Photos Needed: Special Christmas Eve Worship Service
Join in a beautiful Christmas Eve worship service on December 24, from the safety and comfort of your home, by going to the WSCC Facebook page or the church website: westsidedisciples.org.
We need your help to make the candlelight portion of our Christmas Eve worship special. Please send a digital picture of you holding a lit candle (any kind of candle you have at home is fine) in front of you, as if you were holding it at the end of a Christmas Eve worship service.
Take a picture of each member of your family doing this. (Take the picture with a smartphone, or have one of your kids, grandkids, or fa friend take it with a smartphone.) Note: Be sure to capture your face in the picture, as well as the candle, for a virtual circle of love and light!
Please email your picture as soon as possible to Pastor Donna at dkgilch@gmail.com. She needs photos byMonday evening, December 21, at the latest.
Thank you for your help with this special project! Although we are apart, we are together in Christ, Emmanuel: God with us!
Stan Senneslipped peacefully from this life into the next on Saturday, December 12, after an unexpected hospitalization. Glenda and several of their daughters were able to be present with Stan as he transitioned into new life with our Lord.
The family hopes to have a memorial service sometime in the spring. You may read Stan's obituary here. Our heartfelt condolences to Glenda and family.
Edna Snook slipped peacefully into the arms of our Lord on Thursday, December 10. Edna was a lifelong member of West Side, serving and ministering in many other ways. She will be greatly missed. Our prayers are with the familyin this time of loss.
Visitation was December 14 at Kevin Brennan Funeral Home, and a graveside service was December 15 at Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to West Side Christian Church or Elara Caring Hospice and sent in care of the funeral home. You may read Edna's obituary here.
Rex Heavin, Charlie Heavin's brother, passed on to Paradise with his Lord on Wednesday, December 9. Rex was a Disciples of Christ Christian pastor for over 40 years. Our love and prayers are with the Heavin family.
You may view Rex's obituary here, which includes a link to the graveside service. A memorial service will take place in 2021.
Christmas Greetings
Children rescue us from the doldrums.
They bring us hope, love, and laughter.
Their bright eyes and beautiful smiles
remind us to work hard for a better world.
We watch with amusement
as they don their superhero personas;
yet, children, in many ways, are the superheroes
of this troubled world.
Merry Christmas, with love!
The Southerlands
FROM OUR INBOX
Christmas Special Offering Supports Kansas Ministry
The Christmas special offering, received this year on December 13 and 20, supports ministries in the Kansas region, including the following:
Clergy support, including nurturing those who are following a call to parish ministry
Our recent establishment of Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation work
Calling a new staff member to lead New Church Development, with hopes of leading new congregations into the future
The Region’s camp and conference program including work at Disciples Center, where children, youth and adults meet for programs of nurture
Disciples Women and Men programs and directors for each of these ministries
The richness of our devotion to connect and equip Disciples throughout the region makes this offering particularly important. Again: all monies received will remain in the Kansas Region.
Together, we are the Body of Christ! Together we equip disciples for mission and ministry. Together we connect disciples to spread the love and grace of God.
Merry Christmas from your Regional Staff!
Adapted from "Christmas Special Offering Supports Regional Ministry," Christian Church in Kansas, accessed Dec. 15, 2020, https://kansasdisciples.org/christmas-special-offering-supports-regional-ministry.
REMINDERS
Sunday, December 20: Fourth Sunday of Advent Christmas Special Day Offering
Monday-Tuesday, December 21-22: Church office open 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.*
Wednesday, December 23: Epiphany Ringers rehearsal 5:45 - 6:40 p.m.
Thursday, December 24: Special Christmas Eve at Home service
* 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
