We hope you enjoy the new look & format of our monthly newsletter! If you receive this newsletter as a hard copy some features will not be available. Please contact Pastor Heather to get minutes and the calendar if you would like.

Dear Wittenberg Friends,

The first month of the New Year has been full of dreams, plans, hopes, and prayers for the future of Wittenberg. I am excited to see how the Holy Spirit is moving in Christ’s church and how we will learn and grow together in the coming months.

Last week one of my dearest friends from Lutheran Church of the Epiphany, Catherine Lyerly, died at 92 years old. Catherine was a model of Christian service and felt her call in life and in the church was to tell the stories that bind us together. As a teacher of literature, an experienced tour guide at Old Salem, a writer of her own story, and as a leader of Children's Ministries, especially the Children’s Sermon at Epiphany, Catherine believed in and worked to tell our stories accurately, and with humor, grace, and a deep love for those around her.

Catherine’s life and our work has me thinking about how we tell the story of Wittenberg Lutheran. Is it through our outreach, our fellowship, our online presence, our worship services, our campus? I hope the answer to all of those is Yes!

When you tell the story of this church what are you focused on? I have heard from many of you that fellowship is the story you want to be a part of in this season. We have many events planned and I hope you will join in! As much as joining, we need people to help make these events happen. Our Congregational Life, Social Ministries, Worship & Music, and Property Committee are working hard to bring us meaningful events and fun times in wonderful surroundings, but they cannot do it alone. Even if you are not a member of one of those groups please consider helping out! Ask how you can get involved, there are places for people of all abilities to help out.

When we tell the story of Wittenberg I hope that we all have a sense of time and effort invested here, and that when we ask people to listen to that story they hear about a congregation that has a history and a present of reaching out to the community with welcome and real hospitality AND has created fellowship and fun for its members so that we can get to know each other better, build connections, and strengthen our bonds.

What’s your Wittenberg story?

Blessings abound, friends!

Pastor Heather

If this note has you humming a familiar hymn, here’s a version I love by Emmylou Harris and Robert Duval.

Many thanks to WA and Joyce Cline for their delivery of food to the Rockwell Meals on Wheels participants.

For the month of February, Meals on Wheels Rowan is hosting a Valentine’s Day NON-EVENT. For every $50.00 donation, you have a chance to win one of two gift baskets.

Donations received by February 1st are eligible for a “Date Night” gift basket which includes 2 tickets to the February 15th Charlotte Hornets basketball game.

All donations received by February 14th will be eligible for a GRAND PRIZE GIFT BASKET valued at $2,000.00. To give online go to: www.mowrowan.org

or mail to Meals on Wheels

PO Box 1914

Salisbury, NC 28145

Wittenberg Preschool News!

In the month of February, our Preschoolers will be learning about love, Valentine's Day, and the colors pink and red. Our Bible verse is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son...”

We collected 7 large packs of diapers, 5 packages of wipes, and 50 non-perishable items for Rowan Helping Ministries at our Birthday Party for Jesus.

We are collecting children's shoes for CameraKidz's shoes for El Salvador. A project our photographers at CameraKidz are passionate about.

We are also collecting can tabs for our sweet Merritt. Her goal is 2 million!! She already collected 1 million. Merritt is our miracle kiddo who has fought cancer since she was 2 years old. She is in remission and we all couldn't be happier!

Our next BIG event will be our Easter Egg Hunt and our Annual Spring Silent Auction!

Every month we have expenses and items that we need to replace or purchase. We have created an Amazon Wish List for those items and others we "wish" for. You may also purchase items in honor or in memory of a loved one. Just let Christy Cook know. Below is the link.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18tLq8rZ8GxWkb2VRf4Z2CPogWPPZexI0?usp=share_link

To Give Online: Go to www.wittenberglc.org, click GIVE tab, then click Give with Tithe.ly

Or click the button below!

Give Online

December total offering amount was $21,667.16 while our total expenses for the month were $ 126,359.60

Our Year-to-Date (fiscal year-began April 1) total offering $181,680.90 and total expenses $155,112.27.

General Fund Collections were $21,667.16 while expenses were $26,359.60 for a negative month of $4,692.44.
Fiscal year to date income exceed expenses by $26,568.63. This includes investment income.

To the Helping Hands Fund in honor of Naomi Brown by Garry and Kathy Brown.

To the Helping Hands Fund in honor of Naomi Brown by Philip and Kesha Brown.

To the General Fund in honor of Jane Faggart by Chad and Mary Lambert.

To the Columbarium Fund in memory of Vivian Stauffer by Don and Nancy Trexler.

Thank you Notes:

Dear Church Family,

Thank you so much for the staff gifts! I love working for our church as our Church Administrator and Preschool Director. You all are a blessing to me.

Love, Christy Cook

WLC,

Thank you to Wittenberg Church for the Christmas money. I appreciate the gift.

Thank you,

Margeaux Rary

Dear Wittenberg,

I appreciate the bonus! Every holiday it really makes a difference! Thank you so so much!

With Love,

Rebekah Wallace

Dear Christian Friends,

The need is great this year. Your kind gift will enable us to give the children in our care the joyous holiday season that is sometimes missing from their lives.

Happy Holidays,

Nazareth Child and Family Connection

See the Full Church Calendar HERE!

Monthly Helpers!

Our Church Administrator is looking for individuals to call monthly helpers and funeral volunteers. These phone calls will help out immensely!

Please let Christy Cook know if you would like to volunteer your time.

We hold in prayer...

Our Members: Bill and Kim Fraley, John and Renee Wiles, Ed and Faye Harper, John Fisher, Gene Miller, Brenda Galliher, Allison Garner, Beth Connell

Grieving Families of: Roy Pethel, Upright Family, Betty Peeler, Craig Tucker, Lyn Little

Active Duty: J-Hylton Tucker, Dominic Minor, Noah Wiles, J. Michael Shuping, Adam McCombs, Daniel S. McDonald, Toler Alexander, Bitt Bryant, Jake Earnhardt, Bobby Wheeler

Deployed Military: Dorian Pine, Dakota Mace, Isaac Jones, Anthony Burton, Brandon Smith

We hold always in prayer the victims of gun violence, chronic and acute illness, mental health struggles, our partner agencies in mercy and assistance to our neighbors and all those who we lift to God’s care in our hearts or aloud.

February Birthdays and Celebrations!

01 Ava Morris

01 Parker Youngblood

04 Sawyer Drye

13 Susan Loflin

13 Clay Lindsay Jr.

14 Faye Harper

14 Margie Miller

14 Katelyn Ferrington

14 Jennifer Welch

16 Sonja Taylor

18 Billy Swadley