December 19, 2019
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
John 1:5 ESV
Hello Restoration,
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Or is it? We live in a fallen world where we know pain, suffering and death. The holidays shine a light on what or who is missing just as much as who and what we have. Life is hard, families are complicated and we sometimes don’t make the best decisions. It can leave us feeling empty and broken. Today I received word that a dear friend lost her son to complications from a drug overdose. Three hours later I received word that a colleague at work lost his father on Friday. As I sat there with no words, I was reminded that this part of life was not unexpected to those present at Jesus’ birth. One of the Wiseman brought Myrrh, an expensive burial oil that also has healing properties. They were wise enough to know that life brings with it many hurts, and offered a gift to address them. It makes me smile when I ponder who they were giving it to. They had no idea the one receiving this gift was the ultimate healer! Death, tragedy, homelessness, abuse and unmet expectations don’t stop because Jesus came to us as a baby. He came for those things, in the midst of those things, to heal us and restore us to God. They don’t stop, but we should. We should pause and bring whatever we are carrying to the manger. If our life is truly to be a living sacrifice, why do we so often try to hide the hurts from our creator? He already knows the good, the bad and the ugly of our lives. Why then do we think he doesn’t want us to offer those for his healing in return?
I love the poem titled Treasures and Gifts by Herbert Henry Hines. Through tears of joy, sadness and pain have I prayed this, and I know he smiles as I bring my all, yes all (even the ugly crying), to him.
“We open here our treasures and our gifts;
And some of it is gold,
And some of it is frankincense,
And some of it is myrhh;
For some has come from plenty,
Some from joy,
And some from deepest sorrow of the soul.
But Thou, O God, dost know the gift is love,
Our pledge of peace, our promise of good-will.
Accept the gift and all the life we bring.”
I hope you will join us on Sunday as we learn to find the light, His light, even in the midst of darkness. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 ESV
In Him,
Rebecca
Hope is on the Way
Most of us don’t like to wait…for anything. Yet, for almost two-thousand years, Christians have ‘started’ their sacred year with Advent: stopping and waiting. The four weeks leading up to Christmas are a time of past and future colliding in the present. It’s a season to remember, prepare, and celebrate, not only Jesus’s first coming, but also His second coming. Hope is on the Way is a series designed to help you hear God’s promises through the centuries, to see Jesus Christ for who He really is, and to celebrate one of the most important events in all of human history: the eternal and almighty creator of the universe becoming human, living among us, and suffering for us so that we could be with God, now and forever.
*THIS SUNDAY*
Communion Sunday
This Sunday we’ll be celebrating communion as part of the worship service. Communion is a sacred practice in the Christian church instituted by Jesus Christ. The bread and cup represent and remind us of Jesus’ body and blood freely being offered to restore us with God. Please note that we always use juice instead of wine and have gluten-free bread available so that all members of our community can participate in communion.
*NEW*
Kids Christmas Program Video
Last Sunday Restoration Kids, along with some talented students, musicians, and directors, performed a marvelous and humorous telling of the Christmas story. We will have a link in the worship folder this Sunday and in our News and Notes next week. We will also post it on our Facebook page for you to view and share. Thanks again to Jon Bothun and the Restoration media team for capturing the moments!
*NEW*
Life, Money, Legacy – New Message Series
“Money management” is a phrase that makes some of us cringe. But there is hope, healing, and better days ahead! In this five-part message series, we will learn practical, biblical advice on topics like budgeting, money myths, and more based on wisdom from trusted financial expert Dave Ramsey. No matter the situation, the principles learned here can help with getting out of debt, making better financial solutions, and ultimately finding peace and creating a legacy that lasts. Series starts January 5.
*NEW*
Sewing & Crafts Workshop
We’re looking at putting together a sewing and crafts workshop in January/February. If you or your child is interested in participating, please let us know so we can gauge interest. We’ll determine the project and the location based on the responses we receive. If you’d like to participate or help, please contact KerryStok@restorationcov.org.
*NEW*
Vision Update Meeting – January 26
Every January, we invite the friends and members of Restoration to pause with us as we take a pulse on our church’s health and reflect on where we are seeing God at work through our church community. We’re excited to review our church-wide goals, share progress reports from our ministry teams and staff, and report on the 2019-20 budget. Please join us on Sunday, January 26 immediately following our worship service. Child care provided. If you have any questions prior to the meeting, contact leadershipteam@restorationcov.org.
Christmas Eve Service
We will gather for a special time of worship at 3:30pm on Tuesday, December 24, at our usual worship location, 14601 Hayes Road in Apple Valley. Busy bags will be available at the worship services for younger children. Please visit the information table in the lobby on Sunday for invitations you can share with someone you know. The nursery will be available but unstaffed.
No Worship Service on Sunday, December 29
The holidays are a great time to express our appreciation to all of our volunteers who invest in Restoration’s mission on a weekly basis. Thank you to our amazing team leads and loyal volunteers. We are so thankful for you and all the work you do! We hope you’ll enjoy sleeping in on Sunday, December 29, because we will not be gathering for a worship service that day. However, we do hope you’ll join us that day for…
Sunday Fun Day Luau!
Restoration is going to have a whole lot of luau fun on Sunday, December 29. We’ll meet at the Ministry Center at 10am until 1pm. Staff will provide Hawaiian brunch from 10-11:30am. Stick around for games and conversation. There will also be some great games set up in the large room, but you are welcome to bring your own game as well. This is an “all church” event which means everyone is welcome. Festive luau or Hawaiian attire is encouraged. Contact LaceySkoglund@restorationcov.org in the church office with questions.
Restoration Small Groups
Restoration Small Groups exist to help people be known and grow in their relationships with God, the church, and with others far from Christ. If you have a question about our next small group season starting up around mid-January, you can contact Daniel at groups@restorationcov.org.
Restoration Online Directory
Did you know Restoration has an online directory where you can find photos and contact information for others at church? We would love to have everyone’s picture there as another way to help everyone get to know each other. You can find directions on how to use the directory HERE. Contact info@restorationcov.org if you have any questions.
Join the Setup Team
Are you a behind-the-scenes type of person ready to serve alongside other men and women at Restoration? Do you know someone who could serve in this capacity? If you’re willing to move chairs, do light lifting, and set up the stage and worship area once a month on Sunday mornings, then you’d be a valuable asset on the set up team. At Restoration, the set up team creates the environment where people can encounter God. Michael Van Dyken, the team leader, is looking for volunteers to to serve. To learn more, contact him through setup@restorationcov.org.
Amazon Smile
If you do any holiday shopping at Amazon, if you go through AmazonSmile it can also be a gift to Restoration. To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You have access to all the same items through AmazonSmile. You may want to add a bookmark to make it even easier to start your shopping at AmazonSmile. Sign up and choose Restoration Covenant Church as your organization to support. Thanks in advance for choosing to support Restoration!
Pray or Receive Prayer
Are you gifted at prayer or do you have a prayer request that you’d like to share with our prayer team? 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
RESTORATION KIDS
Contact: ChrystineVilhauer@restorationcov.org
Kids and Communion
This Sunday, we will celebrate communion near the beginning of the worship service. Restoration does not have a policy to decide when a child is ready to partake of communion, rather we encourage parents to make that decision. If you would like help processing whether or not your child is ready for communion or you would like to start having conversations with your child about communion but are not sure how or where to start, contact Chrystine Vilhauer.
*THIS SUNDAY*
Kids’ Christmas Pajama Party
As we enter the very busy Christmas week, we’ll be having a fun, relaxing morning in Kids Ministry. Kids in preschool through fifth grade are invited to wear their pajamas for a cozy morning at church. After songs, the kids will be sent to Kids Ministry where we will spend time celebrating Christmas and the hard work of our Christmas Program. We will watch the video of the program together and enjoy some holiday snacks, stories, and crafts.
RESTORATION STUDENTS
Contact: DanielMorgenstern@restorationcov.org
Families of Youth Lunch – January 12
We’ve got some fun plans in the works for our Families of Youth lunches in 2020! Because we’re recovering from the holidays and are working on hosts for the next few months, we’re planning to go back to Culver’s in January for our first FOY for the year. These lunches are a wonderful and fun way to get to know other families who have students grades 6-12. Join us at Culver’s on Sunday, January 12 from 12-2pm. If you have any questions or are interested in hosting, please contact KerryStok@restorationcov.org. See you there!
Restoration Students Wednesday Nights
Jan 8, 15, 22, 29 | Feb 5, 12, 19, 26 | Mar 4, 11, 18, 25 | Apr 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 | May 6, 13, 20, 27
Students in grades 6-12 are encouraged to join us at the Ministry Center (7707 147th St W, Apple Valley) from 6:30-8pm on Wednesday nights for a time of teaching, activities, and groups that focus on encountering Jesus, building meaningful relationships, and restoring hope to the world. If you have a Bible, bring it. Invite a friend!
Middle School Group
Jan 12, 26 | Feb 9, 23 | Mar 8, 22 | Apr 26 | May 10, 24
Students in grades 6-8 begin Sunday mornings in the worship service. On the designated Sundays, they meet in the café for discussion and activities that complement the Sunday morning message.
Join the Students Team
Do you have a passion for working with students? Are you interested in serving Restoration through our Wednesday Night Student Groups? We would love to hear from you! The students team is looking for adult men and women who would like to get involved in being a part of our team. We welcome anyone who loves God and loves the idea of working with students. Contact Daniel Morgenstern.
View past News & Notes by clicking HERE.
