A Note from Nick
Learning from Linus
 One of my favorite animated scenes comes from "A Charlie Brown Christmas." The Peanuts gang creates a Christmas play and ask Charlie Brown to lead the charge. We see the arduous efforts it takes to put on the show ranging from selecting music,creating costumes, memorizing lines, and most importantly finding the perfect Christmas tree.
Charlie Brown is tasked with the tree, and brings in what he felt was best served for the play. The tree is small, thin, lacking branches, and extremely droopy. Everyone comes down hard on Charlie Brown. But just as Charlie Brown takes criticism from the group, Linus reminds them of the purpose of the play. He reads the story of Jesus' birth from Luke 2, sharing the greatest message the world has ever heard. The chaos of putting on a Christmas play, and the mishap of Charlie Brown's wimpy tree, is brought into perspective. Jesus is to be the focus of our attention in all things!
Please join us the next two weeks as we take a lesson from Linus and celebrate the birth of Christ. Join us at our "Simply Christmas" series. But even more importantly, join me this Christmas season by living simply for Jesus.
Moms and dads, husbands and wives, friends, co-workers, neighbors, how will you keep Christmas about Jesus this year?
Husbands and dads, plan to lead your family this Christmas by intentionally talking about and reflecting on Jesus. Make memories by being with those you love the most, and tell them how much they mean to you, and how thankful you are that God put them in your life. Connect with God meaningfully. This will lead you to thank God for His son Jesus, who by being born into this world, brought peace to those who believe in Him for all of eternity.
Merry Christmas my friends and co-laborers in Christ! May our words and actions this Christmas portray the hope of peace which we have been given!
Your Friend,
Nick |
Save the Dates
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events!
 12/13 - Simply Christmas
Our Christmas series is kicking off this weekend. Join us as we talk about how to see past the red & green hype, and get to the true meaning of the holiday. Please make sure to invite a friend, and join us on the 13th and 20th of December.
12/22 - Avenue Kids Movie Day
All kiddos grades K-5 are invited to the Sanders' Home on Tues., Dec. 22 from 2-4 pm. Moms, feel free to drop off your kiddos and finish your shopping (or take a break!) Planning on participating?
Please RSVP to Jill!
Click here for directions.
 12/27 - Resolution Sunday Brunch
We're having our second annual Resolution Sunday Brunch on Sun., Dec. 27 at Chapel Ridge Banquet Center. We'll start at 10:45 am and be talking about how to ramp up in the next year. Please bring a dish for brunch and make plans to join us if you're in town!
Click here for directions.
1/10 - Our Kids Need Us: Winter Meeting at 9:30 am
We're having a winter meeting to distribute the new nursery schedule and lesson plans for the winter/spring season. You blew us away with the turnout last August. Let's do it again this time!
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Photos of the Month
We baptized four people at our November service!  Jeff Class playing at
"A Rainbow Town Evening."
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Attendance & Giving
November Statistics
Giving
Gifts received in November
$14,836
Budget needed for November
$17,000
$2164 under budget
Attendance
Average attendance in November
128
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Odds and Ends
Just a few bits of news from The Avenue
1. Ready. Set. Invite to Simply Christmas Series!
We're excited about our Christmas series. Here are a few ways you are encouraged to invite others to join us at The Avenue:
- Facebook invite. We created an event for our Simply Christmas series. Now you can "invite more guests" to the event! Not sure how to find us? Visit The Avenue's Facebook page at:
www.facebook.com/theavenuechurch.
- E-cards. You can send out personalized e-cards from The Avenue's website. Choose the "Simply Christmas" image and send out to anyone you'd like to invite!
Start your e-card by clicking here!
- Forward the Simply Christmas email. We'll be sending out an email invite on Thursday. Just click "forward this email" at the bottom and send to a friend!
- Call a friend and invite them!
- Drop a note or mention of the series in your Christmas cards or letters!
Great Christmas Gift Idea
 Bryce Anderson, a friend of The Avenue's, has a new CD available titled "Devotions." His goal for those who listen to encounter Jesus is evident through his newest release. This is his second album.
The new album, which includes several tracks that fellow Avenue artists assisted with, will help raise funds to send Bryce to a DTS school with YWAM where he'll continue his worship leadership studies.
To find out more, download the tracks or pre-order a hard-copy $10 CD, please visit his website at: www.andbryce.com
Looking Ahead for Love
The Avenue is excited about this winter's relationships series coming up in February. As part of the teaching series, we will have encouragements and ideas for our couples about how to improve and enhance your relationships - both at home and away!
If you are trying to plan a getaway this winter, one opportunity is The Great Escape, a marriage conference in Tan-Tar-A over Valentine's weekend. If you're interested in attending the conference, please visit the website for more details about dates, times and pre-registration fees: www.thegreatescape2010.com
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Your Mission or God's?
'Tis the Season to Analyze your Heart
 I recently spoke to an International Missions Organization. They
told me that for years they sent missionaries from America into the mission
fields of Africa and India, only to have those missionaries fight with each
other the whole time. The fighting robbed them of unity and joy, and caused
them to either get off mission or do the mission with a wrong heart. These
missionaries loved Jesus and were motivated to serve the new culture. But
somewhere along the way they lost site of the people they were called to serve and they got on their own mission, not God's.
As this gentleman was telling me this story, I was reminded of the importance for us to be on God's mission here in our region. You and I are just like
those missionaries. We are missionaries to our culture and church
planters in this area! God placed you in this area for a reason, at this time
for a reason. He purposefully has you at your job, in your school, at your gym
and standing in line behind that annoying person who you can't wait to get away
from. You are part of His grand plan for those people, you are His
change agent!
I admit that when I heard of the feuding missionaries, I started thinking poorly of them until I realized that we are often just like them. While we aren't feuding in Africa or India, we can quickly become internally focused on
our own problems, accomplishments, schedules and lives here in our region and amongst ourselves.
I encourage you to take some time each
month, each week or each day to evaluate who's mission you're on. It's either
God's or your own. | |
