thehands Lamplighter&feet MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF FRANKLIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DECEMBER 2015

February201 North College 2011 Street Franklin, KY 42134 Monthly NewsletterTel: (270) 586-4535 of Faith Fax: (270) Bible 586-4592 Church E-mail: [email protected]  www.franklinpresbyterian.org

Mar So k Conspiracy isBy Here!Chuck Silverstein In this Issue Lo- Advent Conspiracy is 11.5a simple idea for us to take and run with. It Advent/ involves a decision to make Christmas a revolutionary event once again rem Baby Shower by committing—as individuals and as a faith community—to focus this ip- Activities Schedule Hannah Joy season on: sum dol- Advent Resources Worshiping Fully, 11.6Spending Less, Giving More, and Loving or Youth Corner All. sit March Outreach Sign Up Check out the reverse side of your Advent Conspiracy bulletin inserts in Stewardship Corner

December to read more11.12 about each component of the Advent December Lectionary Conspiracy.Crusaders Let us conspire Day together Trip to allow this season to become Readings transformative for our lives of faith, for our families, for our relationships, and for11.16 God’s world. Together, we can reclaim the December Calendar celebration andFocus truly transformational,on Prayer world-changing meaning of Looking Ahead Christmas. 11.19 Worship Committee invites each of us to take on FPC’s 2015 Missionary Moment Advent ConspiracyMen’s Breakfast Challenge: Give at least one less11.20 physical gift this year, and instead give that same money toward ChoirLiving WatersTry Outs for the World—creating clean water systems in the name of the Living Water, ! (continued on next page) CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Monday thru Thursday Article 9:00am-2:30pm Advent Conspiracy (cont.) LUNCH: A half hour between 11:30pm-12:30pm Come to the back of the sanctuary after worship to learn how you can Give More by giving one less physical gift this season, CHURCH STAFF and giving that same money toward FPC’s LWW water system Rev. Katie Ann Strednak Singer parts. You will receive an ornament with your “purchased” part Pastor printed on it to adorn the small cedar tree at the back. You’ll also receive a certificate that you can fill out to give to a loved one Julie Owen this Christmas. Each certificate explains that you have made a Pastoral donation on your loved one’s behalf, in honor and celebration of Administrative Assistant Christ’s birth.

Carolle Tracy, Music Director FPC’s Session Elders invite us all to claim 2016 as “The Donna Houston, Organist Year of Living Water.” Shirley Crutcher, Nursery We’re kicking that off a little early, with the 2015 Advent Conspiracy! When you give through Advent Conspiracy this ELDER/ELDER HELPER OF year, you will help our FPC mission team to teach our global THE MONTH partners how to build, maintain, and best utilize their new clean Debbie Wyatt water system for years to come. Jane Rahm Note: If you wish to do some end-of-year giving to Moreo-

other organizations that FPC’s Advent Conspiracy has FRIEND OF THE MONTH ver supported in years past, you are still welcome to make Pat Chai checks out to FPC with the memo “Christian Service whom he

Committee, for ______” (then choose one of the RULING ELDERS ON did following): SESSION predesti- Andrew Garrett  Good Samaritan nate, Barry Hain  Try Anything Rhino Project CJ Hall  Boys and Girls Club them he Emma Jean Kirby  Simpson County Literacy Center also Bobby Page  Habitat for Humanity called: Jane Rahm,  Youth Camp Fund and Larry Smith  FPC Benevolence Fund Becky Stubbs whom he Stop in the church office if you would like a certificate to give a Debbie Wyatt loved one this year for the above donation options. called,

DEACONS Pat Chai Linda Knight Mickey Roark Advent/Christmas Activity Schedule

WEDNESDAYS , DECEMBER 2-23RD: SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13TH: 15-minute Advent Services to be alternately held CELEBRATION SERVICE– will begin during at FPC and United Methodist Church at Noon worship and carry over into potluck at the throughout Advent. Services will be presided over Cornerstone. Soup will be provided by the by the hosting pastor and will be different each Worship Committee; please bring sides, week, featuring Scripture, meditation, and lectio salads, and desserts to share. After the divina. (12/2: FPC; 12/9: FUMC next door; potluck: 12/16: FPC; 12/23: FUMC next door)

SATURDAY , DECEMBER 5TH: Youth & Young Disciples Hot Chocolate Stand during the Franklin Christmas Parade & Small Town Christmas on the Square ($ raised in CHRISTMAS CAROLLING AROUND TOWN: donations for hot chocolate goes toward the Youth *Please let us know in the church office if you or Camp Fund!) Youth & children, please arrive at someone you know would like us to come by to 3:30 p.m. to help set up and give away hot sing Christmas carols at 1pm following this chocolate! Parade begins at 4:30 p.m. celebration meal! Email SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6TH: [email protected] or call the Congregational Meeting (to elect elders/deacons, church office @ 270-586-4535. We’ll visit area receive annual congregational report; review facilities as well as member/friend homes. session-approved 2016 budget; vote on 2016 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19TH: pastor’s terms of call) WHITE CHRISTMAS BOX PACKING & DELIVERY MONDAY, DECEMBER 7TH: Would you like to help pack and/or deliver White The Ladies’ Club (TLC) Christmas Party & Gift Christmas boxes? Packing will begin at 9:00 a.m. Exchange, Noon, at the Cornerstone. Bring a dish in the Cornerstone and delivery will follow the to share and a wrapped gift (that cost $5 or less to completion of the packing. Anyone interested in purchase) and get ready for some fellowship & helping with packing or deliveries should contact laughter! Caren Gibson at (270) 647-2108 or by email at [email protected]. Continued on next page

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20TH: SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27TH: PC(USA) Christmas Joy Offering during worship COMFY CHRISTMAS & BLESSING OF THE (Check out www.presbyterianmission.org/ TOYS christmasjoy to find out where your donations go!) Come & join us on this first Sunday following Youth Christmas Party @ the Cornerstone, Christmas Day…and the last Sunday of 2015…for 5:00 p.m. our “Comfy Christmas” celebration. All are invited to come and worship, wearing jeans, sweatshirts, or THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24: whatever your ‘comfy clothes’ may be. We will read Lessons and Carols @ 10pm the Bible, sing some carols, read a children’s book, Special Music will begin @ 9:30pm and reflect on the incarnation as it pertains to the Come & worship God on ! This year behind us and the year ahead. We’ll also share service will include special music (harpist!), along the joy of the Sacrament of Baptism today! All are with musical meditations from the FPC choir, invited to bring one toy—new or old—to be congregational Christmas hymns, including Silent blessed as we remember the true gift to the world Night sung by candlelight. Come one, come all, as on this day (baby Jesus!). we celebrate the birth of Jesus the Christ!

On the first Sunday of each month, we partake of the Lord’s Supper Reminder: together in worship. On each first Sunday, we also bring our gifts of canned goods and pantry items for the Good Samaritan food pantry. These items are placed in the red bin at the back of the sanctuary. Good Thank you to all who have given over these past months and years, Samaritan and thank you to all who will continue to give in the future! Let us Food Pantry find nourishment at God’s table each month, that we may be sent out to nourish God’s world. Advent Books & Devotionals Advent Lending Library books & Advent devotionals are available now! You have two FREE options for devotionals to guide your spirit this season:  OPTION 1: FPC now has a “Lending Library” for Advent books! There are many choices available for individual or family use—choose whichever book speaks to you this year. You can check your book out by writing your name and phone number next to the title of the book that you are checking out. At the end of the Advent season, please bring your book back to FPC so that others may utilize these resources for years to come.  OPTION 2: Pick up a smaller devotional booklet and it is yours to keep! No sign-ups required! These books and booklets are written by a variety of religious authors and will help frame your week as you approach Christmas Day. Don’t let the hustle and bustle of the holidays take over these holy-days. Take time, make space—we stand on holy ground!

Advent Lectionary Think about how your family will spend Advent together... Will you commit for Advent, along with your family, to spend a few minutes each day reading the day’s lectionary passage together? Maybe this is the year for you and your family to try reading the daily passage together and reflect aloud. You can start each reflection with these simple questions:  What word or phrase stands out to you?  How does this scripture apply to your life this week?  How does this word from God shape the week ahead of you? You can check out the Daily Lectionary readings for Advent at the Presbyterian Mission website: http:// www.presbyterianmission.org/site_media/media/uploads/devotions/pdfs/daily_readings_for_advent_2015.pdf

Advent Daily Calendar 2015: Care for God's Creation This is the annual Advent daily calendar created by Environmental Ministries (Presbyterian Hunger Program). As we await the celebration of Christ’s birth this Advent Season, we give thanks that God sent Jesus Christ for the good of all the world. This daily calendar invites you to take a few moments each day for a simple action, practical change or reflection. You are invited to sing through the hymn It Came upon a Midnight Clear, to read, reflect, act, and connect with God’s good world. Peace be with you this Advent! http://www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/ environment/2015_advent_calendar.pdf

News Try Anything Rhino Project Etsy Store Why not do some holiday shopping at the Try Anything Rhino Project ETSY store? When you buy an item almost the entire purchase price goes to help save rhinos! For example, a beautiful pendant was 100% donated by artist Carolee Saunders Stears, and we're selling it for $50. Shipping will probably cost about $5, so $45 will go toward the purchase of Night Vision Equipment to help stop poachers. Please visit our site today! https://www.etsy.com/shop/TryAnythingRhinoProj?ref=hdr_shop_menu

You can now order Room in the Inn t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, and sweatshirts! You can now place your clothing order by signing up on the bulletin board and giving your check to the church office. Church Coordinator Jane Rahm will turn in our clothing donations and order form to Beth Fiss (she will deliver all shirts to FPC when they are ready). See the picture for the options for t-shirts, sweatshirts, and long sleeve shirts. Your clothing orders will help with RITI Franklin's ongoing fundraising efforts too--thank you! Suggested Donations: T-Shirt ($10-15), Long Sleeve Shirt ($15-20), or Sweatshirt ($20-25)

Presbyterian Environmental Ministries TWO PRESBYTERIANS are currently in Paris as part of a delegation sent to the climate change discussion in Paris. Learn more via the Presbyterian Environmental Ministries Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pcusa.environment/ Stewardship Corner November Average Attendance: 69 White Christmas Nov. 1 66 Thank you to all who participated in Nov. 8 80 this year’s White Christmas Offering! hands&fe Because of you, we raised $961! With Nov. 15 60 Nov. 22 73 this money we will be able to purchase Nov. 29 66 food, hygiene items, and comfort items for families in our community that November WeeklyFebruary Offering Average: 2011 $2,963.20 could use a helping hand at Christmas. Nov. 1 $2,680.00 Thank you also to those who donated Nov. 8 $4,367.00 items to be included in the boxes. Nov. 15 $2,514.00 Nov. 22 $2,830.00 Nov. 29 $2,425.00 Average Weekly Income Needed for Budget: $2,423

Mark Your Sowing theThe Field Youth / Reaping Group meets the Harvest on the Cal- By Chuck Silverstein UPCOMING ACTIVITIES 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from Saturday, December 5: Hot Chocolate Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, 6 sed-7 p.m. diam at nonummy the Cornerstone. nibh euismod Supper tincidunt ut Giveaway laoreetis provided dolore magna and thealiquam meeting erat volutpat.opens and Ut wisi en- All young disciples meet at the sign in front of the closesim ad minimwith prayer. veniam, After quis nostruda spiritual exerci practice tation ul- sanctuary at 3:30 p.m. to help set up and to help lamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commo- give away free hot chocolate! All donations do consequat.or scripture Duis study, autem wevel eumwill iriure discuss dolor in hen- received will go toward the Youth Camp Fund. dreritupcoming in vulputate mission velit esse projects/activities molestie consequat, vel il- The parade begins at lum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et ac- 4:30 p.m.! cumsanand play et iusto some odio games. dignissim Andrew qui blanditGarret praesent luptatum zzrilis the delenit Youth augue Group duis leader.dolore te feugait nulla Sunday, December 20: Christmas Party facilisi. 5:00 p.m., @ the Cornerstone, hosted by Tania Shumaker & Andrew Garrett Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci ta- tion ul- lamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut 11.5 ali- quip ex ea commodo CONNECT WITH US! consequat. www.franklinpresbyterian.org Duis autem [email protected] vel www.facebook.com/ eum iriure franklinpresbyterian

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Looking Ahead JANUARY Elder of the Month: Becky Stubbs Sunday School Teachers Elder Helper of the Month: Andrew Garrett Nursery (1st floor of education Jan. 10 handsLiving Waters for the World Sunday & Baptism& feetwing): Mrs. Shirley of the Lord Sunday Elementary Installation of Elders and Deacons (2nd floor, purple room): LWW Fundraising Meal after Worship December: CJ Hall Febru- ary Youth (2nd floor, green & black Jan. 11 RITI Training, 6pm (location TBD) 2011 Feb. 2 Red Cross Blood Drive @ the Cornerstone, room): Anna Smith Noon-6pm Subs: Caren Gibson & CJ Hall Feb. 7 FPC LWW “Wine to Water” Community Fundraising Dinner

Missionary Moment: the Gartrells Mark Your Sowing the Field / Reaping the Harvest (fromCalendar WKY Presbytery)By Chuck Silverstein 11. Dear Supporters, friends and family, Lorem ipsum 5 We realize that many of you give to our support and we are grateful. We were surprised to learn that dolor Ba only 15% of congregations give directly to mission support! Up to 40 co-workers (of 162) could be sit by downsized next year! Would you spread the word to other churches and individuals about the situation, amet, Sh please? You can make a difference giving by the end of 2015. con- ow The World Mission letter said “Decisions will be based on our capacity (that is, our funding), and our er call (that is, our focus). Every congregation faces parallel decisions in their local ministries, churches are Ha making similar decisions about which staff and ministries they can afford to keep and which they have to nn cut based on their budget and their strategic direction. The final decision will be made in March 2016 ah after we receive final financial reports from previous year. Decisions, notification, announcement: April Jo 2016. End of service: Dec. 2016 This long transition represents our best effort to provide a cushion for y mission workers transitioning back to the US.”

11 You can give by sending a check to: Presbyterian World Mission, P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA 15246-3700, or by going to our web site (www.pcusa.org/gordon-and-dorothy-gartrell), read about .6 our ministry and press the red box [give to Gordon and Dorothy’s Ministry]. Please continue to pray for our ministry and the possibility of giving to our support. In Christ, Gordon and Dorothy ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL ADULT CHOIR Teacher: Prentice Knight Wednesday, 6:00pm-7:30pm Time: Sunday, 9:30am-10:30am Upstairs, education wing 9:30-9:45 — Coffee & Fellowship “Serve The Lord With Gladness; Come Before His Presence With 9:45-10:30 — Class Time Singing!” Psalm 100 (It’s Biblical!!) Location: The Cornerstone (new building near the gazebo) HANDBELL CHOIR Bible study & thoughtful discussion of the Scripture with the Wednesday, 5:00pm-6:00pm purpose of fostering spiritual growth & developing a better Downstairs, education wing understanding of how a follower of Christ should live in the modern world. NEW MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES Are you considering joining FPC as a new member? Do you YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL know someone who has been attending recently who might Youth Sunday School like to join? If you have interest in participating in new Donuts @ the Cornerstone: 9:30-9:45am members classes, please contact the church office or Pastor Time: 9:45am Katie! Location: Elementary age meets in purple room upstairs (teacher, December: CJ Hall); Jr. & Sr. High Youth meets in the black & green room upstairs (teacher: Anna Smith) TODDLERS (ages 5 and under) are welcome in the nursery (ground floor of education wing) from 9:30am until worship finishes.

Franklin Presbyterian Church 201 North College Street Franklin, KY 42134