Announcements

Worship Services and Upcoming Events:

• “Growing for His Glory” FaithPoint will be launching a campaign this weekend to pay off our mortgage and plans for future expansion. Please return your pledge cards to the collection basket at the Welcome Center by Nov. 24!
• Loads of Love: 3rd Thursday of each month, 5-8pm at Soak Laundromat sponsored by FaithPoint. Next time is Thurs., Nov. 21, We offer assistance with laundry needs providing the cost of the machines, detergent, and softening products for anyone needing budget relief.
• Children’s Christmas Play will be held during both services on Dec. 15!
• Join the Team! Interested in working in our production booth on Sundays? We are looking for 9th grade & up and adults interested in running our livestreaming.
• Prayer Minister: A Prayer Minister will be available after both services at the front of the Sanctuary immediately following the service. If you would like prayers for yourself or a loved one, please come forward. We would love to pray for you!
• FaithPoint’s Annual Women’s Christmas Gathering is scheduled for December 8, 6-8pm. Registration is open online or at the Welcome Center!
• Help our Youth go to Bible Camp: FaithPaint Youth will be holding a bake sale Sunday, Dec. 15 at the end of each service. Please help us provide Christmas goodies to sell after our Children’s Christmas Play! Proceeds will be used to help youth attending Bible Camp this summer. This will be a free will donation event. We are asking families to provide 4-6 dozen of your favorite Christmas baked goods. Plate with one dozen on each plate. Please have your goodies at the church by or before 8:15 am on Sunday, Dec. 15 or you may also drop off on Dec. 13 or 14 between 9am – 1pm at the church. If you are willing to donate baked items, please sign up at the Welcome Center. If you have questions, please contact Gretchen Smith or Haley Bogh. Gretchen.Smith@FaithPointLC.Org or Haley.Bogh@FaithPointLC.org.
• The Giving Tree: Make Christmas brighter for many families by gifting outerwear and clothing. Our tree with tags containing clothing items will be in the Fellowship Hall, beginning Nov. 17. This is an annual outreach partnership to families in Le Sueur Country through Adopt-A-Family. Please return your gifts by Dec. 2.

Youth:

• Sunday School (children ages 3-Gr. 5): is now held at BOTH services. Registration here!
• Children’s Christmas Play: (for all Sunday School Students). Practices held during Sunday School. Final Practice Sat., Dec 14, 9am -11:30am; followed by a Birthday Party for Jesus, 11:30am -12noon. Performances will be at both Services, December 15.
• Christmas Trees Needed for Christmas Play: We need several artificial Christmas Trees (4ft – 7ft) for our set this year. If you have a tree we could use/borrow please connect with Gretchen Smith.
• HELP NEEDED in nursery with infants to 3 years olds. Email nursery@faithpointlc.org if you can help!
• Elevate Youth Group:(grades 9-12) Meeting Sundays, 7-9:00pm at FaithPoint.
• JAM (Grades 3-5) Meets Wednesdays at 5:30-7pm now through May. How can you live a life like Jesus? Come find out. Register at the Children’s Desk.
• Confirmation: Confirmation 2024-2025 (Gr. 6-8) Meets Wednesdays 7-8:30pm.
• Donuts & Devotions:Donuts & Devotions: Is held at the Middle School on Fridays at 6:55 – 7:15am in the 7th Grade Commons. Please encourage your 6-8th grade student to attend. We are looking for donations of $45 to cover the cost of the weekly donuts. If you are interested, please see Debbie Trewartha or note your donations for Donuts and Devotions. Thank you.
• Nursery: Staffed during both services for children 6 months to 3 years of age. Service is live streamed in the nursery.

Adults:

• NEW – Marriage Retreat: Join others from FaithPoint from Feb 14-16 at Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp for a marriage retreat with Pastor Ben and Stephanie Mason. Ben is the Family Pastor from Lutheran Church of Hope in West DesMoines. Sign up and brochure available at the Welcome Center. Follow this link for more info: Marriage Retreat at Okoboji.
• Adult Sunday School class: Join us for an 8 week study on the book of Esther during the 8:30 Service. Meets in Classroom 1A (next to the nursery) Led by Jim Witty.
• Prayer Team: You are welcome to join us virtually or in person at FaithPoint at 10 am on Mondays. Contact Gretchen Havlicek for details. Please let us know how we can pray for you.
• Agape: Singles and couples, over 50, who would like to join the group should contact Joan Witty (952-758-9743) so we can include you in our yearly scheduling plans. The group meets for a potluck dinner, devotion and prayer the first Saturday of each month (September through May) from 6-8 PM at the church.The next gathering is November 2.
• Young Mom’s Bible Study: Every other Tuesday, 9:15-10:30am at FaithPoint. Childcare provided. Next meeting is Tues., Dec. 3. 
• Women’s Book Club: November/December book – Christian Fiction: The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox. Book discussion is Sat., Dec. 28 at 9am at FaithPoint.
• Women’s Bible Study: Attend either Wednesdays at 10am or Thursdays at 10am. No homework or book needed. Come when you can. No bible study the week of Thanksgiving!
• Sunday Women’s Bible Study: Sunday evenings 6:30-8:00 pm through Nov. 24^th we will be studying “Blessed” by Nancy Guthrie. A study on the book of Revelation. We will dive into the truths that set this book apart from the others. Come when you can.
• Men’s Breakfast/Bible Study: Saturday, Dec. 12; 7:30-9am
• Men’s Thursday Bible Study: meets Thursday evenings; 8-9pm
• Gather Moms and Gather Moms: The Launch. No Meeting in December.

Thank You: Joan Walter, for organizing the annual church cleaning day and thank you to all those who came to clean!

Thank you to those who delivered Growing For His Glory packets to several locations. We are very appreciative of you giving of your time: Jeff Morris, Curt & Barb Tonsager, Tim & Mary Carlson, Jim Witty, Larry & Jan Ochsendorf, Adam Volek, Lisa & Coleman Schelitzche and John & Marla Mayer.

Volunteer Opportunities! (Register online if interested):

• • FaithPoint has a Kitchen Team that helps in the kitchen and/or brings food for special events (including funerals). There is another team, the Special Event Setup Team that helps set up and take down tables and chairs for special events. It’s great if we have some men on this team to help with the lifting and moving of tables and chairs. If you are interested in serving on either of these teams, please stop by the Welcome Center.
  • FaithPoint’s “First Impressions Team” are those who serve as Greeters, Ushers, host at the Welcome Center, and manage Sunday Fellowship. We need people to serve as Ushers, to be at the Welcome Center, and manage Sunday Fellowship (coffee/pastries after services). If you can help in any of these areas, please sign up at the Welcome Center.
  • Each Sunday, members of the Altar Guild carry out the meaningful ministry of preparing our place of worship. Members are responsible for setting the altar each Sunday, preparing for baptisms, weddings, and funerals, and making sure the linens, silver, and brass are in tip-top shape. One of the responsibilities of the Altar Guild is to serve communion. We serve communion one Sunday per month and that requires eight servers. Would you like to help serve the wine and bread? You will be joining other individuals who make a valuable offering to our community’s worship life. Contact Kamy Carlson, 952-334-4086. She will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
  • The beautiful FaithPoint Lutheran Church is our faith home. Did you know that over the years, several people have shared their time cleaning the church? This is a great way to help our community worship in a clean and safe environment. We need more people to serve on this team. For more information contact Shirley Stella: 952-297-7013
  • KidsPoint: We are looking for help with KidsPoint. Adults, high school leaders, and confirmation helpers needed.
  • Nursery: We offer Nursery for infants – 3 years of age. If you are interested in helping in the nursery, see the schedule here: Serving in the Nursery (signupgenius.com)

Mark Your Calendar!

• • • • Sunday, Dec 8: Annual Women’s Christmas Gathering 6-8pm
      • Sunday, Dec. 15: Children’s Christmas Play,”When Jesus Was Born!”; at both 8:30 and 10:00 am Services. Youth Holiday Bake Sale following both services.
      • Sunday, Dec. 22: 10:00am Service only
      • Monday, Dec. 23: 7:00pm Christmas Service: Communion and Candlelight
      • Tuesday, Dec. 24: 3:00 & 4:30pm Christmas Eve Services: Communion and Candlelight at both services
      • Sunday: Dec. 29: 10am Service only

FYI:

• FaithPoint now has a secure “Member Portal” and “Online Directory” available for its members. The Member Portal is where only you can see all your information and make changes if necessary. From the Member Portal you can navigate to the Online Directory which allows you to see all the current members of FaithPoint and only their contact information. If you would like access to the Member Portal and Online Directory, please call the church office and speak to Shirley (952-758-6297) or email Shirley@FaithPointLC.org.
• RightNow Media! Our church has access to an extensive, video library called RightNow Media! Contact Pastor Steve with your email address and he will send you a link.
• Our Daily Bread Devotionals: Available at the Information Desk.
• FaithPoint Sunday Worship services can be viewed on TV.  If you have Bevcomm as your cable/TV provider, you can view the previous FaithPoint Worship service on Wednesday night at 7:30 pm or Sunday at 1 pm on Channel 6.