Announcements for November 2021
/November Mission Partner: Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree Ministry
One in 28 children in the U.S. has a parent behind bars - equal to one child in each classroom. Incarceration can strain family ties to the breaking point. Prison Fellowship Angel Tree provides an opportunity for local congregations to extend the hope of the Gospel and enfold Angel Tree families into church life through delivering Christmas gifts, and more.
The Bridge Christmas tree will be decorated with more than lights and ornaments this year! You’ll soon see 35 angel gift tags for area children. Through the month of November, rather than donating to our mission partner, please take a tag from the tree and purchase a gift for a child on behalf of their incarcerated parent. Place your gift under our tree and we will deliver them in December. If you’d like to help deliver, or have questions, contact Cathy Coffman or Natalie Runyon.
Communion: November 21
If you are tuning in via livestream and would like the elements delivered to you, please contact Natalie Runyon or Nikki Fiedler.
21 Days of Prayer: From November 1 - November 21 we are asking each person who calls The Bridge their home to join us in focused and intentional prayer. Below are some details on our 21 day prayer initiative. We will be utilizing an app called Pray First. The app has prayer plans, music, and areas for you to record your prayers. There are a lot of resources! Feel free to use them as you feel led. For this particular initiative, we will use the following schedule:
11/1-11/7 - Lord's Prayer
11/8-11/14 - Prayer of Jabez and Psalm 23 (11/12), James 4:8 (11/13), Romans 8:38-39 (11/14)
11/15-11/21 - Those Who Need God and Jeremiah 29:11-13 (11/20), Hebrews 13:5 (11/21)
If you do not have the capability to download an app, or prefer not to, you can find much of the same information here: https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/files/2021/2021-pray-first.pdf
The church sanctuary will be open for prayer at the following times during the initiative:
Monday - 12-12:21 PM
Tuesday - 8-8:21 AM
Wed. - 12-12:21 PM
Thursday - 8-8:21 AM
Friday - 8-8:21 AM
Each Sunday morning, the building will be open at 9 AM for anyone who wants to come inside and pray. We encourage you to prayer walk around and through the building from 9-9:21 AM.
Should you desire specific prayer during these twenty-one days, we will have an intercessory prayer team available to pray for and with you. If you would like to uphold others in prayer and join the intercessory prayer team, please contact Pastor Steven or Natalie Runyon. Follow The Bridge on FB and IG as we share personal stories of those whose lives have been impacted through prayer.
Advent: During the Advent season, which begins November 28, our Children’s Ministry teachers will be using a curriculum called Prepare Him Room. This will also be the title of our Advent sermon series. There is a corresponding family devotional and music that we want to encourage our Bridge family to utilize during this season.
The family devotional can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Prepare-Him-Room-Celebrating-Devotional/dp/1939946530/ref=nodl_
And the album here: https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2S4hScXPQwHVngKf46D9WW6tuBp1Wtro
November Memory Verse:
Our November memory verse is the first of our two scripture memory passages for Advent. As you memorize these verses, dwell on what they tell us about Jesus. Which of these names most ministers to your heart right now and why? Ask your kids the same. Listen to the song throughout the month and you’ll find memorizing scripture is easier than you thought!
Bridge Family Movie Night: “Just keep swimming!” Swim (or drive!) on down to the Roxana Nazarene Theater, Saturday, November 13 at 6:00 PM. We will be watching Finding Nemo and Pastor Steven will share how we can see hints of the gospel in every good story. The movie is free and concessions will be available for purchase.
Mountain TOP Parent Meeting: Is your middle or high school student interested in attending the Mountain TOP mission trip in July 2022? There will be a parent meeting on Sunday, November 14 at 11:45 AM that will cover details such as the financial obligations of participants, information on dates and deadlines, and some changes to next summer's trip, as well as a time for Q&A.
High School Friendsgiving: Who doesn’t love Friendsgiving?! High school students - bring a dish that represents your family in some way, invite your friends and meet us in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, November 28 from 6-8 PM.
The Gospel Coalition’s 2022 Women’s Conference: When the trials of life weigh us down, meditating on our great salvation helps restore our joy. This hope is the theme of our upcoming women’s conference, Remember Your Joy. Over three days we will gather with women from around the world to consider how seven Old Testament stories point to our greater salvation in Christ—and lead us to greater joy. From June 16-18, 2022, The Gospel Coalition will be holding a conference for women in Indianapolis. If you’d like to attend along with other women from The Bridge, please contact Natalie Runyon or Jacquelyn Cato. For more details, check out https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/tgcw22/#theme
Save the Date:
Christmas Caroling and Cookies: Sunday, December 12 at 6:00 PM
Christmas Candlelight Service: Sunday, December 19 at 6:00 PM
IF: Gathering- March 4-5, 2022
Women’s Advent Study: Our Hope Has Come - In this 5-session Advent study, we will take a closer look at the Christmas story and the hope revealed in the lives of people in the Bible whose obedience and yeses to God’s plans, even in difficult times, gave them great joy and led to God’s glory in their lives and generations to come. As we explore the hope that Jesus brings, we'll learn to trust God's care for us as His beloved children in both times of abundance and times of lament.
No matter what you’re facing, at just the right time, in the fullness of time, God will act on your behalf too. In fact, He already has. In the advent season, we celebrate God’s kindness to us, even as we wait on the future hope to come.
Join us on Mondays from 10-11:30 AM beginning November 15. To order a book, contact Natalie Runyon this week.
Community Groups: Interested in connecting with a Community Group? Email jon.davis@bridgetograce.org for more information about community group opportunities.