15 Dec 2013 ... Songs: “Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus)”. Pastoral Prayer. Our Tithes and
Offerings. First CRC Ministry Budget. Institute for Christian Studies.
We Worry… First Christian Reformed Church Sunday December 15, 2013 Pastor Gary Bomhof WE ARE GATHERED AS ONE Prelude: T’was in the Moon of Wintertime arr Robert Powell Welcome and Announcements God’s Greeting Time of Friendship Choir to Lead: Call to Worship: We Wait in Hope Songs of Praise: “Once in Royal Davis’s City” PsH 346 “Angel We Have Heard on High” PsH 347 Service of Reconciliation Assurance of Pardon Song: Rejoice and Be Merry Huron Carol Song: “Joy to the World” PsH 337 Service of the Word Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Philippians 4:4-7 Drama Message: “We Worry” Pastor Gary Bomhof We Respond In Faith and Service Drama 2 Songs: “Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus)” Pastoral Prayer Our Tithes and Offerings First CRC Ministry Budget Institute for Christian Studies Children’s Christmas Program Stranger in the Manger We Leave to Serve Blessing and Advent Candle Lighting Postlude
SERVING TODAY Greeting: Marissa Stryker Helping Hands: Jim Seinen Nursery: Minke Lodewyk, Tori Stryker, Carly Duduman, Alan Opdendries Coffee Hosts: Herman & Cathy Nicolay Serving Elder: Peter Bouch Sound & Power: Brian & Rachel SERVING NEXT WEEK Greeting: Evelyn Oosterhoff Helping Hands: Dave Bomhof Nursery: Karen Heinrichs, Erin Fosty, Heinrichs Family Coffee Hosts: Jeff and Jane Visser Serving Elder: Linda Veenstra Sound & Power: Dave & Dylan FIRST FAMILY NEWS … Jo-Ann Bomhof was admitted to the Royal Alexandra hospital this past Monday and hopes to come home tomorrow fitted with a new feeding system. This will provide a base of 1500 calories per day which can be supplemented with foods taken in orally. Join us in praying that this will provide a new lease on life! …Continue to pray for Dorothy Brouwer in Red deer hospital. …Off to Ontario: I will be leaving on Tuesday to officiate at a wedding in Ontario on Friday. Originally Jo-Ann and I were planning to go but now she will stay at home cared for by her brother Jack who is coming from New Westminster, B.C. to brave the cold in Alberta. I hope to be back again by Sunday evening. GJB …End of the Year Services: Today the JAM Time (Sunday school) children will be presenting their program at the conclusion of our worship service. Thanks so much to all who so faithfully work with our children not only to get ready for the program but also throughout the year. Sunday, Dec. 22 – 4th Sunday in Advent- We are Weary – service led by Pastor Josh Friend. Christmas Eve – Tuesday, Dec. 24, 7.00 p.m. We WaitService led by Pastors Bomhof and Friend Christmas Day – Wednesday, Dec. 25 – We Wonder – Service led by Pastor Bomhof New Year’s Eve – Sunday December 29 – Baptismal Service led by Pastor Bomhof New Year’s Day – Wednesday, January 1 – We Wish – Service led by Pastor Josh Friend
FIRST CHURCH NEWS AND EVENTS Remember the many people who are unable to worship with us regularly due to illness or age including Hermina de Gruyter, Alice de Wit, Tanny DeKoning, Lies Harkema, Gerrit DeWit, Marge Groeneveld, Clarence & Dorothy Brouwer, Henny Oosterhoff, Dicky Mulder, Winnie Tensen, Henk Krikke, Idonna Christensen, and Helen Spaninga. We extend a special welcome to guests who are joining us this morning. Children ages 3 to Grade5 will go to Jam Time this morning. There is a supervised nursery care for infants to age 3. Guests at First Church are cordially invited to a time of fellowship and friendship in the Social Hall following the worship service. Coffee hosts are Herman and Cathy Nicolay. Wine & Roses: The Christmas Lunch will be on Tuesday December 17 at 10:30am. Please sign up with Marian Scholten or Ethel VandenBrink today at the kiosk. All seniors welcome. Red Deer Hospice Society (RDHS): Many individuals and families in our church have benefited from the love and care received at the Red Deer Hospice during a time of great need. At this time RDHS is conducting a membership drive and you are welcome to join for $20 per year. Application forms are available at the kiosk at the west entry to our church. If you are interested in becoming a member, please do so before December 15 so that you are eligible to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting to be held on Tuesday, January 28. For more information, please contact Pastor Bomhof who is presently serving on the Board. Drop it off at the hospice. Singing to Shut Ins: The congregation is invited to join the choir, after our church service today, for our annual Singing to Shut Ins. We will have a potluck lunch and then divide up in groups and go and spread Christmas joy. If you have any questions, contact Linda Veenstra or Kris Haynal. Thank you to all who donated snacks and also to all those who volunteered their time to work the concession. Everything was greatly appreciated and well received. Many blessings to you all! Ev Oosterhoff Berachah Place Volunteers Needed: On call emergency volunteers needed for Berachah Place (a drop in center for the homeless) during days of un-drivable Alberta winters - Training available - most love people call Malinda at 403-3919598 for more information. Huron Carol: "Twas in the moon of wintertime when all the birds had fled..." So begins Canada's most beautiful Christmas carol. Its writer, Father Jean de Brebeuf (1593-1649) was a Jesuit missionary who lived and worked among the Huron Indians, in Quebec, for twenty-two years. Although Father de Brebeuf was killed during an Iroquois raid, the carol was kept alive in the Huron language for over one hundred years before it was translated into French, then finally into English in 1926. Thank-you, Doug Ward, for playing the flute. Rejoice and Be Merry: New holiday music gets written on a fairly regular basis, but rarely any new Christmas Carols. John Rutter (born 1945, London, England) fell in love with Christmas carols when he was a chorister in grade school. Some of his well - known carols are, Angels' Carol, Candlelight Carol, Shepherd's Pipe Carol. The words to Rejoice and Be Merry come from the 18th Century. John Rutter loves almost every Christmas Carol — whether it's his own or one of the classics — because they all have an extraordinary ability to awaken happy memories. Thank-you Nan - Thornton for playing the orchestra bells. A One Time Free Offer from the Choir!! If you enjoy singing, join us Christmas Eve. We will be singing “O Holy Night” and “Who's That Baby”. Join us for rehearsal this Thursday night at 7:30 pm and then on Christmas Eve. It will be fun! The Congregation of First CRC: Thank you for your prayers and generous support for the ministry of World Renew. During the month of November, this congregation gave $23,746.00 to that ministry. In partnership with you, World Renew was able to help 1.2 million people in 35 countries last year through hunger alleviation, food security, disaster response, health and nutrition programs, and many more. World Renew assists people like Grace, a widow in Uganda who learned new farming practices through World Renew’s food security programs. As a result, her harvest has greatly improved. “This year I have realized a big change in the crop yield of beans," said Grace. "They helped my family in a time of food scarcity and financial crisis." Thanks to this most recent gift, we hope to continue walking alongside those in need in 2014 and help them work towards their God-given potential.
Youth and Young Adults Foundations II is now on break until January 12th which will be a mentor night! Thank you to all who have come and joined us this year so far, we are having a wonderful time learning about other religions and your participation, enthusiasm, and thirst for knowledge is a blessing to us as leaders. May you truly experience what it means to believe in the coming of the one and only Saviour, Jesus Christ this Christmas season! See you after the break! Hear Ye! Hear Ye! All Kings and Queens, Knights and Nobles, Serfs and Servants! A tournament celebration is planned to honour the marriage of Baron Bartholomew and Lady Diana! You are invited to partake in the entertainment...that is until you find yourself in the middle of a murder! Be careful in attending! Your life will depend not only on your innocence...but on your ability to defend it!!!! This event takes place on Saturday, January 4 th at the Cronquist House, starting at 5:30pm. You must sign up on the youth bulletin board in order to attend as everyone needs to have a character, costume, and information on what part you play in the murder! Space is limited, so contact Cathy Tilstra if you have any questions! All youth grades 7 and up and young adults are invited to come! Games Night meets this Tuesday, December 17th at Gateway Christian School, central campus. This is the last drop in night until January! Come out for some fun from 6:30-8:30pm. Please note, when we resume on January 7th, we will run from 6:30-8:00pm. This event is open to all youth grades 7 and up! Inspire Weekend in Edmonton is scheduled for February 14-16, 2014. More details about this event are located on the website listed below. The first 80 people to register will take advantage of the reduced rates so register ASAP. Here is the link to the website for this event: www.inspirealberta.ca. Talk to Cathy Tilstra if you would like to attend or sign up on the youth bulletin board! It is a great regional event for all senior high youth across Alberta from the Christian Reformed denomination where we gather together for worship, service, and fellowship! Coffee Crashin’ is scheduled for Sunday, January 5th after the service at Jared and Tori Stryker’s house! All youth grades 7 and up are invited for lunch and fun at their house!
December
16 17 19
Monday
6:30pm 7:00pm 10:30am 7:00pm 7:30pm 7:30pm 3:30pm
Tuesday
Thursday Friday
THIS WEEK AT FIRST Gems and Cadets Friendship Wine & Roses Christmas Party PM Coffee Break Administration Choir Hymn Sing Michener Hill Extendicare
Today’s Tithes and Offerings:
Future Offerings:
BIRTHDAYS 16 Herma Pikkert 18 Megan Hessel 20 Katherine Thompson
Kevin Pikkert Levi Brunner Mitchell Andersen
STEWARDSHIP NOTES First Church Budget Ministry World Renew – Disaster Relief - Philippines
December
Collection from Dec. 1 and 8
15 22
Institute for Christian Studies Shalom Counselling Services
Budget World Renew – Philipines World Renew – World Hunger
$25,269.00 $9,600.00 $3265.00
CHURCH CONTACT INFORMATION First Christian Reformed Church 16 McVicar Street Red Deer, AB T4N 0M1
[email protected] Phone: 403-346-5659 www.firstcrcreddeer.org Highlights of the November Council meeting: The “2011 Fourth Wave Report” was presented by Walt Brouwer, which deals with the pastoral health of the Denomination. This report was presented to Synod in 2012. Various committees reported, safe church policy is in the works as Classis has a new project relating to this in January 2014. Also encouraging interested members to join the Hospice Board. We received an insurance pay out for the sewer damage and are now responsible to contract our own repairs. New Administration committee member Herman Bruin approved. The Afrikaans groups are going well. The deacons are scheduling one collection in the New Year for Neighbourhood Life program led by Rick Abma. The Jesus and Me (JAM) website and newsletter is up and running. We acquired a new soundboard. And the Kitchen Committee is planning some fun events in the New Year. Respectfully: Wilf Opden Dries, Chairperson. Classis Alberta North has vacancies for two positions it wishes to fill, as follows 1. Classical Treasurer. Current Treasurer Ellen Vlieg-Paquette is retiring on June 30, 2014, after six years of faithful service. Classis seeks a person with experience in finance to serve as its Treasurer. The Treasurer is responsible for carrying out all financial transactions, including payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, etc. The Treasurer keeps the books, prepares budgets and financial statements, and reports to the Classis Interim Committee monthly and to Classis twice a year. This is a paid part-time position. Interested persons should contact Rick Struik at
[email protected]. 2. Member of the Committee for Contact with the Government. Classis needs to recommend the appointment of a representative to serve as member of this Canadian CRC Committee. The Committee oversees the work of the Christian Reformed Center for Public Dialogue, whose goal is to present a positive voice of faith in Canadian public life, and to live out the links of justice, hope and reconciliation in advocacy and citizenship. The Committee holds two 2-day meetings per year. This is a volunteer position. Please see the CRCNA website for more information. Interested persons should contact Rick Struik at
[email protected]. Central Alberta Christian High School’s Fall Debt Drive is underway. This year’s goal is set at $100,000.00. So far, this year’s Drive has resulted in donations totaling $35,795.00. We would ask that you prayerfully consider to what extent you can support CACHS through this year’s drive. Please contact Wendy Barnes (Business Administrator) 403-782-4535 or Pete Walls (Board Treasurer) 403-588-0856 if you have any questions or need assistance. You may also mail your donations directly to C.A.C.H.S. 22 Eagle Road, Lacombe, AB T4L 1G7 Attention Wendy Barnes. Cachs Alumni Volleyball Tournament: Everyone is invited to watch some competitive volleyball and meet up with past classmates, parents, and other fans from years gone by during the CACHS Alumni Volleyball Tournament this Saturday, Dec. 21. Come and cheer on your favorite team!
