Seventy-eight children from 28 households requested West Side's The Gift of Christmas Advent kits that were delivered last week. Kits were also distributed to Doorstep and Topeka Rescue Mission.
Each kit consisted of five oversized envelopes (one to be opened each Sunday of Advent and one for Christmas day) that were decorated like Christmas gifts and filled with stories from the Children Worship & Wonder curriculum and crafts that will take children ages 3 through 5th grade on a journey to Bethlehem to encounter Jesus, the Savior.
The project was funded by a special Disciples grant. Special thanks to Kit Pittier for her leadership in imagining the project and doing the hard work of choosing crafts, writing instructions, making videos for the website for story time, and coordinating every step of the process. Thank you to all who helped with videos, ordered supplies, glued and stuffed envelopes, delivered the kits to homes, and all the other work that went into this outreach!
Thank You, Flint Hills Harmony Chorus
The singers of Flint Hills Harmony Chorus sent a donation to West Side for the Meadows Elementary School Holiday Box outreach to purchase games and puzzles. This is the second year the choir has joined West Side and area churches in the Christmas outreach to Meadows.
Before the pandemic the choir met weekly in Fellowship Hall for rehearsal. We look forward to welcoming Flint Hills Harmony back in the building in the future and thank them for their generosity!
Do you have a desire to grow closer to God? Have you ever wanted God to show or tell you what God desires for your life? Have you ever wondered how to tell the difference between your own desire and God’s desire for your life?
Then register for the first spiritual growth opportunity for 2021. Join Regional Minister, Ken Marston, for the first of six sessions at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 7, by Zoom video conferencing, and seek answers for these questions.
These 90-minute sessions will be held each Thursday evening between Jan. 7 and Feb. 11. Participants will need to purchase the book Journaling: A Spiritual Journey by Anne Broyles.
The event is free. Participants are responsible for purchasing their own book. A minimum of six participants is needed for this experience to happen and is limited to the first ten people who register.
It is our prayer for Christmas this year to provide a special gift for each child at Alpha: a new toy, a new game, a new winter coat or boots to play outside in, or perhaps new shoes. Each child is so precious, and we want to make sure their Christmas memories are special and filled with love. Could you help by sending a special gift for the Children's Christmas Fund today?
For more information about current needs or to donate, click here.
REMINDERS
Reminder: Please donate board games, puzzles, coloring books, and crayons for Meadows Elementary students for 50 Holiday Boxes. Deadline to donate: Dec. 13
Sunday, November 29: First Sunday of Advent
Monday-Tuesday, November 30- December 1: Church office open 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.*
Wednesday, November 25: Epiphany Ringers rehearsal 5:45 - 6:40 p.m.
* The church office is open on an abbreviated schedule. Please call before visiting the building on days that are not posted as open. (Office phone messages will be returned as quickly as possible.)
Photo Credit: DarkWorkX on Pixabay
WEEKLY CALENDAR
Wednesday
5:45 p.m. -- Bell Choir Rehearsal
(All other meetings are temporarily suspended.)
10:30 a.m. -- Coffee & Bible Study
6:45 p.m. -- Chancel Choir
Sunday
(All Sunday in-person meetings are temporarily suspended.)
9:15 a.m.--Church School
10:00 a.m.--Children's Music
10:30 a.m.--Online Worship Celebration
