CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS TOGETHER, APART.

In the spirit of Love, born to us in the Christ child, the pastors and staff, the plan to gather task force, and the church council at Saint Andrew Lutheran Church are committed to sharing the gospel safely and abundantly in these difficult times. As a large congregation with over 3000 members, we are partners in public health and have set the goal that Saint Andrew will not be a source of community spread. We recognize we cannot fulfill our mission to be “open to all” if the vulnerable and the visitor is not fully welcome in worship among us. We are equipped to support members in their life-long faith journeys through virtual and innovative means. Therefore this Christmas, we will worship together in our homes as a sign of love for the community we have been called to serve.

“I’ll be home for Christmas” | Online Worship Services

  (Click on a service to download or view the worship bulletin)

Christmas Eve 

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4:00 pm – ”Do Not Be Afraid” Virtual Christmas Program
6:30 pm – Traditional Christmas Eve Worship with Candlelight
10:30 pm – A Service of Light, Song, and Good News

Christmas Day

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                                            9:00 am – Christmas Day Lessons and Carols

**Please note, there will be no in-person worship options on Christmas Eve or Day**

Ways to Participate at Home
Invite your neighbors – Yard Signs Available

“I’ll be Home for Christmas” yard signs with worship times and live-stream information are available as a great way to invite your neighbor to stay home and worship with you. Stop by the office during office hours, 8:30-4:30 pm, Monday-Friday to pick one up for your yard!

Christmas “To Go” Bags

Let’s celebrate Christmas to the fullest at home. Christmas “To Go” bags will be available and include silent night candles, communion elements, full print bulletins, and a special Christmas Keepsake. Bags will be available starting December 20. To aide in the preparation of materials, we ask you to complete a request form found below.
Opportunities to Connect
Send us your Christmas Card or Family Photos!
Your Christmas “presence” is requested as a backdrop to our live stream worship services. A visual display of everyone who will be with us in spirit for Christmas worship will be created. Drop off at church or mail a card, photo, Christmas greeting, or hand drawn pictures that can be displayed near the Christmas tree. The church’s mailing address is 150202 County Road NN, Wausau, WI 54401.

 

Christmas Luminary Walk – December 20, 4:00-6:00 pm
Many long to be at Saint Andrew during this time of year. Save the date and plan to stop by church on December 20 for a chance to come and participate in a luminary prayer walk as individuals or family units. The walk will be outside and provide opportunity and space for interactive and inter-generational prayer, candlelight, and meditation. Stop inside if you’d like to take a photo by the Christmas tree.
Opportunities to Share
The Good Samaritan Fund, Food Baskets, and Service Projects
Although we cannot worship together in person, we can make a positive impact in our community by loving and serving our neighbors in need. Did you know Saint Andrew has a fund to assist people who are struggling to meet basic needs? It’s called the Good Samaritan Fund and is available by pastoral discretion to support living costs, food assistance, or any other emerging need of Saint Andrew members and friends. Call the church office to learn how you can connect to give further support or to request support on behalf of yourself or others.
Several organizations in our community are currently being identified to receive all the supplies, donations, and support that we can gather. Keep your eyes peeled for more information in the coming Weekly Waves to make spirits bright for local organization partners.
If you or someone you know would appreciate receiving a Christmas Food Basket (this year in the form of a Lamb’s Fresh Market gift card), please call the church office by
Monday, December 14 at 715-842-3333. Gift cards can be picked up in the church office on Friday, December 18 between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm.

 

Opportunities to Share with North Central Health Care
Want to Play Santa?  Help brighten someone Christmas, consider providing some presents for a selected client of North Central Health Care. Click here to view more details about the Christmas Gift Program.  You can also call 715-848-4450 or email volunteer@norcen.org for the name and Christmas list of someone you can share the joy of Christmas.

Cozy Christmas – Help make this time of year cozy for clients of North Central Health Care.
We are collecting:  – Socks (All sizes)  – Sweatpants (M – 4XL)  – Underwear (Women’s: S-4XL, Men’s M-4XL)
– Rubber soled slippers (all sizes) – Thermal Underwear – Fleece Blankets.
Drop off at church in the designated box.

Live-stream Content
Show us your Christmas celebrations! Send us photos or videos of your Christmas Decorations inside and out: of where you will be watching the live stream on Christmas Eve. Videos should be landscape and texted to 715-551-1950 or e-mailed to pastorjenn@salc-wausau.org.
Readers, singers, and other participants will also be needed with creating video content. Please call the office if you would like to help.
Remembering Our Why
At Saint Andrew, the Plan to Gather Task Force considered options and recommendations pertaining to Christmas Eve in-person worship. The decision was never between having Christmas or not having Christmas; nor was it between gathering and not gathering. The decision was threefold: to stick with our current criteria (www.salc-wausau.org/covid) under the Plan to Gather, make an exception and put the criteria on hold over Christmas, or re-evaluate and re-write our criteria for the plan to gather. In keeping with our current criteria, the Task Force recommended the following statement that was then approved and adopted by council on November 19.
While not attending worship in person on Christmas Eve and Day is certainly a loss, this allows us an opportunity to share the gospel and cast the net as wide as possible by inviting others to join us in staying home for Christmas to help prevent further spread of Covid-19. The benefits are numerous.
  • As a large congregation, we are setting an example for other area congregations that we can make bold, brave choices for the sake of public health.
  • This decision is not about us. It’s about the community. It’s about God. It’s about God’s people.
  • By not being a source of community spread, families can gather more safely, schools can resume in person with less quarantines, we can do our part in caring for health care workers and their families by not contributing to the surge.