Celebration Midweek - Happy New Year!

It is good to be back in Michigan! I hope that you were able to enjoy Christmas with family and friends. May this New Year for you be filled with all the blessings that only our great God can provide!

1. Sundays in January - Many churches in the last few decades have placed an increasing focus on people and missions to them. While that must be a reason why we exist, is it the primary reason? Where does our God and our relationship with him fit? We will use the book "Vertical Church" to help us to focus our efforts and start this year with a proper perspective as Celebration Community Church. 

2. January 10, Friday - At 7pm we will be watching the movie, “I Am” here at Celebration. "I AM" is a prismatic and probing exploration of our world, what's wrong with it, and what we can do to make it better. Come out for fun, fellowship and popcorn! Check out the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-Z-ZKoZN8Q

3. Next Steps Class - New to Celebration or looking to know more? In January we will begin a 3 week class to help you decide what your next steps at Celebration. We will meet after church, have lunch, and dig into important aspects of Celebration. Contact Sue DeBoer or Pastor Matt for more details.

4. Small groups - We will be starting new small groups in January. Groups are great places to grow deeper with God and with others. Contact Brenda Swanson or Pastor Matt for more info.

5. Prayers - Please pray for:
- Couples trying to keep Jesus at the very center of their relationship.
- Healing for so many who are hurting deeply inside.
- Rest from the hectic pace of the holidays.
- Pastor Matt's cousin, Karyl, has a tumor in her right lung that is causing her much trouble.
- Safety for the people in the armed forces who are in harms way.
- People who are missing loved ones and are dealing with loss during the holidays.
- Peace on earth and good will to people on whom his favor rests!


--
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 - Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Celebration Community Church! We hope and pray that you will have a very blessed Christmas!


1. Christmas Eve Service Tonight, 8:00PM! - Plan on worshiping tonight at church on this last day of Advent! See you there!

2. Adopt A Family - A HUGE thanks to all who helped make the Adopt a Family project a wonderful success.  Both families were blown away by your love for them that flowed from your love for God!  There were many tears and thanks and prayers.  May God continue his blessings on them this year.

3. Prayers - Here are some prayer requests and thanks, some new and some older. Remember these people in your prayers this week:
- All who are grieving from a recent loss at this season.
- Nancy and Tim Bosma's neighbor Barb and husband Mike on the loss of her Dad.
- Robin Busch begins 5 weeks of radiation treatment. Praise God final big dose of chemo went easy.
- Tim Bosma because of his knee injury. For Nancy to have patience.
- Shirley DeMeyers who is the Aunt of one of our special friends from Moka. She has a brain tumor and they are running tests.
- John Wessel, for his peace and provision.
- Kadence Ribbens who has a bulged disk in her lower back that is pressing on the nerves. Please pray for relief of pain.
- We pray for a wonderful and peaceful Christmas with your families. That there may be peace on earth and goodwill toward all people. (Sometimes the ones we love the most are the hardest to get along with.)
- Steve DuRose's mom who is responding well to her first Chemo treatment.
- Ruth Hinojosa would like to express her gratitude for all of your prayers for the loss of her mother.
- Kim Rhodes' mother in law whose kidney is not working well.
- That loved ones may see that Jesus is the reason for Christmas!


--
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 - December 18

Today was awesome! There was so much pounding and commotion on the roof that I thought at any moment it was going to come down on top of me. That just means that there is much progress happening! Yea!

1. Events
- Deliver Gifts and Caroling, 6:00 PM, December 19 (THU) - We will be caroling in the neighborhood after we have pizza and salads. There will be hot cocoa after we are done singing. Dress in warm clothes and get ready for an awesome time!
- Christmas eve service, 8:00PM (TUE) - Our annual candlelight service will be one to share with others. Pick up an invite at the information booth to give to friends, co-workers, and family!


2. Advent - This week in our Advent series, "From Darkness to Light", we will look at the darkness of anxiety and the light of peace! Invite someone who needs to hear about real peace!  (Luke 2:13-16)

3. Cleaning Church - Every week we have wonderful people from MOKA come to clean church for free. However, they will not be able to clean our building the week of Christmas or New Years. We need a small group of people to clean church for 2 hours during these 2 weeks. Please contact Jim Ring or Doug Bergman from AMT if you are interested.

4. Prayers - Here are some additional prayer requests since Sunday, mostly from the communication cards. Please pray for:
- Kim Rhodes' Mother in Law whose kidneys aren't working well.
- Pam Willimason as she has surgery on Jan 16th to remove her tonsils.
- Ruth Hinojosa as she grieves the loss of her mother.
- The Hooker family, new acquaintances of the Ribbens' family, as Dan's mother just passed away this morning.
- Kadence Ribbens who has a bulging disk in her back.


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

4 Things to Know This Week

Looking at the weather I can confidently say that "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!" May the joy of Christmas grow in you as we celebrate the coming of Jesus during Advent! 

1. Events
- Congregational Meeting, December 15 - This Sunday we will vote on the budget for next year and get updates from various groups at Celebration. You can pick up a copy of the budget at the info booth.
- Deliver Gifts and Caroling, December 19 (THU) - We will be delivering gifts to our adopted Christmas family and then caroling in the neighborhood. We will have pizza and salads before we go and hot cocoa after we are done singing.
- Christmas eve service, 8:00PM (TUE) - Our annual candlelight service will be one to share with others.

2. Advent - This week in our Advent series, "From Darkness to Light", we will look at the darkness of fear and the light of joy! (Luke 2:6-12)

3. Cleaning Church - Every week we have wonderful people from MOKA come to clean church for free. However, they will not be able to clean our building the week of Christmas or New Years. We need a small group of people to clean church for 2 hours during these 2 weeks. Please contact Jim Ring or Doug Bergman from AMT if you are interested.

4. Prayers - Please add these people to your prayer list:
- Steve DuRose's mom as she battles with cancer.
- Makenna got her helmet off Monday and her CTscan was clean with no bleeding in the brain! Yea!
- Those walking through painful memories, losses, and depression during Christmas time.
- Ruth's mom in Texas is in ICU.

- Safe travel for those going out of town this weekend.
- Sue Vredevoogd as she recovers from breaking her wrist.


--
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 - December 4

Pause! Take a breath! You didn't did you! It is difficult to do this when you are running through life. Don't run so fast and miss out on all of the blessings to be had in this journey with Jesus! So...take a breath...now here are 5 things to know for this week!

1. Events
- Congregational Meeting, December 15 - We will vote on the budget for next year and get updates from various groups at Celebration. You can pick up a copy of the budget at the info booth.
- Deliver Gifts and Caroling, December 19 (THU) - We will be delivering gifts to our adopted Christmas family and then caroling in the neighborhood. We will have pizza and salads before we go and hot cocoa after we are done singing.
- Christmas eve service, 8:00PM - Our annual candlelight service will be one to share with others. 

2. Advent - Last Sunday we kicked off our Advent sermon series "From Darkness to Light". This week we look at the oppressive darkness that is destroyed by the light of salvation! (Luke 2:1-5)

3. Basics for Babes - We are in need of diapers, wipes, baby soap, baby shampoo, baby powder, small and crib sized blankets, new or gently used clothes. 

4. Five Minute Rule - This is merely a reminder to continue what you already do. For the first 5 minutes after worship, there shall be no church business conducted! Instead, thou shalt only greet and connect with those not known to you or who are guests. Thus endeth the sermon!

5. Prayers - Please pray for:
- The friend of Sherry Essenberg who continues to wait for medical treatment.
- Steve DuRose's mom as she battles with cancer.
- Reyes would like to thank all of you for praying for his nieces. They have now both been released from the hospital. He describes their recovery as miraculous.
- Marc and Darla's friend Noah who had cognitive functioning issues last week.
- Bobby Kenney's family as they mourn.
- The leadership of Celebration as they seek to remain faithful to God's calling as servants of God's people.


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