Nativity Weekly Notes - April 18, 2024

Thursday, April 18, 2024

gathering

Sunday, April 21, 2024 Fourth Sunday of Easter

Worship with Holy Communion

8:30am & 10am

This Sunday's Bulletin

Worship Assistant Schedule

Live streaming on Sundays at 10am on our facebook page. Service recordings are available on our youtube channel.

New Window Dedication

You may have noticed we completed a MAJOR property improvement with the installation of new windows in our preschool wing. The original windows (single-pane from 1965) have been replaced with brand new ones! These will give us better safety for our preschoolers, energy efficiency, safety, and much better comfort. Thank you for your generosity! We will have a brief Window Dedication Service THIS SUNDAY, April 21 at 9:30am in the Preschool wing.

Rogation Sunday Please plan to join us on Sunday, April 28 for Rogation Sunday (Garden blessing). We'll ask God's blessings on soil and water. You'll have the opportunity to take some home with you for your garden as a reminder of how God blesses creation and our work in it.

Nativity is looking to hire a Fellowship Engagement Director! This is a full-time position. The Fellowship Engagement Director will be a faithful adult who is passionate about guiding people of all ages in growing their faith. This individual will collaborate with others to plan and lead small group connection opportunities for children, youth, families, and adults. Please see Pastor Sean if you have questions, are interested in applying, or know someone who is interested in applying. A full job description is available.

2024 council elections

The annual Lutheran Church of the Nativity council member election voting is happening on Sunday, April 28, before the early service and between the services. There are eight open positions on Council and we are thrilled to have a great group of Nativity members who have agreed to be on the ballot this year. Being a member of Council is a joy and a wonderful way to share Nativity’s dedication to caring, growing and serving and we are grateful for their willingness to become part of this group.

The Nativity constitution voting process requires the congregation to elect the Council President and Vice President. The other executive roles (Treasurer and Secretary) are elected from within the council membership.

Council Nominee Bios

As a reminder, Nativity voting is done via written ballot. There will be current council members manning the voting table and we hope that every Nativity member will participate in this process.

care

NPK Fundraiser! Nativity Preschool and Kindergarten is doing a basket raffle fundraiser. Beiginning this Sunday, tickets for the raffle will be sold between services. Each ticket is $2. All ticket sales are due by May 5. Drawing will take place at the Spring picnic on May 9. If you are not present, we will contact you and hold your basket for pickup at the preschool. Friends and family are welcome to enter! We appreciate your support as this is our biggest fundraiser of the year and provides essential money for teacher stipends, playground/facility improvements, and student scholarships! Thank you!

Hospitality Volunteers

This year, Lutheridge has hired four new international staff to be counselors. They are looking for individuals or households to provide hospitality. International staff members will need transportation to do things such as: apply for a social security card, set up a bank account, shopping, etc. Would you be willing to help with this? Please contact Pastor Sean so that he can get you a more detailed description. There are two counselors from Jamaica, one from Mexico, and one from Bolivia.

Church Calendar

grow

WELCA Spring Gathering

All women are invited to attend the Spring Gathering of the Smoky Mountain Conference, on Saturday, May 4, from 10am - 1pm at Living Waters Lutheran Church in Cherokee. The program is an original Bible study presented by Vicki Marthaler from Grace Lutheran Church, "Hope -- What Your Pennies Can Accomplish!" The Pennies Project for this year is going to "Sleep in Heavenly Peace", a national non-profit organization (www.shpbeds.org) that builds, assembles, and delivers beds to children in need. There are currently nine chapters in North Carolina. A penny jar for your spare change is on the table under the Women of the ELCA bulletin board in the hallway to your right as you exit the worship area.The ladies of Cherokee have asked for in-kind donations for their Pantry and Resource Center. Here's a list: cereal, cooking oil, sugar, self-rising flour, Hamburger Helper, cake mixes, brownie mixes, and peanut butter crackers. An in-kind offering means to bring the actual items with you. If you would like to support Living Waters, please leave items under the table where the penny jar is located by May 1 and they will be taken to the Gathering. Questions and carpooling can be answered by calling Linda Blake. We will leave the church at 8am and probably return about 3pm.

Wednesday Morning Bible Study

continues on Wednesdays at 10am. We will be focusing on the book of Romans.

Thursday Evening Study

continues TONIGHT, April 18 from 7:30pm until 8:30pm (continuing April 25 and May 2). This evening study session is being led by Beth and Doug Kearney titled Holy Land: Conflict and Context - A look at history, faith perspectives, and current issues in Israel and Palestine, including the Lutheran presence there. This group meets in the Fellowship Hall. Click here for Israel/Palestine: Conflict and Context Updates and Resources.

Nativity Young Youth and Youth

THIS Sunday, April 21

4:30pm Confirmation

4:45pm Young Youth

5:30pm YY/Youth dinner - need sign up!

6:00pm Youth Group

Sunday, April 28

4:30pm Confirmation

5:30pm YY/Youth dinner - Hammack family

6:00pm Youth Group

Thanks to everyone who attended the Youth Advisory meeting. We have a solid summer planned! Click here for the minutes (including dates for upcoming events).

Youth Volunteer Sign Up

Youth Dinner Sign Up

Taking Faith Home

This devotional can be used for home devotions and small groups to deepen your daily and lifelong faith formation. Click here to view this devotional for this week.

serve

Calvary Food Pantry

Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus in support of God’s Mission at Calvary Food Pantry! We appreciate those who donate food and supplies to the cart in the narthex and those who deliver these donations. We give thanks for the many volunteers who shelve food, shop with clients, and load groceries into vehicles; we appreciate hands folded in prayer for our beloved neighbors. This week’s special request is for donations of toothbrushes—single or multi-packs are fine— and toothpaste; these are distributed once a month. The pantry is open Saturday mornings from 8am until 11am. if you’d like to know more, contact Karen Rich at at 242-6403 and to sign up click here.

New Americans Need Your Help!

Many of our neighbors around the world have been forced to flee their home countries due to their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. LSC's New Americans Program is designed to welcome New Americans to our country and help them transition to rebuild their life in a new place.

Currently recruiting volunteers for: