Dear Friends,

When I was a teenager, growing up in a small farming community in the thumb, there wasn’t much to do on the weekends. One of the ways we found to entertain ourselves was to find a path and follow it. Whether it was a two-track through a field or a walking path through the woods, it was fun for us to follow the path and see where it leads. Some of those paths led to water. Some led to interesting finds in the woods, like forts and treehouses. One time my best friend and I decided to take my car down a path that wandered through a field. Big Mistake. We didn’t end up in some cool place. We ended up getting stuck in the mud up to the frame of my car. I was certain that I was going to lose my driving privileges for this one. My best friend was very resourceful. She called a friend who had a tractor and a tow rope. He came to the field and pulled my car out of the mud. We drove to the car wash and washed away the evidence of our adventure and I prayed that the car would be ok and that my dad would never find out. To the best of my knowledge, God answered those prayers.

I learned two things about choosing paths that day: First, the path you choose matters so wisdom and discernment ought to be applied. And second, thank God there is grace for the times when we don’t apply wisdom and discernment to our choices.

Jesus had something to say about choosing a path. Check it out in Matthew 7:12-14. This Sunday we will talk about why choosing the narrow path is better than the wide path. At the 11:00 a.m. service we will baptize two, and confirm fourteen young people. Sunday School and Nursery Care are available at the 9:30 a.m. service. Nursery Care is available at the 11:00 a.m. service.

I look forward to worshiping with you!

This four-week study explores the warmth of welcome at Christmas following interactions with the Holy Family, the shepherds and the Magi. This Advent we are offering the book Making Room, Sharing the Love of Christmas by Ed Robb, as a resource for impacting your faith through this season. Upcoming sermons at both campuses will be based on this book. Rev. Susie will be leading a discussion group at the Birmingham campus on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. on November 26, December 3, 10 & 17. Registration is not necessary. Come for 1 week or come every week. Books are available in the main office.

Join Pastor Shawn for a four week Advent Study. Together we will read and discuss Heaven and Earth, Advent and the Incarnation by Author Will Willimon. Willimon is a retired United Methodist Bishop who now serves as Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry and Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Duke Divinity School. Prior to his election as a Bishop, Willimon was Dean of the Chapel at Duke Divinity School for twenty years. He will be speaking at Birmingham First on Friday, April 5, as the keynote speaker for our Annual Endowment Dinner. 

Church & Society Ministry is sponsoring an all-church Christmas Wish List fulfillment drive as part of our ongoing support of the Pontiac-based nonprofit Multicultural Family Center (the Center). They have provided us with a Christmas Wish List that they are hoping Birmingham and Berkley First can fulfill. Our goal is to provide the Center with at least one of each item on the Christmas Wish List. You can find out more information by clicking the button below.

The women’s mission team will be holding an online auction beginning at 10:00 a.m. Sunday, November 19 until Monday, November 27 at 10:00 p.m. This auction will help us raise enough funds to be able to give the people of La Corroza the hope of access to clean water by providing them with a well. Donors for the auction include Meadowbrook Hall, the Fisher Theater, Interlochen Arts Academy, Trader Joe’s, Hollywood Feed, Beyond Juice, cabi, Neiman Marcus, Green Lantern, Catching Fireflies, and Yellow Door. Hop online for some holiday gift shopping or to treat yourself or a loved one all while supporting our mission partner in Honduras!

Help support the Scouting Program at Birmingham First by purchasing your Holiday Greens from the Scout fundraiser. This year we will be doing PRE-ORDERS on Sundays before and after the services on November 19 and 26 at the church. We will have a drive-through pickup of orders in the church parking lot on Saturday, November 18 and Saturday, December 2. For more information or to download a price sheet, click the button below.

Lest We Forget!—Stories of Those Who Served is now available through Amazon Books. The book can be ordered as a paperback, a hardcover book, and as a Kindle book by scanning the QR code or by clicking the button below.

The 4:00 p.m. Family Christmas Eve Service needs children and adult caregiver volunteers to retell the story of Jesus’ birth. Children in Pre-K through 5th grade will have small speaking parts. Musicians are also needed to perform Christmas songs on their own instruments. We will have a mandatory rehearsal on Saturday, December 23 at 9:30 a.m. For more information or to sign up, go to our website by clicking the button below.

Rolls of wrapping paper and bags of bows are needed for the Cass Gift Wrap Kits mission project! Children & Family Ministries will be collecting donations through December 10. Donation boxes wrapped in Christmas paper are around the church to collect donations in the following locations: outside the CFM office, (under the table) and near the Main Entry door. 

We will celebrate babies born in 2023 on Sunday, December 10 at the 9:30 a.m. worship service. RSVP your baby for this special day and submit a photo by Sunday, November 26 to Director of Children and Family Ministries, Kim Bowyer by email at [email protected].

There is still time to donate to meet our goal to help support the Brightmoor Thanksgiving Meal Mission. Donations can be made via Text to 248-368-0033 please use keyword THANKS with your amount (ie. 60 THANKS) or online by clicking the button below (please designate in the “Other” line as “THANKS”). You can donate in-person during coffee hour in Fellowship Hall on November 12. Donations can also be mailed or dropped off to the CFM Office.

Share your love for Christ by playing with toddlers and preschoolers, and holding babies in our nursery care during worship services on Sundays at Birmingham First. Pastor Susie and Kim Bowyer will walk you through the volunteer application process and brief training, which is required for all volunteers working with children & vulnerable adults. If you have questions, please reach out to them. To sign up for a time slot click the button below.

Registration Now Open

Unite 3 on 3 is back in the CLC for another great season of fun, faith and basketball. Don't wait to sign up your K-4^th grade (5^th grade for girls) player! Spots fill fast! Questions? Reach out to Beth Torrey at [email protected].