January 2019 Newsletter God Changes Everything Picture this scene: you bought tickets for an exciting new play. You ve dressed up, arrived at the theater, and found your seat. The room goes dark, the lights hit the curtains, and, in a moment, they will be pulled aside, and you will be drawn into a new world. January 6 th marks the beginning of the season of Epiphany (The word Epiphany comes from an old Greek word meaning, to reveal ). During this season, the ancient church celebrated the ways in which the Divine draws back the curtains that obscure our view of what God is up to in the world. During our celebration of Epiphany, we will be Don t remember the prior things; don t ponder ancient history. Look! I m doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don t you recognize it? I m making a way in the desert, paths in the wilderness. (Isaiah 43:18-19) embarking on a nine-week worship series where we will discover the ways that God still draws back the curtain and opens us up to new possibilities, understandings and ways of being in the world. When this happens, what will change? How will our relationships with the world, with God, with one another, and with ourselves change? Can anything remain the same? As we begin our year of loving God greatly, I invite you to join This Month at a Glace 1/3- Outreach Committee 6:00 PM 1/6 Epiphany Sunday 1/7 Cabinet meeting 7:00 PM 1/8- Tech Committee Mtg 7:00 PM 1/9 MacTown Youth 6:30 PM 1/14- By-Law Committee 7:00 PM 1/19- NTA Women s Mtg 8:00 AM 1/20 Commitment Sunday 1/21 MLK Day 1/28 Board Meeting 7:00 PM (continued on page 2)
God Changes Everything He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and us, and if you know of anyone in life who is tired of the status quo increase the harvest of your right- invite them to be our guest as well as we learn about God s work eousness. You will be enriched in making all things new. Be a part of this exciting time of discovery every way for your great generosity, as we learn how when God comes on the scene: plans change which will produce thanksgiving to (1/6), history changes (1/13), priorities change (1/20), our sense God through us. of right and wrong changes (1/27), economies change (2/3), communities change (2/10), commitments change (2/17), and we come away forever changed (2/24). (2 Corinthians 9:10-11) (continued from page 1) What s Your Story? There is a story behind Paul s words in 2 Corinthians 9. The church in Jerusalem was undergoing great financial hardship. Suffering from famine, and increased tensions with the Romans and the Jewish people, it was on the verge of collapse. Something had to be done. We learn in Acts 11 that right after the followers of Christ in Antioch took on the name Christian (the first group of Jesus followers so to do), they learned of the plight of the Jerusalem church and commissioned Paul and Barnabas to Judea to bring a financial gift that each disciple contributed to according to their ability. Understanding that Christ s church is essentially one and that God s work through the Apostles in Jerusalem was vital to the continuation of his own mission, Paul decided to take up an offering from (continued on page 3)
January Birthdays Kim Alexander 01/02 Al McCraw 01/17 Avery Noblitt 01/27 Heather Johnston 01/02 Tom Wells 01/17 Kim Gude 01/28 Alan (A.K.) Knight 01/04 Allen Savelsbergh 01/18 Dana Hobbs 01/29 Cheryl Griffin 01/10 Karen McCarley 01/19 Dave Mitchell 01/29 Karla Woods 01/10 Krista Underwood 01/19 Ann Moore 01/29 Kayla Underwood 01/11 Hugh Billings 01/20 Winter McCarley 01/30 Lorri Cooper 01/13 Mike Hendricks 01/20 Steve Spearman 01/30 Tiffany Anderson 01/14 Rebecca Chunn 01/21 Drew Edwards 01/31 Kendall Hinman 01/14 Charlotte Miller 01/21 Golda McCarley 01/14 Graham Smith 01/21 Shirley Armstrong 01/15 Allyson Dres 01/24 Richard Helland 01/15 Yvonne Matthews 01/26 Sarah Kirby 01/15 A.J. White 01/26 David Knight 01/15 Alan Wilson 01/26 Jason Noblitt 01/15 Robert Coffee-Prose 01/27 What s Your Story? (continued from page 2) many of the churches he had planted as well. Huge portions of Paul s three longest letters speak about it (chapter 15 of Romans, 1 Corinthians 16:1-4, and all of chapters 8 & 9 of 2 Corinthians). Though there were benevolent associations that provided charity in the ancient world, giving to those groups was done to bring honor to the giver. Paul understood that things had to be different for Christians. When he encouraged giving it was not to bring honor to the one giving, and it wasn t even primarily to help those the money was going to serve. Giving was to be done as a reflection and symbol of the free grace of God. God s grace is extravagant, it is over-flowing, it is more than enough to meet our needs. So too, as Paul understood it, should be the gracious action of Christ s church. So, giving has a storied past among Christians. Here, at First Christian, our giving tells a story as well. It speaks about what we value, how we understand God s work through the church, and how we express what we believe to be God s priorities to the world. Our giving tells a story. This month, our Stewardship committee will be presenting part of that story to you through our narrative budget. They will be asking for you to help us tell that story to the world through your generous financial support on Commitment Sunday (January 20 th ). As you consider your gift this coming year, I ask that you prayerfully consider how God has shaped and molded your story through your relationship with First Christian Church- because it is through your generosity that our story is able to continue to shape and form the lives of others just as it has for you.
Mentors Needed First Christian Church is in its 8 th year in the Adopt a School Program for McKinney I.S.D. Faubion Middle School is our adopted school. Presently Faubion needs three mentors for two girls and one boy. Also McKinney High School needs mentors for two boys and one girl. You would mentor 30 minutes one day a week at lunch time. The school district provides mentor training in January. You may contact Larry Collins at 214-551-0267 or lcollins46@att.net to be part of this program at Faubion. Cheryl Billings will work with the mentoring program at McKinney High School and you may contact her for information at 972-540- 0398. We will be glad to explain the mentoring program to you and get you through the process for approval. You will have the opportunity to improve the life of a middle or high school student. Thank you. Larry Collins and Cheryl Billings Church Liaisons
Week 1 - January 6, 2019 Week 2 - January 13, 2019 Week 3 - January 20, 2019 Week 4 - January 27, 2019 CONTEMPORARY SETUP CONTEMPORARY SETUP CONTEMPORARY SETUP CONTEMPORARY SETUP A.K.Armstrong June & Gary Browne Boy Scouts/ Bryon White Cindy & Boyd Gallatin BREAKFAST BAR BREAKFAST BAR BREAKFAST BAR BREAKFAST BAR ************************* Sharon Wright Sarah Mathews Carol King Bonita Beckham If you are unable to serve as VIDEO VIDEO VIDEO VIDEO scheduled, please trade Daniel White Josh Buchfink Sarah Mathews Cindy Peters with someone or get AUDIO AUDIO AUDIO AUDIO someone to take your place. Brian White Brian White Brian White BrianWhite PLEASE TELL OFFICE of the TABLE ELDER TABLE ELDER TABLE ELDER TABLE ELDER changes for the bulletin. Cindy Peters Vickie Williamson Connie Hodson A. K. Armstrong THANK YOU!! COMMUNION COMMUNION COMMUNION COMMUNION ************************* Jim & Leah Michelle & Bryanna Bill & Linda A. K. & Shirley Couperthwaite Britton Lundstrom Armstrong SCRIPTURES: SHUT-IN SHUT-IN SHUT-IN SHUT-IN COMMUNION COMMUNION COMMUNION COMMUNION Week 1: Matt 2: 1-12 Mac & Sherry A. K. & Shirley Larry & Margaret Butch Irby Hendricks Armstrong Collins Psalm 72: 1-7, 10-14 TRADITIONAL WORSHIP TRADITIONAL WORSHIP TRADITIONAL WORSHIP TRADITIONAL WORSHIP AUDIO OPERATOR AUDIO OPERATOR AUDIO OPERATOR AUDIO OPERATOR Week 2: Isaiah 43: 1-7 Steve Dixon Robert Guthrie Sonny Fee Michael Billings Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22 USHER USHER USHER USHER Sharon Gotcher Sharon Gotcher Heidt Matthews Heidt Matthews Week 3: Luke 16: 19-31 FOYER GREETERS FOYER GREETERS FOYER GREETERS FOYER GREETERS Cathy Bailey/ Sarah & Sherry Becky Rasor/ Sonny & Brenda Fee Larry Collins Hendricks Carolyn McCarley Week 4: Matt 5: 38-48 ACOLYTE ACOLYTE ACOLYTE ACOLYTE Evan Lundstrom Beth Wells Matthew Guerra Zachary Knight CHILDREN'S MOMENT CHILDREN'S MOMENT CHILDREN'S MOMENT CHILDREN'S MOMENT Vickie Williamson Kim Guthrie Brenda Fee Gerald Lewis MEDITATION/ LITANY MEDITATION/ LITANY MEDITATION/ LITANY MEDITATION/ LITANY Wes Hendricks Tom Kirby Dane Bailey Les Hodson ELDERS ELDERS ELDERS ELDERS Mac Hendricks/ Brad Peters Cindy Dixon/ Bill Rasor Sandy Baxter/ John Chunn Steve Dixon/ Mike Livezey DIACONATE DIACONATE DIACONATE DIACONATE Ryan Fisher Alex Orr Brenda Fee Kathi Livezey COMMUNION PREPARATION Heidt Matthews Ann Wells Larry Collins Gerald Lewis Joyce Smetzer/ Becky Rasor Josh Buchfink Ross Wells Margaret Collins Cliff Parsons HOUSEKEEPERS Linda Lundstrom Olivia Wilson Emily Westbrook Cheryl Billings Donna & Tim Griffin BANKING BANKING BANKING BANKING Butch Irby Tom Kirby Dane Bailey Heidt Matthews
North Texas Area Disciples Women s Ministries General Gathering Presenter: Sage Appleby Program: My Experiences in Cuba Come hear Sage tell about her experience on her recent Woman-to-Woman Worldwide Journey in Cuba. Saturday, January 19, 2019 First Christian Church, McKinney 1800 W. Hunt Street McKinney, TX 75069 Registration: 10 a.m. Program Begins: 10:30 a.m. Lunch $7.00 R.S.V.P. by Monday, January14th RSVP to: Sharon Gotcher, purple1804@aol.com or 972.652.0152.