We are in full swing with my favorite time of year. Yes, it is crazy. Yes, it can be overwhelming. It can even have moments of disappointment. But it is also an exciting time. As a church, this is our season, a time to celebrate Jesus and His great love for us.

At the same time, this week has been filled with sadness and pain. It seems to be happening way too often; a clear reminder of the brokenness, evil and tragedy in this world. It is truly a time when people need Christmas- a time of peace, comfort and joy. It is reassuring knowing that this comes from God and that He has invited us to be peace, light and joy to the world as well. May this be a season where we can bring comfort and joy to others. I cannot think of a better place to start than San Bernardino and for those who are dealing with this tragedy. Please be lifting them up in prayer.

Part of the Christmas season is celebrating all of the things we love about Christmas. It’s a time to gather, laugh, sing and celebrate. And there is no better place for that than at our Tree Lighting. Join us this Sunday evening from 4:30-6:30p. If you have young kids, bring gloves for them because we will have snow…and sledding! It’s one of my favorite things we do as a church. You won’t want to miss it!

And remember…invite a friend during this Christmas season. This is the season many people want to go to church. Most people in your life will say “Yes” if you just ask. Blessings to you.

See you Sunday,
Jeff

Sun, Dec 6, 4:30p, Ocean Hills Campus

Gather together to kick off the Christmas season with sledding in the snow, treats, Christmas caroling, and of course, our tree lighting! To help us keep this a free event for the community, help donate supplies listed below. Contact Jaclyn, jrisser@marinerschurch.org with questions.

• Box of waffle cones (need 10)
• Tubs of green icing (need 30)
• Candy (ex: gum drops, red hots, M&Ms)
• Hot chocolate packets (need 100)
• Hot cider packets (need 100)
• Christmas sugar cookies (need 200)
• Give towards snow (need $600)

MEDICAL/DENTAL CLINIC
Sat, Dec 12, 7:30a-4p, Ocean Hills Campus
We’re offering free medical and dental care for our community. Be sure to grab some flyers and help us spread the word by handing them out to those in need. Then sign up to volunteer at the clinic.

CHRISTMAS WISH LIST
Take a gift tag from a Christmas tree on the patio. Buy the gift for someone in need and return it to the collection bins on campus through Dec 6.

For more info or to give to Outreach Ministries, click here.

Join us as we set apart time to come into God’s presence together. Contact Christine DiGiacomo for more info or visit the website.

Mon, Dec 7, 7-8:30p, room 226

As we enter into this holiday season we want wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. As a staff, we are so grateful for each and every one of you. We hope you have a wonderful week filled with family, laughter, and delicious food! We look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we enter into the official Christmas season.

Blessings,
Jeff

P.S.: One of the best events we do, our Tree Lighting celebration, is only two weeks away on December 6th! Be sure to mark your calendars and invite some friends to join you as we kick off Christmas with  snow, treats, and all our favorite Christmas carols!

Happy Thanksgiving! As we gather with friends and family this Thanksgiving, what would it look like to spend time in God’s Word? We want to help you create space this week to spend time thanking God for all He has blessed us with, and reflect back on this year and the ways you have seen God show up in our lives. Download our Thanksgiving devotion here.

It’s so great to see all that’s going on at our church right now. Last week, it was such a blessing to baptize 12 people. Not only is it a blessing for the individual person, it also blesses the families and the church. I cannot even imagine how pleasing it is to God when people make a public proclamation of their commitment to follow Jesus. There is nothing better than seeing authentic life change happen!

This past week was the finale of our Community Nights series. We had six incredible weeks where we experienced relationship building, as well as spiritual growth. The feedback has been so positive that we are now trying to figure out how many times a year we can bring Community Nights to you.

You won’t want to miss this Sunday. It will be the last weekend before the chaos of the holiday season begins. Make sure you join us as we take a peek into our lives and discover what truly makes us grateful. Speaking of the holidays, don’t forget our Annual Tree Lighting. It is always a fun night for our church. It’s the perfect night to invite friends of all ages. We always want to be a church that invites and this is a fun, eventful evening for all.

Blessings,
Jeff

What a great weekend we had last week. I love how we are such a generous church, willing to give and jump in to make a difference in the lives of others. We will continue to have opportunities to Celebrate Differently in the next couple weeks.

This Sunday will be a great conclusion to the Transformed series. We will celebrate in a powerful way what transformation is all about.  All of this will tie into a great picture of baptism. Come and celebrate as a church what a transformational life looks like.

If you have been part of our Community Nights series, we hoped you have enjoyed the experience. It has been a great addition to the life of our church. We have one week left and I invite you to join us if you can. I know it’s tough to beat last week’s taco bar, but I think this week’s Italian dinner may give it a run for its money.

What a great season we are in as a church, filled with community and service. Way to go!

Blessings,

Jeff

I hope you are all enjoying our series called Transformed. Like you, I love to be reminded that I have been transformed, and I continue to be transformed. As a matter of fact, this week I stopped myself when I thought about, or began to go down the wrong road, and reminded myself, “that is not who I am; I am a child of God.” My prayer is that God continues to work in your life and heart throughout the week, and that you can see and respond to God’s prompting. On Sunday, Nov 15, we will be finishing up our series and there is no better way to celebrate a series called Transformed than by having baptisms! So, if you would like to be baptized, email Cole, cbeshore@marinerschurch.org. This is a great opportunity if you’ve never been baptized, but also, perhaps God has taken you through a recent transformation, there is no better way to drive it home into your heart than declaring it through baptism.

This Tuesday, we are continuing with Community Nights. I can’t tell you how many people have told me what an incredible blessing these nights have been. If you have ever wondered whether making the right decisions in life really matters, we will find out this Tuesday. (Hint: “Yes, it does.”) And while this sounds obvious, we will be diving into the “why” behind it all. Our speaker is Dr. Scott Rae. He is a Talbot Seminary Professor with incredible insight. You won’t want to miss this Tuesday.

So, we’ve got a lot going on. As always, it’s great doing life and walking with God together. Don’t forget, we are going into a great season where people are looking for God to make a difference in their life. You know people who need God and the community that church brings. All it usually takes is an invite. Lets be a church of inviters.

Blessings,
Jeff

Whether you are a newlywed or have been married for decades, join us for Date Night. Enjoy an hour of socializing, appetizers, laughter and community with an encouraging message followed by two hours of free time. For more info and to register, click here.

Friday, November 6, 6-9p, MC Ocean Hills
6-7p Appetizers & speaker
7-9p Free date time or stay and fellowship
$10/couple, $10 childcare/family (pizza for kids included)