BAPTISMS FOR DECEMBER:  

Inspired by the congregational pledge made in the service of Holy Baptism (see page 228, EvLW),

we  will be including names of those baptized at St. Luke's Zion in our monthly newsletters. 

We hope this will be a reminder to lift them up in  prayer, wherever they may be in their faith-walk. 

The following were baptized in the month of December in previous years: 

Sharon L. T.                            Dolphis V. Seguin           
William G.M. M.                       Jody A. Hudey       
Anson P. G.                             Colton S. H
Chase M. P. H.                         Emma R. B.
Donald G. J.                            Jordan N. A. G.
Bradley C. J.                           Myles L. L. G.
Albert J. R.                              Ulrich F. A

.IN OUR PRAYERS:  

Please remember in your prayers our shut-in’s in long term care:                             

Phyllis A. - Concordia Place 

Laura G. - Red River Place, Selkirk  

Doreen S. - Luther Home  

Alfred T. - Red River Place, Selkirk   

Melita T. - Luther Home   

Alice V. - Middlechurch Home   

ADVENT & CHRISTMAS WORSHIP:

     Our worship will continue to be online for the foreseeable future (Facebook.com/stlukeszion).  Sundays will continue to be live streamed at 10:30 a.m. During Advent, a synod-wide service will also be posted on Wednesdays.

     Our Christmas Eve service will be live streamed at 4:00 p.m. on December 24th and will include Holy Communion.  As always, it can be viewed any time later that day.  A synod-wide Christmas Day service will also be available on Dec. 25th.  It can be viewed at any time that day.

THE ST. LUKE’S ZION CHRISTMAS SPECIAL:

This video will appear (God-willing) on our Facebook page at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 20th.  If you do not have an internet connection, consider asking a friend or family member to help you to join in!

ONLINE WORSHIP:

For those who would like to join in our online worship, here's how to do it:

1. If you have a Facebook account, sign in to Facebook and search for @stlukeszion.  The video will not appear until the live stream begins, which is usually a few minutes before    10:30 am.  You can also view it any time after that.

2. With no Facebook account, go to Facebook.com/stlukeszion.  Click on "Not now" when it asks you to sign in or to sign up.  You should be able to view the service any time after 10:30 on the same day as it is recorded.

THANK YOU!

To all those who have been assisting with online worship + To those who have been continuing to knit for the mitten tree + To all those who have been sending offerings + To those who have been picking up and delivering knitting / offerings / devotional books / food / etc. + To those who have been looking after repairs + To those who have been both repairing and hanging the banners +  To all those who have contributed to the Christmas Special + To those who have been keeping the finances in order + To those who have been counting the offering + To those who have been keeping in touch with other members + Thank you to all those who use their gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ!

YOUTH:

Virtual Christmas Carols & Campfire

December 13th @ 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Youth, Young Adults and Families are invited to join together via Zoom for some story-sharing, song-singing, spirit-renewing fun.  Bring a candle to light in your own space, and wear your favorite Christmas sweater!

Email Deacon Michelle Collins for Zoom meeting information at mcollins@elcic.ca

SUNDAY SCHOOL:

We are continuing our weekly lessons through Google Classroom. We will keep you informed of updates as they come up. We miss our time with you on Sunday mornings and look forward to when we can gather again. God Bless You All

OPTIONS FOR OFFERINGS DURING COVID:

1. Sign up for PAR.  This is an automatic debit on the 20th of each month.  It costs 50 cents a month.

2. Give through the MNO synod website (mentioned above).  However, Canada Helps receives 4% of each donation.

3. E-transfers are now available by contacting Sharon Appler.

4. Send in the mail.

5. Drop them off at the church.  Thank you!

MNO SYNOD:

COVID-19 Updates  
The Government of Manitoba has developed a  more detailed set of guides for various gatherings--including faith-based gatherings.  Rather than  continuing to update the synod guidelines, we recommend these to you as you consider the needs  in your context.  We are available to help you and your congregation translate these guides to your  specific situation.

Update regarding the code orange restrictions for   Winnipeg Metropolitan Region (effective 10/19).

The Eastern Synod has developed a very helpful "Checklist for the Safe Resumption of In-Person Worship" that may be helpful to you.

LUM:

November 2020 News from your Ministry Manager

· During this pandemic we are all living in worrying and uncertain times. The struggling and vulnerable people of our Urban community, who are now stopping by to pick up bagged lunches, know that we care about them.

· This is an especially stressful time as so many do not have access to the internet or television for access to the world around them; and so many drop-in services in the city are suspended or have smaller capacity.

· The options for family, social and spiritual connection have lessened for everyone in Canada - and especially for the most vulnerable.

· The Urban is still hopping but just differently!! We are committed to continuing to provide physical and spiritual nourishment and connection during these temporary limitations.

Gratitude:

· I am grateful for the enthusiastic support of the Urban board of directors and the support of my small team of committed volunteers who help me once a week or more in so many different ways: Karen, Maureen, Monica, Janet and Rosemary.

· We are fortunate to continue to receive bread and pastries bi-weekly from the Steinbach Helping Hands food bank van brought to us by Lloyd and Barry (St. Paul’s, Steinbach). They are given out with the bagged lunches.

· Our Winnipeg Harvest 560 Arlington St. Food Bank continues once a month. We are a small foodbank with ten clients who come to pick up their hampers. Volunteers: Wayne (Church of the Cross) and Ernie (Faith) pick up the hampers at Harvest and bring to the Urban. Jett and Barb (Gloria Dei) help to organize the hampers on arrival. Hampers are brought outside for pick-up.

Until Further Notice: the Urban is continuing the suspension of all regular programming (sit-down community meals, coffee hours, sharing circles, men’s group, worship services, etc.) in the lower level of Lutheran Church of the Cross, due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

     Struggling and vulnerable single people and families (in the same numbers as pre-pandemic times when we were open downstairs) are continuing to come to the Urban - but now for bagged lunches 4x/week distributed outside (Wednesday men’s lunch, Wednesday and Thursday supper times and Sunday lunch). Our meal teams are happy to help us in this way and we are so very grateful for this. Our website calendar shows available dates for meal teams. Fellowship is happening briefly in the parking lot as long as weather permits!

· Mid-week devotionals and Sunday devotionals, emailed to me from Pastor Barry Bence, are tucked into lunch bags.

· We have changed our pre-pandemic emergency food bags to an equitable “one food item” (if enough in our pantry) per person (two items if a family) on a chosen random day each week during the distribution of bagged lunches. Toques, mitts, etc. (and bi-weekly bread/pastries) are also distributed outside.

Mandatory Masks as of September 2, 2020: Masks (cloth or disposable) for everyone entering the church property (sidewalk and parking lot) to pick up bagged lunches. We provide a disposable mask if needed. 2 m social distancing is enforced. We are limiting the gathering size for bagged lunch distribution to five people at any time on the church sidewalk and parking lot (including Urban volunteers). Additional people arriving are forming a line on the city sidewalk.

Bagged Lunches (sandwich, dessert, juice box, etc.) to take home are given outside the door in place of sit-down meals at our four regularly scheduled weekly mealtimes (Wednesday men’s lunches, Wednesday and Thursday suppers, and Sunday lunches).

     The Lutheran Urban Ministry has so much gratitude for our volunteers and the meal teams; for the pantry donations, for the mitt/toque knitters/quilt makers; for the prayers; and for all those who donate financial support toward our operating expenses.

     Our website has been updated with photos from “Ride for Refuge” and “Going the Distance” (www.theurban.ca). Please keep our vulnerable Lutheran Urban Ministry community in your prayers. Please contact me: rhonda@theurban.ca for additional information, or to have your meal team added to the calendar.

Kind regards, Rhonda Gorham,

Ministry Manager, Lutheran Urban Ministry