GIFT COLLECTION STARTS SUNDAY
As we launch our “Divine Ambush” sermon series on Sunday, we want to invite our church body to be part of a corporate ambush of the Bolingbrook Christian Health Center by supplying new items for a gift mart. We will be collecting donations, such as toys, games, hats, gloves and make-up, this Sunday and next. Folks served by the clinic will be able to “shop” at the gift mart during a Christmas party from 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 15.

We also want to encourage you to volunteer at the event by helping with crafts and games that evening. Sign up at the Info Table if you can help! The clinic provides medial care to more than 1,000 uninsured or underinsured families in the area!

As we launch our “Divine Ambush” sermon series on Sunday, we want to invite our church body to be part of a corporate ambush of the Bolingbrook Christian Health Center by supplying new items for a gift mart. We will be collecting donations, such as toys, games, hats, gloves and make-up, this Sunday and next. Folks served by the clinic will be able to “shop” at the gift mart during a Christmas party from 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 15.

NEW SERMON SERIES
Have you ever faced a situation in life where you just needed God to show up? A tough decision? A difficult circumstance? Or a point of desperation? It’s in these moments we need someone to help us, someone to pick us up or someone to be with us. We need a Divine Ambush.

Join us on Sunday as we kick off our Christmas sermon series, “Divine Ambush.” During the next four weeks, we will see how God showed up in the most unexpected moments and “ambushed” people in mysterious ways as He carried out the ultimate “Divine Ambush”: sending His Son to save mankind!

ALL CHURCH WORK DAY
Can you swing a hammer, handle a paintbrush or help with cleaning? We need you Saturday for our all-church work day. We still have lots of small projects throughout the building that we were not able to complete before we moved in last September. We need help with minor construction and clean-up from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. We would love it if you could help, even for an hour or so!

SPREAD THE LOVE
As we head into the Christmas season, we are launching not only a sermon series, but a movement we are calling, “Divine Ambush.” We want to shine a light in our community as we spread love, give joy and ultimately share the love of Jesus with our friends, neighbors, coworkers, teachers and even complete strangers. We hope that others will join us.

We want to encourage everyone in our church to be part of this conspiracy of kindness by “ambushing” someone. It doesn’t matter what you do or how you do it. Bake some cookies. Buy someone’s drink in the drive-thru. Write a note. You can ambush someone personally, or be part of a collective ambush. Encourage your small group to adopt a family you can shower with gifts for Christmas. Join The Sanctuary in its Divine Ambush of the Bolingbrook Christian Health Center on Dec. 15.

Pick up some “Divine Ambush” cards at the Info Table to include with whatever you do. This will direct people to the Divine Ambush web site  where they can leave a story and find out more about this movement. You also can follow Divine Ambush on Facebook or Twitter.

EVE OF EVE SERVICE
Invite your friends and family to celebrate with us at our Eve of Christmas Eve services at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23. This will be a great evening that includes Christmas music and a relevant Biblical message. Plan to stay for dessert after the service. Childcare will be available for birth to preschool. Please bring a plate of cookies if you are able.

FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY
If you are looking to make changes in how you handle your finances, be sure to sign up for the Financial Peace University class, which will begin in late January. We will offer the class at two times, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays (beginning Jan. 27) and 9 to 11 a.m. Saturdays (beginning Feb. 1). Cost for the course is $93 per couple and includes a workbook, materials and access to the Financial Peace University web site. Sign up at the Info Table or using the tear-off section in The Slice.

ONE SERVICE DEC. 29
As we look ahead at wrapping up the Divine Ambush sermon series and saying farewell to the year 2013, we are planning one service the last Sunday of the year! We will worship with everyone together in one service at 10 a.m. that Sunday!

UPLOAD YOUR PHOTO
We’ve been telling you the past few weeks about our new online directory. Now, we need YOU to help us out by uploading your photo! Our member web site is your one stop for finding contact info for other families at our church, RSVPing to events, finding out about prayer requests and finding your schedule for serving in ministry areas.

Here’s how you can help:

1. Go to https://cometothesanctuary.org/media/member-login/ . If this is your first time logging in, click the link that says “Sign Up” to create a user name and password. (This is a new database, so you should click “Sign Up” even if you had access to the old system.
2. Check your personal info and your family info to make sure everything is up to date.
3. Upload a profile photo.

YOUTH
Thrive and Crossfire, our junior high and high school ministries, are in full swing! Both groups meet together for student-led worship and large group teaching, then break off by age groups for small group discussion. Thrive and Crossfire meet from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Students are welcome to arrive at 6:30 for hang-out time.

NEED PRAYER?
If you have a prayer request, please feel free to send it to our Prayer Team so they can lift up your needs before the Lord. Contact  with your prayer request.