December at Christ Journey • Gables

Helping people

FIND

and

WEEKEND

FOLLOW

FRONT AND CENTER

Thank you for choosing a seat to the front and center of the Auditorium when we come together to worship as a community. This helps your mind and heart remain engaged as others discreetly find open seating in the back once the experience has begun.

CHRIST.

TRADUCCIÓN DEL MENSAJE Los servicios de adoración son interpretados al español todos los domingos a las 9:30a, 11a y 12:30p y en portugués los domingos a las 11a. Los radios están disponibles en el lobby. Y si usted está interesado en ser parte del equipo de interpretación, escriba a Worship@ ChristJourney.org.

Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, we are excited to walk together with you. If you’re new, we’d like to give you a free gift, (no strings attached), just stop by a host station.

BETH MOORE KICK-OFF RALLY Wednesday • Jan. 13 • 6:30p Beth Moore is coming to Miami! Christ Journey is hosting a Kick-Off Rally gearing up for her big event to be held April 1 and 2. For more information, visit ChristJourney.org/Events.

CHRISTMAS EVE – PRESCHOOL A special Christmas adventure is planned during each Christmas Eve Experience for all preschoolers (babies - Pre-K). Children will enjoy fun activities, music and a special nativity experience in large group.

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS GIFTS (BIRTH - PRE-K)

Christmas Gifts for Preschoolers are going home to each child during the month of December. These special gifts are for families to use at home to discover the true story and meaning of Christmas.

FAMJAMZ LIVE

First Sunday of the month • 10:45a and 12:15p • Theater Come out to FamJamz Live where kids (k-5th) and parents learn together! This month we’ll talk about Compassion and again on Jan. 3 as we bring in the New Year. Check us out at FamJamz.com or on Facebook and Twitter too!

ELEMENTARY CHRISTMAS PARTY (K-5TH GRADE)

Dec. 13 • 9:30a, 11a, 12:30p • Theater Attention K-5th graders - the Highway Christmas Party is coming up! Head to your regular service time to celebrate Christmas with your small groups! Come dressed in your favorite Christmas pajamas for a fun-filled time.

For more info visit ChristJourney.org/ Events.

CHRISTMAS PARTY (6-12TH GRADE)

Wednesday • Dec. 16 • 7-9p • Theater Join us for an awesome night of free food, crazy games and fabulous prizes. Leave no student left out of an invitation to celebrate the unexpected gift of Christ this Christmas. Visit ChristJourney.org/Events for more information.

FAMILY ADVENT CARDS

We have a special gift for families during the season of Advent. Families can explore scriptures daily and do memorable activities together as they lead up to Christmas. Advent Cards will be available at the Discovery Land patio throughout December. Visit ChristJourney.org/Family.

NEW STUDENT CHRISTMAS SERIES: UNEXPECTED

Unexpected gifts have been at the heart of the Christmas story. Believe it or not, it was God who began the tradition.

For the next few weeks, we’ll talk about three times God surprised the world with a gift that was entirely unexpected. We might just discover how much those gifts continue to matter today.

STARTUP KIDS (K-5TH GRADE)

Sunday • Jan. 10 • 12:30p • Room 217 Elementary parents, if your K-5th grader has crossed the line of faith and has shown an interest in baptism, register

TRADUÇÃO DOS CULTOS PARA ESPANHOL E PORTUGUÊS

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Thursday nights starting Jan. 21 6:30p • Commons Celebrate Recovery is a biblical and balanced 12-Step program that helps us overcome our hurts, hang-ups and habits. Trained leaders provide safe, confidential, Christ-centered groups where people can grow. For more information and registration, visit ChristJourney.Org/Groups. Childcare available upon request.

Os cultos são traduzidos simultaneamente para o espanhol aos domingos às 9h30min, 11 horas, e 12h30min. A tradução para o português é oferecida aos domingos às 11 horas.

Obtenha o radio na entrada principal da igreja. Se você tem interesse em voluntariar como tradutor, por favor

PRESCHOOL PLAY DATE AT THE PARK

FREE

We have Starbucks coffee available at two locations in the lobby. Plus you can log in to our WIFI (no password) and connect to YouVersion LIVE.

YOUVERSION LIVE

Download the YouVersion App on any smartphone to access message notes and scripture during worship. Bible. com/App.

LIVING ROOM

A “Living Room,” for babies – pre-k children and their families is available next to the Theater. There, you can view worship and learn more about programs we have for your child.

MESSAGE SERIES

We will not be meeting during the month of December. Preschool play dates will resume Jan. 14. For more info email AmieP@ChristJourney.org.

SERVE CHRISTMAS CHOIR

Sundays • 3-4p • The Grid The last day to join the Christ Journey Christmas Choir in preparation rehearsals is Sunday, Dec. 6. This is the group that will help lead worship for the Christmas at Christ Journey experiences on Dec. 23 and 24.

Contact Worship@ChristJourney.org.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY LEADER TRAINING

Thursday • Jan. 7 and 14 • 6:30p Commons If you have a heart for those who are struggling with life’s hurts, habits and hang-ups, then please join us for a 2-day training to become a Celebrate Recovery leader. For more information and to register, visit ChristJourney.org/ Events.

Simply Christmas (cut this out and use it to invite a friend)

JOIN IN

them to attend StartUp Kids. For more information and registration, visit ChristJourney.org/Events. RSVP deadline: Jan. 5.

mandenos um email para Worship@ ChristJourney.org.

Into the fray of our frantic, harried and way-too-busy lives our new series, Simply Christmas, comes as a sentinel or security guard of the soul. You will find here reflections to draw you deeper into the meaning of the mystery and divine love we find in the baby born in a manger. Let yourself be carried again into the wonder of it all as we explore the many facets of this timeless jewel. Messages include: Simply Fulfilling, Simply Family, Simply Fantastic, Simply Forever, and Simply Fable? or Fact?

INSTRUMENTALISTS

Interested in playing your instrument in one of our weekly experiences?

Contact Worship@ChristJourney. org today!

TECHIES

You know who you are! If you have an interest in media or lighting production, or if you simply love to figure out the latest technology, we need to meet you! Experience is a plus, but not required. We will teach you everything you need to know.

Contact Worship@ChristJourney.org.

WHAT’S IN YOUR HAND?

Is it a hammer, a drill, a saw, a paintbrush? Or do you just enjoy what happens when your hands get to work? Sounds like you need to be on the stage design team! Contact Worship@ChristJourney.org.

RESOURCES

PRAYER

MESSAGES AVAILABLE

PRAYER REQUESTS

If you’d like to listen to today’s experience again or share it with someone, it is available at: Church Online: ChristJourney.tv Website: ChristJourney.org/Messages Search podcasts on iTunes Available on CD: purchase at the Host Station. Complete teaching series are also available on CD.

FOOD PANTRY

The Christ Journey food pantry is open each Monday 9a - noon. We pray and give the gift of food to 35 or more needy families from across our county each week. If your school or club would like to do a Feed Miami mini-drive to help the pantry, let us know! Contact Missions@ ChristJourney.org. We love BOGOs – Buy One, Get One to Feed Miami!

JOBS

Church Online Ministry Assistant (Part Time); Production Intern – Kendall Campus (Part Time) ChristJourney.org/Jobs.

Send us your prayer requests at ChristJourney.org/Prayer and our prayer team will pray for you.

GIVE budget through October 2015 YTD REQUIRED: $549,843 YTD RECEIVED: $508,896

You can give in church, online at ChristJourney.org/Give or from your phone with Text-To-Give.

Visit ChristJourney.org/Text.

Download the Secure Give App to give from your smart phone.

Download “Secure Give” from your phone’s App Store, select Christ Journey Church and set it as your home organization, then select Make a Donation and follow the prompts.

Christmas

at Christ Journey

December AT CHRIST JOURNEY

DEC. 23 & 24

Is there anything as over when it is over as Christmas? December 26 rolls around and it’s as if the Christmas Spirit has been evicted. Maybe it’s the hurry, the cost, the endless stream of gatherings or the expectation of credit card statements in January; regardless, somewhere along the way, joy took a detour. Peace is now partnering with the word “quiet” because peace and quiet is preferable to peace on earth, and hope equates to having enough money at the end of your month.

Can you relate? Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a simpler way?

It’s taken us a little more than 2000 years to construct and complicate the ways we celebrate Christmas, but what if we could deconstruct it, like unwrapping the layers of a beautiful gift box in just five weeks? What if joy, peace, hope and love were more than mere words on the card you feel obligated to send? What if they actually showed up as a marketing campaign for Jesus in how you live your life?

Join us as we begin our new series, “Simply Christmas,” and unwrap the layers of gifts we receive in Christ: Promises, humanity, deity, forgiveness, truth and a future. Let’s reconstruct Christmas with the deep simplicity of Jesus.

The series starts Sunday, November 29. Invite that friend that needs to hear these messages and while you are at it, serve at one of our Christmas at Christ Journey experiences. For more information check out:

MiamiChristmas.com

Coral Gables

Worship Times & Location

Sundays at 9:30a, 11a, and 12:30p Traducción al Español en todos los servicios. **Tradução para o Português

Children: we have several opportunities for children to enjoy on Sundays.

Discovery Land (birth-Pre-K): 9:30a, 11a, and 12:30p Highway (K-5th grade): 9:30a, 11a, and 12:30p FamJamz First Sunday of the month Shift (Middle School): Sundays 9:30a, 11a, and 12:30p at The Grid.

Wednesdays 7-9p at The Commons.

Velocity (High School): Wednesdays 7-9p at The Commons.

624 Anastasia Ave. | Coral Gables, FL 33134 | 305-448-4425 Parking: Our main parking lot is available for first time guests, preschool parents, senior adults and handicapped. Additional parking is available at the Youth Center (east of Segovia) and at the Riviera Lot (east of the Youth Center). A shuttle is available for all additional parking.

ChristJourney.org

@ChristJourneyCG

GIVE GLOBAL

Each year during this season we give generously to our Global Partners. For decades we have supported the work of faithful missionaries with the gifts of our time on missions, our talents and with our tithe. For the month of December we receive a special gift and share dollar for dollar at 100% with our Global partners.

Chris and Krista Farrington in Nicaragua, Pete and Jodi Brennan in Brazil, Ellie Admiral in Africa, Pancho and Pity Sola in Ecuador and the work of many churches in the Bahamas and Cuba.

When you give generously today, you give to the feeding of Children in the Favelas, the education of pastors in Cuba, rescue homes and a school in Nicaragua. There is no overhead, no percent taken out – every cent goes directly to meet needs where Jesus is at work in the world.

Please pray and listen as to what to give this year. Please use the envelopes in front of you and mark “missions” or give online at ChristJourney.org/Give.

Thank You!

ChristJourneyCG

Have you heard this parody?

“The Twelve Pains of Christmas.”

It begins “The first thing at Christmas that’s such a pain to me is finding a Christmas tree.” The tragic conclusion lists “Stale TV specials, ‘Batteries not included’, No parking?! Gotta make ‘em dinner and Five months of bills” among other things that make the season less than bright.

Christmas can be SO chaotic. Stressful to the point of exhausting. So where do we turn for some peace on earth? To the Prince of Peace, of course! Jesus Christ is truly the inexhaustible Gift! But it takes intentional focus to guard your heart from the grinches of the season. How can we do it?

Just say NO! Less is more when it comes to activities at Christmas. Do more with the ones who matter most. Spend less time on activities that steal your joy and cheat your loved ones of you and your energy. Instead, schedule together time with the ones you love; tech-free time where you can share some heart to heart with each other. Light some candles, pour a cup of spice tea and share stories in front of your tree. (Bright Idea: Use the Devotional Guide our Family Ministry is providing!)

And don’t miss a Sunday with your Christ Journey family. Our new series is Simply Christmas. My prayer is, it will simply help make your Christmas bright.

In Him,

Pastor Bill

DEC. 27 All Church

ONLINE Weekend

All Church Online is the one day per year where, literally, the entire church joins together online! The Church is not a location—it’s the people. So on Sunday, December 27, 2015, the church buildings will be closed, but the people who make up the church will be online. We will have the opportunity to invite family and friends into the comfort of our own homes to experience Church Online. So join us, as we join the nations to worship together as one church—online!

For times or to join us online, go to

ChristJourney.tv