7
Children’s and Youth Ministries
Minute with Mickie
Wondering about how to keep Advent ‘stress-less’
I
t’s here!! Advent Season.
How exciting. A time to pre-
pare and wait for the celebra-
tion of Jesus’ birthday. We will
help you do that in ways that are
meaningful, purposeful and without
stress. One thing a Church family should do is make
sure everyone in the family has a wonderful time during
the Christmas Season, keeping the focus on the ONE
we are celebrating, not ourselves.
When my children were young, my mother-in-law used
to make such a big deal over Christmas that she spent
months ahead of time shopping, wrapping, making baked
goods and decorating her home. Yes, it was lovely, but
the thing that always bothered me was that once the
Christmas meal was eaten she would go to bed – ex-
hausted. Rarely did she witness her grandchildren play-
ing with their gifts. I never had the pleasure of standing
and talking with her while clearing dishes or putting
leftovers away. No. She just felt ill, crashed physically
and emotionally and went to bed. She died in her 60’s
and I always felt a bit cheated out of really knowing her.
Isn’t it sad that this is even my memory of her to this
day? Here at NPC we don’t want you exhausted over
being here for Christmas. We want to provide you with
Worshipful experiences that lift your spirits and provide
you and your children with memories of being together
to celebrate the most wonderful birthday in the world
– Jesus. So , make a commitment to be ‘stress-less’ this
year. Here’s what is available for you:
•
Daily Advent Devotions
delivered to your “In-Box”
with a special “Family Fun” activity to do together – for
kids all ages.
• Friday night
December 6
at 6:30 p.m. Join the Chil-
dren’s Ministry Team for our annual
Caroling by Can-
dlelight
. ALL ARE WELCOME to this Advent Event. We
begin in the chapel and conclude with fellowship and
treats in Horton Hall. Bring a pot luck dessert & drop it
off in Horton Hall on your way to the Chapel. Go to the
Children’s Ministry page on the NPC website
for more information. Free Advent
Calendars, Family Advent Devotionals, hot chocolate
and cookies!!
•
December 6-8th
with
Duffy Robbins
. Special sessions
for parents to learn how to help your children become
Christ’s Disiciples. See special notice on page 9 of the
Spire.
•
Sunday, December 15th
: Two opportunities –
Youth
Ministries Progressive Dinner
and
Vespers.
•
Sunday, December 22nd
during 9:00 and 10:30 a.m.
Worship Services. Pastor Brandi, Dwayne and I are
planning a wonderful service of worship involving our
children presenting the traditional
Christmas Pageantry.
We will unpack the Christmas Story and create the
beauty of the Nativity Scene right before your eyes with
those children in the service.
•
Sunday, December 22nd
at 5:00 p.m. –
Advent
Unplugged
Open Doors Service.
•
Christmas Eve, December 24th
at
3:00 & 5:00 p.m.
Lessons and Carols Family Style
. Keeping it simple
for our hurried families, these services will keep both
children and adults focused on the importance of the
mystery of the Birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This
worship experience should be ‘stress-less’ not a crazy
hurried experience.
•
Christmas Eve, December 24th
at 8:00 and 10:00 p.m.
Lessons and Carols with the Chancel Choir
.
NPC is the church family that wants to help you
celebrate Jesus birth without exhausting you. We are
the place where you can come and sense that you have
stepped into a sacred moment with God. We want that
for you and for your children. How I wish my mother-
in-law could have experienced this kind of Christmas
Season with us. Please choose to make ‘stress-less’
memories of peace and joy this Christmas season.
For the Love of Wonder,
Mickie O’Donnell
Director of Children’s Ministry
& Interim Director of Youth Ministry
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