First Service in A-frame
Our new building consists of the main worship area (pictured below), a nursery for infants to 23 months old (pictured left), a classroom for children ages 2 to kindergarten (pictured right), and a second classroom for children in 1st grade through 5th grade.
Beginning Sunday, December 4th, we will be offering two different worship service times. Our early worship service will begin at 8:30am with coffee fellowship at 8am, and our late worship service will begin at 10:30am with coffee fellowship at 10am.
We are so thankful that God has chosen to provide us with this new facility. We hope to be a shining light for Christ in the East Mountains as we minister to the community around us.
BAIR Foundation Christmas Gifts
Jen Bartz is collecting gift cards and monetary donations to provide Christmas gifts for the foster families working with the BAIR Foundation. Please consider purchasing a gift card/certificate for a foster family to enjoy family time this Christmas. The goal is to provide each foster family that BAIR serves with a gift certificate of some kind so the whole family can be blessed. They serve approximately 40 families. Think of each family as being about 4 people.
The following are some gift ideas: Hinkle Family Fun Center, Cliff’s Amusement Park, ABQ Surf N’ Slide, Main Event, Dave and Busters, ABQ BioPark, Explora Science Museum, Stone Age Climbing Gym, Gravity Park, Museum admission tickets, restaurants, movie tickets, and Christmas Joy tickets.
You can make monetary donations of any amount that can be pooled together to get a bigger gift card. Jen is also putting together about 20 foster agency worker gifts. Donations made by check can be written out to The Forgotten Initiative with “Albuquerque” in the memo line.
Please give donations to Jen Bartz by December 4th.
Ministry Spotlight
STORM Puppet Ministry: Gayle DeRose
S.T.O.R.M. stands for “Saved in the Truth Of Righteousness and Mercy” (based off of Psalm 85) and was born 9 years ago when a group of 3rd graders, middle schoolers, and high schoolers committed to learning puppetry and practicing every Sunday after church for 2 hours. We have seen lots of spiritual growth in our team members. We have laughed, cried, prayed and worshiped together, put together some awesome puppet performances, and have grown in our relationships with Jesus Christ as we open our Bibles together every week. Best of all, we have “Been witnesses for Jesus Christ” and performed many times throughout the city of Albuquerque and the surrounding areas through which many people, young and old, have found new life in Jesus: Joy Junction Homeless Shelter, Albuquerque Rescue Mission, Angel Tree Christmas parties, Wings Christmas parties, Grants Women's Facility, churches, and competitions at regional puppet festivals.
I have been witnessing the Gospel of Jesus Christ through puppets for over 20 years. I give God all the glory for the many lives touched through puppets. In 2008 and 2010, I was sent to Hoima, Uganda to teach and enable the children at the Blessed Mustard Seed Babies Home how to reach others through puppets. In 2014, I was called to Singapore and Indonesia to teach and enable churches to witness Jesus through puppets.
Currently, we are a team of 8, preparing to step out and perform “Cowboy Christmas,” a 30-minute production, this Christmas season. We covet your prayers: for hearts open to receive the gospel, health of puppeteers, good travel weather, and a covering of the Holy Spirit. “Cowboy Christmas” will be performed on Sunday, 12/18, at our church, 4:30pm-6pm. Please attend and invite your friends and neighbors!
Steps for Reserving A-frame
If you would like to hold an event at the A-frame, we ask that you fill out the request form located on our church website, www.vistagrandechurch.com. The A-frame Request Form can be found by clicking on the “Calendar” tab and it is located below the calendar. Filling out this form will ensure that the building doesn’t get overbooked on any date/time for a specific room in the building. Once we receive your request, your event/s will be added to the church calendar and your date/time will be reserved. Once your date/time is reserved, you will receive an email from the church office with your event’s details as confirmation of your reservation.
Please be sure to check the calendar for building availability before submitting a request. An event may already be on the calendar for the date/time you are requesting but it may be at a different location or in a different room at the building. Events will have the location listed when they are hovered over or clicked on. Events taking place at the A-frame will be listed as being held at “Church building: Worship area,” “Church building: Classroom,” “Church building: All areas,” etc.
We thank you for your patience and grace as we implement this new process! Please contact vgc.adassistant@gmail.com with any questions/concerns.
December Calendar Event Details
· Dec 4, 11, 18—Worship Services, 8:30am and 10:30am @ church building, coffee fellowship 8am and 10am
· Dec 4—BAIR Foundation Christmas donations due!
· Dec 4, 11—Youth Service, 5pm-7pm @ church building
· Dec 7, 14, 21—Prayer Meeting, 5:30pm-6:30pm @ church building
· Dec 10—Vista Sisters Breakfast, 8:30am-10:30am @ Kings’ house
· Dec 10—Youth Special Events, Girls Night In: 3pm-7pm @ EMC, Guys Night In: 3pm-7pm @ Hardings’ house
· Dec 11—VGC Annual Meeting, 1:30pm-2:30pm @ church building
· Dec 14—Feed the Kids, 10am-12pm @ First Baptist Church Tijeras
· Dec 18—STORM Puppet Show, 4:30pm-6pm @ church building
· Dec 18—Youth Service, 5pm-7pm @ EMC
· Dec 24—Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, 5:30pm-6:30pm @ church building
· Dec 25—Christmas Service, 10:30am @ church building
