The PresCryterian. Advent Season

Transcription

1 The PresCryterian Giving of Ourselves and Caring for one another. Shawnee Presbyterian Church Worships, Learns, and Serves our needy world together. Volume 16, Issue 12 December 2018 SUNDAY WORSHIP Every Sunday 10:30a.m. OFFICE HOURS M-Th 9am-12:30pm CHURCH STAFF Rev. Craig R. Gibson, Pastor Rob Mance, Choir Dir Andrew Morris, Organist Vonda Norman, Adm. Assistant The next issue of the PresCryterian will be published on December 27th Please submit your materials by Monday, 12/17 for inclusion in the next PresCryterian. Advent Season Advent is always an exciting time of the year! What a wonderful time to prepare for the coming of the Jesus the Christ. I am always comforted in knowing our schedule of preparation is not affected by the world around us, especially that of the retail stores. The church schedule stays the same with our four Sundays of preparation followed by our quiet recognition of the birth on Christmas Eve. To help us prepare throughout the Advent season this year everyone in and around the church is invited to join around the coloring tables. In the Narthex we will have beautiful poster size coloring pages for each of the four Sundays of Advent and Christmas itself. Each of us, regardless of age or coloring ability, is invited to sit down for a few minutes before and after worship to add our own color to our posters as we prepare ourselves for the coming of the Christ Child. These posters will be available throughout the week as well for any of us to add to the masterpiece. We invite our Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Anonymous Groups, Central Standard, Vocal Standard, and Meals on Wheels volunteers to be a part of our entire community preparing for the true meaning of Christmas. These posters will remain available to color through our Christmas Eve Service and will then be displayed on the wall of windows in the Narthex throughout the Sundays of Christmas. I know full well some are excited by this opportunity and some are quite uncertain how this will work and how each will fit in. I encourage you to be open minded and allow yourself to return to the childlike wonder of the season and the joy found in being together as a church family waiting for the big day, the birth of Jesus. Happy Advent as we journey and color together. Pastor Craig

2 HAVE YOU TURNED IN YOUR PLEDGE CARD FOR 2019? If you have not turned in your pledge care it is not too late. Finance Committee has already begun work to create the budget for 2019 and need your pledge to have a better idea of what funds they have to work with. Pledge cards can be turned into the office, put in the offering plate, or handed to an usher. Thank you! CHRISTMAS- A TIME FOR GIVING The Mission Committee has identified three opportunities for the church to support for the quickly upcoming Christmas season. Your support for any or all of these would be very appreciated by the target recipients this season! NIEMAN SCHOOL NEEDY FAMILIES: This year instead of having a gift tree per se with items for 3 families identified from Nieman School as having significant needs, we will be collecting either cash or small (Under $25) denomination gift cards that will be given to needy families by the Nieman School Social Worker/Nurse. Our hope is that your donations, along with monies targeted from the Mission Committee fund will help more families than we have with the gift tree. Please bring your gift cards to the office, or put your cash donations in the offering plate (designated as Neiman School) by no later than December 16th so we can get these to Neiman School for distribution before school lets out for the holidays. HATS, GLOVES TREE: We will put up the 'gift tree' in the church entry again this year, but instead of gift tag items, we are collecting Hats and Gloves for Kids that will be taken to Nieman School to help provide kids that don't have hats or gloves these items to help them through the upcoming cold months. Please bring Hats and Gloves by December 16th so, again we can take these to Neiman before school lets out. CHRISTMAS JOY: We are targeting the 5th Sunday giving in December to Christmas Joy denominational offering which helps ministers in the Presbytery with things such as $1000 for minister's kids going to college, college student loan assistance, and also for retired ministers that for extenuating circumstances have a shortage in covering needs with their pensions. Pastor Craig indicated that his family has been the recipient of the college amount. The monies for Christmas Joy should be put in the offering plate designated for "Christmas Joy". Thanks in advance for giving to these worthy directions this season. Any questions can be addressed to those on the Mission Committee: Maxine Lewis, Robert Lewis, Jean Watkins, Kate Asiedua, Gwen Boyd, Karen Swisher or Pastor Craig.

3 BOY SCOUT TROOP 185 FUNDRAISER SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 AT HY-VEE Please help support SPC's Boy Scout Troop 185 on December 1, 10:00-5:00, at Hy-Vee on SMPKWY & Pflumm by "tipping" them when they sack your groceries. This fundraiser is helping them raise money for their monthly campouts. Food When We re Fed is a time to remind ourselves to bring food for others every time we gather for communion. To make this even easier, communion is now shared the first Sunday of every month. The next Food When We re Fed will be Sunday, December 2nd Let s take this opportunity to make a difference in the world around us. THE NEXT SENIOR ADULT LUNCHEON WILL BE ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4TH Please bring a wrapped gift and mark it with a Boy (age) or Girl (age). These will be given to Shawnee Services for their annual Christmas party. Senior Adult Luncheon (SAG) will be held the first Tuesday of the month in the Fellowship Hall. 11am Program; Noon LUNCH! Please bring a side dish, or dessert of your choice. Thank you! JANUARY SENIOR ADULT LUNCH -SAG will be meeting on Tues., January 8 th NOT on Tues., Jan. 1 st.

4 NATIVITY SET DISPLAY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9TH You are invited with your friends and families to display one or two of your/their favorite Nativity Sets on Sunday, December 9th. Tables will be set up in the Narthex or hallway, depending on the number participating. You will be responsible to stay by your set before (10am) and after the church service to share it s special meaning to you. HANDS-ON, SITTING-DOWN ; WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12TH 10:00 AM We would love for you to help us or just stop by for a few minutes to say Hi! If you want to become better acquainted with each other while working on projects to help others, this is the perfect opportunity. We do hands-on mission projects that can be done while sitting-down. Thank you! Mission Committee

5 Finance Committee Report REMINDER: Finance Committee requests that you please submit your 2019 pledge information to the church office if you haven t had the opportunity to do so thus far. This will help ensure that we have the most complete information to prepare the 2019 budget for Session s approval at next month s meeting. Thank you. October 2018 interim results October Year to Date Budget YTD Compared to Budget Total Receipts $ 6,903 $ 136,666 $ 145,993 $ (9,327) Total Expenses 14, , ,707 9,345 Receipts Less Expenses (7,700) 1,304 1, Please contact Chris Nelson, Finance Committee Chair, at (913) or christopher.nelson@sbcglobal.net if you have any questions/concerns about any of the information contained in this report. Visitors: 11/4 Debbie Bruce 11/11 M. Kempton December Birthdays 12/5 Gretchen Gibson 12/5 Larry Meeker 12/8 Jerry Thomas 12/11 Karen Swisher 12/11 Mariah Newton 12/18 Pat Schroder 12/18 Peggy Stanley 12/19 Laura Newton 12/22 Dorothy Sexton 12/25 Happy Birthday Jesus! 12/28 Marvin Allen 12/31 Adele Stuart

6 LADIES PRAYER GROUP NEXT MEETING; WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19TH AT 11:30AM If you have not joined us, the Prayer Group is meeting the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 11:30 am Eggtc 7182 Renner Road Shawnee, KS We eat, talk, and go over who is in need of prayers and cards. The 16+ women who attend regularly, will welcome you warmly. Hope to see you too! God Bless! Shawnee Presbyterian Prayer Group November 2018 When you find you have time on your hands, put them together and pray. Rehea Richardson surgery for defib. Doing well. Peggy Stanley Age related problems. Elna Ponto Age related problems. Reta Ousdahl Shoulder problems. Jackie Rozine Ongoing health issues. Judy Allen Mother passed away & son-in-law has cancer. Gretchen Gibson Mother passed away. Nursing Home & Retirement Residents Mary Burkitt Elna Ponto Pauline Pansing Beth Riner Special Needs & Prayers Our Church & Pastor. Children who need food & caring. Soldiers & their families. Families who have lost everything in the fires Church families who need prayers we know nothing about. Nancy Auf Der Heide Cancer treatment. Kris Illum Cancer treatment. Frank & Betty Wilkinson both very unstable. John & Beverly Randazzo Both health issues. Pauline Pansing Doing well. Ronald Davidson Struggles with depression. Jean Heatwole Age is a big factor in her health. Donita Wernes Struggles to keep going.

7 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21 ST AT 6:00 P.M.; LONGEST NIGHT SERVICE ALSO KNOWN AS BLUE CHRISTMAS This celebration is placed on or near December 21 st the winter solstice, which is the longest night of the year. Following this date, daylight seems to be returning for more and more of each day. On this night we invite those for whom the holidays are not joyful; are lonely, in mourning, feeling alienated and cast apart from family celebrations; those who are experiencing depression and sadness and yet are often compelled to "put on a happy face" for others, denying their true feelings. If any of this rings a bell or sounds all to true then this service is for you. Come let us recognize our Blue Christmas. A Few Extra Coins for the Noisy Offering the 4th Sunday of every month Noisy Offering Sundays are making an Impact! *Sunday, December 23rd, 2018* Thanks to the donations of pocket change by members and visitors to SPC, donations have been sent to both Hocker Grove Middle School and Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, through our Love Fund program for these schools. School Counselors at both schools use these funds to help students who are unable to pay for lunches, are in need of clothing items, are unable to pay a fee or purchase an item required for a class, are in need of funds for a school activity, or do not have the basics for a school day, such as paper/pens/pencils. We will continue to collect the Noisy Offering on the 4 th Sunday each month, and help to keep the Love Fund for these schools going strong. Again, the participation of the members, visitors, and friends of SPC are making a positive impact on our community. THANK YOU!

8 CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE will be held on Mon., Dec. 24th beginning at 6:30pm. This Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion service will be a wonderful way to celebrate the birth of Christ our King! Please come and enjoy Jesus s birth through music and ministry. 5 TH SUNDAY GIVING; SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 TH 5th Sunday giving in December to Christmas Joy denominational offering which helps ministers in the Presbytery with things such as $1000 for minister's kids going to college, college student loan assistance, and also for retired ministers that for extenuating circumstances have a shortage in covering needs with their pensions. Pastor Craig indicated that his family has been the recipient of the college amount. The monies for Christmas Joy should be put in the offering plate designated for "Christmas Joy". UPCOMING GREETERS UPCOMING LITURGISTS 12/2 Lisa Bachtle 12/2 Kinsey Walters 12.9 Jeff Walters 12/9 Leeanna Richardson Jean Watkins 12/16 Donna Wernes 12/23 Gwen Boyd 12/23 Linda Hague 12/24 Pat & Martha 12/24 12/30 - Walter s Children THANK YOU! EARLY BIRD BIBLE STUDY No EBBS in December. We will resume at 9:00 am on Tues. Jan. 15 in the Parlor. Adult Sunday School Adult Sunday school is held every Sunday at 9:00 a.m. in the Parlor. Children s Sunday School Sunday school for the children will meet during the worship hour following the Pastor s time with the Young Disciples. Shawnee Presbyterian Church Office Hours are Mon.-Thurs. 9 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Pastor Craig can be reached at Ext.11 OR pastor@shawneepres.org. If you have a pastoral emergency, call Pastor Craig at Please call the office at or the office at office@shawneepres.org.

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10 SHAWNEE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE 2018 Sunday, December 2 nd at 10:30 a.m. 1 st Sunday of Advent Worship with Communion Sunday, December 9 th at 10:30 a.m. 2 nd Sunday of Advent Nativity Display Bring your favorite or unique Nativity to display with others Sunday, December 16 th at 10:30 a.m. 3 rd Sunday of Advent Christmas Cantata Friday, December 21 st at 6:00 p.m. Longest Night Service (also known as Blue Christmas) This celebration is placed on or near December 21 st the winter solstice, which is the longest night of the year. Following this date, daylight seems to be returning for more and more of each day. On this night we invite those for whom the holidays are not joyful; are lonely, in mourning, feeling alienated and cast apart from family celebrations; those who are experiencing depression and sadness and yet are often compelled to "put on a happy face" for others, denying their true feelings. If any of this rings a bell or sounds all to true then this service is for you. Come let us recognize our Blue Christmas. Sunday, December 23 rd at 10:30 a.m. 4 th Sunday of Advent Monday, December 24 th at 6:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service

11 PAGE 11 NEWS LETTER TITLE VOLUME 16, ISSUE 12 The PresCryterian is published once a month on the 4th Wednesday. The deadline for articles is 9:00 am on Monday the week of publication. You can submit your article via , office@shawneepres.org, or place it in the folder on the office door. The PresCryterian Shawnee Presbyterian Church 6837 Nieman Road Shawnee, KS *Prayers for Betty Wilkinson who has a serious heart condition. Martha Cunningham *Prayers for a lady named Donna at Shawnee Hills. Her husband is in the hospital for the forth time and not doing well. Jackie Rozine *Prayers for my Granddaughter who has shingles. Dorothy Morris *Wishing Kent well on his birthday. Jean and Jack Watkins *Prayers for strength for Kris Illum. Has been sick. Lisa Bachtle *Prayers for the people of California, who are in the path of the recent fires. Also, prayers for the victims and their families, who were killed in a shooting. God Bless them All! Dale Craft *Please pray and ask for blessings to each and every Veterans, their families, and every individual whose lives have been touched by war. Mike Selby *A salute to all Veterans today and everyday! Bill Arndt