December 11, 2008
North Star Net News
Transforming lives through Jesus Christ
Greetings!

Christmas is upon us and so is the busyness of it.  I know that your time is precious so I will try to be as brief as I can considering all that I need to inform you about.  Thank you for your patience.
 
Advent Conspiracy - several of you have asked about the video that was played during the sermon last Sunday.  You can search on the internet using "Enter the Story:  Advent Conspiracy" and you will find a link to the video at several different sites.  AdventConspiracy.org, You Tube, Karios Blog, as well as Matt's youth blog all have the video on them for viewing and use.  AdventConspiracy.org originated the video and would be your best resource for further information and use.  Something else I should mention; some have asked me about volunteering on Christmas Day.  Lura McClenney plans on making some calls to the homeless shelters and care facilities to see what their volunteer opportunities are for Christmas Day.  I anticipate that she will have information and possibly sign-up sheet(s) this Sunday for those who feel called and led to serve that day.  I hope that many of you will respond generously to this great opportunity.
 
Kids Christmas program - this Sunday is our Children's Christmas program!  I don't know about you but I am jazzed about the kids taking over worship!  The Christmas story is often dominated by adult voices in how it is told, interpreted and lived out.  It will be wonderful to hear it fresh from a younger persons perspective.  Also I would like to extend a word of thanks to all of our adult volunteers who have given up time on Saturdays and Sundays to work with the children in preparing for worship. Come and join us at either 9:00am or 10:30am this Sunday for a special time of worship.
 
Christmas Eve and  Offering - Christmas Eve is two weeks away.  Yikes!  Well, if you have not heard we will be having worship at 4pm, 6pm, and 8pm this year.  Our 4pm service will be an interactive telling of the Christmas story with the invitation for the children to be a part of it by playing characters in the story.  I have never experienced this before so I am eager to be a part of the living story of Christ's birth as told in this style.  I hope you will come with your children so that they might participate with us.  And for those who also want to experience worship on Christmas Eve in the tradition of candle light service, we will gather for worship at 6pm and 8pm.  I hope that all of you who have children and plan on coming to the 4pm service will also come and join us at one of the candle light services as well.  I am praying that we will have over 750 in worship between our 4pm, 6pm and 8pm services.  I ask you to be a part of this in two ways.  First, consider coming and being an active participant in worship.  Second we will have yard signs and hand-out invitations on Sunday.  Please take a sign and post it in your yard and take a couple invitations.  Studies show that 52% of the people in any given community would attend worship if someone would extend a personal invitation to join them.  Just think of the possibilities regarding the homes that are next to yours and make three or four personal invitations.  At 50% acceptance, we will for certain hit that 750 mark. 
One final thing concerning Christmas Eve - our offering.  I have proposed to the trustees and budget teams that we designate our offering on Christmas Eve for a very specific purpose.  In the past few weeks we have had a conference representative and two consultants come in and assess our worship environment.  The two areas of opportunity that are quickly noticed by outsiders are the lighting quality (or inconsistency thereof) and the sound quality.  It has been seriously recommended that we investigate solutions to these two areas in an effort to continue striving towards excellence in worship.  We have applied for a grant of $25,000 from the conference and I am confident that it will be awarded to us right after the first of the year.  I firmly believe that we can match that grant so that we might have the necessary funds to be able to address both areas of concern.  I invite you to first pray about this opportunity.  If God speaks to you and challenges you to be a part of this project, please designate your gift on Christmas Eve by stating "light/sound gift" on your offering envelope or the memo line of your check.  All other funds that are not designated will go to our Christmas missions project.  Please know in advance how much I appreciate your prayerful consideration and response to this great opportunity.
 
And again, thank you for taking the time to read such a long net news note from your pastor.  I appreciate your willingness to hang in there.  Until we meet again, God's peace be with each of you.

Jim
 
Prayer Requests
Zane Wadel, Leonard & Allison Hallmark's relative

LaDona Roberts, Cassie Roberts' mother

Sonya Hutcinson & Family, Michelle Smith's friends

Kori Quinn, Regan Lawler's friend
 
Maggie Noah's 40th birthday is Saturday.  If you would like to send her a card, her address is 8005 NW 70th Ter., Kansas City, MO  64152.

If you would like to send Darrin Noah a card, please use the following address:
Darrin R. Noah
Reg #11743-031
Federal Transfer Center
PO Box 898801
Oklahoma City, OK  73189-8801

Christmas C.A.T.
All youth in grades 6-12 are invited to the Christmas C.A.T. on Friday, December 19 at 6:30pm at the DeCamp home.  Look forward to goodies, white elephant gift exchange, and other crazy Christmas stuff!   
 
Gift Bags
Stop by the office this Sunday to purchase a gift bag full of items benefiting North Star's various mission projects and ministries.  You can build your own bag to include a North Star cookbook, travel coffee mug, friendship soup, and/or Fair Trade coffee.  Questions, contact Rissa Glick.
 
Heifer International
North Star kids are raising money for Heifer International with a "Bucks for Ducks" bake sale this Sunday, December 14.  Bake some goodies to sell at our bake sale on Sunday, December 14.  It's the same day as our Children's Christmas Program and we should have a hungry crowd!
All proceeds from the Book Sale and Bake Sale will go to Heifer International.  Remember, for ever $20 we raise, we can buy a flock of ducks for a family in need.
 
Give a life-changing gift to Heifer International in honor of a friend or loved one.  It's a gift that brings promise to hungry families and the opportunity for a better life to the less fortunate.  Giving a Heifer gift takes the stress out of shopping while putting the meaning back into giving.  Your monetary gift will provide food and a source of income for those less fortunate, and more importantly, they receive knowledge, resources, and skills to become self-reliant.  Check out the table for more information on how you can give the gift of hope and dignity that reaches around the globe.
Christmas Cards for Ashton Court
Come write some Christmas Cards to Ashton Court Care and Rehabilitation Center residents and staff.  There are 110 residents we are looking to address individual cards and we are also looking at making a huge card to post in the break area for the 160+ staff.  The Christmas season can be particularly lonely for many.  Nursing home staff members have challenging jobs that often go unnoticed and unappreciated.  This is one small way we can extend the love of Christ to our neighbors.
Meet at the church on Wednesday, December 17th from 1:00-3:00pm.  We will have cards and supplies for making the employee card.  We'll put on the coffee and hot chocolate!  Bring some Christmas cookies to share, if you like.  Bring the kids with you!  (no childcare provided, but they can help too!).  Contact Rissa Glick, 781-7604, if you have any questions.
Radical Hospitality
We'd love for you to share your gift for Radical Hospitality on Christmas Eve.  Consider attending one of our worship services and helping the Greeter Team at another service.  Sign up in the Great Hall, or contact Ric Nyman, 781-7888.
Are you getting ready to do your Christmas baking or candy making?  Why not make some extra goodies for the Hospitality Table on Christmas Eve.   Sign up in the Great Hall, or contact Margie Harris, 792-1734.
JYF
December JYF will be next door to the church at Fun Run on December 28, from 6-8pm.  The cost is $5 per child.  This is a reduced group rate.  The kids can bring as many friends as they would like.  We will skip snacks, but the snack bar will be open.  Fun Run actually closes at 6pm, so we will have the entire building to ourselves.  In light of this, siblings that would like to come are welcome - the cost is still $5 each.  If you bring a sibling, at least one parent MUST stay with them.  We would like to have several parents volunteer to help Greg and Keely chaperone the JYF kids.  We anticipate lots of friends at this event.  The more the merrier, but we will definitely need help.  The kids are excited and so are we. Please RSVP by email to Keely and let her know if your kids plan to attend and give her a headcount for your family.  Please also let her know if you can help chaperone.  If you have any questions, contact Keely Golden, (913) 240-6270 or threeyoungsons@yahoo.com.
Blessings