www.nativityarden.org
828.684.0352
Weekly e-news       9/15 /16
+ worship
 

This Sunday we are going to encounter an old story of promise,  one which holds a special meaning for us today. Abraham trusted God, but doubted God, too. How many of us feel this way, pulled between our love and trust of God one on hand, and the doubt we wish we didn't feel on the other? God's kind reassurance of Abraham has something deeply powerful for us, guiding us by the hand and leading us to see the bigger picture. 

- - - -

You are cordially invited
to the Altar Guild meeting on Saturday, October 15, at 9:30 am in the Fellowship Hall. Bring a dish to share for a Pot Luck Brunch. Paper goods will be provided. Everyone is welcome to attend whether or not you serve on the Altar Guild at the present. It is a great time to find out more about the Altar Guild and to meet the people who serve in this group. Please RSVP to Sandy Vlahos
650-2781, or Linda Blake, 684-8378.

+ calling all readers!
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If you can read this, we invite you to please consider sharing your gifts by reading at Sunday Worship. All ages welcome! Please email Lisa Hamilton, our reader coordinator here if you are interested in being one of our readers.  Thanks!

+ learn
 
Fall 2016 Faith Formation 

Beginning this Sunday ( Sept 18th)
join us between worship services from  9:40 to 10:20 as we explore our faith and build community at Nativity!
 
I ntergenerational Faith Formation is for everyone in 2nd grade and older.  We will talk about God, our lives, and where the two meet, covering many topics along the way.  We'll make new friends across generations and hear new perspectives from our brothers and sister in Christ.  This group will meet in the Fellowship Hall. 
 
Children in 1st grade and under will have their own Building Blocks Faith Formation class, where they will learn and grow through programming  on their level.  This group will meet in the Preschool Big Room. 
 
*Nursery will be available for children 3 and under*
 
For more information, contact Pastor Rachel here
 
OFFERING  update
September 2016
_____________________________________

$46,000 budgeted

Generosity is the way we show our gratitude for the gifts we have been given by God.  
Thank you for your commitment to Nativity; 
it has  a significant impact on the resources and opportunity  for  outreach from this congregation. 

Any questions, 
please contact  us here

+ give
 
Calvary Food Pantry Benefit Concert:



THANK YOU to the many people who donated supplies and money, backpack sewing skills, and packing time to complete our God's Work Our Hands project!  Last Sunday, we packed over 150 School Kits!  This Sunday, in worship, we will bless the kits before we send them off.  When they are sent, they'll have a special tracking number; when they arrive at their destination, we'll know where they went!  A special thanks to Linda Blake, who was instrumental in planning and implementing our project.
 
This week's Noisy Offering is for the CROP Hunger Walk.  The Nativity Team will participate in the walk on October 9th, which raises money and awareness to fight hunger locally and globally.  Information about signing up for our Team will be coming shortly - keep an eye out!

October-December
OFFERING ENVELOPES
are available for pickup
in the Fellowship Hall
Thank you for helping us to save postage!
 
Click here to see 
who's celebrating 
in September!
+ Nativity Blood Drive



Blood Drive: Nativity will be holding a Blood Drive with Blood Connection THIS WEEK, on  Sept 22nd  from  2-7 pm .  Blood Connection supports our local hospitals, and all blood donated stays in our community.  We are in need of at least 15 more sign-ups to hold this Drive.  Our goal is to reach 27 units donated.
To sign up to donate, please click here

If you would like to learn more about the Blood Connection, click here
+ interesting opportunity

From Kelly Behm: Phil bought two tickets to see Jeanne Robertson at the US Cellular Center in Asheville for Saturday, September 24 at 7:30. Orchestra Row H Seats 4&5. Great seats!  That is the day of Mark's Celebration of Life so I will be in Florida and we will be unable to use them.  He paid $120 for the pair so we would like to sell them for that. Jeanne Robertson is so funny. We have seen her before and really enjoyed it.

If you are interested, or know someone who might be, please email Kelly  here

 Click  for Nativity's
CHURCH OFFICE
HOURS
Mon-Thurs
9am-2pm
+ NPK

Nativity Preschool and Kindergarten is looking for donations of a new (or gently used) microwave
to use in our classrooms  for 
the 2016-17  school year.  

Please email 
Janine Webb  here 
or call the school office 
at 687-8381.  

Thank you for supporting our ministry together of "Making Christ Known"!

Update:
There are still spots left in our Kindergarten class.
Additionally, there is one spot left in 
the 3-year-old class  in our half-day program. 
If you or someone you know is interested, 
please contact us and find out more! 
+ Ingles Advantage Card can benefit NPK

The 2016 to 2017 new sign up is here!

Use your Ingles Advantageā„¢ Card and help your local school. When you make purchases using The Ingles Advantageā„¢ Card, Ingles will give back to the school a portion of those sales. The portion can then be used by the school to purchase computers and school supplies.

Over the past 10 years, Ingles Markets has contributed over 14 million dollars to schools in towns where Ingles stores are located. These funds have been used for valuable learning tools and equipment. Public schools, private schools and home school associations are welcome to participate in this program, grades K-12. 
Ingles and our Tools for School program are committed to helping thousands of schools and students achieve their education goals. 

Click  here to sign up.  
Enter "Nativity Preschool" in the search box.  
From there, click on our school and enter your information and advantage card #.

Thank you for supporting 
Nativity Preschool and Kindergarten!  

+ nursery

Our Nativity Nursery is in need  :
  • one infant seat (for newborns)
Please email  Pastor Gregg  here  
if you are able to help provide one or more 
of the items we need.
+ welca

NC Women of the ELCA invite you to join us 
for Lutheran World Relief Volunteer Day, which will be celebrated from November 10-13, 2016. Christian Tours has arranged a four day bus trip from Newton, NC to New Windsor, Maryland and to Lancaster, PA. You will have the opportunity to tour and to volunteer at the LWR warehouse and SERRV. More information can be found in the brochures on the Women's bulletin board.

"All Anew" is the theme of the Tenth Triennial Gathering of the Women of the ELCA. 
This gathering will take place Thursday through Saturday, July 13-16, 2017 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 
Registration opens September 6, 2016
"The theme of our Tenth Triennial Gathering calls us to transformation, calls us to become All Anew. With our sisters, we will experience not only the power of the Holy Spirit, 
but the power of women gathered."
For more information, please contact Linda Blake, 684-8378, or go to www .Welcatg.org.  

Ladies Lunch Bunch will meet on  Thursday, September 22 at 1:00 pm at Beef O'Brady's, 2625 Hendersonville, Rd. Sandy Vlahos is our hostess. Please call her, 650-2781, so she can have a seat for you. All women and their guests are welcome.

Nativity Women will host the Fall Gathering of the Smoky Mountain Conference on  Saturday, October 8 , from  10 am - 12:30 pm . All women are invited to attend whether or not you attend any other meetings. The cost of lunch is $7.00. Make checks payable to Nativity WELCA and give or send to Princess Ferguson, P.O. Box 208, Arden, NC 28704. Our Bible study is titled "Marks of Discipleship" which follows the theme of Commissioned to Go: Love, Serve, Pray, Proclaim and Give. In kind offerings will be non-perishable food and hygiene items for Calvary Food Pantry and the offering is designated for Crossnore School in Crossnore, NC. We will also hold a Service of Remembrance for our sisters who have died this year and donations may be made to the Christine Bohr Anderson Seminary Scholarship Fund.

Women of Nativity begin a new Bible study on  Thursday, October 13, in the Fellowship Hall at  11:00 am. Our Bible study, Pursuing God's Beauty is written by Margaret Feinberg, a popular speaker and author. "God designed us to be drawn toward beauty -- creating us to pursue beauty that we might know more about God's character, attributes, and work in our world. Perhaps no book of the Bible paints a clearer picture of this than the Gospel of John. Throughout John's Gospel, the beauty of God radiates in the person of Jesus Christ -- the one in whom God displayed his whole heart for the world to see. Within the person of Jesus we find the invisible attributes of God being made visible, on display like fine pieces of artwork -- to be enjoyed, celebrated, and reflected upon." All women are welcome to attend. Bring a bag lunch and join your sisters in Christ in Pursuing God's Beauty.

Nativity Card Ministry will meet at  12:30 pm in the fellowship hall on  Thursday, October 13. Everyone is invited to attend and make cards for members on the prayer list. Talent is not a requirement, just a willingness to follow directions. All are welcome - just come.


+ book discussion group

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Nativity's Book Discussion Group will meet in the north classroom in the Fellowship Hall on  Tuesday, October 11 , at  1:30 pm  
and on  Thursday, October 13 , at  6:30 pm

The book to be discussed at both meetings is 
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry  by Fredrik Backman.   Everyone is welcomed to attend either gathering!

For Discussion Guidelines, click here.
+ Gulf Coast Outreach


The ELCA Disaster Response has been diligently working to provide relief for those who have been forced from their homes due to the flooding in the Gulf Coast region. To learn more about their efforts, and to discover ways you can help aid their work, click here

We remember and pray for those who have had their lives impacted by this dramatic flooding. Some of our own are from this area, including Melanie and Alfred Berlin. Contact the Berlin family here for more information about the flooding and to discuss how Nativity folks who want to help might proceed.

+ council corner

Minutes from previous meetings can be found on the church's website here
+ check us out
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Please submit your communications, articles, events, 
and updates to:   
by noon on Wednesday  for weekly 
Nativity Notes  and  Son Times .