Emmanuel Lutheran Church

November 2020

Well, if 2020 hadn’t gotten bad enough, now Charlie Brown Halloween and Christmas specials are not going to air on broadcast TV anymore? Now they’ve gone too far! What else can 2020 bring? The Cleveland Browns entering November with a winning record? What a bizarre year it has been.

November offers several special days within the church. All Saints Day is celebrated on November 1. On this day the church remembers all the faithful who have died in the last year. It is a reminder that we are a part of the “communion of saints” as we confess in the Apostles’ Creed. This day serves as a vivid reminder to us that when we gather for worship, we are united in our worship with our faithful departed loved ones in singing praise to our Lord and Savior on earth and in heaven.

Christ the King Sunday is November 22 and is a festival day that reminds us that the one whose throne was the cross and whose crown was made of thorns is our true King and he will come again to reign over all. When so many things in this world demand our attention, Christ the King Sunday reminds us to whom we really owe our allegiance.

Thanksgiving is not a church festival, but it is a time when we come together the eve before as a church family to give thanks for God’s many blessings, even amidst the difficulties of the days in which we live. It is appropriate to give thanks always, but it is right to take this special time to come together as church family and share our gratitude for God’s good favor and deliverance.

Finally, November ends where the church year begins. The first Sunday of Advent is November 29. Advent teaches us patience in waiting and this is something I think we all have need of, especially this year. God does deliver. We wait with great anticipation and joy for this deliverance. Christ will come again.

Why not let November, with all its special worship offerings, be the time you try venturing out to church? I know that the worship service during the pandemic is not the same, but at least we are able to come together following the protocols established to help keep worship gatherings safe during this time.

Even if you don’t feel comfortable dining in a restaurant or shopping in a store, I think you will feel comfortable in worship and find the sanctuary to be a safe environment. We have been at about half the capacity we can accommodate socially distanced, so there is plenty of room without worry about overcrowding.

I’ve been noticing a few members beginning to give in-person worship a try lately and finding it to be okay, so I want to extend that invitation to you to give it a try. Hope to see you soon!

Blessings,
Pastor Alan