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. S.
William G.M. M.     Jody A. H.     
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-ins 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   

WORSHIPING IN PERSON:

While we do continue to livestream our Sunday worship, here are a few things you might want to know about coming in person:

• The first time you come, you will be asked for proof of vaccination if you are 12 or older.
• Our Covid Covenant is in effect, available in the previous newsletter or on the St. Luke’s Zion website.
• Every other pew is roped off so that nobody is sitting directly behind you.
• You may wish to bring your own elements for communion, especially if you a) have allergies, or b) are concerned about plastic waste.  Otherwise, prefilled cups containing a wafer and red grape juice are available.
• Most of the service can be followed on the screen, but a small number of printed bulletins are available for those who require them.

FALCONER BRASS QUINTET:

The quintet will offer a Christmas concert at St. Luke’s Zion on Sunday, December 19th from 2:00 – 3:00 pm.  It will include a variety of music, with a Christmas sing-a-long at the end.  There is no charge for this concert, which is open to those who are fully vaccinated.  Our Covid Covenant will continue to be in effect.  This is the same quintet that has previously played during our worship services.

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 into 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.

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 (mnosynod.org).  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!

BIBLE CONVERSATIONS:

We will be meeting on Wednesdays at noon. 

Bring your own bag lunch – coffee and tea provided.  We will wear masks and practice physical distancing except when eating and drinking and reading.  As at a restaurant, please ensure that you have been vaccinated.  All are welcome!

MITTEN BASKET:

On Nov 16th mitten basket items were delivered to five North End schools, Champlain, McKray, William Whyte, Strathcona and King Edward and the Lutheran Urban Mission. A big thanks to all who knitted this year or provided gently used winter items for the Urban. I am looking for knitters to make mittens, let me know if you can, wool could be provided if needed.      

Thank You  Linda Edel

CONFIRMATION:

Confirmation classes will resume in January 2022.

SUNDAY SCHOOL: we will be collecting non-perishable food items for LUM from Nov. 7th until Dec. 5th inclusive. You can drop your items off in the bin marked ‘Food for LUM – SLZ Sunday School’

Dec. 19th will be having our Sunday School Christmas Party!

Coming in January – The Sunday School will be presenting their pre-recorded Christmas message ‘Twas the Night of Jesus’ Birth on January 2, 2022 during Worship and SLZ Facebook

YOUTH:

Sun. Dec. 5th - Youth service at Abundant Life   

Fundraising Christmas bake sale after service

Please bring your donations for the Urban 

Fri. Dec. 10th - Christmas Dinner & movie

Meet at SPLC at 6:00 p.m. – pick up at 9:30 p.m.   

Sun. Dec. 12th  

Fundraising Christmas bake sale at SPLC (after service)

Fri. Dec. 17th - Sleigh Ride Bird’s Hill Park Ranch  

meet at Tim Horton's on Headmaster 7:00 p.m.  

*SLAW youth & SLAW junior youth support

The Urban:  We are collecting items for The Urban to help them fill their Christmas bags.

We will collect until Sunday December 5th

If you would like to donate, please contact Lisa

Needed: 75 full size bags of chips / 75 full size packages of cookies / 75 NEW decks of cards /

40 pencil sharpeners (that hold the shaving) / New or gently used BeyBlades toys / New or gently used DVD movies  (no horror or too violent please)

Lisa van Dijk   Youth Ministry Coordinator 
Abundant Life -Sherwood Park -St. Luke's Zion
(204) 293-6357      splc-youth@live.ca

TRINITY FOOD PANTRY (TFP):

has operated during COVID 19 providing hampers to twenty households that include eighty individuals, fifty adults and thirty children.  The hampers are enhanced with high protein food options, fresh produce and milk, and personal hygiene products using funds from donations.  There have been no food gifts from congregations and no meals have been served during the pandemic. This year Christmas gifts will be given to the children on hamper day.  Donations to cover the cost of children's gifts (about $25 each) and enhanced hampers are graciously received. 

Make checks payable to Grace Lutheran Church, the sponsor of the TFP.

For more information contact Don Engel at pastordonengel@gmail.com or 204-663-5932.

Don Engel

LUM (Lutheran Urban Ministry):

November 2021 News from your Ministry Manager

There are so many kinds of struggles that we, or a friend, or family member, might have to navigate going through life. Sometimes the toils of life are visible to others - and often they’re not - especially the worries and struggles not poverty related and can touch Manitobans in all walks of life.

These are examples of resources available for various concerns:

-Open Counseling - Free National Counseling Hotlines in Canada:    

            https://www.opencounseling.com/hotlines-ca

-ShelterSafe (a national list of women’s shelters and transition houses): sheltersafe.ca

-Palliative Manitoba: to sign up for Telephone – Bereavement Support: 204-889-8525 ext. 225

-Eating Disorders MB: 1-866-947-1517 ext 137

-Manitoba Suicide Prevention & Support Line  (24/7) Toll free: 1-877-435-7170

-Klinic Crisis Line (24/7) Phone: (204) 786-8686    Toll free: 1-888-322-3019

-Mobile Crisis Unit: Mobile Crisis Staff are available to assist 24 hours, 7 days a week. 204-940-1781                                                      

-Sexual Assault Crisis Line (24/7) Phone: (204) 786-8631 Toll free: 1-888-292-7565

-Trafficking Hotline: (24/7) “Call the Line” Toll Free: 1-844-333-2211

-Seniors Abuse Support Line: (9 am – 5 pm)  Toll free: 1-888-896-7183

-Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime:Call 1-877-208-0747 or Text: 1-613-208-0747

-Addictions Foundation of Manitoba: www.afm.ca

      MB Addictions Helpline 1-855-662-6605; 24-Hour

      Problem Gambling Helpline Toll-Free 1-800-463-1554

-Hope for Men: hopeformen.ca Men & Healing: menandhealing.ca

-Willow Place: Family Violence Prevention Support

          Line Toll–free in Manitoba: 1-877-9777-0007

          Winnipeg local: 204-615-0311

            For male victims of family violence & abuse:  1-877-977-0007 or 204-615-0311

-Trans Lifeline: 1-877-330-6366  LGBT National  Youth Talkline: 1-800-246  PRIDE (7743)

-National Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419

-Hope for Wellness Helpline: (English, French,  Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut): 1-855-242-3310

Pandemic Notes: Pandemic worries are not yet over in Winnipeg and the Urban continues with the following:

Until Further Notice: the Urban is continuing the suspension of all regular programming (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 - bagged lunches 4x/week are distributed outside (Wednesday men’s lunch, Wednesday & 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! Worship services and sharing circles will resume when the pandemic is over.

· 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) once or twice each week during the distribution of bagged lunches. Gloves, socks, seasonal jackets etc. (and weekly bread/pastries) are also distributed outside.

· Masks and 2 m social distancing continue to be mandatory on the church sidewalk and parking lot. The line sometimes overflows to the city sidewalk if necessary and all current gathering sizes are enforced as per provincial regulations. The Urban provides a disposable mask if needed.

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

Our website: 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 Corp.

LUTHER VILLAGE:

GIVING TUESDAY 2021

Thank-you to our phone-a-thon volunteers and to all those have donated so far! We had so much fun calling and chatting with the community! We are offically a third of the way to our goal of $30,000 - and we still need your help! Luckily, the charitable community has a very important day coming up –

GIVING TUESDAY! 

Giving Tuesday is a chance to think of your favourite charity and join a global movement of giving! 

If we were unable to reach you by phone, keep your eye out for a special package from Luther Village in the mail - or you can donate online now at www.luthervillage.ca 

What is Giving Tuesday? 

(From the Giving Tuesday Website)   "GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement, taking place each year after Black Friday. The “Opening day of the giving season,” it’s a time when charities, companies and individuals join together and rally for favourite causes. In the same way that retailers take part in Black Friday, the giving community comes together for GivingTuesday."

Why should we donate to Luther Village in 2021?

Our goal this year is $30,000 and we can only get there with your support! COVID-19 has dramatically impacted the camp's ability to run our traditional programming - retreats, kids camps and school programming - and we need to fill the financial gap created by these cancellations! Now more than ever, your support is essential! 

We thank everyone for taking the time to consider their gift to Luther Village and keeping us close to your hearts. 

What comes before #Giving Tuesday?
#CyberMonday 

If you are looking for some gift ideas for your family, head to our online store for 10% off store wide! Delivery and Winnipeg pickup available. (Offer only available on Monday, November 29th, while stock lasts)

Thank You

Luther Village Team