First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
120 N. McArthur Macomb, Illinois
(309) 837-6473
November 14, 2013
Newsletter
Homemade Candy Sale
9:30 AM Sunday November 17 in the Parlor
It is time to buy your holiday candy! Disciple Women will have a homemade candy sale in the parlor on Sunday, November 17 at 9:30 AM.
KELLY'S KORNER
Have you or someone you know complained about the early arrival of Christmas? You know, like walking into a store in October and being greeted with displays for the holiday which is still two holidays away? This year, some stores are not even waiting until the Friday after Thanksgiving to open. They will open in the evening of Thanksgiving Day. Some of my Facebook friends are making pledges to not shop on Thanksgiving. (I wonder what their Friday plans are?) Inasmuch as we try to be different, sometimes we fall into the same traps as the rest of society. So, here goes—a little Advent talk before Thanksgiving.
First, and foremost, our Advent Theme is The Gift. This will also serve as the theme to our Stewardship Campaign. In an attempt to separate our fundraising efforts for capital projects and annual budget, our Stewardship Campaign is a bit more delayed than usual. We will focus on both stewardship and Advent on December 1 and 8. Our Pledge Sunday will be on December 8 and will be the day to turn in pledge cards. You will receive more information about this in the coming weeks. On December 15 we will enjoy a special service led by Bill Froom and the choir. Our children will hold a special moment during worship on December 22.
Secondly, we are adding to our Advent schedule this year. On Wednesdays through Advent we will gather at church to eat and learn. All ages are welcome and invited. Children will have programming which will serve as preparation for worship presentation. Adults will spend time studying the first chapter in the gospel of Luke. I will lead the adult study. A light supper will be provided by Disciples Women. A modest donation is greatly appreciated. On Wednesdays, December 1, 8, and 15 plan to gather at 5:30p.m. for dinner and 6:00p.m. for study. Choir will start at 7:00p.m. Nursery care will be provided.
As Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, breathe a little and take time to consider all the people/experiences/things for which you are truly grateful. May God top the list. For God is goodness. All true goodness is known to us by our faith, a gift from God. May our faith be strengthened during these busy holiday times.
Peace, Kelly
Sermon Date |
Sermon Title |
Scripture |
|---|---|---|
November 17 , 2013 |
Still a Vision |
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 |
Bell Ringing
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
HY-VEE
There is a sign-up sheet on the parlor bulletin board for “ringing” the Salvation Army bell at Hy-Vee on November 29. You will be able to stand inside to be insulated against the cold weather. First Christian will also be serving the usual days - December 21, 23 and 24 - also at Hy-Vee.
There is a sign-up sheet for the Decem-ber days also; sign up now, get the hours you want, and put the obligation on your calendar so you will make time during the holidays to help others!
Thank you for caring and sharing!
Unclaimed Dishes
If you have left dishes in the Fellowship Hall kitchen, please pick them up!
Nominating Committee
The nominating committee has been appointed by the Board Chair. It consists of Patti Jones, Nita Burg, Jack McKinnon, Gail Randall, Nancy Reed and Marcia Higgins. The committee will be recruiting members to fill the slate of officers for the FCC Board. Please meet the challenge and accept a position when asked. It will be an exciting year as we continue our renovation projects. The slate of officers will be submitted to the Board and congregation for approval in December.
Graduation Sunday
The Christian Education Committee has set Sunday, December 15, as Graduation Sunday for the Fall semester. We are not aware of anyone graduating at this time, but if you know of someone, please contact Jack McKinnon or Rev. Ingersoll. We will honor the graduates during our worship service.
Samaritan Well
Our church has supported Samaritan Well, Inc. for many years as one of our local outreach mission projects. We offer the rent-free use of our property next to the church for the men's shelter. The first two Sundays in November, we will again be doing the "Thankful for a Home" drive. On November 3, the Director of Samaritan Well, Cynthia Stiffler, will speak briefly at the Sunday morning service, to give an update on the men and women/children's shelter. A brochure insert that morning in the church bulletin will also explain the program.
Collection baskets will be in the Parlor on November 3 and 10, as well as at the Disciples Women's Thanksgiving Dinner on the evening of November 10. The Disciples Women will be donating the proceeds from the free-will offering taken that night to help support the Samaritan Well mission. The following items are especially needed at this time:
Paper Towel
Dishwasher detergent
Aluminum Foil
Toilet Paper 13-Gallon Trash Bags
Laundry Detergent
Dryer Sheets
All-purpose Cleaner
Snack, Quart & Gallon Ziploc Bags
Cotton Balls
Q-tips
Monetary Donations
Our continued support has helped many women and men in this region regain their footing and lead successful lives. Thank you for your contributions!
Nita Burg & Jan Rockwell
Samaritan Well Board Members
Come Home 2013 Thanksgiving Offering
Special Days in the life of the church often allow us to focus our worship, celebrations and fellowship around moments that are central to our Faith.
Disciples Mission Fund Special Day Offerings also provide an opportunity to highlight specific ministries as part of our faith celebrations. There are four Disciples Mission Fund Special Day Offerings received each year during the Easter, Pentecost, Thanksgiving, and Christmas seasons. Each offering supports a specific ministry providing critical resources.
The Thanksgiving Offering provides direct support to Disciples colleges, universities and theological institutions. Disciples have a long history of post-secondary and theological education. This offering provides a direct connection to 14 colleges or universities, 3 seminaries and 4 seminary foundations/divinity houses. Gifts from the Disciples Mission Fund Thanksgiving offering continue a Disciples tradition of developing leaders for our communities and the church.
For generations thousands of students have attended the colleges and universities of the DOC, receiving both a quality educaiton and the opportunity to remain within our Disciple's heritage. The Thanksgiving Offering helps continue this tradition.
The Thanksgiving Offering benefits the colleges, universities, seminaries and divinity houses affiliated with the DOC. Your support provides young people the opportunity to COME HOME to a Disciples institution. The Thanksgiving Offering will be accepted at FCC on November 17 and 24.
Festival of the Creche - December 6 & 7
The “Festival of the Creche” will be held in our sanctuary again this year. The event will take place Friday, December 6 and Saturday, December 7 with free refreshments and admission. Members of the congregation are asked to bring one or all of their nativity scenes to be displayed in our beautifully decorated sanctuary. Again this year we want to make a brochure listing names of those who bring in their nativity scene(s) along with other information about our church. Everyone who attends this event will receive a brochure to keep.
The planning committee would like to coordinate names in the brochure with our nativities by numbers, but to do this we need your help. You may bring your nativity scene(s) to the church beginning Sunday, November 17 through Wednesday, December 4. Please place them in the Conference room (across from minister’s office). There will be a tablet on the table for you to sign your name and a col-umn to place the number of nativities you brought. Please sign them in. Place your name on the box/container AND on at least one of the figurines per set.
Questions: contact Jean Vaughn:
(837 4406) or email:
Some Thanksgiving thoughts from Bill Froom:
Many people in the Facebook community are using the month of November to share their joys daily as we approach Thanksgiving. Getting swept up in the momentum, I am taking a moment to write about my thanks for First Christian Church.
If you haven’t been able to tell from talking with me or just seeing my face, I enjoy serving as your choir director! The more obvious reasons for that are the talented members of the chancel choir and getting to make music with my dear friend, Carol Harmon. We do have fun and would love for any of you to join us Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm to see that first hand.
First Christian Church also supports music in so many ways. Your encouragement is uplifting every week! The funding provided for 5 interns from WIU is also a great blessing. This program enhances the music in our church in so many ways and provides an important financial support for our students. What a blessing it is to know Mariah, Jayme, Arty and James and showcase their talents for you.
With financial help from FCC, I was able to return last summer (after a few years break) to the Annual Conference of the Association of Disciple Musicians. This group has been an important part of my life for the past 31 years. The knowledge, inspiration, network and lasting friendships from ADM have sustained me and made me a much better church musician. My anthem choices, hymn selections, directing style, philosophical direction and rehearsal stories are all gleaned from this resource. ADM has provided connections to Kelly Ingersoll as we began our journey together here in Macomb and continues to enhance our extended family connections. I was greeted last summer in Indiana with “welcome home”. Thank you for providing that opportunity!
The Association of Disciple Musicians meets every summer in a different part of the country. Last summer we met at Wayne Street United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne, IN. Nationally recognized leadership is provided in several areas: worship (Suzanne Castle and Andra Moran...Kelly and Anne’s friend from Nashville); choral (Tim Seelig); organ (S. Wayne Foster); handbells (Phyllis Kirk) and many other options.
Next summer’s conference will be held closer to home at Millikin University in Decatur, IL. Leadership for ADM 2014 includes Michael Karunas for worship, Brad Holmes for choral, Bruce Neswick for organ and Janet VanValey for handbells. You might consider going to ADM next summer (July 13-18).
Last, but certainly not least, I am thankful for Kelly Ingersoll as a team member and inspirational leader. You have witnessed his ability as a preacher through insightful, story-telling, teaching sermons–clearly communicating with everyone. As a staff, we meet every week to plan under Kelly’s leadership. The “inner workings” are every bit as effective as his Sunday morning. Everyone is included as we work as a staff for the betterment of our church.
My life is blessed by First Christian Church! Thank you all for playing a part in that.
Bill Froom
College of Elders
All Elders, current and past, are invited to a College of Elders lunch following wor-ship on December 1 in Fellowship Hall. Please look and listen for more details concerning this lunch and program in future newsletters and bulletins. Meanwhile, please save the date and plan to attend.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Sermon Title:
Still a Vision
Scripture:
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4
Lectionary Readings:
Isaiah 65:17-25
Isaiah 12
Malachi 4:1-2
Psalm 98
II Thessalonians 3:6-13
Luke 21:5-19
SERVING THIS WEEK OF November 17, 2013
Worship Leader:
Patti Jones
Elders:
Patti Jones (bread); John Carden (cup)
Diaconate:
Floor:
Don Hodges, Dorothy Loop, Larry Loop, Margaret Taylor, Pat Ward, Marcia Higgins
Balcony:
Natalie Workman, Samantha Adams, Bob Sherwood
Preparatory:
Marcia Higgins, Donna Bainter, Sharon Butcher
Greeters:
Front
Larry Loop
Central East
Dorothy Loop
Balcony South
Roselyn Chown
Elevator:
Jeanna Montgomery
Sanctuary Superintendent(s):
Bob & Betty Sherwood
Soundboard Tech:
Chris Dace
Children's Moment:
Marica Higgins
Children's Church:
Jan Rockwell
Coffee Fellowship Time:
Margaret Taylor
Hospital Caller(s):
Patti Jones
Sunday Morning Office Staff:
Janet Shank
Finacial Escort
Dean Rockwell
Weekly Calendar
Sunday, November 17
Bill Butcher opens/closes church
Bob Sherwood drive(s) the van
8:30 AM Prayer Group
9:00 AM Sunday School
9:30 AM Homemade Candy Sale,
Parlor
10:00 AM Coffee Fellowship
10:30 AM Worship
2:00 PM Grand Prairie
4:00 PM Everly House
Elder: Jean Vaughn
Deacons: Dean & Joan Hansen
Monday, November 18
6:00 PM Trustees
7:00 PM Church Board
Tuesday, November 19
1:30 PM Martha Shemwell Circle
6:00 PM Itoko Maeda @ Red Ox
Wednesday, November 20
6:30 PM Choir Rehearsal
Friday, November 22
Regional Youth Event
Saturday, November 23
Regional Youth Event
Sunday, November 24
Regional Youth Event
Bob Sherwood opens/closes church
Larry Ellis drives the van
8:30 AM Prayer Group
9:00 AM Sunday School
10:00 AM Coffee Fellowship
10:30 AM Worship
Birthdays and Anniversaries
20 Mike Drake
22 Richard Foster