Dear Members of Immanuel,

In light of Governor Walz’s “Stay At  Home” and travel restriction announcements and the recommendations that no groups larger than 10 congregate in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, along with the WELS synod recommendations, Immanuel has suspended our usual activities until further notice.  Thus the video taping of the Sunday services, along with upcoming devotions from Past Bauer will be continued.

That means we will not have Sunday worship services until it is safe to do so.  We will also suspend our Lenten & Holy Week services, Sunday School and Bible Classes, along with other events. Easter Activities including Easter Sunrise Service, Easter Breakfast, and the 10:00am Service have been cancelled.  The Easter flower orders were not placed. Further updates will be announced (via email and on the church website:  www.immanuelgibbon.org) as we continue to monitor the situation and reevaluate what to do in the weeks ahead.  We ask for your continued patience and understanding as we readjust and get items put into place.  Pastor Bauer is planning on doing video devotions during Holy Week.

Updates will continue to be emailed out.  We have received many email addresses. Please pass the word to send email  addresses to:

 We are upgrading  the church's website www.immanuelgibbon.org ....soon it will have a more modern look which will allow for use of additional technology.

Our Sunday Services are being recorded for the local cable, which rebroadcasts our worship services on Mondays at Noon & 4 PM on Channel 8 or 107.3.  

A link to the recorded services and messages from Pastor Bauer may be found on our church website http://www.immanuelgibbon.org

·         Click on the Sermons/Service Tab, or

·         Click on the links tab - then select Immanuel's YouTube Channel for Service Videos/Recordings

The Sermon and Bulletin are both found on the Church's website at:  http://www.immanuelgibbon.org/sermons  as well as attached to this email.

As we face COVID-19:

Worship From Home

If you can worship online with us, please choose this option:

Þ Today’s service was prerecorded on Saturday, March 21.  It is available for viewing at: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkyJ_EX9-gpR_FOyxKkn_qw 

Or at     http://www.immanuelgibbon.org/links

Þ Sermon printouts and bulletins may be found on Immanuel’s website in the Services/Sermons tab.

Þ See local cable rebroadcast of the worship service on Mondays at Noon & 4 PM on Channel 8 or 107.3

Other worship options:

· Our Lutheran Chapel Service is broadcast on the radio every Sunday morning from 7:45am – 8:30am on KNUJ 860AM and 97.3FM.

· MLC streams their morning chapel services: 10:30 am, Monday through Friday @ https://livestream.com/mlc-streams.  They maybe viewed later in the streaming page archives.

Offerings to the Lord for his work can be:

1. Sent via the US Postal Service into the church office – Attn: Immanuel Treasurer, PO Box 88, 1380 First Avenue, Gibbon, MN 55335.  (Please no cash/coins)

2. If you have an account at Minnwest Bank and would like to set up an automatic transfer to Immanuel Lutheran Church’s account please call Minnwest Bank directly and they would be happy to assist you (507-834-6577).   

3. If you don't bank with Minnwest, check into your bank's Bill Pay Option.

Please do not drop off your offerings at church.  Keep safety in mind.  Virus spreads easily on door handles, and other surfaces in church.

Any offering questions please contact Keith Johnson, Financial Secretary

Members of Immanuel:

With the changes in the way we are being advised to react to the Virus issues, first of all, I thank you for your patience.  When we go from  cautions of gatherings of 250, to 50, to now 10 people, it takes a little time to adjust. We ask your continued patience and understanding as we get items in order.

 So, here's our adjustment (for now) in our schedule in the following week:

—No gathering together events in  church.   This includes our Services, (Lent and Sunday)  Sunday School and Bible Study.  Organizations such as Choir, YPS, Pioneers  are on hold as well.  PLS, MVL, and MLC likewise are on hold with events. The LWMS Rally has been  cancelled.  

March 22nd's service was prerecorded on March 21st.

Finally, if this pattern continues for more than a week or two, realize that if we aren't physically in our pews, it would be easy to forget to support the work of our church with our offerings.  So I ask you all to remember your church in your prayers.  But I also ask you to remember your church and worship your Savior with your offerings. 

 This stressful virus provides us with an amazing  opportunity to show our trust and confidence in our  Triune God with our offerings too.  For our Loving and gracious Lord has given us this promise:  “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”” (Hebrews 13:5–6 NIV11-GKE)  Pastor Steve Bauer

LENTEN SERVICES

 Lenten Services begin on Ash Wednesday, March 6th at 7:00pm.  The theme for the 2019 Lenten services is “Three Words of Truth”.   As with previous years, area pastors will rotate through the area churches.

 Immanuel’s Schedule

Ash Wednesday—March 6—Pastor Hellmann

2nd Lenten Service—March 13—Pastor Tessmer

3rd Lenten Service—March 20—Pastor Wong

4th Lenten Service—March 27—Pastor Cordes

5th Lenten Service—April 3—Pastor Muske

6th Lenten Service—April 10—Pastor Hellmann

The Ladies Guild will be serving sandwiches after the Ash Wednesday service.   Opportunities are still available to serve before or after the midweek Lenten services.  Whether it’s a meal, dessert or treat– enjoy mid week Lenten food & fellowship.  Sign-Up Sheet is on the bulletin board in the narthex/lobby.

worship

[Communion Service]
We gather for worship on New Year’s Eve to praise God for the past year—to thank God for the wonderful gifts he has given us and to remember his wonderful deeds.

December 31, 2018 at 7:00 pm.