Church Family News
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT DECEMBER 15!
Please join us at 9:30 in the sanctuary on Sunday, December 15th for the Sunday Church School Christmas pageant. This year we will be putting on a play, Stella the Stupendous Star, written by former St. Mark pastor John Hougen.

CHILDREN WORSHIP MOMENT IN ADVENT
During the children worship moment, we will begin building the Nativity scene .  Laurel McClurken will help them over the four weeks in Advent to ready the crèche for the Baby Jesus’ arrival on Christmas Eve.   

TUNA FOR CHRISTMAS
We need Tuna (about 50) so all December Sundays, please bring a can or more of unopened tuna cans so that we can use these as weights for our Christmas luminaries before they will be delivered to the Blue Ridge Food Pantry. There will be a special basket in the outer office to collect the tuna.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES DECEMBER 24
  • Family Christmas Service 5PM
  • Traditional Late Night Christmas Service 11PM
Christmas Eve service at 5 pm will be especially designed for the inclusion of children.  At 11PM we will have traditional service. Both services will have candle lighting with real and battery operated candles. If you come early before 5PM, you can help set up luminaries and enjoy some cookies. There are many people who use this time of celebrating Jesus birth to come to church and hear the good news. Unfortunately many who don't get invited and don't know where to go. Don't forget to invite your friends and neighbors. All families will receive a special Christmas ornament.
ADVENT DEVOTIONAL
2019 Advent devotional from Luther Seminary
Luther Seminary invites you to use the  2019 Advent devotional , "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" for personal or congregational use this Advent. This year's contributing authors are:
  • Michael Binder ’17, Affiliate Faculty in Congregational Mission and Leadership
  • Amy Marga, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology
To download the devotional,   click here .
SHE Christmas Tree
The Shelter for Help in Emergency (SHE) provides a safe shelter and various services for victims of domestic violence in Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louise and Charlottesville. For the past several years, St. Mark has provided Christmas for two families who are current residents of the shelter. These families frequently have to leave their homes very suddenly and aren’t able to take many of their possessions with them.
 
The Christmas tree in the narthex contains labels with the gifts desired by the two families we were assigned this year. If you would like to help make their Christmas more enjoyable, please take a label with the gift listed that you would be willing to buy and wrap. Then add your name to the chart next to the item you selected. The wrapped gift must be brought to the church by December 15 th   for delivery to the shelter early on December 16 th .  Please attach the label you selected to the gift so it can go to the correct person at the shelter. If you have questions, talk to Yvonne O.
FROM SOCIAL MINISTRY COMMITTEE
High-quality handicraft Christmas gifts made by artisans in developing countries, can be ordered online at   www.serrv.org . These make great alternatives to mass-produced imports and you can shop from the comfort of your home. St. Mark shoppers will have a portion of their fee donated to Lutheran Diaster Relief; just remember to enter this code:    serrv.org?a=LDR . I'm happy to say that we don't have to order through St. Mark anymore, and orders will be shipped to your home address. 
Poinsettia
POINSETTIA SIGN UP IS HERE!
You can find the sign up sheet in the hallway by the office, or you can sign up online by clicking on the red button below.Please fill out the form to order poinsettias for Christmas Service!

The price is $15 for each flower and you can donate one in honor or memory of someone you love. The deadline is currently December 16th.

These flowers will make our Christmas service special and remind us of the love we have for others.

CLICK BELOW FOR ON LINE ORDERS!
SUPPORT ST. MARK WITH AMAZON
Did you know that
when you shop for the holidays at
  smile.amazon.com/ch/59-3113153 ,
AmazonSmile donates to St. Mark Lutheran Church? It cost nothing to you but St. Mark will receive money to its mission.
Synod and ELCA News
ELCA Participating in Progress at COP25
By Ruth Ivory-Moore, Program Director for Environment and Corporate Social Responsibility. The 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) gets underway in Madrid, Spain today, and an unprecedented number of people from the ELCA are present as part of an ELCA Advocacy delegation – including Lutheran state public policy office directors, young adult leaders, global companions and members of the Lutherans Restoring Creation network. Negotiators and civil society observers meet annually at conference of parties (COP) conferences to hammer out resolutions to remedy, mitigate and adapt to a warming climate. Despite being in a crisis situation, where severe weather patterns are intensified and disaster damage and loss of life are more frequent, we must and can turn this around.
HAPPENING TODAY!
WEBINAR TO EXPAND ELCA CREATION CARE
The ELCA is responding as stewards of God’s good creation, and we need more #CreationCareAmbassadors to spread enthusiasm and information and to help strengthen our response. You can learn more on Dec. 11 from the free webinar “ELCA Caring for God’s Creation Today: Learn about what’s happening and how you can make a difference, through this webinar hosted by ELCA Advocacy and our ecumenical collaborator, Blessed Tomorrow, on Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 3:30 p.m . Eastern Time. Maybe being a #CreationCareAmbassador is for you. Let’s pass it on! Registration info from   facebook.com/pg/elcaadvocacy/events/ .
Community News
INTERFAITH CENTER
Pastor Viktoria and other ministers to Uva visited the new space where the interfaith center will be established.

This new center will serve as a meditation, counseling and prayer space for all faiths. Students and religious leaders helped to design this new space on the 3rd floor of Newcomb Hall. Associate Dean of Students, Vick Gist guided the tour.

On the picture is a meditation room where the floor carpet lines are facing toward the city of Mecca to help muslim students in their daily prayers.

Thank you Uva for supporting religious students and their needs.
MINISTRY OF WORSHIP AND MUSIC
  • THANK YOU FOR YOUR MINISTRY OF WORSHIP.
  • SCHEDULE IS BELOW.
  • IF YOU CANNOT BE HERE TO SERVE PLEASE SCHEDULE SOMEONE ELSE IN YOUR PLACE.
  • IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE, PLEASE LET THE OFFICE KNOW.
Sunday December 15
Welcome: Amanda Nelsen   
Greeter:  Jennifer Dwiggins
Ushers:  Ali Griffith & Lewis Horton
Crucifer/Acolyte/Chalice: Izzy Hecmanczuk
Assisting Minister:  Yvonne Osheim
Children Moment:  Laurel McClurken
Lector: Laurel McClurken
Cantor:  Duane Osheim
Altar Guild: Elaine Oakey
Nursery: Zoe Martin
Snack: Linda Imhoff & Sue Hess
Coffee/Clean up:  Charlotte Owen/Bill & Linda Roberts
Counters:  Christa Escobar & Greg Wichelns
Sunday December 22
Welcome: Duane Osheim      
Greeter:  Duane Osheim
Ushers:  Tom & Caroline Hecmanczuk
Crucifer/Acolyte/Chalice: Nora Giesecke
Assisting Minister:  Helen Ida Moyer
Children Moment:  Laurel McClurken
Lector: Jeff Werner
Cantor:  Helen Ida Moyer
Altar Guild: Marcy Wisbauer
Nursery: Carolyn Evans
Snack: Marcy Wisbauer
Coffee/Clean up:  Yvonne Osheim/Caroline Hecmanczuk
Counters:  Constance Johnson & Elaine Oakey
St. Mark Lutheran Church (ELCA) of Charlottesville, VA
(434) 293-3311 |  www.stmarklutheran.org