Please
remember our church family in your daily prayers, at mealtimes and during your
personal devotions. Continue to remember those young and old with ongoing
physical, spiritual, and emotional struggles.
Please
note that Steve & Caroline Ogi have moved and their address is now #4 –
4510 C&E Trail, Lacombe. Their
mailing address continues to be Box 5931, Lacombe, T4L 1X4.
Condolences to Jenny Bajema with
the death of her sister Annie Poelman in Lethbridge on December 1st.
She was 88 years old and had been struggling with cancer. The funeral was held
on December 5th. We are
comforted in the assurance of faith in Jesus our savior.
We are concerned for Alberta and
Tilly Biel as Albert is getting weaker. May God be near to them both and the family as they gather to share the
Christmas season.
Congratulations to Pita
Doornenbal as she celebrates her birthday on Thursday and to Klaas Boskers as
he celebrates his on Friday. Wishing you
both a wonderful day with family and friends and our Lord’s blessings to you s
well.
Do remember
those who are unable to worship regularly with us: please keep Jenny Bajema, Albert
& Tilly Biel, Klaas Boskers, Gerry Doornenbal, Lea Dykstra, Lillian
Mercier, Ernie Stebner and Grace Vander Veen in your prayers.
Pray for our
missionaries around the world.
Bethel News
The
Fellowship Ministry Leadership Team would like to invite the congregation to
share some of their Christmas baking
with each other after the Candlelight Service and the Christmas Day
Service. Please bring your contributions
to the kitchen and we will look after serving it. Thank you!
Dear
Congregation: On behalf of the General
Administration Leadership team I have been asked to give you an update on our financial
situation. We have slowly fallen behind
in our budget giving by approximately $3000 per month. We have been able to meet our Classical,
Kings University and Ministers’ pension fund obligations and one third of our
Denominational ministry shares. Another
$30,000 is needed to fulfill this part of our budget. All together we can give as the Lord has
blessed us and share with fulfilling the denominational needs. One more note – December 28th will
be the last day to donate to the church budget. Please prayerfully consider these requests. From
the Church treasurer, August Luymes
BETHEL YOUTH
The
GEMS
would like to thank
everyone who ordered Dutch cheese through our club fund raiser. If you haven’t picked up your cheese order
yet, you can find it in the fridge in the kitchen. Thanks once again!
The Cadets Seniors &
Grandparents Banana Split Social
scheduled for this
Wednesday, December 16th has been cancelled due to rescheduling of
Christmas programs at the schools.
Bottles & Batteries
The
Cadets are once again fundraising by collecting Bottles & Batteries in January. Please save them for us as we will collect them on January 9th
when we have our fundraising drive.
Young
Peoples
will meet after
the evening worship service today for a Bible study at the Scholings’ home.
Tuesday
Nite Youth
will meet on
Tuesday, December 15th at 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Neighbourhood Life in Central Alberta
is midway
through our discipleship series. We are
intentionally challenging more than 15 neighbourhoods to be disciples in their
own back yard by: 1) Learning our neighbours' names (so we can begin to pray
for neighbours). 2) Learning new
attributes (helping us to better understand their lives) and 3) learning about
our neighbours' hearts and what matters to them (increasing our measure of
care). Since September, these 15
neighbourhoods have collectively added 125 new insights into their respective
neighbourhoods, intentionally seeking out new information. The numbers are not
as important as the movement indicated in this ongoing discipleship. In addition, Neighbourhood Life is writing a
book including real life stories from Central Alberta. The book will be part of a leadership series
created by Forge Canada (www.forgecanada.ca). As a result, we have also been invited to help lead a missions course at
Burman University in the new year. We
thank God for the movement we witness. And we thank you for your encouragement and support as we head into the
new year.
Pastor
Rick Abma
Central Alberta Christian High School’s Fall
Debt Drive
will be officially over on December 13th. This year’s goal was
set at $100,000.00. So far, this year’s Drive has resulted in
donations totaling $91,624.50. We would ask that you prayerfully consider
to what extent you can support CACHS through this year’s drive. Please
contact Wendy Barnes (Business Administrator) 403-782-4535 or Clarence Verveda
(Board Treasurer) 403-747-2454 if you have any questions or need
assistance. You may also mail your donations directly to C.A.C.H.S. 22
Eagle Road, Lacombe, AB, T4L 1G7, Attention: Wendy Barnes. The school
will be closed for the Christmas break from December 19th to January 3rd. If you would like to still donate you can
drop off your cheque in the mailbox outside the front doors, we will be picking
up the mail during the break before December 31st or give Wendy a
call at 403-885-5187. We would like to thank the many people who have
contributed to our annual Fall Drive.
Singing In God’s Ear:
On December 15th
at the First CRC in Red Deer a Dutch, Afrikaans and English Christmas Singalong
will be held at 2:30 p.m. There will be a free will offering in support of the
Salvation Army. Dr. Jack Hielema will be the Master if Ceremony. Please join us for coffee, tea and goodies.
See you there.
Festival of Choirs and Carols:
Will be held on Thursday, December 17th at 7:30 p.m. at First CRC in Red Deer.
Participating choirs are 1st CRC Chancel Choir, Red Deer Chamber
Choir, Red Deer Gospel Chorale, Gaetz United Sanctuary Choir and Soliloquy.
Invite friends and neighbors to come hear and sing carols of the season.
PERSECUTED
CHURCH
Syria
In February a mass abduction took place in
Tel Temir town. 200 Assyrian Christians were captured by ISIS; another 3000
were driven from their villages along the Khabur River. Most of them have not
returned home. Since the start of negotiations 98 Christians have
been released, mostly the sick and elderly; 158 Assyrians are still in
captivity. Many Assyrians have been unable to pay the hefty ransoms
demanded by ISIS. Concerns for the lives of the remaining hostages
persist as members of ISIS have expressed a willingness to follow through on
their threats to kill the Assyrians. Thank the Lord for the return of the hostages who
have been released. Please join us in
praying for the protection of those still being held in captivity. Also pray
for wisdom and guidance for the negotiators who are mediating for
the remaining victims. Intercede for the members of ISIS who themselves are in
bondage spiritually; may a great number of them experience the
salvation and freedom that take place when encountering the Risen Savior.
