December Circuit Rider First Congregational Church of Lebanon, UCC 588 Exeter Road ~ P. O. Box 125 Lebanon, CT 06249 Rev. Dr. Sharon Ledbetter, Pastor Nancy Magnuson, Secretary Pastor s Office Phone: 860-642-2557 Phone: 860-642-6179 Cell Phone: 860-608-2701 Email: LebFirstCong@att.net Email: PastorSharonLed@att.net Derek Waldron ~ Organist Judi Larsen, Mission Coordinator Email: rockinmyboot@yahoo.com Email: judimccaw@hotmail.com Phone: 860-593-6836 Phone: 1-860-508-7047 Rev. Mary Horan, Director of Christian Education Email: mchoran@att.net Phone: 860-642-4330 Web Site: www.lebanonfirstcong.org Church Kitchen Phone: 860-642-7000 Jim McCaw, Moderator Jennifer Blevins, Chair of Board of Deacons Email: hap-geri@sbcglobal.net Email: jgblevins@hotmail.com Phone: 860-642-7449 Phone: 860-642-6105 Jim Gillespie, Chair of Board of Trustees Lynn Manning, Chair of Board of Outreach Phone: 860-642-7545 Phone: 860-642-6444 Audra Holmes, Co-Chair Board of CE Nancy Magnuson, Co-Chair Board of CE Phone: 860-642-7570 Phone: 860-423-4852 Joyce Cady, Chair of Music Comm. Ellen Bauwens, Chair of Stewardship Comm. Phone: 860-642-7228 Phone: 860-642-4437 Our Prayer List George Markow Shirley Madley John Kendall Barbara Pitcher Dave Foley Barbara Rodman Bill Jahoda Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God is with us. -Matthew 1:23
Pastor s Letter Dear Friends, The Advent-Christmas season is here and our schedules get even busier with holiday planning, entertaining, baking and shopping. And yet the real reason for the season is the birth of Christ! How can we prepare for Christ to come again in our hearts? When you think about it, Christ s spirit lives in us but we are the ones who forget to nourish this Spirit. Sometimes when we are in the sanctuary and it is quiet during the silent prayer time, I feel a peaceful uniting among us it seems as if God s spirit has found our eager hearts. Perhaps our hearts are eager for love, joy, patience, forgiveness, kindness, gentleness, peace and self-control. Such attributes are considered by the Apostle Paul to be the fruits of the spirit. When our hearts are full of such fruits, life is good. So maybe the challenge this Advent-Christmas season is to use our self-control to make more time in our lives for love, joy, patience, forgiveness, kindness, peace and gentleness to grow. After all, are not these just as important as the shopping, the baking and the entertaining? Preparing our hearts for Christ is acknowledging our deepest desires like helping one another, taking time for family fun and joy, forgiving and be forgiven, random acts of kindness, praying, worshipping, being patient and balancing our lives to include God and Jesus Christ, our newborn Savior. May your hearts be filled with the Christmas Spirit. Love and joy, Pastor Sharon
America lives in the heart of every man everywhere who wishes to find a region where he will be free to work out his destiny. Woodrow Wilson ~ Born December 28, 1856 My mother, as she aged, would not read anything that did not have a happy ending. Would not watch a movie that didn t end with the cowboy riding on his faithful horse into the sunset singing a western ballad. I would shrug my shoulders at her naiveté and consider her age. Happiness? Gigi (her name) believed in it and it spilled all over the family and friends. How unique she was. Now I am Gigi s age and do prefer The sunset picture and two people walking hand in hand instead of the violence and disregard for life and its values. I can hear my mom, Gigi, saying, See, Jean, join the crowd. And I smile, remembering. This is a remembering time. Joseph and Mary, riding on a donkey, traveling to Bethlehem obeying the law to return to their hometown; something about a census and taxes. It must have been a tedious, uncomfortable journey for Mary who was about to have a baby - a special baby, Jesus. The town was overcrowded and no rooms available. A concerned innkeeper led them to a stable, warm and sheltered. Jesus was born and lay in a crib filled with hay. If the story ended here, it might have been considered happy, but nasty King Herod threatened by the rumor of a new king laid plans to get rid of this new king. We know that angels sang to the shepherds who left their flocks and followed the star to where Jesus lay, that three Magi consulting their heavenly readings set forth to find Jesus, taking gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. That could have been a happy ending. But there would be no happy endings and yet wait! There was; we call it Easter Jesus resurrection! We are believers! We are his followers, living in the grace of God. Happy endings are felt in our hearts and souls. Merry, blessed Christmas! (And thanks Gigi) Jean Souter
On Sunday, December 2nd we will begin our Advent season through reflection, prayer and the lighting of the first candle. That same evening our community will gather to light the Christmas Tree on the Green, welcoming the season of light with song and cheer. These rituals mark a special time in the life of our spiritual community and our community as a whole no matter our faith tradition. Each Sunday following, our church family will share reflection through word and light. There are many ways we prepare for the coming of Christ in our lives through song, gift-giving, candle lighting, decorating our homes and sanctuary. A wide array of rituals marks this special season for us as Christians. I hope you and your family are able to create space in this oft busy time to prepare your inner sanctuary for Christ to be born into your heart, into your words, into your daily lives. Emmanuel, Christ with us! Please post on your refrigerator or mark your calendars for these family events: Sunday, December 2nd First Sunday of Advent (families will be sharing a reflection and lighting a candle. Please note: we define family as anyone who warms your heart and lends a smile or tear whenever needed.) Saturday, December 8th Date Night 4-9 p.m. (parents drop your children off for pageant rehearsal, dinner, games, crafts AND a movie with popcorn! This is your night out enjoy!) Sunday, December 9th Second Sunday of Advent. Children are sponsoring a Bring A Friend to church on this Sunday. We will decorate the sanctuary tree together and make hot fudge sundaes in the Fellowship Hall afterward! Sunday, December 16th Third Sunday of Advent and the day of our children s Christmas Pageant. This will be presented in the sanctuary during service. Families and friends come see why Santa is re-thinking Christmas as the children present Letters From Santa, the musical. Sunday, December 23rd Fourth Sunday of Advent. Also Jeopardy Sunday in which the children will test your Sunday school savvy. Severe Weather Cancellations In the event of severe weather, please check for cancellations of Sunday morning worship services and church activities on WFSB TV Channel 3, church website or you may contact any deacon. Soup & Bread Fellowship Time Sunday, December 16th Following the Christmas Pageant Hosted by: Board of Christian Education Sunday School Teachers
Delight in Giving Perhaps you ve read O. Henry s short story, The Gift of the Magi. It tells of a poor couple with great love for each other. His one treasured possession is a gold pocket watch. She glories in her long flowing hair. As Christmas approaches, he so longs to buy a beautiful set of combs for her hair that he sells his watch, while she sells her hair for a gold chain to display his prize. The delight of this bittersweet story, of course, is their pure expressions of love are the gift. We know this story. From the Magi following a star to offer precious gifts to the Christ child, to watching our children s eyes light up at gifts under the tree. There s the giggling, shushing anticipation of the honored guest arriving to our shouts of surprise! Perhaps it s even the moment we take another step up in our giving, increasing the percentage of our income that we give back to God through our church. Take a moment to savor this Delight In Giving. Now know this, our delight is only a shadow of the delight God takes in giving to us. Amen. Your Stewardship Committee, Ellen Bauwens, David Fields, Chris Jordan, Al Manning, Marjorie Page, and Jack Pelto Advent Bible Study Wednesday Mornings Beginning December 5th our Advent Bible Study will be a study of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. This Christmas Eve service was introduced in 1918 in King s Chapel, England. The service includes carols and nine Bible lessons which we will explore. Please bring your Bible and join us in the Memorial Room. The flower committee invites anyone who would like to share flowers from their yard for our church s communion table on any Sunday to please do so. It never has to be for a specific occasion or event. If you feel inspired, and we hope that you will, just let Linda Wallace, Tracy Kelley, or Stan Fuller know by Saturday each week or sign up on the calendar in the foyer. Thank you. Bread feeds the body indeed, but flowers feed also the soul. - The Koran Neighbors Helping Neighbors Over 100 boxes of sweet cereal (one box per every two kids) will be needed for the November and December Holiday baskets that Neighbors Helping Neighbors will be giving out this year. This is only one item out of approximately 20 that are packed into the baskets that have children. Can our church family meet the goal of providing all of the sweet cereal needed? Baskets will be packed on November 12th and December 10th but we will be collecting through December. Please think of your food pantry next time you see a great bargain on sweet cereal. Thank you. Pasta Dinner Benefiting the American Cancer Society Saturday, December 15th ~ 5:00-8:00 p.m. First Congregational Church of Lebanon Menu includes beverages, appetizer, pasta, and dessert. Tickets for adults are $10, seniors and kids 12 and under are $6, and kids under 3 and cancer survivors are free. Senior and Junior Steward Award Nominations Don t forget to submit your Junior and Senior Steward Award Nominations by January 6th. The forms are located on the desk in the foyer. Forms may be left in the box right on the desk, in the Stewardship Box or you may mail them to the church (attention Stewardship Committee).
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Confirmation Class December 2nd ~ No Class - Community Tree Lighting December 9th ~ EXTENDED CLASS to prepare for Christmas Eve 5-7 p.m. December 16th ~ Class December 23rd ~ Rehearsal for Christmas Eve 5-6 p.m. December 24th ~ LEAD 11:30 CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE (meet at 10:30 p.m.) December 30th ~ No Class - school vacation January 6th ~ Dinner for Students and Mentors at Pastor Sharon s home 5-7 p.m. January 13th ~ Class January 20th ~ No Class - Martin Luther King Jr. Day January 27th ~ Class February 3rd ~ Attend church and Annual meeting. We will sit together for lunch and meeting. February 10th ~ Class February 13th ~ ASH WEDNESDAY (Attend service with mentor 7pm) February 17th ~ Class February 24th ~ VISIT TO SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH, NEW LONDON Friday, December 14th ~ 6-9 p.m. The Nativity Story (PG) Lesson: Luke & Matthew s Christmas Stories Sunday, December 16th ~ 2:00 p.m. Helping Other Activity & Christmas Presents Prep for Town Hall Middle School Youth Group Friday, January 4th ~ 6:00 p.m. The Blind Side Lesson: Compassion / Our Actions
December 9th December 16th December 23rd December 24th December 30th December 31st January 6th Christmas Schedule Bring a Friend Sunday Worship Service 10 a.m. Confirmation Class 5-7 p.m. (Prepare for Christmas Eve Service) Children s Pageant 10 a.m. Followed by a Soup & Bread Coffee Hour Middle School Youth Group 2 p.m. Service of Remembrance 3 p.m. Confirmation Class 5 p.m. Worship 10 a.m. Confirmation Class 5-6 p.m. Communion Service 4 p.m. Family Service 7 p.m. Candlelight Service 11:30 p.m. Worship Service 10 a.m. New Year s Eve Potluck Dinner & Dance 7 p.m. Epiphany Star Sunday 10 a.m. 2012 Annual Reports Board and committee reports are due by the end of December. If you would please e-mail them to the office, it would help tremendously. Wednesday Emails Sunday school has started!! Rev. Mary has begun sending her Wednesday emails to the Sunday school families and those in the congregation who are interested in receiving it. The emails include the schedule and the scripture for the upcoming week. If you would like to receive this email, please contact either Mary or the church office. New Year s Eve Food, Fun & Dancing December 31st ~ 7 p.m. First Congregational Church of Lebanon Potluck Dinner (No alcohol) Square, line and round dances. (No experience necessary!) Everyone is welcome, Families and singles! Donation - $8 per person (children 16 and under free) Epiphany Sunday ~ January 6th Sunday, January 6th, our church will celebrate Epiphany. Epiphany commemorates the visit of the magi to the Christ Child. In 1999, we began a tradition of giving paper star gifts to the congregation on Epiphany Sunday. The paper stars are inscribed with a word for the recipient to reflect on throughout the year. Some of us post them as bookmarks in our Bibles or daily readings, tuck them in our wallets, or prop them up on a shelf. Whenever we see our star (or a star shape anywhere), we remember the message of love and hope, peace and joy, and the lessons that Jesus taught. It s a simple reminder to refocus our busy lives. Please join us on January 6th. There will be a star for you! Sanctuary Tree Decorating On Sunday, December 9th, the church family will decorate our sanctuary Christmas tree during a special part of the worship service. The deacons invite everyone to bring a special ornament to be shared with the congregation during this wonderful annual activity. Ornaments will be provided if you wish to use one from a prior year.