Last night we held our second annual Ignite Christmas service for the students and their parents at Morningside. The theme for the night was, “Come to the Manger.” We gathered on the floor of the youth room around a rustic little manger in a candle filled room. The band led some old Christmas favorites and some new worship tunes as well. The service was a time to rest…a time to drink in all the Lord has for us this Christmas season. In the business of life around the holidays – this service was a time to rest, reflect, and come adore the newborn King!
Thanks to everyone who played in the band, participated in the service, or helped bring food for the meal. Also, thanks for showering our worship leader, Holly Bannan, with so many wonderful gifts for their new baby due in February. How fitting it was to being baby shower gifts to a CHristmas service. God bless you all this Christmas. May the light of Christ be in your hearts and home this Christmas and forever more.
Last night we finished our Fall session of Mside Out with the youth. We’ve spent every Sunday night this semester in our youth home group working through the book, “Congratulations, You’re Gifted!” by Doug Fields & Erik Rees. We studied spiritual gifts and how God has gifted us for service. In addition, to learning about our spiritual gifts, we went out twice to do some hand’s on ministry in our community to begin helping the teens put their gifts into practice. In October we went out and did yard work for senior adults, made shut-in visits, ministered to children at the shelter, and did recreation ministry at AWANA. We wrapped it all up last night by sending teams to make three shut-in visits, rake leaves in two senior adult yards, and lead a children’s outreach at Bruster’s Ice Cream Shop in Hillcrest. The team at Brusters offered free Thanksgiving crafts to the kids who came to Brusters to eat ice cream. Those families got some great ice cream, but also heard the Good News of our Savior, Jesus Christ.