Dear Mountain View Community, as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day fall during the week this year, we wanted to give you an early look at our worship service schedule so you have plenty of time in advance for planning a day and time to join us. Please also note the following:

*No Saturday worship on Dec. 21st and Dec. 28th.

*Regular Sunday worship on Dec. 22nd and Dec. 29th, 9:15 & 11:00am. 

We're looking forward to seeing you here with your family, friends, and out-of-town relatives. All are welcome. 

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It's easy to get into a routine - sleep, work, eat, repeat. Rarely, however, does part of this routine include getting together with other men to learn and grow. That is where Expedition comes in.

This year, we'll spend time looking at the power of our words. As a man, what we say carries weight. Whether it is to your family, friends or in business, it is our responsibility to use that power wisely. Join us November 22-23 as we explore how we as men can use that responsibility wisely to build up those around us the way God intended us to.

Check out the video and website here, then sign up and come learn what it means to be a Christ-Centered man while getting to know up to 200-other guys.

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Thanksgiving Food Drive: If you would like to help needy families in our community at Thanksgiving, please join us as we partner with the Urbana Food Bank. Starting next weekend, November 16-17, you can drop off items at our new Compassion Corner, located on the second floor at the top of the stairs above the North (rear) church entrance. Suggested donations include stuffing mixes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, canned vegetables (green beans, corn, etc.), cranberry sauce, gift cards to buy turkeys and hams, apples and oranges, or any other Thanksgiving-related items or non-perishable foods. Donations will be collected every weekend until Thanksgiving.  Questions? Please contact:

Sandy Sherman: (301) 253-4334,  Sandy1sherman@aol.com.

Cindy Ernest, (443) 690-3412,  clernest@comcast.net. 

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Operation Christmas Child: Good news! Great Joy! We've already received our first 2-shoeboxes! Add to our number and bring your shoebox in this weekend! Remember to not only fill it with items, but also with prayer because Jesus is the true gift the children will receive. We still have empty shoeboxes in the lobby, so it's not too late to pick one up!

*There are still some 9-10:30 spots left for our children's packing party (K-5th grade) on  Saturday, November 16th. Contact Beth Stafford at bethann311@comcast.net to sign your child up.  An adult must be in attendance. As always, if you have more stuffers than fit in your box, please consider donating them for us to pack additional shoeboxes during Collection Week. Questions? Again, contact Beth Stafford at  bethann311@comcast.net.

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Women's Christmas Brunch: Saturday, December 14th, 10:00 am to Noon. Ladies, our annual Christmas Brunch is about a month away, and there's still time to join us, so click here to register online today. We'll celebrate the start of the Christmas season at Ceresville Mansion with joyful fellowship and a special time of sharing from Kate Humphries. Cost is $25 per person with scholarships available based on need. Invite your friends and family, too; don’t delay, spaces are limited and our registration deadline is December 6th. We hope to see you there. For questions or additional information, please contact Coleen Trainor at coleen.trainor@mvccfrederick.com.

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Surviving the Holidays: Are the holidays tough for you since you lost a loved one? If so, please join us on November 7th at 7:00 in Classroom 116 in the lower level of the church to attend our Surviving the Holidays session. You will view a 40-minute video filled with practical holiday survival tips and real-life stories of people who have navigated the season after their loved one’s death.  You will also have an opportunity to hear from other attendees who will explain how they are dealing with the holidays, as well as share your struggles, if you want. There is no pressure to speak if you do not feel comfortable.

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Ladies Night Out: Are you looking to make connections and grow in relationships at MVCC? Please come to Ladies Night Out on Thursday, November 14th from 6:30-8:30pm here at Mountain View. Dinner is provided as well as lots of encouragement and fellowship! Hope to see you there!

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Women's Retreat Planning: Ladies, we've just started planning for our annual getaway on February 28th to March 1st, and we need your help and input. Contact Joanna Hart at mvccwomen@mvccfrederick.com if you're interested in participating.

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Orphan and Vulnerable Children's (OVC) Ministry Upcoming Events: Global Orphan Sunday, November 10th, 2:30-5:30 pm at Damascus Road Community Church. We will be presenting the Life in Limbo simulation for Orphan Sunday and we encourage you to make plans to join us for the interactive experience where you can see what life is like in foster care. We will have several different local agencies available to answer your questions about how you can get involved in the lives of vulnerable children in our area with everything from delivering a meal to fostering or adopting. There will be childcare available as well as light refreshments. Sign up here. 

Adoption Support Group: Sunday, November 17th, from 4:00-6:00 pm at MVCC. If you have adopted or are in the process of adopting or even thinking about adopting, please join us for our bi-monthly meeting. This month, we will focus on questions you might have as you start your journey. Come with questions for our adoptive families who have walked this path and love to share their stories.

OVC Informational Meeting: Sunday, November 24th from 12:30-2:00 pm (after the 11:00am service). We will focus on how we can serve youth and families here in Frederick County. We will have representatives from both Frederick County's Department of Social Services and Frederick County's THRIVE, which is a new program designed to assist young adults (ages 18-24) as they transition from foster care to adulthood. Join us for lunch and more information about how to get involved here in Frederick County.

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Children's Ministry Event: MVCC’s Children’s Christmas Program, "Merry Christmas to All”, will be held Saturday, December 7th. Mark your calendar to attend either at 9:30 or 11:30. Kids in Lily Pond through 5th Grade will perform several songs. We’ll be wearing pajamas, eating pop-tarts, and proclaiming good news that will bring great joy to all the people!

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Third Saturday Serve: November 16th. Let's keep on Loving Frederick this November! We can either serve breakfast at United Fire Company in downtown Frederick at 7:30 am or visit residents at Pleasant View Nursing Home from 4pm to 6pm (Families welcome). Click here for more information and to sign up.

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There's always something going on at Mountain View Community Church to help you connect, grow, and serve, and we try to keep you up-to-date on those happenings here in our weekly eNews. But we also encourage you to check out our website, mvccfrederick.com, for a more comprehensive look into our respective ministries and groups, where you'll find information on things like men's and women's Bible studies, Mom's Connect, student events, children's programs, and Missions and Community Outreach opportunities.