40 Day Fast Beginning Next Sunday!

Next Sunday, January 3, we will be beginning an ALL church fast and prayer for 40 days (until Feb 11.) Your child will be learning how to participate in a fast. A fast is when you choose to give up something you really want so you can focus on God and prayer for a time. Normally you pray with your spirit and soul (you soul is your mind, will, and emotions). But fasting gets your body involved, too. It's sort of like body prayer. When you fast, you are praying with your whole self.

Please help your child decide what they would like to give up for 40 days. Please ask your child, Would you be willing to give up some things for a while that are important to them in order for them to only focus on Jesus? Maybe you want to give up candy, video games, a favorite toy, talking on your cell phone, or a favorite food (like pop or ice cream). Please encourage them to do this. If you "just say no" to something that your body really wants for the purpose of prayer, it shows God--and the devil--that you are really serious about it.

Why fast now? Our church has been led to do a Watch Your Words (WYW) campaign. In Proverbs 18:21 it says, Death and Life are in the power of the tongue. This will be our focus. We will be learning how powerful our words are and how important it is for us to speak positive things; speaking words of faith and not negative, condemning words.

How do we change our mouths?
*Ask God for Help. Have Psalms 141:3 be your daily prayer: "Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;keep watch over the door of my lips."
*Renew/refocus your Mind---Fast and pray. Fasting helps us refocus our body and our thoughts. Proverbs 23:7 says "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."
*Monitor Your Mouth. A wise person watches the words that come out of his/her mouth. (Philippians 4:8). (Ex. complaining, gossiping, fault-finding, negative words, word curses)
*Decree your Faith. God tells us to "Call on those things which be not as though they were." (Romans 4:17). Speak God's promises over your life and use your mouth to encourage others.
When you are fasting and praying, decree your faith in these five areas;
church, state, family, yourself, and our nation.

We hope you will participate in this important event. Let's use our mouths to declare LIFE in ourselves and in our church body. If your child is serious about participating in this fast, they will be able to participate in a special bracelet ceremony on Sunday. This will signify their commitment.

Jamboree will also be participating in a "fast" type activity. Due to their age, it will slightly altered. More details to come.

If you have any questions, Please contact Pastor Teresa or Ms. Tosha.

Happy Birthday Jesus

A big THANK YOU goes out to all the kids!! You guys did AWESOME on Sunday! Many people told us that that was the best Christmas Program ever! You guys worked so hard and it paid off! That was the BEST gift you could give Jesus!! Great Job!

Tonight is Christmas Parties during our Wednesday Night Bible Clubs. Please come at 7pm and enjoy fun and fellowship together. In the main sanctuary, the Christmas Eve Service will be taking place for the adults.

Coming up next year...
*WYW (Watch Your Words) Event
*Skating Party
*New and Improved Praise and Worship

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Final TWO Rehearsals!

On Wednesday, December 16 at 7 p.m., the children will have a final pre-dress rehearsal for this year's children's Christimas program, "The Best Christmas Present Ever!" The rehearsal will be in the main building for the first time! Meet in the main sanctuary at 7 p.m. We will allow time for the children who did not get to shop the Z Store on "Black Sunday" to shop tomorrow night.

The final dress rehearsal is this Saturday, December 19th from 10:30-11 a.m. for the Sprouts and Jamboree and from 11-12 p.m. for the StudioZ and for the select nativity children from Jamboree. The program will be Sunday, December 20th at 10 a.m.

Debbie Rivera did an awesome job of preparing Christmas shopping in the Z Store! Children were also permitted to go into the wrappping room to have their selected gifts wrapped before leaving the service! There are many more selections so kid shoppers, gather up your Z bucks and even real bucks and be ready to shop tomorrow night at 7 p.m.

Our prayer closet has been delivered and the art work is just fabulous! Pictures coming up soon!

Merry Christmas!

3 more practices!!!

Studio Z:
We only have 3 more practices until dress rehearsal on December 19!! Can you believe it?! Sunday was the first time we went through the entire program. If you have a speaking parts, you have to memorize your parts!! Even if you don't know when to come in...we will help you with that!! NO MORE BOOKS!!! Everything should be memorized! Make sure you are listening to your CD DAILY---I can't stress that enough! Listen to how they say their lines and try to do it like that!! Plus, it will help you with the words to the songs!! Make sure you practice singing out!! These songs are so fun and exciting! Make sure you perform that way!! We know you guys will do GREAT! Let's do our BEST for Jesus!!

Pre-Dress Rehearsal will be held December 13 and Wed, December 16.
Dress Rehearsal is on December 19, 11 AM to noon.

Jamboree/Sprouts:
Please continue listen to you Cd's. The kids did pretty well on Sunday and we did practice on stage so they know where they are standing.

A few Jamboree kids will be performing with Studio Z program during the last two songs. They will be acting out the manger scene. If you have any questions, please let me know. I have already picked these kids due to their age and if they would not be distracting. If you want your child to participate and I haven't talked with you, please contact me (Tosha) ASAP. These children will need to stay the ENTIRE time during dress rehearsal on Dec. 19. (10:30 to noon)

Dress Rehearsal is on December 19, 10:30 to 11AM.

Shopping Days at the Z-Store:
Big shopping days will be Sunday, Dec. 13 and Wed, Dec 16!!!

Bible Club Parties:
Parties will be Dec 23. See your child's leader if you can help with refreshments!!