Family Ministry Newsletter: November 14th, 2024
This newsletter contains upcoming information pertaining to all things family ministry. Here, you will find announcements, dates, devotional thoughts, and more that, I pray, will be beneficial to you, your household, and our local church. May God be chief as we seek to faithfully shepherd our homes!
Upcoming Dates and Events
December 6th, 2024 - Youth Christmas Party
As we wrap up this inaugural year of First Fridays, we will have a time of fellowship and fun as we celebrate the incarnation of Christ! Students are encouraged to bring a friend. There’ll be an ugly sweater contest, a “White Elephant” gift exchange, and, of course, food! Be on the lookout for more information.
December 7th, 2024 - Castalian Springs Community Christmas Caroling
This joint community event will take place at Creekside with Old Union Church of Christ! It will begin at 6PM and will be followed by desserts and hot chocolate. Be sure to invite your family and friends for this fun, Christmas outreach and service.
December 10th, 2024 - Caroling Visitation
On this evening, we will visit our widows with carols and cards written by our little ones! We will meet at the church at 6PM and break off into groups. If you are interested in participating, please let John William know as soon as possible!
December 14th, 2024 - Gingerbread House Building
Families are invited for a fun morning of gingerbread house building! This will begin at 10AM and end at noon. Keep an eye out for a sign-up!
December 20th, 2024 - Christmas Concert
This date marks our annual Christmas Concert as we celebrate the glory of the Incarnation through songs, readings, and fellowship. If you or your little one would like to participate in the choirs, please sign-up in the foyer!
December 22nd & 29th, 2024 - No Childcare
We will not have childcare the last two Sundays of this year.
Weekly Song and Resource
This week, we are singing a new song, “Show Us Christ.” It is a wonderful song to sing throughout the house in preparation for corporate worship on Sunday — especially in expressing our need for the Spirit to open our eyes!: https://youtu.be/uLIi5SAVMRw?si=cydGBPzYhH7pGckg
This week’s resource comes from Tim Challies: “Marriage Happy, Marriage Holy”. I encourage you to give it a read! Check it out here: https://www.challies.com/articles/marriage-happy-marriage-holy/
Quote of the Week
“I know not a thing that would comfort you more than to be sure of His love. And if it were not a sin, I should blame Christ that He hath not yet visited you and come to your house and comforted your soul. I cannot tell you what I would give to know the soul of my dear friend in a good state, for I know that peace with Christ is a nest for the soul made of roses and sweet smelling lilies. And the hope of a sure heaven, and that is a hope that maketh not ashamed. Though you were at the uttermost part of the earth, yet He who is every way like Himself will not change. And though He may delay your deliverance, yet He will not wrong His own bowels . . . let not all your desires be upon the wings of sense. Stay and rest upon Him who is faithful. And although His dispensations seem cross to your desires, yet His love may be seen through a cloud. And when the day is over, you will see that all is in love. Though He seemed to forget you, He will do as the husband of a loving wife that forsook her, yet could not live without her. He seeketh not our love as a tenant, but as a master and owner. Our love to Him, yea, our heaven and glory, is but a show and appearance of His glory and His own love. So ye see, He is love itself. His love is more perfect than that which is between father and son, for it is eternal. Keep a part of your love then, for Him who never can have an evil thought of you. For when we fail, His free grace shall still carry us on. Christ’s love will not change for our changeable tempers. The child falleth often, yet the father casteth it not off, though we be but half and faint friends. Yet His love is the love of one who never taketh a thought of making a divorce. Free grace is His own court, and Himself the great King of mercy in it. And to make us welcome, he sweareth by Himself, because He can swear by no greater. When He bestoweth mercies upon us, He winneth His own glory. And He gaineth His own honour, for by that we live and breathe in Him.”
- Samuel Rutherford