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Sundays at 9:30am.
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THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE
SUNDAY SERMON
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Luke 1: 46-55
FEATURED UPDATES
CHURCH PRAYER MEETING!
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2
The Church prayer meetings are on Zoom every Monday night at 7pm!
Zoom ID: 859 848 614
Password: geecc
All are welcomed to this sweet hour of prayer! See you there!
ARK PRESCHOOL UPDATE!
Thank you to all who donated towards our Friends of The Ark Campaign. Donations can be mailed to the church and please write "Friends of The Ark Donation" in the memo. Your gift impacts the lives of the children at The Ark by helping to maintain a strong program and providing financial assistance for families who cannot afford full tuition for their children.
Registration for the 2023-2024 school year starts on February 1st. We will be hosting a Prospective Parent Open House for families new to The Ark on Thursday, January 12 from 6:00pm-7:00pm. Families will have the opportunity to tour the classrooms, meet our teachers and learn more about our Christian Preschool Program. Can you help us to spread the word? We start accepting applications (located outside of The Ark Office and on our website) on February 1st and classes are formed in the beginning of March. If you have family, friends or neighbors with preschool age children, please have them call The Ark Office at 630-858-7755 or e-mail me (holly.pelsor@gecovenant.org) for registration information.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!
IMPORTANT CHURCH EVENTS AND DATES FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
Sunday School – We will have Sunday school on the following days. Nov. 27th, December 4th.
We will NOT have Sunday School beginning December 11th until January 8th, 2023.
On January 8th, Sunday School will resume.
Lucia – Please Join us on December 11th for our annual Lucia service at 5pm in the sanctuary.
If you would like to volunteer to help, sign ups can be found in Higher Grounds.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service – Saturday, December 24th at 5pm.
Christmas Morning Church Service – Sunday December 25th. 9:30 AM in the Sanctuary.
Church Office Closed December 26th – December 30th. (Church Staff still available by email and cell and mail will still function)
New Year’s Day –New Year’s Potluck Breakfast Church service. Sunday January 1st, 9:30am in the FLC.
A message from the psrc
In this season of giving we want to remember our faithful staff members with a cash gift in recognition of their diligent work during the past year. There are many ways to contribute: with a separate check, in your regular giving, or electronically. In all cases, write "staff gift" in the memo line of your check or on your regular envelope.
Please try to get your gifts to the church by Sunday, December 18th. This year of coming out of Covid has been especially challenging for the staff and this is a tangible way we can express our appreciation.
--Don Holt for the Pastoral and Staff Relations Committee
MISSIONS FOCUS
Missions Focus
Special Christmas Giving Opportunities
The third unique giving opportunity we highlight this week was brought to our attention by our partners Carl and Karen who are ministering to refugees and asylum-seekers in Thailand. They could use help supporting a couple of families of parents and youth. The specific needs and opportunities are:
• Medical (financial support for challenging costs of monthly medications for a young man with a chronic stomach and intestinal condition)
• Immigration: Visas to country of immigration (gifts to a matching savings program for the costs to enter Canada); and Travel Preparation (gifts to support purchase of items needed before departure)
• Youth Group Dream (to go together to experience the beach).
Gifts to help with any of these items may be made via this Evangelical Covenant Church Serve Globally donation link. Please contact Darren Miller and the Missions Committee with any questions.
Other Opportunities
For details on ongoing needs and opportunities with our missions partners, contact Darren Miller, write to missions@gecovenant.org, or visit the websites of the missions partners of interest. Also consider being added to the distribution list for our partners’ newsletters. The missions display case has highlights of our missionaries and missions partners. The GE COV Prayer Letter shares information on how we may pray for our missionaries. Contact Diane Brown to be added to the Prayer Letter distribution list.