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houstonmennonite

Newsletter 2022-12-07: Celebrate The Advent/Christmas Season With Your HMC Community

Updated: Dec 16, 2022

Holiday seasons can generate a mixture of feelings as we navigate wanting to join the merriment of the holidays, difficult family dynamics, heightened anxiety and depression, and the pressure of wanting everything to be “just right.” It is my prayer that HMC will be a community of support and encouragement for all of us through this season. Let’s be kind to ourselves and pay attention to each other's well-being through this season.

I am looking forward to the flurry of activities and events that come in December with the HMC community as we celebrate the Advent/Christmas season and wind down the year. I hope you will join in! See the lineup in the Calendar of Events below.

Lee Lever, Transitional Pastor Houston Mennonite Church


Find details for each event on our ChurchTrac Connect


Weekly

  • Dec 8, Thursday, 7-9pm

    • HMC Hangout continues to be an online place where we giggle, share how our day went, have serious conversations, and check in for time with each other

    • Stop by and say hello, even if briefly!

  • Dec 11 - Third Sunday of Advent

    • 10:00am Service

      • We will gather for worship to sing, pray, hear scripture, light candles and encourage each other.

      • You are invited to bring a brief story of encouragement to share during the worship service

    • Second Hour

      • Adults: meet in the sanctuary for a Transition Conversation

        • We will be introducing a survey of the congregation and giving an update on the transition process

      • Children: Intergenerational Advent offering continues to be available (help is welcome!)

    • 5-7pm HMC Annual Christmas Banquet!

      • An evening of food and sharing of talents. Dress up in Christmas theme clothes if you have them

      • Join us for this beloved HMC Christmas tradition. We will have a potluck meal followed by an evening of songs, readings, and other activities. And dessert. So much dessert!

      • Please let us know what items you can share for our banquet meal

"Balliol College Banquet" by Street Photography candid (https://wordpress.org/openverse/image/2705c2f6-1875-4c99-be0b-3b2f8219e31b)

  • Dec 15 - Thursday night hangout

  • Dec 18 - Fourth Sunday of Advent

    • Bill Cork will be preaching: “Prepare the Way of the Lord”

  • Dec 25 - Christmas Day (Sunday)

    • Pancake breakfast at the church beginning at 9:30am followed by a time of worship with the theme “Sing for Joy”

      • Join us for a relaxed and enjoyable pancake breakfast on Christmas morning at 9:30 AM. We'll be serving pancakes (including GF options), sausage, eggs, fruit, and a variety of beverages.

      • You can RSVP on our Facebook page or on ChurcTrac.

      • If you have an electric griddle or a crock pot that you can lend us for this event, please contact David C. See you there!

    • There will NOT be Second Hour activities

  • Jan 1, New Year’s Day

    • 10am Worship and Second Hour

    • Rebecca Voran will be preaching


Child Care Helper Needed

We are working to fill the Sunday morning paid child care position at HMC but we need a child care person on Sunday mornings until a person is in place.

If you would like to sign up for a Sunday or two please contact Pastor Lee Lever or Administrative Assistant Clarke Ohlendorf. Thanks for helping out!


Care & Community


Annual Christmas Banquet, Dec. 11 from 5-7 PM

Join us for this beloved HMC Christmas tradition. We will have a potluck meal followed by an evening of songs, readings, and other activities. And dessert. So much dessert! Be sure to let us know what items you can share for our banquet meal.

Volunteer Schedule



Spiritual Formation & News


Subscriptions to "Anabaptist World" are currently 50% off (click here for discount). There is a copy at the church below the mailboxes for anyone to read, but it is nice to have your own copy at home to keep up with what is going on in the wider Mennonite community.

During Advent, we prepare for the birth of Jesus. But as many a child has pointed out, Jesus has already been born. Advent is a practice of the “inbetween.” This year’s theme, developed for Leader magazine, makes that “in-between” concrete by inviting us into the process of restoration. Jesus has come and brought about restoration! And…we live in a world in need of restoration. Restoration has seasons of intense work and of maintenance mode. It’s active. It requires something of us. It’s transformative. And, in our understanding, it is inspired and guided by Divine Creativity. During this year’s Advent and Christmas seasons, we invite you to join in God’s work of restoration, discovered ultimately in the infant Christ.

Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) is an organization that helps people rebuild after a disaster. The strength of MDS is its volunteer base which includes a range of Anabaptist/Mennonite constituencies, and the generosity of those who support the good work of MDS. When MDS enters a disaster situation they intentionally partner with other agencies and they typically focus on households with fewer resources than others. Learn more…


Offering


Mail Checks to our building at: Houston Mennonite Church Attn: Treasurer 1231 Wirt Road Houston, TX 77055-6852



Houston Mennonite Staff


Pastor (Transitional): Lee Lever leel@houstonmennonite.org 512-230-9470 (text first)

Administrative Assistant: Clarke Ohlendorf admin@houstonmennonite.org 281-783-9070 (text & voicemail)

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