful ideas to help you with this.
There are several Presbyterian Giving Catalogs on the Mission Table just outside Fellowship Hall. An abundance of gifts may be chosen from these, and there are affordable ones. This is a way to honor a family member and/or friend by contributing to helping others all over the world. Please look at these. You can also go to: https://presbyteriangifts.pcusa.org/page/host-alternative-giving-market-guide/
Also, here are more from which to choose:
Buffalo Food Shelf
Love INC., Big Woods
Cold Weather Shelter Fund
Rivers of Hope
On the Mission Table is a sheet which has all of the above information and how to contribute.
CRAFTY LADIES CRAFT SALE – The Crafty Ladies THANK YOU all for the wonderful baked goods which were many and all wonderful. You can still do some shopping in Fellowship Hall, and we certainly hope you do. As of this date, $6,1149.50 has been received. The funds received go to support the many missions of our church. Your support is a blessing and very much appreciated.
CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING
“The Christmas Joy Offering has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s. The Offering distributes gifts equally to the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. The Assistance Program provides critical financial support to church workers and their families. Presbyterian-related schools and colleges provide education and leadership development while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage. This has been a Presbyterian commitment for nearly 140 years.”
PROVIDING COMFORT TO CHURCH LEADERS
SUPPORTING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
BUILDING UP THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

BHS Drumline Fundraiser
The Buffalo High School Drumline is collecting new and gently used adult and children’s shoes to help raise funds to offset costs for their upcoming 2023 season.
The drumline is open to children in grades 8-12 and last year the team took 1st place at all of their competitions. They hope to make this year's performance even better and thank you in advance for your support.

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December 2022

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
				1 / 7:30a Women of Faith / 10:00a Women of Faith / 7:00p Communications Committee Meeting	2	3
4 / 9:30a Worship with Communion / 10:30a CCC: TGIF	5 / 6:30p Prayer Shawl Group / 7:00p AA Meeting	6 / 9:00a Crafty Ladies / 6:00p Building & Grounds Committee Meeting	7 / 6:00p Worship & Music Committee Meeting / 7:00p Adult Choir	8 / 7:30a Women of Faith / 10:00a Women of Faith	9	10 / 10:00a SPOT: Lectio Divina
11 / 9:30a Worship / 10:30a Congregational Meeting / 10:30a CCC: Conversations To Go	12 / 6:30p PEO / 7:00p AA Meeting	13 / 9:00a Crafty Ladies / 6:30p Finance Committee Meeting / 7:30p Missions Committee Meeting	14 / 7:00p Adult Choir	15 / 7:30a Women of Faith / 10:00a Women of Faith	16	17 / 9:30a PEO
18 / 9:30a Worship / 10:30a Cookie Exchange	19 / 4:00p Deacons Meeting / 6:30p Buffalo Art Guild / 7:00p AA Meeting	20 / 9:00a Crafty Ladies / 6:30p Session	21 / 7:00p Adult Choir	22 / 7:30a Women of Faith / 10:00a Women of Faith	23	24Christmas Eve / 4:30p Candlelight service
25 Christmas Day / 9:30a Worship	26 / 5:30p Fellowship Committee Meeting / 7:00p AA Meeting	27 / 9:00a Crafty Ladies	28 / 7:00p Adult Choir	29 / 7:30a Women of Faith / 10:00a Women of Faith	30	31 New Year’s Eve

Stewardship campaign closes in on goal

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Upcoming Events

Lectio Divina
Saturday, December 10th
10:00am
Spiritual Practices Of Today is a new monthly Faith Formation offering that will focus on various spiritual practices we can use to grow deeper in our faith and relationship with God.
Join us at 10am on Saturday December 10th at the church as we explore the practice of Lectio Divina (Divine Reading). Lectio Divina is a contemplative and prayerful way of reading the Bible that can be done in groups or individually. We will have Bibles for those who don't bring their own.
SAVE THE DATE: Join us at 10 am Saturday January 21st at the church for our monthly SPOT (Spiritual Practices Of Today) gathering. We'll be exploring the practice of making and following a Rule of Life. Following the traditions of monastic communities many contemporary Christians have begun crafting a Rule, a type of ordered pattern or model, for how they will live the Christian life day to day. Join us as we learn to craft our own rules for living our Christian faith.

Our church treasurer, Mandy Harkess, recently updated the Session on the 2023 stewardship campaign. With approximately 67% of our pledges returned, we have received 81% of our projected income for 2023. It’s hoped that members and friends who haven’t yet pledged will help close that gap. The Session would like to have all pledges before the congregational meeting on December 11.
If you have not returned your pledge for 2023, please do so as soon as possible so that the Session can continue making plans for our mission and ministry in the coming year.
If you haven’t made a pledge before, consider making a commitment for 2023. Financial stewardship is a spiritual practice that expresses your gratitude for all that God has provided and signifies your desire to see the church’s work grow and impact our world.
We sincerely thank all of you who have already submitted pledges for 2023. You are a blessing to Buffalo Presbyterian Church’s ministry.

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December Volunteer Schedule

Service Date	Building Cleaning	Coffee Time	Greeters	Lay Leader	Sound Board	Ushers	Pray & Play
12/4	Becky & Don Eddy	Michele Lawlor/ Mary Markve-Patch	Eric Ellwoods/ Dave Johnson	Eric Ellwoods	Chuck Klaassen	Kathy Quady & Kevin Spike	Victoria Vanderheiden
12/11	Marlene Aldrich/ Mary Coleman	Lois Lindstrom/ Elaine Thole	Larry Pattee/ Kathy Quady	Barb Janski	Mike Quady	Kathy Quady & Kevin Spike	Cindy Doth
12/18	Liz & Chuck Klaassen	Larry & Lavina Pattee	Larry Janski/ Liz Klaassen	Theresa Bevilacqua	Eric Ellwoods	Kathy Quady & Kevin Spike	NA
12/24	NA	NA			Chuck Klaassen		NA
12/25	Vanderheiden Family	Dave & Jean Johnson	Mike Quady/ Al DeBellis	Mary Coleman-	Mike Quady	Kathy Quady & Kevin Spike	NA
1/1	Diane Ellis	Marlene Aldrich/ Linda Shebiel	Elaine Thole/ Charlie Wilkens	Kathy Quady	Eric Ellwoods	Larry Janski & Kevin Spike	Victoria Vanderheiden

*We are still looking for volunteers for the Christmas Eve service at 4:30 pm. Please let Christy know if you are interested in helping. Thank you!

Classes, Coffee, and Conversations

December 4 ~ TGIF
December 11 ~ Conversations to go
December 18~ Cookie exchange
December 25 ~ Merry Christmas!

Congregational Meeting
The Session has called a congregational meeting on Sunday Dec. 11th following worship for the purposes of approving the terms of call for Pastor Brian and reviewing the adequacy of staff compensation.

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Session Summary
Highlights of the November 15 Stated Meeting
Session calls Special Congregational Meeting on December 11
There will be a Special Congregation Meeting on Sunday, December 11, following worship for a few 2023 budget-related items. The congregation must approve Pastor Entz’s terms-of-call for 2023. The terms-of-call explain how the pastor will be compensated. The congregation must also review the adequacy of pay for other church staff. The 2023 budget includes a recommendation that all staff receive a three percent increase in pay for 2023.
The meeting will also provide a chance for members to comment on the 2023 proposed budget. The $157,000 budget is about five percent higher than last year’s spending plan.
These are the only items that will be discussed at the meeting.
Session receives accessibility audit report
A task force presented a detailed audit on accessibility for people using our church building and grounds, and for people participating in our programs. The audit prioritizes recommendations not only for our facility but also for the church’s culture, policies, training, and education.
The task force noted areas where we are doing well and prioritized challenges that need to be addressed. The audit also included general cost figures. There will be information on the audit presented to the congregation at a future CCC and the Congregational Meeting in January. Copies of the audit are available to anyone who is interested.
Cindy Doth, Pastor Entz, Ralph Johansen, Michelle Lawlor, Ashton Olsen, and Elaine Thole were the members of the task force compiling the report.
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Session
Meets monthly on the third Tuesday at 6:30 pm
Theresa Bevilacqua Finance Committee
Mary Coleman Communication Committee
Cindy Doth Education & Youth Committee
Don Eddy Building & Grounds Committee
Jill Gatzke At Large
Chuck Klaassen Fellowship Committee
Mary Markve-Patch Worship & Music Committee
Ralph Johansen Missions Committee
Kathy Quady Personnel Committee
Mike Quady Clerk of Session
Pastor Brian Entz Moderator
Board of Deacons
Meets monthly on the third
Monday at 6:00 pm
Diane Ellis* Deacon Treasurer*
Barb Janski*
Liz Klaassen
Louise Markve
Elaine Thole
George Thole
*Please note that our Church Treasurer is Mandy Harkess.

To give online, please scan the QR code.

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We’re on the Web!
example.com

Buffalo Presbyterian Church is a congregation in which
the Word, the Spirit, and the Love of God
enrich and strengthen us as individuals and families in Christ.
The purpose of this Church is to fully equip us to become disciples of Jesus Christ, obeying His commandments to love and worship God, love and care for our neighbors, and make new disciples in our community and the world.

Buffalo Presbyterian Church

507 County Road 134
Buffalo, MN 55313

Phone: 763-682-2773
Email: office@buffalopresbyterian.org
www.buffalopresbyterian.org

Service Date	Building Cleaning	Coffee Time	Greeters	Lay Leader	Sound Board	Ushers
3/1/2020	Becky & Don Eddy	Mary Markve-Patch/Michele Lawlor/Cynthia Grittman	Elaine Thole/Kathy Quady	Bonnie Nelson	Mike Quady	Larry Janski & Kevin Spike
3/8/2020	Diane Ellis/Julie Long	Marlene Aldrich/Linda Shebiel	Mike Quady/ Al DeBellis	Theresa Bevilacqua	Eric Ellwoods	Larry Janski & Kevin Spike
3/15/2020	Marlene Aldrich/Mary Coleman	Lavina & Larry Pattee	Larry Janski/Larry Pattee	Nancy Grittman	Jerry Aldrich	Larry Janski & Kevin Spike
3/22/2020	Becky & Don Eddy	Barb & Larry Janski	Kathy Quady/Elaine Thole	Worship Team	Mike Quady	Larry Janski & Kevin Spike
3/29/2020	Diane Ellis/Julie Long	Cynthia Grittman/Michele Lawlor/Mary Markve-Patch	Mike & Kathy Quady	Ashton Olsen	Eric Ellwoods	Larry Janski & Kevin Spike