Hello COG Family! I pray your week is going well.

Please see below to keep up-to-date on COG activities. Reach out if you have questions or want more information.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday!

Merry Christmas!

From the entire staff, we want to wish all of you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. May your time with family and friends be enjoyable and memorable.

God Bless!

Pastor Chris
Upcoming Events
Christmas Eve service will be on December 24th at 5:30 pm. Invite family and friends.

COG offices will be closed from December 24th through January 1st. We will return on January 2nd.

End of Year Tithes and Offerings: If you would like to make an end of year donation, please have it in the church office by the end of service on December 29th. This deadline also applies to online giving .

Christmas Fellowship: On December 22nd at 9:00 am, the Chefs of Grace will be setting up finger foods to enjoy before service. Plan on coming to Sunday service a bit early to enjoy light snacks and drinks.

Christmas Choral Musical: This group of gifted people have put many hours into this production and are excited to put on a great show. Join us on December 22nd at 5:00 pm at COG for an evening of celebrating the birth of our Lord and the hope He brings. Invite your family and friends and bring your favorite Christmas cookies to share for an after-show fellowship.

More events and information can be found at the Get Connected table in the back of the sanctuary, in our weekly bulletin, and on our website .
Recurring Events
Men: Tuesday Bible Study at 6 am in Joel's office.
Women: Friday Bible Study at 9:30 am at Carino Coffee .
Student Ministry: Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in the South Building.
Olin Ministry: Saturday meal rotation. Contact Missy Noel @ 720.373.0216.
Prayer Ministry: Sundays at 8:30 am in the South Building.
COG Celebrations
Hope Starts Here Food Bank
On December 7th, the Cale LifeGroup went to the Hope Starts Here Food Bank at the Smoky Hill Vineyard church. The group helped sort, bag, and hand out food for those in need. Bob and Judy Cale, Greg and Doris Leikam, Enrique and Gloria Rosales with granddaughter Bella, and Richie and Adele Anderson helped out. Thank you to Bob and Judy for organizing the volunteer opportunity.
Ladies Christmas Caravan
The annual COG Women’s Christmas Caravan took place on December 15th. Twenty-seven women caravanned to the Glass’ household. There, the ladies enjoyed sparkling cider and delicious appetizers and learned about each other’s favorite family Christmas traditions. Then everyone set out in groups to do an act of kindness. One group visited local police officers and firemen and gave them cookies and gift cards. The group prayed over them and thanked them for their services. Another group blessed a random family by paying for items at the local Walmart. Yet another group blessed the ministry called “Hands and Feet of Jesus,” which feeds homeless people in Denver on Friday nights. The COG women bought them a King Soopers gift card and gave them a bag of blankets to pass out. The ladies wrapped up the evening at the Fabrizio household with dinner and. Thank you to Lisa Dole and Kimmie Blakely for organizing the event this year!
Spotlight
Operation Christmas Child
In November, members of COG took home shoeboxes to fill for Operation Christmas Child. Roughly 180 boxes were filled with toys, school supplies, personal hygiene items, and much more. On December 6th, a small group of volunteers went to the Denver distribution center to help process boxes for shipment to children all over the world. During the four-hour shift, a crew of 12 from COG teamed up with dozens of other volunteers to process about 10,000 boxes. The group also had the privilege of praying for the children who would receive these boxes. The Denver distribution center has a goal of processing 700,000 boxes. The best part of this event is that when the boxes are delivered to these children, the Gospel is shared with each one of them.
 
Thank you to Mitty Spidell for organizing the shoebox drive at COG and the work at the distribution center. Thank you to Mitty and Brian Spidell, Jim and Carol Bryan, Ken Hammond, Rosemary and Karl Been, Kim George, Tom and Debbie Wager, Felicia Chargingelk, and Tom King for volunteering at the distribution center. And of course, thank you to everyone at COG who filled boxes for children around the globe.



Christmas Movies
When it's cold outside, there is nothing like grabbing some snacks, cranking up the fireplace, and watching a favorite Christmas movie. Can you match up the staff member with their favorite movie? You can ask the staff directly which one is their favorite or look for the answers in the next newsletter. Good luck!
___ Joel
___ Rhonda
___ Anita
___ Chris
___ Nancy
___ J
___ William
___ David
___ John
A. The Empire Strikes Back
B. Let it Snow
C. It's a Wonderful Life
D. Home Alone
E. A Christmas Story
F. Arthur's Christmas
G. Elf
H. Merry and Bright
I. Anything NOT on the Hallmark Channel
The Staff's Choice
The staff has started reading The Pursuit of God by A W Tozer. We have finished the first three sections of this book and have had great conversations. Here are a few questions we have discussed together:

  1. How hard are we pursuing God?
  2. Do our possessions sit on the throne in our heart?
  3. What keeps us from living our lives in God's presence 24/7?
  4. Is our relationship with God as close as our relationships with those around us?
  5. Do we realize and remember how close God is to us? As Tozer states, "He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts."
  6. Do we spend enough time trying to hear the voice of God? How can we be better at being still?
  7. How can we spend more time looking towards God?
  8. Is God above all in all areas of our lives?