a quick list!

It has been a long time since my last, but a lot has gone on in the last few weeks... I can't write a ton due to time right now but I will provide you with a list of what I have been experiencing...

1. Unwrapping 400 bells to get ready for Christmas eve services
2. Attending Christmas parties at Rachel A.'s and the Longs... great fun!
3. Got sick with a nasty cold/sinus/ears... it hit me hard!
4. Due to #3 I had to miss Christmas eve at Zumbro, but was home with family( It was my first Christmas in a very very long time that I did not go to church! So strange)
5. Due to #3 had to miss preaching on the 28th...
6. Got a lot of great fun presents from family and friends... including a WII and WII Fit from Dave!
7. Lots of down time to recover!
8. Got dress fitted for Sarah and Drew's wedding! (Saw Hannah J. there! AWESOME BONUS!)
9. Drove Kat and Austin to the Airport
10. Made Banana Hot fudge malts with Amber

That should give you some idea.... More to come later!
Hope Christmas was wonderful!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 2009 here we come!

Christmas time!

I cant believe it is only a week and a day till Christmas eve! There is so much Christmas spirit around Zumbro, the Rochester community, in the Facebook pics I look at... such a good feeling.

I have realized it is impossible to go on any sort of diet during the holiday season at Zumbro. Everytime I come back to my desk, there is a new gift from a generous parishioner... usually some sweet treat they have made from scratch. Also, every time I go into our work room, there is some gift basket of yummy things given to the staff from someone who thinks we need to be eating.. all the time. For instance, last week, someone brought in 3 freshly baked loaves of bread (still warm from the oven), including jam and a stick of butter to top it with!! This week, someone brought in a chocolate basket which included truffle bars, white chocolate popcorn, macaroons, ... oh man!
I have been pretty good at limiting my snacking, but sometimes you just cant help but have a little nibble of a sweet something given to you by such a generous and kind congregation!

Today Mama Mia the movie comes out! Rachel and I plan to go out sometime today and buy it for each other for Christmas! Should be exciting... now we just have to find time to watch it!
My supervisor Nick and his wife Ann invited Rachel and I over for dinner tonight. I am looking forward to it. I am having the greatest time with my supervisor... I think I am one of the luckiest interns!! He is such a strong natural leader, and only wants the best experiences for me, so it seems like he goes out of his way to make sure this happens! God Bless pastor Nick!

Preaching went really well this last Sunday. I gave John the baptist some "attitude" since he was quite a character, and people really liked it! I am feeling more comfortable being myself as a preach. I dont have much of "preacher tone" anymore. Just outgoing, funny, me. Ok.. I am not trying to be big headed.. just expressing how I dont perform as much. Just preach the Good news, Mollie style!

Alright... enough for now... off to meetings all day!
Blessings!

A whirlwind of a week!

I know it has been a long while since I have posted... I feel I either have had not a whole lot go on... or the opposite... I have a TON of stuff occurring, all at the same time, so my blog gets pushed to the bottom of the "to do list".

This last Friday we had our Zumbro Christmas Bazaar. Many weeks of planning, organizing, and setting up go into this one day event.. and then it is all taken down by 4:30 that same day. It comes and goes so fast! Everything from arts and Crafts, to a attic treasure room( garage sale at church pretty much), lefse table, baked goods room, coffee and cookie room, music performing all over the church... it is AMAZING! A HUGE lunch with meatballs, mashed potatoes, all the scanadavian fixins is served. I guess they served over 600 people. And the best part... all the money goes to local charities here in Rochester. WOW! My heart grew so much on this day... well and my tummy too... lol
All these pictures are from that day.




This month I am preaching 4 times. I just had one yesterday at Charter house, a building for assisted living... it was a very different atmosphere to preach in but I did it. I dont think I had the best delivery, but my preaching is a work in progress, but oddly enough I like preachin in the huge church with many faces looking at me... it is what I am used to. I preach again this Sunday. I remember preaching on this same text (John 1: 6-8, 19-28) in my preaching lab last year, but when I looked back at that sermon, it is no where near where I was going with it this time... so seeing that change, hopefully for the better, brightens my day. My friend Melissa from high school and her mom are coming down to hear me. I feel so blessed to have friends and their parents support me by visting me, hearing me preach, reading this blog, simply caring to what I am doing with my life! So... SHOUT OUT TO MELISSA and her MOM!

I preach again Christmas Eve, but it is more of a good news with children message, telling the story, with carols mixed in, while the nativity scene comes together- yes, acted out.. a live nativity... the families will LOVE IT! And then I preach again the 28th... man oh man.. lots of preaching but such great practice! I don't preach at all in January, so that will be a nice break.

Ok... Thats enough I think.
Have a blessed day!

Mollie

Time sure flies!

Well Happy December to all!

The Thanksgiving weekend went well. It started with my pie social which was a huge hit! I had the greatest helpers bringing pies, serving pies, cleaning up, I couldn't have been more grateful that at that moment! Everyone was telling me what a great idea it was and that it will now become a new Zumbro tradition... so I better inform the next intern of my Thanksgiving extravaganza!

I then headed home for Thanksgiving dinners galore. Dave and I attended 3 of them. Two on Thursday and one on Friday night. All had the traditional foods, and each dinner had SWEET POTATOES with Marshmallows! My favorite! YES!!!

It was fun to see all the family members, laugh, tell stories, just be present and thankful. No mishaps, just cozy family time.

I was back in Rochester by Saturday night to get ready for my busy Sunday church services. Not only was I playing in the bell choir for the first time during the prelude.. I had to rush to put on my alb so I could light the advent wreath, pour the water in the baptismal font, and get to the altar to start the confession and forgiveness liturgy... a lot of running around. It was just Pastor Wayne and I.. and since Wayne was preaching (with a cold for that matter) I did the rest.. aka.. a lot of liturgy. On top of all the chaos, there were 2 baptisms during the second service, which I got to assist in. One of the babies had 9 sponsors... whoa!! That's a lot of God parents but boy will that little guy be guided!

The snow has finally arrived, and as much as I was wishing for it, I forgot how fun it is to scrap off the snow and ice from your car each morning. I think I may have to spend the extra $50 to have a garage spot.... I dont want my new car to go through that!

I now sit here, at church, listening to Christmas music, planning out my week, including starting my internship project; a seven session Bible Book of Faith study with the Continuing Education committee! I still dont know what to think of it yet...
The Christmas Bazaar is this Friday... which is a HUGE production put on my Zumbro. I have had it on my calendar since my first day at Zumbro. I plan to shop, eat, and enjoy the Christmas ambiance Zumbro prepares for months.

Blessings to you all as we prepare for the birth of Christ!

Mollie