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IMMANUEL’S INSIGHTSOCTOBER 2021HARVEST BAZAAR/LUNCHEONCome and enjoy the annual Harvest Bazaar and Luncheon on Wednesday October 13th. Servingwill be from 11:00-1:00. Carry-outs are available and since we anticipate there will be more ofthose, there will be two locations to pick up meals. Someone will be at the front lobby who can bringyour carry-out to you. Carry-out will also be at the NW door. Of course you can always dine in.Don’t forget to bring baked items, other goodies, crafts etc. for the Country Store and shop also. Allprofits from this event go toward mission projects that WOW supports. HOPE TO SEE YOUTHERE!There will be sign-up sheets at church for the Harvest cake and Cool Whip, bagged coleslaw & bottled coleslaw dressing, Jell-O salads. A monetary donation could also be made to purchase items.This event needs the support of everyone. Tickets are 10. They can be purchase before and afterchurch services, in the church office, from WOW women, or at the door. If you have questions, contact Sandy Nelsen or Sharon Daberkow.LCMC GatheringThe Annual LCMC Gathering is being held in Ohio October 3-6. Leaders from around the world willgather together to encourage and challenge one another to “Speak It, Live It, Share It”. Lively worship, exciting speakers, informative breakout sessions, and encouraging fellowship are what it is allabout. You can find a schedule and live streaming on the LCMC website (lcmc.net).Worship in October 2021We continue a series of messages on the 10 Toughest Questions.October 2-3October 9-10October 16-17October 23-24October 30-31Did God Command Genocide?Deuteronomy 7:1-6How Can There Be Just One Way?Matthew 7:13-27How Can a Loving God Send People toHell? Luke 16:19-31Why Did Jesus Have to Die?Mark 12:1-11Why Is the Church So Divided?1 Corinthians 1:10-17CommunionChoir SingsCommunionBells Ring

Page 2IMMANUEL’S INSIGHTSDear Friends in Christ,Sociologists have described our current society as being in a transition from what some have called the Age of Association to theAge of Authenticity. In the Age of Association people found meaning for life by membership in organizations and participation incommunities. In the Age of Authenticity people are finding theirlife’s meaning in highly personalized journeys. Organizations andinstitutions are losing their importance. Instead, people are seeking a life free of commitments and full of personal expression.A recent survey found that for the first time ever, less than 50 percent of Americans have an affiliationwith a church, synagogue, or mosque. People still see themselves as spiritual, but they no longer thinkthat a church helps them discover and express their spirituality. Or if they attend a church, they attendas a consumer rather than as a member.I have heard plenty of people say that they are spiritual but that they don’t care for organized religion.My typical response in my head is: What is it about disorganized religion that you find so attractive?In fact, some churches no longer have members. They have contacts and regular attenders, but nomembers. They are governed by a board of directors recruited by a leader. People are encouraged togive and to volunteer but only as it meets their personal needs and desires.No one gets to vote on this. It is just how society is evolving today. We cannot change the way thatpeople seek meaning in their lives. The Church will have to adapt to reach people in this new way ofthinking. Denominations are dying. Institutions are shrinking. Congregations are closing.I don’t want to give up on the idea of membership. It is a Biblical world. It comes from the apostle’s description of the Church in 1 Corinthians 12 as a body with many members. The New Testament inventedthe idea of membership.But why join a church as a member when you can just be a consumer and come whenever you want andparticipate however you want? There really is only one reason to join a church as a member: to makeyourself available to serve the community. Members are those people who have said, “I am committedto this family of faith. Call on me when you need someone. Depend on me for support and participation.” Consumers come and expect others to serve them. Members come and expect to take a turnserving.In the past 18 months we have missed out on that aspect of membership. We haven’t asked our members to serve as greeters, altar guild, ushers, greeters, Communion assistants, coffee hosts, acolytes,and so on. And of course, we have survived. But we are less connected to one another. It is time for usto get back to inviting all our members to take a more active role in our worship gatherings.So we are again assigning duties for Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Every member is asked toserve as a sign of our continuing membership in the Body of Christ. If you are unable to serve on yourassigned date, please try to trade with someone else.We have asked every member to fill out a “Servant Survey” that gives the church office an idea of yourpreferences in serving roles. If you haven’t filled one out yet, please do so.Serving will look a little different these days until Covid is less a concern. Greeters may just wave. Ushers may direct you to pick up your own worship program. But the act of serving with a smile is still a signthat we belong to each other as members one of another.Yours in Christ, Phil Nielsen

Volume 13, Issue 9Page 3Salem Lutheran Homes Bazaar – October 14You are invited to the Salem Lutheran Homes Fall Bazaar on Thursday, October 14, at the Elk HornLutheran Church. Supper is at 5:00 and the Auction is at 6:00 p.m. Raffle tickets for half a beef withprocessing are available before October 14 and at the Bazaar. Tickets are 20 individually or 6 tickets for 100. The winner does not have to be present to win. Please contact Stephanie at 712-7644204 to purchase tickets or to donate an auction item. Please join us in supporting the Salem Lutheran Homes which is owned by the Salem Association of 16 churches in our area including Immanuel.WORSHIP SERVICES at Immanuel continue to be live streamed on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ilcharlan) Sunday mornings and can be viewed anytime afterwards. They are also recorded forviewing on HMU channel 15 (9:00 a.m. Sunday and 6:00 p.m. Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday)and on FMCTC channel 48 (4:00 p.m. Wednesday). Our worship services are also posted on ourwebsite (www.harlanimmanuel.org/sermons.html).Sunday Morning Adult Bible Class in OctoberYou are invited to join the Sunday morning Adult Bible Class (ABC). We meet from 10:15 to 11:00in the south end of the fellowship hall. Coffee and donuts are served. We will not be meeting on thefirst Sunday in October as Pastor Phil will be leaving for the LCMC convention in Ohio. We will reconvene on Sunday, October 13. Pastor Phil will give us a report from the convention. Every classincludes an opportunity to ask questions about the sermon from that morning’s worship service orabout any other hot topic.Currently we are finishing up our reading and discussion of 2 Corinthians. We will discuss 2 Corinthians 13:5-14. Then we will begin a new study of the book of Genesis. What does the Bible reallysay about creation? Where did sin and suffering come from? How is Abraham our spiritual ancestor? Why did God call such flawed people? Come join us for the wild and wonderful stories ofGenesis.

Page 4IMMANUEL’S INSIGHTSHappy Birthday to the following:James Burmeister will be 80 on October 10.Marilyn Anderson who will be 85 on October 28.Happy Anniversary to the following:Ken & Carolyn Hursey who will be celebrating their 54th anniversaryon October 7.Warren & Susan Grummert who will be celebrating their 54th anniversary on October 28.Welcome to Our New Office ManagerWe welcome Connie Boysen as our new office manager at Immanuel. Connie began work with uson Monday, September 13. She got the crash course from Joan Wehr who ended her work with usSeptember 15. Connie comes to us with a wealth of experience and a good knowledge of our community from a variety of office positions.Connie lives on a farm south of Harlan with her husband Greg. She has 2 sons. Jared is marriedand has 3 boys. He teaches High School College Math and coaches at Harlan Community HighSchool. Alex is married and has 2 girls. He is also involved in farming with his parents. Connie isexcited to start a new stage in her life at Immanuel by working part-time after 40 years of full timeemployment off the farm. She is looking forward to connecting with people she knows through raising both her boys at Immanuel and all the new members since then.ON OUR PRAYER LIST: Twyla Grabill, Jeanette Kroger, Steve Allen, MarianRiessen, Harry Priest, Della Holdsworth, Bev Burmeister, Sandra Haney,Nancy Christensen, Connie Benson, Sandra Farr (mother of Cora Chapman),Don Klitgaard, Bonnie Mitchell (friend of Roger and Joann Christensen),Becky Bartels (niece of Cheryl Nielsen) and Robin Haas (sister-in-law) of Larryand Peg Haas.

Volume 13, Issue 9Page 5COUNCIL MEETING SUMMARY September 14, 2021—7 pmThe Immanuel Church Council met September 14 with 9 of 12 members present in person. PegHaas led devotions from Jeremiah 17:7. Pilgrims are people of hope and trust. October devotionswill be led by John Taggs. Cheryl Chipman, John Taggs, Eric Chipman, and George Applegate volunteered for Sunday morning Council duties.Treasurer: August income was 21,523 and August expenses were 22,614. Giving is down about 12,000 from last year. We did receive an additional 12,000 from the Ted Williams bequest. Sofar we have received 26,000. We are still waiting on money from Thrivent. It has been 6 monthsbut Thrivent can’t seem to figure out how to transfer the bequest to Immanuel. Our YTD income/expense balance is a negative 1,056. General Fund as of August 31 stood at 66,742. CapitalSavings account is at 46,467.Outreach/Stewardship: We designated 2000 in September Mission Partner grant to Institute ofLutheran Theology which is training LCMC pastors. October Mission Partner grants will go to WestCentral Community Action in Harlan and Open Door Mission in Omaha.Education/Fellowship: JAM (pre-K thru 2nd grade) has had 6 students. GROW (3rd thru 5th grade)has had 9 students. Confirmation (6th thru 8th grade) has had 17 students. LYO (9th thru 12th grade)has had 5 students plus a few guests. We have room to grow.Property: Lighting in the kitchen has been repaired. Parking lot has been patched. We are stilllooking for someone to remove snow this winter.WORSHIP & GIVINGGeneralAttendanceBuildingTotalAugust 28/2917 72 95 3,107.00 3,107.00September 4/527 72 99 4,573.00 25.00 4,598.00September 11/1225 63 88 3,675.00 75.00 3,750.00September 18/1925 97 122 1,912.00 25.00 1,937.00September 25/2614 70 84 5,672.00 5,672.00