What's Going On - Are You Ready for Next Year? December 10, 2025
What’s Going On? Are You Ready for Next Year
I know we are in the throes of Christmastime, but it is just a fact that at least a little planning needs to be done before we change the calendar to 2026. So here are a few events and dates to be aware of for next year.
Men’s Ministry – I reached out to at least 50 men of Mountainview and then gathered with 10 of them to plan an event for men. On Saturday, January 24, 2026, we will be hosting a men’s “breakfast”. It will be coffee and donuts, so have your protein and fruit ahead of time if you must. We plan to gather, share some of the conversation that has been happening already, invite guys to share a bit about themselves and their journey, and hopefully walk away with a sense of what might work moving forward. At this point, there is one event planned. This event will help us decide what more and what else might happen. All men are invited.
LIT – This summer, we had a large and successful Leader-In-Training program with KidsCamp. Coming out of that, we have recognized a need and desire for some of these grade 6-8 students to keep growing. Pastor Kristy and I met with three LIT-age students and, with them, planned an initial event. On Sunday, January 25, from 2-5 pm, we will gather around snacks and games with the main focus being on sharing our stories. We have found that our leading group is eager to have their peers in a conversation about faith. We couldn’t be more excited to facilitate this. We are focusing on inviting the LIT group from the summer, as they are mostly not in church programs, but we will, of course, welcome anyone in that age group.
Lenten Guided Prayer – We are going to run the Guided Prayer event much like last year. It will coincide with the season of Lent (mid-February through April 5). Each week, there will be a handout with Bible verses for personal prayer and group sharing using Lectio Divina. The Sunday message will connect with the same biblical material. Our theme this year will be the Passion Story - diving into the events that happened during the last week of Jesus’ life. Like last year, Small Groups are being asked if they want to participate. New groups will be formed if you don’t have one that is participating. A new twist this year is the opportunity to sign up with a trusted friend to work through the material together for a more personal experience. Mostly, we want you to have the opportunity to experience Guided Prayer in the way that will work best for you.
Alpha – We have usually run Alpha once a year in the fall. However, since there is enough interest, it will be happening again starting on Tuesday, January 13, at 7:30 pm in the Fireside Room. We are considering combining Alpha and Lenten Guided Prayer by pausing the Alpha videos for Lent in order to do Guided Prayer work. That will be a group decision.
If you want more information or have questions on any of these things, please reach out. Mark your calendars and then go back to your regular December activity.
Pastor Erick Schuringa
