THE CONNECTING PEOPLE TO JESUS CHRIST AND TO ONE ANOTHER. A White Christmas According to National Public Radio, the most popular Christmas song is White Christmas, first recorded in 1943 by Bing Crosby. Since its debut, it has sold over 50,000,000 copies, making it not only the #1 Christmas song but the biggest single recording of all time, period! 2013 December In this issue But why has it been so popular? It may be because it captures a deep human feeling that something very special has been lost, reduced to a wistful memory of a time and place that was warm and wonderful and winsome. It s a nostalgic yearning for an ideal yesterday and a hope that it may be regained. That s the dream. Something lost something hoped for. God has planted eternity in the human heart A White Christmas - 1 Women in Ministry - 2 Upcoming Events 2 Peace: a Christmas Series 3 Something lost is also an apt description of the hole in the human heart that aches for a time and place that was perfect and beautiful and good and right. Something much better than a white Christmas. Something that was lost but may be lived again. So, a popular song stirs that deeper sentiment that is actually a spiritual yearning. King Solomon writes that God has planted eternity in the human heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11). That means we know that we had a home in a garden, but we lost it and someday we will have a home in Heaven. And what makes the memory of what was lost so painful, and the promise of what will be so remarkably rich, is the presence of God. At home with Him. That s our dream! But it is more than a dream it is the truth that is revealed in Scripture. God with us forever and ever. That s the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ something so much better than a white Christmas. Dreaming and believing with you, Pastor Ben Borsay FAQ 3 Joshua s Men - 4 Angel Tree 4 Hanson Headlines - 5 Fall Fest 6 Christmas Service 7 GriefShare 7 Year-end Giving 7 Connect with Us 7 P.S. Don t forget to mark your calendars for our Christmas Eve services: 2:30, 4:00, 5:30, 7:30 and 9:00p.m. Page 1
Women in Ministry Tuesday, December 3 concludes this study, but January 14 will begin new lessons from the Old Testament book of Judges using Priscilla Shirer s Gideon study. Please join in this opportunity of digging deeper by attending in the morning 9:30-11:30 a.m. or in the evening 6:45-8:45 p.m. each Tuesday beginning January 14. To register or get further information please email Jeanne Snyder: JSnyder@GatewayEPC.org Women in Ministry Tuesday morning and evening Bible Studies welcomed 80 women for 11 weeks using Beth Moore s Here and Now, There and Then study of Revelation. Among the many lessons that helped women connect to Jesus Christ were those that tied Old Testament Scripture with New Testament Scripture. What God started in Genesis He brings to completion in Revelation. The Revelation God gave to John was meant for John to understand and meant for us to understand. All things will be completed and redeemed. The women also connected to one another through small group discussions. The memory verse for this study is one of warning and encouragement: They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers. Revelation 17:14 Women in Ministry Save the Date Friday, March 28-Saturday, March 29: Extraordinary Women Conference at the Bank of Kentucky Center in Highland Heights, KY. A coach bus will transport women from the Gateway parking lot Friday morning and return on Saturday night. Conference tickets are $59 and will be sold Sunday, January 12 and 19. There are 40 tickets available. Additional cost per person will be hotel room and meals. The approximate total for the weekend (including ticket) will be $100 plus meals. A great price for a getaway conference! UPCOMING EVENTS Angel Tree Gifts must be returned to Gateway no later than: Sunday, December 15th Sunday, December 15 th Infant Dedications Refer to the new Events tab at www.gatewayepc.org for full event details. Save the Date Extraordinary Women Conference Highland Heights, KY March 28 March 29 Page 2
Peace A Christmas Series Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. It is a time when we tend to think of joy and peace, yet it can be a time of stress and loneliness. We see death, divorce, depression, war, wayward children, rape, suicide and so many other evidences of trouble in this life. This is the reality of the human existence into which Jesus was born. Over 2,000 years later, the world is still broken. Even after Jesus came to bring peace, we so often do not experience this peace in our lives. Read the words the angels proclaimed to the shepherds on that first Christmas: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" Luke 2:14 (ESV) Do you lack peace? Peace has been promised to God s children. It is not something that is earned, but a gift from God that Jesus paid for on the cross. It is free, but not cheap. Peace is available to us yet many of us do not possess it. Why? Is there something wrong with God? Or are we the problem? This Christmas at Gateway, we will share a powerful series of messages centered on God s supernatural peace. Join us as we seek to rest in what Jesus has done for us! In His Peace, Pastor Craig FAQ FAQ or frequently asked questions come to mind every day. Some are more important than others; questions that when asked and answered can change our lives. FAQ is also a gathering of college students here at Gateway that seeks to answer those life changing questions through conversation on life s most important spiritual topics. We meet once a month to wrestle with a variety of questions in order to come to conclusions that better help us in our spiritual journeys. So whether you are an atheist, agnostic, seeker, or follower of Jesus you re invited to join the conversation. Thus far we have wrestled with three great topics. The first was about suffering, If God is good why is there pain and suffering? Second we looked at Evolution vs. Intelligent Design. Lastly this semester we have looked at the topic Jesus among other world religions. This is a comparison of the unique claims of Jesus versus the other major world religions. People often claim that all world religions are the same and are headed to the same place, but you quickly realize upon comparison, just how unique Christianity is and how not all the religions are the same. Through FAQ we are seeing some great discussion as college students wrestle with what they think and what they believe. We appreciate your prayers for the college ministry. Page 3
Joshua s Men Joshua's Men is meant to equip and train men to lead families and ministries in the community. It is a twoyear commitment with one year of study along with practical application and another year of theology. In this group, you will participate in study and discussion while developing relationships with other men in order to cultivate spiritual growth and accountability. In addition, members will develop a base of sound theology in the church. Requirements of men joining Joshua's Men: A member of Gateway Church or actively working towards becoming a member Actively involved in an existing Gateway Life Group or currently seeking to get into a Life Group Actively serving at Gateway Church Summary of the Commitments: One Saturday morning per month, 7:00-10:00 a.m. Kick-off meeting at the church, Saturday morning, January 11, 2014 from 7:00-8:15 a.m. Willingness to host one of the monthly meetings in 2014 Purchase the 7 required books that we will be studying Attendance at the Joshua s Men s retreat Weekend in April 2014 (Friday pm / Saturday) Cost approximately $65 Time each month to read the book and complete the application / discussion questions and work on memory verses Celebration dinner banquet with our wives (if married), or date/guest if not, December 2014 -Cost approximately $35 A willingness to grow and be used in the life of other men for a year If you are interested in joining or have any questions about Joshua's Men 2014, please go to GatewayEPC.Org, click on "Connect", then click on Joshua's Men at the bottom of the page and then complete the requested form. We are asking all men that are interested in joining Joshua's Men 2014 to sign up by December 15th. Angel Tree Thank you to everyone who participated in the Angel Tree program by selecting a child s name for Christmas. Your generosity was overwhelming, as we had over 50 angels distributed! Please remember that all gifts need to be returned to the church no later than Sunday, December 15. Gifts can be placed on the Angel Tree table in the foyer, but please make sure you re following the instructions outlined on your Angel Tree Checklist. Please contact Rich or Sherry Shultis at rshultis@woh.rr.com or 419-423-0152 if you have any questions. Page 4
Hanson Headlines Dear Friends, If I asked you to think about water what kind of a picture pops into your imagination? Crystal clear streams sprinklers scattering water across a green lawn cold water gushing out of a stainless steel faucet. Water is accessible and prolific. We use it often without even thinking about it or appreciating it. In Africa the image that pops into our imagination is vastly different. As we have driven thousands of kilometers across the continent here are some of the pictures that come to mind: -Early in the morning women & small children walking down the road delicately balancing heavy buckets of water on their heads as they walk home, often more than a mile away. -People sitting around a hand dug hole in a dry river bed, waiting as the water slowly seeps in before they carefully fill a bucket and go home. -Young people holding up empty plastic water bottles, hoping we will stop so they can have something to drink. -Small shepherd boys on their hands and knees drinking from the same muddy puddle that their cows just drank in. -Dirty children living in desert environments many of whom have never had a bath. -Entrepreneurs with hand pulled wagons filled with 20 liters buckets of water that they are selling at a premium price. -Mothers holding young kids, ravaged by diarrhea because they don t have access to clean drinking water. Adding to the gravity of the situation many of these people live in places where they don t have access to Christ. It is a privilege to partner with you working in Africa to bring clean water and the name of Jesus to people who live without. Thanks for investing so people s lives in Africa can be transformed. We appreciate you! Ron and Gloria Page 5
Fall Fest 13 Page 6
Christmas Memorial Service 2013 Please feel welcome, along with your friends and family, to join us in a remembrance service for our loved ones this Christmas season. Music will be provided by the Full Sound Chamber Group and the message will be Pastor Ben s reflections on Good Grief. This special gathering is a gift to our community from the Coldren-Crates family and staff and the Gateway Church. When: Saturday, December 14, 2013 Time: Four O clock in the afternoon Where: Gateway Church, 9555 CR 9, Findlay RSVP: 419-422-2323 or ccfh@coldrencrates.com Holiday GriefShare The holiday season is a wonderful time of year. However, we recognize that for some, especially if you've lost a family member or close friend this year, this time of year can be painful. Grieving is a normal process, but can be overwhelming at times; we'd like to help. GriefShare is offering special resources for the holidays. These can be found by accessing www.griefshare.org/healing. Year-end Giving Thank you for your prayers and sacrificial, financial support this calendar year; you are a blessing to us for which we are grateful! With 2013 coming to a close, you may be contemplating year-end contributions; please prayerfully consider Gateway in your plans, either the general fund or building fund. The upcoming New Year will prove to be a pivotal one in the life of Gateway Church; your prayers, presence, gifts and service have been a key part of this and we ask for your continued support in the future. If you have any questions, please contact either Dale Briggs or Pastor Scott. connect with us With so many activities and events happening at Gateway, what s the best way to know the who, what, where, when and how? Get plugged in. Get the Gateway Weekly Email. It s a chronological list of all current events and serving opportunities sent in a convenient weekly email. Visit our website. We have recently updated the website to include an events tab that lists all event details. Download the free Gateway Church App. You can watch/listen to sermons from any mobile device. Arrive a little early for our Sunday services. Before the worship team takes the stage, we share some of the highlighted events on the screens. Join a Life Group. It s a great way to meet people who share common interests. Like us on Facebook. We often post information about things happening at Gateway. Plus, it s a great way to ask and invite your friends to upcoming outreach events. Page 7