1. Helping Hands. Through the ministry of Helping Hands, our volunteers are serving members who are in need of meal assistance due to expected or unexpected events in their lives. Helping Hands keeps track of those who are on the prayer list and who may be in need of meals due to these events. Volunteers coordinate these meals through a list of individuals who prepare dishes and bring this food to the church for pick up or delivery. Member--please contact the church office if you are in need of assistance or would like to be a part of this program.

2. Prayer Chain. Through our Prayer Chain, we offer the prayers of the congregation up to Our Lord. Communication through the church office keeps the Prayer Chain aware of the congregational and individual needs.

3. School Interaction. Family Ministries realizes that an extension of our congregation is our student body of Emmanuel Lutheran. With that in mind, Family Ministries reaches out to the students at registration, Advent and Lent by the distribution of age appropriate material such as Advent Calenders, pencils, and other materials.

4. Annual Picnic. Family Ministries co-ordinates the annual Emmanuel Lutheran Picnic, an event designed to bring together our members in worship, food and fun activities for all ages of the Congregation.

5. Samaritan's Purse. Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based Christian Service organization, collects and distributes each Christmas, gift-filled shoeboxes for children in needy areas. At Emmanuel, Family Ministries is responsible for initiating this annual event and communicating these needs to our congregation.

6. College Student Project. Every Autumn, Family Ministries gathers the names and addresses of our members who are either in Military Service or in college and sends these names out for "adoption" to the congregational body. We ask that those who adopt communicate at least monthly with the students or Military personnel, giving them news of happenings at Emmanuel and the Asheville area, "goody boxes", and prayers. The goal is to keep those who are away in communication with our Emmanuel family.

7. ABCCM. The ABCCM area of Family Ministries provides meals to the Asheville Buncombe County Christian Ministries Vets' Center 2 - 3 times per month. Volunteers either prepare or serve food to those in need at the Center. We also send in food and toiletry items on a monthly basis to be used by the men's, women's and children's ministry of ABCCM.

8. Annual Easter Breakfast. Please join the Emmanuel Congregation as we come together in fellowship for an Easter Breakfast on Easter Sunday. The breakfast takes place in the Fellowship Hall. A sign-up sheet, for attendance and covered dish, is located on the bulletin board in the Narthex or you can call the church office.

9. OKTOBERFEST! Our latest Emmanuel tradition of celebrating our Lutheran German Heritage with fun filled activities such as a carnival for the kids, polka dancing to live German music--topped off by an evening German food meal. Come join the fun! This event is usually held the last Saturday in October (the day before Reformation Sunday).Tickets for the dinner are usually sold several Sundays in advance of the event.

10. Annual Thanksgiving Dinner. Please join us as we come together in fellowship for a Dinner of Thanksgiving usually held two Wednesdays before the Day of Thanksgiving at 6:30 pm in the gym. A sign-up sheet, for attendance and covered dish, is located on the bulletin board in the Narthex or you can contaact the church office.

11. Come Celebrate the Season of Christmas with us! Every year we have the ladies Advent Tea in the gym, the school's K-8 Christmas Program, the Early Childhood Christmas Program, the church's Sunday School Christmas Program and the church choir's Christmas Cantata. We also hold extra services on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm during the Advent season, culminating in 2 candlelight services (7:00/11:00) on Christmas Eve and a 10:00 am service on Christmas Day.

One of the goals of Family Ministries is to increase fellowship opportunities for our congregation. With this in mind, we are planning several fellowship dinners for the year such as the Thanksgiving Pot Luck Dinner in November, in conjunction with Spiritual Care and Growth Ministry.

We are hopeful that this brief overview has increased your awareness of the Family Ministry Service. We would both welcome and appreciate your participation in our Ministry area!