Living Faith Weekly News (Week of December 28, 2025)

Kay Michaelson
Dec 29, 2025
4 min read

Christmas Eve at Living Faith

Living Faith and their friends and relatives gathered on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24th, to observe the birth of Christ Our Savior. Pastor Paige led our time of worship which included a children's sermon of a joyous celebration!

Sue and Marley Stream assisted with the lighting of all the candles on the Advent wreath!

Peg McAllister read scripture, Todd Lang assisted with Holy Communion, Dawn Richards accompanied us on the piano, and Peg and John McAllister prepared the communion elements for our service.

Thank you also to Tim Kass for ushering and running the sound board and to Bailey Quanbeck for live-streaming our service.

Worship on Sunday, December 28

On a blustery, snowy day in Le Mars, Living Faith gathered to celebrate the First Sunday after Christmas, welcoming our PUCC friends to worship with us!

Pastor Paige brought us a thoughtful message on the topic of theodicy. Theodicy is defined as the practice of trying to explain how an all-good, all-powerful God can allow evil and suffering to exist in the world. Pastor Paige's words addressed the gospel lesson's telling of Joseph, Mary and Jesus fleeing to Egypt to avoid the order by King Herod for all two year old boys and under in the Bethlehem area to be killed. Please find Living Faith's live-stream of our December 28th service to listen to Pastor Paige's very thought-provoking message on the topic of theodicy!

Thank you to Gail Kass for pinch hitting for Travis Balt (Travis, who lives in Orange City, was advised not to travel Sunday morning.) with accompanying us on the piano! It was greatly appreciated how Gail volunteered to help us on Sunday morning! Thank you also to Yvonne Law for helping to set up Holy Communion, Nathan Summerside for reading scripture and Yvonne for assisting with communion during the service. Thank you to Tim Kass for ushering and Kay Michaelson for live-streaming.

Following worship, Tim Kass, Kari Kopperud, Yvonne Law and Brian Michaelson all helped to clean up. Thank you!

Worship on Sunday, January 4th

The Second Sunday of Christmas!

**Living Faith welcomes Pastor Kris Hackbart who will preside over worship on Sunday!**

Pastor Kris Hackbart from Emmetsburg will travel to Le Mars to lead us in worship on Sunday morning! Living Faith worships in the sanctuary of the Presbyterian United Church of Christ at 858 7th Ave. SE at 11:00 AM. Gail Kass will accompany us on the piano. Tim Kass will welcome you at the door with a bulletin! The Kopperud family will read scripture and Kortney Kopperud will assist with Holy Communion. John and Peg McAllister will supply bread and prepare communion that day.

There will be no 9:30 AM Bible Study this Sunday morning. Bible Study will resume on Sunday, January 11th at 9:30 in Room 105.

A fellowship time of coffee and conversation will be held at 10:00 in the Fellowship Hall of the PUCC on Sunday morning.

**There will be no Confirmation classes on Wednesday. Classes will resume on Wednesday, January 7th.**

If you donated a poinsettia, you may pick yours up after worship on Sunday morning.

While Pastor Paige is on vacation this week, Vicar Grace Baumgartel is on call for pastoral care needs of Living Faith. You can contact her at 515-200-9931 or by email at gracielu3601@gmail.com.

January 12 - Packing Snacks for Le Mars Backpack Program

We will gather at the Nohava Construction building (209 2nd St. SW) at 4:30 on Monday, January 12th, to pack snacks - enter through the backpack marked door on the east side of the building. Depending on how many come, plan for this service project to take about 30 minutes. Wear your Living Faith gear!

**Living Faith's Church Council will meet on Monday, January 12th at 6:30 in Room 105.**

During the 2025 calendar year, Living Faith collected a noisy offering on the last Sunday of every month. The totals are in and this year our offering comes to $148.59! We will make a decision on how to allocate this offering at our Annual Meeting on February 1st! Thank you, Living Faith!