WITHIN THE FELLOWSHIP:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Janice Peterman 26th; Dorothy Kehs, Martha Wolgemuth 27th; Shirley Michalak, Bill Teate 30th; JoAnn Elliott December 1st.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Rod and Beth Harbon 26th.
THE SERMON TITLE this morning is Giving Thanks to God. We all are grateful when a project is completed or when a conceptual idea comes to fruition. When it comes to God’s plan of salvation of sinners, to watch it being accomplished in those who hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ causes missionaries and Christians sharing this message to rejoice and give thanks to God. The Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi bursts with exuberant joy and thanksgiving because of what God started and promises to bring to completion in the lives of believers. Let us see how this spirited joy should be ours too.
COME, GIVE THANKS at our Thanksgiving Eve service this Wednesday evening. It begins at 7:00 and will include testimonies and songs. Begin your Thanksgiving celebration in worship with God’s people.
THE SACRAMENT of Holy Communion will be shared during the service of worship next Sunday. Come prepared to worship and receive.
ISSUES & ANSWERS
- Today – Are You a Bigot? – Dave Reich, Steve Radcliff
- Nov. 29 – Jeff & Mary Kirkpatrick
THE FLOWER CHART FOR 2021 is posted on the wall in the narthex for those who would like to sponsor flowers for our sanctuary. The chart will be posted until the end of December.
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to sign up for the Advent Workshop which happens next Sunday beginning at 4:00. Be sure to sign up for the craft you wish to make before the lines are filled. All attending are invited to share pizza and beverages afterwards. Please bring a dessert to share. If you’re not “crafty”, but don’t want to miss eating with your family and friends, sign up only for the meal. We need to know you’re joining us, so we know how many to expect. The crafts and pizza are free.
CHRISTMAS CAROLING takes place on December 13th. On the Welcome Desk you will find sign-up forms to register for caroling. The completed form may be placed in the basket provided on the desk. You may also use the form to make suggestions for persons or homes to put on our caroling list. Feel welcome to join in spreading Christmas cheer!
NEXT SUNDAY IS THE DAY the Gospel Gleanings project reaches its climax. Beginning last December individuals and families have been putting aside one dollar a day to fund three years of ministry to the Erukulu people, an unreached people group in India. Already there are 450 Erukulu individuals who are on the road from the darkness of illiteracy to the opened, lighted opportunities that accompany literacy. Remember to bring your final envelope of Gospel Gleanings with you next week.
ATTENTION LADIES, you are invited to a Christmas Potluck Dinner on Tuesday, December 8th right here at church. The BIG RED sign-up sheet is on the wall right near the elevator. Great food, wonderful fellowship, and a blessing for all who attend.
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY for the food collection taking place for the Keystone Opportunity Center. Thank you to everyone for your donations.
PRAYER-POINTERS. Here are two prayer points for this week as we pray for the Gospel Gleanings outreach to the Erukulu people:
- Pray for God’s encouragement for the 158 women from 15 to 35 years of age who are learning to read. Also pray for the 167 women 36 years of age and upwards who are learning to read. Thank the Lord for the 46 young men between the ages of 15 and 35 who have committed to the reading classes. Finally, ask the Lord Jesus to bless the 79 men over 35 years of age who are taking the daunting step of trying to learn to read.
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts as well as the minds of those 450 students. As they learn to read, may God gift them with the blessing of open hearts to hear the Good News that is contained in the lesson books they are using.
YOU BROUGHT BACK 138 Operation Christmas Child boxes! Hallelujah! Thank you for your rapid response to this year’s effort. We will get started on time next year. Last week Daryl and Carol Van Dyken remarked on the extraordinary blessing each box brings. They have witnessed it in person in South Africa and Sri Lanka. We don’t know exactly where each box will go, but we pray each box will bring God’s blessing into the life of the young person who receives it.
JEFF & MARY KIRKPATRICK will be in the Issues & Answers Class next Sunday. They are missionary appointees with Living Hope Native Ministries, the same ministry through which Colleen Estes works. The Kirkpatricks, though, will not be in Pikangikum but in Thunder Bay at the headquarters office. If all goes as planned, they hope to be on-site by mid-2021. They will explain their vision and what tasks have been assigned to them in Issues and Answers next Sunday.
POP QUIZ TIME! Have you ever heard of the country of Chad? How about the country of Niger? They’re neighbors, you know. But what continent are they on? Any idea where they might be located within the continent they are on? Here’s your assignment: find out where those two countries are located and listen for anything you might hear about them in the news.
IN THIS TIME OF NEED is functioning inside Venezuela. Part of the pre-service video loop has pictures of Pastor Jesus Ramon and Pastor Mitchel Garcia taking food to families, both spiritual food and physical food. Our good friend and partner Pastor Dagoberto Angarita is able to make that connection so that we can provide the means for Pastor Jesus and Pastor Mitchel to undertake this vital ministry. Praise be to God!
NEWLETTER ARTICLES for the December newsletter are due in the office by Monday. Thank you.