News from the Lighthouse


5 Worshippers Invite Jesus Into their Hearts

On Sunday, the angels were praising God in Heaven as our 11:00 AM worship service came to an end. After the children's message Sunday, I noticed that our Junior Church volunteer was not with us. The volunteer happened to be my wife who attended the early service that morning but was committed to preach at the Sugar Grove Covenant Church at 11:00 AM. Serving as a Junior Church sub the previous week, she forget to find a replacement for her scheduled Sunday. Not seeing that she had a sub, I had to think fast so I instructed the children to return to their seats and remain with us. Part of my message Sunday was about the need to be born again in Christ. Jesus says in John 3:3, I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God. Unlike the first service, during the sermon I felt led to share my experience of coming to faith and inviting Jesus into my life at age eight while attending a church camp. As the sermon and service came to an end, I invited everyone to examine their hearts and invited those not born again to invite Jesus into their lives and hearts on this day. I mentioned that I would remain in the back to help pray for those wanting to make a commitment to follow Jesus.

I sat in the back for several minutes and no one came. Just when I was about to gather up my things, five of our children, Emma, Gavin, Sandra, Robert, and Rachel, on their own initiative, came towards me. Emma and Sandra, two of the oldest children, spoke for the group, saying that they wanted to follow Jesus and desired to invite Jesus into their hearts. By this time the children's grandmother, Karen Rutsky, joined us. Gladys Birt was still hanging around the church so I invited her to pray with us (Interestingly, Gladys herself invited Jesus into her heart at age 9, the same age as many of these children). I could almost hear the angels singing in heaven as I led these five beautiful children through a prayer where they each invited Jesus into their hearts.

You know I often say, that Jesus comes to us on his way to someone else. I thank God for grandmother who brings her grandchildren to church. That grandmother just gave her grandchildren the greatest gift ever - life with Jesus now and forevermore. To God be the glory!

As you begin to make arrangements for the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to invite you to worship with us Sunday, Nov. 23rd, at 8:30 or 11:00 AM. I plan to preach a Thanksgiving message to help prepare us for the holiday. We will be looking at Psalm 103:1-13. I encourage you to give it a read before Sunday. Within this Psalm are five reasons to be thankful.

Listen to Sunday’s service by visiting our website: www.scandiacov.org.

Be God's

Pastor James


Hanging of the Greens
This Sunday, Nov. 23rd, after the second service

We will be decorating the sancturay, entrance way, and fellowship hall for the Advent and Christmas season. Lunch will be provided by Women Ministries - Turkey noodle soup.
Children, youth and adults needed. This is a fun activity for the whole family.


Angel Tree: A Ministry of Prison Fellowship - Give joy to a prisoner's kid this Christmas. When mom or dad is in prison, it's the children who do hard time. But you can let them know they aren't forgotten. You can give the child of a prisoner the joy of Christmas this year. Decide to pick up an angel and agree to buy a present for this child. We have committed ourselves to 40 children. After presenting this program yesterday, we only have 18 children left to assign. Please contact the church office or see Tanya Swanson for more information.

The Youth going to CHIC wish to thank the congregation for their recent support during their Pizza Hut fundraiser. They raised over $400 which will pay for one person to go to CHIC. Their next fundraiser will be a chicken and biscuit dinner on Sunday, Dec. 7th, from noon to 3:00 PM in the fellowship hall. Cost: $3 children 6 and under, $6 adults.

Christmas Program Rehearsal - Each Sunday during the Sunday School hour (9:45-10:45 AM) leading up to the program on Sun., Dec. 14th, 9:45 AM. Parents we would love your kids to participate. Please speak to Dawn Swanson or JoAnn Anderson.

Mission Friends - On Nov. 2nd we gave out our Mission Friends offering banks. The Evangelism and Mission Team encourages everyone to fill their banks and return them on Sunday, Nov. 23rd. You are welcome to give a one time gift or become a regular supporter of Mission Friends. Mission Friends help fund church planting, church development and church outreach opportunities within our conference.



Fall Harvest Dinner
Thursday, Nov. 20th,
6:00 PM
Scandia Volunteer Fire Department

Special guests:
The Otterbein Express Puppets

A traditional Thanksgiving dinner - turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pie, and all that other good stuff. Cost - donation to support our youth going to CHIC, SVFD, and the Otterbein Express Puppet Ministry. Invitation is open all. Seating is limited (200 guests) so please sign up early in the narthex or contact the church office today at
757-8052 or lighthouse@scandiacov.org.


Donations Needed for the Harvest Dinner - We still need the following for the Harvest Dinner: Corn, green beans, Jell-O/fruit salad, sweet potato casserole. If you can donate, please sign up in narthex or email/contact the church office.


Altar Flowers - Is there a loved one, a special person you would like to recognize, honor or remember? You can do this by placing flowers on the altar for the special person/persons. At the close of the service, you may take your arrangement home or donate it to a shut in. Please remember to pay in advance. Order forms are located in the church entrance way. If you have any questions please contact Patti Anderson at 757-9268.

Sermon Orders – You can now place an order for a sermon on CD for $3.00 each. Please place your order in the narthex for the date that you want. Make checks payable to “Scandia Covenant Church”. Remember, sermons can be downloaded from the website for FREE or signed out from our church library.

Mark Your Calendar:
Connections - Sunday, Nov. 9th, 16th, and 30th, 6:00-8:00 PM (YMCA)

Harvest Dinner - Thursday, Nov. 20th, 6:00 PM.

Hanging of the Greens - Sunday, Nov. 23rd, after the second service.

1st Sunday of Advent - Nov. 30th.

Chicken & Biscuit Dinner - Sunday, Dec. 7th, 12-3:00 PM, Fellowship Hall. Cost - Donation to support our youth going to CHIC 2009.

Christmas Program: Our youth and children's Christmas Program will be on Sunday, Dec. 14th, during the Christian Formation hour. The program will begin in the sanctuary at 9:45 AM, followed by refreshments in the Fellowship Hall. Rehearsals will be during the Christian Formation hour each Sunday beginning soon.
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Prayer Service - Wed., Dec. 17th, 6:00 PM, in the sanctuary.

Christmas Cantata: Calvary Baptist Church in Warren has invited Scandia Cov. to join with them for an evening cantata on Sunday, Dec. 21st.

Christmas Eve Service - Wed., Dec. 24th, 9:00 PM.

One Worship Service Only
- Sunday, Dec. 28th, 11:00 AM. No Christian Formation classes.