“Blue Christmas – Longest Night” – an online worship video (https://youtu.be/iPGzorRhtt4) for you
Many of us experience a mixed bag of emotions in what is known as a cheerful time of year – and this is especially true for 2020. With this in mind, “Blue Christmas – Longest Night” offers sacred time for those who wish to have a quiet, contemplative time of meditation and worship moving from lament to hope through faith. If you have recently experienced loss of any kind or need a moment to grieve, this worship moment – characterized by candlelight, readings, reflective music and hymns, and prayer – may be especially meaningful for you.
Invite your family and friends to share the joy of Christmas with you in worship. Our worship looks a bit different this year, but we still worship the Christ Child.
Online worship videos will be available for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Sunday worship – check back here the week of Christmas for the links.
Christmas Eve – Thursday, Dec. 24 – online video link for Christmas Eve: https://youtu.be/z47Ib0zBuFM
10 a.m.-noon – Music and meditation in the sanctuary – Come enjoy a time of quiet reflection as live Christmas music is played. Stay for ten minutes or for two hours. Get away from the busyness of the day to reflect on the gift of God coming to us again.
5 p.m. – Prelude music begins for the Christmas Eve worship service
6 p.m. – Christmas Eve worship with light and communion. We will be doing something different with light this year. Please bring a flashlight (any size – penlight, camping light, cell phone, whatever you have) for each person in your family. Weather permitting, we will be outside for our closing hymn so dress accordingly.
Christmas Day – Friday, Dec. 25 – online video link for Christmas Day worship: https://youtu.be/ZRJ62zrH6xo
1st Sunday after Christmas – Sunday, Dec. 27 at 9 a.m. (in-person worship) – Our celebration of the Christ Child continues with Christmas carols and communion. Online worship video will also be available as usual.
We invite you to share a time of virtual worship with us!
Click on Pastor Chris’ photo for our worship service for the 4th Sunday of Advent, Dec. 20. A written copy is available here.
Pastor Chris invites you to a time of conversation.
In these days you may be experiencing a need to talk about where God is in the midst of all this and to be assured of God’s presence. Pastor Chris welcomes the opportunity to journey through this with you. You may call him at any time at 360-907-4289 or email him at prnolte@gmail.com.
Pastor Chris is also available at the church office on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. In order to best practice safe physical distancing, conversations will be held by appointment in the church entrance area (or outside, weather permitting) with chairs spaced at least 12 feet apart. Please call/text Pastor Chris at 360-907-4289 or email him at prnolte@gmail.com to schedule an appointment. He looks forward to sharing this time with you.
Worship on Sundays at 9 a.m. – in-person and online (link above)
Our congregation and the CHURCH-at-large have never been closed! We have been ministering to each other in all sorts of ways given the extraordinary limitations of our world-wide situation. We are simply now re-opening the doors. We are excited at this prospect and anticipate that many, not all, will come back together for worship on this first day.
Pl
ease be clear: we have never been closed; the doors being opened is a new breath of life we can share and rejoice in as God’s people. Although we will be seeing familiar faces again, be assured that things won’t look nor feel “normal.” There will be changes in place as we all do our part to keep a social distance and ease back into being together.
Our church leadership has been making preparations for this day and have developed the following recommendations:
+ The first and highest recommendation: if you feeling ill or showing some signs of the symptoms of the virus, you are requested to care for yourself and others by remaining home.
+Checking in is essential. This includes:
–Signing the attendance list clipboard. The list is required so that tracing is accurate just in case of someone being diagnosed with the virus.
–Being asked questions about how you’re feeling today
–Having your temperature taken with a no-touch thermometer. Anything 100 degrees or higher means you will be asked to return home.
+ Masks are to be worn, even when singing. The exceptions will be for presiding and assisting ministers, as well as readers, but only when speaking.
+ Maintain social distancing (6 feet) in the building (when sitting) and on the property (in chairs). Family units can sit together, but in small numbers (4-5), with the exception of families including children of “one-household”. Tape will mark the areas permitted for seating and block off the remainder.
+ Entering the building will be by one clearly-marked door and exiting will be by another clearly-marked door.
+ Hand washing will be recommended when arriving either with water in bathrooms or at hand-cleanser stations. Tissues and trash buckets will be available in the narthex.
+ No more than 1 person at a time in the bathrooms, unless assisting another person.
+ Although greeting and affection will be sought especially after this long time away, please refrain from hugs, and minimize handshaking. Cleansing hands often will also be needed.
+ Communion will be carefully prepared and administered for individual consumption.
Because of the cooler (and often rainy) weather, our in-person worship is now held in the sanctuary. The service of worship will be a shorter interval of time than traditional.
Looking forward to gathering with you all once again!
Welcome – and thank you for finding our website!
The people of our faith community and I warmly welcome you and are glad you have found us. God is on the move among us – and you’re invited to join our journey!
We gather on Sundays at 9 a.m. to hear God’s Word, sing, pray, and celebrate the Lord’s Supper together. A time of singing begins ten minutes before the service (except during Advent and Lent). Coffee and conversation as well as education classes for all ages follow our worship. Our prayer is that you will find Elim to be a place of rest, refreshment and renewal as together we take God’s message of love and grace out into the world.
The gifts of God are FOR ALL!
Pastor Chris Nolte
Read about our current happenings here.
