The Lauryn Williams Story

Lauryn found her value and identity in her performance on the track until it let her down on the world’s biggest stage, with dropped batons in two different Olympics. It was then, through some soul searching, that she found her true source of value based upon what God said was true about her. It changed her mindset completely. With this new purpose in competing for God, her training and competition took on a new dynamic which brought greater rewards than she had ever considered.

When Lauryn was feeling down after dropping the relay baton and feeling that she let her country and teammates down, Sanya came to her side with encouragement and prayer. Do you ever look for opportunities to come alongside someone who is having a bad moment, day or week and offer them some encouragement, prayer or help? Luke 10:25-37 gives us a great example of how we can come to the aid of others in need, even when they may not even be our friends. A simple act of kindness can go a long way in helping the other person and provides an opportunity to share God’s love.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Family Game Night!
Every Monday from 7:30-8:30pm we will be gathering through Zoom to play fun games together! No installation or purchase required. Anyone age 12+ can join the game via computer, phone, or any other device that can browse the internet. If you’re interested and would like to know more, please contact Matthew at: matthewgoerdt@restorationcov.org

Sunday Coffee Time
Are you missing after service chats by the coffee cart? Join us after the Sunday worship service for our virtual coffee meeting; we’ll bring the company you bring the coffee! We will break up into groups of 3-4 callers to give you a chance to chat and check in on each other. Use this link to join. A link will also be posted in the chat at the end of the service on Sunday.

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FALL SCHEDULE 
*THIS SUNDAY* In-person and Online Sundays – Nov 22, Dec 6, Dec 20, Dec 24
Arrive before 10am to grab a chair and be a part of our “studio congregation” at The Family Life Center Building at 14201 Cedar Avenue, Apple Valley, or tune in at 10am for our live stream on Facebook or our website online.restorationcov.org. For parking and worship follow the Restoration sign. For complete information about our in-person guidelines, click HERE. Read our COVID-19 precautions here.

Online Only Sundays – Nov 29, Dec 13
Tune in at 10am for our live stream on Facebook or our website online.restorationcov.org. Host a watch party and invite some friends to join you in-person or in a digital small group to connect and grow.

ONLINE GIVING 
There’s no time like the present to set up online giving. Because our regularly scheduled worship service will be online for the next few weeks, online tithing is a way to remain faithful in your giving even in the most uncertain of times. Decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you need. We encourage you to consider giving online so that your giving is regular and easy to manage – it’s easy to sign up HERE.

PRAY OR RECEIVE PRAYER 
Now more than ever, people are turning toward prayer or are in desperate need of prayer. We have an amazingly gifted prayer team you can depend on for prayer. They’re always looking for other prayer warriors if you want to join or if you need prayer for any situation, you can contact them. We believe in the power of prayer and know that God is listening. We would love to pray for you. If you’re interested in joining the prayer team or have any prayer requests, send them to our prayer team at prayer@restorationcov.org

With the new state restrictions, Small Groups at Restoration will be pivoting slightly. We are asking that those groups who were meeting in person respect the new guidelines of 10 or under and no more than three households. That being said, there are options to still meet. Restoration is willing to sponsor groups as ongoing events at the Ministry Center if those groups follow the Church’s guidelines. Also the Church has a Zoom account we can lend to any group that might need it. Community is so important, friends! Please keep finding ways to seek Jesus together; you’ll be glad you did!

Restoration Kids Advent To Go Boxes 
Restoration Kids wants to help your family enter the Christmas season in a way that is meaningful and focused on the hope of Christ, so we are once again offering Advent To Go boxes. Each box contains an activity booklet with weekly family readings and fun activities to help your family connect and celebrate the birth of our Savior this Advent season. If you are attending in person worship on Sunday, November 22, you can pick your box up that morning. Otherwise, we will be delivering boxes to Restoration Kids families the following week. If we do not have your address because  you are new or have only joined us online, please email Chrystine at ChrystineVilhauer@restorationcov.org and she will make sure you get one!

Restoration Kids on Sunday Morning!
Before our in-person services you can pre-check your kids into Restoration Kids and use contactless check-in by downloading the app (see instructions below).

After checking in, kids will enter the worship center with their family. Following the kids’ blessing song, kids will line up with their class by the coffee area, while maintaining a physical distance of six feet. Their teachers will walk them to the Ministry Center in the adjacent building. Immediately after worship service, follow the signs on the Ministry Center door to check-out your child.
Restoration Kids classes will look a little different as we start again. Here is what you need to know:

• Instead of starting in large group, kids will go straight to their small group lesson time
• Masks will be worn by both adults and kids
• All efforts will be made to distance when possible and there will be no activities that involve extended periods of closer than six feet
• Each kid will have their own bag of supplies that they will use each week
• High-touch surfaces will be sanitized before and after classes

NEW! Restoration Kids Contactless Check-In
We are introducing new contactless check-ins for Restoration Kids. Watch this video for more information:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjC4hLGOz5c)

First, you will need to download the Church Center App. After you choose Restoration as your church and enter your phone number, the app should be able to access your family information. After you have checked in each of your kids, the app will creat a QR code. When you get to church, use the self check-in station to scan that code. Your child’s sticker name tag will print. You can use the QR code on your phone to pick up your child at the end of service. No more lost pick-up stickers! Contact chrystinevilhauer@restorationcov.org if you have any questions. 

Restoration Kids Nursery
During our in-person Sundays, Preschoolers (kids ages 3-4) will be able to join us in the nursery until our preschool classroom reopens. Parents will check kids in at the table in the entryway when they get to church that morning, or try our new contactless check-in from your mobile device (read below for instructions).
You will receive a name tag sticker for your child and another label for you to keep and present when you pick your child up. All adult volunteers will be wearing face coverings. Face Coverings for children under the age of 5 are optional. 

• Parents are asked to maintain a distance of six feet between those around them while waiting in line for the check-in table, dropping children off in the nursery and picking children up at the end of service. 
• All toys will be rotated so that the same bin of toys is only being used once a month. Toys will be cleaned after each Sunday morning.
• Volunteers will do their best to remove toys from play if they have been in a child’s mouth.
• High touch surfaces will be sanitized before and after class each Sunday morning.

Restoration Kids Virtual Class
Restoration Kids is excited to announce that every other Sunday, we will be hosting a virtual Restoration Kids class. On the Sundays that we are not gathering for in-person church, we will be meeting immediately following the streamed service. Kids in Kindergarten through fifth grade are encouraged to join. Before attending, make sure kids have watched that week’s content video via our website. The latest video should be posted by each Friday here. It would also be good to have some paper and crayons or markers nearby for any activities we might do together. The link will be posted at the end of the service or use this link.

Reach out to ChrystineVilhauer@restorationcov.org with any questions.

Sunday Morning Middle School Breakout
It has been a long while since Middle Schoolers got the chance to meet on a Sunday morning. We are excited for the opportunity again but seeing as there are a lot of moving parts for Sunday Morning Kids Ministry relaunch we want to serve them by allowing them to first get settled. We will launch Sunday Morning Middle School Breakout on November 8th and will continue it every  in-person Sunday. We will share more details soon.

Wednesday Night Student Gathering
We are watching the updates from the state and will be staying in person for the one remaining Student Gathering in November (we have no Student Gathering 11/25). Student Gathering is a public event that falls below the 25 person number. We will reassess conditions in December and may move to online meetings if that is deemed wise or necessary. 
 
Students Immerse Experience
God’s Story isn’t just for adults! Restoration Students Ministry is excited to launch into Immerse Beginnings. Starting October 7, Student Gathering will draw the teaching and small group discussion from the previous week’s Immerse reading. This way, students will be getting a taste of what the rest of the Church is reading through.
 
We also ask that parents encourage their students to take part in the Immerse reading as well. If the amount of reading is intimidating, please consider the Family Guides which breaks up the reading into shorter devotionals. You can pick up the Family Guide along with your Immerse: Beginnings book or download one yourself HERE. You could go through the devotional as a family or students could read through them on their own. Whatever method you choose, please encourage your student to join in. We have the opportunity to have the entire church reading through the same passages together! It won’t be the same without them! So, please invite them in, they can’t say “yes” if you never ask.

View past News & Notes by clicking HERE.