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Welcome to our weekly e-gram! Read on to discover what’s happening in our church family this week and beyond.
Church News
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SUNDAY PREVIEW: CHRISMONS, PART 1
Sermon Title: Chrismons from the Nativity to the Passion
This Sunday we enter the season of Advent, the time when we wait in hope for the coming of the Christ child at Christmas. The sanctuary is decorated for the season and the Advent wreath is ready for candle lighting. For the next two weeks, the sermon will focus on the Chrismons on our tree. We’ll talk about the history of Chrismons and take a look at the meaning behind the different symbols. This Sunday, we will focus in on Chrismons that help tell the stories of the nativity and the passion of our Christ. See you Sunday, in person or online.
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ADVENT EVENTSSunday, December 1 begins the new liturgical year and the season of Advent, when we prepare for the arrival of the Christ child. Plan to join us for some special activities during this season:
- Advent Devotional: Copies of the 2024 Advent devotional, Daring to Connect, will also be available to pick up in the gathering space starting this Sunday. Please take a copy to use in your personal devotions during this Advent season.
- Advent Bible Study begins TONIGHT: We will hold a 4-week Advent Bible study on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm, beginning this evening (November 27) and ending December 18. All sessions will take place on Zoom. You are welcome to attend as many sessions as you choose. The curriculum is “Peace, Justice, Joy, and Salvation.” We will have packets of Advent Bible study readings available to pick up in the gathering space starting this Sunday.
- Christmas Cantata: The choir will present their annual Christmas cantata during worship on Sunday, December 15.
- Christmas Eve Service: Our annual Christmas Eve service will be Tuesday, December 24 at 5 pm. We will celebrate the birth of the Christ child once again!
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ADVENT SERIES FOR ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOLThe adult Sunday school class will begin a new series during the advent season. We will explore some extraordinary people of the Christmas story that are often left out. The series includes a copy of the book by Rachel Billsups, and we will utilize weekly DVD sessions with the author. Books are available for $12. Please see Rev. Teresa if you’d like to join the class. The class begins this Sunday.
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CWF/DISCIPLES WOMEN CHRISTMAS LUNCHEONAll women from the church are invited to the CWF/DWF Christmas Luncheon on Tuesday, December 3 at 11:30. Connie Worrel and Rev. Teresa Bensch are hosting at their home. Please let Connie, Teresa or Karen know if you plan on attending. Teresa and Connie will provide the meat and drinks. Let Karen know which side dish you can bring. At this point, women have offered to bring these dishes: sweet potatoes , green beans, macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs, broccoli salad, and dessert. Please plan to carpool to the luncheon if possible because street parking is limited. You can also park in the driveway if there’s space. Please let Marilyn know if you would like to join a carpool from the church parking lot.
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ANGEL TREE GIFT CARD DONATIONS
Once again LFCC will be supporting Cedar Hill Elementary School’s Angel Tree this holiday season. We will be collecting $25 Target or Walmart gift cards. CHES likes these two stores because it gives the families the option of buying groceries, clothes or toys. In 2022, LFCC was recognized as providing the largest one-time donation from a community organization to CHES. We had similar numbers in 2023. Let’s do it again in 2024!
Please bring your cards any Sunday between Nov. 17 and Dec. 8. Cards will be delivered to CHES the week of Dec 9th. Cards can be given to Rod B, Beth T, Diane B, or Teresa B.
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LIFELINE SCREENING ON DEC. 3
LifeLine will return to LFCC on Tuesday, Dec. 3 to offer simple screenings for stroke and cardiovascular disease. Rod Baker has certificates that reduce the price to $85. Please reach out to Rod if you want to use a certificate; you will need to use it when you make your appointment. Information about making appointments is below.
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LIVE NATIVITY CANCELLED THIS YEAR
Because of a lack of volunteers to play roles in the Live Nativity, we are cancelling the Nativity this year. We will reevaluate interest in holding the Live Nativity next year.
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HELP MAINTAIN THE PRAYER GARDENThanks to those who have continued their hard work in the prayer garden, and especially to Jeanie Morgan and Dennis Higdon for showing up and removing ivy so regularly. As long as the weather remains nice, work on the prayer garden continues. If you have even an hour to spare, on any day of the week, the prayer garden can use you. Reach out to Jeanie for more information on what needs to be done, or just show up and pull ivy when you have time. We appreciate the hard work of all those helping to keep the prayer garden beautiful.
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DONATE TO HURRICANE RELIEF
Hurricanes Helene and Milton have devastated parts of Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and western North Carolina over the past few weeks. If you want to help with hurricane recovery, donations to Week of Compassion will help with both immediate and long-term recovery. You can donate online at https://www.weekofcompassion.org/give.html. Designate your gift for Hurricane 2024 to ensure that it helps with hurricane recovery. Learn more about Week of Compassion’s relief work in the areas affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton on the Week of Compassion website.
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UPCOMING EVENTS IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER
Wednesday, November 27
6:30 pm: Advent Bible study on Zoom
Sunday, December 1 – First Sunday in Advent
8:45 am: Choir practice
10 am: Sunday school
11 am: Worship
Monday, December 2
6:30 pm: Congregational Care and Connect team meeting
Tuesday, December 3
8:30 am – 5:30 pm: LifeLine Screening at church
11:30 am: CWF/Disciples Women Christmas lunch
Wednesday, December 4
6:30 pm: Advent Bible study on Zoom
Sunday, December 8 – Second Sunday in Advent
8:45 am: Choir practice
10 am: Sunday school
11 am: Worship
12 pm: Congregational meeting
Monday, December 9
6:30 pm: Outreach team meeting
Tuesday, December 10
11:30 am: TONTO Christmas lunch
6:30 pm: Finance and Facilities team meeting
Wednesday, December 11
6:30 pm: Advent Bible study on Zoom
Sunday, December 15 – Third Sunday in Advent
8:45 am: Choir practice
10 am: Sunday school
11 am: Worship (Christmas Cantata)
Evening: Live Nativity
Tuesday, December 17
6:30 pm: Let’s Eat!
Wednesday, December 18
6:30 pm: Advent Bible study on Zoom
Sunday, December 22 – Fourth Sunday in Advent
8:45 am: Choir practice
10 am: Sunday school
11 am: Worship
Wednesday, December 24
5 pm: Christmas Eve service
Sunday, December 29
No Choir practice
10 am: Sunday school
11 am: Worship (Fifth Sunday)
Check the calendar of events on our church website at https://lawrencevillechristianchurch.org/calendar/ to stay updated on what’s happening in our church community.
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THIS SUNDAY’S WORSHIP LEADERS
Greeter: Andrew Jensen
Advent Wreath: Adult Sunday School (Tadd Huff, Libby Ballew, and Lynn Lane)
Scripture: Julie Thompson
Communion Meditation: Connie Thompson
Elders: Sanford Thompson and Julie Thompson
Deacons: Riley Ballew and Libby Ballew
Communion Preparation: Julie Thompson
We are currently signing up worship volunteers for January – June 2024. If you are interested in serving as a worship leader or greeter, please contact Rev. Diane, Rev. Teresa, or Rev. Hoyt Huff to volunteer.
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E-GRAM DEADLINE
Thanks for all your contributions to the e-gram. Please email any information for next week’s e-gram to Rev. Diane (diane@lawrencevillechristianchurch.org) no later than Tuesday at 5 pm. If at all possible, please send e-gram information by email rather than text; it may get lost in incoming text messages.
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LECTIONARY SCRIPTURES FOR DEC. 1 AND DEC. 8
The Revised Common Lectionary is a three-year cycle of weekly readings used by many mainline Protestant churches in Canada and the United States. The lectionary readings will shape much of our preaching, and may be helpful in your own Bible study and devotional life. This week we enter Year C of the lectionary.
Sunday, December 1
- Jeremiah 33:14-16
- Psalm 25:1-10
- 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
- Luke 21:25-36
Sunday, December 8
- Baruch 5:1-9
- Malachi 3:1-4
- Luke 1:68-79
- Philippians 1:3-11
- Luke 3:1-6
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ZOOM LINK FOR WORSHIP AND CHURCH MEETINGS
For Sunday worship and other online meetings, use this link:
https://zoom.us/j/6284633067?pwd=YzVMN0EwQUVrb0FRM1phVkZEUjZFQT09
For those who DIAL IN, Call (646) 558-8656
Zoom Meeting ID: 628 463 3067
Password: 1234
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THE LAWRENCEVILLE CO-OP NEEDS GREEN BEANS!As always, the Lawrenceville Co-op needs our donations of money, food items, and personal care items to help those in need in Dacula and Lawrenceville. In an effort to fill their empty shelves, they have asked supporting churches to collect a specific item. LFCC’s job is to bring canned green beans to restock the food pantry. Thank you for your generous donations that help keep this vital ministry running.
Most Needed Food Items
- Snacks – Protein bars, granola bars, Cheese and crackers, Peanut butter and crackers
- Canned beans
- Rice
- Mac & cheese
- Pasta and pasta sauce
- Peanut butter & jelly
- Canned tuna and chicken
- Canned fruit
- Canned vegetables
- Canned soup
- Cereal
Most Needed Personal Care Items
- Size 3 and up diapers
- Feminine pads
- Adult diapers size S-XL
- Laundry pods
- Toiletry items
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DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
REGIONAL AND GENERAL CHURCH NEWSKeep up with the latest news going on in our region and our general church. Click the links below to find the latest news within the Disciples!
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Each Monday at 6 pm, wherever you are and whatever way is comfortable for you, we pause and pray for our church. If you have conflicts with this time, whatever time is comfortable for you, pause and pray for your church. Below is the church’s prayer list you can use. You are welcome to make up your own prayer list as you pray.
Psalms 34:5: “Those who look to the Lord are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”
Celebrations
- Congratulations to Annie Ballew and Gabe Henderscheit, who are engaged to be married
- Congratulations to Captain Daniel Bookhoop Brower, Interim Minister at First Christian Church of Decatur, who received her Chaplain’s Cross in a ceremony at Dobbins Air Reserve Base last week. Daniel is a former ministry intern at LFCC.
- Barbara McElhanon’s birthday is November 29
- Clementine Jensen’s birthday is November 30
- Ralph McElhanon’s birthday is November 30
- Drew McElhanon’s birthday is December 1
- Gen Ashby’s birthday is December 2
- Andrew Jensen’s birthday is December 3
Weekly Prayers
- For our co-ministers, Rev. Teresa Bensch and Rev. Diane Bales
- For our worship and study during the upcoming Advent season, that it may help us feel hope in this season of preparation
- For the Regional Minister Search Committee and their prayerful work
Immediate Needs (names in bold are newly added or updated)
- Suzy Santoro (Anna Harrison’s daughter, home from hospital after extended stay)
- All those dealing with the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton
- Week of Compassion staff, who are supporting hurricane recovery on behalf of the Disciples denomination
Ongoing Needs
- Our country and our world
- Our members and friends at home, including Odessa Adams, Gen Ashby, Barbara Bagwell, David Chamberlain, Bessie Kirby, Bill Phyfer, Bob Powell, and Patricia Saturday
- Our family and friends with ongoing health challenges
- Students/teachers/administration of Gwinnett County Public Schools
- Faculty, staff, and students at Apalachee High School
- Dorrie Toth and Tom Toth (recovering from surgery)
- Ada Mullinax (dealing with health challenges and upcoming medical tests)
- Eva Krahwinkel and Neva Maffett
- Larry Roberts (brother-in-law of Kim Peeples, Sanford Thompson, and Marilyn Parks)
- Linda Kellman and Ann Kellman (Ada Mullinax’s sister and sister-in-law)
- Chris Klimshuk and her sister Veronica (Veronica is recovering from heart surgery)
- Grace Aguwa
- Peg Morgan
- Carrie Toth (Dorrie Toth’s daughter)
- Sue Ragsdale (Jeanie Morgan’s friend)
- Connie Worrel’s sister Pat
- Jeanie Morgan’s sister, Judy
- Rev. Peggy Edge (Anna Harrison’s sister)
- Sadie Severt (Harrison family friend)
If you have an update to the prayers and concerns, please let Rev. Diane know (diane@lawrencevillechristianchurch.org).
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That’s all we have for this week! Please be in prayer for the church and everyone in it, that we continue to do what the Lord has called us to do. God bless you all!
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