Celebrate Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, with the Mennonite Choral Society as they present Handel's beloved oratorio Messiah, led by conductor Brent Hyman. The Saturday, December 2nd performance begins at 7:00 p.m. and the shorter Sunday, December 3rd performance at 3:00 p.m. A staffed nursery will be available and a free-will offering taken.

Joining the choral society will be soloists Dr. Lisa Moore - soprano, Dr. Loralee Songer - alto, Dr. Brian Pfaltzgraff - tenor, and Dr. Conor Angell - bass. Musicians for the evening include Dr. Scott Lehman - organ, Mike Wilson - piano, Mike Snyder - cello, Joshua Ganger - trumpet, and Cole Hyman - timpani.

Don't miss A Night in Bethlehem, December 10 from 5-8 p.m. Everyone is welcome to join others as you wander through the bustling Bethlehem marketplace and discover what life was like when Jesus was born. Unlike a typical "living Nativity," you can create unique keepsakes as you interact with local shopkeepers who share the Christmas story. And, of course, Mary and Joseph love to share the miracle of Jesus' birth.

We also need food, decorations, help, and people to roam around Bethlehem and work in the market shops. Please stop at the chapel wall TODAY to see where you can serve! 

Please continue to pray for our missionaries (prayer request sheets are on one of the tables in the foyer). This is also a good time for each of us to send an email or card to any of our missionaries letting them know you are remembering them. This will be especially appreciated as the Christmas season approaches, and many are away from family. Prayer support is vital.

SAVE THE DATE: Friday, Dec. 15 through Sunday, Dec. 17, Ohio State international students desire to visit your homes through Rich Mendola International Friendship Ministries. Please contact Tad and Barb Wulliman at (513) 767-0151 if interested. 

Have you heard about pickleball? Pickleball is fun, social, and friendly. The rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn. Come to the Family Life Center on Tuesday and Thursday evening anytime between 6:30 and 8:30 and/or on Saturday morning between 9 and 11 and join other individuals, couples, and families as they enjoy a new game. Don't have a paddle? No problem. We have extra if you need one. Contact Craig Sprunger for more information - 260.450.4206.

The 2024 Adams Country Strong Marriage Conference will be held on Feb. 9-10, 2024, across Adams County, and First Mennonite Church is honored to be the live host! Journey to Us is a Focus on the Family presentation with guest speakers Rich and Wendy Crawford. Mark your calendars now and watch for more details coming soon!

The Mennonite Youth Choir Festival invites children in grades 3-9 to join in for a weekend of singing on March 2 & 3, 2024, here at First Mennonite Church! Dates: Practice is on Saturday, March 2, 2024; performance is at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, 2024 (free and open to the public). If you did not sign up before Nov. 15, the cost is now $45. Music will be sent in the mail. Visit mennoniteyouthchoir.com for registration instructions and additional details.

Join us each Wednesday for Bible study, personal enrichment, and fellowship. There is something for everyone!

Start your evening with the Fellowship Meal, served from 5:45-6:30 in the Fellowship Hall. Classes begin at 7:00. 

Adults can choose from three electives:

TACTICS, an 8-week video series led by Matt and Lilia Wheeler in room 15, provides a game plan for communicating the truth about Christianity with confidence and grace.

BIBLE STUDY - Genesis, Pt. 2, led by Pastor Jim Schwartz, meets in the Chapel. 

THE EDGE, led by teachers and participants of the younger adult Sunday School classes, meets in room 13 and focuses on younger adults.

Kids and teens participate in exciting, age-appropriate activities:

Youth meet in the Youth Room

Grades 1-5 - Bible Skills, Drills, and Thrills! in the Family Life Center

Age 4 - K - SuperBook Gizmo Go! in the room at the bottom of the ramp

Age 0 - 3 in the Toddler Nursery

Christmas Cookies: Youth will be decorating Christmas cookies after church next Sunday, Dec. 3, and delivering those cookies to our Swiss Village congregants on Sunday, Dec. 10. We will provide lunch both days, so please sign up!

Contribute to the needs of our community by participating in Project Share. You can place your donations on the table in the foyer or in the box inside the east entrance of the church.  Suggestions for each month are listed below, but all donations are appreciated.

• January - Cereal & Baby Food
• February - Monetary Donations
• March - Vegetables
• April - Boxed/Pouched Side Dishes
• May - Cake, Brownie, Muffin Mixes
• June - Paper Products
• July - Personal Hygiene Products
• August - Feminine Hygiene Products
• September - Canned Meat
• October - Soups
• November - Pasta
• December - Beans

Did you know that we have an exercise class that meets for a half hour at the church three times a week? Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:00 a.m. in the Family Life Center we gather for a fun time of walking and aerobic exercise. With the help of a 30-minute work-out video, we exercise and/or walk the equivalent of two miles! Please come join us!

Do you have a Right Now Media account? This resource provides access to over 20,000 Bible study and devotional videos for youth and adults as well as a library of popular, safe kids' shows that you can view anytime, anywhere, and from any device. Activate your FREE account by going to https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/1stMenn. 

Our church app is available to download from either the App Store or Google Play. Active features of the App include Giving, Contact/Pray, Events/Info, Directory, Calendar, Services, Messages, and your Profile.