In this issue... Published by: First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) On the Web: Phone: (309) Editor: Bill Coley

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In this issue...! A Thanksgiving Sunday to remember! Cookie exchange 2014!

Closing in on the end of the financial year! Help us deliver the joy of Christmas in song!

Claim your ministry for 2015 First Christian Church 3501 7th Street East Moline, IL 61244-3502!

1 In this issue...! A Thanksgiving Sunday to remember! Cookie exchange 2014! Operation Christmas Child shoe box ministry evaluation! Meet the Holiday Train! A new Christmas season tradition! Closing in on the end of the financial year! Help us deliver the joy of Christmas in song! Celebrating a great Thanksgiving food basket ministry! Important ministry training! Claim your ministry for 2015 First Christian Church th Street East Moline, IL ! This and more in your KNOLL NEWS! Published by: First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) On the Web: Phone: (309) Editor: Bill Coley First Christian Church East Moline, Illinois November 21, 2014 Volume 39, Number 11

And from Bill... Among contemporary Christian songwriter Chris Tomlin s many magnificent praise songs is one called Indescribable, whose lyrics testify to God s unique greatness.

2 And from Bill... Among contemporary Christian songwriter Chris Tomlin s many magnificent praise songs is one called Indescribable, whose lyrics testify to God s unique greatness. The song s chorus includes this priceless phrase which describes my response to the year 2014: Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim you are amazing, God. In spite of discouraging worship and Sunday group attendance numbers, congregational income is higher right now than it was at this time last year... I am awestruck by that. In April we opened our first-ever congregational website. None of us knew anything about creating a website. Many of us had for a long time been Web denizens, but as for creating and maintaining an actual site, we knew nothing. But today fccem.org is a vibrant, attractive destination for the curious and the committed to discover our church... I am awestruck by that. On June 6 my tenure as pastor here reached the length of my grandfather s tenure as pastor of the Council Bluffs, Iowa, church in which I grew up: 10,560 days. Time has passed since that milestone, and on the calendar calculator I have passed him, but I will always be awestruck only by that day when I sat in the church he planted, then wailed with passion at his graveside as I experienced a connection with him of indescribable value... I am awestruck by that. In the summer God raised up a team of people who responded to a vision of our fellowship hall as a more efficient, effective space. After so The song s chorus includes this priceless phrase which describes my response to the year 2014: Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim you are amazing, God. by Bill Coley many years with the same basic layout, in a matter of weeks that hall was transformed, made new... I am awestruck by that. In August we held another of our annual congregational rummage sales, the plans for which, early on, did not inspire my confidence. Yet God raised up the right leaders, inspired a harvest of quality item donations, and then brought the community to us to produce a record result... I am awestruck by that. In October we installed worship center and 7 th Street banners that bring color and vitality and information to our premises and the experiences people have when they re here. The 7 th Street banner is there because God raised up the right person to design, build, and install the display board from which we will identify ourselves to the community... I am awestruck by all that. This Sunday we will host the annual Community Praise Worship experience. WE will! In our freshly adorned worship center and our newly arranged fellowship hall we will welcome brothers and sisters in Christ from other churches to an evening I believe God has set aside to start fires of hope and incite actions of reconciliation... I am awestruck by that. And there s the season just a few days away, our 30 th December together. How many ways can you tell the story of a baby born in a manger? Doesn t that well eventually run dry? By the grace and goodness of God, no. We will find a new voice yet again... I am awestruck by that, too. [COLUMN CONTINUES, INSIDE BACK PAGE] N e w s Y o u C a n U s e And From Bill... (cont.) The Tomlin song Indescribable concludes with this: Incomparable, unchangeable You see the depths of my heart and you love me the same You are amazing, God. You are amazing, God. Indeed. May you and I have an awestruck Thanksgiving Find your ministry and claim it The ministry claim form for 2015 is the sheet we ask you to use to identify the way(s) you intend to be part of the ministries of our church next year. Nearly every ministry of our church is listed on the Claim form. From things we do on Sunday mornings (breakfast potlucks, Sunday groups, serving communion, youth groups, etc) to the ways we serve throughout the week and year (meal site, food pantry, We Are Together events, Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes, etc) the sheet s contents gives us a reasonably complete menu of options for following Jesus with our congregation in Our desire is to receive a completed form from every adult and child in the church, regardless of involvement level. For example, people who expect their connection to our church to be limited to worship attendance and/or financial giving, may mark those applicable lines. And who knows, when you look through the form, the Holy Spirit may lead you to a new involvement! The year 2015 form is included in this month s newsletter. We ask you to fill it out and bring it with you to worship on December 7 when we will pray for God s blessing upon our ministry, or mail your form(s) to the church office. And from Bill... newsletter column archive reaches 40 entries For the last four months, on Tuesdays and Fridays we have added new entries to a growing archive of past newsletter columns by our pastor Bill Coley. As of the date of this newsletter s distribution, that archive contains 40 columns, representing 23 of the 30 calendar years of Bill s ministry at our church. We invite you to journey through the last 29 years with the help of the And from Bill... archive. Find links to all available entries at nd-from-bill-archive/p osts/links-to-all-postedentries. At some point in the near future, a.pdf file containing the first third of the archive s entries will be available for download on our website.

N e w s Y o u C a n U s e N e w s Y o u C a n U s e A new Christmas-season tradition begins December 3 For many years we ve used worship on the first Sunday in December to decorate our church lobby

While we praise God for the many ways that tradition blessed our preparations for Christmas, we have decided it s time to make a change.

will not hold a Hanging of the Greens worship this year. Instead, we invite you to join us on Wednesday, Decemb

To set the mood, we ll snack on cookies and such, and we ll play Christmas music (have a CD of favorites we may borrow for the night? Let us know!

) Join us for a casual, enjoyable time of community and preparation.

3 N e w s Y o u C a n U s e N e w s Y o u C a n U s e A new Christmas-season tradition begins December 3 For many years we ve used worship on the first Sunday in December to decorate our church lobby and worship center with the colors and symbols of the season in a worship experience we called Hanging of the Greens. While we praise God for the many ways that tradition blessed our preparations for Christmas, we have decided it s time to make a change. In part because we no longer have available the number of people necessary to execute such a worship, and in part because we believe it s time to move on to others means of observing the season, we will not hold a Hanging of the Greens worship this year. Instead, we invite you to join us on Wednesday, December 3 (6:30 p.m.) as we put in place our new Christmas banners, the lobby Christmas tree, and several other seasonal decorations that will remain in place throughout the month of December. To set the mood, we ll snack on cookies and such, and we ll play Christmas music (have a CD of favorites we may borrow for the night? Let us know!) For the kids we ll open our website to the Christmas season drawings they create while the rest of us place decorations (submit a drawing, we ll post it on our site!) Join us for a casual, enjoyable time of community and preparation. End the year with another tradition The cover of next month s newsletter will present the 23 rd annual Knoll News Christmas carol, brand new lyrics written to be sung to the tune of a popular seasonal song such as White Christmas, Sleigh Bells, or Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. In addition, on our website beginning December 1 we will each day present the lyrics of a previous Knoll News carol, beginning, as you might expect, with the very first one, from December Ring bells for a great cause We have made reservations for our 13 th consecutive year of ringing bells as part of the Salvation Army s Red Kettle Campaign. This year s ministry will be held on Saturday, December 13, from 10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. at the Wal Mart on John Deere Road. That means a total of eight half-hour blocks will be available. You may reserve your block(s) of time on the sheet now posted at Mission Central. The Salvation Army provides great ministry to our community. Support their efforts by contributing your time to our efforts on December 13. Community Praise worship is this Sunday evening! We ve been talking about it for a long time, and now it s finally here: Our hosting of this year s Community Praise Worship experience this Sunday, November 23, at 6:00 p.m. People from UT-area churches will gather in our worship center to sing and enjoy traditional hymns, contemporary praise music, and the Gospel music of the black church tradition. The evening s offering will support the two Churches United food pantries in the UT area. In addition, this worship will offer a challenging and inspiring message delivered by two of the longest-tenured pastors in the Quad Cities: P. Wonder Harris, from Mt Zion Missionary Baptist Church in East Moline, and our own Bill Coley. As something of a preaching tag team, those two will challenge our congregations and us as individuals to stand against today s powerful forces of division in both the church and our society. By the end of the night, we will receive specific challenges as a way forward in the battle against that division. This is must-be there worship! Join us as we welcome our community to worship this Sunday evening. A thanksgiving baskets thank you We praise God for another successful Thanksgiving basket ministry. Jackie Hume again staffed the table in the church lobby on Sunday mornings where we have collected money to buy the food necessary to provide a Thanksgiving food basket to six local families in need. Because of your donations, we received $465, which is a great result! Thanks to Jackie and her preparation/delivery team, as well as to all who donated. May your thanksgiving holiday be as blessed as will be those of the families we serve with this year s baskets. A blessing for the new snow season After last season, the man who plowed our church parking lot retired, compelling us to find a new contractor. By God s grace and goodness we were led to a local landscaping company whose rates are lower than what we paid last year AND which, as an expression of its owners faith in Christ, does not charge churches when it plows late in the day on Saturdays or early on Sundays to clear lots to allow entry for Sunday worshipers. Because company workers deeply value the Sabbath Day, they don t plow on Sundays...except for churches. Praise God!

U p d a t e s Participation report Here we report weekly participation numbers for worship and our Sunday groups.

Date Sunday Worship Sunday Groups October 19 40 17 October 26 30 14 November 2 34 13 November 9 41 15 November 16 27 16 Financial Situation With a bit more than five weeks to go before the end of the

We believe that means God has great things in store for us Serving in December.

4 U p d a t e s Participation report Here we report weekly participation numbers for worship and our Sunday groups. We look forward to the increases of these numbers as the transformation of our church continues. Date Sunday Worship Sunday Groups October October November November November Financial Situation With a bit more than five weeks to go before the end of the year, we continue to be blessed financially. Attendance has taken hits this year, but our giving has remained close to what s needed to underwrite our budget. We believe that means God has great things in store for us Serving in December... Welcome Team: PraiseLand Team: Marsha Jones The PraiseLand team Communion Prayers: LifeSOUNDS: Jackie Hume Shari Coley Preparing Communion: Serving Communion: Marsha Jones Marsha Jones, Nicole Sullivan Providing Childcare: Bonnie Thompson /Marsha Jones / Dawn Sullivan / Nicole Sullivan Finances through October 2014 Income $54, Expenses $52, Were income on pace w/2014 budget $55, Recent Concerns Louise Hellstrom - Carpal tunnel procedure in December Marsha Jones - Angiogram scheduled for November 25 Colleen Kannenberg - at home, but back on dialysis in response to kidney issues Homebound Ethel Dawson TH St. Ct. East Moline Fran Littlewood - Rosewood Care Ctr - rm 219, Moline Lois Tallman - Ft. Armstrong rd Ave, #611, Rock Island Ann White - Illini Restorative Care - rm. 26, Silvis Christmas Eve worship set for 7:00 p.m. We warmly invite you and your family to join us for a time of worship, praise, and celebrating the company Jesus brings to our lives in this year s version of our Christmas Eve worship. We ll hear the story, testify to its truth, and sing praise to the God who brings us together in the company of the newborn King. We look forward to seeing you there! December Birthdays Sharon Mee Sheri McBride Jim Ledbetter Barb Bennett-Hakanson December Anniversaries Frank & Jeanne Simpson Bev Hartman & Earl Davidson Hurley & Carole Sutton REMINDER: We can't tell people about your birthday or anniversary unless you tell us. Contact the church office with your information. Congregational meeting to consider 2015 budget The annual meeting during which we vote on a new general board and a proposed congregational budget for the new year will take place on Sunday, December 21, immediately following worship. Anyone may attend; church members may vote. Shoe box success! We praise God for another blessed Operation Christmas Child ministry, this year producing 55 shoe boxes filled with age- and genderappropriate gift items that will be sent to children in developing nations around the world. Because we submitted all shipping cost donations to Samaritan s Purse online, at some point in the first quarter of 2015 we will be notified as to the nation(s) to which our boxes were shipped.

N e w s Y o u C a n U s e N e w s Y o u C a n U s e Offer gifts for local infants, families Among the powerful images of the Christmas season is that of the wisemen making a long journey so as to

Beginning Sunday, December 7, a manger will be available in the lobby to receive your gifts (see the list of suggested gift items below).

This is a great way to reach out to our community and make a difference in the lives of newborns and their parents. For additional information regarding donations, contact Terri Grove.

baby wipes; disposable diapers; plastic pants; blankets & receiving blankets; new bottles & pacifiers; bibs; socks & booties; toys Help fill our mitten tree It s been cold already; it s not going to

Every year we set up a small Christmas tree in the lobby near the main entrance to receive donations of winterwear accessories such as hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, etc.

5 N e w s Y o u C a n U s e N e w s Y o u C a n U s e Offer gifts for local infants, families Among the powerful images of the Christmas season is that of the wisemen making a long journey so as to find Jesus and offer him gifts. You can offer gifts to newborns and other infants in our community, but you won t have to travel any farther than your church s lobby! Beginning Sunday, December 7, a manger will be available in the lobby to receive your gifts (see the list of suggested gift items below). We will collect the gifts through Christmas Eve, then Pregnancy Resources in Moline for distribution to their clients who need assistance. This is a great way to reach out to our community and make a difference in the lives of newborns and their parents. For additional information regarding donations, contact Terri Grove. Here's a list of suggested donations: terrycloth & blanket sleepers (newborn to 18 months); cloth diapers; diaper pins; undershirts or onesies; outfits; sweaters; hooded bath towels; changing pads; baby wipes; disposable diapers; plastic pants; blankets & receiving blankets; new bottles & pacifiers; bibs; socks & booties; toys Help fill our mitten tree It s been cold already; it s not going to get much warmer for a while. You know how the cold impacts you; there are lots of people in the Quad Cities for whom the cold is even a greater hardship. Every year we set up a small Christmas tree in the lobby near the main entrance to receive donations of winterwear accessories such as hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, etc. Attach your donations to the tree throughout the month of December, beginning December 7. Donated items will be given to the Salvation Army for distribution to those in need. Meet the Holiday Train! The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will arrive at Modern Woodmen Park on December 5, 2014, at 1:45 p.m. in support of Churches United s hunger ministry. Admission is simply one non-perishable food item. All food collected will benefit a ministry that operates 26 emergency food pantries in the Quad Cities. Come early because the festivities start at noon: hot chocolate & cookies, goodie bags for the kids, local entertainment, and even Santa and Mrs. Claus (between noon and 1:30!) The entertainer arriving on the Holiday Train this year is Kira Isabella, Juno (comparable to U.S. Grammy)- nominated country music artist and the 2013 Canadian Country Music Association s female artist of the year! Welcome Team and worship training scheduled Worship ministries include preparing, cleaning up communion, offering prayers for the communion elements, distributing the elements to worshipers, and presenting submitted LifeSounds prayer and celebration requests to the congregation. The Welcome Team distributes Sunday flyers and offers special welcomes to firsttime or recently connected guests. A combined training event will be held Monday, December 8, at 6:30 p.m. For the first time, this year we re consolidating two training sessions into one to save time and travel. Indicate your interest in these ministries on your 2015 ministry claim form or at Mission Central. Cookie Exchange coming December 15 Last year the people involved in our inaugural cookie exchange reported lots of fun and lots of great cookies. Now it s your turn to enjoy. The rules are simple. Sign up at Mission Central or our Website to indicate your intention to participate and the kind(s) of cookies you intend to bake. Then on December 7 learn how many people are in the exchange so that you ll know how many to bake: one dozen of each kind you make for every other person in the exchange. For example, if you re one of six exchange participants, prepare five dozen of each of your cookie types. The result? You ll go home with a dozen of everyone else s cookies as they go home with a dozen of yours (that sounds like a golden rule for cookie sharing!) It s time to deliver the songs of the season It s time to deliver the songs of the season We ve journeyed around the Quad City area to sing beloved songs of the season to homebound and carecenter residents for decades. This year s adventure will begin at the church at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 20. From there we will make several stops, all with the simple intention of delivering Christmas joy. Whether you sing (at all) or not, whether you ve ever been caroling with a group, we invite you to dress warmly and join us. Sign up at Mission Central or online at our website.

In this issue... First Christian Church November 18, 2016 East Moline, Illinois Volume 41, Number 11. Published by: Editor: First Christian Church

In this issue... First Christian Church November 18, 2016 East Moline, Illinois Volume 41, Number 11. Published by: Editor: First Christian Church In this issue...! Thanksgiving Sunday is here; always a joy! First indications of the Christmas season! Lots of ways to make a difference! Trunk or Treat ministry sets record for welcoming guests! Thanksgiving