Welcome to our worship service on Sunday, December 11! May it bring you blessing and joy.
EMMANUEL’S NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
*Advent Devotional Booklets from the Society of St. Andrew are available in the Sanctuary Narthex. You are also invited to use the SoSA coin boxes to save your spare change to support their gleaning ministry, which helps to put food that would otherwise go to waste on the tables of hungry people.
*Poinsettia Tree for Advent and Christmas: If you have not yet turned in your bright green order form to place a poinsettia in honor or memory of someone, TODAY is the final deadline! Please place your completed form with your donation in the offering plate or in the church office. Because Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year, poinsettias will not be available for pick up until after morning worship on Sunday, December 25.
*Special Advent Opportunities: Please see the purple insert in today’s bulletin for a full list of the special opportunities available for the Advent and Christmas seasons. Extra inserts are available at the Sanctuary entrances for you to use in inviting others to join you for these special events.
*“Sacred Space” Advent Meditation, Prayer and Communion ~ December 15 from 5:00 – 5:45 p.m. in our Sanctuary (we will not be meeting on December 22). Come and find a quiet space to center your spirit on Jesus Christ during the busyness of this season. Each gathering will begin with a time of silent meditation. We will then share together in a brief devotional thought, prayer and holy communion. All are welcome.
*Today is our annual Share the Warmth Service when we focus on the ministry of our EUMC Prayer Shawl Group that works year-round to provide wonderful handknitted and crochet items to persons in our congregation and community. Thanks to everyone that contributed hats, scarves and gloves for us to share with the needy in our area.
*Next Sunday, December 18, 10:30 a.m. ~ Our Chancel Choir presents our annual Christmas Cantata entitled Behold the Star: A Christmas Journey to the Light of Christ by Lloyd Larson, followed by a covered dish luncheon. The church provides chicken, beverages and paper products. The congregation is invited to bring casseroles, side dishes and desserts. Come and bring someone with you!
*Blue Ledge Meals on Wheels invites the community to participate in their annual Food Drive. The information flyer was emailed to the congregation, and copies are also available at the Sanctuary entrances.
*Church Family Christmas Cards: The congregation is invited to participate in our Church Family Christmas Card distribution which allows us to share postage-free Christmas wishes with our church family. Please prepare your cards in envelopes with the name of the recipient on the front of each envelope. Place your cards together in a plastic zip-lock bag with your name on the outside of the bag. Drop off your cards in the Narthex tub anytime between now and Sunday, December 18. Your cards from the church family will be returned to you in your same plastic bag beginning on December 18. The savings in postage
gives us all an opportunity to make an additional gift to the church or to the charity of our choice. PLEASE NOTE: If you wish to send cards to some of our homebound or nursing/retirement home friends, or to those who do not worship with us regularly, addresses are available in the church directory or church office for you to mail them. The church is not able to mail cards that are not picked up.
*Church Office Holiday Schedule: The church office will be closed on Friday, December 23 and Monday, December 26 for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day holidays.
