December 12, 2007

Hi folks, there is some very important and exciting news in this edition of the loop so be sure to read it all. We only have 2 weeks left in our Plastic Jesus series. Christmas is a great time of year to invite a friend to church and our focus these next two weeks should connect well with folks who aren't followers of Jesus as we talk about the resurrection this week and invite people to start a relationship with Jesus next week.

Just to clarify we are not planning to have any type of Christmas ever service or event. We encourage you to take time to be with your family both immediate and extended and if a service on Christmas Eve is a special part of your Christmas celebration we encourage you to visit one of the many churches throughout HRM that will having one. We are also going to be doing something a little different on Sunday December 30th (the Sunday between Christmas and New Years). We will not be having our usual worship gathering in the morning instead we are going to be doing a compassionate outreach together. Full details are below under "Compassionate Ministries".

The Current Ministry Schedule runs out at the end of the month. Next week's Loop will include a schedule for January very similar to the one we have been using thus far. If there are Sundays in January that you can't be at worship please let Jennifer vanGennip know so she can take that into account when preparing the schedule. We will put out a new and more long-term schedule for February that will have some refined job assignments and include a bunch of people who have connected to Deep Water since Launch and want to be involved.

December brings us some exciting opportunities to make a difference in our city! We're going to be partnering with Pax North to reach out to families in need in the North End. You can be involved in Deep Water's efforts by signing up for the following items:

Pre-Christmas Shopping - We're going to buy some Christmas gifts for Pax North to give to a selected family in need with 4 children, 2 nine year old girls, an 8 year old boy and a 6 year old girl. We have been given a list of "wish list" items for each (items are roughly $20). Please let me know if you'd like to buy an item or two and if you have a preference of which child.

December 30 - Between 2pm and 8pm we will be assisting Pax North in their 1st annual Community Supper event. Please let me know how you'd like to be involved.

• 2 - 4pm: Cleaning and setting up the facility.
• 4 - 6pm: Serving the meal, logistics, security, helping with children
• 6 - 8pm: Cleanup

Please bring a casserole, salad or desert (nut free if possible).

Also needed - Mops, digital camera with slide show feature.

Finally, I'd like for us to provide the draw prizes for the event in the form of gift certificates for Tim Hortons and SuperStore (in the amounts of $25).

Please email Bryan Wiens with questions and to sign up. Please indicate how you will participate no later than Sunday, December 16.

Please continue to invite your one degree to Deep Water events and services. Over the Christmas and New Year's holidays we will all have plenty of chances to reconnect with lots of people (friends, family, coworkers, Facebook acquaintances). Be sure to use the Deep Water invite postcards and online evites to let people know what's going on and how they can be a part of it.

Stay tuned for some new marketing approaches, both intensely unexpected and immensely practical, in the new year.

Please send your suggestions and feedback to Robin.

In January we will be doing a new series on community in anticipation of a February launch of small groups at Deep Water! More details to follow but for now just be excited and get ready for another important step in Deep Water's development. I'm stoked.

And now you're in the loop.

AJ

AJ Thomas
Lead Pastor - Deep Water Church