Swim Night

Save the date for our annual SWIM NIGHT!!

January 31st at Burkwood (9120 Burkwood Club Drive)

6:30 PM - 8:15 PM

Cost: $5/family

RSVP to julie@gcpres.org

Operation Christmas Child

Thank you so much for helping us collect 59 boxes for Operation Christmas Child!!  Here are some pictures from our delivery to the collection site - New Bethesda Church.  They were so kind at the church and involved the boys in helping with packaging, counting, and praying for the boxes.    

Your generosity is GREATLY appreciated!

Advent is on the way...

 Advent Begins:  Sunday November 30, 2014

Advent Ends:  Wednesday December 24, 2014

Advent Wreath:  One of the ways GCPC will celebrate Advent this year is with an Advent wreath.  There are candles lit during the 4 Sundays leading up to Christmas.  The first is the prophecy candle or the candle of hope; the second is the Bethlehem candle or candle of preparation; the third is the Shepherd candle or the candle of joy, the fourth is the love candle or the candle of peace; and the center white candle is the Christ candle, lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day symbolizing the birth of Jesus.  See additional handout included further explaining each candle during Advent Season.

Suggested Resource to supplement the Advent Wreath 

(Available for $7 on the Resource Table):

Prepare Him Room - Celebrate the birth of Jesus - Family Devotions by Marty Machowski

Items needed to make one wreath using battery-operated candles:

•    1 piece purple felt

•    1 piece pink felt

•    Artificial wreath (inexpensive at Michaels)

•    Battery operated candles 

(You only need 5 candles for the wreath 

and they are sold in packs of 12 at Michaels)

•    Double sided tape - to adhere felt to candles

•    Red pom poms to add to wreath for decoration

•    Raffia – for decoration

Jesse Tree:  In addition to the Advent wreath another way to prepare for Christmas is using the Jesse Tree devotional.  The Jesse Tree will encourage us as we look through scriptures from Old Testament creation through Jesus’ birth.  The tree is named Jesse (King David’s father) a key figure in the genealogy of Jesus.

Don't forget about the Jesse Tree Devotional Craft handed out last year:

Suggested Resources (Available for $12 on the Resource Table)

The Advent Jesse Tree: Devotions for Children and Adults to prepare for the coming of the Christ Child at Christmas by Dean Meador Lambert.

Advent Chain

1.   Preparing. Use construction paper (red, green, and white) and cut into strips. You will need 25 pieces of paper to make one chain. You will also need a glue stick, pair of scissors, and markers/pencils.

2.  Adding days. Start to number the days, beginning with November 30 and ending on December 24, on the strips of paper. Flip the pieces of paper over and write something on the back. Bible verses are a good way to help your children understand Christmas! You could also write down a fun activity to be done on that day such as decorating the Christmas tree, making the Christmas cake, or writing Christmas messages to friends.

3.  Making the chain. Take your first strip (November 30) and glue the ends together to form a ring. Make sure the date is on the outside of the ring. Take your second piece labeled December 1 and run it through your ring and glue the ends together.  Continue doing this with the remaining strips.

4.  Finding a good location. After your Advent paper chain has been completed, hang it up on a Christmas tree or especial place. Every day have your child rip one ring off, starting on December 1, and read the back and do whatever activity was planned.

Northside Outreach Center Christmas Store

Service opportunity for the whole family:  Take a look at the link below for information on the annual Christmas Store for the Northside Outreach Center.  They are looking for volunteers to help with the Christmas Store on Friday, December 12th and Saturday, December 13th.  Donations are also being accepted. 

Christmas Store Info

Thankful song

This is a great song to compliment the Thankful Tree:

"Don't Be a Turkey" by Yancy

Thankful Tree

Yesterday Ben commented on how the store had skipped November.  He made this comment after looking at the Christmas signs everywhere. 

I love Christmas but also don't want to skip over November.  The following article gives a great suggestion on making a thankful tree.  The activity is simple yet emphasizes the importance of giving THANKS!!

Beginning this Sunday at church in children's worship and sermon study, the children will write down something they are thankful for and add it to the branches.  Then on the following Sundays leading up to Thanksgiving the tags will be available if children want to add more thankful suggestions to the branches. I'm looking forward to doing this at home as well.  I need reminders just like my children to be thankful!

Thankful Tree Directions

I found red, yellow, green, & white tags to add to the tree. 

DON'T FORGET:  Sunday, November 9th is the collection day  for the Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes.  Please continue filling boxes!!   

Upcoming Events

Fun pictures from the Harvest Party last week - thanks Michelle for hosting.  

Take a look at all the fun!!!: Harvest Party

Don't forget about the Fall Picnic this Sunday at 12:00!!  The temperature has increased to 55 degrees - grab a jacket and join us for lunch. 

One more week to fill boxes for Operation Christmas Child.  Thank you to those who have already turned in boxes.  Filled boxes with payment for shipping can be dropped off this week and next at church.  

This event isn't for months but it is worth marking on your calendars:

Run for the FUNd -Supporting West End Presbyterian Church's Community Preschool Scholarship Fund on Saturday April 4, 2015

Check out the following link for additional details:  Run for the FUNd 

Grace Kids Update

We have arrived at the end of our first 6 week Unit using the new DWELL Curriculum!!  Children in Preschool - 5th grade have been working on learning memory verses for the past 6 weeks in both the Children's Worship Classes and Sunday Community Classes.  This coming Sunday they will be rewarded for their hard work.  

Sunday, October 26th = Memory Verse Celebration

Preschool - Selecting from Treasure Box

Kindergarten - 5th grade - Outside play for 20 minutes (cookies and juice included too).  

New Memory Verse Sheets will be sent home this week.  Thank you so much for working with your child on learning the verses.  We emphasize the verse at church but working on it at home and looking up the verse in the Bible will continue to help children with the memorization and recognizing the importance.  I just purchased a few copies of the following Bible for the teachers to use:  NLT - Hands On Bible - I am excited about using this Bible and think it will be a great resource!!

Reminders:

 November 2^nd:  Fall Picnic - Chickahominy Oaks Pavilion.  Join us for a potluck picnic following Sunday Communities at 12:00 PM.  An evite has been sent with additional details.  If you did not receive the Evite contact Julie at julie@gcpres.org.

Friday Fun:  Flapjacks & Flick

Movie: Herbie Fully Loaded
Check out:  Herbie Fully Loaded Trailer

Location:  Ashcreek Clubhouse

Time: 6:00 PM on Nov. 14th

(Pancake dinner with fruit, bacon, and juice)

Movie starts around 6:30

Don’t forget a bean bag, pillow, sleeping bag, etc..

Feel free to invite friends to this event.  Just pass along rsvp so we can plan accordingly for the food.

Evite coming SOON!!