E-Voice: weekly news & updates
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Note: anything that is underlined is a link you can click on! |
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Friday, December 18, 2020 |
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Don't forget to tune in a bit early this weekend (around 10:35) for a Christmas Hymn Sing-Along!
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Entering the Church Building |
We have new procedures in place to enter the church building. The parking lot doors are open from 9am-12pm Monday through Friday. If you need to drop off or pick up an item, there is a table in the entry. Alert us to what you need. We will leave it for you to find and you may come and go in the entry as you please. You may pick up devotional books, The Lutheran magazine, and communion kits.
We ask that you stay in the entry if you need to enter into the building. Call us at 608-784-9335. A staff member is happy to come out and assist you with signing in and sanitizing procedures.
We know this is not an ideal situation and it's not the warm welcome you're used to. However, in order to keep our church family and staff safe, we ask that you do not come into the church unless it is absolutely needed. We want you to stay home and stay healthy so we can get back to worshipping together as a church family once again.
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Please wait in the parking lot entry
and call the office
for assistance! :)
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Your Estimate of Giving
is appreciated!
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If you've gotten a second letter after turning your Estimate in, we apologize! There was mail from November that was lost for a bit (now found!). If you received a second letter and know you mailed your Estimate, give Jennifer at call at the church office to confirm receipt.
Your gifts, no matter what size, are important to the ministry we continue. We pray that in 2021 we can begin to be together as a church family. Your Estimate of Giving for next year helps our Vision Board and Finance Committee plan for the momentous day when we're together again!
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Join us early this
Sunday!
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Join us a bit early this Sunday (around 10:35) for a Christmas Hymn Sing!
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So far, 76 "gifts" have been purchased for a total of $1,850 going to ELCA Good Gifts! Thank you!! There's still time to purchase a Good Gift - orders due by December 23rd.
Give gifts that make a difference. Many in our world live in poverty and face acute hunger every day. Make a difference by purchasing items from the ELCA Good Gifts Catalog which can be given in honor or memory of someone we love. Goats, chickens, tools, or training, helps a small farmer feed his/her family and provides income to cover health costs and other expenses. An order form/instructions are available here.
On Sundays in Advent, we will put the Good Gifts ornaments on our Giving Tree during the offering time. Because our church remains closed for safety, we will not have ornaments available for you to take home. Make your own ornament to give to the one you are honoring! An ornament graphic is available here. Or be creative and make your own. It’ll be fun and your gift will be one that will make a difference! |
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Thank you. Because of generous people like you, we have been able to help others in our community with Christmas gifts, gift cards for essential workers, and help for our very own members with Christmas expenses, new car tires, unexpected dentist bills and appliance repairs, and so much more.
The Communion Fund continues the spirit of giving long after Christmas (in fact, all year long!). We spend from the Communion Fund to directly assist those in need in our church and in our community. To contribute, send a check to the church office and clearly mark it "Communion Fund."
From one of our "Secret Santa" helpers that gave out essential worker gift cards: "Well that was fun! I hung around the staff entrances for Gundersen (woman going in to work) and Mayo (man coming off a shift), hit up a SMRT bus transit driver by Western, put one on handle of a parked postal truck, and took one to a small auto mechanic near the university! Thanks for giving me joy today!"
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ELC Youth Photo
Challenge
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ELC Youth (& Youth-At-Heart!) - Join Kristen Arends on an Advent Photo Journey! Take a photo that fits the Advent word for the day and post it on Facebook or Instagram (make sure your post is set to "public") using these tags:
#LifeatELC
#ELCAdventPhotos2020
#ELCLaCrosseYG
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Saturday Service/Study
with Pastor Glen
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Pastor Glen is offering two special Advent service/study sessions this month! On December 5th at 5:00pm, we'll be exploring the Old Testament idea of Messiah, and why they wanted and needed one. Gary Walth will be our musical guest, playing quite a few familiar Advent hymns on guitar and singing.
On December 19th at the same time, we will talk about the New Testament stories of Jesus.
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When & Where to Find
Christmas Services
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With COVID-19 still in our midst, we’ve had to re-imagine our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services at English Lutheran Church so that they can be done virtually. Each service will offer you the opportunity to worship and celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ in a meaningful and unique way. We invite you to attend one or all of them!
December 24 – Christmas Eve
3:00 pm – While this service is designed with our young people in mind, there is something in it for all ages. Many of our Sunday School children will tell the story of Jesus’ birth as seen through the eyes of the donkey who carried Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem so long ago. Click here to tune in at 3:00pm on ELC's YouTube channel.
4:00 pm – This is a livestream worship service with communion done in cooperation with our ELCA partner congregations at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. Be sure to pick up your communion kits at English or have bread and wine available if you choose to participate in communion. Click here to watch the livestream on OSLC's website!
10:00 pm – “Live” from Bethlehem…it’s Christmas Eve with ELC news anchor "Anita Room!" This service features a modern interpretation of the classic Christmas story featuring several of our members and our pastors telling the story, as well as a variety of songs by several of our musicians. Click here to watch at 10:00pm on ELC's YouTube channel.
December 25 – Christmas Day
9:30 am – Our ELCA partner congregations during COVID-19 – Bethel, Good Shepherd and Our Savior’s Lutheran Churches – join English for this combined worship service. Each church's portion of the worship service was filmed in their own sanctuaries to give parishioners a sense of home as well as see the dynamic partnership between all of these churches. This traditional worship service will feature our favorite Christmas hymns, and each congregation's pastor(s), musicians, and lectors. Click here to watch at 9:30am on ELC's YouTube channel.
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Check out these free
online concerts!
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One of the gifts of this year during COVID is that what are usually more exclusive events for alumni and donors are now available to the public as online free events. If you haven't experienced Lutheran college and universities holiday choir concerts, don’t miss this opportunity! Please note that registration is required for some performances.
Click here for the full list. There are concerts from Augsburg University, Luther College, Grand View University, Capital University, St. Olaf College, Carthage College, Wartburg College, and Gustavus Adolphus College, beginning December 4th and going through December 19th!
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We are no longer able to place orders to guarantee Christmas delivery, but please feel free to call us to check out what we have in stock! We have a great assortment of gift cards on hand for your last-minute Christmas gifts.
Call the office at 784-9335 to make a purchase that supports our youth programming, and completes your Christmas list!
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Are you Christmas shopping? Gift your loved ones a little piece of ELC! It's like having a little piece of church away from church. ;) If you'd like to make a purchase, call 608-784-9335 or email Carol at the church office. We'll let you know what sizes we have and walk you through the process for payment and a contact-less pick up or delivery. |
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