Sunday, December 9, 2018 *Children & Worship will be dismissed during the offering* Touch of Christmas Luke 1:39-45 This morning we welcome the Adult Choir as they bring us the gift of music, singing Angel Song. Thank you for blessing MRC! 5:30-8:30 PM Traveling Nativity Next Sunday at MRC Smells of Christmas Luke 2:1-7 5:00 PM Children s Christmas Program Church Family Prayer We continue to pray for Dave Van Klompenburg as he recovers from his heart attack. We are thankful that he was able to return home and we continue to pray for healing and patience for him during this time. We are thankful that Brent De Kok s scan came back showing no new areas of concern. We continue to keep him in our prayers. Sympathies to Bob & Wanda Wichers as Wanda s mother, Joey Herweyer, passed away on Wednesday. Visitation will be Monday, Dec. 10, from 9:30-10:30 am at Oolman s in Orange City. The service will begin at 10:30 am. Continued prayers for Arlin B, Joyce G, Denny VO, Isaac S, & Ruth H.
Sunday, December 9 Adult Choir 10:45 AM Sunday School 5:030-8:30 PM Traveling Nativity Monday, December 10 8:30-9:30 AM Fellowship Through Fitness Tuesday, December 11 9 AM Staff Meeting 6:30 PM Consistory Meeting Wednesday, December 12 11:30 AM Golden Hour Christmas Party at Sioux County Livestock in Sioux Center 5:30 PM Meal 6:20 PM Jr. GAP 6:30 PM Christmas Program Practice 7:50 PM Sr. High Thursday, December 13 8:15-9:00 AM Fellowship Through Fitness Friday, December 14 6:15 PM Recycled Teens Christmas Party The Triple Box Sunday, December 16 Strings for the King 10:45 AM Sunday School THIS WEEK NEXT WEEK ORGAN/PIANO Janene VG/Kristi H Marge VO/Donna M NURSERY Gary & Cherie Van Donkelaar and family Barb Van Horn, Cheryl Van Wyk, Brooke Venema PRAYER ROOM Jill Muilenburg Dan DeVries FLOWERS Sharon P/Shellie VS Sharon P/Shellie VS
If you would like to look at last week s bulletin, which includes November s consistory notes, they are available at the information table. Live Traveling Nativity Tonight from 5:30-8:30 Come out tonight for the final night of the Traveling Nativity! If you have any questions about where you re volunteering, please contact Jon Eveland. Thank you for supporting the Sr. High Youth Ministry! Life Groups Don't Just Sit Around Many people today don't want to become involved in something if it is not worth their time investment. MRC Life Groups don't just sit around, they also serve others. So far this Fall Life Groups have hosted a Tip Night at the Sioux Center Pizza Ranch for the Dykstra family as they prepare to move to Africa. Groups have made meals for the food freezer at MRC, delivered Thanksgiving food offerings to 4 projects in our area, created and sent 17X22 original encouragement cards to Isaac Schmidt, and groups will be caroling at the Traveling Nativity and also will be delivering Angel Tree gifts. Life Groups are a worthwhile investment of your time. By January 20 most Life Groups will be finishing the "Community" study and moving on to a new study in February. This would be a great time to join a group when they start something new. Interested? Let Marissa Maassen or Don De Kok know and they will find a group for you. AND TO ALL LIFE GROUP LEADERS, there will be an important Life Group Team Leader meeting in The Refuge at 10:45 on Sunday December 16. Please be prompt. Thank you. The yearly birthday calendar will be coming out soon! Please check the table at the far end of the fellowship hall to make sure we have the correct dates for all of the birthdays and anniversaries in your family. Thank you! Sioux Center Atlas has a family that is in need if housing assistance! It is exciting that we can be a part of meeting that need as a church! This family moved into the parsonage this past week. Please pray that they would be blessed by the house and by an excellent relationship with Atlas in the months ahead. Also pray that God would bless them in this transition and that they would feel welcome in our community. This is the last Sunday the Angel Tree will be set up! Please have gifts purchased, wrapped and returned by Wednesday, Dec. 12th at the latest to allow plenty of time to have them delivered to families! Gifts should be between $15-20 each and the angel tag placed on the outside. Please contact Kelli Bartlett at 712-441-4220 if you have any questions and/or if you would be interested in helping deliver the gifts. Thank you for blessing these children!
Atlas 250.00 Children's Home Society 300.00 CANA 2018 support 250.00 Dordt College 250.00 Family Crisis Center Of NWIA 650.00 Genesis House 1,802.00 Paradise Bound for Gautemala Work Project 2,052.42 Heifer International 100.00 Midwest Honor Flight 200.00 Hope Haven 1,150.00 Ireton Christian School 1,000.00 Jeremy and Danielle Dykstra 550.00 Joel and Angela Schmidt 1,250.00 Jr Gap 1,150.00 Maranda and Vasil Heytsi 1,750.00 Northwestern College 250.00 Operation Smile 120.00 Paradise Bound Ministries 1,250.00 Sack Pack Program Orange City 2,000.00 Salvation Army 300.00 Save the Children 120.00 Sioux City Gospel Mission 300.00 Sr RCYF 150.00 The Banquet 300.00 Village Northwest 1,150.00 Whisper of Love Hope and Joy 450.00 Words of Hope 250.00 Zestos 250.00 Building Fund 7,538.55 Mission Fund 62,137.52 $ 89,270.49 New Consistory Members We would like to welcome aboard the new elders, Dan DeVries, Laura Haverdink, and Stacy Jasper, and deacons, Dan Bruxvoort, Dan Leusink, and Brian Oolman. Thank you for using your gifts & strengths to serve in this way! And a HUGE thank you to those who have served on consistory for the past 3 years. Greg Haverdink, Terry Hofmeyer, Rog Van Regenmorter, Myron Dekkers, Shane Jager, and Aaron Maassen. Thank you for serving and blessing MRC!
Thank You to all who donated, attended and worked at the Harvest Supper held in November! The Maurice Women's Ministry served over 440 adults and children! After expenses there is $2,000 left for the MWM to donate to local charities. $500 each will be donated to the Center for Financial Education, Bethany Christian Services (Safe Families), The Sack Pack Program & Zestos. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported Jeremy and Danielle Dykstra and their family on Tip night at the Pizza Ranch this past week. It helped them get to their goal. If you were unable to attend and would like to make a gift for them, there is a tip jar available at the information table. Thank so much! Thank you to everyone who purchased poinsettias! The cost is $12 & can be paid at the church office. Please pay before December 24. Your poinsettias may be picked up after the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. Be sure to come out to Ireton Christian School s Soup Supper and Candy Walk tomorrow, December 10, from 5-7! They will be serving taverns, coneys, hot dogs, pie, ice cream, and chicken, potato, and chili soup. There will also be a variety of Christmas goodies...pick and choose and pay by the pound! There will be a freewill donation. There will be NO Pioneer Club in December. Sunday school students in grades 1st-5th are asked to meet for an hour of Christmas Program practice from 6:30-7:30 this week, December 12. Any parents that are willing to hang around and supervise would be appreciated! 5th grade will meet in the sanctuary 1st-4th grade will meet in the multipurpose room Sunday School for December: December 9 and 16 students will go to Sunday school as usual. However, there will be practice time for our program which will be the evening of the 16th. There will not be Sunday school on Dec. 23 or 30. Advent is here and we have the great opportunity to raise money this December. We will be taking an offering to raise money for World Renew, which is an agency Rob & Sharon Schelling work closely with, by purchasing different animals each week. This week we will be seeing how many chickens we can raise, which cost $3. These gifts help families experience Uzima, abundant life, by providing food and the ability to make income. Would you join us by helping us raise money for individuals who are hungry, poor, and oppressed? Be sure to write your child s name on a slip of paper to be put in the bag! Each week a name will be drawn and that child will help light the advent candle!
Jr. GAP Ministries Schedule: Dec. 12 The Incarnation Dana VO Dec. 19 Jr. GAP Christmas Party *Jr. GAP will resume on January 9 Lunch Schedule: Dec. 12 Jordan VDH, Carson J, Karter H, Alex VH Dec. 19 Provided As a part of our learning related to Jesus and our stuff, the 6th graders are challenging the 7th & 8th graders to see how many turkeys can be purchased and given to those who might not be able to afford one during this holiday season. Jr. GAPpers involved in Traveling Nativity - Jr. GAP students involved in Traveling Nativity, please be in the Sr. High Youth Room at 4:00 PM. Supper will be provided. If you have any questions, please contact Jon Eveland Wednesday Night Refuge Worship - Wednesday, December 12 - Join us as we worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ! Practice will be on Sunday, December 9 at 10:45 and on Wednesday, December 12 at 5:15 pm. Jr. GAP Christmas Party - Wednesday, December 19 at 6:20-7:30 Christmas is right around the corner! We are going to celebrate Christmas in Jr. GAP on Wednesday, December 19. There will not be a Wednesday night meal in the Family Life Center, however, we will have plenty of food provided during Jr. GAP for supper. Also, we are challenging Jr. GAPpers to wear their favorite pajamas for the evening (please make sure they are appropriate to be worn in public). DATES TO REMEMBER: April 5-7 Middle School Retreat 2019 - Hidden Acres Dayton, IA July 23-28 Power Connection 2019 - Minneapolis, MN Sr. High Ministries Schedule: Dec. 12 The Incarnation Dana VO Dec. 19 Sr. High Christmas Party *Sr. High will return on January 9 Lunch Schedule: Dec. 12 Caleb S, Hanah VB, Jacie VW, Brandon VS Dec. 19 Provided Live Traveling Nativity - TONIGHT Please be in the Sr. High Youth Room at 4:00 PM. Supper will be provided. If you have any questions, please contact Jon Eveland. Wednesday Night Refuge Worship - Wednesday, December 12 - Join us as we worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ! Practice will be on Sunday, December 9 at 10:45 and on Wednesday, December 12 at 5:15 pm. Sr. High Christmas Party - Wednesday, December 19 at 7:50-9:00 pm Christmas is right around the corner! We are going to celebrate Christmas in Jr. GAP on Wednesday, December 19. There will not be a Wednesday night meal in the Family Life Center, however, we will have plenty of food provided during Sr. High for supper. Also, we are challenging Sr. Highers to wear their favorite pajamas for the evening (please make sure they are appropriate to be worn in public). Sr. High Summer International Mission Trip July 13-20 Eaglecrest Alaska Missions We are excited to announce that we will be partnering with Eaglecrest Alaska Missions (Sutton, Alaska) for our summer mission trip (July 13-20). Though it is not international per se, it is a great distance away, and not part of the lower 48 states and there is great need in the Sutton community for us to come, serve those in need and experience the love of Christ in a much different culture than our own! We will be serving by participating in light construction, relationally with families in need, winterizing homes, chopping wood, potentially helping with a VBS and Summer Day Camp, and perhaps other needs that arise. So far, we have about 30 students who are interested in going, which is awesome! The cost for the trip has not yet been determined, as we await word on the NEXT Gen RCA Scholarship, fundraisers, and airfare costs.