Council Notes by Sarah Madison: 

It is Thanksgiving as I write this, and by the time you read this we will be in the season of Advent - a perfect time to express our gratitude for the tremendous gifts we have been given in this church family.  We are grateful to the members of Gloria Dei for their generous response to the Stewardship Appeal in November. The Council enters our annual budget work confident that we will have the gifts we need to continue to grow in our ministry within and outside of Gloria Dei as we enter our Centennial year.  We are grateful to those who made the annual auction a tremendous success, raising more than $18,000: those who donated items for the auction, those who bid generously at both the silent and live auctions, and those who worked so hard to bring the auction together.   And we are grateful to be part of this congregation, to be able to celebrate together the gifts we receive daily.  May this season of anticipation bring you moments of quiet and opportunities to gather with us a family to lift cheerful voices of gratitude.  Peace to all of you in Christ.