First Report ~ A publication of First Presbyterian Church ~ 840 South 17 th Street, Lincoln, NE December 2017 / Volume 48 No.

Transcription

1 First Report ~ A publication of First Presbyterian Church ~ 840 South 17 th Street, Lincoln, NE December 2017 / Volume 48 No. 12 Advent and Christmas Events Check out all of the different holiday activities and events going on at FPC! Sunday, December 3 8:30 AM HANGING OF THE GREENS WORSHIP SERVICE A special service to begin our Advent season on the way to Christmas. Join us as we bring out the Christmas decorations, hang ornaments that mean something special to us, tell the stories behind them, hear familiar scriptures, and sing favorite carols. Our children will be our worship leaders. Joining us for worship will be special guest musician, guitarist Richard Bruxvoort Colligan. 9:30 10:45 AM ADVENT FAIRE AND REFRESHMENTS Between services you are invited to join us in Fellowship Hall for a continental breakfast generously provided by the Presbyterian Women, and for the Advent Faire, with activities and mission projects for children and adults. 11:00 AM FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT WORSHIP Join us for a traditional First Sunday of Advent worship service with special guest musician, guitarist Richard Bruxvoort Colligan Sunday, December 10 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT WORSHIP with the Chancel Choir at 11:00 AM 12:30 PM SUDANESE (NUER) WORSHIP Sunday, December 17 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT WORSHIP Come join us for this special service with the Chancel and Children s Choir and help welcome our confirmation class into membership at 11:00 AM! 12:30 PM SUDANESE (NUER) WORSHIP Sunday, December 24 11:00 AM FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT WORSHIP with the Chancel Bells There will be NO 8:30 worship on December 24 12:30 PM SUDANESE (NUER) WORSHIP 5:00 PM RELAXED CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT WORSHIP Including hymns and stories for Children, and a special blessing of Christmas treats. Bring something homemade, and on your way home, deliver them to someone who has to work Christmas Eve. 9:00 PM TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT WORSHIP With Choir and Brass, and including a special blessing of Christmas treats. Sunday, December 31 11:00 AM FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS WORSHIP There will be NO 8:30 worship on December 31 Ministers: Members of Congregation Pastor/Head of Staff: Rev. Dr. Sue Coller Pastor for Sudanese Ministry: Rev. Jock Tut Paleak Music Director: Dr. Brian Pfoltner Organist: Dr. Charles W. Ore Director of Christian Education: Kris Brammer First Presbyterian Church - A place to belong! Church Administrator: Carrie Cross Office Assistant: David Kamran November 2017/Volume 48, No. 12 Maintenance/Custodian: Jeff Kephart Clerk of Session: Terri Sherman

2 Bring a CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT to the Hanging of the Greens Service As a special part of our Hanging of the Greens service, everyone is asked to bring an ornament for the tree that represents something about Christmas for you. During the service we will hang those ornaments and they will decorate the tree for the seasons of Advent and Christmas. After Christmas, you may collect your ornament or donate it for future use. NOT EVERYONE GETS CHRISTMAS EVE OFF While we gather for Christmas Eve services on December 24, it is easy to forget that there are those who are still at their jobs caring for the sick in hospitals, serving residents in care facilities, patrolling our streets, on call for fires, even standing at cash registers at gas stations and stores. You are invited to bring something homemade to worship on Christmas Eve, where we will offer a prayer over them, and then on your way home, deliver them to someone who is working on Christmas Eve, who may not be able to spend an evening with family and friends. Why homemade? Some of us may not be the best cooks, but there is something personal about making something for someone, that conveys in a powerful way that they are loved. This is one of the ways we can share the love of Christmas. We will have Christmas Cards at the worship service for you to pick up to deliver with your treats, so that those who receive them know that First Presbyterian Church sees them and cares. Sue s Musings - Something s About to Happen Something s about to happen can you feel it? Maybe you are waiting for the birth of a baby. A job offer. A diagnosis. A shoe to drop. A proposal. A door to open. A door to close. Anticipation is something we live with every day, consciously or unconsciously. Advent is all about anticipation - the anticipation that God is about to do something, that something is about to change, that in some way shape or form, God s Kingdom of love, grace, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, honor and peace is about to break into this world. The thing about anticipation, if you are looking for something, it becomes easier to find signs that that something is coming. I ll be honest - I don t have a clue what it means for time to end and God s Kingdom to break in and overtake this world we live in. That s the language of Advent. I can imagine what that may be like, but I am limited even in my own imagination because that world is not what I experience as a daily reality in this world. But as we look for signs of it breaking in, cracks in the fabric of selfishness and greed, judgmentalism and violence, fear and need, we can begin to experience it. And as we begin to experience it, we may just notice that something is no longer about to happen it is already happening! Then Advent won t be some intangible thing that may someday happen but we don t really expect it will be a reality God breaking into the world, and not that unlike the way God broke into the world in the form of a baby in a manger, so long ago. Through flesh and blood. Through joy and laughter. Through life and death and life again. In the ways that matter. May we all enter this advent season actively looking for signs of God s kingdom breaking in. May we look for signs of grace at work, and celebrate it. May we look for signs of mercy, and participate in it. May look for signs of generosity, and join in giving. May we looks for hints of peace, and join in the work of peacemaking. May we look for places where forgiveness is breaking open hearts, and allow ours to be broken open too. May we look for signs of compassion, and be moved to compassion ourselves. But be careful if you seriously and actively look for these things you may find your life changed in ways you can t even imagine. Something s about to happen are you looking for it? Pastor Sue ~ Rooted in God ~ Open to Grace ~ Filled with Joy ~ First Presbyterian Church - A place to belong! 2 November 2017/Volume 48, No. 12

3 FPChristian Education Happy Advent or is it Merry Advent? Merry Christmas! For the first time in a few years, Advent begins not on the Sunday following Thanksgiving, but actually in the month of December on the 3 rd. We here at FPC will kick-off the Advent season with a special day on Dec. 3 rd with a hanging of the greens service at the 8:30 worship service in Great Hall followed up by an Advent Fair with crafts for kids, adults, and families; with refreshments and goodies; with a display of Christmas and Advent themed books from the Library; and just a spirit of fellowship and peace as we gather together. So mark your calendars for the Advent Fair on Dec. 3 rd from 9:30-10:45. See you there! Pray and Play, Kris Bubba Brammer What s Happening in December! Children s Ministry: Nov. 26 th Children s (Solomon) and Tween (Prophets) Sunday School Dec 3 rd Advent Fair in Fellowship Hall Dec. 10 th Children s SS (The Annunciation) and Tweens SS (Caesar) Dec. 17 th - Children s SS (Mary and Elizabeth) and Tweens SS (The Annunciation) Dec. 24 th - Children s SS (Jesus is Born) and Tweens SS (The Nativity) Dec. 31 st - Children s SS (The Magi) and Tweens SS (The Consecration) Youth Ministry: Sunday School every Sunday from 9:45-10:45am Nov. 26 th - Youth Sunday School No Youth Fellowship (Thanksgiving Weekend) Dec. 3 rd Advent Fair at 9:30am Dec. 3 rd Youth Fellowship at 5:30 pm Bowling with Jesus at Hollywood Bowling (920 N 48 th Street) Dec. 10 th Youth 5:30 pm What is Advent? Dec. 17 th Youth Fellowship Christmas Party at 5:30 p.m. Location TBA Dec. 24 th No Youth Fellowship Christmas Eve Services at 5 and 9pm Dec. 31 st No Youth Fellowship (New Year s Eve) Adult Ministry: (Sunday Morning Education Classes unless otherwise noted) Adult Education Bible Study (Room 105) The Early Church Proclaims Faith in Christ with Gary Hughes Adult Education Topical Studies (Room 107) Understanding Islam F3 Fellowship class (Wednesdays at 5:30pm) will be using a DVD study series about the Birth of Jesus) First Presbyterian Church - A place to belong! 3 November 2017/Volume 48, No. 12

4 Please join us for an Advent study A Clear View of the Birth of Jesus Wednesday evenings - December 6, 13, & 20 Fellowship Hall Potluck dinner at 5:30 pm Study starts at 6:00 pm Why didn t Mary and Joseph go to Elizabeth s house for the birth of Jesus (She lived nearby!)? Why was the town of Bethlehem so hardheaded that no private home would take them in? If the Holy Family was in a dirty stable, why didn t the shepherds move them at once to their own homes? Dr. Kenneth Bailey addresses these and many other questions regarding the Christmas story, in four video sessions, providing fresh understandings of the well-known Biblical stories of Christmas in a way that everyone can follow. We hope to see you there! Sunday School Mission Project Gift of the Heart Kits Over the past several weeks, the children s Sunday School classes have been busy gathering supplies and constructing hygiene kits as part of their most recent mission project. These Gift of the Heart Kits are part of the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program. Through this program, these kits are distributed wherever a natural disaster has created a need hygiene supplies. The recent hurricanes in the U.S. and the Caribbean are examples of situations where these kits have helped people in need. Great job kids! First Presbyterian Church - A place to belong! 4 November 2017/Volume 48, No. 12

5 Session Highlights Christion Education Confirmation class began October 1 st with six youth participating. The Adult Studies class has begun a six-week study on Islam, led by Jim Wagner. We will offer a time of fellowship and crafts during Sunday School hour on Dec 3, to correspond with the Hanging of the Greens Places and Spaces Committee A beautiful wall was put up in the east entrance with more pictures to come later. The Rousseau Gallery has been painted and opened. The Welcome Center has been reconfigured. New café style drapes are being made for the preschool room by our sewing group. New courtesy toiletries are in all the Women s/non gender bathrooms. Changing tables in the cry room and downstairs bathrooms have been updated and supplied. Fellowship hall has been decluttered. Member Nurture & Evangelism 14 visits in October. Communion was given to 3 folks in October. Boo From the Pew was held on October 22 nd. Property Work on the flat roof to be done in November. The Property Committee job description was approved by session. Stewardship & Finance The Giving Tree will continue to be updated with the possibility of a mission oriented Giving Tree. This years financial stewardship program Under Construction-Gods Blueprint will be rolled out. November 19 th will be pledge Sunday. Marketing An article was in Neighborhood extra regarding Boo From the Pew. It was also in the news. Presbyterian Women s Highlights Thanks to everyone who contributed to our annual Thank Offering and to our fundraiser luncheon on October 29th. The funds were greatly appreciated and will be put to good use. The entire Thank offering is sent to the PW headquarters and each year a committee reviews all the grants requests to decide on who will get the funds for next year. Our local funds contribute to local and national mission work. Contributions are welcomed year round as PW work is never done. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE! First Presbyterian Church - A place to belong! 5 November 2017/Volume 48, No. 12

6 FPC MUSIC On Friday, November 3, the Arts for the Soul Music & Fine Arts Series presented the annual Sing from the Heart Dessert Concert & Charity Fundraiser. The theme this year was, Songs of Light and Hope. Performing were the First Presbyterian Choir, the i 2 Choir, directed by Dr. Rhonda Fuelberth, and guitar soloist Daniel Martinez. This year a freewill donation was taken for the i 2 Choir and The Penguin Project. The i 2 Choir is an inclusive and intergenerational choral organization that seeks to provide a model for inclusive choral music experiences. Members consist of singing teams of two to four members who want to sing with, and support family members and friends with a variety of physical, sensory, and cognitive challenges. The Penguin Project was conceived by Dr. Andrew Morgan to bring young artists with special needs and peer mentors together to create a theatre production. In Lincoln it is sponsored by the Lincoln Community Playhouse. Both choirs sang separately as well as combining on one piece. Daniel Martinez played a guitar solo as well as providing music while the desserts were served. Dr. Rhonda Fuelberth, director of the i 2 Choir spoke about her group, and Morrie Enders, Executive Director of the Lincoln Community Playhouse, spoke about The Penguin Project. A freewill donation of $1,780 was collected and divided between the two groups. Great music, great food, and a chance to benefit two worthy organizations in the city it was a wonderful evening! First Presbyterian Church - A place to belong! 6 November 2017/Volume 48, No. 12

7 On Wednesday, November 8, the First Presbyterian Choir sang music from the recent "Sing from the Heart" concert at the Legacy Estates Retirement Community. In addition to singing music from the concert, they also lead the residents in a patriotic and Thanksgiving sing-a-long in honor of Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. Singing music from the "Sing from the Heart" concert at a local retirement community has been a concert series/choir tradition for the last several years. Coming up Montréal Guitare Trio Sunday, Dec. 3, 7:00 p.m. Regarded by the CBC as the hottest guitar ensemble in Canada, MG3 has quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with, displaying a diverse repertoire that spans everything from fiery Spanish music, to spaghetti Western theme songs, to the rock classic Tom Sawyer by Rush. For more than 20 years, their virtuosity, their rigor, their inventiveness and their breathtaking stage presence have conquered audiences around the world. First Presbyterian Church - A place to belong! 7 November 2017/Volume 48, No. 12

8 Now all glory to God, who is able, through God s mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 (NLT) It s not just the facility at First Church that has been under construction. If you think about it, so has our staff. In the last two years we have a new minister, a new director of Christian education, a new church & finance administrator, a new office assistant and a new custodian of our facility. That s a lot of new people on a very small staff! Changes in personnel differ from changes within a physical plant in a very significant way. The new staff may know just as much about some areas of their jobs as those who left, but there is no way they can know as much about the many systems that run our church. They won t know for some time all there is to understand about the personality and history of our church. So what is it that we can do in this construction zone? First and foremost, be supportive and encouraging of our staff members so they can be the very best they can be. Our staff at First Church is truly amazing! When you see them, let them know how much you appreciate all they do. Write them a note. Send them an . Text them. Sincere gratitude cannot be overdone! But support and occasional understanding is not all our staff need. As you know, in a church without a mortgage, personnel expenses are the bulk of the church budget, and the bulk of the church budget is paid for by our individual pledges. The unrestricted income of our church s foundation can help, but it is really a drop in the bucket compared to what it costs to pay the salaries of the incredibly talented people we have working on our staff. So, as you consider your financial pledge for the coming year, please revisit how each of our staff members is helping to further the worship experience and spiritual development of you and other members of our congregation. You ll be glad you did. Many thanks to all who have returned their 2018 financial stewardship cards. If you have not yet been able to do so, please return your card in as soon as possible. -Stewardship & Finance Committee Donate Family Games for McPhee Families Christmas is coming soon and we ll be donating family games to families at McPhee. These will be distributed the week before Christmas when families come that last week before Christmas to pick up toys, underwear, mittens, hats, and games to add to their kids Christmas joy. This year it is our goal to provide at least 150 family games so every child will receive one. We picked 150 as we are looking forward to the 150th anniversary of First Church. Games should be brought to the Church Office where there will be boxes to receive them. There will also be a big box to receive the donations during the Advent Event on Sunday, December 3rd. If you prefer to donate money and a Mission Outreach Committee member will go shopping for you, write a check to the church and put McPhee Games Collection in the memo line. If you have questions about the type of games or anything else connected with this project, contact Pam Carrier at or pamcarrier@gmail.com. If everyone in our congregation donates we can meet our goal and contribute to the Christmas happiness of McPhee students. First Presbyterian Church - A place to belong! 8 November 2017/Volume 48, No. 12

9 LIBRARY NOTES Advent begins December 3 rd, and offers us the opportunity to reflect on Jesus coming, consider the gift God has given us, and contemplate the hope Jesus birth brings. Visit the FPC Library for resources to help guide you through Advent. One display includes resources that will help you build a deeper understanding of Jesus including: More than a Carpenter, by Josh McDowell. An examination of the true nature of Christ & his impact on our lives The Essential Jesus, by John Dominic Crossan. a concise & astonishing presentation of the authentic teachings and earliest images [of Jesus]. Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, by Marcus Borg. a fresh & imaginative picture of Jesus This Hebrew Lord, by John Shelby Spong. explores Jesus under the light of the Hebrew tradition into which he was born. Jesus the Savior, by William C. Placher. argues that Jesus is one who radically challenges the way we understand the world and how we live our lives. God Came Near, by Max Lucado. He came not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter Another display focuses more directly on Christmas and Advent. Here you will find a highly varied collection of books, from deep and thoughtful (Bonhoeffer s Wonder of Wonders) to light hearted (various authors). You will be sure to find something that speaks to you. A Midnight Clear and A Stubborn Sweetness (New at FPC), by Katherine Paterson. Paterson, an awardwinning author, wrote these short stories to be read as part of her church s Christmas Eve services. [these] stories of realistic people finding hope, courage, and faith amidst life s circumstances, radiates the spirit of the season & reminds each of us what Christmas truly means. Names for the Messiah by Walter Brueggemann. ponders each title & how the people understood it then, how Jesus did or did not fulfill the title, & how Christians interpret Jesus as representative of that title. The Christmas Box, by Richard Paul Evans Angels at the Table, by Debbie Macomber Joy to the World by Olivia M. Cloud Christmas Tales & Poems, by Margaret J. Dolezal First Christmas by Paul L. Maier Wonder of Wonders, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (New at FPC). these [meditations from Bonhoeffer] remind us of the profound wonders we celebrate during Christmas And many more. All readers will find something that captures their eye at the FPC Library. Check it out! First Presbyterian Church - A place to belong! 9 November 2017/Volume 48, No. 12

10 Stephen Ministry 1st Church Stephen Ministers are members of our congregation who receive special training to provide one-on-one care to members of our congregation who are experiencing grief, loneliness, divorce, hospitalization, disability, job loss and other life difficulties. Our relationships with Care Receivers are highly confidential. If you are experiencing a hard time in your life, please call the church office (402) , leave a message with your name and phone number, and a Stephen Ministry Leader will call you back. Moving in the Spirit: Exercise for the Body & Soul Moving in the Spirit continues at First Presbyterian Church on Fridays at 10:00 a.m. in FELLOWSHIP HALL. Open to anyone and free of charge. For more information, please contact Dave Hammar at or dbhammar@windstream.net ~ Prayer List ~ Prayers: Mary Lou Busch, the family of Donna Lewis, the family of Eddie Sexton, & to Willa Smith and the family of her niece Julie Stutheit ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you have a joy or concern to add to this list, please call or the church office , churchadmin@fpclincoln.org. Next First Report Deadline: Monday, December 18, 2017 This is a hard and strict deadline. We want to make sure that we get all church and member information out there so be sure to send us anything you d like included in the newsletter by the deadline! Articles received after this time may not be included in the newsletter. Send articles/photos David at churchadmin@fpclincoln.org WHEELCHAIR NEEDED Food Distribution Saturdays: December 2th & 16th 9:30 AM: Doors Open 10:00 AM: Food Distribution Thanks to all who help! Volunteers are always welcome! FPC is looking for a basic wheelchair to have available to assist a person in need during any potential church activity. If you have a wheelchair to donate, please contact Dianne Frydendall-Smith (dfsmith@lps.org ) or the church office. Just A Note If you are coming to the Church for anything other than a scheduled daytime event the East doors will be locked. Please use your key card or the West entrance off of G Street. Also, please bring your key card to any evening meetings. Who Are We? As you walk into the East Entrance you will find out we ve put it up on the wall for everyone who walks into the church to see! We are looking for good quality digital pictures to decorate the walls of the church! Do you have anything that you think represents our church body and all that we do? Please send to your pictures to churchadmin@fpclincoln.org Our 10:00 AM Sunday church worship service is broadcast on Spectrum NET Channel 1302 Thursdays at 8:00 PM & Fridays at 1:00 PM To learn more about us at First Church visit us at First Presbyterian Church - A place to belong! 10 November 2017/Volume 48, No. 12

11 Friday 1 9:00 am - McPhee/B11, Nursery 10:00 am - Moving in the Spirit/FH Saturday 2 9:30 am - Food Distribution/ EE,S Sunday 3 - Communion Sunday 8:30 am - Worship - Hanging of the Greens/GH 9:30 am - Advent Fair/FH 9:45 am - Adult Bible Discovery/105 9:45 am - Adult Topics Class/107 11:00 am - Worship/Sanctuary 12:30 pm - Nuer Worship/GH 5:30 pm - Youth Group/Hollywood Bowl 7:00 pm - AFS - Montreal Guitar Trio Concert/S, FH Monday 4 9:00 am - McPhee/Rousseau Gallery, Nursery 11:00 am - Lincoln Lit/216 5:30 pm - Irish Dancers /GH 7:00 pm - Men s AA/FH Tuesday 5 7:00 am - Men s Breakfast/K 9:30 am - Lincoln Lit/FH,B18, 105, :00 am - Staff Meeting/106 6:00 pm - Women s AA/FH Wednesday 6 9:00 am - McPhee /Rousseau Gallery, Nursery 9:00 am - Circle 2 and 3/Library 9:30 am - Lincoln Lit/FH, B-11, 105, 107, Nursery 12:00 pm - Men s Lunch/Stauffers 5:30 pm F3/ FH 6:30 pm - LGBT/107 7:30 pm - Choir Rehearsal/Ch Rm, S Thursday 7 9:00 am - Sewing Group/FH 9:00 - McPhee/Rousseau Gallery, B11 5:15 pm - After work Bible study/library Friday 8 9:00 am - McPhee/Rousseau Gallery, B11 10:00 am - Moving in the Spirit/FH 6:00 pm - Sand Dollars/FH Saturday 9 8:30 am - Stephen Ministry/FH Life in the Church December 2017 Sunday 10 8:30 am - Worship/GH 9:30 am - Activity Time/Basement 9:45 am - Adult Bible Discovery/105 9:45 am - Adult Topics Class/107 10:00 am - Children s Sunday School/206, :00 am - Youth Bible Discovery/B-8, B-11 11:00 am - Worship/S 12:30 pm - Nuer Worship/GH 3:15 pm - Bell rehearsal/ S 5:30 pm - Youth Group Monday 11 9:00 am - McPhee/Rousseau Gallery, Nursery 11:00 am - Lincoln Lit/216 5:30 pm - Irish Dancers /GH 7:00 pm - Men s AA/FH Tuesday 12 7:00 am - Men s Breakfast/K 9:30 am - Lincoln Lit/FH,B18, 105, :00 am - Staff Meeting/106 6:00 pm - Women s AA/FH Wednesday 13 9:00 am - McPhee /Rousseau Gallery, Nursery 9:30 am - Lincoln Lit/FH,B-11, 105, HeBrews, Nursery 12:00 pm - Men s Lunch/Stauffers 5:30 pm - F3/ FH 6:30 pm - LGBT/107 7:30 pm - Choir Rehearsal/Ch Rm, S Thursday 14 9:00 am - Sewing Group/FH 9:00 - McPhee/Rousseau Gallery, B11 12:00 pm - SCC ESL Class/216 6:30 pm - Session/106 Friday 15 9:00 am - OLLI Book Club/Library 9:00 am - McPhee/Rousseau Gallery, B11 10:00 am - Moving in the Spirit/FH Saturday 16 9:30 am - Food Distribution/ EE,S Sunday 17 - Confirmands Join Second Service 8:30 am - Worship/GH 9:30 am - Activity Time/Basement 9:45 am - Adult Bible Discovery/105 9:45 am - Adult Topics Class/107 10:00 am - Children s Sunday School/206, :00 am - Youth Bible Discovery/B-8, B-11 11:00 am - Worship/S 12:30 pm - Nuer Worship/GH 3:15 pm - Bell rehearsal/ S 5:30 pm - Youth Group Monday 18 9:00 am - McPhee/Rousseau Gallery, Nursery 11:00 am - Lincoln Lit/216 5:00 pm - Worship & Sacrament Meeting/106 5:30 pm - Music & Fine Arts/Rousseau Gallery 5:30 pm - Irish Dancers /GH 7:00 pm - Men s AA/FH Tuesday 19 7:00 am - Men s Breakfast/K 9:30 am - McPhee Holiday Meal/FH 11:00 am - Staff Meeting/106 5:30 pm - Stewardship & Finance/106 6:00 pm - Women s AA/FH 7:00 pm - Personnel/106 Wednesday 20 9:00 am - McPhee /Rousseau Gallery, Nursery 12:00 pm - Men s Lunch/Stauffers 5:30 pm - F3/ FH 6:30 pm - LGBT/107 6:30 pm - Brass Rehearsal/S 7:30 pm - Choir Rehearsal/Ch Rm, S Thursday 21 9:00 am - Sewing Group/FH 9:00 - McPhee/Rousseau Gallery, B11 Friday 22 9:00 am - McPhee/Rousseau Gallery, B11 10:00 am - Moving in the Spirit/FH Saturday 23 NO CHURCH SPONSORED ACTIVITIES OR EVENTS Sunday 24 - Christmas Eve 9:45 am - Sunday School 11:00 am - Worship/Sanctuary 12:30 pm - Nuer Worship/GH 5:00 pm - Christmas Eve Worship/S 9:00 pm - Christmas Eve Worship/S Monday 25 - OFFICE CLOSED NO CHURCH SPONSORED ACTIVITIES OR EVENTS Tuesday 26 5:30 pm - Property/106 Wednesday 27 12:00 pm - Men s Lunch/Stauffers 5:30 pm - F3/ FH 6:30 pm - LGBT/107 6:30 pm - Member Nurture/Parlor Thursday 28 NO CHURCH SPONSORED ACTIVITIES OR EVENTS Friday 29 10:00 am - Moving in the Spirit/FH Saturday 30 NO CHURCH SPONSORED ACTIVITIES OR EVENTS Sunday 31 11:00 am - Worship/S 12:30 pm - Nuer Worship/GH Dates & Times subject to change First Presbyterian Church - A place to belong! 11 November 2017/Volume 48, No. 12

12 Please notify the church office of any name, address, , and/or telephone changes. First Presbyterian Church 840 South 17th Street Lincoln, NE Non-Profit Organization US Postage Paid Permit 408 Lincoln, NE First Presbyterian Church, a place to belong! Where faith is nurtured, curiosity is encouraged, diversity is welcomed, and all are loved. For after-hour calls to the church office, , the staff voic extensions and addresses follow: Church Fax Number: Church website: Pastor/Head of Staff: Rev. Dr. Sue Coller x 103 scoller@fpclincoln.org Parish Associate for Sudanese Ministry: Rev. Jock Tut Paleak x 114 jtutpaleak@gmail.com Music Director: Dr. Brian Pfoltner x 121 musicdir@fpclincoln.org Organist: Dr. Charles W. Ore charles.w.ore@gmail.com Director of Christian Education: Kris Brammer x 106 dce@fpclincoln.org 5 Frances Olson 7 Bev Lightner 8 Kelly Peate 8 David Thiemann 9 Virginia Knoll 9 Akwao Tsoka 9 Marlene Wagner 10 Jerry Philippi 12 Betty Albright 13 Liz McCue 13 Brenda Reckewey 13 Alanah Straka 14 Olivia Diedrichsen 15 Phyllis Blanke December Birthdays Birthdays are important events. If your birthday is missing from our list, or listed wrong, please call the church office so we can correct it: Dan Neumeister 18 Michele Langer 18 Charles W. Ore 19 Carol Ott Schacht 21 Cheryl Goodban 22 Dennis Clifton 25 Cole Draper 25 Christine Killingsworth 26 Shannon Janike 26 Donald Miltner 27 Jacqueline Chapin 27 Taylor Hines 27 Bill Hotchkiss 28 Karl Tillinghast 31 Joe Fairbanks If you had a birthday and we missed you I apologize! Please let us know so we can update our files. Church Administrator: Carrie Cross x 101 churchadmin@fpclincoln.org Sunday Morning Drivers Pam Boyle Nancy Field Lynne Hughes If you need a ride to a Office Assistant: David Kamran Sunday worship service at x 101 Office Assist@fpclincoln.org the church, please contact Custodian/Maintenance: Jeff Kephart a Sunday Morning Driver maintenance@fpclincoln.org Nancy Janike or the church office. First Presbyterian Church - A place to belong! 12 November 2017/Volume 48, No. 12