Community Connections
Special Edition December 2023 Newsletter is now available – click on the image
Advent Fellowship Lunch
December 3, 2023 at 11am
Emilie’s annual Advent Family Night is getting a new look and time. This year we will be holding an Advent Fellowship Lunch following worship on Sunday, December 3rd. This time spent in fellowship with your church family will include lunch (soup, chili, mac & cheese & salad) and crafting an Advent Wreath (one per family) to be used throughout the Advent season.
Advent Mission Focus
Each Sunday in Advent
December 3—24
During the 4 Sundays in Advent, Emilie will take on a different mission focus as a way to provide for various members of our community in different ways. Below are the items that will be collected during worship each Sunday in Advent.
1st Sunday in Advent—December 3rd, spread the hope of Jesus through a collection of new toys for children of any age through Toys for Tots.
2nd Sunday in Advent—December 10th, spread the love of Jesus to the students in the Emilie Christian Day School, with a collection of candy canes AND the homeless members of our community, with a collection of winter hats & gloves.
3rd Sunday in Advent—December 17th, spread the joy of Jesus by writing Christmas cards (some are available in the Narthex) to our shut-ins and other members of our Emilie family.
4th Sunday in Advent—December 24th, spread the peace of Jesus through the collection of nonperishable food items to feed the hungry. Items will go on the Share Shelf and Blessing Box food pantry.
Special Guest Musicians
December 10, 2023, 10:00am Worship Service
The internationally known, classical guitarists, Laura Oltman and Michael Newman, known professionally as The Newman Oltman Guitar Duo, will be joining us to share their Advent/Christmas music, A Christmas Pastoral, 600 Years of Carols, Preludes, and Pastorals. This is a rare opportunity for our congregation to hear music of this quality and something you don’t want to miss! If you’d like to know more about Laura and Michael, here’s their website https://www.guitarduo.com.
Service Club
Sunday, December 10th at 11:00am
BRING A SACK LUNCH to eat between worship & caroling!!
We will be caroling to the homes of some of our Emilie shut-in family members, to show hope, love, joy, and peace. We will be traveling by caravan, and ask that each family be prepared to transport your household from house to house or ask about carpool options. Everyone should plan to leave around 20 minutes after the end of worship.
We hope to have you join as we Serve People for Christ!
Christmas Cantata
December 17, 2023, 10:00am Worship
Emilie’s Sanctuary Choir and Friends will offer the Christmas Cantata, Joy Has Dawned during our 10am worship service on December 17th. Traditional hymns, contemporary songs, and even a spiritual will be accompanied by a live orchestra to fill our hearts with the joy of Christmas!
Blue Christmas Service
December 21, 2023, 7:00pm
Christmas can be a season filled with fun holiday gatherings, family reunions, and the wonder of children; but it can also be a difficult time of year for those of us who experience hardship of any kind. Many struggle with things such as loneliness, depression, missing a loved one who has died, financial difficulties, being new in a community, or health issues. The Blue Christmas service recognizes the challenges that the holidays can present and offers comfort and hope in the midst of stress. Please join us on the evening of December 21st at 7 pm for a service of prayer, music, and reflection.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2023
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE—10:00 AM
This worship service will include a special Children’s Church Worship (see below).
Professional childcare provided in the church Nursery for children 5 and under.
CHILDREN’S CHURCH WORSHIP—10:00 AM
Children 1st –5th grade will leave worship following the Children’s Message to participate in a kid friendly Christmas worship in the Common Ground meeting room.
CANDLELIGHT WORSHIP SERVICE—7:00 PM
This worship service will include Lessons & Carols to help us recognize & prepare for the coming Christ.
Traditional flame candles will be used.
*Livestreams on our Facebook page and is then available to watch anytime thereafter.
Advent Book Study
Our Advent book study begins Wednesday, November 29th and will run until Wednesday, December 20th. Start time is 6:30 pm and will be led by our pastors.
In this four-session group study, we will explore the book Incarnation, by Adam Hamilton and the meanings behind the titles given to Jesus, what they tell us about the baby whose birth we celebrate at Christmas, and the significance of that Christ child for our lives today.
Please consider joining us for this exciting study. Pastors Marcia and Lori
*limited copies of the book for this study are available for purchase through the church office for $13 each.
New Members Class
January 7—28, 2024
Being committed to Christ is part of being committed to a spiritual community. That’s why we invite you to be part of our new members class that will be held from January 7th to January 28th, 2024.
Contact Pastor Lori or the Church Office to register.
Schedule: Wednesdays 5:30-7:00pm; dates will vary [Open: 12/6 & 12/13]
Saturdays 9:00-11:00am; dates will vary [Open: 12/2, 12/9, & 12/16]
Donations of clothing & shoes ONLY!
*All donations must be clean, gently used and in wearable condition. *
**No Undergarments, Bedding, or Household items**
If you are interested in volunteering in the Thrift Store, please contact the church office or Kim Kamerzel.
Emilie’s Music Ministry soon returns from their summer hiatus and wishes to extend an invitation to anyone interested in singing or ringing handbells. Handbells and Sanctuary Choir rehearses at 7pm and 8pm respectively on Thursdays, starting September 7th.
Come and be a part of Emilie’s long-standing music tradition!
Contact Ryan Fleming for further information.
Paid Nursery Staff Position
Our hope is to provide childcare every Sunday for families with children 5 years old and under. We are currently seeking an additional adult to help make this happen. If you or someone you know is interested, please contact the Church office to discuss requirements, frequency, payrate, etc.
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