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The Christmas Story
We hope you’ll take a few minutes on Christmas morning to read the story of the first Christmas.
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our hundred years had passed since God had spoken to his people. The Israelites, called Jews, had been under the control of other nations for hundreds of years. They were now ruled by the Romans, the most powerful empire that had ever existed. The Jews were still waiting and hoping for a king who would come to save them and lead them into victory. Finally, God sent an angel to a young woman named Mary in the town of Nazareth. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph who was a descendant of King David.
Mary asked the angel, “But how can I have a baby, I am still a virgin?” The angel replied, “This will happen supernaturally by God’s Spirit, so this baby will be called God’s Son. Remember... nothing is impossible with God!” Mary said, “I am God’s servant. May everything you have said
When Joseph found out that Mary was expecting a child, he decided to break off their engagement quietly. The law would have permitted him to have her killed if she had an affair. But one night Joseph had a dream. An angel appeared to him and said, “Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. The child in her is from God. You are to give him the name Jesus for he will save the people from their sins.”
That night a group of shepherds were out in the fields taking care of their sheep when an angel suddenly appeared and frightened them. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, I am bringing good news for everyone! The one who will save you, the Messiah, has been born tonight in Bethlehem! You will know it’s him when you find a baby in a stable wrapped in strips of cloth.”
So Joseph took Mary as his wife, but he did not sleep with her until after the baby was born.
The shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem as fast as we can to see the miracle God told us about.” When the shepherds ran into town they found Joseph, Mary and the baby in the stable just as the angel had said. After this they went and told everyone what they had heard and seen – and the people were truly amazed!
Months later, as Joseph and Mary were traveling to Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to give birth. No rooms were available for them at the local inns so they found an animal stable, and that is where their baby was born. They named the boy Jesus, meaning “one who saves,” just as the angel had told them. Mary wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a feed trough.
A few months later, wise men traveled from distant lands to find the newborn king. A star had guided them from the east to Bethlehem and stopped over the place where Mary and Joseph were living. As the wise men entered the house, they were overcome with joy and kneeled down and worshiped Jesus. They brought him expensive gifts of gold, spices and perfumes.
Story adapted from: Matthew 1–2 and Luke 1–2
The angel, named Gabriel, appeared to her and said, “Don’t be afraid Mary, God has chosen to bless you! You will become pregnant and have a son and you are to name him Jesus. (which means ‘God saves’). He will become a king whose kingdom will never end!”
come true!” After that Mary sang to God thanking him for choosing to bless her. And just as the angel had said, Mary became pregnant.
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Fulfill a Wish List Today
Due Date: Sunday, December 10 Each Christmas season, we partner with area schools to identify children who may be in extra need. If you’ve “adopted” a child by taking a name from the Angel Tree in the lobby, please purchase the items on the list and return them no later than Sunday, December 10. Once the gifts are sorted and organized, everyone is invited to help wrap these gifts at our Go Christmas event on Saturday, December 16, from 9 - 2 pm.
Gift Drive
Go Christmas
Sack Christmas Hunger + Angel Tree Wrap Party Saturday, December 16 Both Campuses 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Come one, come all! We need all hands on deck to Sack Christmas Hunger and wrap the Angel Tree gifts at BOTH of our campuses.
Learn more at: thebranchchurch.org/angel-tree
GO Saturday, December 16
Our Go Team has been hard at work organizing the food and gifts for this special day of service. Bring your kids, along with some extra scissors, tape, wrapping paper, and boxes. Learn more at: thebranchchurch.org/events
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Men’s Softball Spring 2018 - Monday Nights The Fields at Carrollton Parkway (1401 Carrollton Pkwy) Cost: $40 per player Join a team of other men from The Branch in a community softball league! •
For men ages 14 and up
•
The league lasts seven weeks with a tournament in the eighth week (knockout style tournament)
•
Games are played Monday nights at 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm, and 9:00 pm on two fields and run 50 minutes. Questions? Contact the team manager, Chase Pope: cpope@digitalrealty.com or 214-205-6441 Register in the app or at: thebranchchurch.org/softball
TheBranch
ORIENTATION Interested in learning more about The Branch Church? Do you have questions about what we do and what we believe at The Branch Church? Are you ready to take the next step, become a member, and get more involved? We want everyone who attends The Branch Church to engage in the activities we do together, and also to commit and submit to this body of believers. This is how we CONNECT, GROW, SERVE, and GO together! Whether you have attended for a short time, or have been here for years, make it official! Join us for The Branch Orientation. Upcoming dates:
• January 28 (10:45 am Farmers Branch Campus, 12:30 pm Vista Ridge Campus) 5
RSVP at thebranchchurch.org/tbo and let us know you’re coming. We look forward to having you!
Follow Chris on Twitter twitter.com/chrisseidman
Do you remember learning Bible stories as a kid? You probably learned through picture books. There are thousands of children who don’t have access to Gospel picture books. That’s why this December, we’re providing age-appropriate, faith-based books for children in developing nations.
Every three check-ins provides a book to a child. We are partnering with OneHope to make this happen. OneHope presents the Living Word of God in an engaging way to children and youth. They plan to reach every young person, in every nation, with a relevant Gospel message by the year 2030. You can check them out here: onehope.net The hashtag this month is #books4kids. Thanks for checking in to spread the Gospel to hundreds of children in need!
How it works: We make a donation to a Kingdom-building cause every time our community checks in on Facebook. It’s a great way to tell your friends about The Branch Church, and do some good in the process. If you need some help checking in on Facebook, just ask any of our staff members and we’ll show you how.
The Branch Church Farmers Branch Campus
The Branch Church Vista Ridge Campus
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Princess Ball Father-Daughter Dance Friday, January 26 This year at the Farmers Branch Campus! 7:00 - 9:00 pm Cost: $10 per person Daughter Ages: Birth - High School Seniors This year’s Princess Ball will be at the Farmers Branch Campus! Dads, make plans to ask your daughters on a special date night and make memories they will remember the rest of their lives. We encourage you to dress up and take your daughter to a fancy dinner beforehand. Then come dance the night away at the Princess Ball! We’ll have desserts, photo booths, and a few special take-home items for the girls. Learn more and register at: thebranchchurch.org/events
Kids Branch Sunday mornings at both services Ages 3 months - 5th Grade
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Kids Branch is what we do to teach kids about Jesus every weekend at The Branch Church. Our committed volunteers reinforce the values and teachings you work so hard to instill in your kids. We worship, play, and dive directly into the Bible each and every week. Your kids will grow to love engaging with God, while making great friends!
Kristan Renshaw
Brittany Moore
Farmers Branch Kids Minister
Vista Ridge Kids Minister
krenshaw@thebranchchurch.org
bmoore@thebranchchurch.org
The Branch Student Body is our ministry to 6th - 12th grade students. This is an important time of transition into maturity in Christ, and we encourage all of our students to attend and serve in our weekend services with their families. We have several ways for students to connect including weekly gatherings, occasional activities, and special events like Branch Camp, retreats, and overnighters!
SMALL GROUPS Farmers Branch
Vista Ridge
High School • Wednesdays at 7:00 pm Middle School • Sundays at 9:00 am or Wednesdays at 7:00 pm
High School • Wednesdays at 7:00 pm Middle School • Sundays at 9:15 am
The primary way The Branch Student Body meets is in weekly Small Groups, where students grow closer to God, their peers, and their leaders. This is critical to their development as followers of Christ.
**Weekly schedules and locations are subject to change. Contact Josh or Kyle for the latest updates and details.**
Kyle Poff
Josh Brake
Student Minister Vista Ridge Campus
Student Minister Farmers Branch Campus
kpoff@thebranchchurch.org
jbrake@thebranchchurch.org
Student Body Christmas Party Wednesday, December 6 Farmers Branch Campus 6:30 - 8:30 pm • For 6th-12th grade students from both campuses • Bring $5 per person • Bring a white elephant gift of $5 or less Students MUST RSVP:
thebranchchurch.org/student-christmas
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U P D A T E
N
ovember 12 was an awesome day in the life of The Branch! As a church we sought the Lord’s direction over the last couple of months in response to Beyond Me. Over the weekend of November 12, you shared your commitments. They totaled a little more than 6.4 million dollars! These commitments do not include the 2.5 million dollar matching commitment formed by two more of our members. When you add these two together, this brings us to around 8.9 million dollars committed to this project. In addition to that, we already have 1.25 million dollars set aside for the project.
This brings us to a little more than 10 million dollars committed. Many of you remember that the estimated cost of the project is around 9 million dollars. So our commitments exceed our estimated cost. What does this mean for now? The church’s collective response has confirmed for our leadership that the Lord’s hand is in this. We intend to proceed with the project. A rendering of the proposed worship center renovation.
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SCHEDULE Renovation of the Vista Ridge worship center should begin in the first quarter of 2018. This project isn’t officially part of the Beyond Me campaign since it was already funded by a couple of gifts in late 2016, but it will be the first noticeable construction activity. Our architect (HH Architects) is currently in the process of developing the drawing package for the new children’s wing and the renovation of the existing Kids Branch space. They are working with general contractor Rogers-O’Brien during this phase of the process in order to ensure an accurate and cost-effective drawing package is completed. Our current schedule has construction on the new wing at Vista Ridge beginning in the third quarter of 2018 and lasting approximately nine months for the entire construction and renovation. That leads to a planned completion in the second quarter of 2019.
Conceptual renderings of the proposed addition. Note: Not reflective of final colors, materials, or landscaping.
system) which allows us to generate a pledge statement report.
NEXT STEPS The following is some information that addresses the mechanics of how we will manage this program for the next three years: •
The “official” commitment period is from December 2017 through November 2020, but how you choose to give is completely up to you.
•
If you are writing a check or putting cash into the offering baskets or boxes, please make sure to indicate it is for the Beyond Me program by using a giving envelope or writing it in the memo line of the check.
•
If you are setting up an online gift, please make sure you use the Beyond Me (VR Expand/ Develop) fund. If you are setting up a recurring online gift, you can set it up for a specified number of periods (36 months, 156 weeks, etc.) so it will stop at the end of three years.
•
If you completed your commitment card via our online form, this is not the same as setting up a recurring online gift.
•
Your commitment has been loaded to Branch Connect (our online church management
•
The first report was mailed on November 22 so you could review it for accuracy. If you indicated you are making a weekly, monthly, annual, or one-time pledge, it was given a start date of December 3, 2017, unless you indicated something different. Due to system limitations, bi-weekly, quarterly, or other frequency commitments may have been converted to weekly, monthly, annual, or onetime commitments, but the total amount should match what was on your commitment card.
•
If anything looks incorrect with your report, please contact our Executive Minister David Teutsch at dteutsch@thebranchchurch.org so he can get it corrected.
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If you need information for transferring stock into the church’s brokerage account, let David know and he can give you the necessary information.
•
Each July, we will send an updated report which shows progress against the commitment. In addition, everything given will be reflected on your annual giving statement for income tax purposes.
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68 SF
503 SF
Children / Multipurpose Nurs 1
Nurs Recp. 235 SF
71 SF
Pres. 2
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506 SF
Pres. 3
403 SF
68 SF
Nurs 2 451 SF
Circulation - Secure
539 SF
Pres. 1 451 SF
Circulation
Redundant Room
Pres. Recp.
Kitchen / Hospitality
Toilet
Men
235 SF
70 SF
199 SF
Circulation 682 SF
Pres. 4 403 SF
Nursery / Preschool
oilet
Women
SF
241 SF
Jan.
Restroom 34 SF
2790 SF
Elect.
Nurs 1
77 SF
Stage
403 SF
Stair
Play
287 SF
642 SF
Nursery Recp. 168 SF
Resource
Storage 263 SF
Circulation
Redundant Room
Support Admin 457 SF
Todd 1
Elev.
539 SF
48 SF
Storage 26 SF
Worship 21 SF
edundant Room
Toilet
Vestibule
Changing
Circulation
112 SF
Changing
503 SF
101 SF
Changing
68 SF
Todd 2 Lobby
Baptistry
21 SF
4799 SF
Youth / Multipurpose
412 SF
Changing 26 SF2 Pres.
Changing
Nurs 1 403 SF
Nurs Recp. 235 SF
71 SF
506 SF
49 SF
68 SF
451 SF
Todd 2
Pres. 3 539 SF
503 SF
Coffee
Pres. 1
140 SF
451 SF
Circulation
Men
235 SF
70 SF
682 SF
AV Sound
71 SF
Pres. 2
109 SF
403 SF
Nurs Recp. 235 SF
Women 296 SF
506 SF
68 SF
Vestibule Women 51 SF
Nurs 2
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284 SF
1879 SF
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438 SF
489 SF
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364 SF
438 SF
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1879 SF Class
379 SF
489 SF
Jan. 34 SF
1443 SF
Elect.
Class
65 SF
489 SF
Stair
287 SF
Boys 223 SF
Class Secure Cir. 409 SF
Class
471 SF
510 SF
Upper Commons 1156 SF
Girls
Secure. Cir.
284 SF
Class
1879 SF
Elev.
390 SF
Support
48 SF
Class 615 SF
438 SF
Open to Lobby Below
Class 489 SF
Support
Storage 186 SF
Class
364 SF
Support
Class
438 SF
Secure. Cir.
379 SF
489 SF
1879 SF
Class 489 SF
Boys
Jan.
223 SF
Secure Cir.
Class
34 SF
471 SF
510 SF
Girls
Secure. Cir.
1443 284 SF SF
Elect.
Storage
Storage
15 SF
41 SF
Support
Class
364 SF
Secure. Cir.
Jan.
409 SF
34 SF
62 SF
403 SF
Table Storage
Laundry
Kitchen
75 SF
601 SF
1443 SF
Upper Commons
Elect.
Class
513 SF
510 SF
LEVEL 2
Pantry
Nurs 1
Class
438 SF
1879 SF
Class
23 SF
489 SF
438 SF
Support
Fire Rm
Class
1879 SF
65 SF
Stair
287 SF
1156 SF
65 SF
526 SF
Stair
287 SF
Serving
Jan.
214 SF
46 SF
409 SF Elev.
390 SF
451 SF
Support
Class
Class
09/19/17
241 SF
Jan.
615 SF
Girls
68 SF
297 SF
37 SF
Class
223 SF
471 SF
Toilet
Storage
199 SF
Circulation Pres. 4
Boys Secure Cir.
510 SF
539 SF
Men
Redundant Room
Pres. Recp.
Toilet F
489 SF
Class
Todd 1
146 SF
379 SF
489 SF
Vestibule
Nurs 2
Phase 1 Renovation
Toilet Todd 2
Support
Class
Class
364 SF
48 SF
Upper Commons 1156 SF
of House
Pres. 3
Play
1257 SF Nursery Recp.
Elect.
539 SF
642 SF
Platform
19 SF
Worship
451 SF
44 SF
287 SF
Pres. Recp. 51 SF
Toilet 122 SF
Pres. 4
457 SF
522 SF
Admin
Admin
151 SF
145 SF
41 SF
101 SF
412 SF
Admin
24 SF
Admin
115 SF
110 SF
Admin
241 SF
49 SF
53 SF
Kitchen / Hospitality
Vestibule 146 SF
77 SF
154 SF
Circulation - Secure
Storage
2790 SF
Elect.
4799 SF
221 SF
4799 SF
26 SF
Changing
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Class
217 SF
211 SF
34Changing SF
195 SF
96 SF
Class
Class
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412 SF
Jan.
Admin Admin
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1023 SF
Baptistry
21157 SF SF
40 SF
Lobby
aptistry Fire Rm.
Women
Changing
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Toilet
289 SF
632 SF
112 SF
Storage
Storage
15 SF
Coffee
Stair 287 SF Vestibule
140 SF
F
Men
LEVEL 1
146 SF
Nursery Recp.
Storage
168 SFKitchen
37 SF
Resource
Women
Storage
109 SF
15 SF
Vestibule Circulation
Coffee
51 SF
Storage 41 SF
Table Storage
Laundry
Stage
Class
513 SF
75 SF
Fire Rm Serving 214 SF
296 SF
LEVEL 2
Restroom
642 SF
62 SF
601 SF
AV Sound 263 SF
Nursery / Preschool
23 SF
Play
Pantry
297 SF
41 SF
Fire Rm
526 SF
Storage
Support LEVEL 2
Jan.
46 SF
23 SF
Redundant Room
Worship
140 SF
Men
Back of House
297 SF
Platform
519 SF
Admin
45 SF
108 SF
Kitchen Storage 601 SF
Worship 4848 SF
Serving 51 SF
21 SF
Vestibule
214 SF
78 SF
Elec. Rm
Vestibule
45 SF
Admin
Admin 151 SF
222 SF
Toilet Storage 41 SF
Admin 145 SF
28 SF
Admin
Toilet
289 SF
613 SF Changing
Vestibule
621 SF
522 SF
157 SF
40 SF
Admin 115 SF
44 SF
Fire Rm.
Admin
Admin
110 SF
632 SF
195 SF
211 SF
Class 217 SF
Class 221 SF
146 SF
4031 SF
15 SF
Men
Elec. Rm F
Main Entry 386 SF
Toilet
AV Sound
37 SF
Corridor
Kitchen 601 SF
Storage
Toilet
109 SF
62 SF
Storage
64 SF
152 SF
65 SF
Women
513 SF
75 SF
Serving
296 SF
46 SF
632 SF
222 SF
Class
1023 SF
Class
Class
217 SF
211 SF
Back of House
Storage
Platform
519 SF
45 SF
AV Booth
Storage
1257 SF
108 SF
53 SF
23 SF
Nursery / Preschool Stage
Circulation
Class
Corridor
221 SF
Circulation - Secure 325 SF
2576 SF
Platform Multipurpose Venue
277 SF
Kitchen / Hospitality
4031 SF
Family RR
Vestibule
Nursery / Preschool
78 SF
51 SF
Elec. Rm
Toilet
Restroom
78 SF
386 SF
Vestibule Vestibule
Admin
Admin 151 SF
Admin 145 SF
613 SF
222 SF
41 SF
28 SF
Toilet
115 SF
Admin 110 SF
632 SF
Class
1023 SF
Admin
Class 211 SF
Admin 157 SF
40 SF
Admin
Youth Lobby
Toilet Storage
Storage
Admin
24 SF
Stage
337 SF
289 SF
Fire Rm.
Toilet
Corridor
621 SF
522 SF
64 SF
Main Entry
122 SF
Corridor
526 SF
Children / Multipurpo
Commons
44 SF
LEVEL 1
Class
Storage
4848 SF
Cry Room
09/19/17
Youth / Multipurpose
Storage
Worship
53 SF
195 SF
Class 217 SF
65 SF
Storage 152 SF
Storage Support Class 221 SF
Worship
Youth / Multipurpose
96 SF
Admin 154 SF
*Proposed plans as of 9/20/17.
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409
Worship
51 SF
Youth Lobby
613 SF
Cla
Admin Support
Jan.
214 SF
337 SF
Table Storage
Laundry
Vestibule
Vestibule
65 SF
Restroom
Pantry
297 SF
LEVEL 1
78 SF
estibule
41 SF
140 SF
78 SF
Elec
Circulation - Secure
Coffee
51 SF
34 SF
/ Hospitality StorageKitchen Fire Rm
Storage
154 SF
Jan.
Circulation
Vestibule
53 SF
277 SF
Multipurpose Venue
Family RR
Vestibule
Class
325 SF
1879 SF
Children / Multipurpose
Storage
Admin
24 SF
Class
Corridor 1023 SF Platform
96 SF
Admin
152 SF
65 SF
337 SF
49 SF
Admin
Storage
Corridor
Youth Lobby
26 SF
Changing
Storage
Toilet
4799 SF
412 SF
Corridor
2576 SF
64 SF
Lobby
Baptistry
21 SF
Commons
Toilet
78 SF
386 SF
122 SF
51 SF
277 SF
Family RR
Main Entry
101 SF
Cry Room Changing
526 SF4031 SF
46 SF
Changing
Platform
Class
Multipurpose Venue
513 SF
Vestibule 112 SF Jan.
Vestibule
Changing
296 SF
Table Storage
48 SF
75 SF
26 SF
Women
325 SF
Storage Laundry 44 SF
Youth / Multipurpose
Corridor
Storage62 SF
AV Booth
Storage
1257 SF
37 SF
Storage
Pantry Commons 2576 SF Elev.
457 SF
S
287 SF
Children / Multipurpose
Youth Lobby
613 SF
Vestibule
222 SF
48
Stair
Admin
152 SF
337 SF
Vestibule
Vestibule
21 SF
Storage
65 SF
Corridor
Storage
Changing
28 SF
64 SF
Toilet
682 SF
Elev.
26 SF
621 SF
Toilet Storage
Toilet
Circulation
48 SF
403 SF
Corridor
Admin
Main Entry 386 SF
Admin
Lobby Below
Storage 186 SF
199 SF
78 SF
Redundant Room
Cry Room
186 SF
Men
Elec. Rm
48 SF
Storage
Redundant Room
78 SF
235 SF Circulation
70 SF
4031 SF
Circulation
642 SF
Nursery Recp. 168 SF Family RR
Vestibule
263 SF
Open to Lobby Open to Below
Elev.
390 SF
277 SF
Multipurpose Venue
Play
4848 SF
Resource
Class
Platform
Pres. 1
Storage
Stair
325 SF
2576 SF
45 SF
108 SF
168 SF
Commons
Storage
77 SF
AV Booth
Corridor
C
Secure. Ci
34 SF
2790 SF
The Branch Church - Vista Ridge
Admin
615 SF
489 SF
THIS DRAWING IS RELEASED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF BRUCE E WOODY, REGISTRATION NUMBER 14419, WHO MAINTAINS THE ORIGINAL DRAWING. THIS DRAWING IS INCOMPLETE AND MAY NOT BE USED FOR REGULATORY APPROVAL, PERMIT, OR CONSTRUCTION.
539 SF
THIS DRAWING IS RELEASED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF BRUCE E WOODY, REGISTRATION NUMBER 14419, REGULATORY APPROVAL, PERMIT, OR CONSTRUCTION.
The Branch Church - Vi
Todd 1
Class
Class
LEVEL 1
ONLINE GIVING SETUP We believe the most straightforward way to handle fulfilling your commitment to Beyond Me is by setting up a recurring gift in Branch Connect as shown below. If you setup a recurring gift, you can specify the number of periods it will last (156 weeks, 36 months, etc.) and it will automatically stop at the end of the number you’ve specified. NOTE: The Branch app also has a giving option, but it is not the same system as Branch Connect. We prefer that you setup your Beyond Me recurring gifts using Branch Connect instead of the app.
1. Log in to Branch Connect Using a web browser on a computer, visit: thebranchchurch.org/connect If you haven’t created a login for Branch Connect, it’s easy! Just select “Sign Up Here” and follow the instructions.
2. Select “Give” on the left bar Once you’ve logged in, select Give. You may choose either the “One time gift” or “Repeating gift” option. We recommend setting the repeating gift so you can schedule when your giving will occur throughout your three-year commitment.
F R E Q U E N T LY A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S If the amount given via the commitments exceeds the cost, is there a plan for the surplus? This is something that will be addressed as we near completion of the project.
Can I still make a commitment? Yes, the commitment form is still available online at: thebranchchurch.org/beyond-me
Can I give to Beyond Me without making a pledge? Yes, you can make a one-time gift by writing “Beyond Me” in the memo line of a check, using our online giving and selecting the Beyond Me (VR Expand/Develop) fund, or indicating Beyond Me on a giving envelope.
Will we have to borrow money? We expect to have a short term loan to cover part of the cost of the project until our commitment period is completed in late 2020.
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Small Groups thebranchchurch.org/small-groups
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” ~ Hebrews 10:24-25 We all need friends - people we meet with on a regular basis to hang out, talk about our lives in a biblical context, and pray. That’s a small group! Interested in joining or starting a small group in the coming year? We can help. Contact Derek or Tim and they will help connect you with an existing group or walk with you through the simple process for starting a new group.
Derek Robinson Connections Pastor Vista Ridge Campus drobinson@thebranchchurch.org
Tim Ketchersid Farmers Branch Campus Minister tketchersid@thebranchchurch.org
Dynamic Marriage Saturdays, beginning January 6 (9 weeks) 6:00 - 8:30 pm Vista Ridge Campus Cost: $130 Why settle for ordinary? You’re 9 weeks away from an extraordinary marriage. Dynamic Marriage is a 9-week course that will help you discover how your marriage can thrive and be more fulfilling than you ever thought possible. Based on the “Love Bank” model from the book, His Needs, Her Needs by Dr. Willard Harley, you’ll learn how communication and behavior styles affect the way you and your spouse act and react to each other. Through an interactive learning process, you’ll identify behaviors that may be damaging your marriage, develop healthy ways to deal with marital conflict, and take concrete steps to meet each other’s needs better than you ever have before. This class is limited to 12 couples, and is first-come, first-served. Register at thebranchchurch.org/marriage
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The Branch
Family
We Mourn With: • Amy Hance and her family in the loss of her mother,
P. Faith Peterson, on October 28.
• Chuck Adams and his family in the loss of his mother, Barbara Adams, on November 3. • Hazel Polk and her family in the loss of her sister,
Kathy McEachern, on November 4.
• Brett Farr and his family in the loss of his father,
Virgil Farr, on November 17.
• The family and friends of Hassie Waits, who passed
away on November 19.
Up dates
We Celebrate These Baptisms: 11/5/17
Emerson Dale
11/10/17
Iliana Sanchez
We Celebrate These Births: 10/24/2017
Aslan Joel Long (M) Parents: Jonah and Keva
11/8/2017
Kathryn Elizabeth Ellis (F) Parents: Bret and Emily Grandparents: Ron and Mary Beth Cash
11/10/2017
Christian Scott Regier (M) Parents: David and Ashley
11/12/2017
Hannah Marie Gudgel (F) Parents: Jeremy and Katie
• The family and friends of Glenda Larson, who
passed away on November 23.
Weekend Stats - November 2017: Weekly Attendance Average: 1,842 Weekly Giving Average: $67,063
First Service of the Weekend Thursdays (We will not meet on December 28) Vista Ridge Campus Dinner at 6:00 pm ($5 for adults •$3 for kids) Service at 6:45 pm Gathering together on a weekly basis for worship, encouragement, teaching, and testimony makes a difference for the better in our lives. It’s our hope that offering this service on a weeknight will open new doors for reaching people. Consider making Thursday night your weekend worship service at The Branch. Learn more at: thebranchchurch.org/thursday
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For over eighteen years the International House of Prayer in Kansas City (IHOPKC) has maintained a nonstop schedule of prayer and worship before the Lord. IHOPKC is an evangelical missions organization that is committed to praying for the release of the fullness of God’s power and purpose as we actively win the lost, heal the sick, feed the poor, make disciples, and impact every sphere of society— family, education, government, economy, arts, media, religion, etc. Our vision is to work in relationship with the wider Body of Christ to serve the Great Commission, as we seek to walk out the two great commandments to love God and people. The Global Prayer Room is at the hub of the IHOPKC missions base. The 24/7 schedule of prayer and worship is divided into twelve twohour meetings led by full worship teams. Approximately half of the prayer meetings each day are intercession sets where we intercede
for areas as diverse as the church in Kansas City, the global church, human trafficking, Israel, sanctity of life, the persecuted church, and the fatherless, as well as the poor and suffering around the world. The remainder of the prayer meetings each day are worship with the Word sets (praying and singing from the Word) or devotional sets. You can watch the live web stream anytime day or night by visiting IHOPKC.org. There are thousands of testimonies of individuals, ministries and churches all around the earth linking in to the web stream and using it as their local prayer meeting. In addition to the prayer room there is a four year ministry school, three months to one year internships for various ages, and multiple specific ministries to children, teens, young adults, college students, orphans, and the inner city as part of the IHOPKC missions base. Also, annually between December 2831, IHOPKC hosts the Onething Conference in Kansas City for 25,000-30,000 attendees.
Over the past few years, IHOPKC has connected with some of the largest and most active Christian missions ministries in the world (Youth With A Mission—YWAM, Campus Crusade for Christ--CRU, Every Home for Christ, SEED Company) to begin
to plan and implement supporting missions efforts to the last of the lost world. What this means is that these strong missions and Bible translation ministries have determined what nations, regions, tribes, and language groups have still not heard of Jesus and have begun to implement plans to break into these groups in the next five years. IHOPKC has been working with this level of mission efforts as the prayer “air support” needed to accomplish these types of lofty goals. All this is to say that IHOPKC is in a pivotal position to impact the evangelization of the entire world in a strategic and targeted way by joining with other large ministries to accomplish this task. The Conder family—Doug, Kimberly, Hampton, and Rees—have been extensively involved with IHOPKC for almost ten years, serving in a variety of different leadership positions over this time period. During these years, The Branch has provided meaningful relational and financial support to their ministry with IHOPKC.
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thebranchchurch.org/espanol
The Branch Church en Español - Farmers Branch Campus Acompáñanos y adoremos a Dios y fortalezcamos nuestra fe en Cristo en el idioma español.
Actividades durante la Semana DOMINGOS MIERCOLES Servicio de Adoración de Estudio Bíblico 10:45 AM 7:00 PM Weekly Activities SUNDAYS WEDNESDAYS Worship Service Bible Study 10:45 AM 7:00 PM ¡Nuevo Horario!
¡Nuevo Horario!
Ahora, Nuestro Servicio de Adoración los DOMINGOS es a las 10:45 AM. Gracias a todos por su valioso apoyo con el cambio de hora.
¡New Worship Time!
¡New Worship Time!
Our New Sunday Worship Service time is 10:45 AM. Thank you so much for supporting us with this change.
Luis y Schalee Sánchez lsanchez@thebranchchurch.org
Branch Cares thebranchchurch.org/cares
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress….” ~ James 1:27 Branch Cares is a ministry designed to look after, pray for, and take care of, people within our church body. The vision for this ministry is to reach out, help, and connect with:
Widows • Widowers • Single parents • Homebound • Grieving • Caregivers Ministry volunteers provide care in a variety of ways. These can include simple acts of writing cards and praying, hospital visitation, or delivering communion to the homebound or any others who are unable to attend services. If you are interested in becoming a Branch Cares ministry volunteer, or if you know of someone connected to The Branch Church who may be interested in having one of our ministry members contact them, you can fill out the Volunteer Application or Referral Form on our website, or reach out to us via the contact info below:
Farmers Branch Email: fbcares@thebranchchurch.org Vista Ridge Email: vrcares@thebranchchurch.org 17 Church Office: (972) 247-2109
Young Adults Group Sundays 6:30 - 8:30 pm Vista Ridge Campus This weekly gathering is made up of young adults ages 21 - 35, single or married, and without kids. They are a community of believers who meet to grow in their faith, serve others, and bring people to Christ. If you’d like to find out more about this group, please contact one of these leaders:
Nikki Teutsch
Matt Atchley
Jaxon Williams
nrteutsch@gmail.com
matchley@pfsweb.com
williamsjaxon142@gmail.com
Brother Eddy Ketchersid Office: 972-284-7813 Cell: 972-345-1645 eketchersid@thebranchchurch.org
Our Young at Heart group (sometimes referred to as the WOW group) has several fellowship gatherings throughout the year, but we place major emphasis on our Christmas Luncheon, which is always the first Sunday in December with about 200 in attendance. It features inspiring entertainment and door prizes that launch us into the Christmas season. Our Valentine Luncheon held the Sunday before Valentine’s Day also receives major emphasis, and about 200 attend. Other social gatherings include a Game Night in April and our famous Salad & Sundae Supper in July, and our BBQ Picnic in October. All Young at Heart participants are encouraged to be in a small group Bible study each week along with regular worship attendance. For those who have not yet found a small group, we urge them to attend the Start Up Group which meets each Wednesday night in the Family Life Center of the Farmers Branch Campus, 3035 Valley View Ln. Concurrent with the school year, September through May, this group meets for supper at 6:30 pm with the Bible study session taking up at 7:00 pm, and it concludes with prayer at 8:00 pm. Everyone is welcome!
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Featured Events Calendar Days
Dates
Event
Sun
12/3
Young at Heart:
Fri
12/6
Student Body Christmas Party
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Sat
12/16
Go Christmas (Both Campuses)
9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Thurs
12/21
Christmas Candlelight Service (Vista Ridge Campus)
7:00 pm
Sun
12/24
Christmas Candlelight Services (Farmers Branch Campus)
9:00 am 6:00 pm
Sun
12/24
Christmas Candlelight Services (Vista Ridge Campus)
11:00 am 2:00 pm 5:00 pm
Mon
12/25
Christmas Day
---
Mon-Mon
Times
Christmas Luncheon (Farmers Branch Campus)
12/25-1/1 Church offices will be closed
12:00 pm
---
Thurs
12/28
No Thursday Service
---
Sun
12/31
Regular Services (No Kids Branch)
---
Sat
1/6
Dynamic Marriage Begins (Vista RIdge Campus)
6:00 - 8:30 pm
Wed
1/10
Women’s Bible Study Begins (Farmers Branch Campus)
9:45 - 11:30 am
Sat
1/13
Men’s Bible Study Begins (Both Campuses)
7:30 am
Mon
1/15
Women’s Bible Study Begins (Vista RIdge Campus)
6:30 - 8:00 pm
Fri
1/26
Princess Ball (Farmers Branch Campus)
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Weekly Events Calendar Day
Time
Event (Location)
Start/End Date
Sun
Early Service
Student Body MS Small Groups
Mon
6:30 pm
Women’s Bible Study (Vista Ridge)
Tues
7:00 pm
Celebrate Recovery (Vista Ridge)
Wed
9:45 am
Women’s Bible Study (Farmers Branch)
*Begins January 10
Wed
7:00 pm
Student Body Small Groups (Both Campuses)
*Break Dec. 13 - Jan. 3
Thurs
6:45 pm
Thursday Night Church (Vista Ridge Campus)
*Break December 28
Sat
7:30 am
Men’s Bible Study (Both Campuses)
*Begins January 13
(Both Campuses)
Office: 972-247-2109
thebranchchurch.org
*Break December 24-31 *Begins January 14
Email: info@thebranchchurch.org
Farmers Branch Campus
Vista Ridge Campus
3035 Valley View Lane Farmers Branch, TX 75234
3601 Huffines Boulevard Carrollton, TX 75010
Sundays: 9:00 & 10:45 am
Thursdays: 6:45 pm Sundays: 9:15 & 11:00 am