Growing Deep Roots to Share God's Love
December 8, 2016

The average person's fingernails grow 1/10th of an inch per month, which means, by the time Christmas rolls around, if they haven't seen a fingernail clipper, your hands could be very lethal.  The birth of Jesus provides a fingernail-clippers-of-sorts tool in and of itself, a time of basic grooming, if you will.  It refocuses us on what needs to be cut out so that abundant life can happen.  This Sunday, join as we prepare to groom.

Feedback on the sermon series? What new information have you learned? We'd love to hear from you.  
December 11
Socks & Underwear Sermon Series
"Nail Clippers"

December 18
Socks & Underwear Sermon Series
"Belts"

December 24
Socks & Underwear Sermon Series
"The Human Fund"
UPCOMING EVENTS


Tonight
Final Presentations of the Live Nativity in the Barn, 6:00. 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00 p.m.
December 13
Creekwood MOMtourage December Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Worship Center Room 106/107
December 14
Angel Tree Gift Items Due Back to Church Office or Worship Center
December 18 
Festival of Carols w/ Creekwood Choir, Handbell   Choir and Children's Choir, 7 p.m., Worship Center
Club 56 Not Meeting
No Rise
December 24
1:00 p.m.  Worship Service in the Barn
3:00 p.m.  Family Worship Service With Children's Performance
4:30 p.m.  Contemporary Worship Service
6:00 p.m.  Contemporary Worship Service
7:30 p.m.  Traditional Worship Service
9:00 p.m.  Worship Service in the Barn
Opportunities for communion 5:30 and 7:00 p.m., Worship Room #105
December 25
10:15 a.m. Worship Service Followed by a Potluck Lunch
No Rise
December 26
Church office closed in observance of Christmas Day
January 1, 2017
10:15 a.m. Worship Service. Celebrate the New Year With Us.
No Rise
January 2, 2017
Church office closed in observance of New Year's Day
January 8
Mission Possible Kids
January 13
Deadline to Enroll in Created By God
January 16
Church Office Closed in Observance of MLK Day
January 22
Club 56, 11:30 a.m., Children's Center Tile Room
January 26 - 28
Created By God, 5th and 6th Grade Human Sexuality Class, Creekwood Worship Center
January 30
Church Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Creekwood Worship Center
Ministry Highlight  
CSM.  Have you heard it, or seen it on shirts, and wondered what it was?  CSM stands
 for Creekwood Student Ministries.  It is our youth program, formally named by our Director of Youth Ministries, Jared Phares.  If you have a youth (7th - 12th grader) and they haven't met Jared, let us know.  We'll make an introduction.  This week, we're highlighting one of CSM's recent missions.

On Monday, November 21, CSM took a group of 25 students and adults to volunteer at the Samaritan Inn.  With School being out for Thanksgiving (talk about making the most of a day off of school...Bueller?  Bueller?) our youth set out to express their gratitude for their abundance by serving others.  The volunteers packed sack lunches for residents to take with them to work and to school; they also sorted through a large amount of donated food, organizing the shelter's storage area.  A group also arranged a closet full of toilet paper.  
 
  The students were given a tour of the facility by volunteer director Brennan Newell.
 Mrs. Newell walked them through the facility showing them the kitchen and dining room, a typical room where residents sleep, a children's and youth space, and gave them a quick peek into the chapel where a class was being held.  In this season of giving, it is nice to see our youth giving to those less fortunate.  Please join us in thanking CSM for being the Creekwood we envision being in our community and for serving as a witness to others of what it means to be a Christian.
Tonight is the Last Night of the Live Nativity!
Tonight is the last night for our annual Live Nativity. Plan to join us for this special presentation. It is a great way to get your family into the holiday spirit.  Presentations will be on the hour and half hour, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Final presentation is at 8:00 p.m. All presentations will be followed by a reception with children's activities and refreshments in the Worship Center.
AngelAngel Tree Benefiting the Assistance Center of Collin County
WOW Creekwood!!!!  You adopted 47 families in less than 2 hours last week!  And, you left some sad 11:30 a.m. service goers with no angels to adopt.  Missions Director Annmarie Barajas said, "You never cease to amaze the community with your enthusiasm and generosity!"  Just to put things in perspective, we had the same amount of angels last year and had adoptions running 2 full weeks.  We will have some more angels on Sunday.  Not sure how many, but there will be some.  

The group, a collaboration between the Assistance Center of Collin County and the Plano Santas, is also in need of gift cards for teens, so that is another way you may contribute.  UNWRAPPED TOYS and items are due back no later than Wednesday, December 14.  Please deliver to the Worship Center or Church Office by noon.  And, please make sure the tag is attached to the item.  

In addition to this, if you would like another opportunity to give, Allen Community Outreach is in need of new, unwrapped toys which can be delivered to any Allen fire station this week.  Thanks again Creekwood- you are living out the true meaning of Christmas!
OnlineFirst Fruits Offering This Sunday 12/11
This Sunday is a very special day in our Growing Roots capital campaign.  It is "First Fruits Sunday," the day families make their initial gifts towards fulfilling their Growing Roots pledges.  S ome families will give their full pledge, while others will choose to participate by making an initial gift toward their pledge.  You need not have made a pledge to support our campaign.

You should have received a special green envelope in a recent mailing for your first fruits offering. We'll have additional green envelopes at the Welcome Desk in the Gathering Area this Sunday, as well as in the seat backs of the Sanctuary.

If you haven't had a chance to complete your pledge card or annual form, you have the opportunity to complete them online now by clicking here .  
Join Us In Celebration

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God
Isaiah 9:6

Christmas Eve
1:00 p.m. Worship Service in the Barn
3:00 p.m. Family Worship Service with Children's Performance
4:30 p.m. Contemporary Worship Service
6:00 p.m. Contemporary Worship Service
7:30 p.m. Traditional Worship Service
9:00 p.m. Worship Service in the Barn
Communion will be offered at 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. in Worship Room #105.

Christmas Day
10:15 a.m. Worship Service with Potluck
Adult Ministry
FestivalThe Creekwood Choir Presents 
"Festival of Carols"
 
The 30-voice Creekwood Choir will present Joseph Martin's "Festival of Carols" at Creekwood United Methodist Church on Sunday evening, December 18, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. in the Worship Center. The choral work will feature the Choir, Handbell Choir, Children's Choir and soloists performing traditional lessons and carols.
 
Ensembles are directed by Dr. Michael Crawford, Creekwood Choir; Lea Renfro, Handbell Choir; Gay Kiser and Roxanne Hunsicker, Children's Choir.  Piano accompanist is Phyllis Carlin.
 
A reception provided by the Creekwood "Celebration" class will follow the concert.
Missions
Creekwood had the privilege of hosting three sweet families last week in the Student Center. Our littlest guests included two newborns, two toddlers, a 5-year-old....and a partridge in a pear tree! (Couldn't resist!  Now is that song in your head?)  

The guests were greeted by smiling faces and a very festive Student Center, which they called home last week.  Our youth were the hands and feet behind the scenes. The put up the Christmas tree, arranged pint-sized furniture, assembled a felt tree for the children to play with and even laid out coloring books and crayons!  Thank you
CSM for rolling out the red carpet for our guests!  

Our guests were well fed, greeted with smiles and even had help feeding their babies
this week.  A huge thanks goes out to Bianca Charles for overseeing the hosting this week. Bianca did an awesome job of keeping everything going smoothly throughout the week.  Of course, these hostings take a "village" to run and we are truly grateful for the humble service of those who cooked, set up, tore down, rocked babies, played with toddlers, broke bread, played pool, washed sheets, brought groceries, and "loved on" our guests.   THANK YOU!   Our next hosting is in February.  We will have a training after the first of the year for those who would like to help with that one.
SantaSanta Needs Your Help

The moment that we have all been waiting for is almost here...gift delivery!  You and your friends and family are welcome and encouraged to help bless those families from the Assistance Center of Collin County by delivering gifts on December 17 any time between (8 a.m.-5 p.m.) and December 18 (1-4 p.m.).   Simply go to the Plano Santas Warehouse at 1601 Summit Ave Suite 100 in Plano and they will get you set up with a gift delivery.  Children of all ages are welcome!   There is plenty to do as the group expecting to serve over 500 families.  Contact Mike Tuttle with any questions.

The Plano Santas organization partners with the Assistance Center of Collin County to provide food and gifts for families in need during the holiday season.   Volunteers are needed to sort food and toys in the warehouse each day beginning December 4  and running through December 18. Children under the age of 14 are welcome to help and must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Please sign up for a time slot here.  Volunteers are welcome M-F, 4-8 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday 1-4 p.m.  This is a great opportunity for small groups to serve together.  Thank you for your help in spreading God's joy by serving families in need during the holiday season!  
Children's Ministries
nativity_scene.jpg
Family Christmas Eve Service
Are you looking for a fun way to involve your little ones in worship this Christmas Eve? We're holding our  family Christmas eve service at 3:00 p.m.  The service is a wonderful tradition that involves using our own children as cast members in the telling of the Christmas story.  

So, we're recruiting..... Recruiting angels, shepherds, wise men, sheep, Mary and Joseph. Click here to sign your child up for a part.  Children participating in the Christmas story will need to be at the church by 2:00 p.m. on December 24 to get costumes on and to participate in a brief practice.  

We will also need several adults to supervise and a few volunteers to serve as greeters before the service.  Contact Alice Oates if you are interested in greeting. This is a fun thing for mom or dad to do while the other works the pre-show behind the scenes.
Have an infant through 4th grader and not currently receiving our weekly Children's Ministries' newsletter, Explorers' Times?  Please  email us to be added to our distribution list.    
Student Ministries
Sunday school is held each Sunday from 10:15 - 11:15 a.m.  5th - 6th graders will meet in the tile room of the Children's Center.  7th - 8th graders meet in the garage of the Student Center and 9th -12th graders meet in the Student Center.  
The Rise is held in the Student Center on Sundays, from 5 - 7 p.m.  All 7th through 12th graders (and beyond) are welcome to these evenings of worship, fellowship and fun.  Meals are provided; a $5 donation is encouraged.  If you are looking to help our awesome Student Ministry by providing a meal, or part of a meal, for The Rise, click here to pick a date and sign up.  We promise you'll have fun feeding and visiting with our students.

Middle School Bible Study is held Wednesday evenings, 6:00-7:30 p.m.  Bring your Bibles (and dinner, if you'd like) and join us for fellowship and study.  Contact Donna Bartholomew for more information.  
  

Let's stay in touch.  
Students and parents wanting to stay up to date with current activities, events and services, please text @elevatecu to 81010.  
Have a 7th - 12th grader and not currently receiving our weekly Youth Ministries' newsletter?  Please   email us to be added to our distribution list.