Emanuel December Newsletter & Weekly News Broadcast

Weekly News Broadcast

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

December Newsletter Info:

Consistory Minutes: November

Elders' Minutes: October

Treasurer's Report: October

December Printable Calendar

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Dear Friends,

I don’t know about you, but I came away from last Sunday’s worship, the first Sunday in Advent, encouraged and in the holiday spirit after our children did such an excellent job leading worship! ...

A special thank you to all who participated in and lead our Children's Christmas Program. It was a wonderful way to start the Advent season.

YouTube video of Christmas Program Worship Service

Robert Nice

Interviewed by: Sandy Bee Lynn

One of the newest members of our Emanuel Church family is Robert Nice. Robert joined the church on Sunday, October 9.

Robert is a widower whose wife Bonnie died in 2020. He has lived in Doylestown / Chippewa Township his entire life. Robert retired from Westfield Insurance after 12 years of working in Housekeeping. Before that he worked in Security at Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital.

Robert likes to hike and bird-watch. You might run into him hiking at Silver Creek Metro Park where he frequently goes. He also enjoys flower gardening.

Robert said, “In June of 2021, I decided it was time to come back to church.” He thought he needed to “be out with people.” He kept returning to church at Emanuel because he liked the fellowship. He decided to join the church this year and we are most happy to welcome him into our church family.

Like Lent, we will be using a program provided by "A Sanctified Art" to guide our Advent season.

Daily messages will be on our Facebook page through Epiphany.

Advent Devotional pdf (print or read)

Advent Devotional (Online flipbook)

At-home candle litany

Advent Calendar

Cards delivered: 10₵ each Address labels: $3

Proceeds benefit Missions.

Bring your cards Dec. 4, 11, or 18 to be delivered on Dec. 11, 18, & 24. Delivered cards will be in the CIC room.

Please directly mail cards to homebound and out-of-town members. They’d love to hear from you!

Giving Tree

The Missions Committee is collecting new socks and underwear for Common Threads (Barberton) and Marian’s Closet (Wadsworth). Please bring to the church by Christmas Eve.

Emanuel children will be leading a joyous, musical Children's Time during worship on December 11. Paul Royer will be singing. Rev. Tom Gerstenlauer will be guest preaching. A social hosted by Amanda Cotton will be following worship.

We will be having a hand chime sing-a-long December 25 worship service at 9am. Wear your most festive holiday outfit, and join in our joyous worship.

Emanuel Bells will be ringing Sunday, December 18 and Christmas Eve.

Enjoy the musical gifts of our bell-ringers. Invite a friend or family to these special services.

The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December to our lower-income retirees. United Church of Christ congregations and members have blessed the Christmas Fund with their generosity for many years. This year, your care and compassion will be especially appreciated by those servants of the church who are facing a time of need. Thank you! Our collection will take place on December 18.

Christmas Fund Info YouTube video

All are welcome to join us for a beautiful evening of carols & candle-lighting. Emanuel Bells will be ringing.

AmazonSmile: Amazon donates 0.5% of your qualifying order to Emanuel. Help us make money for the church with orders you are already placing for Christmas or every day items. To make sure your purchases support Emanuel, remember to shop at https://smile.amazon.com/ch/34-0908081 or use the Amazon phone app with AmazonSmile turned on within Settings (see screenshot below). There is also a link on the Emanuel website homepage.

As the growing season winds down this year, we would like to thank Kenny Rich for all the hard work he does each week to keep the church property and cemetery well maintained.

Kenny is at the church working in the sunshine, rain, wind and sometimes snow. Mowing, trimming, raking leaves, and picking up sticks can be an endless job, but Kenny does it well.

We are so proud of our church and the beautiful setting on the hill where it shines. Our congregation is thankful and blessed to have Kenny caring for the grounds with such pride, respect, and love.

Thank you, Alexandra Sammons, for volunteering to be the new Second Sunday Social coordinator. If you, a group of members, or committee would like to volunteer to host a social, please reach out to the office or Alexandra (330.212.9493; email). A sign-up sheet for 2023 will be posted in the narthex.

Emanuel Blessing Box

Please share a special treat like store-wrapped candy or cookies this holiday season to add to our Blessing Box.

The need for our pantry items has increased. Please consider bringing one item each Sunday to donate. Thank you for continuing to bless our community.

Blessing Box Donation Items

Liturgist Schedule 2023

Acolyte Schedule: Jan - May 2023

December Schedule

Liturgists

4: Vaughn Daniels

11: Karen Foster

18: Art Holden

24: Greg Foster (Christmas Eve)

25: Ernie Lyons

Acolytes

4: James Ulmer

11: Aliyah Fischer

18: Callie Weyand

24: Tatum Sutton (Christmas Eve)

25: Lillian Kindel

Card Ministers

1-15: Nancy Lyons

16-31: Helen Tritt

Emanuel News

Consistory will be Zoom meeting on Tuesday, December 13 at 7PM.

January Newsletter Deadline: December 26

Elders: Zoom meeting Tuesday, December 27 at 7PM.

Door monitors needed: Please sign up in the narthex to be a door monitor. The iPad is only used if the video doorbell is rung after church services have started. You can sit in the sanctuary during worship with the iPad and step out if needed to let a member in the locked door.

Greeters return: We are also starting to have greeters before worship in the narthex. Please contact an Elder if you would like to be a greeter. Sign up will be in the narthex.

Annual Reports will be due January 9, 2023. The Annual Congregational Meeting is scheduled for January 29, 2023.

The Lunch & Learn video series will restart in January.

Epiphany Celebration: January 8. Star words and King cake! We hope to arrange for kids to ring at a couple of member’s residences.

Latest church news:

Jean Grigalunas

Theo Crites

John Bednar

Donnie Durtschi

Dunson Family

Jeff Kiener

Janella

Carolyn & Van

Joe Lee Family

Bev

Lenny

Marsha

Barbara

Deb Hermann

Family of Joe Rodgers

Nathen

Mark and Barb

Paul & Ronola

Rich

Jean Grigalunas is at Pleasant View Health Care Center recovering from a fall. She is able to have visitors. The address is: 401 Snyder Ave, Barberton, OH 44203.