the Messenger I M M A N U E L U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T 1 0 0 2 5 B R O C K T O N L A N E C O R C O R A N, M N 5 5 3 4 0 JOIN US during the Advent Season! It s a wonderful time to invite friends, family and strangers to experience the love, joy, and peace of Jesus Christ. Sunday, December 4 at 10AM MN Adult Teen Challenge Followed by All-Church Potluck Sunday, December 11 at 10AM Children/Youth Christmas Program UMW Annual Bake Sale Sunday, December 15 from 5:30-7:00pm Christmas In The Barn Location: 9310 Bechtold Road, Corcoran Sunday, December 18 at 10AM Christmas Cantata Followed by Church Conference CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES Saturday, December 24 at 5PM & *7PM *7PM Service with Efesio 2:20 Church CHRISTMAS DAY Worship at 11AM Christmas Day Dinner - Noon to 2PM You re cordially invited to share Christmas Day dinner with others. Please bring a dish or two to share. May the Lord bless you abundantly during this Christmas season! Sign-up in narthex. 3 Craig Clausen 4 Renee LaPlume 4 Janet Wilson 5 Kennedy Gleason 7 Colleen Hager 8 Gene Rick 9 Hollis Larson 9 Tammy Thompson 10 Randall Sidener, Jr. 10 Adam Zbikowksi 11 Dorothy Bickmann 13 Jean Wehrman 14 Margaret Beck 14 Jeremy Rickson 15 Jerry Cook 15 Ryker LaFave 15 Amy Zbikowski 17 Dan Benjamin 18 Wesley Waring 21 Ed Maunu 21 Keith Schad 22 Elizabeth Zbikowski 23 Tom Wilson 26 Carter Weeks 28 Dustin Watson 29 Debbie Regan 31 Thelma Allen C O N T A C T I N F O R M A T I O N Rev. Jonathan Churho Lee umcchurho13@gmail.com Church Office: 763.420.2585 office@immanuelumc.church W E A R E A C H U R C H R O O T E D I N A R I C H H I S T O R Y O F S E R V I N G G O D I N O U R C H A N G I N G C O M M U N I T Y. 7 Mitch & Becky Muhich 11 Mike & Dawn Fjellanger 11 Tom & Janet Wilson 27 Randall & Darla Sidener, Sr.
From the desk of Pastor Jonathan Lee Dear Immanuel families It s Christmas time and there s so much to wonder about. Almost every child has snuck into the room to slide under the tree and gaze at the presents. I wonder what they got me. Did you know that men and women worry about different things at Christmas? Women worry about, Did I buy enough? Do we have enough? Have I done enough? Are the kids going to be happy? Did I forget anybody? Men only worry about two things, How am I going to pay for all of this and how long are the relatives going to be in town? (It s a joke.) I am thankful for all our upcoming Holiday ministries. Our church family is certainly in high gear and many people have come forward to organize and support these ministries. Our Christmas party on December 1 and Christmas Dinner on December 25 promise to be an extremely delightful opportunities for the church family to enjoy each other and celebrate together the birth of our Savior. Let us pray that God will richly bless our fellowship during this special ministry! I want to encourage you to get together during this month frequently with your family to pray for these outreach ministries. Please pray for those who are lost and who may be exposed to the gospel through our ministries. Please pray for God to lead you as you consider which of your neighbors and friends within the community to invite to the Christmas worship service. GREETING VISITORS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON: Lord willing, during this Christmas season some new visitors will be attending our Church. Some will be relatives of our congregation. Others will come to church in response to our personal invitations and church advertisements. The Scriptures indicate that when guests come into God s house it is our job to greet them with Christian hospitality. The term hospitality in Scripture is a compound word combining the word for love with the term for stranger it means love for the stranger. PRAYING FOR THE LORD S DIRECTION DURING THE NEW YEAR: God has provided us with much direction for ministry during the Holidays. But the New Year is just around the corner, and we need to call upon God to direct our paths. We want to have the Lord s agenda for His own church. Please pray diligently that God will guide us. PRAYING FOR THOSE WHO ARE GRIEVING DURING THE HOLIDAYS: Throughout this month, let us remember to pray daily for those who are carrying sadness in their hearts because they are celebrating the Christmas season without beloved members of their family who have died. Devote yourselves to pray for those in affliction of whatever kind during this season. In Peace, Pastor Jonathan Lee
COLLECTIONS FOR CROSS Our collection of warm hats, gloves and mittens is growing let's keep them coming. Blankets are welcome too. Items will be given out at the annual Toys for Tot s day organized by CROSS. The deadline is December 11th. HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE A Holiday Toy Shop Event for Children Birth to Age 18 THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Toys can be donated at CROSS.
DECEMBER EVENTS Immanuel s Holiday Party Thursday, December 1 Appertizers - 6:00pm Potluck Meal - 6:30pm Program - 7:00pm followed by dessert All adults are invited! There will be a collection of gifts for the Emma Norton residence. A list of their wishes and needs will be posted on the kiosk in the narthex. This event is sponsored by UMW. ANNUAL BAKE SALE Sunday, December 11 Everyone is invited to bring something for the sale. All proceeds go to missions through UMW. MN ADULT & TEEN CHALLENGE Sunday, December 4 at 10:00AM Adult and Teen Challenge will perform at Immanuel on Sunday, December 4th at 10:00AM. The choir s contemporary Gospel and Praise songs will be accompanied by inspiring client stories of addiction recovery. You will be inspired by the message of hope and healing brought by the choir. A potluck meal will follow. Bring a friend to hear how God changes lives. You won t want to miss this special time of worship. Invite others to hear their music and how God s healing power is present in their lives. A free will offering will be received. A potluck meal will follow JOIN THE CHOIR FOR THE HOLIDAYS! CHRISTMAS CANTATA - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18 CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24 Do you love to sing? You are invited to join the choir as we prepare special music during the Advent Season. The Joyful Noise Choir practices every Wednesday at 7:00PM. Hope to see you there! Questions? Talk to Chris Lee, Choir Director
CHRISTMAS IN A BARN Thursday, December 15 Christmas in the Barn - at the Vehrenkamp s barn (9310 Bechtold Road in Corcoran). With carols and a live nativity, this simple Christmas service is hosted by four nearby United Methodist Churches: Cross Winds, Plymouth: Pilgrim, Corcoran: Immanuel, and Hanover: Zion. The 30-minute service repeats continuously from 5:30 7:00 PM. There will be a sign-up sheet in the narthex to donate cookies, and to be helpers that night, such as live nativity participants, helping with parking and guiding persons with where to go. This is a wonderful opportunity to invite others, especially children and young persons, that don't have a church home to experience the real reason for Christmas. Christmas Offering It is recommended that the Christmas Offering this year goes ½ to the covenant relationship with Ardell and Gordon Graner, United Methodist missionaries in the Dominican Republic and ½ to Emma Norton Services. Immanuel's commitment to the Graners is $5.00 per member which amounts to around $875. So far, there is around $400 given. The Dominican Republic is a country filled with poverty. Many people live on less than $1.25 a day. The Graners ask for prayers as they continue to write, edit, and print Bible lessons for children, youth and adults. Pray for their outreach to the Sunday School teachers who in turn carry the Good News to those in and outside the church. Pray for the solar oven partners and for the water purification ministries. That through their distribution the Gospel is shared with neighbors. Did you know that approximately 9 million Americans deal with both chemical dependency and mental illness everyday? Emma Norton Services provides a place of refuge for women, children and families who are homeless, in addition to dealing with the added challenges of mental illness and/or chemical dependency. The Emma Norton Residence in St. Paul has room for approximately 50 women. Emma's Place located in Maplewood has 13 townhouse units available for single mothers with four or more children. Both areas, supported by United Methodist Women, have staff and programs to help women and children get healthy and get ahead. Sunday, December 25 Christmas Day Worship Service at 11:00 AM *note time change
Men s Group will meet on Saturday, December 10 at 9:00AM Come and enjoy a great breakfast and fellowship. All men are welcome to our meetings that are held on the 2nd Saturday of each month. We are a caring group and have been very busy making visits to ill church members. THE GIVING TREE The men are preparing our Giving Tree for the Christmas season. The tree has candy canes with an item to purchase attached. The purchase helps to supply our kitchen during the year without taking away from the budget. Also, the candy canes are a bonus! Look for the tree in the narthex. Thank you for your support in this very simple way. STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN Thank You for Your Financial and Service Commitments. Your Immanuel Stewardship Team thanks all of you who made commitments to our church on Commitment Sunday. If you were unable to attend, please bring your commitment forms to church next Sunday. At newsletter press time, we do not have any results to share with you. We will report results Sunday and in the next newsletter. Children/Youth Christmas Program Sunday, December 11 at 10:00AM The Christmas Zone Practices are held promptly at 9AM every Sunday through December 4 Sunday, December 4 costumes will be distributed Sunday, December 10 full dress rehearsal at 9:30AM *Of course followed by a pizza lunch at 11:30am Questions: Please contact Renee LaPlume or Leanne Peterson
REMEMBER IN PRAYER Health - Recovery - Strength Bob Jette Special prayers as he continues to gain his strength. He was able to return home on Nov. 11. Cinda, Paul and Sherry Kuhn s daughter - Continued prayers as she faces many medical issues. Pray that she and Terry will know the Lord s presence and will be able to find dependable employment. Dan Klapperich - Currently at North Ridge transitional care, Room #505-P. Special prayers as recovery is slow. He is getting good care. Prayers are appreciated for Karen too. Keith Wehrman - Prayers for continued improvement. Sarah Cupryna - Continues to suffer with severe headaches. Pray for relief, strength and encouragement. Steve Messenger - Prayers as his cancer has reoccurred. YOUTH REC NIGHT Sunday, December 11 6:30 8:30PM *2nd Sunday of each month CHURCH DIRECTORY UPDATES New directory pages will be printed very soon. Please check the kiosk and make sure your listing is correct. Either make changes on master copy in narthex, email or call the church office. THANK YOU! CHURCH OFFICE DEADLINES Weekly Bulletin: All information and news should be in the church office by 8AM each Thursday. Newsletter Deadline: Submit articles and information for JANUARY 2017 Newsletter by Sunday, December 11 (Early Deadline) Mailing Crew: Meet on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 10AM Contact Info: office@immanuelumc.church Ashley and Gama Xitumul - Prayers for missionary members as they continue their ministry with Mobile Hope. Pastor Jonathan, Diane and boys - Pray for the Lord to strengthen and guide them as they work with us to serve our church so faithfully. Continue to Pray - For church members that deal so gracefully with health issues on an ongoing basis. Mission Team to Guatemala - Prayers as they work hard to prepare and earn enough money for everyone to go in 2017. Sympathy In loving memory of PAULINE HAHN who went home to be with her Lord on Monday, November 7, 2016. We extend our deepest sympathy to Melody & Kevin and their family. May knowing others care and are praying for you give you peace and comfort. PRAYER GROUP Our prayer group meets at 9:30 AM, at the end of the Sunday Small Group Study, in the JOHN 3:16 classroom. Plan to join us for this meaningful time of prayer, praise and thanksgiving as we pray for our church and the needs of our church family. Please call 763-424-2297 or 763-218-0085 or email elcaswell@comcast.net with prayer requests. Also, updates on prayer requests that are left on the list longer than two weeks are appreciated. Lois Caswell, Prayer Ministries Coordinator
DATE LAY READER USHERS Advent Candle Lighters December 4 Judy Hawkins Bob & Ruth Colebank Head Ushers Karen Maghan & Jan Jette Linda Gleason December 11 Jerry Allen Don & Leanne Peterson Head Ushers Gary & Leah Brass Schad Family December 18 Ruth Colebank Bob & Ruth Colebank Head Ushers Gene & Mary Ann Rick Pereda Family December 25 Alice Anderson Bob & Ruth Colebank Head Ushers Gary & Leah Brass Don & Leanne Peterson DATE FELLOWSHIP SERVERS GREETER(S) FLOWERS December 4 All-Church Potluck Scott & Alice Rickson December 11 Mark Wiersbeck Vicky Johnson December 18 Schad Family December 25 Victoria & Scott Ingram If you would like to be put on the schedule to serve as a Lay Reader, Usher, Peace Candle Lights or Greeter please email the church office at office@immanuelumc.church. The new 3-month schedule will be sent out mid-january. Thank you! NOTE: Two or more families can go together for Fellowship Time, if desired. If you are unable to serve or clean-up, perhaps you would consider a donation to the coffee hour kitty. Please give donation to Linda and she would be happy to purchase the food for you. Acolytes (Fourth through Sixth Graders) Nathen Lee, Kaline Merges, Graham Pereda, Jack Schad, Morgan Weeks, Chet Gleason, Chaya Gilmore, Gavin Dupont, Caleb Lee, Noah Hager