Informer December 25.pages
Freshwater Church
December 25, 2016
Tell us about You! Please fill out, tear off, and place in baskets at back door. Name: _______________________________________ Age: _________
Bolivar Middle School Backpacks House of Hope Dinner Coordinator We are needing someone to step in to coordinate dinners for Tuesdays HOH support group. We can pass along all the information used this last year. You can talk to Sandy Branstetter about all it entails; she did a fantastic job! Please let her or the office know if you are interested.
Married / Single Children: Yes / No List children's names and ages: _____________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Phone number: ________________________________ Email: _______________________________________ Address: _____________________________________ ______________________________________
Fight Club All men are welcome at Burger King on Fridays at 6:15AM. A time of fellowship for all men interested. We will not be meeting the 30th.
Christmas Decorations In your Christmas clean up, if would like to get rid of any artificial greenery, white, silver or gold Christmas decorations, we will take them. We are looking to revamp our decorations for next year, and we would love your help; either with donations or 2017 hanging of the greens.
• How long have you been coming to Freshwater? • How can we serve you today? • I would like prayer for: • I am interested in: Following Jesus / Being Baptized / • Getting Connected with Freshwater / Serving at Freshwater
End of Year Giving We will be mailing out giving statements for 2016 at the beginning of January. Any giving you would like to go toward your taxes must be given by December 31. If there are any changes to your address, please contact the office. If you have solely given online, you can view and print your giving report at mogiv.com by logging into your account and viewing your giving history.
• Comments: Announcement Response:
Here is what we sang today: “Go Tell It On The Mountain” “Joy To The World” “O Come Let Us Adore Him”
The next long weekend will be MLK and we will be taking donations January 14 for that Monday. We will give you exact numbers when we receive them. Let’s get a head start! These are the items we need: Ramen Noodles, Crackers, Snacks, Breakfast, Fruit, Canned Protein, Peanut Butter
Reminder: Nursery and HisKids His Kids will resume January 25. There will also be no PreK today. Everyone is welcome in worship!
Greeter Schedule Greeters, please be here by 9:45. Today’s Greeter: John & Jill Porter Next Sunday: Harry Rodgers & Interns Dump The Debt Freshwater family, we have been blessed by some very generous families here at Freshwater with the opportunity to pay down a substantial portion of our retrofit loan through a matching donation. This is the last week to meet our goal of $12,500 by the end of the year. Please continue to pray about what God would have your family do in order for us to maximize our opportunity to pay of $25,000 of the retrofit loan at the end of the year.
Giving Report December Total: $15,034.98 December 4: $3,634.43 December 11: $3,088.00 December 18: $8,312.55 Dump the Debt December 4: $726.54 December 11: $295.00 December 18: $1,070.00 December 19-21: $85.00 Total from August to the 21st: $10,100 Amount left to reach $12,500 goal: $2,400.00
NOTES:
I’m almost 37, and though some would laugh if I called myself old, I’ve started to notice some patterns in my behavior suggesting my departure from youth has kicked into a higher gear. What patterns, you ask? Well, for starters, my bedtime ain’t what it used to be. Whereas in my mid-20’s, midnight was the average, now staying up past 9:00 at night feels like a wild, carefree evening. Seriously, managing to stay awake long enough to catch the 10 o’clock news fits my definition of “living dangerously” these days. But here’s another interesting change in my behavior; I’ve suddenly gotten into staring at birds. A few weeks back, and I still don’t know what possessed me to do this, I detoured into Menard’s feeling some inexplicable urge to buy a bird feeder. The younger version of myself would never have cared enough about bird watching to plunk down cash on a feeder or seed just so I could stare at them out my window; that’s something older people do, right? Well, I guess that’s me now because last Sunday morning, I sat for roughly an hour by my window, captivated as I watched sparrows, finches, and other winged friends feast just a few feet away. It was awesome, probably one of the most relaxing and engaging hours I’ve had in a long, long time. And here’s another change that’s come with age: I now love when Christmas falls on Sunday. This was definitely not the case when I was young. As a kid, I felt pretty convicted that Christmas morning was to be spent at home ripping open presents and enjoying the spoils of my gift-loving family’s generosity. I remember being a bit perturbed when Christmas had the audacity to fall on a Sunday, thus allowing church services to interrupt my merriment (how inconvenient of the good Lord to schedule on top of my plans, right?) But that’s the mindset of a kid, I suppose, and I’m not a kid anymore (I have the male pattern baldness to prove it). These days, I get excited when Christmas morning involves a chance to gather with others to celebrate the birth of Christ the Savior. Where else would I want to be on that morning than with my brothers and sisters who share the belief that God took on flesh and dwelt among us, those who rejoice that the infinite Creator chose to enter into creation as a newborn laid in a manger, no crib for a bed? What else would I want to be doing on Christmas morning other than singing “Go Tell it on the Mountain” alongside others who know that song isn’t just a catchy seasonal tune, but a charge given to all those who accept the angelic message given to common shepherds of a Messiah born in Bethlehem? There’s nowhere else I’d rather be on Christmas morning than in the house of God, standing shoulder to shoulder with my spiritual family, celebrating that the Word of God put on flesh and dwelt among us, that the Christ came...and he’s coming back again someday. Blessings to you this Christmas; may peace and joy well up in your heart as you as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Weekly Prayer: Father, just as Jesus’ arrival into the world shined the radiant light of your kingdom into a weary and darkened world, may we who are in dwelt by your Holy Spirit carry that same light of hope into every place darkened by confusion, pain, injustice, desperation, and evil. May the faithful presence of your people proclaim tidings of great joy, peace on earth, and good will to men. Weekly Readings: Luke 2:1-21 Matthew 1:18-2:12 John 1:1-18
December 25, 2016
Tell us about You! Please fill out, tear off, and place in baskets at back door. Name: _______________________________________ Age: _________
Bolivar Middle School Backpacks House of Hope Dinner Coordinator We are needing someone to step in to coordinate dinners for Tuesdays HOH support group. We can pass along all the information used this last year. You can talk to Sandy Branstetter about all it entails; she did a fantastic job! Please let her or the office know if you are interested.
Married / Single Children: Yes / No List children's names and ages: _____________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Phone number: ________________________________ Email: _______________________________________ Address: _____________________________________ ______________________________________
Fight Club All men are welcome at Burger King on Fridays at 6:15AM. A time of fellowship for all men interested. We will not be meeting the 30th.
Christmas Decorations In your Christmas clean up, if would like to get rid of any artificial greenery, white, silver or gold Christmas decorations, we will take them. We are looking to revamp our decorations for next year, and we would love your help; either with donations or 2017 hanging of the greens.
• How long have you been coming to Freshwater? • How can we serve you today? • I would like prayer for: • I am interested in: Following Jesus / Being Baptized / • Getting Connected with Freshwater / Serving at Freshwater
End of Year Giving We will be mailing out giving statements for 2016 at the beginning of January. Any giving you would like to go toward your taxes must be given by December 31. If there are any changes to your address, please contact the office. If you have solely given online, you can view and print your giving report at mogiv.com by logging into your account and viewing your giving history.
• Comments: Announcement Response:
Here is what we sang today: “Go Tell It On The Mountain” “Joy To The World” “O Come Let Us Adore Him”
The next long weekend will be MLK and we will be taking donations January 14 for that Monday. We will give you exact numbers when we receive them. Let’s get a head start! These are the items we need: Ramen Noodles, Crackers, Snacks, Breakfast, Fruit, Canned Protein, Peanut Butter
Reminder: Nursery and HisKids His Kids will resume January 25. There will also be no PreK today. Everyone is welcome in worship!
Greeter Schedule Greeters, please be here by 9:45. Today’s Greeter: John & Jill Porter Next Sunday: Harry Rodgers & Interns Dump The Debt Freshwater family, we have been blessed by some very generous families here at Freshwater with the opportunity to pay down a substantial portion of our retrofit loan through a matching donation. This is the last week to meet our goal of $12,500 by the end of the year. Please continue to pray about what God would have your family do in order for us to maximize our opportunity to pay of $25,000 of the retrofit loan at the end of the year.
Giving Report December Total: $15,034.98 December 4: $3,634.43 December 11: $3,088.00 December 18: $8,312.55 Dump the Debt December 4: $726.54 December 11: $295.00 December 18: $1,070.00 December 19-21: $85.00 Total from August to the 21st: $10,100 Amount left to reach $12,500 goal: $2,400.00
NOTES:
I’m almost 37, and though some would laugh if I called myself old, I’ve started to notice some patterns in my behavior suggesting my departure from youth has kicked into a higher gear. What patterns, you ask? Well, for starters, my bedtime ain’t what it used to be. Whereas in my mid-20’s, midnight was the average, now staying up past 9:00 at night feels like a wild, carefree evening. Seriously, managing to stay awake long enough to catch the 10 o’clock news fits my definition of “living dangerously” these days. But here’s another interesting change in my behavior; I’ve suddenly gotten into staring at birds. A few weeks back, and I still don’t know what possessed me to do this, I detoured into Menard’s feeling some inexplicable urge to buy a bird feeder. The younger version of myself would never have cared enough about bird watching to plunk down cash on a feeder or seed just so I could stare at them out my window; that’s something older people do, right? Well, I guess that’s me now because last Sunday morning, I sat for roughly an hour by my window, captivated as I watched sparrows, finches, and other winged friends feast just a few feet away. It was awesome, probably one of the most relaxing and engaging hours I’ve had in a long, long time. And here’s another change that’s come with age: I now love when Christmas falls on Sunday. This was definitely not the case when I was young. As a kid, I felt pretty convicted that Christmas morning was to be spent at home ripping open presents and enjoying the spoils of my gift-loving family’s generosity. I remember being a bit perturbed when Christmas had the audacity to fall on a Sunday, thus allowing church services to interrupt my merriment (how inconvenient of the good Lord to schedule on top of my plans, right?) But that’s the mindset of a kid, I suppose, and I’m not a kid anymore (I have the male pattern baldness to prove it). These days, I get excited when Christmas morning involves a chance to gather with others to celebrate the birth of Christ the Savior. Where else would I want to be on that morning than with my brothers and sisters who share the belief that God took on flesh and dwelt among us, those who rejoice that the infinite Creator chose to enter into creation as a newborn laid in a manger, no crib for a bed? What else would I want to be doing on Christmas morning other than singing “Go Tell it on the Mountain” alongside others who know that song isn’t just a catchy seasonal tune, but a charge given to all those who accept the angelic message given to common shepherds of a Messiah born in Bethlehem? There’s nowhere else I’d rather be on Christmas morning than in the house of God, standing shoulder to shoulder with my spiritual family, celebrating that the Word of God put on flesh and dwelt among us, that the Christ came...and he’s coming back again someday. Blessings to you this Christmas; may peace and joy well up in your heart as you as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Weekly Prayer: Father, just as Jesus’ arrival into the world shined the radiant light of your kingdom into a weary and darkened world, may we who are in dwelt by your Holy Spirit carry that same light of hope into every place darkened by confusion, pain, injustice, desperation, and evil. May the faithful presence of your people proclaim tidings of great joy, peace on earth, and good will to men. Weekly Readings: Luke 2:1-21 Matthew 1:18-2:12 John 1:1-18
