Welcome to 366 Days of Prayer

We are looking forward to a Christ-centered year here at Foothills Church in 2012. Last year, we kept track of our Bible reading with a simple tool (that you can download the Bible Reading Checklist here) and then Tim treated those of us to breakfast on New Year's Day. We also took to consider our tithes to the church.

In 2012, we are again tracking our Bible reading (with breakfast to follow) and taking this opportunity to pledge a tithe to Foothills. And we are introducing 366 Days of Prayer.

Tim started 366 Days of Prayer on Sunday by handing out several blank journals. We'll have more this Sunday and will end up with about nine Prayer Books total.

The Prayer Books are meant to be a place where our church body shares in prayer together. We hope that at the end of 2012 we'll receive all nine books back filled with the passions of our people.

If you have a Prayer Book, write, draw or express your prayers creatively each day that you have it. Make it as creative or simple as you want. Just be sure to use it when you have it. Pass it on to another Footie when you're done. Want to keep it a week? Great; bring it to church the next Sunday and pass it on.

Not sure how to pray? Check the weekly email newsletter or Sunday bulletin for guidance on what we're praying for as a church body.

Want a Prayer Book? Look for one on Sunday or ask your Group Leader to get one.

Further guidance on how or what to pray:
1. Read 1 Timothy Chapter 3 and write a prayer for the Elders, Pastors and Deacons of Foothills.
2. Write a prayer for God to forgive you, change you, heal you, free you, use you and glorify Jesus.
3. Drive around town with fresh eyes and write a prayer for the people, homes and community you see.
4. Write a prayer for the Church in our area.
5. Write a prayer for a friend who hasn't met Jesus.

"For God so loved the world that He gave..."

We're taking a break from our Revelation series in December and January as we take time to focus on the birth of Jesus and the incredible gift He gave us.

There are a number of ways we are celebrating Christmas. Join in the fun as a family, a grandparent or as a single person with friends. These activities are built around the idea of generosity.

Week of November 27: Make a video of your family singing “Silent Night” and send it to Bart, bart@foothillsstayton.org by December 18.
Read together: John 1:1-18

Week of December 4: Orange Sunday
    8:30: Regular Gathering
    10:15: Fusion for Families
Wrap a present up for someone who isn’t expecting it.
Read together: Matthew 1:18-25

Week of December 11: Bake Christmas cookies and share them with your neighbors.
Gingerbread House Building: 10-noon, Dec. 17 (Bring a base to build on, a box of graham crackers and candies to share. We'll provide the frosting).
Read together: Luke 2:1-14

Week of December 18: Sleep under the Christmas tree together. Make a Nativity scene out of toys, take a picture of it and send it to Elena, elena@foothillsstayton.org.
Deliver Christmas baskets to needy families.
Read together: Luke 2:15-32

Christmas Eve at Foothills, Dec. 24
    4:30pm: Tailgating dinner in the parking lot
    5:30pm: Gathering (Nursery care available)

Christmas Day at Foothills, Dec. 25
Christmas Sweater Sunday! Wear your favorite Christmas sweater to church this morning.
    10:15am: Gathering (Nursery care available; no Children's Ministry; no 8:30am gathering)

Feeding the heart of the community

At Foothills, we like to say that Generosity flows through open hands and whole hearts. And in December, kids at Foothills will learn that Generosity can be thought of as making someone's day by giving something away.

So it's exciting to see that the Annual Thanksgiving Community Dinner at the Covered Bridge Cafe is in its sixth year. That's six years of people making dinner and serving it up for free to anyone who wants to come.

This year, 750 people are expected at the dinner. Anyone can come from 4-8pm, on Wednesday, Nov. 23. Volunteer workers will even bring meals to people in Stayton & Sublimity who can't leave home if they call the cafe by Nov. 22 (503.767.3945).

We are privileged at Foothills to be the ones who help make and serve the dinner and we are invited to help fund the dinner through donations. Let us know you want to help serve the meal by contact Gary & Julie Woelfle; monetary donations can be made at the cafe, 510 N Third Ave., downtown Stayton.

Making the Food Drive Orange

Download our Food Drive pdf here!At Foothills, we like to say that the light of the church (yellow) and the heart of the family (red) combine to make Orange, so that two combined influences have a greater impact than just two influences.

We're making our annual Food Drive Orange, thanks to a few simple steps that you can download right here. So awesome.

All of this goodness benefits the Stayton Food Bank. The food bank's most wanted items are peanut butter, canned fruit & vegetables, pasta & rice, pasta sauce, tuna and canned meals. We're accepting donations now through Oct. 30 in the church foyer.

Thanks to you!

Clothing Drive: Loving on our community

We're collecting new and gently used clothes for the August 20 Back to School Fair at Stayton Middle School. This event is attended by over 900 people, many of whom take advantage of the free clothing available for their families.

‧ Drop off donations now through August 14 at Foothills Church. Deposit boxes are in the foyer and under the covered storage area out back.

‧ Donations should be something you'd wear or you'd let your children wear. We even take new items!

‧ We'll be sorting clothing in August - stay tuned for ways you can help out!

Questions? Send them to info@foothillsstayton.org. Thanks for being awesome.