Note from Administrator:
To ensure that we continue to provide a safe church environment for all who attend Westend CRC, we know it is important for us to stay informed and up to date on how covid is currently impacting our community. As you are likely aware, the covid positivity rate in Kent County remains significantly elevated and we would like to remind everyone to keep this in mind when making decisions about worshipping at Westend. If you are sick, please stay home until you are feeling better. Masks are not required to attend church, however if you are willing to wear a mask, please wear one. We will continue to keep an open dialogue with our WE community and allow you to make the decisions that are best for you and your family.
TODAY
This Sunday Pastor Dan will continue the Advent series Songs of Christmas. His message, Zechariah’s Song, will be from Luke 1:67-69.
During the service we will celebrate communion. If you are worshipping from home, we encourage you to have communion elements ready.
The second offering will be for Faith Promise.
NEXT SUNDAY
Next Sunday Pastor Dan will continue the Advent series Songs of Christmas. His message, Angel’s Song, will be from Luke 2:8-20.
The second offering will be for Christian Education.
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
If you would like to remember our shut-ins with Christmas Cards, there will soon be decorated bags in the fellowship center for each of them that the deacons will deliver. A list of shut-ins was placed in your mailbox today.
Westend’s Kids Christmas Program is next Sunday, December 12. We will be having a dress rehearsal for all kids ages 3 – 5th grade following the morning service TODAY.
Have you been financially blessed this year? Would you consider a special gift to be shared as a Christmas Blessing with those of our church family who haven’t been so fortunate? You may place donations in the offering boxes, labeling them Christmas Blessings. Thank you!
There are still some tags left on the Christmas Tree in the Fellowship Center- please feel free to grab a tag or two, buy the gift listed, and return the unwrapped gift to church by next Sunday December 12th
Join us for the last Zumba of the year! Monday night at 6:30pm in the Fellowship Center.
Join us for a Carols and Cocoa night next Sunday!
We are excited about getting together as a Westend Family to sing carols and enjoy hot cocoa and fellowship! You are welcome to bring chairs and blankets with you. We are looking forward to celebrating together!
Thank you everyone for supporting the CEMC and their efforts to provide mittens for children who need them. Orders for mittens are due TODAY, but will be accepted anytime before Christmas since we have a supply of them. We have saved the best pair of mittens for last! Next week (Dec 12) there will be the last pair of mittens on display in the back of church- they will be up for silent auction! They are filled with wonderful Christmas surprises from our committee. There will be a slip in your box next week for you to fill out with the amount that you would like to bid for those mittens! You will NOT be disappointed! Check them out next Sunday in the back of church and out your winning bid slips in the box- we will let you know the winner the following Sunday! Thank you so much for all of your support!
Do you want to be a blessing during the Christmas season? Join the Hallelujah Chorus walkup choir in preparing for the Christmas Day service! We will be practicing December 19th after the service- we need at least 10 people in order to make it work this year!
Our next Community Dinner is Wednesday December 15th, and it will be a delicious, youth-sponsored Christmas ham dinner!
Kids Hope Mentors: The last day of school for Shawmut Hills before Christmas break is December 15th.
THANK YOU
We would like to give a huge thank you to everyone who showed up to help make this week’s Westend Wednesday and Feeding America Food Truck a success! We couldn’t have done it without you!
JROCK (6th-8th graders)
Bundle up for a JROCK Winter Party! We will have a bonfire, food and laser tag in the Westend parking lot TONIGHT from 3:45-5pm! This is our last event for the year! We will be outside so dress warm!
LIFE (9th-12th graders)
Join us tonight from 6-8pm in the church basement for a night of Christmas fun! We will play some games, eat some food & discuss the joy of Christmas!
Join us next Sunday for a fun night as we hang out outdoors with the rest of the church community. We will have fire pits, s’mores, hot chocolate and sing some Christmas Carols! Hope to see you there!
Save The Date! Wednesday December 15th will be our next fundraising dinner! We will need your help as we put together a ham dinner as we celebrate the Christmas season.
FINANCIAL UPDATE
Offerings 11/28/21 wkly goals
Ministries $6,757 $12,228
Chr Ed $555 $1,308
WAYS TO GIVE
In Person: Drop your gift in one of the offering boxes
By Mail:
Mail your gift to: 1015 Westend Ave NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Text: Text the amount you want to give to 84321. (ex. $10 in the message field)
Online: Go to www.westendcrc.org/giving and donate online, or find out more ways to give!
SPECIAL SERVICES
Kids Christmas Program – Dec 12th @ 9:45 AM
Carols & Cocoa – Dec 12th @ 6 PM
Candlelight Service – Dec 19th @ 6 PM
Christmas Worship – Dec 25th @ 9:45 AM
THIS WEEK
TODAY – 12/5
9:15 AM Prayer Time
9:45 AM Morning Worship
11:00 AM Christmas Program
Practice Ages 3 – 5th grade!
11:00 AM Discovery Hour
3:45 PM JROCK Winter Party
5:30 PM Romans Bible Study
6:00 PM LIFE
MONDAY –12/6
6:30 PM Zumba
TUESDAY –12/7
6:30 PM Divorce Care
WEDNESDAY –12/8
6:30 AM Men’s Bible Study
8:00 AM Men’s Life
1:00 PM Cafe
7:00 PM Council
THURSDAY –12/9
9:30 AM Knit & Crochet
NEXT SUNDAY – 12/12
9:15 AM Prayer Time
9:45 AM Morning Worship
11:00 AM Christmas Program
11:00 AM Discovery Hour
6:00 PM Carols & Cocoa
VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE
TODAY, December 5th
Nursery- Holly Milanowski, Michelle Terrell
Children’s Ministry-Staci Carroll
Coffee Servers-Dick & Kathy Myers
Welcome Center- Jacki Baker
Audio/Visual:
Slides- Micheal Quigley
Sound- Linda Vanderlaan
Video- Kristen Adrianse
NEXT WEEK, December 12th
Nursery- VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Children’s Ministry- VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Coffee Servers-Jamie & Rene Mata, Mary Ouwinga
Welcome Center- Jeni Verbeek
Audio/Visual:
Slides- Andrew Rodenhouse
Sound- Ryan Faber
Video- Micah Graybill