thehands Lamplighter&feet MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF FRANKLIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DECEMBER 2015 201 North College Street February 2011 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 Advent 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/Christmas 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, Jesus! (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 Christmas Eve! 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.