Happy New Year!
Christian Education
Youth CE continues on Sundays from 10-11 a.m.
Adult Christian Education resumes January 13th, 10 a.m.
Worship
Season of Christmas: 12/25-1/5
January 6th: Epiphany, celebrating the Lord’s Supper.
We are also celebrating the sacrament of baptism for Tracie, Craig and Audrey Anteman before worship at 10:45 a.m. We are doing this before 11 a.m. worship because Tracie has some anxiety about standing up in front of people. Anyone is welcome to come for the baptism, though. During the worship service we will welcome them and Ed and Kathy Jenkins into membership.
Consistory Meeting: 1/17, 7 p.m.
We are in process of reconfiguring an aspect of leadership in the church- which includes the committees and the committee chair. The outline of the idea is to have leadership meetings that would include the committee chairs and others who take the lead in various areas. This team would meet every other month with members of Consistory. Opposite those months, Consistory would meet. Look out for a meeting in January so we talk through both the idea and the details together. If you have questions in the meantime, feel free to contact Pastor Jeff.
Game Night- Saturday February 1st, 6-8 pm.
Operation Christmas Child
The shoeboxes we packed last fall have been or will be distributed on two continents! Children in Ukraine and Malawi will be blessed by our gifts and the Gospel message.
One example of how Operation Christmas Child has had an impact on children in Ukraine is the work being done within the Roma community. As well as receiving shoeboxes, many children are participating in The Greatest Journey discipleship program where they are learning to follow Christ – and how to read!
Malawi is a small nation located in Southeast Africa. It has a population of 19.2 million people. 46% of the population is 14 years old or younger. In 2014, a 12-year-old Muslim girl named Angelina received a shoebox. Inside she discovered the school supplies that she and her siblings desperately needed but their parents could not afford to buy. The flashlight Angelina received meant a great deal also as the family did not have electricity in their home. Angelina learned of an even greater Light as she read the booklet she received with her gift. The Greatest Gift encouraged her to start attending church where she began to study the Bible. “I felt sweet in my heart because I was filled with the Word of God!” Angelina’s witness eventually led all ten members of her family to Christ!
Please save your Christmas cards with religious pictures for the shoeboxes we will pack in 2019. You may leave them in the basket in the foyer. THANK YOU!
HARVEST BAZAAR
Save the date of September 21 for our second Harvest Bazaar. Our purpose for hosting the event is to raise funds to ship our OCC shoeboxes and provide discipleship materials and training. Please see Mary Lou if you know a vendor who would like to participate.
We will have a work bee on Jan. 26 to begin making Christmas decorations to sell at our booth. It will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at noon. Come when you can, and leave when you have to! Helpful to bring, but not necessary to attend: straight pins, fabric, ribbon, cutting mat, rotary cutter. It may also be helpful to Google “folded star Christmas ornament” and watch some of the YouTube videos to be inspired!
Fellowship Committee Meeting – Jan. 16 at 6:30 in the Sunday school room opposite the restrooms
We thank Karen Miller for serving as an Elder whose terms has concluded.