Hi, Everybody:
This Sunday, November 19, is going to be a whirlwind of activity. It will be our Thankfulness Sunday and New Member Sunday when we will be welcoming new full and associate members during the worship service (and singing all your favorite Thanksgiving carols!). After the service, there will be a Thanksgiving Potluck in Holland Hall, a quick HRLC Congregational Meeting in the Sanctuary (to vote to postpone the meeting until January 21, 2024), and Sunday School/Confirmation Class will meet in the Youth Room to distribute scripts and roles for the Christmas Pageant. Bell Choir Rehearsal will move to 12:30 pm in the Sanctuary. Psalms Bible Study will not meet this Sunday. Their next meetings will be November 26, December 3, January 7, and January 14.
If you are having trouble finding just the right photo for the new Photo Directory, Ann Harren will be at the Thanksgiving potluck, phone camera at the ready, to capture a (potentially) stunning shot of you. So wear directory-appropriate clothing and be careful when eating – Rene’s Photoshop skills do not extend to the removal of gravy stains. Non-potluck photos should be emailed to Rene by November 30. Be sure to include your name and any contact information you’d care to share.
The church office will be closed Thursday and Friday this coming week for Thanksgiving and Food Coma Friday. Also, there will be no Tuesday Bible Study.
Here’s a combined Christmas Pageant/Sunday School Schedule for the upcoming weeks for those who are involved in either or both (or those who are just nosy):
SUN 11/19 — hand out scripts, assign roles. Meet in the youth room at the back of Holland Hall right after church and before the potluck.
SUN 11/26 — NO SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SUN 12/3 — Sunday school time: Pageant read-through.
SAT 12/9 — 10am-12pm, blocking (staging)
SUN 12/10 — Sunday school time: Elementary students will read through pageant. Confirmation as usual.
SAT 12/16 — 10am-12pm, review blocking (staging), costuming, full dress run. This is the most important of all the very important rehearsals!
SUN 12/17 — performance (during or post service, based on preference of service planners)
SUN 12/24 – 1/14 — No Sunday School / Confirmation
God is calling us to use our gifts – including gifts of money from Thrivent! Thrivent Members, did you know you have Choice Dollars you can direct to a charity? (May I humbly suggest HTLC or HRLC?). You also can create your own Thrivent Action Team for which they can provide up to $250 and other tools for a community project (and T-shirts – don’t forget the T-shirts!). Not a Thrivent Member? You too can benefit from Thrivent’s generosity programs and other tools to work together to invest in our communities. With HTLC and HRLC activities and community service, we could tap these resources more extensively. To find out more, Christina Blevins is happy to share insights on how you can make an impact.
Have a great Thanksgiving, everybody!
– Keith
your friendly Parish Life Coordinator (i.e. Church Secretary)