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| December 11, 2011 | Vol. 3, Iss. 21 |
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The Third Week of Advent:
The Angel Gabriel visits Mary
LUKE 1: 26-38
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said,
"Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
The angel answered,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."
Then the angel left her.
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UPCOMING WEST VALLEY EVENTS
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Christmas Special Offering Designation
Berkshire Institute for Christian Studies (BICS) is committed to training young people for a lifetime of service to Christ. It may be as a lay leader or in a professional position.
 At West Valley, we appreciate the value of BICS' unique approach to disciple-making, and have established the BICS Scholarship Fund to provide support to BICS students within our congregation. Lindsay Beck is an example of someone who benefits from the BICS Scholarship Fund and she will be with us Christmas Sunday to share some of her "BICS experiences!
Currently, our BICS Scholarship Fund is depleted. The WVCC Catalyst Leadership Team has designated our annual Special Christmas Offering to the replenishment of this fund. Please give generously to this year's Christmas Offering, knowing your support has a direct impact on the lives of BICS students who have committed their lives to ministry, including Lindsay! |
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SONGS FROM WORSHIP
- Selections for the Third Week of Advent
- O Come, O Come Emmanuel
- What Child Is This?
- Hope Was Born This Night
- Glory In The Highest
- Hark The Herald Angels Sing
- The Father's Love
- My Soul Magnifies The Lord
 Cover Art
Last week's Advent Candle cover, "Advent Art: Second Sunday" and this week's "Light of the World" are both Stushie crayon art prints, used with permission of the artist. Additional art may be viewed at: www.stushieart.com Our thanks to Stushie for sharing his gift with us.
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West Valley In Our Community
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West Valley In Our Global Community
Service Opportunity!
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Christian Education
Sunday Morning Family Hour-December schedule change
Our current schedule of lessons, studying the Book of Judges, will be paused for the next several weeks as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. Breakfast will still be served and we hope you will take this opportunity to visit and get to know each other better and perhaps share how God has worked in your life. Lessons will resume after the beginning of the new year.
Here is our weekly schedule for Fall 2011:
Sundays:
- 9:45 am - Family Hour Breakfast
- 9:45 am - Adult Book Study
- "The Gathered and Scattered Church"
- 10:00 am Family Hour Lesson/Activity
- Lessons from the Book of Judges
- 11:00 am - Children's Church
- Lessons from the Book of Acts
Tuesday Bible Study:
- 6:00 pm Dinner in the Fellowship Hall
- 6:45 Study begins, ending promptly at 7:30 pm.
"The Truth Experience" - Lessons from The Unshakeable Truth by Josh and Sean McDowell
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Men's Breakfast
 The next men's breakfast will be on Friday the 23rd - 7:00 am sharp -a great excuse to escape the hustle and bustle, relax and enjoy a conversation with "the guys" about what God is doing in your life. No promises you'll enjoy Raindeer Donuts though - that's up to the cook...
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One Minute Meditation
For the Third Week of Advent
 John's disciples said to Jesus, "Are you 'He who is to come' or do we look for another?"
In reply, Jesus said:
"Tell John what you hear and see: the blind recover their sight, cripples walk, lepers are cured, and the poor have good news preached to them..." Luke 3:10
O Jesus, I rejoice at the signs that say you are near.
Your power is everywhere if I could see it.
Yet my eyes often see only darkness and what has yet to be done.
I believe in you, yet when I look around evil seems so strong and goodness so weak.
If you have come, why is there still so much suffering and why do the poor still despair?
Where are your miracles today?
Your grace, O Lord, is more fruitful in my world than I imagine.
I know your power is everywhere around me, if I could only see it.
Show me today where the blind see and cripples walk.
Make my vision sharper than it is.
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| Classifieds
For sale - Deisel: $100 - Male Chihuahua, 10mo's, black & white with black heart on his side. Very good w/kids and other animals. Current on shots, already fixed and microchipped. Comes with cage, snacks, food, puppy vitamins, leash, dish/bowl and toys. Very good temperament, very loving. Re-homing only because he isn't getting enough attention now that owner has started school. Owner is a friend of Margaret's so if you are interested please contact Margaret at megpost@msn.com.
Free: Oak entertainment center - the kind with glass door cabinets for DVD player - in excellent condition. Just come and get it.
Needed:: Tree cut down and removal. Large pine tree beside our house needs to be cut down and removed. Estimates welcome.
BOTH: Contact Keith/Jan Eldridge 253-859-5469
For sale: We have a 20 something year-old Kimball console piano in excellent condition that we would like to sell. We are the original owners and Katie and David both learned to play on this instrument. We use to have it tuned regularly but since it hasn't seen much use in the last few years it has been a while since it has been tuned. We would like to get $600 but would consider offers. I thought I would post it here before trying Craigslist. Contact Scott or Betty Schleiffers. (253) 838-6574 or email psa51 10@yahoo.com .
Listing items in the Classifieds
If you'd like to add items to a West Valley Classifieds list, please e-mail the church office (office@westvalleychurch.org) for items in the following categories. Please also include your contact information and a detailed description.
- Help Wanted
- Work/Services Wanted
- For Sale
- Free Items
- These items will be listed on a weekly basis in our e-news. If you have recurring items, please keep the church office informed on a weekly basis by the end of day Thursday.
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Do You Have an Article for the Bulletin or E-news?
You can submit bulletin and/or e-news article submissions using our online submission form at www.westvalleychurch.org/forms.html at any time. Please note that e-news submissions need to be received no later than Wednesday morning of the week you want the article to run. Bulletin submissions need to be received no later than Thursday evening of the week the article needs to run. You can also use this online form to submit Prayer and Praise for the e-news.
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