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Dear Friends in Christ,
Who’s THAT guy?? Why, it’s my online trainer, John Peel. He’s been training me to be able to run a 5k (eventually) with walk/runs through Vietnam this past month. The video link makes running on a treadmill much more interesting.
And why did John Peel make it into a Redeemer Pastor’s Note for this first Friday of Advent? It’s because of something he always says during the last seconds of walking before we start to run: “Okay, breathe deep and get your mind right . . . here we GO!”
This weekend we will be looking at somewhat similar words of John the Baptist as he quotes the prophet Isaiah: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” When read during a Sunday in early December, we might think all preparations for the upcoming Christmas are external: decorations, shopping, baking, writing cards and letters. What if we focused on the internal preparation this month calls for? It takes a great deal of “getting your mind/soul/heart right”—managing expectations, coming to terms with remembrances of Christmases past, mourning the absence of loved ones, pacing oneself emotionally, finding and pursuing what brings joy and energizes during these short days. That kind of internal preparation might make the running part just a bit more manageable.
Of course, John the Baptist’s words in Luke 3 had absolutely nothing to do with Milwaukeeans preparing for Christmas. In the book of Luke, the story of Jesus’ birth comes *before* this passage! John wants the people to prepare themselves—and their society—for the coming reign of God to be announced more fully when they would encounter Christ. Those coming to be baptized needed to turn away from so many distracting things and turn toward their God. Forgiven through the rite of baptism, they might be ready to GO!
A prayer from one of my spiritual trainers, Henri Nouwen, to close this out:
Lord, let us place wreaths on the doors of our own hearts, so that the Holy Spirit may find these doors, enter in, and take up his lodging there, and by his presence, make us holy. We ask that the entrance of the Holy Spirit create an island of calm and gentleness within us. Amen. (Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen)
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Food Pantry
Thursdays 11:30am - 12:30am
South side parking lot entrance
The Food Pantry is seeking donations!
- Personal Hygeine Products: The Food Pantry is in need of personal hygiene products (deodorant, soap, tooth brushes/paste, etc.). Donations can be dropped in the box in the Narthex or in the office.
- Shopping Carts: We are in need of shopping carts so our guests can carry their groceries home. Each cart costs $35 and can be purchased at Walmart. We also accept cash/check donations so that we can purchase them!
Noon Run
Thursdays 11:15-12:30pm
Circle drive entrance
Questions? Contact admin@redeemermilwaukee.org.
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SAVE THE DATE: April 27th, The 2nd Revel with a Cause! • The auction theme is “hand-crafted.” If you have any items you would like to donate, please contact admin@redeemermilwaukee.org or call 414-933- 7004.
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All are welcome to join us in person for worship on Sundays at 10:00am!
If you'd like to stay home, feel free to join us virtually or watch later on our YouTube channel. A copy of Sunday's bulletin and hymns can be found under the worship tab on on the Redeemer Milwaukee website.
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| |  | | Redeemer Virtual Community | | Private group · 11 members | | | The virtual gathering space for Redeemer Lutheran Church. This is a place to share joys and struggles and grow in relationship with one another. |
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631 N. 19th Street
Miwaukee, WI 53233
(414) 933-7004
www.redeemermilwaukee.org
Email: admin@redeemermilwaukee.org
Virtual Worship Services on YouTube: Click Here
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