First Things First. A Word from Tom, the Stated Supply

Transcription

1 First Things First A Word from Tom, the Stated Supply November 2018 November and for all but the turkeys, a time of Thanksgiving!! I do hope as you read this and consider when and how you will turn your clocks back on November 4 th, you are thinking about what you and we, as First Presbyterian Church have to give thanks for. First, let s all be thankful for the courageous and generous folks who preceded us on this journey. We all owe them a great deal for it is their legacy upon which we build. It is from them we learned the basic tenets of faith in God s presence and God s call. Without their teachings and their witness, we wouldn t be here. Give thanks for those upon whose shoulders we stand. Second, let s all be thankful for those beside whom we sit and stand in worship, today or each Sunday. (Please pardon the rhetorical flourish!) The continued witness and mission of this congregation depends upon us all! AND whether we like each other on Facebook or Twitter or even in person is irrelevant. What is important is that we appreciate the efforts each puts forth in participating, supporting, and witnessing to the presence of the people of First Presbyterian of Waukesha. Lastly, let s all be thankful for the polity of the PC-USA which assures each of us as members the right and responsibility to support and make decisions regarding the future of this congregation! To speak of the priesthood of all believers is not simply a nice rhetorical flourish BUT a foundational reality of our life together. ALL of us are expected to and have the right to and the responsibility to share in the decision-making process of the congregation. AND so, despite the snows of December lurking just ahead, let us all give thanks that the mission and ministries of First Presbyterian Church of Waukesha continue as we witness to our faith in an ever-present God whose presence we celebrate here, now as God calls us to continue this journey together. See you in church or sometime soon I hope. Tom First Presbyterian Church of Waukesha 810 N. East Avenue, Waukesha, Wisconsin (262) presby1@sbcglobal.net

2 November Calendar NOVEMBER 4 2:00 AM Daylight Saving Time Ends* 10:30 AM Worship at Faith Springs Church* All Saints Sunday Communion Sunday NOVEMBER 11 10:00 AM Worship 10:00 AM Preschool Sunday School Nursery 11:00 AM Coffee Fellowship Oak Room NOVEMBER 14 6:30 PM Deacons Meeting Oak Room NOVEMBER 15 8:00 AM Men s Breakfast Dady-Oh s NOVEMBER 18 10:00 AM Worship 10:00 AM Preschool Sunday School Nursery 11:00 AM Annual Congregational Meeting NOVEMBER 22 and 23 Office Closed NOVEMBER 25 10:00 AM Worship Christ the King Sunday 10:00 AM Preschool Sunday School Nursery 11:00 AM Hanging of the Greenery & Fellowship* NOVEMBER 27 4:00 PM Presbytery Meeting* Linn Presbyterian Church, Lake Geneva Staff Time Off October 29 - November 14 Rev. Tom Williams Looking Ahead DECEMBER 16 11:00 AM Christmas Tea Fellowship* DECEMBER 24 7:00 PM Christmas Eve Service DECEMBER 25 No Worship at First Presbyterian November Birthdays 11/01 Dennis Balzer 11/02 Charlotte Smith 11/10 Lois Jacobson 11/19 Dean Larson 11/21 Andrew Byshenk 11/23 Paul Vrakas 11/25 Duane Jacobson 11/27 Zaine Radcliff >Advent Devotionals are available on the table by the sign up sheets Please note office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Office will be closed November 22 and 23

3 Daylight Saving Time Ends! Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 2:00 AM. Don t forget to set your clocks back 1 hour before you go to sleep Saturday! Joint Worship with Faith Springs We have been invited to share worship with Faith Springs (formerly Zion, which was formed by First Pres members) on November 4. We will arrange carpooling for those who would rather not drive that far. Pastor Katie Ebel has extended the following invitation: We would love to celebrate the history and faith that bind us to one another. Plus, we have cookies to share! Grace and Peace, Katie Ebel, Pastor Sunday, November 4 at 10:30 Faith Springs Presbyterian Church N13W28771 Silvernail Road Pewaukee, WI faithspringspcusa.org Hebron House of Hospitality Gala Dinner, Auction and Fundraiser on Saturday, November 10 at 5:00PM. An elegant evening of great food, good company and the opportunity to support your community. Hebron House is Waukesha County s Largest Homeless Shelter Service. The Legend at Brandybrook 1 Legends Way Wales, WI Please contact Jessi at gala@hebronhouse.org or call (262) th Annual HOPE CENTER Thanksgiving Dinner & Auction Thursday, November 15, :00 PM - 10:00PM Ingleside Hotel (formerly Country Springs Hotel) 2810 Golf Road Pewaukee, WI RSVP Today! call: (262) or online: Annual Meeting We will have our Annual Meeting of the Congregation on Sunday, November 18 after service in the, for the purpose of electing officers, receiving committee reports and the 2018 budget, and for reviewing and voting regarding the acceptance of the minutes of congregational meetings which have occurred since the last annual meeting. Please plan on being present to voice your vote. Have something for the combined December 2018/January 2019 newsletter? Please send it to: presby1@sbcglobal.net or drop it in Therese s mailbox by Monday, November 12 to have it included. Any items received after the 12th will be included in the February newsletter.

4 Bell Ringers Needed! The Salvation Army is seeking volunteers to ring bells on Friday afternoons at the downtown Waukesha State Bank location beginning on November 9. If you can help with this, please sign up on the sheet located on the table in the Oak Room. For further information, please contact Earl Davison. (262) Children around the world delight in receiving a Samaritan s Purse Box filled with specially chosen items. Each year we cooperate with Avalon Square to prepare boxes to be sent worldwide. Pick up a box in the Oak Room, fill it according to instructions with sex/age-appropriate small gifts, and know the satisfaction of making Christmas bright for a child or poverty who may have no other Christmas remembrance. Boxes must be ready to take to Avalon Square by November 11. Let s share our good fortune with those around us. Kathryn H. Presbytery Meeting 4:00PM - Tuesday, November 27, 2018 Linn Presbyterian Church W3335 Willow Road Lake Geneva, WI Tele: (262) Theme: Stewardship of our Time Speakers: Jeremy and Hansi Bryan Presbytery gatherings include a one-hour business meeting, during which items needing action are presented, discussed, and put up for a vote. The consent agenda includes items being considered for action that are not expected to require debate. Meeting attendees eat together! The business meeting will adjourn and we will share a meal and a time for fellowship and conversation. The group will explore ways to build relationships at presbytery gatherings, enhancing these through intentional conversations and activities. Registration info coming soon. The Caring Place Celebration Thursday November 15, 2018 The Caring Place will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary from 4:30-6:30PM at The Caring Place. Light Refreshments will be served. Please join us and say hi to Diane Graf, our first Director and other Board members from over the 30 years. We couldn't have done it without the support of our generous, supportive members of First Presbyterian Church Calendar of Events The all-church calendar now through September 2019 is ready and available on the sign-up table in the Oak Room. Look for the orange cover. One side is organized by month; flip it over and the other side is organized by group to help you find what you re looking for more easily.

5 Christmas Eve Readers As part of our Christmas Eve service of lessons and carols on Monday, December 24 at 7:00 P.M., we are looking for several volunteers. If you would be willing to read one of the lessons, please contact Jim Ziegler by December 1 so he can get you your reading. Thanks! Waukesha-area seniors receive ERA s (Interfaith) gifts from our basket beneath the TV in the Oak Room. Their wish list includes $10 Walgreen s, Pick n Save, Walmart gift cards, $5 McDonald s gift cards, books of Forever stamps and thin puzzle books. These will need to be collected by December 2. Christ Church Mitten Tree The Christ Church Mitten Tree will be up through Sunday, December 9, in the Oak Room. The Mitten Tree calls for hats, scarves, books, puzzles, small toys, etc. to go to the Children s Christmas Toy Story at Christ Presbyterian Church, 19th and Walnut, Milwaukee. The following would be greatly appreciated: warm hats warm scarves warm gloves or mittens toys puzzles crayons children s books markers children s activity books large print playing cards Advent Is Coming! Hangin of the Greenery & Fellowship Sunday, November 25 Stick around after worship for a fun couple of hours decorating the church for the season of Advent. We ll gather together just after 11:00 AM on Sunday, November 25. Church will provide pizza, salad/ dressings and drinks. Christmas Poinsettia and Giving Catalog orders are due Monday, December 3 Please see the attached order form for more details. All ordered poinsettias can be taken home after the Christmas Eve service. Please contact Therese in the office if you have any questions. Christmas Tea Fellowship Sunday, December 16 Please join us after service in the Oak Room on Sunday, December 16 for our annual Christmas Tea. We will share cookies and tea, along with coffee, hot cocoa, hot cider, and the ever-popular peppermint bark. If you are able, feel free to bring a plate of your holiday baked goods.

6 The Session at Work At our regular Session meeting, we scheduled the Congregational meetings for October 7 to elect officers for the Nominating Committee and November 18 for the Annual Meeting. We also proposed changes which the Congregation voted, including: Reducing the number of Deacons from 9 to 7 in 2019, and from 7 to 6 in Reducing the number of at-large members of the Nominating Committee from 3 to 2, beginning in 2019 Allowing Elders and Deacons to be elected for a term of 1 to 3 years, instead of 3-year terms only, for more flexibility. In addition, Rev. Williams and each Elder presented their usual reports. The Session also met on Sept. 13 with Sand Bur consulting, who, together with Rev. Williams, are helping us discern our path for the future. We are looking at the various possibilities for First Pres from staying where we are to merging to relocating - and will thoroughly consider the ramifications of each option in turn. We realize that God is with us on our journey into the future, whatever that future is. First Pres has been and continues to be - a blessing to the community. So we will be focusing on which option will best help us to continue to be a blessing to our community.