	Announcements: The Worship Plan for Sunday is located under the Live Stream menu above. Our weekly Sunday morning services are at 10:30am Join us in person, Live on FaceBook or Listen to us on 89.5 FM from our church parking lot. Sunday School is at 9:00am

Message from the Vicar...

Greetings Siblings in Christ,

Always being made new is a mission statement the ELCA has used to describe the ministry of discipleship we engage in. This statement has been on my mind lately because of the many ways it applies to this community specifically. The initial intent of the statement was to recall for all baptized believers that every day we are made new by dying to sin and rising to new life in Jesus Christ. This is a deeply grounded theological statement, but also describes how we as community members live our lives and serve in ministry.

This month our church community enters into discernment about the future of Immanuel Lutheran’s pastoral leadership. As decisions are being faithfully considered and made around this topic, I encourage us all to embrace the ELCA mission statement “Always Being Made New”. Immanuel Lutheran has a faithful and servant hearted history in this community, and that continues today in the ministries we are renewing and sharing with the community. Most recently, our Sunday School teachers gathered to plan for the next school year and included in those plans will be a monthly ministry focus, to educate about and highlight the ministries of Immanuel Lutheran. From Eucharistic and visitation ministry to camping ministry and WELCA activities, we will explore together how these ministries are being made new to continue to serve creation. Please see the full schedule in this newsletter for all the ministries we will highlight this coming year.

As we look to the future, and how we will continue to be in relationship as the Body of Christ, it is faithfulness that calls us to examine who we are and how we care for others. In this examination we may discern a need to renew certain ministries and strengthen others. This renewal and strengthening speaks to our baptismal promises to live among God’s faithful people and to serve all people following the example of Jesus. As we recognize that we are always being made new through our baptism in Christ Jesus, so too we must strive to renew our ministries of love of neighbor. I pray that the next year of focus on discernment and ministry will be a blessing to our community.

In God’s Peace,

Vicar Katie