First Presby’s Weekly News
December 3, 2017
Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.
Worship is broadcast at 11:00 a.m. on WCHS-580AM
304-343-8961
Facebook: First Presbyterian Church Charleston, WV
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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. This morning, the Hawkins Family—Les, Dawn, and Courtney—will light the Candle of Hope as we pray for Christ’s hope to reach every corner of our broken world.
Christmas Eve Tableau costuming is today at 12:00 p.m. Everyone is to meet on the third floor of the Education Building. Dress rehearsal will be on Sunday, December 17, from 2:00-4:30 p.m.
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 17. These Christmas Memorials are given to enrich worship at the church
What’s Coming Up?
Lessons and Carols 2017! One week from today, on Sunday, December 10, singers, readers, ringers, and instrumentalists will tell the Christmas story in Word and music during 10:30 Sunday morning worship. Lessons and Carols comes around only once a year–don’t miss it!
Bring a Friend Sunday! Next Sunday, December 10, everyone is encouraged to put on their Christmas sweater and bring a friend to church as we celebrate Advent with our Lessons and Carols service followed by carols and cookies in the Dining Room! Let’s show our neighbors the love of Christ by inviting them to experience the spirit of Christmas at First Presby!
Christmas Cookies? Yes please! Following Lessons and Carols on December 10 we are continuing the fun with a time of Christmas cookies and carols in the Dining Room. Our new Communications Director, Laura Hedrick, will be playing the piano for us to sing along. What do we need from you? We need donations of Christmas cookies for a “Cookie Table.” As you plan your holiday baking, please consider making a batch to share. All leftover cookies will be given out by our youth and children as they participate in various missions of the church in the Advent Season.
Preschool Christmas Worship Service: The Preschool Weekday School children cordially invite you to their Christmas Worship service in the Sanctuary on Wednesday, December 13 at 12:00 p.m. Come and enjoy wonderful sounds of the season from the children of the Preschool.
Movie Night: We’ll bring the popcorn; all you have to bring is yourself! On Friday, December 15 at 6:30 p.m. there will be a movie night for ages 5 and up in the Rec. Room. For more information, email youth@firstpresby.com or call the church office at 304-343-8961.
Christmas Eve Services: This year’s Christmas Eve services will take place at 4:00 p.m. (Tableau Service) and 7:00 p.m. (Candlelight Service) in the Sanctuary. For more information, call the church office at 304-343-8961.
In Case You Missed It
Buy a Chair! – Help us reach our goal of 100 chairs to refurbish the sanctuary of 1st Presbyterian Church of Dickinson: We are currently half-way to our goal of 100 chairs. We would like for them to have all of the chairs in time for Christmas Worship services. Each chair costs $40. Sign up to purchase a chair using the bulletin board in the church hallway, or simply place a check made out to First Presby (note: “Chairs”), and place it in the offering plate.
There’s an app for that!: Did you know you can access our hymnal from your mobile device using the free mobile edition? Versions of Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal are available from Google Play and also from the App Store for your Apple device. The free versions will give you all the public domain hymns, including favorites such as “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,” “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” and “Take My Life and Let It Be.” In-app purchases will give you copyrighted as well as public domain hymns. There are powerful search capabilities, sample piano recordings of hymns, interesting information about hymns and their authors, and the ability to access several different versions of hymns including pew, accompaniment, large print, lead sheet, and instrumental (strings, brass, and woodwinds). Check it out!
In Other News
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.
More about the music: Below is an excerpt from “Glory to God: A Companion” about this morning’s opening hymn, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”: “Because this text is so familiar and so anticipated as a musical indicator of the Advent season, those who sing it can well miss the multiple perspectives from which its imagery is drawn. In the very first line, for example, the name of the long-awaited One is already known, indicating familiarity not only with the angelic announcements in Matthew 1:21 and Luke 1:31 but also with the eschatological hope of Revelation 22:20. The details of the birth are never mentioned: no manger, no shepherds, no angels. Yet there is an awareness here that the larger mystery being celebrated leads to the sending of the Holy Spirit and comes full circle in Christ’s reign in glory, when God’s people will find freedom from fear and sin, when hope will be fulfilled, and when human hearts will be aligned with God’s saving purposes.” 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.
Youth Group will meet Sunday from 6-8:30 p.m. in the Dining Room and Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. in the Youth Room.
This week’s food pantry needs: Canned chicken and tuna
Support First Presby by shopping at AmazonSmile: Are you looking for a way to give back this holiday season? By selecting First Presbyterian Church Charleston, WV as your charity of choice, Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase to First Presby! To find out more information, visit our website at www.firstpresby.com.
The Parish Nurse program is looking for nurse volunteers to help take blood pressures on the 2nd Sunday of the month after worship. This takes very little time and is greatly appreciated by the congregation. To volunteer or for more information, contact Chris Zinn at 304-206-8929 or christinezinn@yahoo.com.
Cookies, Cakes and Pies – Oh My! Manna Meal’s annual Christmas Party is December 16 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 on Thursday or Friday, December 14 & 15 between 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. or Saturday, December 16 between 7:30 – 10:00 a.m. Please use disposable baking or serving dishes.
Daily Scripture Readings for December 2017
Friday, December 1
Matthew 20:17-28
Saturday, December 2
Matthew 20:29-34
Sunday, December 3
Luke 21:5-19
Monday, December 4
Matthew 21:1-11
Tuesday, December 5
Matthew 21:12-22
Wednesday, December 6
Matthew 21: 23-32
Thursday, December 7
Matthew 21:33-46
Friday, December 8
Matthew 22: 1-14
Saturday, December 9
Matthew 22:15-22
Sunday, December 10
Luke 1:57-68
Monday, December 11
Matthew 22:23-33
Tuesday, December 12
Matthew 22:34-46
Wednesday, December 13
Matthew 23:1-12
Thursday, December 14
Matthew 23:13-26
Friday, December 15
Matthew 23:27-39
Saturday, December 16
Matthew 24:1-14
Sunday, December 17
John 5:30-47
Monday, December 18
John 3:16-21
Tuesday, December 19
Luke 1:1-25
Wednesday, December 20
Luke 1:26-36
Thursday, December 21
Luke 1:39-48a (48b-56)
Friday, December 22
Luke 1:57-66
Saturday, December 23
Luke 1:67-80 or Matthew 1:1-17
Sunday, December 24
Matthew 1:18-25
Monday, December 25
John 3:31-26
Tuesday, December 26
Acts 7:59-8:8
Wednesday, December 27
John 13:20-35
Thursday, December 28
Matthew 18:1-14
Friday, December 29
John 2:1-11
Saturday, December 30
John 4:46-54
Sunday, December 31
Luke 2:22-40
What’s Going on This Week?
Sunday 12/3
9:15 Sunday School
9:15 Manna Meal Sandwich-making, Dining Room
10:30 WORSHIP
11:30-12:30 Hope Village Open
12:00 Tableau Costuming, 3rd fl. Ed. Bldg.
1:00-3:00 Elementary Girls B-Ball; Gym
3:00-5:00 MS Boys B-Ball; Gym
6:00-8:00 Youth Group Monday 12/4
8:30-10:00 Aerobics Class; Rec. Room
1:00-8:30 Church Residence Christmas Party; Dining Rom
Tuesday 12/5
9:30-11:00 Bible Study Group; A-203
5:30 Christian Education Division, E-214
5:30-6:30 FPC Lyres Club, Ruffner Room
6:00-8:00 Knitting/Crocheting Group, E-406
7:15-8:45 Boy Scout Troop 5, Rec. Room., Gym, A-109
Wednesday 12/6
7:45-11:00 Preschool Breakfast, Ruffner Room
8:00 Wednesday Work Crew
8:30-10:00 Aerobics, Rec. Room
10:00 Preschool Worship Rehearsal, Sanctuary
10:00-2:00 Hope Village Open
11:45 Men’s Wed. Lunch Group, Bistro
3:00-5:00 Brotherhood of Senior Basketball, Gym
5:15 Property Division, E-310
6:00 Church Fellowship Dinner, Dining Room
6:45 Mission Division, E-406
6:45 Personnel Division, E-310
8:00 Worship Music Team, Sanctuary
Thursday 12/7
7:30 Bible Study, Downtown Shoney’s
10:00 PW Coordinating Team, A-203
10:00-2:00 Hope Village Open
11:30 PW Bible Moderators, A-203
5:15 Coordinating Council, A-203
5:30-7:00 Capella Bells Rehearsal, Choir Room
7:30-9:00 Geneva Choir, Choir Room.
Friday 12/8
7:00-8:00 Men’s Group; Dining Room
8:30-10:00 Aerobics; Rec. Room
3:00-5:00 Brotherhood of Senior Basketball, Gym
5:00-6:00 K-2 Basketball
Practice, Gym
6:00-8:00 Elem. Boys B-Ball, Gym