• Presider: Pastor Sean
• Assisting Minister:  
• Readers: Lois L. & Kevin M.
• Pianist: Kathy H.
• Altar Care: Sue W.
• Communion Assistant: Marcia W.
• Acolyte: Jack S.
• Ushers: Sue W. & Nancy D.

*Bold and underlined names are unconfirmed volunteers

• Presider: Pastor Marcia 
• Assisting Minister: Jim H.
• Readers: Trudi P. & Gideon S.
• Pianist: Nancy W.
• Altar Care: Wayne R.
• Communion Assistant: Jim H.
• Acolyte: Jasper S.
• Ushers: Mark S. & Shontelle S.

We are always looking for volunteers, if you are called to serve in any way please contact Ericka at joylutheran@gmail.com for more information.

*Bold and underlined names are unconfirmed volunteers

We will be showing the movie "COCO" in honor of spanish heritage month and halloween. We will be providing pizza, salad, drinks and some dessert.

Feel free to wear cozy clothes (even jammies if you want), bring blankets and pillows or comfy chairs.

This will be in the narthex outsdie the kitchen/sanctuary on the new big tv. 

You are invited to join us for a thoughtful and enlightening 4-part workshop series titled Death & Dessert. This unique gathering is designed to encourage open and honest conversations about end-of-life care, death, funeral planning, and estate planning. 

Details: 

Each Sunday in October

12pm-1:30pm

Joy Lutheran Church Narthex

We had a blast at last week's Seward Youth Retreat at the SeaLife Center! 7 students and 2 adults attended from Joy. We met with nearly 50 other students from 8 other congregations for some devotional time, artwork, games, and programming from the SeaLife Center staff. Then we slept overnight amongst seals, birds, sea lions, and lots of ocean creatures!

This Advent season we are introducing a truly beautiful evening vespers liturgy composed at Holden Village a Lutheran retreat center in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. We think you should join us! 

We would like to know what time works best for you to join us. Tranditionally, we have met on Wednesday evenings. But we'd also like to know if another day works better for you. Please take a moment to let us know.

We are seeking a Director for our Joy Child Development Center (JCDC) who is responsible for ensuring effective and efficient operations of the center. JCDC provides quality education and childcare services for the local community and maintains an excellent reputation among local elementary schools. Come join our team!

If you want to learn more, click the link below and download the job description.

The third quarter of 2024 is behind us. How do our finances look? The following is a recap year to date.

Actual Income vs Expenses (report attached)
Adjusted Net Income for January-September 2024 was $139,397.
$57,513 pledged for the Solar Panel Project was subtracted from Gross Income to calculate the Net Income

Adjusted Net Expenses for January-June 2024 were $130,304
$51,755 spent for Solar Panel Project was subtracted from Gross Expenses to calculate the Net Expenses

Comparison of Actuals to 2024 Spending Plan (I calculated 3/4 of the 2024 Spending Plan. No adjustments were made for seasonal expenses.)
Our income was $6,520 more than projections.

Expenses are close to projections. Report attached
Balance Sheet (report attached)
There is $146,774 in our checking/savings/investment accounts
Includes 2 high yield investments (4.75%) with Mission Investments
$20,000 matures 10/24
$15,000 matures 7/25
Remaining mortgage balance is $164,182.

Overall, our finances are healthy and we are in line with our 2024 Spending Plan. We have done some major deferred maintenance projects to our building, which include new flooring, gutter replacement, a roof structure project in Brause Hall and a garden upgrade. Donations, sweat equity and your offerings covered these.
Our financial health is due to YOU. It takes your continued and sustained support, both monetarily and volunteering your time and talents. Volunteers cut the grass, clean bathrooms, vacuum floors, shovel sidewalks, change furnace filters and the list goes on. YOU make a difference. Your continued and sustained support of our mission at Joy is never taken for granted. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or would like to see
additional information.

Sue Weimer, Treasurer

Statement of Activity by Month

Statement of Financial Position

Comparison-budget

Do you have  photos from events/minstries from Joy in 2024?? 

We would love to share your photos in our ministry packet. You can email them to: pastorseanavery@gmail.com or joylutheran@gmail.com

The 43^rd Annual Lutheran Women’s Advent Brunch will be held on Saturday, November 30, 2024, 9:00 AM, at Central Lutheran Church, 1420 Cordova St, Anchorage, AK. Please join us as we women come together to share a continental breakfast, singing, and program and open our hearts and minds to the Advent Season.

Children are welcome and childcare will be available. Tickets are $30. Please contact Jan Oistad via text at 907-575-6870 or email oistadjanice@gmail.com to reserve your place.

The impact of this election year has been heavy for many of us. There is so much division in our communities. Join us for a time of prayer, singing, and hearing God's Word on election eve. We come together remembering our trust is not in any political system or figure but in the unwavering love of God which brings strength, comfort, and hope. 

Come and take a moment to simply be, to take a deep breath, pray and be in community with others. After the service, the sanctuary will remain open for silent prayer.

You may have seen the posterboards and pens in the hallway leading past the Sanctuary and up to the Narthex. Please add the ways in which you Respect, Advocate, Inspire, Support, and Educate to welcome those who may doubt that they are welcome, in our society and in churches.

We want to recognize and acknowledge how much we are already doing, individually and together. Then we will continue a congregational conversation about how what it means for Joy to be welcoming, and how we share that welcome in our community.

Help us reach our goal of 500 socks!!

We are collecting socks through the month of October to be donated to local homeless shelters. Socks go very quickly and are in high demand. Look for the donation bins in the narthex. 

CURRENT COUNT: 100

Central Lutheran Church is looking for volunteers to help with the Emergency Cold Weather Program (ECWS). The ECWS program is designed to provide a warm and secure location for sober people who have no other place to stay for the night. The shelter program is designed exclusively for families with children.

Central Lutheran currently hosts the families that stay at the 2121 E 73^rd Avenue location on Wednesday evenings from the first week in October to the end of March.

Would you be interested in helping?

The Central Lutheran team could use additional volunteers to work from 5 p.m. – 8 a.m. on Wednesdays to help coordinate meals, transportation to and from work and school, and create a warm and caring environment for the adults and children staying at the facility.

If interested, please contact Steve Lambert, Central Lutheran Council President

salambert53@outlook.com

Joy Lutheran Church will be the host site for the 2024 Annual Thanksgiving Blessing!

Volunteer information coming soon!

Please note that on Church Brunch Sundays there is not Sunday School (2nd sunday of each month)

Pastor Sean and Pastor Marcia will be offering a time of prayer to prepare for worship. We will meet in the sanctuary by the candle-lighting station. We will be using the meditation practice of Centering Prayer.

Please join us at 8:45am-9:15am and see how the Spirit moves!

Upcoming dates are:  November 17th and December 15th

Confirmation is a three-year program equipping young teenagers to engage more fully in their faith and say "yes" to God's good work in them. Students will study scripture and reflect with the pastor, youth leaders, and other adults in the congregation, learn about the Lutheran perspective on Christian faith, engage in service projects, and learn more about worship practices. 

At the end of the three years, students have the opportunity to affirm their baptism before the congregation  and then we throw a party to celebrate God's work of love and grace in their lives!

**Please note that there is no Confirmation on Church Brunch Sundays (2nd Sunday of each month)

Holy Grounds is a weekly gathering of high school youth at Jitters Café with Pastor Sean and other adult youth leaders. It’s an opportunity for fellowship, peer support, and faith formation before school hours over beverages at no cost to youth.

Please consider supporting this ministry with prayer and donations to cover the cost of beverages. 

Holy Grounds follows the ASD calendar, if there is no school on Monday, Holy Grounds does not meet. Please see the EVENTS page for up to date meetings. 

Join us after worship for our church wide brunch following worship. All are welcome!

Join us for the whole time or only part! Giving your time helps keep our building clean, organized, and functional for our ministries within the congregation and for our community. 

Take part in Joy's newest group, Knit's of Joy, to knit and crochet much needed cold weather gear as well as prayer shawls for those who are sick or recovering. We will meet once a month (not mandatory) at the church to pray together and create beautiful items for our community. Annoucements will be made as to the date and time, as well as monthly themes.

If you have any questions click the Contact Laura button and she will reach out to you.

Open on the first Sunday of each month 1-3pm.

We are currently in need of boys and girls size 5 (pants and shirts)  Thank you all for your donations and help serving our community in this way, you are a huge part of the success of our ministry. 

 Visit our website for information about our book club, including book titles, a full list of dates and locations.

Please join us!

Please contact the office on 907-694-9601 if you would like any more information.

A NAMI Family Support Group (FSG) meets at Joy Lutheran on the 4^th Saturday of each month 9:00 – 10:30. This is a hybrid meeting (in person and online). NAMI, which stands for National Alliance on Mental Illness, is a national organization with support, education and advocacy for those suffering from mental illness and the loved ones that support them. NAMI Family Support Group is for any adult with a loved one who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition.

These support groups are led by people who’ve experienced these issues themselves, who have been trained using a structured model through NAMI. These are free of cost to participants. All meetings are confidential. More support groups happen online. Sign up for them on the NAMI Alaska website https://namialaska.org/. A similar support group, “Connections” for those to experience mental illness themselves is also available through this site. You can also sign up for classes, including Family-to-Family, which is an 8 week course for family members.

• Dave Mitton (recovering from surgery)
• Kent and Victoria Rush, Wayne's brother and sister-in-law (Kent is fighting cancer again)
• Hegna Family (as they grieve the loss of Jonny)
• Julie Meyer (facing the uncertainty after suffering a stroke)
• Justin Dailey (Chris Dailey’s brother, for continued strength and healing)
• Bentson family (as they grieve the loss of Al Bentson)
• Reimer & Oistad family (as they grieve the loss of Gary)
• Lai Ming Reimer (as she recovers from a successful kidney transplant)
• Diana Flaherty (for pain and healing)
• Trudi (for healing, wisdom for doctors)
• Lisa Lind (healing, friend of Kristi Swain)
• Dick Prien and family (as they mourn the passing of Sharon)
• Stella Scamman (Kristi Swain’s aunt)
• Margie H. (for healing and recovery)
• Corrine Finnie (healing)
• Gwendolyn Roth (peace of mind and that she will know God is with her)
• Tom Clark (healing)
• For our active-duty military personnel, especially those serving in Alaska and our veterans.

Online: To sign up visit joy-lutheran.com/give

Cash/Check: You can place cash or check into the offering plate or send by mail.

Text-to-Give: Text "Give" to: (833) 685-5023

Joy Lutheran App: Coming Soon

Fred Meyer Community Rewards: Fred Meyer Community Rewards - Non Profit Organization BV101 Joy is enrolled in Fred Meyer's Community Rewards Program. You can link your Rewards Card to donate to Joy at www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. Link your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to Joy Lutheran Church to earn a donation from Fred Meyer. If you do not have a Rewards Card, you can sign up for one at the Customer Service Desk of any Fred Meyer store.