December 18th, 2024 | Newsletter

Written By Emmanuel Presbyterian

  • Welcome Visitors!

    We are excited to call your attention to, and encourage you, to visit our upgraded website! Go to www.epcnashville.com or www.epcnashville.org for all your questions. Cut and paste one of these sites in your browser, or if you can’t find your answers there, try the options below: janemherring@gmail.com – Reach out to Pastor Jane on her church phone (call/text) 615-818-9727 or at this email about what it means to be baptized, to be confirmed in the church (if you have already been baptized), to join the church or any other questions you might have. epcnashville@gmail.com - general EPC email can be sent to this site (be aware that multiple people have access to this email account).

    epcbusiness9770@gmail.com - If you ever have any questions about anything dealing with

    EPC’s finances or other business topics, email your question or request here.

    janemherring@gmail.com - Email announcements for the Sunday bulletin here.

    frhanchey@gmail.com - Email Information or corrections for the weekly newsletter here.

    frhanchey@gmail.com – Send questions about the outdoor gardens or children’s

    education/programming here.

    Inquirers of all ages:

    Please reach out to Pastor Jane about what it means to be baptized, to be confirmed in the church

    (if you have already been baptized) or to join the church.

  • First reading - Micah 5:2-5a

    Psalm - Luke 1:46b-55 or Psalm 80:1-7

    Second reading - Hebrews 10:5-10

    Gospel - Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)

  • Litergical readers and schedule notes

    Date | Pulpit | Liturgist | Notes |

    12.22.24 | Herring | Darrell H.

    12.29.24 | Herring | Sandra H.

    1.5.25 | Herring | Jan R. | Communion

    1.12.25 | Herring | Ginia W.

    1.19.25 | Herring |

    1.26.25 | Herring | Barb H.

    ————————

    Can this be your New Year’s Resolution?

    I will step out of my comfort zone and volunteer to be liturgist at least on one Sunday in 2025.

    Call or email Barb when you are ready at 615-473-3510 or epcbusiness9770@gmail.com

    •  Doug and Sue H Candle of Joy and lead the responsive reading to the congregation.

    •  Congregants were encouraged to bring their own nativity scene to share during next week’s worship.

    •  A congregational meeting was held and EPC members will next present 3 names (to be voted on?) as potential new elders of the 2025 session.

  • Scripture

    1 Peter 3:8

    Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

    Quotes about prayer:

    There is a place where you can touch the eyes of blinded men to instant, perfect sight; There is a placewhere you can say, “Arise” to dying captives, bound in chains of night; There is a place where you can reach the store of hoarded gold and free it for the Lord; There is a place — upon some distant shore — Where you can send the worker and the Word. Where is that secret place—do you ask, “Where?” O soul, it is the secret place of prayer! — Alfred Lord Tennyson

    Invitation to Prayer Group services:

    •   Prayer is the life blood of our relationship with God.

    •   Prayer is the mechanism by which we grow and mature as followers of Christ.

    •   Prayer is the place of solace in grief, celebration in joy and sharing without fear.

    •   Prayer is often solitary and there is great joy in that “alone time” with God.

    •   Prayer is also communal, building our relationships with each other and God simultaneously.

    •   Please come pray with us – 6:00 PM each Thursday night for an hour (or so).

     Submit your prayer requests to: EPCprayers97@gmail.com by 5:00 PM each Thursday

  • Joy Offering

    Only one Sunday left - Joy Offering so far this year - $246.69

    These funds provide assistance to current and retired church workers in their

    time of need and develops our future leaders at Presbyterian-related schools.

    This coming Sunday is the last day for giving to the 2024 Christmas Joy Offering.

    Oasis

    Thank you, EPC, for supporting our Oasis Ministry. A request has gone out for winter items, see list below.

    With winter fast approaching, our Outreach team is working hard to ensure that youth and young adults experiencing homelessness are able to stay safe and warm. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we have received plenty of coats and jackets. However, we are still in need of hand warmers, hats, gloves, blankets, and other weather-appropriate gear.

    Donations can be dropped off at Oasis Center Monday-Friday from 9 am-3 pm, or by emailing us to arrange another

    time. You can also view our Amazon wish lists here.

    Any donated items can be brought to EPC by Jan 12 and they will get delivered to the Oasis Center building.

    There is a collection box for donated items outside the children’s classroom door.

  • It’s Stewardship Season:

     Utmost THANKS from the Treasurer for your pledges. If you haven’t submitted yours yet, please email them to: Epcbusiness9770@gmail.com as soon as you can.

    Financial Support for Missions:

    Call it what you will, for a small church we are involved in many different local ministries, missions or outreach programs.
    Funding for these giving programs come from various places, one of these places is you!

    If you would like to donate additional funds for a specific program, checks can be made to the following ongoing missions of EPC.

    Community Garden
    Gateway to Higher Education Scholarship Crossroads Campus
    Maple Village
    Special Music Ministry events
    Oasis

    Please note on the memo line which mission your check is meant to support.

    Financial Support for EPC:

    If you are not able to attend worship service and still wish show your support for Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, you can contribute in the following ways:

    •   Online–send an electronic payment, your bank can help you set this up if you have questions.

    •   By Mail – our mailing address is EPC, 9770 Hwy 96, Nashville, TN 37221

    •   Through EPC’s website www.epcnashville.com or www.epcnashville.org Simply click on the “GIVE” button, then the “donate” button, to donate via PayPal or debit/credit card. This can be a one-time donation or can be set up as a monthly donation.

  •  Join us after worship service for fellowship, snacks and fresh cup of coffee!
     There is a sign-up sheet by the front door if you wish to help.

     Our Thanksgiving pot luck dinner is this Sunday after church service.
     The list to the right is a copy of the sign-up sheet for thanksgiving dinner, whatever else you want to bring will be just fine.

  • The Covid bug is back, the flu bug, the cold virus…. Masks and hand sanitizer remain available at the

    front entrance to use as desired. Be aware of your health and consider others in all you do. We urge

    everyone to remain vigilant in washing hands and wearing masks as you feel is appropriate.

  • Ongoing:

    • Communion every 1st Sunday

    • Building Improvement Committee every first Sunday (1/5)

    • Worship Committee Mtg every 2nd Sunday after service (1/12)

    • Mission/Fellowship Committee Mtg every 3rd Sunday 9:30 am (1/19)

    • Session Mtg every 3rd Monday after service (1/20)

  • December 19: Delivering Christmas cookies to Maple Village. See Ginia for details.

    December 24: Candlelight Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols, 4:30pm.

    December 25: Christmas Morning Service, 8am

    Please remember to check the “Events”, “Missions” and “Stewardship” bulletin boards in the hallway for

    ongoing information about these areas of activity at EPC.

    Also, don’t forget about the file system in the hallway for each committee where you can make

    suggestions to be considered by session for changes and improvement.

  • *Dec 16 – Dec 21(for Sunday School Dec 22) Reading: Part 2, Chapters 1-6 (approx. 30 pages) Theme: Joy in Simplicity

    *Dec 23 – Dec 28 (for Sunday School Dec 29) Reading: Part 2, Chapters 7-12 (approx. 30 pages) Theme: Love Made Manifest

    Thursdays in December at 6 pm – We gather for contemplative silence, reading, and prayer every Thursday at 6pm by ZOOM. Link to come by email.

    The Advent Daily Devotional Readings were sent out by email on Nov. 29. Pastor Jane will print a copy for you, if you like.

  • In class last Sunday, we had the chance to finish up our Thankful Thanksgiving banner.

    It is hanging on the kid’s bulletin board; I encourage you to take a look at it.

    What are you most grateful for?

    =============================

    At Emmanuel we offer a “kid’s message” during the early part of the worship service, followed by a “children’s church” in the kid’s classroom for those up to 10 years old or still in elementary school. The message is a short story that usually has some sort of lesson related to it and in children’s church we usually discuss the story in more depth and follow it with a craft or activity that helps the story (and the lesson!) sink in.

    Infant care is available for those under 3.

    We offer a “chat time ” in the classroom after service (11ish – noonish) for those over 10 who want some time to privately share what is on their mind.

    We have two adults with the children and their safety and education is our top priority.

  • Thanks to the Rosenbergs and the Beautification and Improvements Committee (formerly the committee known as Building and Grounds), we have a wonderful new focal point to our front garden.

    The wrought iron artwork mirrors the circular stained glass window in the front of the church. These circles, and the circle on the cross that hangs at the front of our sanctuary, bear the ancient Christian symbology of "no end and no beginning," reminding us of the eternal nature of God's love.

    Also, though you can’t see them well in this picture, thank you to Richard and Diana for the beautiful entranceway to the sanctuary.

  • Class of 2024

    Ginia Wood, Fellowship and Mission

    John Denton, Building and Grounds

    Class of 2025

    Greg Burlison, Personnel

    John Sevier, Director of Music

    Class of 2026

    Theresa Denton, Worship and Polity & Procedure

    Jan Russell

Emmanuel Presbyterian
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December 11th, 2024 | Newsletter