Weekly news from your church family
WORSHIP SCHEDULE

Sunday, Dec. 9

  • 8 a.m. Worship Service

  • 9 a.m. Sunday School, Youth Group, Confirmation and Choir Practice

  • 9 a.m. Baby Spirit

  • 10:15 a.m. Worship Service
THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES

Thursday, Dec. 6

  • 7 p.m. Adult Bible Study

  • 7 p.m. Crafters' Circle

Sunday, Dec. 9

  • 11:15 a.m. Building Committee Meeting
Welcome John Keogh, Pastor of Immanuel
On Sunday December 2, 2018 Pastor Sara Anderson, Associate to the Bishop, and John Keogh, candidate for Pastor led us in worship. Following the second service the congregation met and voted to call John as our new pastor. Congratulations John on receiving your first call, and welcome to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Attleboro! John will be ordained on January 12 at his home church in New York and celebrate the holidays there. He and husband Stephen will relocate to Massachusetts and live in the parsonage when it is ready. We look forward to Pastor John's ministry with us beginning on February 1. We are lucky to have Pastor Ed Sproul continue at Immanuel in the interim period, and to offer his support as Pastor John begins his time with us.  

There were so many people involved in making this call and welcome weekend a success. To name a few, me must thank Pastor Sara and the New England Synod, Immanuel's Council members, and especially the Transition Team and the Call Committee for all their work, time, and dedication (and transportation and housing). With appreciation we also thank WELCA for sharing and preparing the space on Saturday, Bill Ewan and George Rock for preparing the lounge ceiling and lighting, Property and Landscaping for fall leaf pickup and outdoor needs, Hospitality for providing the refreshments and hosting the event, Sanctuary Arts for decorating our beautiful sanctuary for Advent, and the worship committee, worship leaders and choir members. Many others participated, some behind the scenes, to make it festive, warm, and special. We are blessed by the work and fellowship of one another and for being brothers and sisters in Christ.

If you were unable to attend the meet and greet for the new pastor, but would like to know about him, please refer to his brief bio and the candidate introduction document .

See the photos from last weekend's Meet and Greet, Worship Services and Congregational Meeting here .
Building Surveys
Due Dec. 7
The building committee is moving forward quickly and the exciting work with the architect begins very soon. If you have been given an "Assets and Inventory" survey to complete, please do so as soon as you can. This is your chance to advise the building committee of your needs before, during, and after construction. The more information you can provide, the better the building committee and architect can serve you, and meet the wishes of the church. There are questions about materials, storage, needs for the future, and your vision for the project. Please support them with knowledge and information about your specific ministry. They'd like to have all surveys completed by December 7 because planning is already going on. 

If you misplaced your copy of the survey or are interested in giving your feedback and did not receive a survey, please find the survey here and return to Karen Marie Hedlund . Please see Karen Marie, Kerrie Puglia, or Bill Ewan with questions.
Christmas Caroling
Dec. 15
Please join us for caroling to the homebound on Saturday, December 15. We will meet at the church at 4 p.m. and then will car pool for caroling. Fellowship and a Yankee swap will be held afterwards at Susan Keough’s house (31 Faxon Street, Foxboro – phone 508-543-8861). Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share and a Yankee swap gift under $10.
November Council Highlights
Lots of happenings at Immanuel made for plenty of Council Highlights in November! Read the notes here .
Coffee Hours Volunteers Needed
We are blessed to have such dedicated coffee hour volunteers, many of whom have helped for decades. The opportunity for fellowship – and coffee and goodies – is a special gift at Immanuel. I have been organizing the coffee hours for quite some time. We could use some additional hands in providing this service. If you would like to help once every two or three months, please contact Susan Keough . Helping entails making the coffee and bringing some food for the early service, bringing some food and cleaning up for the second service. 
Order Your Poinsettias
Deadline Dec. 16
Christmas poinsettias are available this year for $10 per plant. The plants will be used to adorn our church on Christmas Eve, and then may be taken home after the service. Alternatively, you may wish to donate your plant to a homebound person. This is a yearly fundraiser and your support is greatly appreciated. Complete this order form and return to ILC prior to Dec. 16.
Staff Gifts
Deadline Dec. 19
It is tradition at Immanuel to offer thanks to our wonderful staff during the holiday season. We hope that you will feel called to contribute to a group monetary gift, to be given to Gillian King, office manager; Mark McCarron, music director; and Jean Cloutier, sexton. Donna Bellerose and Marlene Sparks will be collecting money (cash, or check made out to Immanuel with "Staff Gifts" in the memo line), or you can put the gift in the offering plate, clearly marked as "Staff Gifts." Gifts will be collected until Dec. 19. Pastor Sproul does not wish to be included in this collection, as he is grateful for the support and compliments he has received throughout his time with us. We are thankful for the many blessings he and all the staff have shared with us!
Advent Meditations
Dec. 8
Second Congregational Church in Attleboro has issued an invitation for Advent Meditations. See the flier .
HELPFUL LINKS
Immanuel Lutheran Church | 508-222-2898 | communications@immanuellc.org | immanuellc.org