Week-at-a-Glance and Ministry Announcements
In this post you’ll find the calendar of events for the coming week plus the latest announcements from the ministries of Fourth. Also, don’t miss today’s Midweek Update email. See the footer of this page to subscribe to weekly updates from Fourth Church.
WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE
Wednesday, December 22
5:30 p.m. | Congregational Prayer, Online
Friday, December 24
5:00 p.m. | Family Christmas Eve Service, Upper Room
7:00 p.m. | Christmas Eve Communion Service, Sanctuary
11:00 p.m. | Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, Sanctuary
Sunday, December 26
8:00, 9:30, & 11:00 a.m. | Sunday Morning Services, Sanctuary
8:30 a.m. | Congregational Prayer, The Commons
6:00 p.m. | Evening Service, Sanctuary
Ongoing activities: Children’s Sunday School, Youth Sunday School, Special Blessings Sunday School, Young Adults, and Community Groups.
MINISTRY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Adult Education
Fall Sunday School Classes have concluded and will resume January 9. Learn more.
Wednesday Night Adult Class | “The Biography of a Christian,” January 12-March 23, 6:45-7:30 p.m., via Zoom, taught by Dr. Rob Norris. The Zoom link will be included in the Midweek Update sent every Wednesday morning; email Genna Repich if you are not receiving it. No registration is required.
Contact: Kathy Lofberg, klofberg@4thpres.org
Children’s Ministry
Parents, please check in your children before classes at the computers at the Children’s Welcome Center on the first floor or the computers outside the Children’s Library on the second floor. Face masks are required for Sunday School, Cherub Church, and Children’s Church.
December 26 Sunday School classes | The 1st through 5th grade Sunday School classes will not meet on December 26. At 9:30 a.m., classes for age 2 through kindergarten will meet; at 11:00 a.m., Cherub and Children’s church will meet. Nursery will be provided at both 9:30 and 11:00. a.m. services.
Nursery | Sundays during the 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. services, infants-2 years old. Face masks are not required.
Cherub Church | Sundays, 11:00 a.m. service, age 2 to pre-kindergarten. Children begin in their classroom and are escorted by their teachers to Cherub Church for singing and teaching. They are escorted back to their classrooms for crafts and activities. Parents please pick up your children in their classroom after the service.
Children’s Church | Sundays, 11:00 a.m. service, kindergarten to 3rd grade. Children will be dismissed before the sermon and accompanied by their teachers to Children’s Church. Parents please pick up your children from their classroom immediately after the service.
Contact: Paige Malkus, pmalkus@4thpres.org
Finance Department
Giving for 2021 is coming to a close. If you would like your contribution to be counted for the 2021 calendar year, it must be received by midnight on December 31. We can receive contributions in the mail after this date and count it toward your 2021 giving if it has a postmarked date no later than December 31.
Contact: Carol Menkis, cmenkis@4thpres.org
Men’s Ministry
Men’s Retreat | March 11-13, 2022, “Faithful Men in a Pagan World,” Sandy Cove Retreat Center, North East, MD. Registration will open in January.
Men’s Conference Audio | Audio of the lectures from the conference are available.
Men’s Breakfast | Fellowship breakfasts are resuming January 11, 6:30 a.m., Upper Room.
Contact: Dr. Robert Norris, rnorris@4thpres.org
Missions & Outreach
Romanian Christian Enterprises (RCE) | This Christmas give a baby lamb, flock of chickens, or fat little pig to a poor family in Romania or send an abandoned child to summer camp through RCE’s alternative Christmas gift program. See these and many other giving options that change lives at rcenterprises.org.
English Classes | Volunteer to be a conversation partner with a student. For more information contact englishclasses@4thpres.org.
Contact: Janie Randell, missions@4thpres.org
Mission DMV Opportunities
Drive-Through Collection & Food Drive | Saturday, January 8, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Bring contributions of food, diapers, clothing (socks, underwear, shoes, and boots), and household items in brown paper bags with handles. Donated items go to Fourth’s ministry partners and neighbors in the DMV.
Contact for Clothing and Household items: Pamela Roylance, proylance@4thpres.org
Contact for Food items: Janie Randell, SERVE@4thpres.org
Samaritan Inns Fellowship Dinner | Share a Sunday evening meal with residents at Samaritan Inn, Fairmont Inn (all men) and Huff House (all women). Volunteers will prepare, deliver, and share a meal with residents who are in a 3- to 6-month substance abuse treatment program and demonstrate God’s love and care for those in vulnerable stages of life.
Fellowship Dinner | Provide a portion of a dinner for 24 women and children at Clark Inn (Samaritan Inns’ Women with Children Program). Provide a main course, side dish, dessert, or beverage and deliver to a Bethesda home. Next opportunity is January 9.
Contact: Janie Randell, SERVE@4thpres.org
Music Ministry
Join one of the many ensembles for adults and children. Registration is open.
Choral
Celebration Choir (grades 1-2; director, Anna Tope)
Covenant Choir (grades 3-8; director, Ted Bickish)
High School Choir (grades 9-12; director, Wyeth Duncan)
Sanctuary Choir (adults; director, Ted Bickish)
Instrumental
Fourth Strings (age 6 and up; director, Briannah Steele)
Fourth Orchestra (high school and adults; director, Mary Clark)
Ring Forth! Handbell Choir (grades 3-6; director, Mary Clark)
Bells of the Trinity Handbell Choir (grades 6-12; director, Mary Clark)
Contact: Erin Jones, ejones@4thpres.org
Women’s Ministry
Bible Studies | Begin the new year with our weekly Bible study, G2G, with a study on II Corinthians, Knowing the Bible, J. I. Packer, Dane C. Ortlund There are four options (in person and via Zoom) to gather, all beginning the week of January 10 and concluding the week of March 21, to be followed by a six-week study on the I AM’s of Jesus. Visit the Women’s Ministry webpage for more information.
Women’s Ministry Retreat | Saturday, February 26, 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m., Westfields Marriott, Chantilly, VA. Hear author/speaker Ellen Vaughn at our one-day retreat discuss “Bold Hope” based on 2 Corinthians 3:12, “Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” We will have small group discussions, two workshops, and good food. More information to follow.
Contact: Jean Bronson, jbronson@4thpres.org