Dear Church family and friends,
A big story often starts with smaller events which all build up, mixing together, and in the end creating something bigger than its beginning. Sometimes we can sense it, we can know it, but others we think that those building blocks are insignificant and will not amount to anything. So it was on that first Advent, one which Lucas continued to describe in his sermon from Sunday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpKqdkya1G8
This Week in Church…
YABS are back to their smaller groups for Young Adults’ Bible Study this week. All groups start at 7pm, but are dotted in various places around Giessen. To find out what they’ll be getting up to, and where, and which one the English-speaking group is, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org
Vocal cords ready? Singing voices all warmed up? Good! Our Christmas Carol Service needs some support from the congregation – so join us at 11am on Sunday morning to part of the worship! After the service we will have an extended time of fellowship with snacks, desserts, cakes and any other Christmas treats that you feel inclined to bring. If you are unable to attend, you are more than welcome to use our livestream link – which you can get by writing to office@ibc-giessen.org – and belt out your favourite carols from home.
On Christmas Eve…
There will be a Sunday Service on 4th Advent Sunday (22nd December), but we also wanted to make you aware of our Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24th December) evening service at 5pm. Here we will celebrate the birth of the Child for whom we have waited this whole Advent long. There will be songs, a sermonette, and of course the lighting of the Christ Candle. The service will be around an hour in length and, much like the Carol service, we will meet afterward for finger foods and fellowship. As always, we are looking for contributions to the buffet, whether sweet or savoury – we look forward to both your food and your company!
There will not be a Christmas Day Service and there will be no New Year’s Eve/Day Service either. We will however have a service on Sunday 29th December at 11am.
In the New Year…
No mention of the Mid-Week Bible Study this week means that they are on a small break over Christmas and will be returning on 8th January 2025. This got us thinking about other events that will be returning in the New Year. For example, King’s Daughters will be meeting on Saturday 11th January, with more details about the specifics to be given in due course. The men, however, will be having their first breakfast of the year together on 25th January 2025 at 9:30am in the Student Kitchen.
May God bless you richly this week!