December 2023 Newsletter


Sunday School

9:15 AM

Sunday Worship

10 AM

Sunday Fellowship

11 AM


Worship services will continue to be live streamed on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. You can either use the Facebook Link or the YouTube Link to see the live feed, or even worship a little later if you need to. Use the buttons below to choose which link fits your needs best. 

Facebook  YouTube

Worship Series

Real Christmas rarely looks like a Hallmark movie or Thomas Kincaid painting, because real families, made of real people celebrate Christmas. And people make mistakes. Relationships are complicated, sometimes even broken. Families can be messy! On Christmas we celebrate God-made-flesh, tending to emphasize the God part often ignoring or minimizing the flesh part. But Jesus was a real person born into a family much like our own: complicated and messy! As we prepare for the coming of God-made-flesh in Jesus we will examine Jesus’ genealogy from the Gospel of Matthew. This long list of names is something we often gloss over, but notable for two reasons: one, Matthew includes 5 women in Jesus’ family tree, and two, the women are surprising because they are not the virtuous, maternal figures we often celebrate. These are women with bad reputations and heartbreaking stories, who are nonetheless cunning, faithful, bold, and loyal. We are reminded that Jesus was not born to perfect people and not for perfect people either. He was born to those who feel broken, to free those who are used or abused by the powerful, and to love those with messy families, bad reputations, and complicated stories; people like us!


Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. And Miriam sang to them: ‘Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.’

Exodus 15:20-21


“For all the faithful women who served in days of old: to you shall thanks be given; to all their story told”

“For All the Faithful Women”

Words by Herman G. Stuempfle Jr.


(Note: the idea for this series came from Rev. Katie Hainline, pastor of Runnells Christian Church)


December 3

Advent 1: Tamar (Hope)

Genesis 38:1-30 


December 10

Advent 2: Rahab (Peace)

Joshua 2:1-24, 6:22-25


December 17

Advent 3: Ruth (Joy)

Ruth 1:1-7, 15-18, 4:9-17


December 24

Advent 4: Bathsheba (Love)

2 Samuel 11:1-5, 14-15, 26-27

1 Kings 1:5, 9-30


December 24

Christmas Eve: Mary the Mother of God

Luke 1:26-38, 46-56, 2:1-20


December 31

Broken Branches in the Family Tree

Matthew 1:1-16

Worship Volunteer Schedule
Church Council Minutes October 2023
Google Calendar

Pastor Owen's Ponderings

“Traditions change, right? New ones are scary, but they might be great. And if you know what Christmas means to you, the tradition’s just the wrapping.”

-Noelle, from the Movie “Noelle” on Disney Plus


One of my favorite traditions – a new one in my adulthood – between Thanksgiving and Christmas is watching Christmas movies. Well, I start out with a Thanksgiving movie on Thanksgiving night – “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” – but then move on to the Christmas themed ones. I love them!! Even the ones others don’t seem to. I love, among other movies, “The Santa Clause” 1, 2, and 3 starring Tim Allen, “Scrooged” with Bill Murray, “Miracle on 34th Street” both the original and the updated version, “A Christmas Carol” the Disney one with Mickey Mouse as well as the CGI Disney Version and the Muppets and even the live action ones, “A Christmas Story” (our Christmas Eve movie!), Die Hard (Yes, it is a Christmas movie!!! – I proclaimed it from the pulpit one year, so let it be written, so let it be done). Every now and again a new one comes along that gets added to my list, like “Noelle” starring Anna Kendrick. But my absolute favorite is “Christmas Vacation” with Chevy Chase.


I think it may be, along with the irreverent humor, the utter chaos of the Griswold family Christmas that I appreciate. It doesn’t paint the picture of the perfect Christmas. Rather, it focuses on the person trying to create the perfect Christmas and everything goes wrong! Yet, Christmas still finds its way and shows up in the middle of all the chaos.


Real Christmas for most of us is probably somewhere between “Christmas Vacation” and the happy endings of all the Hallmark movies. Probably because Christmas can’t really be manufactured. Real families made of real people celebrate Christmas. People make mistakes and relationships can get…well…complicated.


My friend Katie wrote, “On Christmas we celebrate God-made-flesh! We tend to emphasize the God part, and diminish the flesh part. But Jesus was a real person. He was born into a family that was complicated and messy, much like our own.”


Jesus did indeed have a family. Matthew records Jesus’ genealogy, his family line. We often gloss over that list of names to get to the ‘good stuff’; the stories of Jesus. However, there are a couple interesting things about this genealogy: Matthew lists five women in Jesus’ family tree, and the women in the list are not particularly virtuous. Yet, they are a part of Jesus’ family story. Our Advent series “Grandmothers of God” will focus on these women in Jesus’ family tree.


Together we will remember that Jesus was not born to perfect people. Nor was he born for perfect people. He was, as my friend Katie continues, “born to heal those who feel broken, to free those who are used or abused by the powerful, and to love those with messy families, bad reputations, and complicated stories. Jesus was born to and for people like us.”


(Don’t forget to send pictures of your grandmother(s) to pastorocayton@gmail.com to be included on ornaments on our tree in the sanctuary)


Shalom,

Pastor Owen

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There will be regular worship on Christmas Eve (Sunday December 24th) at 10 am and then we will have 2 Christmas Services that night. One at 7 PM and one at 11 PM.

Reading the Bible in a Year

Pastor Owen and a handful of other folk in the congregation have decided to embark on an adventure together and read the bible in a year. We will be using the schedule outlined in the book "The Bible Year: A Journey Through Scripture in 365 Days" by Magrey R. deVega. We will also have access to some videos, for those who are interested, to help us along in our journey. Let Pastor Owen know if you would like to join this journey for a schedule and link to the videos.

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Rehearsal Schedule for Children's Christmas Play

December 3rd During Sunday School

December 10th During Sunday School

December 10th 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

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Tone Chimes December Rehearsals

Sunday December 3rd 5:30 PM

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Missions Update


Among the precepts of the church is the challenge to care for the "least of us". We find ourselves challenged by numerous needs that are ours to address during this Holiday time.


December seems to have come unusually early this year! Needs are not so unusual as there is a constant need for assistance of the same items as previous years. CIS (Central Iowa Shelter) indicated a great need for personal health items for men and women. They also suggested motel samples as being very convenient. Socks, hats and warm gloves and mittens are appreciated as are cleaning products for the facility. Blankets, pillows and bed spreads are also on the list. Watch for a poster in the entryway with listed specifics for you to take as reminders. Items may be placed in totes in the entry.


The Christmas Offering goes to Disciples Mission Fund. 100% of the funds given to DMF through the Christmas Offering stay in our region to support the ministries of the Christian Church in the Upper-Midwest, like our camp and conference program and regional staff support of local congregational ministries. Donations and contributions to DMF and CIS will be delivered the first part of January 2024.


ACC has been generously gifted with time, talent and finances as suggested during 2023. The latest of these opportunities occurred November 13 when 15 ACC volunteers helped prepare and serve meals and visited with more than 200 guests at CIS. Plans are to continue this project more often in the new year. It costs nothing but transportation to the center and the reward was priceless for those attending.


The annual Thanksgiving meal and Silent Auction followed November 19th when numerous members, visitors, and friends enjoyed a traditional meal and took advantage of indoor shopping for some awesome items. Info of a final count will be available in the January Newsletter. The proceeds from the auction provide assistance to some of our members.


Thank you for making so many lives better through your generous contributions and devotion to God's word.


Enjoy a Blessed Holiday Season,

Missions Committee

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Office Updates


Office will be closed December 24th and 25th

Kasey's Office Hours week of December 26-29

Tuesday December 26 8 AM - 11 AM; 7:30 PM - 10 PM

Wednesday December 27 8 AM - 11 AM; 7 PM - 10 PM

Thursday December 28 8 AM - 11 AM

Friday December 29 9 AM - 11 AM


January Newsletter will go out on January 5th

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Please use the link below to fill out 2024 Time and Talent Form

Time & Talent Form 2024

December Birthdays

12/3 Andrew Rawson


12/4 Toviel Cayton

Chuck Fausch


12/5 Pat Morton

David Rawson


12/6 Missy Stoa


12/7 John Sayre


12/8 Thomas Cox (Ben)


12/14 Tabitha Brandenburg


12/15 Tim Kalvig


12/16 Ethan Hauschildt


12/17 Beverly Lancaster


12/18 Grace Porath


12/23 Gladys Sawyer


12/24 Peyton Harris


12/28 Madilyn Shreffler


12/30 Mary St. Clair

Elian Cayton

If you would like to continue (or begin) to contribute to the work of the church financially, you can mail in a check to 2506 SW 3rd Street Ankeny, Iowa 50023 or you can give online by clicking the link below.  There you can set up one time or recurring donations. 

Online Giving

Do you have a prayer request?


Send your request to Laura Dolley 


dolley0808@gmail.com

Current Office Staff:


Pastor Owen Cayton, Senior Minister

pastorocayton@gmail.com


Nathan Green, Music Director

nategreenaccdoc@gmail.com


Kasey Romano, Office Manager

ankenyccdoc@gmail.com

2022 Leadership


Officers:

  • President: Eleke Ukpabi
  • President Elect:
  • Past President, Chair Personnel Committee: David Rawson
  • Treasurer: Jackie Black
  • Member at Large: Pat Warner
  • Check Writer: John Lee
  • Chair of PRC: Darin Leach
  • PRC Members: Darin Leach; Randy Wehofer; Frank Prowant; Di Mathis; Karen Fausch
  • Nominating Committee: Rob Duffy; Lori Leach; Judy Krase


Current Committee Chairs:

  • Christian Education: Cathy Helmke
  • Stewardship & Finance:
  • Property: Tom Murphy
  • Worship: Karen Fausch
  • Social Life:
  • Evangelism:
  • Missions:
  • Endowment: Dorothy Mathis

Reminder: If you are not feeling well, please stay home and participate in worship online. The COVID task force would also like to encourage all of those who are eligible to get vaccinated.

Ankeny Christian Church

2506 SW 3rd Street

Ankeny, Iowa 50023


515-964-1083

ankenyccdoc@gmail.com

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