Week of January 1

Dear Friends,
Here are some important things going on this week at Christ the Redeemer:
First, End of the Year Giving must be received or postmarked by December 31, 2016 if you would like it to be included in the 2016 Yearly Giving Statements for tax purposes.
Second, don’t forget that our new Discipleship Hour followed by our new worship time begins next Sunday, January 8.  Christ the Redeemer is committed being a community of Disciples who Make Disciples. We are eager to deepen that commitment by crafting a ‘Discipleship Hour’ for all ages prior to worship.
The new schedule is as follows:
  • Coffee and Pastries:  8:30 AM
  • Discipleship Hour:  9:00-10:00 AM
  • Worship:  10:15 AM
If you plan on attending the Adult Discipleship Hour and did not sign-up to purchase the book through the church, you can order the book at the following website:
http://www.theologyofthefamily.com/product/guide-for-participants/.
The cost is $17 plus shipping and the book is required for the class.
Third, there are two new Women’s Bible Studies starting up for the New Year:
  • Wednesday evenings @Temple Richardson’s house at 7 PM, beginning on January 18. This group is open and welcomes new members. There will be a Fellowship Potluck to start off the New Year at Betsy’s house. Please contact Temple at 489-7805 or t.richardson@cox.net for more information.
  • Thursday Morning in the Fellowship Hall here at CtR at 9:15 AM, beginning on January 12. This group is open and welcomes new members. They hope to have child care for mothers of young children. Please contact Janis Campbell at janiscampbell58@gmail.com.
Both groups will be focusing on 2 Corinthians and using Kelly Minter’s All Things New.  Please contact Temple or Janis to order the book.
Lastly, registration for the Women’s Retreat at Camp Chanco begins this Sunday. Please pick up a brochure from the table in the Narthex.  For more information, contact Janie Atwood at maryjaneatwood@gmail.com or Jennifer Brown at brownie7506@yahoo.com.
I look forward to worshiping with all of you on Sunday.

Christmas 2016

 

Dear Friends,
The Day we have been waiting for is fast approaching! The day we get to celebrate the ‘Day’ when God acted in the ‘fullness of time’ — acted in such a way that the purpose of ‘time’ was itself ‘filled to the full’!
Make good use of these last days of Advent to remind yourself of the wonder of him for whom we wait, then come jubilantly to celebrate his presence and purposes. Let me remind us all of the days and times of our Christmas services:
Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24 our service begins at 5:00 pm. Please come early to help decorate the tree and to be in your place for our Christmas Procession (all of the children in the pageant will be part of the joyous entry that night!).
Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25 our service begins at 9:00 am (Please note the time change). We gather for a simple, yet joyful, celebration of the Nativity, giving thanks for the great gift that has literally changed the world.
First Sunday After Christmas, Sunday, January 1, 2017 we gather at 10:00 am for our annual ‘Lessons and Carols’ Service and Communion. What better way to ‘ring in the New Year’ than by listening to and rejoicing in the Story of Christmas.
Finally, on Sunday, January 8, 2017 we come to celebrate the ‘Baptism of Jesus’ by launching our ‘New Sunday Morning Schedule’– 9:00 am ‘Discipleship Hour’ followed by worship at 10:15 am. Please remember that if you wish us to order your book for the ‘Theology of the Family’ class, you will need to ‘sign up’ on the sheet in the Fellowship Hall by Christmas Day.
Looking forward to walking through this joyful Season with all of you.

Week of December 18—The Fourth Week of Advent

Dear Friends,
Can you believe that Advent is almost over (the Fourth Sunday is this Sunday!) and that our Christmas Season is almost here?  The excitement is building even as the preparations continue: Here are some of the things you need to know this week.
First, On Thursday, December 15 at 11:00 am The Park Place School will be using our facilities to host their Christmas Program.  You are invited to attend this event and build some relationships with those we serve and support.
Second, this Sunday, December 18th will be the last Sunday for Poinsettia donations.  If you would like to donate “In Memory of” or “In Honor of” someone, please use one of the envelopes from the table in the Narthex.  Otherwise, you can write “poinsettias” in the memo line of your check and place it in the offering basket.  The suggested donation is $10.
Third, After Worship on Sunday we will need some help to ‘shift’ into Christmas! If you could stick around and help put lights on the tree, switch out the banners, and prepare the Chancel for our Christmas Season, it would be greatly appreciated.
Fourth, speaking of Christmas, here are the days and times of our services
  • Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24 at 5:00 pm (Come early and help decorate the tree).
  •  Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25 at 9:00 am (Please note the time change)
  • First After Christmas, Sunday, January 1, 2017 at 10:00 am; “Lessons and Carols”
Fifth, Our Sunday Morning Schedule shifts on January 8th, 2017:
  • 8:30        Coffee and Pastries
  • 9:00        “Discipleship Hour”
  • 10:15     Worship
                We will be offering something for everyone (children, youth and adults) during our “Discipleship Hour”.  The details of the offerings may be found in the inserts of the bulletins. Please note, that if you wish to have us order your book for the “Theology of the Family” course be sure to ‘sign’ the sheet in the Fellowship Hall.
Janis and I will be in Toronto this weekend at a family wedding and will miss being with you all on Sunday. We are grateful that Brother Tim is available to officiate and preach this week.  May God bless us all as our Advent Season comes to a close.
Brian+

Week of December 11—Third Sunday in Advent

Dear Friends,
As the days shorten and the nights lengthen we hold on to the Advent message that  the reality is that ‘the night is far gone; THE day is at hand!’ (Romans 13:12). I encourage you to embrace that greater truth and allow it to encourage your ‘endurance’ and increase your ‘hope’.
Here are a number of key things you need to know this week:
First, This Sunday we gather after worship for our ‘Annual General Meeting’–a chance for us to celebrate what God has done in and for and through us in 2016 and to anticipate what God has in store for us in 2017. We gather over a Pot Luck lunch (so remember to bring something to share). All of our members are requested to attend, all of those associated with Christ the Redeemer are encouraged to come!
Second, please note the dates and times of our Christmas Services:
  • Christmas Eve–Saturday, December 24 begins with the decorating of the Tree (4:45 pm), with our worship (Pageant and Communion) following at 5:00 pm.
  • Christmas Day–Sunday, December 25 we gather at 9:00 am for a simple service of readings, carols and Communion.
  • First Sunday After Christmas, Sunday, January 1, 2017 we gather at 10:15 am for our annual ‘Christmas Lessons and Carols’ Service with Communion.
Third, on Sunday, January 8th, 2017 we begin our new Sunday morning schedule:
  • 8:30 am    Coffee and Pastries
  • 9:00 am    “Discipleship Hour”– Educational opportunities for all ages
  • 10:15 am   Worship
The offerings for ‘Discipleship Hour’ can be found in the inserts in our bulletins or online (christtheredeemer.org).
Please take the time to ‘book’ these dates in your calendar and make an Advent intention to act on them in this new year. Remember, ‘the night is far gone; the day is at hand’.
Looking forward to worshiping with you all on Sunday.
Brian+

Week of December 4th, the Second Week of Advent

Dear Friends,
As we continue our Advent Season preparing ourselves not only to welcome the King but become more conformed to his image, let me remind us all of some important events and dates:
First, Our Annual General Meeting takes place over lunch (Pot-Luck!) on the Third Sunday of Advent, December 11, 2016. We gather as a community to celebrate what God has done in and through us in 2016 and to anticipate what God will do for us and through us in 2017.  All are invited and encouraged to come to this celebratory event.
Second, Our Christmas Season begins with two wonderful opportunities to worship:
  • On Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24 beginning at 5:00 pm our children will tell the Story through our Pageant. We will celebrate the first communion of the Christmas Season, and then end the night in candlelight singing ‘Silent Night’.
  • On Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25 beginning at 9:00 am we gather for a simple service of Word and Sacrament, joining our voices with ‘angels and archangels and the whole host of heaven’ in singing praises for the One who has come!
Third, Our ‘DISCIPLESHIP HOUR’ and NEW WORSHIP Schedule begins on Sunday, January 8, 2017
  • “DISCIPLESHIP HOUR” begins at 9:00 am and offers an opportunity for all of us (children, youth, and adults) to ‘renew our minds’ and live more faithfully in the Story of the Scriptures. Details of the educational offerings may be found in the inserts in the Sunday bulletins and on line (christtheredeemer.org)
  • “WORSHIP” shifts slightly to 10:15 am on January 8, 2017.
We are excited about this new development, and pray, that in time, it will prove immensely helpful in forming us all into faithful followers of Jesus.
Looking forward to worshiping with you all this Sunday.