Alleluia! Lutheran Church, 4055 S. Book Rd., Naperville, IL 60564 www.alleluialutheran.org Phone: 630-904-3311

Our Mission: To enable all to come, connect, and commit to Jesus.

Christmas Worship at Alleluia!

Dec 23rd (Saturday): 5:00 p.m.

Dec 24th (Sunday): 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, & 11:00 p.m.

* Please note there are no Sunday AM worship services

* The 3:00 & 5:00 p.m. services have a special message for children Message: “Come Home for Christmas!”

Please join us for

The Christmas Pageant Experience

Sunday, Dec. 3rd, 3:00 p.m. (more info on pg 6)

An Adult Learning

Opportunity

with Pastor Tammy!

An Adult Learning

Opportunity

with Pastor Tammy!

Info on page 8 Info on page 8

Come home for Christmas! The prophets invite you

to come and see, once again, the Word made flesh, among us.

Come home for Christmas and join the angels. Sing!

Make a joyful noise, praise Him! Glory to God, praise the Lord!

Come home for Christmas

to a story of old, yet new, by faith, ev’ry day.

Let ev’ry heart make Him room!

Come home for Christmas to a love so profound:

it cleanses sin, and gives life! Come home, to God’s love, come home.

From Our Home to Yours, Merry Christmas,

Pastor Tim

Come home for Christmas! The prophets invite you

to come and see, once again, the Word made flesh, among us.

Come home for Christmas and join the angels. Sing!

Make a joyful noise, praise Him! Glory to God, praise the Lord!

Come home for Christmas

to a story of old, yet new, by faith, ev’ry day.

Let ev’ry heart make Him room!

Come home for Christmas to a love so profound:

it cleanses sin, and gives life! Come home, to God’s love, come home.

From Our Home to Yours, Merry Christmas,

Pastor Tim

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409 Shoeboxes! A big thank you to Katie Bryan for coordinating Operation Christmas Child this year!

Advent Conspiracy Giving Tree Opportunities! Please take a tag from one of the Advent Conspiracy Giving Trees located in the upper level Gathering Area and The Underground. There are options for giving time as well as giving resources. Follow the instructions on the tag and return it

to the Advent Conspiracy Donation Box by December 24th.

Donations of gifts for LSSI Foster Kids must be returned by Dec. 10th. Thank you!

Next FMSC Volunteer Date is Dec. 16th, 9—11:00 a.m.

For more information or to sign up, send an email to Alan Cook at fmsc.alleluia@gmail.com

1,580 pounds

of food donated to Loaves and Fishes.

Thank You!

Harvest Weekend Food Collection

Many thanks to Teresa & Kevin Zahora for organizing our Harvest Weekend efforts and delivery to L&F!

Eleven people from Alleluia! traveled to Peru in November and visited three of

the sites in the Huanuco area where Alleluia! members sponsor 200+ children

through Compassion International. They worshiped with our brothers and sisters

in Peru, conducted a VBS style program,

visited families in their homes, supported a

leaders' conference, encouraged staff and

volunteers at the sites, and spent a day with

their own sponsored children. They will share

a bit about their experience on Sunday, December 10th at 10:15 a.m.

and again at 11:30 a.m. in the CLC at Alleluia!

View additional photos from the Peru trip on the following 2 pages.

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WAYSIDE CROSS

MINISTRIES BIN

Alleluia! has a Wayside Cross donation bin in our lower parking lot

next to the paper recycling bin. It supports their resale shops in Aurora.

They accept clothing, shoes, towels, rags, and sheets in ANY CONDITION.

Only items that fit through the bin door can be accepted. Please do not

leave any items outside of the bin.

Thank You, Cheryl Dietz, Assistant Office Manager

Cheryl Dietz, Assistant Office Manager, resigned in November, to pursue a career in Real Estate. We give thanks to God for her ministry as Assistant Office Manager for the last year and half. She and her family will continue to be members of Alleluia!, and we wish Cheryl the very best in her new career.

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~ The Children’s Ministry presents: The Christmas Pageant Experience on Sunday, December 3rd at 3:00 p.m. The no rehearsal pageant begins in the Worship Space with plenty of audience participation. Immediately following the pageant the event will continue in the Community Life Center with games, food, and fellowship. Join us for all the fun! ~ A Caroling We Will Go! The Children’s Ministry invites ages preschool - 5th grade to go caroling at Sunrise Senior Living of Naperville North. Join us Wednesday, December 13th from 5:15-6:00 p.m. For more information or to sign up, please click HERE. Contact April or Michele for rehearsal information.

~ Children’s Ministry Volunteers: Please stop by the Children’s Ministry Office to choose a Christmas gift from Ms. Michele and Ms. April. Thank you for your gift of time! You are all a valuable part of our team.

Please Note: There will be no KidsConnect (including the Toddler Room) on December 24/25th &

December 31/January 1st. Enjoy this time to worship as a family!

~ We need youth and adult volunteers at our next rotation in January/February. Here are the Top 10 Reasons to Volunteer in KidsConnect:

1. You receive an amazing new green t-shirt to wear! 2. You will stand out in the crowd! 3. The children will always put a smile on your face! 4. You can “think on your feet” as much as you want. 5. Your thoughts and ideas are welcome! 6. The volunteer hours are flexible 7. If you enjoy wearing a nametag – this is YOUR place! 8. You can be in the SPOTLIGHT in a moment’s notice in church or during KidsConnect. 9. Warning: LOTS of laughter will ensue! 10. Teach about the greatest gift: Jesus

~ Special Note from the Children’s Ministry: As we reflect on the year, we want to say thank you to the congregation for its support of the Children’s Ministry. We are blessed to have you on our team. To the amazing “green shirt volunteers” – we are extremely grateful for your endless patience, flexibility, and love for God’s children. God’s love truly shines through each of you!

Registration for Created by God Has Begun. The Mandatory Parent Orientation

will take place on January 11th, 6:30-8:00pm, in the Rec Room OR January 14th,

12:30 -2:00pm in the Rec Room (Parents must attend one of these meetings).

Students attend on January 21st, February 10th & 11th, all 12:30—4:30pm.

Please register your 5th grader online HERE, or at the Welcome Center. All

questions can be directed to Michele Nelson at mnelson@alleluia.church.

We are a fantastic creation made by God!

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Please Consider Giving an Extra Gift This Christmas!

With our 2017 Fiscal Year ending December 31st, we are forecasting a -$13,500 deficit. While some might suggest that this amount, relative to a $2.2M budget could be considered negligible, it still is a negative number. With surplus budgets in 2015 and 2016, our Finance Team and Council would like to see a third year in a row with a "black number" at year's end. Would you please consider a year-end gift to help our church family eliminate this deficit? Please consider the following:

Please consider an “above and beyond” year-end gift to close this budgeted deficit, given to the church no later than the end of December, 2017

Consider giving a year-end stock gift. This great way of giving offerings to Alleluia! provides capital gains tax benefits to the giver. Please contact our office for more information.

Give electronically via texting GIVE to 6309485577 and follow the instructions. Every dollar given will help close the gap and support our church ministries.

Remember your annual offerings to Alleluia! are “charitable contributions” for annual taxes, and reduce your “taxable income.”

Please remember that Alleluia! is 100% reliant on offerings and other in-house ministry incomes (preschool, fundraisers, etc.); and receives zero income from our denomination or any other outside source. We are dependent on each member’s offerings to fuel our mission!

Together, we can have a balanced budget at year’s end, and better position ourselves for the 2018 fiscal year at Alleluia! Thank you for your above and beyond year-end gift, whatever the amount, to balance the 2017 budget; but more importantly to enable all to come, connect, and commit to Jesus!

If you attend an Alleluia! event and take pictures or video please share it

with us! Please email it to AFC@alleluia.church.

If the video file is too large, send an email letting us know,

and we will help you get the video to us.

December Advent Readers/Candlelighters

The reading will be emailed to you a few days prior to your date. Please print them out and bring them with you to the worship service.

12/2 5:00pm The Blake Family 12/3 9:00am The Conroy Family 12/3 10:15am The White Family 12/3 11:30am _______________ 12/9 5:00pm The Soczka Family 12/10 9:00am Mike and Mimi Raczak 12/10 10:15am The Frost Family 12/10 11:30am The Nelson Family 12/16 5:00pm The Dietz Family 12/17 9:00am Dale & Armandina Goetz 12/17 10:15am The Koomjohn Family 12/17 11:30am The Kucharski Family

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Adult Ministries News

Adult Learning Opportunities - Register Today!

“The Advent Experience” with Pastor Tammy When: Wednesdays, Dec 6th & 13th Time: 7—8 p.m. Where: Community Room Cost: Free – Bring your Bibles & writing materials Childcare: Yes (with Registration) CLICK HERE to register. Join us for this 2-week course exploring the priceless gifts of Peace, Hope, Love, and Joy. Led by Pastor Tammy, you’ll learn how to embrace and share these gifts that God has offered us through the birth of Jesus. Please register for this course by Sunday, December 3rd.

Alpha is coming in February Questions about God? About faith? Not sure where you stand?

Then this relaxed, no pressure setting is just right for you!

When: Sundays, beginning February 25, 2018 Time: 6:15—8:15 p.m. Where: Alleluia! Community Life Center Cost: Free Childcare: Yes (with Registration) CLICK HERE for the Alpha brochure with complete information CLICK HERE to register for this course. The Alpha course invites you to hear basic truth claims of the Bible. You process what you hear and make new friends along the way. Alpha “meets you where you are" in respect to faith. It’s a course for everyone—people who have been Christians their whole lives, people who have never believed, and everyone in between. The goal is to provide a safe, comfortable place to think through what the Bible claims is true. We eat together each week. There is no cost for Alpha meals; rather, a $3 - $5 donation requested each week to help defray costs.

New Member Orientation

When: Sunday, January 28, 2018 Time: 5:00—7:15 p.m. Where: Community Room Childcare: Yes (with Registration) Click HERE to Register Come enjoy a light dinner (child friendly option available), and learn about membership at Alleluia! At the end of the evening you'll have the opportunity to fill out membership forms, and you'll be officially welcomed by the congregation the following Sunday, February 4th. Please contact Laura Bowler at lbowler@alleluia.church, or 630-904-3311, x245, with general questions about membership or the orientation.

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Do you have more airline miles than

you could ever use? Would you

consider using a portion of them to

fly our 2018 Women’s Retreat speaker,

Kathi Lipp, from sunny California

to freezing cold Chicago this coming

January? If so, please contact

Darcy Jasien at djasien@alleluia.church.

Thank you!

Hey, Alleluia! Women!

Did you know that we’ve created a Facebook page just for you? We want this to be your resource for upcoming

activities, events, ways to get involved, volunteer

opportunities for women, and much more.

Simply search for Alleluia! Women Connect to stay up to date on the

latest news and our upcoming events.

Guest speaker, Kathi Lipp,

will focus on dealing with

overwhelming life situations

and daily chaos.

Click HERE to to view

the Retreat brochure.

Click HERE to register!

Seeking

Southwest Airline Miles

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Over 90 women of all ages (including guests, volunteers, vendors, and “mini-party hosts”) gathered together on November 10th for Alleluia’s first-ever Grand Chocolate Party! The purpose of the party was to raise funds for our annual women’s retreat (info on page 9), as well as to help connect our ladies to one another and to God.

This was the result of an amazing effort by many dedicated volunteers! Many thanks to the planning team, which had its first brainstorming meeting in June, as well as each and every person who helped in any way. You are all proof that when we work together as the hands and feet of God, the result is always so much more than the sum of its parts!

Guests at the Grand Chocolate Party enjoyed shopping Mary and Martha, jewelry, clothing, and essential oil vendors, and at-tending “mini-parties” like: Wine Glass Painting, Guided Christian Meditation, Escape Box, Dance, Yoga, and Self Defense. And of course, guests also enjoyed chocolate—lots and lots of chocolate! There was a formal chocolate tasting, delicious desserts, and an amazing chocolate-themed beverage bar. It was heaven on earth for all who attended, from the casual chocolate lover to the full-blown chocolate connoisseur!

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5:00pm Worship

Usher: 12/2 Alan Cook/, 12/9 Alan Cook, 12/16 Alan Cook/Tim Toepfer, 12/30 Tim Toepfer/_________ Communion: 12/3 Dawn DeSart, 12/9 Kellie Kunz, 12/16 Ginny Toepfer, 12/30 Ginny Toepfer Greeters: 12/2 Teresa & Kevin Zahora, 12/9 Kathy Griffith/_________, 12/16 Teresa & Kevin Zahora, 12/30 _________/_________ Welcome Center: 12/2 Dawn DeSart, 12/9 Kellie Kunz, 12/16 Tim Toepfer, 12/30 Ginny Toepfer Lector: 12/2 Joe Biela, 12/9 Kathy Griffith, 12/16 Andrea Jacob, 12/30 Joe Biela

9:00am Worship

Ushers: 12/3Dale Goetz, Nick Bryan, Larry Grippo

12/10 Dale Goetz, Larry Grippo, _________

12/17 Dale Goetz, Nick Bryan, _________

12/31 Dale Goetz, Nick Bryan, _________

Welcome Center: 12/3 _________, 12/10 _________, 12/17_________, 12/31 __________

Greeters: 12/3 Katie Bryan/_________, 12/10 Katie Bryan/_________, 12/17 Gail Wheeler/__________, 12/31 Katie Bryan/_________

Communion Servers:

12/3 Suzanne Storoe, Mary Kocourek, Jennifer Madson, Pastor 1, Pastor 2

12/10 Mike Raczak, Mimi Raczak, Gail Wheeler, Pastor 1, Pastor 2

12/17 Mike Raczak, Mimi Raczak, Jennifer Madson, Pastor 1, Pastor 2

12/31 Jennifer Madson, Gail Wheeler, Jennifer Madson, Viki Haneberg, Pastor 1

Altar: 12/3 LaRae Lafrenz, 12/10 Laurie Cottrill, 12/17 _________, 12/31 LaRae Lafrenz

Lectors: 12/3 John Wheeler, 12/10 Jennifer Madson, 12/17 John Wheeler, 12/31 Jennifer Madson

10:15 Worship

Ushers: 12/3 Kelly Cunningham, Adrian Knowles, Ryan Glassman, Doug Werth

12/10 Kelly Cunningham, Adrian Knowles, Ryan Glassman, Doug Werth

12/17 Kelly Cunningham, Roger Russell, _________, _________

12/31 _________, _________, _________, _________

Lectors: 12/3 Joel Fulgham, 12/10 Kelly Cunningham, 12/17 Adrian Knowles, 12/31 Deb Bostjancic

Welcome Center: 12/3 Tina Falkner, 12/10 Kathy Housholder, 12/17 Christy Russell, 12/31 Barb Cunningham

Greeters: 12/3 Jennifer Sheriff/Kathy Housholder, 12/10 Doonan Family/John & Wendy Ploense,

12/17 Doonan Family/John & Wendy Ploense, 12/31 Deb Bostjancic /_________

Altar: 12/3 Mary Hale, 12/10 Deb Bostjancic, 12/17 Deb Bostjancic, 12/31 Deb Bostjancic

Communion Servers: 12/3 Deb Bostjancic, Beth Duesing, Joel Fulgham, Annette Osuch, Sherry Tietz, Pastor 1, Pastor 2

12/10 Deb Bostjancic, Beth Duesing, Kristin Doonan, Joel Fulgham, Teri Rotheiser, Pastor 1, Pastor 2

12/17 Deb Bostjancic, Nancy Larson, Kristin Doonan, Joel Fulgham, Annette Osuch, Pastor 1, Pastor 2

12/31 Deb Bostjancic, Beth Duesing, Joel Fulgham, Annette Osuch, ________, ________, Pastor 1

We still have Christmas & Advent Season Volunteer Opportunities

Please click HERE to view all Sign Ups

Welcome Others, Serve Communion, Read the Lesson, Usher… All volunteer areas are scheduled by the week.

We encourage you to invite friends to serve with you. It’s a perfect way to connect with others at Alleluia!

Questions? Contact Volunteer Coordinator, Lori Juliot at ljuliot@alleluia.church

The December Advent Reader/Candlelighter Schedule is on page 7.

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From Plainfield

Take Route 59 North. Turn right on 103rd St.

Church is on the right at Book Rd.

From Bolingbrook

Take Boughton Rd. West. Turn right on

Plainfield-Naperville. Turn left on 104th St.

104th ends in church

parking lot.

From North Naperville

Take Route 59 South. Turn

left on 103rd St. Church is

on the right at Book Rd.

Directions to Alleluia!

Saturday Worship: 5pm

Sunday Worship: 9am & 10:15am

Sunday Worship: 11:30am (September - May in The Underground Youth Center)

Karla Doherty (Term Exp 2/19)

Sean Huenecke (Term Exp 2/19)

Katie Bryan (Term Exp 2/20)

Mike Raczak (Term Exp 2/20)

Dan Stolle (Treasurer, non-voting)

Your Alleluia! Church Council members may be contacted via council@alleluia.church

Gail Wheeler (Term Exp 2/18)

David Stis (Term Exp 2/18)

Pastor Tim Housholder (Senior Pastor)

* Did you watch game shows as a kid? * Do you spend free time watching the Game Show Network? * Ever dream of being a game show contestant?

Alleluia! Game Night is for you!

Alleluia! Game Night is a new fundraising event where you and other adults come together for some entertaining game show type games while supporting the missions and ministries of Alleluia! This event will take the place of the 2018 Gala-luia! so we will need everyone’s help and support to make this fundraiser a success!

Alleluia! Game Night will be held on February 10th, 6:30 p.m. Fill a table with 8 of your friends, or sign up alone and make new friends! Your table will work together prior to the event to come up with a theme. You can decorate your table and dress according to your theme. Please bring any appetizers and desserts you wish to share with your table. You can make it more fun by matching these to your theme. Themes can be formal (such as Gala theme or Wedding theme), or casual (such as Pajama Party theme or Sports Fan theme). Have fun with it! There will be a prize for the table with the best theme.

Tickets will go on sale December 1st. Your $20 ticket entitles you to 2 drink tickets and 2 raffle tickets. We hope you can join us!

Prize and raffle donations are being accepted in the church office. If you have questions or something to donate, please contact Laura Bowler at 630-904-3311, x245 or email lbowler@alleluia.church.

Save the Date!

ALLELUIA! GAME NIGHT is Coming

February 10th

, 2018!