This the last issue of the Salt & Light for 2017.

Transcription

1 1 December 14, 2017 Published twice monthly Lansing, Michigan CHRISTMAS IS COMING TO FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH! Sunday, Dec. 17: Advent of Joy Worship 10:30 am with the choir Cantata "Night of Wonder" Children's Pageant 4:30 pm "An Unplugged Christmas" followed by soup, bread, & mac and cheese. Sunday, Dec 24: Advent of Love Worship 10:30 am with the Praise Band (No Caraway or Sunday school) Christmas Eve Service at 7 pm is Family-oriented with the Praise Band, carols, stories, communion, & a message. People who have ugly Christmas sweaters are encouraged to wear them. Our Special Offering will benefit a local charity & an international charity chosen by a child that night. Sunday, Dec 31: Morning Worship at 10:30 am with carols & a special Christmas-time message. (No Caraway or Sunday school) Our Christmas Offering is vital every year, but especially this year when the Regional Office has a budget shortfall. This Salt & Light issue tells of the need & the bulletin insert tells of the many reasons a regional office is important. The total amount of our Christmas Offering goes to the Christian Church Michigan Region please give generously! This the last issue of the Salt & Light for 2017.

2 2 Volume 18/2017 Issue 22 Page 2 Merry Christmas from the entire church staff and volunteers! Rick, Pam, Carol Shaw, Nicole, Kait, Shawna, Danielle, Vanda, our choir, our praise band, Kelly, Elaine, Mary, Carin, Ty, Jerry, Dylan, Sunday School teachers, Caraway players, Matt, Daisy, Fred, Paul, Jan, Dawn, Carolyn, our Elders, our Deacons, our Church Board, the Wednesday Guys, Women s Fellowship, our international students, Josh, Carol and Stew McAlvey, John, Cheri, Bev, Penny, Mike Lipsey, Doug Miller, Doug Morgan, Janet, Ken, Harold, Wanda, Mike Tuell, the Kitchen Crew and many others!!! Our church runs on faith, hope, love, joy, warm hearts, busy hands, a kind word, an eye for detail, and a smile. Save a lot of stamps! Send or bring to the office one Christmas Card to all your friends at church. We ll be glad to display them just outside the church office. Thank you! Come and Trim the Tree Join in for the Annual Tree Trimming Day on Sunday, December 17 th. Bringing an ornament is optional. We look forward to your participation. Donald and Yvonne Would You Like to Contribute to Our Church Staff Christmas Gift Collection? Hello Fellow FCC Members, As most of you know, it is our tradition to take up a collection each Christmas Season for a gift from us, the congregation, to our great, loving, & dedicated staff. Again this year, we will do the same. Penny Ascroft & I will be accepting contributions. It s not too late! Josh Martin, Church Moderator

3 3 Volume 18/2017 Issue 22 Page 3 Missions in Action: Hat and Mitten Tree The Hat and Mitten tree is set up in the narthex. Please bring in hats, mittens, scarves, and socks for those in need. The items will be going to the Lansing City Outreach. This is a faith-based program. They: have daily Bible studies; offer showers to the homeless; do their laundry for free; have a woman's house in the winter time to shelter women and children; go out and help the elderly and disabled mow their grass and shovel their snow. They also have a bed Ministry, so when it's time for spring cleaning, please consider donating any extra blankets or sheets that you may have. In the month of December, Missions donated to the following: City Rescue Mission Habitat for Humanity Eve house Jubilee Centers International Lansing City Outreach Have you turned in your church pledge yet? If you have thank you! If you haven t it would be great if you could do so soon. So far, 28 households have pledged, and we have 4 new pledges. We are still waiting to hear from some people who have pledged in the past. As we listen to the Cantata this Sunday, it would be great to know that all members and friends are accounted for. Thank you everyone! Together we are strong. Deacons Needed! All deacons please check the sign up sheets that are hanging just inside the office door and sign up for any Sundays you are available. There are several open spaces for December and January that need to be filled. For those of you that don t know how to prepare, I would be happy to show you. Thanks to all for your service Jill Dimmitt

4 4 Volume 18/2017 Issue 22 Page 4 Christian Church Michigan Region Needs Your Help By now, you ve heard. Our denominational office has a budget shortfall. It s big. Has the region made all the cuts it can without loping off essential services? Yes. Does the region want to balance its books? Oh, yes. Then how? There are active groups of pastors and lay people seeking out new funding sources. This takes time. So, to make it through next year, the region seeks help to cover $2830 per month in unfunded ministries. Are there some donors among us who can buy us some time? If there were 75 such donors, each giving $40 a month, we could make it. Or, if there were 150 such donors, each giving $20 a month, we could make it. Or some mix in between, some giving more, some giving less. Several church members have approached me to hear more about this idea. Thank you! And if there are others who wish to throw something into the pot, remember that proceeds from our denominational Christmas Offering help the region tremendously. Our region needs us now, more than ever. Please help us safeguard its future as best we can! Thank you! Stay Safe in the Ice & Snow The weather is unpredictable, even though your faithfulness is not. But please, if there is heavy rain, slush, ice, or snow on the streets at the time of a church service, we would rather you go slow, or stay home, than to experience trouble on the road. Exercise good judgement, & we ll see you next time, safe & sound. Attention Choir & Praise Band Members Remember, there will be no choir rehearsals December 21 st, 28 th, or January 4 th. We will resume practice at 7 pm on January 11 th & will sing in the service on January 14 th. Praise band will not rehearse on December 28 th & will not be playing during the December 31 st service. The praise band will resume their normal schedule on Thursday, January 4 th at 6:15 pm.

5 5 Volume 18/2017 Issue 22 Page 5 Prayer Requests: For those facing challenges: Samantha & Mervyn Shepherd; Chris Strayer; the people of South Sudan; the people of Syria; Eugene James; Bev Peeler; Tom & Rose Snitgen; Carolyn Haun; Carrie & Nate Chance & their children, Zephan & Miranda; Rick & Karen s friends, Peter & David; Wanda Thompson, Akhlas brother, Rashid. For everyone affected by severe weather, wild fires, & mass shootings. Also for the people of South Korea & North Korea, & for the Rohingya refugees. From Pam Morgan: For John Stanbarger who is home now. Prayers needed for his continued recovery. From Tami: Thank you for prayers for my sister, Holly, in Los Angeles. She is near the wildfires & may have to evacuate. From Jane Hanna: Thanks for the prayers for our grandson, Sam. He is healing from the kidney biopsy that was successful in giving the doctor needed information resulting in less aggressive treatment being required. Sam will be on blood pressure meds for the next 6 months along with weekly monitoring. Praise God, there has been no permanent kidney damage! From Lucille Burton: Bless God, thank you for food, friends & families. From Danette Ewing: For her brother, Bob Jackson, with late stage cancer & for his wife, Arvilla. He appreciates the prayers. From Rose Snitgen: Please pray for my medical meeting scheduled on 12/12/17. Lord, may it be in my favor, in Jesus name, Amen. From Karen Twyman: For my sister, Susan, as she starts a new job this coming week. From Carolyn Davis: Prayers for the California wildfires. One fire is just 12 miles from my sister s home. For Nancy & Jan Volk: Nancy is battling several cancers & infections. She s been in constant pain & is in ICU. May she find the peace she needs. Dear Children and Parents, Plus Elders Old and New Saturday Dec. 16 will be an important day of preparation. The Christmas Pageant dress rehearsal, led by Carin McEvoy, will be held in the Sanctuary that morning from 10 to noon. Parents, please make sure your kids know their parts and are here on time, so that things can go smoothly. And all Elders, currently serving and newly elected, along with their spouses, are invited to our annual lunch planning meeting from noon until 2. NOTE: This year, we are meeting at the church. It's a Christmas brunch potluck, so please bring something to share. We always have fun at this event, so let's meet and celebrate past and future leadership.

6 6 Volume 18/2017 Issue 22 Page 6 December Birthdays Fred Wurtzel 12/01 Nancy Bieber 12/04 Carol McAlvey 12/05 Jerry McAllister 12/05 Mary Wurtzel 12/10 Nicole Martin 12/10 Sara Fedewa 12/10 Bev Tennyson 12/11 Gary Hope 12/12 Sherri Laney 12/12 James Dimmitt 12/13 Danielle Murphy 12/13 Alexis Burton 12/17 Carson Dimmitt 12/19 Monty Bieber 12/22 Sam McAlvey 12/22 Colleen Bieber 12/25 James McEvoy 12/26 Jayvon Knox 12/27 Tatianna Hart 12/29 Noah Longdo 12/29 Micah Morgan 12/31 Anniversaries Fred & Mary Wurtzel 12/04/1976 Monty & Nancy Bieber 12/22/1974

7 7 Volume 18/2017 Issue 22 Page 7 January Birthdays & Anniversaries Birthdays Carolyn Charles 01/05 Dale Arnold 01/06 Doug Morgan 01/06 Akhlas Kago 01/09 Jiafan Bian 01/12 Tami Barker 01/15 Mervyn Shepherd 01/16 Janet Hoyt 01/17 Jennifer (Sturdevant) Walthers 01/21 Tom Ascroft 01/26 Beverly Hefke 01/28 Kevin Murphy 01/29 Anniversaries Lary & Carol York 01/07/1979 Danielle & Kevin Murphy

8 8 First Christian Church (DOC) 1001 Chester Rd., Lansing, MI Phone: Fax: PASTOR Rev. Dr. Richard H. Boyd Home number for emergencies: Sunday Schedule Please join us for our Everyone Worships Service at 10:30 am Gather at 10:20 am Christian Ed Info Pageant Dress Rehearsal December 16th 10am-12pm Christmas Pageant December 17th 4:30pm with soup, bread, & mac and cheese following the pageant Kids Klub Christmas Break NO Kids Klub 12/28 or 1/4 NO Caraway or Sunday School 12/24 or 12/31