All are invited to keep Christ in Christmas and worship with us on Christmas Morning. The Christmas Morning service is “come as you are.” Children in pajamas, adults in relaxed and casual dress are all most certainly welcome. Come make a joyful noise and share in the blessing of Christmas with your church family. Worship with Holy Communion will begin at 10 AM. As always, we will live stream our service on our Facebook page.
Other Happenings Archive
Christmas Morning Worship
Posted November 27, 2020 By adminThe Nativity Of Our Lord
Posted November 27, 2020 By adminBecause of the current pandemic and the need for social distancing, St. Jacob’s will offer two services of worship on Christmas Eve. This is to ensure that we honor our coronavirus protocols we have in place. The first service will begin at 4:30 PM with the second service beginning at 7:30 PM. Holy Communion will be celebrated at each service and both will conclude with the traditional candlelight singing of Silent Night.
In order that we might be faithful to our coronavirus protocols, yet accommodate everyone who would like to attend worship on Christmas Eve, we will post a sign up list on which families shall indicate which service they will attend and how many will be in their party. We look forward to sharing this most holy evening with you, along with the traditional readings and carols of Christmas.
Blue Christmas —Worship On The Longest Night
Posted November 27, 2020 By adminAs Christmas approaches, not everyone gets caught up in the joy of the season. No matter the situation, for some, Christmas is a time of extended grief, sorrow, and loneliness. For these and other reasons, we offer a time for worship and reflection on God’s gift of the Messiah. Worship on the Longest Night, also called Blue Christmas, falls on December 21st, the longest night of the year. This year, due to COVID-19 concerns, we will not gather in person. Our Blue Christmas service of worship will be live streamed on our Facebook page. The service begins at 7 PM.
Advent Vespers
Posted November 27, 2020 By adminThe theme for our Advent Vespers will be “Letters from Bethlehem” featuring four brief monologues. Each monologue is a reading of a letter written to loved ones describing the events of Jesus’ birth.
Below is our schedule for mid-week Advent services.
• December 2 – The Angel to a Friend
• December 9 – A Shepherd to His Family
• December 16 – A Wise Man to His Court
• December 23 – Mary to Her Mother
Advent Vespers will begin at 7 PM each Wednesday during the season. We will also receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion at each service. Please plan to attend each week as we anticipate the coming of our Lord Jesus. Social distancing will be observed; and for those who are unable to attend, the services will be streamed live on our Facebook page
It’s Time to Print A 2021 Roster
Posted November 27, 2020 By adminOur current membership roster will be in the Narthex window from Sunday, November 29th until Sunday, December 27th. All members are urged to check their household information to be sure it is correct. We especially need to know if you no longer have a landline and that your cell number, email address or mailing addresses have changed in 2020. If you are attending in-person worship services, you can indicate any updates or changes in the roster. You can also provide the information directly to Robin. Our Ministry Teams, Auxiliary Groups and members of the congregation use the information from the roster to ensure everyone is made aware of important happenings at St. Jacob’s. Thank You for taking the time to help keep our church roster and membership records accurate and up-to-date.
Filed in Other Happenings
St. Jacob’s Is Getting Ready For 2021—Sign Up For Altar Flowers Today
Posted November 27, 2020 By adminAs in the past, an altar flower sign-up sheet will be posted in the Narthex on Sunday November 29th and will remain until Sunday, December 27th. Many times, members wish to provide the altar flowers in memory of loved ones or in honor of anniversaries, birthdays, and other special occasions. If there is a particular Sunday YOU would like to furnish the altar flowers for the worship service, please indicate your choice by signing up for that Sunday. If you are not currently attending in-person worship services at the church, you can email Robin to request a Sunday. All open dates will be assigned to other members of the congregation. NOTE: During Advent/Christmas Seasons only one vase of flowers is needed. Also, artificial flowers are never to be used in the altar vases and pot plants are to be used to enhance services on Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday, Pentecost Sunday and Christmas Services – not as altar flowers.
Council Briefs – November
Posted November 27, 2020 By adminSt. Jacob’s Church Council met for its regular meeting on November 3rd.
Good Things at St. Jacob’s for November:
• Attendance is steadily improving
• New Organist
• Trunk or Treat was a success
Important Notes and Dates:
• Council has voted on Parking Lot/Building Additions and made recommendation for payment; to be presented at Congregational Meeting
• Congregational Meeting will be held
December 6th
There will only be one (1) service, to begin at 10 AM and no Sunday School will be offered
Overflow will be available in the balcony and Fellowship Hall to accommodate for larger gathering
• Items to be discussed at meeting will be:
1. Election of Council members for 2021
2. Approval of 2021 proposed budget
3. Approval of Constitution
4. Discussion and vote on proposed NALC Convocation Amendments
• Noted: Pastor recommends against ratification due to the way in which the vote was handled at a virtual convocation.
Parking Lot Construction Plan
Parking Lot Payment Recommendation from Council
2021 Council Ballot; be on the lookout for info on each candidate
• Nate Nickel
• Johanne “Jo” Sullivan
• Michael Corley
• Helen L. Lindler
• James Richard Lindler
• Gloria Zeimer
• Brandon Slice
Nominations from the floor will be accepted as well, if nominees meet criteria for running
• KFC meeting November 22nd; after choir
• Children’s Christmas Program – December 13th, details to follow
• Christmas Caroling to be December 20th; details to follow
• Please check Facebook page and/or Website for updates to church activities and functions
• Next regularly scheduled Council meeting is December 8th, at 6:30 PM in Fellowship Hall
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew J. (A.J.) Secretary
St. Jacob’s Church Council
Filed in Council Reports, Other Happenings
Annual Children’s Christmas Program
Posted November 27, 2020 By adminYou’re invited! Please join us on December 13th at 6 PM for our annual Children’s Christmas program. As you know, our Children’s Choir has been learning to play the hand chimes and this will be our first performance. The program will be live streamed if you want to participate from home. Come listen to the scriptures, sing the hymns, and celebrate the birth of Jesus with our church youth! You won’t want to miss it!
Youth Director & Family Ministries
Posted November 27, 2020 By adminHeavenly Father, we bring to you our loved one Caleb as he prepares to leave for training in the United States Armed Forces. You have guided him in pursuit of this goal, and we pray that the good work You have begun in Caleb will be over-seen with Your supervision and love as he leaves to complete this training. We ask you to help him in every expectation the military has. We ask You to make all things possible for him as he faces the standards and goals that the military has for him. If anything seems impossible to him, we ask You to strengthen him with Your power in order for him to achieve whatever is expected. We pray that You will put Caleb in the company of Godly influences. We pray that You will use these people to impress upon him the importance of following and obeying Your rules and laws to be successful as a member of the Armed Forces and as a child of God. We turn Caleb completely over to You. We trust that our prayer in the Name of Your Son, Jesus, by His power, by His Spirit and by His Blood will be answered to Your glory as we await Caleb’s graduation and his official recognition as a member of the Armed Forces in service to You and our country.
Our Love and Trust is in You, Father. Amen. *Caleb’s address will be available for anyone who would like to send him a card/letter as soon as we receive it. I think it would be wonderful for him to receive mail from his church family knowing that we are praying for him especially during the holidays!
Grace & Peace,
Rachel
Filed in Other Happenings, Youth Director
Pastoral Devotion for November
Posted November 1, 2020 By adminSpiritual Revitalization
Read John 2:13-22, Hebrews 3:1-11
Everyone has at least one bad habit, one particular vice that keeps us from getting the proper amount of rest, nutrition, or exercise. Left unchecked, such habits can lead us along a path of poor health, sickness, even death. We know better, but we just can’t stop. So many people struggle with the desire to rid themselves of bad habits and promote healthier living. Such lifestyle changes are difficult. It takes strength and determination to adhere to them.
The same can be said for the healthiness of our faith. As worldly powers pull and tug at God’s people, healthy habits of faith often succumb to unhealthy bad habits. Time for reading Holy Scripture is often replaced by work or play. Gathering with the faithful for worship often becomes less appealing than a social gathering with friends. Soon, many Christians grow weak in their faith. It becomes increasingly difficult to articulate what their faith means to them, and how important it is that Jesus endured the tragedy of the cross for their sake.
The author of Hebrews calls Christians to spiritual revitalization. He encourages us to consider all that God has done and continues to do through Christ our Lord. John reminds us that even the temple needed cleansing. We may not need to turn over tables, but certainly there is room in each life for re-commitment to faithful living. Through faith in Christ Jesus, worship and prayer, it can be so.
Help us, O Lord, to overcome that which hinders our faith, that we might seek you always. Amen.
