FAIRPLAIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DECEMBER 2012 NEWSLETTER

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1 FAIRPLAIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DECEMBER 2012 NEWSLETTER Grace and peace to all in Jesus name! As another year draws to a close, another year begins. No, I m not a month ahead of the calendar; the calendar used in worship planning and Christian Education recognizes each year beginning with the start of the Advent Season. Prophesies are fulfilled, angels and shepherds sing praise, and the hearts of those who will believe are forever transformed. It s not the full redemption of Good Friday and Easter, not yet, but the Gift is revealed, God s promises of a Redeemer take flesh, and Jesus is born. What an exciting start to the year. December will be a full and busy month at Fairplain Presbyterian. Costumes are being made and the children will soon start rehearsing for their Christmas Play, the choir is rehearsing for a cantata, decorations will soon appear, and lots of love will be shared with our college students and those serving in the military in the form of care packages. In addition, cookies are being baked, lessons readied, sermons and anthems prepared, it s going to be a wonderful month! In addition to worship and fun at the church, I encourage a Christmas season of meaningful simplicity for everyone. Let s spend less at the stores and shelter our wallets and our families from what our culture calls that January Credit Card Shock. Over the years the most meaningful presents I ve ever received have been handmade or have been a gift where several people combined to cover the cost. While the stores are encouraging us to spend, spend, spend, I encourage you to spend more time than dollars, more energy than money, and let your real love shine through. If you have extra money and are looking for a place to put it, our church has great mission outreaches that really make a difference in the lives of the needy. Your gift to God through our offerings will truly help others. Let s give to make their Christmas joyful. Throughout this issue you will find dates to put on your calendar, opportunities for worship, study, fellowship, fun, at least one meal out with friends, and so much more. Let s rejoice in this wonderful season! Have a great Advent and a blessed Christmas! To God be the glory! Hosanna in the highest! In Christian love, Pastor LaVerne Inside This Issue: Pastor s Pen 1 Joy Offering 5 Second-Mile Giving 8 Birthdays Poinsettias 2 Session Highlights 6 Church Library 9 Parish Life News 3 Finance Update 7 Meijer Rewards 10 Music News 4 CE/Youth News 8 Church Staff 11 December Calendar 12

2 Page 2 BIRTHDAYS ~ POINSETTIAS 5: Lauren Myers 6: Dan Ong 6: Mae Reed 6: Jeff Wingard 10: Vicki Born DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS 13: Andy Denekas 14: Jo Ann Paul 14: Grant Gilreath 15: Carole Stanley Myers 20: Cindi Pietruszka 27: Dennis Cogswell 28: Leslie Gilreath 29: Eric Welch 29: Kevin Welch 31: Rae Yoakum POINSETTIA ORDERS The Deacons offer the opportunity to order poinsettias this Advent season. Please complete the order form below and place in the offering plate or drop off at the church office. Each poinsettia costs $10 and are 6 ½ with color selections below. Your check should be made payable to Board of Deacons. The deadline to order poinsettias is no later than Sunday, December 9. A portion of the proceeds will go toward the funeral fund. Also, you may designate your poinsettia in memory or honor of an individual(s). And please indicate on the order form if you will be taking your poinsettia home or deliver to a shut-in. The poinsettias will be delivered on Saturday, December 22, and placed in the sanctuary by the Deacons. Labels will be made and placed inside your poinsettia to make it easier for distribution. POINSETTIA ORDER FORM Color & Quantity: Red White Jingle Bells Total Number Ordered: Amount enclosed: Check: Cash Yes, I will be taking my poinsettia home: I wish to designate my poinsettia in memory of: I wish to designate my poinsettia in honor of: Please deliver my poinsettia to a shut-in: Order placed by:

3 PARISH LIFE NEWS Page 3 COFFEE SERVICE - We have great news for all the coffee lovers in the church. We have a new coffee service, so we will now be offering regular and decaf coffee during coffee hour in the Courtyard immediately after the worship service. It is so easy to use this new system that we can all volunteer to host this wonderful part of our church life. Your weekly donations are appreciated so that we can provide this service. Note: New instructions are posted in the kitchenette, but if you should need assistance prior to using the coffee service, please ask Candi Kebschull or Kim Taylor. COFFEE SIGN-UP - If you can volunteer to be a coffee host, please sign up on the sheet posted on the piano in the Courtyard. Also, we need coffee host for Christmas Eve. CARE PACKAGES Parish Life will be packing care packages of goodies for students at college and military personnel away from home. We will be in Fellowship Hall on December 2 following the worship service. COOKIE EXCHANGE Parish Life is hosting a cookie exchange on Sunday, December 9, Great way for everyone to sample treats from our church family!! Simply bring your cookies down to Fellowship Hall that morning after church. If you brought a dozen, you may take a dozen it s that simple!!! Look for a sign-up poster soon and reminder announcements in the weekly bulletin. Thank you, Parish Life Committee FAMILY GAME NIGHT Come one, come all Parish Life is once again hosting Family Game Night, set for Saturday, January 26, 2013 from 6:30-9:00 pm. Parish Life will provide the drinks and popcorn. Those attending please bring a snack to share and a table game board game, cards etc. This is a great opportunity to bring friends and neighbors! Spread the word all are welcome! THE NEXT LUNCH BUNCH WILL MEET ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, AT CLEMENTINE S RESTAURANT

4 Page 4 MUSIC NEWS The Adult Hand Bell Choir has been invited to play at the Morton House in Benton Harbor Saturday afternoon, December 1, approximately 2-3 pm during their Open House Tour. It is entitled Bells and Belles and will feature an extensive display of bells collected by one of their members and a display of wedding dresses, hence the title of the tour. If enough of our ringers are available, we will be there. We are hoping for a full sanctuary this year for our annual Christmas Cantata program. It will be held at 4:00 pm on Saturday afternoon, December 15 th which should enable people to come who prefer not to drive after dark. The Adult Hand Bell Choir will play and our special guest, Michelle DeFrancesco Bythrow, will be our vocal soloist. We are extremely happy to have her with us as her family have been long-time members of Fairplain Presbyterian Church. The Cantata is entitled Behold the Star which features some well-loved Christmas carols as well as some upbeat rhythms and our minister, Reverend LaVerne Davenport, will be our featured baritone soloist. Please invite your friends and neighbors to join us. Refreshments will be served afterwards in the Courtyard room. We are continuing to find a time when our Youth Bell Ringers will be available at the same time to rehearse, and we are hoping we can do this in January. The Chancel Choir took last January off, but we will not be doing that this year. It will be a smaller group without the snowbirds, but the choir and members of our congregation missed the joyful experience of singing every Sunday. If anybody would like to be part of our music groups, please don t hesitate to let me know. All are welcome! Blessings - Dorothy

5 CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING Page 5 As we open our hearts to God s love in Jesus, we find it will not be contained but years to be shared with others. One of the ways Presbyterians have traditionally responded to the news of God s great gift is by sharing our own gifts through the Christmas Joy offering. A cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s, the Christmas Joy offering is one of the four special offerings designated by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. Because Advent and Christmas shine a light not only on our world s greatest hope but also on our world s greatest need, the PCUSA provides this timely opportunity for congregations to support causes specifically designed to bring good news of great joy (Luke 2:10) to the poor in circumstance and spirit. Alongside the message of promise and fulfillment in Luke s Gospel, we also hear the clear call to God s people to respond in faith as Christ calls us: From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded (Luke 12:48). Undesignated gifts to the Christmas Joy offering will be distributed equally to the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to support student scholarships at Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and colleges. The offering will be received on Sunday, December 23 during the worship service. Please use the offering envelopes provided in your bulletin on that day. As we celebrate the good news of great joy that a Savior has been born to us, may our gifts bear witness to God s uncontainable love. If you have not yet returned your 2013 pledge card, please do so ASAP! Mission Stewardship Committee

6 Page 6 SESSION HIGHLIGHTS NOVEMBER 2012 We are moving from Thanksgiving into the busy Advent and Christmas season, and the Session is entering a busy time with budgets and new officers. We will set a congregational meeting to elect officers as soon as the nominating committee has completed its work. All committees are also asked to submit budget requests to Elder Ron Jacobs as soon as possible. In other business, Session approved A new church brochure and items to include in visitor tote bags. The brochure will also be posted on the bulletin board and information included on the website. Marlene Smith as commissioner to presbytery, November 13. Leslie Gilreath as pulpit supply, November 25 and December 30. Parish Life requests for o Family Game Night, January 26, 2013 (no charge and no collections) o Fat Tuesday Chocolate Party, February 12, 2013 (will request donations) Next regular meeting will be December 10, 2012, 7:15 pm in the Courtyard Room. Any member is welcome to bring issues and ideas to session. Contact Leslie Gilreath for a spot on the agenda. Leslie Gilreath, Clerk of Session MITTEN AND HAT DONATIONS The children of Little Learners Preschool are in need of mittens and hats again this year. Please place them on the tree in the narthex size 4-6x, no toddlers, no scarves, mittens preferred over gloves. Thank you for warming hands and hearts this Christmas! Vicki Born, Director

7 FINANCE UPDATE Page 7 Operating Budget October 2012 Budget Actual Variance Income Offering and Pledges $ 18,522 $ 14,951 $ (3,571) Other Income $ 1,925 $ 1,880 $ (45) Total Operating Income $ 20,447 $ 16,831 $ (3,616) Expense Total Expense $ 19,146 $ 18,493 $ (653) Net Income $ 1,301 $ (1,662) $ (2,963) Operating Budget January October 2012 Budget Actual Variance Income Offering and Pledges $ 210,656 $ 187,952 $ (22,704) Other Income $ 13,600 $ 13,368 $ (232) Total Operating Income $ 224,256 $201,320 $ (22,936) Expense Total Expense $ 218,040 $ 210,439 $ (7,601) Net Income $ 6,216 $ (9,119) $(15,335) PER CAPITA 2013: The per capita amount for 2013 is $24.55 per active member. When the 2013 offering envelopes are available you can use the first envelope to issue your check, or you can submit your check in the offering plate. Your check should be made payable to Fairplain Presbyterian Church memo: 2013 Per Capita. MISSION STATEMENT We, the members of Fairplain Presbyterian Church, rejoice in God s grace and redeeming love through Jesus Christ. We believe we have been called as God s children to create an open and welcoming community, to worship and praise God, and to nurture and support each other. We are called to develop our God-given gifts and to equip ourselves to reach out to the world in love and compassion. Thus prepared, we will share our faith, preach the gospel, feed the hungry, and be peacemakers according to God s will.

8 Page 8 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION YOUTH NEWS Children! The Hanging of the Greens is this Saturday, December 1st at 3:00 pm. Please come to paint glass ornaments to decorate a Christmas tree. If you miss this opportunity, please ask to make one sometime soon. Adults, please feel free to help with this project. Youth! Your Christmas party (no gifts) is at the Kodis home located at 5217 Ridgeway, St. Joseph, this Saturday, December 1st at 6:00 pm. Please bring your friends with you for this great evening of fun. There will be a scavenger hunt, Silver Beach pizza, cookie decorating and Christmas movies. Please call for more information. The Star of Bethlehem is coming Sunday, December 16th, at 9:30 am. The children and youth are teaming up for this special worship service. There will be new costumes this year! Thank you Sally Barker, Sondra Sheppard, and Cheryl Schadler. Please be sure to bring your family and friends to this entertaining and worshipful musical. Have a blessed Christmas and spectacular New Year! Mary Jane Davenport, D. C. E. PW COOKIE DONATION: The Presbyterian Women s Circle will be putting together Christmas cookies to shut-ins at their December 18 meeting at 9:00 am. If you would like to donate a few dozen Christmas cookies to add to theirs, please drop them by the church on Monday, December 17 or Tuesday morning when the ladies are here. The Session calls the congregation to a special meeting Sunday, December 9, immediately following the worship service for the purpose of election of church officers. Please prayerfully consider a Second-Mile giving, in addition to your regular pledge, toward our church budget, by the end of the 2012 calendar year so that we may end the year without a deficit. Thank you Mission Stewardship Committee

9 CHURCH LIBRARY Mission Statement: The purpose of the Fairplain Presbyterian Church Library shall be: to provide books and material that will help promote a better understanding of our Christian heritage; to encourage members to grow in Christian faith and spiritual living; to provide wholesome literature and audio/video materials for entertaining and learning. Click on the link below to go to our library catalog: Page 9 There are several ways to browse the books in our church library: 1. Use the search this library window to search for a particular book or author. 2. Scroll through the listing of books which are in alphabetical order by title. 3. Search by categories to do this, click on the Tags heading. The categories are: Art & Literature Biblical Studies Biographies Christian Living Christian Theology Church History Church Leadership Commentaries Devotionals Local History Media Missions Prayer Presbyterian Church Reference Stephen Ministries World Religions Worship WEATHER-RELATED CANCELLATIONS: If there is inclement weather and are wondering if the worship service or church activity may be canceled, please check the following stations: Listen to WSJM Radio (FM 94.9, AM 1400), or watch WNDU-TV Channel 16 or WSBT-TV Channel 22 for information. You may also check the church s web site: and click on the heading Upcoming Events to verify if if there are any cancellations.

10 Page 10 MEIJER REWARDS Did you know that those who have been participating in the Meijer Community Rewards program have brought in more than one thousand dollars for the church s work? Thank you to everyone who has participated! Many of you do realize that there is a new Meijer store that is open which will make it more convenient for people from Stevensville area to participate. While paying by check doesn t earn any rewards for the church, paying with a PIN-debit card, cash or a Meijer s credit card will. Facts about the process: 1) There is no minimum or maximum amount every dollar spent (via PIN-debit card, cash or one of the Meijer credit card options) earns ½ - 1 percent of the total for the church; 2) Gasoline, convenience store, car wash and Meijer.com purchases all count; 3) There is no administrative fee charged to the church or you. If you shop at Meijer, please enroll and start or continue helping out the FPC causes. If you haven t enrolled before and want to, go to or simply call Please tell them we are organization You will soon receive a card. Show the card to the cashier as you begin checking out. You may receive special discounts or cash back on your gasoline purchases depending upon which arrangement you select. Any Meijer store will do and you can enroll your friends and extended family members. Just tell them we are organization To link a family member or friend, have the person fill out the regular application, check Family and Friends Linking and fill in your Meijer card #. The friend can live near any Meijer store Ohio, Indiana, Illinois or anywhere in Michigan. You ll get credit for their purchases. Members can see how their shopping habits at Meijer have benefited FPC over time by checking the bottom of their receipts! The total dollar amount they ve earned since joining will show up under LIFETIME REWARDS. Watch for printed information near the name tags and talk to Robert Smith if you have any questions. Let s see how quickly FPC can earn a second thousand dollars of Meijer Community Rewards. Thanks for being part of this effort.

11 CHURCH STAFF Page 11 LaVerne Davenport, Pastor Office Hours: Monday-Thursday: 9 am-noon and by appointment Mary Jane Davenport, Director of Christian Education portofmj@yahoo.com Office Hours: Monday - Thursday: 9 am-noon Linda Cogswell, Church Secretary church fairplainpc@gmail.com Dorothy Trachte, Director of Music DTrachte@comcast.net Marlene Denekas, Organist Terry Peters, Nursery Attendant Sandy Welch, Treasurer SandyWelch@truevine.net Bud Cornelius, Custodian

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