NEWSLETTER. December 11, Choir Christmas Cantata: Sunday, December 18, 2016, 5:00 pm.

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1 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MISSION TRIP: First CRC is hoping to partner with CRWM for a Service & Learning Project in the Dominican Republic to help construct a small church building. The trip is scheduled for February 24-March 6, So far 5 people have signed up, with a total of 12 needed. A complete team is needed by December 31 in order to make t h e p r o p e r p r o j e c t a n d t r a v e l a r r a n g e m e n t s. E m a i l calvin@firstchristianreformed.org if interested in participating. ROAD TO MEMBERSHIP: Are you considering making First CRC your Church home? If so, the next membership class will be held on the Sunday afternoons of January 15 & 22, 2017, from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm (we are trying a new format). This is an opportunity to learn about First CRC s vision and ministry and to meet other people, including the staff of First CRC. Please sign up at NEWSLETTER December 11, 2016 FUTURE ADVENT WORSHIP: Choir Christmas Cantata: Sunday, December 18, 2016, 5:00 pm. Christmas Eve Candlelight & Walk-Up Communion Service: Saturday, December 24, 2016, 5:00 pm. Christmas Day Worship Service: Sunday, December 25, 2016, 9:30 am. ARISE UKRAINE MISSON TRIP: The Mission Team has partnered with Arise-Ukraine Ministries (Paul Logan) to lead an English Day Camp for non-churched youth aged in Kiev, Ukraine. The anticipated dates of the trip are June 7/8 through 21/22 (two weeks). The primary emphasis of the camp is to teach English, with specific focus on teaching Bible stories, Christian prayer and songs. Team members must be willing to present the gospel and invite the youth to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Members are also to be mature and committed to helping others meet Christ through humble, servant-like and verbal witness to Jesus Christ. Arise-Ukraine requests that First CRC s ministry team consist primarily of those who will be entering their Senior-year of high school, entering college or currently enrolled in college. The Ministry Team will be led by Pastor Calvin Hoogendoorn. If you are interested in serving, please contact him at: calvin@firstchristianreformed.org. CUSTODIAL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: First CRC is in need of volunteers to help clean the church while Delphine Noutsougan is on maternity leave. Duties include basic cleaning and set up on Monday through Thursday evenings, and assistance with Sunday ministries a couple times a month. For more information, contact rachel@firstchristianreformed.org.

2 SAFE FAMILIES CHRISTMAS: If you, your family, or group of friends are looking for a way to share Jesus love this Christmas, consider helping bring joy to the kids that are part of Safe Families for Children. These kiddos often come to their host families with very limited possessions. SFFC gives each child a bag filled with essential care items that they may not have, plus a blanket and toy that they can call their own. If you would like to help, please pick an item from the list below and bring it to the baskets located under the tree in the fellowship hall by Sunday, December 25. Items needed include: Duffle bag or back pack (plain colored works best) Kid s toothbrush and toothpaste Socks for ages 6 months-age 10 Pajamas 6 month-5t Small quiet time games, toys, or stuffed animals Bedtime story books Fleece blankets If you have any questions, please kari@firstchristianreformed.org. DRIVERS NEEDED: Earlier this month, we began a program in partnership with the Center of Hope using one of our vans to provide transportation to the Food Bank once a week for those who don t have transportation of their own. This program is being very well received. We are, however, losing drivers for the winter months who are going south, and could use some extra help. If you are available one Wednesday afternoon a month to drive, we would love to hear from you. The hours are from 12:00-4:00pm, depending on how many families are signed up. Anyone over the age of 25 is welcome to help. Grab a friend and spend the afternoon serving together. Talk to Kari Davelaar or Clarence Gorter if you have questions or want to volunteer. SENIOR AND FRIENDS: Thursday, December 15, 6:30 p.m. at First CRC. Ham dinner along with a program by Mick Vanden Bosch, ophthalmology specialist at Sanford Health, who will speak about his ministry of providing eye care in Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Honduras. He is an excellent singer and will lead a Christmas carol sing. All Shalom CRC and First CRC seniors are invited to attend. Cost is $10.00 and reservations are due by December 13. Call Dee ( ) or Dorothy ( ). SMALL GROUP MINISTRY C h e c k o u t a l l t h e s m a l l g r o u p o p p o r t u n i t i e s a t If you have any questions contact melissa@firstchristianreformed.org. COFFEE BREAK MONDAY EVENINGS: Join us at 6:45 for a study on Isaiah.

3 CHILDREN S MINISTRY: CHILDREN S CHURCH: Pre-K Children s Church Christmas Singing will be at First CRC on December 11 at the 5:00pm service. SUNDAY SCHOOL: Sunday School resumes on January 8th. Thanks to everyone who helped with the Christmas Program! GEMS/CADETS: Swimming with Cadets and GEMS at Luverne Aquatic Center on Wednesday, December 28th. Please meet at First Christian Reformed Church at 6:15 pm. Please eat beforehand. We will be leaving Luverne around 9:00 pm and back to church around 9:30 pm. Cost: $1.50. Please remember to bring a towel, swimming suit, and grocery/plastic bag to bring your items home in. Contact Kris Anderson if you plan on attending. YOUTH MINISTRY JHM: We will be having our JHM Christmas Party this Monday, December 12. We will have snacks, and drinks, and some fun Christmas-themed games. Please bring a $5.00 wrapped gift if you would like to participate in a gift exchange. HSM: Sunday, December 11, we will be having our Christmas Party at church. We will meet in the Activity Center at 6:30 pm. Please bring a $5.00 wrapped gift if you would like to participate in a gift exchange INTERNATIONAL CADET CAMPOREE: If there are any former Cadet counselors that are interested in helping with the camporee this summer in the Black Hills, please contact Kris Anderson by December, 31 st for more information. THANK YOU: Thank you to the congregation for the special offering that was taken for the Cadets and the 2017 International Cadet Camporee that will be held this summer in the Black Hills. We expect to have 1100 to 1200 cadets, counselors and staff from across the United States and Canada inspired by this event. It is a great experience and all who attend will remember it for a lifetime. We look forward to what God will do and how he will impact the hearts and minds of the boys and men that attend. Please keep us in your prayers this summer. The International Cadet Camporee Host Committee.

4 DEACON S MINISTRY December 4, 2016 OFFERING AMOUNT General Fund 16, Building Fund Faith Promise Ministry Shares 1, Tuition Support 1, TOTAL 20, December 11: Offering of the Day is for Ministry Shares. Ministry Shares proves the power of shared resources by helping the Christian Reformed Church s individual congregations participate in regional and global ministries. The program provides everyone at First CRC the opportunity to fund ministry efforts around our region and all over the world, while operating at very high efficiency. December 18: Offering of the Day is for Tuition Assistance Fund. Tuition assistance provides financial support for families who are in need of help with the cost of Christian school tuition for the academic school year. WEEKLY SCHEDULE Dec 11-17, 2016 SUNDAY: 8:30/10:00 am Worship/Children s Church 9:30 am Choir 5:00 pm Worship/CC Christmas Singing 6:30 pm HSM MONDAY: 10:30 am Senior Circuit 6:45 pm Coffee Break 6:45 pm Men s Life 7:00 pm JHM TUESDAY: 10:30 am Senior Circuit 2:00 pm Women s 55+ Bible Study 6:30 pm NAMI 6:30 pm Pickleball WEDNESDAY: 6:15 am Men of Integrity 8:30 am Women s Bible Study-Priscilla Shirer 9:30 am Center of Hope Coffee Break 9:45 am Coffee Break for Women 6:30 pm Women s Bible Study-Priscilla Shirer 6:30 pm GEMS 6:30 pm Library Work Night 7:00 pm Choir Practice THURSDAY: 9:00 am MOPS 1:00 pm Quilt Group 6:30 pm Senior & Friends 7:00 pm Praise Team Practice FRIDAY: 10:30 am Senior Circuit SATURDAY: 7:30 am Men of Integrity

5 BULLETIN BOARD 1 s t C R C N e w s l e t t e r a n n o u n c e m e n t s m a y b e s e n t t o office@firstchristianreformed.org. These are due by noon on Wednesday. CHURCH MAILBOXES: If you have an item for someone that does not fit into their mailbox, do NOT place it on top of the mailboxes, but instead put it in the cabinet labeled oversized items. Please take one the attached notes from the cabinet and put it into their mailbox to alert them of the item. CRC GOSPEL MINISTRY: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news! (Isaiah 52:7). Those members of a CRC congregation within Classis Iakota who are feeling the call to pursue the Gospel Ministry within the Christian Reformed Church are invited to contact the Classical Ministerial Leadership Team about receiving various forms of support, such as orientation for seminary training, having a mentor, and obtaining financial aid. Please notify Rev. Cory Van Sloten at cory.vansloten@gmail.com or Rev. Bernie Haan at bernie.haan@gmail.com by December 1, DORDT COLLEGE CONCERT CHOIR: The Dordt College Concert Choir invites you to a concert at 7:00 pm on Monday, January 9 here at First. The concert is part of a winter tour under the direction of Dr. Benjamin Kornelis and will consist of a wide variety of choral music. The concert is free with a freewill offering received to help defray tour costs. BIG SOO COUPON BOOKS: Big Soo Coupon Books have been discounted to $35.00! The Youth Group still keeps $10 for every book sold. There are coupons for 76 different restaurants in and around Sioux Falls, Golf Courses, Great Bear, Great Plains Zoo, Thunder Road, Wild Water West, car washes, oil changes, and many other household and auto goods and services. Please pick your Big Soo Book at the church office!