November 16, 2008

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

TODAY:  We welcome you to our Morning Worship Service. If you are guests with us, we would like to get to know you better.  Place your name and address in the offering plates and the pastor will contact you. If you would like a home visit, let the pastor know as you leave.

Our Sunday School meets at 9:30 a.m. 

Sunday evening services continue tonight. The adults will study chapters 13-15 of the book, “The Forbidden Glory,” by Judson Cornwall. The Youth Ministry will meet at 7:00 p.m. with Tim & Donna.

MONDAY:

Leadership Contact continues. This Monday we will have the 5th week of the Prayer class. Next week we will host the New Testament Intro class.

WEDNESDAY:

Ohio Reads people read at 11:00 a.m. at Voris.

Backyard Bible Class will meet this week at 2:30 p.m.

Prayer Meeting begins at 7:00 p.m.

Choir Practice begins at 8:00 p.m.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please remember your “Friends of ECCO” offerings. They can be given directly to Don Voegeli. 

Please remember your Acme receipts.  Place them in the box in the foyer.

If you can help out with Ohio Reads please let Rev. Carr know. We are down to three people.

We will continue collecting money for Thanksgiving baskets this morning.  Please mark your envelopes appropriately.  If you know of needy families, please let us know.

We have been invited to participate in a joint Thanksgiving Eve Praise Service on Wednesday, Nov. 26 at our Tallmadge Restart Church.  We will be joined by Cottage Grove and Canton E.C. Churches.

We will host a Christmas Banquet special on Friday, December 12. This will be reservation only dinner.  See Julie Beltz for details.  Rob Cowie will play piano specials and we will also have a “sing along” of Christmas carols later in the evening.

The Official Board will meet on Thursday, December 4^th, at 7:00 p.m.

Christmas Caroling will be on Sunday, December 21^st.

Old Fashioned Christmas

On Sunday evening, December 7^th, we will host a family Christmas special. The program will start at 5:00 p.m. and end between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m. Below is an outline of what we would like to do during the evening.

The Crusaders class will provide ham, buns, and 2-gallons of cider. There will be a sign-up sheet on the foyer bulletin board where you can say that you are coming and what you can bring to share. We want to have an old-fashioned potluck dinner.

Debbie Boser and her staff will also have some items available so we can make homemade Christmas ornaments.  If you can make some at home and bring them with you, you are encouraged to do so as well.  Part of the evening will be decorating the tree with our ornaments.

We will also have a small gift exchange.  You are encouraged to bring something homemade (cookies, candy, bread, etc.) to exchange, but you can bring whatever you wish (small store-bought gift).

Depending on time restraints, we may have several other activities during the night.  The idea is to be together and celebrate the birth of our Savior in a cozy, family setting without spending a lot of money. Maybe you have a story of a Christmas past you would like to share.  This is the night to help cross generational lines and praise our Lord at the same time.

Please set this evening aside and join us. 

The “Ties That Bind”

This year we would like to initiate a couple of new Christmas practices.  One is internally directed; one is directed toward our Backyard Bible Club children.

“Ties that Bind Us Together” gift giving .

When Jerry Smith was among us, he taught sixth grade and spent as much time as he could with our young people.  When children asked him what they could get him for Christmas, he always told them “ties.”  He would wear a lot of different and often funny ties. To help us meet and make new friends, we are asking you to box a “tie” whether it is a nice one, an old one, or a “funny” one, write a note of friendship, appreciation, encouragement, or whatever is on your heart, and give it to someone on one of the last two Sundays of the Christmas season. You are encouraged to do this for one or more people.

Next year at this time, re-box the tie(s) you received and add at least one more, and pass them on to someone else.  Over the years we hope this will become a fun time of connecting.

“Ties that Bind Us to Children”

Julie Beltz has taken pictures of the children who attend our Backyard Bible Club on Wednesdays and placed them on the bulletin board outside the kitchen.  We are asking you to take the name from under one or more of the children and get an envelope from Julie containing the information on the child. Then purchase or make an appropriate gift for the child that costs between $10 and $20. Then bring the gift to church some time before December 14th so we can distribute the gifts on Wednesday, December 17^th.  When you wrap the gift, put a “tie” on the box and we will tell the kids about Jerry Smith and ask them to pass the tie onto someone else.

Between today and Sunday, November 30, you will be given the opportunity to purchase Christmas Poinsettias.  The cost is $7 for a single bloom.   If you wish to place the flowers in memory or honor of someone, fill out the order form below, place it and your payment for each flower ordered in the offering plates.  Please somehow mark your check or envelope if you are paying cash to let us know that the money in the plates is for the flowers.  If you have any questions, please ask Jeannette Hardy or Rev. Scott Carr.

Poinsettia Order Form

Name:_________________________________________

Number of Flowers ordered:________________________

In Memory of:

____________________________________________________

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In Honor of:

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