Join us Each week in person or online
Sundays at 9:30am.
QUICK LINKS
THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE
CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP
Luke 2:1-20
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 – On January 8th, Sunday School will resume.
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. Please bring a breakfast item to share.
ADVENT CANDLE LITURGY
The Worship Arts Committee is a group of fabulously creative and thoughtful followers of Jesus.
This Advent Season, the group was interested in what it might look like to help create some of
the spoken liturgy. Through conversation and brief teaching, several people gladly chose to engage
in the writing of the Advent Candle liturgy. I wanted to let the whole church know what a
wonderful step forward this was into truly having worship become ‘the work of the people’.
As a launching pad, I created the liturgy for the First Sunday of Advent. Following . . .
· Second Sunday of Advent: Kriste Sveen
· Third Sunday of Advent: Becca Rosengren
· Fourth Sunday of Advent: Meg Tillman
· Christmas Eve: Peter Johnson
Thankful for these fellow travelers, and their contribution to our collective worship this Advent Season.
Leslie
Men’s Ministry Update
Covenant Point Men's Retreat: Feb. 24-26, 2023
Each year, Covenant Point hosts a men’s retreat for Covenant Churches in the Midwest. We have had a number of men from our church attending this annual event in years past. Whether there is one, or a dozen men from our church, it has always been a great time of fellowship, worship, and learning. Please check out the link below to learn more (and register if you wish).
2023 Men’s Retreat Covenant Point Bible Camp
7pm Friday, Feb 24 – 10am Sunday, Feb 26
Come for a weekend of fun, fellowship, meaningful conversation, and worship. Invite your friends for the excellent food, good times, and life-giving worship and messages. Recreational opportunities include a broomball tournament, afternoon jam session (bring your own instrument), snowshoeing, cross-country skiing on our groomed trails, sauna and polar bear dip, or games and conversation in the dining hall.
Check-in begins at 7:00 PM on Friday, with our first gathering at 8:00 PM.
year end donations
Thank you for your generosity to the Lord’s ministry through Glen Ellyn Covenant Church during the past year! Any year end donations must be received at the church or postmarked by December 31 to be considered a 2022 gift for tax purposes.
While the church office will be closed Dec. 26-30, donations can be sent by mail to the church. Please check with the local US Post Office as holiday collection schedules can vary.
Donations by credit card or EFT can be made online at https://gecovenant.breezechms.com/give/online (deadline to be considered at 2022 gift: 11:59pm on Dec. 31).
Any questions, please contact Wendy Miller, Financial Secretary (giving@gecovenant.org or 630-596-6487) or Brad Rosengren, Treasurer (bradrosengren@gmail.com).
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.