Bixby Knolls Christian Church
(a Disciples of Christ Church)
(562) 426-0428
the Fellowship News
NUMBER XX
Dear friends,
I know that an ongoing concern of many is the fu-
ture of the church. I hear people ask: How can we
grow? How can we attract new members? How can
we more effectively share the good news of Jesus
Christ to a world that is so desperately in need of
wholeness?
In answering these questions, I think we can learn
something from the history of missionary work. We
know that, too often, missionaries have tried to
“convert the heathens” without taking the time to build
relationships or understand the culture. Too often, they
have failed miserably, and their goal of sharing the
good news instead resulted in culture wars and rebel-
lion. The lesson learned is this: before you can share
the good news, you need to learn the culture, learn the
language, and build relationships.
Today, we live in an unchurched society. We live
in a mission field. The question is: How well do we
understand today’s culture? How well have we built
relationships with those who are unchurched? How
well do we even understand the language of 21st cen-
tury America?
Our unchurched culture does not understand the
language of hymns and doxologies. Our unchurched
culture does not relate to a world of committee meet-
ings and Tuesday night Bible study in the church li-
brary. Talking about such things to young, 21st century
Americans sounds as strange to them as social net-
works, podcasts, and virtual communities sound to
many of us. (And if you don’t know what social net-
working, podcasts, and virtual communities are, then
you don’t know the language of 21st century America.)
If we want to be effective missionaries to our 21st
century world, we need to speak the language. We
need to understand the culture.
This is why we often use guitars and drums in wor-
ship. This is why we use powerpoint images. This is
why we have a website and facebook page.
But there is still more we can do. There is still
more we can learn.
I am starting to develop an online Bible study and fel-
lowship group for our church. If we want to reach
NOVEMBER 30, 2010
young people, we need to go where they are, and many
of them are online. It is there that they are asking ques-
tions of faith. It is there that we need to be.
Does this mean we need to give up the language
and culture that is familiar to us? Certainly not. Such
things are too important, and even young people want
to have the traditions of the past shared with them. But
we cannot rely on them exclusively to reach new gen-
erations.
It’s not easy to be a missionary. It’s not easy learn-
ing a new language or adapting to a new culture. I
know a number of people who have served as mission-
aries, and have heard of their struggles and challenges.
But I have also heard the stories of lives that were
blessed and transformed; not only the lives of those to
whom they ministered, but the lives of the missionaries
themselves.
God calls us to be missionaries. God calls us to
share good news with an unchurched society. Are we
ready to take on the challenges – and receive the bless-
ings – of being missionaries?
Pastor Danny
A prayer for
Bixby Knolls Christian Church:
Use me to bring wholeness to my
neighbor.
Use my church to bring wholeness to
our community.
Show us how your kingdom of shalom
can be made real on earth through
us.
IN THIS ISSUE -
~ FROM THE PASTOR
~ NEWS & NOTES
~ JUST A JINGLE BELL NOTE
~ CWF NEWS
 2011 Camps and Retreats

21st Annual Women’s Convocation

March 11-12, 2011
Doubletree Hotel, Orange, CA

featuring Rev. Amy Gopp, director of Week of

Compassion, and singer/songwriter Andra
Moran

Junior High 2011 General Assembly

July 9 – 13, 2011 ● Nashville, TN
JANboree
“Coloring Outside the Lines”
(for grades 6-8)

January 14-17, 2011

at Loch Leven

Early bird registration deadline: Dec.

17.

FebCamp 2011 Summer Camp

at Loch Leven
“Seek the Peace
You Long to Hear” Mini Camp (grades 2-3) – July 6-9
(for grades 9-12) Jr. Camp (grades 4-6) – June 26-July 2
Chi-Rho Camp (grades 7-8) – July 17-23
February 18-21, CYF 1 (grades 9-10) – July 24-30
2011 CYF 2 (grades 11, 12, & ’11 graduates) –
at Pilgrim Pines July 31-Aug. 6

Early bird registration deadline: Jan. 17, 2011 Registration forms for winter camps & retreats are now
available in the church office, or online through the re-
gional website: www.disciplespswr.org.

Registration forms for spring & summer events will be

available soon.
Disciples Men
Regional Retreat December Board Meeting
April 29 - May 1, 2011 December 7
7:00 pm
at Loch Leven room 115
 Just a Jingle Bell Note!!

Advent Season is off and ringing! We opened the season with Advent Orchestra, from beginners with 3
weeks experience (Madison Kobel) to seasoned Professionals (Ken Brown)! We hope that the orchestra
grows larger as the season continues!! Give me 2 or 3 days notice and I will try to have music for anyone
who would like to play.

Handbells and Chancel Choir ushered in the season with their rendition of "Gloria in Excelsis Deo". We will
be hearing more from these two groups together as the season progresses!

SAVE THE DATE for Sunday Dec 12 for the choir's rendition of Pepper Choplin's
Night of the Father's Love
It speaks to everyone's excitement and events leading to and including the birth of our Lord! Angels are
Making Their Rounds is currently the choir's favorite song. Come hear about Seeking the King and there
are even parts for the congregation to sing with us! It will be a wonderful musical Christmas experience.

NOTE***rehearsals start at 6:30 with a dress rehearsal starting on Saturday the 10th sometime after
1:30pm…help is needed so if you have time, offer your help to us and receive an unscheduled blessing!!

Heavenly Halos will be singing on Sunday Dec 19th a wonderful traditional carol, Il Est Ne! But they will sing it
in English!! Come hear this wonderful quartet of voices bless us with their song!

This is also the Sunday of the Children's Christmas pageant

Love Came Down at Christmas

and will be a delight to one and all. Talk to Gretchen Rugh about participating in this wonderful Event.

So Save the dates and invite your friends and neighbors…..

December 5 Advent Orchestra and Alternative Christmas
December 12 Advent Orchestra, Handbells special music
Night of the Father's Love--Chancel choir
December 19 Advent Orchestra, Heavenly Halos sing, Choir and Handbells special music,
Love Came Down at Christmas! children's pageant
 Last Enchilada Day???
CWF has tentatively scheduled an Enchilada
Sale for March 21st. A deadline of Feb 1 has
been set for the final decision. By then we
will need a firm commitment of workers for
that Saturday to be able to continue.
The Christian Women’s Fellowship has been
having our Enchilada sale for over 50 years.
It is our major fund raiser to meet our
$4000.00 budget. All but $290.00 goes to
outreach programs with $2600 being sent to
Disciples Outreach in Minneapolis for Mis-
sion programs.
Please help support this important program
by volunteering in January when we will be
requesting your help. Another important
way to help if you are unable to participate
on March 21st is to ask your family, friends
and neighbors to order our enchiladas. We
thank you for your help. It has been many
years that CWF could not have succeeded
without the help of all our BKCC members.
In Fellowship Hall you will
notice that the 2011 flower
chart is now up. Sign-up for
your respective dates and in-
dicate if you will be taking
one or both of the arrange-
ments with you following
worship service. Any remaining will be delivered to a
shut-in.
D ecember is the month of scrip but with limited
time!
The last day of Special orders is Sunday, December 12.
On December 19 scrip will be sold as usual.
Church members have been doing great in using the
Scrip program. Keep it up! BKCC benefits from your
purchases.
Take Note
The church office will be closed from December 27
thru January 3. The church secretary will be taking
some additional vacation time from January 4 thru
the 6. Pastor Danny will be in office during that
time.
 Bernadine Smith, daughter of Earlene Thomas,
passed away last week.
To have your news, joys, or concerns included in
next month’s newsletter, send a note to Pastor Danny at
dannybradfield@gmail.com, or call the church office.
Movie Night
December 18
6:30 pm
Fellowship Hall
Your donations to Eastmont are always appreciated.
As you consider your donation of Christmas gifts this
year, there is a need for infants, children under 6 years
of age and teens - both boys and girls. Thank you.
A song with a message?
According to folklore, the song “The 12 Days of
Christ-mas” was written to help young believers learn
about their faith. Although no evidence proves that claim,
some say the popular carol contains these codes:
The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ.
Two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments.
Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds are the four gospels.
The five golden rings are the Law: the first five books
of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying represent the six days of creation.
Seven swans a-swimming represent the gifts of the Holy
Spirit: prophecy, serving, teaching, exhortation,
contribution, leadership and mercy.
The eight maids a-milking are Jesus’ eight Beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing are the fruits of the Holy Spirit:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
The 10 lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments.
The 11 pipers piping stand for the 11 faithful disciples.
The 12 drummers drumming symbolize the 12
statements of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.
 Bixby Knolls Christian Church

Advent Workshop & Alternative Christmas

Sunday, December 5

Join us after our 10:15 worship service for this special annual event! The Advent Work-
shop will include crafts, music and a light lunch. There will also be plenty of
“alternative” shopping experiences for folks of all ages.

There will be 6-7 vendors for the Alternative Christmas. What do we mean by
“alternative?” Well, profits from the sale of these gifts support peace and justice
throughout the world. We will have arts and crafts that were made by indigenous
people around the world; every purchase supports their livelihoods. Do you have
friends and family who have everything? You can buy a chicken, goat, or even a cow
in their honor, which will be given to a poor family in a developing country.

Why give gifts that have little meaning, and which do little to bring wholeness to a
fragmented world? At the Advent Workshop and Alternative Christmas, you can help
spread the good news of Christmas to people in need around the world while showing
your love to your family and friends.

Mark your calendar for these other upcom-

ing Advent events at Bixby Knolls Christian
Church…
Dec. 12 Christmas Cantata, followed by
Advent Tea
Dec. 19 Children’s Christmas pageant,
10:15
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve worship, 5:30

Check us out on Facebook

www.facebook.com/bixbyknollschurch