April 5, Mid-week 5 – Standing in Truth: In our world we are surrounded by many philosophies and religions, all claiming to have   the truth. The Roman governor Pilate questioned Jesus about his kingdom. Jesus answered that his kingdom is not of this world and that he came to bear witness to the truth. Pilate asked, “What is truth?” He did not know that the Truth stood before him in the flesh. We gather to worship Jesus our Savior, whose kingdom is a kingdom of truth and who is himself the Way and the Truth and Life.

Call Committee: The call committee interviewed two pastors this week. Their profiles, interview questions, and notes of their responses are in the green binder in the narthex. Pastor Lineberger is following up with a few additional questions. An update and call committee recommendations will be coming soon. Your questions, feedback, suggestions, and especially your prayers are welcome and encouraged!

Worship Leaders: Pastor James McDaniels on April 9, April 16, and Lent Mid-week services; Pastor Greg Williamson on April 2 and April 23; Pastor Larry Lineberger on April 30.

March 29, Mid-Week 4 – Standing Through Persecution: Jesus was rejected, betrayed, deserted by his friends and arrested. He was unjustly tried and condemned to death, yet he willingly endured it all to save us. We have the freedom during this Lenten season and always to gather for worship. Many of our brothers and sisters around the world do not enjoy such freedom. We remember the suffering of the saints who endure persecution for the sake of the Savior who suffered for them, and for us.

Missionary Visit: We were honored to have Pastor Shauen Trump with us last Saturday. Shauen is the LCMS Area Director of Eastern and Southern Africa Missions and lives with his wife Krista and their three boys in Nairobi, Kenya. He gave a fascinating presentation about what God is doing in Africa. One of the most important ways we can help is by praying. Check out their website to find out more.

Call Committee: The call committee will be interviewing two pastors next week. Their profiles are in the green binder in the narthex; please look at them when you have a chance. Your questions, feedback, suggestions, and especially your prayers are welcome and encouraged!

Change the World: One Life at a Time – 500th Reformation Anniversary Celebration: Information about service times, music, and the health fair will be coming soon. For details about the event contact John Cangelosi, Dave or Judy Neely, Lois Durr, or Lorraine Bleeke.

Worship Leaders: Pastor James McDaniels on April 9, April 16, and Lent Mid-week services; Pastor Greg Williamson on April 2 and April 23; Pastor Larry Lineberger on Mar. 26 and April 30.

Missionary Visit: Pastor Shauen Trump, the missionary in Kenya that we supported with 2016 mission funds, will be coming to Advent tomorrow, Saturday, March 18, 10:00 a.m. He will give a short presentation on what God is doing in Africa and there will be time for questions and visiting. Our fellowship committee will be providing donuts, bagels, and coffee. Please join us.

Call Committee: Of the two pastors we interviewed, one is expecting a call to another congregation and the other has asked to be removed from the list. The call committee has contacted two other pastors and requested an interview. Their profiles are in the green binder in the narthex; please look at them when you have a chance. Your questions, feedback, suggestions, and especially your prayers are welcome and encouraged!

March 22, Mid-week 3: Standing in Suffering: Jesus suffered the penalty that we deserved for our sins. The Lamb of God suffered the penalty of death for us so that through faith in his name we have the gifts of forgiveness and eternal life. Jesus paid the price of our salvation and by his wounds we are healed.

The LWML Carolinas District Joy Event will be held on March 25, 2017, at St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Norlina, NC. Registration is 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. The cost is $20 which includes lunch. The theme will be the Reformation. Rev. Mike Merker from Jordan Lutheran Church in Apex will be the Bible study leader. Please let Lois Durr know if you plan to attend.

Men’s and Women’s Weekday Bible Studies are in recess until after Easter.

Council Meeting: Thursday, March 23, 7:00 p.m.

Worship Leaders: Pastor James McDaniels April 9 and 16, and Lent Mid-week services; Pastor Greg Williamson on Mar. 19, April 2, and April 23; Pastor Larry Lineberger on Mar. 26 and April 30.

Reminder: Daylight Savings time starts March 12, 2017. Turn clocks ahead one hour when going to bed on Saturday, March 11.

Missionary Visit: Pastor Shauen Trump, the missionary in Kenya that we supported with 2016 mission funds, will be coming to Advent on Saturday, March 18, 10:00 a.m. He will give a short presentation on what God is doing in Africa and there will be time for questions and visiting. Our fellowship committee will be providing donuts, bagels, and coffee. Please join us.

Call Committee: John Stow has been in contact with both pastors we interviewed and will provide an update soon. Your questions, feedback, suggestions, and especially your prayers are welcome and encouraged! Check our website or for other information.

March 15, Mid-week 2– Standing Unafraid: We fear many things, and we often fear death. Jesus Christ, true God and true man, faced death and through his death and resurrection defeated it for us. In him we can face both life and death unafraid. Join us for a light supper at 6:15 p.m. followed by worship at 7:00 p.m.

Worship Leaders: Pastor James McDaniels March 12, April 9, and Lent Mid-week services; Pastor Greg Williamson on Mar. 19 and April 2, Pastor Larry Lineberger on Mar. 26.

Missionary Visit: Pastor Shauen Trump, the missionary in Kenya that we supported with 2016 mission funds, will be coming to Advent on Saturday, March 18, 10:00 a.m. He will give a short presentation on what God is doing in Africa and there will be time for questions and visiting. Our fellowship committee will be providing donuts, bagels, and coffee. Please join us.

Call Committee: John Stow has been in contact with both pastors we interviewed and will provide an update at the beginning of the service on Sunday Your questions, feedback, suggestions, and especially your prayers are welcome and encouraged!

March 8, Lenten Mid-week Service: Standing in Prayer: When a Canaanite woman asked Jesus to heal her daughter, Jesus did not immediately do so. But hidden beneath his “No” was the Savior’s “Yes,” and the woman’s daughter was healed. Jesus Christ is the “Yes!” to all the promises of God. When the time came for him to go to the cross, out of obedience to the Father and for the sake of our salvation, Jesus answered, “Yes!” Join us for a light supper at 6:15 p.m. followed by worship at 7:00 p.m.

Liturgy during Worship: Starting this Sunday, March 5, we will be following a different order of service at least through Easter. We will be using Divine Service Setting One, which begins on page 151 in our hymnals. Pastor McDaniels and possibly our other guest pastors will be chanting parts of the service. Many of you are familiar with this setting, but because it will be Lent, a few of the responses aren’t used for much of the year. Please be patient as we learn this new setting together. Constructive feedback is always welcome.

Worship Leaders: Pastor James McDaniels Mar. 5, 12, and Lent Mid-week services; Pastor Greg Williamson on Mar. 19, Pastor Larry Lineberger on Mar. 26.

Call Committee: The Call Committee interviewed two pastors this week. We will be sharing information at a Congregational Meeting this Sunday, February 26 immediately after worship. Your questions, feedback, suggestions, and especially your prayers are welcome and encouraged! Check our website or for other information.

“Standing at the Cross” – Lenten Season Worship Series: As a Lenten lead-in to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, the “Standing at the Cross” series will focus on portions of sermons Martin Luther preached during Lent, Holy Week and Easter in the parishes where he served. As we stand with Luther at the foot of the cross each week, we contemplate the ways in which we stand firm in the faith as followers of Christ during this holy season.

Ash Wednesday Service, March 1, 7:00 p.m. – Standing in the Word: When Jesus was tempted by the devil, the Savior responded: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Jesus, the Word made flesh, is the Bread of life, and by faith we are nourished in his Word and in his holy Supper. Jesus satisfies us as no earthly food can!

Liturgy during Worship: Starting March 5, the first Sunday in Lent, we will be following a different order of service at least through Easter. We will be using Divine Service Setting One, which begins on page 151 in our hymnals. Pastor McDaniels and possibly our other guest pastors will be chanting parts of the service. Many of you are familiar with this setting, but because it will be Lent, a few of the responses aren’t used for much of the year. Please be patient as we learn this new setting together. Constructive feedback is always welcome.

Worship Leaders: Pastor James McDaniels Feb. 26, Mar. 5, 12, and Lent Mid-week services; Pastor Greg Williamson on Mar. 19, Pastor Larry Lineberger on Mar. 26.

Call Committee: The Call Committee has reviewed the pastors’ profiles that we received from the SED. We will be interviewing two of them next week. Because of confidentiality, the candidate’s profiles will not be posted on the website, but are in the green binder on the table in the narthex. Feel free to read through the profiles at church. Interview questions we will ask of each candidate have been prioritized. This information is also in the green binder in then narthex. Your questions, feedback, suggestions, and especially your prayers are welcome and encouraged! Check our website or for other information.

The Women’s Evening Bible Study is on hiatus until after Easter. On Wednesday, April 9, 7 pm, we will study “Bad Girls of the Bible,” by Liz Curtis Higgs. No homework. No need to buy the book. Each evening study is independent so join us as your life allows.

Change the World: One Life at a Time – 500th Reformation Anniversary Celebration: Check the email that was sent out last week for information about how you can help or contact John Cangelosi canjello@gmail.com>, Dave <dave.neely@hotmail.com> or Judy Neely <neelyjl@gmail.com>, Lois Durr <loisdurr58@gmail.com>, or Lorraine Bleeke <lorraineb1978@gmail.com>.

Worship Leaders: Pastor Greg Williamson on Feb. 19 and Mar. 19, Pastor James McDaniels Feb. 26, Mar. 5, 12, and Lent Mid-week services; Pastor Larry Lineberger on Mar. 26.

Call Committee: We received a list of 8 candidates from the SED. Pastor Lineberger has contacted all of them. Two have asked to be removed from the list and two are currently being interviewed by other congregations. This leaves us with four to six potential candidates.

The Call Committee has reviewed the profiles of each pastor and selected two to interview at this time. Because of confidentiality, the candidate’s profiles will not be posted on the website, but are in the green binder on the table in the narthex. Feel free to read through the profiles at church. We met on Feb. 7 to review suggested interview questions and have prioritized the questions we will ask of each candidate. This information is also in the green binder in then narthex.

Your questions, feedback, suggestions, and involvement are welcome and encouraged! Check our website or for other information.

Change the World: One Life at a Time – 500th Reformation Anniversary Celebration: Check the email that was sent out last week for information about how you can help or contact John Cangelosi canjello@gmail.com>, Dave <dave.neely@hotmail.com> or Judy Neely <neelyjl@gmail.com>, Lois Durr <loisdurr58@gmail.com>, or Lorraine Bleeke <lorraineb1978@gmail.com>.

Worship Leaders:; Pastor Larry Lineberger on Feb. 12, Pastor Greg Williamson on Feb. 19, Pastor James McDaniels Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12.

Call Committee: We received a list of 8 candidates from the SED. Pastor Lineberger has contacted all of them. Two have asked to be removed from the list and two are currently being interviewed by other congregations. This leaves us with four to six potential candidates.

The Call Committee met on January 31 to begin reviewing the profiles of each pastor and preparing interview questions. Because of confidentiality, the candidate’s profiles will not be posted on the website, but are in the green binder on the table in the narthex. Feel free to read through the profiles at church and make notes.

We will be using a small subset of suggested interview questions that were provided in the Call Manual (also on the table in the narthex.) Your input on additional questions to ask or topics to cover in the initial interviews is encouraged. Suggestions can be given to any council member or emailed to Karla (kmkbyrnes@gmail.com) no later than this Sunday, February 5, at noon. Check our website or for other information.

Women of Advent’s Valentine’s Girls’ Night Out will be held Thursday, Feb. 9, at 7:00 p.m. In the Fellowship Hall. We will again look forward to exchanging “A Few of Our Favorite Things.” Please see the poster and fliers in the church narthex for detailed information and to sign up. It is a fun and delicious evening. We look forward to seeing you there! Bring a friend!

Change the World: One Life at a Time – 500th Reformation Anniversary Celebration: Check the email that was sent out on Wednesday for information about how you can help or contact John Cangelosi canjello@gmail.com>, Dave <dave.neely@hotmail.com> or Judy Neely <neelyjl@gmail.com>, Lois Durr <loisdurr58@gmail.com>, or Lorraine Bleeke <lorraineb1978@gmail.com>.

Tuesday Morning Women’s Bible Study will meet on February 7 at 10:30 a.m. and begin a study of “Entrusted, A Study of 2 Timothy” by Beth Moore. This six-session study encourages us to walk in strong faith as we guard what God has entrusted to us: the gospel and our gifting. Study book cost is $13. Please let Maryanne Warne know if you will be attending.

Worship Leaders:Pastor James McDaniels will lead Worship on Feb. 5 and Feb. 26; Pastor Larry Lineberger on Feb. 12 and Pastor Greg Williamson on Feb. 19.

Voter’s Meeting will be this Sunday, January 29, immediately after the worship service. We will be voting on the 2017 Budget, 2016 Mission funding, and an amendment to the Synod’s constitution.

Support for Missions: Check out the bulletin board for the latest letter from LCMS Missionaries Shauen and Krista Trump. The congregation has financially supported them in the past and will be voting on directing some of our 2016 Mission funds to them. Get more information about their work and make individual donations at: http://www.thetrumps.org/.

Tuesday Morning Women’s Bible Study will meet on February 7 at 10:30 a.m. and begin a study of “Entrusted, A Study of 2 Timothy” by Beth Moore. This six-session study encourages us to walk in strong faith as we guard what God has entrusted to us: the gospel and our gifting. Study book cost is $13. Please let Maryanne Warne know if you will be attending

Change the World: One Life at a Time – 500th Reformation Anniversary Celebration: The most important way you can help right now is to prayer for the event. Talk with Judy Neely if you would like to part of the prayer team.

Worship Leader Schedule: Jan. 29, Feb. 5, and Feb. 26 – Pastor McDaniels; Feb. 12 – Pastor Lineberger; Feb. 19 – Pastor Williamson

Call Committee: We received a list of 8 candidates from the SED. Pastor Lineberger has contacted all of them. Two have asked to be removed from the list and two are currently interviewing. This leaves us with four to six potential candidates. The Call Committee will meet on January 31 to begin reviewing the profiles of each pastor and preparing interview questions. Check our website or the green binder on the table in the narthex for the latest information.