November 25, :30 am

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1 November 25, :30 am Lector Beth Heuermann Acolyte Jada Cleary Ushers Don & Kari Adams Greeter Chris Lucas Offering Stewards Chris Lucas, Barb Harris Sound System Ron Humphrey Coffee Hour Rick & Carol Bender Bass Guitar Richard Losciale Kirkwood United Church of Christ 1603 Dougherty Ferry Road Kirkwood, MO Website Phone (314) Facebook us CHURCH STAFF Betsy Happel, Pastor Phillip Harris, Student Pastor Donna Bay, Administrative Assistant Scott Kinworthy, Director of Music Ron Bryant, Accompanist Jennifer Brockhouse, Nursery Care Giver MINISTERS The Whole Congregation No matter who you are, or where you are on life s journey, you are welcome here! OUR WELCOMING COVENANT Kirkwood United Church of Christ is called by God to be an open, diverse and caring community of Jesus disciples. In following Christ s commandment to love one another, we welcome all who wish to share in fellowship, membership, leadership, worship, ministry, sacraments, rites, responsibilities and blessings of our faith community. As we affirm every person is a child of God, no one is excluded, regardless of race, ethnic or socio-economic background, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, physical or mental ability, nationality or faith background. We are an Open and Affirming and an Immigrant Welcoming congregation. All are welcome here!

2 GUIDE FOR WORSHIP Hearing assistance is available, please see an usher Please join in responses printed in blue lettering *All who are able, please stand Those seated on the aisle, please fill out the welcome sheet on the clipboard in the pew rack, and pass it to the next person. Request: the last person to sign, please put the sheet in plate. Thank you. Welcome Prelude Call to Worship Gathering Song Prayer of Confession Assurance of God s Love Children s Time Scripture Reading Song for Preparation Message Choir Anthem Prayers of the People/Lord s Prayer Invitation to Offering Offertory Doxology Prayer of Dedication Blessing and Commissioning Song for Sending Forth Postlude Scripture Reading 2 Samuel 23:1-7 (Inclusive Bible) These are the last words of David: The oracle of David ben-jesse, the oracle of the person God raised up, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, the favorite of the songs of Israel: The Spirit of YHWH has spoken through me; God s word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me; Rulers who govern with justice, who rule in the reverence of YHWH, are like the light of mornings at sunshine, a cloudless morning after a rain shower, that makes the grass of the earth sparkle. Yes, my house is right with YHWH! YHWH has made an everlasting covenant with me, its terms spelled out and faithfully obeyed; God will ensure my complete success, and bring my every desire to fruition. But the ungodly are rootless, they are like abandoned thorns; none dare put out a hand to pick them up, none touch them but with a tool or a piece of wood; they are fit only for burning where they lie. Sources: Call to Worship from Psalms for Praying: An Invitation to Wholeness, by Nan C. Merrill. Prayer of Compassion and Assurance written by the Rev. Dr. Laurel Koepf Taylor, Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Eden Theological Seminary. Invitation to Offering from Psalms for Praying: An Invitation to Wholeness, by Nan C. Merrill.

3 NEWS SPONSORED BY KUCC WORSHIP & MUSIC SURVEY - DUE TODAY! The Worship & Music team would like your input and creative ideas about preferences in our worship services. An was sent out on Monday 11/5 with a link to a very brief survey: Or, paper copies of the survey are available in the sanctuary. Please drop off completed surveys in the church office. We d enjoy hearing your thoughts by Today! If you have trouble opening the link, contact Donna Bay at donna@kirkwooducc.org and she ll help you out. Thank you for your participation! GOD'S HELPING HANDS CHRISTMAS GIFT PROGRAM & ST JOHN'S COMMUNITY MINISTRY SUPPORT: The Mission and Outreach Team is already working to make this year's Christmas Gift Program with God's Helping Hands Ministry the same huge success it has been in the past. The gift tags are available on trees in the gathering space. Purchased gifts will be due back at KUCC by December 9 so they can be delivered in plenty of time for Christmas. We will also be supporting St. John s Community Ministry this year as we have done before. The incredible way our congregation supports these programs makes the love of Christmas real and meaningful in the lives of many children and families. We thank you for your generosity! THANK YOU! OCTOBER GIVING/EXPENDITURE INFORMATION Each month KUCC's Church Council will report on our church's basic giving and expenditures from the previous month. Following is the information for October, 2018: Oct Actual YTD Actual YTD Budget INCOME $23,363 $200,390 $192,500 EXPENSES $21,664 $198,925 $198,244 Because of your generosity, during the month of October, KUCC was able to: Make a contribution to the United Church of Christ Neighbors in Need mission offering; warm our church facility during unusually chilly Fall weather; and provide Pastor Betsy with a week of vacation. Thank you!! CALLING ALL KIDS - KUCC CHRISTMAS PAGEANT! A children s Christmas pageant, Follow the Star, is being planned for Sunday, December 16 during worship. This year s play will involve a variety of speaking and non-speaking parts for all ages, plus the singing of Christmas carols. It s a cute story we think KUCC kids will enjoy. Rehearsals will be held from 10:45-11:45 am following Sunday worship on: Today, November 25 December 2 December 9 In addition, a dress rehearsal will be held on Saturday, December 15 from 1:00-2:30 pm. (Side note: following that rehearsal, an Advent Festival with crafts and treats will be held from 2:30-3:30 pm.) If your child/children would like to participate, please contact our Student Pastor, Phillip Harris, at pharris@eden.edu as soon as possible and indicate if your child/children would like a speaking or non-speaking part. Thank you! SUNDAY MORNING ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES: COUNTERING PHARAOH'S PRODUCTION-CONSUMPTION SOCIETY TODAY November 25 and December 2, 9 A study for Progressive Christians, these DVD-based materials are led by Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann, a renown Old Testament scholar & former Eden Theological Seminary professor, and is ideal leading into the Advent season. From Dr. Brueggemann: "It is a journey from slavery to covenant that we keep making over and over again... [because] Pharaoh has immense power always to draw us back into slavery." Questions to be explored in this study include: how can liberal and conservative Christians engage with each other?, what is the meaning of neighborhood?, how are we to understand the role violence plays in the Scriptures?, and many others. This study is published by the Living the Questions production house, a KUCC favorite. Join us on November 4, 11, 25 and December 2 and 9 as we view and discuss the wisdom and insights of Dr. Brueggemann. Class will be held in the theater. 3

4 KUCC CHRISTMAS DECORATING December 1 "If you can't get enough of Christmas decorating, please consider joining the Worship & Music team members on Saturday, December 1st starting at 9:15am until approximately 10:30am as we decorate the sanctuary and welcome areas! Activities will include setting up the tree, making bows, decorating the sconces, placing wreaths and garland around and other misc. decorating needs. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board for those interested and able to come. We hope you can join us for what is sure to be a morning full of fellowship, creativity and Spirit. Can't help on 12/1 but would still like to contribute? We are accepting donations of fresh greenery from your evergreen trees that will be used to decorate our sconces. Donations would need to be dropped off at KUCC on Friday, November 30th. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Lea Wendling at Leanora.wendling@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!" BANNER DESIGN GROUP December 2 The next meeting of the banner design group is Sunday, December 2, at 2:00. All are welcome to come and give feedback on the designs. ST. LOUIS SANCTUARY COALITION MEETING: Tuesday, December 4, 6:30-8:00 pm, at Christ Church UCC (2200 Bellevue Ave., Maplewood, MO, 63143). We will meet in Fellowship Hall (enter the double red doors off the Church parking lot). Coffee and cookies will be provided. All who are interested in immigration issues in St. Louis are welcome to attend. BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICE - WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 7 PM You re invited to a special service designed for those for whom this holiday season might be difficult. If you have undergone a difficult loss, transition, life change, health challenges or generally stressed: we invite you to a special time of stillness, Scripture, prayer and music. Blue Christmas on Wednesday, December 12th at 7:00 pm PARSONAGE UPDATE Carrie Mershon and Barb Harris, ministry team leaders for Stewardship and Finance, and Jim Hall, landscape planner, met with Jonathan Raiche and Amy Lowry, City Planner and Assistant City Planner for Kirkwood, on November 8. A new land survey of the parsonage and lot allowed Jonathan to identify three waivers that will require approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission and, subsequently, the City Council. We have known all along that we will need a waiver to operate on 2.3 rather than 3 acres; we learned at this meeting that we will also need waivers to allow a side setback of less than 22 feet we have and a lot width of less than 150 feet we have 133. Because our situation is quite unusual, the City is allowing us to ask for the Planning and Zoning Commission s ruling on these waivers before we develop the much more complex and costly documentation required to redraw the property lines between the church at 1603 Dougherty Ferry and the house at Jonathan advised that we apply to be on the Planning and Zoning agenda January 2; we will submit preliminary documents by December 14. If the Commission recommends in our favor, we will then present our request to the Kirkwood City Council on January 10. IF both bodies approve, we will then prepare the detailed documentation needed to apply to redraw the boundary lines between properties. This will require a second appearance before P and Z and then the City Council. Please keep praying that God will give us guidance, patience, and wisdom as we navigate this process. HUGE BOOK DONATION SORTING DATES/TIMES The books donated on Sept 22 are stored in the old kitchen downstairs. So far an inventory count sets at nearly 1100 books of various subjects - mostly non fiction with several boxes yet to be opened. Scheduling the following days/times to sort by category onto tables prior to placing on shelves that need to be purchased. Or we may receive some donations of shelving also. The remaining date/time, but anyone can sort at their convenience Tues Dec 4-9 to noon ( if needed). Contact Larry Willman or larrywillman47@gmail.com with any questions, etc. 4

5 OTHER EVENTS COMMUNITY GOSPEL CHOIR OF ST. LOUIS December 1 and December 2 Two opportunities to enjoy this glorious celebration of gospel music, as we sing praises to the birth of the newborn king. Saturday, December 1-1:00-4:00pm at Kirkwood Baptist Church and Sunday, December 2 2:00-4:00pm at Northside Seventh Day. A free-will offering will be taken to benefit the work of Community Gospel Choir. JAZZ NOEL CHRISTMAS CONCERT December 15 and December 16 For the past seven years Jazz Noel has touched the hearts of audiences in St. Louis, Kansas City and Southern Illinois. Begun in 2011, we ve held 15 concerts in six different churches, performed for more than 3,000 people, and raised nearly $4,000 for local community service organizations. Jazz Noel returns this year with two performances: Saturday, December 15 at 3:00 pm Parkway United Church of Christ 2841 N. Ballas Road St Louis Sunday, December 16 at 3:00 pm First Congregational United Church of Christ 10 W. Lockwood Ave. Webster Groves Jazz Noel is free and open to the public. YOUNG ADULT WINTER RETREAT January 4-6, 2019 Camp MoVal, 2659 Camp Moval Road, Union, MO moval@mmsucc.org - $80 per person This is a great opportunity for College Students and Young Adults to come and get away for a weekend over winter break. There will be a worship leader for bible study and worship, time to relax and just hang out, to play games and enjoy the outdoors in the winter season. We look forward to having you join us on this retreat journey. KUCC CALENDAR OF EVENTS *Names in italics with an asterisk are community groups which use our facilities. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25 9:30 am Worship 10:30 am Coffee Hour 10:45 am Children s Christmas pageant rehearsal 11:00 am Adult Ed MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26 10:00 am Al-Anon* 7:00 pm SLAA* 7:00 pm COSA* TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27 11:15 am Al-Anon* 6:00 pm Yoga* WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 9:30 am Adult Faith Formation 5:00 pm Meditation Group 6:15 pm Worship & Music 6:30 pm Al-Anon* THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29 11:15 am Al-Anon* 4:30 pm LOGOS/Safari 7:15 pm Choir SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2 9:30 am Worship/Communion 10:30 am Coffee Hour 10:45 am Children s Christmas pageant rehearsal 11:00 am Adult Ed 5

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