This Sunday is our 2nd Ave Kids pageant, “Jingle Bell Beach.”. The church Christmas card will be showcased at 9:55 a.m., followed by the service and the pageant, which commences promptly at 10:00 a.m. Please note that the pageant cannot be streamed, so the live stream will commence immediately after the pageant concludes. 

The church office is open on Monday, but we will be in and out throughout the morning. Please call ahead if you plan to visit to determine if we are available.

Sunday is the last day to bring in Christmas cards for others at 2nd Avenue. Please place them in the red and black plaid box, and we’ll distribute them. Also, please check for cards for yourself and your family, as they’ll only be available until December 29th. Unfortunately, we can’t mail or store the cards, so they’ll be discarded after that date.

Christmas Eve services will be held at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Our 4:30 p.m. service is typically the more attended service, so please ensure that you arrive in ample time to secure a parking space and enter the church for the service. Both services will feature candle lighting, and both will be streamed online.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 17^th, marks our annual Christmas Giveaway day. We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who participated in our church Christmas card campaign. Your contributions have made it possible to provide these gifts. If you’re interested in assisting with the giveaway tomorrow, please don’t hesitate to contact Pastor Brian.

The 3 Heath Brothers will perform their Christmas concert on Wednesday, December 18^th. Tickets are still available (and must be pre-purchased) on their website, 3heathbrothers.com. Children under the age of 12 are free to attend, but they still need a ticket, which is also available on their website.

Our Soup & Sandwich Luncheon will be held on Saturday, December 21^st. Everyone is welcome to join us for this delightful meal. The lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and you can choose to dine in or take out your food.

The January newsletter and Christmas card will be mailed to those who requested them by the end of this week. We will display the church Christmas card before our 10:00 a.m. service this coming Sunday, December 22^nd, which will begin at 9:55 a.m. Please arrive early! Paper copies of the newsletter and card will also be available at the church on Sunday.

Please remember that the next two Sundays, we will only have one service at 10:00 a.m. This Sunday, December 22^nd, will be our second annual 2nd Avenue Kid Christmas Pageant.

If you would like to contribute Christmas cards for those who attend church at 2nd Avenue, you may do so until December 22^nd. Cards will be available until December 29^th. Kindly place the cards you bring in in the box located near the card tables. We will then alphabetize the cards and distribute them.

Please ensure that you check for any cards that you or your family may have cards left over after the 29^th will be discarded.

This Sunday, we’ll light the third Advent candle and hear the message “Courage of the Father” from our sermon series, “Coming Onto The Scene.” Services will be held at 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. this week.

Thanks to your generous donations, we’ve raised over $500 to provide gifts to families in need. Our gift giveaway will be held this coming Tuesday. If you’d like to donate new items for the giveaway, please bring them in on Sunday or Monday during office hours.

Don’t forget to check the card table for any Christmas cards you or your family may have. You can bring them in until December 22^nd and place them in the box marked “card exchange.” We’ll distribute them on December 22^nd.

On Wednesday, December 18^th, the 3 Heath Brothers will perform their Christmas concert, “Not So Silent Night.” The concert begins at 7:00 p.m., and tickets must be purchased in advance through their website, www.3heathbrothers.com.

Our December Soup & Sandwich Luncheon will be held on Saturday, December 21^st, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome!

On Sunday, December 22^nd, we’ll host the annual 2nd Avenue Kids Christmas Pageant. Church will start at 10:00 a.m., so please plan to arrive early. Our church Christmas card video will be shown around 9:55 a.m. Unfortunately, Sunday School, Jr. Church, and the staffed nursery will not be available this day. If you’d like to bring Christmas cookies for everyone to enjoy, please arrive by 9:30 a.m. and place them in the Gathering Place.

On Sunday, December 29^th, we’ll have one service at 10:00 a.m.

Jill be very busy throughout the building next week, please call ahead if you plan to stop by so Jill can buzz you in. (Otherwise, Jill may not hear the buzzer and you might stand at the door for a few minutes.)

Ashley and Jill will be shopping for our Christmas giveaway tomorrow (Tuesday, December 10). Please call ahead if you plan to stop by, as we’ll be gone from 9:30 a.m. until we’re finished. Thanks to everyone participating in the church Christmas card, we’ll be able to provide some fantastic gifts for several families this Christmas!

Next Wednesday, we’ll be hosting the 3 Heath Brothers for their Christmas concert, titled “Not So Silent Night.” Tickets are available on their website but must be purchased in advance. Children aged 12 and below are free to attend with an adult (they also require a separate ticket, which can be added to your purchase). For more information or to purchase tickets, visit 3heathbrothers.com.

Don’t forget that you can bring in Christmas cards for attendees of 2nd Avenue (we won’t be mailing any cards) until December 22^nd. We’ll distribute the cards between December 15^th and 29^th.

Our church Christmas card will be displayed before our combined service on December 22^nd. It’s approximately 5 minutes long, so please arrive early. The card will then be emailed out the following day. Additionally, physical copies of the card will be mailed to those who requested paper copies of our newsletter, while a few will be printed on the round table.

The ROCK will be celebrating Christmas this week. We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to providing the children with some wonderful gifts! Keep an eye out for pictures on Facebook and the ROCK board in the Elevation Room! 

Tomorrow is Parade Day! Please note that Division 2 participants will meet at the AASD parking lot closer to 15^th Street.

The parade starts at 1:00 p.m. at the corner of 17^th St/9^th Ave and ends at 16^th St (by 12^th and 11^th Ave).

Join us Sunday to continue our Advent journey by lighting the second candle and hearing the message “Coming Onto The Scene: Time to Emerge.”

Beginning this Sunday, please bring in Christmas cards for others who attend 2nd Ave (we will not be shipping any cards) and drop them in the box in the Elevation Room (it is wrapped in red/black plaid paper). We will alphabetize cards by the recipient’s last name, and you can start looking for cards for yourself/your family on December 12^th. Cards will be available until December 29^th and then disposed of.

The Altoona Community Band will play a free show here on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome!

Ashley and I will be out shopping for Christmas presents for the giveaway on Tuesday, December 10^th, so the office will be closed during regular hours. We raised more than $350 thanks to your generous donations through the Church Christmas Card! If you want to stop by today, please contact ahead because we don’t know when we’ll be leaving or returning.

Attend a complimentary musical performance this Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

The Altoona Community Band will present the festive sounds of the season here at Second Avenue GMC. Please extend an invitation to your friends and family for an afternoon of delightful musical entertainment.

A charitable contribution will be made and distributed equally between the band and the 2nd Avenue Christmas giveaway.

 

Next Wednesday is the ROCK Christmas celebration. There is still time to donate to help cover the cost of the children’s presents. They are still a few hundred bucks short of their objective. If you have any questions, contact Ashley at ashleymiller1228@gmail.com.

We are missing several envelopes/donations for sign-ups from the church Christmas card. Please get your payment in as soon as possible (please mark it in an envelope on the outside “church Christmas card” so the counters don’t mix it with an offering). Ashley and I will go out early next week to buy presents using the money we received through card donations.

This Saturday is the downtown Altoona Christmas parade; come out and wave to our 2nd Ave Float! The parade starts at 2:00 p.m.

Reminders!

• This month, we will have two combined services: December 22 and December 29, both at 10:00 a.m.
• On Sunday, December 8, the Altoona Community Band will perform a holiday concert. Free and open to the public!
• The three Heath Brothers will be visiting for their “Not So Silent Night” tour on Wednesday, December 18, at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are necessary and must be acquired ahead of time via their website. Kids 12 and under are free, however a ticket is required, which may be obtained through their website.
• Christmas Eve services. 4:30 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
• This year, all Christmas offerings (in Christmas envelopes) will benefit Illuminations (a Bible translation group). To avoid confusion, please do not use these envelopes for anything else.
• The church office will be closed December 24 through January 1. Staff will likewise be off at this period (except for services). Please contact Pastor Brian personally for pastoral crises only.

We are thrilled to host a Family Fun Night on New Year’s Eve here at 2nd Ave! All ages are welcome to an early New Year’s celebration on Tuesday, December 31, from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

For the month of December, our services will be as follows:

• Services will be held on December 1 at 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.
• On December 8, services will be held at 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. The Altoona Community Band will perform at 3:00 p.m.
• Services will be held on December 15 at 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.
• The combined service will be held on December 22 at 10:00 a.m. and will feature the 2nd Avenue Kids’ pageant..
• Christmas Eve Services will be held on December 24 at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Both Christmas Eve services will feature candle light.
• On December 29, there will be a combined service at 10:00 a.m.

*Reminders*

Next Sunday, December 1, marks the final deadline to sign up for the Church Christmas card or order poinsettias for Christmas Eve. Please note that all payments are due at the time of registration.

The church office will be closed from noon on Wednesday until Tuesday, December 3. If you have a pastoral emergency, please contact Pastor Brian directly. Otherwise, phone messages and emails will be returned on December 3.

This coming Tuesday (tomorrow), we’ll be hosting a Thanksgiving meal giveaway. Additionally, we’ll be decorating for Advent and Christmas. For more information, please contact Pastor Brian.

The ROCK Christmas will be held on Wednesday, December 11. The ROCK is still seeking approximately $400 to complete their goal of raising sufficient funds to cover the cost of gifts for all the children who will attend. Please contact Ashley for further details.

Join us this Sunday as we conclude the sermon series titled “The Last Prophet.” This week’s message, titled “Last Words,” will be delivered based on Malachi 4. Services will commence at 8:15 a.m., followed by a 10:45 a.m. service. Sunday School and coffee hour will be held simultaneously from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

The church office will close at noon on Wednesday and be closed through Monday, December 2 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Please make sure to contact us with any needs prior to Wednesday at noon, or direct pastoral emergencies only to Pastor Brian after this time. 

The Christmas parade will take place in Downtown Altoona on Saturday, December 7. The 2nd Avenue float is in need of bulk, individually wrapped candy to be tossed to the children in the crowd. Donations can be dropped off on Sundays or during office hours.

On Sunday, December 8, we will be delighted to host the Altoona Community Band at 3:00 p.m. for a festive holiday concert. The concert is free of charge, and we will be collecting a free-will offering, which will be generously donated to the band. We warmly invite everyone to join us for this wonderful event.

This Sunday and next Sunday are the last chances to sign up for the church Christmas card and order a poinsettia for Christmas Eve. Both submissions must be accompanied by payment by December 1, as we will no longer accept any after that date.

**Winter Weather Reminder**

As it appears we might finally experience some winter weather, I’d like to remind you that during the week, the church adheres to the AASD schedule changes, which may result in delays, cancellations, or virtual days due to adverse weather conditions. On Sundays, if the weather is severe, Pastor Brian will contact our executive committee members via phone. Please prioritize your safety and the safety of your family at all times. We will also announce any changes on Facebook, send emails, and text messages. This is another excellent reason to sign up for our email or text alerts.