FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH Staff Interim Minister Pastor Phillip Hayes Music Director Ron Montgomery Youth Directors Lauren Dupree & Justin Stiles Children s Director Sandra Brennan Secretary Dona Sulzmann Nursery Attendant - Tina Smith Office Hours 9:00 AM 1:00 PM Monday through Friday First Christian Church 627 Paul W. Bryant Drive Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Disciples of Christ) 627 Paul W. Bryant Drive Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401 (205) 758-2968 FAX (205) 758-5871 tuscfcc@bellsouth.net DECEMBER 2009 THE EPISTLE This has been a busy fall. I have served a couple of congregations the size of ours, and neither of them was as active as we have been this fall. I wish to thank all who have participated in the game day activities, the women s events, the soup kitchen dinners, the Bible studies, prayer circles, church school, and worship services. The late fall and winter appear to be just as active. Advent begins Nov. 29. Advent is the time we prepare for the celebration of Jesus birth. Each Sunday we will have a family light the Advent candle. The Hanging of the Greens will also take place on the first Sunday of Advent. That is the time we decorate the sanctuary for Christmas. We will have a number of other activities as well. Please check elsewhere in this newsletter for those dates. Dorothy and I are really enjoying being with you. We are pleased but not surprised how quickly you have become people that we care about. As we enter the season of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year, Dorothy and I want to wish you A Happy Thanksgiving A Merry Christmas
And A Blessed New Year! Phillip
Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Polly Bailey Kathy Mason Sylvia Colon Jose DeJesus *Gabriel DeJesus *Martha Smalley Buddy Harris Muir Steward *Kim Farish *Jon Atkinson Kate Methany Sandra Brennan Woodie Payne Helen Gibson *Brinley Hocutt *Martha Hocutt Brenda Tanner Gary Tanner Dec 24 Dona Sulzmann Randi Coleman Dec 27 Wiley Hales Polly Bailey *Joe Duncan *Cynthia Duncan Allison Barger Letitia Roberts Liturgist: Robert Gibson *communion preparation The Cheerful Christians go to Merrill Gardens the 3rd Monday of each month for a short devotional and communion. If you would like to join them, they would be glad to have you go along. Many to all thanks who helped in so many ways during the home football games this season! The desserts were wonderful and the guests loved them! Special thanks to those of you who came and gave of your time on Saturdays! ROLL TIDE!! Billie Brennan Game Day Coordinator Christian Men s Fellowship Breakfast at the home of Katie Wallace-Davis. Circle I will meet at the church Tuesday, December 8th, at 11:00 am. They will carpool to the Cedar House Restaurant for Christmas lunch. Serendipity Circle will meet Monday, December 14th at 5:30 pm at University Mall (food court entrance). They will be playing the handbells for the Salvation Army Kettle 6-7 PM. Join them for dinner afterwards at Applebee s in the mall. Saturday, December 19th 10:00 AM The CWF will sponsor our 2nd Ornament December 13th 8:00 am Hope Circle will meet Monday, December 7th, 9:30 am Swap & Brunch in the Bowers Fellowship Hall. Please bring a breakfast / brunch dish and an ornament to exchange and join us for this fun event! EXTRAVAGANZA! Anyone interested in performing in our Christmas EXTRAVAGANZA Sunday, December 13th (immediately following the Christmas Dinner), please contact Sandra Brennan, 886-4273 or 469-9564, or call the church office. We re looking for a few good acts! Share your talent with us! A perfect start for Advent...a short devotion is followed by a covered dish breakfast in the Bowers Fellowship Hall. Bring your favorite breakfast dish and join us. The service begins at 8:30 Thanksgiving morning with breakfast immediately after.
PREPARATION FOR Hanging of the Greens Saturday, November 28th, 10:00 am help us do the prep work for the Sunday service fluffing bows, setting up and decorating the Chrismon Tree, straightening garlands & wreaths. We have jobs for all ages. Hanging of The Greens Sunday, November 29th Join us during morning worship as we decorate the sanctuary for the Advent season. This is always a beautiful service. We will need helpers that morning to bring in the decorations. Please let us know if you are interested in helping with this event. There will be a brief board meeting Sunday, December 13th, immediately following our morning worship. If you are on the church board, please plan to attend. Thank you. The CWF Alberta Committee spent an enjoyable time last Friday morning as they shopped together for all the makings of a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner for three families of Alberta Elementary School. The dinners were delivered to the school and picked up by grateful parents. On Sunday, November 29th, the Alberta Christmas tree, decorated with small cut outs of red and green mittens & boots, will be set up in the church lobby. Each cut out will have the name and age of a child; also listed will be an item of clothing (size). Some ornaments may list a toy or books. The school will select a needy family for us (usually one that will not receive aid from other sources). Church members are asked to take an ornament or two, purchase the item(s) and return it as a Christmas gift for that child. The Committee will see that all gifts as well as all the makings of a Christmas dinner are delivered to Alberta School to be picked up by the family. The committee sincerely thanks all of our church family who participates in the project. It is a blessing to those that receive and even more so to us that give. Thanks to all of you who each year help us make Christmas special for our Alberta family. Woody, Martha & Helen Advent Meditation Booklets are available on in the table the narthex. We have several different styles to choose from this year. Please take one for your family! Dorothy & Phillip Hayes visited family in Aurora, IL. While there, they celebrated Christmas with their family and also attended all 4 performances of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Junior. Their grandson, Ryan, had a starring role! ROLL TIDE ROLL! Anne & Shawn Sullivan have attended their last home football game this year. We will miss them but hopefully they will visit some during basketball season! Daren & Nisha
Warbington & family enjoyed a weekend vacation in Chattanooga, TN. Ron & Brenda Montgomery helped chaperone a group of 150 students for several days in Washington, DC. This trip is made annually by the 6 th graders from American Christian Academy (ACA) where Ron teaches 6 th grade. Cindy Harris visited daughter Leigh Ann Walker and grandson, Evan in Fayetteville, NC. While BaBa Cindy played with Evan, Leigh Ann walked 29 miles in a 2-day Walk for Breast Cancer. Cindy made another trip back to Fayetteville (just 5 short days after returning from the first one!) Leigh Ann had swine flu!! We hear she is feeling better and look forward to seeing her and Evan during Thanksgiving weekend! Nisha Warbington, Allie Rae Warbington, Sandra Brennan, Trey Averett, Leigh Ann Walker, David Barger, Randi Coleman & Pat Coleman have been under the weather. We hope these and others suffering from colds and ailments are all feeling better! Come to University Mall Monday, December 14, between 6 & 7 PM. The ladies of Serendipity Circle will be playing the hand bells for the Salvation Army Kettle Drive! You can make requests, but they only know 2 songs! Rosa & Steve Jennings visited their sons in Mississippi. Congratulations to Danny & Jaime Christian on the birth of their daughter, Ashlynn Grace! She arrived at 1:51 PM, Monday, November 16 th. At 7 lb, 7 oz, she is 21 long. PROUD grandparents Kenny & Dona Sulzmann were in Mobile for her arrival! What have you and your family been doing? Let us know what s happening in your lives so the Church Mouse can share it with your church family and friends! Thursday December 24 th 7:00 pm. This is one of our most beautiful and meaningful services. Please bring your family and friends to worship with you as we welcome the Christ Child. Christmas is the time for gifts of appreciation and love. During the season of Advent we will have a Christmas box in the narthex for you to place your gift for the staff of First Christian. Please note on your check that it is a gift for the church staff. You may also give cash please put it in one of the envelopes provided and place it in the box. These gifts will be presented to the staff at the Christmas party Sunday evening, December 13 th. Please remember our 7 staff members and all the many extras that they have done for us this year. We are fortunate to
have them and appreciate their ministry to us. Sunday, December 20 th, the Chancel Choir, under the direction of Ron Montgomery, will present their Christmas Cantata, Christmas Mosaic, at 10:30 am during our morning worship service. and EXTRAVAGANZA Sunday, December 13 th at 6 PM The Annual Church Christmas Party and Covered Dish Dinner will be Sunday, December 13th at 6:00 pm. The Outreach focus of this year s party is supporting the CWF s project of providing weekly food bags throughout the school year to children who attend Alberta Elementary. Each person or family is asked to bring at least one item to contribute at the party. Suggested items include canned fruits and vegetables (approx. 20-32 oz size), peanut butter, canned tuna or chicken, oatmeal, rice, crackers, powdered milk, jell-o, etc. NOTE: No glass bottles, please! Everyone is invited to share fellowship and a meal, enjoy some entertainment and help local families at the same time. There will also be gifts for the children. Hope to see you there!
KIDS PAGE! Fill in the blanks: The shepherds came to the and found Joseph & Mary, and the baby, lying in a. And they heard the singing Glory to in the Highest! groups and lots more. If you receive your newsletter by email and there are others in your household, please consider printing a copy for them to read as well. A picture for you to color During this time of love and giving, let us remember God s love for us He sent His Son to die for us so that we could have everlasting life! Is there any greater gift? May you and your family experience all the joy, wonder and love of this holiday season. Merry Christmas. Your Church Staff Phillip, Ron, Dona, Sandra, Lauren, Justin & Tina Do you know? Who were Jesus parents? In what town was Jesus born? Why were his parents there? Why was he born in a stable? Who came to the stable to see the baby? Who told the shepherds that Jesus was born? CHURCH MEMBERS: Please take a few minutes to read your newsletter. It contains information about upcoming events and happenings in the life of our church, news about your fellow church family members, items of interest about different