OVESTA EWS

Published monthly by:

Novesta Church of Christ 2896 N. Cemetery Rd. Cass City, MI 48726

Phone: (989) 872-3658

novestachurch@yahoo.com

www.novestachurch.org

Brad Speirs, Senior Minister Daniel Knowlton, Family Minister

December Issue

VOL. XXXVIII- - - No. 12

November 24, 2013

Sermon Series… UnWrapped

This December, join us as we unwrap the Christmas story and see what presents God has for us, and perhaps more importantly, what we can offer to Him! Each week we will be looking at the story through the eyes of those involved and seeing just what it was God was doing in their life and through their life to change the world. Our prayer is that through these messages we might see how God can use us to bring His Glory and Hope to a dark and lonely world!

December 1st --- Unplanned Gift (Mary’s thoughts)

December 8th --- Unnecessary Expense (Joseph’s thoughts)

December 15th --- Unexpected Guests (Shepherds thoughts)

Welcome Pot-Luck & Teacher Meeting - December 8th

Please make plans to join us on Sunday, December 8th, after the morning worship service for a church-wide potluck and to also welcome Daniel, Tasha, and JoAnna

to the family. We will also be having a teacher meeting for everyone involved at any level of teaching or helping with kids, whether that is Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesdays, or even just the activities and events. That meeting will hopefully last about 30 min and will give Daniel a chance to meet you and to share his vision of where the youth & children’s ministry are heading. We really hope to have all of you stick around and be a part of this great after-noon together. As a way to help welcome them to Cass City, we’re inviting anyone that wishes to do a ‘taste of the thumb’ type gift card or product to help them feel right at home here at Novesta!

Annual Congregational Meeting - December 2nd

Our annual Congregational meeting will be December 2 at 6:00 p.m. Besides hearing the various ministry reports and goals, you also have the opportunity to vote and show your support for individuals seeking important offices within the church. (Sample ballot is posted on hallway bulletin board) Please note: Sunday, December 1st, the Annual Reports booklets will be available with our fi-nancial status, information about the different ministries we have, and the minister’s report. Read them over to know more about what goes on here at Novesta. If you find a ministry that you’d like to become involved in, just contact that ministry leader and let them know of your interest.

Welcome New Members Having already been immersed, Renee Nitz placed her membership with Novesta on October 27. Renee and her husband Rod and children, Connor and Megan, have moved back to this area.

Then on November 10th, Robert Krueger was im-mersed into Christ. Rob is the husband of Michelle and they have five children: Samantha, Tabatha, Savanna, Robert & Madison.

We welcome these new members and pray for others that need to take their stand for Christ and accept Him as their Lord and Savior.

Our last meeting for 2013 will be December 9th @ 7pm at Kristy’s home. We will be cele-brating Christmas with a fun night of snacks, games, Christmas music, and a white ele-phant gift exchange. Be sure to join us and bring a friend to this fun night! There will be plenty of smiles, laughs and Christmas cheer to go around! Any questions, see Kristy Speirs, Heather Roberts or Jodie Mika. (FYI--our first 2014 Bible study night will be January 13th:))

Community Christmas Hymn Sing

On Sunday night, Dec. 8th, @ 6:30PM we’ll be meeting as a community at the Cass City Missionary Church for a town-

wide Christmas hymn sing. We’re looking for individuals, couples, kids, or groups that would be interested in doing a special music for this event as well. If you are interested in participat-ing, please let the office know as soon as possi-ble or talk to Brad for more information. This is a great chance to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ and to share the ‘good cheer’ of the ‘great news’!

Pictorial Directory Who’s that guy over there? Is that family new? Oh man, I really should remember their names! These are all statements that your preacher has made recently on Sunday mornings. As our church has been growing, we’ve also realized that we don’t know everyone very well. In an effort to help better connect the body to each other, we’re going to be doing a pictorial directory again in January. This will involve each of you doing your part by signing up to come and get a family picture taken for the di-rectory. There is no expense to the church and there is no mandatory expense for you as a family, and you will even be given a free 8 X 10 photo of your family as well. More information will be coming soon, so be watching the bulletins and an-nouncements for sign-up informa-tion.

Shine returns in January We want to thank all of our teachers and helpers for an incredible Fall session of Shine both on Wednesday afternoons and Sunday evenings. We had a great group of kids that participated in both. We are also excited about getting a little break during the busy Christmas season. Shine Sunday nights will be returning on January 12th for all 7th - 12th grade stu-dents, and Shine Wednesdays will be return-ing January 22nd! If you are interested in partnering with us and helping out during either of these great programs please talk to Daniel for more infor-mation. We had over 40 kids at Shine Wednesdays alone!!!

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Our Bible Bowl team was able to travel to Her-shey, PA to compete in an early season tourna-ment last week and they finished in 3rd place overall. The team also got to have a great time of bonding and growing as they participated in the Eastern Christian Conference.

Beginner Bowl Our Beginner Bowlers are eagerly studying and preparing for their first tournament of the year which takes place in a just a few weeks down in Lansing. Please continue to keep the kids and coaches in your prayers as they study and learn about the Bible.

Star Wars Marathon Attention nerds! This Wednesday starting at 8AM you can join fellow space cadets to watch all 6 of the Star Wars movies here at the church. This is a great time of fellowship (and napping) and we invite you to come and be a part. Fellowship is an important part of a healthy church and we invite any-one that would like to come and be a part of this fun time as well. (You don’t have to stay for all or start at the beginning either, feel free to drop in or drop by for 1, 3, 5, or all 6!)

RightNow Media We’ve recently begun an exciting new minis-try opportunity through RightNow Media. Think ‘Netflix’ but with 1000’s of Christian ti-tles and Bible Studies. We’re still in the proc-ess of understanding the opportunities with this, but we will be able to share information with you soon about how you can access thousands of Bible Studies, kids programs, leadership seminars, and more at your home any time you want! For more information you can check out rightnowmedia.org or talk to Brad or Daniel.

Flag Football Thanks to everyone for another great season of Flag! Throughout the fall we had a great time, terrific fellowship, and surprisingly no major injuries! We also want to congratulate those on the winning team on the last week. Congrats go out to Kyle Osentoski, Michael How-ard, Lauren Howard, Ty-ler Brandel, Lukas Schenk, and Brad Speirs.

As our church continues to grow we’re continually in need of more volun-teers to serve in many different areas. We’re defi-nitely in need of more workers for our nursery

and young children’s areas at this time. If you’re available to work more in the nursery or toddler department, please let the church office know and we’ll help get you more plugged in to the life of Novesta. We will be working on sched-ules for the new year shortly, so please talk to the office as soon as possible.

T-Shirts Sweatshirts

Karen Speirs will be ordering some more Novesta Shirts this next week. If you missed out on the first order or you want to order more, please have

your order in to Karen before Dec. 2nd.

LONG TERM

PRAYER LIST

**Member Lester O’Dell - Emphysema Aneita Denhoff - (Carrie Gilley’s mother) Quinton Simpson - in a coma (Dena Anderson's nephew) Carol Hartman - awaiting heart transplant (friend of Pat McIntosh) Diane Wojtaszke - cancer (Ann Hartel contact person) **Heather Roberts - continued healing of MS **Dena Anderson - extreme pain Steve Wilkinson - aneurysm Don Kruse - recovery (Michelle Speirs’ grandpa) **Larry Harper - Intestinal problems Allison Newbegin - tumor (Sharron Hartwick’s great niece) Nancy Gyomory - tumor (Doris Hendrick contact) Tonya Armstrong - cancer (Sharron Hartwick’s niece) Mark Pierson - (Zmierski’s cousin) Ted O’Dell - cancer (Duane’s brother) Debra Slanec - cancer (niece of Peggy Nordquist) Lauren Hood - (Betty Powell contact) **Leonard Hawkins - at Stone Gate Village in Sandusky **Deborah Miles - at Tendercare Brian Puterbaugh - recovery, head injury Rachael Maurer - recovery from auto accident **Randee Speirs - lymphoma **Phil Klaus - Graves disease Julie Patterson - recovery from surgery Les Auten III - Kidney disease Tom Sanborn - ALS (Doris Hendrick’s nephew) Gary DeHann - Cancer (Bev Auten’s brother -in-law) Elmer & Beatrice Micklash - Cancer (Nick Romzek’s grandparents) ATTENTION: If you know any of these on this list that are well and can be eliminated from it, please let the church office know.

C.R.A.M. In August CY Kim headed to Slavyansk, Russia be-cause he had been invited to preach and baptize pre-cious souls waiting to give their lives to the Lord. CY made the five hour bus trip which he said at 77 years old the heart is willing but the body is less

willing. CY had his first experience of baptizing Russians and it was a joy being able to preach the word there without fear of being arrested. MEXICAN MOUNTAIN MISSION John and Selene Murray add a new little girl to their large “family”. Her name is Zafiro and she is six. They are also so excited that Leticia, Luis and Joel made their confession of faith and were bap-tized, which is the goal of not only giving children an earthly home but the opportunity for an eternal home. MATT & SHELBY HONIG Toward the end of October, Matt made a trip to visit the Ukraine, Finland, and Georgia. One of Matt’s stops was to meet with all those involved in publishing the complete Bible in the Crimean Tatar lan-guage. After 14 years, they are about one year from publishing this Bible. Matt also met with those who have taken over his work, the Khanty project. In Tbilisi, Georgia, Matt met with three couples pre-paring for translation ministry among the groups either in-country or across borders to the north and south which are difficult for Westerners to reach. NEW CHURCHES OF CHRIST EVANGELISM The goal of NCCE is to reach the lost with the Good News message. They are excited that the congregation they helped start in Brighton a few years ago is ministering to nearly 3,000 people. In Wisconsin, they have planted two new churches in the past couple years. Both of these, Lakeport and Legacy, have around 200 attendees. The church Legacy has been able to move into their first building this year. The church plant in Canada, The Message Christian Church continues to baptize new people on a regular basis. What a blessing for us to have a part in spreading the Gospel in so many ways. HIS HOUSE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP The most recent expansion of this ministry is Traverse City. The cam-pus of Northwestern Michigan College is the location of the twelfth His House campus ministry in Michigan. Gary Hawes, the director, said he saw God raise up a group of students, supporters and a full time campus minister. Gary shared what an awesome sight it is to watch God expand His ministry to students across twelve campuses in Michigan. GREAT LAKES CHRISTIAN COLLEGE The college has begun a big building addition called the Knowles Learning Center. Phase One is complete and paid for! Now it is time for Phase Two which would relocate the Library into the Knowles Learning Center and then redesign the old library into needed class-rooms. The college needs churches and individuals to join them in reaching their goal of $2 million for the completion of this project. You can get more information on their web page: glcc.edu

5 CHRISTMAS BASKETS & GIFTS

This year we have four families that we are providing with a food basket and gifts for the children. We want them to have a Merry Christmas and experience God’s love for them through us.

There is a food list on the bulletin board in the middle hallway to sign up for what you would like to donate. Also, there will be ornaments on the tree in the foyer. The items listed on each ornament are just suggestions. (Suggested price is $15.) So…..

(1) take an ornament, (put your name on the clipboard that coincides with the ornament you took)

(2) buy the gift,

(3) wrap it,

(4) tape the ornament on the gift,

(5) bring it back to church and place it in the office. We plan to deliver the baskets/gifts on December 17. Let’s plan to have the gifts and food items at the church by Sunday, December 15th. We want to thank everyone in ad-vance for your generosity.

BIBLE STUDIES Our Mom’s, Ladies, & Men’s Bible Study groups are taking a break during the month of December and will resume in January. Consider which group fits you and begin the new year with one of them in Bible Study.

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Kids Christmas Program Make plans now to join us on December 15 at 9:30AM for our annual Children’s Christmas program. The kids have just be-gun working on their parts and learning their songs. We are

also planning a time of doughnuts & juice after the program and before church that Sunday morning. We look forward to seeing all the youngsters and their happy faces sharing with us the great story of the Christmas season. If you have any questions about the program please talk to Daniel or Sharron.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to a lack of interest and ballgames on Friday nights, we will no longer be having the Family Game Nights.

Christmas Cantata December 22 @ 10:30 a.m.

The Adult Choir will be presenting the Can-tata titled “Joyful and Triumphant” at the morn-ing worship on December 22. We request that if you have a battery oper-ated candle, please bring it with you as the con-gregation will use the candles during one of the “candle-light” songs. We hope that you will be able to join us for this Christmas cantata and enjoy the old Christ-mas carols as well as some new ones.

Return this month, December 13th, for all 7th - 12th grade stu- dents. Come join the party after the Cass City home game against Caro. Free food, great games, and lots of fun await! We can also use volunteers to help out at these events, please talk to Daniel or Brad for more information.

Dear Church Family, Thank you so much for all your prayers dur-ing Dan’s recent surgery. The surgeons did a great job, but I know it was God’s hands that did the actual surgery Also, Brad, thank you for the extra prayers to get me on the plane. Thanks Again,

Beth & Dan Mellendorf

OUR MILITARY

Scott Brownson - (Tom & Doris Stimpfel’s nephew) Justin Fischer - (Tom & Doris Stimpfel’s nephew) Toby Kilbourn - (Jim’s son) Ben Knoblet - (Tim’s nephew) Jamie Parrish - (Kristie Speirs’ brother, Betty Stilson’s grandson) - serving in Iraq Matthew Peck - (Mark’s son) Ryan Reid - (Jeff Hartel’s nephew) Julie Roche Griffith - Air Force - Japan Cody Ross - California Jason Spaulding - California Brandon Speirs - North Carolina Jacques Weilbach - (Jacques & Marsha’s son) Marius Weilbach - (Jacques & Marsha’s son)

FACTS & FIGURES

Average weekly attendance for the month of November (to date):

Bible School … 106 A.M. Worship … 256

Offering average for November (to date):

Sunday Offerings……….…$4,607.65 (Budget per Sunday: $3,827)

SAGINAW SOUP KITCHEN

December 20 ~ 8:50 a.m. Sign up in the middle hallway if you would like to join the group of volunteers from Novesta that serve those in need of a good hot meal.

NOTE: Gary & Dena Anderson and Skip & Ellen Speirs are collecting money for our Ministers’ Christmas gift.

BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES 12/1 (A) John & Jane Luana 12/2 (A) Rod & Renee Nitz 12/4 Steve Ross 12/4 Carl Keller 12/5 Taylor Beckrow 12/7 Braden Murdoch 12/8 Chris Ziehm 12/8 Becky Howard 12/8 Alex Hopper 12/9 Elfriede Englehart 12/11 Jessica Gracey 12/11 (A) Ryan & Shelli Herford 12/12 Larry Miller 12/13 Taylor Childers 12/13 Amelia Swoish 12/14 (A) Mark & Becky Zmierski 12/14 Heather Roberts 12/15 Donella Peasley 12/15 Sherry Thick 12/16 Jesse Nye 12/18 Tim Blehm 12/19 Mary Helen Pratt 12/20 Larry Harper 12/21 Gabrielle Romain 12/22 Jim Lonsberry 12/26 Rob Hartwick 12/26 Peggy Nordquist 12/27 (A) Ron & Ann Roche 12/28 Madison Beckrow 12/28 (A) Rob & Susie Hartwick 12/30 Don Warner 12/31 Dave Mellendorf

THOSE SERVING IN DECEMBER

COMMUNION MEDITATION: 12/1 Joel Brandel 12/8 Fred Hicks 12/15 Rob Hartwick 12/22 Ken Peters 12/29 Gib Kern DEACONS: Dave Beckrow Craig Maurer Scott Hendrian Ed Nizzola Gib Kern USHERS: Barry Brown Mark Peck Andy Gray Virgil Peters Greg Mika Mark Zmierski A.M. NURSERY: 12/1 9:30 Janie Kus 10:30 Kristie Speirs & Shelli Herford 12/8 9:30 Janie Kus 10:30 Marilyn Lester & Katie Klaus 12/15 9:30 Janie Kus 10:30 Katie Klaus & Carol Hicks 12/22 9:30 Janie Kus 10:30 Andrea Ross & Ann Hartel 12/29 9:30 Janie Kus 10:30 Doris Stimpfel & Linda Downing WORSHIP LEADERS: 12/1 Kristy Speirs 12/8 Fred Hicks 12/15 Lauren Howard 12/22 Christmas Cantata 12/24 Fred Hicks 12/29 Sarah Zmierski SOUND SYSTEM: 12/1 Dave Speirs 12/8 Duane O’Dell 12/15 Scott Hendrian 12/22 Ken Peters 12/29 Brian Hicks POWER POINT: 12/1 Collin Hartwick 12/8 Carol Hicks 12/15 Ron Kampo 12/22 JoEllen Bukoski 12/29 Carol Hicks COMMUNION PREPARATION: Carol Hicks

GREETERS: 12/1 9:30 (main) Doris Stimpfel & Lauren Howard (center) Gib & Pam Kern 10:30 (main) Chad & Cindy Pruitt (center) Ryan & Shelli Herford 12/8 9:30 (main) Dave & Karen Speirs (center) Harold & Joan Little 10:30 (main) Dave & Beckie Peruski (center) Scott & Robin Hendrian 12/15 9:30 (main) Duane & Kathy O’Dell (center) Les & Bev Auten 10:30 (main) Ken & Patty Peters (center) Virgil & Amy Peters 12/22 9:30 (main) Doris Stimpfel & Janet Wright (center) Ed & Marideth Nizzola 10:30 (main) Jeff & Ann Hartel (center) Steve & Andrea Ross 12/29 9:30 (main) Rob & Susie Hartwick (center) Jim & Wanda Lonsberry 10:30 (main) Janice Winter & Mary Helen Pratt (center) Garold & Jamie Peasley 1/5 9:30 (main) Doris Hendrick & Elfriede Englehart (center) Gib & Pam Kern 10:30 (main) Jean Schulz & Mary Lou Spencer (center) Phil & Cindy Klaus JUNIOR CHURCH: Leaders: 2’s-3’s: Rachel Bucholtz & Lindsey 4’s-1st: Jodie & Jeremy Krueger 2nd-4th: Jodie Mika & Melissa Hicks Song Leaders: 12/1 Sharron Hartwick 12/8 Lauren Bukoski 12/15 Beth Mellendorf 12/22 Bailee Ross 12/29 Sharron Hartwick

Updates For Your Directory Whenever we have any changes in address, phone, email,

etc. we will put it in the Newsletter for you to ADD TO YOUR DIRECTORY.

Oops … back to land line!!!

Gib & Pam Kern --- 989-286-3123

New Address & Phone Number

Daniel & Tasha Knowlton and JoAnna 4661 Oak Street … Cass City, MI 48726

Daniel’s cell phone: 989-912-5660

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

9:30-10:20 a.m. - Bible School

10:30 a.m. - Worship

6:00 p.m. - SHINE (7th grade to Adult)

6:00 p.m. - Beginner Bible Bowl

7:00 p.m. - Choir practice 2 0 1 3 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

RSVD by Marideth Nizzola

3:30 p.m.

Annual Congregational

Meeting 6:00 p.m.

3

RSVD by Marideth Nizzola

4

RSVD by Quilters for

Hospice 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

5 6

RSVD by Jodie Mika

7

8 Welcome Potluck & Teacher Mtg. after a.m. service

Community Christmas

Hymn Sing 6:30 p.m. @

C.C. Missionary

9

Mom’s Bible Study

Christmas Party 7:00 p.m. @

Brad & Kristy’s

10

11

Quilters Comfort Ministry

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

12

Mission Ministry Meeting 7 p.m.

13

5th Quarter Party

14

15

Children’s Christmas Program 9:30 a.m.

16

RSVD by Marideth Nizzola

17

Christmas Food & Gift Baskets

Delivered

18 19 20

Soup Kitchen 8:50 a.m.

21

22

Christmas Cantata ”Joyful and Triumphant” 10:30 a.m.

23 24

Christmas Eve Service

6:30 p.m.

25 26 27 28

29 30 31

New Year’s Eve

RSVD by Auten family

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