Thursday, November 12, 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. | | |
Sunday Morning
November 15, 2026
25th Sunday after Pentecost
| | Live streaming on Sundays at 10am on our Facebook page. Service recordings are available on our YouTube channel. | | ALTAR FLOWERS There are three Sundays in December available for altar flowers. Please consider providing flowers during the season of Advent and sign up on the Flower Chart. Call Linda Blake at 828-275-3989 with questions. | | INTENT CARD SUNDAY IS THIS SUNDAY! | | 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. | | This Sunday, you will have the opportunity to bring your intent card to the altar during the worship service. You may also complete your intent card online. | | | | |
Tom Keesecker, pianist, will be with us THIS Sunday, November 15 at our 10am worship service. He is a published composer of piano and choral music as well as a gifted pianist.
Come share in a wonderful morning of music. Our choir will be singing one of his choral pieces at this service.
Tom will play a full concert at 4pm on the afternoon of November 15 at The Episcopal Church of Saint John in the Wilderness in Flat Rock.
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ADVENT WREATH MAKING
This year on the first Sunday of Advent (Nov. 29) folks will have the opportunity to make Advent wreaths together in the Fellowship Hall following 10am worship. We will provide kits for making the wreaths (including candles), but be sure to bring some greenery from your Christmas tree, garden, or anywhere else you might like to include things! Questions? Contact Vicar Aaron.
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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.
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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!
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. Wednesday Morning Bible study will not meet on November 25 due to Thanksgiving.
| | NATIVITY BOOK GROUP will meet on Thursday, November 19, in the library from 2pm - 3pm. We will discuss Guest on Earth by Lee Smith. The door under the canopy on the back side of the church will be open, as will the office door. All are welcome to attend and join the lively discussion, even if you have not finished the book. We will NOT meet in December. Our next meeting is January 21, 2027, and we will discuss Judge Stone by Viola Davis. | | | |
BE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN TOWN!
We have a group event scheduled for Friday, December 4 for all members. The Holly Jolly Christmas Trolley Tour will be departing from our north parking lot at 6:30pm. The tour lasts about 75 minutes not counting our ride to and from Asheville. We should be returning toNativity by 8:45pm. There are 32 seats available for this event for the price of $36 per person. To make your reservation, please contact Linda Blake or Dave Lloyd, Checks should be made out to Asheville Grayline Trolley. The tour consists of holiday storytelling and traditional classic caroling, accompanied by a local musician. The tour goes past festive holiday decorations in downtown Asheville, Montford and Grove Park neighborhoods. Songbooks will be provided. Please remember to bring a tip for our driver and musician. Please consider joining your friends on board The deadline is November 27 and payment is due at that time.
| | | | This devotional can be used for home devotions and small groups to deepen your daily and lifelong faith formation. | | Small Catechisms Podcast 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. | | | | WELCOME TEAM MEETING Did you know that Nativity has a Welcome Team? Would you like to be part of this group or need a refresher? This group will meet between the worship services on Sunday, November 15 in the Fellowship Hall. If you want to see Nativity become a warmer, even more welcoming place, please plan to attend. | | |
FELLOWSHIP TEAM MEETING
Do you enjoy the coffee and doughnuts we share each Sunday? Or do you maybe prefer the special spreads we sometimes put on for various occasions? Either way, you're invited to join our Fellowship Team for a quick meeting December 6 at 9:15am to discuss our work and even get involved if you'd like. For questions, contact Vicar Aaron.
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THE LORD'S ACRE
No Work Session today, November 12, but…a November Update
Many thanks to volunteers from the Lawyers Assistance Program of the NC Bar Association, who had time off from their annual conference in Asheville last weekend. They chose to spend almost three hours in the garden, harvesting 160 pounds of collards, carrots, and jalapeno peppers, as well as adding topsoil to beds and planting lettuce. Several said the work in the garden “feeds my soul.” If you'd like to read News from The Lord's Acre in its entirety, please click here.
| | THANK YOU NATIVITY FRIENDS from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of the neighbors at Calvary Food Pantry. Together with Thrivent Financial, we were able to gather 231 pounds of cereal. It's enough for every family to receive a boxed or bagged cereal for their families this coming Saturday. Neighbors of all ages will appreciate the cereal choices as a result of your generosity. All year long additional gifts cereal and other foods may be placed in the shopping cart for our neighbors at Calvary. Thank you for making this the most successful drive so far! ~ Michael Neal | | Thank you for Nativity's tremendous response in gifts of cereal last week! Our neighbors will gleefully select from abundant choices. Your generosity is deeply appreciated. November 21 is "Thanksgiving Saturday", when our neighbors receive the ingredients for a family feast in addition to their regular shopping. Please pass this along to a friend who may be in need this season. As always, the pantry will be open from 8am - 11am, and registration is simple. If you'd like to help families with the Thanksgiving meal, the pantry will gladly accept your financial gift. To learn more contact Karen Rich at 828.242.6403 or click here to sign up. | Heather and Michael Neal, Sue Jacklin | | |
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER REDUX
You may have seen an announcement last week soliciting interest in supporting a Christmas Eve dinner that would invite in our nearby neighbors (especially those who may otherwise have a lonely or hungry Christmas). We have two notes to add! First, if you signed up any time between Nov. 4-9, please do so again because the form was not collecting info properly. And second, we have a time change for this event from a 4pm start time to a 3:30pm start time. Please check out the sign up link for further details, and let Vicar Aaron know if this changes your ability to be involved.
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UPCOMING ELCA GATHERING MEETING
Our partnership with Grace, Hendersonville for the 2027 Youth Gathering presses on with our next pre-Gathering meeting on December 13 at 11:45am. Be sure to mark your calendars before we get into the holiday swing!
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FREE CONCERT TICKETS
Todd and Nancy Fredin have two tickets to see Megan Woods in Sumter, SC on November 22 which they've been kind enough to offer to any Nativity member interested in going. The show starts at 7pm and doors open at 5pm. These are first come, first served so get in touch with Vicar Aaron ASAP if you'd like the tickets!
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Come experience the marketplace as it might have been when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Be a part of the story… that came true!
Return To Bethlehem hours:
Thursday – December 10, 6 – 8:30pm
Friday – December 11, 6 – 8:30pm
Saturday – December 12, 2 – 8:30pm
Sunday – December 13, 2 – 6pm
Hosted by Groce United Methodist, 954 Tunnel Rd.
There are over 50 roles to make this story come alive and we would love if you came to be a part of it! Please contact Pam Barbee at pam.barbee@abccm.org or (828) 398-6618 for inquiries. Click here to join cast.
Return to Bethlehem is ABCCM’s gift to the community, donations are welcome in Bethlehem.
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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! | | | | | |
