Coming Up: Be sure to RSVP for Dec 5 Christmas Movie Singalong Night; purchase tix for Dec 11 OP Arboretum.

Which Bible stories make you Queasy and Uneasy?

If you answer “all of them,” you might be on to something.

The Bible is full of some weird, strange, uncomfortable moments. In fact, I think the original “awkward moment” was invented by King David or maybe as far back as Noah; turns out sitcoms on TV would not exist without the absurdity of our Biblical characters’ behavior from long ago. Building a giant ship on your front lawn? Facing a dumb decision like facing a giant? Talk about uneasy and queasy!

This year’s Holmeswood Advent theme is “Connecting through Awkward Advent.” This year, we’re

highlighting the AWKWARD parts of the Advent and Christmas story. Things like…

• A pregnant teenager about to give birth in a cave
• A couple traveling in secret to stay safe from King Herod’s wrath
• Shepherds and wise people following an elusive star to some carpenter’s little kid

There are a lot of awkward moments, indeed! So is the case in our lives, too. Perhaps the awkward moments come when your parents catch you playing with your (secretly) unwrapped toys before Christmas…eek! Maybe its a sad awkward, like when a loved one holds onto difficult medical news until after Christmas day. Maybe it’s just a weird encounter around the dinner table with those relatives that you never really understood or got along with.

Whatever the awkward it, this is all a part of life. And it seems to be magnified

around holidays, when we have expectations of how things should go and all face the reality of how things actually go. It’s a wild time. And woven in between the sweeter stories of hope and promises of God’s presence and protection in Scripture, there are pages of so many quizzical, puzzling, perplexing stories, too. Our job is to dive in and unpack them, using as many resources as we can get our hands on, so that we can begin to learn and live.

Join us this season as we explore the awkward connections during the Advent season, both in The Bible and in our own lives. We are excited to embark on this journey with you!

~Laurel

---

Coming Up:

11/21

• 9:00 am BFGs (Bible Fellowship Groups – small groups)
  • Preschool in Grey Kids Hallway; Jeanine Williamson and Shirley Hall, leading
  • Elementary in Grey Kids Hallway; Lora Lau & Rotating Leader
  • Youth in Youth Room (Act. Bldg); John Ussery & Rotating Leader
• 10:15 am Worship 

11/25 Thanksgiving

11/28-Advent begins! 

• 9:00 am BFGs (Bible Fellowship Groups – small groups)
  • Preschool in Grey Kids Hallway; Jeanine Williamson and Shirley Hall, leading
  • Elementary in Grey Kids Hallway; Lora Lau & Rotating Leader
  • Youth in Youth Room (Act. Bldg); John Ussery & Rotating Leader
• 10:15 am Worship 

---

December

12/2 FAMILY MINISTRY TEAM MEETING 1ST THURSDAYS – 6:00 PM IN PERSON (ROOM S201) OR ON ZOOM (SEE EMAIL OR LAUREL FOR DETAILS)

12/5 

• 9:00 am BFGs (Bible Fellowship Groups – small groups)
  • Preschool in Grey Kids Hallway; Jeanine Williamson and Shirley Hall, leading
  • Elementary in Grey Kids Hallway; Lora Lau & Rotating Leader
  • Youth in Youth Room (Act. Bldg); John Ussery & Rotating Leader
• 10:15 am Worship – Communion

• 5:00 pm Christmas Movie Night! – all-church event hosted by Family Ministry! RSVP to Laurel (by text or email) by Dec 1, so we have plenty of food. Pizza, movie, snacks and a sing-along; ALL AGES WELCOME!

12/11 (Saturday) – Luminary Walk at the Overland Park Arboretum~pick up your tickets from Laurel; price: pay what you can (retail price: $15 for ages 3+). We have limited tickets, so please pick yours up on Sundays or when the church office is open (Mon-Fri). Thanks!