Schedule for the Coming Week at Resurrection Church
Sunday, January 14
10:00 a.m. — Worship: Pastor Harold (Harry) Therwanger.
Sunday, January 21
10:00 a.m. — Worship: Pastor Harold (Harry) Therwanger.
11:30 a.m. — Please join us for a Congregational Meeting to conduct the annual business of the congregation. The meeting agenda and annual report will be available at church prior to the meeting.
Congregational Meeting
Members of Resurrection Evangelical Lutheran Church,
Please join us for a Congregational Meeting on Sunday, January 21, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. to conduct the annual business of the congregation. The meeting agenda and annual report will be available at church prior to the meeting.
Please make every effort to attend in person to review our activities of the past year, elect new Council members, and approve a budget for 2024.
A potluck luncheon will be served in the Parish Hall immediately following the 10:00 a.m. service. You are invited to bring a dish to share.
Sincerely in Christ,
Leslie Nolen, President
RELC Congregation Council
Call for Volunteers for Church Council
Please consider joining the Church Council to help guide the future path of Resurrection! We have four members rotating off who need to be replaced in elections at the Annual Meeting on January 21. Most of the monthly meetings are held via Zoom. Please talk to Leslie Nolen or any current member of the Council for more information.
The Epiphany Season
As the Church Year progresses, we move from the celebration of the Nativity and the amazing birth of our Savior into the time of the adult Jesus moving into ministry. The scriptures of the Epiphany season, which mean "manifestation," will focus on the growing understanding of who Jesus is, and the manifestation of God's mission in him. The preaching, the signs and wonders, all add to the crowd's, and our, growing understanding that Jesus is the Son of God and Messiah, and what that means. The season begins and ends with two amazing high points of manifestation -- the Baptism of Our Lord (January 7) and the Transfiguration (February 11). Blessed Epiphany!
Altar Flowers: 2024 Calendar Now Available for Sign Up
Get in early and pick the dates for 2024 when you would like to purchase flowers for the Altar under the Cross. You may take the flowers that you have purchased home, after the worship service. The cost remains $55.00 payable by check or cash deposit placed in an offering plate, or mailed to the church office at: RELC, 6201 Washington Blvd., Arlington, VA 22205-2034. Please make sure to note "Altar Flowers" on your check or on the cash envelope. Flowers will be given, "To the Glory of God by...." unless otherwise designated in "honor of" or "in memory of." Please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions or concerns.
Some Choir News to Share
Now our wonderful RELC choir can be heard throughout the nation, on the Saint James Music Press (SJMP) Facebook page. This Advent, church choirs who use their publications (which we often do) were invited to “Share the Celebration” by submitting for review and possible selection, recordings of SJMP publications presented during a service. SJMP selected last Sunday’s anthem, “Come Quickly Lord Jesus,” by Mark Sweitzer, and posted access to our recording on their Facebook page. Many thanks to our hard working choir, and Steve Black’s sound engineering, enabling RELC to receive this honor.
Collection of Food Items for AFAC on Sunday, January 21
We will receive donations of food items for AFAC on Sunday, January 7, in conjunction with our regular worship service. In the coming weeks, February 4 and February 18 will also be an AFAC Sundays.
RELC Chrismon Ornament Restoration/Replacement Project
Sunday, December 3rd kicked-off a year-long project to restore and/or replace our Chrismon ornaments. More information to follow. We do hope that all of the Resurrection families, no matter what size, will get involved. Please contact Mimi Vanpoole at 703-625-7391 and/or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Holiday Lights Recycling
If you have holiday lights that are beyond repair, you can bring them to church and deposit them in the designated box in the Narthex. The Creation Care Team will take them to eAssets to be recycled. Last year we collected over 50 strands of lights for recycling!
2024 Offering Envelopes Are Here
Offering envelopes for 2024 are now available in the Narthex. If you haven’t picked yours up yet, please take a moment to do so – and if you don’t see envelopes for you and your family, please let Glen Mason know (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Supporting Resurrection’s Proposed 2024 Budget
The congregation will consider the church’s proposed budget for 2024 at the upcoming annual meeting, but it’s important for our leadership to know how we intend to provide the financial support to meet that budget and provide the resources the church needs. Now is the time for us to share our plans by returning the Giving Intentions form we received in the mail or can pick up now in the Narthex and putting them in the offering plates. You can also mail them to the church office or use the online form on the Resurrection website (https://bit.ly/3CO6PuU), choose to have your offering automatically drawn from your bank account by enrolling in the “Simply Giving” electronic funds transfer program, or using the “Donate” button on the Resurrection website (www.relcarlington.org) to schedule a recurring offering. Please talk with This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions about sharing your giving plans for 2024.
Please Update Member Information
Resurrection is continuing to work on updating its membership directory with the most current, accurate and preferred contact information. Member Information forms are available in the Narthex. Please complete one, even if your information has not changed, and consider including a photo!
Including a Name in Sunday Prayers
To add a name to be included in Sunday Intercessions during worship, please email or phone Pastor Harry by Thursday evening. The name will be included for one week, and if you wish to continue having someone named in the prayers, please update Pastor each week.
Masking is Now Optional for All Congregants
At the December 2023 Meeting, the RELC Council approved the recommendation that the current "Masks Optional" policy now apply to all congregants, including ushers, communion assistants, and the Pastor during communion. The ad hoc group monitoring COVID-like situations will continue monitoring CDC guidelines for COVID and other infectious concerns, and act accordingly.
Congregants are still encouraged to adhere to the following guidelines:
Everyone should feel comfortable wearing a mask at any time, particularly those at high risk for severe illness. The CDC recommends staying up-to-date with COVID vaccines and isolating at home if symptoms do occur, if you receive a positive test or if you are exposed to someone with COVID. Stream the church service from home.
To the extent possible, congregants should maintain a safe distance in the pews, when sharing the Peace of Christ with prayer hands, and taking communion. Hand sanitizers will remain available throughout the church.
The wearing of masks in Sunday School will continue to be guided by parents.
The CDC recommends staying up-to-date with COVID vaccines and isolating at home if symptoms do occur, if one receives a positive test or if one is exposed to someone with COVID.
Call for "The Steeple Light" Articles
Thursday, February 1, at noon is the upcoming deadline for articles, news updates and calendar items for the March/April (Spring) issue of "The Steeple Light." Please submit your content to editor Alexandra Mattson by February 1. Thank you!
Can't make it to church? Watch us Live! Now Livestreaming Worship
To view our 10:00 a.m. Sunday worship service on YouTube live, click on the live worship link on the RELC home page on Sunday mornings during the worship hour and be redirected to the YouTube live stream. The Live Stream will "go live" at 9:55 a.m. on each Sunday morning. To view the service at a later time, go to our YouTube Channel. Click on the videos tab to browse archives of past services. Click on the Subscribe button and create an account to be notified when Live Streams are started or when other videos are added. For any questions, please contact the pastor.
Other Announcements?
Alexandra Mattson, the editor of our quarterly “Steeple Light” newsletter, is, at present, also serving as the editor of our Weekly Announcements messages, working closely with Council President Leslie Nolen. If you have any items that you wish to communicate in the Weekly Announcements as committee chairs or those responsible for other ministry initiatives at Resurrection, please send them via email to both This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by late Wednesday mornings for inclusion in the message for the coming Thursday. Thanks!