Special Christmas OfferingThis year, our Christ-mas Eve offering will go to the Greater Minne-apolis Crisis Nursery, a WCC Mission grant recipient since the mid-90s. Crisis Nursery

supports families in crisis 365 days a year, working to end child abuse and neglect, and nurturing strong healthy families. Find more information at www.crisisnursery.org. Contributions to this Special Christ-mas Offering may be made by making your check payable to Wayzata Commu-nity Church, noting “Crisis Nursery” on the memo line.

THE SUNDAY AFTER WITH JASON GRAYDecember 279 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. worshipChristian singer-songwriter and recording artist Jason Gray will be our guest in wor-ship! Gray has emerged as a songwriter of extraordinary depth, with a noteworthy ability to convey deep theological truths. The Minnesota native is steadily drawing legions of fans who recognize his ability to connect with listeners on an emotional level, offering not escape or distraction, but healing and hope. Join us in worship for this amazing Sunday After. (WCC members are encour-aged to arrive early, as we are expecting a big crowd!) You’re invited to join Jason Gray for brunch in Mithun Hall in between worship services. Read more about Jason Gray at www.jasongraymusic.com.

Inspire the world with the inclusive love of JesusDecember 20-27, 2015

Welcome Visitors! Please take this issue of inspire! Weekly home with you today.Weekly

This Morning in Worship • Fourth Sunday in Advent8 a.m. Chapel, 9 a.m. Celebrations, 10:45 a.m. TraditionsRev. Dr. John Ross preaching10:10 a.m. Parables: Rev. Leslie Neugent preaching1 p.m. Meridan Manor Service: Rev. Susan Finn preaching

COMING UP IN JANUARY Worship on Wednesday-WoW! 6:15 p.m., SanctuaryJoin us for celebratory worship appropriate for all ages, every Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. Music and message create a festive atmo-sphere in the Sanctuary, making all who attend feel warm and wel-come. WoW is invitational, inspirational, and intergenerational.

Children’s Storytime. Shana Shurson calls young children togeth-er in the Sanctuary and walks with them to the Holmes Room for a short Bible story and conversation during the WoW message. Check out the variety of opportunities on Wednesdays at bit.ly/wednesdayprograms or pick up a Wednesday brochure.

Childcare is available from 4:30-8:30 p.m. in the Crib Room, and Wednesdays at WCC are Parables-friendly! Join us at Suppers, Etc. each Wednesday. Delicious meals are served from 5-6:15 p.m. in Mithun Hall. See all weekly menus at bit.ly/wednesdaysuppers. NOTE: Suppers will not be served on December 23 or 30, and will resume on January 6, 2016.

ADULT CLASSESSOUL SISTERS BOOK STUDY Letters From a Skeptic, led by Caryn SchallThrough January 27 • 5:15-6:15 p.m. in the King ParlorCaryn Schall facilitates a fascinating study as this book tackles some of today’s toughest challenges facing Christianity. Letters From a Skeptic was written by Greg Boyd, Senior Pastor of Wood-land Hills Church in St. Paul.

JANUARY CLASSESForum: Grief in the Dark Days of WinterLed by Rev. Lindy PurdyJanuary 6, 4:30 p.m. in Piper LibraryWhether you are grieving the loss of a loved one, a marriage a job, a long-time family home… bring your thoughts, questions and wis-dom for a discussion of how we do the work of grief in the darkest days of the calendar year. Grief shared communally is a good and Godly discipline.

AfterWORD7:15 p.m. in the Chapel beginning January 6As follow-up to the XENOS sermon series, the preacher-of-the-week will offer a structured discussion regarding the different “strangers” whom we are called to welcome. Hoping to talk WITH rather than ABOUT those whom we don’t fully understand, special guests will be part of the conversation each week.

WEDNESDAY MINISTRY

“Rock the Manger” - WoW on Christmas Eve Eve !Worship on Wednesday, December 23 • 6:15 p.m. in the SanctuaryIf you are going to be out of town on Christmas Eve or you are just ready to celebrate Jesus’ birth in a “WoW” way, join us in the Sanctuary at 6:15 p.m. on Christmas Eve Eve! This very special WoW will feature music by Tonia Hughes and our WCC House Blend, and an inspiring Christmas message, closing with candlelighting and singing of Silent Night. (Chancel Choir will meet at 7:15 p.m., otherwise no Suppers, Etc. or programming this evening.)

CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP Build Your Own Nativity • 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., SanctuaryCalling all kings, shepherds, and sheep! Help us re-create the Nativity in this child-centered Christmas service. Bring your own costume, or wear one we provide! Childcare available for birth-24 months in the Crib Room.

Christmas in Wakefield Chapel • 2:00, 3:30, and 5:00 p.m., ChapelA traditional service with carols and a Christmas message from Rev Dr. John F. Ross. Guest musicians: organist Dr. Stephen Hamilton, Minister of Music Emeritus, Church of the Holy Trinity ,New York City; and violinist Daria Adams, member of the first violin section of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Candlelight Family Christmas • 2:00, 3:30 and 5:00 p.m., SanctuaryThis wonderful experience for all ages includes music from our contemporary music team, Tapestry, Celebration Singers and Children’s choirs. We’ll celebrate with traditional carols, candlelighting, a special moment for children, and a Christmas message from Rev. Dr. John F. Ross. Childcare available for birth-age 2 in the Crib Room, and ages 2+ in the Community Room.

Festival Christmas Eve • 9:00 p.m., SanctuaryWith fanfare and joy we hear the Christmas story in festive music from the Chancel Choir and Wayzata Symphony Orchestra, and a Christmas message from Rev. Dr. John F. Ross.

Midnight Christmas • 11:00 p.m., SanctuaryA joyous and contemplative welcome of the midnight hour and the beginning of Christmas Day. We will hear a meditation by Rev. Dr. John F. Ross and share communion around the table, with moving music by the Chamber Choir and Orchestra.

CHRISTMAS DAY WORSHIP10:00 a.m., SanctuaryCome as you are on Christmas morning for warm, welcoming, and joyous Christmas Day worship. Hear Lindy Purdy’s heartwarming story and uplifting music from our Bell Carillon talented youth en-semble, as well as other surprises! Join in a Christmas carol sing-along, followed by Christmas cookies in Founders Hall.

Suppers, etc. is on hiatus for Christmas and New Year’s. While there is no Suppers this Wednesdays, dont’ miss the special “Rock the Manger” Christmas Eve Eve service in the Sanctuary at 6:15 p.m.! Suppers will resume on January 6th.

COFFEE HOUSE CONCERTSExperience 6 evenings of great music! Founders Hall will be trans-formed into a European Coffeehouse, offering fabulous music, steamy coffee drinks, and delicious desserts (included in the price of your ticket)! Doors open at 7 p.m., and music begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets ($10) available at the door. Coffeehouse is brewed by the Board of Fellowship in partnership with Music at Wayzata.

Coffeehouse Musical GuestsFriday, January 8: House BlendHouse Blend has been making mu-sic as a group (at WCC and around the Twin Cities) for 15 years. Their backgrounds range from Musical Theater to Classical Training and Rock Bands.

Friday, January 15: WCC Chancel Choir Section LeadersAn evening of Section Leaders singing your favorite Broadway tunes!

Friday, January 22: Michael Monroe with Chris JantzenMichael’s unique creation of music blends his rich vocals, guitar, bamboo and glass flutes, combining musical styles of acoustic folk and jazzy reggae... music and technology working together pow-ered by creativity. WCC’s Chris Jantzen will perform on viola.

Friday, February 5: General B and the WizStretching cleverly innovative rock to different ends of a sonic spec-trum, General B and the Wiz constantly elaborates their sound to provide a new twist on indie-blues and psych-rock. WCC’s Kai Brew-ster is multi-Instrumentalist and vocalist.

Friday, February 12: 2 Girls and a BoydMary Jane Alm, Amy Lee and Boyd Lee— three acclaimed vocal-ists in a fabulous show! Classic tunes performed with luminous vocal harmonies and irrepressible charm— with great songs from the likes of Nickel Creek, Brandi Carlise, Neil Young, and Emmylou Harris.

Friday, February 19: Greyley Sabin and Nate SabinGreyley Sabin and her dad, Nate, have a spark when they perform together. Greyley’s rich tone and her old soul depth make you feel every word she sings. And the guitar comes alive when Nate plays it, making this duo exceptional to everyone who hears them.

FELLOWSHIP

Be An Angel to Staff and Volunteers!Be an angel and bring our WCC staff and volunteers food for Christmas Eve, December 24th all day. We need people to vol-unteer to bring assorted food

during various times on Christmas Eve. With nine services, it gets to be a long day without food. YOU CAN HELP! Sign up online at www.wayzatacommunitychurch.org/ministries/fellowship/special-fel-lowship-events.

MISSION AND OUTREACHServe at Loaves and Fishes!Monday, December 28 is the next serving date for Loaves and Fishes at St. Stephens School on Clinton Avenue in Minneapolis. Servings starts at 5:30 p.m. and we are done by 7:00 p.m. We have 14 people signed up and only need about 6 more. If you are able to serve please contact Mary Meyer at meyer023@umn.edu or 763-476-0598. Merry Christmas!

Summer Camp 2016The Best Week of Your Summer! Share in the amazing, fun, faith-forming experiences at Summer Camp 2016. We invite you to plan now to attend Sum-mer Camp, available for chil-dren and youth from 3rd grade through High School, along with All-Church Camp for all ages! Registration begins on Camp Sunday, January 31.

Camp Session dates will be announced soon. Please check our website for more information: www.wayzatacommunitychurch.org/summercamp.

Wayzata Ice Palooza!Join us for the Wayzata Ice Palooza: Ice Fishing Contest, Broomball Tourna-ment, Closest to the Pin Golf Contest, hot food and drinks, live music, and great company! Lots of great prizes

to win and all proceeds go to WCC camp scholarships. Register at www.wayzataicepalooza.com.

• Birth-2 years old: 9:00 & 10:45 a.m. services: check children into the Garden Room/Crib Room area before the service, check them out from the same location directly after the service.• 3 years old: 9:00 & 10:45 a.m. services: check children into the Apple Room before the service, check them out from the same lo-cation directly after the service.• 4 & 5 years old (not in K): 9:00 & 10:45 a.m. worship services, check children into the Treehouse Room and check out from the same room after the service.• Kindergarten-5th Grade: 9:00 worship service, all K-5th grade students begin with their families in worship, and are called out by GraceLand Guides toward the beginning of the service. Pick up children in the Gym directly following worship. Children will stay in orship at 10:45 a.m.• Middle School will meet this morning at 9 a.m. & 10:45 a.m. • High School: Programs meet this morning at 10:15 a.m. in Mithun Hall (East Transept).

SUNDAY EDUCATION

FAITH AND LEARNINGSoul Sisters Weekend RetreatFebruary 20-21, 2016 at Camp Courage in AnnandaleRegister for this retreat at www.wayzatacommunitychurch.org/soulsisters

Our weekend will center on the Fearless Life Workshop led by Sheri Peterson, MA, MFLC. Sheri is a Life Coach who trained with Rhonda Britten’s Fearless Living In-stitute. The Fearless Life Workshop will help us examine what fear is for each of us

in our lives. Sheri will show us how removing fear-based ways of living moves us toward our dreams and our best relationships with God, others and ourselves. The weekend begins at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 20, and ends after worship on Sunday, February 21. We will provide you with opportunities for fellowship and friendship throughout the week-end. A yoga class, outdoor and creativity activities, worship, and personal contemplative time are a sampling of our time together at Camp Courage.

MIDDLE SCHOOL MINISTRY

LITTLEST ANGELSChildcare help needed! If you are interested in supporting your local AA womens group and love children, we are looking for 2 caring adults to work childcare on Thursdays starting in January from 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. This is a paid position and a small time to offer for a very important cause.Please contact Shana Shurson at sshurson@wayzatacommunity-church.org or 612-747-9091 if you are interested.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21Archives, 9:30 a.m., Archives RoomWomen’s AA, 10 a.m., Geography LabWCC Grief Support Group, 11:15 a.m., Folkstone (wayzata)Camp & Retreat Board, 6:30 p.m., Holmes RoomChancel Choir & Orchestra Rehearsal, 7 p.m., SanctuaryMusic Board. 7 p.m., Onan RoomAl Anon, 7:30 p.m., Community Room

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22Finance Committee, 6:45 a.m., Holmes RoomSoul Sisters Reading Group, 12 p.m., Piper LibraryCHC Meeting, 5 p.m., Piper LibraryCCLT Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Holmes RoomFiddler on the Roof Rehearsals, 6:30 p.m., Community RoomNominating Committee of Council, 6:15 p.m., Onan RoomCouncil Budget Review, 7 p.m., Holmes RoomOA, 7 p.m., Geography LabSoul Sisters Book Study (Karin Dayton), 7:30 p.m., Karin’s home

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23Women’s AA, 10 a.m., Geography Lab“ROCK THE MANGER” WoW WORSHIP, 6:15 p.m., SanctuaryChancel Choir Rehearsal, 8 p.m., SanctuaryAl-Anon, 7:45 p.m., Onan Room

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24 • CHRISTMAS EVEWomen’s AA, 10 a.m., Geography Lab Build Your Own Nativity, 10:30 a.m., SanctuaryChristmas in Wakefield Chapel, 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m., ChapelCandlelight Family Christmas, 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m., SanctuaryFestival Christmas Eve, 9 p.m., SanctuaryMidnight Christmas, 11 p.m., Sanctuary

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25 • CHRISTMAS DAYChristmas Day Worship, 10 a.m., Sanctuary

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26Building Closed

THIS WEEK AT WCC

HIGH SCHOOL MINISTRY The HS Biloxi Mission Trips this Spring Break! WCC are prepared to send 3 sessions of High School students and leaders over Spring Break, Session #1 March 20-26; Session #2 March 27-April 2; and Session #3 April 3-9. We are thrilled to be going back to Biloxi for the 8th year, continuing this life-changing mission in service to families in Biloxi, Mississippi (the lives changed are also our own). Registra-tion is available at www.wayzatacommunitychurch.org/biloxi.

Helpers for the Christmas Eve Build-Your-Own Nativity! We invite you to come serve during the Build-Your-Own Nativity worship ser-vice on Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24th. The service begins at 10:30 a.m. and your role will be as the puppeteers that bring the ser-vice to life! Please email Hilary if you are interested in helping with this special Christmas Eve service. It is really fun, and a nice way to begin your Christmas Eve here at church.

ANNUAL GIVING

Christmas Season Usher Volunteers NeededAgain this year we are recruiting volunteers for usher duty to serve the many Christmas worship services on December 24th and 25th. Please stop by the Sign-Up tables in Founders Hall this morning to see the available times when ushers are needed. One of the Head Ushers will be on hand to answer questions.

WCC Florida Snowbirds GatheringThe WCC Florida Snowbird Day will be Wednesday, January 13, 2016. Join a docent guided tour of Artis Naples Baker Museum for $10, and lunch with WCC friends at Baypointe at Naples Cay for $20. Get more information and R.S.V.P. to Robin Carlson 952-473-8877, ext. 218 or rcarlson@wayzatacommunitychurch.org by January 11, 2016.

INSPIRE THE WORLD

CONCERT TODAY!!JuletideSunday, December 20 • 3:00 p.m. The Minnetonka Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Chorus and Chamber Chorus presents their 42nd Annual Community Holiday concert, including “The Gift” by St. Olaf College composer Steven Amundson. The concert is free.

MUSIC MINISTRY

Why is Giving Important?It’s the time of year when every other ad on TV is for a charity and it’s just a likely you will receive more appeals in your mailbox each day than Christmas cards? Charities know that this is the time of year when people are most generous. Your church is similar in that it reaches out at the end of each year to encourage its members and friends to support its important ministries but please don’t look at your church as just another charity. Wayzata Community Church is different because it’s doing God’s work here in Wayzata, around our state, and across the world:• It’s where you come to get your children and grandchildren baptized.• It’s where your children come to be married.• It’s where you come when life is overwhelming and you need a lift.• It’s where your family comes to celebrate your life on your passing.Your church needs your help in the form of a special, one-time year-end gift for its general ministry. Don’t give until it hurts—Give until it feels good!

Celebrate with Rev. Lindy Purdy’s Beloved Christmas Stories!Rev. S. Lindy Purdy’s book, The Twelve Stories of Christmas, is now available! You have loved her heartwarming Christ-mas stories through the years — and now you can have your very own copy (and give as Christmas gifts as well!) The book is $20, and net proceeds will

be given to missions that support affordable housing in our com-munities. Books are available for purchase at the Reception Desk outside the Business office during business hours.

the Twelve Stories of C

hristmas R

ev. S. Lindy Purdy

the Twelve Stories Of

Christmasby Rev. S. Lindy Purdy

9 781495 182426

90000>ISBN 978-1-4951-8242-6

Christmas is a time for stories. Perhaps because we are enclosed in

darkness so much of our days, and curling up with a good story is the

perfect remedy for a long night. Perhaps it is because the time around the

winter solstice has traditionally been a time of gathering together with friends

and family, the stuff that creates story. Most likely it is because we have a

wealth of memories and emotions that are stored up just for this season—

Christmas. Behind and beyond the commercial characters of Christmas that

bring laughter and fun, is the true story of Christmas, the birth of God’s son

Jesus. Unto us a child is born—God’s love incarnate.

And so we celebrate, we celebrate with love and with stories.

Merry Christmas!

FPO

Enjoy your Christmas and New Years with your family. We will see you again in 2016 for Crossroads, resuming January 6!

PARABLESParables Introduces Respite Care Beginning in JanuaryCalling all special needs fam-ilies! Wayzata Community Church will offer a respite pro-gram for special needs kids starting in 2016. This program has been developed and will be staffed by Kelly Pederson,

Minnetonka special ed teacher/Parables consultant, and a variety of other volunteers to meet the needs of those who register. The first respite afternoon will be Saturday, January 9th from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. This is truly the inclusive love of Jesus at work! For more information and to register or volunteer, visit www.wayzatacommu-nitychurch.org/parables-respite.

Therefore encourage one another and build up each other,just as you are doing.  1 Thessalonians 5:11

SUMMER CAMP MINISTRY