Messenger. Monthly news for Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Menominee, Michigan DECEMBER Christmas at Emmanuel

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1 The Messenger Monthly news for Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Menominee, Michigan DECEMBER 2018 Christmas at Emmanuel December 16, 10:00 a.m. Sunday School Christmas Program December 23-4 th Sunday in Advent Worship 9:00 a.m. Christmas Eve Worship at 4:00 & 7:00 p.m. This month s Christmas Messenger Day Worship is at sponsored 10:00 a.m. by December 30, there will be one service at 9:00 a.m.

2 This Month s Messenger is sponsored by Printers Plus! For All Your Printing Needs Keith Larry Plude th Street Menominee, Michigan (906) , Fax (906) Thank you, Larry, for sponsoring the Messenger Emmanuel members who own or operate their own business or members who would like to recognize a significant event in their lives are invited to sponsor the Messenger. Full sponsorship of the Messenger is $100. This covers a portion of the cost of mailing the Messenger each month.

3 from the pastor Brothers and Sisters in Christ; We have all heard the "Good News!"..."Bad News!" aphorisms. Well, here s one with a little different twist. I have some "Bad News!...Good News!...Best News!" for you... The bad news, you are dying! It s no joke; biologists tell us that every day, to some extent, each of us is dying. The cells and atoms in our bodies are dying. In fact, every atom and every cell that is now in our bodies will die off within the next seven years. In essence, we are experiencing a daily dying of our physical being. The good news, you are being restored! Just as the cells and atoms in our bodies are dying, likewise new ones are being created to take their place. It is my understanding, (and I make no claim to being a biologist!) this process makes a complete transition every seven years. In one way, every seven years, you completely become a different person. So, when someone tells you, you re not the same person you use to be, there is a whole lot of truth in it. I find this whole idea of our bodies continuously dying and being restored a rather refreshing thought. Finally, the Best News! You don t have to wait seven years to be made a "new person". And the news that s even better than the Best News is that the "new person" will live forever! In St. Paul s second letter to the Corinthians, he writes: So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! (5:17). So while the Best News is so overwhelmingly good and incredible, we nonetheless must first humbly die to self and self-interest, and be raised with Christ and to be Christ-absorbed. What this means is that when we make decisions for ourselves as Christians, we make decisions based on faith in Christ and not based on our own self-interest. The same holds true for the church body, which is in itself a living organism. And, like anything that is alive, it too has to be nurtured and fed. One of the ways that we ve done this recently is by addressing our

4 church rolls and removing members who we no longer have accurate contact information and have no idea of their whereabouts as well as those who we know have not been active in the church for several years. We could simply ignore this reality and, with the frame of mind that more people means a bigger church means something of significant importance, we could keep them on the rolls. Or, we could (and have) accepted the reality, that, in some regards, removing people from our rolls points to the dying aspect of the church. This work is not fun and it certainly is not easy to acknowledge that persons who once were part of this larger body have made the choice to no longer be present in it is difficult to receive. Yet, it is necessary. But the good news is that in doing so the church is restored. Updating membership rolls not only gives us a more accurate picture of what the makeup of our church really is, but it is also a good and necessary stewardship practice in that the relationship between the church and those who continue to be active in it is strengthened and refocused. The gifts of those who remain in the church are recognized and utilized in carrying out her mission. And the best news is that there is so much more that we can do to continue to restore the church. There are still many of our members who are not actively participating in the life of the church who remain on our rolls because their disconnection is much more recent. My invitation to you is to reach out to these persons and to remind them that they are an integral part of the body of Christ. Remind them that there are opportunities to lift up and to celebrate their gifts. Remind them that the church is a welcoming place where they can receive the sacraments and be fulfilled. Remind them that their church family longs to restore them to this wonderful gathering that is the body of Christ. And what better time to do so! The beginning of Advent is the beginning of the church year. It s a natural time for renewal and rebirth as we await our Savior s coming. It s a time to start over and to live into Paul s words that everything has become new! Let us joyfully participate in the church, and to do so as the whole body of Christ. Have a most blessed Advent and Christmas! Pastor Mark

5 Youth and Family From the Director: Patti Treptow Advent is just about here. The four weeks of Advent help us to prepare for the gift of Christmas and all the joys that it brings to each one of us. This season of anticipation brings us opportunity to cherish the hope, the peace, the joy, and the love that comes as we wait for the birth of our Savior that we celebrate on Christmas day. Advent gives us the opportunity to prepare our hearts to help make Christmas come alive in our children s hearts so they can come to understand the true meaning of Christmas. In the December s issue of Parenting Christian Kids, the main article gives us unique and fun ways we can make Christmas come alive for our kids. Emmanuel also has many opportunities and activities this month that will prepare your hearts for the gifts that Jesus brings and will help to make Christmas come alive for your entire family. Have a joyous Advent and a Merry Christmas! Upcoming Classes December 2 nd & January 27 th 4:00-6:00 p.m. Activities Baking for the Church bake sale Saturday, December 8 th, 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. Confirmation students will join with our members of the Youth Advisory Council to bake cookies and other yummy treats. Parents are encouraged to help! Food Drive Sunday, December 16 th we need your help organizing our food that was collected. Please stay after the 10:00 a.m. worship service on this day to help. It will only take about 30 minutes if we all pitch in.

6 Sunday School Children s Christmas Program Sunday, December 16th during the 10:00 a.m. worship service Program Dress Rehearsal and Christmas Party Saturday, December 15 th, 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Program practices began on Sunday November 25 th during Sunday school class time. Because we have limited practice time, it is important to have your child at Sunday school as much as possible. If you know that your child will not be able to participate in the Christmas Program on December 16 th, please let Patti Treptow know as soon as possible. This year, the Youth Committee/Little Lutherans will be providing the Christmas party that immediately follows the children s program dress rehearsal on December 15 th. The party will be from 11:30-1:00 p.m. This allows parents free time from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. to get those holiday chores accomplished! Children will enjoy pizza, cookies, and beverages. They will also make Christmas ornaments and receive a gift from the congregation.

7 High School Parent/Student Mission Trip Planning Meeting During the summer of 2016 ten Emmanuel High School youth participated in a mission trip at Leach Lake, Minnesota. We are planning a similar mission trip for the summer of 2019, so all Emmanuel high school youth who are interested in participating in this exciting adventure are encouraged to attend this planning meeting on Sunday, December 2 nd at 11:00 a.m. in the Fellowship area in the basement. Since programs that we would like to be a part of are starting to fill up, we will need to register soon to secure our spots, so we need your feedback now to begin planning the 2019 summer mission trip. Believe it or not, summer is only 7 months away! GLOW Youth Meeting Sunday, December 2 nd Immediately following the mission trip meeting, GLOW youth will meet to plan the details of our upcoming events. Upcoming Events: Lock-In - Friday, December 7 th time to be announced. Cookie Baking Saturday, December 8 th 10:00-12:00 noon GLOW Youth Advisory Council is open to all of Emmanuel s high school youth and is a great way to grow in faith and engage in fun and meaningful activities. Please contact Youth Council Representative Anna Magrane or Patti Treptow at the church office for more information.

8 Emmanuel's Outreach Projects Christmas Food Baskets The collection of food and non-food items for the Christmas food boxes will take place November 18 th through December 16 th. The donated items will be given to individuals and families in our community who are in need. This gift will help bring some joy and hope to them at Christmas. Donated goods may be placed in the marked area in the narthex. Food items needed include canned meats (tuna and chicken), canned dinners, complete meal foods like spaghetti sauce with meat, peanut butter, soups, canned fruits and vegetables, pasta and rice including boxed meals, pancake mixes and syrup, cereal, and juices. Please no expired foods we cannot include them in the food boxes. Non-food items needed include toothbrushes, deodorant, soap and shampoo, paper towels, toilet tissue, dish soap, laundry soap, and general cleaning supplies. Please note when buying in bulk, items must be individually wrapped. Local Tree of Love Emmanuel's local Tree of Love will be located in the narthex from November 18 th through December 16 th. The Rainbow House, Haven of Hope, and Abundant Life Homeless Shelter will provide us with information about individuals and families in need of support from our community. If you wish to purchase a gift to help make someone s holiday brighter, take a tag from the tree and sign up on the sheet provided. Please return wrapped gifts to the church office by December 16 th.

9 Christmas Bake Sale We Need Your Help! Our annual Christmas bake sale will be held on Sunday, December 9 th between worship services. Our youth will be baking cookies on Saturday, December 8 th to sell, but we need your help to make this sale a success! Our youth will be baking 24 dozen cookies and we are asking the congregation to match or exceed that amount. If each person could bake one or two dozen cookies or baked items, we will easily meet our goal. Proceeds from the bake sale go to support the Christmas food basket project. Please bring your baked goods for the bake sale to the fellowship hall on Saturday, December 8 th by 11:00 a.m. Emmanuel members of all ages of are invited to join together on Sunday, December 2nd at 4:00 for the Hanging of the Greens. As a worshiping community, we will come together to set up and decorate the church Christmas trees and sanctuary. There will be Christmas music playing and the Fellowship Committee will provide pizza and beverages for us to enjoy as we join together in transforming our church. You are invited to bring some cookies or bars to share if you are able. We look forward to seeing you all here!

10 Handmade Winter Hat Ornaments On Sunday, December 2nd, during the 9:00 Coffee Fellowship Hour and immediately following the 10:00 service, Emily Lenca will be selling handmade winter hat ornaments in the narthex. There will be a variety of ornaments and will cost $3.00 each. The money raised will then be used to purchase animals/farm helps through the ELCA Good Gifts program for farmers and families in countries that need this help. Thank you, Emily, for your desire to give to those who have so little! Upcoming Book Discussion In 2019, our friends at Bethel down the street will be hosting a book discussion on Kate Bowler s book Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I ve Loved and have invited Emmanuel s members to join them. Bowler, a seminary professor and historian, details how a stage-four cancer diagnoses changed the way she views God, family, and religion. Dates for this class have yet to be set, but if you are interested in taking part in this class, please purchase your book now. Mid-week Advent Services Bethel Lutheran will be hosting Wednesday Advent services on December 5 th, 12 th, and 19 th. The theme for these worship services will be the Magnificat, and Mary s faithful response to hearing that she will bear the Son of God. Pastor Doug Schoen, Pastor Mark Laatsch, and Pastor Scott Ehle will lead these worship services at 6pm. A soup supper will precede worship at 5pm, and Emmanuel has been asked to provide one (1) pot of soup for each Wednesday. If you can provide for this, please contact the Emmanuel church office at and let us know which night you are willing to provide the soup for. All are welcome and encouraged to be part of this Advent worship and fellowship opportunity.

11 Emmanuel will hold a Blood Drive on Tuesday, December 4th from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. For an appointment contact Dave Anderson at Frog Pond Realty Emmanuel has gone live..facebook live, that is! We are now broadcasting our 8:00 Sunday morning services live through our facebook page. This will give those who cannot be at worship the opportunity to be connected to us as we come together on Sunday mornings to give our thanks and praise to God!

12 ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION WeDnesDaY MoRning Men s group Join us each Wednesday, 7:30 a.m., at the Serving Spoon for a time of fellowship with friends, sharing stories and enjoying a cup of coffee. Bring a friend! WoMen s MinisTRies The Sarah Circle will meet on Tuesday, December 11, at 1:00 p.m. hosted by Ivon Butman Seeking Enlightenment Group will be meeting on Thursday, December 13, at 6:30pm. It is a time of sharing and encouraging each other on our Christian journey, contact Robin Gustafson at for location details. OUR EMMANUEL Family CALLED HOME BY God... Joyce Uecke was called to her eternal home on November 10. Our sympathy to her husband, Ward, and children, Tom Uecke, Terry Uecke and Lynn Jaklin and their families. The family is planning a memorial service and the details will be published at a later date. Our sympathy to Jean Davis whose son, Gregory Archie Carlson, passed away Monday, November 5. Gregory s funeral was held Saturday at Thielen Funeral Home. Our sympathy to Barbara Bereza whose husband, James Goin, passed away November 5. BAPTIZED... Amelia Violet Karkkainen was claimed in the waters of baptism on November 24. Amelia s parents are Kevin & Ashley Karkkainen and her sponsors, Kari Karkkainen and Lorelei Sorensen

13 In MeMorIa a new communion set of Two chalices and two patens (plates) have been purchased and given to emmanuel in memory of carol klumb. we will bless these new worship furnishings during our December 2nd 8:00 service as we put them into use for worship. thank you to vic and to raeanne and all of carol s famiy for this very generous gift. New Banners! Thank you to Vic Klumb and to Rob and Deb Villas with Barb Smith for our two beautiful new winter scene sanctuary banners. They are up for our December 2nd services and then will be back up after the Christmas trees are taken down. We are all indeed blessed with your generosity in providing for our worship space! Opportunities to Give If you would like to provide to specific ministries of Emmanuel s ongoing work, here are three that you may consider..sponsorship of the weekly bulletin ($20), sponsorship of the monthly messenger ($100) or to cover the costs of snow removal ($210 per incident). Simply call the church office at to let Judy know that you are interested in providing or come on by the church office and let us know. Thanks!

14 Christmas Memorial descriptions Electronic Reader Board As the function of the 21st century church continues to evolve, it is important that Emmanuel adapt to those changes. One of the ways to do this is by being present in our community and an electronic reader board would enable us to be responsive to immediate needs as well as grant flexibility with how we share the Good News of Jesus Christ to our neighborhood. Winter Snowplowing Unfortunately, the cost for removing snow from our parking lots and sidewalks has risen substantially in the past few years. By setting aside this money, we will be able to offset the budgeted costs of keeping our lots and walks safer and free of ice and snow. New Furnace Fund There are nine furnaces in the church, and most of them run from approximately 15 to 30 years old. This fund will enable us to put aside the costs to replace these furnaces as it is necessary to do so Youth Mission Trip In the summer of 2016 ten Emmanuel High School youth participated in a mission trip to the Leech Lake Native American Reservation in Minnesota. We are planning another trip in 2019, though as of yet our destination and dates are not yet finalized. Contributions to this account will assist participants in meeting their financial requirements to participate in this ministry experience.

15 Christmas Memorials All Christmas memorials must be received by Sunday, December 16 th to be included in the Christmas Memorial booklet. Your gifts are greatly appreciated. I would like to : $ Place a poinsettia in the chancel ($10.00 each) $ Electronic reader board in front of church $ Winter Snow Plowing $ New Furnace for the church $ 2019 Youth Mission Trip Given In memory of In honor of In thanks to God By Envelope Number

16 SUNDAY MORNINGS AT EMMANUEL Worship at 8:00 & 10:00am Nursery care provided at 10:00am Sunday School at 10:00am CONTACT US: Phone: (906) Fax: (906) Council President, Debbie Villas or Visit us on the Web at Follow us on Facebook at Emmanuel Lutheran Church Menominee Michigan ELCA STAFF: Pastor The Rev. Mark Laatsch - Cell Phone: Director of Youth & Family Ministry Mrs. Patti Treptow Church Secretary Mrs. Judy Raygo Custodian- inside Mrs. Carol Parrish Custodian outside Mr. Lee Parrish We are a congregation of the Northern Great Lakes Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America