THIS WEEK AT FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Transcription

1 THIS WEEK AT FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH For the week of November 28, 2018 Dear Friends, A Note From Your Pastor Welcome to winter, especially to those of you living further south. It was amazing how the amount of snow on Sunday differed from a few miles north of the church to a few miles south. Thanks to everyone who made it to worship and if you opted to stay home and not get out in the winter weather, know you were missed. On Sunday I introduced the theme we ll be exploring this Advent: Ushering in the Kin-dom. We will be talking about shifting from the metaphor kingdom of God to kin-dom of God as we ask questions about the world God intends and how we can help to create it. The difference between these words is small - only one letter - but the meaning is light years apart. Kingdom brings to mind worldly powers with top-down hierarchy. Kin-dom on the other hand represents what Jesus lived - a world where outsiders were brought in, where expectations were turned on their heads, where all people were understood to be family, where the weak and the poor became the leaders. Over the coming weeks we will continue to talk about qualities of the kin-dom of God and how we can not only embrace this idea but help bring it to reality. If you missed worship and would like to catch up, both an audio recording as well as a printed version of my sermon are available at our website. Hope you ll be here Sunday, Jill PS This weekend I will be away. My family will be attending a friend s wedding on Saturday and another friend s ordination on Sunday in Indianapolis. My sister-in-law, Tammy, will preach on Sunday as she explores with you the kin part of kin-dom...what it means to live as if we are family. Should pastoral care needs arise this weekend, please call Emily Steeples ( ) or Laura Kittrell ( ). Advent and Christmas at FCC Advent begins on Sunday and before we know it Christmas will be here. Below you will find dates and information you should know to fully experience Advent at FCC this year: As usual we will worship together each Sunday, lighting the candles in the Advent wreath and exploring together the Kin-dom of God as we anticipate Christ s coming again. Want to sing in an Advent choir or play a piece for the Holiday Concert? More information is on page 3. This year s gift tree will focus on filling the ark. Beginning December 2 envelopes will be available with amounts ranging from $10 - $150 for a whole animal or share of one. More information is on page 2. We will again offer the opportunity for you to honor your loved ones by making a donation in their memory. These donations will go toward the purchase of some larger poinsettias for our worship space and an ornament will go on the tree in memory/honor of your loved one. You are invited to take your ornament home on Christmas Eve. Envelopes will be available beginning December 2 and ornaments will go on the tree December 16. The Children s Christmas Program will take place in morning worship on December 16. Christmas Eve worship will be at 7pm. We hope you and your family will be with us for this beautiful service.

2 This Week at First Christian Church November 28, 2018 UPCOMING EVENTS Wednesday Bible Study meets at 12:30pm each week. November 28 - Luke 3:1-6 December 5 - Luke 1:47-55 Children, Youth, and Families Wednesdays, 6pm: Christmas Program Practice takes place each Wednesday through December 12. Faith Formation in December December 2-16: Classes for children/youth are as usual. Adults are invited to join Laura Kittrell and Jill Michel for an Advent Bible study in room 114. December 23: We will share an intergenerational activity with the opportunity for you to build your own nativity for your home. December 30: There will be no Sunday School. We will only have worship this day. December 9: Youth Group Christmas Party, 3-5pm at the Seaton home DECEMBER BOOK CLUB December 15: Children s Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal at 1pm. December 16: Children s Christmas Program in worship December Board Meeting We know December gets busy so we are asking that all board members mark your calendars now for the December Board meeting which is Tuesday, December 11 at 7pm. We have important business to take care of in December. Coralville Food Pantry December Collection: Baby Food The box for these items is in the church entry area by the Mission & Witness bulletin board. We will collect Baby Food throughout the month of December. The FCC Book Club's next book is Reading with Patrick by Michelle Kuo. Ms. Kuo tells the true story of connecting with a student, and then connecting again when he goes to prison. Book Club is at Eunice Welsh's house, 84 Penfro, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 20. You Are Invited to Coe College For Christmas worship on Tues., December 4 at 11am or 7:30pm Join chaplain, Melea White, at Sinclair Auditorium, st Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids. FILL THE ARK Project Update Animals for Christmas We have raised $3,350 toward our goal to fill the ark. Beginning next Sunday, you will find envelopes on the gift tree which will allow you to purchase a whole animal or a share of an animal (ranging from $10 $150). You can do this simply as a donation or as a gift for a loved one. It s a great gift for the person who has everything! Gift cards will be available for you to send to those for whom this is a gift. Sunday, December 2, 2018 Scripture: I Thessalonians 3:9-13 Sermon: The Kin-dom: It s About Relationship

3 This Week at First Christian Church November 28, 2018 Like to Sing? Join the Advent Choir Second Annual FCC Holiday Concert Got a musical talent you'd like to share? You're invited to participate in our second annual FCC Holiday Concert, to be held on Saturday, December 8 at 2:00 p.m. If you sing, play an instrument, dance, write poetry -- whatever your talent, you're welcome to share something with a winter or Christmas/Holiday theme. This event is for participants of all ages. Contact Laura at icdisciple.music@gmail.com or (319) if you'd like to sign up to participate. Do you like choral singing, but don't have the time to commit to a weekly rehearsal year round? Consider singing with the Advent Choir during the coming Advent season. We will rehearse Sundays, December 2, 9 and 16 after worship as well as Wednesday, December 5 at 7 PM. We will sing in worship on December 9 and 23. Open to singers from Jr. High through adult. Come join the fun! Wondering How to Respond to the Wild Fires Out West? If you are wishing to do an immediate response to the wild fires in California, donations can be made through Week of Compassion. Week of Compassion (weekofcompassion.org) is the Disciples ministry that responds to natural disasters. They participate in both immediate response as well as long term recovery, and work closely with Disciples churches in the area. We will also remain in touch with the congregation in Paradise and make you aware of other needs as information becomes available Work Camp Opportunity The group that included Nancy and John McKinstry who went on a work camp to Nicaragua in March is planning a work camp to Puerto Rico during the first week of March in The camp will stay at a Disciples church camp and be organized through Week of Compassion and will cost no more than $1200-$1500 per person including transportation (flying out of CR) lodging, and food. Anyone interested in going is asked to talk with Nancy or John, who will help interested persons to stay informed as the camp gets organized. CHRISTIAN SYMBOL Branch (Tree) of Jesse Isaiah used the image of a new tree growing from what appears dead to foretell God s redemption of Israel: A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit (Isaiah 11:1, NIV). During Advent, this prophecy assures us of the coming of the Messiah, descended from King David, and thus his father, Jesse.

4 December 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2 Pack PM 9 Youth Group 3 PM IA Rockets 12-6:30 16 Worship/Children s Program 10 AM BSA 3 PM & 7 PM 23 ANNIVERSARY S 8-Amy & Rick Elliott 20-Marilyn & Delbert Gilmore 21-Sherry & Roger Child 30-Jill & Finn Meadows 31-Erika & Sara Riggs 31-Teresa Messlein & James Martin 3 4 Staff Mtg 9:30 AM S&F Mtg 1:30 PM Elders Mtg 5:30 PM OCV Scouts 6-7:30 24 Board Mtg 7 PM 18 Staff Mtg 10 AM 5 Bible Study 12:30 PM Chess Club 3 PM Christmas Rehearsal 6 PM Advent Choir 7 PM 12 Bible Study 12:30 Chess Club 3 PM By-Laws Com. 5:30 Christmas Rehearsal 6 PM Strings & Singers 7 19 Christ the King 10 AM Bible Study 12:30 No Chess Club NO Bible Study No Chess Club 6 M&W 10 AM Clergy FCC 11:30 AM Exec Comm 5:30 PM Worship Comm 6:30 PM 13 Arrow Chapter Boy Scouts Mtg 7 PM 7 Loves-A-Lot Christmas Prog & Recep. 6-9 PM 1 IA Rockets Pies 10 AM 8 PM Jill Out of town Dec 1st & 2nd 8 Holiday Concert 2 PM Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal 1 PM NO Sunday School No Pot-Luck Worship 7 PM 31 New Years Eve Office Closed 6-Jan Jensen 11-Emily Klein 12-Tom Klein 14-Brooklyn Mohr 17-Emily Greathouse 17-Finn Meadows BIRTHDAY S Office Closed 19-Beth Pelton 21-Kristin Greathouse 27-Ruth L. Potter 30-Annie Hartley

5 FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST) 900 LINCOLNSHIRE PLACE CORALVILLE, IA Sunday Services: 9 AM Sunday School 10 AM Church Service 11 AM Coffee/Fellowship Church Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 9AM to 1PM Phone #: Staff: Pastor: Rev. Jill Cameron Michel (home) (cell) icdisciple.pastor@gmail.com Office Administrator: Peggy Bothell icdisciple.sec@gmail.com Music Director: Laura Kittrell icdisciple.music@gmail.com Director of Christian Formation: Kara Seaton icdisciple.kids@gmail.com Janitorial: Michael Hull m.hull84@yahoo.com