If you ever wanted to comment on weekend services or to offer creative suggestions on ways to create a more effective worship experience, join us for a meeting to brainstorm together on Sunday, January 10 after the 11:00am service in Room 152. All are welcome!

• Sunday, January 10, 2010
• 12:15 pm
• Senior Center, Room 152

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God's love. Since 1993, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been packed, shipped, and delivered across the globe. People of all ages can be involved in this simple, hands-on missions project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas-Jesus Christ.

Shoebox Drop off Deadline is November 19

WHFC will have brochures to tell you what to include in your shoe box as well as the needed stickers to designate whether it is a boy or girl who should receive it. You can drop off your filled shoe boxes at WHFC who will see they get to Samaritan's Purse, the Franklin Graham led organization that runs Operation Christmas Child.

Angel Tree Prison Ministry

Right now, an estimated 1.5 million children have a mom or dad in prison. The number is huge - but so is the opportunity. Angel Tree is a ministry that reaches out to the children of inmates and their families with the love of Christ. It seeks to transform the lives of these families and to reconcile them to their Heavenly Father and each other. In Matthew 18:5 Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me."

Only a few opportunities remain to have your picture taken for inclusion in the church picture directory. If you consider WHFC your church home, then we would like to include you in the church pictorial directory being created by Tim O'Keefe Photography!

Everyone photographed will receive a free 8x10 and a commemorative 125th Anniversary Pictorial Directory (available by November). You can reserve a time online by clicking on the link below:

• On-Line Church Directory Scheduling System

Pastor Randy is heading up a new ministry, Gate Keepers, to make contact with people who have been attending WHFC but who have become less involved or have dropped out. Gate Keepers would not be reaching out to WHFC members, who fall under the care of the overseers, but to those attendees who are standing, or have recently stood, at the WHFC gate and are undecided whether to push it fully open or close it behind them. Pastor Randy asks for your prayers for this ministry to make positive connections with these people and to help understand and meet their individual needs. He is also interested in meeting with you if you have people skills and a heart for this area of church ministry.

Join with others in your own neighborhood this summer for the purpose of serving your community. Sign up at the church to be part of a three month project (June, July and August) aimed at sharing the hope of God's Kingdom in tangible ways. Each group will prayerfully select projects that will benefit your local area and give that effort free of charge because it is the right thing to do.

Betty's Boutique had its debut in a closet. Now, the charity, started three years ago for those in need, is bulging at the seams. The boutique occupies two bays of a bus garage, a room and its original closet at Willoughby Hills Friends Church in Willoughby Hills. Named after the late Betty Faragov, who was a big part of the church's ministry called "The Well," Betty's Boutique is having its grand opening from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at the church, 2846 SOM Center Road.

For more of this From a closet to a colossal church 'Boutique' story, click Here.

Check out the new Facilities Management Skill Inventory page of our website. It's purpose is to give God's church a clear sense of the skill and talent He has brought together to do His work.

It is the sincere prayer of the leadership and the Trustees that you believe or will come to believe that our Father didn't call us to be "spectators". He in fact loves to bless our efforts and leads us mightily through to victory. He leads us to others and ultimately to Himself by the way we live, love and give freely of ourselves back to Him.

Café Summer Hours

SUPPORT OUR YOUTH GROUP at the “Spirit Night” fund raiser at the Willoughby Chick-Fil-A (Route 20) on Wednesday, June 18 from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. We will be giving out coupons to redeem the night of the event. We hope you’ll distribute them to family, friends and co-workers. The youth group receives 15% of the proceeds from food sales. This is a great opportunity to come out and support our youth group and to share with the community about our youth ministry and church.

They teens have had a tremendous response to the mini M&M container fund raiser. Thank you to everyone who returned one (or plan to return one) filled with coins. Every little bit has helped!

WHFC Honors Graduates

WHFC regular attendees who are graduating from high school or college will be recognized at a special service on May 18th at 6:00pm. If you are a 2008 college graduate, please indicate on your Attendance Card so we can mail you more details regarding this service.

High School graduate information is due Wednesday, May 7.

The Youth Dinner Theater raised over $2700 on April 12th. The teens, their parents, and the entire youth leadership team express their deep appreciation to everyone who attended and/or participated. They are also grateful to those who took a mini M&M container and returned it (or plan to return it) filled with coins. Every little bit is a help!

WHFC provides some great opportunities for the teens of the church to go on retreats and serve on the mission field. Unfortunately, especially for those parents with multiple teens or struggling financially, sometimes the cost prevents teens from participating. To help open the door for all the teens of the church to participate, the teens hold a number of fund raising events with the monies used to help offset the cost of these opportunities.

The Grieving Shawl Ministry is an extension of the Mercy Ministry and seeks to comfort those in need. You can be a part of this ministry by creating a shawl for someone grieving. The shawls can be knit, crocheted, woven, sewn, quilted or machine knitted. As the shawls are created, prayers are offered up for the future recipient. For more details about how you can be part of this outreach ministry, click here: Grieving Shawl Ministry

The Cinema of Faith Ministry provides fellowship and outreach opportunities using the entertainment medium of film to illustrate the love of Jesus and strengthen ones walk with Christ. Each film shown contains elements that inspire, motivate, or challenge ones thinking to be more Christ-like, and to frame the Christian message in a way that is relevant to all people. For more details about upcoming films that will be shown, click here: Cinema of Faith Ministry