CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 2, 2025: Monday - 5:30pm - Karate Tuesday - 11:00am - Stephen Ministry Supervision Wednesday - 7:00pm - Bible Study Thursday -Â 9:00am - Apple Fest Meeting; 5:30pm - Karate Friday - Â Â Â Â Â Saturday - Â Â Â Â NATIVITY SETS ON DISPLAY - Casting Our Nets will be hosting a display of Nativity Sets on Sunday January 5th from 9:30am-10:30am and Noon-2:00pm. The Nativity sets will be on display in the church windows and in Roth Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend!
If you have a Nativity set that you would like to share in the display, please bring it to Roth Hall on Saturday January 4th between 9am-11am. A sign-up sheet will be in the Parlor for anyone interested. If you are not able to bring your set on the 4th, please contact Jo Cvammen at 570-578-7068 to arrange for drop-off.
APPLE FESTIVAL 2025 PLANNING MEETING - There will be a meeting on Thursday January 9th at 9:30am to talk about next year’s Apple Fest. If you are willing to help in any way, please plan to attend. Any ideas you have on how to change or improve things will be discussed. We must talk about how we will move forward with making crafts. Hope to see you at the meeting.
FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER - Please note the deadline for all articles, information, etc. for the February newsletter is January 19th!
SOUPER SOUP SALE - Our annual soup sale is taking place Saturday January 25th with pick-up from Noon-2pm. Call the church office mornings at 570-788-1572, Joyce Bradbury at 570-788-5372 or use the order form on the table in the back of the church. Order deadline will be Saturday January 18th or until sellout (some restaurants donate a certain number of quarts). Soup is $9.00 per quart and Chili is $12.00 per quart. A list of the kinds of soup will be available very soon. There will be Apple Dumplings for sale at 5.00 each.
THE ANNUAL PORK AND SAUERKRAUT DINNER - will be held Saturday February 1st from 3:00pm-7:00pm. The dinner will be served both in-house and take-out. Cost is $12 for adults and $4 for children 12 and younger. You may call Mary Lou Keck at 453-5969 or the church office at 788-1572 weekdays between 9am-Noon to make reservations. Sales at the door are limited as to prior sales. You may also purchase tickets at the church office. Cakes are needed for desserts. Please see the sign-up sheet.
2025 FLOWERS AND BULLETIN SPONSOR CHARTS ARE AVAILABLE - Look for the sign-up charts on the bulletin board in the parlor to choose your dates to sponsor. Special flower pieces need to be ordered through the office (i.e. altar piece).
WILLING WORKERS - The Willing Workers will meet on Tuesday, January 14th at 1:00pm. Â We will be discussing and planning for events in the upcoming year. Â Yearly membership dues of $5.00 will be collected. Â All women of the church are invited to attend. For more information, contact Deb Jones at 570-233-7675 or msjonesncc@gmail.com.
NEED A RIDE? - Would you like to come to church or go to a church event but are unable to get there on your own, especially at night? Please call Betsy Fisher (570-788-6611) if you would be interested in getting a ride, Church members have volunteered to offer this service.
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS NEEDED!! - We are in need of Sunday School teachers for grades Pre-K through 2nd Grade and 5th & 6th grades. All material is provided. A sign-up sheet is on the table in the parlor with open dates. Please prayerfully consider helping in this important ministry.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION COORDINATOR NEEDED - This position is open and much needed. You may get a job description from the office. This is a paid position of an average of 10 hours per week. You may work as a team with someone. Please see Pastor Cindy or Cindy Derr for more information.
DEVOTIONS ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE - Have you seen and read the devotional prayers that are posted periodically on our congregation’s Facebook page? Hopefully, when you read them, you will find encouragement and a sense of God’s peace as you go about your daily life.
LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE - LDR is asking for gifts to help with the recent hurricanes. Checks may be out to the church and marked LDR.
STEPHEN MINISTRY - WHAT DOES A STEPHEN MINISTER DO?
A Stephen Minister provides one-to-one, lay Christian Care:
* One-to-one: Each Stephen Minister is matched with one care receiver of the same gender. Â The two meet in person, typically once a week for about an hour, in a setting they have both agreed on. Â The caring relationship will be brought to closure when the need for care has been addressed.
* Lay: Stephen Ministers are well trained, supervised volunteers who provide a high level of care. Â They are not professional caregivers. Â Their role is different from that of a counselor, therapist, pastor, or physician.
* Christian: A Stephen Minister’s care is an expression of Christ’s love and an extension of the pastoral care we offer at Christ Lutheran-Conyngham.  When it comes to spiritual matters, Stephen Minsters meet their care receives where they are, helping them work through challenges without pressuring them or enforcing faith on them.
* Care: Stephen Ministers care by listening, supporting, praying, and helping their care receivers explore feelings without being judgmental, while offering emotional and spiritual support. Their role does not include providing other types of assistance such as shopping, transportation, childcare, and other such types of help, although at times they may help care receivers identify ways to fill those needs.
We ask you to continue to pray for our Stephen Ministers and to help those with the gifts for this ministry to hear God’s calling and step forward so that we may reach out with compassion to those who need it most.  You can contact Deb Jones or Pastor Cindy through the church office for more information.