Bulletin Announcements

ReFrame Ministries

Family Fire - is an online community exploring Spirit-led family, marriage, parenting, in-laws, blended families, and intimacy. Find encouraging articles and devotions at familyfire.com. Subscribe for regular email updates and connect with our Family Fire community on Facebook.

Advent: God Brings Peace - Check out the kids’ devotion at www.kidscorner.net. Look for ways you can be a peacemaker this Advent season. If you have any friends or family members who haven’t trusted Jesus, tell them about how he came to earth to bring peace between us and God. You can also find ways to make things easier, less worrisome, or less lonely for people in need. Listen now at kidscorner.net and check out all the new content.

Advent: God's Joy - Check out the kids’ devotion at www.kidscorner.net. We know the words to the song well, “Joy to the World, the Lord has come…” But what exactly is the joy of Christmas all about? Listen now at kidscorner.net and check out all the new content.

Devotions for a Blue Christmas - In the midst of hard times, find strength and encouragement through God's word. A set of fourteen encouraging Today devotions reassure you that even during the darkest of Christmas seasons, you’re not alone. Receive this free email series and ebook when you subscribe to Today at todaydevotional.com/bluechristmas

Groundwork: Zechariah, Elizabeth, and John the Baptist: Preparing the Way for Jesus - Just like we prepare for Christmas, God prepared the world for salvation. Join Groundwork as we study Luke 1:5-25, 57-66 to witness how Zechariah, Elizabeth, and their son, John the Baptist, prepare the way for Jesus’ birth and allow their message to prepare our hearts again for Jesus’ second coming. Listen now at GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.

Faith Formation

Advent At-home Faith Formation Tip - During Advent, we light the candle of Love. Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection were all characterized by love. In return, we are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.” Consider how your family or household might do those things more fully in the coming year. (Tip from Faith Formation; bit.ly/CRCFaithFormation)

Advent At-home Faith Formation Tip - During Advent, we light the candle of Joy. Joy is not a fleeting happiness, but an attitude of the heart that springs from gratitude. What brings you joy? How might you spread joy to others? Wonder and talk about that this week. (Tip from Faith Formation; bit.ly/CRCFaithFormation)

World Renew

Become a Lead Cook with World Renew DRS! - Do you enjoy caring for others by cooking for them? Consider a ministry opportunity by becoming a Lead Cook DRS volunteer! While volunteers are working hard on reconstruction sites, there are others working hard in the kitchen, cooking to nourish bodies which are rebuilding hope for disaster survivors! If interested, email Diana at [email protected] with questions.

God’s Love at Christmas - Share the warmth of God’s love with a person living in poverty through your donation for World Renew’s Gift Catalog this Christmas. Give a life-changing gift to a family that is facing hardship and hunger in the year ahead. Donate today at worldrenew.net/gifts or call 800-552-7972.

Deep Christmas Joy - God gave us his Best Gift at Christmas, and Jesus tells us to give as we have so abundantly received. Your donation to the World Renew Gift Catalog will bring real joy to someone who is struggling to survive each day. Donate today at worldrenew.net/gifts or call 800-552-7972.

Christmas Possibility - Next week we celebrate the possibility of being made right with God, starting with the birth of Jesus. He showed us the way to give to people in need. You can give a goat, a family water filter, or a tree pruning kit from World Renew’s Gift Catalog at worldrenew.net/gifts, or call 800-552-7972.

Jesus is All of Christmas - As we give and receive gifts today, we celebrate Jesus, God’s gift to us! Will you add someone who lives in poverty to your Christmas giving today? Change a life with an item from World Renew’s Gift Catalog. Give online at worldrenew.net/gifts or call 800-552-7972.

Giving Thanks at Christmas - Thank you for sharing God’s love through the World Renew Gift Catalog during Advent. Your donation of a chicken, water filter, or goat can be a miracle for people who face poverty and hunger. Want to give in the New Year? Go to worldrenew.net/gifts or call 800-552-7972. Thank you!

Other

Tour the Biblical Lands of Israel - March 6 – March 17, 2023. Experience a refreshing renewal of your faith, and gain a deeper understanding of the Bible, as you tour the biblical lands with teaching host, Pastor Peter Tuininga, and Sindbad Tours of Israel. See many of the biblical places (Jerusalem, Galilee, Caesarea, Jericho, and much more), and gain spiritual and historical insights which will make the Bible come alive for you. For complete information, cost, and registration, go to toursofisrael.wordpress.com or call Peter Tuininga: 1 289 877 8433 or e-mail: [email protected]

Diaconal Ministries Canada

Community-Flourishing Online Cohort - Is your congregation interested in helping your neighbourhood and community thrive? A new online cohort is starting January 2023! "Community-Flourishing: Becoming a Strengths-based, Community-driven Congregation" hopes to meet the third Thursdays of the month at 7:30 PM Eastern (6:30 CT, 5:30 MT, 4:30 PT, 8:30 AT). Diaconal Ministries Canada and World Renew are teaming up to inspire and mobilize your congregation to love, listen to, and engage with your neighbours, neighbourhoods, and local organizations as you seek to cultivate a place of flourishing. Find out more by contacting Rachel Vroege, Regional Ministry Developer for Diaconal Ministries, at [email protected] or visit www.crcna.org/thrive/thriving-practices

CRC Communications

Canadian National Gathering 2023 - Every three years, representatives of Christian Reformed churches and classes across Canada gather to discuss, pray, listen, and plan next steps for ministry at a congregational, regional, and national level. The next Canadian National Gathering will be held May 25-28, 2023 in Ottawa, Ontario, on the campus of Algonquin College and will focus on Indigenous justice and reconciliation. Representatives from every classis across Canada are invited to participate. If you are interested in attending to represent your area, please talk to someone who is attending the next meeting of your classis. For information, go to www.crcna.org/canadian-national-gathering

Calvin University

Seeking Housing - The Kuyers Institute at Calvin University is looking for affordable housing for a visiting scholar, her husband, and five children. Housing is needed from as soon as possible, at least through the spring. If you know of available housing, please email us at [email protected] Thank you!