Emmanuel Lutheran Church

November 2019

As we turn our thoughts to November, some things come to mind. First, if you are paying any attention at all to the calendar, it is only 55 days until Christmas! So, you better get going on that Christmas shopping. J

Second, it is that time of year when Management Division starts to prepare the church’s budget for 2020. Thanks to a faithfully prepared budget for 2019, it looks like we are going to come out OK for 2019. Keep in mind that our budget makes use of additional monies from our Endowment Fund to help meet the expenses each year. Thanks to your faithful giving, we have not needed all of that budgeted money thus far this year and don’t expect to if giving continues as it has. Please remember to be faithful in the giving of your offering even if you are not at worship so that the budget can be met.

Our “Faith Budget,” designed to take some pressure off of the regular budget and yet meet our full commitments to several charitable organizations and the larger church, has far exceeded last year’s benevolent giving, but, as of this writing, has about $3,800 to go to meet our goal. With your added support for the remainder of this year, I am sure we can do it! This money goes directly to meeting our commitments to organizations like The Banquet of Salem, The Salvation Army, Tobin Center and others and it is a joy to see our church reaching out in this way with this commitment of faith.

Third, it is that time of year when you may be looking forward to planning your household budget for the coming year. Without your faithful and increased giving, Emmanuel would not be able to do the ministry it currently does. Council was recently challenged to place less emphasis on ourselves and more on youth and community. I agree. We’ve done a good job of taking care of our own, and with the budget looking like it is going to balance for 2019, I would like to think that we could step out in faith to do more in the way of budgeting for programming and community outreach. In planning your personal budgets, would you consider supporting these areas with additional giving and greater personal commitment (volunteering) to help your church grow in these important areas?

Finally, at the end of this month, we take special time to pause and give thanks to God for all God’s many blessings. Of all the things which give me reason to give God thanks, one of them is for the blessing that is you.

God bless,
Pastor Alan