Hi, Everybody:
This Sunday, November 22, is Christ the King Sunday – the last Sunday of Pentecost and the last Sunday of the church year. There will be a Thanksgiving emphasis in lieu of a WELCA Thankoffering Sunday. While we still are lifting up women in our liturgy, our members who have WELCA ties would like any donations you would normally give to WELCA to go to the ELCA COVID-19 Response Fund (click on the link to find out how you can help). We can all be thankful that we as a congregation have been relatively untouched by the virus and can show our thankfulness by helping others through our donations.
John Williams will host the first of two Adult Forums this Sunday at 10 am for questions about the HTLC constitution changes and upcoming drive-by voting which will take place on December 6. If you run out of constitutional questions, ask him how you can help around the church!
Some of the elements of this Sunday’s altar decorations came from Loretta Heihn’s items, currently displayed in Holland Hall by her daughter Cheryl, which are free to a good home. There are decorations, collectibles, clothes, and lots of cookbooks. Please come by during office hours (M-F, 10-2, call first) or Sunday mornings (9 – 11) to see if there’s anything you can use. Keep something to remember Loretta by!
Next Sunday is the First Sunday in Advent (already?!). John Williams has put up the Christmas tree even before I’ve begun taking down the Thanksgiving altar decorations (it looks like a Michael’s store in here – I’m tempted to put a 50% off sign on the altar display!)
Upcoming planned special services and events:
- Dec. 15: Virtual Christmas Pageant (contact Kathleen Keating for participation and details)
- Dec. 20: Choir Sermon-in-Song (probably cobbled together from previous recordings)
- Dec. 24: Online pre-recorded Christmas Eve Service as well as a live-streaming service (probably via Zoom)
- Dec. 27: Online pre-recorded Christmas Carol Service
If some of that sounds pretty unsettled, it’s because we’re still trying to figure out how to do some of the COVID workarounds. Stay tuned for updates. (if nothing else, watch them for the possible Polar-Express-train-wreck entertainment value!)
Remember to email your (internet-approved) Christmas photos to Carmen for display during carols in the virtual services. Especially appreciated are manger scenes (for “Away in a Manger”) and baby’s first Christmas (for “What Child Is This?”), but any Christmas photo could be useful as inspiration for Carmen!
There is still time to donate to Adopt an Angel, our Cause of the Month. This year, because of COVID-19, they are giving $25 gift cards instead of the usual purchased gifts to children in foster care, group homes and shelters. The gift cards can be from Amazon, Target, Walmart, or Visa and need to be in before December 4th. Let’s make it a cheery Christmas for the kids!
Have a safe-yet-festive Thanksgiving, everybody!
– Keith, your friendly Parish Life Coordinator (i.e. Church Secretary)