Thursday, October 29, 2026 | | Thank you for subscribing and welcome to Lutheran Church of the Nativity. We look forward to keeping you informed, sharing stories, and answering your questions. | | | | |
FALL BACK!
Don't forget to turn your clocks back one hour before going to bed on Saturday night! Enjoy that extra hour of sleep and we hope to see you on Sunday for worship at either 8:30am or 10am and the congregation meeting in between services at 9:15am.
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Sunday Morning
November 1, 2026
| | As you enter worship this All Saints' Sunday, take time to light a candle and place it in the tray filled with sand in memory of your loved one. The tray is by the baptismal font along with candle options. A larger candle will provide a flame for lighting your memorial candle. Peace. | Live streaming on Sundays at 10am on our Facebook page. Service recordings are available on our YouTube channel. | | Mark your calendars for THIS SUNDAY, November 1 for our Congregation Meeting. It will take place in the Fellowship Hall at 9:15m. The purpose of meeting is to approve 2027 budget and ratify our Constitution and Bylaws revisions. | |
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STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN
At Nativity, we are Rooted in Grace, Growing for Tomorrow. Each week from October 25 through November 15, you'll hear from a different household about our current ministry and what we have planned as we gather in the love of Christ to care, grow, and serve. Intent Card Sunday is November 15.
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Nativity Wildlife Camera
If you notice a new camera by the stairs/ramp of the modular, no need to be alarmed! As a part of our digital evangelism grant, we have been able to purchase a wildlife camera so that we can use footage of Nativity's critters in our social media posts. Stay tuned for the first of those in due course!
| | WHAT’S NEW IN THE NARTHEX? | | Nativity ministries and the north narthex have something in common. Glass doored cabinets that were once in the main narthex have been moved to the north entrance and display ministry information where Nativity members currently serve. The displays provide information of ministries and as drop-off points for some of these ministries as needed. Thus, all ministries are in one location. Ministries currently represented are WELCA, Prayer Shaw Ministry, and Nativity Quilters, each with labeled drop baskets. Others represented are Habitat for Humanity, The Lord's Acre, Calvary Food Pantry, Nativity Preschool and Kindergarten (NPK) and Card Ministry. Please note that the Calvary Food Pantry grocery cart remains in the main narthex, and cardboard milk boxes are now collected in the kitchen under the sink across from the fridge. This north entrance display is meant to be a sharing and dynamic project that will change with ministries and needs in the life of our Nativity family to spread God's love as we care, grow and serve together.Is your group missing? Please see Debbie McGinnis to add a ministry or to update ministry displays. | | | |
PREPARE IN A YEAR Join your faith community for a conversation about becoming more prepared at home for disasters. Each gathering offers simple, practical steps you can take to strengthen your household’s readiness for the kinds of events we face here in WNC. Whether you’re just beginning or already have a plan in place, your experience and perspective matter. Our next gathering, Flooding, is Sunday, November 8 at 11:15am in the Fellowship Hall. Contact Amy Phillips with questions.
RECONCILING CONVERSATIONS is a small group that meets monthly after the second service in the North Fellowship Hall classroom. Our next meeting is Sunday, November 15 at 11:15am. We spend time discussing topics related to LGBTQIA+ issues along with other opportunities for welcome and inclusion. Additionally, we are learning to practice respectful conversation when interacting around challenging topics. During the fall and winter of 2026, we will be following an ELCA study in order to give feedback to the ELCA's task force assigned to the reconsideration of the "bound conscience" portion of the ELCA's "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust" social statement. We welcome all perspectives to our conversations. Please join us! You can contact Jenny Feid at jennyfeid44@gmail.com for more information.
"I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace: There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of All, who is above all and through all and in all. ~Ephesians 4:1-6.
WEDNESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY continues on Wednesday mornings at 10am in the Fellowship Hall. We're currently studying the book of Mark . Come on out as we look at the book that is the focus of our readings in worship for the coming church year.
| | SUNDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY Are you looking for a deeper dive into the Bible on Sunday mornings? Several weeks ago, a new Bible study started between the worship services. It goes from 9:15am to 9:45am in the conference room. Sunday Morning Bible Study for All Ages is designed for all ages to learn together- kids through seniors! | | NATIVITY BOOK GROUP will meet on Thursday, November 19, in the church library from 2pm - 3pm. All are welcome to attend and join in the lively discussion, even if you have not finished the book. The book for the November 19 meeting is Guests on Earth by Lee Smith. | | Next year's Reading List has been released! | | | | This devotional can be used for home devotions and small groups to deepen your daily and lifelong faith formation. | | Small Catechisms is back! Our church podcast is back for its fifth season! You can look forward to episodes on everything from women in the bible, the ministry of bishops in other denominations, AI usage in sermon writing, and beyond. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts. | | | | HEARTS AND MINDS If you are caring for someone with dementia, please consider joining us for Hearts and Minds on Thursday, November 5 at 10am in the library. We will welcome guest Lisa Kaufman, a local dementia expert who will be sharing helpful information and answering questions. Need more information? Contact Michele Grush at admin@nativityarden.org. | | |
NO Garden Session Thursday
We are pausing Thursday work sessions for the next few weeks. Collards are growing, but slowly in the cooler weather and shorter days. We continue to grow lettuce, beets, carrots and radishes, as well as cauliflower and snap peas. (The purple cabbage we were growing has been heavily damaged by cabbage worms and is only good for the compost pile.)
If you'd like to read News from The Lord's Acre in its entirety click here.
| | Calvary Food Pantry sends gratitude for Nativity’s support and involvement in feeding our neighbors. The pantry is open for neighbors to shop for groceries, produce, and important items like meat, eggs, and milk on Saturdays from 8am-11am. Sharing this information may help a friend or coworker more than you may realize, and our intake process is simple. Manna Food Bank deliveries occur at 8:30am on alternate Wednesdays, when volunteers gather to sort and shelve the food. Helping hands are requested on 11/11, 11/25, 12/9, 1/6, and 1/20. Gifts of treasure help the pantry shop in bulk, thereby stretching your gift for the items needed the most. For those who like to shop, these are the requests this week: feminine pads, salad dressings, and cereal. To learn more contact Karen Rich at 828.242.6403 or click here to sign up. | |
CEREAL DRIVE FOR CALVARY FOOD PANTRY
Dear Nativity Family,
Our neighbors at Calvary Food Pantry are counting on you and so am I. When I was a kid, cold cereal was the main, and often, the only food for breakfast. We are distributing 130 to 170 boxes of cereal weekly, with most families receiving one box. The variety of cereal is usually very limited. As a big kid, I understand the joy of having a favorite cereal show up.
Here is where you and I come in. I have written a grant through Thrivent Financial which will be used to buy cereal. They are seeding the project, and my hope is for you to respond in-kind. We'll have our van outside the South Entrance to collect your gifts of boxed cereal between services on November 8. I am asking you to bring your favorite cereal or something special for our kids or kids at heart.
Thank you, for supporting our CFP projects!
Michael Neal
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Gathering Prep Meeting this Sunday, November 1
As a part of our partnership with Grace, Hendersonville to attend the ELCA national youth Gathering together, we have another opportunity for parents and attendees to connect with our friends at Grace for a prep meeting. As usual, this meeting will be from 11:45am until approximately 12:45pm and will focus on completing various pre-Gathering activities together. For questions, please contact Vicar Aaron.
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Applications are open for Endowment Scholarships!
The core mission of the Lutheran Church of the Nativity is to gather in the love of Christ to care, grow, and serve. Through the gifts of generous donors and prayerful stewardship, the Endowment Fund provides financial support for ministry initiatives within Nativity, outreach to our surrounding community, and educational scholarships for our members. Deadline for application is December 31, 2026.
Scholarship & Grant Opportunities Include Support For:
- Members attending seminary
- Youth and young adults attending ELCA camps
- Students enrolled in colleges and universities
- New or expanding ministry and community outreach initiatives
- Every application is given careful, prayerful consideration to ensure funds are awarded where they can make the greatest impact.
| | | | Click image to get more information or sign up! | | | | | |
