Sunday, December 4, 2016 Second Sunday of Advent Communion Isaiah 11:1-10 Matthew 3:1-12

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1 T H E C O N G R E G A T I O N A L C H U R C H I N K I L L I N G W O R T H, U C C INSIDE THIS ISSUE: PAGE 1 Worship Schedule PAGE 2 From the Minister PAGE 3 Bible Study Midnight Run Eddy House Backpack Program Sunday School New Member Info Meeting PAGE 4 Christmas Pageant Christmas Eve Worship Christmas Sunday Worship Church Christmas Gift Christmas Fair PAGE 5 Hartford Kids Shopping UCC Christmas Fund Student Musicians Nominating Committee Christmas Poinsettias PAGE 6 Stewardship Committee PAGE 7 December Birthdays KNS Breakfast with Santa Lions Club Food Donation Church Ham Dinner PAGE 8 Advent Flyer PAGE 9 December Calendar Kerygma V O L U M E L I I S S U E 1 1 D E C E M B E R Worship 10:00 a.m. Sunday, December 4, 2016 Second Sunday of Advent Communion Isaiah 11:1-10 Matthew 3:1-12 Sunday, December 11, 2016 Third Sunday of Advent Psalm 146:5-10 Matthew 11:2-11 Sunday, December 18, 2016 Fourth Sunday of Advent Christmas Pageant Saturday, December 24, 2016 Christmas Eve Worship 7pm Sunday, December 25, 2016 Christmas Day Isaiah 9:2-7 Luke 2:1-14

2 From the Minister Many of the beautiful Advent hymns get overshadowed with their much more plentiful Christmas Carols. One of my favorite hymns of this season of preparation is, O Come, O Come Emmanuel. It s a very simple longing for the presence of God here on earth. Several of the stanzas are almost pleading with a deep sadness: O come, O come, Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer Our spirits by thine advent here; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death s dark shadows put to flight. O come, thou Wisdom from on high And order all things, far and nigh; To us the path of knowledge show, And cause us in her ways to go. O come, Desire of nations, bind All peoples in one heart and mind; Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease; Fill the whole world with heaven s peace. You can hear in the words of the ancient text the pain and suffering of the people of Israel. Indeed, we can frequently feel that same sense of despair here in the 21 st century. We also long for wisdom, a knowledgeable path forward, bringing together all peoples, and a peace that would bid envy, strife and quarrels to cease. It can get pretty depressing now and then. But what I love about this hymn is the chorus. Just as we go down into a dark mood, the chorus jumps in with a firm resolve: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! What comfort - Emmanuel, the son of God, SHALL come to us. It s not he might come, or he will only come if we are really good, or even that he will come to some people. It s all of us who receive this gift of God s son every year, indeed every moment, over and over again. Rejoice! All we have to do is to prepare to receive him and be open to a new way. As you prepare for Christmas this year, take a look through these pages to see where you can best participate in the life of your church. Just like God s love, we are here for everyone. If you don t see something that you would like to have happen here at church, just let me or one of our church leaders know to see if we can find a place for you. This is the time of year when we all should be seeking ways to strengthen our connection with our church and with our God. May we all receive God s Advent and Christmas blessings,

3 First Monday Bible Study Monday, December 5 at 7 p.m. On the first Monday of each month we will gather to look at what scriptures are scheduled for the next several Sundays. This is a great way to get a sneak preview of what to expect in church. We will generate some thoughtful discussion on what these passages say to each of us, and there will be good fellowship and refreshments. Put First Monday Bible Study on your calendar for each month. Newcomers are always welcome! Midnight Run to New Haven: Monday, December 19, 2016 Join the group that gathers in our kitchen in the late afternoon to make sandwiches and pack sack meals to take down to the Green in New Haven. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Karen Gagliardi. Seasonal items such as blankets, socks, shoes, t-shirts, etc. Toiletries of any size are always welcome. There is a greater need for men s items. Please bring your donations to the Parish Hall. Eddy House Holiday Dinners We will be preparing CHRISTMAS DINNER on Christmas Eve (December 24th). If you wish to help, we will be preparing dinner beginning at noon to be delivered to Eddy House between 3:30 and 4:00. If you can donate items such as green beans, instant potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, corn, mushroom soup, french fried onions, and turkey, it will be greatly appreciated. If you are able to donate food, help in the kitchen, or deliver the meals, please contact Karen Gagliardi at as soon as possible as she will be coordinating these meals and will need to know well ahead of time what she has to work with. Thank The Backpack Program Our CE students will be taking part in The Backpack Program, which is a local initiative to ensure that children in need have balanced, nutritious food they need to learn and grow. Children at risk of weekend hunger receive a bag of food that is child-friendly, nutritious, nonperishable, and easy to prepare/eat. Items in need: Backpacks gently used or new, canned tomato sauce, shelf stable milk, cereal/breakfast items, granola bars/healthy nutritious snacks, canned meats, mayonnaise, canned fruit/veggies, canned soup, personal hygiene products ie: shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, soap etc. Cash donations also accepted. We will be collecting items until Sunday, December 18th. Thank you! Sunday School will not meet December 18, 25 and January 1. Join us for worship! New Member Information Session Tuesday, December 6 at 7 p.m. What does it mean to join our church as a member? If you are interested in finding out the answer to that question, come to the New Member Information Session on Tuesday, December 6 at 7 p.m. This will be an informal, one-hour gathering to meet with the minister and some current members to find out about our church. Come whether you know you want to join or if you just want to find out what it is all about. We will be welcoming new members into the church during the worship service on Sunday, December 11. We would love to have you join.

4 Christmas Pageant Worship December 18, 10:00 a.m. The children will recreate the traditional Christmas story during worship as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. The service will also include many Christmas carols. If you have a child who would like to participate in the pageant, there is a rehearsal during Sunday School on December 11. Costumes will be provided. After the Christmas Pageant Worship we will celebrate with a birthday cake for Jesus. Don t forget to invite family, friends and neighbors to this delightful worship service. Questions? Contact Christine Link. Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship December 24, 7:00 p.m. The community is invited to our Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols. Rediscover the awe of Christmas through the reading of scripture, the beautiful voices of our choir and the congregation singing the traditional carols. We will end the service with the lighting of candles as we sing Silent Night. Bring your family and friends. Christmas Sunday Worship December 25, 10 a.m. Join us on Christmas Sunday for a simple, shortened service full of joy and song. Bring neighbors, friends and houseguests. Christmas Gifts to Our Church For the entire month of December, blue envelopes labeled, My Christmas Gift will be in the pew racks. Our church struggles each year to keep our balanced budget through the hard work of our leaders and the generosity of our members. Why not make an extra gift to our wonderful church as a response to what our church has meant to you this year? Or maybe put a little something extra in the envelope every week as a beautiful gesture of Advent? Thank you for your continued generosity to our church. CHRISTMAS FAIR The Congregational Church In Killingworth 273 Route 81, Killingworth Saturday, December 3rd 9am 2pm A visit from Santa Fresh and Artificial Wreaths Free Children s Crafts Fill-A-Container with Cookies Gift Giving & Christmas Items Coffee, Tea, Soup, and Crackers (Served from 11am 2:00pm)

5 Hartford Kids Holiday Shopping Event Friday, December 9 from noon to 3 p.m. Are you looking for a "fast-paced" and fun volunteer opportunity? We need volunteers to help at the 10th Annual Hartford Kids Holiday Shopping Event. With more than 500 children "shopping" from donations, we need a lot of volunteers to help the kids pick out presents for their families or wrap presents for the kids. It's a great opportunity for middle school and high school students and adults. We will carpool from church and/or school. If you have gifts to donate (especially for men and teens), please contact Carolyn Anderson. The UCC Christmas Fund (formerly Veterans of the Cross) Sunday, December 11. The UCC Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund is collected each year for those across our country who have retired from church jobs without adequate pensions. The mission of the UCC Christmas Fund is to provide assistance in situations of critical need, while preserving the dignity of those who receive the aid. In 2015 the UCC Christmas Fund raised $1,528,481 for retired pastors, church secretaries, custodians and Christian educators. For over 115 years, this offering has met a critical need of those who served our churches so well. Student Musicians Wanted for the Christmas Pageant, Dec. 18 Student singers or instrumentalists of all abilities are invited to share a solo of their choice during worship on Sunday, Dec. 18. You can do this and still participate in the pageant. There is a sign-up in the Parish Hall. Don t be shy! We want to hear YOU wherever you are on your musical journey! Nominating Committee The Nominating Committee has begun the process of preparing a slate of nominees for our church leadership to be voted on at the February annual meeting. If you would like to suggest a name (maybe even your own) for any of the church leadership positions, please just leave a note in the Nominating Committee mail box in the Parish Hall. If you have any questions or ideas, please contact Dee Esposito or Cheryl Fine. Thank you. CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS FOR THE SANCTUARY Order red poinsettias that will decorate the sanctuary on December 11th for $8.50 per plant. Last date to order is Sunday, December 4th.. NO ORDERS ACCEPTED AFTER THIS TIME. Mail orders to : The Congregational Church, 273 Rt 81, Killingworth, CT GIVEN BY: IN MEMORY OF: OR WITH LOVE TO: I will take my plant(s) after the service on December 11th. I will leave my plant(s) for someone who is sick/shut-in.

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7 Dec. 1 Dec. 2 Dec. 2 Dec. 2 Dec. 4 Dec. 4 Dec. 5 Dec. 8 Dec. 12 Dec. 13 Dec. 17 Dec. 17 Dec. 19 Dec. 27 Dec. 29 Dec. 29 December Birthdays Christine Link Lisa Uihlein Opal Wilkinson Carrie Jordan Jack Sizer Sandy Laporto Richard Albrecht William Burley Debra Tyler Cynthia Vogt Anne Nord Cynthia Nelson Ashley Griswold Lara Hajek Christine Etlinger Ron Mones Dec. 9 Maci Albrecht Dec 10 Emma Forster Dec. 12 Andrew Yahara Dec. 22 Nicholas Stegman Dec. 31 Lena Rimmer The Killingworth Nursery School invites everyone to enjoy Breakfast with Santa in the Parish Hall! Saturday, December 10th, 8am 11am. Have your picture taken with Santa, Crafts for sale, Raffle, Fun activities for the kids. Adult breakfast is $6 Child breakfast (under 10 years old) $4. The Killingworth Lions Club will hold their annual Christmas Food Drive on Saturday, December 3rd and 10th at the town compactor site from 8:00 am to Noon. Donations of food, food gift cards, and cash are needed and will be greatly appreciated. All items collected will be turned over to Helping Hands of Killingworth for distribution in the community. Please remember your neighbors in need during the holidays. CHRISTMAS HAM DINNER On the Menu: Roasted Ham Baked Potatoes Greg's Famous Baked Beans Garden Salad Bread and butter Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Coffee, Tea, Punch Church Parish Hall Thursday, December 15th 6pm - 7:30pm Invite your friends and neighbors. Tickets are $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for seniors (65+) and $6.00 for children 12 and under. Tickets may be purchased at the door or reserved by calling the church office at (860) Take-out orders will be available. All proceeds will be directed to the Church s General Fund.

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10 The Congregational Church in Killingworth, UCC 273 Route 81 Killingworth, CT * * * STAFF * * * Minister Member in Discernment Organist/Choir Director Office Manager Sexton The Rev. Martha Bays Katrina Manzi Rebecca Blomgren Maureen Alfiero Alyson Somerville Church Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8:00am 2:00pm 860/ Website: address: kwcongchurch@yahoo.com KERYGMA ESTABLISHED 1966 Deadline for the next issue is no later than December 15, 2016 If you do not wish to continue receiving the Kerygma, please or call the office. Thank you. KERYGMA December 2016 Sunday Worship 10:00 am Christmas Fair Saturday, December 3rd