O Lord God Almighty,

as you have taught us

to call the evening,
the morning, and the
noonday one day; and
have made the sun to
know its going down:
Dispel the darkness
of our hearts, that by
your brightness we may
know you to be the true
God and eternal light,
living and reigning for
ever and ever. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer

If I say, Surely the darkness will cover me,

and the light around me turn to night,
darkness is not dark to you, O Lord;
the night is as bright as the day;
darkness and light to you are both alike.
Psalm 139:11,12

Yours is the day, O God, yours also the night;

you established the moon and the sun.
You fixed all the boundaries of the earth;
you made both summer and winter.
Psalm 74:16,17

Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion,

and turns deep darkness into the morning,
and darkens the day into night;
who calls for the waters of the sea
and pours them out upon
the surface of the earth:
The Lord is his name.
Amos 5:8

a letter from Chatter

Chatter is
Editor
Julie Rhodes
Art Direction, Design & Goodness
Josh Wiese, Lindsey Sobolik, JD Lemming
Admin Extraordinaire
Victoria Andrews
Pastor to Hashtags
Scott McClellan, Communications Pastor
Photography
Evan Chavez (Photo Update)*
Writers
Andy McQuitty (A Why in a Manger)**
Jodie Niznik (Why Galatians)**
Jason Fox (Mo Myrrh, Mo Problems)*
Editorial Assistance/Proofing
Summer Alexander*, Annie Stone*
Thoughts, comments, ideas?
Contact Chatter at [email protected].
Need Chatter Digitally?
Chatter is on the web at
irvingbible.org/chatter.
Are you a media socialite?
Like Chatter on Facebook. Its so likeable.
*Most beloved and indispensable
Chatter Volunteer.
**Most beloved and indispensable
IBC staff member/elder.

AS CHRISTIANS WHO ARE ADVENT PEOPLE just as much as we are Christmas people, its natural for

us to acknowledge the darkness of our world. And not just acknowledge it, but to both fixate on it and fight
it tooth and nail. We struggle with it until dawn, like Jacob. And meanwhile, were straining to see the light;
our eyes squint in the shadows, trying to perceive the coming Advent: Jesus Christ, light-giver, dawnbreaker. Were looking for God of the light to come, but often we forget hes God of the shadows, too. The
darkness is not his doing, but it is his domain.

The other day my daughter was walking along the

sidewalk and found the smallest roly-poly youve
ever seen. This was a micro-poly and she loved its
little-ness and giggled as its almost-non-existent
legs glided over her palm. Madeline herself is a
tiny version of her kindergarten counterparts; a
6th-percentiler. I call her Teensy. A teensy girl for
a teensy bug. A girl made small who loves small
things. And when I think of Jesus coming into the
darkness, I think of the mud and soot and shadow
in which he wrapped himself to relate to us, his
nocturnal creatures.
He was not deterred by our sin. He was not put
off by our bad spiritual hygiene. He descended
into hell only after descending into earth, which
probably wasnt much further. And while he wept
in anguish over our death and hard-heartedness,
Jesus made an art of not fighting the darkness, per
se, but of subverting it. Using it to make the light
brighter. Like Caravaggio or Rembrandt, who used
both the extreme dark and light of chiaroscuro in
their art, Jesus came to black earth not to repaint it
an all-bright canvas, but to give its darkness depth
and dimension and meaning. His coming was a
little crack in the door of whats to come a little
light to read by, eat by, see by, until the day when he
will wipe away every tear from our eyes and there
will no longer be any night. So at Christmas, by all
means, lets try to imagine the blinding light of that
day. The vision of it is so bright for me sometimes,
its hard to see any other heavenly details by it. Too
much light can be more blinding than too much
darkness. We dont have eyes to see whats next.
Not yet.

But maybe its possible here on earth to see just

enough by the warm Christ-candle. Maybe if we
stop fighting what we cannot change, we will be
able to sit in the glow with a meal and with friends,
and know the sun is coming, and maybe put a light
in the window for weary travelers who pass our
door. Perhaps we stop with the fixating no more
fixating on the dark; only rapt attention on how
the light makes shapes and forms out of it. Lets
clap our eyes on the outlines of people and bread
and bowls and tables the shapes the light begins
to differentiate out from the pure black. Sure, the
room hasnt been bathed in ultraviolet radiance
not yet but at least now its a perceivable
room, an actual place, a real context. Suddenly,
the un-dimensional black has a foreground and
a background, a place where you can start to get
your bearings.
Christmas has many grand descriptions, but
maybe a simpler one is a place to get your bearings.
Because of Christmas, we have a savior who sits in
semi-darkness with us, showing us where to reach
for our cup and where our fork is and who is sitting
right there at our elbow. If advent is a time to wait
for the light, Christmas is a time to accept what
light has been given. Its warmth, its comfort, its
goodness, its glow can be enough, for now.

C HAT TE R FA C T I CON K EY
CULTURE

LANGUAGE

FOOD

LIFE

GENERAL

SCIENCE

GEOGRAPHY

TEXAS

HISTORY

TOMFOOLERY

REMINDER
December 28 will be a family-friendly
worship service at IBC. Childrens Ministry
will be available for nursery only. Questions?
Contact [email protected].

Roly-Polys can live

up to three years.

Chatter | 3

A Why in a Manger

or believers in Jesus Christ at Christmas, it is easy to ascertain he is the Son of God by great cathedrals soaring to
his glory, great literature inspired by his goodness, and great music evoked by his power. The world may smirk when
Christians affirm Jesus deity, but to those who believe, its a self-evident fact.

Whats often hard for believers is not that Jesus is the Son of God, but that he is the Son of Man; not that hes divine, but that
hes also human. Its just hard for us to picture him as a boy, scraping his knee and running with his buddies and living in a
family with at least one kid brother! But he did, and thats the greatest mystery and surprise of Christmas not the fact that
God came, but the way that he came as a real human child. The angel described it this way to the shepherds:
This will be a sign to you: You will nd a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger (Luke 2:12).

Chatter | 4

From birth to toilet training, the

average baby goes through about
8,000 diaper changes.

When the angel speaks of the sign, he uses a word that refers to a supernatural sign from God that no one could miss, like parting the Red Sea or
walking on water. Those events are signs that the God of the universe has
intervened in human history. And thats why verse 12 is so unusual. This
will be the sign. We would expect the next sentence to read, The moon
will turn to blood and the stars will spell out his name. But the sign of
Gods arrival? A wrapped child in a horse trough! Thus our natural tendency to miss the meaning of the manger:
Sweet little Jesus boy, born long time ago.
Sweet little holy child, we didnt know who you was.
Didnt know youd come to save us, Lord, to take our sins away.
Our eyes were blind, we couldnt see.
We didnt know who you was.
(Robert MacGimsey,, Sweet Little Jesus Boy)
We didnt know him, because we missed the sign. But lets not keep missing
it! Lets break down and understand the angels sign: a baby wrapped in
cloths and lying in a manger.
A BABY.

This Greek word means an infant or a newborn child. It is a totally

ordinary word used to describe the birth of an ordinary child. Even though
we speak of the virgin birth, lets remember that the real miracle occurred
at the moment of conception nine months earlier. Jesus physical birth
was just like yours or mine. So he started out as a real baby watching his
own hand in amazement, not understanding grown-up words, needing to
be changed and fed and washed and cared for just like any other baby. The
God who said, Let there be light also said, ga-ga! As Augustine wrote:
Maker of he sun, He is made under the sun. In the Father he remains.
From his mother he goes forth. Creator of heaven and earth, He was
born on earth under heaven. Unspeakably wise, He is wisely speechless.
Filling the world, He lies in a manger. Ruler of the stars, He nurses at his
mothers bosom. He is both great in the nature of God, and small in the
form of a servant (Saint Augustine of Hippo).

What does this mean? That Jesus relates to your struggles.

If you have two pianos together and strike a note on one, that same
note will gently sound on the other even though it is not touched. This is
called sympathetic resonance. Because Jesus was born and raised as a
human like us, when a chord is struck in the weakness of our heart, it
sympathetically resonates in his. There is no note of grief, loneliness,
disappointment, anxiety, sorrow, heartache, or suffering that can be
struck in your heart that he does not understand. Because Jesus was
born like us, he understands us!
Hebrews 2:17-18 confirms this:
For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order
that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God,
and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he
himself suered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are
being tempted.
WRAPPED IN CLOTHS.

So Jesus was born a baby, and he was also wrapped in cloths. In that day,
newborn babies were wrapped in strips of cloth to protect them from the
harsh elements. Mothers would wrap the arms and legs separately and

Bread was a form of currency

to the ancient Egyptians.

then wrap the torso until the baby looked liked an Egyptian mummy.
This severely restricted the childs movements, but in a world where babies
routinely died before their first birthday, it was a way to provide a crude
kind of protection.
Have you ever wondered what it must have been like for Christ to come as
a baby? From the total freedom of divinity, he assumed the total vulnerability of a newborn child. He went from chasing comets and sight-seeing
among the nebulae to a cramped cave where his once-free arms and legs
were tied up like a calf in a rodeo. From Universal Potentate, he descended
to the status of a prisoner, wrapped in cloths.
What does the binding of baby Jesus portend? Years later he would stand
before the Jewish authorities bound and guarded like he was a common
criminal. When falsely accused, he made no reply. When reviled, he refused
to answer in kind. He stood before his accusers with his hands and feet
shackled, awaiting the verdict that would end his life. It is no coincidence
that he entered the world as he left it bound and helpless. His swaddling
clothes had prophesied his bonds at execution. A why in a manger? Jesus
was bound for us to redeem us. He gave his life to purchase life for us. The
bound baby points to the work of a suffering Savior!
LYING IN A MANGER.

So the angels sign was a baby, swaddled, and lying in a manger. The word
manger means something like a stable or perhaps a feeding-trough. It
would have been a handy resting place for a newborn, strewn with hay and
elevated above the filthy floor. But like the coming of Messiah as a baby and
his binding in swaddling clothes, I dont believe any detail of Christs birth
narrative is without deep significance. Neither is this one. That Jesus was
born and immediately occupied a space designed to dispense life-giving
sustenance is not accident.
Later, Jesus would declare:
I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he
who believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35).
So Jesus Christ is bread to us. Jesus is the bread of life. In what sense?
I believe in the sense that he taught us the truth of God, which brings the
hope of God, which is the food of the soul. Jesus provides food for our souls
in the promises hes made. Afraid of death? Hes defeated it. Burdened with
care? Cast your cares on him. Afraid of loneliness? He will never leave or
forsake you. Disgusted with sin? He is faithful and just to forgive you your
sin and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.
It is an important thing that we do something with the whys of the manger. Jesus came to such a God-forsaken world in such a humiliating way to
show us that the Savior understands, the Savior redeems, and the Savior
feeds. Gloriously then, we affirm especially at Christmas that Jesus is
the Son of God and that he is the Son of Man! When we do, not only is this a
sign to us, but to the whole world.

The only thing Andy McQuitty loves better than riding his Harley when its
warm is riding his Harley when its cold.
Andy is IBCs senior pastor, and Elder Board member.

Chatter | 5

Why Galatians and Why Now?

This spring, Women at IBC begins a new study on the book of Galatians.
IBC Pastor to Women, Jodie Niznik, reects on her personal journey towards
freedom and why Galatians invites us to do the same.

became a Christian the summer

I turned 13. I had never attended
church, so I had no context for my
new faith. I misconstrued God to be
a big, bossy judge in the sky who was
just waiting for me to trip up. And
trip up I did over and over. Certain
these trip ups meant he crossed his
arms, sighed loudly and swiveled his
back to me, I would start to negotiate.
I would beg him to take me back and
would make all kinds of unattainable
promises to do better next time.
Of course, my doing better never
lasted long.
I would trip up again, renegotiate,
trip up, renegotiate. Because of my
sad misunderstanding of God, it felt
like a horribly unhealthy relationship. So, I gave up. I walked away
at 15 and then again at 19. But that
didnt work either. There was always
a deep longing and emptiness in my
soul that I could not ignore.
Finally, at 20 years old, I met some
people who had a healthy relationship with the Lord. It was quickly obvious that they werent shouldering
the same burden I was. They werent
making their faith contingent upon
their actions; rather, they were
letting their actions flow from their
faith. They also exuded joy the
complete opposite of what I knew in
my relationship with the Lord.

The more time I spent with them,

the more I started to learn some essential truths about Gods unconditional love for me. But there was still
a nagging sense of guilt that I was
always letting him down. I believed
he loved me because he had to, not
because he wanted to.

Funny thing is, to the outside

observer, things looked exactly the
same. I was doing many of the same
things. But the motivation had
completely changed. My interior life
was dramatically different. I was
transformed. My actions flowed out
of love.

My basic problem was that I didnt

know how to live out my relationship with God. I knew I was supposed to live differently, but since
I didnt know how, I just mimicked
what I saw others doing. The actions
werent necessarily wrong, but the
motivation was. I was still jumping through hoops in hopes I would
please God.

This study on Galatians comes out

of my life-changing experience in
that class years ago. The Galatians
were dealing with the same issues I
had dealt with. Outsiders had come
in to impose rules and regulations
on their faith and they werent sure
what to do. Paul responds with this
life giving, freedom-bringing letter.
Jesus has released us to live full lives
of love.

It wasnt until a few years later,

when I took an intensive class at my
church, that I started to understand
the truths of living by the grace
of God instead of the Law of God.
These truths seeped into my heart
and ultimately transformed my relationship with the Lord. I was finally
set free from my burden of trying to
do things to please God. And then
a beautiful thing started to happen.
Instead of serving God and others
out of fear or obligation, I started
serving out of love, empowered by
the Holy Spirit.

So why now, you ask? Because there

is no time like the present to embrace the freedom Jesus died to give
us. One more day living in guilt and
bondage is one more day too many.
We hope youll join us on this freedom journey. You have been released;
its time to start living like it.
Jodie Niznik loves dark chocolate
and strong coee. She does NOT,
however, like coming up with pithy
bylines. (Stick with the sweets, Jodie.
Well take it from here.)
Jodie is IBCs Pastor to Women.

Chatter | 6

Galatia was named for the ancient

Gauls, or Celts, who settled there
in the 3rd century B.C. So, basically,
Galatia is Irish. #PastorAndy

The word emancipation stems from

ex manus capere to detach
from the hand.

SPRING 2016 BIBLE STUDY

by Jodie Niznik
Jesus has set you free. Yet, many of us dont feel free. We
feel bound by guilt and shame certain our mishaps and
mistakes discredit us before God. But if Jesus died on the
cross for our sins, didnt he die for those things, too? Join
us as we dig into Galatians to discover what it really means
to be set free by Jesus.
Date: January April ,
(not meeting March and due to spring break)
Time: :-: a.m. or :-: p.m.
Location: The Commons, IBC
Cost: (includes workbook)
For more information and to register visit
irvingbible.org/women.
KidZone registration is also available. Registration closes on
January 4 at noon or earlier if full.

Chatter | 7

BACK IN OLDEN DAYS

(before 1972 for reasons that

make me middle-aged), Christmas
shopping was relatively easy. The
postman hauled the Sears Wish
Book to your house, your kids
tore out what they wanted and
taped the pictures to the dog, you
bought a few of said items along
with socks. If you were Dad, you
bought Mom some Prince Matchabelli and the expensive vacuum
cleaner. If you were Mom, you got
Dad bridge mix. You might buy
gifts for grandparents or the odd
cousin who just had a baby. At
most, youd get something for the
postman out respect for his Wish
Book haulin tenacity and herniated disk. But it was all so easy.
So simple. So not challenging.
In todays world, even a would-be
rejecter of commercialized Christmas balderdash feels compelled
to purchase tokens of love and
potpourri for any person with
whom one has had contact over
the previous 365 days or 36 years
if youre Facebook friends. And
nowhere does such a cluster of
would-be recipients exist than at
church. Sure, you could bake your
famous peanut butter chocolate
chip mint fudge cookies for everyone, but lets be honest if its the
thought that counts, you didnt
put much thought into that one.
(FYI, I will gladly accept any and all
nut-free cookies you decide not
to give to your other brothers and
sisters in Christ as I believe its the
effort that counts and not the calories.) So what to do, what to do? If
only some kind of gift giving guide
for church folk existed. Hey, look,
heres one now.

LEAD PASTOR A Ryrie Study or

Schofield Reference Bible in the translation of your choice (as long as its
KJV) pre-filled by you with inspired
annotations to help your anointed
shepherd overcome some of his minorish doctrinal errors.
ASSOCIATE PASTOR While youre

not in a position to give a promotion,

you can still help your AP move from
benchwarmer to pulpit master with a
subscription to ChurchStaffing.com.

HEAD DEACON The traditional jar

of nutmeg-scented toupee glue says
you understand the importance of
traditions and will never give in to the
contemporary allure of pumpkin spice.
REGULAR DEACONS For those

driven to serve, a lovely, homemade pie.

For those driven to lead, a 1950s-era
fruitcake.
ELDERS Pre-printed business cards
that explain the differences between
deacons and elders. Shop early as
Mardel usually runs out on Black
Friday.
GOVERNING BOARD Nothing. They
havent had a meeting since 1988 after
realizing the deacons and elders pretty
much had everything covered.
YOUTH PASTOR For the 35-year-old

leader of tomorrows, um, leaders who

just cant resist bro-speak and skinny
jeans, an Oprah-style makeover
featuring an adult hairstyle and
grown-up shoes.
ELEMENTARY KIDS PROGRAM
DIRECTOR A subscription to the

Red-Bull-of-the-Month Club and

pre-enrollment on the donor heart
recipient list.
YOUR KIDS SUNDAY SCHOOL
TEACHERS A 500-count bottle of

ibuprophen, a version of the Serenity

Prayer inscribed in fine chocolate, and

a promissory note guaranteeing them

ownership of whatever rewards you
may receive on the other side.
SMALL-GROUP LEADER A new
fondue pot and a self-published copy
of The Prayer Warriors Thesaurus
so youll only have to hear the phrases
Father God, come alongside and
lift up once a quarter.

LONG-HAIRED FREAKY
SOUNDBOARD OPERATOR

The dude who knows to crank the

bass to eleven on A Mighty Fortress
is Our God deserves nothing less than
an autographed cassette single
of Teslas Signs.
POWERPOINT GRAPHICS ARTIST

Cookie cutters.

PARKING LOT ATTENDANTS

PRAYER ROOM STAFF The Prayerful Strangers Guide to Winning Spiritual Battles Fifteen Minutes at a Time
(pamphlet version), and baby monitors
to remind them they could be working
in the nursery.

GREETERS One case each of Clorets

NURSERY STAFF Communion juice

recently discovered behind the baptistery that has probably been there since
1974. Because, you know, its aged.

Full-body, hunter-orange jumpsuits

with LED light piping and the promise
to take care of their loved ones when
Deacon Turnbuckle still fails to see
them.
and Purell. All can hand out both.
Some to one another.

USHERS An augmented reality app

that automatically highlights empty
spots in the pews, a new iPhone to run
the app on and a rent-a-nephew to
explain it all.

BAPTISTERY ATTENDANTS Thicker

robes and quarterly visits from a hypnotist to help them forget what cannot
be unseen.

Original manuscript of It is Well with

My Soul lyrics written by Horatio
Spafford on stationery from the
Brevoort House hotel.

MUSIC DIRECTOR (TRADITIONAL)

LAY SECURITY FORCE New Ray-Ban

Wayfarers and the latest in holy lightning technology, the Sword of Gideon
XXL Taser. Or if thats too spendy, cool
codenames.

MUSIC DIRECTOR (CONTEMPORARY) Original lyrics to that one song

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE

INTERPRETER You may have no idea

Gift cards to Roys House of Robes

Dry Cleaners & Portable Confessional
Rentals.

CHOIR MEMBERS (TRADITIONAL)

if shes repeating the pastors words

verbatim or trying to sell Shakeology,
you just know she always gives it her
all. And for that she deserves a Thermawrap, wrist braces and an industrial-sized vat of Icy Hot from Costco (or
Sams Club if youre Presbyterian).

WORSHIP TEAM (CONTEMPORARY) Jeggings that are two sizes too

SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE

MINISTRY SERVERS Gold.

K-Love keeps playing written on a

mildly used Starbucks napkin.

big to avoid being a stumbling block.

ORGANIST (UBER-TRADITIONAL)

Convince the music director to allow

an annual playing of Bachs Toccata
and Fugue in D Minor that isnt the
Sunday before Halloween.

I realize that you, dear reader, may not wish to give a gift to every person listed here. Nor may you even be aware
that some of these people even exist within your church. And maybe they dont. I live in Nebraska. But if they do,
you can now show your gratitude for the giving of their time, talent and treasure in service to you and our Lord in
ways both suspect and sometimes quite expensive, but always appreciated. Maybe. Merry Christmas.
Jason Fox believes that Santa prefers donuts.
Jason writes from Omaha, Nebraska, because God invented humor.

Chatter | 8

The first Sears Catalog was

sent out in 1888, and featured
only watches and jewelry.

The original Ray-Ban prototype

had green-tinted lenses and was
made of plastic.

IBC BANDS

Join the IBC Band down in the Christmas Capital of Grapevine, TX

for the IBC Bands Rockin Christmas Road Show. This is a great time
to come together, sing festive songs, enjoy the Christmas spirit, and
hang out with your neighbors.
Questions? Contact Darcy Peterson at [email protected].

The Light has Come!

Christmas Eve Services
December 24, 3:30 & 5 p.m., The Worship Center
IBC will celebrate the birth of Christ with two identical
candlelight services. The services include special moments for
children, including Pastor Andy reading a Christmas storybook.
KidZone available for children born Sept. 2012 and later.
Register at irvingbible.orgkidzone.

Photo: Shawn Sadler

Guitar icon by Hum from the Noun Project

D E CE M BER 12, 3 P.M., DOWNTOWN GRA PEV I NE

Chatter | 9

UPC O M I N G

December
Writers Workshop 10 a.m.
West C

DECEMBER 5

JANUARY 11

Join a community of people honing their writing

Special Needs at IBC Christmas Party

11 a.m.1 p.m. The Zone

skills. For more info contact Donna at doreilly@

MHGA Family Grace Group

irvingbible.org

A support group for family and caregivers of those

with serious mental illness. More info at irvingbible.

More info at irvingbible.org/specialneeds.

org/hopeandhealing.

DECEMBER 13

DECEMBER 6

MHGA Living Grace Group

A support group for those who suffer with mental

Partner Pines Ends

Partner Pines Begins

illness. More info at irvingbible.org/hopeandhealing.

See ad, pg. 12.

See ad, pg. 12.

Small Groups Registration Closes

JANUARY 12

See ad, pg. 12.

DECEMBER 24

Dont Waste Your Summer

12:30 p.m. West A

IBC Christmas Eve Services

Womens Spring Bible Study Kickoff

See ad, pg. 7.

See ad, pg. 9.

See ad, pg. 13.

JANUARY 13

DECEMBER 27

DECEMBER 8

FPU Begins

Family Worship Services

For those looking for financial freedom. More info at

Rejoice 6:30 p.m.

All services will be family-friendly. Childrens ministry

irvingbible.org/fpu.

See ad, this page.

will only be available for children born January 2012

and after.

January

DECEMBER 12
IBC Bands Rockin Christmas
Roadshow 3:30 p.m.

JANUARY 17
Marriage at IBC Kickoff
See ad, pg. 13.

JANUARY 8

See ad, pg. 9.

First Watch Kickoff

Christmas Mall for kids in singleparent families The Commons

Visit irvingbible.org/firstwatch.

See ad, pg. 13.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 6:30-9 P.M.

A winter night of wonder and warmth with a purpose. Rejoice invites you to
ring in the season of Christ-with-us while supporting African women in their
fight for recovery. Enjoy a myriad of desserts, breathtaking decorations, and a
worshipful Christmas service with artist Jenny Simmons.
A portion of ticket sales will benefit IBC partner ALARM and the Womens
Leadership Institute in D.R. Congo.
cost: $15

A Christmas Celebration for Women

register: Visit irvingbible.org/women or the kiosk

every Sunday in November.
kidzone: Register online by December 1.
questions: Email Amy at [email protected].

Chatter | 10

ON G OI N G

MEALS

BIBLE COMMUNITIES

MARRIAGE

STUDENTS

Middle/High School and College

SUNDAY
COMMUNITY MEALS

Synergy
9 a.m. The Alcove
All Welcome

Marriage at IBC
Contact [email protected].

Middle School Sundays

Sundays 10:30 a.m.12:15 p.m.
The Commons

6 p.m. Town Square

High School Sundays

Sundays, 6:458 p.m.
Student Ministries area

12/6

Groups on Sunday

The Tree
9 a.m. West D
20s & 30s, married & young families

Growing Together

Pre-Marriage Mentoring
Visit irvingbible.org/marriage.

Crossroads
10:45 a.m. West C
Couples & Families late 20s to 40s

MEN

Journey
10:45 a.m. The Alcove
All Welcome

First Watch
Fridays, 6:22 a.m. The Commons
Join us Jan. 8 for the spring kickoff.

On Track
10:45 a.m. Conference Room
Single Parents

First Watch Replay

Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m.
Training Center
Contact [email protected].

Thrive
10:45 a.m. West D
Singles in their 30s & 40s
Renew
10:45 a.m. Training Center
All Welcome

Community and Resources

First Watch Xtra

Wednesday, 6:30 a.m.
Training Center
Contact [email protected].

Visit irvingbible.org/men.

Legacy Builders
6:45 p.m. West A All Welcome

Infants Through 5th Grade

Childrens Sunday Services

9 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 5 p.m.
Elementary Midweek
Begins January 6, 6:308:30 p.m.
Kids connect with friends and
explore Gods word through small
groups, food, fun! Visit irvingbible.
org/elementarymidweek.

Abortion Recovery Counseling

Contact Kym at (972) 560-4632 or
[email protected].
Recovery at IBC
Thursdays, 6:308:30 p.m.
West Wing Youth Lounge
A group for hurts, habits, and
hangups. irvingbible.org/recovery.

Wednesday Nights at IBC

2435 Kinwest will kickoff

on January 6.

12/20 No meal. Merry Christmas!

12/27 No meal. Happy New Year!
If youd like to serve on a Sunday
night meal team, contact Pat
OReilly at (214) 289-6176 or [email protected].

WEDNESDAY
MIDWEEK MEALS
56:20 P.M.
Cost is $3/meal or $10 max./
family. PB&J sandwiches are
also available.

Prayer Meeting
2nd and 4th Wednesdays
6:45-8 p.m. The Chapel

ESL: English as a Second Language

Wednesdays, 6:308:30 p.m.
Haven B, C, D

Laundry Love
First Saturday of the month
9 a.m.12 p.m.
Contact [email protected].

Citizenship Class
Wednesdays, 6:308:30 p.m.
IBC Conference Room

12/16 No meal.

IBC Career Transition Ministry

Wednesdays, 6:308:30 p.m.

12/30 No meal. Happy New Year!

New Friends New Life

Serve dinner to women healing
from sexual exploitation (every third
Wednesday). Contact Christine at
[email protected].

12/2

Pizza, salad, and dessert.

Hosted by the Holiday
team.

12/9

Hamburgers with all the

fixins, chips, salad, pickle
spears, dessert. Hosted by
the Holiday team.

12/23 No meal. Merry Christmas!

Microsoft Computer Skills

Wednesdays, 6:308:30 p.m.
The Training Center

Changes to the menu may be made

depending on food cost, availability,
and Bob Downeys whim.

Visit 2435kinwest.org.

If youd like to serve on a Wednesday night meal team, please email

[email protected].

SINGLE PARENTS
Community and Resources

Sit with us on Sunday!

9 a.m. service, lowest right-hand
section, Rows 5 & 6, facing the stage.
Visit irvingbible.org/singleparents.

Living Grace Group

For those with mental illness. Contact
Heath at [email protected].

SPECIAL NEEDS

Family Grace Group

For families/caregivers of those with
mental illness. Contact Buzz Moody
at [email protected].

Small Group for Moms

Sundays, 910:15 a.m.

NAMI Family-to-Family Class

Contact Joey at [email protected]
or Debra at [email protected].
Stephen Ministry at IBC
One-on-one ministry for hurting
people. Contact stephenministry@
irvingbible.org or call (972) 560-4636.

Small Group for Parents

Wednesdays, 6:308 p.m.

Spousal Abuse Recovery

Contact [email protected].

2435 KINWEST

12/13 Beef fajitas, chips and salsa

Local and Global

HOPE & HEALING

Community Care

Middle School, The W

Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m.
Next Gen Area
Join us for a time of friendships and
teaching.

Pizza, breadsticks, salad bar

IBC Choir
Wednesdays, 78:30 p.m.
IBC Worship Center
Contact Crystal at
[email protected].

MISSION
CHILDREN

High School Midweek

Wednesdays, 68:30 p.m.
Join us for Bible study and community.
See website for location and schedule

Meals are $3 per person or $10

max./family.

Community & Care

In His Image Bible Study

Sundays, 6:307:45 p.m

SonShine Pals and Room

Care during Sunday ministry.

Contact [email protected].

CUPPA HOURS
MonFri

9 a.m.8 p.m.

Saturday

11 a.m.5 p.m.

Sunday

7 a.m.7 p.m.

Each Christmas, IBC sets out to bless

its Partners, Missionaries and Global
Family with practical resources and
timely encouragement. Want to help
out? Visit the tables in Town Square
to learn more.
Other questions? Contact Lauren or Tricia
at [email protected].

SMALL GROUPS AT IBC have always been about cultivating deep relationships that
advance the kingdom of God in dark places. If youre not currently involved in a small
group, please pray about signing up.
And while youre at it, please pray about facilitating a small group. The process is simple,
but the commitment to love and serve your brothers and sisters may well be the biggest challenge of your Christian life. If youre interested in taking the challenge, please
email Katie at [email protected].
Winter Session runs January 3March 12. Registration deadline is December 6.
To sign up, visit irvingbible.org/smallgroups.

Whether your marriage is sinking, coasting

along, or going full-throttle, every marriage
needs some TLC.
Marriage at IBC is a fun 10-week course that focuses on the big
picture of marriage as well as practical application in the everyday-life struggles of marriage. While we cover important topics
like communication and conflict, in-laws, fun and connectedness, finances, and sex, we dont go through a single class without
laughing and having a great time. The class format is a speaker for
a weekly topic followed by small group time.
Marriage at IBC Begins January 17, 9 a.m., The Commons
Registration begins online in December: irvingbible.org/marriage
Already in an IBC small group? Any existing IBC small groups are
welcome and able to participate, and will receive all of the Marriage
at IBC resources and any level of support they desire.

for kids in
single-parent families

Saturday, December 12
9 a.m. 12 p.m. in The Commons
An annual tradition, the IBC Christmas
Mall is an event where kids in single-parent
families prepare for Christmas! Kids enjoy
a fabulous breakfast, shop for two loved
ones, wrap gifts, decorate cards and cookies, and make an unforgettable Christmas
memory. Everything is free.

Parents, please register your kids online at irvingbible.org/singleparents. This event

is for children 5 years and older. Questions? Contact [email protected].

Volunteer: Be a Santas Helper for this merry event!

Contact Marsha at [email protected] or at (972) 560-4653.

Dont Waste Your Summer Kickoff & Lunch

December 6, 12:30 p.m. in West A
Parents, bring your students (who are current
6-12 grade) to hear about all of the opportunities
for Summer 2016.
We will roll out plans for mission trips and summer camps
as well as discuss other areas of service such as VBS.
Need more info? irvingbible.org/students

HOW DO I GIVE?
My Time, Talents & Skills

HOW DO I GET
CONNECTED AT IBC?

Main Place Donations

IBC Partner, The Main Place, needs NEW pillows
and towels of all sizes; pillowcases/sheets; girls
deodorant; nylon loofahs; manicure sets; cotton
balls; q-tips. Drop off all new donations in the box
marked The Main Place in IBCs Donation Center.
Contact Pam at themainplace.irvingbible.org.

Were glad you asked. Here are the steps to take for
having your questions answered, guring out the
IBC story, and, if youre feeling ready, plugging in.

Main Place Volunteers

If you have skills with electrical, plumbing,
construction. HVAC, etc the Main Place in Irving
could use some maintenance help. Contact Pam
at [email protected].

Start

Meal Team Volunteers

IBC makes meals available both Sunday and
Wednesday nights. These fun teams could use
some additional volunteers to serve together. For
Sundays, contact [email protected].
For Wednesdays, contact [email protected].

JOIN IN WORSHIP
So you found the address, a place to park, and a breath
mint on the way in. Good work! If youre reading this,
youve probably already taken the first step attending a
worship service. This is the first and most important place
to start, so keep coming. Become a regular. Make sure to
fill out a Newcomer Card. Tell us a little about yourself and
let us know how we can engage with you. Somebody will
reach out to you this week. Visit irvingbible.org/connect.

Medical Professionals Needed

Our weekly medical clinic needs professional health
care providers (MD, PA, FNP) to provide treatment
for our patients. Volunteers serve on a rotating
basis and do not need to serve every week. Contact
Charles at [email protected].
Mentor Kids in Single-Parent Families
Men and women are needed for gender-specific
mentoring of children from single-parent families.
Contact Marsha at [email protected].

CHECK OUT THE NEWCOMER GATHERING

So youre kicking the IBC tires? Good! Were so glad youre
here. The Newcomer Gathering is a great opportunity to
meet church leadership, learn what IBC is all about, and
connect with other newbies in a fun, relaxed environment.
Next Newcomer Gathering: January 21

Safety Team
Do you have a desire to serve and protect others? Contact Christopher Watkins at cwatkins@
irvingbible.org. Please include any credentials and
relevant experience.
Visitor Follow-Up Team
(Rex Greenstreet Ministry)
We are looking for a volunteer to make calls or
send welcome emails (or both) to new visitors from
IBC. Training and coaching will be provided.
Contact Sherri at [email protected].

My Resources

SIGN UP FOR PROPEL

All right! Youre feeling the IBC vibe and want to see where
you might get involved. Propel is a 4-week class that explores
the IBC calling and culture, and how your unique personality
and passions fit in. Meet many of our pastors and directors of
ministries at IBC. Next Propel: February 728

Online Giving Option

If you would find it more convenient to donate to
the ministries of Irving Bible Church online, visit
irvingbible.org/give.

JOIN A COMMUNITY
Youre firing on all cylinders but something is missing. And
that something is a someone, or a group of someones.
Enter sermon-based Small Groups, Womens Bible Study,
First Watch, and more. We encourage you to find a group
and connect authentically with others.
Visit irvingbible.org/adults.

Year-End Giving and 2015 Tax Tips

The IBC financial team has compiled a list of tips for
making charitable donations as the 2015 fiscal year
closes. Learn about tax deductions, the benefits of
stock contributions, tracking receipts, and more.
Visit irvingbible.org/give.

FIND A PLACE TO SERVE

Youve come a long way since that first breath mint. Youve
been busy worshipping, learning, relating, and committing.
And its at this point that you might start looking around
at all the people who help create those events ushers,
greeters, meal team members, table hosts, small group
leaders, and the like. Your next step now is to join them!
Consider your passions, talents and spiritual gifts and then
ask about a place to serve. Visit irvingbible.org/serve.

FOR MORE INFO, VISIT IRVINGBIBLE.ORG/CONNECT OR LOOK

FOR THE NEWCOMER GUIDES AT THE INFORMATION DESK.

Chatter | 14

The Egyptians invented the first breath

mint. It was a combination of myrrh,
cinnamon, frankincense, and honey.

O gracious light,

pure brightness of the

everliving Father in
heaven, O Jesus Christ,
holy and blessed! Now
as we come to the
setting of the sun, and
our eyes behold the
vesper light, we sing
your praises, O God:
Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. You are worthy
at all times to be praised
by happy voices, O
Son of God, O Giver of
Life, and to be glorified
through all the worlds.
The Book of Common Prayer

Jesus said, I am the light of the world; whoever follows me

will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
John 8:12