Worship With Us!
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Sunday Morning
8 AM & 10:30 AM
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Bible Study
9:15 -10:15 AM
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Saturday Night
5 PM
Or Worship Online HERE
Advent Worship Services:
December 6th, 4pm and 6:30pm (5th-8th grade service at 6:30pm)
December 13th, 4pm and 6:30pm (1st-4th service at 6:30pm)
December 20th, 4pm and 6:30pm (3K, 4K, and 5K service at 6:30pm)
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Were you unable to join us for bible study last week? Never fear! Notes and discussion topics are now online. Follow up on the conversation here and never miss a beat!
Managing Marriage
By Pastor Steve
December seems to be the time to get all kinds of new things. New gifts from friends. New gifts for loved ones. It even seems that we need new stuff for our new house too. But this December I want a better kind of gift. I want to give better gifts. I want to give amazing gifts to my relationships, my family, and especially my marriage! This December, I want to give seven gifts each day for my marriage!
Gift 1 – Confession. I will confess not the failures of my spouse, but my shortcomings and sins. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (James 5:16).
Gift 2 – Forgiveness. I will freely offer forgiveness to cover sins because love covers a multitude of sins. “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13). “Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).
Gift 3 – Encouragement. I will offer encouragement in support of my spouse, even when it may not be my greatest passion. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24).
Gift 4 – Truth. I will speak God’s truth for my marriage, my life, and my family. “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).
Gift 5 – Faithfulness. I will keep true to my promises and vows so that I may strive to show myself faithful. “I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD” (Hosea 2:20). “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).
Gift 6 – Love. I will daily put on love which is an action, not just an emotion, so that my marriage would be bound together through Christ. “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:14). “Love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22).
Gift 7 – Grace. I will extend grace in the difficult times, knowing that my relationship is not perfect because I am in it. “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Romans 12:3). “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6).
I pray that these gifts make your marriage relationship rich with all the blessings of our God!
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Dec. 2nd - Men's Breakfast, 8am
Dec. 2nd - Church Christmas Decorating, 9am
Dec. 3rd - Voters Meeting, 11:45am
Dec. 6th - 5th-8th Grade Advent Service, 6:30pm
Dec. 9th - Birthday Party for Jesus, 9:30am
Dec. 9th - Middle School Youth Group (Velocity), 11:30am
Dec. 12th - Women in Ministry, 11am
Dec. 13th - 1st-4th Advent Service, 6:30pm
Dec. 14th - Grandparents Group, 1pm
Dec. 17th - Sunday School Service, 10:30am
Dec. 16th - Young at Heart, 11am
Dec. 20th - K3, K4, K5 Advent Service, 6:30pm
Dec. 24th - Christmas Eve Worship, 9am, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, and 10pm
Dec. 25th - Christmas Day Worship, 9am
Dec. 31st - New Year's Eve Worship, 8am and 10:30am
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Grab your Advent project to help spark conversations focused on Jesus leading up to Christmas.
The blue Advent envelopes are by the giving tree in the narthex. One per family is all that is needed. This year's project is not dated so you can start whenever you want!
Blessings on your journey to the manager.
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The Young at Heart annual Christmas party is right around the corner!
If you are 65 or older, we invite you to join the Young at Heart group on December 16th from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm for lunch, fellowship, and plenty of Christmas spirit!
Lunch is $7 per person and you can RSVP by dropping your check and information in the box in the fellowship hall.
Worship With Us!
​
Sunday Morning
8 AM & 10:30 AM
​
Bible Study
9:15 -10:15 AM
​
Saturday Night
5 PM
Or Worship Online HERE
Advent Worship Services:
December 6th, 4pm and 6:30pm (5th-8th grade service at 6:30pm)
December 13th, 4pm and 6:30pm (1st-4th service at 6:30pm)
December 20th, 4pm and 6:30pm (3K, 4K, and 5K service at 6:30pm)
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Were you unable to join us for bible study last week? Never fear! Notes and discussion topics are now online. Follow up on the conversation here and never miss a beat!
Month at a Glance
By Pastor Colby
At many churches, December is the busiest month by far! But sometimes for our Immanuel Family it can feel no more busy than other months; God be praised for that! As we prepare for the Advent of our God, mark your calendars with all of the upcoming events we have planned!
Mission & Ministry Council Meeting (Nov 27 @ 7pm): Immanuel’s leadership board meets to review and equip our ministry and staff! Pray for our leaders and watch for regular updates in the enews about how Immanuel is working in the Kingdom of God!
Men’s Breakfast (Dec 2 @ 8am): Men of Immanuel gather together to encourage and support one another around some good nourishment! Come and be Joshua 1:9 Men!
Church Christmas Decorating (Dec. 2 @ 9am): Come deck the halls of our sanctuary as we prepare for the coming of our King!
Voter's Meeting (Dec. 3 @ 11:45am): Stay after the late service for the voter's meeting where we will vote on the potential new members of the Mission and Ministry Council.
Advent Wednesday 1 (Dec 6 @ 4pm, 5pm, & 6:30pm): Our Wednesdays evenings in December are packed with events! Come inside, get warm, and spend time in worship and the Word with us! Our church service at 4pm, Pastor Colby’s Wednesday Bible Study (potluck style) is at 5pm, and our 5th-8th grade Christmas Program starts at 6:30pm!
Birthday Party for Jesus (Dec. 9 @ 9:30am): Bring your little one and celebrate the birth of our Savior with games, crafts, and activities! This event is geared for children 2-8 years old.
Velocity (Dec. 9 @ 11:30am): Calling all Middle Schoolers! Volunteer at Birthday Party for Jesus and then stay for lunch, games, and a crafting activity at this month's Velocity event.
Giving Tree Gifts Due (Dec 11): Our mission to the Giving Tree is always a special time, for both the givers and the recipients! Make sure to stop by the giving tree in our narthex, pick up a gift tag for a child in need of a gift, and return the gift to church by 12/11!
Advent Wednesday 2 (Dec 13 @ 4pm, 5pm, & 6:30pm): You simply can stay; it’s cold outside! Come inside, get warm, and spend time in worship and the Word with us! Our church service at 4pm, Pastor Colby’s Wednesday Bible Study (potluck style) is at 5pm, and our 1st-4th grade Christmas Program starts at 6:30pm!
Grandparent's Group ( Dec. 14 @ 1pm): Join the Grandparents Group as they sort through the giving tree gifts.
Young at Heart (Dec. 16 @ 11am): Save the date! More info to come.
Sunday School Service (Dec. 17 @ 10:30am): Immanuel's Sunday School will be featured in worship!
Advent Wednesday 3 (Dec 20 @ 4pm, 5pm, & 6:30pm): When it’s dark outside at 3:45pm, all our lights stay on! Come inside, get warm, and spend time in worship and the Word with us! Our church service at 4pm, Pastor Colby’s Wednesday Bible Study (potluck style) is at 5pm, and our 3K, 4K, and 5K Christmas Program starts at 6:30pm!
Christmas Eve Worship (Dec. 24 @ 9am, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm and 10pm): Christmas Eve is on a Sunday this year, which disrupts the usual flow of December Services. The service at 9am on Christmas Eve Morning is a regular church service, not a Christmas Eve service with “Silent Night” and candles involved. Our Christmas Eve services at 3, 5, and 7pm will be what everyone thinks of when they think of “Christmas Eve”: Silent Night, candles, the usual readings. Our 10pm service is the ever-popular “Lessons & Carols” service. If you make it to the 3 different services offered on Christmas Eve (Advent 4 at 9am; Christmas Eve at 3, 5, or 7; Lessons & Carols at 10pm), the pastors will put in a good word for you with the Big Man Upstairs!
Christmas Day Worship (Dec. 25 @ 9am): Come celebrate the birth of our savior, Jesus, with us, and procrastinate throwing away all the torn-up wrapping paper! Merry Christmas to all!
New Year's Eve Worship (Dec. 31 @ 8am and 10:30am, no evening woship): Worship with Immanuel as we look forward to the new year and all God has in store for our Immanuel family!
Immanuel’s Calendar: Check out our ministry calendar that covers all the activities of Immanuel and her ministry. Stay up to date with all the information you need to be fully engaged at Immanuel! You can add it to your calendar by clicking here! Check out an overview of the year by clicking here.
Dec. 2nd - Men's Breakfast, 8am
Dec. 2nd - Church Christmas Decorating, 9am
Dec. 3rd - Voters Meeting, 11:45am
Dec. 6th - 5th-8th Grade Advent Service, 6:30pm
Dec. 9th - Birthday Party for Jesus, 9:30am
Dec. 9th - Middle School Youth Group (Velocity), 11:30am
Dec. 12th - Women in Ministry, 11am
Dec. 13th - 1st-4th Advent Service, 6:30pm
Dec. 14th - Grandparents Group, 1pm
Dec. 17th - Sunday School Service, 10:30am
Dec. 16th - Young at Heart, 11am
Dec. 20th - K3, K4, K5 Advent Service, 6:30pm
Dec. 24th - Christmas Eve Worship, 9am, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, and 10pm
Dec. 25th - Christmas Day Worship, 9am
Dec. 31st - New Year's Eve Worship, 8am and 10:30am
Worship With Us!
​
Sunday Morning
8 AM & 10:30 AM
​
Bible Study
9:15 -10:15 AM
​
Saturday Night
5 PM
Or Worship Online HERE
Thanksgiving Worship Services:
November 22nd, 6:30pm
November 23rd, 9am
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Were you unable to join us for bible study last week? Never fear! Notes and discussion topics are now online. Follow up on the conversation here and never miss a beat!
School Mission
By Tracy Parker
Immanuel recently went through the National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA) process. Accreditation through NLSA is a whole-school evaluation and improvement process that occurs on a five year cycle. Every five years we write a lengthy self-study report evaluating our school and providing evidence for seven standards:
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Purpose - The school is purpose driven
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Relationships - The school demonstrates its Christian mission through relationships with the supporting congregation and the community.
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Leadership - The school is governed and administered following written policy.
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Professional Personnel - A qualified and competent staff serves the school.
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Teaching and Learning - The school’s Christ-centered curriculum, instructional design and assessment practices ensure teacher effectiveness and engaged student learning.
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Student Services - The school plans for and provides resources and activities that extend beyond standard classroom instruction.
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Facilities - Buildings, grounds, and equipment provide a safe and healthy environment that serves to enhance student learning.
Within the seven NLSA standards are fifty-six indicators that we are required to support with evidence. The NLSA process also requires schools to develop an action plan that will serve to guide the school through the next five years in a process of continuous improvement. Immanuel provides the NLSA Commission a yearly update on our progress toward these goals. Our goals for this cycle of NLSA Accreditation include more opportunities for parent/family involvement, more frequent surveys of all stakeholders, and a deep-dive into our assessment data to drive instruction.
In October a visiting team of six leaders and teachers from area public and private schools spent two days in our school verifying all of the information and evidence included in our NLSA report. This team observed all aspects of our school in action, interviewed all teachers and staff members as well as many students, parents and congregation members. The visiting team wrote an exit report rating each of the standards and fifty-six indicators. An NLSA “perfect score” is a rating of 3.0. The visiting team assigned Immanuel a score of 3.12! This means they identified several exemplary practices. Praise God for the amazing work that He does through the staff, students, and families at Immanuel Lutheran School!
Immanuel’s NLSA exit report identified FIVE outstanding strengths and TWO powerful practices:
Outstanding Strengths
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Immanuel has a history of providing high-quality, Christian education going back to 1912.
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A unified Leadership Team fulfills the mission of Immanuel Lutheran Church, School, and Child Care.
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Teachers are dedicated to excellence and continued growth to serve students, families, and the community.
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A positive, supportive environment is evident throughout the building.
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An extensive student services department that strives to meet the needs of all students.
Powerful Practices
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Immanuel has committed to an external professional educator coaching program initially begun with school administrators and subsequently extended to the entire teaching staff.
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Pastoral involvement as evidenced by Everyday Encounters, is a program to ensure the path of discipleship by instructing all those connected to Immanuel at specific life events.
The NLSA process also includes the option to nominate a pastor for the Good Shepherd Award. We nominated our very own Pastor Henderson for this award. Pastor Henderson’s servant heart and passion for Lutheran education shines through in all he does. We are blessed to have Pastor Henderson on our leadership team. Immanuel is blessed to serve students and families every day. We thank you for your partnership with us as we continually seek to fulfill our mission - to honor and glorify God as we equip the saints, reach the lost, and praise the Lord.
Put these important dates on your calendar
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Nov. 19th - Everyday Encounters for 7th grade families, 11:45am
Nov. 21st - Blood drive, 12pm - 6pm
Nov 22nd & 23rd - Thanksgiving worship (22nd @6:30pm, 23rd @ 9am)
Nov. 25th - Time Tithing, 7:45am
Dec. 2nd - Men's Breakfast, 8am
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Oh Come All Ye Faithful –
Decorate Immanuel Church for Advent and Christmas
Saturday, December 2, 2023, beginning at 9:00 AM
Doughnuts, coffee, and juice will be provided!
Questions? Contact Karen Weber at
414-531-1636 (text/call) or kjoweber77@gmail.com
Worship With Us!
​
Sunday Morning
8 AM & 10:30 AM
​
Bible Study
9:15 -10:15 AM
​
Saturday Night
5 PM
Or Worship Online HERE
Were you unable to join us for bible study last week? Never fear! Notes and discussion topics are now online. Follow up on the conversation here and never miss a beat!
Immanuel Vision
By Pastor Steve
Immanuel enters the holiday season full of thankfulness! We rejoice in the blessings of being able to openly and eagerly love one another because God has first loved us! This is more than the theme for this year, it is the way of life for God’s People who live their lives in loving service to one another as we show our love for our God! This is why Paul calls followers of Jesus to be living sacrifices for our Lord. We sacrifice of ourselves – our time, talents, treasures, relationships, indeed all that we are – as our worship for our Lord!
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1–2
We are also full of gratitude for our leadership and staff! Immanuel has completed our NLSA (National Lutheran Schools Accreditation). While we know there is always room for growth and improvement, Immanuel received accreditation alongside high praise. In the Accreditation process, schools receive a score. The score for meeting all standards, with clear supporting evidence, is a 3. If you do not meet these standards in all areas, a lower score will be given along with areas for improvement. Immanuel not only received a score above 3, meaning we have exceeded standards in several areas, but we have two practices that are considered exemplary! Immanuel received a 3.12 and is recommended for full accreditation!
Immanuel has been able to return to regular service in our community. Faithful and eager servants of Immanuel have served every month with the leadership of our Service Team and Pastor Colby! Immanuel continues to look more like Jesus in how we love and serve others. Join us for the November Time Tithing event at Mr Bob’s on November 25th!
Finally, Immanuel is grateful for the growth and blessings that we have experienced. To help foster this growth, leaders have worked with staff to begin taking in feedback for the needs that we have so that we can continue to grow. Last year, the Immanuel family shared areas where we know that space is needed in order to support our current and growing ministry. In January, the Immanuel family is invited to our town hall (Jan 14th at 11:45am) to continue that feedback as we begin sharing what a possible new building might look like. This is certainly the first step in considering a building project, so come and share your wisdom and passion for Immanuel as we seek “to honor and glorify God as we: equip the saints, reach the lost, and praise the Lord.”
Our November Time Tithing Event will soon be here! On Saturday, November 25, we will be volunteering with Mr. Bob’s Under the Bridge to care for the homeless in Milwaukee. Here’s what Mr. Bob’s has to say about the event:
Every Saturday morning, the Mr. Bob’s family gathers at Kosciuszko Park at 7:45am to serve the Milwaukee unhoused community. We not only provide necessities such as food, hygiene items, and clothing, but we also provide the emotional support that our friends need the most. Our volunteers complete tasks including setting up coffee and snacks, moving and sorting items out of Mr. Bob’s truck, helping our friends find items they need, and packing up the truck after sorting. Join us and see how great it feels to be part of our compassionate team!
Mr. Bob’s Saturday Outreach
7:45-9:15 am
Kosciuszko Park: 2201 S 7th Street. Milwaukee, WI 53215
Email Pastor Colby to sign up!
Put these important dates on your calendar
Nov. 14th - Sip and Shop, 5:30pm, sign up here
Nov. 19th - Everyday Encounters for 7th grade families, 11:45am
Nov. 21st - Blood drive, 12pm - 6pm
Nov 22nd & 23rd - Thanksgiving worship (22nd @6:30pm, 23rd @ 9am)
Nov. 25th - Time Tithing, 7:45am
Dec. 2nd - Men's Breakfast, 8am
Oh Come All Ye Faithful –
Decorate Immanuel Church for Advent and Christmas
Saturday, December 2, 2023, beginning at 9:00 AM
Doughnuts, coffee, and juice will be provided!
Questions? Contact Karen Weber at
414-531-1636 (text/call) or kjoweber77@gmail.com
Join Immanuel at Sip & Shop on November 14th for an evening of fellowship, shopping, and a brief devotion. We will also have a crafting activity available!
RSVP today here, or sign up on the table outside of church.
Bring a friend and an appetizer if you wish!
