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a note from Pastor Robert
Dear Church Family,
On behalf of the church staff I would like to wish all of you a very blessed Christmas. We will be following the faithful (and sometimes doubtful) wait for the birth of baby Isaac to Abraham and Sarah as a fresh way to experience the anticipation of the birth of Jesus. I pray that in these coming weeks you and your loved ones will remember and experience the reassuring presence of God through Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Please take time to read through this issue of the Voice and be aware of all that is being offered at church this month. These are opportunities not only for your own encouragement and edification, but also to invite friends and neighbors into God’s house. Here are some highlights:
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Worship in December – specially geared for friends and visitors
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Caroling in the Neighborhood: Wednesday, December 14, 7pm (after dinner for all provided by the choir)
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Christmas Eve Candlelight service – Saturday, December 24, 7pm
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Christmas Morning Worship (no SS) – Sunday, December 25, 11am
I invite you to be selective with your time, to focus on what is really important, and to seek God as the center of this busy holiday. Like calm after the storm (or even in the eye of it!), I hope you will experience the grace, peace, hope, and love that only God can bring. Finally, I hope that wherever you spend this Christmas Day, gift giving, treasured memories, warm fellowship, and family time together will remind you of the great gifts God has given us through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Have a blessed Christmas!
From,
Robert, Cathy, Melissa, Kathy, Diana, Joanie and Megan
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churchservice
usher captain:
TBD
communion captain:
Mike Harrington
communion prep:
Mary Robinson
lay assistants:
Dec 4: Jeff Buchmann
Dec 11: John Dameron
Dec 18: Karen Katibah
Dec 25: Royallen Wiley
nursery
Dec 4: Robin Orr
Henry Slade
Dec 11: Kim Kinken
Camden Campe
Dec 18: Betsy Richardson
Karla Katibah
Dec 25: Paid Staff
Merry Christmas!!
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sermontexts
Dec 4: Genesis 14:17-24
A Great Prophecy: God sends a great prophet (Melchizedek) to remind God's people of the promise.
Dec 11: Genesis 15:1-6
A Great Faith: With no answer in sight, faith is believing that the Lord is faithful and true, and will come through.
Dec 18: Genesis 17:1-7;
15-19
A Great Grace: God gives even more than we can ask or imagine; the "exalted Father" became "father of a multitude."
Dec 24: Lessons and Carols
Candlelighting Service
Dec 25: Genesis 21:1-8;
Luke 2:6-7, 21-33
Promised Child: Despite unfaithfulness and sin (chs 18-20), God sent the promised child of blessing.
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happybirthday
Dec 1: Eleanor WItte
Dec 2: Susan Long
Dec 6: Luther Baker
Dec 8: Emily Cook
Dec 9: Leigh Wiley Jenkins
Dec 12: Ian Meeks
Dec 13: Royallen Wiley
Dec 13: Joanie Fedor
Dec 14: Barbara Kennedy
Dec 17: Jon Morris
Dec 20: Zachary Hatfield
Dec 21: Bill Sewing
Dec 21: Mike Slade
Dec 25: Christina White
Dec 25: Elizabeth Witte
Dec 26: Trevor Harrington
Dec 27: Melinda Sweeting
Dec 28: Bo Houston
Dec 28: Janice Woods
* We are currently updating our Birthday list. If you notice that someone has accidentally been left off please notify the church at admin@gspc.net. |
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DECEMBERcalendar
EVERY WEEK
Sundays:
- 9:30am: sunday school
(no sunday school on christmas day)
- 11:00am: worship
- 2-5pm: drama rehearsal
- 5-7pm: middle school youth
- 6-8pm: high school youth
Tuesdays:
- 6:15am: men's prayer breakfast
- 9:45 am: women's Bible Study
- 12:00pm: conversational spanish
Wednesdays:
- 6:15pm: covered dish supper
- 7:00pm: for all ages:
nursery & preschool
K-5th grade: BLAST
youth: small groups
adults: up-and-out groups
SPECIAL EVENTS
- Dec 2: 6:30-8:30pm: PrimeTimer's christmas party
- Dec 4: 6-8pm : youth deck the norton hall
- Dec 5: 9:00-12:30pm: volunteer at crisis assistance
- Dec 5: 7-8pm: preschool christmas program
- Dec 10: 5-10pm: youth babysitting fundraiser
- Dec 13: 7-9:30pm: ministry teams,
session meeting
- Dec 14: 7-8pm: youth neighborhood christmas caroling
- Dec 17: 8:30-12am: youth loaves and fishes service project
- Dec 18: 5-8pm: youth walk through christmas town
- Dec 24: 7:00pm: christmas eve service
- Dec 25: 11:00am: merry christmas!
join us for worship at 11, no sunday school
- Dec 26: church office closed
A LOOK AHEAD...
- Jan 22: 9:30-10:30am: rally day
- Jan 27,28,29: 7-9pm: coffee talk play
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PrimeTimers
There’s still time to sign up for the PrimeTimers’ Annual Christmas Gathering – 6:00pm Friday, December 2nd, at the church. Roast beef, turkey and beverages will be provided, so sign-up to bring a side dish or dessert. Also, please sign-up to bring a gift or make a donation that will help make Christmas special for a local family in need (there’s a list posted on the PrimeTimers’ bulletin board). If you haven’t attended a PrimeTimer event before, this will be a perfect time! As always, there will be fun, food and fellowship.
Questions? Please contact:
John Wright at 704-542-8702
jwright7210@carolina.rr.com.
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BABYshower
Kathy Larson is having a December baby!!! The church would like to shower her with love and gifts to celebrate this new baby into their family. The church's tradition has been to throw a shower after the birth. (Thankfully, since they are waiting to be surprised to see if it's a girl or a boy!) Let's plan to celebrate on Sunday, February 5th from 2-4. More details coming in the January VOICE.
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SESSIONreport
Your session met on November 8, 2011. Robert called the meeting to order and opened with prayer.
Ministry Teams were provided worksheets for planning their 2012 budgets which will be due on December 13, 2011.
Robert provided some detail on the possibility of GSPC working with Gordon-Conwell in a pilot project – Intentional Residence Communities. Session approved moving forward with this project.
Motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to collect an offering at the Christmas Eve service with the funds being distributed to a specific need in our community which will be determined by our Missions and Service Team.
Motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to allow the youth to hold a Babysitting Fundraiser on Saturday, December 10, 2011.
Cathy Youngblood facilitated our devotion which was the second session on “Turning Controversy into Ministry”. Next session meeting will be on December 13, 2011 at 8:00pm.
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MUSICministry
JAZZ in the Park was more of a blessing than any of us could have imagined. The gospel was shared through a wide variety of great jazz music and warm fellowship. Over 160 people were in attendance, and $568.84 was collected for the Ten Cents a Meal program. Allow me to express my heartfelt thanks to all participants and volunteers for their investment of time, heart and energy, and ultimately to God for furthering His kingdom through it.
The choir will not prepare a full-scale Christmas concert this year; instead, we look forward to being more present in Advent and Christmas worship than in years past.
Calling all K-5 children! We are now meeting weekly on Wednesday evenings (6:45-7:15pm) to prepare some Advent music for worship on Sunday, December 11 at 11:00am. Children are encouraged to attend all rehearsals, and to invite extended families to worship that day.
Let’s bundle up and go Christmas caroling on Wednesday, Dec. 14 (7-8pm) after a warm meal provided by the choir (6:15pm), then return to the church for hot drinks and dessert. No need to bring a covered dish that evening!
Would you like to ring handbells on Christmas Eve? Cathy is looking for ringers grade 3 through adult to ring in our candlelight worship service at 7pm on Dec. 24th. Please respond to music@gspc.net.
The Charlotte Music Club’s 59th annual presentation of Handel’s Messiah will be Sunday, December 4th at 3pm at First United Methodist Church (501 N. Tryon St.) with Ginger Wyrick conducting. John Kaneklides will be singing the tenor solos. For more information, contact Lib Houston at (704) 365-0399.
The studio upright piano in the Katibah Room is currently for sale. The asking price has been reduced to $850. Please pass the word around. It is a solid, dependable starter piano, and may be just the Christmas present someone is looking for!
CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH UPDATE
The conversational Spanish class is taking a break for the holidays and will resume on January 24, 2012, on Tuesdays from 12-1pm, in the expansion area. Newcomers are welcome. If you have any questions, please speak with Cathy Youngblood.
DECEMBER MUSIC CALENDAR
CHOIR
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Morning worship Dec 4 and 11, and Dec 24 Candlelight Service (6pm call, 7pm worship)
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Rehearsal on Dec 21 will run from 7-8:30pm (note time).No choir on Dec 25.
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No rehearsal on Dec 28.
WORSHIP TEAM LEVI
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Full WT will lead Dec 18, with rehearsal at 3:30 on Dec 11.
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No WT on Dec 11.
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Small WTs on Dec 4 and 25.
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CHRISTMASpoinsettias
If you would like to purchase a poinsettia to honor or remember a loved one, and to help decorate our sanctuary for Christmas Eve, please fill out the red form found in your bulletin and put them in the collection plate or at the administrative desk. The cost will be $8.50 per poinsettia and the deadline to place your order is Sunday, December 11th. They will be set out for the Christmas Eve Service and can be picked up after the service.
Questions? Please contact:
Phoebe Elliott at 704-488-3659 or Phoebe.Elliott@duke-energy.com . |
 WHITEgift
Each year Good Shepherd is privileged to provide Christmas gifts to three families who would not otherwise receive gifts. We work closely with Olde Providence Elementary who selects families who would benefit from this ministry. In the gathering area, there are lists of family members’ names, sizes and suggested gift items. Please select an item you’d like to provide and write your name in the appropriate space. Since some items will be more costly than others, we’d like to suggest that a number of people go together thereby keeping the cost down for any one person. This year we’re attempting to provide fewer gifts but ones we feel would be most needed and utilized. Use any color of wrapping paper and mark the outside of the package with the name of the person; family A, B, or C and the contents of the gift. It would also be helpful to put a gift receipt inside the box in the event the item needs to be exchanged. Please bring your gifts to the White Gift Service on December 11, 2011.
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