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OPPORTUNITIES TO WORSHIP, GROW & SERVE
November 3, 2024
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GRIEFSHARE: SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS
THIS WEDNESDAY, November 6 from 6–8pm
As the holidays approach, grief can be more difficult to manage. If you are among the many individuals who know too well how true that is, please make time in your Wednesday discipleship schedule to join us for this two-hour seminar that provides encouragement, support, and valuable tools to help you navigate this difficult season.
PLEASE NOTE that this seminar starts at an earlier time than the other groups and classes. Kids and Youth are opening up earlier to accommodate.
Contact Pam Meeuwissen to RSVP or ask questions at pmeeuwissen@christchurchva.org.
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CHRIST OUTDOOR ADVENTURE CLUB: Hike at Occoquan Park
NEXT SATURDAY, November 9 at 9:30am
9751 Ox Road, Lorton
Join us for a beautiful, moderate-level three-mile hike at Occoquan Regional Park, and invite friends who might enjoy the adventure. We are meeting at the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial within the park at 9:30am. You are also invited to lunch afterward at Brickmakers Café, the onsite restaurant.
RSVP with Pastor Todd at pastortodd@christchurchva.org.
Subscribe to the COAC mailing list: bit.ly/coac-email
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INCLUSIVE MINISTRY MONTHLY POTLUCK
Sunday, November 17 from 12:30–1:30pm
These are open to everyone! You're invited to this monthly lunchtime gathering for anyone who wants to be a part of our inclusive family. Our Inclusive Ministry (serving adults with disabilities) is providing beverages and main course; you bring a dessert or appetizer. You may leave your food contributions in the kitchen if you would like to attend a church service before coming to our group.
Contact Wendy Asmen at wasmen@christchurchva.org to ask questions or RSVP.
CHRISTCHURCHVA.ORG/INCLUSIVE
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THANKSGIVING DELIVERY OUTREACH
Sunday, November 24 from approx. 1–5pm
9520 Richmond Hwy, Lorton
Feed the hungry for Thanksgiving—without having to cook or shop! Lorton Community Action Center (LCAC) could use help from adults willing to deliver food in the area to those in need. Meet up at LCAC (address above) to break into teams that will pick up the food items and then make deliveries.
Sign up by Nov 20. Contact Steve Kenney at skenney554@aol.com for questions.
CHRISTCHURCHVA.ORG/EVENTS
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DECK THE HALLS
Monday, November 25 from 9:30am–2pm
Help us create a warm, welcoming atmosphere at church for the Advent Season! We need able-bodied adults for setting up Christmas trees, stage design props, and other elements that help our church family feel the festive spirit all season long. No RSVP needed—just show up!
Contact Brian Greene with questions at bgreene@christchurchva.org.
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RISING HOPE FALL/WINTER DONATION DRIVES
Our sister mission church, Rising Hope UMC, runs a number of outreach programs to assist and minister to the at-risk population along the Route 1 corridor, including a food pantry, a clothing closet, and a seasonal hypothermia shelter. All are gearing up for the upcoming chilly season. Can you donate any of the following?
Food:
canned chicken/tuna, canned soups (including low sodium), canned tomatoes or tomato paste, pasta sauce and/or dry pasta, dried lentils, black beans or rice
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We're also collecting items to make Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for the 380 families that Rising Hope serves:
• 400 canned vegetables (including low-sodium)
• 200 stuffing mix
• 200 masa (corn flour)
• 200 vegetable oil
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New or gently used clothing for men and women:
winter coats, sweatshirts, long-sleeved T-shirts, gloves, hats, boots, sneakers, jeans, NEW underwear or socks (Costco or Sam's Club packages recommended), children's items
Items to make hygiene bags for the homeless, including (but not limited to):
shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, lip gloss/chapstick, lotion
If you can help, please drop your donations off in the wooden bins by the front doors of Christ Church. Contact Bev Adams at badams@christchurchva.org with questions.
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JOIN THE WORSHIP TECH TEAM
Our Sunday services cannot happen without our amazing volunteer tech team! We seek enthusiastic individuals to take on roles such as camera operator, lighting technician, slide operator, producer, director, and sound engineer. Whether you’re passionate about creative technology or looking to try something new, joining this dynamic collaborative team is a great opportunity to gain a fun “family within a family” while contributing significantly to our Sunday worship experiences (both online and in-person).
Prior experience: preferred for sound tech; not necessary for other roles
Commitment: both services (9:30am + 11am) at least one Sunday per month
Additional for audio: preceding Wednesday night band rehearsal (approx. 7:45–10pm)
Fill out this interest form to join the action!
Questions, or having issues with the form? Email tech@christchurchva.org.
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WORSHIP & CONNECT BEYOND SUNDAY MORNINGS | |
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CELEBRATE RECOVERY
Mondays in the Worship Center
Worship service from 7–8pm
Group meetings from 8–9pm
Are you struggling with something that keeps you from being the kind of person—or the kind of Christian—that you want to be? Anything from pride or anger issues, to an addiction, to the ramifications of trauma you may have trouble overcoming? Any adult struggling with a hurt, habit or hang-up can benefit from this Christ-centered 12-step program. Our worship service includes live music and either a lesson or a testimony each week, before we connect in small "open share" groups. Light refreshments served.
Contact Celebrate Recovery Leader Jennifer Deschanel with questions at jdeschanel@christchurchva.org.
CHRISTCHURCHVA.ORG/CELEBRATE-RECOVERY
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WEDNESDAY NIGHT DINNER & DISCIPLESHIP
Weekly through December 11
Dinner at 5:30pm • Discipleship from 6:30–7:45pm
These dinners and group meetings have proven to be foundational in building a strong, Spirit-driven church community, so we hope you make this part of your regular routine.
Start the evening off by breaking bread and unwinding with your church family. You can buy food at the church, OR bring your own purchased/homemade food. Menus vary from week to week, and are posted in each preceding Community Update e-newsletter and Sunday bulletin. Meals from the church are $7 per adult and $4 per child (ages 10 and under). This week's menu: fried chicken with mashed potatoes and a vegetable.
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After dinner, we splinter off throughout the church building into discipleship spanning all ages. Kids and Youth programs that occur on Sundays (Little Sparks, Fuse, Charge 56, Ignite) have Wednesday extensions. Our Inclusive Ministry holds a Creative Faith Inclusive Bible Study for ALL ages and ability levels who would like to get crafty with their bible study. We have faith groups for adults led by church regulars just like you, and we have classes to help you grow spiritually from the foundations up.
CHRISTCHURCHVA.ORG/WEDNESDAY
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READ THROUGH NEW TESTAMENT 2024
Have you ever wanted to develop a spiritual habit of reading God’s word every day? Would you like to support others in learning to read God’s word? If you answer "yes" to any of these, then join Pastor Todd and your brothers and sisters at Christ Church in reading together and encouraging each other through the New Testament in 2024.
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ABOUT THE GIVING FUNDS
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• General Fund: covers the daily operations of the church; pays expenses relating to building maintenance/bills, church/school staffing and sustaining ministry programs, making everything we do possible
• Hope for the World: supports our long-range strategic goal of ministries on every continent, including current/imminent projects in Kenya and Mexico
• Fulfilling the Promise: two-year capital initiative with goal of raising and paying down an extra $2 million on the property mortgage before our interest rate resets in July 2025
RECEIVED: $1,399,030 as of October 31, 2024
• Communion Offering: 100% of your offering goes directly toward worthy missions such as UMCOR, scholarship funds, or purchasing meals for Together We Rise Against Hunger.
• Memorial Fund: Your special gift to the Memorial Fund honors an individual in a way determined by their loved ones.
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CONSIDER SUPPORTING: Fulfilling the Promise
Even as we witness Jesus bringing hundreds of people to faith in Christ, all ages growing as disciples, relationships strengthened, and our ministries continuing to grow the Kingdom locally and globally, we see a need to secure our financial foundation. Our current mortgages come due in June 2025, and because of the rapid rise we've seen in interest rates over the past two years, we are preparing for a significantly higher monthly interest payment once we refinance in July 2025—with possibly near-double the interest rate we have now.
With this in mind, we have a goal to pay down our debt by an additional $2 million by the end of 2025. If successful, we can refinance our mortgages in July 2025 with a balance that enables us to absorb the higher interest charges and keep growing in our mission to Love God, Love Others and Live Out the Gospel.
Learn more about this capital initiative: CHRISTCHURCHVA.ORG/PROMISE
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