Happy Black Friday, Friends!  

Were you up early this morning, standing in line at a store, waiting for a great deal or two? No... me either! But now that Thanksgiving is in our rear-view mirrors.... it is time to start thinking about Advent!

This Advent season is a time to remember that God promised to send a Savior to redeem the world. This promise, called a prophecy, is recorded in the Old Testament many times. Isaiah the prophet was clear in Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
   
Immanuel means "God with us." Can you imagine what it was like living during Old Testament times? The people of Israel were always looking for and hoping for the promised Messiah who would be with them. Imagine them saying to each other:  When is it coming? Maybe it's a baby. When is it coming? Maybe it's a Savior. When is it coming? Maybe it's the Bread of Life, like a teacher or a rabbi or a priest to nourish our souls?  
   
The Messiah was more than just a baby in a manger. The Messiah, Jesus, was to be the spiritual food that would grow humankind's faith, love and trust in God.... so we can be fully alive and strong in our faith. This Advent I hope you can join us in worship each week to meet once again, the Messiah, Jesus... our Lord.  

+++ On this Sunday, the First Sunday in Advent, we begin our Advent theme, The Word Made Flesh. We will worship at 8:30am and 10:00am in our beautifully decorated Fireside Room and Sanctuary. The week we are talking about how Jesus is "The Bread of Life". We will celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion at each service and, of course, we will offer our "live streaming" on the church's Facebook page and then an uploading of the completed worship on both our YouTube and Facebook pages. We hope to have you be a part of our worshipping family this Sunday! We even have a great supply of "take-home" materials for both adults and kids and these can be found on the ushers table in the Narthex. Grab your family copies on Sunday!

+++ Sunday is the return day for all of your Angel Tree gifts. We need to get everything back so that the gifts can be prepared for distribution to kids before Christmas. THANKS FOR YOUR GENEROSITY WHICH SAW EVERY ANGEL ADOPTED THIS YEAR!  

+++ Also on Sunday we will deliver our monthly meals to our shut-in friends. Thanks to Sam, Marilyn and all who are a part of this wonderful ministry!

+++ We will be taking orders for Poinsettias to decorate our altar on Christmas eve starting this week, Dec. 1, Dec. 8 and Dec. 15. You may take your plant home after worship on Christmas Eve or donate it for a shut in. The cost is the same, $10.

+++ Our Advent Study group begins on Monday, December 2nd at 12:00noon in the Fireside Room. Bring your lunch and we'll have a soup to share each week. Make sure to sign up on Sunday and get a book from me in preparation for Monday's gathering! 

+++ Our Mitten tree and Heifer International Mission projects continue this week. See the tables in the Narthex after worship.

+++ There are still some fresh-cut pine branches in the trailer in the parking lot. They will be disappearing on Tuesday morning so get any you might need for your home decorating prior to that! 

+++ Next Sunday, December 8th is our Second Sunday luncheon for December. Make sure to sign up this week so we have enough food prepared for everyone, please.  

+++ For your December calendars...

• Our Living Nativity takes place on Saturday night, December 14th at 6:00pm in the parking lot! 
• We'll be Christmas caroling on Sunday, December 15th at 1:00pm at Brookdale Summerfield and Brookdale Bellevue. And we'll offer a light lunch before we go!  
• Our Christmas Eve worship services will be at 4:00pm and 7:30pm once again this year!
• And look for the signup for our Christmas morning breakfast on Christmas Day at 10:00am. This is always a time of good fellowship!  

Make this day a great day and enjoy the left-overs with thanks to God for all God's blessings!   
​Pastor Jack 

Happy Friday, Friends!

Today's scripture takes us into Paul's second letter to the church at Corinth...

            "We take captive every thought to make it obedient
                         to Christ."   (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV)

Do your thoughts ever run like mine... through an occasional trail of offense? You might be singing praise songs in your car... when suddenly someone cuts you off in traffic or you get slowed down by someone driving five miles under the speed limit. Suddenly angry exclamations race through your mind in an attempt to find some way out of your mouth. The joy of the Lord's presence evaporates and you struggle simply to hold your tongue!

But we are promised that in Christ we are able to interrupt those "opposing thoughts" by taking a deep breath and reminding yourself of God's infinite mercy. We can take every thought captive! Allowing patience to do its perfect work, we can let the peace of God guard our hearts and still our minds. We can remember once again our hope of glory and allow the love of God to rule in that moment. Because remember friends, God's grace is always sufficient.  
   
So when someone says something mean to you, or you are stuck in stop-and-go traffic, or you open your credit card bill after Christmas, join me in praying, Help me control my thoughts, O Lord. Amen.  

+++ This Sunday we will worship at both 8:30am and 10:00am with special services of Thanksgiving and Praise. Guest musicians, sermon Talk-Back moments, and lots of fun will encourage us to bring our full thanks and praise to God! We will save you a seat and, in case you can't be here with us in the Sanctuary, we will look for you on our Faceook "live-stream" at 10:00am or in the recorded version of worship on both Facebook and YouTube after worship is completed. In case you forgot to bring it last week, you can also still return your 2025 Commitment Card in the offering plate on Sunday. We are off to a great start on our financial pledges to provide ministry in 2025 and we hope to be able to fully fund all the missions and ministry we are planning for next year. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR GIFTS that support Immanuel's ministry!  

+++ Sunday is also United Methodist Student Sunday when we receive a special, church-wide offering to help provide scholarships across our United Methodist connection. Look for the special offering envelopes as you enter the Sanctuary on Sunday.   

+++ As of this writing, our Angel Tree has only 2 angels left to be claimed and all Angel Tree gifts need to be returned by Sunday, December 1st!  This will allow us to get them prepared for delivery to kids in December. The Mitten Tree is up and able to accept your gifts of mittens, hats, and scarves! Door sprays will be available to pick up on Sunday, as well! We are doing lots of mission work here at Immanuel in December!  

+++ Also... this Sunday you can look for Helen and Sara and get involved in our Heifer International Mission project that Immanuel has sponsored for over 20 years! You can be a direct part of changing someone's life for the better through all of these projects.

+++ The church office will be closed next Thursday and Friday as we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Emergency numbers are on the answering machine if needed. The office will re-open on Monday morning, December 2 at 9:00am. 

+++ Our Advent Study begins on Monday, December 2nd, as well. We will gather at 12:00noon and look at our Advent theme, The Word Made Flesh. Bring your lunch, enjoy a bowl of hot soup and plan to join us for this time of study as we prepare our hearts to welcome the Babe of Bethlehem. 

+++ And finally a couple of dates for you to mark on your December calendars....

• Our Living Nativity takes place on Saturday, December 14th at 6:00pm in our parking lot.
• We will visit our friends at Brookdale Summerfield and Bellevue Summerfield on Sunday, December 15th for Christmas caroling and bell ringing starting at 1:00pm that day!   

Make this day a great day and always remember to join me in praying... Help me control my thoughts, O Lord. Amen.   
​Pastor Jack 

As we prepare for worship this weekend, today's scripture reading comes to us from the Prophet Isaiah...

                     "He wakens me morning by morning".     (Isaiah 50:4 NIV)

"Wake me up, Lord! Please don't let me roll over and go back to sleep. Help me seek you early in the morning. I want more of You, but I usually choose to sleep. Help me to hear You calling me to spend time with you. Keep me from being sleepy and lax when I have the opportunity to fellowship with You. Let me give You my complete, undivided attention..."

I think this is the heart cry of so many of us. We intend to wake early and pray more. We intend to be fully engaged whenever we spend time with God. But we either can't get out of bed until the last minute, or when we find a free moment, we turn on the TV.  We can go through our whole lives as if we are sleepwalking. We might pray, but only be half there.  
   
"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you! Be very careful, then, how you live --- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity"  (Ephesians 5: 14-16  NIV).  
   
When I need to get up early and pray or I'm going through my day as if You weren't there, or I have an opportunity to do something eternal for You... let me pray, "Wake me up, O Lord. Amen".  

+++ This coming Sunday is Commitment Sunday... when we will return our commitment cards in both our 8:30am and 10:00am worship services. My message is entitled, "Giving our Treasure Back to God" and I am thinking about how each one of us is blessed with such awesome gifts and together we support the ministry program here at Immanuel. Look for us on Facebook Live at 10:00am or after worship is completed on either Facebook or YouTube to be a part of our worshipping family. Of course, the best way to worship is to be in our beautiful Sanctuary where we will be sure to save you a seat!  

+++ The new order of nametags has arrived... so look for yours on the nametag rack in the Narthex. And please, wear your nametag so we can continue to learn everyone's names!  

+++ As mentioned above, we will be receiving commitment cards on Sunday and we ask you to bring yours back after you pray about it on Sunday. If you forget your card we will have additional cards available on the table in the Narthex. And remember... even if you give electronically... it would really help us if you could complete a commitment card to help us in our financial planning for ministry in 2025. 

+++ On Sunday make sure to order your holiday door sprays that support our mission efforts and to support the Angel and Mitten trees that are in the Narthex. There are still some "angels" left on the Angel Tree and these kids are counting on us to help make their holidays brighter. We do so much wonderful mission work in December (and all year long) and we thank you for supporting missions in our community and around the world! 

+++ Worship will be offered at Summerfield Village on Wednesday morning, 11/20 at 9:30am. You are invited to join us there for worship.

+++ Next Sunday, November 24th we will offer a special Celebration of Thanksgiving and Praise during both worship services. Lots of special music by guest musicians, and some congregational "talk back" are planned. Please make sure to join us for this special morning of worship and praise! 

+++ And next Sunday is also United Methodist Student Sunday. We will receive a special offering in support of the denomination's student scholarship funds. Look for the special offering envelopes next Sunday! 

+++ Our Advent Study begins on Monday, December 2nd and runs through Monday, December 23rd (this is a date change) at 12:00noon in the Fireside Room. We will bring our own lunches and enjoy a warm bowl of homemade soup together each week as we study our Advent theme, The Word Made Flesh. Please sign-up outside the Fireside Room so we are sure to have enough soup for all! 

Make this day a great day and join me in praying, Wake me up, O Lord. Amen.
​Pastor Jack  

Happy Friday! 

Today's scripture reading takes us into Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus...

                     "But speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up
                       into Him in all things."   (Ephesians 4:15 KJV)

It appears to me that poor communication, or the complete lack of it, is undoubtedly the cause of most misunderstandings and unhappiness. And that's often because speaking the truth can be difficult. Expressing ourselves honestly and openly is a huge challenge that we must all work at throughout our lives. But when seasoned with love, honest communications can liberate, heal, and nurture our relationships.  
   
The Bible has a lot to say about communications. Speak the truth in love -- be ready always to give and answer for the hope that is in you. A kind word, a gentle tongue, and a disciplined mouth are incredible forces for good. James tells us, "If any man offends not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body" (James 3:3 KJV). My prayer is that you would let the love of God not only constrain your words, but also compel you to speak the truth in every situation.
   
When you are confronting a coworker, or speaking up in a church group, or standing up for what is right in your community, always remember to pray, Lord, Help me speak the truth in love. Amen.   

+++  We worship on Sunday at 8:30am and 10:00am and this week we will continue our Fall Stewardship series TREASURES. Jesus warns us in Matthew 6 about trying to serve two masters so this week's message, "The Problem with Two Masters" will have me thinking about how many masters I really serve! If you are like me, make sure you are here for worship to think this through with me.  As always our worship will feature some wonderful music, a time for our kids (10:00am), and a time for fellowship with our sisters and brothers in Christ. And, if you can't be here in person...  we'll save you a seat on our Facebook live-stream at 10:00am and in the recorded service on our YouTube channel after completion. 

+++ Following worship we'll gather for our Second Sunday Luncheon in the Fellowship Hall. Sam and our Fellowship Team have prepared a wonderful meal for us to enjoy as we join in a time of fellowship around the tables.  

+++ The church office will be closed on Monday in observance of the Veteran Days holiday. Thanks to all our veterans for your service and the office will reopen on Tuesday.  

+++ Our Finance Team and SPRC both meet on Tuesday evening at 6:00pm and then the Administrative Council meets at 6:45pm. Thanks to all who serve here and we look forward to completing our business on Tuesday night!  

+++ This Sunday is the first Sunday for our Angel Tree Ministry and Door Spray orders. Check out the displays in the Narthex on Sunday!

+++ Next Sunday, November 17th is our Commitment Sunday! Please look for the mailing in your mailbox this weekend and we are asking you to return your completed pledge cards next Sunday on Commitment Sunday! What treasures can you share???

+++ We will offer an Advent Study, based on our Advent theme The Word Became Flesh on Mondays at 12:00noon beginning on November 25th! Bring your lunch, we'll enjoy a different flavor of soup each week and we will delve into the birth story of Jesus in this new, exciting study. Please sign up outside the Fireside Room and see me for a book, which is free this year!   

+++ Thanks to all who worked so hard at the week's Election Day Turkey Dinner. You'll hear more details on Sunday, but it appears we sold 353 meals (which included meals delivered to our shut-ins) and made a profit of more than $3,500! Great job to Steve, Sam, Dave, and all those helped with this wonderful annual undertaking.  See pictures from this event here.

Make this day a great day and join me in praying, Lord, Help me speak the truth in Love. Amen.   
​Pastor Jack 

Happy November! Today's scripture text comes to us from Proverbs...

                     "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out 
                knowledge of witty inventions".  (Proverbs 8:12 KJV)

No clue. Nothing. Blank. You sit and stare into space. And that's all it seems there is between your ears --- empty space. Oh.... how many sermon writing sessions start out exactly like that! The only thing you are able to fill the space with is a cry to God for a fresh idea, a divine inspiration, or a brilliant insight. And of course, God's throne room is always the best place to go.
   
When you're out of ideas, go to God. God is the Master Creator who created you in His image. God has given you the ability to imagine and innovate -- the power to come up with witty inventions. There is no well too dry, no mind too stale for God to fill with inspiration and creativity. When you need a new approach or a fresh perspective, ask God. God is the Great Revealer of profound, deep, and ever astounding revelation. Does God in all God's Infinite Wisdom have any special insights or fresh ideas for you? Why don't you ask Him?  
   
So when you're trying to learn something you don't understand or your work seems monotonous or your next sermon just won't come... why not join me in praying.... Grant me Your wisdom and creativity, O Lord. Amen.   

+++ When we gather for worship this Sunday at both 8:30am and 10:00am we will have lots going on! At both worship services we will celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion, as we remember the saints who have gone before us on this All Saints Day. Don't forget to bring a candle from home to join with those already burning on our altar, as you remember the saints in your life. We will also begin our annual Stewardship Time with a dive into what exactly our TREASURE is. And at the 10:00am service, we will welcome additional new members to our church family. Now that's a full and fun day of worship!  Check out our Facebook page for the weekly "live-stream" at 10:00am (or the recorded version after 11:00am) or our YouTube channel for the recorded worship after it is completed.

+++ If you want to make sure you're on time for worship on Sunday, make sure you set your CLOCKS BACK one hour before going to bed on Saturday night. Enjoy that extra hour of sleep as daylight savings time ends once again!  

+++ Tuesday is Election Day and we hope you will exercise your option to get out and vote for the candidates of your choice. Then.... join us for Immanuel's Election Day Turkey Dinner! Serving starts at 4:00pm and all meals will be served Take Out Style directly to your cars. We will also be delivering our monthly Shut In meals to our homebound friends on Tuesday!  

+++ And you can get your PreSale Tickets from one of our church's "turkeys" following worship this Sunday!  Here is how to identify these "turkeys"!     

Make this day a great day and always remember to pray... Grant me Your wisdom and creativity, O Lord. Amen.   
​Pastor Jack