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Shawnee Alliance SnapShot november 16 - Edition 43

In this Edition:

Message from Pastor Kris

As you're reading this, I’m on my way to serve with our missions team! We will be working with both children and adults, bringing the hope of Jesus' love to Guinea, West Africa. Please join us in praying for our team while we're away? You can find our prayer list with Bible verses here.

On Sundays, we've been talking about some aspects of our faith that are "Worth the Time". In the next few weeks, we will be talking about the importance of Prayer and Fasting, Worship, Giving, and Sabbath. We hope you'll join us in learning more about the Biblical principles that help us live out our Christian faith with excitement and freedom! You can view previous messages here.

I'd also like to invite you to some upcoming events! Christmas Eve is on Sunday this year, so in addition to our regular morning services, we will have our evening Christmas Eve services at 4, 6, and 8pm in the Activity Center, 11pm in the East Campus Sanctuary. These evening services are designed to allow families to worship together, ending with singing the last song by candlelight. Nursery and Kids Min will be closed for the evening services, but the nurseries and lobbies are available for cry rooms as needed. We will also host a special pre-recorded online service at 7pm that can be viewed on YouTube and Facebook. We are looking forward to celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior together with you, our church friends and family!

Then, join us the following week for our annual New Year's Celebration! In addition to our regular morning services, we will have our evening New Year's Eve Service on Sunday, December 31 at 6:30pm in the Activity Center. Come join us as we worship God and celebrate what He has done! This evening service is designed to allow families to worship together and is much different to our usual services. Nursery and Kids Min will be closed for this evening service, but the nurseries and lobbies are available for cry rooms as needed.

Happy Thanksgiving! I pray an extra blessing over you and your family in the coming weeks. "Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." - Ephesians 3:20

Blessings,

Kris

God is doing big things in our community! Your generosity in giving to Shawnee Alliance continues to make Kingdom impact. There are so many ways to partner with our ministries. Thank you for cheerfully being part of Transforming Lives!

Urgent Update Texts

In case of sudden changes in Sunday service times, we will now send out a text to all phone numbers in our database. This is very rare, but will be important when information needs to be provided quickly to all. We will not be using this to text other updates, such as events.

To make sure your contact information is up-to-date, please make changes in the Church Center App under the "Me" tab or fill out a Connect Card with the information.

If you would like to withdraw consent to text you, please fill out the Text Opt-Out form or contact office@shawneealliance.com.

Building a community of faith... Leading people to become fully transformed followers of Jesus Christ.

New to Shawnee Alliance or have updated information?

Would you like to know more about the church, submit a prayer request or connect with a pastor? Or maybe you'd like to find out about upcoming groups and events or let us know of a change in contact information? Let us know by filling out a connect card below! We would love to hear from you!

How to Connect With Us

As you're continually called into God's presence, please be reminded of the community we have here. We invite you to reach out and connect with us.

Our website has a new look!

Join Community

Life Transformation happens through discipleship, serving, and making connections with others. Below are some opportunities to join community throughout the week and month!

YouVersion Bible App

Join your church family on YouVersion! Download the app below and search for Shawnee Allianceset as your home church, and connect with others through our weekly devotionals.

As we walk through each week, watch for updates on social media and in the YouVersion app for new plans! Join in our newest plan below:

Connect with others! Join a Group!

For more details, please see below or visit shawneealliance.com/groups. If you are interested in leading or hosting a small group, please contact Pastor Brian at brian@shawneealliance.com.

Ongoing Weekly Groups

Ongoing Monthly Groups

Don't see a group you'd like to attend? Contact Pastor Brian at brian@shawneealliance.com if you're interested in joining a group or leading your own!

Trunk-N-Treat

What a great Trunk-N-Treat we had this year! The Lord blessed us with beautiful fall weather and about 1,500 smiling trick or treaters! We are so thankful for everyone in our church family that made this night of outreach possible. This includes over 100 volunteers who donated candy, helped serve food, provided a trunk, helped supervise the bounce houses, and the endless behind-the-scenes jobs. We pray that many were blessed and felt the love of Christ from our congregation during Trunk-N-Treat!

Child Dedication

This past Sunday, we dedicated 7 children to our Lord in the 9:30 service! At Shawnee Alliance, we believe that children aren't just the future of our church, they are the church, and we take our commitment to raising up Christ-loving families seriously. The Bible says that Jesus Himself was dedicated (Luke 2:22-23), and we honor Him in following in His footsteps to dedicate our children to God still today.

When we dedicate our children to Christ, we first recognize that children belong to the Lord. We bless and pray for them, and release them to be who God has made them to be. As parents, we also dedicate ourselves to Christ, promising to continually seek Christ and to model Christ’s love to our children. Then our church promises to come alongside us to pray for us and our children, teach children’s & youth ministries, demonstrate Jesus’ love, and encourage them along the way.

If you'd like to dedicate your children to God, the next opportunity will be on Mother's Day, May 12. To indicate your interest, please register below and we will contact you when the day gets closer!

Join the Efforts: Sewing for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

Every month, at least once a month, ladies at Shawnee Alliance get together to sew!

This year, we made lap robes, walker bags, fidget pads and other items for nursing homes. Over 30 lap robes and other items were delivered in the middle of the year to two specific homes. We were so excited to be a blessing to these people, and we continue to praise God for the chance to do that!

Then came the push for Operation Christmas Child. Under the wonderful direction of Kristen Curtis, we were able to make over 300 toys, dresses, shorts, dolls, and stuffed animals for the youth group to stuff into over 120 Christmas Child boxes!

Those Christmas boxes cost $10/box to ship, so we also wanted to help provide toward those costs. During the November election, we sold baked goods, and all proceeds went toward those shipping expenses that the youth group will be packing! We are excited to say we were able to provide over $825 toward the youth group's shipping expenses!

Are we a bunch of old ladies sitting around and knitting? No sirree! We are on the move and looking forward to taking on the task of making quilt tops for the Flying Horse Ranch in Mt. Gilead, OH. These kids are suffering with cancer and other dreadful diseases, and we can't wait to be a blessing to them! Then we will continue working on super ideas for Operation Christmas Child.

Please give some thought to joining us! We are pretty low-key and meet for a few hours. If you're interested, please join our Sewing Group! More information will be coming soon. In the meantime, enjoy our photos of the work well done!

Connected Women

What a beautiful night! We had around 100 women come to the Connected Women's Tea where quality friendships were pursued and God was glorified. We heard Karen's remarkable story on her journey and obedience with God in following her calling to open the Do Good restaurant and had a refreshing time talking and sipping tea! Thank you to all who helped make it happen!

Giving

Thank you for giving to the ministries of Shawnee Alliance Church. Through your generosity and faithfulness, we continue to see life transformation happen in our church, community, and around the world!

Ways to Give

  1. Online at shawneealliance.com/donate
  2. Church Center App - download today
  3. In Person - place check or cash in an offering box on the wall after Sunday services

A Message From Our Treasurer

I thank you for your faithful giving to the ongoing ministries and events here at the church! If you're looking for a way to bless others beyond your regular giving, I encourage you to consider two year-end giving opportunities at Shawnee Alliance:

  • A love offering to celebrate and show appreciation to our pastors.
  • A year-end wishlist of items from our pastors and staff that are above and beyond what we are able to accomplish with our general funds. These items will directly impact the scope of different church ministries. This list is available below and also in our lobbies. You can donate below or on the Church Center App by dropping down to "Year-End Ministry Wishlist Giving".

Thank you for you continued support. We look forward to seeing all that God will do!

Chris Hager, Shawnee Alliance Church Treasurer

Financial Update

Prayer for our Short-Term Missions Team

Here at Shawnee Alliance, we have multiple opportunities to support missions. We strive to build HIS kingdom here, and we won’t stop until the job is done!

As our team is in Guinea, West Africa, join with us in prayer for:

  • Strength and Perseverance: “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31
  • Effective Ministry: “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.” – Psalm 126:5-6
  • Soft Hearts: “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” – Jeremiah 24:7
  • Protection and Safety: “The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” – Psalm 121:8
  • God's Love to Be Shown in Every Interaction: “Pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” – Colossians 4:3-4
God doesn't call the equipped. He equips the called.

If you have any questions about Missions, please contact Jessica at missions@shawneealliance.com

Current Volunteer Opportunities

There are many opportunities to get more involved by serving together! Check out the list of volunteer opportunities below! Fill out a volunteer form or a connect card and our staff would be glad to connect you in serving at Shawnee Alliance or in our community in a way that uses your gifts, talents and passions!

Upward Basketball & Cheerleading

A new season of Upward Basketball and Cheerleading is in the works, and we're looking for volunteers who are interested in helping with this exciting ministry for grades K-4! If you are interested in being a coach, referee, helping with setup/teardown, scoreboard, running concessions or cleanup, please register as a volunteer. Thank you! We look forward to serving together!

Lead or Facilitate a Small Group!

Our faith is made stronger in Community. Are you interested in leading or facilitating a small group? We have groups that meet in homes, and we are also gearing up for a new session of Wednesday Night Groups beginning in January! Contact Pastor Brian at brian@shawneealliance.com for more information.

Join the Ladies' Sewing Group!

We are currently making quilt tops for the Flying Horse Ranch in Mt. Gilead, OH for children who are suffering with cancer and other dreadful diseases. Then we will continue working on some more ideas for sending in our Operation Christmas Child boxes. Join us!

Operation Christmas Child Processing Center Trips

This is our fifth year in sending a team of volunteers to one of 8 processing centers for Operation Christmas Child! This year we go to Aurora, Illinois from December 7-9. Volunteers will be responsible for inspecting gifts, working with filler items, scanning labels, organizing shoeboxes by age and gender into designated cartons, and heavy lifting. It's their last stop before going overseas to change the life of a child forever. Opportunities are available for sitting or standing.

If the centers are not finished processing Operation Christmas Child boxes, we will have another opportunity to go on January 25-27! NOTE: This trip requires more walking than our December trip as you will continually walk down lanes of bins to fulfill orders instead of standing in one location to inspect and tape up already filled boxes.

Children's Christmas Program

Children in Preschool-Grade 4 are invited to take part in presenting this year's Christmas program, "Christmas This Year", on Sunday, December 10 at 4pm in the Activity Center. Everyone is invited to the program and a cookie reception immediately following!

  • Practices: Ongoing Sunday mornings during services (9:30 or 11:00am)
  • Dress rehearsal: Saturday, Dec. 9th, 9:00-11:30am

If you are interested in donating cookies for the reception, please email erin@shawneealliance.com and plan to bring them to the Activity Center Kitchen on Dec. 10 before 3pm. Thank you!

Traditional Christmas Choir: Service of Lessons & Carols

You are welcome to join us for our Traditional Christmas Choir! You are welcome to join us for our Christmas Choir! We will have rehearsals from 10-11 a.m. on Saturdays from Nov. 4-Dec. 16 in the East Campus Sanctuary. Then we will sing on Sunday, December 17 at 1pm and there will be light refreshments to follow.

Ongoing Opportunities

Remember, you can reach out to our staff at any time by filling out a connect card at the bottom of our website!

New Ministry Ideas

Do you see a need in our community or church family that God is placing on your heart to begin meeting? What next step is God calling you toward?

If God is calling us to something, it's worth doing, and it's worth doing well.

Do you have an idea for a new ministry? Please fill out the form below. We'd love the opportunity to walk alongside you and help determine next steps.

Bible Reading Plan

Bring transformation to your life by reading your Bible! You will get to know Jesus on a deeper level and learn wisdom for your everyday choices.

You can find a free Bible in any of our church lobbies. Please feel free to take one when you're with us at church on Sunday or download the YouVersion app on your phone.

Use this simple SOAP format to guide your interaction with God's Word:

  • Scripture. Take your time reading each chapter and allow God to speak to you.
  • Observation. What do you see God doing in the Scripture? What is God saying to you?
  • Application. Ask yourself how you can apply this to your life right now.
  • Prayer. Communicate with God and ask Him to help you apply this to your life.

Try adding a chapter from Proverbs every day to the below plan! This list is also posted every Sunday on our Facebook page.

  • Thursday, November 16 - Matthew 6
  • Friday, November 17 - Daniel 9
  • Saturday, November 18 - Acts 6
  • Sunday, November 19 - 1 Corinthians 9
  • Monday, November 20 - Romans 12
  • Tuesday, November 21 - Psalm 63
  • Wednesday, November 22 - Hebrews 11
  • Thursday, November 23 - Psalm 100
  • Friday, November 24 - Revelation 4
  • Saturday, November 25 - Psalm 42
  • Sunday, November 26 - Psalm 95
  • Monday, November 27 - Proverbs 11
  • Tuesday, November 28 - Matthew 25
  • Wednesday, November 29 - Acts 4
  • Thursday, November 30 - 2 Corinthians 9
  • Friday, December 1 - Hebrews 7
  • Saturday, December 2 - Matthew 5
  • Sunday, December 3 - 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
  • Monday, December 4 - Exodus 20
  • Tuesday, December 5 - Hebrews 4
  • Wednesday, December 6 - Matthew 11
  • Thursday, December 7 - Matthew 12
  • Friday, December 8 - Genesis 2
  • Saturday, December 9 - Mark 4
  • Sunday, December 10 - Isaiah 14
  • Monday, December 11 - Exodus 33
  • Tuesday, December 12 - Psalm 4
  • Wednesday, December 13 - Psalm 23
  • Thursday, December 14 - Psalm 55
  • Friday, December 15 - Psalm 62
  • Saturday, December 16 - Psalm 127
  • Sunday, December 17 - Proverbs 3

Upcoming Events

Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen - Volunteer Thursday - November 16 at 11am

Operation Christmas Child/TV 44 Boxing Event (Grades 7-12) - November 16

Christmas Choir Rehearsals - Saturdays, November 18-December 16

Guinea Trip - November 16-26 - Please pray for those participating

Happy Thanksgiving! - November 23 - Office closed November 23 & 24

Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen Volunteer Tuesday - November 28 at 11am

Operation Christmas Child Processing Trip - December 6-9

Stamp Trimming - December 9 at 9am in East Campus Room C

Children's Christmas Program - December 10 at 4pm in Activity Center

Keenagers Christmas Luncheon - December 12 at 11:30am in Kids Min Area

Christmas Choir Service of Lessons and Carols - December 17 at 1pm in the East Campus Sanctuary (rehearsals on Saturdays at 10am in the Sanctuary, Nov. 4 - Dec. 16)

Our Daily Bread Volunteer Thursday - December 21 at 11am

Christmas Eve Candlelight Services - December 24 at 4, 6, and 8pm in the Activity Center; 11pm in the East Campus Sanctuary; and Online Only at 7pm (YouTube & Facebook). Sunday Morning Services will be at our regular times of 9:30am (Activity Center and East Campus Sanctuary) and 11:00am (Activity Center). Invite Your Friends and Family!

Merry Christmas! - December 25 - Office Closed December 25 & 26

Our Daily Bread Volunteer Tuesday - December 26 at 11am

New Year's Eve Worship Night - December 31 at 6:30pm in the Activity Center. Invite Your Friends and Family!

Happy New Year! - January 1 - Office Closed January 1 & 2

Keenager Luncheon - January 9 at 11:30am

Stamp Trimming - January 13 at 9am in East Campus Room C

Our Daily Bread Volunteer Thursday - January 18 at 11am

Pastor's Dessert - January 21 at 6:30pm - Register by January 14

Our Daily Bread Volunteer Tuesday - January 23 at 11am

Operation Christmas Child Bus Trip - January 25-27

Thank you for reading this edition of the Shawnee Alliance SnapShot! Please visit shawneealliance.com/media to view previous editions of this newsletter, watch sermons and testimony videos with links to our YouTube channel, and check out our Tuesday Talks with Shawnee Alliance podcast!