| Sunday's Service - December 5, 2021 | Advent Sermon Series ~ A Crimson Christmas
We would never be able to celebrate Christmas without Christ and the Cross. Join us this Advent season for a sermon series that will keep Christ in your Christmas! The featured Scripture is: Galatians 4:4; John 1:1-5, 14
for Mike's message: The Right Person. We will celebrate the Sacrament of Communion. Join us Sunday ~ In-Person & Online
Worship at 11am Livestream available at: CGCC Facebook Page ~ CLC Facebook Page ~ CLC Website Come Grow With Us! | Worshiping Together Spend Sunday morning with us ~ in-person or online at 11:00am.
Let's grow together through Worship, Praise, and Prayer, in the Sanctuary and online.
You can also check out the Media Library on the CLC website to watch recent sermons. Please send your prayer requests in for our Joys & Concerns email that goes out on
Monday morning! The CGCC website has a Contact/Prayer Request page, you can
email Jen Lynch directly, or use commonground.secretary@gmail.com. ~~~ |  The Griffith Family Lighting the Candle of Hope | | Advent is the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. Each Sunday of this season, we will light the candles of the Advent wreath and prepare our hearts and minds for Jesus' arrival through readings that focus on Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. The final reading comes on Christmas Eve, with the lighting of the Christ candle. | Lighting the Candle of Peace
Advent Readers: Frank, Jill, Dustin, & Colin Snyder
Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-5; 10 ~~~ | | Bible Studies & Ministries | Sunday Morning Bible Study ~ 9:30am
Studying The Pilgrim's Progress Book Two: Christiana's Story. Ladies Morning Bible Study ~ Fridays at 9am
Twelve Extraordinary Women: How God Shaped Women of the Bible and What He Wants to Do with You by John MacArthur | Wednesday Morning Prayer Group ~ 10am
Participate in-person at the church or online via Zoom.
Zoom Personal Meeting ID: 6936117456
Password: prayer
* Meeting at the church next week. | LifeGroups
Designed to help adults grow as Christ followers.
▪ Bartholomew LifeGroup: Resumes in January
▪ Young LifeGroup: Sunday, 6pm
▪ Weimer LifeGroup: Tuesday, 10am
▪ Hileman LifeGroup: Resumes in February | | CGCC/CLC Children's Ministry | Collide Sunday ~ During Worship at 11am
* Nursery Care (Newborn-3 in Nursery)
* Collide Kids Jr. (Ages 3-6 in Sprouts Room)
* Collide Kids Church (Grades 1-4 in Activity Room) Collide Wednesday ~ Resumes in February
Collide Kids Jr. ~ Collide Kids ~ Collide Middle School ~ Senior High ~~~ | CLC Annual Members Meeting Tomorrow Friday, December 3, 6-8pm
Bring your favorite dish to share!
We'll enjoy a potluck meal at 6:00 with meeting to follow.
Voting on 2022 budget. | Christmas Giving Through the Heroes & Halos Angel Tree There are a few Angel tags left on the tree, ready for eager Christmas shoppers to take to the store to buy Christmas surprises for local children and families. (Please write your name on the sign up sheet, located on the table to the left of the tree, to show which tag you chose.) We can request more tags, if we run out before YOU get one! Just let us know you wanted a tag but there were no more. Gifts can be dropped off around the tree, during the week from 8:30am-2:30pm and on Sunday mornings. H&H board member Maryalice Surgenavic will be here on December 6 & 13 to provide drop off times in the afternoon and evening (11-6pm) for community members who cannot get here during the day. H&H volunteers will be here various days during December to organize and prepare. Then, on December 18, the Angel Tree families will come through our parking lot for a drive-thru pick up of gifts and food. Heroes and Halos is a non-profit organization that reaches out to the community and provides Awareness, Education, Assistance, and Outreach Programs regarding Individuals with Special Needs and Disabilities and their families. They are partnering with Various Churches, Schools, Businesses, Individuals and Organizations to provide Christmas Gifts to children with a developmental age of 18 years and younger. *Due to the increase in Angels on our tree and difficult times, this year, our Angel Tree bags may be made up of the following categories: (one of each) • Something they want
• Something they need
• Something to wear (can be a complete winter outfit)
• Something to read
• A gift of the givers choice
• Toiletries if the giver so desires Please prayerfully consider if this is a way you would like to celebrate this season of giving. Grab a friend or family member to have fun shopping with and give whatever you can. Every bit helps to bless a family and make their Christmas brighter. Please drop gifts off here by Sunday, December 12. Thank you! | Prayer For whom are you praying today?
How can we pray for you? We are here to pray with and for you, anytime! Prayer needs
sent by early Monday morning will be included in the weekly
Joys & Concerns email. We are also glad to send out prayer requests and praise reports anytime throughout the week! | Encouragement Thank you to Marcia Kreps for sharing and Darla Smith for writing these weekly bits of encouragement. "I pray you all had a blessed Thanksgiving Day and enjoyed each other’s company. I sure missed my family but enjoyed seeing great pictures on Facebook. Can try to stay connected that way because of the distance. Can you believe it is already December? Where has the year gone? Another year of memories, tears, happiness, love, sadness, sickness, and more. We have all had our share for sure. God has helped us all through our tough times and blessed us through our happy times. He is a good, good Father." "My Word for this week is “INVITE.” With the Christmas season upon us, we will get our share of “invites” to various functions. There may be a birthday “invite” or Christmas party “invite.” Even New Year’s Eve “invites." Every Sunday morning, I post an “invite” on my FB page inviting all to come to church. Do not forget to extend an “invite” to someone that is alone or to a single parent that has small children to help them with their shopping or help them with dinner. This is our prime season to shine with an “invite.” Do not forget to “invite” the Holy Spirit to guide us in all things. Before we start our day, “invite” Him to lead us. He flows through us to minister to others. He is our teacher, intercessor, comforter, counselor, encourager and SO MUCH MORE! He teaches us all things when we “invite” Him. The Holy Spirit helps us see others through Jesus’ eyes. We “invite” you in, Holy Spirit, to be our pilot in all things. We say yes! Have a blessed week! " The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them. The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, “Father.” Romans 8:14-15 (NCV) | December Worship ~ Online & In-Person Pastor Mike Hileman ~ Sundays at 11:00am. We're excited to welcome you to Worship, in church and online! ~~~ | Here We Come a Caroling Sunday, December 12, 2pm
The Deacons of CLC would like to invite everyone to join them in spreading some Christmas Cheer through song. If you would like to participate in a good old-fashioned time of caroling, mark your calendars now! Bundle up, bring your singing voice and your holiday spirit, and join in the holiday fun. Details will be shared about where to meet and our planned route when they are finalized. ~~~ | Christmas Eve Worship Friday, December 24, 3:30pm
Invite your family and friends to join us for this
candlelight service with special music. | www.goodnessgrows4all.org Our Mission Statement: To cultivate personal, social, and community growth through gardening, education, and opportunity for people of all abilities. ~~~ |  Jam Making | |  Perfect Time for Puzzles | News of the Week We are all back, rested and refreshed from Thanksgiving Break and feeling Chistmassy! We jumped right into jam production, getting ready for this weekend's two events. Board President Kitty Kromer will be at the Canfield High School Craft Show on Saturday from 10am-4pm. Then, on Sunday, she will be at the Holiday Flea in Youngstown from 11am-4pm. You can have a festive shopping weekend, pick up some Jungle Jam, Juicy Jam, and catnip toys for gift giving, find new, talented vendors, and shop local! This week wasn't just about jam. We've also been cleaning items out of the back greenhouses and moving them into the warehouse. We worked on puzzles, finished shelling popcorn, raked leaves, cleaned, and harvested catnip for our cat toys. Today we are making some Christmas ornaments to add to our trees. We love this time of the year and all the opportunities for fun and creativity. Next week is going to be a short week for GG. On Monday, GG will be closed, but the church office will still be open. On Tuesday, both GG and the church office will be closed. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. Normal schedule resumes on Wednesday. (Weimer LifeGroup members can enter through the brown door for your meeting.) | Ornament Making Fun We filled ornaments with all sorts of things...including glitter. Lots and lots and lots of glitter! Fun Fact: Pastor Mike is very much NOT a fan of glitter, which made everyone laugh. We also added ornaments to the H&H Angel Tree. Check out all the trees when you are here. | | GG To Be at Two Craft Shows This Weekend! | Jungle Jam & Juicy Jam Jungle Jam and Juicy Jam are available in several flavors at Reach for the STARS in Salem and in Columbiana at the Chamber of Commerce office. We are also glad to arrange a pick up at GG. Jungle Jam: Blueberry Jalapeno, Cranberry Jalapeno, Hot,
Peach Habanero, Pineapple Habanero, Dragon
Juicy Jam: Peach Lemonade, Cranberry Orange Homemade apple butter available here, $5 per jar.
When your jar is empty, please return the jar and the ring.
GG can put it to good use next year. Thanks! | | OUTREACH and MISSION OPPORTUNITIES | Goodness Grows The non-profit ministry of Common Ground Church Community, Goodness Grows is always busy on our property. GG works
with students and adults with disabilities, providing vocational habilitation training in a fun, hands-on way. The GG crew
maintains the grounds and cleans the building. If you would like to donate to our program, monetary donations as well as donations of regular mouth 8oz. canning jars, lids, rings, and white sugar are always needed and appreciated!
Thank you to all who were able to donate for GivingTuesday! Volunteers welcome! | Rock Kidz Uganda, Inc. To Advocate, Advise, Advance the ministries of
Divine Soccer in Masaka, Uganda for the benefit of
the children of the community. Sponsorships and donations can be made to:
Rock Kidz Uganda, Inc., 1814 E. 3rd St., Salem, OH 44460
or via Pay Pal at rockkidzuganda@gmail.com.
Learn more at: Rock Kidz Uganda and on: www.rockkidzuganda.org. Check out the Rock Kidz table in the Great Room.
Sponsors are needed to help children in Masaka.
Talk to Marilee about the upcoming Mission Trip. | Coat & Clothing (& More!) Giveaway 2022 Please remind your friends and family members that we accept clean, useable donations that could help others! Donate all year, 8:30am-2:30pm during the week and also on Sunday morning!
If someone is cleaning out items, making room for Christmas gifts,
we would love to take them for the Giveaway! | 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 | If you know of any interesting news or events,
please let us know, so that we can pass it on to others! ~~~ | Salem Christmas Parade TONIGHT, December 2, 6:30pm
Route - Salem High School to State Street to Second Street.
Time to Light Up Downtown Salem Ohio! With more than 40 groups in the parade, five bands including Salem, Leetonia, Lisbon, United, and Wellsville High Schools all expected to perform and the bearded man in the big red suit... the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce hopes to see many friends and family in downtown for this year’s event. Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the Salem News, Thursday will also include a Light Up Night at Salem City Hall on Broadway following the parade. Plus, the Encore Ensemble will entertain the crowd during the Light Up!!
Those attending the parade should be able to see best from the sidewalks along East State Street. For the sake of safety during the time of the event, there will be a "NO PARKING BAN" along East State Street in the area of the parade route with police starting to alert motorists with signs in the early afternoon.
Our friends at The Brightside Project will be helping kick-off the holiday season by being in the Christmas Parade! They're looking for volunteers to walk with them to pass out candy and snacks. | | Youngstown Light Up Night & Holiday Market | Friday, December 3, 4-8pm
Downtown Youngstown Square
The City of Youngstown, Youngstown CityScape, and Premier Bank are excited to present this year’s Light Up Night, Flea on Phelps, and Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, December 3rd, 2021.
Festivities begin at 4:00 pm with the Flea on Phelps powered by Platt Insurance. It's a special edition, outdoor night market on the city's newest pedestrian path along Phelps Street. There will be entertainment and music on the nearby Commerce Stage sponsored by Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC. All of this is paired with the City’s amazing, annual Tree Lighting (at approximately 6:15 pm). | Festival of Trees to Benefit Relay For Life Weekends through December 12
Fridays, 4-7pm / Saturdays, 11am-7pm / Sundays, 11am-5pm
Southern Park Mall
Festive trees and wreaths on display for the public to enjoy for free. You can also purchase a chance to win your favorite tree.
The last raffle ticket will be sold at 3pm on December 12 and then winners will be picked and notified. All proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society. For more information, contact Kelly at kelly.sobotka@cancer.org. | Christmas on the Farm ~ Baker's Golden Dairy Saturday, December 4, 10am-3pm
Enjoy coffee, milk, and cookies -- will be sampling our Christmas flavors in milk and ice cream too! We have made our first batch of BUTTER MILK! We will be giving out samples to take home! --While supplies last!
Baker's Golden Dairy is located at 46761 Carter Rd. in New Waterford. | Celebrate the Season at Stambaugh Auditorium Tuba Christmas on Sunday at 3:30pm: purchase tickets or stream live.
YSU Youth Orchestra on Monday at 7pm: purchase tickets. | | Fundraiser for Local Family ~ Next Friday | December 3 - International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 4 - World Wildlife Conservation Day
December 5 - Second Sunday of Advent
December 6 - St. Nicholas Day
December 7 - National Pearl Harbor Day of Remembrance
December 8 - Randy & Tracy Hartley
December 6-12 is National Influenza Vaccination Week *If we don't have your special days, please let us know!*
Email the secretary at commonground.secretary@gmail.com. | ON OUR CALENDAR December 2-8, 2021 . . .
Weekdays, 8:30am-2:30pm - GG at Work
Today, 5pm - Heroes & Halos Set Up
Friday, 9am - Ladies Bible Study
Friday, 5pm - Praise Team
Friday, 6-8pm - CLC Annual Membership Meeting & Potluck Dinner
Saturday, 10am-4pm - GG at Canfield High School Craft Show
Sunday, 9:30am - Bible Study
Sunday, 11am - In-Person & Online Worship, Communion, & Collide Sunday Ministries
Sunday, 11am-4pm - GG at the Holiday Flea
Sunday, 6pm - Young LifeGroup
Monday - GG Closed, Church Office Open
Monday, 11am-6pm - Heroes & Halos Late Drop-Off
Tuesday - Office & GG Closed
Tuesday, 10am - Weimer LifeGroup - Enter through brown door to Café area.
Wednesday, 10am - Prayer Group at Church | 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! Common Ground Church Community
Connecting Life Church
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. | |
