Navigator December 6-December 12

December 6-December 12, 2020

Advent Worship Series

This Week's Scripture Readings:

Mark 1:1-8 | Isaiah 40:1-11 | Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13

Check out the Advent Section below for more details on this church season and holiday worship service opportunities.

Faith United posts worship at 8am Sundays via YouTube, Facebook and our Website. Missed a week? Find it here. To give your offering electronically, use this link: Tithes & Offerings

Do you want to get your Christmas shopping taken care of early? Let us help you out!

The Youth Mission Team is taking gift card orders thru December 8, and a percentage of each gift card ordered goes to benefit the Youth Mission Fund.

Check out this listing containing hundreds of gift cards you can order for everyone on your list. Email Amy Ferguson with your order and we will get your gift cards within the next week. Simply send a check to the church or pay online here, selecting Youth Summer Mission Fund.

Cokesbury is a great resource to purchase Bibles, devotionals, gifts and more! If you order from Cokesbury, please use this link. The church receives credit and a rebate from your purchase.

Centering - A Service of Prayer and Presence

Centering is different from our Traditional service and our Modern service. It is a socially-distanced, 30-minute service of prayer and reflection with acoustic music accompaniment. Attendance is limited to 20 households. Due to Stark County's Purple Level, Centering is cancelled for December 6, 2020

Virtual Lobby Sundays at 9am

Grab your coffee and morning treats and join us for conversation and fellowship on Sunday mornings.

On December 13, Jan Baker will be our featured guest as we explore nativities sets from around the world. Join us and share your nativity display. You can also text or email a picture of your nativity seta to Kathy Schmucker by December 12.

The Zoom link to join is sent with Sunday's Worship by Wire email, or you can watch live on our Facebook page.

Our Wednesday Night Youth Group is focusing on the book of James for our series each week at 6:30pm via Zoom. Contact Amy Ferguson to participate.

Continue watching our Sunday Night Youth Videos below as the youth (and anyone who wants to watch) study the book of James and what it means to live the Christian life. Read more

Celebrate Wonder activities are designed to guide children from Nursery to 5th Grade and their families through Bible stories, creative experiences, spiritual practices. Read more .

Our next Wonder Kids Zoom will be December 9 at 6:30 pm. Join us for a Bible study and activity focusing on the faith word joy and Mary's story. Learn about Advent and Christmas practices to do at home.

Make sure you check out last week's

Sunday School Activities

We want to hear from you!

Share pictures or videos of how you are celebrating Advent and Christmas with your families, by engaging in Worship by Wire or our Children's activities. Email them to Kathy Schmucker.

Join us at 6pm to experience Wednesday night like never before.

Our December 16th WNL will be Caroling Night! Join us as we sing our favorite Christmas carols.

Not on Facebook? You can still view at our Faith United Facebook page. Check out our recent WNL below.

Spiritual Practices

& Worship Engagement

Trying a new way to pray and study scripture helps us stay close to God and is vital to our growth as disciples of Christ.

Watch below to learn

about Advent Wreaths.

Check out more videos here.

Get Connected at Faith! Check out our Programs & Groups page for our current group offerings. Find the group for you and enjoy the time together with others.

Dive deeper into the Advent with last week's Worship Engagement and Devotion. This also includes Advent Candle Liturgy.

Season of Advent

The season of Advent marks the beginning of the Christian year. Advent begins November 29 and ends on Christmas Eve. Advent is a season of waiting and watching as we prepare our hearts and lives to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. It is a hopeful time as we anticipate and experience the wonderful gift of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with us.

Advent Devotional

Check out this daily devotional based on our Advent Series, Those Who Dream. Limited print copies available by request.

Advent Kits can be picked up at the Gathering Area book table weekdays 8am-4pm.

Kits contain:

Advent candles
Advent calendar
Advent & Christmas reflections for all ages

Advent Calendars contain simple daily activities to help us count down to Christ's birth during this time of watching and waiting.

Click to check out and download these two calendars.

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Holiday Service Opportunities

The Longest Night Service – Monday, December 21 at 6:00 pm via Zoom

A Holiday Service of Remembrance and Grief

Online Christmas Eve Services

Christmas Eve Service - Combining the best of our modern and traditional services for Christmas Eve Celebration
Family Nativity Story Service- Experience the Christmas Story and participate at home as we create the Nativity together.

In-person Christmas Eve Service

Outdoor Service – Thursday, December 24 at 7-7:30pm by the Pavilion. Bundle up and join us as we celebrate the birth of Jesus during this outdoor worship experience of lessons and carols! A soloist will be singing our favorite carols and the scriptures of the season will be read. Glow sticks will be provided. Masks and social distancing are required. Please check our website, Facebook or call the church on December 24th after 12:00 to confirm the service is still on as planned. This service may need to be canceled in the event of severe weather or due to heightened COVID-19 concerns.

Live Nativity for Outdoor Christmas Eve Service

We have opportunities for 3-6 families to be part of a socially distant Live Nativity before and during this year's outdoor Christmas Eve service. If your family would feel comfortable and enjoy being part of this experience, please contact Kathy Schmucker as soon as possible. Costumes will be provided or you can wear your own.

Faith United is now recording individual singers for a Virtual Choir performance of our Christmas Eve Anthem “The Music of Christmas” by Joseph M. Martin. We welcome singers age 15 and above. Extra steps are being done to reduce the risk of coronavirus. Sign ups, recording time, and more information can be found here.

Prayer Requests

Requests can be emailed to Amanda Englehart to be added to the weekly Thursday prayer list.

Prayer requests are distributed to members via email, not available to the public. Also email Amanda if you would like to receive the weekly prayer list to pray for those lifted up.

How to Pick up your book for a Group Study:

Visit the table inside the Gathering Area during the week.
Sanitize your hands, find your book, and complete the sign in sheet.
Suggested donations by cash/check can be left in the envelope on the table, or pay through online giving by selecting 'book study' fund.
Do not let the book cost prohibit you from participating in a group.

Resources to help enhance your viewing and using of Faith United's digital offerings can be found below.

Amplify Media:

A multimedia subscription free to our members featuring thousands of videos for Bible study, reflection, and inspiration of all ages. Access all of these resources anytime on your computer, using the Amplify App on your tablet or phone or using the Roku or Amazon apps on your smart TV. To sign up for Faith United's subscription channel, check out these instructions. Questions can be directed to Kathy Schmucker.

Defying Gravity books make a great Christmas gift! We have several copies avaiable from our church-wide series that we are unable to return. Pick up a copy to gift a friend from the book table in the Gathering Area. Suggested donation $11

As of Thursday, December 3, Stark County is in Purple Level status.

Calendar events are subject to change or cancel based on status level.

Sunday, December 6

8:30am-9:30am Worship by Wire - Second Sunday of Advent

9am-9:30am Virtual Lobby by Zoom

9:45am-10:45am "Incarnation" Study - Kim Reynolds (Zoom)

11am-12:30pm Praise Band Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

7pm-8pm McLaughlin Study Group (Zoom)

Monday, December 7

8am-5pm Organ Tuning (Sanctuary)

2:30pm-3:30pm Men's Emmaus Accountability Group (Zoom)

4pm-8pm Virtual Choir Recording (Balcony)

6:30pm-7:30pm Book of James Study-Luikart (Zoom)

Tuesday, December 8

4pm-8pm Virtual Choir Recording (Balcony)

6:30pm-7:30pm "Because of Bethlehem"-Bell/Schillings (Zoom)

Wednesday, December 9

9am-10:30am "Because of Bethlehem" Women's Study - (Zoom)

9am-10:30am "Get Your Life Back" Women's Study - (Zoom)

6pm-6:30pm Wednesday Night Live (Zoom, Facebook Live)

6:30pm-7:30pm Wednesday Night Youth (Zoom)

6:30pm-7:30pm Wednesday Wonder Kids (Zoom)

Thursday, December 10

2:30pm-4:30 pm Worship by Wire Recording (Sanctuary)

5pm-6pm Unity Challenge Planning Team (Zoom)

5:30pm-7:30pm Christmas Eve Service Recording (Sanctuary)

Friday, December 11

2pm-3pm Women's Emmaus Accountability- Luikart (Zoom)

3pm-4pm Theology for Our Times (Zoom)

Saturday, December 12

7am-8am Men's Life Study "Incarnation" (Zoom)

Calendar Snapshot - View more at myfaithunited.org/calendar