Emanuel Lutheran Church. December Enlightener

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1 Emanuel Lutheran Church December 2018 Enlightener 125th Anniversary ~ Sunday, August 25, ~1959 Sunday School remained an important and successful ministry. According to Pastor Franz, it was a source of inspiration. Classes were held each Sunday during the school year throughout the decade. As there was no parish hall, the classes would meet in various areas of the church. Children could be seen in classes in the balcony, the pews, and the small rooms at the front and back of the church. The noise never stopped the learning or the fun! The Sunday School Christmas program was always a much anticipated event. It was usually an evening program, filled with songs and recitations by the children. A Children s Day program was held a the end of the Sunday School year each spring and Vacation Bible School was held each summer. Sunday School and Adult Forum 10 a.m. Sunday Worship Service 11 a.m. Interim Pastor Warren Geier (906) or (906) (cell) pastor@bethanyishpeming.org Emanuel Lutheran Church: emanuel@tds.net Emanuel Lutheran Church of Skandia

2 Congregational Leadership Interim Pastor Warren Geier (906) Council Members Sandi Ruotsi Mary Lou Behrens Donna Oliver Jolene Kokko Betsy Koski Jane Sims Jesse Kainulainen Christian Education Betsy Koski ~ Confirmation Leah Kainulainen, Karen Maki ~ Sunday School Sandi Ruotsi ~ Adult Forum Office Jolene Kokko ~ Office Assistant Emanuel Lutheran Church has both a Face Book Page and website! Catch up on upcoming and past events, our monthly calendar and Enlightener newsletters at: Committee Leaders Sandi Ruotsi ~ Council President Barb Bach ~ Stewardship Sarah Kimball ~ Outreach Betsy Koski ~ Christian Education Betsy Koski ~ 125th Anniversary Committee Leah Kainulainen ~ Youth Mission Jane Sims ~ Worship & Music Roger Kimball ~ Building & Property Pam Bahrman~ Cemetery Business Manager The deadline for getting information for the January Enlightener is Sunday, December 23. Sunday Worship Service is at 11: 00 AM with Sunday School and Adult Forum at 10:00 AM through February,

3 With Thanks to Those Who Serve Date Acolyte Ushers Lector 12/2 Luke Kainulainen Leah & Jesse Kainulainen Sandi Ruotsi 12/9 Tiffany Ridolphi Bahrman Family Barb Bach 12/16 Hailey Ridolphi Sarah & Roger Kimball Jesse Kainulainen 12/23 Luke Kainulainen Barb & Tom Bach Betsy Koski 12/30 Tiffany Ridolphi Needed Laurie Kass December 2 December 9 December 16 December 23 December 24 December 30 December Worship Leaders Pastor Chrys Levesque Hendrick Pastor Chrys Levesque Hendrick Mrs. Virginia Paulson Pastor Chrys Levesque Hendrick Mrs. Virginia Paulson (Christmas Eve 7:30 p.m.) Mrs. Virginia Paulson Birthday Blessings 12/01 Mary Larson Heetland 12/01 Jesse Kainulainen 12/02 Sue Ridolphi 12/05 Emma Maki 12/08 Elsie Haglund 12/09 Andy Bahrman 12/11 Jordan Berglund 12/14 Iva Arnett 12/17 Sidney Heetland 12/20 Kelsy Mc Master 12/28 Mathew Foster 12/29 Debbie Smith Happy Anniversary 12/1 8 Ryan & Lani Yearicks Thank you to Toni Peterson for sponsoring the December worship bulletins in memory of Keith Peterson.

4 Pastor s Reflections Every year when it comes to writing a December newsletter article I get a Here we go again feeling. There isn t much that I or anyone else can say that is new. I could write about how commercialized and secular Christmas has become but that s not going to keep you or me from enjoying aspects of commercial, secular Christmas. I could write about the importance of observing Advent as a time of preparation apart from the trappings of Christmas but in most churches, Christmas decorations will begin to appear early in Advent and the church is fully decorated by the middle of December. I could write about how Christmas Eve and Christmas Day aren t the end but the beginning of a twelve day celebration that ends with the celebration of Epiphany on January 6 th, but except for a few, the decorations and lights will be gone and the Holiday season will over on or before New Year s Day as people settle back into their regular routine. Anyway, it s all been said before. For those of us who are part of a church, especially a church that observes the season of Advent, December is a complicated time. As it tries to observe Advent and then as it tries to keep Christmas focused on the birth of Jesus, the Incarnation of God, it s the month when the church is most obviously out of step with the wider culture. Even with that though, the mission of the church shouldn t be to throw a wet blanket over secular Christmas. There are things about it that we can and should enjoy, about it that we can and should enjoy.

5 It may be that Ebenezer Scrooge had the best advice in how one should approach this time of year. When questioned by his nephew about his lack of Christmas spirit, Scrooge said to him, You keep Christmas in your own way and let me keep it in mine. Obviously his intent was different from what I m getting at here as this is Scrooge before the ghosts visit him, Scrooge who thought Christmas was nothing but a Humbug, but still, even out of context, his words are worthy of attention. What they say to us is that there s no need to judge how anyone chooses to observe Christmas or not observe it for that matter. How anyone else keeps Christmas doesn t have to impact your own observance. If Christmas is strictly secular for someone, so be it. Something important is missing obviously, but it can still be a nice time of the year for them. For those who want Christmas to be more than just a nice time of year though, the good news is that the miracle still happens. The Christ child is born and it s not just the remembrance of something that happened long ago; To you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is the Messiah, the Lord. To you is born this day. The miracle is, that time as we think of it is transformed and the Incarnation happens again in our time and nothing can stop it because it s the work of the Lord. You keep Christmas in your own way and let me keep it in mine. In our churches we will continue to keep Christmas in the traditional ways that we always have. My hope is that the ways we keep it will add to your own observance as you again experience the truth and reality of the Incarnation, the Word made Flesh, the miracle of Christmas. A blessed Advent and a Merry Christmas to you all! ~Pastor Warren Geier

6 They came to the house where the child was and saw him with his mother Mary and they bowed down and worshipped him. They opened their gifts and gave him treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2-11 Dear friends at Emanuel, You have been a gift to me. It has been a pleasure to worship with you, enjoy a cup of coffee and also a good meal. I thank God for you. Have a Merry Christmas and blessed New Year. Virginia Paulson Dear Emanuel friends, What a joy it has been to see you through this past year (and then some) as preacher and worship leader on so many Sunday mornings. As we enter the new church year through the season of Advent and look forward to the joy of Christmas, let us continue to tend to the mission of the Church, proclaiming the love and grace of God in all we say and do. I look forward to worshiping with you in the weeks and months to come, and, with my husband, Bud, thank you for the warm hospitality we feel in your midst. ~Pastor Chrys Outreach Update ~The Outreach Committee will be meeting Wednesday, December 12 at 10AM at Emanuel. New members are always welcome! ~The Christmas Angel gift tags will be available Sunday, December 2. Please have your gifts back to Emanuel by Sunday, December 16. ~Christmas food basket shopping and distribution will be Thursday, December 20. ~A special offering will be taken for Christmas food baskets will be Sunday, December 23 during our Sunday worship service.

7 November Council Highlights ~Roger Kimball personally thanked the council for the leaf/grass collector he received from Emanuel as a gift for his volunteer position as the grounds keeper of both the Emanuel and Haglund Cemeteries this past season. ~Joys: The annual holiday bazaar was wonderful and successful this year. ~A concern was expressed about how physically challenged people have access to our sanctuary. After some discussion of ideas to help, Jacobetti Skill Center will be contacted for ideas and as a possible future community project. ~We received a thank you note form the Synod Assembly for the World Hunger offering for the amount of $ ~A resignation letter from Donna Oliver as Emanuel s treasurer and from the council was received. Her position will be listed in both our weekly announcements and monthly newsletter. ~Pastor Geier spoke about Bishop Finegan s effort of having our synod more in line with ELCA church wide policy of having only ordained pastors give communion. Pastor Geier will be here for our Annual Meeting, Sunday, January 20 and leading worship that day too. ~Both the Financial Secretary and Treasurer s reports were reviewed and found in order. We are very grateful to the Convenant Church of Carlshend for donating $500 towards our new roof. ~Room at the Inn, Marquette s Homeless and Warming Shelter, was designated as our local benevolence for 10% of our giving on the third Sunday of December. ~The next council meeting will be Sunday, December 16 at 1 p.m. Both the November Council entire meeting minutes (pending council s approval), financial reports and upcoming agenda (when it becomes available) are posted on the bulletin boards in the Fellowship Hall and sanctuary entries.

8 December 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sunday School & Adult Forum 10 AM Worship with Holy Communion 11 AM Confirmation 5 PM Advent Worship Service 6:30 pm 9 Sunday School & Adult Forum 10 AM Worship with Holy Communion 11 AM Outreach Meeting 10 AM 13 Confirmation 5 PM Advent Worship Service 6:30 pm Sunday School & Adult Forum 10 AM Worship 11AM Council 1 PM Confirmation 5 PM Advent Worship Service 6:30 pm AM Breakfast at A & M followed by Christmas Program Practice 23 Sunday School & Adult Forum 10 AM Worship with Holy Communion 11 AM & Christmas Program 24 Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 7:30 PM Worship AM

9 ~Looking ahead to January 2019~ Annual Meeting: January 20, 2019 Please have all committee annual reports to the office by January 6. Thank You! Your Annual Report will be available to pick up on January 13. Open 2019 Council Positions Please prayerfully consider using your time and talents to serve on the congregation s council in The council meets once a month at Emanuel and twice a year with Bethany s council. Please talk to anyone on the nominating committee; Sarah Kimball, Jolene Kokko & Sherry Robinson, or any current council member if you have any questions or would like to join this ministry. We have two open positions. When sending out your Christmas cards this year Let s remember our friends who aren t able to make it to Emanuel for worship and fellowship with us. Herb Anderson Jacobetti Home for Veterans 425 Fisher St. Marquette, MI Vernon & Elsie Haglund 200 Lost Creek Drive Apt. 406 Marquette, MI Bettie Ahola 4742 Matterhorn Circle Duluth, MN Ryan, Lani, Robert & & Thomas Yearicks 5465 Spearhead Ave. Fort Benning, GA 31905

10 A big thank you to all that helped support our Annual Bazaar & Quilt Sale! It takes many hands and hours of help to create the beautiful crafts, wreaths, baked goods, transport and set up for the day of the bazaar and help serve, sell and clean up afterwards! We have made close to $7600 and are still counting, with half of the proceeds going to our new roof for the sanctuary. THANK YOU! 2018 Raffle Winners! Quilt ~ Terry Goulette Sled Painting~ Pat Johnson Stone Planter ~ Jack Deneau Stained Glass Creation ~ Sarah Kimball Wool Wall Hanging ~ Chet Barnett Framed Tree Print ~ Mark Arnett Framed Ore Dock Print ~ Filamena Wolf Christmas Wreath ~ Toni Peterson Thank You for Supporting our New Roof! A GoFundMe campaign has been set up online for our new roof! Please share it with your friends and family via face book, twitter and . You can do a search on the website with the words Skandia, MI or you can use the following link: gofundme.com/h7rdwp-new-roof-for-church Digital Newsletter Would you like to receive the Enlightener via instead of the mail? Please send and to the office: emanuel@tds.net and request your Enlightener to be ed. Thank You!

11 We are hoping to have an informal Christmas Choir this year at Emanuel. Plans are to sing during worship on the Sunday of the Children s Christmas program and then again during our Christmas Eve service. If you can t sing on both days-no PROBLEM! We will be happy to have you with us whenever you can be there. The music will be familiar and easy to sing. A short practice will be held Sunday, December 9 and 16. See Jane in the balcony on Sunday or call her at home at to sign on! Thanksgiving Food Baskets THANK YOU for your donations of money and canned items, to Thrivent for their Action Grant of $250, to the Skandia Lioness for a $50 donation, to the Bahrman Farm for the potatoes, to Jilbert s Dairy for their donation of milk, to Super One Foods for their overall discount and cardboard totes and to our volunteers that shopped, sorted and even did some deliveries that snowy day! We could not have done this without your support of Emanuel and our fundraisers, thank you!

12 The December Enlightener Emanuel Lutheran Church P.O. Box 160 Skandia, MI Emanuel Lutheran Church is a people centered in Christ, rich in heritage and beauty, living out Christ s openness to all. Our ministry is to spread the Word of God in our community through service, education and fellowship, creating a sense of family as we break bread together in the company of Christ. Sunday Worship Time 11 a.m. Sunday School & Adult Forum 10:00 a.m. Advent Services Thursdays, Dec. 6, 13, 20 6:30p.m. Children s Christmas Program Sunday, Dec. 23, 11 a.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Tuesday, December 24, 7:30 p.m.