The Courier DECEMBER

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1 The Courier DECEMBER COCOA BEACH COMMUNITY CHURCH United Church of Christ 126 South Atlantic Avenue P.O. Box Cocoa Beach, FL No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

2 Minister: Rev. Ed Middleton Church Secretary: Michelle Mills Assoc. for Growth / Social Justice / Education Coleman Todd Music Director: Jan Johns Church Musician: David Wrable Sexton : Jerry Hinds CBCC OFFICE HOURS Monday - Friday 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM CBCC is on Facebook facebook.com/cbcc.ucc WEB: cbcc-ucc.org Tel: Fax: CBCC-Info@cfl.rr.com Sunday Morning Cocoa Beach Community Church 9:00 AM ADULT BIBLE DISCUSSIONS w/ LOREN BOWLING Class on Tuesdays at 2:00PM 9:30AM CHOIR PRACTICE in Sponsler Hall 10:00AM WORSHIP Communion Offered First Sunday of every month CHILDREN & YOUTH All ages gather in worship at 10 AM. A slide during worship will indicate and alert us to depart for our program. 11: 00AM FELLOWSHIP Join us after worship in Sponsler Hall POTLUCK FIRST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH All Ages 10:00 AM Our Sanctuary Is a Safe Place for All People to Worship Regardless of Race, Creed, Gender, Cultural Background or Sexual Orientation BE A GREETER OR AN USHER Please call Cleo Hanson

3 CHILDREN AND 10:00 AM SUNDAY MORNING PROGRAM FOR K-6 TEEN LEADERSHIP FOR GRADES 7-12 A Leadership Program is available for grades 7th-12th interested in helping with the Sunday Morning Program. Youth must Pre-Register to be a leader. We use a wide variety of educational resources like Seasons of the Spirit. SOS resources are created through a collaborative process utilizing the creativity, insight, theology, passion, and skills of individuals from a variety of denominations. Representing congregations from many parts of the world, Seasons of the Spirit is sensitive to a variety of traditions, faith practices, and cultures. Parents with infants and small children: We are unable to offer childcare or educational class for children less than four years of age. We do invite families to remain in worship and use our break room if needed, which is located near the front doors. You are still able to see and hear the worship service! SING IN THE CHOIR! BE A SUNDAY SHEPHERD! WHAT IS A SUNDAY SHEPHERD? Our Sunday Shepherd is a one-time helper who sits in on our class and can help where needed but they are not required to lead the class. Contact Coleman or Yvonne Bluth at ybluth@aol.com REHEARSALS WEDNESDAYS 7:00 PM in Sponsler Hall Sunday Mornings 9:30 AM in Sponsler Hall The Choir always welcomes new singers, even if you are a snow bird and you are only here for a few months. If you are interested, see Jan after church... or just come to a choir rehearsal on Wednesday night, at 7:00PM. Contact: Jan Johns or David Wrable Advent is a time of preparation, hope and expectation. We prepare for Jesus birth and our own renewal, and we look forward to the birth of Shalom, God s realm. At Christmas we celebrate the joy of Jesus birth of God with us. The word Advent means coming. Advent is the time when the church focuses on the coming of Christ into the world. But our focus is not only to the past and the celebration of the birth of Jesus 2,000 years ago. It is to the present possibilities of Christ s rebirth within each of us and in our community, and to the future when Shalom will arrive in all its fullness. It is a time for us to be particularly aware of God s promise, and alert for signs of its fulfillment. The message of Advent and Christmas is that the hope, the peace, the joy, and the love that were born into the world with the baby in Bethlehem cannot be defeated. AFTER WORSHIP Meet and Greet Friends Old and New! Fellowship is more than coffee...it is an important part of the gathered church life. FELLOWSHIP HOSTS MAKE A DIFFERENCE Meeting and greeting friends and visitors after worship is a great part of our Sunday morning experience here at CBCC. Every week it is our pleasure to wander over to Sponsler Hall, grab a cup of coffee and a snack, and chat for a while before heading off for our week. This time also provides an essential opportunity to meet new people visiting our church. Please consider signing up to host our fellowship. Just one time makes a difference. Snacks are already there. Set-up and clean-up is the main task. This is a great ministry for couples or two friends who love to entertain. FELLOWSHIP HOUR SIGN UP IN SPONSLER HALL

4 FOUR SUNDAYS OF ADVENT At 10:00 AM December 2 December 23 The longing of Advent is echoed in the plea of Revelation 22:20: Come, Lord Jesus! If you long for a world that is illuminated by God s love, join us in praying this Advent, Come, Lord Jesus. If you can long for the renewal of humanity and the end of violence, join us in praying this Advent, Come, Lord Jesus. Plan to join us each Sunday as we light Advent Candles in preparation for the coming of Christ. STILL SPEAKING DEVOTIONALS Inspired reading for your prayerful reflection each morning from the United Church of Christ, the God is still speaking' church We are inspired by and privileged to have artists from our Congregation share their artwork in Sponsler Hall. Please consider having some of your work displayed! Set up a Month and Display Your Art! Contact: Steve Sponsler GIFTS OF FLOWERS When providing Altar Flowers on Sundays, please consider letting our Visitation Committee take them to a shut-in or to the hospital for a patient who may appreciate cheering up. CANDLELIGHT WORSHIP MONDAY DECEMBER 24 7:00PM Don't miss this special moment in the church year when we culminate the Advent Season with

5 OPEN WOMENS FELLOWSHIP CHRISTMAS PARTY THURSDAY DECEMBER 13 AT 10:00 AM All women of CBCC (members and friends) are invited and welcome! Wear you holiday finery! Extra credit given for Santa hats, reindeer antlers or lightup sweaters. Bring a a dish of your most loved holiday treat to share for our potluck lunch. Mondays & Thursdays 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM Friday & Saturday 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM COCOA BEACH COMMUNITY CHURCH THRIFT SHOP Serving the people of the Space Coast and beyond w/ outstanding quality merchandise at a fraction of retail. We also have a great selection of Books, Tapes, CDs & DVDs JOIN OUR THRIFT SHOP TEAM! Do you have 6 hours a month to share your talents? YOU can be a part of this winning team! Enjoy the fellowship of others while doing great work! AND... It is FUN! Jan Johns and Karen Monks will lead us in some Christmas songs including our own version of the 12 Days of Christmas, A Pink Flamingo in the Front Yard. Contact Kathy Andersen-Smith at (321) Our present exchange is always fun. Bring a wrapped gift ($10 or less). Your gift can be new or gently used and nice or (slightly) naughty. New this year: We're going to make an ornament to take home. Bring a favorite photo. We will make a copy of your picture for the craft. Your original photo will not be damaged.

6 CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT THURSDAYS IN DECEMBER 10:00AM 11:30AM MORNING MODULE The History of Christianity: From the Disciples to the Dawn of the Reformation THURSDAY DECEMBER 6 The Rise of Islam and the Threat of Iconoclasm Eastern Orthodoxy Holy Tradition THURSDAY DECEMBER 13 From Roman Empire to Holy Roman Empire Benedictine Monasticism and its Influence THURSDAY DECEMBER 20 (Final Session) Evangelism of Western Europe The Great Divorce between East and West 12 Noon $4.00 SOUP CHALLENGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A SOUP FOR ONE OF OUR THURSDAY PROGRAMS? CONTACT :30PM - 2:00PM AFTERNOON MODULE The Celtic World THURSDAY DECEMBER 6 Politics and Literature in Wales The Tudor Conquest of Ireland THURSDAY DECEMBER 13 (Re) Discovering the Celts The Gaelic Revival in Ireland THURSDAY DECEMBER 20 (Final Session) Celtic Music and Dance The Celts Today We will be on a brief hiatus through the holidays and reconvene in January. Read about Morning Module in next column. Afternoon Module TBA WINTER SESSIONS 2019 CHRISTIANITY IN THE ERA OF THE REFORMATION MORNING MODULE Join us beginning this January for a video and discussion series focused on the birth and growth of the Reformation. We will begin by examining the late medieval Church and its followers religious beliefs and practices. We ll learn about the social, political and demographic realities of their world, and how the excesses and scandals of the Church had undermined credibility. We ll learn about the 3 leaders of the Reformation Martin Luther, Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin their insights, courage and flaws. We ll discuss what their real goals were. We ll also learn about those who paved the way for these 3 leaders, those who supported them, those who double-crossed them, and those who continued the Reformation efforts after them. We ll learn about the Anabaptists, as well as other emerging branches of Protestantism, and how the Catholic Church evolved in response to the Reformation. We ll learn about the German Peasants War when 100,000 to 300,000 peasants and farmers were slaughtered when they sought freedom from serfdom through divine law. A hundred years later the Thirty Years War would dwarf those casualties with 8 million killed by violence, famine and the plague. The War started between the Protestant and Catholic states in the fragmenting Holy Roman Empire that drew in most of the countries of Europe before the Peace of Westphalia ended the War but divided populations by their religions. In the concluding session we ll re-examine the goals of the Reformation to decide which have been achieved and where we need to go from here to keep the Reformation alive.

7 ACTIONS FROM THE NOVEMBER GOVERNING BOARD MEETING The Open and Affirming Committee was appointed by the board earlier this year to design a process and implement it to determine whether CBCC should apply to become an Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ. The committee brought the following report to the board meeting. Through a thoughtful and diligent process, the ONA committee has given the CBCC members opportunities to participate in educational programs, as well as small group gatherings, to gain a better understanding of what it means to be an ONA church. The small group meetings gave the committee a chance to listen to feedback from church members. After collating the feedback, we can now report that the overwhelming majority of members, who attended small group sessions, support CBCC seeking certification to be an official Open and Affirming church. The ONA committee unanimously recommends to the Governing Board that CBCC pursue Open and Affirming certification. Having received the above report, the CBCC Board voted unanimously to bring such a motion to the congregation at the annual meeting. The final statement will be crafted and voted on at the December meeting of the Board. The Treasurer s Report of the October financial statement showed little improvement since the September meeting. We are running a deficit of about $10,000. Loren Bowling and Joe Vietri reported on the building repairs and financial need. Construction in the sanctuary on the cracked trusses is to begin the first week of December, and will take approximately two weeks to complete. We will be able to worship in the space through the completion. The rooves will begin being recovered soon after. There are significant deductibles with our insurance plan, but it has been estimated that the sum total we will need to complete all of the repairs and roof replacements should not amount to more than $100,000. The pastor raised the issue that perhaps the time had come to ask members of the congregation to make financial contributions or commitments to pay for this construction. The Board members agreed and on December 2nd we will begin sharing the need for the $100,000, and requesting support. This will not be an easy ask, but is necessary in order for us to continue our mission on the Space Coast and beyond.

8 BIRTHDAYS 2 Rev. Larry Becker 4 William C. Swanson 7 Karen Neumann John Bush 11 Bob Kolterman 15 Phyllis Baker 17 Carolyn Figlioli 19 Betty Geiger 21 Shirley Sponsler Karen Mills 22 Marilane Becker 26 Susan Myers ANNIVERSARIES December 6 Sally and Clay Hart 44 years 1974 December 31 Newt & Linda Carpenter 16 years 2002 GOLDEN PLUS ANNIVERSARIES December 1 Bill & Betty Geiger 62 yrs 1956 December 7 John and Pam Bush 52 years 1966 December 23 Paul & Georgie Urlich 61 yrs 1957 December 25 Bill & Sue Douglas 55 years 1963 SPREADING LOVE AND CARE Caring members of our Church regularly visit members and friends in their homes, in hospitals, or in nursing homes. Birthday cards, Get-Well Wishes, and Miss-You cards are sent regularly. Those who receive it appreciate this personal contact provided by members of our church. The gift of giving and sharing is deeply rewarding. WE WANT TO KNOW... Being in contact with one another is essential to ministry. We know that phone numbers change. If you think we may not have your most current number or you have a new cell phone number please contact Michelle in the office so she can update our records! If you are aware of anyone ill or in the hospital, please make a note of it and give it to the Pastor or place it in the offering plate. Do you know someone in need? Do you need a Birthday or Anniversary added to The Courier or card list? Was one missed? Please call the church office and let us know. If you or a loved one is in need of Care or Prayer, the Telephone Prayer Chain is here for you. Call Today! Alma Stephenson COMMUNION TO SHUT-INS Doloris and Loren Bowling have been sharing communion with members in assisted living, rehab or homebound. If you or a family member would like Doloris and Loren to share communion with you please call them at or church office.