Willow Creek - Christmas Service 09 - God With Us

---- Note from Executive Pastor Greg Hawkins (I edited it down, RB)

In a couple days, Thanksgiving will be a memory and our thoughts will turn to Christmas. At this time of year, as Christ followers, we celebrate the most significant event that ever happened-God sent His only Son to live among us-Immanuel. God with Us.

Theme: The title of our services this year at South Barrington is God With Us. If you were here last year for Light, you may remember that we traveled to several different countries to observe God in other cultures. This year, we're staying at home with a warm, story-driven service that reveals God's presence with us. It's a service we know you'll want to attend and bring friends and family with you. Note: Tuesday, December 22 at 7:30 p.m service is presented entirely in Spanish!! English translation available.

Tickets: Equal access ticketing for God With Us opens on November 28. From then until noon on Thursday, December 4, you can request tickets that will be put into a pool and, at the close of the equal access period, the computer will randomly assign seats, giving everyone equal access to great seats. Here's the deal. The only bad seat is an empty one. As a member, we know you're committed to bringing the message of Christ to people who don't yet know Him. So we're asking you to help us make sure every seat is filled and no opportunity is lost.

Every year, 20 percent of the assigned tickets are no-shows. In Willow Creek's auditorium, that translates to more than 1,400 seats! We understand that many of you are ordering tickets, hoping and praying a friend or family member will come with you. We join you in that prayer! But please return any tickets you will not be using. You can return them online, in person at Ticket Central, or by phone to "Ticket Central" in the Main Lobby following any weekend service or call the ticket line at (847) 765-7100 from 10 a.m.-noon or 7-9 p.m. daily.

Time: We need the gift of your time. It takes 3,500 volunteer opportunities to welcome guests, care for children, serve coffee, direct traffic, and a whole list of other things that, when pulled together, translates into a memorable experience for everyone. So we're asking you to consider giving the gift of your time to be a volunteer at one service. You can serve with your small group or your friends; and there are family-friendly opportunities, so you and your family can serve together. Learn about the opportunities and sign up at willowcreek.org/volunteer.

Finally, we ask that you join us in prayer that hearts will be open to hearing about the hope that can only come through Jesus Christ. And that God will bless all of our efforts to make this

Christmas about experiencing the reality that God is with us!
Blessings,

Greg Hawkins

Executive Pastor

GOD WITH US - Twelve services will be presented at our South Barrington campus.
Friday, December 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 19 at 5 and 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, December 20 at 5 and 7:30 p.m.

Monday, December 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, December 22 at 7:30 p.m. (NOTE: Presented entirely in Spanish)

Wednesday, December 23 at 5 and 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, December 24 at 1, 3:30, and 6 p.m.

Seeds Bookstore - Fair Trade

Seeds Bookstore branches out, adding Fair Trade products like food, accessories, and gift items. Sue Carter, who is overseeing the expansion, says the most popular items from Celebration of Hope are available in a special section of the bookstore—including food items such as olive oil, chocolate, coffee and tea, rice, and sugar. The apparel and accessories area features scarves, handmade jewelry, eco-friendly handbags, and some items, like baskets, made from recycled material.

Bring your shopping list to Seeds and leave with great products and the knowledge you are providing a fair wage that will sustain a microenterprise family in an under-resourced part of the world.

This Weekends Service - Ken Davis

For more than 30 years, Ken Davis has been hailed as one of the top motivational and inspirational speakers in North America. Calling his message, “Comedy with Content,” Ken has appeared on television and stages around the world and is the host of the popular daily radio show Lighten Up.

A frequent guest at Willow Creek services and conferences, Ken’s messages are always memorable.

Ernesto D’Alessio at Casa de Luz

Ernesto D’Alessio is a Spanish television star and the winner of Mexico’s version of American Idol. But did you know he is a Christ follower? Ernesto will appear at Casa’s 11 a.m. service on November 29 in the Lakeside Auditorium. Representatives from Casa de Luz will be available in the Main Lobby this weekend if you’d like to pick up information to give to Spanish-speaking friends

Small Group - Tips of the Week - Facilitate a Happy Ending

1. Get clarity on your desire for the group. Before discussing options with your group, prayerfully ponder where you sense God is leading you, as their leader. Do you want to continue leading? In what capacity? Be settled in your own heart before you talk with the group.

2. Celebrate! You have fulfilled your commitment to G4S. This is worth celebrating! Affirm everyone's commitment, the work God has done in each person over the past weeks, and the contributions each individual made to the group. Thank them for the privilege of facilitating your group's time together.

3. Discuss your options. Groups for a Season is a purposeful, short-term group experience. This format gives people a chance to sample small groups and meet people with whom they might connect, without the risk of making a long-term commitment. As the curriculum draws to a close, discuss these four possible Happy Endings:

• Conclude as planned. The plan for your G4S group was to complete the eight-week run of G4S. Mission accomplished! There is no hidden expectation that you continue to meet past this original commitment. As you discuss the end of your run together, make sure that you don't inadvertently put expectations on people, leaving them to feel like this was a bait and switch to get them into a long-term commitment to small group.


• Regroup for the February 2010 session of Groups for a Season. If your group enjoyed the G4S format, invite them to sign up for the next G4S run. In the interim, plan a few social gatherings to stay connected.


• Stay connected, but in another format. If your group would like to stay connected but with a different time commitment, consider attending a midweek class together, gathering between services on the weekend, sitting together in an agreed-upon section at the same service, or serving together this holiday season. To see a list of great holiday serving opportunities, please visit http://community.willowcreek.org/justchristmas.aspx.


• Form a regular small group. If your group has bonded well and desires to continue to meet, you are welcome to choose your own curriculum and become a regular small group. Discuss who would like to be part of this new group (some may want to opt out, which is perfectly acceptable), how often you would like to meet, and who will lead the group.

4. Never pressure anyone. Some members may want to continue meeting, while others-for a variety of legitimate reasons-don't. Assure your group that it is okay to opt out of future gatherings. The commitment they made was for eight weeks, and they fulfilled that commitment.

5. Contact Me. Let me know what your group plans to do. This helps me assess Groups for a Season, plan for the future, and provide ongoing support and training for the future, if needed.

Hear our thanks. Without your leadership, your group of people would not have experienced the rich truths found in 1 John. Relationships would not have been formed, and lives would not have been challenged. Your investment has-and will continue to-bring rewards.

How You can collect coats for "Just Christmas"

Consider one of these fun options to help get your small group, neighbors, workplace and community involved in helping us provide coats to the kids of Chicagoland this Christmas.

Throw a Coat Party
Do you have a holiday party every year for friends, neighbors or small group? Instead of having people bring a dessert this year, consider asking them to bring a coat. Collect them in a large box and put one person in charge of dropping them off at church on the designated weekend. Be sure to let your guests know how many coats you end up collecting at the end of the party!

Group-Shop for Coats
In these economic times, it may be a stretch for some people to purchase a coat on their own. Consider having a “Group-Shop” Party. Each person brings as much cash as they wish to donate ($1 on up!) and places it anonymously in an envelope, box or can. Once everyone arrives, count up the cash and divide it up among groups of people. Send them out in teams to buy as many coats as they can with their allotment of cash. You may want to assign each team an age/gender of a child so they can shop specifically for that child. It might even be fun to make this a contest or a race if you are so inclined!

Kids for Kids Coats
Include the whole family when buying coats by encouraging younger children to do chores or sell toys (E-bay is a great option!) to contribute towards buying a new coat. Keep a large jar on the kitchen table and let everyone throw in their contributions until there is enough money for a coat. Children can also help scour the ads for good deals on coats – involve them in helping to pick out the coats as well – especially if the coat is for a kid their same age and gender!

Working for Coats
Talk to your coworkers or HR department about how they can help contribute coats to the cause. Perhaps you can put out a donation box in the break room or put up a flyer. What a great first step in opening the door to faith conversations at work.

Reverse Garage Sale
Open up your garage and hold a reverse garage sale. Encourage neighbors to bring new coats. Break out the fire pit and make it a fun festive occasion with hot apple cider and roasted marshmallows. What a great way to connect with neighbors over the long winter months. (One couple put up some signs in the neighborhood and had dozens of people they never met come and drop off new coats – you may be surprised at who wants to participate!)

Willow Creek Baptism Nov. 14/15 and 21/22

If your next step toward membership is Baptism, sign up online. Baptism will take place at weekend services on November 14/15 and 21/22

FYI... I will be in the baptism tank baptizing folks at the Saturday Nov. 21st service. I'll be happy to baptize you! Just sign up at the link above and then get in my line.

Ryan

Small Group - Tips of the Week - Prayer

Facilitate Meaningful Prayer
No pressure. . . Praying aloud can be intimidating for those who have never done it. Never pressure "everyone" to participate. Rather, invite. Create simple, doable opportunities that most people would feel safe in trying.


Location, location, location.
Change where your prayer time is placed during your group meeting. Traditionally, groups pray at the end of their meeting, when time is running short or people need to leave early. Try beginning your group time with a time of prayer. Or pray in the middle-after sharing, but before discussing the lesson.

Get what you ask for.
Be proactive in guiding the prayer request portion of your sharing time.
Ask each member to share two requests: one for someone else in their lives (easy and safe) and one for themselves (a little riskier). This brings depth to what is shared and prayed for, keeps people from focusing on Aunt Millie (or her sick cat), and invites them to be self-reflective about how God might meet their own needs.

Start small.
Try one-word prayers, in which members offer up single words that fit a theme you've suggested (see below). Or try one-sentence prayers, which feel safer (more doable) to those not accustomed to praying aloud.

Mix it up.
Try some of these ideas to give your group's prayer time new meaning.

· Popcorn prayers. Suggest an overall group theme, such as "I thank God for..." "Characteristics of God that I appreciate..." or "Names of God." Then encourage the group to offer up one-word prayers that fits this theme.
· One-sentence prayers. Similar to popcorn prayers, but a little longer. Invite members to pray one-sentence prayers around a theme, or for one person at a time in the group (see Hot Seat, below).
· Hot Seat. This takes a little longer, but can really add significance and value to each group member. Place a chair in the middle of your group; each member takes turns sitting in the 'hot seat' while the other group members lift them in prayer. Make sure every member has a turn in the hot seat.
· Silent prayer. Begin your prayer time with a few moments of silent reflection, giving your members time to quiet their hearts and minds before God.
· Partner Prayer. Invite your group to divide into pairs or 3's. Take turns praying for one another in these smaller settings.

Prayer Patterns. Here are a couple simple templates that can help members pray during their personal prayer time at home.

· ACTS:
o A = Adoration (Praise God for who He is)
o C = Confession (Confess sins, ask for forgiveness)
o T = Thanksgiving (Thank God for the blessings in your life)
o S = Supplication (Ask Him for your needs)

Neighborhood to Neighborhood - Algonquin to Africa

This is so awesome. One of our neighborhood groups in the Eastview area is supporting a village in Kenya for the next 3 years. They are partnering with Global Hope Network International. Check out this video, shot via skype, as the group signs their committment pledge. They hope to raise 10,000K over the next 3 years!

Learn more at http://gambella.end-injustice.org