We are glad you are here, and we hope you enjoy this opportunity to worship God with us.
Please join us on Facebook or YouTube if you cannot attend in person.
Join us for prayer in the conference room @ 8:45am on Sunday Mornings
ADVENT 2 - Joy
Welcome & Prayer
Advent Candle Lighting
Songs of Worship
Advent Drama: Joy to the World
Scripture: John 16:16-33
Message: Pastor Dave Maurer
"You Will Rejoice and No One Will Take Away Your Joy"
Offertory
Hymns of Worship
Live Stream Sign-off
Sharing & Pastoral Prayer
Closing Hymn
Benediction
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11 am Sunday School Opportunities
- Children - Classes ages 2-5th grade in the basement
- Youth - Meet in the youth room -c/o Pastor Bill.
- Adults - 2 options for class
- Quarterly format studying "Justice, Law, History" Lesson 1 c/o Tom Beachy and Brent Maust. (Sanctuary)
- The Book Study of 1,2, & 3 John by Dr. Tony Evans from Right Now Media - c/o Rich Swartzendruber (Balcony)
Girls of Grace tonight at 5 pm in the kitchen.
“A Holy Family Christmas” is a free community event on December 18 at the Laker Legacy Center, aimed at introducing and reinforcing the true meaning of Christmas, especially for children. We are encouraging parents to accompany their children for a true family outing. Doors open at 1 pm for a variety of children’s activities, including making ornaments, Christmas Bingo, coloring tables, and a story corner. Refreshments will be offered within COVID safety restrictions. A narrated Living Nativity will begin at 2:30 pm; at that time all other activities will shut down to focus on the drama. Masks are required & participants are welcome to bring nonperishable foods for local food pantries. If you would have interest in helping with this community wide event please sign up at the Welcome Center.
Table coffee is available for your Christmas giving. You may also, place your order in the box, Sunday, December 5th or by emailing Charlene Neer by Wednesday, December 8th. Hemisphere Coffee Roasters is now offering free shipping if you want to order it online.
For the next 25 days leading up to Christmas, Pigeon River will be providing daily scripture readings, activities and songs to help you focus on our Savior and his presence with us. The material on some of the days will be from The Seed and The Soil Project, compiled by Seth Crissman (of The Walking Roots Band fame!) You can learn more about the project at their website or their facebook page. The liturgy cards and CDs will be available at the church today. At the end of the 6 weeks, the cards can be put together to form a 11x17 print of Lamb+Star. You can go to our Faithlife group and see each post to follow along each day.
Our annual Harvest offering will kick off today. You may continue to give to that cause through January 2, 2022 by designation. Thank you for considering others in your year end giving!
The Menno Knights have a new name this year - Faithfully Fit. This accountability group will encourage participants to lose weight and/or get more exercise. We updated the name to include more people from the community. Also new this year is access to the Legacy Center at Lakers to all Faithfully Fit participants for a total of $30 for the three months of the program. So begin inviting your friends to join you being Faithfully Fit at the beginning of the new year.
The Gifts Discernment affirmation sheets have been placed in your mailboxes. Please take the time to review and return by Sunday, December 19th. Thanks for the committee for their diligent work in filling the positions, and thanks to you in being willing to serve the body of Christ.
The Relief/Missions Committee will be packing Christmas goody bags for our Primary Dept. children, our seniors (ages 65 and above), and inmates at the Huron County jail. Individually wrapped homemade goodies or store bought cookies and candy are needed to fill the bags. If you would like to contribute, please leave your items in the church kitchen by Sat., Dec 18 @ 9:00 am. Thank you for giving generously as we bless those around us.
Christmas pageant practice are the following dates: 12/5 am & pm, 12/12 am & pm, 12/18. Contact Leslie Eberly if you have questions.
Our annual Christmas Giving catalogs through MEDA, MCC, and Rosedale Business Group are here. Please check out the table in the Fellowship Hall and take advantage of the opportunity to bless someone in another country or click here.
The Reading Group will read the book, The Insanity of God this winter. Sign up at the Welcome Center, book available Dec. 1 on a donation basis. The discussion group will meet March 12, 7 pm in the youth room. Contact Dale for questions.
Offering Today: Harvest Offering - You can mail in your donation. Our online giving portal is on our website You can also check out how easy it is to set up giving through the Faithlife app or text. Simply text the word “GIVE” to (989)217-8181. We appreciate your generosity and flexibility.
Offering next week: PR Ministries & Harvest offering by designation
Worship Leader this week: Marie Maust
Worship Leader next week: Michael Swathwood
Fellowship Greeter this week: Ken & Judy Dietzel
Fellowship Greeter next week: Tom & Karen Beachy
Pastoral Care this week: Brenda Maust
Pastoral Care next week: Staff
Prayers for the local church
· Soup Cook-off and Youth Auction Fundraiser
· Grief Share - Longest Night Service
· Health Concerns/Situations
· Pastor Bill's dad continuing radiation for his cancer
· Arwen - continued battle with cancer
· Carol VanValin waiting for heart surgery
· Bear Swartzendruber recovery from surgery
· Phyllis Bartel's son, Matthew with cancer & son in law with cancer
· Paul Rochon healing from car accident and comfort in losing his wife in the accident.
· Ron Swartz's wife in ICU
· Freda Maust & Barry Maust
· Marge Gnagey placed on Comfort Care at Courtney Manor
Missions/Organization
· Emmanual Doulant - God's Fellowship of Ministries of Pakistan
US/World
· The Gospel that goes out is understood and unhindered
· Oxford School shooting- victims and the students to find peace and comfort