Thanksgiving Week Update

Dearest Celebration,
Is it still unclear to us in the USA that we have so much for which to be thankful? Sometimes. I like the way the Apostle Paul encouraged his readers who had much less than we do. In Colossians 3:15, stuffed between his thoughts on the peace of Christ and the word of Christ, Paul simply says, "And be thankful." No big guilt trips given. No frustrated anger over whiny selfish attitudes. Just a command: be thankful. We are surrounded by the peace of Christ and the word of Christ. Let us be thankful both this week and those to follow!

1. Events
- Tonight, Thanksgiving Eve Service at 6:30PM at church.
- Sunday, Adult Sunday School, 9:00AM in the Nursery.
- Monday, Dec. 1, Vision Team Meeting, 6:30PM at Ring's.
- Wednesday, Dec. 3, Book Club, 6:30PM at Verdoni's. We're reading "In the Garden of Beasts" by Erik Larson.
- Dec. 6, Food Truck at Calvin Church, Saturday, 8:00-10:00AM. Help distribute food to those who need it.
- Dec. 14, Annual Congregational Meeting, Sunday after worship. Copies of the proposed budget are available on the Information Table. Contact your elder if you have any questions.

2. Sunday - Meh? It's the too common feeling of apathy and unconcern. Are we that way toward God? Join us as we conclude our series "We've Got Mail" and what Jesus says to Celebration Church from the book of Revelation.

3. T-Shirt Sale - This is the last week! Until Dec 1, get a T-Shirt, Long Sleeve T, or Hooded sweatshirt for Christmas! The costs range from $16-$36. All proceeds go to the building fund. Go to:www.bonfirefunds.com/celebration-church-building-fund. As of today we have 18 shirts sold already!

4. Baby Basics Help - Our supply of baby toiletries is severely depleted. We need baby wash, lotion, wipes and diapers. Receiving blankets and cozy crib blankets are also in low supply. New or very gently used newborn to 9 month old sleepers/outfits plus small infant rattles/toys make our "bags" special for these needy new moms. Thanks for your help!!

5. Miracle of Christmas - Every part of the Christmas story reveals a miracle. We can easily miss it if we don't look for it. Our Advent series this December asks us to consider how the miracle of Christ's coming into the world changed history, brought peace and hope of salvation, and impacts you personally. Invite a friend to hear of the "Miracle of Christmas"!

6. Prayer - Take some time to pray for:
- Pray for those coming to the Thanksgiving service on Wednesday at 6:30PM. May God continue to bless us all and give us all that we need!
- That God would bless all the families getting together for Thanksgiving.
- For unexpected money issues.
- Pam Williamson's friend Dave after his wife Diana died on Oct. 5. May he find peace and comfort during the grieving process.
- Prayers for families that seem to be falling apart.
- Marilee Schut as she continues to heal from her foot surgery.
- Those feeling stressed out at work and in need of Gods hand of encouragement.
- Thanks for those who have difficulty in life but continue to say that God is good.
- Bill Essenberg as he is in the middle of his 2 month cancer treatments.
- Those in the midst of relational issues.
- Celebration’s building project and closing the gap needed to begin.
- Those looking for employment.
- The unspoken prayers of our hearts that only God knows.
- Those dealing with loneliness and depression.
- Continue to pray for families who are separating or divorcing. Pray especially for the children who are always caught in the middle.
- Brian and Sue Vredevoogd ask for prayers for their friend Frank who has had his cancer come back.
- Harold West gave prayers of thanks for Janet Sykes, his resident who fell and was in a coma after a lot of blood loss. She returned home this past week.
- Nate Meyer, son of Bob and Kathy, has improved enough to be moved to Mary Free Bed after his accident.
- Pray for those who still grieve after the loss of loved ones. May they seek even more after our Comforter during the holidays.
- Pray for Congregational meeting scheduled for Dec. 14. The budget will be presented and updates given on several ministries.

--
Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.org
Like us on Facebook!
(231) 571-4137

Celebration Midweek - November 24

This is an extremely busy week so here are your 5 things to know for this week!

1. Thanksgiving Eve Service, Wednesday, November 27 at 7PM. Gather together to give thanks to God with our families, including our church family. Consider bringing a non-perishable food item to church that will be used in the food basket for our adopted family. Our evening services are always touching and worshipful.

2. Bobby Kenny - Our giant doorman/umbrella holder/bouncer/teddy bear/friend who we lovingly know as Bobby Kenny died yesterday, Monday. We will have a luncheon in honor of Bobby on Friday, November 29 at 1:30PM at Celebration Community Church. Please bring your stories and pictures of Bobby to the luncheon to share with others.

3. Sunday - We begin our Advent series that will highlight how the darkness of our world is shattered by the light of Christmas. This Sunday will be how out of the Darkness of Despair comes the Light of Hope! (Isaiah 9:1-7)

4. Adopt a Family - We ran out of gift tags in a record 10 minutes! We have another family that we will sponsor this year for Christmas. The gift tags will be on the tree for Sunday. Also, bring a non-perishable food item to church at our Thanksgiving Eve service that will be used in the food basket for our adopted family. Other questions, contact Cheryl Ferguson or the church office.

5. Prayers - We have a very lengthy prayer list this week. Please pray for:
- The many people who suffer from depression and heart ache during the holidays.
- The family of Bobby Kenney especially his son Shaun.
- Tammy Postma as sheis in the middle of a divorce she does not want.
- Heather DeBoer (daughter-in-law of Dick and Sue) that the doctors in Ann Arbor reach a diagnosis and are able to treat her.
- Have a prayer of praise that God provides in timely ways especially in ways we are not anticipating.
- People who are traveling, coming home for the holidays.
- Robin Busch, Tim Bosma's sister as she goes through treatment for esophageal cancer. Prayer of praise that she is feeling better after her first chemo treatment.
- Prayer of thankfulness from Sherry Essenberg for answered prayers for family and friends.
- Prayer of praise for Holly's friend Aimee. Her power came back on the night before her surgery. She had her surgery and it was very successful and she is recovering nicely in her own home.
- The families in Illinois in your prayers as they rebuild after the tornados.
- Reye's nieces, Delilah and Sevonney they are both hospitalized for health issues.


--

Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.com/
www.facebook.com/celebration.muskegon
(231) 571-4137

Celebration Midweek - November 20

As I type this email I hear the guys working on the roof! What a wonderful sound to hear! This cannot come soon enough since the last heavy rainstorm helped my office to develop a leak! Yea East Muskegon Roofing!

1. Thanksgiving Eve Service: Wednesday, November 27 at 7PM - Gather together next week to give thanks to God with our families including our church family. Consider bringing a non-perishable food item to church that will be used in the food basket for our adopted family. Our evening services are always touching and worshipful.

2. Annual Congregational Meeting: Sunday, December 15 - This meeting after the morning worship service is where we approve the budget and hear of other noteworthy information regarding Celebration.

3. Adopt a Family - We hope to have the gift tags on the Christmas tree this Sunday for our family from LoveINC. Bring a non-perishable food item to church at our Thanksgiving Eve service.  They will be used in the food basket for our adopted family. More? Contact Cheryl Ferguson or church office.

4. Prayers - Please be in prayer for:
- Those in our congregation who are in need. This is a very hard time of year for some.
- The Architect Input Team that meets on Monday. May the input given lead to the advancement of God's work at Celebration!
- Direction in reaching out to our community.
- The Peterman family. Jamie's father Norm has gone to be with Jesus.
- Those who have lost their homes, and those families who lost loved ones in the tornadoes in Illinois.
- Those suffering in the Philippines.
- Chris Nicholes and his new baby Nevaeh. Pray for their guidance, discernment and care.
- Makenna Hentschel. She is still having issues with bleeding on the brain as her mom struggles with maintaining a place for them to live.
- People at Celebration in our congregation facing difficult decisions.



--
Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.com/
www.facebook.com/celebration.muskegon
(231) 571-4137

This Week at Celebration

Happy Thursday Celebration! Don't miss these 7 important things for this week!

1. Christmas Caroling! Meet at Seminole Shores at 6:30PM next Wednesday, Dec 5, for your opportunity to go caroling! Very important fashion request: Please wear read or green or just a real gaudy Christmas sweater! I just want others to share in my fashion disorder!

2. Adopt a Family - We have a family of 8 from LoveINC for our tree this year! Cheryl Ferguson will be talking about it on Sunday. Talk it over as a family or small group to see where we can bless this family this Christmas!

3. Offering - Our Thanksgiving offering was for World Renew (formerly CRWRC) for the cleanup efforts of hurricane Sandy. The total came to $338! WOW!

4. Advent - Our Advent sermon series highlights the hidden characters in the Christmas stories. This Sunday is the story of Elizabeth and the surprise of God's blessings (Luke 1:39-45).

5. Christmas Cookies - Bring your favorite Christmas cookies to share with others on Sunday. Sign up at the info booth for your week.

6. Prayer Needs: Please be in prayer for Jena DeWolfe who is going through some big challenges.

7. Thanksgiving - This past week it was very easy for me to be thankful for the many different, dysfunctional, and delightful people just like me at Celebration Community Church. It was our 1 year anniversary together! I am thankful for all of you and look forward to what God will do this next year!

Celebration Notes!

There are 7 things you need to know this week!

1. We are looking for someone to advance the powerpoint slides once a month. If you can click a computer key and are willing to learn more, you are perfect for this role!

2. We are looking for 2 more readers for Thanksgiving Eve service (Wednesday night, 7PM). There will be a potluck at 6PM.

3. There will be sheets of paper on the walls this Sunday. They are there for people to write on! Fill them up with items, events, and people for which you are thankful. IDEA: get the calendar out and make a list of one item of thanks for each month. Also, list specific areas in your life where you saw God do great things!

4. Pray for families and marriages! Many have taken huge hits over the past few months.

5. Continue to pray for those who have lost loved ones recently: Pam, Bob, Darla, Mary, and others. There is no set way to grieve and come to terms with the loss that is deeply felt. Pray that we as a church family will be what they need.

6. As Thanksgiving approaches, so does the stress level for many people. Pray for good things to come out of family gatherings.

7. I am so glad lately for those from Celebration who care deeply for others. There are many hurts and pains in life and it is good when others don't let you go through them alone!



Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.
Muskegon, MI
http://www.celebrationmuskegon.com/

Celebration News

Here are 6 things you should know this week!

1. IT'S FINALLY OVER!:Whew, we made it! Just barely but we are done with the election season until it begins (too soon) for 2014. My hope and prayer is for the country in which we live and the friendships we have. This may be a disappointing election of epic proportions or the best election since the dawn of electoral contests.
The most important thing to remember that this is NOT OUR HOME! (Phil. 3:20)  We are aliens, immigrants, temporary workers, stewards, vagabonds, etc. But we are here for such a short time. Let's continue our main job of bringing God's Kingdom to earth as it is already in heaven. Maybe that thought will break the gridlock of the next 4 years?

2. SERVING TONIGHT: Eat some supper and meet at 6:30PM at 1) Hope's Outlet or 2) Seminole Shores for a night of serving! Bring the kids too!

3. CHILI!: Sunday is the Annual Chili Cook-off! If you would like to enjoy this meal after worship on Sunday and HAVEN'T signed up, contact Holly at church. I hear Roger has a special recipe this year!

4. SONGS OF THE HEART: Confession is only good for other people, right? Wouldn't it be great if we could be free of the dark and secretive stains on our souls? Sunday's message draws on the song of confession from Psalm 51 which we ALL know we need! See you there!

5. IMPORTANT DATES: November 18 - Adopt-a-Family begins. November 21 (Wed) - Celebration Thanksgiving Worship Service!

6. BIGGER BOAT NEEDED: There were 81 adults in the worship center last Sunday! And that doesn't count the children and other adults in the building either! You probably noticed that it was a bit "cozy". Stay tuned for more information from the "We Need A Bigger Boat" Team that will address that issue.



Celebration Community Church

1260 W. Sherman Blvd.

Muskegon, MI

http://www.celebrationmuskegon.com/