Arvin Pirness | The Voice of Zion December 2024 - News & Notes Article --
On behalf of the staff here at LLC, I wish you all a joyous and peaceful Christmas. The Scriptures relate how many years ago the heavens opened as angels announced the birth of the promised Savior. Today, the same joyful message rings; it gives comfort to the doubting and the hope of eternal Christmas in heaven. May the message of God’s perfect gift to humankind be paramount as we gather with loved ones during this Christmas season.
Update on LLC Activities
Mission Work
Evening devotions are scheduled for weekday evenings throughout the year. Approximately 30 ministers serve in this project each year. The schedule has been made for the coming year and a webinar will be held prior to January to support brothers who have been asked to serve in this way.
A weekly Zoom service happens on Sunday morning for brothers and sisters in faith in Ecuador. The schedule has been completed for 2025. Remember the brothers who serve with God’s Word and the brothers and sisters who serve as interpreters each week.
Each fall we have a webinar for ministers who will travel on a foreign mission trip during the next year. There we discuss general information about the countries where brothers travel as well as how we support the brothers and sisters in faith in mission countries when a trip happens to their location. Seventeen brothers from North America will travel on mission trips in 2025.
Finance
The LLC board approved the 2025 budget as presented at the 2024 LLC Annual Meeting with the following changes due to the increase in camp fee participation:
– Camp fees increase 10% rather than 35%
– Camp Staff Wage increase 50%
2025 Camp Season
Enrollment for the 2025 Camp Season will be somewhat different than in previous years. Confirmation and preconfirmation enrollment will be scheduled in January, youth camp enrollment in February and open enrollment will begin in March for all other camps. In addition, an updated payment schedule will be available in 2025. The options will be to pay in full at time of registration, pay half at registration and half later, or a monthly payment plan with full amount required by November 1 of 2025. Camp fee collections in 2024 surpassed previous years, so an adjustment of the fee increase of 35% has been reduced to a 10% increase.
Recruitment for Seasonal Core Staff for our camp centers is open, and information will be available and distributed to member congregations by December 1, 2024. The following seasonal positions need to be filled:
– Hasscib Lake Caretaker
– Hasscib Lake Office Assistant
– Hasscib Lake Kitchen Head
– Hasscib Lake Caretaker Assistant
– Stony Lake Kitchen Head
– 4 Stony Lake Core Staff Positions:
Caretaker Assistant
Office Assistant
Staff Assistant
Kitchen Assistant
– Kamp Kipa Kitchen Head
– Kamp Kipa Office Assistant
– Kamp Kipa Caretaker Assistant
Education
A teacher’s workshop-seminar is scheduled for February 8, 2025, and will be held at the Laestadian Lutheran Church of Monticello 9:00 am–2:00 pm. The purpose of the workshop is to provide support for teachers to develop a classroom environment without a classroom space. The theme for the workshop comes from SHZ 451, “Little Ones to Him Belong.” The intended audience is any teacher in the congregation and Sunday School directors. This event coincides with LLCM Winter Services. Additional information will be distributed to congregations in December.
Pastoral
The discussion to consider additional Bible translations to the King James Version has been underway for several years now. It has been important to take the time to prayerfully consider and discuss this matter.
Congregation delegates were informed at the 2024 Annual Meeting that a series of videos will be sent to congregations regarding Bible translation and usage. The first in a series of three videos was shared with member congregations to view and visit around this topic.
The Laestadian Lutheran Church of Utah Valley has called Chad Laiho and Wyatt Kesti into the office of ministry. We wish to remember Chad and Sarah along with Wyatt and Kendra and their families as they begin their service as servants of the Word.
Communications
We recently published a digital-only music album on Hearken, our publications app. The album is called Eventide and it features evening songs recorded by the Menahga, Minn., congregation adult choir. This album will also soon be available on other digital music platforms.
Some Hearken users have experienced issues and glitches while using the app. Many of these users have Android devices. If you are experiencing usability issues, please tell us about your experiences in our online form. See the LLC website to access the form. Your input on these issues will help us solve them.
In 2025, there will be some new features in The Voice of Zion. One example is a Bible Class feature, which will contain a Bible lesson structured in a teachable format. These lessons will focus on Jesus’ miracles.
At the 2024 LLC Annual Meeting, delegates approved a plan to arrange music discussions and workshops in member congregations. LLC Music Coordinator Liisa Keranen will visit congregations that request such a visit. Liisa has already visited a few congregations and the music work update presentation as well as song leader and organist workshop have been well received.
We are currently working on a poetry project together with the SRK. The aim of this joint effort is to produce poems and verses that can be used to congratulate others at life milestones, whether in greeting cards or read aloud in celebrations. If you are interested in contributing to this project, contact Ruth at rdelacey@llchurch.org
Our Christmas Publications Sale in our online store continues through December 31 or while supplies last.
The LLC Office will host a Christmas Open House on Thursday, December 12. Come in the afternoon to browse the bookstore, make purchases, visit with staff and sing Christmas songs with us.