Brunswick Reformed Church

3535 Grafton Road Brunswick, Ohio 44212

(330) 225-5475

Ministers: Worship & Christian Education

The Congregation Sunday 9:00 & 10:30 a.m.

Pastors:

Don Poest www.b-r-c.org

Dan Toot

Welcome to Brunswick Reformed Church’s worship celebrations. To make our mutual experience more enjoyable today please: 1. Relax - At BRC you can rest assured that you will not be embarrassed, singled out, or put on the spot. 2. Fill Out a Welcome Card - These can be dropped in the offering plate later. The information won’t be misused, and will help us know who’s been here. It’s also a great way to drop a note to, or request a contact from, a staff member. 3. Ask for Prayer - If you have a prayer concern to share, pick up a prayer request form from the cart in back. Give completed forms to an usher or the pastor before the service begins. 4. Know There Are Options for Children - - The small room in the right rear corner has rocking chairs where little ones can be rocked, quieted or nursed. - We have an excellent nursery for ages 0-3 at the far end of our education wing. 5. Join Us for Fellowship - Coffee and juice are served in the fellowship area after each service. Join us and get acquainted. We do ask that you not take drinks into worship with you. 6. Do Not Feel Obligated to Give - If you are a first-time guest, please do not feel obligated to participate in the offering. This is a time when members and regular attendees honor God by giving to his work through this church. Let today be our gift to you. 7. Stop by our Welcome Center for more information about Brunswick Reformed Church! 8. BRC is on the web www.b-r-c.org Who Is BRC? We are a member of the Reformed Church in America, a Protestant denomination that goes back to the Reformation period in Europe when the Church was “reformed” according to the Word of God. We are a mixture of Christians from many denominational backgrounds, all seeking to grow in our spiritual maturity as we live by faith with Jesus as our forgiver and leader. You will find our calling, mission and core value statements on the back of this bulletin.

December 6, 2015

Welcome to worship! On this second

Sunday of Advent the Faith candle on the

Advent wreath will be lit by Marie Buser

(9:00) and Sam Reichle (10:30).

We welcome the Rev. Pete Pinkowski as our guest today.

Pastor Pete recently moved with his family into the West Park

neighborhood of Cleveland to begin the work of planting a new

church. More information can be found elsewhere in the bulletin.

If you are a member of this church, please stop at the table in the

fellowship area today and cast a vote for those discerned by the

Greater Elders to serve a term as elder or deacon on our consistory.

Thank you.

Thank you to the worship team for leading us in worship through

music.

Sunday: 9:00 a.m. Worship service

9:00 a.m.: Proverbs 31 (Adult) Room 4

10:30 a.m.: Worship Service

10:30 a.m.: Sunday School classes (Pre-school - 5th grade)

10:30 a.m.: Through the Bible (Adult) in Room 10-11

2:00 p.m.: Women’s renewal team meets in Room 8.

5:30-6:30 p.m. Let’s Pray Together, meeting in the sanctuary.

6:30-8:00 p.m., Marriage Group meets in Room 8.

To get a cd of any of our sermons, simply write “cd” and the

requested date on your Welcome Card. The sermon audio files,

sermon outlines, study questions, verses and bulletins are available

on the church website www.b-r-c.org.

REACT Student Ministries......

For Sunday, December 6

and upcoming events

9:00 a.m.: Middle School Sunday School class, Room

9:00 a.m.: High School Sunday school class, Room 10.

6:00-8:00 p.m.: Youth Group

Monday: ASK ANYTHING, at 2:45 p.m.,. Rec Center

Next Sunday the Youth Group will go Christmas caroling.

Remember to to dress for the weather

The Heidelberg Catechism Question 61.

Why do you say that you are right with God by faith alone?

Answer. It is not because of any value my faith has that God is

pleased with me. Only Christ's satisfaction, righteousness, and

holiness make me right with God. And I can receive this

righteousness and make it mine in no other way than by faith.

THIS WEEK:

Volunteers are still needed to ring the bell for the

Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign this week at

Giant Eagle in Brunswick. The sign-up sheet with

hourly slots from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. is on the bulletin board

in the fellowship area. There are some open slots!

Monday: Campus Life, 6:30 p.m.

Monday: Elders meet at 7:00 p.m. in Room 1.

Potter’s Workshop has concluded the current study. Group will

resume in the spring.

Wednesday: Women of Wisdom, 10 am-noon, Room 8

Advent study, “The Christmas Experience”

Wednesday: Men’s Study, using Sermon Questions, Rm 4.

Wednesday Connections 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

FOUNDATIONS 2.0

Let it Go by Karen Ehman

Kids Club (Kindergarten - 5th) What’s In the Bible

Thursday: God’s Friends Forever, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday: Worship Team rehearsal, 7:15-8:30 p.m.

Friday: Shining Stars meet at 1:30 p.m.

Saturday: Oaks Family Care Center will use our facilities from

9:00-4:00 for their annual Adopt-a-Family Christmas event.

If you would like to volunteer to help (teens or adult) or to

donate cookies, please call Lois at the Oaks @ 330-220-7777.

Next week’s message, based on Matthew 1:18-25, will be,

Un-Sanitized Christmas: God’s Lousy Timing

Our Donuts with Santa event will happen next

Sunday, Dec 13 following the second service.

There will be donuts, crafts for the kids,

and Santa will read a story. Parents will have the

opportunity to take pictures with Santa if they

wish. All are invited - even those with no small

children! Come, enjoy a time of fellowship together.

We are invited to participate:

WHAT: United Prayer and Fasting: The latest mass shootings in

particular, but also the growing international response against ISIS,

the Tamir Rice case locally, and Advent: together they are a call to

united prayer & fasting. "If my people...called by my Name..."

In Christ we have nothing to fear, but let us intercede for our city,

our country, and our world.

WHO: You, your churches, invite anyone

WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 10, between 11:30a-1:30p (come when

you can, stay as long as you can)

WHERE: Calvary, 1918 W. 65th Street, Cleveland.

HOW: With fasting over lunchtime.

Poinsettias: If you wish to help decorate the worship area for

Christmas by providing a poinsettia, please mark

“poinsettia,” the number of plants, along with

your name on your welcome card. Cost is $5,

payable to BRC. Orders and money due by

TODAY, Dec 6. Payment can be placed in the

"poinsettia" mail slot in the communication area.

You are able to take your plant home following

the Christmas Eve worship services.

Attendance last week was 77 & 129. Offerings for Nov 22 totaled

$8,659 and for Nov 29 $7,725. Our Thanksgiving Eve offering

totaled $1,155.

For more than a year you have occasionally heard me

reference Luminex, or a new church plant in Cleveland. Luminex

is the name of the collaborative effort between Brooklyn,

Brunswick, Calvary and New Hope Reformed Churches to start a

new church somewhere on the west side of Cleveland. The Rev.

Doug McClintic, veteran church planter and now church start

coordinator for our region, is guiding us through this process.

After careful prayer, planning and searching, the Rev Pete

Pinkowski has been chosen, and he has accepted the challenge, of

being the planting pastor. Pastor Pete is with us today so we get

acquainted, and so he can begin to share the vision with us. There

are many ways we can support this effort, and I encourage you to

join me in doing just that!

You can commit to being a regular prayer partner. Never

underestimate the power of this! Pete has already been given the

email addresses of those of you who indicated on the recent prayer

survey card in the bulletin that you have the gift of intercession.

If you wish to receive email prayer requests from Pete, simple note

“prayer” on your Welcome Card today.

You can support this work financially. Our Christmas Eve

offering is designated for this cause, so please give generously!

You can also commit to giving a regular financial gift for this

cause over-and-above your regular offering here. Simply

designate it for “Luminex” on your offering envelope. (All four

churches have committed to this work financially. BRC’s portion

is $30,000 paid over three years. We are doing this outside our

regular budget through Christmas Eve offerings and commitments

from individuals to give additionally for this cause.)

You can commit to direct involvement. If God calls you to

be a part of this exciting new work in Cleveland, you are free to

leave BRC to join Pastor Pete. We may not like seeing you leave

here, but God’s kingdom work is bigger than BRC, and we trust

that God knows what he is doing!

So enjoy the service. Encourage Pastor Pete. Pray for this

mission. And ask God what level of direct involvement he wants

from you, through praying, giving, going, or any combination of

these. It’s what this season is all about!

Pastor Don

Luminex Cleveland is a church planting initiative that

me (Pete), my wife Robyn, sons (Ben who is 20 months old and

a son to be born in mid-December), and four RCA churches

(Calvary, Burnswick, Brooklyn, and New Hope) have embarked

on about a month ago. Our family has moved from the

Chicagoland area, and where I (Pete) served as a youth pastor

for seven years and in other various ministries in the

Chicagoland area. I have also recently graduated from Western

Theological Seminary. Why would we move to Cleveland (we

live in the West Park neighborhood of Cleveland)? It is because

we have a desire, hope, and vision is to bring Gospel Renewal

to the people and communities in Cleveland where the complete

fabric of the city is renewed for the Kingdom. The harvest in

Cleveland is enormous with only 8% of the population who are

professing evangelical Christians and 48% of Cleveland is filled

with people who have no religious affiliation. To put it bluntly,

Cleveland is in great need to hear the Good News of the Gospel!

This work we are embarking upon cannot be done by

just my family, we need others to help us in this Gospel

endeavor for the Kingdom of God in the city of Cleveland. We

are looking for people to come help us plant this church (we are

seeking long term and short term help), people who will pray for

the Luminex church plant, and people who will support the

church financially (a little under of half the financial support of

$400,000 has been raised). Would you please pray and see how

God wants to use you in this church plant. If you feel God is

calling you to help us in any way or have questions or you

would like to grab a cup of coffee, please contact me at

219-776-4801 or petepinkowski@gmail.com

Advance: Consistory meets on Tuesday, Dec 15, at 7:30 P.M.

Prayer concerns: Gini Reinke is home from the hospital. Bob

Beck hoped to be home by the weekend, wearing a heart monitor.

Laura Bailey is waiting to see a heart specialist. Continue to pray for

those with ongoing health concerns: Bob Cooperrider, Rick

Demeter, Nancy Hanwell, Anna Henry, Ashley Holler, Peg Jenkins,

Flora Kostyak, Laura Martz, Rose & Bob Murray, Eileen Raich, Dick

Read, Gini Reinke, Ted Szenger, Mary Trzop and Nickey Whited.

Continue to pray for our military personnel.

ENCORE, our group of retirees/over 65's, will have their annual

Encore Christmas potluck lunch on December 16, after the Bible

study, approx noon. All in the age range are invited - even if you

don’t usually attend the Wednesday study! Please call or email Gina

Kock at 440-238-0135 or GiniaK@aol.com if you are planning to

attend so she will know how many to plan for.

Adopt a family for Christmas! Each year many of

our families engage in this wonderful experience, and

we invite you to join in as well. Here’s how this

works:

We get the names of families in need at Christmas,

usually from within the church or from our relationship with Towslee

Elementary School. You tell us what size family you would be

willing to adopt. We provide a “wish list” from the kids in this

anonymous family. You shop for and wrap the gifts and bring them

to church. We make the deliveries so as to protect anonymity. You

get the blessings of being generous, children get the blessings of

having a good Christmas, parent(s) get the blessings of seeing their

kids have a much better day than they could have provided, and God

gets the honor of it all!

If you wish to participate, please write “adopt” on your

Welcome Card. If you know of a family who needs to be adopted,

please get that information to Donna Cook or Pastor Don asap.

Children’s 5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve service:

If your child wishes to provide vocal or instrumental music for

this service, please note that on your Welcome Card or contact Pastor

Don. Thanks! Our other Christmas Eve services will be at 7:00 &

11:00 p.m

.

THE GOSPEL TO THE OUTSIDER

JOHN 4:1-26, 39-42

Points I want to remember from the message.....

Sermon Study Questions

1. Have you ever felt like an outsider? What was that like?

2. Have you ever treated others like outsiders? Why? How did

they respond?

3. Verse 4 says that Jesus “had to go through Samaria.” Why did

his GPS (God’s Positioning System) send him that way? Have you

ever had a similar experience?

4. Jesus broke two Jewish rules by speaking to a Samaritan, and a

woman. Why did he do so? What barriers have you broken for

the sake of the gospel?

5. How would you present the gospel in a few sentences to

someone?

6. Have you ever had someone try to distract you by asking a

theological question? How did you respond? How did you get the

topic back on track?

7. How did this woman respond to Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah?

How have you responded?

8. This woman went back into town to tell people about Jesus.

Who is the last person you told about Jesus? How did they

respond?

9. Who does God want you to tell about his son Jesus? When will

you do so?

10. What is one thing you will do differently as a result of this

message?

Serving at BRC

Sunday, December 6

Greeters (9) - Marilyn Zeigler

(10:30) - Jim and Eileen Smalley

Welcome Center - Carol Rounds

Nursery (9) - Jennifer Poore

(10:30) - Serena Kramer

Ushers (9) - Paul Buser, Mike Pasko

Assisting - Paul Morgan, Tom Michelson

(10:30) - Pete Nixon, Renee Niedermyer

Assisting - Kenny Wright, Mark Herbert

Verse Cards (9)-Nadine Hapney,

Marilyn Zeigler

(10:30)- Gary Brualdi

Coffee-&Juice (9) - Patty Walker,

Kerri Richenbach

Sunday, December 13

Greeters (9) - Mike and Arleen Pasko

(10:30) - Carol Rounds

Welcome Center - Marilyn Zeigler

Nursery (9) - Melissa Fazekas

(10:30) - Cheryl Wright, Savannah Dickens

Ushers (9) - Paul Morgan, Tom Michelson

Assisting - Bob Jacobs, Dennis Parker

(10:30) - Kenny Wright, Mark Herbert

Assisting - Bob Besida, Eric Kramer

Verse Cards (9)-Guy and Candice Lenart

(10:30)-Jim & Eileen Smalley

Coffee-&Juice (9) - Bill and Bonnie Bumford

Sunday, December 20

Greeters (9) - Gina Koch

(10:30) - Ilze Fultz

Welcome Center - Dick and Rhyna Sensiba

Nursery (9) - Mark Herbert

(10:30) - Renee Garapic, Madison Haynes

Ushers (9) - Bob Jacobs, Dennis Parker

Assisting - Eric Raich, Earl Holzehimer

(10:30) - Bob Besida, Eric Kramer

Assisting - Carol Rounds, Bonnie Ansel

Verse Cards (9)-Earl and Karyn Gentile

(10:30)-Jim & Renee Niedermyer

Coffee-&Juice (9) - Gina Koch

Would you like offering

envelopes?

To request a set

of offering envelopes for

2016, just write your

name and “offering

envelopes” on your

welcome card.

Would you like to give

your offering

electronically?

Go to the BRC

website, www.b-r-c.org

On the lower left of the

home page is a link to

ONLINE GIVING.

Click the link and follow

the instructions. If you

have questions, contact

Jeff Toom.

Advent Devotions

available from the RCA.

Each day during

Advent, the RCA

website posts a new

Advent devotional. The

2015 Advent devotions

were written by Grace

Claus, managing editor

of RCA Today, and

prepared by the RCA

editorial team. You can

visit the site daily, or

sign up to receive the

devotions in your email

each day:

https://www.rca.org/ad

ventdevos

Brunswick Reformed Church

Why Do We Exist?

BRC exists to be a church

where the love of Jesus is transforming lives.

What Do We Do?

BRC offers opportunities for Christ-centered worship,

discipleship, fellowship, service and outreach.

What Are Our Core Values?

Scripture: In all of life the Bible governs, guides, shapes and

sends us out.

Humility: God and his grace is the lens through which

we view and respond to ourselves and others.

Compassion: The love of Jesus empowers us to value and love

all people, and to serve those for whom God is equipping us.

To What Values Do We Aspire?

Discipleship: We will continue to develop a wise

understanding of God’s Word, an ability to discern God’s will,

and an eagerness to obey God’s leading.

Worship: We will continue to grow in our commitment

and love for both personal and corporate worship.

Kingdom-focused: We will place involvement in

God’s mission before personal preferences or human traditions.

Faith sharing: With humble confidence we will live out

our faith, sharing our stories and inviting others to join us

on the journey as we have opportunity.

Prayer: We will live all aspects of life dependent on God

and in communication with him, sharing our hearts

and listening for his leadings.