Links to worship and all of our ministries are at www.HosannaTogether.org. If online worship doesn’t work well for you or you’d like printed copies of the newsletter and bulletin, call the church office at 781-7991 and we’ll send you copies and recordings.
Blood and Plasma Drive Coming to Hosanna!
Blood is critically short in the Kansas City area right now. Hosanna! will be hosting a blood drive in partnership with the Community Blood Center of Kansas City on Thursday, January 7, 2:00-6:00. Donations through CBCKC will be used in Kansas City area hospitals. They will also be collecting convalescent plasma from donors who have received a positive COVID test and recovered. Find information about the drive, donating, and eligibility or sign up now to donate at www.hosannatogether.org/blood.
Memorial Service for Tony Musgrave
We will gather on Sunday, January 3 at 4:00pm to celebrate the life of Tony Musgrave and to share our grief with his family and friends. You are welcome to join us for the memorial service in person or online via livestreamed video. Details about the service, Tony's obituary, and an online guestbook are available at https://www.hosannatogether.org/tony. You are also invited to visit with Tony’s family in the church fellowship hall beginning at 3:00.
Free Devotion Books Available
Christ in Our Home quarterly devotional books have finally arrived! Pick up one from the tub outside the front doors of the church building, or call the church office to make other arrangements. These devotionals provide brief daily scripture readings, reflections, and prayers for each day. They are free to anyone who would like them.
Bless Your Home for the New Year
Most of us are ready to be done with 2020 and to look forward to a new year. This is the perfect time to revive a centuries-old practice of blessing homes by writing “C M B” and the year in chalk over your door. C M B stands for Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, the names attributed to the Magi in Christian lore, but also for the Latin phrase Christus mansionem benedicat, which translates to “May Christ bless this home.”
Whether you do it on January 1 or wait until Epiphany on January 6, write 20 + C + M + B + 21 over your door with chalk. It’s not going to magically ward off evil spirits, but rituals like this put our faith into something tangible, and help us cling to our trust that God abides with us throughout the year. After writing the letters, say this or another prayer: O Lord, visit this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of your love; and lead us to carry your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. Guide, comfort, and strengthen us in peace, through Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.
Illustrated Faith Formation
Illustrated Ministry has put together scripture, discussion questions, an activity, and a coloring sheet to go deeper each week this Christmas an Epiphany. Much of the resource is fitting for both kids and adults who find coloring to be enjoyable and meditative. Download a free copy of this resource each week at www.hosannatogether.org/coloring. A coloring page to list hopes, dreams, goals, and intentions is also available.
Children’s Offering to Provide Clean Water
It’s been a while since we’ve collected the children’s offering during worship, but in the first 3 months of the year, they gave $575.92 to be used to provide clean water. Lack of access to safe water is one of the biggest challenges to overcoming poverty. With a simple water well, spring box or other water point, as many as 500 families gain access to clean water, freeing women and children have time for work and school, and allowing families to spend less money on medical expenses and more on food and education. Learn more about the difference clean water makes at https://youtu.be/AftOMnWfBDo, and give a gift in honor of someone this Christmas at www.elca.org/goodgifts.
Gathered in Worship
We will update this when we return after the New Year. If you’re joining us online, please leave a comment or reaction on our webpage or the Facebook video so that we know that you were part of our worship!
January 3rd Prayer Concerns
Birthdays
La Reta Godsey January 1
Mike Brammer January 5
Jett Luellen January 6
Betty Dittrich January 8
Gunnar Stilwell January 8
Connie Yazell January 8
Margaret Grote January 10
Dan Prom January 10
Jace Luellen January 12
Zackary Schoening January 12
Christian Sympathy
Family and Friends of Tina Hyland - Hosanna! member who died Dec. 22
Family and Friends of Tony Musgrave - Hosanna! member who died last week
Concerns
Starr Wilhite - recovering from back surgery Dec. 28
Tim, Betsy, and Natalie (relatives of Janice Carter) - diagnosed with COVID-19
Ruth Linneman (grandmother of Catherine Noel) - hospitalized and moving to nursing care facility
Robbin Musgrave - heart catheterization been scheduled for Jan. 7
Amy (Tony and Robbin Musgrave’s daughter-in-law) - having cancer surgery on Dec. 28th
Lona Ristine - recovering at home from COVID-19 after hospitalization (12/10)
All who are sick with COVID (12/10)
Margaret Elder (grandmother of Margaret Grote) - diagnosed with COVID and facing other challenges (12/10)
Kimberly Berry, recovering from hip surgery (11/16 )
Ongoing
Rose Harris - (Cheryl Jennings mother) care at Liberty Health & Wellness
Adam Goins - serving in Coast Guard, deploying in late July
Ryan Jackson - active military
Adam Morehouse - active military
Sam Matula - active military
Grey Tucker - Army National Guard
Nathan Wilkerson - serving in Army
Crewe – Great-grandnephew of Art & Shirley Harnish severe health concerns
