Dear Church Family,  

Christmas Eve Service We’re very excited about Christmas Eve and our plans are under way to put together an evening to host our community to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  This year’s service will look much different from the last couple of years.  We’re putting together more of a presentation that will include different elements such as special music, carol singing, some dramatic acting elements.  The theme will be how the people of God anticipated and longed for the coming Messiah over the years as they read about Him in Scripture.  I just want to say a big thank you to all who’ve agree to be involved, and a head’s up to all of you, because we’re still going to be asking a few more people to be involved in a significant way.  We will be making special invitations for you to invite neighbours, family, and co-workers, and we’re praying that many of you would make a strong effort to invite as many people as we can to hear about the Man who was born at Christmas.

Alliance Missions - Jaffray Offering This Sunday we’re taking up a special offering called a “Jaffray Offering”.  Jaffray was an Alliance Missionary who’s passion was to take the name of Christ to places it has not yet been named.  The proceeds from this offering will go toward new initiatives to reach unreached people groups.  We will be taking up this offering in addition to our regular offering which goes to support TAC’s ongoing Gospel ministry in Transcona and around the world.  For more information about financial generosity and the Gospel, click here and scroll down to “Relationship between financial giving and the Gospel”.  TAC rejects the disgusting notion that has become popular in many churches, that we give so that God will bless us.  Rather, in Christ God has given us the greatest treasure and most satisfying and enduring joy, and we respond with generosity.  Supporting the work of the Gospel, caring for the needy and for your church family are ways which we celebrate God’s immeasurable generosity toward us in Christ.  Join us in celebrating the Gospel by supporting Mission Work to the unreached.  

“Just Because” Potluck We hope you’ll join us on December 4th after the service for a potluck meal.  We have a number of new folks who’ve become part of our family over the last few months, and it would be a great opportunity to get to know each other.  This is one of the ways in which we can delight in the fact that God has, in Christ, brought us into the family of God.  The local church (TAC is one of those!) is the expression and experience of being part of the family of God.  If you can make it, please bring along: If your last name begins with A-M:  A main dish If your last name begins with N-Z: Dessert and buns or a salad  

If your last name begins with A-M:   please bring a main dish

If your last name begins with N-Z: please bring a dessert and buns or a salad  

This Sunday This Sunday we’ll continue looking at Christ in the book of John.  We’re at the end of John 13 where Jesus is finally alone with His 11 disciples and before He lays down His life, He prepares them for His death and also for His ascension into heaven; He gives them instructions to them that would shape the Church for the next 2000 years as we await His return to restore all things - purchased with His precious blood.   Your brother,   Derek deVries

Your brother,  

Derek deVries