SECRET SANTA REMINDERS
If you signed up to be a secret Santa for our Youth Group, please drop off your gift and letter to the front office or Christian’s office no later than Dec. 14. Gifts will be passed out at the Dec. 17 Youth Christmas Party.
SIENA GARDENS CHRISTMAS CAROLING
We’ll be “Singing in the Halls” of Siena Gardens,1055 Ohio Pike, on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 4 p.m. as we carol through the hallways of the facility. Everyone is invited to bring some Christmas cheer to the residents at Siena Gardens during the holiday season.
CHRISTMAS WEEKEND SCHEDULE
- Saturday, Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve Service, including the play “Just a Little Christmas” performed by children in our ROCKs group, 3 p.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 25 – No 9 a.m. Bible classes. Our regular service will be held at 10 a.m. There will not be Children’s Bible Hour, but Children’s ministry has prepared “busy bags” for our young ones during service.
PICTURE PERFECT CHRISTMAS
When you walk into the lobby this week, you’ll notice a beautiful Christmas backdrop and bench. This was set up for you and your family to take a holiday picture (thank you, Candy Huston!), especially while you have out-of-town relatives in for the holiday. There will not be a photographer on hand, so bring your own camera or phones and snap as many photos as you like.
YOU COULD BE AN ENCOURAGER!
The Encouragers ministry sends cards to celebrate happy occasions like birthdays and anniversaries and cards to acknowledge sad times like illness or loss of loved ones. If encouragement is one of your talents, please contact Nancy Finley at (513) 470-0702 to become involved. If you’re already a group member, be sure that Nancy has your up-to-date contact information.
GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER
Your financial gifts help the church continue our work here and around the world. You can give by placing cash or check in the contribution box, mailing your check to the church, or giving online through CCB.
SUNDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY
Everyone is welcome to the Sunday Evening Bible Study at 6 p.m. in the auditorium. The current study is focused on the fruits of the Spirit.
BUILDING ENTRY
Please contact any of our staff members if you need access to the building outside of our regular hours but don’t have a key fob or access code: Cindy Summers, 330-466-1981; Christian Thompson, 806-239-2969; Mike Gulley, 513-519-4482; Michelle Ingland, 614-302-0672; or Kevin Stewart, 918-816-1769.
If you cannot join us in person this Sunday, please join through our YouTube livestream.
- Bible class starts at 9 a.m. — Core Matters
- Worship service starts at 10 a.m. – Advent: Hospitality Incarnated
Thank you for clicking the “like” button in YouTube under each class and sermon.
DECEMBER PRAYER FOCUS
Pray for God to renew our strength as we put our hope in the Lord. (Isaiah 40:28-31)
PRAYER REQUESTS
- Lisa Bowling’s surgery for colon cancer went well. Continue to pray for recovery and removal of all cancer.
- Juanita Moore requested prayers for her sister, Betty Evans, who has COPD.
- John Gillespie requested prayers for his friend, Bob Shermer, who recently had a mass removed from his kidney and is awaiting biopsy results.
- Brice Summers, Brian and Cindy’s 18-year-old nephew, is struggling with severe depression. He is currently hospitalized as a suicide risk.
- Jacob’s son, James Svintsitsky, badly injured his hand in an accident.
Submit prayer requests online through CCB, which also go directly to all of the elders, or email the church at office@withamsville.church.
- CUMO Christmas Store – Saturday, Dec. 10, Noon – 2 p.m.
- Homebuilders’ Christmas Party – Saturday, Dec. 10, 6 p.m
ROCKs events are for children ages 1 through grade 5. Children are encouraged to bring friends to all ROCKs fun activities!
- Christmas Eve Play Just a Little Christmas – Saturday, Dec. 24, 3 p.m., followed by a short devotional service.
Youth Group is for young people in grades 6 through 12. Youth are encouraged to invite friends to participate in studies and activities.
- Youth Christmas Party – Saturday, Dec. 17, 6 p.m.
SUNDAY MORNING
Adult Class
Core Matters – Auditorium
Christian Thompson is sharing with the adult Bible Class the basics of the lessons that were taught to our teens at this year’s Fall Retreat. Class this Sunday will cover Core Family, and the Dec. 18 class is titled Core Purpose.
College and Young Adults Class – Colossians, Mike Gulley’s Office
For Paul, the nature of Jesus as Creator and Redeemer was nonnegotiable. He focuses on Christ as being sovereign and over all things. As such, Jesus is also Head over the church. He has reconciled all things to Himself through His death on the cross, making believers alive to God and setting them on the path to right living.
Youth Classes
OT1: Where’s Jesus?Joe Pauley/Ben Painter – Youth House
For kids in grades 6-8. Sometimes is difficult for us to see and understand that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament is the same. The truth is, not only is He the same God but scripture as a whole is telling the same cohesive story. In this study, we will be looking at part one of our journey of seeing Jesus throughout the Old Testament.
Deal or No Deal, Mike Gulley/Dan Moore – Youth House
For teens in grades 9 and 10, Deal or No Deal is a study of the various covenants in scripture and the God who made them. Throughout this study, we strive to establish the importance of covenants in our lives today as well as understand God’s role and usage of covenants throughout scripture.
Bible v. World, Don Moore – Youth House
For teens in grades 11 and 12, the purpose of Bible V. World is to provide a strong, biblical foundation on some of life’s more difficult topics or struggles. The aim is to help strengthen/prepare the students before the next step of the journey in life.
Children’s Classes– Lower-level classrooms, 4-K in the loft
This week’s lesson moves into the book of Daniel with the lesson titled Daniel Was Faithful.
WEDNESDAY EVENING
Adults meet in the auditorium Dec. 14. Kids go straight to the Fellowship Hall at 7 p.m. Grades 6-12 will be in the Youth House as usual.
Adults –Mosaic Law, Adam Szabo, teacher.
To understand New Testament stories, an understanding of Old Testament stories is essential. On Wednesdays, we will be studying the Mosaic Law and its application to Israelite history, Jesus’s interactions with Jewish leaders, and the trials that the Apostles faced while spreading the Gospel.
Youth – Sermon on the Mount: Living the High Life
Hangout Time at 6 p.m. Class in the Youth House beginning at 7 p.m.
Children – Christmas ROCKs! All kids ages 2 through grade 5 meet in the Fellowship Hall at 7 p.m. for a special event teaching the true meaning of Christmas.