Inside: Christmas Carol Sing-a-long, Blue Christmas, Christmas Eve Worship

Worship

• Join us for worship online this Sunday at 8am & 10:30am, Monday for Blue Christmas at 6:15pm, and on Thursday, Christmas Eve (numerous times; see below), at 1stlu.org/live.

COVID-19 Update

• Pastors and the Vision & Leadership team regularly evaluate when and how the church can be open. These are our current recommendations:

  • Worship: online

  • Education: online

  • Small groups: online

• For an up-to-date list of online options and cancellations please visit firstlutheranonalaska.org/thisweek.

Christmas Carol Sing-a-long

On Sunday, Dec. 20 we will be hosting a live, online Christmas carol event! Grab a warm beverage, put on your favorite Christmas sweater and join Todd, Gabe and other musicians at 5pm at 1stlu.org/live as we sing our favorite Christmas carols!

Blue Christmas Online Worship

There’s an Advent tradition within Western Christianity of inviting people to come together for the Longest Night, a night around the time of the winter solstice, when there are more hours of darkness than light. It’s a time to come together for prayers and laments, to mourn the losses and griefs of the year, to let the tears flow for the hurting places in our own lives, as well as for our country and our world. Known also as “Blue Christmas,” this worship is a safe and sacred space to share anguish, to plead with God to remember us, to pray for justice and restoration, even to hope against hope, through our doubts and tears and fears, that “God will set things right all over the earth.” All are welcome to join us for our Blue Christmas worship, via Zoom, on Dec. 21 at 6:15pm.

No Worship on Dec. 23 & Dec. 25

In order to allow better preparations for Christmas Eve, there will be no worship — neither in-person nor live streamed — on Wednesday, Dec. 23 and Friday, Dec. 25.

Christmas Eve Worship

This year we will be offering a parking lot worship service at noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, and 8pm so that we can gather together (even if we are in our cars) and give praise for the birth of Jesus. We will also be offering a online broadcast of Christmas worship at 2pm. To reserve a spot at one of the on-site worship services, you can sign up at 1stlu.org/christmas. Worship services will be 30 minutes in length and will include communion, singing of Silent Night and a sermon from Pastor Stanton. Details will be available on the sign-up and will be emailed out the week of Christmas.

Serve On Christmas Eve

In order to have worship on Christmas Eve, we will need people to help with worship. Click here to sign up to help in the parking lot, signing families in, handing out worship bags, directing and parking cars, cleaning candles and restocking them into worship bags. All Christmas worship assistants must be able to practice COVID safety measures: stay home if you have any symptoms that day, stay masked at all times, and respect a safe social distance.

Office Closures

The office will be closed on these days in December and January:

• Thursday, Dec. 24 at noon

• Friday, Dec. 25

• Thursday, Dec. 31 at noon

• Friday, Jan. 1

• Monday, Jan. 18

• Wednesday, Jan. 20

Double Your Gift to Lutheran World Relief

It may be early in the season, but Christmas will be here before you know it. Send your best gift during LWR's 2020 Christmas Matching Gift Challenge when it will be DOUBLED — dollar for dollar — until the match is met. Your generosity will reach and lift up families living in some of the harshest, most remote locations, facing famine in one of the driest regions of the world.

Snow Birds

Are you heading out? Travel safe! And please let us know if you'll be spending the winter somewhere else. If we know your seasonal address, we can keep in touch by sending you the monthly newsletter. Call or email the office with your winter address: 608.783.2236, office@firstlu.org.

Second Grade Faith Building Block: What’s Fair?

• Sunday, Jan. 3: parents/guardians only

• Sundays, Jan. 10: parents/guardians with children

• Sundays, Jan. 17: parents/guardians with children

• Sunday, Jan. 24: Faith Building Block lifted up in worship

Throughout the year each age group will have a special “Faith Building Block” session in which parents or special adults are asked to attend class with their child on Sundays at 9:15am, sharing in conversation and growing together in faith. The session lasts for three weeks, and afterwards, the Faith Building Block will be lifted up in worship in celebration of what the students have learned. Gatherings will meet via Zoom; pastors will send out meeting codes to parents & guardians of youth in each grade before the first meeting.

Blood Drive

Blood Drive Wednesday, Jan. 6, 12:30-5:30pm. Every day ordinary people are saved by some pretty extraordinary people. People who give blood. Your donation could be the most valuable gift you ever give. Just ask anyone who’s ever received. Appointments encouraged, schedule yours at 1stlu.org/blooddrive. Please wear a mask and bring a photo ID.

Applications Open for Young Adults in Global Mission

In these three new videos, Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) alums reflect on their international service year. Tony Yang, a YAGM Central Europe alum, learned what it means to work in a spirit of accompaniment. “You just show up and you share what the people around you ask of you,” Tony said. Watch the three YAGM videos here:

• My YAGM Year: Deja

• My YAGM Year: Renee

• My YAGM Year: Tabby and Tony

If you are a young adult ages 21 to 29, you can apply for an international service year with YAGM. The deadline to apply is Jan. 15, 2021, for service beginning in August 2021. Spread the word! Learn more and apply for YAGM here.

The Doctor and the Apostle Book Study

Doctor Who and St. Paul fans unite! Join Pastor Karyn on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 at 9am for a discussion of the book The Doctor and the Apostle: Intersections Between Doctor Who and the Letters of Paul by Jeffrey A. Nelson. This book is a fun and insightful book for anyone who loves when pop culture and scripture collide or for anyone who needs one more reason to love Doctor Who or the Apostle Paul. We will meet via Zoom, the link being publicized the week of the event. Grab your companion and come join us!

Baptismal Preparation


The pastors are considering baptisms on an individual basis. The next baptism preparation session will be Saturday, Feb. 5, at 10am. To register or ask questions contact the church office at 608.783.3326 / office@firstlu.org.

Happy Birthday!! 

If you have received a birthday postcard from First in the last several months and still have it, bring it into church Mon–Fri, 8am–4pm and pick up a small gift. Remember to ring the doorbell on the left side of the doors and Tamara will be happy to help you.

Readers!

We are seeking people of all ages who would be willing to be our readers each week. This would mean doing a video of yourself or family reading the assigned text and then uploading it to a google folder. If you are willing to do this, email Pastor Karyn: karyn@firstlu.org.

Scrip Cards Are Still Available

Scrip cards are still available from the church office even though the building is closed. We have Kwik Trip, Woodman's, Target and Festival cards. To find out what's currently available and when you can buy them, call the church office at 608.783.2236 or send email to office@firstlu.org.

Help Those in Need

If you are looking for ways to help locally, go to the Ugetconnected site to find a variety of needs, from writing letters or drawing pictures to seniors, to delivering pre-packaged meals or sewing. It's hard to keep track of all the various organizations, so this is a great spot to find out how you can help. Go to 1stlu.org/needs.