ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
JUST A REMINDER: North Kent Presbyterian Church will host its 22nd Annual Christmas Cookie Walk Saturday morning, December 16, 2017 from 9:00 to 11:00 am. Still only $7.00/box or 3 boxes/$20.00…Public VERY welcome! Choose your own selection from more than 25 varieties of delicious homemade Christmas cookies. Come early for a great selection! Cookies make great gifts for neighbors, teachers, mail carriers, and friends, too! Our church cook book will also be available for sale. This is the major fund raiser for the Presbyterian Women this year!

 
FLOWER CHART.  The flower chart for 2018 has been posted on the narthex hall wall.  Save your dates now for the coming year before they are all taken!!!!!
 
ADULT DISCUSSION GROUP AND SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES.  These groups will not meet on Sunday, December 24. 

JOY BIBLE STUDY Please note that the Joy Bible Study will meet on Tuesday, December 19th, but not Tuesday December 26th or January 2nd.
 
VACATION Pastor Karen will be on vacation December 26th - January 1st.  She will be back in the office on January 2nd.  Pastor Karen thanks you for this time with her family. 
 
CHANCEL CHOIR and HAND BELL CHOIRS will not have rehearsal December 28th or January 4th.  Rehearsals resume Sunday morning, January 7th!Thank you for your gift of beautiful music this season!
 
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS PARTY!  You are invited to join us for a party on December 24th right after the Christmas Eve service at approximately 8 pm.  Bring your joyful Christmas spirit and some appetizers to share and enjoy the hot cider and super fellowship with your North Kent Presbyterian Church family!  Happy Christmas!
 
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE who helped with the Cookie Walk and the delivery of the Santa Claus Girls presents on Saturday 12/16! You have spread the love and joy of Christmas far and wide this season!
 
MISSION UPDATE
·         21 Care Bags have been delivered to D. A. Blodgett. They were very happy to see them. Thank you for all your help with that project. We will definitely do this again, but not at Christmas next time!
·         A check totaling $520 for Bucks for Birds has been delivered to North Kent Connect. As always this comes in very handy during the Holiday Season. 
·         The clothing from the Winter Apparel Tree has been delivered to NKC. Watch for the tally of items at a later date. Now, it’s time to refill the tree with gently used items.  Those items will be delivered January 8, 2018.
·         A comforting Christmas surprise awaits a ten year girl named Molly who will be spending the holidays in foster care through D.A. Blodgett. Thanks to the generosity of this church, we were able to purchase everything on her Christmas wish list, including a cozy comforter and sheets.
·         This year, as we do every year, our thoughts turn to those members of our clergy who are retired or in need. Please read the inserts in this month’s bulletins and give generously to the Christmas Joy Offering. 
·         Looking ahead to the New Year, the Youth Crew will be doing their own mission work raising funds and canned soups for the Souper Bowl of Caring February 4th and the World Vision 30 Hour Famine. Keep your eyes open for news from our youth. 
 
This Week of December 17, 2017 through December 24, 2017

Sunday December 17, 2017
  9:30 am:  Discussion Group
  9:45 am:  Tween Sunday School
10:00 am:  Choir Rehearsal
10:45 am:  Worship Service​

Monday December 18, 2017
10:30 am:  Moms & Munchkins (Free Play Group)
  7:00 pm:  Boy Scouts
  7:00 pm:  Session

Tuesday December 19, 2017
  7:30 am:  Men’s Breakfast (Mr. Burger, 5181 Northland Dr.)
  1:15 pm:  Bible Study
  7:00 pm:  Women’s AA
 
Wednesday December 20, 2017
  8:00 am:  Women’s Breakfast (Russ's 3966 Plainfield Ave. NE)
  7:00 pm:  AA

Thursday December 21, 2017
  6:30 pm:  Bell Choir Rehearsal
  7:30 pm:  Choir Rehearsal

Friday December 22, 2017
 9:00 am:  Morning AA
 
Saturday December 23, 2017 

Next Sunday December 24, 2017   
10:00 am:  Choir Rehearsal
10:45 am:  Worship Service 
  6:15 pm:  Choir Rehearsal
  7:00 pm:  Christmas Eve Service
  8:00 pm:  Community Christmas Party

Announcements
 
MISSION UPDATES:
​ Bucks-for-Birds! This money buys holiday food baskets for the clients of North Kent Connect.  Please write a check and put it in an envelope marked "Bucks for Birds" by December 10th!
​
The Winter Apparel Tree is in the Narthex. These warm pajamas, undies, socks, hats, mittens, coats, etc. are always warmly received by the folks at North Kent Connect.  Please put these items on or under the tree.

WHAT IS BUCKS FOR BIRDS??  Once upon a time, we at NKPC brought frozen turkeys to church and piled them up front during a service near Thanksgiving. It was fun and a visual way to contribute to holiday baskets.  After services, they were delivered to what was then North Kent Community Services Center. Well, times do change. NKCSC is now called North Kent Connect. They still need turkeys and fixin’s for the holiday season.

BUT!!!  They can buy turkeys cheaper than we can. SO they have asked us to donate the money we would have spent on turkeys to pile up front at NKPC before delivery. To participate –you are asked to put cash or check in an envelope clearly marked Bucks for Birds and drop it in the offering plate any time between now and December 10. It will be recorded as your donation to our church, and will be forwarded to North Kent Connect for their Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets. Not as visual as a pile of turkeys, but we’ll actually be helping more people. 
 
SANTA CLAUS GIRLS! December 15th and December 16th, the Youth Crew will be organizing our Santa Claus Girls gift delivery.  Please contact the church office if you can help.
 
THE COOKIE WALK IS COMING! Saturday, DECEMBER 16th!
Volunteers are needed for baking cookies and sale set up.  Sign-up sheets are posted in the narthex, please indicate how you can help with this event. This is an event that is a lot of fun and also a super way to connect with our neighbors over delicious cookies!  Come and get involved in the fun!  Free sprinkles.
 
NURSERY VOLUNTEERS! The best way to encourage more children to come to church is to have people involved in caring for those children.   More volunteers are needed to fill out the 2018 nursery schedule!  Please contact the church office if are willing to help.  There are babies that need you to rock them to sleep!
 
Wednesday, December 13th at 7 pm, our congregation is invited to participate in a Blue Christmas service in Klise Chapel at East Congregational United Church of Christ at 1005 Giddings SE Grand Rapids. This time will mark the losses we experience in life and call us to quiet with prayer, song, and the lighting of candles of remembrance. 
 
Men’s Fellowship at 8:30 AM on Saturday December 9.   We have invited Jay Stone, a retired Kent County Assistant Prosecutor, to speak to the group and answer questions. 




Week of December 10, 2017

Sunday December 10, 2017
  9:30 am:  Discussion Group
  9:45 am:  Tween Sunday School
10:00 am:  Choir Rehearsal
10:00 am: Worship Service
 
Monday December 11, 2017
10:30 am:  Moms and Munchkins (free play group)
  7:00 pm:  Boy Scouts
  7:00 pm:  Facilities and Stewardship
 
Tuesday December 12, 2017
  7:30 am:  Men’s Breakfast (Mr. Burger, 5181 Northland Dr.)
  1:15 pm:  Bible Study
  7:00 pm:  Women’s AA

Wednesday December 13, 2017
8:00 am:  (Women’s Breakfast, Russ’s, 3966 Plainfield NE )
7:00. pm:  AA
 
Thursday December 14, 2017
6:30 pm:  Bell Choir Rehearsal
7:30 pm:  Choir Rehearsal

Friday December 15, 2017
 9:00 am:  Morning AA
 9:00 am:  Unload Santa Clause Girls presents 
 6:00 pm: Cookie Walk set up

Saturday December 16, 2017
 8:30 am:  Santa Clause Girls gift delivery
 9:00 am:  Cookie Walk

Next Sunday December 17, 2017
  9:30 am:  Discussion Group
  9:45 am:  Tween Sunday School
10:00 am:  Choir Rehearsal
​10:45 am:  Worship Service

 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
FLOWERS SUNDAY are in thanks for a lifetime of friends.
 
NO CHILDRENS SUNDAY SCHOOL. SUNDAY there will be no Sunday School during the service to allow the children to participate in the Communion Service.
 
MISSION UPDATES:

• Bucks-for-Birds! This money buys holiday food baskets for the clients of North Kent Connect.  Please write a check and put it in an envelope marked "Bucks for Birds" by December 10th!
• The Winter Apparel Tree is in the Narthex. These warm pajamas, undies, socks, hats, mittens, coats, etc. are always warmly received by the folks at North Kent Connect.  Please put these items on or under the tree.

WHAT IS BUCKS FOR BIRDS??  Once upon a time, we at NKPC brought frozen turkeys to church and piled them up front during a service near Thanksgiving. It was fun and a visual way to contribute to holiday baskets. After services, they were delivered to what was then North Kent Community Services Center. Well, times do change. NKCSC is now called North Kent Connect. They still need turkeys and fixin’s for the holiday season. 
 
BUT!!!  they can buy turkeys cheaper than we can. SO they have asked us to donate the money we would have spent on turkeys to pile up front at NKPC before delivery. To participate –you are asked to put cash or check in an envelope clearly marked Bucks for Birds and drop it in the offering plate any time between now and December 10. It will be recorded as your donation to our church, and will be forwarded to North Kent Connect for their Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets. Not as visual as a pile of turkeys, but we’ll actually be helping more people. 
 
Bucks for Birds is one of our annual mission projects. Your mission committee presents lots of different opportunities for giving, hoping one or more will appeal to your generosity.
 
MAKE FRIENDS AND BE INVOLVED Every committee at NKPC is looking for new faces with new ideas to be part of the action.  What are you interested in helping with?  What are you called to make a reality?  Talk to Pastor Karen about your interests.
 
MEIJER SIMPLY GIVE! To help fill The Market (food pantry) at North Kent Connect with fresh produce, meats, and dairy products, please purchase a Meijer Simply Give card at the Rockford Meijer on Friday and Saturday, December 8 & 9. Meijer will double match every customer’s donation. This means that for every $10 donation card purchased, Meijer will give $20 to the program, resulting in a $30 donation for North Kent Connect.
 
SANTA CLAUS GIRLS! December 15th and December 16th, the Youth Crew will be organizing our Santa Claus Girls gift delivery.  Please let the office manager know if you can drive and help deliver presents on Saturday 12/16 at 9 am. 
 
THE COOKIE WALK IS COMING! Saturday, DECEMBER 16th!
Volunteers are needed for baking cookies and sale set up.  Sign-up sheets are posted in the narthex, please indicate how you can help with this event. This is an event that is a lot of fun and also a super way to connect with our neighbors over delicious cookies!  Come and get involved in the fun!  Free sprinkles.
 
NURSERY VOLUNTEERS! The best way to encourage more children to come to church is to have people involved in caring for those children.   More volunteers are needed to fill out the 2018 nursery schedule!  Please contact the church office if are willing to help.  There are babies that need you to rock them to sleep!
 
USDA FOOD COMMODITIES DISTRIBUTION is Thursday, 12/7 from 9 am - 1 pm at River Grove Retirement Community, 5761 Jupiter Ave. For questions, call Dave or Ruth Ann Kommer at 866-0213. Spread the word to those who may need this help this season.
 
Wednesday, December 13th at 7 pm, our congregation is invited to participate in a Blue Christmas service   in Klise Chapel at East Congregational United Church of Christ at 1005 Giddings SE Grand Rapids. This time will mark the losses we experience in life and call us to quiet with prayer, song, and the lighting of candles of remembrance

  
This Week of December 03, 2017 through December 10, 2017

Sunday December 3, 2017
 9:30 am:  Discussion Group
  9:45 am:  Tween Sunday School
10:00 am:  Choir Rehearsal
10:45 am:  Worship Service
12:00 pm:  Lunch & Christmas Decoration Party
 
Monday December 4, 2107
10:30 am: Moms and Munchkins (free play group)    
 7:00 pm:  Boy Scouts

Tuesday December 5, 2017
 7:30 am:  Men’s Breakfast (Mr. Burger, 5181 Northland Dr.) 
 1:15 pm:  Bible Study
 7:00 pm:  Women’s AA 

Wednesday December 6, 2017
 8:00 am:  Women’s Breakfast (Russ's 3966 Plainfield Ave. NE)
 7:00 pm:  AA
 
Thursday December 7, 2017
 6:30 pm:  Bell Choir Rehearsal
 7:30 pm:  Choir Rehearsal

Friday December 8, 2017
 9:00 am: Morning AA 
 
Saturday December 9, 2017
 8:30 am:  Men’s Fellowship

Next Sunday December 10, 2017
  9:30 am:  Discussion Group
  9:45 am:  Tween Sunday School 
10:00 am:  Choir Rehearsal
10:45 am:  Worship Service
          .