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Ministry to Feed the Homeless
Sunday, December 4
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED |
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St. Christopher Church
629 S. Glendora Avenue
West Covina, CA 91790-3705
(626) 960-1805 |
Greetings!
In some churches, these days leading to the Christmas holiday are officially called "The Advent." It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve (December 24). If Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday, then it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent.
The focus of "The Advent" is the celebration of Jesus' birth when He first came to earth (First Advent) and the anticipation of His return as King of Kings (Second Advent).
"Advent is far more than simply marking a 2000 year-old event in history. It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ, whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God." (Dennis Bratcher, Christian Resource Institute)
This is what we truly enter into as Christians when we believe and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior into our lives, the consummation of which we anticipate with eagerness and rejoicing.
As we focus both on the past and future, Advent becomes a symbol of our spiritual journey, not only as individuals but as a congregation, validating the fact that Jesus came to dwell among men, that He is still present in the world today through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and that He will come again in power and majesty.
May this spirit of the season be in our hearts now and through each day of the year.
The Church Staff |
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MINISTRY TO THE HOMELESS
To Serve, To Feed
Preparations have been under way for a couple of months for this missionary endeavor to feed the homeless in our community. On Sunday evening, December 4, a group of Gospel Life volunteers will team up to serve and to feed more than 200 homeless persons.
Nancy Alano, Maria Avena, and Lelit Luciano are members of the committee that will bring this event into fruition. Besides the dinner that will be served, sack lunches will also be provided to the homeless who will be there. The sack lunches will be assembled by volunteers at the Fellowship Hall after next Sunday's lunch after church.
The event will take place at the St. Christopher Church in West Covina. This ministry is shared with other local area churches who take turns feeding the homeless.
Ray Bautista, who is attending the Monday small group fellowship, will bring his keyboard and will play some Chirstmas music while the dinner is going on. Volunteers to form a singing group are welcome to join.
Gospel Life will participate in another similar event in the month of February. | |
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A MATTER FOR PRAYER
Our God Always Provides
The time is closer than you think. We were talking about this about a year ago, and now there's about six months left before Gospel Life's mortgage note becomes due.
Looking back at our history, we are reminded of all the miracles that transpired leading to the acquisition of this Miracle Hill property. There is no doubt that God was leading all along as we went through times of trepidation and expectation. (Check our website and click on "Our Story"-- http://gospellifecommunity.org )
As we approach another deadline, we are also preparing for whatever needs to be done to meet this obligation, but we are convinced more than ever that another miracle or a series of miracles are yet to happen that will bring honor and glory to our God.
So we ask every single one in our congregation to pray together for a miraculous resolution to this challenge before us, not because God won't move unless He hears our pleas for help, but because He wants us to exercise our faith in the fact that He is able to do things for His children when we believe.
We also ask all our small group fellowships and bible study groups to make this a matter for prayer within their groups and to do whatever the Lord asks each one to do.
Do not forget to continue bringing your sacrificial gifts and dropping them into the "treasure chest" at the back of the church sanctuary for this purpose. Please mark your envelopes appropriately.
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THIS IS YOUR CHURCH, TOO
Our Youth Including the Young Children
We all have a solemn responsibility to let our children, the youth and young adults, know that Gospel Life Community Church is theirs, too. We have to give them a sense of belonging, a sense of ownership, by getting them involved in every aspect of our church activities, and telling them that, Yes!, they are as much a part of Gospel Life as their parents and elders are.
We ask our youth leaders and Sunday school teachers to encourage their youth groups to pray as well for the welfare of our church and to help nurture a responsible attitude towards their part in church ownership.
Our youth are our future leaders. They must stake their claim even now. | |
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MARKETPLACE MINISTRY
Is there Hierarchy in Calling?
"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (1 Cor 12:27)."
All legitimate work matters to God. God Himself described himself as a worker. In fact, human occupations find their origin in His work to create the world. Work is a gift from Him to meet the needs of people and the creation. "You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas" (Ps 8:6-8).
However, there is often an unspoken hierarchy that positions clergy (missionaries and evangelists, pastors and clergy) at the top, and occupations such as of the "helping professions" (doctors and nurses, teachers and educators, social workers) next, and "secular" workers (business executives, salespeople, factory laborers, and farmers) at the bottom.
So what determines the spiritual value of a job? How does God assign significance? The hierarchy assumes sacred and secular distinctions, and assigns priority to the sacred. But does God view vocations that way? No, He does not.
God creates people to carry out specific kinds of work in order to meet human needs. God uniquely designs each of us, fitting us for certain kinds of tasks. He distributes skills, abilities, interests, and personalities among us so that we can carry out His work in the world. That work includes "spiritual" tasks, but also extends to health, education, agriculture, business, law, communication, the arts, and so on.
Paul was a tentmaker by occupation, along with his friends, Aquila and Priscilla. Other church leaders practiced a wide variety of professions and trades. There's no indication that God looks at vocations in the form of spiritual hierarchy.*
The next time you consider your vocation a second-class spiritual calling, consider what God says. Your work matters to God and is valued by God equally to other forms of work.
(*Adapted from Study notes from the Word In Life Study Bible, copyright 1993,1996, by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Adapted from Ministry in Daily Life study notes page for WIL bible.
TGIF Today God Is First, Vol.1, by Os Hillman)
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CHURCH GREETERS' SCHEDULE
December 4 - Eunice Alinsod
December 11 - Lelit & Tony Luciano
December 18 - Ruby & Ding Dijamco
December 25 - Linda & Danny Santos
January 1 - Vonnie & Tito Cabrera
January 8 - Penny & Conrad Miranda | |
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COMING UP
Wednesday, November 30, 7:30 p.m. - Intercessors' Meeting
Friday, December 2 - No LOL (Living Out Loud) Meeting
Sunday, December 4 - 10:00 a.m. - Praise and Worship
11:00 a.m. - FIRST SUNDAY SERVICE - Pastor Hansel Orzame
2:00 p.m. - Volunteers Prepare Sack Lunches
4:30 p.m. - Ministry to Feed the Homeless
St. Christopher Church, 629 S. Glendora Ave., West Covina | |
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MAILING ADDRESS:
436 Crestwood Lane
Walnut, CA 91789
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MEDITATION |
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"God, thank You for Your comforting promise that You will never leave nor forsake me. In times like today, I need that assurance. You are my Rock and my Salvation. I trust You, even when I feel like I cannot trust anyone else.
"I look up to You, because I know You will always be there for me, even if the whole world forsakes me. Thank You, so much, for Your love and dependability. You are awesome! With love and appreciation in my heart, amen." |
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