Shared Worship during our Transistion Period at Christ Lutheran Church, 1070 - 59th Street now at 19AM weekly.

In keeping with the minimal use of the St. Jacobi building during the Church's Transistional period the festivities will take place as part of the Gospel Sunday program at Christ Ev. Lutheran Church. The Gospel Sunday program begins at 10AM with the Sunday Service. The festivities for the Chinese New Year program will start about 2Pm in the Auditorium of the Church. It will agaim be including several acts and presentations to celebrate the New Year.

Members and friends of St. Jacobi are welcome to attend for this Sunday afternoon activity with the members and friends of Christ Church.

Several score were present for the Service of Thanksgiving followed by a musical tribute. The talents of mebers and Friend and the marvelous 1931 Moeller Organ were used for the concert.

Members have added to the Saturday night program a short Bible discussion to the Culture Club. There is also a Sunday Fellowship for older youth.

Since January Sunday attendance has increase 35%. Participation in all activities are up as well.

The vacancy transistion activities are progressing well. Membership, Finance and Property reviews were completed within six months. Continuing discussions of our Mission, Vision and future are going well with the next phase being started with the assistance of Ps. Ian Cheung or fourth Transistion Pastor.

It was warm and sunny as Lelia Johnson found a Picnic Table as a centerpience to the gathering of members. The day was too nice perhaps, as many had other this needing to be done. There were fewer than last year attending but that was not to say the enjoyment was any less.

Of note was the help given by members to see that Martha Nicolay, one of the longest members of St. Jacobi was made a part of the event. Martha is homebound and requires help to gry pit pg jrt a[art,emt. She was a part of the Picnic for about an hour and a half. She enoyed being outside for a change.

We were on the 41st STreet side near the Basketball Courts under shade and talking and munching on snacks during the office two hours of the Picnic. Members were then free to enjoy the Swimming Pool and other activities of the Park.

Each year the Chaplains and volunteers of the Seafarers International House are pleased to have Congregations of the Metro area help with the visits to the Ships making a call to the New York Port. Holiday boxes of gifts of mostly personal items are a part of the generosity of the Lutheran Churches of the Metro area. For some seamen it has been weeks since they were last home and a visit while in Port by a Chaplain of the Seafares & International House is always a welcome event.

Items needed are:
Knit Hats
Scarves
Gloves
T-shirst ( size large or extra large)
Toiletries, like toothbrush, toothpaste, comb
Wrapped Candy - hard candies, Chocolates
misc CD's or DVD's

Give your inwrapped "gifts" to Ms. Lelia Johnson or Mr. Walter Forst - Members of the Christian Service Forum of St. Jacobi by Sunday, Dec. 9th.

Pastor Cheung will assist Pastor Rommerein, second assigned vacancy Pastor, who replaced the first assigned vacancy Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Jane Gaeta of Whestcherter, New York. Pastor Gaeta served for only a short time due to a previous commitment starting Feb. 21st on Long Island.

Pastor Baum will be assisting with the evaluation of the future Ministry at St. Jacobi. Rev. Rommerein will continue to cover our Congregations pastoral needs except for presiding at our regularly scheduled Sunday Worship. Sunday Services will be led by Congregation members and a Seminarian or Pastor Cheung preaching the Sermon. Once a month Pastor Cheung will officiate for Communion at St. Jacobi.

By year's end there were some twenty p;us regular attendees each Saturday evening from about 9pm on to about 11pm. The activities are varied. There's the socializing through new frienships, Ping Pong, Karioke, Bible Study, discussions of relavent daily subjects and light refreshments.

Starting in September we have a project for this year's matching funds from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. We can let you in on the fact that it will be for the maintenence of the Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary has needed work for awhile. Mostly the problems are due to water seeping in from the outside near the Steele and the outside of the Baptistry above the exit door.

Contributions can be made and creditted to 2009 [made to St. Jacobi Lutheran Church] and be sent to the Church Office [5406 Fourth Ave,. Brooklyn NY 11220] with a note that it is for the 'Thrivent Matching Grant'. You may also place it in the Sunday Offering plate.

A dozen contributions for the fundraising match has been received and we are at about the $1000 level. The Drive will end at the end of the month.

Personal Growth Citizenship and Personal Fitness for the boys of Cingregation and Neighborhood is still inportant to the Congregation for the future.