Church family,
Please take note of the following schedule and please make plans to be at church for each of
these events.
Next Sunday morning is our annual Thanksgiving Worship Service. (Our children will have
Christmas Play practice during children’s church, so bring all the kids!)
Next Sunday evening at 5 pm will be our annual Thanksgiving banquet at the church.
Leaders from the Ministry of Fellowship will be making contacts this week regarding the
menu. This is always a great time of food and fellowship. Immediately following the banquet
we will gather in the sanctuary for another time of celebration as our new Associate Minister
Joanna Tilley receives her Ministerial License. We are so thankful for Joanna and are excited
to issue her formal ministerial recognition.
Lisa and I will be traveling to Illinois to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families. We will
probably travel part way on Sunday night the 20th and get to Illinois on Monday the 21st. We
will leave Illinois on Friday the 25th and travel part way and then get back home to Virginia on
Saturday the 26th. I will have my cell phone and e-mail access if you need to reach me. In
event of an emergency please contact Pastor Emeritus Rev. Edward L. Smith for pastoral care
needs while I am away.
Next Tuesday, Nov. 22nd at 6:30 pm we will gather at the church to decorate for the
Christmas season. I will be preaching from the theme “Home For Christmas” this year and we
will decorate the front of the sanctuary as a family home scene. LeeAnn Arnold will be
sending an e-mail with supplies needed to help decorate. It is important that we have plenty of
help for this project. Please come to help.
There will be NO mid-week Bible study on Wednesday, Nov. 23rd.
Sunday evening, Nov. 27th at 5 pm we are hosting an area Church of God Unity Service. This
service will include some special presentations as well as great music. Following the service
we will have a time of fellowship with snacks and deserts. Everyone is asked to bring a snack
or desert to share. Members of the participating churches will also be bringing food to share.
Sunday December 11th will be our annual Christmas celebrations. In the morning worship
that day Joanna will lead the children in a Christmas play/program. There will also be great
music from and led by our worship team as we sing some of the great songs of Christmas.
That evening at 6 pm will be our annual Christmas party/fellowship.
The reason we are scheduling this day this early in the month is because of our recent
history of snow. For the past three years we have had at least one Sunday in December
canceled due to snow. If the 11th were to be snowed out then the play and party will be on
December 18th.
Sunday December 25th – Christmas Day – and January 1st (New Year’s Day) we will host a 10
am worship service only (no Sunday school or evening worship)
Russell Shaw will be with us to speak on Christmas Day as Lisa and I will be in Washington
state celebrating Christmas with our children; and our granddaughter Jane’s first birthday.
And, one last reminder, as winter weather draws into the area we will do our very best to
keep everyone informed about schedule changes and/or cancelation of services. On winter
weather days please watch television channels WDBJ 7 and/or WSLS 10; check your e-mail
and Facebook; and, when possible, we will activate the telephone prayer chain to help get the
word out to everyone.
You are SO loved!
Pastor Don