Lord, teach us to pray

Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray Luke 11:1-2

Luke 11:1-13

Exposure: Read the passage about Jesus teaching His followers how to pray. Use the Lord's Prayer as a pattern to write down a prayer that has some of those same ideas in it.

Exploration: What parts of Jesus' prayer pattern do you often leave out of the times you pray? How was writing down your prayer different from just saying it?

Expression: Read your prayer out loud. Ask someone you trust to pray along with you.

Experience: Discuss with friends or family or about a time in your life where God answered an important prayer.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

THIS SUNDAY Fear Not series concludes

Christmas Eve Services 4 & 6 pm

Adopt a Family this Christmas

4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.[b] 6 And because we[c] are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”[d] 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.[e] And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:4-7

Exposure: Read the passage about how we have been adopted as children of God through Christ. Many people adopt a family to help during Christmas. Find someone who needs a family this Christmas and make plans to be that family for them.

Exploration: What is the difference between adopting a family to help at Christmas and literally adopting a child into your family? What does this language communicate about God's commitment to loving us?

Expression: What rights and privileges do children of royalty have? What are some ways you don't fully live as if you were a child of God?

Experience: Find someone who has been adopted and talk to them about what it means in their life. Journal about what their experiences reveal to you about living as a child of God and loving others in that same way.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

THIS SUNDAY Fear Not series concludes

Christmas Eve Services 4 & 6 pm

The Nativity

Matthew 2:1-12

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:11-12

Exposure: Read about the kings who came to worship Jesus. Look at the pieces of a nativity set and consider the features the artist used to show that the scene is centered on Christ.

Exploration: What do you think it would have been like to be right in the middle of that? What stance or position would you take in that scene?

Expression: The wise men worshiped Jesus by kneeling. Get on your knees and express to Him right now how much you love Him. How does just being in that position change the position of your heart?

Experience: The wise men also worshiped by offering their best gifts. Think of a creative way to offer worship today that has nothing to do with singing.

Come to Christmas Eve Services at 4 or 6pm and learn more about the wise men and our worship of God.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

THIS SATURDAY Good Food & Conversation with some GREAT guys

THIS SUNDAY Fear Not series concludes

Christmas Eve Services 4 & 6 pm

Impossible

As we continue our countdown to Christmas read Luke 1

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17

Exposure: Read the passage about the arrival of an improbable baby and an impossible baby. God is setting the stage in this dramatic way for the advent of Jesus Christ—who would be characterized by doing the impossible.

Exploration: Why do you think God delights in doing the impossible?

Expression: Is God asking you to believe something that seems impossible right now? Write down something you want to ask Him for this Christmas that seems impossible.

Experience: Discuss with friends or family or journal about a time in your life when you had to depend on Jesus to do the impossible. Read the verse about our God of the impossible out loud wherever you are.

WITH GOD NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

THIS SATURDAY Good Food & Conversation with some GREAT guys

THIS SUNDAY Fear Not series concludes

Christmas Eve Services 4 & 6 pm

Christmas Card

So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31 The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. Acts 15:30-31

Exposure: Read the passage about an encouraging letter. Most of the New Testament is made up of letters. Buy or make a Christmas card for someone who has really been a blessing to you this year. Spend some additional time expressing to them what they mean to you. If a card won't hold all you need to say, write out a whole letter like the early church did.

Exploration: Think of how meaningful letters like this must have been in the first century. What kinds of communications do you most often use to express these kinds of thoughts to those in your life? E-mail or text someone right now and express your appreciation to them.

Expression: How do you think your card/email or text will make this person feel? Why do you think there is so much power in expressing love to someone?

Experience: Jesus wrote us a really long letter called the Bible expressing His love for us. What has been the most meaningful part of His letter to you?

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

TONIGHT (Wednesday) All Church Caroling Party & Soup Supper.

Meet at the church at 6pm to spread Christmas cheer to nursing homes and shut ins.

Good Food & Conversation with some GREAT guys THIS Saturday 7:30am.

Christmas Eve Services 4 & 6 pm.

Christmas Concert

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Psalm 150:6

Exposure: Read Psalms 150

Make arrangements to go watch a Christmas concert or play. Go outside your normal circles and attend one at a church you've never visited or in a part of town you don't often drive through.

Exploration: What part of the concert or play meant the most to you? What did you learn just from the setting and the people you watched it with?

Expression: How is God like a conductor or director? How can you apply the discipline of rehearsal to improve your relationship with God?

Experience: Discuss with friends or family or journal about a time in your life when you were completely in tune with what God wanted for your life. What are some spiritual disciplines that you need to rehearse more regularly to get back in sync with God?

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Celebrate Health Tuesday 6:30pm

Wednesday All Church Caroling Party & Soup Supper

Meet at the church at 6pm to spread Christmas cheer to nursing homes and shut ins.

THIS Saturday 7:30am

Christmas Eve Services 4 & 6 pm

First Love/True Love

Revelation 2:1-5

1 John 3:1-3

…”You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Rev. 2:4-5

Exposure: Read the warning in against turning from your first love.

Exploration: Who is your first love? Think back to how your feelings of love change over time. In what ways can you relate to the Ephesian church?

Expression: Write lyrics to your own version of a love song you would like to give to Jesus—your true first love. Include in your song the pieces of your life that He wants, the changes He wants you to make, and the things He wants you to take action on.

Experience: Read the passage from 1 John about his great love for us. What gifts has our True Love already given to you?

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Congratulations to newly affirmed C3 Board of Directors and Financial Investment Team Members

Directors for 2015
Gary Brown, Kyle Ermoian, Doug Folland, Craig Kisner, Sue Noll, Ronan Sramek and Karen Wallgren

Financial Investment Team for 2015
Dennis Atwell, Rick Claiborn, Dave Eichman, Louie Gilmore and Wayne Voss

We are proud to announce the addition of Kael Bloom to our church staff beginning February 2015

Victory Christian Academy Christmas Program Monday @ 7pm

Celebrate Health Tuesday 6:30pm

Wednesday All Church Caroling Party & Soup Supper

Meet at the church at 6pm to spread Christmas cheer to nursing homes and shut ins.

THIS Saturday 7:30am

Christmas Eve Services 4 & 6 pm