Fall is finally here. After a typically crazy Illinois summer, we are ready for it. Fall means cooler weather, changing leaves, turning clocks back (first Sunday in November), high school football games, and lots of other activities. Hallowe’en decorations are already in the stores, which means Christmas decorations cannot be far behind.

I used to think the culture tended to combine the end of year holidays into one—Hallogivingmas. But more recently, it seems more like Hallowgimas. The emphasis has moved from thanksgiving to Halloween (the second most decorated holiday of the year). So, we end the year with a big push of “what can I get for me?” with maybe one meal for thanksgiving being squeezed in between a marathon of football games. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Fall is also a time for small groups. This fall, our small groups will meet the weeks of October 19 – November 16. The groups will meet at the church building on Monday nights at 6:30 (childcare provided), Tuesday nights at 6:30 at the Fordyces (the house next to the church building), and Wednesday morning at 10:00 at the church building.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”? Have you ever thought it applied to you? Well, I have two pieces of good news for you. 1. You are not an old dog. 2. God designed your brain to enable you to learn new ways to think and behave.

Change begins in the mind, and this study will teach you how to capture thoughts that don’t serve you well and replace them with God’s life-changing truths. This change comes not by hocus-pocus, positive thinking, or hypnosis. It comes by studying and applying the principles God has provided in the Bible.

Do you have any thoughts that are dragging you down, holding you back, or interfering with you being a better Christian? God has the solution. This study will help you unlock God’s message of hope and apply it to your life.

Looking far ahead: Christmas in the Village will be December 12 (a change from the first to the second Friday). We will host a soup supper again this year. We also need to decide if we want to participate in the village parade. Both of these activities will require lots of volunteer help. It’s not too early to begin preparing. Would you like to coordinate either of these activities? Let Gay know, so we can begin preparations.

Thanks for reading,

Rick

Sunday, October 26th
Kyndall McBride will be with us to share about her mission opportunity with Youth With A Mission.
Love offering envelopes will be available if you would like to help her with her mission.
Kyndall is the daughter of Julie Fuller McBride who grew up here.

6:30 pm - Monday evenings at the church, child care provided
 6:30 pm – Tuesday evenings at Fordyce’s
 10:00 am – Wednesdays at the church