We hope you can join us Sunday as we begin our Advent sermon series “Light Shines in the Darkness” with this week’s message “Joy Increases.” We will also celebrate Holy Communion at both 8:15 & 10:45 am. We will collect a special offering this Sunday for our Christmas Blessing Store, envelopes are available at the entryway for this offering. 

Sunday is the final day to order 2nd Ave GMC t-shirts as well as poinsettias for Christmas Eve, Order forms for both are on the round table

If you haven’t signed up to participate in the church Christmas card yet and would like to, please sign up by next Sunday, December 10. The video card will be shown prior to the pageant on December 17 and paper copies available here as well

Monday, December 11 we will host a Christmas music recital featuring music students from the music teachers we are blessed to have here at 2nd Ave! All are welcome at 5:30 pm! Free admission, refreshments will be served

Wednesday, December 20 at 7:00 pm, We will be blessed to have the 3 Heath Brothers back here at 2nd Ave. They will bring their Christmas Concert here to help you kick off your Christmas! Tickets must be purchased ahead of time via their website. If you need help with this, please let Jill know.

Please keep in mind, church office hours are Monday – Thursday 8:00 AM – 2:00 pm. Jill is also here on Sundays from about 7:30 am until noon for any of your in person office needs. We are generally closed if the AASD is closed for a holiday or due to weather.

Important Service Reminders!

Next Sunday, December 10 we will have regular service times 8:15/10:45.

Sunday, December 17 one service at 10:00 am for the 2nd Ave Kids pageant (no Sunday school or staffed nursery)

Sunday, December 24 one AM service at 9:30 am (no Sunday school or staffed nursery), 4:30 pm traditional (organ), 7:00 pm contemporary (praise band) There will be candle lighting at both PM services

Sunday, December 31 one service at 9:30 am (no Sunday school or staffed nursery)

The church office will close at 2 PM on Thursday, December 21 and be closed until Tuesday, January 2. We will check messages a few times throughout this closure and return them as needed if urgent. All other messages will be returned in the new year. 

Please know, none of the staff here at 2nd Ave or Pastor Brian, would ever be reaching out to you to purchase gift cards and giving them numbers, give banking information or anything financial being emailed back and forth. (This is also a good rule of thumb for anyone you know sending you an email asking you to do any of those things) Please don’t respond to the email. You can call the church office and let us know, and we suggest you block the sender as well. Scammers are getting very good at making it look like these emails are coming from someone you know. 

**Our online giving is a safe and secure website and has nothing to do with this** 

Anything we would ever ask of you for donating to a cause, etc., would be done with instruction on how to donate here at the church, never giving anything financial via email.

If you have any questions, please contact the church office.

Women’s Bible Study is back this week on Thursday at 6:30 pm in the Narnia Room (inside the elevator entrance).

Sunday is the last day for the 2nd Ave GMC t-shirt orders. We currently do not have enough orders to get shirts made, so if you would like to order, please do so between now and Sunday. We will refund to those who have placed orders if we cannot get them made. If you need an order form, let us know.

Sunday is also the very last day to order poinsettias for Christmas Eve pickup. The flowers are used to decorate the front of the church for the Christmas Eve services.

The 3 Heath Brothers are holding a Christmas concert here at 2nd Ave on Wednesday, December 20. The concert will begin at 7:00 pm, doors open at 6:30 pm. Tickets are available on their website. https://3heathbrothers.com

The Church Christmas card sign ups are going strong! If you’d like to send your Christmas greeting to your 2nd Ave family and friends in a video card (also available in print version for those without internet), sign up by December 10 on the round table!

Service Reminder Times:

December 3 – 8:15 & 10:45 am

December 10 – 8:15 & 10:45 am

December 17 – 10:00 am Pageant day

December 24 – 9:30 am, 4:30 pm, 7:00 pm

December 31 – 9:30 am

We had a wonderful combined service yesterday and a great time of fellowship afterwards. The service is available now to watch on YouTube, and the sermon will be on Spotify later this morning.

If you missed the church wide meeting and would like a copy of the reports presented, please let Jill know and she can email that out to you. 

Thanksgiving Meals will be packed up tomorrow (Tuesday, November 21), thanks to everyone who donated towards that. If you’d like to help pack the meals, please be here at 9:30 am.

There is no ROCK this week; they will be back on Wednesday, November 29.

There are a few weeks left to order your Christmas poinsettia and sign up for the church Christmas card! Please let Jill know if you need an order form emailed to you or the card sign up emailed to you.

2nd Ave GMC t-shirt orders are being taken now! They are due with payment by December 3. There are several options available. Contact Ashley with any questions.

Food Pantry will be held this Friday. If you are able to help, please arrive around 9:45 to the Narnia Room.

OFFICE HOURS: This week we are open Monday – Wednesday 8:00 am – 2:00 pm, we will be closed Thursday and remain closed until Tuesday, November 28.

Join us Sunday, one combined service at 10:00 am, for our message “The Greatest Teacher: Do You Want To Be Made Well?” John 5:1-5

There will not be Sunday school. The nursery will be staffed and there will be pageant practice as well.

We also invite and encourage you to stay and attend the luncheon and the all church meeting immediately following the service.

Today is our monthly luncheon from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm, the Hope Chest will also be open.

Advent devotionals are available in the sanctuary on the round table.

Poinsettia orders are being taken now and are due no later than Sunday, December 3. Flowers will be available for you to take on Christmas Eve.

Church Christmas Card sign ups are going on now! Visit the round table to send your greetings to your 2nd Ave family and friends.

2nd Ave GMC T-shirt order forms are available beginning on Sunday! Forms will also go out with the newsletter next week. There are t-shirts, long sleeve t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts available.  Contact Ashley with any questions.

The office will be open Monday – Wednesday next week and then be closed until Tuesday, November 28. Messages after Wednesday will be returned the 28. 

The counters are in need of adding some volunteers to the rotation. Volunteers need to be church members and be available on Monday mornings. Right now the counters are scheduled 1 month at a time, every three months. Please let us know if you’d like to help out.

Hand Bell Choir is meeting on Sunday evenings at 7:30 PM. All are welcome, no experience necessary. Reach out to Riann Edson with any questions.

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday November 14 will be the Trustee meeting at 6:00 pm and the Church Council meeting at 7:00 pm. 

Thursday at 6:30 pm, Jenn Murphy will begin a ladies Bible study here at the church, all adult women are welcome. If you have any questions, please let Jill know and she can give you her phone number.

REMINDER: Sunday, November 19 we will have one combined service at 10:00 am followed by a potluck lunch and All Church Meeting. If you are interested in helping to decorate for Christmas and Advent, please plan to stay after the meeting. 

To clarify the email sent out on Saturday about Safe Sanctuaries, Clearances and Ministry Safe, these are all part of the process used to keep kids safe here at 2nd Ave GMC. Nothing has changed at all. We have always followed these guidelines and safety procedures. The email was just a reminder of the procedures we take to keep all children safe. 

Join us Sunday as we continue the series “The Greatest Teacher” with this week’s message The Cornerstone of the Gospel. The sermon scripture will be Matthew 5:3,6,9

Sunday Services are at 8:15 and 10:45 am, Sunday school for ages 4 – Adult is held from 9:30 – 10:30 am. Between services join us for a cup of coffee and a bite to eat in the newly renovated Gathering Place!

Next Sunday, November 19, we will have one combined service at 10:00 am, followed by a luncheon and All Church Meeting. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Jenn Murphy is beginning a ladies small group on Thursday, November 16 at 6:30 PM. “When Making Others Happy is Making You Miserable” During our time we will explore ways to navigate the tension between following GOD and loving those around us, discover ways we can live out our priorities with so many competing demands, and cultivate a a strategy to help to know when to say yes and when to say no without guilt. Any questions please call or text Jennifer Murphy. Please contact the church office if you need Jennifer’s contact information.

The church office will be closed Thursday, November 23 through Monday, November 27 for Thanksgiving break. We will return any emails and calls from this time on Tuesday, November 28.

Reminders:

• The Church Christmas Card sign ups begin this Sunday. For a $10 or more donation your greeting can be included in a video greeting card (printed copies available) that will be sent out to your whole church family.  Visit the round table for card options!
• Poinsettia orders are due with payment no later than Sunday, December 3. Order forms can be picked up on Sundays or during office hours.
• The ROCK Christmas board is filled with envelopes once again. Thank you to everyone who donated last week. The ROCK provides a gift for each child who attends and it’s not possible to do this without your help!
• Our Hope Chest is fully stocked with fall & winter children’s clothing; if you are in need or know anyone who is, please call the church office to set up an appointment. 
• Our Thanksgiving Meal giveaway will be held Tuesday, November 21. If you’d like to donate food items, please place them on the table in the Elevation Room. 

Our annual Church Christmas Card fundraiser begins this coming Sunday. For a $10+ donation (100% of which goes toward our selected charity, more information below) you can select an image (or use one of you own, emailed to Jill in the office) from the sheets on the round table in the sanctuary, fill out the sign up form with your greeting, etc. and place you donation in the Christmas Card envelope & place it in the offering plate, and we will compile all the greeting into a video greeting card to be shown here at 2nd Ave and emailed out (there will be printed copies available for folks who do not have the internet). It’s a perfect way to send your Christmas greetings to your 2nd Ave family and support a good cause.

This year we will be supporting the Crossroads Pregnancy Center by supplying them with diapers, wipes and other needed items for newborns. All money collected for the card will be used to purchase needed items and dropped off before Christmas to them. 

All sign ups and donations need turned in no later than Sunday, December 10. Please see Jill if you have any questions.

A reminder that Sunday, November 19 (not this coming Sunday. There was a slight miscommunication at the 10:45 service yesterday) is a combined service at 10:00 am. We will then have a church potluck and meeting. All are welcome and encouraged to stay. Please sign up on the round table in the sanctuary.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 7 is Election Day in the Narnia Room. Please do not use the glass elevator entrance unless you are coming here to vote. The church office is open 8:00 am – 2:00 pm, please use the 2nd Street door.

The Trustees and Church Council will meet next Tuesday, November 14 at 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm. 

The November Soup and Sandwich Luncheon will be Saturday, November 18 from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. Our Hope Chest will also be open during this time.

The Thanksgiving Meal giveaway will be Tuesday, November 21. If your family is in need, please contact Pastor Brian. We are currently taking donations for meal items. They can be donated on Sundays or during office hours.

The church office will be closed Thursday, November 23 through Monday, November 27. Regular office hours will resume Tuesday.

This coming Sunday, we will begin Church Christmas Card sign ups. For those who do not know, we compile Christmas Greetings from anyone who would like to participate (there will be a sign up on the round table); for a $10 or more donation, we will then include your greeting into large compiled video card (and printed card) which will be shown before the combined service on Dec. 17th.  All donations this year will be going to purchase needed items for Crossroads Pregnancy Center. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Our counters are in need of some more volunteers to count the offering on Monday mornings. In general, counters are assigned one month at a time, every three months. (If we get more volunteers, it could be one month every four months). Please let us know if you are interested. (You must be a church member)

Join us Sunday as we continue our series “The Greatest Teacher” with this week’s message “The Rooftop.” We will celebrate Holy Communion and honor and remember those who have gone on before us this All Saints Sunday.  Services at 8:15/10:45 am.

This Sunday we begin accepting donations for the ROCK Christmas presents. With your help, we hope to provide gifts for 70 children! They will receive a cozy blanket, beanie hat and ornament with the ROCK logo. Envelopes are on the board near the Gathering Place. Please make any checks payable to The ROCK.

Next Sunday, November 12, we will begin sign ups for the Church Christmas card. You will have approximately 3 weeks to sign up to participate. More information will be available next week! 

The 3 Heath Brothers will return for a Christmas concert on Wednesday, December 20. Tickets need to be purchased from their website and are required for this concert.  The concert begins at 7:00 pm, doors open at 6:30 pm.

Ticket link:
https://aftontickets.com/event/buyticket/k3xdyrmxw0/the-not-so-silent-night-tour

Our annual Thanksgiving Meal Giveaway will take place later this month; we are looking for donations of all things for a Thanksgiving dinner. There will be a table in the Elevation Room for your donations of non-perishable items for this giveaway. If you’d like to donate a turkey (turkey breasts are also great for this giveaway), please place them in the freezer marked for the Thanksgiving giveaway.  Please let us know if you have any questions.