Weekly Bulletin 12/03/2017
Sunday, December 3, 2017
A blessed Advent to all! Welcome to worship as we prepare for Jesus’ birth and second coming.
9:30 am ~ Morning Worship Service
Worship Leader: Rev. Jacob Porter
Welcome & Call to Worship
Praise Songs ~ O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Days of Elijah
Do You Hear What I Hear
God’s Greeting and Our Shared Greetings
Noisy Offering ~ Love INC Sponsor-a-Family
(Pre-K – 5th grade are dismissed for Sunday School)
Morning Prayer
Offering Prayer ~ Larry Meiste
Tithe-of-Tithe ~ $1,540
Tithes & Offerings ~ HCRC Ministries & Building Fund
Offertory ~ Word of God Speak ~ Dean Michaels
God’s Word ~ Isaiah 40:1-11 (pg. 1119)
Message ~ Longing For Solace
Song of Response ~ Prepare The Way
God’s Blessing
Sending Song ~ Go Tell It On the Mountain
Sending Praise
Prayer Ministry ~ Larry Meiste, Esther Vander Laan
6 pm ~ Advent Carol Sing
at Hamilton Reformed Church
Music Leader: Mr. Jake Ten Cate
Offering: Love INC
Next Sunday – December 10 – 6pm
Down Home Gospel Music
Offering: Down Home Ministry
OUR CHURCH FAMILY
Christmas Cards ~ Remember each of our missionaries and home church family with Christmas greetings. Your cards may be placed in the special mailboxes in the fellowship hall through December 10. A list of missionaries and church family can be found in the December newsletter.
OUR CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS
Morning Service ~ This morning we will begin our Advent Journey to Bethlehem, Longing For.. from the book of Isaiah.
Evening Worship Service will be held at Hamilton Reformed Church at 6 pm. Mr. Jack Ten Cate will lead us in singing the songs of the Christmas season. An offering will be received for Love INC. Join us for this special gathering.
Ladies Guild Bible Study will meet on Tuesday, December 5 at 10 am in the fellowship hall. We will discuss lesson 5, Pressing On Toward the Goal. Our next meeting will be December 19.
Down Home Gospel Music will lead the evening service on December 10 at 6 pm at our church. Come and enjoy “good old gospel songs, old time hymns and traditional harmonies”. Everyone welcome!
Fellowship Night will be held on Wednesday, December 13. A Christmas Dinner will be served in the fellowship hall from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. The congregational meeting will follow at 6:30 pm.
Congregational Meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 13 at 6:30 pm to vote on the General Budget for 2018. A copy of the budget is available in your church mailbox. Council encourages all professing members 18 years and older to attend this meeting. If you are unable to attend, absentee ballots can be obtained from any elder.
Offerings for November 26:
General Fund ~ $2,449.00
Building Fund ~ $315.00
Faith Promise Mission Support – $40.00
Noisy Offering – $93.00
OUR CHURCH CALENDAR
Today: December 3 ~ First Sunday of Advent
9:30 am ~ Morning Worship Service – Rev. Jacob Porter
Offerings ~ HCRC Ministries & Building Fund
Noisy Offering – Love INC Sponsor-a-Family
Sunday School – Pre-K – 5th grade
Story: Way To Bethlehem
Fellowship Time follows worship service
6 pm ~ Advent Carol Sing – Hamilton Reformed Church
Offering: Love INC
Monday, December 4
6:30 pm ~ Executive meeting
7:15 pm ~ Elders meeting
Tuesday, December 5
10 am ~ Ladies Guild Bible Study – fellowship hall
7 pm ~ Small Group Bible Study – Lesson 3
Wednesday, December 6
7 am ~ Prayer Time in the sanctuary
6:30 pm ~ Youth Group
Sunday, December 10 ~ Second Sunday of Advent
9:10 am ~ Pre-Service Prayer Time – Pastor’s office
9:30 am ~ Morning Worship Service ~ Rev. Jacob Porter
Offerings ~ HCRC Ministries & Building Fund
Noisy Offering – Love INC Sponsor-a-Family
Sunday School, Pre-K – 5th grade
6 pm ~ Down Home Gospel Music – Hamilton CRC
Offering: Down Home Ministry
Requested & Expanded Announcements
December 3, 2017
Sunday School for Pre-K – 5th grade will meet this morning and be dismissed during the morning worship service. We will meet on December 3, 10 and 17 and through our stories we will travel to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus.
Community Advent Carol Sing will be held on Sunday, December 3 at 6 pm at Hamilton Reformed Church. Mr. Jack Ten Cate will lead the audience in a community chorus of carols. Join tonight for the tradition of the greater Hamilton faith community. An offering will be received for Love INC.
Small Group Bible Study will meet on Tuesday, December 5 at 7 pm. We will discuss lesson 3 – Signs of the Times.
Cadets will be meeting on Wednesday, December 13 at 6:30 pm for our Christmas party. This will be our only meeting for the month of December.
Youth Group we will be meeting on December 6 and 13 for our Christmas lessons. We will be having a Christmas Party on December 20. Remember our youth gatherings start at 6:30 pm.
Congregational meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 13 at 6:30 pm. We will voting on the General Budget for 2018. A copy of this budget is available in your church mailbox.
Down Home Gospel Ministry will be in concert on Sunday, December 10 at 6 pm at Hamilton Christian Reformed Church. Come and enjoy “good old gospel songs, old time hymns and traditional harmonies.” Everyone is welcome. An offering will be received for the Down Home Gospel Ministry.
Hosts are needed for the High School Youth Group on January 3, February 7 and March 7. A host would be asked to provided refreshments and share either a favorite Bible passage and why it is special or a testimony about walking with Jesus. If you are interested in hosting a night please contact Pastor Jake.
Christmas Card Volunteers are needed to deliver Christmas cards to our church family. If you would be willing to deliver a package of cards and bring Christmas greetings to some of our church friends let Lori know in the church office.
Offerings for November
General Ministry – $15,398.00 Building Ministry $815.00
Faith Promise Mission – $537.00 Noisy Offering – $254.00
Holland Classis – $1,540.00 Thanksgiving Offering – $12,269.00
GATE Youth Center will be opening in January and we are looking for mentors for our middle schoolers. There will be a training time on Saturday, January 6 from 9 – 11 am. If you are interested in investing in our Hamilton youth as a volunteer mentor, please email, thegateministry117@gmail.com.
Advent Starts Today ~ Is your heart ready? Celebrating Christmas isn’t a day, it’s a season. Welcome Immanuel, Incarnate in 2017 with Advent devotions from World Renew and the CRC Office of Social Justice every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, starting tomorrow, December 4. Join an exploration of the Incarnation of Christ and his presence in our lives as we prepare to celebrate his birth. To sign-up go to crcna.org/advent.
Wonderful Counselor ~ In the famous passage in Isaiah 9:6, the prophet begins by describing the Messiah as our Wonderful Counselor. As we look toward Jesus Christ’s birth, join us in studying Isaiah 9:2-6, John 14:15-17 and John 16:12-15 to discover the divine wisdom and help we receive from Jesus Christ our Messiah. Listen at GroundworkdOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork’s weekly emails for future episodes.
Kids Corner ~ The Knights Before Christmas. When Liz and Lucille see a homeless family in front of church, they tell Liz’s dad. The church decides to help them, but they find out that all is not what it seems. Check out KC’s Gifts of Kindness Advent Calendar and Devotional and invite your whole family to join you in giving daily gifts of kindness at www.kidscorner.net.
World Renew Gift Catalog ~ This Advent will you stand in the gap with people in need? With your help, World Renew can fill the gap with literacy, agriculture, or good health, Include a gift catalog item on your Christmas list this year. Get your copy online at worldrenewgifts.net or call 800.333.8300 to request your catalog in the mail.
Calvin Symposium on Worship ~ You are invited to register and attend the annual Calvin Symposium on Worship, January 25-27, 2018, at Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary. The three-day conference brings together a wide audience of artists, musicians, pastors, scholars, students, worship leaders and planners and other interested worshipers. There are excellent rates for students and groups from churches. For information and to register, go to worship.calvin.edu/symposium.