The Messenger. Monthly news for Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Menominee, Michigan DECEMBER th Sunday in Advent - December 18

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1 The Messenger Monthly news for Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Menominee, Michigan DECEMBER 2016 ADVENT & CHRISTMAS AT EMMANUEL 4th Sunday in Advent - December 18 8:00am Worship 10:00am Sunday School Christmas Program Christmas Eve Worship with Communion 4:00pm Youth Drama and Readings 7:00pm Senior Choir Christmas Day with Communion Worship at 10:00am

2 This month s Messenger is sponsored by James Porras I care about our congregation and our church. I would be honored to protect your family and home. Thank you, James, 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 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ; A few months back a study came out that was construed by many that our cats want to eat us. While this was not accurate (it was actually a study on comparing the personalities of cats, both domestic and large), for about a week or so I remember reading about responses to this study and hearing people on the radio have a lot of fun with it. I guess that s the fun of the internet once a story makes its way online, it must be true! I ve never felt like my cat wants to eat me, but I can vouch for the fact that he does violate personal space at times. His most common crime is to come into the bedroom during early morning hours while I am deep in slumber, jump on the bed, proceed to walk around on top of me, and eventually put his nose to mine so that his whiskers rub against my cheeks and wake me up. It s hard to be angry with him when he s joyfully purring the entire time he is rousing me from much cherished pillow time. I will remove him from the bed and set him on the floor. He will respond by jumping back up onto the bed and repeating the process. I will set him on the floor again, a little less gently this time. He will then climb up onto the side table and start batting against the blinds or begin boxing a plastic bag or anything that makes a lot of noise. He does this while looking at me the entire time. And he continues to purr. I finally will give up and climb out of bed, make a cup of coffee, sit down with some reading material, and allow the day to begin. The day may be starting earlier than I anticipated, but soon I find myself lost in the rhythms of the early morning hours and am grateful for the opportunity to be awake during hours that many others are still asleep. I enjoy the quiet before the hectic activity of the day begins. I enjoy the single light in the dark living room illuminating my reading material. And yes, I do even enjoy a few minutes giving the cat the attention that he s wanting during these early hours.

4 It s a time to be focused, which is exactly what this blessed season of Advent is all about as well. It s a time to be focused with anticipatory joy for the coming of the promised savior. The four Sundays of Advent focus on the themes of prophecy, love, joy, and peace. Our Sunday services each week will celebrate each of these themes through Word and song, preaching and teaching. It all funnels to a culmination on Christmas Day, the day we celebrate the fulfillment of this prophecy, the eternal extension of God s love, the boundless joy of God sending God s Son to redeem sinners, and the peace that is found in accepting God s gift to us, Jesus Christ. It s as if Advent is four weeks spent meticulously wrapping the present and Christmas is the explosive opening of it. During this Advent season, may God grant us good slumber, wakeful eyes when the dawn draws near, and the necessary focus as we wait with baited breath for the coming of our Savior. And if any of you happen to have difficulty waking up to this most holy season, I ll be more than happy to send my cat your way. He ll wake you with joy and eagerness. I know, because he s purring the entire time he s doing it! In Christ, Pastor Mark I want to extend a very special Thank You to everyone who so graciously volunteered to lead worship and enable our congregation to so joyfully celebrate the wonderful first Sunday of Advent while I was in Detroit to be present at Jacob s final high school football game. In addition to our incredible church staff, who always keep the wheels turning, thank you to Judy Seglund, who recorded and operated the sequencer music for both services, to Deb Villas and Robin Gustafson who willingly volunteered when my plea for help went out and led the 8:00 worship service, to John Helfert, who so humbly provided our Children s Sermon, and to Gail Sieglaff, who led our 10:00 worship and preached a very heartfelt sermon on Forgiveness during what was undoubtedly a very difficult time for her and Les. I am eternally grateful to each and every one of you. -Pastor Mark.

5 Youth and Family Ministry From the Director: Patti Treptow Advent the season of anticipation and a time to get ready to celebrate the joy of Christmas. As adults, the Advent season goes by all too fast with its impending hustle and bustle. As children, it cannot go fast enough. In the December s Parenting Christian Kids, the main article discusses the Advent season as a time of testing patience - those with children can attest to this, as well as those who bravely shop on the Friday after Thanksgiving! Yet, the author reminds us that God commands us to patiently wait on him and to show patience with other people. Psalm 27:14 states, Wait patiently for the Lord. We all can use some work in practicing patience, especially during this busy season. However, waiting patiently does not mean inaction. On the contrary, Advent is a wonderful time where we can actively wait by serving others and sharing the love of God. This practice of active waiting can help us to focus on the wonders of Advent and anticipation of the joy of Christmas. Emmanuel has many opportunities for you and your family to actively wait this Advent season. We will be ringing bells for the Salvation Army, collecting items for the food drive, buying gifts for our Tree of Love, baking and donating goodies for the church bake sale, learning more about Christmas hymns in the Advent Bible study, participating in the children s Christmas program, and participating in special worship services. As Advent begins, take some time to plan how you and your family may balance patience with active waiting while you prepare for the celebration of the birth of our Lord. The following are updates in our youth and family ministry programs.

6 Confirmation classes for 7 th and 8 th grade students continue each Sunday at 9:00 a.m. Thank you to our parent guides: Brianna Camps, Katy Wickstrom, Kelli Anderson, Stacy Myers, Deb Clausen, Boni Nerat-Heckel, and Anna Slawinski who have led the discussion groups over the past few weeks. Special Thank You to the family of Carl H. Johnson All of our Confirmation students have received the book "Here We Stand" from the Carl. H. Johnson memorial fund. Each student will use this book throughout their two years of Confirmation instruction and will be able to keep it. Carl Johnson was a faithful member of Emmanuel and a life-long teacher at Menominee High School. Confirmation Activities Monthly Suppers - Sunday, December 18th, 5:30-7:00 p.m. is our December confirmation supper at the church. Supper will be at 5:30 p.m., followed by a Bible study and conclude with a game or activity. Attendance is not mandatory, but is meant to be another opportunity for kids to grow together. So we can plan food/activities, please let the church office know if your student will be attending. And, if any parents would want to provide for a supper, we are always grateful for that as well! Thank you to Traci and Tim Leinonen for hosting the November supper! Salvation Army Bell Ringing Confirmation students along with all members of Emmanuel are asked to participate in ringing bells on Saturday, December 3 rd from 12:00-3:00 p.m. at Jack s Fresh Market in Menominee. You need not be there for the entire time. We are asking you to sign up in one hour increments. A sign- up sheet will be made available at confirmation class and in the narthex. Baking for the Church Bake Sale Confirmation students will join with our members of the Youth Advisory Council to bake cookies and other yummy treats on Saturday, December 10 th, 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. A pizza lunch will be served as well as a tasting table of the goodies we make. A sign-up sheet will be handed out during confirmation class. Parents are encouraged to help! The baked goods will be sold at the church bake sale on Sunday, December 11 th where proceeds will go towards Emmanuel's Christmas food basket project.

7 Leaf Raking - Sunday, November 6 th our youth and their parents raked the leaves of our members who needed assistance. Thank you to everyone who participated in this activity of service!

8 Thanksgiving Eve Pie and Ice Cream Social Wednesday, November 23 rd following the Thanksgiving Eve worship service, we enjoyed fellowship and pie. Thank you to everyone who donated pies and to the youth who served!

9 ELCA National Youth Gathering Fundraisers Calendar Sale Our youth continue to sell 2017 calendars to raise funds for their participation in the 2018 ELCA National Youth Gathering. These beautiful wall calendars sell for $5.00 and are available in the narthex. Each month displays a Bible verse on a scenic landscape. They are going fast so get yours before they run out. They make great Christmas gifts! Jewelry Youth Fundraiser Our youth will be making beautiful costume jewelry to be sold just in time for Valentine's Day. Judy Reed will instruct and guide the kids through the art of jewelry making. But, we need your help! If you have any broken jewelry pieces or half-sets of earrings, we can use them in creating new designs and unique pieces. Please drop off your spare jewelry pieces in the church office. Thank you! The December edition of "Parenting Christian Kids" will be available Sunday, December 4 th. This contemporary newsletter is filled with articles, parenting principles, pointers and more, all focused on a relevant, monthly theme. It also contains reviews of movie and music releases and cultural trends and statistics that provide insights for parents. Additional copies of all editions will be available in the narthex and on the church website at

10 Sunday School Children's Christmas program parts have been selected and practices have started. Christmas is right around the corner! We will be practicing each Sunday during the last 15 minutes of Sunday school, so attendance is very important. Here are some dates to remember: Dress Rehearsal and Christmas Party Saturday, Dec. 17 th, 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. Children will be served a lunch of pizza, juice or milk and receive a gift from the congregation. Christmas Program Performance Sunday, Dec. 18 th, during the 10:00 a.m. worship service. Please have your child at the fellowship hall by 9:30 a.m. to get into costume. Parents, if your child will be out of town for the dress rehearsal and/or program performance or have any questions, please contact Patti at the church office as soon as possible. ****************************************************** Upcoming Activities December meeting - EYAC will meet this Sunday, December 4 th at 11:00 a.m. (following the 10:00 a.m. worship service) in the "Friendship Room". All high school youth are invited to attend! Christmas Eve Dramatic Readings We will be presenting in a silhouette drama, the lessons during the 4:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Family Service. Any high school youth interested in participating is asked to contact Patti Treptow at the church office.

11 Youth-led Worship Emmanuel s youth led the 10:00 a.m. worship service on Sunday, November 13 th. Our youth provided special music, served as ushers, gave the children's sermon, read the lessons, and provide the sermon for the day!

12 ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Advent Bible Study "Christmas Hymn Theology" Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m., from November 28 th - December 19 th, we will explore the history, intention, and theology of four cherished Christmas hymns: "Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel", "Angels We Have Heard on High", "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing", and "Joy to the World". We will conclude each night of study with a brief Advent worship service. Join us in the "Friendship Room" and bring nothing but a Bible and a joyful heart! Wednesday Morning Men s group Join us each Wednesday, 7:30 a.m., at the Serving Spoon for a wonderful time of fellowship with friends, sharing stories, and enjoying a cup of coffee. Bring a friend! WoMen s Ministries Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America The Sarah Circle will meet on Tuesday, December 13, at 1:00 p.m. in the Friendship room with Carol Sieth as hostess. Seeking Enlightenment Group will be meeting on Thursday, December 22, at 6:30pm. It is a time of sharing and encouraging each other on our Christian journey, contact Robin Gustafson at or Jackie Kolaszewski at for location details.

13 Emmanuel's Outreach Projects Bell Ringing! Emmanuel will be ringing bells for Salvation Army. We are seeking members of all ages to sign up for a shift of ringing and maybe even some singing! Emmanuel will be at Jack s Fresh Market in Menominee on Saturday, December 3rd from 12:00-3:00 p.m. A sign-up sheet will be made available in the narthex where you can sign up for one hour shifts. Let s make it a great turnout and show our community Emmanuel cares! Christmas Food Baskets The collection of food and nonfood items for the Christmas food boxes will take place November 13 th through December 11 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.

14 Local Tree of Love Thank you Emmanuel members for your quick response to our local Tree of Love. All the names have been retrieved and the gifts are starting to come in to the office. Please return your wrapped gifts, with the identifying tag securely attached, to the church office by Sunday, December 11 th. Christmas Bake Sale - We Need Your Help! Our annual Christmas bake sale will be held on Sunday, December 11 th between worship services. Our youth will be baking cookies on Saturday, December 10 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 10 th by 2:00 p.m.

15 OUR EMMANUEL FAMILY CALLED HOME BY GOD... Dorothy Blom passed away on November 4, at the age of 92. Funeral services for Dorothy were held at Hansen-Onion-Martell Funeral Home on November 6. Our sympathy to her children, Orville Gauthier, Raymond Gauthier, Carl Winnekins, Maxine Reynolds, Kathy Saunier and Sue Chaney and their families. Ronald Beyer passed away on November 6, at the age of 89. Funeral services for Ron were held at Hansen-Onion-Martell Funeral Home on November 13. Our sympathy to his wife, Sandy, and children, Robert, Ronald, Robyn and James, and their families. Finance Update Through October, our total offerings and other receipts are $206, Total expenditures as of this date are $204,404.00, which leaves us with a year to date excess of $2, Church Survey Thank you to everyone who returned a church survey! Your comments and suggestions will help us in the planning of future events. If you have not received a survey, they are available in the narthex. Please return your survey by December 4 th.

16 Christmas Memorials All Christmas memorials must be received by Sunday, December 18 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) My/Our gift to the church s mission at home: To: $ ELCA National Youth Gathering $ Seminarian Support Fund $ Undesignated Memorial Fund orfor the following purpose: My/Our gift to the wider mission of the church: To: $ Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp $ ELCA World Hunger Appeal $ The following: Given In memory of In honor of In thanks to God By Envelope Number

17 Dear Emmanuel Lutheran: My son Gabe and I have been given the blessing and opportunity to participate in a mission trip to Haiti July 8-15, 2017 with a group of my colleagues and their families within Arbonne. I have always wanted to directly help with missions instead of sending my dollars and now I have that chance! We are going as a group for Mission of Hope: Hope for Haiti. This organization was founded in 1998 with the primary goal of following Jesus Christ s example and serving the people of Haiti by meeting their physical and spiritual needs. In recent years and months, they have had a larger need to help the country recover first from the horrific earthquake in 2010 and now from Hurricane Matthew. Being that the majority of the country is in extreme poverty, they had no warning Hurricane Matthew was coming and could not prepare. Homes and crops were destroyed leaving a large portion of the country exposed to disease. The rebuild has already started, so Gabe and I will be doing whatever project they have for us when we arrive to help support the recovery of the country. I ask that you prayerfully consider helping to fund the travel costs for the two of us to spend a life changing week directly serving in Christ s name to those deeply in need. I do have a GoFundMe page set up if you would like to donate directly there. I have all posts on my Facebook page public so you can follow that link, or you can go directly to and type Linda Davis in the search bar to find my fundraiser. All proceeds will go to the travel costs which we are estimating will cost about $3000-$3500 for the two of us to spend the week. Anything raised above and beyond what is needed will be donated directly to Mission of Hope to help continue to fund their efforts in Haiti. Thank you all and God Bless! Linda Davis

18 OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE!! Two of our congregation s vital ministries are seeking new members who would be willing to serve Christ s church in these unique capacities. The Funeral Luncheon Ministry are in need of persons who would be willing to help set up the fellowship hall, serve the food (food is already prepared no cooking is necessary), and to clean up following funeral luncheons. There is already a great foundational team in place to coordinate, but they are in need of helpers during these times of ministry to those who have gathered to celebrate the lives of recently departed saints. As well, the Prayer Ministry Team is also looking for additional members. This team meets weekly at 9:30 am on Wednesday mornings at Emmanuel. For those who cannot be part of the weekly meetings, but would still like to be part of this ministry, we d love to add you to the Prayer Chain where you are informed of those who are requesting prayer so that you can share these needs and actively participate in prayer for those who desire it. If you are interested or have any questions about either one of these ministries, please contact the church office at and we will be more than happy to answer your questions and welcome you to these blessed serving opportunities. -Pastor Mark

19 Menominee High School Holiday Open House for Senior Citizens When: December 14 th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Turkey Dinner served at 12:15 Theme: Cartoon Holiday Movies Where: Menominee High School th Street, Menominee, Michigan RSVP by December 8 th Call: 863:7814 (224) Activities include: Food Sampling, Bingo, Angel Ornaments, Caroling, Crafts & More! Donations are appreciated! Would you like to see the photos that are in this month's Messenger in color? Check out Emmanuel's website and click on the newsletter link under "Our Work". You can find our website at

20 SUNDAY MORNINGS AT EMMANUEL Worship at 8:00 & 10:00am Nursery care provided at 10am Sunday School at 10:00am CONTACT US: Phone: (906) Fax: (906) Council President, Jackie Kolaszewski or Visit us on the Web at Follow us on Facebook at Emmanuel Lutheran Church Menominee Michigan ELCA STAFF: Pastor The Rev. Mark Laatsch Director of Youth & Family Ministry Mrs. Patti Treptow Church Secretary Mrs. Judy Raygo Custodians Ms. Judy Seglund & Mr. Gary Marineau We are a congregation of the Northern Great Lakes Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America