As we are in the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, we want to say a special thank you for all the things that you do for us. The prayers, the words of encouragement, the financial support, and the love that you all show to us, and to our church here on the Reservation.

We are thankful for many things this year. Especially our different church building. I hate to call it our new church, since it was an old church that we restored. We are also thankful for all the help in restoring it.

We are thankful for all of the members of our church. Those who have been members for the last 10 years. (We do celebrate our 10 year anniversary this Thanksgiving.) We are thankful for the members that are still new and just joining our congregation.

We are thankful for the children that come to Bible School. They provide much joy, and much frustration, but they are the foundation for the future on the Reservation.

A little story about a few of the children. In Parmelee, we have a nice group of kids that come to Bible School, about 20-25. One of the boys comes every week and wants to know if I or anyone else would like to fight. So I roughhouse with him a little bit, but usually before the end of the day he has hit someone. The other week I sent him home for fighting, when he got to the door he stood there and cussed at me. Well, I wasn’t going to put up with that, so I chased him out the door and down the street. When I finally caught him he started crying, and told me he was sorry. So I have him a hug and brought him back to Bible School. I won’t say he was the best behaved kid, but he was much better since then. I am glad he couldn’t run faster than me.

We are looking forward to our Christmas. We will go caroling, and play games and see a puppet show. It will be nice to have a little more room at church so we can decorate it, and put up a tree and such.

Our congregation also went to the Luther movie as it was in Valentine. Not everyone went, but about 18 of us did. We have yet to discuss it, but they seemed to enjoy it, and said they learned from it. Not only that but it was good to have a time of fellowship together.

Thank you all once again for everything, we are so very thankful for all the blessings God has given to us. We thank Him especially for sending His Son to die on the cross to give us the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

In Christ,

Reverend Andrew Utecht, Lori and Family

Reverend Bob and Donna