Printable Christmas Devotions

Are you looking for a Christmas devotion to do with your family this Christmas season?  Here are a few free printable devotions which are a valuable resource to keep the true meaning of Christmas alive in our hearts and homes this year.

Reasons For the Season begins December 1st with a verse, discussion starter, short lesson, activity, prayer and then an optional extra activity that you can do with your children.

The Advent Guide is a devotion covering the weeks of Advent beginning this week. (Started Sunday, but you can catch up!).  This devotion has great information along with thought provoking discussion questions to search the heart and build the faith.

The Jesse Tree Advent Family Devotional is a 25 day devotional which includes full Bible text, a devotion for the family, a short, simple action point for the day along with a Jesse tree craft.

May your family be blessed this Christmas season as you seek and share the birth of our Lord - the true meaning of Christmas.

Coming In December

December is on it's way!  There are several activities going on through the month to share festive fellowship with one another.  Please note the following dates:

• December 2 - Deacon's Dinner
• December 7 - No Family Meal
• December 9 - Church Christmas Party
• December 16 - Youth Christmas Party
• December 17 - Children's Play Practice & Party
• December 18 - Children's Christmas Play
• December 21 - Church wide Christmas Caroling
• December 25 - Christmas Worship Service

Prayer Requests This Week

This week there are several prayer needs around the church family.

• Roy L. is in ICU with many health problems
• Helen S. is facing some leg surgery this week
• Caleb G. will be facing some facial surgery soon
• Gene B. has an aunt who has been diagnosed with cancer and will get some test results this week
• Janet W.'s mother is at home recovering
• Mike O. is recovering from knee surgery
• Flowie R. has a granddaughter facing serious oral surgery soon
• Lavon M. had a step sister pass away this week
• Norine B. is undergoing some heart issues

Please continue to keep each of these and others in your thoughts and prayers.

Prayer Meeting Tonight!

Remember this week's prayer meeting is on Tuesday!!  Hope you'll plan to come out this Thanksgiving week and give God thanks for all His blessings!

Prayer Requests

There are some prayer requests to share this week:

• Norine B. had a heart attack and will be undergoing tests on Thursday to determine her treatment.
• Liz H.'s mother had knee surgery and is recovering at home.
• Janet W.'s mother had surgery which was successful, but will be in the hospital several days recovering.

Please continue to keep these and those listed on the back of the bulletin each week lifted up.

Thanksgiving Lunch This Sunday

Remember the Church wide Thanksgiving Lunch this Sunday!!  Ham and Turkey will be provided by the church and you are asked to bring a complimentary dish - vegetable, salad or dessert. 

Lunch will follow the morning worship service.  Please plan to bring a food dish and stay to enjoy the fellowship with the church family.  God has been so gracious to Antioch through the years and we are thankful people!!

Operation Christmas Child Week

This is the week to prepare you shoebox for Operation Christmas Child!  Bring your shoebox to church Sunday where there will be a special time of prayer for those who will receive them and they will be delivered to our local collection site on Monday.

Read about the Impact of OCC

See How To Pack A Shoebox

See Frequently Asked Questions

In our lives today where even in hard economic times, we are blessed with plenty, this is a way to give generously into the lives of others.

Captive vs Casual

What are the primary differences between the Casual and Captive Christians?

The lives of Captive Christians are defined by their faith; their worldview is built around their core spiritual beliefs and resultant values.

Casual Christians are defined by the desire to please God, family, and other people while extracting as much enjoyment and comfort from the world as possible.

The big difference between these two tribes is how they define a successful life.

For Captives, success is obedience to God, as demonstrated by consistently serving Christ and carrying out His commands and principles.

For Casuals, success is balancing everything just right so that they are able to maximize their opportunities and joys in life without undermining their perceived relationship with God and others. Stated differently,

Casuals are about moderation in all things.

Captives are about extreme devotion to their God regardless of the worldly consequences.

Prayer Request

Please be in prayer today for Janet W.'s mother.  She is undergoing serious surgery today to correct an internal blockage.  Please pray for the doctors to have the wisdom and guidance they need and for her to be strengthened by the Lord in her body to endure the surgery.  Please also remember the family as they minister to her.

3 Things About Being Lukewarm

Revelation 3:14-16 speaks clearly of how God sees the 'lukewarm or casual Christian". 

 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."

Here are 3 Facts About Casual Christians:

1.  They Present A Mixed Worship:  Two meanings of the word worship include - bow down in adoration and to serve.  Worship is an inner reverence for God which is demonstrated in obedience, adoration and praise.  Worship is all about God, not what He can do for us.  God is the audience, we are the worshippers.  Do we come to church to worship?

Casual worship can be irreverent or indifferent.  If worship is focused on our needs or desires or what we can get out of it...it is not true worship.

True worship is focused on God and is whole hearted.  Our every act - singing, prayer etc. should be done with our whole heart.  We should bring our best to God - not our leftovers.  Best attention, effort and gifts.   When we reflect on His gifts to us - grace, forgiveness, abundant life etc., our worship should express our gratitude.

2.  Casual Christians live a mixed lifestyle:  They want the best of both worlds. They want a faith but are not willing to invest their all.  They want to be called a Christian, but are not willing to sacrifice or stand up for their faith.

3.  Casual Christians present a mixed message:  Living a casual Christian life gives a weak, compromising message to the world.  People watch Christians and are looking for something genuine.  Will we offer them something different from the world?  Will we follow Joshua 24:24  “The LORD our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey!” and be wholehearted, dedicated, immovable and unshakable in our faith? 

We can move out of the casual, lukewarm mode and become a "Captive Christian". The lives of Captive Christians are defined by their faith; their worldview is built around their core spiritual beliefs and resultant values.  May God turn our hearts towards Him and ignite us to true worship and a lifestyle unwavering, steadfast and committed. 

Operation Christmas Child Lunch

Our church has been asked to provide lunch for the workers at the Operation Christmas Child collection site on Monday, November 14.  We will be preparing a simple meal of spaghetti, salad, green beans and desserts.  If you would be interested in making one of these dishes, please let Pam G. know. 

We also need volunteers to help deliver the meal on that day.  This offers the opportunity to eat lunch there and observe the collection procedures.  Thousands of shoe boxes from our county go through this site!

Casual Christians

Sunday's sermon brought to light the term "Casual Christians".  What is a Casual Christian?   It can be difficult to spot a casual Christian. He or she may attend church regularly. He or she may tithe. He or she may be involved in Bible study, church fundraising and teaching Sunday School. But he or she may be busy doing things for God without actually having a relationship with Him.

George Barna’s studies indicate that Casual Christians represent 66% of the adult population of the U.S.

You describe the Casual Christian as:

•  spiritually middle-of-the-road
• faith in moderation
•  those who feel religious without placing faith as a priority.

Casual Christians are defined by the desire to please God, family, and other people while extracting as much enjoyment and comfort from the world as possible.

Come back to visit the blog this week.  More will be shared from the powerful message from church on Sunday!

The Call To Commitment

From our sermon last Sunday we learned that there is no such thing as a partial commitment to God.  From Romans 12 we learned about the important words:

Conform - do not conform to the world - or let the world around you squeeze you into its mold.

Transform - the inner change the Lord does in the heart that is noticeable by outward action.  Transformation is not what we do but what God does through us.

Here are 3 Calls To Commitment Every Believer Should Make

1.  Commit to personal growth.  Commit to be a disciple or learner of the things of the Lord.  We should never stop learning as Christians.

2.  We need commitment to our local church.  The local church is the believers first commitment after salvation.  The church is the main avenue where the Lord fills believers and enables them to pour out.  Where does church attendance fall on our priority list?  Does it fall below recreation, sports etc.?  Commitment to church is deeper than church attendance.  Be involved - you'll never feel a part of church by simply attending the morning worship service.

3.  Commit to ministry.  Seek to actively use gifts and talents given from God.  Put these gifts to work!

The greatest ability is availability.

Prayer Requests

This week has found us with many of our church friends and family standing in the need of prayer. Please be faithful to lift these up and offer your love and support to one another.

• Kathy C. has bronchial pneumonia
• Flowie R. (Joe R's mom) is in the hospital with some intestinal issues.
• Lori H. (Felton and Mary Lou's daughter) is still in the hospital recovering from surgery.
• Mike O. is at home recovering from knee surgery.
• Liz H. is still recovering from surgery and battling some infection.
• Buddy H. had some medical testing done this week.
• Janet W.'s mom will undergo serious surgery soon.

May we allow the grace and blessing of the Lord flow through us into the lives of those around us.

Fall Festival

A great time was had at our Fall Festival.  There were lots of kids, fun, games, food and laughter. Special thanks to all who helped out to make this a special time for our church and guests.

Family Meal

Remember this Wednesday night is Family Meal at 6:00 PM!  The theme is soup, sandwich or salad and the fellowship will be sweet!!  Plan to bring the family and practice some of the commitment to the church pastor talked about on Sunday!