December 23, 2017 by Sligo Church

OUR VISION

We will g lorif y G od by be i n g i n creasi n g ly tran sfo rmed i nto the l i keness of C hri s t

our life together ANNOUNCEMENTS (continued) Attention Federal Employees! The Combined Federal Campaign is under way. Please donate to Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington (ACSGW), using CFC Code 57194. Thank you for supporting ACSGW! The campaign ends January 12, 2018. Clase en español - La clase de escuela sabática en español se a estado reuniendo en la parte izquierda del balcón del santuario. Desde 2 de diciembre el Hno. Edwin Martinez a enseñando la clase a los miembros del habla hispana. Están invitado a formar parte de esta clase todos los sábados a las 10:00 a.m. (All are welcome to be part of a new Spanish Sabbath School class, led by Edwin Martinez, that meets at 10:00 a.m. on the left side of the balcony). Save the date: Sunday, December 24, 7:00 p.m. in The Memorial Chapel, University of Maryland, College Park, featuring the Lloyd Mallory, Jr. Singers, Tre Voce, The Three Tenors, Monique Griffiths and a full orchestra. This live recording will benefit ongoing hurricane relief efforts in the Caribbean. All donations are tax deductible. For ticket information visit: <www. mohiminc.com/events> Share in the mission! Conference leadership hopes to see you at the DC Metro / Maryland regional town hall meeting. This is a time to learn about conference happenings, like that of the Cultivate Initiative, women in ministry, office relocation, conference finances, development for Camp Blue Ridge and Impact: Camp Meeting Re-imagined. This is also an opportunity for open dialogue with church leaders and to share items of your own. This meeting will be held on January 13 at 5:15 p.m. at the Southern Asian SDA Church at 2001 E. Randolph Road, Silver Spring MD. Lost and found: Tolu Tola, a valuable Apple product is currently in our possession. Please come to the church office and claim it. Thank you! MISCELLANEOUS Bulletin information deadline is Monday evening! E-mail information to: <kdriscoll@sligochurch.org> Sunset: Sabbath celebration ends today at 4:50 p.m. and commences on Friday, December 29 at 4:53 p.m. *Consent To Use Photographic Images: Sligo SDA Church films all worship services. Attendance at, or participation in Sligo worship services constitutes an agreement by the participant to Sligo’s use and distribution of the attendee’s image, voice, or likeness in photos, video, electronic reproduction and audio tapes of such activities.

welcome

Welcome to Sligo. I recently had the opportunity to travel to Australia and visit my family whom I hadn’t seen in more than two years. I was looking forward to Australia’s summer December 23, Saturday sun, however, what my wife and I both dreaded was the 18 hours of flying required to get there, not to mention our Young Adults GLOW, Memorial Chapel, 9:30 a.m. lengthly layover. Sometimes the anticipation of seeing a loved one can feel like an eternity. I imagine many Jewish December 24, Sunday, Christmas Eve families must have felt that long-waited anticipation as they expectantly held Exercise class is canceled on to the hope of the Messiah’s appearing. The coming of the Messiah was December 25, Monday , Christmas Holiday! foretold in Eden, repeated through the prophets and studied by the Jews. Yet, for four hundred years there was silence between the old and new Regeneration Ministry meeting is canceled testaments. Then, all of a sudden a flurry of angelic activity sweeps through Church Office will be closed Galilee and interrupts the plans of a young teenage woman planning her wedding. The angel tells Mary the shocking news - she’ll be pregnant before December 27, Wednesday her marriage ceremony. What do you do when God interrupts your plans? Our Prayer Gathering, Sanctuary, 7:00 p.m. Advent theme, “The Hope of Glory” can sometimes mean things may not turn out the way you expected. Mary would ask the angel, “How can this be?” Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal is canceled Today, we’ll discover that God’s interruptions are always an invitation. Mary, did you know? - Joseph Khabbaz

calendar of events

Summary of our Beliefs

worship schedule SABBATH, December 30 Church Service, Sanctuary, 8:45 & 11:00 a.m. Speaker: Pr. Richard Castillo Mizo Service, Office Chapel, 11:00 a.m. Kerala Church, WAU Richards Hall, 10:00 a.m.

p r o f i l e o f g i v i n g - D e c e m b e r 16 CHURCH BUDGET: This offering pays for the outreach and nur-

ture ministries of the church and the church school, along with necessary expenses such as utilities and maintenance of the church building. Last Year: Dec. 17 $ 5,410 Dec. 17 YTD $ 515,984

Dec. 16 Dec. 16 YTD

$ 10,391 $532,228

Church Building Improvement: Dec. 16 YTD $43,215 Balance from 2016 & YTD $80,271 Tithe: All of these funds are sent to the Potomac Conference to help expand the Kingdom of God throughout our region and world.

Dec. 17

Dec. 16

Dec. 17 YTD $2,353,226

Dec. 16 YTD

$ 2,364,677

2017 Goal

Remaining Goal $ 435,323

$2,800,000

CHRIST FIRST D E C E M B E R 2 3 , 2 017 8:45 & 11:00 A.M.

PHONE: 301.270.6777 EMERGENCY: 301.980.1009 FAX: 301.270.3518 WEBSITE: www.sligochurch.org Domestic Violence Hotline: 240.777.4000 SENIOR PASTOR Charles A. Tapp, ext. 126

ctapp@sligochurch.org

PASTOR FOR ADMINISTRATION & ADULT MINISTRIES Don McFarlane, ext. 116 dmcfarlane@sligochurch.org PASTOR FOR DISCIPLESHIP & CONGREGATIONAL CARE Pranitha Fielder, ext. 127 pfielder@sligochurch.org PASTOR FOR YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS Joseph Khabbaz, ext. 119 jkhabbaz@sligochurch.org PASTOR FOR CHILDREN & FAMILY MINISTRIES Gerardo Lopez, ext. 122 glopez@sligochurch.org

This Year: 29,036

• The Bible is the inspired word of God and our only rule of faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). • Jesus Christ is the Divine Son of God and our personal Savior from sin by grace through faith. (John 1:1-3; Ephesians 2:8). • Having been saved, followers of Jesus live in obedience to Him by observing the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20: 1-17; John 14:15). • The Sabbath – the seventh day of the week- established by God at creation and honored by Jesus in His earthly ministry, is to be observed by the followers of Jesus. (Exodus 20:8-11; 1 Peter 2:21). • Jesus is coming back to earth personally and visibly to raise the righteous dead and give His faithful children of all ages immortality in an earth made new. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Revelation 22:12; 21:1-3). • Our love for God is demonstrated primarily by our love for our fellowmen. (1 John 4:20; Matthew 25:34-40).