Welcome to Incarnation!
If you are new to Incarnation or you want to learn more about Incarnation ministries, please complete this online form we’ll use to connect you to a ministry leader according to your interests.

Worship, December 8, 2024, at 9:00 am and 10:30 am

All live-streamed worship will be on Vimeo but you don’t need a Vimeo account to view the livestream. The livestream will begin about ten minutes prior to the start of the service so you can make sure you’re able to connect.

Connect with Worship at 9:00 am HERE
Prelude
Welcome
Opening Words
Hymn—O Come, O Come, Emmanuel ELW #257 (vv. 1, 5)
Reading—Isaiah 11: 1-10, Pew Bible OT p. 710
Advent Wreath Lighting
Hymn—Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus [HYFRYDOL] ELW #254
Prayer
Anthem
“Why ILC?” Video — Preschool
Anthem
Reading—Luke 1: 26-38
Sermon—Pastor Kai
Hymn— Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming ELW #272
Prayers
Communion—All are welcome
Next Steps
Hymn—People, Look East ELW #248
Postlude

Connect with Worship at 10:30 am HERE
Prelude
Welcome
Opening Words
Song—O Come O Come Emmanuel
Reading—Isaiah 11: 1-10, Pew Bible OT p. 710
Advent Wreath Lighting
Songs — Sing to the King, O Come All Ye Faithful
Special Music—When Love Was Born
“Why ILC?” Video — Preschool
Reading—Luke 1: 26-38
Sermon—Pastor Kai
Special Music—Messiah
Communion—All are welcome
Next Steps
Song—Soon and Very Soon
Sending
Postlude

Watch later on Facebook
Watch later on the Web
Download a PDF of a guide for families worshipping together.

Advent & Christmas Schedule

Sundays in Advent, — December 1, 8, 15, 22 | 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
We follow our usual schedule on Sundays in December.

Wednesdays in Advent Worship — December 11 and 18 | 7:15–7:45 p.m. 
Holden Evening Prayer. Services will be live-streamed.

Worship for the Weary — December 8 | 4:00 p.m.
A short, quiet service of readings, candle lighting, and being present with one another for those feeling a little blue or weary.

Copper Street Brass — December 15 | 4:00 p.m.
Copper Street Brass, a renowned, nationally touring brass band performs for free as part of the Incarnation Music Series.

Christmas Eve Worship — December 24 | 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, and 7:00 p.m.
1:00 pm: Family Christmas Celebration (candle lighting is kid appropriate)
3:00 pm, 5:00 pm, 7:00 pm: Christmas Celebrations with music and candlelighting.

Christmas Day — December 25 | 10:00 a.m.
A service of Lessons and Carols

First Sunday of Christmas — December 29 | 10:00 a.m.
One service at 10:00 a.m.

Jearlyn Steele at the 3:00 pm Christmas Eve Service

We are thrilled to welcome back Jearlyn Steele to sing for the 3:00 Christmas Eve service! Jearlyn is a member of the internationally acclaimed Steele family, who have performed on Broadway, Carnegie Hall, the Super Bowl and on stages all over the world. She recently retired from her four-hour Sunday night radio show called Steele Talk’n on WCCO Radio 830AM, which was a joy for twenty-five years. She has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Prince, Mavis Staples and more. She was a frequent special guest on the national radio broadcast A Prairie Home Companion performing duets with music greats Carole King and Elvis Costello. She received an Emmy for narrator of the TPT documentary, Flour Power.

Building for Our Future

If you haven’t already brought in your commitment, we invite you to think about how God has blessed your life through this community and then state your “intention” of how much you will commit to Building for Our Future. These commitments are over and above our giving to the Operating Budget which supports our ongoing ministry and extend from now through December 2026. We will need all of us to build the future God intends, and if you have any questions, please reach out to us.

https://www.incarnationmn.org/give/building-for-our-future/

Copper Street Brass Concert

We are excited to welcome the amazing Copper Street Brass on Sunday, December 15, at 4:00 pm. They will present “A Very Hallmark Christmas,” a fun take on classic Hallmark Christmas movies with an ongoing storyline throughout the whole concert. Bring many of your friends and plan to stay for the cookie reception!

Christmas Packing Opportunity with FMSC

The last monthly packing sessions of 2024 at the FMSC permanent site are happening soon. Members from the Incarnation community, along with their families and friends, are invited to pack meals at the FMSC location in Coon Rapids. Bring your Christmas spirit and passion for helping others. All are welcome to feed some of God’s precious children with less than a two-hour time commitment. Join us at one or more of the shifts below.

• Tuesday, December 17 from 7:00pm – 8:30pm
• Wednesday, December 18 from 2:30pm – 4:15pm
• Thursday, December 19 from 5:00pm – 6:30pm

Visit https://www.incarnationmn.org/ministries/ministry-partners/feed-my-starving-children-fmsc/ for more information and sign-up links.

Sunday, December 8, 10:15 am, Fireside Room

Connecting with Inner Peace
Presenter: Sharon Trahan, Certified Teacher and Healer with the Modern Mystery School, Intl.

Jesus often withdrew from people to pray and listen to God. Research is validating a wide variety of health benefits associated with meditation. At Kairos we will have a conversation about meditation and experience a “Max Meditation,” a practice that is accessible to beginners while also offering a profound opportunity for deep connection to those who practice regularly. Trahan, a long-time Incarnation member, is a certified teacher and healer at The Modern Mystery School, Int’l.

Sunday, December 15, 10:15 am, Fireside Room

Handel’s Messiah
Presenter: Paul Westermeyer, Professor Emeriti of Church Music, Luther Seminary

George Frederic Handel wrote Messiah in 1741 in 24 days. In 1750 it became a staple of his annual Spring concert season and has been performed every year since then. We typically perform it in concerts during Advent and Christmas, but it was originally performed in March and April in association with Lent and Easter.

Incarnation Preschool

Registrations for our preschool for the 2025-26 school year will open soon in January. If you know of a family with young kids who may be looking for a loving and supportive Christian environment, please share this information. Visit Incarnation Preschool on our website or contact Preschool Director Kirsten Henry to learn more.

Give to the Youth at LifeHaven This Christmas

The LifeHaven Youth Holiday Gift Drive will kick off at Incarnation’s Ministry Fair on Sunday, November 24. You can pick up a gift tag to donate a gift or gift card and visit with LifeHaven staff and volunteers to learn more about LifeHaven. The LifeHaven Giving House will continue to be in the atrium with the youth’s holiday wishes and the LifeHaven bin for donations, until December 15.

PrimeTimers

“Star of Bethlehem” 
Thursday, December 19, 10:30 a.m.

Dr. Terrance Flower, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics and Physics at St. Catherine’s University ties together the magic of the Christmas season and his knowledge of astronomy. What may have happened in the sky on that glorious first Christmas?

Join us on Thursday, December 19! Doors open at 10:00 a.m., with the program starting at 10:30 a.m. After the presentation, stay for a delicious lunch at 11:30 a.m., all for $10, payable at the door.

Please reserve your lunch spot by calling the church office by Monday, December 16, at 651-484-7213. We hope to see you there!

Holiday Baking Bag Drive Ends Tomorrow

The Ralph Reeder Food Shelf (RRFS) has a Holiday project underway! We want to help RRFS meet its goal of providing all of its clients with a bag of goodies for holiday baking. You can help to provide this baking opportunity to our neighbors with food insecurities in a number of ways.

First, you can provide any number of complete “Holiday Baking Bags” by collecting each item in the “Holiday Baking Bag Drive” list (see below) into a shopping or gift bag; then drop them off at Incarnation or RRFS.

Second, you can purchase any items from the “Holiday Baking Bag Drive” list and drop them off at Incarnation or RRFS:

• Flour
• White Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• Oil
• Chocolate Chips
• Vanilla
• Baking powder
• Baking Soda
• Optional examples — sprinkles, cookie cutter, measuring cups, favorite cookie recipe

Third, you can make a financial donation that is always welcome. Donate online (https://onrealm.org/IncarnationLuth/-/give/now) or make checks out to Incarnation — with “Ralph Reeder Food Shelf” as the Fund or in the memo.

Note that non-perishable donations should be dropped off at Incarnation or RRFS no later than December 9.  Thank you for making the holidays merry and bright for our neighbors in need!

Ralph Reeder Food Shelf Volunteer Opportunities

• Market Helpers
• Sorting and stocking food donations
• Packing food orders
• Drivers – picking up food and bakery donations
• Off-site Food Drive Organizer – Organizing food or cash drives for your school, church, business, civic group or neighborhood
• Seasonal help – Free Farmer’s Markets, March FoodShare, Operation Joy (December), and the Good Neighbor Back to School Project (August)
• On-call help for various positions
• Special projects and packing events – on-call

IMPORTANT — volunteer opportunities are currently weekdays and daytime hours only. Most positions involve standing and lifting. Not all positions are available at any given time. If you are interested, go to the Volunteer section of the RRFS webpage to fill out the form. Thank you!

https://communityed.mvpschools.org/food/ralph-reeder/ 

Sunday Morning Cookie Crew

Serving cookies is a fun way to serve at Incarnation and everyone appreciates it! Please review the available slots below and click here to sign up. We will send you instructions for serving the Thursday before you are scheduled to serve. Thank you in advance for helping!