Life at Unity. November 26, 2018

Transcription

1 Life at Unity November 26, 2018 Since 1788 United in Christ s love, we glorify God through worship, nurture, and service to all people. Celebrating 230 Years of Mission and Ministry PRAYER CONCERNS ADVENT MAKE AND TAKE Join us for an all-church, multi-generational Advent Wreath Make and Take. Sunday, December 2 from 12:00-2:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Cost: $20.00 per family Lunch will be served. Then, families of all shapes and sizes will make an Advent wreath and other Advent take-home resources to use this season. Families will receive prayers and liturgy to use at home when lighting your Advent wreath. Sign up here: FROM THE FINANCIAL OFFICE: 2018 CONTRIBUTIONS In order for your year-end contributions to be credited to 2018 giving, they must be delivered it to the office or drop it in an offering plate by December 31, Online transactions must occur before January 1st and any contribution we receive via the US Postal Service must be postmarked before January 1st. Patsy White Robert Priode Steve Gribble Beth Anderson Greyson Gload Betty Kimbrell Millie Williams Dickie Havnaer Vera Reid Mike Brown Bob Tuthill* Charlee Rae Gribble* Dot Hollis* Margaret Morgan* Libby Kern* Dee Rutter* Bob Lane* Billy Barron* Our Mission Coworkers Cindy Corell - Haiti Dori Hjalmarson - Honduras *Long Term Prayer Concern CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY is extended to Billy Barron and family in the death of his brother, Walter Barron, on November 23, 2018, in Camden, SC.

2 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION STAFF Kathryn McGregor Director of Christian Education (children and adults) Rev. Lindsay White Assoc. Pastor for Youth Ministries (youth grades 6-12) Melissa Dye Children in Worship Coordinator Linda Bunge Director of Unity Preschool Lauren Lochel Nursery Coordinator WHAT WE VE BEEN UP TO CHRISTIAN EDUCATION YEAR OF THE BIBLE READINGS FOR THE WEEK OF NOV. 25 Sunday: Daniel 1-3 / Psalm Monday: Daniel 4-5 / 1 John 5 Tuesday: Daniel 6-7 / 2 John 1 Wednesday: Daniel 8-9 / 3 John 1 Thursday: Daniel / Psalms Friday: Hosea 1-2 / Jude Saturday: Hosea 3-6 / Revelation 1 YEAR OF THE BIBLE: TRIVIA TRIVIA QUESTIONS NOV. 26 But first, the answers to last week s questions: Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego are thrown into the fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar because they would not worship idolatrous images. (Dan 3:13-23) Hosea s unfaithful wife is named Gomer. (Hos. 1:2-3) While you re reading this week, think about these questions: Where was John when he received the message of Revelation? What happened to King Nebuchadnezzar? CHILDREN PASSPORT KIDS Register now for PASSPORTkids! Camp Unity will take a group to PASSPORT kids! Camp at Montreat Conference Center June 30 - July 3, This fun-filled four day, three night camp is for children and youth who are currently in 3rd-6th grade. Kathryn McGregor and other Unity adult chaperones will travel with the group to Montreat for camp. We will stay in hotel style lodging at the conference center, where all of our meals will be eaten, except lunch on the trip there and back. The cost is $335, which includes the cost of lunch on the way home on Wednesday. A non-refundable registration deposit of $100 is due by January 9. Register online at 2

3 BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JESUS COCOA, COFFEE, & REFRESHMENTS Cocoa, Coffee, and Refreshments will be sold during the Fort Mill Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 1, from 9:00am until 11:00 am on the front lawn of our church. Donations will be gladly accepted; all proceeds help to underwrite the total cost of the Middle School Mission Trip to Asheville Youth Mission in YEAR-END GIVING CONSIDERATIONS Gifts of Appreciated Assets such as stocks and mutual funds When appreciated assets are donated to a non-profit charity like Unity, two benefits are realized. First, Unity gains the full value of the donated stock. Secondly, the owner likely would not owe any tax on the increased value of the asset. Charitable IRA Rollover aka Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) For individuals with Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), there are requirements once you turn 70½ to begin taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMD). Under current rules, individuals age 70½ or older may transfer up to $100,000 annually from their IRA accounts directly to a charity like Unity without recognizing the distribution as income. Such a distribution counts toward the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), the mandatory, minimum yearly withdrawals that generally must be taken starting the in the year after you turn 70½ and avoid any penalty tax that occurs by not meeting the RMD. This is a tax benefit to the individual and also provides a benefit to Unity. Donor Advised Funds (DAF s) DAF s provide a simplified way to manage charitable giving. Transfer cash or securities to an IRS approved donor fund. The donor retains flexibility to decide the amounts and timing of distributions from the fund to charitable organizations such as Unity. It is important that you seek the advice of your tax or financial professional in any of these cases. MATCHING GIFTS Please remember Unity during your 2018 benefits enrollment process. Many employers will provide a matching gift through your payroll charity giving or onetime charitable gifts. Please join us for an angelic celebration for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ at our Birthday Party for Jesus on Saturday, December 15th at 10:00am in the Fellowship Hall Parents and grandparents are encouraged to bring their young children to this family event where we will celebrate through crafts, games, songs, and a snack. Birthday presents will be donated to the Fort Mill Care Center. Diapers (size 3 and up), baby wipes, baby food, and Gerber baby formula are most needed at this time. ADVENT DEVOTIONS Advent begins December 2. Devotion booklets with devotions written by youth and adults in our congregation as well as pop-up Advent calendars for young children are available in the Narthex. The daily devotions written by our congregation members will also be available beginning December 2 on the church website and Facebook page. Be sure and share these with your friends and neighbors. LAST SUNDAY S ATTENDANCE 8:45 am :00 am Livestream

4 ANGEL TREE Thank you for the wonderful response to the angel trees last Sunday. This Sunday, December 2, is the last Sunday that the angel trees will be available for your selection. If you have already purchased your gift, you may bring it now to one of the trees. The deadline for bringing your gift back is December 9 by the 11:00 service. Sorting of gifts will begin immediately after the 11:00 service. They will be tagged and ready for distribution on December 11. Thanks so very much for participating in this project which will bring lots of smiles to children on Christmas morning. CHRISTMAS MEMORIALS AND HONORARIUMS Christmas memorials and honorariums may be made by completing a form available in the church office, by filling out the form found in the Welcome Pad, or by downloading the form available online. Please make your check payable to Unity, and write Christmas Memorial/Honorarium on the memo line. The deadline for these gifts is December 9th. These gifts will be listed in a booklet which will be available in the Narthex on December 16th. PW NOMINATION 4 COVERED DISH All adults are invited to a Christmas Covered-Dish Dinner in the Fellowship Hall on Friday, December 7 at 6:30 pm. Contact Joyce White at murrayw@comporium.net for more information. LUNCH BUNCH Lunch Bunch will have their usual covered dish luncheon on Dec. 10, 12:00 in the Fellowship Hall. Margaret Monroe will be with us for a Christmas sing along. Bring your favorite dish and join us for good food and Christmas Spirt. Nominations are currently being accepted for Presbyterian Women Honorary Life Membership Award. The forms can be picked up in the church office, in the narthex, or online. The deadline is December 8th and forms can be turned into the church office. Contact Susan Bates at susubates@comporium.net if you need additional information. Please help us honor a deserving woman of Unity. CHILDREN S ATTENTION HOME The Children s Attention Home is a local organization that provides a safe and nurturing home for abused and neglected children. Unity is working with them, but with Christmas on the horizon, they could use some extra help! They have sent us their Christmas wish list here: Christmas Wish Lists Sponsoring a child and gifting them with (2) outfits, a pair of shoes, (3) toys/gifts, a coat/hat/glove/scarf set, and a gift card. Supporting our Campus Wish List by providing items for our cottages, kitchen, office, and recreation needs lists. Sponsoring a meal for our children. Serve as one of Santa's Helpers by shopping, gift sorting, organizing, and wrapping. Talented wrappers ages 16 and up are welcome to serve. Adopt A Bedroom to help us spruce up our children's living quarters with new bedding, wall art, and storage bins. Sponsor an experience for our children at a local restaurant, attraction, or sporting event. Host a Holiday Activity for the children in our care. Please go to their website for more information or to sign up at

5 CHRISTMAS AUCTION Monday, December 3, 2018 beginning at 5:30 Hot Dog supper Sale Silent Auction Live Auction starts at 6:00. All proceeds are split 50/50 between the Nutrition Center and Care Center Already donated: a sailboat trip on Lake Norman for 4 Hamburger/hot dog cook-out for up to ten people at the Williams Family River House on Lake Wylie on a mutually agreed upon date. We need your donations of craft items, canned foods, baked goods or NEW Items for this event. Donations can be left in Room M207, the room right across from the elevator on the 2nd floor. POST AT UNITY Cards are a wonderful way to express our Christian love and care for each other. What better way to show someone you care than sending a Christmas greeting through Unity s own Christmas Post. New Horizons Circle will provide Unity Christmas Post for our Unity members beginning November 28th. You will find the mailboxes in the hallway just outside the Narthex. Guidelines Address your cards with first and last names of your Unity friends Place you Christmas cards to Unity members in the appropriate boxes. Place the money you would have used for postage in one of the boxes on each end of the mailboxes Check your box frequently to retrieve your mail, even if you didn t send your greetings through Unity Christmas Post The postage money will go into our Pastors Discretionary Fund for them to use to help those in need. If you write a check for your postage, please mark it Unity Post. This will be tax deductible. TRANSPORTATION This team provides a ride to appointments, errands, and Sunday services as needed. Please contact Denese Reichenbach if you need any of these services. Dreichenbach@comporium.net OFFICE CHANGES With additions of new part-time church staff and the transitions with pastors, a few changes to the church office area have been made or are in the works. Katie Clark, along with Sally Herlong, share an office area across the hallway from the receptionist desk. Jeannie Bickett has moved her office across the hallway as well. Once Jeannie is completely set up in her new space, Lindsay will relocate into Jeannie s former office. We anticipate Lindsay relocating the end of December / first of January. The addresses and telephone numbers remain the same for Katie, Sally, and Jeannie. Lindsay will keep the same contact information, as well. Come by and say hello. BLOOD DRIVE The American Red Cross is currently facing a severe blood shortage! Your donations are desperately needed now, so blood can be available for patients during this critical time. Medical conditions and emergencies that require blood don't stop for the holidays. Your blood helps ensure blood is available to support patients' ongoing needs, as well as unforeseen trauma situations. Give blood at Unity Nov 27, 2:30-7 pm Unity Christmas Post will be up through January 6th. Cards will be placed in a box in the Narthex through January 13th, and then will be recycled. Christmas Blessings to All! 5

6 SAFEKEEPING YOUR WILL Written by Joseph L Raad, Attorney at Law Here are a few Q&As you can use to safeguard your Will and ensure it is accessible when needed. Is it necessary to have my original Will? In South Carolina only a document bearing the original signature of the testator and witnesses can be submitted to probate. A photocopy is not an original, nor is an electronic version such as a fax or scanned copy. Where should I keep my Will? Someplace safe from fire and theft, such as a bank safe deposit box or a home safe. If you keep your Will in a safe deposit box, a person in your immediate family (spouse or adult descendent) or a person named personal representative in your will (a copy is used to prove this) may access the box after your death. Does the lawyer who prepared my Will have my original? Most likely not. This is a rare practice today. If you do not have your original Will contact a lawyer as soon as possible. If lost you must re-sign your Will. Is my Will recorded? Not in South Carolina. In closing, please take special care of your legal documents, as they are your legacy. To lose them and not have your wishes honored is a true misfortune. Joseph L. Raad is Senior Counsel with Morton & Gettys Law Firm in Rock Hill, SC. He is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law. He can be reached at (803) or joe.raad@mortongettys.com. 6 SESSION-APPROVED CLOSING POLICY On occasion, conditions exist that necessitate the closing of the church office and/or the entire campus. Types of conditions could range from inclement weather (storms, ice, etc.) to issues with the facilities (power outage, lack of water, etc.) and other situations. When the church office and/or campus is closed, church staff will therefore not be working on the campus. Listed below are highlights from the new closing policy. Unity s first concern is always the safety of our members, community, and staff when considering the closing the office and/or campus. A final decision will be made at least 24 hours prior to an anticipated incident. If the decision is to remain open, no announcement will be made. When inclement weather affects Fort Mill and the local region, it is understood that the conditions may be worse in some areas than in others. If Unity makes the decision to continue with planned activities, each member and family is to exercise appropriate caution in determining whether it is safe to travel to the church campus. Just because the church campus is open it does not mean it is safe for everyone to be traveling to Unity. The Senior Pastor, along with the Church Administrative Officer, will review information and advisories from multiple sources, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, York County Office of Emergency Management, and public school systems in making a decision. The primary means of communication will be placing announcements on the following sources: Unity website ( Unity social media posts. Unity telephone system ( ). WBT radio (1110 AM / 99.3 FM). For more detailed information, please contact Jacob Saylor, Church Administrative Office, at jsaylor@unityfortmill.org.

7 7

8 Unity Presbyterian Church 303 Tom Hall Street PO Box 1267 Fort Mill, SC JOIN US SUNDAY 8:45 a.m. Worship service 10:00 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Worship service FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE Newsletter Info Deadline: Wednesday by 5:00 pm Return Service Requested UnityFortMill.org FROM THE PASTOR Friends, Worship services on Sundays in the month of November provided innovative approaches to deepen our understanding of God s care for us and our responses to God s grace. All Saints, Caregivers, Health and Wholeness and Healing focused on mental and emotional and spiritual and physical wellness in our community. This past Sunday reprised the Liturgical Calendar/Church Year for which Christ the King Sunday is the culmination. In that service we rehearsed the entire liturgical story of God s redemption for humanity. The story of redemption is repeated not only yearly through our liturgical calendar but also in every generation and in each community and for every person. The liturgical calendar starts afresh this Sunday as we initiate the observance of Advent. I hope you have found significance for your faith in these unique experiences of worship and education and opportunities for response. Church leaders and staff have worked diligently to provide theologically sound and personally meaningful worship services. With the beginning of Advent, Unity returns to more familiar and traditional patterns of worship. Please join us in worship and study and service as we prepare again for the coming of the Christ in the birth of Jesus. Grace and peace, Mark Mark E. Diehl Church Office Emergency Pastoral Line Senior Interim Pastor Mark E. Diehl Senior Associate Pastor Jeannie Bickett Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry Lindsay White