Prairie Avenue

Christian Church

217.428.3327

www.prairieavenuechristianchurch.org

To be learning, loving, and serving disciples of Christ from the depths of our being to the ends of the earth.

 A Stephen Ministry & Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Congregation

Worship Each Week & Daily Prayer
Attending weekly gives you the opportunity to re-center your life,
give God honor and glory, and remember what is really important in life.
Did you miss a sermon or can't remember the good statement made by Pastor Jason recently?

You can access the complete library of sermons at our Prairie Avenue YouTube(TM) Channel
Sermon: "Let It Be: Gabriel & Mary" December 4, 2022

The Angels of Christmas

Standing in the Presence: Gabriel & Zechariah

Luke 1:5-25

November 27, 2022

December 4, 2022 Worship Service













In the nativity stories of Luke and Matthew, Joseph is mentioned as the implied father of Jesus, a descendant of the royal House of David. Differing genealogies are given in each gospel, with Matthew including Gentile women and Luke mostly unknown names of men. Joseph never speaks in the New Testament.


Matthew gives three scenes of Joseph acting in response to dreams. The first was in response to Mary's condition; an unwed pregnancy was grounds for dismissal, if not a public stoning! Yet Joseph is depicted as agonizing over public disgrace for Mary. He is placed in an unbelievable position, with custom on one side and an angel's message on the other. Joseph gets a message for naming the unexpected son-to-be and to take Mary as his wife.


The second scene is when the astrologers/magi ("wise men" depart Bethlehem and Joseph is warned, in a dream, to leave Bethlehem due to Herod the Great's paranoia over anyone threatening his authority. They flee to Egypt, as did the ancient sons of Jacob, the twelve tribes of Israel, to emerge as Moses to lead the people.


Finally, Joseph is given another dream to return to Bethlehem when the threat of death by Herod the Great had passed. Yet, when he heard that Archelaus (Herod the Great's son) is on the throne in Jerusalem, and with another dream, he relocates to Nazareth in Galilee.

 

Attend Worship: Pastor Jason has encouraged an "A grade" of 90% worship attendance (missing less the 5 Sundays in a year). You can keep up your attendance by joining worship online through our Facebook premiere or our worship online page on the website. Join us in person or online... it will count!

brothers_praying_at_home.jpg

This Week's Prayer Calendar


Congregations: First Christian Church Centralia, UniPlace Champaign, Chandlerville CC; Burt Lake CC, MI


Global Ministries: Columbia

Pray with Colombia, December 11, 2022 - Global Ministries

Lectionary Selection Luke 1:46b-55 Prayers for Colombia: Our soul sings, our Spirit rejoices because you notice because you realize that there are governments who prefer the foolishness of bullets. Because you know that from 2018 to 2022, Organized Armed Groups, strengthened and extended their reach to 604 municipalities; that 191 ... Read more

Read More
Grow in Faith
through listening, paying attention, and reading 5 verses a day
Take a class, as you make friends and grow to know what learning, loving, and serving God and neighbor means in everyday life.

Morning Devotion

Each weekday (Monday - Friday), Pastor Jason shares a brief 4-7 minute scripture reading, reflection, response, and prayer. The associated devotion is posted to Prairie Avenue's Facebook page.

You may also access it on the church website: prairieavenuechristianchurch.org/daily-devotional. It is posted around 8:20 to 8:30 each morning.

Next Steps Class Meets

Wednesday, December 14, 6 pm

We will be concluding our discussions of Everywhere You Look: Discovering the Church Right Where you are by Tim Soerens and Thrive by Ruth Fletcher. You do not need to have read the materials to participate in the discussion. This is a church-wide conversation, open to all.

Use Your Gifts by sharing five acts of love and kindness each week
Serve God and neighbor by using your gifts and talents both inside and outside the walls of the church. Each of us have spiritual gifts and natural abilities to use to serve others and glorify God.

Birthdays/Anniversaries

December 8-14

happy_birthday_cupcake.jpg


Birthdays

None


Wedding Anniversaries

None


Membership Anniversaries

(When you joined Prairie Avenue!)

None


If you know of a birthday or anniversary that has gone "Missing" from our list, please contact the church office at 217-428-3327. Thanks.

"Not Quite" Choir Meets Wednesday, December 14, 7 PM


Like to sing hymns, or miss the anthems and special music of the times before COVID? Join us on Wednesday, December 14, at 7 pm - Sanctuary.

music department news
Give Regularly through five acts of generosity each month
Giving regularly not only supports the work of the church,
but also is your way of giving God priority in your life.
What we love is where we will spend first.
When we are able to give, it always deepens our faith
in loving and serving God.

Thank You for your generosity!

Celebrating the Joy of our Camp Ministry


The ministry at Camp Walter Scott has had a joyful year. The Camp Ministry held two in-person family camps, along with five other youth camps this summer. Campers assisted in maintaining, harvesting, and planting in the new garden at Walter Scott. They learned to care for creation by composting food back into the earth. There have been many updates to the camp over the year; a refurbished campfire ring, restored dock, roofing and siding repairs, and wi-fi will reach all the camp buildings. There is also excitement for the Prairie Restoration Project in the Fall. With the conversion of some of the land to a Prairie, the camp is increasing the overall biological diversity of the area. Once fully established the Prairie will be beautiful, with wildflowers blooming throughout the year. 


“Camp Walter Scott continues to be a place for everyone who comes to experience the divine flowing around and through them in both the serious moments and in full-bellied laughter… We will plant our feet firmly in the rich soil of the past so we may have the nutrients, connected networks, and energy to grow from what we have been given. Come grow with us.”  - Clayton Summers


The offering will be received on Sunday, December 11 & December 18.

Give to 2022 Christmas Special Day Offering

General Fund Supports Operations & Ministry

Donations given to the Prairie Avenue Christian Church General Fund support the year-round ministries of the church. Your generous support keeps our building, staff, and operations working for the mission of the church. The mission of Prairie...

Read More

Building Fund Supports Repair & Updates

Announced at the State of the Church address on June 30, 2015, the reFresh capital campaign has two improvement/update priorities: updating HVAC equipment and internet/network accessibility.

Read More
For instructions in registering your Kroger Rewards Card, Click Here.

The Organization code for Prairie Avenue Christian Church is: BY235.
Kroger Community Rewards Program News

$28.95 was raised by 14 households who have linked their Kroger customer reward cards to support Prairie Avenue Christian Church. The quarterly contribution is for shopping at Kroger from July to September 2022


Joining to support the ministries of Prairie Avenue Christian Church is FREE. Any transactions moving forward using the Shopper’s Card number associated with your digital account will be applied to the program, at no added cost to you. Kroger donates annually to participating organizations based on your percentage of spending as it relates to the total spending associated with all participating Kroger Community Rewards organizations.

"When you shop for items or gifts at smile.amazon.com/ch/37-6056944, AmazonSmile will donate a portion of your eligible purchases to Prairie Avenue Christian Church at no cost to you!"

Prairie Avenue Christian Church is a listed charity with the Smile.Amazon program. Please use smile.amazon.com, and choose Prairie Avenue Christian Church for your generous support. We will receive a $5.42 donation from program activity between April 1 and June 30, 2022. 

Share Your Faith by inviting 5 people to church this year
The God you worship is always revealed through your words and actions. Awkward conversations (i.e. "Are you saved?") are not necessary when your words and actions reveal the God you seek to learn, love, and serve.

The Wise Men Continue Their Journeys...


To remind ourselves of the journey to meet Jesus during the season of advent, our Wise Men figurines travel to various places in Central Illinois on their journey. Each week during Advent we will post photographs of our wise men on their journey. Try and figure out where they have visited.


If you would like to "adopt a wise man" to take on a weekly journey, please sign up with Pastor Jason.

In Other News

Church Council Meeting -

Wednesday, December 14, 10:30 AM

For purposes of discussion, oversight, and decisions, a church council has been established to handle routine business and strategic planning. Meetings are open to all.


This week's meeting will be receiving the November 2022 financial report, an update from Pastor Jason, finalizing Christmas event planning, an elevator update, and continuing discernment and strategic planning for the ministries of the church for the first quarter of 2023.

Elevator Modernization Work Updates


Some required electrical code work for the operation of the new elevator was completed this week. The new work cannot be operating until the installation of the Otis elevator equipment, scheduled at this point in early summer 2023.


Due to construction delays, costs regarding labor and parts have increased. Our Otis contract has increased by $15,000.


Additional code requirements include a permanent smoke detection system and the possibility of sprinkler systems in the 2nd-floor mechanic room. Our project consultants, ATIS Elevator, will guide us through the remaining work.

Imagine with Me: The Future of Our History- Rev. Terri Hord Owens & Dr. Joel Brown, DHS

Learn more about the Disciples of Christ Historical Society by visiting:


ttps://discipleshistory.org

Imagine with Me:

The Future of Our History

On today's episode of Imagine with Me, General Minister and President, Rev. Terri Hord Owens, hosts a conversation with Dr. Joel Brown, President of the Disciples of Christ Historical Society about his new role, how the society is updating its archives for the digital age and how our future is shaped by better knowledge of our history.


"A denominational archive is more than just a repository for ideas and artifacts from our past but at its best it can be a source for the church's justice work, for its work for wholeness in the world." -Dr Joel Brown

GA2023-Logo-FullTagwDates.png
LinkedIn Share This Email
Facebook  Instagram  Youtube