December 10, 2014 Pilgrim Call Nativity Newsletter

Pilgrim Call Newsletter
Of First Congregational Christian Church
014
r 10, 2
e
b
m
Dece
602
Issue
t
temen
a
t
S
n
king
issio
by ma
d
o
G
Our M
lorify
in a
dg
with
nor an
Christ
s
eks
u
s
“To ho
e
fJ
hat se
o
t
s
h
e
t
l
i
p
a
disci
y of f
orld.”
munit
ting w
r
m
u
o
h
c
a
g
carin
ds of
he nee
t
e
v
r
to se
Note from Pastor Tice
Christmas is What You Make It, by Tim & Bev LaHaye
All-Church Events

Thursday, Dec. 11 @ 6:30 Cantata
Practice

Sunday, Dec. 14 @ 9:00 SHARP,
Cantata Practice
~ 10:00 One Service with
Cantata in the Sanctuary
~ Jesus’ Birthday Party
~ 4:00 Christmas Caroling
~NO Youth Group

Monday, Dec. 15 at 6:30 Men’s
Bible Study
~Locks changed, start security alarm


Dec. 20 at 6:30 AM, Man-2-Man
Sunday, Dec. 21 @ 10:00 One
Service in the Sanctuary
~ ”Fill the Pantry” for KUO
~ The Way 5:30-7:30

Wednesday, Dec. 24 @6:45
Christmas Eve Service

Sunday, Dec. 28 @ 10:00
One Service in the gym
FOR UNTO US
A CHILD IS
BORN
Christmas can be the most fun time of the year for a family with the right attitude. If
you are troubled by the pagan baggage associated with December 25—like
materialism and commercialism—you may lose a golden opportunity to promote
family joy and togetherness.
Why not look at Christmas as a reality of our American life? Consider the assets
the season offers your family, and make it a teaching experience as well as a
blessing. Christmas is a time to promote family togetherness. We probably spend
more nights at home with the family during the holidays than at any other time of the
year.
Making gifts for various family members teaches your children to think of the
desires and needs of others. Spending time and thought selecting or making a gift for
a loved one is healthy for children. Often they will delight more in watching the
recipients open their gifts than they do in opening their own.
Our family communicated the spirit of Christmas to our children by adopting three
or four poor or shut-in families. We shared in selecting foodstuffs for their Christmas
dinner, wrapped gifts, and delivered them together. Even though we are not a family
of musicians, we sang a few carols at their homes. One year, our shy Junior High son
was a bit reluctant to participate, later he commented that this special act of giving
brought a new meaning to Christmas.
Christmas is a time when hearts are open to the Christ the
season celebrates. Even in our over-secularized culture a
person cannot escape the message, “Unto you is born this
day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”
This is an excellent time to pray for lost loved ones, neighbors,
and friends.
Christmas is what you make it. Be glad you know the real
meaning of Christmas and make the most
of it.
Attendance for Sunday, December 7th
One Service: Adults—102, Children—7
Total—109
Leaders for Sunday, December 14th, 2014
Lay Leader: Gage Holder
Advent Candle: Kim & Mark Herr, Karen Caylor
Greeters: Kevin & Angie Love,
Susan & Ernie Cottingham
Jr. Church: Children will stay in the Service
Prayer Concerns
December 3—Patsy Roberts, please pray for healing and recuperation due to a bad fall in late
October.
December 1—Jim Ball, who has been in the hospital, but was released last week. Please pray for Jim
to recover his strength following rehab in the hospital.
November 30—Melissa Hopson’s daughters. Please pray for healing for Ava, who has infection in
her left eye, nose, and lymph nodes in her neck. She is doing better. Please keep Melissa’s oldest
daughter, Raven Wall, in your prayers. God knows what her needs are.
Continue with Prayers
November 19—Family of Judy Herr, Kim & Mark Herr’s mother. Please pray for the family upon
her passing.
November 16—Norma Knack, Pam Nierman’s mom, please continue to pray for Norma. She has
pain all throughout her body.
November 9—Todd Herren, son of Cindy Pyle. Todd had a chest x-ray for an injury at work and they
discovered an inflammation on his lung. Please pray for discernment, healing, and peace.
Continued prayers for: Craig Cook, Sherry King’s mother, Sandy Smith, Sonie Durbin,
Frieda Williams, Ellen Johnston, Steve Cooprider (Matt Johnston’s dad).
Continued prayers for cancer challenges: Stephanie Standridge, David Reeves, Linda Trent,
Helen Willoughby, Sandra Bargerhuff (in remission), Jan Hendrix, Jerry Sexton, Bill Schoby,
Linda (Mandy Behler’s friend). Please continue to pray for these members and friends of people in
our congregation who are facing cancer treatments, those who have finished treatments, and those in
remission.
Prayer Concerns Note
In an effort to keep the prayer concerns most current, after two weeks the “Prayer Concern” will be
moved to “Continue with Prayer” for two more weeks. After a one month time period we will remove
the prayer concern or call to check and update it. If you have an update or would like your concern to
be kept on our list longer please call the office. Thank you!
**Please also remember our privacy notice about making sure you have permission for us to print
someone’s name & condition.
Pray for the Military Soldiers of our Church
David Carey
Riley Johnson
Adam King
Andrew Reed
Aaron Knight
Richard Young
Annual Meeting
At the Annual Meeting last Sunday, the proposed 2015
budget and the newly revised By-laws were passed
with a unanimous vote on each. The board members
for 2015 were presented and thanked for their future
service to our church.
The CE board will be meeting at 1:00 this Friday, Dec.
12 for the final meeting of 2014. Lunch will be provided.
Look forward to seeing our members and any guests
that would enjoy joining the meeting. ~Stacey
Final Cantata Practices
ALL PARTS AND AGES
The Christmas Cantata will be this Sunday, Decemth
ber 14 at 10:00 in the Sanctuary. There will be
dress rehearsals for ALL PARTICIPANTS on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 6:30 PM. and on Sunday, Dec. 14 at
9:00 SHARP.
Thank you in advance, to all of the actors, singers,
and helpers who are bringing the story of Good
King Wenceslas alive!
Spaghetti Dinner Thanks!
Our "Happy Birthday Jesus Party" will be
held immediately following the Christmas Cantata this Sunday, December 14th in Pilgrim Hall. We
will be celebrating the birth of Jesus and the
“reason for the season”, with cake and punch.
Please make your way to Pilgrim Hall after Worship for the joyous celebration!
Thank You to Our Fabulous Chefs!
Thank you to our fabulous chefs who made the
spaghetti dinner for the Annual Meeting, and to
the Hedrick’s for heading it up. We appreciate
the wonderful meal, and especially the yummy
cheesecake! Thank you!
P.S. Please support the following businesses
who generously donated food; Fazzolis and Olive Garden.
The Way (Grades 6-12), will be meeting this
Sunday at 4:00 to go caroling to our homebound
members. We will NOT meet during our regular
time at 5:30. Great job serving and cleaning up after the Annual Meeting.
Thank you!
I would like to thank the following
servants for helping prepare the
delicious meal on Sunday. Tori and
Rusty for making an awesome
cheesecake. They listen well. Parker
and Josh for pounding the crust so
beautifully with such grace
(LOL) and Molly for her
inventiveness and independence
which turned out a “not so bad”
chocolate cheesecake. Nick, Ron &
Nancy for all of their advice and help
on making a great spaghetti
sauce. Special thanks goes out for all
the elves (yutes) who helped clean up
and serve others. The hands and feet
of Jesus were present this weekend
and I am so grateful and honored to
serve you all. Thanks to all who
helped, I couldn’t have done it
without you. Love, Buffey.
Christmas Eve Service
Please join us Wednesday evening, December 24th for our traditional
candle light Worship Service. The pre-service music will begin at 6:45
p.m. followed by our beautiful Christmas Eve Service of Celebration,
Scripture, Song, Prayer, Communion and Candlelight. Invite family
and friends as we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Adopted Families
Looking for ways to give this Christmas season? We will be adopting a couple of
families for Christmas this year. Please check the board in the lobby for specific
needs/wishes. Or we have another great option—gift cards! We as a church family would like to shower some of our own, who are finding themselves in need of
a little help, with gift cards. Please choose from the following list as they are close
to the recipients homes. Please write the amount on each card.
All families/individuals: Gift cards
McDonald’s—$10
Speedway Gas Cards—$20
Meijer— $20
Kroger—$20
Save-a-lot—$20
Christmas Poinsettias
If you wish to order a Christmas Poinsettia, please fill out this form or call the Church
Office 452-8285. The Poinsettia’s cost $20.00. When ordering, please indicate the person(s) in whose memory or honor the flowers are given, as well as those persons who
are giving the flower.
Please send your check made out to First Congregational and order form (either by mail or via the
offering plate) for $20.00 and note clearly in the memo line “Christmas Poinsettia”. Cash may be
turned in with this slip. All flowers may be picked up following the Christmas Eve Service. To be
assured of your Poinsettia, all orders should be received by Friday, December 19th. Thank You!
Given By: _______________________________________________________________________
In Memory of or Honor of (Please Circle One):
_________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Check_______ Cash_______
Given By: _______________________________________________________________________
In Memory of or Honor of (Please Circle One):
_________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Check_______ Cash_______
Man-2-Man Breakfast
NOT THIS SATURDAY
It is December 20th at 6:30 AM
Sorry about the misprint in the Sunday Bulletin
A Heart for Adventure—Men’s Event
January 10th from 5:00-7:00 PM
At East Street Studios, 18880 N. East St in Westfield
Dr. Jimmy Sites, who hosts the award winning outdoor TV show,
Spiritual Outdoor Adventures, will be the speaker for this men’s
event, “A Heart for Adventure-Living Your Life on Target.” The
cost is only $10.00 and includes live music, speaker Jimmy Sites,
Chick-fil-A dinner, and door prizes. For tickets or more information, please go to
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/mens-event-with-jimmy-sites-tickets-14306173149
Men’s Bible Study
The Monday evening Men’s Bible Study will meet on Monday,
December 15th at 6:30 at the church.
Security System Training
We are almost ready to activate the new Security System.
The 3 outside doors in the lobby area and west end will have
their locks changed on Monday, December 15th. You will need to have a new key
and training in order to enter the building while no one is there and it is locked up.
A training session will be offered on Saturday, December 13th at 10:30 AM for anyone who would like to be issued a key. Another session will be offered after the
Man-2-Man Breakfast on Dec. 20th. Please let Dave Nierman or Nancy Phillips
know if you will be attending either session.
CD Collection Give Away
For most of our youth and young families, CD’s are becoming a thing of the past,
so we are cleaning up the CD collection from the youth area. There is a crate of
CD’s in the lobby that you are welcome to peruse and take any that you would
like. The CD’s that are not taken will be donated to the Nearly New Shop.
Open House for Danielle Amsbury
You are invited to a Graduation Open House for Danielle Amsbury on Sunday,
December 14th from 1-4 at the Elliott House. She is graduating mid-term.
Congratulations Danielle!
Non Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 83
Kokomo, Indiana
First Congregational
Christian Church
505 W. Mulberry
Kokomo, IN 46901
Come Worship With Us
On Sunday Mornings!
10:00 One Service
11:15 Jesus’ Birthday Party
Contact Information:
Phone: (765)452-8285
Nearly New: 459-8121
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web Site: kokomofirstcongo.org
Facebook:FirstCongo-Kokomo, IN.
Office Hours: 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
There will be only ONE SERVICE AT 10:00, this Sunday, December 14th.
The Christmas Cantata will be presented during the service and Jesus’
Birthday Party will follow the service, in Pilgrim Hall.
Christmas Caroling This Sunday
December 14 at 4:00
“Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Glory to the Newborn King”. Come & sing
Christmas carols to our homebound members and friends on December 14th at
4:00. Please use the sign-up sheet in the lobby so that we know how to plan for
food and travel. Come and help spread some Christmas cheer!!