E-Post – December 15, 2011
CHURCH COMMUNITY NEWS
1. What We’re Doing This Month:
This is the season of Advent when we wait with great expectation for the birth of Jesus. At this time we celebrate the miracle of Incarnation and God’s love for us all, expressed by being with us in human form. Our series this year is called “Peace on Earth”, and we will be celebrating the peace and wholeness of life that Christ brings to us. We will be celebrating the incarnation through valuing people more than things, letting go of anxiety that the holidays can often bring and by loving others through simple acts of service.
Each Sunday during Advent, we will also provide a single page of Advent Reflections for that week. These can be collected from the Information Desk in the church commons. These simple reflections are ideal for families or groups of people and each week include devotional Christmas readings, prayers, lighting of the advent candle and suggestions for service.
On Christmas Eve we will have one special candle-lit service at 5PM. This will last one hour and will be suitable for all ages, so bring along family and friends as we celebrate the birth of Christ together. At the end of the service there will be Christmas boxes full of edible treats to deliver to people who have to work on Christmas Eve. These boxes will be prepared by our children on Sunday, December 18, and are a simple way for us to share God’s love with others. Think of hospitals, fire stations, police stations, restaurants and stores that you pass on the way home and bring a little of God’s light into someone’s Christmas.
There will be no services on Sunday, December 25, but there will be special Advent Reflections available to help everyone hold a simple service in their own home with family and friends.
May this be a season of love, joy and peace for everyone as we celebrate the magic and mystery of Christmas!
2. Holiday Services at Cedar Ridge
Christmas and New Year’s fall on a weekend this year so our traditional holiday schedule for services will be slightly different:
- Christmas Eve: one candlelit service for everyone at 5PM on Saturday, December 24. We’ll sing carols, light candles and give away our Christmas boxes on our way home as we celebrate the birth of Christ
- Christmas Day: no services on Sunday, December 25
- New Year’s Day: service for all ages together at 10AM on Sunday, January 1
3. Advent Reflections
During the “Peace on Earth” series our whole community (adults, children and teenagers) will be looking at how we can bring God’s peace, love and light into the lives of other people; we hope this will lead to lots of conversations at home about Advent and the arrival of Jesus. Each Sunday during Advent we will be producing a new Advent Reflections: readings, questions and suggestions for action that are suitable for families, friends and groups to discuss at home together. It will be available at the Welcome Desk in the commons and on the website.
4. Next Discipleship Series
We will have a new Discipleship Series starting on January 15. If you would like to join a group, we’ll have group signups on January 1 and 8.
5. Cedar Ridge Offices will be closed
We will be closing our offices from Monday, December 26 through Monday, January 2, reopening on Tuesday, January 3.
GETTING CONNECTED: OPPORTUNITIES TO LIVE, LEARN, AND GROW WITH CEDAR RIDGE
6. Prayer Practice on Thursday, December 15
The third Thursday of each month is an opportunity to take time to ease life’s stress. We engage in different methods of prayer that help us to be more deeply aware of God in our lives. Everyone is invited.
GETTING INVOLVED: MEETING NEEDS IN OUR CHURCH, COMMUNITY, AND WORLD
7. Opportunities to Serve
Children's Ministry: We're currently looking to fill a few openings in our winter schedule. Please contact Bryan Peterson if you're interested in learning more.
Property Workdays: Every other Saturday (December 17 and January 14) from 8AM-noon. Contact Mark Hartley to join us.
Greeters: Greet and meet people (one or more times a month) as they arrive for church on Sunday mornings. Contact Kirk Hoffman for more information.
POSTSCRIPT
Contact Information
Cedar Ridge Community Church
2410 Spencerville Road, Spencerville, MD 20868
Phone: 301-384-7444
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