Christmas Worship Opportunities
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Longest Night Service:
Friday, December 21, 7pm
(Keep reading below for details)
Family Christmas Eve Service:
Monday, December 24, 6pm
Traditional Christmas Eve Service:
Monday, December 24, 8pm
Intimate Candlelight Service:
Monday, December 24, 11pm
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Join our kids for their Christmas Program
Home by Another Way
at both services on
December 16!
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The Advent season has always been one of my favorite times of year. It is a time of preparation: radically different from everything around us that shouts loudly that Christmas is here, beginning November 1
st. But we as Lutherans embrace the season of Advent, the four weeks before the actual day that slows everything down, when we steep in the prophecies and stories of the days leading up to Christ’s birth. We light the candles around the Advent wreath and we watch in silence as the flames flicker and dance. Silence is a part of Advent, one that is probably easier to experience when you live in a cold climate, with winter nights that are long and snowy. The earth is blanketed in silence. I am looking forward to seeing snow here in Prescott/Prescott Valley, even if it is unlikely to stay very long!
If you find the Christmas season difficult this year, consider attending the
Longest Night Service on Friday, December 21
st at 7:00pm. This worship opportunity is designed with you in mind: a musical, prayerful time that acknowledges that although the night is long, joy comes in the morning and God is with us. Another opportunity to worship this month is our monthly Saturday evening service on December 15
th. The service lasts about 45 minutes, with lots of hymn singing, communion and a brief message in a small, intimate setting.
Advent marks the beginning of the church year and we will be using a different setting of liturgy at the early service and a new communion liturgy at the later service. Another change you will find is that the announcements will be moving to the end of the service before the Benediction and Sending. This is where our Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) book suggests and will allow us to better prepare our hearts and minds for communion. All these small changes are to enhance our worship experience, to allow us to take the time to think about the Word proclaimed and to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us. The name of our church celebrates Advent every day…Emmanuel, God with us.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Tricia
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Save the Date: Upcoming Events at Emmanuel
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- Wednesday, December 5: Two or More Gathered at 8:30am
- Saturday, December 8: Cookie Exchange at 2:00pm
- Friday, December 14: Interfaith Meal at 11:00am
- Saturday, December 15: Saturday Evening Service at 5:00pm
- Sunday, December 16:
- Children's Christmas Program during both services
- Council Retreat at St. Luke's, 12:00-3:00pm
- Wednesday, December 19: Young @ Heart at 11:30am
- Thursday, December 20: Newsletter Deadline
- Friday, December 21: Longest Day Service at 7:00pm
- Monday, December 24: Christmas Eve Services:
- Family-focused service at 6:00pm
- Traditional service at 8:00pm
- Intimate candlelight service at 11:00pm
- Tuesday, December 25 and Wednesday, December 26: Church Office closed to observe Christmas
- Wednesday, December 19: Caroling at Good Samaritan
- Thursday, December 27: Ugly Christmas Sweater Party
- Sunday, December 30: Combined Worship at 9:30am, led by our youth, and a drama during the message time
- Tuesday, January 1: Church Office closed to observe New Year's Day
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Christmas Cookie Exchange
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Pr. Tricia invites you to join her family’s holiday tradition of Christmas baking and sharing on
Saturday, December 8 @ 2:00PM in the Fellowship Hall. Bring at least three dozen home-baked cookies or candies and exchange them for the same number of cookies others have brought to share, plus containers to bring your new cookies home!
This fun event will include a little Christmas music, game playing and general hilarity! It is open to folks of all ages, and if you plan to eat the treats while you are here, you might want to bring extra! You aren’t limited to how many treats you bring, but make sure you bring a snack to share as well, to counteract the sugar high! Sign up on the clipboard in the narthex so we know you are coming.
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Christmas Break High School/College Student/Young Adult Gathering!
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High school students, college students home for Christmas, and young adults to age 26 are invited to the first annual
Christmas-Break Ugly Sweater Party
and white elephant gift card exchange. If you don’t have an ugly holiday sweater, check out your local Goodwill or Thrift store, because this will be an epic event! Gathering at 6:30pm on Thursday, December 27 at the Northrup's house. Bring a snack to share and a wrapped $10 gift card. Look for an invitation coming your way soon with more details;
RSVP to Pr. Adam here.
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A New Prayer Group is Starting!
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The
2 or More Gathered
Prayer group will meet on Wednesdays at 8:30am in Pr. Tricia’s office at the church beginning
December 5
with facilitator
Kat Harley-Mays
. The group will gather each week to pray for all the concerns of our community, including the current Emmanuel prayer list and any requests that might come their way. Come every week or just when you can because prayer changes things…especially you! (The group will not meet on Wednesday, December 26 as the church office will be closed.)
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A Winter Service of Hope and Healing
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Join the Emmanuel Chancel Choir for a unique winter service of devotion that is a worship experience specifically for those going through times of sorrow and grief during the holidays.
Inspired by the solstice, winter's longest night, this service of music, scripture and prayer brings light into the darkness and offers hope to those in deepest need.
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Mission
The mission of Horses with Heart is to provide a
safe therapeutic equine experience provided by credentialed staff for people with disabilities
that fosters their confidence and dignity while challenging each rider to develop independent
skills at their own level of ability.
Riding develops self-awareness, builds confidence, and improves self-discipline. It also relaxes, strengthens and tones muscle; increases joint mobility; and improves posture, balance and coordination. Through horseback riding students gain a sense of freedom and awareness of their bodies that can’t be duplicated in conventional therapy.
Find out more about
Horses with Heart
by clicking HERE
. During December, you can make a contribution to
Horses with Heart
through the monthly outreach, and if the project is close to your heart, you may learn more and volunteer.
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Emmanuel middle school and senior high youth
, you are invited to our annual Christmas caroling at the Good Samaritan Skilled Nursing Care Center on Wednesday, December 19 6-8p.m. Pizza is provided!
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PS: All ages are welcome to join us!
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Hope Prayer Tree
The Traveling Bible Study is providing paper ornaments for your prayer requests. Look for the table with the blinking Christmas tree and red tablecloth in the narthex.
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Write your prayer on a bulb and leave in the box provided. Ornaments will be laminated and hung on the pine tree located on the north side of church.
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Thank you so very much for your participation in the Navajo Angel Tree. The gifts will be delivered early December. All the children are very grateful for our generosity.
~John and Nancy Clark
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The Food Bank is requesting the following items:
- Cereal
- Refried beans
- Pinto beans
- Canned chili
- Canned meat
- Canned fruit/fruit cups
- Pasta sauce
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Photo Opportunities Coming Soon
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Emmanuel’s office staff will be updating the Pictorial Directory during December. Some photos are so outdated
—
especially families with children—that we can barely recognize you!
The first date will be between services on December 9. Please sign up in the narthex to show your interest!
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Is there a change in your small group’s schedule? Are you skipping your next meeting because of the holiday?
Please click here to let the office staff know so that we can pass that on to the congregation! Especially because we have such limited space to work with, it’s always good to know if that space could be utilized in other ways for that brief time. We try our best to keep the master office calendar up-to-date, and in turn our online calendar, so we appreciate your input if your regularly-scheduled meeting changes.
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A Starter List for Your Prayers
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- Pray for Emmanuel — that the Holy Spirit would guide the congregation in its new adventure: welcoming Pastor Tricia into the family.
- Pray for new Grand Canyon Bishop Deborah Hutterer, that she would be prepared and equipped to guide the synod in this time of change.
- Pray for Pastor Tricia Lowe in her transition.
- Pray for our leaders: world, nation, state, community.
- Pray for our Church leaders: Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and Church-wide staff, Grand Canyon Synod Bishop Deborah Hutterer and staff, and Pastor Tricia Lowe, our church staff, our Church Council and ministry leaders.
- Pray for Pastor Sarah's transition to her new interim assignment, and the congregation she will be leading through change.
- The entire list of people needing prayer in our Sunday service folder, as well as the people you are concerned about in your own life.
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December 1: Ted Becker
December 1: Linda Conover
December 1: Harlan Gellhaus
December 6: Roger Busboom
December 6: Ruth Martindale
December 6: Judy Reynolds
December 6: Jacob Roush
December 8: Debbie Deutsch
December 8: Carol Hotten
December 12: Ramona Walker
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December 13: Chuck Guenther
December 15: Gary Coe
December 19: Terri Reid
December 20: Betty Ellingham
December 21: Mary Hughes
December 22: Benjamin Hale
December 24: Shelby Tate
December 30: Mary Mayer
December 30: Alis Seim
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December 5: David & Judy Baal, 54 years
December 11: Andy & Susan Youngblood, 42 years
December 21: Jim & Marjie White, 51 years
December 23: Mark & Mary Austin, 47 years
December 26: Wayne & Ann Theobald, 51 years
December 30: Marlene & Vince Krencius, 28 years
December 31: Bee & Eric Sena, 20 years
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What's going on at the church?
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Emmanuel Lutheran Church
7763 E.Long Look
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
PH (928) 772-4135 • FX (928) 759-3541
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