The Link
The Weekly E-Newsletter of Disciples Christian Church
November 16, 2006 - Vol 1, Issue 39
In This Issue
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Updated Prayer Requests
A Thanksgiving Feast
Thanksgiving

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost"

We sing that song of praise and thanksgiving every Sunday. Join your church family for further thanksgiving - complete with turkey and all of the trimmings - THIS Sunday, November 19 directly following worship. Please contact Rebecca Nilsen or Rosalie Hughey, the Community Ministry Team coordinators, to sign up to bring a side dish. Mark and Jan Mueller are cooking the turkeys.

A Season of Worship and Wonder at Disciples Christian Church

Do you feel like the Christmas season is too busy? Do you feel like we've lost sight of the reason for the season? Then join us at DCC, where we are choosing to celebrate the Advent season with an array of events. All of these activities allow us to turn our attention away from the hustle and bustle, and to the baby in the manger.

Finally, the entire DCC family (and many guests) will gather at 7:30 pm on Sunday, December 24 for a Candelight Communion Christmas Eve Service. A Christmas Concert, featuring Julie Chen and other Disciples musicians, precedes the service at 7 p.m.
Rev. Brian Coats
A mark of discipleship is weekly worship. We gather together on Sunday morning to sing, pray and praise because we serve an awesome God that deserves those praises.

However, there's an extra special reason to be in church this Sunday (November 19).
golf
Come and join us for a fundraising golf outing on Friday, December 1 at 11 a.m. at Pecan Hollow Golf Course in Plano. The cost for the four-person scramble is $65/player, which includes green fee, range balls, goodie bags, and participation in special contests (closest to the hole and longest drive).

To sign up yourself or a foursome, downl oad the registration form on the DCC website, fill it out and return it to the DCC church office. Forms are also available in the church narthex

Ninety percent of the funds raised go to help families with multiple family members going on the DCC Ski Trip. The other ten percent goes to the DCC Outreach ministry.
By Donna Atkinson
Minister to Youth and Families

Psalm 104 is a celebration of God as the Creator. In each verse we see God’s magnificent design and order of all creation. We see a God who loves us and provides for our every need. In this season of thanksgiving as we reflect on our many blessings, I invite you to meditate on God’s Word for you in this Psalm. The time of silent meditation and prayer is one way to savor God’s abundance! May you come to worship your Creator in joy and thanksgiving just as the Psalmist as he shares in joyful response, “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being!” Praise be to God!

Scripture and Song each Sunday in November – All youth gather in the Sanctuary at 9:30 am ... Our Choir Director, Laura Young and pianist Julie Chen will lead us in hymns followed by a devotion led by our youth. We will be preparing for our Youth-led Christmas Eve Service so join us as we share our gifts together to share the Christmas story! NOTE: If you are preparing a special piece, bring your instrument, music and please be on time so that everyone has an opportunity to practice their special piece of music!

Christmas Eve Youth Sunday Worship Preparation - It’s not too late to have a place in the youth-led Christmas Eve morning worship service! CHILDREN, all ages are invited to help retell the Christmas Story as we continue to prepare for this special day! This Sunday, November 19 during the Sunday school hour (9:30 am) all children and youth will meet in the youth classroom before going to the sanctuary for music. NOTE: The youth need your favorite family Christmas photo for a special project they are working on for the service. As you prepare for the holiday season and come across a special Christmas photo either e-mail it to Donna or write your name and family info on the back and share it with Donna and it will be returned to you after the project is complete! THANKS!

Sunday, November 19 ... Thanksgiving Meal- Bring your friends to church to join you in a wonderful time of fellowship and good food following our worship service as we give thanks and praise for all God’s blessings!

YOUTH SERVICE Opportunities ... November 12-26 ... Adopt an Angel – Make it a special time with your family as you shop for Christmas gifts for your adopted angel ... November 19 – December 10 ... Mike’s Kids – Donate packages of socks, undergarments, new or gently used toys and clothing to help the children and families in the Los Fresnos Valley of Texas served by Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries.

CALLING ALL MEMBERS OF DCC PLANO! Are you ready for a life changing, transforming opportunity? The youth activities this month provide the perfect opportunity to help mentor our youth as they grow in faith. Do you have a heart for worship? Would you like to offer your assistance with the youth ministry through sharing your love for music, drama, or creative writing as we reach out to share the love of Christ with our neighbor? PLEASE prayerfully consider how you can share your time and talents to help assist our youth. God has uniquely gifted each of us! There is much we can learn from one another as we work together sharing our gifts as the Body of Christ. The youth need you!
We'll mark the season of Thanksgiving with two sermons about gratitude. Come and share the worship of Jesus Christ with us, and be reminded that it's often the "simple things" that bless us the most.

November 19: Ruth 1:1-18 ... The "Simple Gift" of Family

November 26: I Samuel 20:1-17 ... The "Simple Gift" of Friendship
Angel Tree
Angel Tree ... Each year Disciples Christian Church participates with the Salvation Army in their Angel Tree ministry. The goal of this program is to make sure every child and senior has a gift for Christmas. This year we are “adopting” 30 angels comprised of both children and seniors. These “angels” will not have Christmas presents without our help. Martha Pusko will set up the Angel Tree for November 12 and it will stay up until November 26. The gifts are due back on Sunday, November 26. Please consider joining in this wonderful ministry. Adopt an angel or two this year! If you would like to adopt an angel but you cannot shop for the gifts, please call the church office at (972) 398-2240 and we will coordinate a “designated shopper” for you.

Mike's KidsMike’s Kids ... This collection supports children who have been abandoned or forced out of their homeland to a new country. You are invited to fill up Banana boxes with children’s clothing, child-sized underwear (new), toys (new or gently used) and food for Mike’s Kids in Los Fresnos, TX, a ministry in partnership with Southwest Good Samaritans Ministries. Disciples Christian Church is a collection point for donations to Mike’s Kids. Please drop off any of these items before Monday, December 11.

Also, this year instead of ordering poinsettias, we will be collecting $10 memorials and honorariums, and then send those funds to Southwest Good Samaritans Ministries, the organization that partners with Mike’s Kids. Envelopes are available in the Narthex. You may also call or e-mail the church office with your memorial and/or honorarium. As in previous years, all of the names will be noted in the church bulletin.
Welcome
We are blessed with many regular guests who attend each week and make DCC their church home. "Continuing Visitors" are those new people who have recently attended two or more Sundays.

Continuing Visitors:
Anne-Marie and Dave Brombal

First-time Visitors (Nov. 12):
Marilyn Willson
Helen Kilgore
By Nancy Hall
Evangelism Ministry Team Coordinator

Holy Grounds is blooming! Perhaps you or someone you know could help with some items we are needing to complete the arrangement:

  • Good leather love seat
  • Small end table for lamp
  • Small apartment/hotel style refrigerator
  • Five-gallon water container (i.e. Culligan) with hot water capability
  • Small plain floor lamp
Thank you so much for helping the Evangelism team with this. See you at the coffee pot!
By Laura Young
Music Director

Please remember that all youth are invited to meet in the sanctuary at 9:30 each Sunday of this month in order to have devotional time and Christmas program rehearsal time with Donna Atkinson and Laura Young.

At 10 a.m. this Sunday in the preschool Sunday school room, Laura will meet with interested kids ages 3 through fifth grade to learn a Thanksgiving song (with added rhythm instruments) to be sung in the November 19 Thanksgiving service.

Chancel Choir: Due to Thanksgiving schedules, we will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 21, instead of Wed., Nov. 22.

Calling all musicians: If you would like to share a special song during worship in this Advent season, please call Music Director, Laura Young, at 972-744-9941. Thank you!

Upcoming concerts: Julie Chen will be accompanying the Great Land Choral Society's annual concert at 7 p.m. November 18th at St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 5801 W. Plano Parkway. They will be joined by mezzo-soprano soloist Dr. Angela Cofer. For free tickets and information on the concert repertoire, please see www.greatlandchoralsociety.org ... If you are looking for something to enjoy following our November 19 Thanksgiving dinner at DCC, consider joining our friends at First Christian Church of Plano (813 East 15th) for a voice recital. Debbie Johnson, soprano, will be performing works by Mozart, Handel, Gluck, Hayes and more at 3 p.m. in the sanctuary.
website
If you have not stopped by the DCC website recently, click on over. A significant update was made on Monday, November 13. There are more photos, and church leaders can find important documents on the download page. Additionally, all of Rev. Coats' sermons can be found on a new message series page.

Also, don't forget to visit the online calendar. It enables you to send yourself reminders of upcoming events, send invitations to friends and colleagues and download the church schedule to your personal computer. You can find all of the church activities, birthdays and anniversaries on that calendar, as well as the scheduled Elders, Deacons and Greeters for each Sunday.

Also, there is a place to submit prayer requests and a new feature called "DCC TV," which includes the videos from the "Let's Grow" campaign.

For website suggestions, please e-mail the church office.

Feel free to forward this e-mail on. If you are the recipient of a forwarded e-mail, and you have more questions about anything you see here or about Disciples Christian Church, send an e-mail to brian@dccplano.com.

The Mission of Disciples Christian Church
In order to follow Jesus and worship God, we will serve our neighbors. We will minister to our fellow Christians. We will live and tell the good news of Jesus Christ in all we do.
Disciples Christian Church Staff
Brian Coats, Senior Pastor
Donna Atkinson, Minister to Youth and Families
Laura Young, Music Director
Linda Gulick, Preschool Director
Julie Chen, Pianist
Jan Carter, Administrative Assistant
Heather Elliot, Nursery Attendant

phone: 972-398-2240

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Disciples Christian Church | 2001 Independence Pkwy. | Plano | TX | 75075