The blessing of Coming Home Sunday!

After months of planning and preparations, yesterday was the day! And oh what a day it turned out to be! Our first Coming Home Sunday is in the books - so thankful for the day! Here are some of my thoughts on this dark, cold Monday morning:

** So thankful for the Coming Home Sunday planning team, and especially our team leader Allison Hitchings! I will probably leave some folks out - apologies in advance - but thanks to Mark Behrends, Candi Heap, Paula Barton, Karen Rice, Ruth Davidson, Samuel Green, Mary Holland, Mandi Ries, Emilee Monkman, Gage Lyons, Norma Harrold and many more! This day would not have been possible without each and every one of you! 

** Our "speakers" each brought a unique and special word - David Mabon, Brent Zastrow, Gerald Denny and Jake Follis - I was touched by each one of you - thank you!

** Our music and worship was great! Thanks to Josh Rich and the Choir for bringing specials in song! By the way - any day we get to hear a Rich Mullins song in worship is a good day, and yesterday Josh gave us two! The worship song selection was really good - I can't stop singing the Rend song "For all that you have Done" - what a perfect song to sing to the Lord on Coming Home Sunday! The worship team of Samuel Green, Marcia Wise, Mark Behrends, Karla Smith, Ruth Davidson, Sam Fleming, Patty Sunderland and Carly from LCU were wonderful!

** I LOVED the video - and we will share on social media and our website this week if possible. Thanks to our friend Scott Sarver from Broadleaf video for blessing us once again! FYI - Scott produced our Next Steps phase 1 video, as well as our Heroin crisis video from October 2016. Scott Sarver is the best!

** The FOOD was awesome - thanks to Mike Chapman and the Clinton IGA for feeding over 500 people quickly - and the food was really excellent in my opinion! Well done Clinton IGA team and thanks to Karen Rice for creating a team of volunteers to make this part of the day flow - people were eating in six different areas or rooms and even though lunch started about 15 minutes late due to the length of the morning service, we will still able to start the afternoon gathering on time at 1pm.

** Thanks to everyone who participated in the Afternoon Gathering: Thanks to the panel of Debby (Baker) Carter, Gerald Denny, Chelsea (Cheatham) Ewald, Jake Follis and Carol Mabon. Thanks to Ernie Harvey - it is always a blessing to share the stage w/ Junior! Thanks to Melanie Cheatham and Gabe Rutledge from Westside CC in Springfield for creating the video memories of Agapeland and CLASS Act kids! Thanks to Ruth Davidson for leading the choir special during the afternoon.

** Thanks to everyone who played a part in the dozen picture boards and memory moments - we will keep these boards w/ the pictures up for a couple of more weeks - check them out! Thanks to all who made the Picture Booth in the Fireside room an extra blessing for the day! Thanks to the volunteers who allowed for an open house of the Neighborhood Care Center!

** Thanks to Ann Bellange and everyone who compiled the Memory (History) book - if you would like a copy, contact the church office ASAP.

** Thanks to Larry Roberts for providing video of past Music/Drama presentations that were viewed in the Edge during lunch.

** Thanks to all who helped w/ set up or tear down - a special shout out to Alan and Barb Trago for staying until the very end of clean up - If anyone from the Clinton Y is reading this, Barb deserves "Survivor" credit for this work out!!!

** Thanks to the Lord for His continued Faithfulness - may we never grow tired of becoming a Passionate Community of Disciple Makers!

Several quick reminders:

** Thanksgiving Offering goes to the Vault this year - let's give generously!

** December 1 - Breakfast at Bethlehem

** December 2 congregational meeting at the end of each service to 1. Affirm the 2019 MAP and 2. Approve the proposed By-Law changes.

** Adult Choir Christmas Cantata - 8:15am service on Sunday December 16  - let's support our choir!

** Christmas Eve services at 4pm and 6pm on Christmas Eve - Monday December 24.

** Family Sunday on December 30 - one service Sunday at 9:30am - Allison and Cassandra will be speaking!

Have a great week - Happy Thanksgiving!

GT