The First Baptist Church of Redlands
TA PE S T RY Woven Together In Love: Colossians 2:2
DECEMBER 2016
ISSUE No. 12
A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR SHAWN
Stretching Out Christmas When I moved to Indiana after growing up and living in Southern California my whole life I experienced all sorts of change. One was the celebration of Christmas. For our family, finding ourselves far away from all of our relatives, we discovered that it was time to create new traditions. We didn’t run around trying to see all the sides of the family in the space of the 24 hours of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It all slowed down. We would go to church on Christmas Eve and then bring home or invite people who didn’t have a place to go for Christmas Eve. We would eat a dinner of homemade tortilla soup as well as tamales bought at Mama Inez bakery. Christmas Day would be a time for just the four of us, waking up to cinnamon rolls, opening the presents under the tree, a nice breakfast around the table and maybe even staying in our pajamas until afternoon. Our Jewish neighbors would drop by, hopefully after we changed clothes, to wish us Merry Christmas. These were all new traditions. Some of them were intentional and others just happened. One of the other aspects of Christmas time in Indiana is that people put their Christmas decorations up at Thanksgiving time. Those with restraint would wait
until the day after Thanksgiving. Then they would not take down their decorations until sometime in January. If your tree were still decorated as late as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, you did not need to be embarrassed. In fact, people kept their outdoor lights up until well into February and didn’t take down their wreaths on their doors until there were hints of spring. I don’t really know all the reasons for Hoosiers’ (and maybe people all over the Midwest) stretching out the holidays, but I have some guesses. After the incredible show of colors in October, after all the leaves are raked up, things look pretty stark and even dead. People can’t wait for the lights and the color of the Christmas season. They are not anxious to pack it all away, either. Now some of it could be that they don’t want to take down lights when it’s so cold outside, but I know for me that the lights and the colors brought some warmth to the cold, gloomy and dormant days and weeks of winter. As we celebrate this Advent and Christmas season as part of the First Baptist Church of Redlands, we enjoy many traditions: lighting the Advent wreath, the children’s program, the choir cantata, the dinners, the parties, Christmas Eve worship and more. In the busyness of the season
may we find time to slow down and absorb the words and the message being shared around us. Let us take into ourselves, in a fresh new way, the powerful and life-changing reality of the incarnation – God coming to earth in Jesus to walk with us, to show us how to live, to let us know that God approaches us with open arms and invites us to live in God’s kingdom every day, forever. And through us, may this message shine and bring the warmth of hope to our world, even in gloomy, cold and stark times reflected in the news we hear and even the situations of our own lives. Let us be sensitive to each other, seeing beyond the surface, hearing past the words, celebrating with one another in our joys and victories and being there for one another when times are hard. Let’s stretch out the light of hope well beyond the opening of the last present and the singing of the last carol. I look forward to our first Advent and Christmas season together. I am thankful for my new church family and all the ways that you have welcomed me and my family to be a part of yours. May we worship and honor our God as we receive Christ anew in this season and as we follow him into a new year by the leading and the power of the Spirit. Merry Christmas!
COVER
CONTENTS
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The Tapestry is published monthly by The First Baptist Church of Redlands, 51 West Olive Avenue, Redlands, CA 92373.
A Message from Pastor Shawn: Stretching Out Christmas
All material for the Tapestry should be typed and emailed no later than the 10th of each month to tapestry@fbcredlands.org.
Staff and Contents
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A Few Words From Pastor Deena: Simplify - What Does That Really Mean?
MISSIONS
MINISTRY
S TA FF
4 5 6 7
What’s In A Name? New Year’s Meditations Part 2: Grow
Rev. Dr. Shawn Zambrows Senior Pastor shawn@fbcredlands.org Rev. Dr. Deena Barwick Associate Pastor of Family Ministries deena@fbcredlands.org Richard W. Steffen Minister of Music rwsteffen@gmail.com
Worldwide Prayer Concerns: Kenya, Cuba, China A Message from Our Missionaries: Kikongo
Linda Gentile Organist Hilary Craw Volunteer Youth Director youth@fbcredlands.org
CALENDAR
FELLOWSHIP
Angel Florence Office Administrator angel@fbcredlands.org
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Get To Know: Rod Zambrows Thank You from Local Outreach New Year’s Meditations Part 2: Grow Cont.
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Church News Super Saturday Volunteers December Calendar
Marion Gil Communications Specialist marion@fbcredlands.org Dennis Chenevert Buildings/Grounds
CON TACT S
Telephone: 909-793-3289 Web: www.fbcredlands.org Email: admin@fbcredlands.org Office Hours Monday–Thursday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Sunday: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
A few words from Pastor Deena
Simplify – What Does That Really Mean? About this time of year every year, I pull out a book that I have owned for close to 15 years – “Simplify Your Christmas” with the tag line of 100 Ways to reduce the stress and recapture the Joy of the Holidays (1998, Elaine St. James). And every year I say to myself that I am going to lessen the family stress of the holidays. While some years it has worked, most years it has not. I have written a couple of Tapestry articles about taking Sabbath time for yourself and for your family – to slow down and just “be” with God for a little while. Jewish laws protect their Sabbath from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown with four specific restrictions for the day of rest: no cooking, no carrying, no lighting a fire and no encouraging others to work. We, of course, can’t imagine a 24-hour period of those four restrictions, let alone to participate in this kind of restful time every week! The holidays of fun, family, fellowship, along with the possibility of chaos and stress are just around the corner. Why not prepare differently this year for the holidays? Make a covenant with God that you will spend twenty minutes a day in restful silence talking/ listening to God. During this restful silence ask God for wisdom on what to let go of this year that causes you stress, anxiety, disappointment or whatever it is you feel during this time of year. Ask for strength to say NO to the events, people or things that cause that feeling. In Psalm 46:10 we read, “Be still and know that I am God.” Be still… Honestly, how many of us can just “be still?”
Hardest thing ever for me, I have to practice being still over and over and over again. When I am still and listen for wisdom from the Holy Spirit – I often can figure out things to a puzzle, a dilemma, a problem, or a disappointment and sometimes I can’t. I have learned that it is okay to not find an answer right away. It is also true that you may not be able to say NO to something or someone that causes anxiety in you; so, during this time of restful silence, ask God for peace, for patience and the wisdom to look for a blessing instead of perpetuating the anxiety. The very first “way” that Elaine offers is “to remember what you once loved about the holidays” … helping make Christmas cookies, the annual trip to pick out the perfect Christmas tree, going to church on Christmas Eve and then driving around looking at the lights with hot cocoa in a thermos, listening to and singing along with favorite Christmas carols, putting the baby Jesus in the crèche on Christmas Eve, waking up on Christmas morning full of anticipation, excitement and thoughts of what the day will bring… what is your fondest memory? Plan on doing it again this year but this time spend extra time doing it. Savor the memory or memories of the times you remember. Another one of her suggestions is “be willing to compromise.” Take a poll with your family members and be open to changes you don’t expect. You might just find out that no one really likes your fruitcake or plum pudding nor do they like the expensive gifts but rather would prefer to spend time with you more
often. I, too, have found that most people want the relationship, the time over a meal or a board game and not necessarily the many gifts. I once asked to be left alone on the day after Christmas. It is so anticlimactic after all the hustle and bustle of planning, shopping, baking, wrapping and celebrating – I thought I just wanted some down time to wallow in a self-pity of “is it all over and was it really worth it” party. I discovered I didn’t like the alone time and have never asked for it again. But until I experienced it, I thought I wanted it so desperately. So what am I really saying here? While it is a season of a lot of joy, happiness, gift giving, and celebrations too numerous to attend, it needs to be a time of reflection of why we are celebrating in the first place. It isn’t about us. It is about God, choosing to send his only son Jesus to earth as a vulnerable baby with a mission of teaching us to love one another regardless of differences, to take upon himself the sins of a very sinful people and to love us unconditionally. “Be still and know that I am God” – I encourage you to do that every day until Epiphany – January 6, 2017. Be still and know why God loved us so much that he gave us his son. What a gift my friends – let’s celebrate this gift this holiday season. Celebrate in reflective silence every day and listen to what God is calling you to do during this season of celebrating His gift to us – Jesus Christ. Wake up on Christmas morning and savor the love God has for you.
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M I N I S T RY
What’s in a Name?
As I was practicing for our upcoming Messiah concert with the Inland Master Chorale recently, I was amazed again by these inspiring words from Isaiah: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) What a revelation of who Jesus is through these powerful names! I am so impressed at how Pepper Choplin, composer of this year’s Worship Choir Christmas cantata Go Sing It on the Mountain, used some of those words and that musical motif of Handel in the song “A Child Is Gonna Come.” Names are important. As Marla and I were planning to visit my mother last month, my Mom asked if I would play during worship the
“...The name differentiates the child from others. Through the name, the individual becomes part of the history of the society, and, because of the name, his or her deeds will exist separate from the deeds of others.” 4
By Richard W. Steffen, Minister of Music Sunday we were with her. Then the question arose as how I wanted my name listed in the bulletin for that service: we decided to use my given name instead of the nickname I used while a child in that church. In his article “Names and Personal Identity,” H. Edward Deluzain gives this sociological insight: “This bestowal of name and identity is a kind of symbolic contract between the society and the individual. Seen from one side of the contract, by giving a name the society confirms the individual’s existence. The name differentiates the child from others. Through the name, the individual becomes part of the history of the society, and, because of the name, his or her deeds will exist separate from the deeds of others.” Wow: just consider the effect that Christ has had on human history through his birth, ministry, passion, death, resurrection! And we have a personal connection with Him because of each of the names we have for Jesus. I love singing this song of Roy Hicks, Jr.: “Praise the Name of Jesus.” In writing the song, Pastor Hicks was inspired by these words from Psalm 18: “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” If you know this song, you can sing it – even out loud – as you read this article: “Praise the name of Jesus; Praise the name of Jesus; He’s my Rock He’s my Fortress; He’s my Deliverer in Him will I trust; Praise the name of Jesus.” So let’s
find other references of these names. ROCK (1 Corinthians 10:4): “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” FORTRESS (Psalm 31:3): “For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.” DELIVERER (Psalm 144:2): “My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust.” And from the Apostle Paul to explain that salvation is offered through the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 11:26) “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, ‘There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer.’ ” During Advent we will be singing “Emmanuel, Emmanuel.” And we have references in the Old and New Testaments for that name: (Isaiah 7:14; from the Hebrew) “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” and (Matthew 1:23; from the Greek) “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” And you can sing – out loud again – these word: “Emmanuel, Emmanuel, his name is called Emmanuel. God with us, revealed in us, his name is called Emmanuel.” “The Lord Be with You” are the words of an ancient salutation and blessing. “And with your spirit” is a traditional response. And we proclaim: “Emmanuel, God with us.” How comforting and inspiring those words are to us now and always.
New Year’s Meditations Part 2: Grow By Jonathan M. Peske
Advent is a season of preparation. Like Lent, in which we spend time preparing our hearts to celebrate the miracle of Easter, Advent is a time in which we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ incarnation and birth. While our culture tries to get us to focus on consumption and material items, our faith calls us to use this time to examine how we can make room for Jesus to be born anew in our own lives. And so this is a perfect time to reflect on the second part of our motto: Grow. Last month we examined the call for us to Connect. We were reminded that our faith must be expressed in community; that the connections we need are not just superficial, but deeply spiritual; and that we must continually forge and renew these connections with one another. Now if our church was simply about connection, it would just be a social club: a place where we met with our friends once a week for encouragement and community. But our motto reminds us that connection is a means, not an end. And one of the reasons we connect is to help us grow. The call to grow is at the center of our faith. It’s not enough to pray one prayer, or do one great deed for Christ, and then sit back and rest on our laurels. Even the apostle Paul, who had a spiritual resume that could beat any of ours, wrote in Philippians 3:13-14 that he was “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, [as] I press on toward the goal for
the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” Our church does not prescribe what activities each member must do in order to grow. For example, we don’t tell you that you have to be at Sunday service, join a small group, and read a chapter in the Bible every day. But we are called to grow! This puts the responsibility on each of us to prayerfully consider how we plan to pursue spiritual growth. And growth must be about more than simply amassing insights. Instead, we must take what we are learning and put it into practice. In Jesus’ parable from the Sermon on the Mount, both the wise man (who built on rock) and the foolish man (who built on sand) heard Jesus’s words. The difference between wisdom and foolishness was in whether or not they acted on those words. Another way to think about whether or not we are growing is to look at whether or not anything has changed recently. What is God doing in our life? What new insights have we received and how have they challenged us to better love God and neighbor? A tree or a flower changes as it grows; so should we. The church offers many opportunities for each of us to grow in faith. In our Sunday worship service, we can be challenged by the words of scripture and the pastor’s sermon. We are also encouraged in our faith through the music, and we can take those songs with us into our week, singing and meditating them
as we go about our daily tasks. In our service we also enter into times of prayer--and prayer was one of the main ways that we read Jesus nourished his spiritual life. This church demonstrates its commitment to the growth of its members through the extensive series of classes it offers for adults on both Sunday mornings and Thursday nights. I think it is rare to find a church of our size with so many different opportunities for study. Growth can happen more easily in these small group settings because they are more interactive. Each of these classes welcomes new people at any time, so you are encouraged to join one. There are small group Bible studies, book discussion groups, and large pastorled Bible studies. But as helpful as our church activities are in fostering growth, it is ultimately our individual habits that nourish our faith and help us grow. Things like Bible reading, prayer, devotional reading, fasting, or other spiritual disciplines are all time-tested paths to growth. The mindset we have during our corporate times of worship and study also affects our ability to grow. Simply being present during a sermon or Bible study doesn’t lead to growth. When we are at church, are we listening with open hearts? Or are we distracted by something else? After we leave the building, do we continue to prayerfully ponder the things we have read and discussed Continued on Pg. 9
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M I S SION S
Worldwide Prayer Concerns “But recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.” –Hebrews 10:32-33
Kenya Pray for the families of David Munene, Evans Araka, and others who were killed by members of the militant group Al-Shabab in the town of Mandera in northern Kenya. In the month of October, 18 people were killed, all at night, in a coordinated effort to drive out Christians. Most of them were Christians working to serve in that predominantly Muslim community. “I am still in shock…” said one widow. “I have to believe that God will give me strength and that He will provide.” Pray for the spouses, sons, and daughters of those who were murdered. Pray that these grieving families would experience God’s grace and provision helping them now and into the future.
Cuba Mylinda Baits went with a few other American Baptists recently on a goodwill tour to Cuba, made possible by the opening of relations between our two countries. She rejoiced in meeting new friends, seeing vibrant worship, and watching six new believers being baptized. She was impressed by the resourcefulness of the Cubans, who have to improvise to handle challenges with limited resources. Pray that this would be the beginning of a renewed partnership between our churches. Pray that the government of Cuba will move towards even greater religious and political freedom for its people.
China Do our prayers each month make a difference? Voice of the Martyrs shared the story of a woman named Cheng Jie, who served two years in prison in China on religious charges. At first, she was very scared. She shared a cell with 15 women and her husband could only visit once a month. She desperately missed her sons, aged 1 and 3, since they were not allowed to visit her. Her husband was not allowed to give her a Bible. Eventually, she was able to trade with another prisoner to get a Bible and she used her time in prison to teach songs and Bible stories to the others in the prison. She was encouraged by letters she received letting her know others were praying for her. She said that made a big difference for her in that difficult time. Though Cheng is now home and reunited with her family, the future is uncertain. Her prison time will make it harder for her to find work or for the boys to enter school. Praise God that she is now home with her family and they can make plans together. Pray that God provides work, shelter, and a future for this family.
-Jonathan Peske
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If you have information to share about the persecuted church or news from the mission field, please share it with Jonathan Peske.
A Message from Our Missionaries: Kikongo A couple of weeks ago we had the wonderful surprise of having Rita and Glen Chapman, missionaries to the Congo, with us for Thursday night dinner. They were gracious enough to allow us to interview them about their ministry. The following is a very recent email message from Rita about another way that the work in Kikongo is having a broad impact on the community.
Dear Friends, Every summer vacation at Kikongo, packs of bored little boys run through the grasslands and forests looking for ways to amuse themselves. Their days are filled setting traps for rats, birds, and squirrels, or chopping down saplings for small construction projects, or even more exciting - fishing for the smallest of minows with mosquito nets, or sliding down eroded spring paths, or setting grass/forest fires. Pretty fun stuff, but oh so destructive on the forests and watersheds we all depend on around Kikongo. Enter...twentyfive 11-year-old boys dressed in snazzy red jerseys and shorts, armed with shovels and machettes! “Friends of the Congolese Earth,” began meeting for the first time a month ago to learn about how we can care for God’s creation around us. During the past 6 weeks, the boys have collected forest seeds for reforesting burnt out watershed forests close to our community springs, have watched them come up with the first rains, have planted hardwood tree cuttings, and have planted 114 acacia trees in bags for an artificial forest for fire wood that they will plant in November. They’ve learned about erosion and have rehabilitated some of Kikongo’s frequently used paths by digging canals for run off. Encouraged to look for erosion taking place in their own yards, I found one young boy digging a well built gutter off a troublesome path leading to his house one day. In Congo, a well-swept yard is a well-kept yard, so with our hard rains and the daily sweeping of bare earth, truckloads of soil are displaced unless gutters are made. We’re encouraged to see this small group of Kikongo boys beginning to model new land practices for Kikongo. Their projects are highly visible, inexpensive, and easy for others to immitate. Our hope is that by teaching these boys at a young age, they will learn good land practices that will follow them the rest of their lives. I, Rita, have been collaborating on this project with my two Congolese colleagues who have helped me out so much in raising and releasing our otters in the past few years. They “get” conservation and have been invaluable in helping to communicate even to children how important sustainable land practices are to our future in the “garden” God has given us to care for in Congo. Please pray that the eyes of these boys’ tender young hearts would be opened to God’s love shown through the wonder of Creation. And, that they would delight in learning to care for it. Love, Rita Chapman Missionary
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F E L L O WSHI P
Get To Know: Rod Zambrows
Rod was born in Hollywood, California. He grew up behind the ABC studios. One of his earliest memories is looking over the wall at the two parking lot wide mural for the Program Gidgit. He has one sister who lives in Eagle Rock, CA. He grew up in a Jewish family. His favorite part of the synagogue service was the Hebrew prayers. They helped him feel unique. His favorite festival of the year was Purim when many ate triangular confections in memory of Haman’s hat. (Esther is between Nehemiah and Job). He also had a talent for winning lots of gold fish prizes. By his senior year in high school, Rod had been introduced to Christianity and had started to take the message of Jesus seriously. He was baptized four years later as a senior in college at Grace Church, Santa Barbara, CA. Before coming to Redlands, he was acquainted with Pastor Joe DeRoulhac, Janet Roberts, and Jane Wilson. He arrived to help set up the Zambrows household and was back and forth to Indiana for months. He’s now settled doing substitute teaching while he ponders finding a steady job. Isaiah 58:10 is Rod’s favorite Bible verse because it pre-figures the coming of Jesus. (See Jn. 1:4-5 and Jn. 3:19) His favorite story is “The Parable of the Ten Minas (or Talents) in Luke 19:11-27. Where his translation of
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By Ann B. Smith
Photo courtesy of Shawn Zambrows Rod Zambrows, husband of our very own Pastor Shawn Zambrows, looking very regal next to a statue of FDR. the servant’s reply is: Here’s your filthy money. I’m not doing your dirty work for you. This makes that servant the hero, rather than the loser he’s painted in the Bible. Rod’s favorite religious song is In My Life by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, which most of us know from the first line: “There are places I remember.” His favorite hymn is Hosanna by Hillsong United. He most often finds God when he discovers people doing the work of God (feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, bringing hope to the hopeless) without even realizing
that they are doing God’s work. He also find’s himself close to the heart of Christ when he’s praying for someone. At those times, he experiences insight into parts of the person’s needs that he could not have received from outside sources – including how to best help those for whom he is praying. Rod says he feels comfortable at Redlands First Baptist because of our welcoming spirit. He likes the intergenerational worship. And he’s encouraged by our outreach programs.
Photo courtesy of Tom Herron
Thank You From Local Outreach The Local Outreach Commission would like to thank the congregation that generously donated food and money to the annual Family Service Thanksgiving collection. We were able to collect and donate 642 lbs. of food and $470.00 Stater Bros. gift cards and cash. Thank you to the youth, JDs, and younger children for assembling and presenting the food and to Pastor Shawn for the blessing of the food. Sincerely Cathy Zander and Local Outreach Commission
New Year’s Meditations Part 2: Grow Cont. Continued from Pg. 5 and let them lead to changes in our life? Spiritual growth will not happen by accident. We have to make it a priority. We all have busy lives, with many other things competing for our attention. We have to choose to
come to church on Sunday. We have to choose to sit down and read our Bible. We have to choose to make time for prayer. We have to choose to regularly do whatever things help us grow. Just as we must eat healthy meals every day, our soul requires regular nourishment, or our spiritual life will atrophy. These closing questions are
offered for personal reflection. If you’d like, you can go online to http://tinyurl.com/FBCRDec2016 and share your answers and see what others think. Which activities at church most help me grow? What activities outside of church most help me grow? How am I seeing God at work in my life? How am I acting on what I have been learning?
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C A L E N DA R
Happy December Birthday To...
Photo courtesy of Cathy Zander A super Saturday working at Family Service and pizza at Gourmet Pizza. Thank you volunteers! -- Local Outreach Commission
Advent Brunch Las Posadas Saturday, December 3 9:30 a.m., Fellowship Hall
Saturday, December 17 4 p.m. Bethany Reformed Church
Children’s Program & Brunch Sunday, December 11
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Saturday December 24, 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary Come worship the coming of Christ with music and Scripture. Along with our own choirs and musical groups we will have as our guest operatic soprano and University of Redlands alumna and international performer, Angel Blue, leading us in celebration of Christ’s birth.
Polar Express Movie Night Thursday, December 22 6:45 p.m., Chapel
Cantata “Go Sing It On the Mountain” Sunday, December 18 10:15 a.m.
Worship on Christmas Morning
Sunday, December 25, 11 a.m. in the Chapel It’s not often we have Christmas on Sunday! We will have a worship celebration in a more casual style in our chapel. A time for the entire family to come together and celebrate Jesus’ birthday. No need to dress up.
New Year’s Worship Service
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Sunday, January 1, 11 a.m. in the Sanctuary Be sure to note that the time of our worship service on the very first day of the new year, Sunday, January 1, will be at 11 a.m. instead of the usual time.
Alan Beltran — 1 Johndalene Mitchell — 3 Janet Johnson — 5 Alexander Brown — 7 Melinda Kluza — 7 Alex Lowe — 9 Jack Bueerman — 9 Emma DeDoes — 10 Matt DeDoes — 11 Tracy Agboke — 12 David Holden — 14 Fred Bandel — 15 Charlie Zureick — 16 Allison Kishimoto — 17 Kate Applebee — 18 Erin Goddard — 18 Luthor Parks — 18 Jose Mendoza — 21 Scott Nelson — 22 Allison Guzman — 23 Darla Dillow — 23 Melody Wolfe — 26 Nicholas Daniel — 26 Chris Keierleber — 27 Marge Emrick — 28 Erin Estey — 28 Mary Nell Gifford — 28 Janet Lee — 28 Brendan Morgan — 29 Maja Whitley — 31 William Sullivan — 31 Carol Townsend — 31
Family Service Volunteers Needed Until December 22 Volunteers are needed at Family Service for a day of city wide collection of food. Come help bless those in need!
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8 a.m. Men’s Breakfast at 11 a.m. Christmas Morning Plymouth Village Worship Office Closed
Pray for Guidance
Pray for Forgiveness
10 a.m. - Noon Office open
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10 a.m. - Noon Office open
Pray for Unity
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Give Thanks for God’s Love
6 p.m. Men’s Fellowship
Pray for the Lost
8:45 a.m. Nursery/Toddlers 7 p.m. Prayer Meeting, 9 a.m. Sunday School 8 a.m. Men’s Breakfast at Board Room 10:15 a.m. Christmas Plymouth Village Cantata, Sanctuary 4-6 p.m. GriefShare, 11:30 a.m. Fellowship Time Lounge
for those who are 20 Pray for your Family 21 18 Pray for Richard Steffen 19 Pray Struggling
8:45 a.m. Nursery/Toddlers 9 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Children’s Christmas Worship Service 11:30 Celebration Brunch, Fellowship Hall
Pray for Pastor Deena
10 a.m. - Noon Office open
Give Thanks for Those In Your Life
10 a.m. - Noon Office open
Pray for Loved Ones
No Play Day Office Closed
29 Pray for your Friends 30
5:45 p.m. Mexican Fiesta Dinner 6:45 p.m. Polar Express 6:45 p.m. Adult Programming
Pray for our Volunteers
Saturday
Pray for our Soldiers
Give Thanks for the Birth of Jesus
Thanks for a 31 Give New Year
7 p.m. Christmas Eve Worship Service, Sanctuary
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1-5 p.m., Put It Together, David’s Corner 4 p.m. Las Posadas Procession, Bethany Reformed Church
Pray for our Air Force
9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Children’s Rehearsal, Sanctuary
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9:30 a.m. Advent Brunch, Fellowship Hall
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16 Pray for the Hopeless 17
Thanks for What 22 Give 23 You Have
Pray for the Lost
5:45 p.m. Thursday Night 10-11 a.m. Play Day Dinner in the Nursery 6:45 p.m. Classes
Pray for the Spirit
10-11 a.m. Play Day in the Nursery
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6:30 p.m. Diaconate, Lounge 7 p.m. C.E., Mezzanine Worship, Board Room Local Outreach Library Fin. & Prop., Judson Hall
Pray for Strength
10 a.m. Ladies Bible Study, Boardroom 5:45 p.m. Birthday Night Dinner 6:45 Classes
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8 a.m. Men’s Breakfast at Plymouth Village 4-6 p.m. GriefShare, Lounge
Pray for Peace
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Pray for our Staff
13 Pray for our Country 14 Pray for Hope
Pray for the Homeless
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Friday
12 Pray for Leaders
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Pray for Hanging of the Greens
5:45 p.m. Thursday Night Dinner 6:45 p.m. Hanging of the Greens
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Thursday
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Pray for the Needy
Wednesday
7 p.m. Prayer Meeting, Board Room
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Tuesday
8 a.m. Men’s Breakfast at Plymouth Village 4-6 p.m. GriefShare, Lounge
Pray for Pastor Shawn
Monday
8:45 a.m. Nursery/Toddlers 9 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Worship Service 11:30 a.m. Fellowship Time 11:45 a.m. Prayer Meeting
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Sunday
DE C E M BE R 2 0 1 6
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Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Saturday, December 24, 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary Join us for our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with special guest operatic singer Angel Joy Blue. Angel is known for “her beautiful timbre, soprano Angel Blue’s voice has been hailed for its shining, agile upper register and ‘smoky’ middle register.” Nominated in the 2015 Opera Awards, Angel is beginning to be recognised as one of the best singers of her generation. Invite your friends and family and come worship with us!