Weekly Update
November 19th, 2021

It’s not very often that something happens that affects everyone.

“Pandemic” is a word that has become part of our daily vocabulary. It has become a world-wide phenomenon that has captured the mindset of humanity. “Pandemic’s “effect on us is both individual and global; we all have struggled with the implications it places on our individual lives. Wear a mask, don’t wear a mask. Get vaccinated, don’t get vaccinated. Stay home as much as possible, go out and try to act “normal.” Don’t travel at all, it’s okay to travel anywhere. Order groceries online, shop at the store. Home school, send my children to school. Is this a cold or is it covid? and the list goes on and on. March will be two years and we are asking, “When do you think this will end? When will it all be over?”

Believe me, I wish I could tell you.

Something happened long ago that still affects everyone today. Romans 6:10 says, “For the death that He died, He died to sin -ONCE FOR ALL; but the life He lives, He lives to God.” The implications for us are Jesus died for our past, present, and future; once, for all.

If you have a past that is sorted, Jesus died for you. If you presently are not walking closely with the Lord, He is available to you. If you are uncertain about your future, Jesus is the One who holds the keys for your future home-to-be.

It’s not very often that something happens that affects everyone…
Are you living in the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

Shalom,
Mike W.
PRAYER REQUESTS:

  • Ty, our son, still needs a job! ~ Shirley
  • Please pray for The Last Days of Jesus fundraiser to be a hit and make enough money to cover our expenses. ~ Joyce
  • Please pray for my dad to have strength for each day. ~ Joyce
  • Please pray for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, to go to the children who truly need to know the Savior Jesus Christ. ~ Joyce
  • Pray for Good News Clubs for: God's truth to be revealed in the hearts of our kids; for Jennifer as she comes up with lessons each week for the 4 clubs; strength; God to be glorified in The Dalles! ~ Joyce
  • My daughter Shannon had heart surgery (valve replacement) on Tuesday the 16th. Prayers for healing. ~ Jane
  • Pray for our families, friends and members of the congregation who are currently struggling with Covid.
  • Please continue to hold up our brothers and sisters still stranded in Afghanistan.
Celebrate The Wins:
Thank you to all our volunteers in our community! May God bless them! ~ Josh S.
CORRECTED - now includes actual link!

To watch this Sunday's live-streaming service click on this link "Jacob's Depression, Fear & Hope"

Or go to youtube.com and search for "First Christian Church The Dalles"
You will also be able to watch any service at any time.

Can't wait for Sunday morning worship service? Get a head start here for the songs that will be featured this Sunday.
Missionary Guests:
Paul & Linda Williams - Wycliffe Bible Translators
Paul & Linda Williams will be with us THIS Sunday November 21st and share a Missions Moment during our morning Worship Service. Following our Annual Business Meeting there will be a no-host luncheon at Casa el Mirador (approximately 12:30pm) Everyone is welcome to come join us and get to know the Williams'.
Paul & Linda Williams were raised in Beaverton, Oregon. They have served with Wycliffe Bible Translators for over 40 years. They have 5 children and 3 grandchildren. Beginning in 1981, they worked on Bible translation with the Bribri people of Costa Roca for 25 years. The Bribri people number about 10,000. The New Testament in Bribri was presented to the people in 2007 and since then, Paul & Linda have resided in Tigard, OR, where Paul works with an international team to produce verse-by-verse Bible translation guides in Spanish. These are called Translator's Notes. They are primarily unsed in Central and South America to help indigenous people translate the Bible into their native languages. Translators Notes help indigenous translators work more independently and accurately. Paul has mostly worked on Old Testament books.
Annual Congregational Meeting
Sunday November 21st following service

All members are encouraged to attend as we approve the 2022 Budget and confirm leadership recommendations.   
Copies of the proposed budget are available in the office during office hours (8am - 12 noon).
 
Nominations
Congregational Chair: Bob Jewett

Trustees: Marilyn Nielsen and Randy Sparks 
Drive-thru voting for members is available from 12-1pm in the south parking lot.
Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

We are so thankful to everyone who helped provide for our boxes this year. We are thankful for everyone who packed boxes and we are thankful for everyone who paid for the boxes to be shipped around the world. We are also thankful for those who donated towards purchasing items or donated items and those who did special projects like putting 350 boxes together etc. This was a tough year for shopping as store shelves have been bare, but we managed to put together 267 boxes.

We have been receiving emails from kids who received our OCC Shoeboxes in Ecuador as well as from our 2019 packing that went to the Philippines that were delivered this year. People have asked why some of the 2019 boxes were just delivered this year and we wanted to explain this. Samaritans Purse needs to make connections with Christian pastors in the area they want to reach and then train the folks who will help with the Shoebox outreach in evangelizing and discipleship of the children. This can take time in hard to reach areas. Another issue is customs holding up the large containers of boxes. If people put candy and toothpaste into their boxes, this can hold up an entire shipment of OCC Shoebox gifts as they will want to examine every box for perishables.

Please continue to pray for the shoeboxes and the children who will receive them, for the gifts to soften hearts to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ and be receptive to the Holy Spirit and the truth of salvation. 
Missionary Update:
Nov. 2021. Sam Owen – Kenya

Sam is very busy continuing his work with the National Prayer breakfast as new small groups among Kenyan leaders are forming and older groups are becoming revitalized. One of the parliamentary co-chairs of the prayer breakfast passed away due to COVID and another of the leaders has taken on more responsibilities at a university so Sam’s workload has increased but he is thankful for good health and energy to carry on.

A few weeks ago Sam was invited to Uganda to celebrate with Campus Crusade, its 50th anniversary of work in that country. He and Lynn had been part of the founding team for that organization’s initial presence there.

Sam is thankful that as the grief of losing Lynn lessens, he is looking outward more and beginning to entertain on his own.

For his personal life Sam’s focus is primarily on his daughter Amy (battling cancer) and any remaining time that they might have together.  He has traveled to the UK when possible, having the opportunity to celebrate her 47th birthday with her. Amy was also able to make a trip back to Kenya for a short visit to the land where she grew up. The plan for the whole family, is that they can spend Christmas together in the United States.

Sam has been encouraged by the words of Paul in Philippians 2:13 and 3:12, “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose” and “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
Children's Church for kids Kindergarten through 3rd Grade
EVERY Sunday
Children's Church for Grades 3-5
EVERY OTHER Sunday
( November 28th,
December 12th & 26th)
Last Days of Jesus, Inc
Plans are still being made for having a fund-gathering event in December with live Nativity scenes and desserts and warm drinks. The proposed dates are December 10th & 11th and December 17th & 18th. We are still waiting approval for the use of Calvary Baptist churches driveway.  

If you would like to participate in a nativity or donate desserts, email lastdaysofjesus1979@hotmail.com.

Please continue to pray for our 44th year of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ in our community. Pray for needed cast and crew positions to be filled.
Live Nativity
Admission is free.
Desserts & hot drinks for purchase.
Good News Clubs &
Jesus Youth Challenge

Clubs are going well and we love our kids. Jennifer has been walking the kids down from Dry Hollow Elementary school on Thursday but will need to stop doing this as she has Reynauds syndrome and the cold does her fingers and toes in. If anyone is interested in walking with the kids on Thursday afternoons please contact us. Otherwise, please pray for the 8 kids to safely walk down Dry Hollow to Gateway church. There are a few littles that like to run ahead and run across the street in the 35 mile area to see a dead raccoon.  

We would like to reach the kids at Chenowith Elementary school. If you know kids in this area, please encourage them to come to Good News Club at Emmanuel Baptist on Fridays after school.

Please continue to pray for our GNCs from 3:00-4:30pm at:
 • Cornerstone on 12th and Mt Hood Streets on Mondays;
 • Gateway on 11th and Dry Hollow on Thursdays;
 • Emmanuel on 10th and Snipes on Friday. 
Pray also for Jesus Youth Challenge (JYC) for middle schoolers at the Evangelical Church on 12th across from the Middle School on Wednesday, 3:15-4:30pm.
Mark your calendars now and plan to attend our impromptu Family Build-A-Pageant on Sunday December 19th at 4:30pm. Bring the whole family and invite your grandchildren, friends and neighbors to travel with us to Bethlehem during this delightful, fun and no-fuss event as we focus on the real Reason for the Season. Participants will show up in costume at 4:30pm, rehearse the performance once on-the-spot and then present the pageant at 5pm followed by birthday cake for Jesus.
Ladies, your Women's Ministry Team invites you to a No-Host Brunch at Kainos Coffee (418 E 2nd St, downtown The Dalles) on Saturday December 11th at 11am. Come, enjoy some great fellowship and then you can even enjoy more time together by walking around the other local small business in our beautiful downtown and maybe even get a little Christmas shopping done. We are excited to get together before the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. We hope to see you there!
BUDGET
November monthly goal $32,788.08
Received to date $22,032.13
Help Us Help Our Community
With the wet and cold weather right around the corner, St Vincent dePaul is in need of tents, sleeping bags, and tarps for those who are not able to be in the pallet homes, yet still need a warm and dry place to sleep.

Donations can be dropped off at 315 W 3rd St any Monday - Thursday between 10am and 4pm.
WHAT WE BELIEVE...The Dalles First Christian Church is an independent governed congregation with elder oversight. Our roots are found in the Restoration Movement. We follow the Lord’s plea for unity. We support all believers who accept Jesus as Lord of their lives. We don’t consider ourselves the only Christians, but “Christians only”. We look to the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. We follow the New Testament in matters of faith and practice. We observe communion on a weekly basis and follow the Biblical pattern of conversion. Church members have exhibited their faith in Christ by belief, repentance, public confession of faith, baptism (immersion), and a continual faithful obedience to Biblical standards of living. We stand firm on the essential doctrines of the faith, but observe freedom in the non-essential areas of Christian life and belief.
First Christian Church, The Dalles
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