Well, Thanksgiving is done and we are moving into our Christmas season here at Faith. Christmas is one of our busiest seasons. We have many programs, visitors, and all sorts of fun stuff going on. So I will keep this brief…

We need your help. This year we are not spending money to promote Christmas through ad agencies or newspapers. We are depending upon you, our congregation, to get the word out. Think of someone you know who needs Jesus. Pray about it and give them an invite card to come check out one of our Christmas Eve services @ 4pm, 7pm, or 8:30pm. The cards are at the welcome desk in the lobby. Grab a handful and start investing in people’s lives by inviting them to church this Christmas.

We have a few other things listed below. And don’t forget we are starting our brand new advent series this Sunday called “The Songs We Sing” at our new service times 9:30am & 11am. Hope to see you there!

This is Jon Oney, signing off….

HERE IS WHAT IS COMING UP AT FAITH

Santa Lucia (December 1, 8:30am, 10:30am, and 12:30pm)
Plans and preparations for our 26th annual Lucia festival are well-underway! Whether you are Scandinavian or not, this delightful morning will satisfy your taste buds and warm your hearts with music, drama, festive décor, the gospel message, and a gift shop. 

Advent Event (December 2, anytime during the morning)
Regardless of age, gender, or season of life, head to Room 200 for a meaningful ushering-in of the advent season. Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

Worship Times Change to 9:30 and 11:00am!! (December 2)

Christmas Eve services (4, 7, and 8:30pm)
One of the most significant events of the Christian faith – a celebration of God’s gift of grace and reconciliation to us—his own Son, Jesus!

Oh boy! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays! Yes, I love food. But more then the food I love spending time with my family, reminiscing about times past with the people I love, and sharing different things that we are thankful for.

This year, I am so thankful for a congregation who has listened to God’s voice in a year of jubilee. As a staff we dreamt about God using the year to pay off our mortgage. But guess what? God did not have that in our plans…He had a much more grandiose plan, one that we hadn’t even dared to hope. God’s plan is bigger then our wildest dream.

As many of you know, this last week we paid off the mortgage. God was saying to us, “I don’t want Faith entering their year of jubilee thinking they need to pay off their debt.” God blew us away and, as you well know, last week as we paid off our mortgage. Wow! What a church! What a people! What a God! I am inspired by the good work he does!

The money that was going to the mortgage is now freed up for reaching more people with the Gospel message—a message that renews hearts, homes, and cities. So this week, praise God for what he is doing through his church!

The work is not over. We still have a lot of fixing up to do around here. We have a boiler that is on its last leg, room 200 needs a furnace replaced, the roof and parking lot need some mending. I know these are all things that are not very “sexy” to give too. But they are very real realities we live in. So please Faith, please continue to give as you are today. We can celebrate the major victory of paying off the mortgage, but lets not celebrate totally victory until we finish the race.

Thank you for your example. Thank you for the way you lead us as a staff in your sacrificial giving. I am in awe. I really am. Good job. Keep going and let’s continue being the hands and feet of Jesus in our community.

This is Jon Oney signing off. See you this weekend!


HERE IS WHAT IS COMING UP AT FAITH

Thanksgiving Eve service (November 21, 6:30pm)

Join us for a sweet time of worship, testimonies, and communion, followed by a pie reception in Room 200.

Santa Lucia (December 1, 8:30am, 10:30am, and 12:30pm)
Plans and preparations for our 26th annual Lucia festival are well-underway! Whether you are Scandinavian or not, this delightful morning will satisfy your taste buds and warm your hearts with music, drama, festive décor, the gospel message, and a gift shop. 

Worship Times Change to 9:30 and 11:00am!! (December 2)

Advent Event (December 2, anytime during the morning)
Regardless of age, gender, or season of life, head to Room 200 for a meaningful ushering-in of the advent season. Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

Christmas Eve services (4, 7, and 8:30pm)
One of the most significant events of the Christian faith – a celebration of God’s gift of grace and reconciliation to us—his own Son, Jesus!

Wow!  It was so amazing celebrating 50 years of FCC last weekend.  It couldn't have been more fun or more blessed by God.  Trips down memory lane are usually filled with lots of stories of the special memories and people that walked with us and before us.  Something was different about last Sunday night at our 50th banquet: it was all about Jesus.  In all of the reflections, there was a boasting about what Jesus has done, what he is doing, and will continue to do when he is high and lifted up at Faith Covenant.

Thanks to all who made last weekend so special. Thanks to all who came and enjoyed a lot of laughs and a touch of God's grace.  Jesus, we give you the highest thanks for your presence and blessing on our 50th year, continue to bless your home and body at FCC!

The busy holiday season is officially upon us. Check out a wide variety of worship and fellowship opportunities taking place in upcoming weeks:


Thanksgiving Eve service (November 21, 6:30pm)
Join us for a sweet time of worship, testimonies, and communion, followed by a pie reception in Room 200.

Santa Lucia (December 1, 8:30am, 10:30am, and 12:30pm)
Plans and preparations for our 26th annual Lucia festival are well-underway! Whether you are Scandinavian or not, this delightful morning will satisfy your taste buds and warm your hearts with music, drama, festive décor, the gospel message, and a gift shop. 

Worship Times Change to 9:30 and 11:00am!! (December 2)

Advent Event (December 2, anytime during the morning)
Regardless of age, gender, or season of life, head to Room 200 for a meaningful ushering-in of the advent season. Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

Christmas Eve services (4, 7, and 8:30pm)
One of the most significant events of the Christian faith – a celebration of God’s gift of grace and reconciliation to us – his own Son, Jesus!

May God bless you and yours this holiday season as we say “Thank you” for this life God has given us and prepare to celebrate anew the birth of our Savior!                
                                                                                            Submitted by Pastor John

Greetings Faith family! What an important week it has been. We re-elected a president and voted yea or nay to a number of important state and local officials as well as a couple of constitutional amendments. Whether a certain vote resulted in your favor or not, the most valuable reminder I received this week came via KTIS radio station: “My hope does not lie in a donkey or an elephant. My hope lies in a Lamb!” What a powerful reminder to keep our eyes on our unchanging God and to keep praying for our government leaders!

This week we also celebrate 50 years as a local church (!!!), and we are praising God for every step we’ve traveled. This Sunday, we look forward to hearing from our denomination’s president, Gary Walter, during worship, eating cake together in newly-renovated Room 200 (Faith’s original worship center), and ending our day by sharing a meal and a wonderful program at the Royal Cliff. God is Faithful, and we are Thankful!

With the calendar turning to November and our clocks moving back an hour, the busy holiday season is officially upon us. Check out a wide variety of worship and fellowship opportunities taking place in upcoming weeks:

Beautiful You (November 10, 10am)
The MOMS Program (Making Our Moms Successful) has housed in Faith’s lower level for 20+ years, serving single moms and their children. This event is a second-annual and consists of a brunch and fashion show.

Thanksgiving Eve service (November 21, 6:30pm)
Join us for a sweet time of worship, testimonies, and communion, followed by a pie reception in Room 200.

Santa Lucia (December 1, 8:30am, 10:30am, and 12:30pm)
Plans and preparations for our 26th annual Lucia festival are well-underway! Whether you are Scandinavian or not, this delightful morning will satisfy your taste buds and warm your hearts with music, drama, festive décor, the gospel message, and a gift shop.

Worship Times Change to 9:30 and 11:00am!! (December 2)

Advent Event (December 2, anytime during the morning)
Regardless of age, gender, or season of life, head to Room 200 for a meaningful ushering-in of the advent season. Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

Christmas Eve services (4, 7, and 8:30pm)
One of the most significant events of the Christian faith – a celebration of God’s gift of grace and reconciliation to us – his own Son, Jesus!

May God bless you and yours this holiday season as we say “Thank you” for this life God has given us and prepare to celebrate anew the birth of our Savior!               
                                                                                            Submitted by Pastor Char

Faith Update :: November 1, 2012

By Brian Martin

Do you ever think about how big God is?

Sometimes I think about the depth and height and width of God, and his grace, and his truth.  And I feel very small beside it, and I sometimes sit in awe.

I am also convicted by the fact that God’s bigness means that he is also bigger than my preferences or opinions, my tastes or my desires.  He is also bigger than my vote, or the outcome of any election. I am reminded that his plan for me, and for all his people, is better than my plan for myself.  While that is sometimes hard to imagine or accept, it is ultimately true. 

No matter what you are facing, no matter what your circumstances, no matter which item is a hard decision when you go to vote on Tuesday, God is bigger.  His grace is sufficient.  His love is never ending.  And that is a beautiful thing.

Thanks for being a part of the same church family that I am.  Here, we get to feel small beside God together.

Here’s some important stuff we want you to know:

 

*SUNDAY SERVICE TIMES ARE CHANGING:

We are moving our service times to 9:30am and 11:00am – just a half hour shift – beginning Sunday, December 2 (which is also the start of the Advent season!).   Our hope is that the change will encourage more of our church family to attend the earlier service, and make ample room for visitors and new attenders at both services.

*SPEAKING OF TIME…TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK AN HOUR THIS SATURDAY NIGHT!

 

If you don’t, you’ll participate in “National Show-Up-To-Church-An-Hour-Late Day.”

 

GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORSHIP, CONNECTION, AND FUN

*THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE

Wednesday, November 21 from 6:30-7:30pm in the Worship Center.  There will be childcare available though age 4.  There will be some sweet time of worship, as well as a pie reception to follow.  Seriously people…PIE!

*50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Sunday, November 11, 6-8pm. Tickets are on sale in the church lobby through THIS Sunday, November 4 – so get yours now! Tickets are $35, but contact [email protected] if money may be a hindrance to your celebrating with us.  We want you there!

*COAT DRIVE

Selia Schneider, one of our awesome senior high students, is leading a drive for new or gently used coats and boots for the Lewis House.  If you have a donation, you can drop it off at church in the boxes marked for the drive.  Thank you!  If you have any questions, please email Brian at [email protected].

SANTA LUCIA & BAKING NIGHTS
Santa Lucia has been an awesome program put on by Millie Johnson and her Daughter Angie for the past 26 years. This years Santa Lucia program promises to deliver the same great quality it has for the past 25 years. Tickets go on sale November 4th – 25th.

Also, this year Santa Lucia needs some help with baking. Because of a change in regulations, any food being served at Lucia must be baked in an industrial kitchen here at the church. In order to follow these regulations, we have decided to put on some baking events. They are Wednesday November 7th 10am-3pm & 5pm-9pm; Thursday November 8th, 5pm-9pm; & Saturday November 17th, 9am – 1pm. If you would like to help with this please contact Beth Bennett at 952.890.0684 or [email protected].   

CHOIR MEMBERS WANTED
This Christmas our Faith program hinges on having a Choir. We would like 50 people to participate. Rehearsals are 11/13, 11/27, 12/04, 12/11 and 12/20 from 6:30pm - 9pm. First and last rehearsals are mandatory. Other rehearsals may be just sections at a time. Vicki Newendorp will be leading the choir rehearsals. If you or someone you know want to be a part of this opportunity, please contact [email protected]. 

HYMN SING
Also, November 4th is Faith's Hymn Sing. Plan to join us at 4:00pm in the “original chapel,” aka room 200, to sing your favorite hymns!

COUNCIL
Faith is looking for people to be nominated for the new Church council beginning January 2013. If you or someone you know might be a good fit, please contact Carol Olinger at [email protected].