Our Mission Statement We of Joy Lutheran Church foster  grace-filled relationships with Christ through worship, fellowship, and service. 

Notes of Joy - Week of April 19, 2020

This Sunday's On-line Sermon This Sunday's worship will be available on our Facebook page at 9:30am. Bishop Shelley Wickstrom will preach. CLICK HERE TO GO TO FACEBOOK You can still view our Facebook page, even if you do not have a Facebook account. Click the link above. (Ignore the bar at the bottom when it opens asking you to sign-in or create an account. You are still able to scroll down through our page. You need to click "not now" on the pop-up page when it again asks you to sign up, then it will go away - - hope that helps!!) :-)

A Children's Message from Pastor Karen will be available on our Facebook page on Saturday, April 18, at noon. Check it out! CLICK HERE TO GO TO FACEBOOK

Easter Worship (photos courtesy of Roy Corral) Thank you everyone for your help with our first and probably last ever Easter Sunday Drive-in Service!

Don't forget to return your questionnaires for the MSP Team! Please return the 2-sided full sheet and the green 1/2-sheet Week-4 questionnaires in the stamped envelope provided. We value your input!

Needed A family with church key who knows how and can switch our banner from Lent purple to Easter white! Thank you!

Wanted Folks who might be willing to record themselves performing special music. Email to Church. Pastor Karen will include it in a future online service. Thank you!

Confirmation Class Confirmation will meet again this Sunday, April 19... on Zoom. Watch your emails! Pastor will be sending out a Lesson. Topic: Baptism

Prayer concern Thank you for keeping in prayer the Henry Prien family. Dick's father, 95, died just before Easter.

Joy of Reading Book Club The Joy of Reading Book Club meets the 3rd Monday of every month and gets started around 6:30 PM. Even if you haven’t read the book of the month you are still welcome to join us. It’s a fun evening of discussion, sharing of ideas and respectful listening. And lots of socializing and laughter! April 20 – The Ungrateful Refugee by Dina Nayeri. Karen J. is hosting a virtual Joy of Reading Book Club on ZOOM. Karen will send out instructions on how to participate. You will need to download the ZOOM app, and she will send the meeting ID and password to you. May 18 – We are Called to Rise by Laura McBride at the home of Mona Mitton June 5 – Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. This is also Book Club’s 10thAnniversary Celebration! Once again our anniversary party/sleepover will be at the beautiful lake home of Gerry Norene on Nancy Lake. August 17 – The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks

This month's Church Council meeting has been changed to Wednesday, April 22 at 7:00pm

ELCA COVID-19 Response Fund The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provides ministry to its members, to those who are hurting and searching for peace, and to those in need. To continue this important work, the church needs your help.  With congregations and ministries across the country, and a network of companion churches and partners in over 70 countries around the world, we anticipate this crisis will affect us all. In the United States, unemployment has soared. We see rising demands on our food pantries, homeless shelters and social services. Around the world, millions of people living in poverty are facing this pandemic without reliable access to sanitation and health care. Now is a time when we need one another. Now is a time to live and act as faithful people of God. You can help by supporting your congregation and making a gift to the ELCA’s COVID-19 Response Fund. Your donation will provide funds to the ministries of the ELCA most in need and best positioned to help. This includes our congregations as well as local and churchwide ministries capable of reaching and assisting those in need. Click here to donate: COVID-19 Response Fund

Sewing Masks We have masks available for you at church. Our "Mitten Tree" has become a "Mask Tree." It's outside the main entrance, facing Eagle River Loop Road, and will be accessible from 10:00am - 5:00pm M-F. Several of our Sew for Joy members are sewing health masks. There are directions in various places - one website is  https://deaconess.com/how-to-make-a-face-mask , or check with Mona. Her email is  monamitton514@gmail.com . Masks are available to folks in need of some protection.   (Fabric masks are not suitable for hospital emergency wear, and should be washed in HOT water before using.) Our masks have been very popular. We've seen about 70% of them taken! If you're still making masks and would like to donate them to the "mask tree," we'd be grateful!

Finance Update  as of 4/9/2020 Our commitment is to keep the congregation informed on our finances. During these extraordinary times it is important for you to know that your council and treasurer are trying to be good stewards of your offerings. Our income for March was $21,241 and expenses were $21,099. All received March bills are paid.  We have not received the snow plowing/sanding bill for March, which will be paid and accounted for in April. JCDC has suspended operating for the time being and will evaluate a reopening date as we work thru the coronavirus. They have continued to forward their payment to JLC, which is basically a reimbursement for their portion of utilities and insurance. All snowplowing/sanding, flower orders and trash service have been suspended. Thermostats in the sanctuary, narthex and JCDC have been turned down to 58 degrees. AA and NA have temporarily moved their meetings online and are not meeting at JLC. JLC janitorial service has been terminated.  We cannot thank you enough for your continued faithful support of your church. We have seen an increase in families giving thru our online option. You can mail your offering or drop it off at the office. March Finances Offerings across all categories: $21,241  (includes special offerings marked for food pantry and extra mortgage principal payments) Expenses: $21,099

Consider Giving Online Thank you for remembering your Church during this time when we cannot gather! You can give Online one-time or as a reoccurring gift by clicking the "donate" button below. This helps us tremendously! Or, you may send in your offering by mail (10111 E. Eagle River Lp. Rd., 99577). Thank you for your gifts!

‌

Visit our website

Donate

Joy Church Council Members Sue Weimer - slweimer@gci.com Scooter Bentson - sbentson55@gmail.com Tom Bird - tbird@mtaonline.net Debby Bird - andy2@mtaonline.net Corrine Finnie - corrinefinnie@hotmail.com Kelly Mullin - mullinkm260@comcast.net Heather Slocum - heather_slocum@yahoo.com Clarke Hemphill, Treasurer - mrs_mousie@hotmail.com The next church council meeting is Wednesday, April 22 at 7:00pm.