*9:00am: Coffee Fellowship & Education Time. Coffee and Juice will be offered on Sundays. Please keep your mask on as much as you can. Baptized We Live booklet discussion in choir room with Pastor Carla at 9am Sundays in November.

*10:00am: Worship – In Person and Livestreamed. Worship plan attached for the first Sunday in Advent (11/28/21). Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/uiflc) OR YouTube (search on UIFLC).

REMINDER: THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE Wednesday, November 24th at 7:00pm (in person & livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube).

Worship plan attached.

BAPTIZED WE LIVE DISCUSSION GROUP Sundays at 9am - Join Pastor Carla for the last week of this Lutheran history and teaching refresher course using Dan Erlander’s “Baptized We Live” booklet.

ST. CYPRIAN FOOD PANTRY is seeking sponsors for Christmas gifts for families with kids this year. Speak to Carole Egner if you want to get a name (and gift suggestions/sizes) or ask Pastor Carla if more names are available. We encourage you to purchase at least one practical item and one fun item (needed clothing and a toy, for example). Bring your gift(s) back to church by December 12th so that they can be distributed.

MIDWEEK ADVENT SERVICES: On Wednesdays in Advent at 11:00am (December 1, 8, 15, & 22) Preparing in Christ’s Presence: An Advent Midweek Series. This midweek worship series provides services of prayer, readings, and song around the themes of “Do Less,” “Wonder,” “Hope,” and “Joy.” Each weekly service offers times for silent reflection as well as opportunities for conversation and reflection. At 7pm, the service will be played online (Facebook and YouTube) if you prefer to join in virtually.

LESS IS MORE: This year, UIF will make available a “Less Is More” devotional, with a weekly devotion/reading and a daily activity poster – suitable for families or individuals to follow at home. Christmas has become the biggest holiday in North America, and arguably the biggest in the world - and in many ways, it’s become a holiday of “more”: more presents, more stuff, more events, more expectations, more stress. But as it turns out, if we dial back the more, we get closer to the heart of Advent and Christmas. This devotional includes a poster with some daily suggestions, and a booklet that includes a weekly reading and devotional prayer time. On Sunday mornings in Advent 2021 (Nov 28, Dec 5, 12, & 19) at 9:00am, Pastor arla will lead us through this “Less Is More” devotional including prayer, meditation, and discussion.

Less Is More poster.

EVENING PRAYER (VESPERS) virtually on Wednesday nights:

Each week on Wednesday night, United in Faith Lutheran is posting an Evening Prayer service at 8pm on Facebook and YouTube. This service is intended to be used as an at-home prayer opportunity (can be watched any time after 8pm Wednesdays). If you cannot do this on Wednesday, feel free to choose another day to watch/worship. This service will be led by Pastor Carla Thompson Powell (from UIF) or Pastor Darryl Thompson Powell (from Resurrection Lutheran Church, Franklin Park). Any worship responses will be found on the screen and incorporated in the video. The Evening Prayer service is fairly short – 30-40 minutes max.

ONGOING PANDEMIC PRECAUTIONS:

***As you find a seat in the sanctuary for In Person Worship on Sunday mornings, please remember that we are still seeking to keep some physical distance between households. If you are a "family of one," please consider sitting on the end of a row instead of the middle of a row. This allows for someone else (or a couple) to sit on the other end of your "row" with a few feet of physical space between you. As our worship space "fills" up more these days, please help us to make good, safe space for each other in worship. (We’ve recently added MORE chairs because of such a great turnout for worship!)

ONLINE GIVING: To give an online donation, please visit https://www.shelbygiving.com/app/giving/uif On your first visit, you will have to create an online giving account. You can use this link also if you need to change your online giving frequency or amount.

The church office will be open on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10am-3pm. Come pick up your Advent calendars or Advent devotionals on the table by the sanctuary.

You can reach out to me by email (revctp@unitedinfaith.org) if needed. I continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers these days as we live as the gathered church in many scattered locations.

Blessings to you all,

Pastor Carla

Looking back:

- Annual Meeting Packet as of 2/28/2021.

Added President's Report

LINKS

WHO - https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

CDC - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/uiflc

Martin Luther and His Incredible Response to the Black Plague - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/chorusinthechaos/martin-luther-and-the-black-plague/

Guidelines to Keep in Mind from our State, City, and Denomination

Some Current events: