Dear Church Family,
If you live in South Florida, it’s a given: You spend a lot of time at intersections. They’re busy places, aren’t they? Dangerous even. People are distracted. People are anxious. People are stressed. Everyone’s in a hurry, but at the same often going nowhere fast.
For many people, the weeks before Christmas feel similar. We’re at the intersection of the end of one year and the beginning of another. We have lots to do, yet seemingly so little time. We have high hopes, but also (if we’re honest) plenty of fears. People are distracted. People are anxious. People are stressed.
In the classic Christmas song “O Little Town of Bethlehem” there’s a phrase about “the hopes and fears of all the years.” Sounds like an intersection. The intersection of hope and fear. And it’s still…after all these years, where we find the only One who can give us peace—Jesus.
Join me for worship this Sunday at 9:30 am as we begin our Advent series called Christmas Crossroads designed to prepare us for celebrating the birth of our Savior. All are welcome. This Sunday we will also enjoy the special treat of listening to the DSA High School choir sing a couple songs.
ICYMI – Watch my message that last Sunday about how “The King of kings will right all wrongs.”
Christmas Eve in Doral – This Christmas Eve we will offer two, identical bilingual worship services: at 5:00 and 7:00 pm. With two services we want to be sure we will have plenty of room for you to comfortably invite your neighbors to join us. Are any of your neighbors going to be alone this Christmas? Are some not traveling? Are some going to be far away from family? Begin asking God to help you find out so that you can invite them to join you for one of our Christmas Eve services. FYI – We will not be having a service on Christmas Day.
DSYouth – Friday, December 7th 6:00-8:30 pm. All middle and high school age students invited. Meet in high school commons. Questions? Contact Dr. Erik Landwehr.
Advent Devotions – Want to prepare yourself and your family for Christmas? Check out daily devotions from the faculty of Martin Luther College. Devotions start December 1st. View the devotions online here or sign up to get the devotion emailed to you each day here.
New Meditations devotional booklets will be available on the info table this Sunday. Take one home. Read daily. Takes 5 minutes or less.
Women’s Ministry: Advent by Candlelight – Monday, December 3rd at 7pm in the middle school gym. Meditate on the true meaning of the upcoming Christmas season as you gather together with other women and enjoy this uplifting and renewing event. If you are willing to serve in any way with set-up, we will do so on Sunday. We are also finalizing the collection of money donations. Questions? Contact Jet Spiegelberg.
Offerings: Last Sunday – $8,873 | Needed – $9,200
Worship Arts Center Update – Josefina has completed plan revisions based on feedback from both the church and academy. We are grateful for her time and expertise as a volunteer. These revised CAD drawings are now in the hands of Somerville Architects so that they can review them and give us a written report on the feasibility of incorporating them into the final plan. This is the next, necessary step at arriving at an accurate, updated cost for the building.
Member note: If you are not currently giving online please let our Treasurer, Ron Hansen, know as soon as possible if you intend to return to online giving or sign up for in the future. This will help us know how many boxes of envelopes to order for 2019.
Online Giving – If you haven’t already set up electronic giving via ACH, we now have another way to give online through BluePay whether via credit card or checking. One-time or recurring gifts can be set up. Simply visit our website and then click on “Give” in the upper right hand corner. Thanks for giving regularly to help us as we plan and carry out our mission of changing lives with Jesus!
Coming Up:
Bethlehem Revisited – DSC outing to Coral Springs. Sun., Dec. 9th. Meet at church at 5:30 pm. Free!
Jingle & Mingle – DSC family Christmas Party 6:00 pm Sat., Dec. 15th. 5pm
Christmas for Kids – DSYouth hosts a special Christmas activity for all children 3years – 5th grade as part of our DSKids program. Sat., Dec. 22nd. Register next week!
Next All Pro Dad’s Day—December 13th. Register online. It’s for all dads and kids ages K-6th Grade. Free breakfast in the high school common from 7:00-8:00am.
Refreshment Schedule – Thank you for serving! If you have any questions or would like to help where needed, please contact Pam.
December 2. Birkenstock. Herrera. Ross
December 9. Biesterfeld. Herrera. Hansen.
December 16. Befeler. Welch. HELP NEEDED
December 23. Kaufmann. Sievert
December 30. Meihak. HELP NEEDED
Sunday Playlist – In addition to 3 songs that the DSA High School choir will sing, as a congregation we will sing the Advent hymn “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry.” Throughout the next 4 weeks of Advent we will also learn and sing the Getty song “The Lord is My Salvation.”
Changing Lives with Jesus,
Pastor Ben
