Upload
others
View
2
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
By Mattie Wesson
ch ,
First Christian Church, 100 Water Street, PO Box 367, Belton, TX 76513 http://fccbelton.org [email protected] 254.939.3483
FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Maybe you’ve heard someone say- or said it
yourself- something like, “It’s not
Christmas…until we decorate the tree” or “until
you write your letter to Santa” or “until we sing
carols around the fire” or “until we’ve watched It’s
A Wonderful Life.” The fact is, much of how we
do Christmas is cultural rather than religious. The
gospels say nothing about snow or sleigh bells or
tinsel or eggnog or Zuzu’s petals. And much of
our personal and family Christmas is traditional
rather than biblical- and unimportant- except that
those traditions create deep bonds of memory and
caring. (Do you open presents on Christmas Eve
or Christmas morning? Do you read aloud The
Night Before Christmas, every year?) And that is
mightily important.
The ways we celebrate Christmas are
merely different from the customs of other
societies, and there may be many things we can
learn from them. Advent is this current season of
preparing for the Lord’s coming, and maybe a re-
learning how he comes to each of us. This year,
perhaps, we can see and understand in a new light
the coming and presence of the Christ child in a
Charlie Brown, or a Simpsons, Christmas Special;
or by learning about Kwanzaa; or by expanding
our Bible reading beyond the passages about Magi
searching for a King in Matthew’s gospel or the
heavenly choir singing to the shepherds in Luke, and including as well, the sermons of hope from
Pastor’s
Corner Michael Dunson
the Old Testament prophets to a hurting and weary
people.
Enjoy the season, and try to perceive the
different manifestations of God’s presence among us.
Find your own new ways of expressing the peace of
Christ that is coming into the world. It is a story for
all of us, full of hope, and jollity. Ho! Ho! Ho!
And the Lord will become king over all
the earth. Zechariah 14:9
December 2012 1
DWM Meeting 6PM
Fellowship Luncheon
Christmas Cantata Christmas Party
Salad Kings
Newsletter Deadline Christmas Eve Service
December 3
December 9
December 9 December 14
December 17
December 21 December 24
Page 2
First Christian Church
What can I give… Adapted from writings of Amy Gopp, DOC Week of
Compassion
Womens’ Ministries By Charlene Tapman, President
Receipts: $5,337
Designated Offerings: 2,000
Expenditures: $-7,017
Difference: $ 320
As of October 30, 2012
The DWM Stew Luncheon and Bazaar was a great
success. Including the sales made on Saturday during
Belton Market Days, more than $2,000.00 is now available to fund ministries in our community. Max
Jordan cooked all of the delicious stew for the
luncheon. We thank him for working so long and hard
on this project. We appreciate both Max’s culinary skills and his patience when we clog the kitchen space.
THANK YOU MAX for all of your help.
Thank you also to Bob McGuyer for working as cashier
and greeter for the luncheon. We appreciate your help
very much.
The bazaar items were especially impressive this year.
There was a great variety of beautiful pieces reflecting
the diverse interests and skills of our members and their enormous personal investment of time and resources.
Thank you to each one who helped in any way. Your
work was AWESOME.
The DWM will host the church Christmas dinner on
December 9 following the Christmas Cantata. We will
follow our tradition of serving our favorite chicken dish and ham. Please plan to bring a dessert, a salad or
vegetable to complete this holiday meal. Please fill in
the sign-up sheet in the fellowship hall. We all look forward to sharing this special time of great food and
loving fellowship.
The next DWM meeting is Monday, December 3, at
6:00 PM in the fellowship Hall. Supper will be
provided and we will have the great joy of considering
how to use our funds to God’s purpose. Please prayerfully prepare to discuss these important
decisions.
We have just received the names of six CASA children
that we can adopt for the Christmas season. Please see
Mattie Wesson on Sunday for details.
Looking ahead, the tentative date for Chili Day is
February 1, if it doesn’t conflict with other community
activities. Blessings…Charlene
What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; Yet what can I give Him; give my heart. -“In the Bleak Midwinter,” Lyrics by Christina Rosetti After the barrage of Black Friday sales, the allure of
Cyber Monday emails, it’s easy to lose track of what
Christmas giving is all about. The extravagant love of a God whose love
awakens us from injustice. The innocence of that
love, incarnate in a child, born not in a hospital, but in a barn, surrounded by farm workers, travelers from
far away countries, and parents who would soon flee,
seeking refuge from a threat of violence to their child.
We give because there is something overwhelming about being a child of God, and knowing that each
face we pass belongs not to a stranger but to a brother
or sister. We give – not because we love, but because we are loved.
As Christmas approaches, those of us at Week of
Compassion are reminded that while our ministry
with you is at its heart one of generosity, the approaching season is one in which you may want to
give something special to those you care about.
Perhaps you want to honor those who reach out in Courageous Compassion with you. Perhaps you
want your holiday giving to be a way to live out your
commitment to justice and new life. Perhaps you want to give simply because you are
loved.
Page 3 First Christian Church
Helping Hands Ministry
Worship Team By Mylessa Wheeler
We are now entering into the Advent season
of the church. “Advent” simply means
coming, as in Christ is coming, and for us
now He has arrived. We have several
worship events to celebrate this glorious
season. We will be decorating the church on
Saturday, December 1, at 10:00 AM. We
welcome all who can come and help
decorate. Even though it sounds like work,
it is actually a lot of fun.
Then, on Sunday December 2, we
complete the decorating with the children
participating in the “Hanging of the Green.”
Also on December 2, the first of the Advent
Wreath candles will be lit.
On December 9, our choir will be
presenting our annual special Christmas
music. This year’s format will be a little
different, with a mixture of toe-tapping and
scripture reading bringing an exciting story
of Jesus’ birth to life in music. After the
music program, we will have our annual
Christmas luncheon.
We hope you can bring a friend and stay
and have lunch with us. We always have
great fellowship and food!
On December 24, we will have the
Christmas Eve service beginning at 6 PM. It
is always a beautiful service. After the
service, there will be a get-together in the
Fellowship Hall. It will be a great time for
fellowship.
Moderator’s Memo By Mattie Wesson
Before I forget, I want to remind the Elders
we will not meet in December due to all the
activities we will be having throughout the
month. We will resume our normal schedule in
January.
I can’t believe December has arrived
already. This year has gone so fast and I must
say that we and our church has been blessed in
so many ways in 2012.
Through the generosity of our congregation we
have been able to complete several outreach
projects successfully. We have helped
homeless families through Family Promise,
school children through project Apple Tree,
CASA children through Angel Tree, and most
recently, hungry people through Helping Hands
ministry.
We have received substantial contributions
via Memorials and Honoraria from members
and members’ families. These gifts have
helped greatly with financial need as we
continue in the Lord’s work. We will be
forever thankful to them for their generosity.
I also want to thank the congregation for all
that all of you do to help in so many ways. I
wish you all a Blessed Christmas and a Happy
New Year. Let us pray that 2013 will be
another successful year for us. I hope to see
you at all of our December activities.
“For today in the City of David there has been
born for you a Savior who is Christ the Lord”
Luke 2:11 (NASB). Thanks Be to God!
Pastor Mike delivered our food donations
and monetary donations to Helping Hands
on Friday, November 16, their Annual
Food Drive day. He reported that after the
monetary donations were translated into
pounds of food, this church contributed
over 2,500 pounds of food for the drive.
We do amazing things together for our
community!
Page 4
First Christian Church
Lectionary Readings
DECEMBER 2012 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Sunday Schedule 9:30am Sunday School 10:15 Choir Warmup 10:30am Fellowship 11am Worship 12:15pm Choir
1 10 AM Decorating
Fun
2 Advent Begins
Hanging of the Green
3 DWM Meeting 6pm
4
5 6:30pm Bible Study
6
7
8
9 Choir
Cantata
Fellowship Meal
10
11 12 6:30pm Bible Study
13
14 Christmas Party Fellowship Hall
15
16 Christmas Special Offering
17 6pm Salad Kings
18 19 6:30 PM Bible Study
20 21 Newsletter Deadline
22
23
24 Christmas Eve
Service 6:00 PM
Fellowship Following
He Is Born!
26 6:30pm Bible Study
27 28 29
30 31 New Year’s Eve
3 Tom Tapman 19 Diane Pressley 4 Mike Pressley 28 Claire Mahan 14 Kathy Jordan 28 Doris Sanders 17 Fran McGuyer
18 Jo Ellen Strunk BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS!
December 2 December 9 December 16 December 23 December 30
Jeremiah 33:14-16 Psalm 25:1-10
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 Luke 21:25-36 Sermon Text:
Jeremiah 33:10-22
Malachi 3:1-4 Luke 1:68-79
Phillipians 1:3-11 Luke 3:1-6
Sermon Text: Malachi 3:1-12
Zephaniah 3:14-20 Isaiah 12:2-6
Phillipians 4:4-7 Luke 3:7-18
Sermon Text: Phillipians 4:1-20
Micah 5:2-5a Luke 1:39-55
Psalm 80:1-7 Hebrews 10:5-10
Sermon Text: Hebrews 10:1-18
1 Samuel 2:18-20.26 Psalm 148
Collosians 3:12-17 Luke 2:41-52 Sermon Text:
Colossians 3:1-17
Page 5 First Christian Church
DECEMBER SERVICE CALENDAR
Prayer List Helping Hands Ministry
Those serving our country People in war-torn countries
Rita Bartlett Cindy Capps
Virginia Carden Casey Casilhas
Gladys Cockrum Janice Cockrum Karen and Larry
Eva Higgs
Bill Davis Thelma Grammond
Mary H Haley, Lexie, Emmie
Dayna/Jeremiah Ebling Richard Donahoo
Jabe Evans and Family Bill Ankenbauer Iona (Tot) Avant Richard Yoeman
Jan, friend of Hope Brown
Jessie John Lehrmann
Terri McCart Jane McDonald
Kelly Myers Ovella Phillips Doreen Leland Margarit Raby
Kenan McDonald Doris Sanders
Mike Seiler Kelli Shepperd Charline Spears
Floyd & Joyce Spindle Debbie & Norma Whitson
Don Van Schoelandt Bob and Joan Savage
Carl Koonst Brienna Zeiger
Elsie York
December 2 December 9 December 16 December 23 December 30
Communion Elder
Cindy Capps Amy Larson Cindy Capps Amy Larson Mattie Wesson
Offertory Elder Sharon Moore Kirk Wallace Kathy Jordan Kirk Wallace Kathy Jordan
Early Deacon Mattie Wesson Mattie Wesson Hope Brown Mattie Wesson Cindy Capps
Deacon 1 Mylessa Wheeler Cindy Capps Mylessa Wheeler Mylessa Wheeler Melissa Wheeler
Deacon 2 Terri Holwerda Judy Wallace Judy Wallace Terri Holwerda Judy Wallace
Deacon 3 Kirk Wallace Terri Holwerda Kirk Wallace Max Jordan Cindy Capps
Deacon 4 Hope Brown Dusty Smith Hope Brown Diane Pressley Hope Brown
Communion Preparation
Mattie Wesson Mattie Wesson Hope Brown Max Jordan Mattie Wesson
Greeter Judy Wallace Cindy Capps Tom Tapman Marilyn
Ankenbauer Max Jordan
Refreshments Mattie Wesson Christmas Luncheon
Hope and Blake Brown
Charlene Tapman Cindy Capps
Acolytes Dindy Brown Derek Smith Dindy Brown Derek Smith Dindy Brown
Children’s Moment
Jaime Wheeler Jaime Wheeler
Worship Leader Sharon Moore Charlene Tapman LaQuita Gruver Mattie Wesson Kirk Wallace
First Christian Church
100 Water Street, PO Box 367
Belton, TX 76513
Phone:
(254) 939-3483
E-Mail:
We’re on the Web!
Visit us at:
fccbelton.org
Pastor…Reverend Michael Dunson Choir Director/Pianist…Marilyn VanSchoelandt
Song Leaders…Amy Larson Media Team…Dusty Smith, Carol Harrison, & Kathy Jordan
Nursery Attendant…Ana Hernandez Ministry Assistant…Sandra Robinson
First Christian Church
PO Box 367 Belton, TX 76513
Customer Name
Street Address
City, ST ZIP Code
You have succeeded in life when all
you really want is what you really
need.
-- Vernon Howard
Come and See