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+ care
We are deeply saddened to inform you that two beloved members of Nativity have entered into the church Triumphant.
Arthur E. Stuenkel
1926-2017
Art Stuenkel died last Saturday at Mission Hospital. We will celebrate his life with a Memorial Service in the Givens Estate Chapel, 3:00 pm Saturday February 11. The family will receive friends afterwards.
Florence Siebert
1927-2017
Flo Siebert died this afternoon at Universal Health Care in Fletcher, NC. We will celebrate her life with a Memorial Service at Trinity View Retirement Community on Monday, February 6 at 2:00 pm.
We offer our laments at the loss of these two wonderful people, as we also lift prayers of thanksgiving for the lives God gave them. Moreover, we remember with joy the new life given to them in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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+ synod assembly
Voting members to this year's North Carolina Synod Assembly will be elected at our Annual Meeting. Synod Assembly is June 2 & 3 at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. If you are interested in having your name on the ballot, please contact
Allen Ray or Pastor Mark.
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SNOW POLICY
This Winter when the weather is inclement there will USUALLY be a late service at Nativity (no Sunday School).
Please check the website at www.nativityarden.org
or call the church office at 684-0352 for the status of a service or other scheduled events. We will also post on WLOS and utilize the church's social media accounts.
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Nativity to host
blood drive
Our congregation has partnered with The Blood Connection to keep donated blood in our local
area well supplied. We need 27 units to meet our goal. Your participation will save lives!
Thursday, February 16. 2:00 to 6:30 pm. Here's how to participate:
1)
Sign up
at the welcome desk in the fellowship hall
or,
2) Call or text Corinne Feid for an appointment (828-606- 3158)
or
3) Sign up
at the Blood Connection.
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+ Dinner Volunteers for Youth
Would you like to support the Young Youth and Youth Ministries at Nativity? Do you like to cook?
We need volunteers to prepare dinner for our Sunday night meetings! This involves preparing the meal, serving, and cleaning up, while interacting with the younger members of our congregation. There are currently 8 evenings in need of volunteers.
If you feel called to support the Youth ministry in this way, please click
here to sign up for a Sunday meal.
If you have questions, please contact Pastor Rachel
here.
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+ CHILI COOK-OFF
KICK OFF
On
February 19th, Nativity Youth will be hosting a Chili Cook-Off to Kick Off fundraising for the
2018 National Youth Gathering!
This will coincide with our Annual Meeting, so we'll have food, fun, fellowship, and faith as the basis for our congregational conversations.
We need YOU to sign up to cook chili! This is a true Chili Cook-Off, with competition and awards, so dust off your apron and pull out your secret recipe! To sign up and support this ministry, please click
here.
Already signed up? Challenge a friend!
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+ 2018 ELCA National Youth Gathering Interest Meeting
Youth who are currently in 7th - 11th grade are invited to an interest and information meeting for the 2018 ELCA Gathering on February 12, 2017 at 7:30pm.
At least one parent must be in attendance at this meeting.
Youth/parents in this grade range should have received an email from Pastor Rachel with more details on this meeting. If you did not, please click here to connect with Pastor Rachel.
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VBS - SAVE THE DATE!
Vacation Bible School is back, and we'll be spending a week here at the
Maker Fun Factory,
learning that we are
Created By God, Built For A Purpose!
Mark your calendars for
July 10th through the 14th, and keep an eye out for upcoming information!
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+ check us out
on social media!
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Want to get
the word out?
Please submit your communications,
by noon on Wednesday
for weekly
Nativity Notes
and
Son Times
.
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+
February Birthdays
Click
here to see who's celebrating this month!
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Click here for an interesting travel and entertainment opportunity offered to Nativity members and friends by David Lloyd.
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+ council corner
Minutes from previous meetings can be found on the church's website here.
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+ give
Calvary Food Pantr
y volunteer sign ups are going digital. If you would like to sign up, please click
here to view upcoming weeks and select your volunteer position. A sign up sheet remains at the Welcome Desk. To learn more about Calvary Food Pantry, contact
Pastor Rachel or
Heather Neal
Save the Date!
On Monday, February 6,
there will be a fundraiser dinner at nearby Acropolis to benefit Calvary Food Pantry.
All you have to do is dine at the restaurant between 4-9 p.m. on that day, and mention the pantry to your server.
Thank you for all you do to contribute to this ministry. To read about the impact the food pantry has, click
here and hear from one of the grateful families.
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Read the latest issue of this monthly periodical from the ELCA.
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Annual Congregational Meeting
Nativity's 2017 Annual Congregational Meeting will be on Sunday, February 19th, after the second service.
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SOUPER BOWL of CARING
This Sunday, February 5th, the day of the Big Game, is also the day we've chosen to focus on feeding our neighbors. On SOUPERBOWL Sunday, we will be collecting canned goods
to send to Calvary Food Pantry - we will be feeding our neighbors locally.
We'll also be collecting our
February Noisy Offering
,
and the money given will go to ELCA World Hunger - we will be feeding our neighbors glob
ally. Join us in this opportunity to love our neighbors and share God's good gifts.
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+ learn
Faith Formation
Spiritual Gifts - Discover, Connect, and Serve
New! This is a 6-week Faith Formation journey to learn about Spiritual Gifts - which ones we have, where to use them, and how to use them. Confirmed youth and adults are invited to join in this class, which will include both teaching and discussion time. At the end of the 6 weeks, we'll explore how to use our newly identified Spiritual Gifts in and outside Nativity. Ashley Hammack will lead, sharing her passion for Spiritual Gifts with the congregation. We will meet in the North Fellowship Hall.
Intergenerational Faith Formation
Renewed!
Intergenerational Faith Formation will continue through the spring! This class is open to all members of all ages (including those previously in the "Building Blocks" class). We will meet in the Middle Fellowship Hall.
Daily Scripture Readings:
Sunday: Luke 7:1-17
Monday: Luke 8:4-10
Tuesday: Luke 8:11-18
Wednesday: Luke 8:19-21
Thursday: Luke 8:22-25
Friday: Luke 8:26-30
Saturday: Luke 8:31-39
God's Story, Our Story
Weekly devotional materials relating to the Narrative Lectionary are available on the Welcome Desk.
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Wednesday, February 15, 6:00-8:00 PM
THE WAY: EXPLORING SOULS
Questions are always welcome. The curriculum is our own stories shared in the light of God's story. The journey continues next Wednesday evening.
Pastor Mark and Dana invite all adults who wish to gather for food, fellowship and faith formation to be their guests Wednesday, February 15, 6:00-8:00. A light, healthy supper will be provided; followed by a time for sharing stories and questions about our faith journey. The evening will close with a time of prayer.
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+ choir opportunities
Nativity Choir:
meets weekly, Wednesday nights at 7 PM. We've begun rehearsing regularly, but more singers are always welcome to join!
Young Youth Choir: meets weekly at 3:45 PM on Sunday afternoons
.
Youth Choir: meets weekly at 4:30 PM on Sunday afternoons.
Youth Group starts right after choir practice.
Campfire Choir: meets monthly. Check the church calendar for the next meeting.
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+ book discussion group
The Book Discussion Group
will meet on Tuesday, February 14, at 1:30 pm in the fellowship hall and also on Thursday, February 16, at 6:30 pm in the preschool playroom. The book to be discussed at both meetings is
A Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks. All are welcome to attend either meeting.
For Discussion Guidelines, click
here
.
For upcoming books and corresponding synopsis, click
here.
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+ Girl Scout Service Project
During the next month, the girls of Troop 2511 (of Abiding Savior Lutheran in Fairview) will be
collecting supplies for Helpmate, a shelter for domestic violence victims and their children. A box for donations is in the fellowship hall. The troop is collecting:
-Wipes and diapers in sizes 2-6
-In all sizes, for women and children: underwear, socks, pajamas, and seasonal items (jackets, hats, gloves)
-Bath & body wash
-Pocket size tissues and sanitizers
-Shelf stable food/pantry items
Thank you for your help in assisting
Troop 2511 in their service project!
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+ Bulletin Cover Art
We are returning to one of our most popular ministries: Bulletin Cover Art. If you are interested in providing art for our bulletin covers, we invite you to check out the online schedule here.
We simply ask that you not volunteer for more than one cover per month
and that you submit your art by the Monday before the Sunday for which you're scheduled.
If you have any questions,
please email
Pastor Gregg
here
.
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+ What's been brewing...
Have you ever wondered how we pick the coffee at Nativity?
Like many Lutheran churches,
we support an organization called Equal Exchange.
They do wonderful work all across the globe, working for justice and equal access.
To find out more, click here and watch a short video about their highlights from 2016.
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CHURCH OFFICE
HOURS
Mon-Thurs
9am-2pm |
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Offering Update
January 2017
$40,320 Budgeted
$40,855.71 Received
THANK YOU for your faithful commitment to Nativity.
Your giving has a significant impact on the resources and opportunity for outreach from our congregation.
For the month of February, our budgeted offerings are $46,080.
If you have any questions, please contact our
Financial Secretary,
Carrie Dahlberg,
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The flower chart for 2017 is posted in the Fellowship Hall
near the north entrance.
If you would like to donate flowers to enhance our worship, please sign the chart and note any "in honor of" or "in memory of" designations.
Plan to take the flowers with you after the late service or pick them up on Monday morning. They will be in a disposable container across the hall from Pastor Mark's office.
Enjo
y them at home or take them to someone you know will enjoy them. Each vase is $30 and payment may be put in the offering plate.
Thank you for providing flowers that enhance our worship.
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+
Support Nativity Preschool
One of the easiest ways to support Nativity Preschool & Kindergarten financially is to tie our school to your Ingle's Advantage Card. This can be accomplished easily by clicking
here
.
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