Welcome to Our New Council Members!
Greta Grosch has been proud to call Incarnation her church home for over two decades, and serves as a member of the Contemporary Worship Music Team. In addition, she has acted as a Confirmation prayer partner, participates regularly in FMSC mobile packs, has done work with the youth, and moonlights with the Senior Choir whenever she can. Greta makes her living in theater, and is grateful to have the opportunity to combine her faith with her work as an original cast member and writer for the hit “Church Basement Ladies” musicals.
Denise Flemming and her husband, Joe, have been members of Incarnation since 1999. They have three adult daughters, Katie, Emily, and Libby, who attended preschool, Sunday School and confirmation at Incarnation. Denise served on the Call Committee for senior pastor Gary Medin. She has also served as a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School instructor, Feed My Starving Children MobilePack™ volunteer, and Stewardship Route Leader. Denise currently participates in two small groups: I AM Yoga and Faith to Grow.
Heather Yost and her husband, Doug, have been members of Incarnation since 2006. They have three children, Gavin (17), Gabby (14), and Genevieve (8). Heather has been involved in Incarnation as a Sunday school teacher, small group member and leader, communion server, Feed My Starving Children volunteer, Lenten soup supper volunteer, a member of the handbell choir, and playing trombone during holiday services.Living Nativity: A Journey of Hope
This year for our Christmas Eve service for Families with Young Children we are bringing the Nativity story to life! Join us on December 19 from 4 – 6:00 p.m. for an outdoor experience as we act out the story of Jesus’ birth with singing and live animals. It will be a safe way for us to gather in small household groups and share this truly hope-filled story of God being with us. Register online here.
ELCA Good Gifts: This Week’s Focus – Food and Nourishment
As we continue to remember our connection with the ELCA through World Hunger and our goal to raise at least $9,000 during this Advent season, consider gifting family, neighbors, teachers, and friends in a unique and life-giving way. Recommended gifts this week make it possible for people to feed themselves in healthy and sustainable ways. Here are some suggestions for gifts but remember, anytime is good for purchasing animals. Learn more and purchase items here.
- Stock a backpack with food $10
- Warm meals at a Soup Kitchen $20/10 people; $100/50 people
- Food for orphans/vulnerable children $25/month; $300/year
- Seeds and gardening tools $50
- Community Vegetable garden $100
Send in Your Christmas Photos/Videos and Wish the Congregation a Happy Holiday Season!
Wish our community a Merry Christmas by sending in a photo or a video and we’ll share a montage for Christmas! Photos and videos can include a brief message (example: “Merry Christmas from the Smiths!”) and need to be turned in by December 7. For questions, contact Emily Turner, Media Arts Director.
Kairos – Tuesday, December 1: The Christmas Story in Art
Enrich the holiday season with this detailed look at Christmas stories from the Annunciation through the Flight into Egypt. Meet angels, shepherds, kings and the holy family as we explore a sampling of Christmas art from across the Christian tradition. Kairos presenter Dr. Kristin Anderson teaches courses on the history of art and architecture at Augsburg University. Register Online.
Brewed Theology for Young Adults
Brewed Theology is for Young Adults to connect with others who are around your same age and stage in life! We’ll gather over Zoom on Sunday mornings between 10:30-11:30 a.m. We’ll use the podcast Finding Fred, a podcast about Mister Rogers, as a springboard for our conversations. Bring your own brunch and a story to share! For more information or to receive the Zoom link contact Eliza Hartley and Laura Hemstad. Beginning on December 6, 2020.
2020 Alternative Giving Season
Incarnation’s alternative giving season continues with a variety of giving options listed on this page. Note the specifics about who and how people will benefit from your gifts, how to purchase gifts, how to ensure your gift(s) are transported to recipients (as applicable) as well as due dates for purchasing gifts. Note that Incarnation is unable to be a drop off site for any alternative gifts you might purchase for ministry partners this year.
Advent Guide and Instructions
You can still participate with the weekly Advent practice in worship by creating your own Advent kit/wreath – it’s easy! All you need is five candles, a safe way to light them and the Simply Hope guide. Share photos of your Advent kit or wreath on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #ILCsimplyhope. Click here to find the instructions and Advent Guide.
Stewardship 2021: “I’m In!”
It’s not too late to make a commitment for 2021! Without people like you sharing gifts of your financial resources and service, our shared ministry wouldn’t be possible. Please prayerfully consider how you can be “in” during 2021. Click here for more information.
Year End Giving Information
Online Giving
If you currently give electronically and have increased or need to make changes to your commitment for 2021, please remember to log into your Realm account to make those adjustments effective for January 2021. If you are currently signed up through Realm for reoccurring donations, do not have any changes for 2021 and do NOT have an “END DATE” recorded, there is no need to do anything as they will continue beginning in January. If you scheduled your donations to stop at the end of the year, you will need to go into your Realm account and schedule new donations to start in January. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Faymoville, Financial Secretary via email or 651-484-7213.
2020 Contribution Deadline
Checks and cash that are mailed and received at the Incarnation Office on or before Saturday, December 26 will be credited to your 2020 giving statement and may be claimed as a charitable contribution deduction for 2020. Due to the challenges of COVID and mail pick-up, we are asking for an earlier cut-off this year than the normal December 31 deadline, so that we have time to process all of the end of year donations. Online gifts are subject to business hours processing and must be processed prior to December 31. Thank you for your support!
Grants/Charitable Funds & IRA Distributions
If you plan on making a donation via a grant/charitable fund or an IRA distribution before the end of the year, please submit those prior to December 8 to allow for end of year processing. Processing time between various financial companies and Incarnation can take up to three weeks.
Stock Gifts to Incarnation
Stocks make an ideal gift to the Incarnation Operating and Capital fund with contributions of all sizes working for Incarnation’s mission. If you want to donate a gift of stock, please take action before December 15 (or as soon as possible) to ensure the transfer is complete before the end of the year. Please contact Amy Faymoville to let her know of your stock transfer so she knows who is donating it as well as the number of shares and the name of the stock. Otherwise we receive stock and do not know who is donating it. Please contact Amy Faymoville, for information on how to make a stock donation to Incarnation’s Fidelity Investment account. Note: We received some gifts of stock in 2020 that we have not been able to link to a donor. If you donated stock and you have not seen this Non-Cash donation appear on your quarterly giving statement, please contact Amy Faymoville, so we can record it in your giving account.