Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church
Stratford, Wisconsin
News
COVID-19 Guidelines:
With thanks to God for the opportunity to gather for worship in His house, and with respect for His representatives in our government, we will follow health guidelines to the best of our ability.
Statewide Mask Mandate: While it is in effect we will follow the latest mandate to the best of our ability. Everyone over 5 years old is asked to wear a mask, except for those with health conditions for which a mask would be hazardous. No documentation is required for those exceptions; we are trusted to be conscientious and honest. Specific exemptions allow Pastor to conduct the service without wearing a mask, so long as he is at least six feet away from the congregation. He will wear a mask to distribute communion; we are allowed to remove our masks to receive the sacrament.
Hand sanitizer and facial tissue are available throughout our building and in each pew. Please try to touch as few surfaces as possible.
We have plenty of seating. Churches and schools are exempt from the 25% seating capacity limit. Please spread out comfortably in alternate pews for safe social distancing. If you like to sing out, please don't sit directly behind someone else. You are welcome to sit in the Fellowship Hall.
Our Offering Plate is on a stand in the entryway. We will not pass it through the pews. Ushers will bring it forward for placement on God’s altar at the usual point in the service. If you didn’t have the opportunity to place your offering in the plate before the service, you are welcome to take it to the counters in our Fellowship Hall after the service.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you think of any other guidelines, please tell Pastor or a church council member.
Current News:
Women’s Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. We will read and discuss In God’s Orchard: Cultivating the Fruit of a Spirit-Filled Life. Drawing from St. Paul’s “fruits of the spirit” in Galatians 6:22-23, six women authors from our synod have provided a guide to how God nurtures these fruits in our lives: how our sinful nature impacts them, how Jesus fulfilled them perfectly for us, and how they blossom in the light of His Gospel. Each of the nine lessons provides discussion and application questions with room for notes.
Our LWMS Door Offerings the first weekends of August, September, and October amounted to $278.00, appreciably above our goal of $250.00. We thank God for the interest and generosity of His people.
Sunday School Students will sing at the beginning of our 10:30 service next Sunday, November 1st for Reformation, and on Sunday, November 22nd for Thanksgiving.
Altar and Cleaning Volunteers for 2021 are welcome and appreciated. Please sign up on the list on the bulletin board on the north wall of our kitchen.
Organization of WELS Lutheran Seniors: Our local OWLS group will resume our monthly meetings later this fall if possible.
AED: Thanks to our Ladies’ Aid for obtaining an Automated External Defibrillator, a reconditioned unit made available by the Marshfield Fire Department. Training will be arranged as soon as possible.
Northland Lutheran High School News:
The Annual NLHS Fruit Sale will run from November 1st to December 1st. Information and order forms are available on the round table at the front of our Fellowship Hall. Orders will be available to be picked up at the school office on Friday, December 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and on Saturday, December 19 from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Payment is appreciated at the time orders are placed, but can be made anytime between placement of the order and pick-up. Checks are to be made to Northland Lutheran High School.
Fun and Fundraiser: On Monday, October 26, the Junior class will conduct a fundraiser at Milwaukee Burger in Wausau from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. The students will help out in the restaurant, and 10% of the proceeds will be donated to their class treasury. Come by for a burger and soda!
Sports: Our home games are livestreamed from our website. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the only fans we can allow are families of students, along with volunteers for admissions, concessions, and record-keeping. If you’d like to volunteer for those duties, please follow the link from our website home page: www.nlhs.org.
Debt Reduction: We continue to make progress! $665,053 has been raised toward our debt reduction goal of $1,386,000. Let’s continue to leap forward to our $788,000 year-end goal; the long-term plan is to begin putting debt retirement in our budget by 2023, and to wipe out our entire debt by 2032.
Solar Panels: 162 solar panels have been installed on the roof of our school. July's energy bill totaled 12 cents!
Dime & Dollar Thrift Shop is an important source of support for Northland. There are two locations: 211 Alexander St. in Wausau, and 3268 Church St. in Stevens Point.
Visit the Northland Pride Pump to earn 2 cents/gallon for NLHS, at the R-Store Cedar Creek BP in Rothschild, next to Culver’s.
