PRISCILLA CIRCLE

Will meet on Monday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m. at Gladys Drenkow’s home. Bible Study/Hostess: Kari Pedersen

MISSION & OUTREACH

Will meet on Wednesday, November 14 at 9:00 a.m. Little Dresses. (Potluck)

DO-DAY

Will meet on Wednesday, November 28 from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. (Potluck)

BIBLE STUDY

Sack Lunch Bible Study will meet on Tuesdays, November 6, 13, 20 & 27 at 12:30 p.m. in the church lounge.

Men’s Early Risers will meet at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesdays, November 7, 14, 21 & 28 at Cook’s Café.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

JAM

The JAM Program (2nd-5th grades) will meet on Wednesdays, November 7, 14 & 28 from 5-6:15 p.m. with a meal being served each week. NO JAM on November 21.

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL

The Adult Sunday School continues to meet at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays.

ST. PAUL YOUTH ACTIVITIES

Jr. High Youth: November 7, 14 & 28 (5:00-6:20 p.m.) Youth Group Meets November 21 - NO Jr. High Youth Group Tonight

Sr. High Youth: November 7 (7:30-8:30 p.m.) Youth/Parents/Pastor Night November 14 & 28 (7:30-8:30 p.m.) Youth Group Meets November 21 - NO Sr. High Youth Group Tonight

St. Paul Website: www.stpaulsheldon.org Office: (712) 324-3049

Pastor Craig Nissen: pastor@nethtc.net Or (712) 348-4740 Parsonage: (712) 324-0036

2018 RADIO BROADCAST/FLOWERS ON THE ALTAR/COFFEE FELLOWSHIP

The sign-up charts are located on the balcony bulletin board. Thank you to everyone who has sponsored or volunteered for any of these special services for St. Paul. Please notify the office (324-3049) for any changes, additions, or cancellations.

Radio Broadcast Open Dates: November 4; December 9, 16, 30. To sponsor a radio broadcast it is $80.

Coffee Fellowship Open Dates: December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30. Cookies and bars are optional. Please check the kitchen to make sure you have coffee and juice to serve. If you would like to be on the volunteer list for Coffee Fellowship to serve on an open Sunday, please call the church office.

Flowers On The Altar Open Dates: November 4, 11, 18; December 9, 16, 23, 30.

PASTORAL ACTS

Funeral: Gerald “Jerry” Meyer. Baptisms: Evan Niles Eich, son of Colton and Bridget Eich. Reid Steinhauer Fitzgerald, son of James and Megan Fitzgerald.

A NOTE FROM THE YOUTH DIRECTOR

"I kissed the earth on my daddy's grave Said goodbye to my brave young companions But when they hoist that sail I know my heart will break As bright and as fine as the morning I don't know where this road will take me But they say there's a place there for a man And I'm only afraid that my dreams may betray me And I'll never get home again But I'll carry the songs I learned when we were kids And I'll carry the scars of generations gone by I'll pray for you always, and I promise you this I'll carry on, I'll carry on" - Rich Mullins

I want to say thank you to the congregation for all of the support that they have given the youth ministry, worship ministry and my family in our three and a half years here in Sheldon. - Mark Richards

Hebrews 13:20-21 "Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

COATS FOR KIDS

The Sheldon Ministerial Association's Coats For Kids giveaway will be on November 3 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. at the Sheldon Community Building. Set-up: St Paul will handle the set-up for the giveaway. This needs to happen Friday in the basement of the community building at 11:00 a.m. Coats will be delivered from Bubbles by their staff. Let Pastor Craig know if you can help.

COLLEGE CARE PACKAGES/ADDRESSES NEEDED

We are looking for volunteers to help put Care Packages together for St. Paul college students. If you would like to help with this great project in November by funding, baking, or sending out the Care Packages, please contact the church office (324-3049). More information to come soon.

ADDRESSES NEEDED: Help! Addresses are needed for any member of St. Paul currently in college. Email it to pleasant@nethtc.net, drop it off in the office, or office mailbox.

Poinsettias

Poinsettias will be purchased by the Worship, Arts, and Music Committee. If you would like to contribute towards the purchase of Poinsettias, please fill out this form and drop it in the offering plate or leave it in the church office by Sunday, December 9.

I/We will share a Poinsettia in memory of/in honor of:______________________________

Name:____________________________ Contribution enclosed: __________________

ANNUAL REPORT DEADLINE

ALL REPORTS FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT ARE DUE IN THE CHURCH OFFICE NO LATER THAN THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2018! REPORTS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR REPORT IN ON TIME. NOAH’S ARK PRESCHOOL AND NURSERY SCHOOL

Our annual Basket Auction is happening now through November 4. Please check out all the creative varieties of baskets located in the narthex. ADVENT WREATH CANDLE LIGHTING

Once again this year we are looking for families to help assist with the lighting of the Advent Wreath candles and the reading during each Sunday Worship Service. The sign-up sheet is in the narthex with the dates available: December 2, 9, 16, 23, and 24 (4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.). ADOPT-A-FAMILY

St. Paul has adopted three families this Christmas Season through the Upper Des Moines Opportunities Adopt-A-Family program. There will be boxes labeled for each # family.

Family # 8 - Mother and 1 child, Female age 19 (queen size comforter, fuzzy socks, hoodies, pant size 2, shirt size xs-s, shoe size 9) and Female age 11 months (pant size 18-24 months, shirt size 18-24 months, shoe size 5, stand-behind walker, books). Family # 10 - Mother and 1 child, Female age 41 (blanket, candles) and Male age 4 (pant size 3T-4T, shirt size 4, shoe size 8 or 9, monster trucks, Spiderman). Family # 17 - Female child, Female age 3 (pant size 5T-6T, shirt size 5T-6T, Frozen themed items, Mickey Mouse items). The deadline for Adopt-A-Family items need to be at the church by Wednesday, December 12. BEDDING MINISTRY

Thank you to all who donated toward the Fellowship Hall door project and to those who donated bedding. Your generosity is greatly appreciated in meeting these needs.

2019 RADIO BROADCAST/FLOWERS ON ALTAR/COFFEE FELLOWSHIP The sign-up charts for 2019 are located in the narthex. Radio Broadcast - To sponsor a radio broadcast it is $80. Coffee Fellowship - Cookies and bars are optional. Please check the kitchen to make sure you have coffee and juice to serve. If you would like to be on the permanent coffee fellowship volunteer list and be assigned to serve on an open Sunday, please call the church office. Flowers On The Altar - Sign up now for those special dates. Thank you to everyone who has sponsored or volunteered for any of these special services for St. Paul. Please notify the office (324-3049) for any changes, additions, or cancellations. TOUCH OF HOPE HAITI

St. Paul has an ongoing mission started by our youth to support Lensley Raymond from Simonette, Haiti. This sponsorship will help with his school expenses each year. If you would like to make a donation towards Lensley’s school tuition through your offering, there is a dedicated fund set up (Touch of Hope Haiti).

From Pastor Craig Brothers and Sisters of St Paul Lutheran Church, As we say goodbye to Mark Richards, and give thanks to God for the ministry and gifts he

shared among us, this is a good time to stop and think about what that means for us. If we

were to open that question up for discussion I’m sure we would hear many good answers.

Here’s my attempt to offer a few observations.

+ Congregations, in our time especially, are fluid. That is, just like our communities, there

are always people coming and going. We, as individuals and families, are on a journey of

life, and a journey of faith. Along the way we experience many different fellow travelers and

we are blessed as we make our way together for stretches of time. But we know that our

paths are not likely to overlap forever. People are called to different routes for as many

reasons as there are people.

+ Ministry is not something the church hires or simply pays for. On one hand, from the start

of Jesus’ ministry and through the New Testament writings, we see that some people were

supported in order that they might do full or part-time ministry. On the other hand, these

leader/ministers were always equipping the rest of the church in order that everyone who

followed Jesus could show and tell what it meant to be in Christ. They were making

disciples who could make disciples.

+ God will build the Church. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says “I will build my church, and the

gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Now, that is a world-wide statement; the fact that

God is always building the church may not mean that it is being built at the same rate or in

the same way everywhere. But we can be assured that God is at work, and ultimately only

God can build the church. Philippians 2:13 (see also small catechism, 3rd article of creed)

I’m convinced that those who truly are the Church will do whatever they can to cooperate.

Pastors can teach theology and faith practices, explain church history, and certainly be a

significant mentor and role model; but a family shows a child what it is to be a Christian, and

it takes a congregation to teach what it is to be 'church.' All members of St Paul, when they

joined or were confirmed in their faith, confess these intentions: "to live among God's faithful

people, to hear his Word and share in his supper, to proclaim the good news of God in

Christ through word and deed, to serve all people following the example of our Lord Jesus,

and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth." We fail at this, we confess that, and trust

God to forgive us, renew us, and lead us - so that we can delight in God's will and walk in

Jesus' ways to the glory of God.

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service,

but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who

produces them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the

common good," (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).

From Pastor Craig

How do you help young people navigate our competitive world? Article from Fuller Seminary Youth Institute Whether we like it or not, we live in a competitive culture. Competition is present on the field, in the classroom, and in the workplace. It is deeply formative—impacting the identity, belonging, and purpose of young people. And while competition can be an excellent context for character growth and identity development, such growth isn’t guaranteed.

For example, A student aims to graduate with a 4.0 and at the top of her class; yet, she secretly

wonders if she will have any worth if she earns a B her final semester.

An athlete strives to overcome every obstacle, but at the expense of healthy relationships with others.

A young adult earns a promotion, but feels he is climbing a ladder that ultimately leads to nowhere.

Young people need firm foundations to help them form identity and develop character. Sadly, the narrative of success and failure that guides so much of our competitive culture simply isn’t sufficient for the task. We need to offer students a grander life narrative in order to ground their identities and guide their growth.

The problem with performance-based identities

Fuller psychology professor Benjamin Houltberg is an expert on youth development whose research on performance-based identities and sports[1] reveals how our culture’s focus on winning and losing often negatively shapes young people ’s identities. Houltberg found that performance-based identities (defined as “mindsets that link love and acceptance to performance”) ultimately lead to a fear of failure, perfectionism, and a fear of disappointing others.

When love and acceptance are built on such an unstable foundation, people turn to coping mechanisms like blame, shame, and control to protect their fragile identities. Performance-based praise can inadvertently become the rubric for self-acceptance as well.

Clearly, participating in competition does not guarantee positive identity and character development.

Some of the strongest influences on young people ’s identity formation are the adults in her or his life. When parents, mentors, and coaches focus on outcomes like winning and losing rather than character development and purpose, young people learn to link love and acceptance to performance rather than the unconditional love of Christ.

Move from performance to purpose

Teaching teenagers to form their identities based on a single narrative of success and failure gives minimal direction, inclines teenagers toward a utilitarian view of relationships, and is largely self-focused. Purpose is a more holistic basis for identity development. As Houltberg explains, purpose “organizes around a life aim, it’s based in relationship with other people, and it’s something greater than yourself that contributes to your sense of identity and worth.” Young people, all people, need a grander purpose and motivation that gives direction to their lives, provides opportunity for relationships with others, and is bigger than themselves.

So, how can we help young people gain purpose in a hypercompetitive world?

When our own identities and purpose are wrapped up in success and failure and the conditional acceptance of others, it is difficult to pass on anything different to the young people we love. First, we may need to reflect on the source of our own motivations and identities.[2] Ask yourself: “How is my own sense of self based on how I perform and how others perceive me, rather than on who I am in Christ?” Exploring the sources of our identities with a trusted friend or counselor can be an important first step in helping the young people around us do the same. Next, consider the following shifts that might help young people build identities and find purpose on a more solid foundation:

1. Identity Instead of focusing on A’s and F’s, wins and losses, ask young people each week about what they are learning, how they are growing, and how choosing to follow Jesus affects how they see themselves. Make space for their honest answers.

2. Belonging Instead of describing relationships in competitive terms (e.g., ‘beating the enemy’), use competition as a way of building relationships with others (e.g., ‘working as a team’). By doing so, competition can serve to help form a sense of purpose through relationships, as opposed to dominating and defining relationships.

3. Purpose Instead of viewing success as the purpose of life, help young people comprehend their lives in the context of the much grander gospel narrative. Understanding our lives in the context of God’s redemptive work in the world can enable us to live for something bigger than ourselves, build meaningful relationships, and develop a sense of meaningful direction for our lives. When we encourage young people to learn, build relationships, and live for a purpose bigger than themselves, competition becomes a context for growth and relationship instead of defeat.

EPIC/PACT APPLICATION FORM

Any high school senior or college student planning on applying for EPIC/PACT funds for the 2019/2020

school year needs to complete and turn in this form to the church office by Sunday, January 27, 2019.

Name: __________________________________

College: _________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

REV. DR. KENNETH H. ARNOLD MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

The “Rev. Dr. Kenneth H. Arnold Memorial Scholarship Fund” has been established by St. Paul

Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sheldon, Iowa, in deep appreciation for the ministry of Pastor Arnold at

St. Paul from 2000-2006, and in recognition of his faithful support of Lutheran colleges and seminaries.

The scholarship fund monies will be invested and only the interest will be used to grant one scholarship

per year to:

A member of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sheldon, Iowa, who is attending, full time:

• Lutheran College

• Wittenberg Institute, Lutheran Graduate School of Theology, Everett, Washington

• Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, Pennsylvania

• Any Other NALC Related Seminaries

The Church Council will review applications, choose a recipient, and determine the amount of the

scholarship each year. Scholarship recipients may reapply each year, but the scholarship will be awarded

first to an applicant who has not been a past recipient of this scholarship. Application:

Rev. Dr. Kenneth H. Arnold Memorial Scholarship Application Form Name: ___________________________________

College:___________________________________

________________________________________

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND COLLEGE STUDENTS

The By-Laws of the Endowment Fund Committee state that the committee may appropriate money for

“scholarships for members of St. Paul Lutheran Church attending Lutheran educational institutions,

including seminaries, universities, colleges, high schools, elementary schools, and preschools or

daycare…” To this end, the committee is entertaining requests from member-applicants who will be

attending college or university affiliated with the Lutheran Church next fall. These funds could also be

requested for a member-applicant attending Noah’s Ark Preschool. Qualified persons should also submit

an application to the church office which includes the Lutheran school which they will attend this fall.

Applications will be accepted until Friday, January 4, 2019. Scholarships cannot be used towards

EPIC/PACT. Contact the church office for more information.

For Office Use: Date Submitted: __________________ Received By: ____________________ Awarded Scholarship: o Yes o No Amount Awarded: ________________

For Office Use: Date Submitted: __________________ Received By: ____________________ Awarded Scholarship: o Yes o No Amount Awarded: ________________

ENDOWMENT FUND FORM

The Endowment Fund Committee is accepting requests for funds to be used for worldwide

missions and for missions in the congregation and/or surrounding community. Forms will be

made available in the newsletter and at the back of the church, or you may contact the church

office. These funds are not to be used for any normally budgeted operating expenses of St.

Paul. Requests should be addressed to the Endowment Fund Committee and sent or delivered

to the church office by Friday, January 4, 2019.

Name of individual, group, or organization for which funds are being requested:

___________________________________________________________

Amount Requested: $____________

Date Needed: ____________

Proposed use for requested funds:

Additional information:

Contact Person: Recipient's Address:

Name _______________

Phone _______________

Date Submitted: _____________