Sunday's Service - November 25, 2018 | This week we welcome Crystal Eckman, Mission Ambassador from the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley. Crystal will be bringing a message about all the good that is happening in downtown Youngstown and sharing how people can get involved. The featured scripture verse is: Proverbs 19:17 (NLT) for Crystal's message: The Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley Then and Now. Join us this Sunday for Worship! | Wishing you all a blessed Thanksgiving! | Christmas Decorating ~ This Saturday! Join us for a short time, starting at 10am, to work off your turkey dinner by trimming our trees and decking our halls! Many hands make light work...and are greatly appreciated! Fun and fellowship guaranteed! | Goodness Grows carried all our decorating supplies down. (Thanks to all the hard working GG folks!!) This will make our Saturday decorating job even quicker, easier, and more fun! You can arrive at 10:00 and start festooning everything that stands still, without making endless trips up and down the stairs. Yay! | Bible Studies Sunday Morning: Three Sunday’s in Advent ~ December 2, 9, and 16 at 9:30am ~ ”The Theology of Christmas Carols.” We will look at the lyrics of some common Christian carols and the meaning behind them. In January, we will start a study of Philippians. Wednesday Morning: Ladies Study - 9am - The book of Job (Meets at Jen Shannon's.) You are welcome to join in studies at any time! | Fun in the Nursery | Garden & Nursery News Jen Shannon will lead the Garden this Sunday, with a lesson about taking our doubts to God. As always, activity pages will be on the table by the Sanctuary doors for kids who remain in Worship. Children 3 & younger are invited to the Nursery for Bible story time. Spend some time in our Nursery and get some quality time with our youngest church family members! Volunteers needed and greatly appreciated! Talk to Jen Lynch to find out how YOU can help. | Labels Game | Youth Group Last Sunday we continued thinking about kindness and discussed the impact of labels on ourselves and others. No Youth Group for the next two Sundays. All youth are invited to participate in our Advent Celebration at 3pm on December 2. We have had time changes for the final two meetings of 2018. On December 9, we will meet after the Outreach Luncheon, from 1-2:30pm. Our Christmas Party will be on December 16, from 12:30-2pm. Bring your lunch so we can eat together before having some festive fun enjoying Art with Adam Pratt! | Exploring words in the Bible | Checking out pics while playing 'The Game' | | | Youth Group Christmas Project 2018! We are collecting toys this year for the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office 9th Annual Toy Drive. The donations will be going to Columbiana Children's Services as well as to Heroes & Halos, who support area children and their families with special needs. Donate new, unwrapped gifts like toys, books, games, puzzles, stuffed animals, and other comfort items. We will be dropping the items off on December 14th, so please stop in with your items by December 13th or bring them with you on any Sunday! Tell your friends and family...the more donations, the more kids who are helped! Please help our kids help area kids have a brighter Christmas! | Christmastime Devotionals Two devotional booklets are available on the round table in the Great Room to brighten your Christmas season. This year, we have a ten day Christmas reflection from Our Daily Bread as well as an Advent book called "Surprises Along the Way" from the Society of St. Andrew. Feel free to take one or both home to enjoy with your family during this season of expectant waiting. | December Youth Group Schedule 9th ~ We'll meet after the Outreach Luncheon from 1-2:30pm. 16th ~ 12:30-2pm ~ Bring your lunch for a special Christmas Art with Adam Pratt event. Regular YG schedule will resume January 6, 2019. Dates & Times may change due to weather & special events. ~~~ | Advent Celebration ~ Sunday, December 2nd at 3pm It's almost time for our annual tradition of celebrating the start of the Advent season together! This year we will take time for crafts, games, a special reading, and songs to begin this beautiful season of waiting and anticipating our Savior's birth. Then, at 5:00, we will enjoy a potluck soup dinner together. So, you are invited to come for the entire event or head out before dinner after the seasonal activities wrap up, if you prefer to call it an early night! Please sign up on the bulletin board so we can get a count of participants and soups. We will provide bread and dessert. | Outreach Luncheon ~ December 9th at 12:15pm The Outreach Committee is hosting a very special December luncheon right after Worship. Join us for a veritable smorgasbord of tasty treats! We will have a baked potato bar with plenty of "fixin's" as well as fruit, bread, beverages, and a surprise dessert. Don't miss out on this delicious fellowship opportunity. Please sign up on the bulletin board so we can plan. | Christmas Play ~ Sunday, December 23rd at 9:30am Meet at North Lima Mennonite to see the Shank family in this Christmas play and then head to Common Ground for our regular 11am service. | Christmas Eve Service ~ December 24th at 3:30pm Come Worship with us during this afternoon service, complete with special music and candle-lighting. | www.goodnessgrows4all.org Our Mission Statement: To cultivate personal, social, and community growth through gardening, education, and opportunity for people of all abilities. ~~~ | Friendsgiving Fundraiser Thank you to all who were able to come out and support us last night! In addition to proceeds from last night's Wine & Wings event, Goodness Grows will also benefit from wine sales at Diletto Winery on Friday and Saturday, November 23 and 24. Stop out! | Happenings Here It's a short week here at Goodness Grows! Our staff and clients worked Monday through Wednesday and are now off enjoying Thanksgiving. With so many holiday shows coming up, we spent plenty of time making Jungle Jam and our new Reindeer Food craft. We also kept up our normal cleaning routine and got the church ready for Saturday's Christmas decorating. If you would like to purchase jam, reindeer, or catnip toys for the holidays, let us know! Stop in anytime to see us (we are usually here M-F from 8:30-2:30) or visit one of the events listed below. | On the Goodness Grows Schedule GG Closed for Thanksgiving ~ Nov 22 & 23 Holiday Flea ~ Nov 30, 4-8pm & Dec 1, 9am-1pm Canfield High Craft Show ~ Dec 1, 10am-4pm Austintown Winter Market ~ Dec 14, 5-9pm GG Christmas Break ~ Dec 24 - Jan 1 Whispering Pines ~ Every other Monday | OUTREACH and MISSION OPPORTUNITIES | Coat & Clothing Drive Ongoing Outreach/Mission Opportunity Drop items off in the collection barrel or take them up to the Green Room. *It's never too early to get ready for next fall's giveaway!* | The Rescue Mission Thanksgiving weekend is a perfect time to think about helping worthy causes! Learn about how you can help one special place here: Rescue Mission | Needle's Eye On January 13, we will be hearing about all the good that the Needle's Eye is continuing to do in downtown Youngstown. Director Emaline Smith will give the message that day and is eager to share her ministry with us! Learn more about this Christian Life Center, a mission of Southside Ministries, here: The Needle's Eye | For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. .....When you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me. Matthew 25: 35-36, 40 ~ What can YOU do? | LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWS/EVENTS | Columbiana Joy of Christmas Light Show Hayride & Petting Zoo Night November 24, 5:30-8:30 pm Hayride cost is $5 per person and includes the Petting Zoo. If an old-fashioned hayride is not your forte, the show will be open for you to drive through in your personal vehicle at $10 per car and you are still invited to visit the petting zoo. A magical ride through the lights, with stops at the Gingerbread House pavilion and Santa's Ice Castle will make this a trip to remember for the whole family! | Thanksgiving Weekend in Mill Creek Park | Turkey Scavenger Hunt November 24 & 25, 10am-5pm Bring the family to Ford Nature Center and look for 20 hidden paper turkeys. Then go for a self-guided hike on one of the many trails and keep your eyes open for the wild turkeys that call this area home. Call Ford Nature Center, 330-740-7107 for details. | Santa’s Winter Barn November 25, 11am-2pm Santa is getting ready for the big day but has agreed to bring some of his animals from around the world for a visit. Great photo opportunity to sit in Santa’s sleigh and see a reindeer. Event is held in the Barn so dress for the weather. Call MetroParks Farm at 330-533-7572 for details. Children’s craft for $1 fee, cash only. | Beaver Township Crime Watch Tuesday, November 27 at 7pm Meeting at Shepherd of the Valley (Main Building), located at 9111 Sharrot Road. Beaver Township Trustees Pamela Simmons and Erik Tabor will be the guest speakers. They will discuss their role as township trustees and the operations of the township. Local crime statistics will also be discussed. This program is open to the public. | Crown Theater Productions Start your Christmas season with a live production of a classic - Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol! Look for some familiar faces, including Trey Snyder, Isabella Henceroth, Lyddie Pratt, Darius, Keaton, Mia, and Ethan Surgenavic, and Cameron Fortune!!! This show runs November 30 and December 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9. Fridays and Saturdays are at 8pm and Sundays are at 2pm. | If you know of any interesting news or events, please let us know, so that we can pass it on to others! | CELEBRATE! Thanksgiving - Today! - Happy Thanksgiving from your CG family! Nancy Snyder - November 24 Small Business Saturday - November 24 - Shop local! Dustin Snyder - November 25 Giving Tuesday - November 27 - Consider buying toys to give to our Toy Drive! Adam Shank - November 28 If we don't have your special days, please let us know! | ON THE CG CALENDAR November 22 - 28 . . . Today & Tomorrow - CG & GG Closed Saturday, 10am - Christmas Decorating Sunday, 11am - Worship Sunday, 12pm - Outreach Committee Meeting Wednesday, 9am - Ladies Bible Study | Seeking to reflect the unconditional love of God, our mission is to help people connect - to God, to one another, and to God's purpose for the world. | Come grow with us! Service Time: Sunday @ 11:00am Common Ground Church Community 2310 West South Range Road North Lima, Ohio 44452 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For more information, call 330-549-9408 or contact us by email at commonground.secretary@gmail.com. | |