Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
– James 4:8 –
Christmas is a favorite season for many of us – parties and gatherings, laughter with family and friends, and extra time off from work. In addition to all these good things, our hope is that you will especially take time this season for the best thing… drawing near to Christ and experiencing His presence.
CHURCH-WIDE CELEBRATIONS
Christmas Eve Morning Worship
Sunday, December 24 | 10:00 am
Merry Christmas! We will worship together at 10:00 am in the Worship Center. Life Groups, Youth, and Children’s Ministries will not meet so that you may worship as a family on these special mornings! Children’s Ministry will have Praise Packs available in the Commons for the kids: worship bingo, activity pages, stickers, crayons, and more. We will live stream the service, so our church family can join us from anywhere!
Christmas Eve Candlelight Services
Sunday, December 24 | 3:30 and 5:00 pm
Celebrate the birth of Jesus with your First Woodway Family! Bring the kids in their pajamas and share in the Christmas joy with carols, hymns, and a special story time for the kids. It will be a wonderful evening to worship Jesus, the King of the World! 3:30 and 5:00 pm in the Worship Center.
New Year’s Eve Morning Worship
Sunday, December 31 | 10:00 am
Happy New Year! We will worship together at 10:00 am in the Worship Center. Life Groups, Youth, and Children’s Ministries will not meet so that you may worship as a family on these special mornings! Kids can pick up activity pages and worship bingo games in the foyer. We will live stream the service, so our church family can join us from anywhere!
Christmas Missions Offering | Throughout December
As a church, First Woodway has strongly supported missions projects through giving, including those promoted by the Southern Baptist Convention. We combine these giving opportunities into one offering – the Christmas Missions Offering. Your designated gift to this offering will be divided among these four groups:
* 50% to Lottie Moon – benefits international missions
* 20% to Annie Armstrong – benefits North American missions
* 20% to Mary Hill Davis – benefits state missions
* 10% to First Woodway Missions – benefits local and international missions
Over the month of December, we ask that you remember the Christmas Missions Offering as you designate your gifts. You can find blue offering envelopes at the Welcome Center during the month of December, or you can give online.
Year-End Giving
If you would like to make a year-end donation to the church budget or toward the annual Christmas Missions Offering, please do so on or before Sunday, December 31, 2023. Please keep the following information about 2023 tax deductions in mind when submitting your donations:
// Online gifts (made through the website or on the app) must be made by 11:59 pm CST on Sunday, December 31.
// Checks delivered to the office must be received on or before Friday, December 29 by noon, as our office will be closed the rest of the day.
// Checks sent by mail must be postmarked by December 31.
All checks received in the offering on Sunday, December 31, 2023 will be counted as 2023 contributions.
MINISTRY CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS
“Peace On Earth” Christmas Coffee House
Runs Nov 27 – Dec 14 | The Venue
It’s that time again! Our annual Peace On Earth Coffee House is a place for you to share coffee and conversation with a friend or neighbor. Opening Day is Monday, November 27. The coffee house will be open from 6:30 -10:00 am on Monday through Thursday for three weeks, ending December 14. Come enjoy coffee and other drinks, breakfast food and pastries, and a wonderful safe space to enjoy some friends and fellowship, or just some Peace on Earth.
GoodTimers “Joyous Christmas Celebration”
Tuesday, December 12 | 6:00 pm | Worship Center
Our Christmas GoodTimers meeting is going to be a wonderful time of celebration of God’s greatest gift. Your dinner for the evening will be a delicious dinner of pork tenderloin, potatoes, vegetables, dinner rolls and GoodTimers’ homemade desserts. This delicious dinner as well as the entertainment will cost only $10 per person.
The Christmas program will feature the Baylor Religious Choir presenting a concert of Christmas music that will inspire you and warm your heart as you move into the joyous celebration of Christmas. We will also be sending Christmas greeting cards to residents and homebound all over Waco/Woodway area. Online reservations open up November 15, and you can purchase tickets here.
Neighborhood “Care-oling”
Wednesday, December 13 | 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Neighborhood Care-oling is one way you can serve a world in need this holiday season by caring for unchurched friends, homebound, and those in our church who need a little encouragement. We gather in the Commons at 5:30 pm for pizza and prayer over the evening, then we form groups and head out into area neighborhoods to sing carols. Whether you can join us or not on this special night, we’d still appreciate our church family providing us names of those we can put on our caroling list. RSVP here to join us for caroling, and email Lynn Brooks with the names and addresses of anyone we can bless with caroling.
Youth “Christmas & Cookies” | Wednesday, December 13
Prime Time: 6:30 – 7:45 pm, MAC, A200
WNL: 7:00 – 8:15 pm, The Venue
On Wednesday, December 13, we will have an “invite night” at both Prime Time and WNL! The theme is Christmas & Cookies and it’s your opportunity to pull out your favorite Christmas attire. Anything goes – Christmas PJ’s, ugly sweaters, dress up like your favorite Christmas movie character. Bring your friends and make the most of the Christmas season! We will have cookies and more!
Christmas Pickleball Tournament
Saturday, December 16 | 8:00 am – Noon | MAC
Calling all pickleballers and those who might like to be a pickleballer! You’re invited to our annual Christmas Pickleball Tournament taking place in the MAC. Mark your calendar and look for more details to come.
Woodway Kids: Happy Birthday, Jesus!
Sunday, December 17 | 9:30 am Sunday School Classes
Our annual Happy Birthday, Jesus, parties will be held during the 9:30 am Sunday School hour on December 17. We will play games, do crafts, have a special snack, and hand out gifts. In addition to that, we are asking our families to bring the following, which will be donated to or First Woodway Food Pantry:
// Ones & Twos: Cereal
// Threes & Fours: Crackers
// Kindergarten: Mac & Cheese
// 1st Grade: Peanut Butter
// 2nd Grade: Strawberry or Grape Jelly
// 3rd Grade: Pancake Mix & Syrup
// 4th Grade: Canned Vegetables (corn, green beans, pinto beans, etc.)
// 5th Grade: Canned Fruit (mixed fruit, peaches, etc.)
Youth Winter Hayride | Wednesday, December 20
Jr High: 6:00 – 7:45 pm / High School: 8:00 – 9:45 pm
Meet in the Parking Lot of New Day Family Fellowship (1861 Church Road, McGregor)
Bring your friends and cozy up for a hayride through the countryside under the stars. We end up at a bonfire, sipping on hot chocolate and hot cider, for a special time of worship and scripture reading. It’s one of our favorite Christmas traditions!