First Christian Church · Devotional materials for the season will be available Sunday and will also be distributed electronically. ... Godwink hristmas Stories SQuire Rushnell and

First Christian Church P.O. Box 2702

207 Tarboro Street NE, Wilson NC 27894

Website: www.fccwilson.org

Email: [email protected]

Church Office: 252-237-4125

Volume 63, Issue 12 The Church Bell December 1, 2019

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Advent Season Begins Sunday December 1 with Worship at 10:00 a.m. Advent is a time we come together to worship and recognize the birth of our Lord. Throughout the month we will enjoy worship with decorations of wreaths, poinsettias and the Chrismon tree that abound in our sanctuary. Poinsettias will adorn our worship spaces with the full display on Sunday, December 22. You may honor or memorialize loved ones by making a donation in their name. Call the church office or use the order sheet in Sunday bulletins. Devotional materials for the season will be available Sunday and will also be distributed electronically. Please join us for the following events during the month:

December 4, 11 & 18, noon - 11th Annual Advent Noonday Music Series (see page 3) December 15, 4:00 p.m. - FCC Music Ministries presents, “Go Sing It On The Mountain” with a

congregational potluck dinner to follow! FCC will provide the main dish. Bring a side dish or dessert.

December 24th, 5PM - Christmas Eve service with a pageant, focus on children and families and special music by Encounter

11PM - Christmas Eve service with a more traditional order of worship

Board Meeting - Monday, December 9, 5:30pm

Congregational Meeting - Sunday, December 15, 9:45 a.m.

Community Christmas Luncheon - Christmas Day - 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. First Christian Church, First United Methodist Church and St. Timothy's Episcopal Church will join together again on Christmas Day to host the longstanding Community Christmas Lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall. You can decorate, greet guests, work in the kitchen or clean up. See page 6 for more information about the luncheon and how you can volunteer! Let’s come together to help celebrate Jesus’ birthday and provide the community with a very Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, December 4 5:30 p.m.- Dinner (McHarg Family)

6:00 p.m. - A Congregational Christmas Cookie Exchange

Bring a dozen, or more, of your favorite Christmas treat to swap and leave with a plate of mixed goodies to enjoy or share. Bring copies of your recipe if you want to share those too.

Wednesday, December 18 5:30 p.m. - Dinner (Family providing the meal - TBD)

6:00 p.m. Happy Birthday Party

for Jesus & Pageant Rehearsal

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Wanderings . . .

A few days ago, our Office Administrator, Kathy Hudson, asked if I had a few minutes to talk. That is never a good request . . . and it was not this time. Kathy was tendering her resignation as our Administrator/Secretary/Phone Voice/Backstop/Go To Person, effective December 5th. Casey is on record saying that Kathy’s presence is going to be irreplaceable – her warm voice is the first sound you hear when you call the office or walk through the door. I am on record saying, “#&*%$!” Which brings me to another point – I can’t say anything about Kathy because church secretaries can tell more stories about ministers than we can tell about them – they have seen and heard us at our worst. And besides, she has never yelled at me even one time because of missed deadlines or strange behavior. First, let me say a word about what Kathy will be doing. She will be joining the family firm. Her husband Jody started his own house construction company several years ago and like most solo ventures, he has found himself gasping for air most days. He has won some awards for houses he has built in the Fuquay-Varina/Wake County area and needs more than a little help most days running the office, doing the books, running errands and marketing. So, he poached our office administrator. No, I did not provide a reference. Had he asked, I would have said, Yes, she does a remarkable amount of work considering how much she sleeps on the job. But Jody knows his wife and probably wouldn’t have paid attention to me anyway. Anyway, she is excited about this new challenge and what it will mean for her and her family. And what about us? Well, we will get along without Kathy though at the moment, I do not know exactly how. But we will. I have talked to Pat Campbell about getting a search process under way, so we are beginning a process that will lead us to someone else. During the next few weeks, we will probably be able to use some temp help in the office. I know we are moving into the holidays, but if you have some hours to give, let me know. And maybe even more importantly, I ask you to think about any folks you know who might be interested in a job: 20 hours a week working for a great church and working along side a delightful musician, a charming bookkeeper and one other guy. So, when you see or talk to Kathy in the next couple of weeks, let her know how much you have appreciated her kind spirit and her hard work over these past years. The best thing about all this, of course, is that she will still be around. We will see her regularly, I am sure. So, while we will miss her, this is something of a soft rather than a hard goodbye. Blessings and Peace, Gary

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FCC Music Ministry Happenings | December 2019 Worship Experiences

December 1 | “Come Messiah” shared by the Chancel Choir with David Scott, alto saxophone

December 8 | “Canticle of the Turning” shared by the Chancel Choir

December 15 | “He Is Born” shared by the Chancel Choir with Corey Elrod, percussion and “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” shared by Encounter

December 22 | The Chalice Ringers along with Melissa Boyce-Inscoe and Kenneth Dildy sharing, “Ring the Bells” by Travis Cottrell

11th Annual Noonday Advent Concert Series

December 4 | Shelley Maddox, soprano and BJ Lawrence, baritone December 11 | The Craven Brass Quintet December 18 | Matthew Joyner, tenor and Caleb Skinner, tenor

These concerts are 45-50 minutes in length! Bring your coffee, come during your lunch break and be still for just a little bit. We ALL need this time during Advent. Come and remember the stillness that surrounded Bethlehem that Christmas morning.

Go Sing It On the Mountain! Sunday, December 15 at 4:00 PM Since October our Music Ministries have been working diligently on ‘learning notes’ for our December Christmas cantata by Pepper Choplin. Employing a highly inventive mixture of mountain melodies, folk hymns, spirituals, familiar carols, and original music that is sure to surprise and delight, "Go Sing It on the Mountain" proclaims the good news from the prophet Isaiah's proclamation, "Comfort, O comfort my

people!" to the final exuberant celebration: "Joy to the world! Christ is born!" Solos, duets, and trios shine the spotlight on featured singers from First Christian Church along with a mix of orchestration including mandolin, banjo and guitar! We hope you will invite friends and family and join us afterwards for a congregational potluck meal!

December Mobile Music Ministry Join our growing Mobile Music Ministry in December! ALL are welcome and hymnals are provided. We sing the favorite hymns of our faith with members who may receive a blessing from an intimate and prayerful visit. Visits last approximately 40 minutes. December 2 | 11AM | Elton & Alice Thomas {3827 Oak Crest Drive, Elm City} December 16 | 10AM | Parkwood Village

All Church Christmas Caroling | Sunday, December 22 | 3-5PM Christmas Caroling is one of the most rewarding times that we experience. Whether you have earned a Doctorate Degree from Eastman School of Music in Vocal Performance or claim that you “can’t carry a tune in a bucket {or find the bucket for that matter}” we invite you to come for an afternoon of Christmas cheer on December 22nd. Join us as we help prepare for the Christmas Day luncheon from 1-3PM and then take off with us from the church parking lot 3-5PM as we caravan to different locations to Christmas carol to our members! We will end the afternoon with dinner at Western Sizzlin.

A Novel Idea Book Club December 17, 5:30 p.m.

At the home of Becky Hutchins, 2811 Canal Drive

Godwink Christmas Stories SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt

A collection of true-life Christmas stories that demonstrate unexpected connections and mysterious pathways leading to wondrous life-changing moments ... called Godwinks.

Ahead for 2020: January, The Malta Exchange by Steve Berry

February, Finding Chika by Mitch Albom

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December 19 at 11:30 a.m.

Join us at Something Different for fun and fellowship!

Sign up outside the church office!

FCC Groups, Activities and Announcements CWF Afternoon Circle

Tuesday, December 3, 11:30 a.m.

Jarman House

Order from the menu. Please call Barbara Brinson at 237-3589 or email at bbrinson@myglnc. com by Wednesday,

November 28.

FCC Financial Report Treasurer’s Report – YTD October 31st, 2019 Tim Sharp / November 14, 2019

For the month ended October 31st, 2019, FCC had YTD total income of $298,617 and YTD total expenses of $287,914 resulting in a YTD surplus of $10,703.

1/1/2019 – 10/31/2019 – YTD Operating Budget Actual Budget Variance Income $298,617 $314,511 ($15,894) Expenses $287,914 $314,511 ($26,597) Actual YTD Surplus/(Deficit) $ 10,703 (All amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar)

A Message from the Financial Affairs committee: As we work to finalize the 2020 budget,

we would appreciate it if all pledge cards could be turned in as soon as possible. Thanks!

Month of October - Operating Budget Actual Budget Variance Income $21,213 $31,451 ($10,238) Expenses $28,358 $31,451 ($ 3,093) Month of October Surplus/(Deficit) ($ 7,145) (All amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar) YTD income includes $19,597.10 from our Operating Reserve account ($1,959.71 per month) that was included to balance the 2019 operating budget.

Thank you so much for your generous gifts to the church! Please remember to finalize your 2019 contributions by the morning of December 31st in order to receive credit in the 2019 fiscal year.

IMAGINE Your Spiritual Growth in Sunday School @ 11:15 am • Disciples Sunday School Class – Bible study with a variety of adult leaders

• Prayer Shawl Ministry – become part of the team that creates love with yarn • Small Group – topical discussion group that explores how scripture applies to daily life

Join the Sunday Morning Small Group – New Bible Study In a world searching for happiness, especially during the holiday seasons, bestselling author Max Lucado provides a personal plan for a life filled with lasting and fulfilling joy, supported by Jesus' teaching and modern research. In this book Max shares the unexpected path to a lasting happiness, one that produces reliable joy in any season of life. How Happiness Happens presents a surprising but practical way of living that will change you from the inside out.

Note to Parents - the Sunday morning Children’s programs will vary each week in December. Remove the stress out of remembering; take a quick pic of the schedule notes provided here. Then, you can refer to it as needed. You can also clip it out and post to the fridge – so everyone is in the know! Opportunities to IMAGINE - As we move from the Season of Faith into Advent the opportunities to IMAGINE are all around us. The Nurture and Growth Team is seeking a new leader. Theresa has lead the team for several years, and it is time to pass the torch for new ideas & new growth. The Nurture & Growth team encompasses a lot of programs at FCC. Many are short term, others are rotating – so even those with busy schedules can be part of the team. We are seeking team mates to return and new members to join-in. This team is central to helping our church family grow spiritually on many levels. IMAGINE how you can make a difference!

N&G Team Leader Worship Bags for Kids Graduation Celebration

Sunday School @ 10 am • December 1 - Beth Davis - Christmas lesson # 1 • December 8 - Christian Boyce - Christmas lesson #2 • December 15 - Tim Sharp - Christmas lesson #3

• December 22 - Christmas weekend - No Sunday School • December 29 - 5th Sunday, No Sunday School • January 5 - Beth - Lesson #10 - Naomi and Ruth • January 12 - Christian - Lesson #11 - David and Goliath • January 19 - Tim - Lesson #12 - Elijah and the Widow • January 26 - Allan - Lesson #13 - Jonah and the Big Fish

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& December 2019

Children’s Sunday Holiday Schedule Notes

Dec. 1 - Sunday School

Dec. 8 - Sunday School & Worship & Wonder

Dec. 15 - Sunday School

Dec. 22 - Pre-Christmas weekend, NO Sunday School

Dec. 29 - Post-Christmas weekend, NO Sunday School

Jan. 5 - Sunday School

Vacation Bible School

Christmas Programs Worship and Wonder

Nursery

Sunday School – Adults Sunday School - Children

Wednesday night Youth

Worship & Wonder @ 10 am • December 8 – Leslie Kendall

• December 22 - Christmas weekend (No W&W)

• January 12 – Leslie Kendall

• January 26 – Brooke Farmer

FCC Re-Usable Bags available at worship and

the office! At the Green Chalice meal recently, you received a voucher for a FREE bag! Turn in your voucher at worship or the church office and you can pick up your bag! If you didn’t

attend the meal, but would like a bag, we are kindly asking $6/bag to help defray the cost. These bags are 100% compostable. It’s an easy way to share the First Christian name.

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Compassion and Service Community Christmas Luncheon set for Christmas Day 2019 - 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

On Christmas Day, we will be holding our annual holiday feast where truly all are welcome. This year, we expect about 200 people from the community – people who are alone, people with their families, children with their parents… all hungry and looking for food and fellowship this Christmas. Please scan the volunteer opportunities below and indicate all the ways you’d like to help feed and nurture people whose life stories are timeless and heartrending. Place your list in the offering plate.

Before December 22 Visit the Narthex Grocery Store (details below) and bring your donations to the fellowship hall

Visit the Narthex Grocery Store after worship today and shop for foods to purchase on your own for the luncheon. A trusted grocer will be on hand to help. The store will be open in the Narthex before and after worship every Sunday through December 15, and the lists will be left in the Narthex for self-service during the week until Wednesday, December 18.

If you have any questions about anything relating to the lunch, please get in touch with Gabby McHarg at (252) 292-7699 or [email protected]

(Clip below and return to the church office or the offering plate)

Before December 22 Visit the Narthex Grocery Store (see details) and bring your donations to the fellowship hall ____ Sunday, December 22 at 1:00 p. m. This time will be spent decorating, filling gift bags, and helping with early food prep

Name(s)______________________________

Phone ______________________________

Email ______________________________

Christmas Day ____ 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Work in the kitchen ____ 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Welcome guests/volunteers ____ 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Serve food/beverages ____ 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Provide music ____ 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Distribute gift bags ____ 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Happy to do anything! ____ 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Help with clean-up

Volunteers Needed!

Christmas Offering collected

December 15 and

December 22

Sympathy

We extend condolences:

To Helen Anderson’s family on her passing November 3. Services in celebration of Helen’s life were held at First Christian Church on Thursday, November 7.

To Gilda Cauley, Celia Avery and their family on the passing of their sister, Carolyn Wiggins on November 20.

Our Church Family Please notify the church office at (252) 237-4125 if someone’s

birthday needs to be added and/or if you have some news to share.

Prayer Concerns

JoAnn Bass’ uncle, Brian Bissette, Wanda Brown’s father and brother, William Edwards (Steffanie Sharp’s father), Judi Glover, Jeff Flowers’ parents, Helen Mountney (Joyce Wetherington’s mother), Joshua Near, Jean Pittman, Billy Raper (Libby Daniell’s brother-in-law), Bill Smith, Vicki Townsend’s mother, Ann Watson, Keri Wetherington, Faye Williams (Gene Williams’ mother)

December 2 Mary Lindsay

Mount December 3 Jobi Cook

December 7 Madison C. Bottoms

December 8 Liza Sharpe December 9

Dalen Bottoms Jay Burnette

December 10 Caroline Bass Patsy Montelli December 11

Tish Scott December 12

Jordan Childress

December 23 Dawson McHarg George Mount December 24 Rachel Moore December 25

Jeannette Etheridge December 26 Barry Lamm December 28 Will Watson

December 13 Kathryn Walton December 15

Marshall Quick December 16 Tuffy Barnes December 18

Brittany W. Fulghum Sara Etheridge December 19

Lehn T. Courtney

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URGENT! CHEW Volunteers Needed!

Volunteers are needed for CHEW beginning in January 2020. Your help is needed to pick up the food from the distribution center every two weeks, pack the food and deliver to Fike High School by Friday of the same week. The two week supply is manageable for one person, but a team of two works great! Please consider taking on a week or a month. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Please contact Gay Cook at [email protected]

or at 252 230 3114.

Lighting of the Luminaries Christmas Celebration December 3

6:00 p.m. Barton College Center Campus

An Evening of Lessons and Carols, featuring the Barton College Choir

(follows Tree Lighting) Howard Chapel

Baby Announcement

Congratulations to Erin and Corban Prim on the birth of a

baby girl, Lilly Ruth Prim, 5 lbs. 9 oz. and 19 in. long on Wednesday, November 13. The proud grandparents are

Jeannette and Glenn Etheridge.

mailto:[email protected]

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 1st Sunday in Advent

10:00 AM Worship/Sunday School for kids after Children’s Moment

11:15 AM Disciples Class/Prayer Shawl Ministry/Small Group 1:30 PM Choir Rehearsal

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11:00 AM Mobile Music Ministry - Elton & Alice Thomas

5:30 PM Financial Affairs Meeting 6:00 PM Facilities & Maintenance Meeting

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11:00 AM Staff Meeting

11:30 AM CWF Afternoon Circle at Jarman House

5:30 PM Encounter 6:30 PM Chalice Ringers

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12N Advent Series- Shelley Mattox & BJ Lawrence

3:00 PM Parlor Reserved - J. Mansell

5:30 PM Wednesday Family Night

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6:30 PM Girl Scouts

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9:00 AM-12N Girl Scouts (Older group)

8 2nd Sunday in Advent

10:00 AM Worship/Sunday School/Worship & Wonder for kids after Children’s Moment 11:15 AM Disciples Class/Prayer Shawl Ministry/Small Group 1:30 PM Choir Rehearsal

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5:30 PM Board Meeting

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5:30 PM Encounter

6:30 PM Chalice Ringers

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12N Advent Series- The Craven Brass Quintet

7:00 PM Chancel Choir

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6:30 PM Girl Scouts

7:00 PM Elders’ Meeting

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15 3rd Sunday in Advent/

Christmas Offering

9:45 AM Congregational Meeting 10:00 AM Worship/Sunday School for kids after Children’s Moment 11:15 AM Disciples Class/Prayer Shawl Ministry/Small Group 4:00 PM Music Ministries Concert. Pot Luck meal to follow

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10:00 AM Mobile Music Ministry - Parkwood Village

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5:30 PM A Novel Idea Book Club

5:30 PM Encounter

6:30 PM Chalice Ringers

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12N Advent Series- Matthew Joyner & Caleb Skinner

5:30 PM Kids & Youth Wednesday Night

7:00 PM Chancel Choir

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11:30 AM Young At Heart at Something Different

6:30 PM Girl Scouts

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9:00 AM-12N Girl Scouts (Older group)

22 4th Sunday in Advent/

Christmas Offering

10:00 AM Worship/Children’s Moment

11:15 AM Disciples Class/Prayer Shawl Ministry/Small Group

1:00 PM Christmas Day Lunch Prep 3:00 PM All Church Christmas Caroling

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24 Deadline for January 2020 Bell Articles


5:00 PM Christmas Eve Service

11:00 PM Christmas Eve Service

25 11:30 AM-1:00 PM Community Christmas Luncheon

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6:30 PM Girl Scouts

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28

29

10:00 AM Worship/Children’s Moment

11:15 AM Disciples Class/Prayer Shawl Ministry/Small Group

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D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 9

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Elder of the Month Theresa Mathis (252-205-2704)

Servant’s List - December 2019

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December 1 10am Worship Service

Elder Andrew Whitley

Deacons Christina Terdik (C) Laurie Tyson Amy Watson Ricky Brown Wanda Brown Norma F. Etheridge (Sub) Dennis Daniels (Sub)

Greeter Steve Kite

Ushers Rod Werline Kathy Werline

Stewards Peggy Anderson Patsy Ferrell

Worship Leader Joyce Wetherington

Children’s Moment Jeannette Etheridge

Children’s SS after Children’s moment 10:00am - Beth D.


Elder A.J. Walston

Deacons Davis Wooten (C) LuAnn Wooten Christy Webb Melissa Whitley Steven Winstead Gay Cook (Sub) Glenn Etheridge (Sub)

Greeter Bud Ruffin

Ushers Pat Campbell Peggy Anderson

Stewards Sue Newcomb A. J. Walston

Worship Leader Allan Daniell


Children’s SS after Children’s moment 10:00am - Christian B.

Worship & Wonder after Children’s moment 10:00am K-2nd grade Leslie Kendall


Elder Christy Proctor

Deacons Kathy Werline (C) Leslie Kendall Jeff Flowers Marion Griffin Wanda Sutton Katie Brinson (Sub)

Greeter Andrew Whitley

Ushers Melissa Whitley Wimpy Jefferson

Stewards Jo Ann Bass Tish Scott

Worship Leader Sheldon Campbell


Children’s SS after Children’s moment 10:00am - Tim Sharp

Sunday Worship Attendance

November 3 Worship - 99




Elder Gilda Cauley

Deacons Curtis Ray (C) Jordan Ray Sue Ray Julia Floars Andrew Childers Faye Boykin (Sub)

Greeter William Wooten

Ushers Davis Wooten Brittany Fulghum

Stewards Andrew Whitley Allan Daniell

Worship Leader Yvette Jobe


Homebound Communion December - Team 2

Jeannette Etheridge, Theresa Mathis, Christy Proctor, Andrew Whitley, Wendy Wingrove

Altar Flowers If you would like to provide flowers for the sanctuary, please contact the church office to check availability at 252-237-4125 and let Gilda Cauley (Worship chair–252-236

-1549) know. Upon providing flowers on Sunday, at the end of the service, please kindly move them to the table across from the office in the Education Building or take them with you. Thank you.

Elder of the Month Theresa Mathis (252-205-2704)


Elder Carol Steffa

Deacons Andrew Childers (C) Faye Boykin Curtis Ray Jordan Ray Sue Ray Julia Floars (Sub)

Greeter Jo Ann Bass

Ushers Hilton Bass Kathy Daughety

Stewards Bob Kendall Jennifer McHarg

Worship Leader A. J. Walston


December 24 - 5pm service

Elder - Theresa Mathis; Deacons - TBD

Greeter/Usher - The Robert Wells Family Stewards - TBD

December 24 - 11pm service

Elder - A.J. Walston; Deacons - TBD

Greeter/Usher - Nelda Bardin, Clayton Bardin, Dick Gurkin

Stewards - TBD

Documents

First Christian Church · Devotional materials for the season will be available Sunday and will also be distributed electronically. ... Godwink hristmas Stories SQuire Rushnell and