Many of you in the congregation (0ver 150) have gathered for one of our Reflecting Joy events over the last few weeks. Thank you for joining us, it was fun to be together.

We reflected on where we have come from as a congregation, dreamed about where we are going, looked at tools to help us get there and were invited to make a plan on how to get there.

Part of that plan is make an estimate of giving for 2019.  It takes some intentional effort to reach goals. We encourage you to do that.  We handed out some resources to help you with the process. If you misplaced yours or were no able to make it to one of our events you can click here to view them.

This Sunday we are inviting everyone to return their estimate of giving card or submit it electronically .   It isn't a pledge, we won't hold you to it (life happens),  but it one of the best ways we have to focus some energy on thinking about how we will respond the generosity God has first shown us.

For many people one of the most helpful tools is the ability to give electronically, which many in our congregation already do.  If are not currently doing so the church office can help you set it up.  Or you can

do it on your own.   

At the event we also introduced two new tools you may want to make use of: 

One is the Give+ app (which is a free download wherever to get your downloads) w hich allows you to make a electronic gift from your bank account instead of swiping a credit card (the handlin g charges are significantly less, so more of your gifts gets to us).  You can us it for one time gifts or managed giving, and it is all integrated into your regular electronic  giving to Joy.  click here for instructions.

You also now have the ability to set up a member portal with our church database.  This portal can be made into an app so you can have instant access to your data (with the ability to make changes and give permissions, view the church photo directory, and

see and print your giving statement whenever you want). To create a portal, click here.

Welcome the newest member of Joy Luther  Rory Carter Fox who will be baptized on Sunday at the 10:15 worship service.  Parents are" Jared and Krista Fox

 

We will still be having our community Wed. Night meal from 5:15-6:30pm 

but we will not have our regularly scheduled  Confirmation and Shift classes or guitar camp...instead we will some fun youth activities planned.  We will resume our regular schedule the following week.

Several of our schools have observances planned for Monday Nov. 11 and would like to honor any and all who have served our country.  If you have served or know someone who has served please pass the word along. Call the school to let them know if you will be attending so proper seating accommodations can be made.       

Prescottt High School 8:00am  715-262-5389    

St Joseph School   10:30am followed by lunch  715-262-5912    Malone Intermediate School  1:00  715-262-2383

Veterans Day Concert

Apple Pie 4 Malawi 2018

Our Wednesday dinners are one of our best ministries.   If you haven't tried coming....you really should.  It takes a lot of effort to prepare and clean up a meal for over 100 people each week.  We are blessed to have Kelly Poff as our cook, but we depend on lots of volunteers as well to make it happen.  The more help we have, the easier it goes.  So we need your help.

There are a number of ways to indicate your willingness to help.:
We will pass a clipboard on Sunday morning OR it will be available after worship at the information center OR you can use the online sign-up

To read the minutes from the latest Vision Council Meeting, please

 CLICK HERE.   The minutes can also be found in Joy's web page under

'Leadership'.

In conversation with two of our families that have lost daughters in recent years (Ellery Ennenga and Ava Christianson), we have come up with at design for a butterfly memorial garden.  This would be part of an overall plan to better utilize our outdoor space for ministry.  A butterfly garden was chosen because both girls and their families developed a special affinity with butterflies in the grieving process.  So the garden space would be designed with flowers specifically chosen as good pollinators and butterfly habitat.

The first phase would be to put in the sidewalk that creates the perimeter for the garden and get some trees planted to start creating some shade.  A second phase would be to create an outdoor worship area.  If there is interest, there would be possibility of adding a columbarium (place to inter cremains).  Down the road we would also like to see ways to integrate access, playground, shelter, trails, community garden space down the hill on the land that we steward.

There are two things we are looking for now:
    One is your input.  We are still relatively early in the design stage. We have the basic concept but are still working out the details and value your insights.

    The other is funding for the project. It would be great if we could get the first phase started this fall so we would be ready for a spring planting.  We will be creating a designated fund where you can make gifts in honor or memory of loved ones.

There are flags on the lawn indicating where the garden would be to help you visualize the project.  Your comments and questions are important to us. Please share your thoughts.

Video of Pastor Steve and Diane's Trip to Malawi

Now that we have blended together our early and late services for the summer, it is more important than ever that we wear name tags to help us get to know each other.

We have disposable stick on name tags available, or sign up to have a more permanent name tag made for you.

**Updated as of August 2018, directories (both picture and address) are ready to pick up...they are also available on the church web page on a password protected page (please call the office for the password).

If you have corrections please let the office know. 

**If you would like to update or add your picture, please send it to the office at any time.  It will be included in the next print!**

Name Tag s... are a great way to help people remember your name.  We are working on a system to have more permanent name tags available, but for now any time you can wear one helps the rest of us get to know you. Thank you.

and want to catch up or share it with someone who might appreciate it. We record our worship each week and post it on our web page as well as the bottom of this weekly electronic newsletter.  Just click on the YouTube button.                   

ELCA Estate Planning & Giving  

 

Mr. Tim Knutson, of the ELCA Gift Planning Foundation, was here at Joy and gave an informational program on Gift Giving & Estate Planning. He is still available for any questions or information you may want. He can be reached by mail, email or phone:

Tim Knutson, 2625 N. 65th St., Wauwatosa, WI, 53213. (414) 477-9979. Email: Timothy.Knutson@elca.org

If you would like to give electronically you can do so through our web page

  Set up or manage my electronic giving

If you have a QR reader on your phone you can also access the page by scanning here

If you don't have a QR reader and still would like the convenience of working from your phone.  
We also have a church giving app called Give+  available as a free download.     How it works