What comes to mind when you think of the blessed life? What do you dream of when you dream of the good life? Most likely you dream of having more and wanting less; more to spend and less to need; more stability and less uncertainty; more toughness and less meekness; and certainly, more winning than losing. Yet, a life of having it all and never needing or losing, is not the picture of the blessed life Jesus gives us in the Beatitudes of Matthew 5:3-12.
Through the Beatitudes, Jesus calls us to see the world through the lens of the Kingdom’s upside-down perspective. Through the Beatitudes, Jesus presents us not with a list of how to be blessed, but with a description of who is blessed. The Beatitudes do not give us a list of things to do to inherit the Kingdom, they describe the people who are invited to find their belonging and hope in the Kingdom. It is through these Beatitudes that we are invited to see how the Kingdom is breaking into the reality of our world, turning our world upside down, and inviting us to join God in the work of His redemptive mission in Christ.
Today’s Worship
It Is You
Follow You
Build My Life
Scripture
Matthew 5:1-16
Message
"Salt and Light."
Forever
ANNOUNCEMENTS
November Mission of the Month: Angel Tree gifts and monetary donations due today.
Assembling & Delivering Thanksgiving Baskets Today: If you volunteered to assemble and/or deliver Thanksgiving baskets for families in need, please come to the Family Life Center after the service today.
Staff Holiday Gifts: Today is the deadline to contribute towards a monetary Christmas gift for the ICRC staff if you would like. To do so, please enclose your gift in an envelope labeled “Staff Gift”, or you may write this on the memo line of your check, and then drop it into one of the collection plates at the front of the sanctuary. Please include your envelope number for contribution credit. The deacons will divide the funds among the staff for their annual holiday gifts from the congregation.
Cumberland Elementary School: Cumberland has once again invited us to help out with a Parent’s Night Out event that they have planned for Friday, December 6th. This will be an evening where parents can drop off their kids at the school from 6-8 pm and then leave to get some Christmas shopping done or maybe even have a date night! If you are willing to help watch the kids at Cumberland that evening, please sign up via our website. Cumberland is located at 2801 Cumberland Rd.in Lansing, MI. Volunteers, please arrive between 5:30- 5:45 pm. and ask for Julia I.
Christmas Craft Celebrations: On Wednesday, December 18th, we will be having a Christmas Family Fun night here at Immanuel, from 6-7:30 pm. This will be a community event. All families will enter the church through the main entrance and go up to the sanctuary to watch a short movie called, “The Small One”. After the movie they will head down to the Family Life Center to celebrate Christmas with crafts and cookie decorating. We have created an event for this on Facebook, please feel free to share it with your family and friends!
Mobile Food Bank: We will have another mobile food bank here at Immanuel on Saturday, December 21st, from 9-11 am. If you would like to help sort and put food into cars, please sign up via our website.
Save the Dates:
12/03- Deacon’s Meeting, 6:00 pm
12/03- Elder’s Meeting, 6:30 pm
12/03- Consistory Meeting, 7:30 pm
12/04- CONNECT Wednesday, 5:30 pm
12/08- C & W Practice Songs, 11:15 am
12/08- Burcham Life Group, 11:30 am
12/10- Afternoon Life Group, 2:30 pm
12/10- Men’s Study, 7:00 pm
12/15- Worship/ Children’s Songs, 10:00 am
12/15- Burcham Life Group, 11:30 am
12/19- Prayer Team Meeting, 6:00 pm
12/21- Mobile Food Bank, 9-11 am
12/24- Christmas Eve Service, 6:00 pm
12/25- No CONNECT, Christmas Day
01/01- No CONNECT, New Year’s Day
01/04- Mobile Food Bank, 9-11 am
Giving:
The offering plate is located at the front of the sanctuary. You may also submit an offering online at www.icrclansing.org.
Local Needs:
Personal Needs Closet: Provides personal hygiene items and cleaning supplies to families in need. We are currently in need of dryer sheets, hand soap, laundry soap/pods, shaving cream, and razors. Please place donations in the baskets under the mailboxes outside of the sanctuary.
CONNECT Wednesdays
CONNECT Dinner – 5:30 pm.
A free meal for the whole family
Connect Kids - 6:15-7:00 pm.
3 Yrs. Old-5th Grade
They will learn about Jesus, sing songs, read bible stories, do arts and crafts, play games, and more!
Jr. High Youth - 6:15- 7:30pm.
6th- 8th Grade
Sr. High Youth- 7:00-9:00 pm
9th-12th Grade
Calling Team Assignments:
In an effort to offer more personalized care to our church members, we have divided each member into smaller groups with one Elder and one Deacon as a resource and contact person. If you need prayer or have a question or concern, please call the Elder or Deacon that you are assigned to according to your last name.
Last Name A-D
Elder Janet V
Deacon Fred H
Last Name E-H
Elder Bruce T
Deacon Sally K
Last Name J-P
Elder Dave S
Deacon Kerri Mi
Last Name R-W
Elder Matt O
Deacon Nate E
Your Leaders are so thankful for your fervent prayers:
Thank you for praying for the ICRC staff and ministry team leaders.
Friends with Health Concerns
Mark B, June B, John B, David C, Joe C, Howard J. C, Don F, Sandy F, Nancy F, John F, Carol G
Kathy G, Roland H, Emily J, Barb K, Dianne K, Dave N, Yvonne N, Marcia N, and Wayne S.
Prayer Requests
Prayer Chain: icrcprayer@icrclansing.org
You may also submit requests via our “Prayer Box”, located near the mailboxes outside of the sanctuary, you can call and talk to Stacia, our church secretary, or you may reach out to Marcia J, the leader of our prayer team directly.
If you would like to become a part of the ICRC Prayer Chain, please sign up on the “Bulletin Board” tab via our website.