Happy November!

As I have traveled much of the past month, it feels like the change of the calendar happened way sooner than I expected. How about for you?

In November, we begin to look to the end of the year. We consider how the year has gone thus far. Did we achieve any of our New Year's resolutions? What else is on the horizon before 2026 arrives?

One of the important meetings for our church is our annual meeting, Church Conference. It will be held on Saturday, November 15, at 1 pm in the sanctuary. All members are eligible to vote but anyone is invited to come. This is a great first step in celebrating 2025.

In the life of the church, we wrap up our church calendar with Advent. Did you know that the official church calendar actually begins with Advent and ends with Christ the King Sunday (which is in November)? So we actually begin our church year in December! Or on November 30 for 2025. Check out our sermon series (article is below). 

We also will have our usual 4 services on Christmas Eve: 2 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm, and 8 pm. Be sure to put this on your calendar and consider who might be blessed to worship with us on Christmas Eve.

As I reflect on 2025, I am grateful for this community of faith. As Jeff and I have each dealt with the loss of a parent, we know that we have been held up by your prayers and your messages of encouragement. If you are going through a difficult time, please reach out. Speak with one of your pastors, ask for a Stephen Minister to walk with you, or just find a trusted person. We don't have to deal with challenges on our own. 

We are the body of Christ, ready to praise God but also help one another in times of need.

I look forward to seeing you soon.

Pastor Laura 

What is hospitality? And what makes it radical? We also wonder how we can do this with Christ as our foundation?

Join us each week as we ask and ponder these questions.

November 2

God's Extreme Love for Us (Hebrews 13:1-2, Revelation 3:20-22)

November 9:         

The Perfect Example for Us (Genesis 18:1-5, John 13:15-17)

November 16:      

Entertaining Strangers (Matthew 25:31-40, Hebrews 6:9-11)

November 23:  

Gifted for the Good of One Another 

(1 Thessalonians 4:9-10, 1 Peter 4:8-11)

This Advent, join us as we prepare for the birth of Christ with our series, Sanctuary: A Room for All. We remember that there is no room at the inn for Mary and Joseph. Where do we need to make room?

November 30: Room, When Pressure is Closing In 

(Joshua 2:1-21, Matthew 1:1-5)

December 7:   Room in Your Heart (Mark 1:1-8)

December 14: Room in Relationships (Luke 1:24-25)

Messiah at 9 am service

December 21: Room for Hope (Matthew 1:18-25)

December 22: Blue Christmas Prayer Service (6 pm)

December 24 (Christmas Eve): Making Room (Luke 2:1-20:

Services 2 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm

December 28: Refuge and Sanctuary (Matthew 2:1-18)

I recently learned about a troubling website that's taking clips from church livestreams and misusing videos of children. It's truly heartbreaking. The site has been reported, and I won't be sharing its name to avoid bringing it more attention.

As a precaution, I've adjusted the direction the children face during Children's Time in the 9 am service to better protect them on our livestream. Thank you for understanding and for helping us keep our kids safe -- both in person and online.

Noelle Allison

Director of Children & Families

As a result of the ongoing federal government shutdown, as of November 1, 600,000 Coloradans are faced with the the suspension of SNAP benefits for food aid. Half of SNAP recipients are children; 10% are elderly and 15% have disabilities. For more information on the situation and the current state response, click here. Please note: as we share this information, different messages are coming from Washington DC. Not all benefits will resume until the shutdown ends. Help will still be needed.

While the state is taking steps to mitigate the loss of funding, it cannot cover all of the costs. This is where we as individuals can step in. Demand on food banks is predicted to skyrocket in the coming weeks. Please consider making a donation of cash or food to our local food banks. In Parker, these are Parker Task Force and SECOR Cares. 

The words of 1 John 3:17-18 have challenged and encouraged Christians throughout the centuries: "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Laura.

Our annual meeting will be on Saturday, November 15, 1 pm in the sanctuary. Our District Superintende Rev. Jessica Rooks will lead us in this time.

At our church conference, we will celebrate how God has blessed us this year. We will also vote on new leadership board members, compensation packages for both clergymembers, and other business.

Everyone is welcome to attend. Members of the church are eligible to vote.

If you lead a team, please send Pastor Laura your team's report by November 1.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Laura.

We look forward to celebrating and committing to serving God in our community through our church's ministries and groups.

See you then!

Our Youth Ministry is off to an amazing start this school year! We’ve been averaging 24 youth every Sunday afternoon, and it’s been such a joy to welcome so many new faces into our community. Our middle school and high school Sunday school classes continue to provide engaging and meaningful opportunities for growth every Sunday at 9 a.m., and our Confirmation class is thriving with 24 6th–9th graders exploring their faith, asking thoughtful questions, and sharing their doubts in a supportive environment.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to our incredible volunteers who have made this start of the year such a success: Phil Evans, Carolyn and Greg Young, Geoff Haskell, Amy Best, Sue Garwood, Kristen Difani, Alan Woodruff, Allison Wagner, and Sarah Pope. Your dedication, energy, and love for our youth truly make all the difference!

Parker Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) volunteers enjoyed handing out candy during Trunk or Treat. Seeing all the unique costumes, sharing sweet treats, and opening the church to the community is a fantastic way to end October and bring in November. We are starting to plan our next fundraising event, in February, so stay tuned for details.

November is a month of giving. Psalms 106:1 summarizes our love and thanks to God, “Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his love endures forever.”  Some may find this an easy task, while others facing challenges, may not. How can we be thankful to a God that has allowed … to happen? This is never an easy question to face. 

Reading “Living Faith Kids” with my daughter, there is a story about a volunteer who tried to help during the Jewish Holocaust. I am sure many during those challenging times struggled to be thankful also. However, this volunteer had some wisdom to share during these hard times. The devotion quoted the verse “Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” Deuteronomy 6:5. It also discussed that to be a child of God means to walk at the hand of God, to do God’s will, to put all worries and all hopes in God’s hands. When you love God with all your heart, you live in God’s hands even in the darkest of times.” 

This month, hopefully we can look for even the smallest things to be thankful for. We should put our love, trust, and hearts in the care of God. He can guide us through the most challenging of times. Are there small ways we can help share the message of God and Thanksgiving? Sharing with others and trusting in God, are ways to help us through challenging times.

Part of Parker FMSC mission is to find ways to get children food around the world and to teach the gospel. Parker FMSC sends prayers for you to trust in God, praise him, love him, and that you may have a thankful November. 

Every Wednesday we send out our weekly email, the Midweek Message. This includes updates and announcements of the different ways to get involved through classes, small groups, and volunteer activities. You also will learn what Sunday's worship theme is.

If you do not receive this weekly email, please contact Sarah in the church office. Additionally, most of the information is in the Sunday bulletin and in the worship slides.

If you have an announcement that you would like to have included, please send to Pastor Laura by Monday at 6 pm.

We hope we can keep up to date on what is happening in our church!