In This Issue

2nd Sunday Social

Vision Advance 2.0

Sat AM Bible Study

Hesed House

Pix Needed for Mission Sunday

Child Sponsor Info Needed

Turn in Your 2014 Pledges

Weather Cancellations

Hospice Volunteers Needed

Children's Ministry

MATRIX (Middle School)

SUMMIT (High School)

Quick Links

Rejoice Website

RWE on Spotify

Rejoice Calendar

E-Connections Archive

Ensemble Schedule

Worship Team Schedule

Metro Chicago Synod ELCA

ELCA

For Email Marketing you can trust

Grace and Peace to you! Read on to find out what's happening at Rejoice this weekend and what God is doing in and through our church community.

Scripture Text

For Sunday, January 5th

Romans 8: 28-20

"Making Godly Decisions"

You've probably heard or said "thy kingdom come... thy will be done" and "we are one body" all throughout your life, but have you thought about what those statements really means? Have you thought about who is responsible for making that happen? This Sunday we will explore how asking one question can help reveal Gods plan and purpose for your life. Inserting God into your decision process is a simple but powerful thing that will change your life and put you in the midst of God's blessings.

Upcoming Worship Schedule

One Service at 10:00 AM this Sunday

A reminder of our upcoming/post-Christmas worship schedule:

Sunday, January 5th - one service at 10:00 AM (no KFC)

Sunday, January 12th - resume regular worship schedule 9:00 AM & 10:30 AM (KFC resumes at 10:30 service)

Happy New Year!

Second Sunday Social

Jan 12th

Be sure to join us next Sunday for Second Sunday Social after each service, where we will celebrate the many ways Rejoice has served in mission - locally, nationally & globally - this past year!

Vision Advance 2.0

ALL invited & encouraged to join us Jan 24-25!

Sat AM Bible Study at Grahams 318

Resumes this Saturday

The Saturday Bible Study at Grahams 318 will resume their study of the book, Indescribable, on Saturday, January 4th at 8:00 a.m. at Grahams 318 at 318 S 3rd St in downtown Geneva.

We meet for an hour and welcome all those who seek truth from God's word to join us for the New Year of study. No major knowledge of the Bible is necessary to join us, just an open heart and the willingness to learn! For more information on the present study, call Mike Stanch at 312 403-5835.

Next Hesed House Opportunity

January 11-12

Sign-up sheets have been posted on the bulletin board in the Narthex for our January 11th and 12th Hesed House/Rejoice Mission Project. Please consider volunteering your time and/or food donations and signing up on the clip boards. We are providing the winter menu which includes Cranberry Chicken and will be serving dinner and breakfast and providing lunches for 150 to 180 homeless adults and children at the shelter. Your continued help and support are needed!

Mission Sunday is Jan 12th

We want to hear from YOU!

During worship on Sunday, January 12th Rejoice will be reflecting on our mission activities this past year.

Rejoice missions are near and far, from providing care to our own congregation with meals for the sick and shut-in as well as through hospital visits. We have served the homeless and poor both in our own neighborhoods and globally though organizations like Hesed House and Feed My Starving Children. Members have provided compassionate relief through groups like Angel Tree and Operation Christmas Child. We've put feet on the ground through work with Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald and rebuilding and repair with the youth on the LoveProject. This is just a sampling of Rejoice's outreach!

If you have pictures from any of these projects or any of the many other mission projects our Rejoice friends have been involved in, we would love to use them in our slide show presentation on the 12th, both during worship and during Second Sunday Social after each service!

Please email Neil Edmondson your favorite mission image along with a caption explaining what the picture is and why it is one of your favorites? Send up to three pictures with the HIGHEST QUALITY you can.

Do You Sponsor a Child?

Let Us Know!

We are in the process of compiling a list of children sponsored worldwide by our congregation. If you sponsor a child - whether it be through Compassion International, World Vision, or another organization - please email your child's name and country to Sam Messina by Jan 1st. Thank you!

2014 Pledges

Help Us Faithfully Plan for Next Year

Thank you to those of you who have turned in your 2014 pledges! If you haven't had a chance to do so yet, please take a few moments to either mail in your card to the church office or fill out a card this Sunday. Your pledge helps us faithfully and responsibly plan for ministry in 2014.

If you already participate in the automated giving program and you have not yet turned in a pledge card, we'd appreciate it if you would do so anyway to confirm your participation for 2014.

If you turned in your pledge card and indicated your interest in beginning automated giving, click here to watch a quick tutorial video by our Business Manager, Neil Edmondson, on setting it up. If you have any questions, please contact Neil at 630-262-0596 x5.

Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful...

Weather Cancellation Policy

During the winter months when weather can be a bit questionable, our ministries will be depending on the National Weather Service as the driving force for our weather cancellation policy. We will be paying particular attention to the weather statements issued in Kane County. However, if there is a storm watch in effect for Kane County at 1pm and the radar shows a massive storm barreling toward Geneva expected to hit later that afternoon, that will be a factor for cancellation as well.

Cancellations of programs and events will happen if the National Weather Service issues:

-a travel advisory/ hazardous conditions
-a winter storm warning
-severe weather warning
-weather bulletins wherein travel is not recommended

Programs will proceed as scheduled if:

- there is a wind chill advisory (if programs are held indoors)

- there is a winter storm watch

- there is a severe weather watch

Literacy Volunteers Needed

Tutor Training begins January 20th

Literacy Volunteers Fox Valley needs volunteers to teach English to adults. A four-session tutor training workshop will be offered Mondays and Wednesdays, January 20, 22, 27, and 29 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm at the St. Charles Public Library. The workshop will teach all you need to know to tutor adults in English and, in the process, dramatically change the person's life.

To sign up for the workshop or for more information visit www.lvfv.org or call 630-584-4428.

Children's Ministry

Preschool - 5th Grade

Jesus Rocks Mid-week Group Resumes January 7th - Children in grades 2nd-5th are invited to join us for lots of laughs as we navigate the Bible and learn how to arm ourselves with the word of God. Study topics include the power of prayer, dealing with bullies and developing positive peer relationships. In January, we will meet from 6:00 -7:00pm on the 7th, 14th and 20th.

STOP Resumes 1/15 - Our Student Tutoring Outreach Program (STOP) will resume on Wednesday, January 15th. Please note our new hours will be each Wednesday from 4:00-5:30 pm.

That was so much fun, let's do it again! In December, the Mid-week group who attended our special trip to hang out with the residents of Greenfield's Residential Community of Mill Creek had such a blast they asked to do it again! And the residents loved playing games and talking with our kids so much that they have invited us back on Tuesday, February 18th. This time, we are going to put on a little variety show for the residents so we need your help! We are looking for children in grades 2nd-5th to show off their talents. Depending on how many participants sign-up, each child will have approximately 3-5 minutes for their act. Ideas for acts include: magic tricks, telling jokes, singing, dancing etc. If you are interested, contact Angel Slawinski by January 21st and GET PRACTICING!

MATRIX - Middle School Ministry

6th-8th Grade

Upcoming Matrix Dates - Matrix takes a break during Christmas/New Year. We will not meet for the two Wednesdays during winter break - join us as we resume on January 8th.

Matrix WinterXtreme, January 17-19th 2014 - Spots still available for this popular weekend retreat! Click here to download the registration form and turn in with your $75 deposit.

Update Newsletter Preference - Are you the parent of a new middle school student and would like to receive the eMatrix emailed newsletter? Click here to update your preferences!

SUMMIT - High School Ministry

9th-12th Grade

Upcoming Summit Dates - Summit takes a break for the rest of the year and early 2014. We will not meet for the two Thursdays during winter break (Dec 26 & Jan 2). Join us when we resume January 9th!

Register now for Summit WINTERXTREME - We return to Timber-lee January 31- Feb 2nd, 2014! Registration form & non-refundable deposit of $75 are due now if you are interested in going.

Update Newsletter Preference - Are you the parent of a new high school student and would like to receive the eSummit emailed newsletter? Click here to update your preferences and choose which newsletters you would like to receive!

For more information...

If you would like more information on any of the articles above, or if you would like pastoral care, please call the church office at 630.262.0596.

Our office hours are:

Tuesday -- 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Wednesday -- 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Thursday -- 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Friday -- 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

We pray God's peace, joy and hope for you this week!

Rejoice Lutheran Church
0N377 North Mill Creek Drive
Geneva, Illinois 60134