Weekly eNews - Emmanuel Lutheran Church

eNews

Week of January 3, 2021

Second Sunday After Christmas

In this week's eNews...

The office will be closed Friday, January 1 and will reopen Monday, January 4.
Deborah Circle Bible Study, January 5th.
Confirmation class will resume Wednesday, January 6th.
Thursdays Together with Pastor Hall will resume Thursday, January 7th.
Christ in our Home has arrived and will be available in the Narthex this weekend or at the church office.
Signup is now open for Altar Flowers and Eternal Candle dedication for Jan-Mar of 2021 through the links below or contact the church office.
Pick up your giving envelopes and Pandemic cookbooks in the office. There are extra cookbooks available for purchase.

Click Here to Register For Next Weekend's Worship - January 9/10

Thursdays Together with Pastor Hall

beginning January 7th at 10am

Join our community of faith for conversation around the gospel for the week. This is a thirty-minute Zoom dialogue with Pastor Hall based on the gospel. There is a short litany followed by the reading and open discussion on the text for the following Sunday's worship. It is a time to see faces and an opportunity to connect-up with members of Emmanuel.

Topic: Thursday's Together

Time: Thursday, January 7th @10:00am

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92351281523?pwd=Q0FMOGFxSUNnUFhpZzBQdHF6RW03Zz09

Meeting ID: 923 5128 1523

Passcode: 999623

In Our Prayers...

Marlys Huselid, Karen MacDonald, Ethan McKee (grandson of Theresa & Tim McKee), Bill Roesler and Jordon Simon (grandson of De & Carol Simon).

To the family and friends of Yvonne Pinkerton who passed away December 25, 2020. Private services were held.

Also to the family and friends of Nicholas Belamour (Pr. Livenson's father-in-law) who mourn his passing.

Wedding Blessings to Denise Sweeney and Paul Erickson who will be married on

January 3, 2021.

January Outreach Emphasis

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) is a leading, life-changing

Building communities, strengthening lives.

Family Promise of Sarasota is a nonprofit, non-denominational organization affiliated with National Family Promise, which was founded in 1986. We provide shelter, meals, and support to homeless children and their families. We initiate coordinated local efforts that bring communities together to help homeless families regain their housing, their independence, and their dignity. We envision a nation in which every family has a home, a livelihood, and a chance to build a better future.

Dedicate Altar Flowers and Eternal Candle - Jan-Mar 2021

There plenty of dates open!! Sign-up to dedicate Altar Flowers and the Eternal Candle for the First Quarter of 2021 (Jan-Mar) is now available online by clicking the links below. Once you have reserved your date, please submit your dedication with payment no later than 2 weeks prior to your reserved date. If you have any questions or are unable to sign-up online, contact the office.

Jan-Mar Eternal Candle

Jan-Mar Altar Flowers

Barb's Medical Minute

In a few hours 2020 will be over. I think there is not a person alive that will not be celebrating the new year. As a congregation, I feel we have done a good job of masking, sanitizing, and distancing. Thank you all for complying. 2021 HAS to be better than 2020, right? I want to thank everyone for your support, prayers, and thoughts that were given to me this past year. Celebrate safely, and I offer you this:

The COVID-19 pandemic has made making healthcare decisions confusing for many. The following was received from Quantum Health regarding the COVID 19 vaccine.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS INFORMATIONAL ONLY.

the vaccine supply in the US is currently limited
it is expected to take many months to vaccinate the entire US population
vaccines are being administered state by state. That means each state is determining who will get the vaccine and when
the vaccine will be administered by a mix of providers such as hospitals, practices, pharmacies, state and local public health departments who will run mass vaccination sites
distribution will happen in phases based on state and local guidelines
currently the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been approved and are being distributed; other options will continue to become available
contact your primary care provider to determine which vaccine might be the best for you
The Sarasota County Health Department is currently distributing the vaccine to those 65 and older, by appointment only. Visit their webpage frequently for when it is available because appointments fill up very quickly.

Continue to stay safe out there!

January Events

Exciting news! Deborah Circle will begin Bible study on ZOOM, January 5th at 7:00 pm. All women are welcome to join in this Bible study. Please contact Kathie Winemiller at kpwinemiller2@gmail.com and she will send you the link to join!

A noon lunch (bring sack lunch/drink) will be held on January 8th, 2021 at The Salvation Army, 1051 Albee Farm Rd, Venice. The program, "New Beginnings" will be provided by the Salvation Army and will include information about their After-School program. Bring a canned food item for a local food pantry.

Contact Judi Johnson for more details.

A new member class is currently forming. If any of you have turned in membership forms since March, 2020, you will receive more information via email. If you wish to join Emmanuel's church family, there are membership forms available in the Narthex or by contacting the office. More information to follow.

Any Additional Food Pantry donations....

Any food donations to the South County Food Pantry should be taken directly to the South County Food Pantry located at 121 Warfield Avenue, Venice. The church is not collecting on a regular basis at this time. Their website states that their hours vary so call before you go! 941.408.2911.

Now Available at the Office

Mon-Thurs, 8:30am-12noon

Pandemic cookbooks are waiting for you. Please have your check made out to Emmanuel Lutheran Church or have exact cash. As a reminder, they are $8 each. We have extra for sale. Thanks!

Many of you have your 2021 Giving Envelopes to pick-up. Please ring the bell for help when stopping to get them at the office.

Christ in our Home devotionals will be available in the Narthex or may be picked up at the office during business hours.

Readings for This Week

January 3rd

Second Sunday after Christmas

Jeremiah 31:7-14

Psalm 147:12-20

Ephesians 1:3-14

John1:(1-9)10-18

January 6

Epiphany of Our Lord

Isaiah 60:1-6

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14

Ephesians 3:1-12

Matthew: 2:1-12

January 10th

Baptism of our Lord

Genesis 1:1-5

Psalm 29

Acts 19:1-7

Mark 1:4-11

Remember these guidelines when coming to worship:

6 feet social distancing requirements - do not crowd pews.
Remember to wear a mask with nose and mouth covered and use the hand sanitizer available in the narthex or pews.
Please do not stop in the narthex or inside the sanctuary.
Wait for the ushers to dismiss your row. They start at the back of the sanctuary. For everyone’s safety and proper distancing, follow the ushers instructions.

Reminder: Please wear your Name Badges when attending worship so we know who you are while wearing your face masks!!! Also, please silence your cell phone out of consideration for all worshippers.

For your information...

As a gentle reminder to everyone, if you have been exposed to COVID in any way or are not feeling well, please follow self-management steps to ensure you are not exposing other members of our congregation. Your cooperation is very much appreciated by everyone. In addition, should you contract COVID, please notify the church office for contact tracing.

Due to increasing COVID numbers in the area, the Executive Committee has extended the cancellation of all non-worship activities through January 5th. The Executive Committee will re-evaluate at that time.

Want to know more about some of the items in eNews? When viewing the eNews online or on your mobile device and you see the pointing finger when running your mouse over a graphic or text, you will be able to link to more information such as a flyer, website, etc. Try it with the top picture of the church!!

Devotional/worship: Sunday Worship is posted after 8:30am to the website and the 10am service is live-streamed on FaceBook. Thursdays Together with Pastor Hall is accessible through the Zoom link above. All previous worship services are also available through our website by clicking on the Vimeo logo in the upper left corner of the posted video on the website.