Living Faith Weekly News (Week of December 21, 2025)

Kay Michaelson
5 days ago
4 min read

**Living Faith lit the four candles of the Advent wreath on Sunday!**

On the 4th Sunday of Advent, Pastor Paige McGrath welcomed all into worship at Living Faith! Travis Balt brought us information on the progress of the RIC committee. Kim Lang read scripture, Yvonne Law lit the candles on the Advent wreath, and Dawn Richards accompanied us on the piano. Tim Kass ushered and ran the sound board, Kay Michaelson live-streamed the service, Travis Balt led the choir anthem, "Children, Go Tell It!" by Greg Gilpin, Pixie Balt accompanied the choir on the piano, and Kim Lang assisted with Holy Communion.

Thank you to our "pop up" Christmas Choir: Rich Ziettlow, Kevin Richards, Nathan Summerside, Dave Curry, Conor Rathke, Kari Kopperud, Kjersten Rathke, Dawn MacGregor, Rachel Cunningham, Gail Kass, Dawn Richards, Kay Michaelson, Kim Lang, and Travis Balt! Thank you to Pixie Balt for accompanying the choir!

Thank you to all who assisted after the service: Tim and Gail Kass, Todd Lang, Jim and Sandy Heeren, Sharon Utesch, Cheryl Juhl, Yvonne Law, and Brian Michaelson.

Celebrate Christ's birth with Living Faith on Wednesday, December 24th at 3:00 PM in the sanctuary of the Presbyterian United Church of Christ at 858 7th Ave. SE in Le Mars! Pastor Paige McGrath will lead worship which will feature Holy Communion and a candle lighting. Pastor Paige is excited to celebrate her first Christmas Eve with Living Faith and we are excited to experience this special service with her!

Dawn Richards will accompany us on piano, Peg McAllister will read scripture and Todd Lang will assist with Holy Communion. If you and/or your family would like to light all the candles of the Advent wreath, let Kay know!

Tim Kass will usher and run the sound board, Bailey Quanbeck will live stream our service and John and Peg McAllister will provide bread and prepare Communion.

Sunday, December 28th

Living Faith welcomes our PUCC friends to worship on Sunday, December 28th at 11:00 AM in the sanctuary of the Presbyterian United Church of Christ, 858 7th Ave. SE! Pastor Paige will lead worship! Let Kay know if you would like to read scripture for this service. Yvonne Law will assist with Holy Communion and Travis Balt will accompany us on the piano!

All are welcome to Room 105 on Sunday at 10:00 for coffee and conversation prior to worship! Kay Michaelson will have the coffee pot on and Yvonne Law will bring cookies!

Regular Bible Study will resume at 9:30 on Sunday, January 11!

**Gift bags are still available for the youth! You can pick yours up on Christmas Eve or on December 28!**

**Only a few ornaments are left! Pick yours up on Christmas Eve or on December 28th!**

Pastor Paige will not have office hours this week. She will be presiding at a funeral on Monday and will not be in the office Christmas Day. Office hours will resume on Monday, December 29 but there will be no office hours after that until January 5.

You may call, text or email Pastor Paige: 712-541-3782; pastor@livingfaithlemars.com outside of office hours.

**Living Faith will be packing snacks on Monday, January 12th at 4:30 PM in the Nohava Construction building.**

Living Faith hosted their third and final Advent Meal on Wednesday, December 17th. The Fellowship Hall was filled with laughter and conversation over a meal of pizza! Thank you to Kari Kopperud for ordering and delivering the pizza! Other contributors to the meal were June Ferguson, Karen Kass, Kay Michaelson, Sharon Utesch, and Julie Beitelspacher - Thank you for your generosity!

**Pastor Paige leads a rousing table prayer before our meal!**

After our meal, we worshiped together in the sanctuary with Pastor Paige, Vicar Grace, and the Confirmation students of Christ Lutheran and Living Faith, along with Kjersten Rathke and Rachel Cunningham leading us in Holden Evening Prayer.