To God’s Beloved At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
Christmas is coming:
How can we use this great Canada wide focus to help people know Jesus? I am not sure of your particular situation, but I do know that God has chosen you to be where you are, if you are His, to impact the people in your sphere of influence as a part of His plan.
Mary reminds us of the tremendous privilege and responsibility of being a part of God’s plan and that even those irrelevant in the world’s eyes have a great role to play. Look this week for the part that God has prepared for you to play, and walk in it. Love those you see with His love, and show His holiness through you. Invite them to know Jesus and to be a part of our Christmas fixation with Jesus.
Advent is about celebrating the first coming of Jesus, living our lives in light of who He is and what He has done, and anticipating His return. May we live for Him because He is REAL, RELEVANT, and RELATIONAL…and as we live may we be aware of His presence and plan in our own lives.
Joseph was a righteous man, who in his normal life had plans for a family. He had found the right woman, and then, through no fault of his, she was pregnant. OUCH! How do you respond when life is unfair? When through no fault of your own, your dreams are dealt a fatal blow?
Joseph will show us the right pathway, and how to respond to life when it is unfair!
Title: The Shock & The Righteous Choice:
Text: Matthew 1:18-25
- Read the text:
- Try to imagine you are walking in Joseph’s shoes…
- How would have this made you feel?
- What do you think you would have done in the midst of this betrayal?
- What do you think gave Joseph the strength to follow God’s revealed Word, even though it meant a broken future?
- How can we learn that God’s plan is always best even if it detracts from what we might have felt was better?
- How can we choose God’s best in the midst of our own struggles and confusion of real life?
Rejoicing in Christmas, and choosing hope in God’s plan for me, and His best
Pastor Rob
Bulletin
Christmas Hamper Donations
Dec 10th: Jam/Pasta Sauce/Canned Goods Each year our church reaches out with God's love to those in need through our Christmas Hampers Ministry with boxes of food, gift cards, and the gospel.
Memorize the Scriptures with Us!
Every month, we memorize a verse or passage from Scripture together as a church—in November we've been memorizing John 1:14! Grab a verse card from the Ministry Centre and join us in "storing up His Word in our hearts."
Church Family Ice Skating
Dec. 23rd / 11:15 AM / Cloverdale Arena A fun way to connect with our church family on the ice! This is a free event for all ages (rentals included). Arena concession will be open and helmets will be required for children 12 and under.
Christmas Eve Service
Sun. Dec. 24th / 4:30 Pm / Sanctuary Join us for a joyous family service to celebrate the birth of Jesus with carols, a Christmas message, and more! Also, every child in attendance will receive a special gift bag from our Children’s Ministry. We look forward to celebrating with you!
Growth Group Notes: Advent #2: Matthew 1:18-25
Thank you for joining us in seeking to help God’s people connect with Him, and to connect with His family at Cloverdale Baptist Church. Growth Groups are the heart of our strategy to connect with God and one another in unity for His glory…so THANK YOU for your part in pursuing this with us. Please continue to keep these relationships strong and intentionally pursue the Christian life in these communities.
As we prepare for Christmas, may our fixation be on Jesus, our love for one another an overflow of His love for us, and the devotion we have be contagious!
Text: Matthew 1:18-25
Title: The Shock & The Righteous Choice: Joseph
- Can you think of a time in your life when you were in an, “unfair”, situation?
- How was Joseph’s situation unfair?
- How would you have responded to this situation if it was you?
- When we are betrayed by the ones closest to us, how should we respond?
- How does Joseph response teach us?
- Why do you think that God’s plans are often filled with confusing situations for His followers?
- Can you think of times that you have been confused with what God was doing in your life?
- Joseph heard from God and it changed everything…how does this teach us to be hungry to be in God’s Word so that we can hear from Him?
- Do you believe you are a part of the Messiah’s plan, to show people how they can be saved from their sins?
- o Who are you praying for this Christmas for an opportunity to represent Jesus to?
- o How can you strategically use this season to display/adorn the Gospel?
- As you review Pastor Rob’s implications, how can you apply them to your life?
- Choose Righteousness When Life Is Unfair: Grace
- Choose Hope: God’s Plan Includes You
- What are some other Bible stories that show that God is at work, even when we feel the world is collapsing around us?
- Can you remember any promises that show us that God is at work even in our pain?
- How can you remember those things in the midst of real life, especially when it is hard?
Prayer:
- Pray for courage and wisdom to take advantage of opportunities to share the love of Jesus with people this Christmas?
- Who has God placed on your heart to invite to a service, to pray for, to share the Gospel with?
- Pray for our ministries and their impact this Christmas season.
- Pray that we would be a church that lives in the reality of God and His love, and chooses regardless of the cost to live out His purposes for our lives!
- Pray Ephesians 3:14-21…at a women’s Bible study, one of the ladies prayed this for me, was so precious!
THANK YOU!
Pray for other requests: