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!
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:
*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.
The December newsletters will be sent out later this week. Please take some time to read through them and check the church calendar. We have a lot of upcoming and ongoing events, and we don’t want you to miss out on anything.
Starting this coming Sunday, the 2025 offering envelopes will be available for pickup. Jill will be in the Elevation room before and after services for a few minutes. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
There are only three ROCKs left for the year. The ROCK will meet this week to celebrate Thanksgiving and have dinner. They will meet again on December 4 for a trip to Lights on the Lake, and on December 11, they will have their Christmas celebration. We need your help in providing gifts for all the kids for this special night. Envelopes are available on the board in the Elevation room. If you have any questions or need more information, please see Ashley. Additionally, if one of your New Year’s resolutions is to volunteer more, let Ashley know if you’d be interested in helping with the ROCK on Wednesdays!
The church office will be closed from Thursday, November 28, to Monday, December 2, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. All calls and messages received after 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 27, will be returned on December 3.
Reminders!
Join us this Sunday at 8:15 am or 10:45 am for our message titled “The Last Prophet: The Way is Prepared,” based on Malachi 3.
Join us for Sunday School, for children aged 4 and above, or coffee hour from 9:30 am to 10:30 am.
Tomorrow, Saturday, November 16, is our monthly Soup & Sandwich Luncheon. Everyone is welcome! The luncheon will be held from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm.
Our annual Church Conference will be held this Sunday at 4:00 pm. All church members are welcome to attend, with special emphasis on those serving on executive committees. The conference is expected to conclude within an hour.
We’re still collecting food items for our Thanksgiving giveaway. Right now, turkeys, turkey breasts, and pies are the most urgently needed items. If you have any questions, please see Pastor Brian.
Please continue submitting poinsettia orders and signing up for the church Christmas card this Sunday. The final deadline for both is Sunday, December 1. You can find all the necessary information on the round table in the sanctuary.
Advent begins on Sunday, December 1. Advent reading calendars are available on the round table and will also be included as the monthly reading in the December Newsletter.
For those interested in learning about this year’s Advent songs, we will be singing “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates” at 8:15 am and “Advent Hymn” by Christy Nockels at 10:45 am.
The church office will be closed from November 28 to December 2 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
It’s hard to believe that almost half of November is already here. We are entering a very busy season at the church. If there are any requests or assistance you need from any of us, please be patient and give us a bit more time to respond. Additionally, if you have any suggestions or contributions you’d like to include in the December newsletter, please submit them by noon tomorrow, November 13.
The poinsettia order form is linked below. Please ensure that all payments are received by December 1st. Kindly place cash or a check (made payable to 2nd Avenue GMC with “flower” in the memo) in an envelope and clearly label it as “Christmas Flowers.”
Church Christmas Card sign-ups are off to a fantastic start! You can sign up until Sunday, December 1st, at the round table. Your donation of $10 or more will ensure that your greeting is sent to the entire church via a digital video card. Paper copies will be mailed to those on the mailing list and will be available at the church. Additionally, we will display the card before the combined service on December 22.
NEW OFFERING: If you signed up for yearly envelopes for 2025, they will be available for pickup between services starting Sunday, November 24th. Please note that after receiving the December/January packet in the mail, no more envelopes will be mailed out.
The Iron Bridge Dinner Theatre will be performing “Steeple People” at the building from Thursday to Sunday, so the building will not be available in the afternoon and evenings during that time.
Services are now back at 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. We hope you can join us as we continue our series, “The Last Prophet,” with the message, “Faithful to the Covenant.”
The 2nd Avenue Kids pageant practice session will continue during the 10:45 service. The pageant will be held on Sunday, December 22, during a combined 10:00 a.m. service.
Sign up for our Church Christmas Card fundraiser, starting tomorrow, at the round table in the sanctuary. You can either select an image from our collection and cross it off (we’d like to use each image only once this year) or email your own picture to Jill. Once you’ve chosen your image, fill out the sign-up sheet and place your donation of $10 or more in the provided envelope. Then, place the envelope in the offering plate.
Tomorrow, you’ll also be able to collect your poinsettia order form. Each flower costs $11 and will be available for pickup on Christmas Eve. Please enclose your order form in an envelope along with cash or a check made payable to Second Ave GMC (with “flower” in the memo line).
The deadline for Christmas cards and flowers is Sunday, December 1st. (Regrettably, there are no exceptions to the due date.)
As a friendly reminder, the church office will be closed on Monday in observance of Veterans Day. We will resume operations on Tuesday at 8:00 a.m.
We hope you had a great time at our combined service yesterday. If you missed the in-person worship, you can catch the live-stream on YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s56xK5aZUoc
We’re entering one of the busiest church seasons, so please ensure you read your emails, bulletins, and newsletters to avoid missing out on important updates. If you haven’t registered for text reminders (you can also send us prayer requests, questions, and other inquiries by texting your name to 833-768-9112)
On Sunday, you can start signing up for the church Christmas card. Visit the round table for more information. Sign-ups will conclude on Sunday, December 1, so we have enough time to prepare the card.
The church office will be closed next Monday in observance of Veterans Day.
The Iron Bridge Dinner Theatre production of Steeple People will be held in our gym from Thursday, November 14, to Sunday, November 17. Starting Saturday, November 9, they will be having practices in the gym, so the area of the church will be off-limits until the play ends. We kindly request that everyone avoid entering the building during their performances (unless you’re attending the show). Please let Jill know if you have any questions.
Mark your calendars for the upcoming combined services on December 22 and 29, both scheduled for 10:00 a.m.
Today marks All Saints Day, a solemn occasion dedicated to celebrating and remembering those who have passed away in the past year. We will observe this day during our combined 10:00 a.m. service on Sunday. Following the service, a potluck luncheon will be held in the fellowship hall. As a friendly reminder that this weekend daylight savings time ends, please ensure that you turn your clocks back an hour before going to bed tomorrow night.
On Tuesday, November 5, elections will be held in the Narnia room, located within the glass entrance on 2nd Avenue. The office will be open during the voting period, but we kindly request that you refrain from entering that area of the building unless you intend to cast your vote.
As a reminder, we merely allow the county to use our space. We cannot disclose information about voting here or answer questions related to it. If you require any information on voting, please contact the Blair County Elections Office at 814-693-3150.
On Sunday, you will be able to collect your new church directory. Jill will be present in the Elevation room prior to the service (following Praise Band practice) and will remain there for a few minutes after the service concludes. If your photograph was not taken or you would like to obtain more than one copy, we have additional copies available for a donation of $5.
Our church conference will be held here on Sunday, November 17, at 4:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome, but only church members can vote to approve items in this year’s packet.
UPCOMING INFORMATION/EVENTS
2nd Avenue Global Methodist Church
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