december sermon series: why the world needs...
TRANSCRIPT
December 2014
Volume 43
Issue 12
Sermon Series 1
Christmas Worship Night
1
Christmas Eve Candlelight Services
1
Lead Like Jesus Pastor Karl
2
Live, Grow, Serve Courses
2
Worship Corner Pastor Ragan
3
A Word from Pastor Tom
3
Fellowship 3-5
Gateway to F.U.N.
4
Young at Heart 4
Hispanic Ministry
4
Adult Classes 5
Growth 6
Healing Heart Counseling
6
Missions 7
PURSUIT Kids’ Ministry
8
COLLIDE Youth Ministry
9
Calendar 10
Servant Teams 10
december sermon series: why the world needs christmas
Bombarded by Christmas songs and commercial ads, some say, “Oh no — it’s Christmas time again!” It can be difficult to see past the wrapping paper to that first morning when the world was dark and the need was great. People longed for hope. We still do. They searched for a Savior. Many still are searching. They needed to know God had not forgotten them. So do we. Join us this season as we are reminded Why the World Needs Christmas.
12.07 Promise of Brighter Days // Pastor Karl Schad, Senior Minister
12.14 A Voice in Our Silent Nights // Dr. Ladd Haverly, Executive Pastor
12.21 What’s So Merry About Christmas? // Pastor Karl Schad, Senior Minister
12.24 Christmas Eve Candlelight Services
12.28 Still Searching For the Savior // Josh Hough, Youth Pastor
christmas eve candelight services
5:00 pm and 6:30 pm
Everyone is welcome!
christmas worship night saturday, december 13 — 5:00 pm
Join us Saturday, December 13, at 5:00 pm, for our Christmas Worship Night here at Gateway. Be a blessing to your friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family and invite them to come and sing Christmas carols to our Lord and Savior. Pick up an invitation for each person God lays on your heart to invite to this event from the information desk in the Crossection.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We love you Gateway! It is a joy and privilege to serve such an incredible church family. We are blessed beyond measure by your friendship and love for our family.
May the Savior we celebrate during Christmas reign in your life throughout the New Year. May you fall deeper in love with Jesus and more committed as His disciple.
From the Schad Crew to your family, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love in Christ, Karl, Carie, Taevan, Keynen, Jairin, Denae, Elise, Aleah, and Naomi
Sign up in the CROSSECTION for the course that is appropriate for you:
live for christ— 101 COURSE grow in christ— 201 COURSE
Sunday, December 14 — 9:00 am Sunday, January 4, 2015 — 9:00 am
serve like christ— 301 COURSE
Sunday, January 11, 2015 — 9:00 am 2
Karl L. Schad
Senior Minister
Dr. Ladd Haverly
Executive Pastor
Shari Borders
Children’s Pastor
Josh Hough
Youth Pastor
Ragan Washington
Worship/Creative Arts Pastor
Tom Harland
Family Pastor
Marcia Haverly
Ministry Associate
Fred Boggs
Lay Pastor
Ruth Dunton
Ministry Assistant
Lore Thommesen
Ministry Assistant
GCCSTL.ORG
314.821.2156
3
worship corner by ragan
While most of our world tunes into Christmas music sometime after Thanksgiving, my family began listening to it in October! I was reflecting on a song recently, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Two of the lines in the song are:
“Someday soon, we all will be together, if the fates allow. Until then, we’ll have to muddle through somehow.”
Judy Garland reportedly did not want to sing the song, as she felt it was too sad. Leaving things to fate and muddling through does inherently lend itself to sadness. Why should Christmas be any different than the song describes?
Perhaps because:
God is love and light God is creator and sustainer God is Spirit and truth God is healer and savior God is present and perfect God is good and kind God is unchanging God is unchanging
God is God, and there is no other, God is unchanging And GOD IS WITH US! Christmas is nothing without the greatest joy and hope we have ever been given. Christmas cannot co-exist with fate because the celebration is of a planned Holy INTERVENTION and rescue! Planned and designed for ages, by Someone who defies fate and the need to "muddle through.”
NOW, Have yourself a Merry Christmas, with the hope of a Savior Who came to give you life to the fullest, free, and with great joy…TELL THE WORLD!
~Pastor Ragan
christmas greetings
MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR
from your Gateway staff
Karl & Carie Schad
Ladd & Kimberly Haverly
Shari & Russ Borders
Josh & Jessie Hough
Ragan & Becca Washington
Tom & Cathy Harland
Marcia & Jim Haverly
Fred & Tara Boggs
Ruth Dunton
Lore & Bjorn Thommesen
a word from pastor tom
As the year 2014 comes to a close, can you think of things you wish you had done differently?
We asked that question recently in my Life Group, and it caused me to do a lot of thinking. Of all the 2014 regrets shared in our Life Group, not one person said, “Ya know…I wish I would have spent less time praying.” Or, “Wow, all that time doing life together with other believers, it was a complete waste of time.” Of course not. We recognize our need for God, our need to be changed by God, and I personally recognize that I am an unfinished product, that I have not yet attained “to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).
That is why I know I need other believers in my life—to challenge me, to pray for me, to encourage me, to hold me accountable.
Maybe you did not get involved in a Life Group in 2014. December is a great time to plan for that New Year’s Resolution. Why not resolve to join with other believers for the purpose of growing as a disciple of Jesus? Contact the office ([email protected]) to get involved in a Life Group. You will not regret it.
~Pastor Tom
Congrats to the following who were recently married:
Roy Sansone and Jamie Turner were married on October 3.
Brian Speelman and Carissa TenHoeve were married on November 1.
wedding wishes
My thanks and appreciation to the Gateway Christian Church community for honoring my mother [Neava Roberts] with a donation to Circle of Concern, an organization that she believed in and supported for many years. Thank you for your compassion and support. ~Michele Roberts
To our Family at GCC: Thanks for all the prayers, love, support, visits, meals, gift cards, clothes washing, and lawn mowing that was showered upon us during my hospital stays and recovery at home. We so appreciate all of you!
~With love, Cindy and Pete Teigen and Family
thank-you’s
Joyful Jane Washington came into this world via C-section Nov. 21, at 9:22 am, weighing 7 lbs 11 oz and 19.5 inches long. Congrats to her proud parents, Ragan and Becca, and her siblings Truth, Isaiah, and Jude. Welcome, Baby Joyful!
welcome, baby!
On Monday, January 12, 2015 at 9:45 am, Gateway to F.U.N., our homeschool activity group, will take a tour of St. Louis Public Library. Learn all about the history and beautiful architecture of our newly restored St. Louis Public Library. We will meet at the free library parking lot located at Olive & 15th Street and then enter the library together for our 10:00 tour. This event is for all ages but keep in mind that the library is a quiet place and tours take some time, so this event may not be appropriate for an active toddler or preschooler. Cost? Free! Please RSVP by December 22 on the Gateway to F.U.N. Facebook page.
gateway to f.u.n.
women’s ministry Gateway has a vibrant women’s ministry group. We enjoy doing various service projects together (inside and outside the church), Bible studies, special women’s events, and conferences. If you are interested in getting involved with planning activities or events, please let Janelle Worley or Juli Nelson know!
4
Looking for a great Bible study? How about family or kids' DVDs or storybooks? Need a great devotional or worship CD? We have lots and lots of great resources in our library to help grow your time with God and family! Come "check us out!" in Room 111, on Sundays from 10:00-10:30 and 11:30-12:00. Donated Christian materials are welcome and appreciated.
gateway library
The 2015 offering envelopes are now available in The Nook. Pick up a box at your convenience and start using them January 7! Please write your name on the first few envelopes to help our financial people in recording your offering. Thank you!
new offering envelopes
nov. 23 congregational meeting results
All five of the nominated elder candidates—Bruce Atkins, Rod Hoevet, Steve Keroff, Dale Lyons, and Tim Worley—were approved by Gateway’s congregation during our annual meeting on November 23, along with the 2015 budget and the written amendment to our bylaws. In addition, you gave more than $44,000 for this year’s Thanksgiving offering, allowing us to support a new St. Louis church plant, do repairs to the children’s playground, and increase security on our campus. Thank you!
If you are a senior who attends Gateway, we just bet you have a favorite Christmas carol or two that you like to sing. We can also imagine that you enjoy a meal of fellowship with church friends. So, please join a gathering of men and women 55+ on Saturday, December 6, at 10:00 am, for a time to sing carols and sit down to a potluck lunch. Gateway's Young at Heart will meet in Room 210 that Saturday. Bring something to share with everyone for our meal and drinks will be provided. Plan to request your favorite Christmas melodies for a sing-along, and by 1:00 or 1:30 you will be set to enjoy the rest of the day in the Christmas spirit. Plan to gather with other Gateway seniors as we ready ourselves for Christmas with this casual time of fellowship and joyful celebration of Christ’s birth.
young at heart
life groups Want to grow in your faith walk? Would you like to fellowship with other believers and make new friends? How about being a part of a group that continually prays and cares for you? There is no better way to do all these than by joining a Life Group. We have over 20 such groups, all across the greater St. Louis metropolitan area, meeting on different nights of the week. Contact the church office for information on a Life Group in your area.
Has your contact information changed
in 2014? Please notify the church
office of any changes in names,
addresses, phone numbers or email
addresses. Thanks!
address
change?
hispanic ministry Always wanted to learn Spanish? Want to see how much you remember from your high school Spanish class? Need to brush up on conversational skills you already have? Gateway’s Hispanic Ministry recently launched a Learn Spanish class, offered from 8:00-9:00 am on Sunday mornings prior to worship. Join us!
The Ministry also offers Círculos de Lectura Bíblica, a Spanish Life Group on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am, and will continue studying the Life of Job on Wednesday nights in January. If you know Spanish-speaking individuals who would appreciate either of these opportunities, please contact Carlos Aguilar ([email protected]; 314-951-8213) or Lore Thommesen in the church office ([email protected]; 314-821-2156).
Get plugged in on Sunday mornings with other believers and grow in your understanding of God, His Word, and yourself!
Sundays at 8:00 am S.U.B.M.I.T. (Supporting Underground Believers/Martyrs In Trials) ~ Room 106 Teacher: Ashley Jeralds Come learn about persecution in countries that have not historically targeted Christians, as we look at the growing trend of this persecution and why there is an escalation of violence toward Christians. (Note: occasionally graphic content is shared.) S.U.B.M.I.T. meets the first Sunday of the month for study and prayer. Winter 2014-15 Study: Persecution in Buddhist & Communist Countries
Learn Spanish ~ Room 109 Teacher: Carlos Aguilar Always wanted to learn Spanish? Want to brush up on your conversation skills? Join us to learn more about this language.
Sundays at 9:00 am ANNEX College Group ~ Room 110 Teachers: Alan & Allison Hughes This class is geared towards college age students. The Grace Awakening, by Chuck Swindoll, calls all Christians to wake up and reject living in such legalistic, performance-oriented bondage. The God of the universe has given us an amazing, revolutionary gift of grace and freedom. This freedom and grace set us apart from every other “religion” on the face of the earth. Winter 2014-15 Study: The Grace Awakening
Círculos de Lectura Bíblica ~ Salón 109 Maestros: Carlos Aguilar & Javier Hernandez Un estudio bíblico para creyentes que hablan español, utilizando los recursos disponibles. Vamos a estudiar Una Vida con Proposito, por Rick Warren. [A Bible study for Spanish-speaking believers, using available resources. We are going to study A Purpose-Driven Life, by Rick Warren.]
Logos ~ Room 210 Teachers: Jim Kremer, Bruce Atkins & Mike Biggs The Logos class will take an in-depth look at the books of 1st and 2nd Timothy this winter. We are a very discussion-oriented group, looking for new members to take part in our studies. Hope you will join us! Winter 2014-15 Study: 1 & 2 Timothy
Women’s Group ~ Room 106 Teachers: Paula Reed & Elaine Lewallen The difficult circumstances you are dealing with today are likely being fed by one of four emotional forces that compels you to act in undesirable ways: guilt, anger, greed, or jealousy. We will explore each of these destructive forces and learn how to prevent them from infiltrating our lives and damaging our relationships. Winter 2014-15 Study: Enemies of the Heart
Sundays at 10:30 am Carpe Diem ~ Room 210 Teachers: Bjorn Thommesen & Barry Jeralds Join the Carpe Diem ("Seize the Day") class as we learn about "the world according to Paul," the Apostle to the Gentiles (that would be you and me). As we study the Book of Romans, we will focus on how Paul's teaching about God's plan for salvation, justification by faith, sanctification and other core Christian concepts apply to our lives today. Are we on track or have we lost our way? If you like spirited discussion, this class is for you! Winter 2014-15 Study: Romans 1-11
Seekers ~ Room 112 Teachers: Tony Hartsfield & Julian Cosentino Styles of worship have changed a lot over the last 30 years, but the essence of worship does not. There is growing awareness in today’s church that worship involves much more than what we do in a church building on Sunday mornings. Worship is the recognition of God’s greatness and glory through our humble adoration and submission to Him. Join us for this study. Winter 2014-15 Study: Acts of Worship (Psalms, Daniel, Matthew, Luke, John, Ephesians, Hebrews, James)
Servants of God ~ Room 106 Teachers: John & Angie Turigliatto Ever feel like the Sunday sermon was written especially for you? Ever wish there was more time to discuss how the scriptures apply to your life? We will be taking time this quarter to continue diving deeper into the morning sermon each week. Join us! Winter 2014-15 Study: Sermon Extension
winter quarter sunday adult classes
5
Our spring semester for Wednesday Night Life (WNL) will begin January 7, 2015, complete with our fellowship meal and courses for all ages. There will be a Bible study for men on the book of Hebrews; a study for women covering the Sabbath, being wonderstruck, and what love truly is; and a study on Job geared specifically to Spanish-speaking believers. Our Adult Choir also meets on Wednesday nights. Keep an eye on future bulletins and the January newsletter for more specific details.
spring wednesday night life begins january 7
Healing Heart Counseling Center is available to assist individuals, couples, groups and families to face and overcome life’s greatest challenges and changes.
Contact the center at 314.821.1120 and begin to heal by tending to your heart (calls are strictly confidential; sliding fee scale used).
monthly growth and giving
TRANSFERS
Jessica Amezcua
Cindy Brooks
Jamie Poerschke
José Cristobal Quintanilla Martinez
Any of our pastors are available to speak with you about your relation-ship with Jesus Christ. Please call the church office at (314) 821-2156 to speak with one.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever BELIEVES in him will not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
“REPENT, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord…” (Acts 3:19)
“If you CONFESS with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved.“ (Romans 10:9)
“Repent and BE BAPTIZED, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:38)
What on earth am I here for? That’s a question we’ve all asked ourselves at one time. The answer is to worship God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. He created you and longs to have a relationship with you. God made a way for us to find forgiveness, peace, and meaning through His Son, Jesus Christ. We will never find or fulfill our purpose in this life until we let Jesus rescue us from our sin and become the leader of our life. So how do we do that?
6
Worship Sunday School General Fund Special Gifts Missions Bldg/DY2M Fund Total
11/02/14 511 262
$21,108.23 —
$10.00 $507.00
$21,625.23
11/09/14 498 232
$27,930.51 —
$8.00 $125.00
$28,063.51
11/16/14 502 205
$15,615.00 *100.00
$15.03 $272.00
$16,002.03
11/23/14 529 252
— — — —
$44,178.00
*Thanksgiving offering
Here are some upcoming events to look forward to in 2015. More details will be in the January newsletter!
S.W.E.R.V.E Rebuilding Together High Hill Family Camp Family Mission Trip to Shiloh High Hill Camp Work Day Operation Christmas Child Angel Tree Haiti Collections
A variety of drives and collections throughout the year
sneak peek at 2015
7
December 07: Canned goods (i.e. soup, meat, vegetables, fruit) December 14: Toiletries (for men, women, and children) December 21: Dry Goods (i.e. spaghetti, rice, flour, etc.) December 28: Paper Goods (i.e. paper towels, bath tissue, Ziploc bags)
We have many Gateway families in need; please help keep our shelves stocked. Drop off your donations in the baskets at the missions’ table in the hallway.
bread basket — december collections
you made a difference! Operation Christmas Child. A grand total of 401 shoeboxes were collected! This is the most EVER. Thank you so much for your donations. Children all over the world will have a Merry Christmas because of your generosity and kind hearts. A special thanks to those who came out for our packing party on November 22 or donated extra donated items.
Shiloh Ranch. Last month we delivered tons of toiletries for the Ranch that were desperately needed. Thank you for your donations of soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion, and toilet paper! Shiloh recently sent this thank-you note: Dear friends of Gateway, just wanted to take a moment and say thanks from the crew at Shiloh. We so appreciate you coming and serving alongside us. We treasure the opportunities to teach our kiddos about serving and you give us a great example. God bless you all. From all of us at Shiloh Kahoka site.
Hello from East Asia! We are so thankful for your partnership with us so that lives can be changed.
~ Love, Zach & Bethany Firsick
thank-you note from missionaries
december mission project: angel tree Hopefully you have seen our “Tree of Angels” and we thank everyone who has already taken an angel tag. As a reminder, these tags are provided by the Salvation Army and contain the first name and information about a child in the St. Louis area who will not be receiving another Christmas gift this year. These tags give you all the information you need to purchase a perfect gift for the child; please know you do not have to purchase everything listed! Perhaps you could buy a gift for two of the angels instead. We are asked not to wrap the presents. Attach the angel tag to the gift (you can put it in a bag) and return it to Gateway by Sunday, December 7. The Salvation Army will collect all gifts that week for distribution. Thanks for your generosity and helping to make Christmas brighter for children around our city!
8
KIDS’ MINISTRY
wednesday night life
children’s programs
Wednesday Night Life begins again on January 7 after taking a break for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Joyful Noyz, our elementary kids’ choir and drama group, will continue to meet from 6:15 – 6:55 pm. Elementary kids not in Joyful Noyz can be dropped off beginning at 6:15. The same is true for all preschool and nursery age children: drop-off begins at 6:15 and pick-up is at 8:00 pm. This allows parents to have a full 90 minutes for their classes. Thanks so much for letting us get to know and minister to your precious kiddos! There is always room for additional helpers. Please see Pastor Shari for more info.
Thank you to all who have served our children at Gateway in any way during 2014. Your warm hearts and welcoming smiles, blended with your service, are making an eternal difference in the lives of God’s precious children! You have been a blessing and are impacting future generations of God followers.
Below is a letter that says it all so well and is appropriate for our workers of all age kids…
An open email from a thankful mom: Dear Nursery Volunteer,
If I were a better woman, I would send you a hand-written letter sealed in a floral-print envelope with a gift card to the local coffee shop. But, truthfully, I’m not certain I can find a piece of paper in my house that doesn’t have
a to-do list, an appointment reminder or a grocery list on it right now. And the idea of trying to load the baby in the car, have her fall asleep while driving to the coffee shop, then unload her again, is more
than I can manage. Life has little sleep and much laundry these days. I haven’t had a moment to myself, much less time to linger at the coffee shop and honestly, today I would be happy to just be
able to shower for longer than 3 minutes. So, forgive me for just sending this to you by email but as I’m looking forward to church this Sunday, I wanted you to know I’m thankful:
Thank you for letting me worship without worry for my child. Thank you for letting me have both of my hands to clap, or to praise, or to take notes. Thank you for letting me give my mind and attention fully to the worship of God or the study of the Word, trusting that my child is being cared for in the best way possible. Thank you for letting me not feel the need to sneak out and peek in to see if she’s okay. I know she’s okay. She’s with you. Thank you for being there every week for my child. She can’t say it yet, but I know that she recognizes you. I know that she feels safe with you and can sense that you love her as you rock her and talk with her. Thanks for taking the time to get to know her, to know that she likes to rock on your shoulder, not cradled in your arms. It is little things like that that make
such a difference to me. It gives me such peace of mind to know that you know her, that you are there for her and that you love her.
You may be on the list of those who volunteer to serve our babies, but truly, you are serving us moms just as much. Please don’t misunderstand; I love my baby. She is a gift from God and I love her more than life itself. But having a 6-month-old can be exhausting. You give me an opportunity to catch my breath. Thank you!
See more at: http://leadsmall.org
thanks to so many!
Merry Christmas!! Most of the WNL stuff takes a break for December but the student ministry keeps going for a couple extra weeks. On December 3, we will be looking at the awesome miracle of Jesus’ birth. On December 10, we will be wrapping up the 2-week series and partying down with a brand-new Christmas game tradition. You do not want to miss this night. Bring a Christmas snack to share with the group! December 10 is also the deadline to sign up for our spring Conference called MAKE.
You can see more details on this weekend at http://makeconference.tumblr.com. The cost is $125 Sign up online! Hope you have a Merry Christmas!
december 2014
9
~Pastor Josh
gateway — december 2014
December 07 9:00 E. Feinstein, B. & C. Spealman, J. Starling 10:30 P. Hilderbrand, J. Lyons, N. Moore
December 14 9:00 D. & B. Cannon, J. Cuenca, F. Kremer 10:30 E. Allen, L. Rekas, L. Rekas
December 21 9:00 E. Brame, J. Cedeño, S. Craighead, J. Padua 10:30 J. Bender, B. Clark, J. Vallieres
December 28 9:00 B. & J. Bensinger, F. Goad, L. Weitzel 10:30 K. Barnard, J. Salman, B. Vaughn
december nursery workers
10
Dec. 07 Team 1—Joe Jones
Dec. 14 Team 2—Steve Keroff
Dec. 21 Team 3—Mike Holly
Dec. 28 Team 4—Jim Haverly
december
chair teams
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
2
Staff Meeting 11:00 am
3
YAH Core Meeting 9:30 am
COLLIDE “Starry Night” Session 1 6:00 pm
Band Practice 6:45 pm
4
5
6
YAH Christmas Carol Singing and Carry-In
Lunch Chair Set-Up
Team 1
7 S.U.B.M.I.T. 8:00 am
College Breakfast 9:00 Kids’ Christmas Party &
Joyful Noyz Concert 12:00 pm
DivorceCare 6:00 pm Men’s Basketball 6:30
8
9
REFIT® Fitness Class 9:30 am
Staff Meeting
11:00 am
10
COLLIDE “Starry Night” Session 2 and Christmas
Party! 6:00 pm Band Practice
6:45 pm
11
REFIT® Fitness Class 9:30 am
12
13
Chair Set-Up Team 2
Christmas Worship
Night 5:00 pm
14
Live for Christ 101 Course 9:00 am
DivorceCare 6:00 pm
Men’s Basketball 6:30 pm
15
16
REFIT® Fitness Class 9:30 am
Staff Meeting
11:00 am
17
Band Practice 6:45 pm
18
REFIT® Fitness Class 9:30 am
Gateway to F.U.N. @ Magic House
19
20
Chair Set-Up Team 3
21
DivorceCare 6:00 pm Men’s Basketball
6:30 pm
22
23
REFIT® Fitness Class 9:30 am
Staff Meeting
11:00 am
24
Christmas Eve Candlelight Services
5:00 & 6:30 pm
25
Merry Christmas! (church offices closed)
26
27
Chair Set-Up Team 4
28
29
30
REFIT® Fitness Class 9:30 am
Staff Meeting
11:00 am
31