1-4-26 Announcements
We celebrated Epiphany today at Englewood Christian Church. This marks the liturgical end of the Advent season for us.
We focused our conversation today not on the light of the star, but on the choice of the Magi to go home a different way. It was a timely conversation for our world today and the choices of THE Church to evaluate the road that we have been on and what road we will navigate the new year through.
If you were not able to join us in person or online today during service, you can use the button below to watch our service back this week on your schedule.
Click here to watch today's service.
Service Changes
Today we introduced a new role into our worship service, a cantor. This will be a person each week that will help to lead our congregational singing by leading they hymns from the Lectern with a microphone to help us all stay with the melody of the song together. If this is a role that you would be interested in volunteering for, please let me know.
We also have moved our communion table down to the floor in an effort to be more inclusive to our Deacons and Elders that may have trouble with the stairs. The change in the table also helps our time of communion to feel more intimate and connected.
If you have questions or concerns about either of these changes, please reach out to me by email or to set up a time that we can talk together in person.
Today's Announcements
1. This coming Tuesday from Noon-2 PM our staff will be taking down the Christmas decorations. If anyone is available to help during that time, it would be greatly appreciated.
2. On Monday, January 19th we will be participating as a Faith Community in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom walk organized by the Yakima NAACP. There is a sign up sheet on the welcome desk or you can click here to sign up if you would like to receive information to walk with our group.
3. I am putting together a new building safety team to help ensure that our building and our weekly worship services are as safe as possible. If this is an area you would be interested in serving, please let me know and I will include you in our future meetings and conversations.
4. In our bulletin insert today we shared the news that our Young Families Program Director, Karissa Fischer and her family will be relocating to the Seattle area this fall. In order to provide consistency for our growing Kid's Connection programs we are taking applications for this position now which will not start until the summer. This will give Karissa lots of time to work with and help provide a smooth transition for whomever steps up to fill her amazing and big shoes! You can learn more about this opening and how to apply for it by clicking here.
5. Starting this month, I will be leading a book discussion group. I will announce the book selection, and then, after six weeks, I will host a Zoom Discussion for anyone who would like to discuss the book with me. The first selection is The Separation of Church and Hate.
The Zoom discussion for this book will be held on Thursday, February 12th, at 6:30 PM. Let me know if you are interested in participating to receive the Zoom link.
You can click on the image of the book below to learn more about this selection and order online if you would like your own copy. There are also three copies in the church library that you can check out to participate.
Upcoming Events
Next Sunday at 2 PM will be the Second Sunday Concert series by the Finch Family. You can learn more about this month's scheduled concert by clicking here.
On Sunday, January 25th Connection Group 4 and our Young Adults and Families will be going roller skating together after service at Skateland in Union Gap. This activity is also open to any member of our Englewood Faith Community who would like to join them!
Be sure to check this week's schedule at the bottom of today's email for this week's upcoming events.
Click here to see all upcoming events on our website.
Joys and Concerns
Doyle shared today during service that Kathy Helseth has been in the hospital in Spokane for the last two weeks with an infection. She will be returning to Yakima tomorrow and will be moved to an Adult Care Home for further recovery and rehabilitation.
A big thank you for all who have been praying for Bryson Stuehmer (Love), who has been recovering at home from knee surgery. I am happy to share that Bryson is doing much better and is walking (slowly), driving, and headed back to work this week!
Upcoming Connection Group Schedule for January
If you are not yet in a connection group and would like to be added to one, please email me and let me know! I will help you get connected.
As always, if you need anything this week or there is any way that I can support you- please reach out to me.
Blessings,
Christie
