Christmas Weekend: 2 Days and 3 Services. From the Christmas Pageant Photos by Allan Doerksen

Transcription

1 December 20, 2016 vol. 17, issue 44 Join us Sunday, Christmas Day, for Lessons and Carols Service, at 10:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. - Service (no/sunday School) 5:30 p.m. - Stone (prep at 3:30) Called to Serve Elders: Bruce Cotton, Linda Stinson Home Communion: Christy Wright Preparing Deacons: Rick Olsen, Stephanie Ottusch Serving Deacons: *Janet Chenard, Marc Chenard, Tom Frederick, Mary Frederick Coffee Cart and Snack: na Flowers: na Greeter: Vera Rush Sunday Worship Accessibility Hearing assistance devices, large print bulletins and hymnals are available. Stone Soup Meal Count Tuesday, 12/13-77 Saturday, 12/17-92 Sunday, 12/ Corvallis Day-Time Drop in Center (CDDC) Count: October, 2016 Unduplicated guests: 362 Total visits: 1,933 Staff Rev. Matt Gordon... Senior Minister Matthew Clark...Choir Director Eric Qian... Pianist Charlene Lincoln...Church Secretary Jill Shinkawa...Communications Manager Kevin Weaver... Paladin Lucas Teeter...Disciples House Resident Advisor Christmas Weekend: 2 Days and 3 Services On Saturday, December 24, Christmas Eve, we have two services! Candlelight Family Service, 5:30 p.m. The folk musicians will be playing this service. It is an informal, relaxed celebration service. Bring the whole family. Candlelight Traditional Service at 7:00 p.m. The church choir and organ working together to sing carols and announce the miracle of Christmas! Extended family, guests and friends are invited to celebrate with us at this special service. After the presents, celebrate Christmas Day with our Lessons and Carols service at 10:00 a.m! A relaxed, informal service designed to hear and sing the story of Christmas. Come in your pajamas, bring your new stuffed animals. From the Christmas Pageant Photos by Allan Doerksen

2 Matt s Minute The body makes theologians of us all: Why me? Why like this? Why here? Why this long? -Barbara Brown Taylor, Matter Matters. Video presentation from The Work of the People. Every year around Christmas time, we talk about the incarnation of God. As the Scripture says, God became flesh and blood and dwelled among us. Jesus, then, was the incarnation of God. Incarnation is a word that is used almost exclusively in the church. It speaks of embodiment and indwelling. In other words, incarnation is about becoming tangible. In the person of Jesus, God becomes touchable. However, if we follow the story of the gospels and the centuries of Biblical interpretation, then incarnation is not something limited to Jesus, but something that happens to us. We take part in and experience the incarnation in our lives and in our bodies. The story of Genesis says we are created in the image of God. We are, then, like God, but still separate from God. The Hebrew people wrestle with God, literally and spiritually for a few thousand years. Jesus comes as the son of God. Jesus is on the earth for less than four decades, but then the church carries on his mission and values. As the church wrestles with how to describe their new movement and identity as bearers of this new vision for the world, they call themselves the body of Christ. The church, then, becomes the incarnation of God. We become the indwelling of God in the world. The true mystery and beauty of Christmas lies both in the story and beyond the story. Christmas is something that happens, but something that is happening. We bear witness to the incarnation of God, then we become the incarnation of God. If I am completely honest, I am still wrestling with this incarnation. The incarnation for me, then, is like a never ending onion. It continues to make me cry and continues to reveal another layer underneath. I hope to see you at our services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, as we continue to unravel the mystery together Peace, Matt Advent Activities Saturday, December 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Family Service, 5:30 p.m.-the folk musicians will be playing this service. It is an informal, relaxed celebration service. Bring the whole family. Candlelight Traditional Service at 7:00 p.m. The church choir and the organ working together to sing the carols and announce the miracle of Christmas! In-laws, out-of-town guests and friends are invited to celebrate with us at this special service. Sunday, December 25 -Christmas Day 10:00 a.m.-lessons and Carols. A relaxed, informal service designed to hear and sing the story of Christmas. Come in your pajamas, bring your new stuffed animals. Rev. Matt Gordon Senior Minister Church phone: matt@heartofcorvallis.org Open Office Hours: Mondays: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Tuesdays: 1:00 p.m. - -4:00 p.m. Relying on the spirit and story of the gospels, First Christian Church is supported primarily by donations. There is no charge for any event. We rely on freely given offerings to support our various ministries and opportunities. Your contributions and gifts allow us to continue to be a radically inclusive, justice-driven community of faith every day of the week. Thank you in advance for your gifts.

3 In Sunday School From Emily, Vicki, and Leah In Our Prayers Cherie Reynolds hip replacement Mark Thayer in OHSU for a blood clot in his brain Thayer family Marcene Stuart Viv Ellsworth Rodger Weaver and his family Bud Graham Teanna McMahan Lynnie Evans and family Jim Stinson s back pain Joyce Miller Joys Mele Kalikimaka! Hau oli Makahiki Hou! Life s Last As our book study with Christy Wright has ended, we have learned some things we did not know before. One of them might have been, that aging creeps up on a person. Unless we pay attention, life may change us without us even being involved. The quote below from Paulo Coelho is appropriate: One day you will wake up and there won t be any more time to do the things you ve always wanted to do. Do it now. We have learned there are things we can do to be more intentional about how we live and grow older. As we move forward with these discoveries about Being Mortal, we look forward to your presence in our discussion of: Life s Last... Beginning in early January; same room, same great facilitator, same availability of snacks, dates released soon. A few weeks ago in Sunday School we had our annual Advent Fair. We did the following crafts this year: Finger weaving, candle dipping, Christmas cookie decorating, glass ball ornaments, pomander balls, crackers and Christmas boxes, and last but not least gingerbread houses Thanks to everyone who helped make this special event possible! Four s of Life 60 and older Age Fourth Third First Second Age 0-19 Age Thought for the week: You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen. -Paulo Coelho1 Sign Up to Make Your Purchases Support First Christian Sign up for escrip or Amazon- Smile to earn money for the church. You and your family can earn money for First Christian Church of Corvallis by signing up with escrip! Just go to and click on Sign Up and enter our Group ID# to register. Or shop using smile.amazon. com and choose First Christian Church Corvallis as your charity option. It s that simple! Take a Tag, Bring a Gift There are gift tags on the Christmas tree in the Narthex. This year the gifts are for Stone Soup needs (including aprons), Disciples House needs, and money for a printer for the Homeless Employment Launching Project (HELP) program. You can leave your gifts at the church office or bring them on Sundays. Thank you. Contact Sherry Sisson or Lauri Morris.

4 Looking Ahead December 24-Christmas Eve 5:30 p.m.-candlelight Family Service 7:00 p.m.-candlelight Traditional Service December 25-Merry Christmas! 10:00 a.m.-lessons and Carols Service December 26-January 2-Church office is January 4 9:00 am-due Knots work meeting January 8 Unhanging the Greens 5:00 pm-group 4 at the Yarbroughs January 26 7:00 p.m.-women s Dessert at the Doerksens February 3 10:00 am-due Knots work meeting 1:00 pm-due Knots Appreciation Tea February 14 1:00 pm-women s luncheon at Appelbee s Birthdays 12/21 - Madeline Mai Yeh-Crawford 12/22 - Kathleen Eide Moses Gordon 12/27 - Kelly Bewley 12/29 - Tyler Berry Lisa Luthy Anniversaries 12/21 - Susan and Bob Schulz From the Staff Special thanks to the congregation for your generosity and gifts this year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! From the First Christian Church staff What s Happening Due Knots Meeting Dates Wednesday, January 4, 9:00-noon in room 35, we get together for a work meeting Friday, February 3, 10:00-1:00 p.m. (different day and time) work meeting tying quilts. At 1:00-2:30 p.m. Appreciation Tea for those who helped us at Craft Fair, worked on tying or hemming found fabrics, or spent time admiring our work! Group 4 at the Yarbroughs On Sunday, January 8 at 5:00 p.m., Group 4 meets at the Yarbroughs. RSVP via by January 7 so they know how many to expect. They plan to make beef burgundy, cheddar and chive biscuits, and salad. If someone has a special request, let them know. Their address is: NE Colorado Lake Dr. Just 2 miles east of the Corvallis bridge, turning left on 34, the first house on the right. Women s Dessert, Topic: HELP-Homeless Employment Launching Project Women get together on Thursday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m. at Pamella Doerksen s, 2210 NW Elmwood Dr. Sherry Sisson will present information on the Homeless Employment Launching Project (HELP). Sherry is involved and excited about this project. Her enthusiasm is contagious! Another date: Women s Luncheon The women s luncheon is scheduled for February 14 at Applebees at 1:00 p.m. We had 8 women at our December luncheon. We hope you can join us in February. Announcements Memorial Service for Jessie Hunnicutt, Patricia Eide s Mother Memorial service for Jessie Hunnicutt will be held at First Baptist Church of Corvallis on Saturday, January , 2:00 p.m. Disciples House Dinners We are looking for people to provide Sunday night meals for Disciples House. Dinners should be ready around 6:00 p.m. and serve 15 people. Monetary donations are also appreciated to defer the costs of providing food. Note on your check Disciples House Dinners. Contact Amy Berry (berryland4@msn.com) with questions or to sign up. There will also be a sign up sheet in the narthex General Assembly Save the date: July 8-12 in Indianapolis. Register today at disciples.org/ga Early registration rate expires March 30, 2017 Sunday Coffee House and Flower Sign-ups Sign up to do snacks, coffee, or flowers for Sunday services. Sign up sheets can be found in the narthex on Sunday or contact the church office. If you have questions Pamella at apdoerksen@comcast.net or Bill at bandjmaier@comcast.net Around Town The Taizé Prayer Service Taizé Prayer Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on January 8, at the Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan. Everyone is welcome! This ecumenical service, led by the Corvallis Taizé Ensemble, includes meditative singing, short readings, and a quiet time for prayer. Services are held on the first Sunday of the month through June. Future services in 2017: Feb 5, Mar 5; Apr 2, May 7, June 4 If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kathy, , kathyfarnsworth@comcast.net

5 18 9 am-bible w/sunday School, Christmas Pageant 5 pm-advent Walk at Bald Hill 19 7 pm-program Cabinet December2016/January 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 20 (3: Christmas Eve! 5:30 pm- Candlelight Family Service 7 pm-candlelight Traditional Service 25 Merry Christmas! 10 am-lessons and Carols Service, no Sunday School (3: Happy New Years Eve! 1 January 2017 Happy New Year! no Sunday School 2 3 3:30 pm-fcc s turn to prep/serve Stone Soup (3: am-due Knots meet am-bible w/sunday School Unhanging the Greens 5 pm-group 4 at the Yarbroughs 9 7 pm-finance Cabinet 10 (3: am-bible w/sunday School 16 7 pm-program Cabinet 17 (3:

6 First Christian Church 602 SW Madison Avenue Corvallis, Oregon RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Our Vision The First Christian Church of Corvallis is a diverse inclusive community providing a living witness to the compassionate Christ. From our central location in the heart of Corvallis, we seek out, develop, and support ministries to meet the human needs for physical and spiritual wholeness. On the basis of our Disciple heritage, we embrace the ecumenical movement, develop lay leadership, and promote intellectual freedom in the pursuit of truth. All are welcome to participate. Inclusivity is one of our most important values. Help us save paper, postage and money - receive the newsletter electronically. Send an to jill@heartofcorvallis.org and put Subscribe Dispatch as the subject. If you are not receiving the Disciples Dispatch please inform the church office. Please recycle this newsletter.