First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 2000 Bundy Avenue Merry Christmas! New Castle, IN 47362

firstchristiannewcastle.org phone: 765.529.2403 The Christian Builder Volume 80-Number 12 12/1/2016

Pastor Richie Sanchez Announces Advent Sermon Series

To the Beautiful People of God in New Castle, In this season of Advent, I’ll be centering on the theme: the Miracle of Christmas. Miracle? Yes! It is a word that has been adversely charged and loaded within the widest of Christian circles. I believe we can rightly treat and appropriate its to celebrate “Christmas (as) the season of the great exchange. (Think about it), “the creator of the cosmos comes (in the flesh) for the purpose of setting right all that has gone wrong on this tiny planet. The wonder is that the Eternal One who can be neither created nor de- stroyed willingly becomes subject both to birth and to death.” (Stookey, 1996, pg. 105) This sacred account, when keenly embraced, and proclaimed is our hope. Emmanuel, unto us a child is born, for our sakes and not his own. Peace, and have come into this world. This world needs to experience the Miracle of Christmas, more than ever.

I’ll be guided, and inspired in part by a sermon series written by Dr. Greg Fine. His sermon series has selected titles, scriptures, and coupled them with movie clip selections from the movie: Miracle on 34th Street. Though, the sermons will be written in my voice, experiences, and exegesis (study). There are so many wonderful events planned for this season. Please, don’t stay home! Let’s celebrate, and experience the Miracle of Christmas, together!

Sunday, December 4, 2016 – Galatians 4 “The Miracle of The Moment” Sunday, December 11, 2016 – Hebrews 1 “The Miracle of The Message” Sunday, December 18, 2016 – Romans 11 “The Miracle of The Method” Sunday, December 25, 2016 – John 1:1 – 5, 9 – 14 “The Miracle of the Manger”

My prayer is that this season of Advent can be for you, your family, friends, and co-workers, “the inaugura- tion and anticipation of what is yet to come in fullness.” (Stookey, 1996, pg. 121)

In Great Anticipation, Pastor Richie 2

December The Month at a Glance

December 4-11-18-25 Sunday School/Coffee Hour, 9 am. No Coffee Hour on Christmas Day Worship Service, 10 am ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dec 2: Movie Night at FCC. 6pm Dec 4: Children’s Christmas Program Practice during Worship Hour. Dec 11: Blues Christmas Concert, 6:30pm. Children’s Christmas Program Practice during Worship Hour. Dec 13: Youth (grades 5-12), Christmas Party at the Rose Bowl. Dec 14: The Family Table, 6pm until 7:30pm, All Invited! Dec 17: Christmas Caroling, 1-3pm. Please join in! Dec 18: Children’s Christmas Program during Worship, Invite a friend! Dec 21: Longest Night Service, 6pm, Invite the Community! Dec 22: Church Bus Christmas Lights Tour, 5:30pm. Please join in! Dec 24: Christmas Eve Service, 6pm, All are welcome! Dec 25: Worship Service only at 10am. Invite others! Jan 6: Epiphany Community Bonfire at FCC, 5:30 pm. Celebrate!

Thank you to everyone that prepared and Advent Schedule cleaned up communion in 2016. Second Sunday-Dec 4 Your service was appreciated. Third Sunday-Dec 11 To volunteer for 2017, please contact the Fourth Sunday-Dec 18 church office. PRAYER CONCERNS: Margaret Adams, Craig Bailey, Dondena Boatman, Nick Ca- 3 tron, John and Joan Cleveland, Pam Crabtree, Claudia Falck, Zack Hallam, Geoff Hoodle- brink, Chris Hughes, Virginia Howard, Martha Masters, Phil and Yvone McGinnis, Karen Monesmith, Joan Paul, Dolores Seigler, Jeff VanArsdol, James Gleason, Steven Schetgen, Beverly Schetgen, Doris Schetgen, Billie Shepherd, Cole Smith, Brenda Becklund, Charlie Watts, Joy Baase, Doris Canaday, Janet Dunn, Tanya Eversole, JoAnne Privett.

Shut-Ins, Homebound, Convalescing and Those in Our Thoughts: Iris Alexander, Joy Baase, Dee Benson, Doris Canaday, Kathryn DeVaughn, LaVaughn Douglas, Marjorie Johnson, Cora McClane, Marge Norrick, Violet Wells, Norma Doyle, Sheila Jackson, Francis Smith, Dick Mullin, Ima Coe Wirth, Joan Paul, Martha Masters, John and Joan Cleveland, Betty Yergin, Pat Sibert. To add names to our care lists, please contact Sherry or call the church office.

We will continue our tradition of decorating the church on the Sunday closest to Christmas Day with beautiful poin- settias placed on the chancel in honor and remembrance of our loved ones.

If you would like to place an order, please fill out the proper bulletin insert and place it in the offering plate. You may also e-mail [email protected] or stop in the church office.

Each poinsettia is $10 and payment is due at the time of order.

Orders must be received by Monday, December 5th.

Christmas Cards of Cheer for Those in Our Thoughts Please consider writing a card to each of our shut-ins. If you are able to place your cards in the FCC Post Office slots located in the Narthex, the Elders can deliver them when they take them their holiday baskets. If you live out of town or prefer to mail; a list of names and addresses is enclosed with this newsletter.

Special Concern List 4

The Waters Norma Doyle 1000 N. 16th Street New Castle 2116 Fairmont Avenue 765-521-1421 New Castle, IN 47362 765-529-3967 Marjorie Johnson Iris Alexander Sheila Jackson 1507 H Avenue New Castle, IN 47362 Heritage 765-529-8848 th 1023 N. 20 Street New Castle 765-529-9694 Francis Smith Dick Mullin Kathryn DeVaughn 1319 Riley Road Cora McLane New Castle, IN 47362 Violet Wells 765-529-6423

Ima Coe Wirth Forest Ridge 1527 S Avenue 2800 Forest Ridge Parkway New Castle New Castle, IN 47362 765-521-4740 765-529-1760

Marge Norrick Joan Paul Raintree Square Addison Place 2820 S Memorial Drive 2244 Q Avenue New Castle New Castle, IN 47362 765-521-3220 Martha Masters

1413 Audubon Road Joy Baase New Castle, In 47362 765-521-9283 Glen Oaks Health Campus 601 West County Road 200 S John and Joan Cleveland The Stratford Jeff VanArsdol 2460 Glebe Street, Apt. #337 JoAnne Privett Carmel, IN 46032

Betty Yergin Stonebrooke Raintree Square 990 N 16th St 2820 S Memorial Drive New Castle, IN 47362 Doris Canaday 765-529-4329

Homebound Pat Sibert Deloris Benson 1628 A Avenue 3790 East State Road 38 Apt #213 New Castle, IN 47362 New Castle, IN 47362 765-529-2553 765-524-1716

LaVaughn Douglas 2910 Plymouth Street New Castle, IN 47362 5 CHRISTMAS BASKET PROJECT KICK OFF Each year the Evangelism Team, chaired by Claudia Jackson, coordinates gathering food items to complete food baskets for those in need and fruit and candy baskets for FCC’s shut-in mem- bers. Our goal this year is 20 food baskets; we will receive 15 family names from Westminster Community Center and we will also serve 5 families whose names are given to us through our own congregation. Each shut–in member will be visited and given a beautiful basket of goodies to enjoy during Christmas week.

We ask for you to consider sponsoring an item in the food baskets. Our goal is to provide Christmas dinner and three days of food for each family. Please review the list below and let us know if you can help by providing food items or a monetary contribution. We can also use help on basket packing day, Sunday, December 18 right after worship service and basket distribution day, Monday, December 19 from 4:00 until 5:30pm.

Qty Needed for 20 QTY in each Basket Item Baskets Christmas Dinner Items 1 Turkey or Ham 20 3 Cans of Corn 60 3 Cans of Green Beans 60 2 Boxes of Mac n Cheese 40 1 Box of Stuffing Mix 20 1 Box of Instant Mashed Potatoes 20 2 Boxes Corn Muffin Mix 40 1 Cake Mix 20 1 Tub of Frosting 20 Extra Specific Items that we'd like to include in each basket 1 Jar of Peanut Butter 20 2 Boxes of Cereal 40 1 Dozen Eggs 20 2 Loaves of Bread 40 1 Bag of Sugar 20 1 Bag of Flour 20 1 Box of Dinner Mix (like Hamburger Helper) 20 Asst Cans of fruits and vegetables as many as possible Asst Bananas 60 Asst Oranges and Apples 60 1 Box of Candy Canes 20 1 Box of Crackers 20 3 Large Cans of Soup 60 1 Package of Stick Margarine 20 And other various donated items such as canned meat, any food or toiletry items such as toilet paper

Please place food items in the Narthex. Contact Claudia Jackson or Sherry Denney for more information. [email protected] or call 317-850-1072 (cell), or the church office, 529-2403 6

Present Possibilities, Frontiers of Faith Brazilian theologian Rubem Alves called hope “the suspicion … that the frontiers of the possi- ble are not determined by the limits of the present.” Who among us doesn’t sometimes imag- ine our future based solely on present-day obstacles? Even biblical heroes did so.

Abraham and Sarah laughed at God’s promise of a child, seeing only their present circum- stance of old age. Only in hindsight could Joseph see how God turned slavery in Egypt into great good.

At first another Joseph, learning his fiancée was pregnant, believed his world was limited to two possibilities: shame Mary publicly or divorce her quietly. But his heart was open to God’s message: “What is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. [Her] son … will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21, NIV). How exceedingly far this future must have seemed from the limits of Joseph’s present.

Christmas is a reminder that God calls us all into frontiers of the future we never could have dreamed!

Pastor Search Team Report The Pastor’s Search Team is making great progress. The Congregational Profile is complete and has been sent to the Regional Office. This means we are in the process of receiving names of those interested in serving with us as our pastor. We are continuing to work on our Information Package; it is 95% complete. We are in the process of making the Information Package accessible through our church’s website. Please con- tinue to pray for the search team as it works toward finding a new pastor. Search team members are: Julie Bundy, Don Denney, Jennifer Hood, Hank Neal, Susan Falck Neal,

Second Wednesday Fellowship is on Hiatus until March of 2017 The folks that make up the Second Wednesday Fellowship group have decided to take a winter break! They will resume meeting again in March of 2017.

The Work of Christmas When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone. When the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flock, the work of Christmas be- gins. To find the lost, to heal the , to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among brothers, to make music in the heart. —-Howard Thurman

A Christmas Gift To First Christian Church The Christmas tree located in the Fellowship Lounge is decorated with tags that you may choose to pick up. The tags represent a Christmas gift to our church outside of your regular pledge. Please visit the gift tree located in the Fellowship Lounge to select a tag from the tree or contact Sherry in the office via tele- phone or e-mail for more details. The funds raised will go into the General Fund to pay the expenses of our church.

Youth of FCC as they prepare to carry the Nativity figurines to the Chancel during the Hanging of the Greens Service. From Left to Right: Corbin Madden, Isaac Madden, Alexa Madden, Eliza Madden, Joslynn West, Chloe Davis, Claire Da- vis, Davis and Gracelyn Whelchel.

Overcoming despair 8 Christmas can be a difficult time for peo- ple who are hurting or grieving. In the 1860s, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfel- low had reason to despair: America was at war with itself, his son was severely wounded in battle and his wife died in a fire. The first Christmas after his wife’s death, Longfellow wrote, “How inex- The FCC Post Office is now open! Give pressibly sad are all holidays.” Christmas cards to regular attenders by putting them in the proper slot. Donate the postage Three years later, on Christmas Day 1864, that you save by placing the money in the bas- Longfellow penned a poem that later be- ket located nearby The suggested donation per came the song “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” The lyrics move from card is .25-.47. This year the proceeds will go despair to hope — and, thanks to Jesus, so to fund the Christmas Basket project. Make can we. sure to check the slots frequently for cards with your name! After December 25th, please check the And in despair I bowed my head. slots for cards that you addressed to others, you may choose to mail There is no peace on earth, I said! them if they haven’t picked them up. For hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth,Michael good will to men!

DECEMBER 2 Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: MOVIE NIGHT AT FCC 6:00 PM God is not dead, nor doth he sleep! The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, Featured Movie: Miracle on 34th Street with peace on earth, good will to men!

The movie will be shown to prepare for our upcoming sermon series Blues Christmas Concert

Featuring Governor Davis and Saturday, December 17 Denomination X

1-3 pm. Meet at the church December 11 to join the fun! 6:30 pm We’ll take the church bus! Tasting Party to Follow

YOUTH CHRISTMAS PARTY

GRADES 5-12 December 13 from 4:30-6pm Meet at the Rose Bowl or talk to Sherry or Todd for a ride. Pizza, Bowling, Arcade! No Money Needed!

Lee Yates instructs Olivia and Hank Neal 9

Board Meeting/Congregational Meeting will be held December 4

Plan now to attend the last Board meeting of theJan year Lindsey immediately after Worship service on December 4 . After the short Board meeting, the annual Congregational meeting will be held to vote on the proposedEliza slate of Maddenofficers and team chairs. The 2017 proposed budget will also be voted upon.

Income Budget for 2017 Budgeted Amount Pledges $ 86,147.00 Non-Pledges $ 20,000.00 Loose Plate $ 2,000.00 Church School Offering $ 500.00 Interest from Checking Account $ 15.00 Renaissance Child $ 5,500.00 Kinsinger Bequest/Trustees $ 39,300.00 Heating Fuel $ 25.00 Miscellaneous Income $ 3,000.00 Faith Fund $ 10,000.00 Total $ 166,487.00 Sumer Robinson 2017 Proposed Expense Budget World Outreach/Church in Society 600.00 Evangelism 1,700.00 Stewardship and Finance 825.00 Family Team 600.00 Culinary Team 1,350.00 Worship 1,230.00 Property and Grounds 41,950.00 Christian Ed and Youth 3,350.00 Administration 114,882.00 Total Expense Budget 166,487.00 Our current pledge total (Pledge Cards turned in as of November 29th) stands at $83,816. Please note that the budget was written using a realistic pledge number. This means that any expenses above donated funds will be paid from our investment funds. The amount contribut- ed from the investment funds managed by our Trustees was upped to reflect projections. Any Trustee or John Miller, our Treasurer, would be happy to explain this further. As you can see, our current pledges are below the budgeted income number. Please consider making a pledge. Pledge cards can be turned in anytime throughout the year. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE MADE A PLEDGE!!

10 Reminders: Team Chairs and Committee Members: our church fiscal year ends December 31st. All receipts and requests for reimbursement must be turned in to the church office by December 22nd. ~~~~~~~~~~~ The Church Office would be happy to review your 2016 contributions with you at anytime. Please turn donations in by December 29th to receive credit for calendar year 2016.

The staff of FCC wishes all members and friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Interim Pastor, Richie Sanchez; Custodian, John Davidson; Administrative Coordinator, Sherry Denney; and Childcare Coordinator, Brittany Criswell.

First Christian Church 2000 Bundy Avenue New Castle, IN 47362