CGS Weekly: December 6, 2020 |
|
Our in-person worship service will be at 10:30am in the sanctuary this Sunday, December 6. If you have not already signed up to attend the in-person worship service, you may do so here. Don't forget to bring your mask.
For those of you who will be worshipping virtually, the livestream will be available here at 10:30am. If you're unable to tune in live, you may access a recording of the service at the same link after the conclusion of the live service.
In an effort to limit handouts as much as possible, we will not be distributing a printed bulletin at the in-person service on Sunday. You may access the digital bulletin for this week's service here.
We will be providing special materials in packets for your kids during the service. Please bring along your favorite coloring utensils (crayons, washable markers, pencils) to use. If you're attending virtually, Kids' Notes for this week's service are available here.
As a reminder, you may give to CGS online here. (If you have questions, you may reference this online giving tutorial here.) You may also mail a check to the church (3741 Garrett Rd, Durham, NC 27707) if you prefer.
This week's Sermon Discussion Guide will be sent to community group leaders on Sunday, and posted here on Monday.
|
|
Final Weekend for Durham Rescue Mission Toy Drive |
|
This Sunday, December 6, is the last chance to donate a toy for our Durham Rescue Mission Toy Drive. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy for infants through age 12 and drop it in the collection bin in the Sanctuary Narthex this Sunday. Thank you so much for your generosity in helping provide Christmas presents to local children in need. For more info and for suggestions on toys to donate, go to www.cgstoydrive.org. Please email Andrew Esther with questions.
|
|
Christmas Eve Communion Service |
|
Let’s gather — either in person in our sanctuary, or from our homes via livestream — for a time of Word, reflection, and Communion on Christmas Eve! As has been the case with many of our worship and gathering rhythms this calendar year, Christmas Eve at CGS will have a different — but we trust precious and beautiful — cadence this holiday season. Our brief service will begin promptly at 5:00pm on December 24. If you are unable to attend the in-person service, we warmly invite you to participate via livestream on Christmas Eve. Join with us from your homes for a few sweet, soft carols and for Pastor Chuck’s Christmas homily. Click here for more info and for sign-up links for in-person service.
|
|
In lieu of Zoom Children’s Sunday School during Advent, we're doing the "Prepare Him Room" family devotional and encourage you to follow along with us. We have a few more hard copies that we can gift to you, and we have an unlimited amount of ebooks if you'd prefer that route. Please email Abigail Grebe to let us know which form of the devotional you would like. Also, don't forget to follow @CGSKids on Instagram for the latest updates.
|
|
Medical Professionals Appreciation Lunch |
|
CGS is teaming up with Triangle Christian Medical and Dental Fellowship, Christ the King, and Chapel Hill Bible Church to sponsor another Medical Professionals Appreciation Lunch on December 12 from 11:30am-1:30pm. Drive-thru, grab some food, and pray with a pastor. Lunch pick-up location is Christ the King (4405 Hope Valley Rd, Durham). Please reserve your FREE lunch here by December 9.
|
|
A Moment to Reflect on the Season |
|
Join us December 16 from 8:00-9:00pm for a special gathering on Zoom with our guest Kevin Twit. On many Sundays at CGS we sing hymns revitalized in modern settings through the “Indelible Grace” movement. Kevin founded this movement through his work as an RUF pastor at Belmont University in Nashville. He is recognized internationally as a leading expert on hymns and the way they enable an emotionally honest and gospel-centered form of worship. He will be sharing the story behind several Christmas carols and their writers, as well as playing and singing them with his son Cooper. Access the Zoom link here.
|
|
Thanksgiving Zoom Service Recording |
|
A recording of our Thanksgiving Zoom service is available here, in case you were unable to join or want to listen again. Password is turkey.
|
|
Whether you are worshipping with us in-person or from home, please text your name to 919-907-1428 on Sundays. This helps us stay connected with you!
|
|
Monday Night Women's Bible Study on Zoom |
|
All CGS women are invited to join a Zoom Bible Study each Monday night from 8:00-9:00pm. Robin Kiefer is leading us through the book of Jeremiah, and we will discuss a chapter each week. Please click here to access the Zoom meeting. The passcode is 053333.
|
|
Friday Morning Virtual Men's Bible Study |
|
Our Friday morning Men's Bible Study is meeting virtually via Zoom each Friday from 7:00-8:00am. If anyone who is not currently involved with the Men's Bible Study wants more information, they can email Joseph Scanlon or Norman Acker.
|
|
Global Outreach Spotlight |
|
Meet: Erick & Elizabeth Schenkel
After living and working for over ten years in Uzbekistan, Erick and Elizabeth provided leadership in strategy and worker care for the roughly 1200 national leaders in Cru’s “-Stan” area, which includes North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. In most of these Islamic countries, believers face great danger and persecution. Their ministry focused on leadership training and outreach to ex-pat and national leaders. Today, Erick leads the Jesus Film Project from Orlando with some remaining responsibilities in Muslim countries. Elizabeth has produced several Christian films aimed at reaching women in the Middle East.
Pray: Erick and Elizabeth are working on a number of projects and would appreciate prayer for three of them:
1) Chosen Witness, an eight-minute animation for adults, tells the story of Jesus' ministry, death and resurrection through the eyes of Mary Magdalene. They plan to premier the film in 30 languages on International Women's Day (March 8, 2021). Please pray for all the artists and musicians who are hard at work on this project and for Elizabeth as she oversees this with her co-producers.
2) First Nations Project: a five-minute 2D animation introducing Jesus through Native American art and story-telling. Elizabeth is also co-producing this ground breaking project.
3) Catholic visual lectionary. This is an exciting evangelistic project that Erick is producing. It will provide each day's Gospel reading in a film clip in Spanish and English.
They would be grateful for prayers for their health during this pandemic and especially that they would both love Jesus more and serve him more effectively and ardently with each passing day.
|
|
IN-PERSON WORSHIP SIGN UP REMINDER
The sign-up link for the approaching Sunday’s in-person worship service will be posted here on Monday each week. Simply go directly to the website to sign up each week.
|
|
CGS SCHEDULE CHANGES
As a reminder, you may view ongoing CGS schedule changes here. In case you missed any previous church-wide emails with COVID-19 updates, you may view them all here.
|
|
RACIAL TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION RESOURCES
We have a page on our website with recommended resources to explore more on the background and context for the racial unrest we have been facing as a country. You may view this page here and bookmark it for ongoing reference. We will continue to add additional resources to this page.
|
|
FOLLOW CGS ON INSTAGRAM
Don't forget to follow CGS on Instagram via @CGSDurham. We would love for you to share your Sunday worship photos with us so we can re-share with our church family. You may either DM your photos or post on your Instagram story and tag us!
|
|
SERVE YOUR CGS NEIGHBORS
Head to our website to learn more about how you can serve your CGS neighbors through physical needs like grocery shopping for the medically vulnerable, or through lifting up your church family in prayer.
|
|
CGS WORSHIP PLAYLIST
Thanks to Matt McClure, we now have a CGS worship playlist featuring over eight hours of music. You can access the playlist on Spotify and Apple Music.
|
|
COMMUNITY GROUPS
If you would like to join a Community Group, email us and we will help you get plugged in!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
