Altar Guild
The Altar Guild is an important ministry of every worship service held at Emanuel and relies on many members to accomplish various tasks. Although the members work mainly behind the scenes, their commitment and dedication help to enhance and enrich the worship experience for all of us. We would like to thank everyone who has helped in any way.
Our Flower Committee arranges the altar area with the beautiful flowers for the seasons of Easter and Christmas. After the services each week, they, and their helpers, rearrange the altar flowers into small bouquets for delivery to homebound members or those recuperating from illness. We encourage members of the congregation to assist in the delivery of these flowers—a short visit and a friendly face means the world to shut-ins. Stop in the Luther Hall Kitchen after the service to see where you can help.
Property Team
The Property Committee team serves Emanuel by ensuring the grounds, buildings, and services are dutifully maintained and improved. Our volunteers comprise a small but committed group of new & old experiences, perspectives, and resources. Together, we support Emanuel’s missions by performing maintenance and enhancements that promote an active & inviting presence for our congregation and community.
Usher Team
Our congregation continues to try to be as welcoming and inviting a community of faith as we can be. One team of worship leaders who helps us do this is our Usher Team. We invite you to please ponder and pray about whether your gifts, abilities, and passionate commitment to hospitality may mean that you’d be a good fit to help lead worship as part of our Usher Team. We are looking for new ushers to join the team who can serve on a rotating, scheduled basis (not every Sunday – we’re nothing if not flexible!).
On Sundays, ushers greet and welcome first-time worshippers and returning parishioners, hand out the weekly worship bulletin, receive and present the tithes, gifts, and other offerings being given to God in support of the mission and ministry of the church, and are generally available to answer questions and support the worship service. Serving as an usher is a great opportunity to say “hello” to those whom you may know and to meet others you may not yet know.
With our worship attendance remaining strong and even growing over time, our Usher Team is an important component of our Worship Ministry. Please give this consideration and let Bob Graulich (704-996-1717) or Rick Liljedahl (860-280-6580) know if you are interested in joining the team or if you have questions about it. Thank you!
Fellowship Team
After each Sunday 10:00 a.m. service, friends and members at the church meet in Luther Hall to catch up with each other, check out various activities being hosted by the church, and to enjoy some delicious coffee or tea with friends. If you would like to help, please sign up for a Sunday coffee hour service. We can always use the extra help, and absolutely no experience is required.
If you, your ministry team, or another organization would like to sponsor a coffee hour, please sign-up using this link.
Prayer Shawl Team
Prayer Shawls are available for anyone to take for themselves or give to a friend or family member. There is a basket with shawls in the Narthex and a larger supply in the lounge in the Parish Building. Please take a shawl and write your name on the list provided so that we can keep track of the number of shawls that are given. In addition, we have baby blankets for any newborns that you may know. Those are in the lounge in the Parish Building. If you need help finding a shawl or baby blanket, the members of the Prayer Shawl Team will be happy to help. They are Bobbee Canfield, Lynne Strecker, and Lynn Sherman.
Worship Ministry Opportunities
Worship Volunteers from the congregation participate as Greeters, Acolytes, Ushers, Worship Assistants, Lectors, Communion Preparers, Sound and Recording Techs, Hosts of Coffee Hour, Vocal and Instrumental Musicians, and as members of the Altar Guild.