The Chapel Digest - December 2025

Advent is a season of preparation in the church calendar that helps us celebrate the arrival of Jesus, which we observe on Christmas Day. Advent includes the four Sundays preceding Christmas. This year it started on November 30. 


In the busyness of the Christmas season, it’s easy to move from one commitment to the next and forget the reason behind everything we do. Advent provides a structure for us to push back against the rush of the season. As we center this month around worshipping together each Sunday, we are making space to consider the amazing gift of Jesus. 


Advent, like many good things, only brings its full benefit when we embrace it and participate in it. For us to get all we can out of Advent, we must make it a priority to gather with other believers each Sunday to focus on the hope, peace, joy, and love that Jesus is building into our lives. 


I hope you will join us each Sunday in December this year to celebrate Jesus as good news of great joy for all people! 


Our Advent celebration will culminate with our Christmas Eve Services on Wednesday, December 24 at 4:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. 


Our Christmas Eve services fill up each year. Please visit christianchapel.com/Christmaseve to reserve your spot. This helps us make sure we have a seat for you, as well as for friends and neighbors who worship with us.


Chris Dow
Lead Pastor

Look up, you whose gaze is fixed on this earth, who are spellbound by the little events and changes on the face of the earth. Look up to these words, you who have turned away from heaven disappointed. Look up, you whose eyes are heavy with tears and who are heavy and who are crying over the fact that the earth has gracelessly torn us away. Look up, you who, burdened with guilt, cannot lift your eyes. Look up, your redemption is drawing near. something different from what you see daily will happen. Just be aware, be watchful, wait just another short moment. Wait and something quite new will break over you: God will come.

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger -

COMING UP THIS MONTH

SUNDAY Morning Services - 8:15AM, 9:30AM & 11:00AM

Wednesday, December 3rd

5:15pm - 6:15pm I Family Meal

6:30pm - 7:30pm | Adult Discipleship Groups | Chapel Youth | Chapel Kids | Nursery  [see groups]


Friday, December 5th

8:30pm | Chapel Men Thunder Game


Saturday, December 6th

10:30am - 12:30pm I Chapel Women Christmas Brunch

6pm - 8pm | Young Adult Night


Sunday, December 7th

8:15am, 9:30am, 11am | Donut Sunday

6pm - 8pm | Home Groups + Chapel Youth Christmas Party


Wednesday, December 10th

5:15pm - 6:15pm I Family Meal

6:30pm - 7:30pm | Adult Discipleship Groups | Chapel Youth | Chapel Kids | Nursery  [see groups]


Thursday, December 11th

6pm - 8pm I Young Adult Home Group


Sunday,  December 14th

8:15am, 9:30am, 11am | Sunday Services

9:30am - 10:45am | Next Steps

12:15pm - 1:45pm | College Lunch


Wednesday, December 17th

NO WEDNESDAY ACTIVITIES - CHRISTMAS BREAK


Sunday, December 21st

8:15am, 9:30am, 11am | Sunday Services

9:30am, 11am | PreSchool Choir


Wednesday, December 24th

4:00pm & 5:30pm | Christmas Eve Candle Light Services [Reserve Your Spot]


Tuesday, November 11th

9:30am - 11:30am | Rooted Women’s Bible Study

7:00pm | Chapel Men Thunder Game (Sold Out) 

Another game available Dec.5th [sign up for Dec.5 game]


Sunday, December 28th

9:30am, 11am | Sunday Services (There will be no 8:15am service this week)

Wednesday Night Schedule

Join us for a family meal served on Wednesday nights, starting from 5:15pm - 6:30pm. 

Adult Groups, Chapel Youth and Chapel Kids run from 6:30pm - 7:30pm. Nursery is available.


MENU

December 3 - Team Flo

Original/ Chicken Chili + Toppings

Cornbread

Celery and Carrot sticks

Carrot Cake + Ice Cream Cups


December 10 - Team Donna

Donna's Fantastic Feast!

December 17 - No Activities Christmas Break


December 24 - No Meal
Cookies for Christmas Eve


December 31 - No Activities Christmas Break

Chapel Chat - Navigating the holidays

Chapel Chat is back for the holidays with a brand-new 6-week series!
Pastor Chris and Titus sit down for honest, practical, and hope-filled conversations about:

  • Living with gratitude

  • Walking through grief

  • Navigating family drama

  • Holiday finances

  • What it really means for Christmas to be a Christian holiday

  • New Year, new me — starting fresh with purpose

It’s fun, it’s real, and it’s made to help you thrive during the holidays.


New episodes drop every Wednesday at 6:30 pm, and the first episode is already live!
Catch up now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or at christianchapel.com/chapelchat

LOADING PLAYER…

Shaun & Sara Morton | Serving Paraguay

The Mortons’ missions story began long before they arrived in South America. Sara sensed a call to missions from an early age, and when she and Shaun began dating, she asked him a defining question: “Are you willing to go?” His simple yes set the trajectory for their life together. After graduate school and a year serving in Guatemala, they felt God leading them toward long-term ministry and ultimately moved to Paraguay in 2009.


What began as a volunteer role in a children’s home quickly changed when, within only 3 months, they unexpectedly stepped into leadership. From those early and uncertain days, Serving Paraguay has grown into a vibrant ministry focused on giving children from hard places a loving, stable, Christ-centered family environment. Their family-style homes have cared for more than 80 children long-term, many of whom have grown up entirely within a Serving Paraguay home.


As the needs of the children increased, the Mortons launched a private Christian school that now serves nearly 300 students from the surrounding community. It has become a place where children not only receive an education but learn to dream again. One former student came to Christ at the school, later moved to Japan, and has since planted a house church reaching Spanish speakers there.

In 2024, Shaun and Sara each sensed God prompting them to plant a church. After prayer and confirmation, their first service launched in March 2025 under an outdoor awning. Today, 70 - 80 people gather each week, and with Christian Chapel’s support, their new building is nearing completion.


The Mortons spend most of the year in Paraguay, but during the Christmas season you can find them on the front lawn of Christian Chapel selling high-quality Frasier fir Christmas trees to support their mission work and to bless children here in Tulsa through Royal Family Kids. Last year’s effort raised $26,000, and they are praying to reach $30,000 this season.

Shaun and Sara are parents to four amazing kids: Abi (19), Sammy (15), James (10), and Benjamin (4). Their three boys live with them in Paraguay, while Abi is stateside studying at ORU. 


They ask for prayer for their children as they learn to navigate life between two cultures, and for grace and strength for their family in every transition. They also invite prayer for wisdom as their young church grows, and for deep, lasting transformation in the lives of the children and families they serve.


To support the Mortons or learn more, visit servingparaguay.org or stop by the front lawn and pick up a tree before they are gone.

Continue The Story Progress Update

Dirt work for the new addition has been completed. Footers should be dug and poured this week with the slab for the new building to follow shortly after that. The inside of the building will remain undisturbed through Christmas. After the first of the year, we will begin to notice the impact of construction inside the building.


Find Out More