Friends of Immanuel,
While the balmy 70-degree temperatures in mid-November are trying to fool us, the reality is that some major autumn celebrations, observations, and annual ministry events are right around the corner! The first is our annual Christmas Bazaar that will take place in 9 days – on Saturday, November 22^nd from 9:00am-3:00pm. If you’ve been thinking about finding a place to plug in to help, there are still lots of options and we can use all-hands-on-deck for the event that typically brings into our doors between 1000-1500 people from the community.

To you, the MEN of Immanuel – you may think “Christmas Bazaar = Women,” but we need your help! Next Thursday afternoon we need to remove all the furniture from the atrium, set up some tables, and tarp the gym floor. And on Saturday morning we need a few guys to put on the orange vests, grab a walkie talkie, and help folks find open parking spots. You can use the link below to sign up, contact Kathy Schlecht directly, or call the church office (970-667-4506).

There are plenty of other places where help is needed on both Friday and Saturday. Check out the online signups or look at the signups located in the atrium: https://signup.com/go/HwaGfs. And don’t forget to let your friends know about this very fun community event next Saturday!

The following week is our national celebration of Thanksgiving and you’ll see the article in this update about our annual Thanksgiving Day worship service that I hope all can attend. The Sunday following Thanksgiving is the start of a new Church year with the season of Advent, for which the worship theme for this year at Immanuel will be Coming Home for Christmas: Advent in Isaiah. I’ll write more about what that will entail in an upcoming email update.

With the season of Advent comes several other additional worship and devotional resources. We have daily devotional materials based on this year’s theme, produced by the ministry of 1517 (you can see more about 1517 and all the solid resources they provide at www.1517.org). There are other devotional materials geared more toward families, and all these resources are available on a table in the atrium at Immanuel.

Advent also means midweek Advent worship services. This year we will again be offering very simple, contemplative devotion-type services on Wednesday, December 3, 10, and 17, starting at 1:00pm and 7:00pm. All are invited to come and take advantage of these brief pauses in our crazy schedules to refocus on the true reason for this glorious season. I won’t share information on all the Christmas services, but those, too, are all right around the corner!

It’s an exciting time of year and I hope all of you can fully engage with the many ministry opportunities here at Immanuel as we celebrate our Savior and continue to share His love in the many ways we do.

Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel,

Yesterday as part of our time of worship we had the privilege of recognizing, thanking, and honoring the veterans at Immanuel. I’ve had several people ask about getting a link to the video I used as part of that recognition for those, so I thought it easiest to share it with all of you – here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHG_TA1T5mg

With tomorrow being Veterans Day, as a country we collectively say, “Thank you!” to all who have served our country. What a gift we have received – a gift with so many different facets with regard to the freedoms we enjoy. It’s a gift we often take for granted except on special days. If you have opportunity, say thank you to a veteran this week. And thank YOU to all who are reading this who have served our county!

I’m in awe of the number of veterans we have here at Immanuel. Lindy Hafeman and Lorrie McLaughlin, both veterans themselves, continue to lead our Military Support Team at Immanuel, looking for various opportunities throughout the year to support and honor our veterans and those currently serving in the military. If you have an interest in being part of this team, contact Lindy or Lorrie, or the church office, and we can put you in touch with one of them. Over the past year we’ve made a significant effort to try to make sure we have an accurate and up-to-date list of all the veterans here at Immanuel and have pictures of your time of service.

If you are a veteran and you have not contacted the church office to share your years of service, the branch of military with which you served, and given us a picture, please call or email the Church Office (ChurchOffice@ImmanuelLoveland.org, 970-667-4506) with the appropriate information so we can add you to the list. I know we also have some veterans who are deceased, both young and old, who have Immanuel connections – we would like to have information on those individuals as well, so please pass those individuals’ information along, too. We would also be happy to include children or grandchildren who have served in the military on this list as well. Thank you!

Lastly, as a follow-up to yesterday’s message, I want to strongly encourage you to be thinking about the question I posed – “How has Jesus changed your life?”  As we looked at how Jesus dramatically changed Zacchaeus’s life, the reality is, we might not experience such a dramatic change. But what difference does Jesus make for you – that you know Him, believe in Him, and live with the assurance that your life is in His hands?

I hope you take time to think about this important question and, as I encourage in this week’s What Now? (below), to also share your insights with some other people in your life. This doesn’t have to be limited to this week. Be praying that the Lord provides opportunities for you to speak to people in your life – family members, co-workers, friends, or neighbors, especially those who may not know Jesus. At the very least, I pray this exercise helps you become more attuned to the important place Jesus has in your life!

What Now?

How has Jesus changed your life? I encourage you to think about that question this week. If the opportunity arises, share your insights with someone, particularly with someone who may not be a believer. 

Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel,
With the turn of the calendar to November, we’ve officially entered into what many of us recognize as a season of giving.  The months of November and December are filled with opportunities to give and serve and help and invite, and that is evident with ministries here at Immanuel.

• We’re nearing the end of Operation Christmas Child, filling shoeboxes with simple gifts, toys, and messages of love to be shared with children around the world.
• You’ll read today about our local Orchard Place Giving Tree that is gearing up under the leadership of Teresa Rost, with the Christmas tree and all the tags being put out on Sunday, November 23^rd, as we bless our neighbors to the south with toys and some practical gifts and support, sharing with them Jesus and His love in these simple yet tangible ways.
• At our annual Christmas Bazaar (Saturday, November 22^nd) we are opening our doors to our community with the opportunity to welcome between 1000 and 1500 people from our community and show them some of Jesus’ Radical Hospitality. There are plenty of ways that everyone can be involved in supporting this fun annual open-door outreach of Immanuel.
• We have our ongoing first-Sunday-of-the-month Community Assistance Door Offering to help people in need here at Immanuel as well as partnering with other important ministries in our community to help folks in need throughout our Loveland community.

Worship services are a natural and ongoing place for us as God’s people to gather and serve and invite others to join us. I’ll already mention our annual Thanksgiving Day worship service at 9:00am. Midweek Advent services will start on Wednesday, December 3^rd at 1:00pm and 7:00pm – simple, reflective 30-minute worship services to pause, ponder, and prepare for Jesus each Wednesday in December leading up to Christmas. And then all of our Christmas worship services that you will hear about once we get to December. Then there will be the opportunity to give toward poinsettias and plants in memory of loved ones, to beautify the church for Christmas.

I encourage you to consider any special end-of-year gifts that you would like to give to support the Lord’s ministry here at Immanuel. Finances continue to be a challenge and more information will be coming from the Executive Council with some plans that are being formulated as to how best to deal with these challenges. Know that the offerings and special gifts will be used with the utmost of care and good stewardship for His ministry and the furthering of His Kingdom.

Related to financial giving, I would ask you to give some prayerful thought to putting Immanuel in your will. This is a powerful way to continue to support the Lord’s work after we’ve gone to be with Him. If you have already done this, thank you! If you are wondering how to do that or other questions about this, let me know and I’ll be happy to connect you with appropriate people and resources so you can make informed and God-pleasing decisions. Thank you for considering this!

God created us in His image, and part of that image is that we’ve been created to give, to serve, to be generous and abundant in our giving of ourselves, our time, our talents and abilities, and our finances. As St. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, there is true joy that comes when we give freely in all these ways. Thank you all for the generosity and joy that you exhibit in so many ways through the Lord’s ministries here at Immanuel. It’s an honor and a joy to serve alongside you all!

Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel,

I love All Saints Day! Officially it’s November 1^st on the Church calendar and here at Immanuel we typically observe it on the first Sunday of November. I think what intrigues me most about a day like this is that it takes me beyond myself. Yes, as I mentioned yesterday, it is certainly filled with mystery and questions that we can’t fully answer regarding those who have gone before us. But I think the mystery adds a bit more to it for me – to know that God is here, both with me and very much part of His world. I don’t know how but I do know it’s true! He makes His presence felt through the people He has put in my life over the years, those fellow saints who shared Jesus with me, who helped me grow in my faith, who have encouraged me and cheered me on over all these years.

As I’m writing this today, I’m overwhelmed with memories of those saints in my life – especially my mom and the example of Jesus and faithfulness that she lived throughout her short life (she died at 42-years-old) and the many memories and impressions that remain for me are powerful. God certainly used her to help shape and form me into the man, the husband, the dad, the grandpa, and the pastor I am today. I also thank God for other saints in my life – for my dad, for Pastor Hauser (my pastor in my youth who had a strong influence on me becoming a pastor), for a number of beloved friends and members of Immanuel Lutheran in my hometown of Adams, Wisconsin, for Pastor Zeile (my vicarage supervising pastor), and for several professors I had at Concordia University in St. Paul and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.

In light of All Saints Day and our celebration yesterday, I encourage you to take a few minutes today to simply pause and reminisce. Remember those people in your own life who have been instrumental in your faith and following Jesus. Give thanks to God for them and the impact they have had on you. If some of them are still living, reach out to them, if you have the ability to do so, and tell them thank you!

What a joy it is to be part of the Body of Christ and, as the writer to the Hebrews says in Hebrews 12:1-3 (you can right-click the image to watch and listen to Hebrews 12), to be surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses – both physically with the people in our lives, and spiritually with those who have gone before us, with angels, and archangels, and with all the company of heaven. Give thanks for those blessings again today as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus! God’s presence is very real as we live each day in Him. Take this week’s What Now? to heart as we lean into our Triune God and His love, His grace, and the sure and certain hope we have in Him.

What Now?

As you step through this week, embrace the promise and the assurance we have been given that we live every day, by faith, in our loving God’s ongoing presence.

Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel,
Today I’m offering a whole lot of thank yous!! First, to go back to last Saturday, it was one of the most successful Work Days that I can ever remember. We counted 32 people who came to help with all the major projects that needed to get done. A huge thank you to Beth Bianco, our admin for all our grounds and facilities needs, for her work in coordinating the day. And another huge thank you to Bob Kamtz and Jeff Deaner who worked side-by-side with Beth in making sure we had paint and brushes and rakes and ladders and all the details lined up to help make Saturday morning as productive as possible.

We were able to accomplish almost all of the tasks on our to-do list – which was a very pleasant surprise! What got done? The light pole bases in our parking lots got painted with bright yellow to make them more visible and less of a hazard, curbs were refreshed with some paint as well, all the gutters were cleaned out, all the tall grass in the islands and around the parking lots were trimmed down for winter, leaves got blown and raked, all the mowers got worked on and are stored for the winter, and our old computer lab upstairs got cleaned out (three full pickup truckloads of electronics were recycled). WOW!

Thank you to everyone who gave time to accomplish all these tasks that needed to be done – you are amazing! Enjoy a few pictures at the very end of today’s update.

Next, I want to say thank you to everyone who helped make last night’s Family Fall Fest and Trunk-or-Treat a wonderful success, especially Miss Emma and all her work in coordinating the many different parts and for Donna Aigner taking the lead on the dinner. From decorating trunks, handing out candy, and talking with all the cute kiddos, to greeting, helping in the kitchen, bringing additional candy, providing food and beverages for the grab-and-go dinner, setting up, helping serve, and then cleaning-up from the dinner, parking lot helpers, and to the Frerichs’ families for providing the awesome horse cart rides all evening. This was a blessing to the kids and families who joined us - thank you all for shining Jesus's light on them! Check out those pictures below as well.

And the final thank you is to all who came out to express our thanks to God for Pastor Robin and Vicky at the reception we had for them last Sunday. His last official day is tomorrow, Friday, October 31^st. Continue to pray for the two of them and what our Lord has in store for them in this next season of their lives. I’ve got a few pictures below to share with you from the reception as well.

All in all, there is so much for which I am thankful. As I wrote about last week, Immanuel is the Lord’s ministry and all of us get to be part of it – it’s truly OUR church as well, as the Lord entrusts all of this to us. When we work and serve together, worship and pray together, laugh and cry together, we are a beautiful expression of what church is truly all about. Let’s continue to live thank-filled and grate-full lives together in Jesus!

Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel,

Happy “Reformation Week”! As I mentioned Sunday at our Reformation Celebration, it was on October 31^st, 1517, that Martin Luther posted his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany – an event that is recognized as the beginning of the Reformation. If you missed it, here is the short 2½ minute video I showed at the beginning of my sermon as an overview of the Reformation – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd97uoZIqXI.

I’m not going to go into any other historical detail here, but if you’d like more info or other suggestions to learn more about this world-altering period of history, here’s the trailer to “Luther,” an excellent movie which came out in 2003 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe84Aolmmcg – you can rent or stream this. Here is a link to a well-done documentary by Ligonier Ministries called “Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer”: https://youtu.be/6VK0p-tuuao. And one more resource is Rick Steves’ “Luther and the Reformation,” which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXK9NNp1yk4.

For today, give thanks to God for His gifts that are highlighted from the Reformation – Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone, Christ Alone. We are blessed as a Church and as God’s people to be recipients of these amazing gifts God pours into our lives! As we focused on God’s gift of Grace yesterday, my single-most encouragement is to let God love you. Grace is one of the most difficult things to accept and, at the same time, it’s one of the most profoundly simple gifts God has given us. It is His undeserved yet unconditional and unending love that He wants you and me to know. He loves you! Let Him show you that love every single day – through His Word, through the people in your life, through our gathering together for worship and at His Table, and through the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.

Take this week’s What Now? to heart and explore ways to let God’s grace abound in your life!

What Now?

How can you let grace abound in your life this week? From resting in the powerful promises of our Lord’s love and forgiveness; to extending grace to others; to letting grace guide us in all the day-to-day decisions that life entails—let grace abound!

Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel,
This Sunday is a huge day for us here at Immanuel! For worship, we have our annual celebration of the Reformation – an opportunity for us to give thanks for our heritage, the courage of the reformers in the early 1500s, and to let that history continue to inspire us and encourage us as we carry that message of Jesus, of grace, and of truth to our world still today.

It’s also huge with regard to this being Pastor Robin’s last Sunday with us as our Director of Discipleship and Connecting Ministries. From the time Pastor Robin made that initial connection with me in the fall of 2020, I knew that God was showing His hand with another wonderful opportunity for us to expand ministry at Immanuel to further the Kingdom here in northern Colorado. Pastor Robin and I continued to be in conversation while he concluded his time of serving the congregation in McCall, Idaho, then transitioning here to Loveland. Pastor Robin officially came on staff part-time on Sunday, March 6, 2022.

What Pastor Robin has added over these last 3½ years on staff is beyond what I can truly document. There are plenty of initiatives that could be mentioned, both within the congregation as well as in cooperation and partnership with churches and ministries in our community. He reinvigorated our Information Station, brought some wonderful continuity and intentionality to our Sunday morning adult education opportunities, added plenty of support and resources to our small groups, small group leaders, as well as new small groups and Bible studies. He’s done a wonderful job of preaching when I’ve been out of town, which I have greatly appreciated. And being the high-energy extrovert that he is, it has just been so much fun to have his laughter, his smile, his joking around, and the way he has been invested in so many of your lives. He is definitely going to be missed!

He and Vicky are going to take a little time away to reassess and evaluate where they are at in this season of their lives and what they need for themselves and their family. I’m hoping they will find some ways that give them joy to continue serving in some capacities here at Immanuel in retirement.

For this Sunday, October 26^th, you’ll have an opportunity to stop by a cake reception in the West Atrium after both the 8:00am and the 10:30am service to express your love and gratitude to Pastor Robin and Vicky. Cards will be welcomed as will hugs and lots of words of affirmation!

Thank you, Pastor Robin and Vicky, for being wonderful, faithful, and faith-filled servants of the King, and for all that you have done for this Kingdom here at Immanuel! Our Savior’s richest blessings to you both!

Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel, 

Yesterday in worship we talked about the radical idea that there is an objective truth. What difference does it make that we believe in and hold to the fact that there is such a thing as objective truth? It’s not about winning arguments or being right. What it is about is giving us any number of assurances that can quell fears and doubts and uncertainties that can arise over matters of gender and sexuality; identity, self-esteem, and self-worth; death and the afterlife; end times; feelings of hopelessness and uselessness; evil in our world; suffering; who God is and His place in this world and in our lives; where peace, hope, comfort, and strength can be found; and so much more. 

These Truths, at times, lie in stark contrast to the messaging we hear from our culture. Our culture assumes that the world is filled with all manner of truths, particularly individual truths that don’t necessarily align with biblical truths. In fact, we’re encouraged to find and make our own truths, over whatever topics and issues we may feel passionate about. But where does all this subjective truth take us? In short, it leads to making me my own god – and when questions or uncertainties arise, particularly ones for which we have no answer, it can lead us to despair and depression because there is no place we can go for support, encouragement, or help. 

While the Bible is not a magical book, it is a book filled with mystery – mystery as to how so many letters, and historical facts, and events, written by so many different people over such a huge span of time, can all fit together so beautifully and in such a complementary way to share, basically, a singular message of grace, love, hope, and life. There are mysteries within the Bible itself, mysteries that go beyond our human ability to explain or completely understand. And yet these mysteries don’t throw shade on the many Truths that are expressed throughout. Instead, they help us know and better understand the wonder of who God is. 

With all this in mind, let’s continue to lean heavily into our Lord and Savior and the Word He has given us. Let’s trust that the way He has designed life is truly the best way to live. Let’s let His Truth give us the solid foundation on which we can stand, no matter what life may throw our way. I encourage you to take this week’s What Now? and put it into practice! 

What Now? 

Let God speak His Truth into your life every day. If you’re not already in the habit, take time to read or listen to God’s Word each day. Consider using the Bring It Home devotions or other devotional material or a daily Bible reading schedule.  

Serving together in Christ alone! 

Pastor Glen 

Friends of Immanuel,
“I am the church, You are the church, We are the church together; All who follow Jesus all around the world, Yes! We’re the church together!” Have I successfully put that little children’s Sunday School song in your head now? LOL! I was thinking about some of the big happenings coming up here at Immanuel over the next 5-6 weeks and the simple truths of this song came to mind for me.

One of the things I love about Immanuel is that this is not “Pastor Glen’s church” – this is OUR church, together! That’s the language I have always encouraged us to use in our leadership teams, or when I’m talking with individuals about questions or concerns – it’s never “they” or “them,” but “us” and “we” when we’re talking about our church. Immanuel isn’t what I would consider staff-driven. As staff, we try to create as many opportunities for ministry as possible, but we certainly can’t do it all. It takes all of us working together to carry out our Lord’s mission that He’s given us. And that’s where the joy is found as we live out our lives together as God’s people and as His church.

Immanuel is certainly not a mega-church, but we’re not a tiny church either. In our church body, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), by worship attendance we are in the top 10% of the 6000 congregations that make up the LCMS. But as an above-average, medium-sized congregation, we have a lot going on! I consider that such a blessing, although at times it can be rather exhausting for all of us! But all the various ministries we have, the activities and events that are upcoming, the Bible studies and small groups, everything that happens here at Immanuel, all of it is driven by our desire to share Jesus and His love with the people in our community and beyond – to be His hands, His feet, His voice, as we show His love in so many tangible ways, and as we speak with others about the hope and life Jesus brings to us.

Why do I bring all this up? I bring it all up to offer a big pat-on-the-back, as well as to encourage and, I pray, inspire! There are a lot of people here at Immanuel who do a lot of things – both in up-front ways as well as many, many behind-the-scenes act of service and generosity. Way to go and thank you!!

Our Lord reminds us that He’s gifted all of us very differently (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter provide us with spiritual gift lists), but the fact is that all of us have been given gifts. And the Lord’s desire and design is that we use those gifts to serve Him and the people around us. Not everyone is called or gifted to do the same things. Not everyone is cut out to be a Sunday School teacher. Not everyone is cut out to be a greeter on Sunday morning. You get the idea! But there are times and opportunities when we are all simply needed to step up and step in together. And I have to say that everyone here at Immanuel is amazing when it comes to that! Again, way to go!

We have some big events coming up that I want to encourage all of us to prayerfully consider being part of. A week from Saturday, on October 25^th, we’ll have our fall work day. We’ve got a lot of things that need to be done and most do not require special skills. If you can come for even an hour, that would be awesome! Later that week, on Wednesday, October 29^th, we have our annual Family Fall Fest featuring our Trunk-or-Treat. Wouldn’t it be cool to have our north parking lot filled with trunks, providing a safe place for the kiddos of our community to come, dress up, and get some goodies, as well as the message of Jesus’ love? Consider signing up and having some fun with the kids as well as your “fellow trunks”! Our annual Christmas Bazaar is coming very soon and support is needed to get our facility prepped and decorated and taped off for the vendors and signs put up and so much more, including hands-on opportunities the day of the Bazaar. Other big events that happen throughout the year include the Sweetheart City Car Show and Vacation Bible School, as well as the ongoing opportunities we have to give, help, and support mission efforts and work in our own community.

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ… Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:12, 27) “"For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10) Let’s continue to be God’s church in this place and time. Experience the joy, the community, the camaraderie, and the fellowship with which we have been blessed as “we are the church together”!

Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen