Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.
Worship is broadcast at 11:00 a.m. on WCHS-580AM
304-343-8961
Next Week’s Sermon is “ANCIENT WORDS: Emmanuel”, by Bill McCoy. Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25.
Welcome to Tyrone Wilson and Julia Mitchell, who joined the First Presby family on Sunday, November 20.
Sympathy of the congregation is extended to:
- Bob and Nancy Douglas on the death of his daughter, Ann Keesler, November 24, in Charlotte, N.C.
- The family of JoAnn Greenlee Brown who died November 22.
Christmas Memorials: Envelopes are in the pew racks for contributions to our Worship Memorial Fund in honor or memory of loved ones. Names will be printed in a special insert for the Christmas worship bulletins. Deadline is December 11. These Christmas Memorials are given to enrich worship at the church.
Cookies, Cakes and Pies – Oh My! Manna Meal’s annual Christmas Party is December 10 and the First Presby family has a long tradition of providing desserts for this event. This year 200 guests are expected and your help is greatly needed. Desserts can be dropped off in the Manna Meal kitchen located at St John’s Church between December 7-December 9 until 2:00 p.m. Disposable containers are requested as containers cannot be returned.
Wee People Report: The first of the Wee People have arrived in our sanctuary! Mary and Joseph continue their journey to Bethlehem from Nazareth. Augustus, emperor of Rome, has ordered a numbering (or census) of everyone in his empire. Every Jewish man has to report to his hometown to have his name recorded in order to collect taxes. Joseph and Mary, who is pregnant, must make the journey to Bethlehem, Joseph’s hometown. The shepherds are here, watching their sheep. See how some of the sheep stay close to their shepherd? Others seem to be exploring. Mary and Joseph have a long and tiring trip to Bethlehem. The shepherds have important work, too, keeping their sheep safe from harm.
Lessons and Carols 2016! Next Sunday, December 11, is a very special Sunday that only comes once a year:. Singers, readers, ringers, and instrumentalists, including the brass players from the West Virginia Symphony, will tell the Christmas story in Word and music during Sunday morning worship. Don’t miss it!
The Original Hope Village shop will be open (not the Susie Early Room) after worship this morning. Normal store hours will resume this week, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, from 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. and after worship next Sunday. Come on in, we have a story to tell!
Youth Group will meet tonight from 6:00-8:30 p.m. in the dining room. Next week we will be wrapping gifts at Rock Lake Presby Church. (There will be limited transportation available from our parking lot to Rock Lake and back).
This Week’s Food Pantry Needs: Toilet Tissue & Cereal
The Preschool Weekday School children cordially invite you to their Christmas Worship service in the Sanctuary on Wednesday, December 14, at 12:00 p.m. Come and enjoy wonderful sounds of the season from the children of the preschool.
Holiday Movie Night: There will be a holiday movie night on Friday, December 9, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Dining Room. We will show two movies. The early showing will be geared towards children, and the later showing will be geared towards youth. There will be a popcorn bar, seasonal snacks, and drinks provided. Please join us for holiday fellowship and good cheer!
Thanks to the Elementary Sunday School children and adult helpers who made 200 sandwiches this morning during the Sunday School Hour and, along with fruit, delivered to Manna Meal.
The Presbyterian Women Christmas luncheon will be at 12 noon on Thursday, December 15, in the dining room. Mary Odin will narrate a unique holiday program. A Silent Auction of Christmas items will take place also. Deadline for reservations is December 12. Call your Circle leader, or the church office, 304-343-8961. ALL Presbyterian women are invited to join us.
Children’s Bible Study: Following Time with Young Disciples and the Passing of the Peace, all children in grades one-five are invited to join us for Bible Study in room E-113. Janet Chambers will walk the children to their classroom. If this is your child’s first time visiting Children’s Bible Study, please accompany them to the room so that you can sign them in and get acquainted with our teachers.
More About the Music: Below is an excerpt from Glory to God: A Companion about this morning’s middle hymn, “Wild and Lone the Prophet’s Voice.” The text was written by Carl Daw, a friend and teacher to several in our Geneva Choir who attend Montreat each summer. Dr. Daw composed all the short descriptions at the bottom of each page in our hymnal, as well as the larger book that informs us here each week: Glory to God: A Companion. Of his own hymn text, Dr. Daw writes: “This text was written in 1985 as an entry in a Hymn Society of America (now the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada) search for new Advent hymns. It is rooted in all four Gospels’ identification of John the Baptist with the “voice crying in the wilderness” of Isaiah 20:3…though the content of his preaching here is drawn primarily from Matthew. In the second stanza there are also echoes of Galatians 5:22-23 and Colossians 3:1-2. The final stanza recalls John’s acclamation of Jesus as “the Lamb of God”…and connects it with images of the triumphant Lamb in the book of Revelation. “For more tidbits about our music and hymn texts, visit a church copy of Glory to God: A Companion by Reverend Carl P. Daw, Jr. M.A., M.Div., Ph.D in our church library, or look through the copy on the piano at the front of the sanctuary after worship.
Geneva Choir for youth and adult’s welcomes sopranos, altos, tenors, basses, and everyone in between. No prior musical experience is required; just a servant heart and a sense of humor. We rehearse on Thursday evenings from 7:30-9:00 p.m. in the Choir Room at the top of the stairs above the Susie Early Room. Come sing with us!
Thanks to Our Child Care Volunteers in our nursery, toddler and preschool rooms. All child care rooms are equipped with live video feeds of the worship service. Do you love children and babies? Call the church office, 304-343-8961, to volunteer for this special ministry.
Presbyterian Coffee Project: Coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolates, raisins, and nuts continue to be available for purchase after worship and during the week during church business hours. Baskets are needed to be used to create gift baskets for holiday gifts, using items from the Presbyterian Coffee Project. Also needed is tissue paper, all colors, new and used. Items can be left in church office.
Please pray for the Session and for the members of the Strategic Planning Task Force as they seek God’s will and direction for the future of our church. Members of the Strategic Planning Task Force are Mike Graney, Kristen Harrison, Charlie Lorenson, Nikki Moses, Dave Nolan, Sandy Zando, and Bill McCoy (ex-officio).
Please pray for the members of the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee as they seek to identify the person God is preparing to serve as our new associate pastor. Members of the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee are Mike Graney, Charlie Lorensen, Tom Marchio, Dave Nolan, Sarah Smith, Carol Susman, Sandy Zando, and Bill McCoy (ex-officio).
“Oh the weather outside is frightful…” these lyrics have little meaning to use in mid-November. Although sometimes it does get quite cold in November, we’ve not had frightful weather yet this year…it is coming! We are inviting you now to think of the many children right here in Charleston, West Virginia that do not have mittens, hats and scarves to keep warm. We are asking each family to bring a new pair of mittens or gloves, of any size (especially bright colorful ones!). We will be hanging these gifts of love on a Christmas tree outside the Preschool Office so that everyone can share in the warmth of giving and pride they will display. All of the mittens, gloves, hats and scarves benefit local children. We thank you for your participation in this project. It is our hope that through this cooperative venture between the Preschool and home, the concept of sharing through giving will be modeled. Help us fill the tree …with love!
Are you an attorney whose practice includes employment law? The Personnel Division is looking for an individual to volunteer to review our Employee Handbook. If you are willing to do this, please contact Jackie in the office to receive an electronic copy of the Handbook.
Copies of the Presbytery Digest for November 17, a summary of the actions taken at the last Presbytery meeting, can be found on the information table in the hallway. The Presbytery Digest is an important communication tool—one way the Presbytery tries to keep our congregation informed about the work of the larger Church.
Sojourners’ Class continues to study “Jesus and His Jewish Influences,” today at 9:15 a.m, in room 411 in the Education Building. Dr. Jodi Magness gives her 20th lecture (DVD) on “Jesus’ Prophecy and the Destruction of Jerusalem: 66-70AD).” Everyone welcome to join us for learning and discussion.
Church Fellowship Dinner, December 7
Please make reservations by 4:00 p.m. Monday.
Please complete the form below or contact the church office (304-343-8961) for reservations.
Hosts: Presbyterian Women & Finance Division
Wednesday Dinner – December 7, 2016– 6:00 p.m.
First-time visitor, be our guest—no charge!
PRICE FOR DINNER
Adult/$7; Child 12-under/$3; Child under 3 is free
Menu: Spaghetti & Meat Balls, Salad, Rolls & Dessert
Third Annual Light Up The Levee, Sponsored by First Presbyterian Church: Thursday, December 15, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Haddad Riverfront Park. Join us for a community-wide Christmas Caroling extravaganza! Our own Praise Team along with the Appalachian Children’s Choir will be there to help guide us along. Hot chocolate will be served and non-flammable candles will be provided. Ho-Ho-Hope to see you there! Please bring a food donation of spaghetti, canned (not glass) spaghetti sauce, canned tuna/chicken or cereal to benefit the Covenant House Food Pantry.
About the Advent Wreath: During the four weeks leading up to Christmas, we use our Advent wreath to help us celebrate a special season called “Advent.” We light a new candle on the wreath each week as we move from darkness into light. The four candles on the outside of the wreath remind us of the four thousand years from Adam to Jesus, when humanity was waiting for a Savior. Some Lutheran Christians call their candles the Prophecy Candle (Hope), the Bethlehem Candle (Preparation), the Shepherd Candle (Joy), the Angel Candle (Love). Some Reformed Christians use them to represent Faithfulness, Hope, Joy, and Love, or sometimes Prophets, Angels, Shepherds, and Magi. Some Catholic Christians use the candles to represent Hope, Faith, Joy, and Peace. If a fifth candle is placed in the center of the wreath, it represents the Light of Christ.
At First Presby, our first four Advent wreath candles represent Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Last week, the Burton Family—Brent, Ashley, Joe, Bailey, and Lindy—lit the first candle of our Advent wreath: the candle of Hope. It was extra special for the Burtons because last Sunday also was the anniversary of Bailey’s baptism!
This morning, our First Presby Youth will light the Candle of Peace as we pray for Christ’s peace to enter our hearts, our family of faith, our city, and every corner of our troubled world.
This Week at First Presbyterian
Sunday, 12/4
9:15 Sunday School
9:15 Manna Meal Sandwich-making
10:00 Music Warm-up
10:30 Worship
11:45 Hope Village Open
11:45 Pringle Memorial Service
6:00 Youth Group
Monday, 12/5
8:30 Aerobics
Tuesday, 12/6
9:30 Bible Study
5:30 Christian Education Division
5:30 Lyres Club
5:45 Assoc. Pastor Nom. Committee
6:00 Knitting/Crocheting Group
7:00 Boy Scouts
Wednesday, 12/7
8:00 Wednesday Work Crew
8:30 Aerobics
10-2 Hope Village Open
11:45 Men’s Group, Bistro
5:15 Property Division
6:00 Church Fellowship Dinner
6:45 Board of Deacons
6:45 Personnel Division
7:30 Worship Music Team
Thursday, 12/8
7:30 Shoney’s Group, Downtown
10-2 Hope Village Open
12:00 PW Martha Circle
5:30 Capella Bells Rehearsal
7:30 Geneva Choir
Friday, 12/9
7:00 Men’s Group
8:30 Aerobics
6:30 Christmas Movie Night
Saturday, 12/10
10-2 Hope Village Open