Weekly Update – October 17th, 2024
As was announced on Sunday, we as a church will be participating in Operation Christmas Child (OCC) this year. OCC is an effort organized by Samaritan’s Purse and it involves a simple concept – providing boxes of Christmas presents to needy children. On a grand scale, OCC will bring gift-filled shoeboxes to an estimated 220 million children in 170 countries on six continents this year. The idea behind OCC is for volunteers to fill shoe boxes with items such as small toys, school supplies and personal hygiene products. They are then dropped off at Samaritan’s Purse collection centers across the U. S., where they are inspected by teams of staff and volunteers, filled with Gospel tracts and prepared for overseas shipment.
Once the gifts reach the various countries around the world, teams of Samaritan’s Purse representatives and national partners transport them by whatever means necessary to their final destinations. Then the Christmas box is hand-delivered to a child in need. These boxes generally go to children living in war-torn regions such as the Sudan or Eastern Europe, areas affected by natural disaster, AIDS, and to children living in abject poverty (some major urban centers in the U. S., for example).
Samaritan’s Purse says that OCC may seem like an overly-simplistic, perhaps even trite response to the needs of children around the world, but such a judgment seems to overlook something very important about Christmas, and that on two levels: (1) many of the children who receive these boxes have never been given a gift. Samaritan’s Purse works in many ways to improve the overall living conditions of children, families, and communities. Why not try to bring a special joy to individual children at this most special time of year? (2) Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and OCC seeks to carry that message to children all over the world. The Gospel tracts in the boxes as well as the evangelism efforts of the Christians who work in the program help to ensure that OCC dispenses more than a temporal blessing to spiritually and physically needy children.
The question now is: how can you be involved? You can pick up a prepared shoebox from the table in the classroom down the main hallway behind the Welcome Center. Fill them with small toys, school supplies or personal hygiene products and bring the packed boxes along with ten dollars for shipping to this same room before November 10th. There is more information about how to pack a shoe box as well as how to pray for this initiative in this designated room. If you have additional questions, connect with Cassie Larson. I hope that you will consider joining us in this effort in some way or another.
Serving Him with You,
Pastor Michael Nelson
Written by Pastor
Michael Nelson
Fighter Verse for the Week
[Now] I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
-1 Corinthians 15:1-3
Announcements:
Grandview High School: On Thursday, October 17th, we will be feeding the Grandview High School Football Team. We need you to bring chilli and desserts. If you would like to help, please have your food to the church by 5:00pm today! If you have questions, talk to Amy Blankenship.
Membership Matters Class: Beginning Sunday, October 6th, there will be a Membership Matters Class for those interested in joining FBC. This will be a 4 week class (10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27), meeting at 9:15am during our Equipping/Sunday School hour. You can find out more about our membership process HERE.
Going Away Party: We will have a going away party for Carolyn Wilson following the morning service on Sunday, October 20th. Snacks and cake will be served. If you would like to bring a snack to share, please contact Fran Bowman.
Fall Festival: On Sunday, October 27th from 5:00-7:00pm, we will host a fall festival at the church. We will have trunk or treat, chili or soups, hot dogs, hot chocolate and a fire pit. Help us fill up our candy barrel before the event, and sign up in the hall to help on that night.
Missouri Missions Offering: Every year, along with nearly 1,800 other churches, our church partners to pray and give concerning the Lord’s work in our state. The statewide goal is $750,000 this year. Our church goal is $4500. I hope that you will consider praying and giving to this effort throughout this month. As with your normal offering, you can give in person, by mail or online. Just mark MMO when you do give. Check out more information about this effort HERE.
Operation Christmas Child: We have shoeboxes available for you to fill and send with Samaritan’s Purse “Operation Christmas Child.” Shoeboxes and more information are available in the first classroom after the Welcome Center.
Nursery Check-In: Parents of children ages 0-4 will check in their children at the computer station in the Welcome Center. Once you check in your child, a label for your child will print and that card will be used to drop off and pick up your child. Monica Smith will be available to help, if necessary.
Missions Need: Simon and Hannah Snodgrass will be with us December, January and February. They are in need of a car while they are back home visiting. If you can help, please contact the church office.
Christmas Choir: During Awana and Youth, from 6:45-7:45pm, Wednesday nights, a choir will begin rehearsing for the Christmas Season. If you have any questions, see Martin Maharas.
Ladies’ Bible Study: This will be a 10-week study of Revelation: Eternal King, Everlasting Kingdom by Jen Wilkin. Morning and evening sessions will be held on Tuesdays, beginning on September 10th. Details are on the bulletin board.
Men’s Bible Study: This men’s study is based on the book, The Exemplary Husband. The study is held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday night of each month at 8:00pm in the library. If you are interested see Clint Blankenship.
Awana Bible Club
Awana is held at 6:30pm on Wednesdays throughout the school year. Dinner is at 6:00pm. Children can be registered HERE.
Equipping Hour
We have three classes held at 9:15am on Sunday mornings. “Firm Foundations” meets in the Sanctuary, a study in the Essentials of the Faith in the Fellowship Hall, and a Ladies’ class studying the the book of Acts meets in the classroom next to the nursery. You can find more information HERE.
Giving
To Give Online, Go HERE.
You can also mail your offering to: 1416 Main Street, Grandview, MO. 64030
Home Groups
Home Groups typically meet on the first and third Sunday of each month. Please contact Pastor Michael if you would like to join a Home Group. You can find more information HERE.
Prayer
An updated Prayer Guide can be accessed HERE.
Prepare for Sunday
Guide for Worship can be found HERE.
Worship Service
Worship Service begins at 10:30am on Sunday mornings. Nursery care for children ages 0-4 years is available during the worship hour.
Livestream
Continue to join us at 10:30am on Sunday mornings.
Facebook live: HERE.
YouTube: HERE.
Join us and invite a friend or family member to watch with you.
Sunday School
Children and Youth Sunday School take place at 9:15am on Sunday mornings.
Ages 0-2 and 3-pre-k meet in the nursery suite.
Grades K-3rd meet upstairs in U-5.
Grades 4th-6th meet upstairs in U-6.
Grades 7th-12th meet downstairs in the youth room.
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