The Messenger. The Miracle of Christmas and One Long Extended Gift. Pastor Ron Anderson. News from Manette Community Church December 2017

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1 News from Manette Community Church December 2017 or Web: manetteonline.com The Miracle of Christmas and One Long Extended Gift Matthew 1:23 Pastor Ron Anderson Inside this issue: Ron s letter cont. 2 Nights 2 Vote on Budget 2 1st Wednesday 3 Women s Bazaar 3 Coffee Oasis 3 Winter Fest 3 Christmas Eve 4 Christmas Eve 4 RMMO 4 Foodbank 4 Women s Lunch 4 OCC 5 Night to Shine 5 Birthdays 5 Anniversaries 5 New Baby 5 MCC 101 Class 5 Nzunga Letter 6 Calendar 7 Here it is the day before Thanksgiving and I am truly thankful. For what? First of all a God who loves me and has called me to serve him with my life, and a wife who has been my best friend and love since If that s not enough, Spenser and Sarah will be married in a couple of days, so I will give away the gift of a wonderful son, to the Cooper family, and get a new daughter in return. I agree with Ben & Kelly that she s a gem! Then there s that little first granddaughter that is now due sometime around Christmas this year - my daughter, Sena will be a great mom and is handling the challenges of being a future single mother well. So proud of her! God does his miracles of family and new life constantly in our midst. The miracle of his salvation and forgiveness of our sins found in Jesus Christ one extended gift given to us to all who receive him. A transformed, empowered and hopeful life, that is good now and into eternity. The reality is that God is really with us. It may be a little bit ahead of schedule, it s not too early for us to give some things away this Christmas. We can call these our daily gifts, yes one per day from now till Christmas. Here is some suggestions, take your choice. Express appreciation to someone Release a grudge Mend an argument - apologize Listen to someone, really listen! Speak kindly to someone you don t know Bless the heart of a child with a surprise Write a long overdue love note Turn off the TV and listen to Christmas music Encourage an older person Childcare for someone Forgive a person who has hurt you

2 Page 2 Be gentle with an angry person Make or be a friend Pray for others Go to Manette Community Church Bake cookies for someone - anonymously Enter into someone s sorrow Pet a dog (or cat!) Do something fun Let s make Christmas 2017 one long extended gift of ourselves to others. Without announcement, obligation, reservation or self-centered focus, but as our gift of a thankful heart. I love you Manette Community Church With Thanks, Your Pastor Ron Merry Christmas from Ron, Terri, Spenser & Sarah, Sena & Shanna too! NIGHTS December 12 & 26 6:00-7:00pm at Hot Java Café 409 Pacific Ave, Suite 201 Hot Java Café serves deliciously smooth coffee made with 100% locally roasted Dillanos coffee beans. Lots to eat too! Meet. Sip. Munch. All are invited. Questions: contact Spenser Anderson, Short Ministry Update Meeting December 3rd right after church to vote on the 2018 budget and Diaconate officers. Please plan to stay. We need a quorum of 25 to vote on these items.

3 Page 3 Women s Ministries Mini-Bazaar Sunday, December 3rd Before & after church in the entryway Come one, come all and see the wonderful handmade dry goods as well as baked items. Do a little Christmas shopping. Church Cookbooks for sale too! Winter Fest Magic in Manette Friday, Dec. 1st 5:00pm Winter fest being's All business's open with treats 5:15pm Santa and the Ice Princess will arrive on Fire truck 5:25-8:00pm Photo with Santa at Ahrens Photography (please bring food, warm coats, or cash donation for local food banks) Music & Carolers Violet the Book Mobile Scavenger Hunt w/prizes Cookies & Refreshments 7:00 pm Tree Lighting... THE COFFEE OASIS FAMILY CHRISTMAS PROJECT Nov. 20 Dec. 17 On December 22, a couple hundred homeless and atrisk youth will come to Christmas Parties held at the Coffee Oasis. They will come to share dinner, sing Christmas songs, hear the Christmas story, and open gifts. They will come for the same reason you would go home: to be with their family at Christmas. Join us in giving our kids HOPE and a HOME this Christmas. Your Missions & Outreach team has taken on this project and we hope you will join us. We will have a Coffee Oasis person share with us on December 3rd. We will have a Christmas Tree with tags of $25 and $50 that you can take and donate that amount to Coffee Oasis. NO GIFTS are bought! The youth fill out individual request slips and then the staff at Coffee Oasis shops for them. The majority of the asks, from the youth, are NEEDS not wants. You will be able to give on line or by check. Look for a giving tree soon! December 6th, 12 noon in the Social Hall It s a mystery: who will our speaker be? Come for fun, food & fellowship and find out. You won t be disappointed. Help us bless those less fortune. Joy Mazelli, Arlene Henderson, Judy Bass and Claudia Stonecipher You are invited to a wrapping party on Dec. 19th, 5:30-7:30pm at the Burwell Cafe. The plan to attend. If you have any questions please contact one of us.

4 Page 4 Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering This offering provides financial support to retired ministers and missionaries and their widowed spouses who have helped build our churches. RMMO exists to alleviate the stress and hardship of unexpected expenses. This offering will be received the month of December. Please write RMMO on the memo line of your check. Christmas Eve Morning Service December 24th 10:00am Join us for breakfast and Worship Service in the Social Hall. Note the time is 10am. Breakfast will be provided by some of the small groups of MCC. Invite a friend to join you as we celebrate this special day. Happy 62nd Birthday Pastor Ron (Dec. 16th) Women s Ministries Christmas Lunch December 12th, 12 noon Women s Ministries invites all women of Manette Community Church to a no-host lunch at Olive Garden Restaurant [3204 NW Randall Way, Silverdale, WA 98383] on Tuesday, December 12 starting at 11:30 am. If you wish to carpool, please be at church no later than 11:00 a.m. Feel free to contact Toby Warren ( or tobysteddies@gmail.com) or Donna Overly ( or rjoverly@msn.com ) for more information. Christmas Eve Candle Light Service December 24th, 6:00 pm Invite you family & friends to join you in celebrating the birth of our Lord & Savior. The Bremerton Foodline needs your help! Our food donation box is empty. While you re shopping this week, can you pick up something for the food box? All types of boxed and canned foods are needed as well as paper products. Thank you for blessing those in need.

5 Page 5 BIRTHDAYS 3rd Edna Peters 3rd Elise Schroeder 5th Sebastian Contreras 7th Bryan Redmon 9th Gerry Parker 9th Keith Spencer 10th Asa Borquist 15th Allie Schroeder 16th Ron Anderson 21st Doreen LeCompte 22nd Braden Bass 26th Judy Bass 28th Ray Warren ANNIVERSARIES 28th Ben & Kelly Cooper 31st Tim & Debbi Gentry Operation Christmas Child: Thank you for blessing 176 children around the world and bringing love and joy to them this Christmas season. Thank you to Dawne Lewis for knitted hats; Carolyn Barrett for fleece teddy bears, tote bags, and drawstring bags; Jan McManamna for pillowcase dresses; others for their various donations; and Steve Schultz for delivering the boxes to the collection center in Poulsbo. Christmas Gift for Pastor Ron - As we celebrate the birth of Jesus we would like to continue our tradition of giving a gift to our Pastor and family. If you would like to contribute, please give your contribution to Arlene Henderson, Larry VanEtten or an usher by December 24th. Please make checks payable to MCC and indicate that it s for the Pastors gift. Volunteer Opportunity If you are looking for a way to volunteer locally, there is an event on Friday, February 9, 2018 that could use more help. Night to Shine is a prom for people ages 16 and older that have special needs, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation and hosted by Newlife. Every guest of Night to Shine will enter their prom on a red carpet complete with welcoming friendly paparazzi. Once inside, guests will receive VIP treatment including hair and makeup stations, shoe shining stations, corsages and boutonnieres, a karaoke room and of course, dancing! The highlight of the night will come when every one of the Night to Shine guests is crowned as a king or queen of the prom. In order to help with this event, you must register in advance at You will also be asked to complete a background check form online. Volunteers are needed to help with hospitality, security, prom guest Buddy, set up/tear down, and various other duties. If you have questions please ask Joy Mazelli (360) or Terry Cooper (360) (They volunteered last year and would be happy to share their experience with you.) Welcome little Erin Marie McManamna! She was born November 26th, 9:38pm. Weighing in at 7lbs, 4oz and 20 long. She was named after her daddy and Grandma Jan (using both of their middle names). CONGRATULATIONS Ed & Phuong! MCC101 Class Dec. 10 right after church in the Social Hall. This class is the basic introduction to our church and what we believe. Those who are interested in finding out more about the church, or those considering membership are encouraged to attend. Please R.S.V.P. to the church office,

6 Page 6 Dear Loved Ones, News from Nzunga & Kihomi Greeting. Let us introduce you to the most successful young lady from our Haitian University. She is Louisenie Desauguste, known as Dezo. I taught Dezo in her freshman year at our University Chretienne du Nord d Haiti in Soon after she became very close to Manmie Kihomi. Dezo graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor in Business Administration. Manmie Kihomi asked her to assist her with the women ministries in being the office organizer. After a successful year in the office, with the help of First Baptist Church of Lawrence, Kansas and some friends from Oregon, Dezo came to the States to pursue a higher degree. Dezo just completed her masters of Divinity at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas. Her graduation walk will take place in May While in seminary, Dezo did her internship at First Baptist Church of Kansas City, Missouri. She later was called to join the pastoral team. In September, the church voted to hire her full time to co-pastor with Pastor Steve Jones. Without your prayers, your sacrificial giving, Dezo would not have become who she is today. You can follow her inspiring sermons on YouTube (Louisenie Desauguste) & Facebook (Dezo Louisenie Louise Desauguste). Go into the world, make my disciples and baptize them in the name of Jesus. Dezo is an example. Thank you for your support. In Haiti, Nzunga & Kihomi The story of Dezo Dear Friends, Don t you wonder sometimes what happen to all the people Jesus helped during his ministry. I always wonder about the soldier that came to arrest Jesus and Peter cut off his ear. How did he feel arresting a man that was obviously God? Nzunga and Kihomi have mentored many and sometimes the leave the university and are never heard of again. Thankfully they do know the story of Dezo and what a great story it is. God is using her in mighty ways to bless others because of Nzunga s and Kihomi s intervention. I met her in 2008 when I was in Pinion Haiti working with Bright Hope International. I had communicated with Nzunga by and phone and wanted to meet him. He would not let me come to Cap-Haitian (about 40 miles) at that time as it was dangerous to be there with a white face, so he came to me. There were 3 girls at the university that parents lived in Pinion, so they hitched a ride. I kidded him about bringing 3 hot college girls with him. Turns out that one of them was Dezo. Are there anyone in your area that needs to be mentored by you or your church? You can change lives also. Blessings, Dennis Shewell Mission Partnership Team Communications Advocate and Convener Nzunga and Kihomi Ministry deshewell@gmail.com Phone:

7 Page 7 December 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 8:00 am Men s 5pm Magic in Manette Social Hall in use all evening 3 Communion 1st Advent Women s Bake Sale & Bazaar Short Business Meeting 6:00pm Youth Group 4 10am Prayer 6:00pm Small Group 6:00pm Girl Scouts 5 1pm Manette History Club 7:00pm Sisters by Heart Small Group 6 12 noon First Wednesday Fellowship 6pm Dinner/ 7 5:30am Men s Small Group 8 9 8:00 am Men s 10 2nd Advent 6:00pm Youth Group 11 10am Prayer 6:00 pm Diaconate 6:00pm Small Group 6:00pm Girl Scouts noon Women s Ministries Christmas Lunch 6:00pm Nights at Hot Java Café 13 10am Lunges & Latte s 6pm Dinner/ 14 5:30 am Men s Small Group :00 am Men s Happy 62nd Birthday Pastor Ron 17 3rd Advent 18 10am Prayer :30 am Men s Small Group 22 Newsletter Deadline 23 8:00 am Men s 6:00pm Youth Group 6:00pm Small Group 6:00pm Girl Scouts 5:30pm Coffee Oasis Wrapping Party 7:00pm Sisters by 6pm Dinner/ 24 4th Advent Christmas Eve 25 Christmas 26 Office Closed :30 am Men s Small Group :00 am Men s 10:00 am Breakfast & Worship Service Pastor Ron is out of the office this week! 6:00 pm Service 6:00pm Nights at Hot Java Café 6pm Dinner/ 31 New Year s Eve Girl Scouts using the Church building Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:11