E-Bulletin of Brunswick Church November 29, 2019
I hope you are all well rested from your feast induced coma. We are entering one of my favorite times of year, as we prepare for the coming of our Lord. Come join us as we talk about preparing this week with what it means to ask the right que Please pray with me:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me to hear your voice.
Touch me once again.
Give me the courage to be your beloved.
Give me courage to choose joy.
I need you now this Christmas.
Be born in me again. Today.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
By Bonnie Gray, from “Why it Takes Courage to Choose Joy”
Dec 1
A Piece of the Puzzle
Galatians 4:4-5
Dec 8
The Name
Philippians 2:5-11
The Christmas Tree project is well underway. Packages of many colors are finding their way to the space below the tree. Each year we help make Christmas a little bit better for about 200 kids. Please visit our tree in the Commons, take a tag and return the gift, wrapped with the tag by December 15th.
If you know anyone with kids who could use some help this year contact us at deacons@brunswickchurch.org or talk to any of the Deacons and the info can be passed along.
Wednesday, December 11
We will Gather in the Commons at 6pm
and come back for pizza and hot cocoa
after caroling!
We will be holding a Congregational Meeting on December 17th at 12:30 for the purpose of electing our new slate of Elders and Deacons. This meeting will also include the approval of the calls of Pastors Henry Kim and Kim Jackson. The bios for all the Elder and Deacons are available at this link. If you have any questions please contact Henry or Session.
Join us next week in the lower commons for you chance to talk to and ask questions to the preacher about the sermon that week. Everyone is welcome to come and ask questions about the sermon.
The idea for this service came out of discussions at some of our small groups. During the small group bible studies, one of the questions that has been asked is, “What is the preacher going to preach on from this text?” and a natural follow up is “Why?” So, if you are wondering why that particular emphasis was chosen or anything else about the sermon, this is your chance. Hope to see you there.
Our sessions will be
December 1, 8, 15, and 22.
Henry
Our Youth Group Would Like to Help You
Deliver Your Holiday Greetings!
Each year, our youth set up an alphabetical file box, and this year that box is in the Lower Commons. Bring Christmas Cards, addressed to those here at Brunswick Church, and place them in the basket on the table. No stamps required! Our youth will distribute the cards to the appropriate box. Each week, check the box for your last name and collect the greetings meant for you! If you are able, please make a donation to the Youth Group Scholarship Fund for their efforts. These scholarships help to pay for retreats and other youth events throughout the year.
“Cancer” used to be a dirty word: taboo, unspeakable! Not so any more.
Every month, your church ministers with folks who are affected in various ways, by various forms of this disease. They share experiences, insights, hopes, fears, encouragement, sympathy, resources, and faith.
Next gathering: Friday evening, December 6, 7:00-8:15 pm, in the lounge area outside the old sanctuary. Patients, caregivers, relatives, friends, survivors, and bereaved: All are welcome. Especially newcomers.
Questions? Comments? Email Pastor Ted: twright@brunswickchurch.org
While Thanksgiving is just left overs in the refrigerator and dishwashers that need to be unpacked today, it is important to highlight a ministry that the Deacons and the Brunswick Cares Food Pantry have just completed. This year these two groups along with many other volunteers including the teachers and students at Tamarac help feed 175 different families. The Deacons prepared and delivered food baskets to 100 families, a big jump from last year and the food pantry help 75 local families with food. Great job and let’s take time to celebrate.
New Advent small groups are forming so now is the time to join our “Bible Study Tools Class” small groups. You might have missed a session, but these small groups are designed to be modular, so you won’t be that far behind. The commitment level is only for a short time, the details are as follows:
What: Small Groups, studying the scripture text for the coming sermon
Why: To help us engage deeper in scripture in community
How Long: We will begin the week of 12/1 and go for 4-weeks. We will take a week or two off, and relaunch some more for 4 weeks.
Who should come: Anyone who would like to engage in learning more about the coming scripture that will be preached. These classes will be appropriate for anyone who has never studied scripture all the way up to people who are well versed in the Bible (see what I did there?)
How are these different than the classes already offered: While the other classes offered, also study scripture, these new small groups will be studying the same text as the coming preaching text and we will open up scripture using our powers of observation and learning to ask good questions.
Will we only study the scripture: We will use tools to help us study scripture (commentaries, atlases, etc) but we will also have times of fellowship. So it’s not all study, but some fun and perhaps…food….
What if I miss one on a day, can I go to another one on a different day: Yes
The small groups for this first session are as follows:
Mondays – 7-9 PM
Led by Joe Fritz & Matt Clark
Hosted by Joe, 645 1st Ave., Lansingburgh
Tuesday – 1-2:30 PM
Lead by Ted Wright
Located in the Community Room at Brunswick Church
Wednesday – 9:30 – 11 AM
Lead by Ted Wright
Located in the Lower Commons by the fire place
Wednesday – 6-7:45 PM
Lead by Kevin Ware
Located in the infant nursery room (Please take off your shoes)
Thursdays – 6:30
Lead by Bob & Holly Clarke
Hosted by the Clarkes: 18 Prout Ave., Troy