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Nativity VBS 2017:
Maker Fun Factory!
This week we've been learning a whole lot about how we are created by God and built for a purpose. 52 children and 45 volunteers spent the week crafting, playing, imagining, and discovering more about themselves, one another, and their faith.
It's been a fantastic experience and we encourage you to ask some of our children and youth about their VBS experience.
THANK YOU to all those who have donated time, effort, supplies, and/or funds in order to make this week such a great success!
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Noisy Offering this Sunday!
This Sunday's Noisy Offering will be for Veterans Restoration Service Project Meals. On the last Sunday of every month, the Nativity Veterans RSP team prepares a dinner of taco salads and ice cream sundaes, which they serve to more than 160 veterans. It costs about $350 a month to provide this meal, and it is an important ministry for both our members and the veterans! Thank you for your support of this ministry!
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+ give
Calvary Food Pantry
Volunteers are needed at Calvary Food Pantry. Join the Nativity crew on the first and second
Saturday
mornings of the month. If you have experience shopping with a grocery list or pushing a grocery cart, you are qualified! Volunteers with computer data entry skills are also needed. Sign up digitally here or at the Welcome Desk. Contact Heather Neal (658-9309 or email) or Pastor Rachel to learn more.
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Paul and Joyce Horton
picking blueberries for the pantry.
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| Newly stocked shelves with items ready for distribution. |
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The Cooper family working alongside other community volunteers.
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 On Sunday, July 16, three of our Nativity youth will head to Lutheridge for Campfirmation, along with Pastor Rachel. Please be in prayer for Perry Berlin, Alie Feid, and Kylie Landolfi as they explore their baptismal promises and prepare to affirm their baptism on August 27th.
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Stringed Instrument Group
Join the revival of acoustic music at Nativity with the
Stringed Instrument Group!
Do you have a hankerin' to pick, strum, or fiddle? How about just stompin' clappin' and singin'? Acoustic music will be back at Nativity on
Sunday August 13.
Bring your talents to help us sing praise to God while playing some classic favorites that celebrate a golden age of songwriting and the Appalachian sound.
(simply click here) for more information. The first meeting is
TONIGHT, Thursday, July 13 at 6:30pm.
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+ book discussion group
The book for August meetings, 8th and 10th, is
The Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven Pressfield. All are welcome to attend.
For Discussion Guidelines, click
here
.
For a
new list of upcoming books
(Sept-Dec) and corresponding synopsis, click
here
.
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Why do we do that?
Have you ever had a question about something we do in church, but weren't sure whom or how to ask?
This feature is for you!
The goal of this portion of the
e-news is to provide a safe space for questions to be answered and provide more information for everyone's benefit.
We did not receive any questions
f
or this week.
If you have a question you would like to have answered,
p
lease submit your question
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Three special travel opportunities for members and friends of Nativity:
- Sat., July 29 - Footloose; The Musical. Barter Theater, Abingdon, Va.
- Sat., Dec. 16 - White Christmas.
- Spring 2018 - Cuba!
UPDATE: There are only
two seats
left for the "Footloose" coach day trip, departing July 29th. If you have been thinking about going, but have been waiting, now is the time to sign up. The price is $70 per person for transportation and the ticket to the show. We will stop for lunch (on your own) on the way to Abington in Jonesborough, TN.
Click
here for details or talk with
Dave Lloyd (687-3655).
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+ council corner
Minutes from the Council's June 2017 meeting can be found here,
on our website's Council page.
The next Council meeting will take place in August.
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+ When are you going to camp this summer?
We want to support our youth as they attend camp this summer, and Nativity's custom is to lift them up in prayer during their week of camp. In order to do this,
we need your help!
Please email the office (
click here) if you have one or more children attending camp this summer. Let us know when they are going, that way we can pray for them on that Sunday as a part of our worship at Nativity.
Thank you for your help!
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+ Nativity Preschool and Kindergarten
Click here for this week's NPK Snapshot, highlighting the exciting summer projects that are taking place.
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CHURCH OFFICE
HOURS
Mon-Thurs
9am-2pm |
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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.
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In honor of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, the synod's Reformation 500 and Book of Faith Task Groups are pleased to present an
online summer Bible study-Reformers Reading Romans-with lessons by Lutherans from all over NC.
Romans influenced Luther's spiritual development and pointed him to God's undeserved and life-changing grace. Join us as we learn about Romans and each other through this study.
Access the study in three ways:
- Follow the synod's Facebook page (NC Synod, ELCA) beginning July 9.
-
Subscribe to receive a daily email with a link to that day's lesson. Subscribe to Reformers Reading Romans from the "Engage the Bible"
(here)
or "Reformation 500"
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+
Pub Theology
Join us for our next gathering on Thursday, July 20 at 7:30pm here at Nativity under the picnic shelter. Questions? Call or email Andra Nus at [email protected] or 828.545.9519.
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+
Money Minute
July's
Money Minute,
and read how our financial contributions support the care ministry of Nativity.
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+ learn
Daily Scripture Readings for the Week:
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Sunday
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Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
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Monday
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Leviticus 26:3-20
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Tuesday
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Romans 8:1-11
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Wednesday
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John 5:24-29
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Thursday
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Hebrews 4:12-13
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Friday
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Isaiah 55:10-13
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Saturday
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Psalm 65
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Sunday
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Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
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TAKING FAITH HOME:
This weekly devotional handout is available on the Welcome Desk.
"Taking Faith Home" is a production of Milestones Ministry, LLC, and is created by a team lead by an ELCA Pastor.
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+ nativity women
Lunch Bunch
will meet on Thursday, July 27, at 1:00 pm at Iannucci's in Arden.
Sandy Vlahos is our hostess: 650-2781.
The Nativity Women's Group will not meet in July.
For more information, please call Linda Blake at
684.8378 or email at
[email protected]
.
The Nativity Card Ministry will not meet in July. Join us again in August. More details coming.
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Giving Update
Your faithful giving contributes to our mission of Making Christ Known.
Operating Fund - JUNE
Budgeted to Receive:
$46,080
Actual Received:
$27,978
Budgeted to Spend:
$52,886
Actual Spent:
$36,096.34
For a summary of what was given and spent in the month of June,
Click here
.
For a letter from Pastor Gregg and Allen Ray regarding our current financial position,
Click here.
Thank you for supporting the ministries of this parish!
If you have any questions, please contact our
Financial Secretary,
Carrie Dahlberg,
by clicking
here
.
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+
opportunity to share your gifts this summer!
Only a couple of spots remain for summer offering music! If you would like to share your gifts, please sign up on the sheet posted outside the music room. Pastor Gregg and Gary Mitchell will contact you and explore possibilities. THANK YOU to those who have blessed us with their gifts so far!
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Benefit Concert
Sunday, July 16th at 3pm
Calvary Episcopal Church,
Fletcher, NC
Nolan Anthony, organ/piano
Calvary Food Pantry
Canned Food & Monetary Donations Welcomed
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Meet Nativity's Social Media
Intern:
Grace Loizzo!
Grace is a rising senior at T.C. Roberson High School, and has been a member of Nativity for most of her life. For her Senior Project, Grace will be working with Pr. Gregg to help run Nativity's various social media accounts, learning more about communication in the process. We welcome Grace to the team!
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Electronic
G I V I N G
Did you know that Nativity has an electronic giving option?
We contract with Vanco, an e-giving company endorsed by the ELCA, to provide an easy option for your offering.
Vanco allows you to set up auto-payments, so you never have to worry about sending in your offering when you're on vacation or forgetting your checkbook.
Auto-payments also help us keep our ministries running steadily here at Nativity.
Like putting something in the offering plate? Good news! Soon, we'll have e-giving cards in the pew racks, so that you can indicate your offering physically during worship.
To sign up for e-giving, click
here.
If you'd like to learn more about e-giving, please email our Financial Secretary,
Carrie Dahlberg,
here.
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Lutheridge currently has a part time position open in the registration office.
A complete job description is available
here. Resumes can be mailed to the address below.
Jessica Steele, Registration Manager
NovusWay Ministries
2049 Upper Laurel Drive
Arden NC 28704
+ + +
Also, Lutheridge is looking for some volunteer help. Lutheridge Home Office Volunteers give 4 hours a week, answering phones, greeting visitors and other general office work. Entry-level computer skills are helpful. Office volunteers are currently needed for Thursday afternoons, and Friday morning or afternoon. Contact
Margo Rabon for more information,
828-209-6327 or speak to other Nativity members who volunteer: Terry Clever, Doris Fogg, Michael and Tina Kestner, Nadine Lloyd and Don Poole.
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S A B B A T I C A L
Pastor Mark's sabbatical continues, and we continue to hold him in our prayers for a rejuvenating experience.
Read how this teaching opportunity has given a new focus to his sabbatical leave time for this year.
Sabbatical leave:
Monday May 22 - Sunday July 30
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