Announcements for Sunday, December 1, 2013
HELPFUL CHURCH INFORMATION
A NURSERY AND TODDLER ROOM are available downstairs for babies and toddlers during the church service. Grace, Megan and Anna will be there to greet you and your children.
BABY MONITORS are available for those of you who leave your children in the nursery or toddler room during the church service. To check one out, please see Grace in the nursery.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUR WEB SITE ww.ucchurch.org each week for updates and new pictures! A preview of the Order of Service, Sunday announcements and Sermon Titles are posted each week! An archive of sermons, newsletters, and up-to-date calendar are all readily available on the website too.
HEARING ASSISTED RECEIVERS are available for your use during the church service. Please see an usher if you need one.
WANT A CD of a worship service? Please sign up on the CD Form on the information board in Fellowship Hall. You may pick-up your CD in the library. $2 per CD may be put in “Deposit Box” in the office.
WOMENS’ GUILD BOOK EXCHANGE New books come in every week for this Women’s Guild outreach project. Please bring books you have read and think others would enjoy to add to our bookshelves. We like to keep our inventory interesting and inviting!
CHECK OUT THE BULLETIN BOARDS IN FELLOWSHIP HALL. The minutes of all the UCC Boards are posted on the bulletin boards as is the roster for the Church Council.
UCC HAS A FACEBOOK PAGE! You can link to our Facebook page by clicking on “Facebook” on any page of our church website, www.ucchurch.org
Good Morning! Welcome to University
Congregational Church!
WE INVITE OUR VISITORS TODAY to join us in Fellowship Hall after the service for coffee, refreshments and conversation. Just follow the crowd down the hallway (west).
PLEASE SIGN THE FELLOWSHIP PAD when it comes down the pew. Members please sign and update any changes in your contact information. If you are a guest, please sign the pad so that we may thank you for worshipping with us.
TODAY
THIS IS THE LAST DAY THE ANGEL TREE will be up in Fellowship Hall. Please see the insert for information about each of the seven families. The Angel Tree gifts are due back next Sunday.
LAST DAY FOR THE FRUIT SALE! The fruit will be here for you to pick up next Sunday. (See insert)
HANGING OF THE GREENS will be later today at 5:00. Come join in as we decorate the church for the holidays. Wear your jeans and bring a potluck dish to share.
THIS WEEK
THE ADULT EDUCATION CLASS “LIVING WITH QUESTIONS, Monday, December 2, 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the conference room. See more information about the class in the bulletin insert.
YOGA CLASSES meet on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ($5.00) and Friday at 10:00 a.m.in Fellowship Hall.
NEXT SUNDAY
MANY MOODS OF CHRISTMAS will be presented by 37 musicians and our 40 + choir members as our church service. Bring a guest and get here early!
THE C.E. BOARD will meet in the office meeting room at 11:45.
THE DEACONS will meet in Fellowship Hall after the service as they
prepare for the Christmas party.
PLEASE NOTE THAT CHECKS must be delivered or postmarked on or by December 31st in order to claim a charitable contribution deduction in 2013. Checks that are written, mailed and postmarked in 2013 will be allowed as payment in 2013 though they are not received by the church until 2014. In addition, be sure to wait to file your tax return until after you’ve received your statement from the church so that you may insure that all your contributions are deductible. If you have any questions, please call Luanne Turkot at 634-0430 or Larry Widmer at 210-6776.
HELP NEEDED BAKING ST. NICHOLAS COOKIES! Robin will be making cookies on Thursday, December12, in the Fellowship Hall kitchen. Please come and help if your schedule allows.
CHOIR MEMBER JON ROMAIN will have his pottery sale on December 15 in Fellowship Hall after the church service.
2014 COMMUNION TABLE FLOWER SCHEDULE is on the PIC board in Fellowship Hall. Sign up early to get the date you want!
2014 HOLY LAND TRIP brochures are on the Welcome Table for anyone interested or if you have friends who might be interested in the trip scheduled for next March. There is also trip insurance information, as well. Please call Robin at 634-0430 or email her at revdocmom1@gmail.com with any questions.
THE REFRIGERATOR IN THE OFFICE MEETING ROOM really needs a new home. Call Cyndi at 634-0430 if you know of anyone or any agency that needs a refrigerator.
BUNK BEDS? If any of you have a set or two of bunk beds, a family with several children we met at the Hygiene Pantry are very much in need of these beds. Call Barbara McKee 687-4868 or the church office if you know of any beds.
OUTREACH
THE HEAD-TO-TOE HYGIENE PANTRY will be open Saturday, December 21. Thank you to all who volunteered to help on what will be a very busy day.
FOOD BANK It is holiday time and the need is even greater. Most needed items are canned meats, tuna, spam, chicken, and ham, macaroni and cheese, canned soup, spaghetti sauce. A full list is on the collection basket in Fellowship Hall.
INTER-FAITH MINISTRIES Operation Holiday is conducting its 50th year of helping needy families in the Wichita area. They are in need of non-perishable food (cereal, canned vegetables, peanut butter
pasta, etc.). UCC has committed to provide 20 volunteers at Operation Holiday’s distribution center on Friday, December 20th from 8:30-12:30. Sign up on the PIC board and see Kim Carraway for more info.
New Class
LIVING WITH QUESTIONS
Experiencing the Bible Again for the First Time
This curriculum for adults, designed for group use is experiential in methodology, valuing the wisdom of each person and the integrity of their experience of the Sacred. This program has grown out of a hunger to know and engage the Bible at deeper levels as evidenced by the popularity of Marcus Borg’s original work, Reading the Bible Again for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously, but not Literally.
The classes will meet on Monday nights (except for this Monday) from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. Paul Jackson will be teaching this class as part of his program of study for Lay Ministry through the NACCC.
Advent Season at UCC
Angel Tree The tree is up in Fellowship hall and we have names of seven families given to us by Communities in Schools. Make your selection from the many paper ornaments on the tree. Gifts are due back on December 8th.
Hanging of the Greens is today, at 5:00 p.m. Come and help decorate the church for Christmas and share in a potluck meal.
Welcome Wagon Auction is Tuesday, December 3, in Fellowship Hall. A fun event presented by this charitable group who also supports our Head-to-Toe Hygiene Pantry.
Many Moods of Christmas will be performed Sunday, December 8, as our morning service. The gift we love that makes us appreciate the extraordinary music here at UCC even more. Bring a guest but get here early!
The UCC Christmas Party is Sunday, December 8, at 5:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Great food, music by the choir members, and a chance to wear your Christmas sweater. See invitation on the back of this insert.
Christmas Vespers An organ recital by Kevin Calloway in our sanctuary at 2:30 on Sunday, December 15.
Men’s Group Christmas Lunch is Thursday, December 19, at 11:30 at The Lakeside Club. All of the men of the church are invited to join this fun group that meets each month.
Christmas Eve December 24, 5:30. A service for the family, with Christmas Carols, a story from the Bible, and meditations from Deitrich Bonhoeffer.
You are invited
to the UCC Christmas Party
December 8, 5:30 in
Fellowship Hall
A festive evening of food, music,
and Christmas cheer.
The Deacons will provide the
meat, sides, bread, coffee, tea,
and wine.
If you would like to bring a
dish and your las t name
starts with A-L-bring an appetizer
M-Z bring a dessert
Also bring a small pack of crayons
and a small coloring book to be
given out at the Dec. Hygiene Pantry.
Please sign up in Fellowship Hall
so we know you are coming!
Last day for the Fruit Sale today
Fellowship Hall!
Oranges Small- 42 per box
Medium 36 per box
Large 24-28 per box
Grapefruit 18 per box
All 20 lb. boxes $25.00
You can buy ½ & ½ oranges/grapefruit!
Elliot Pecans $15.00 per pound Smaller, sweeter, tasty, and great for baking.
Pick up date is Sunday, December 8!
THE TRADITIONAL WORD: Luke 1:26-38
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”[a] 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”[b] 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[c] will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Contemporary Word: from Wil Willimon
“With the vulnerability of the Babe comes his claim upon us. A baby, because of its vulnerability, dependency, and potential, evokes a response from us, demands a commitment unknown in the majority o human encounters. This claim arises not only because babies need us but also because, somewhere within out deepest selves, we know that we need babies. Some deep, human instinct tells us that babies are a sign of our human creativity at its best, a reminder of our dark, biological, primordial origins in the waters of creation and a hopeful hint of our still open future. Call it life. One finds it difficult to be neutral in the face of such smiling mystery.”
1st Anthem “And the Glory of The Lord”
From Handel’s Messiah
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
2nd Anthem “Glory to God”
From Handel’s Messiah
There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
And lo! The angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God, and saying:
Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will towards men.
Angel Tree
As we prepare to enjoy our family, friends and the feasts of this Holiday Season, let us take time to consider and be thankful for our many blessings.
As we do this, we can’t help but think of those around us who are struggling and who do not look forward to this season with that same eagerness; those who may be thankful for what they have, but who do not have the things we consider basic necessities; those whose children expect very meager surprises under the tree this Christmas.
To give hope and happiness in just a small way, we have again partnered with Communities in Schools to identify families who are in need of assistance this Christmas. We have accepted six families from the school district program as well as one family identified through the Hygiene Panty. A brief description of the family situations can be found below.
The Angel Tree will be waiting for you in Fellowship Hall this Sunday, November 24th. Please share your blessings by purchasing gifts (new items) identified on the tags. Once you select your tags, please record them on the respective color coded sheets so that we will know those needs are being met. Please bring gifts, unwrapped, to the Parlor no later than Sunday, December 8th. The tags are color coded to assist in identifying the gifts so please return the tag with the gift and place it in the respective family’s section. You can be sure your gift will make a difference.
Family #1: This family is new to the Community in Schools Program. The 13 year old daughter attends Marshall Middle School and volunteers regularly to assemble dental kits. She loves to eat lunch with the CISWSC Site Coordinator. Her father has lost his job. No one at home is currently employed. The family will appreciate your help this Christmas season.
Family #2: The family of four is recovering from the tornado that hit their home a year and a half ago. They have been relocated and are struggling to replace possessions they lost during the storm. Gifts for Christmas will give the family the support they need to continue to recover.
Family #3: The 16 year old special needs student moved to Southeast this year to live with his aunt and uncle due to issues of neglect. His aunt and uncle welcomed him into their family. However, they live pay check to pay check to provide the support and care he needs. Never once did they
think twice about taking him into their home. The family is seeking
assistance for him so they can ensure that he has a special Christmas to remember.
Family #4: Father works a low-income restaurant job and mother was injured and can no longer work. With five children the income does not go far in meeting their basic needs. Three of the children attend Marshall Middle School and participate in the Food 4 Kids program. They would be most appreciative of any assistance we can give to help with Christmas for their children. While our gifts for the Angel Tree are new items, this family also has a need for gently used twin beds and a sofa. If you are able to assist with any of these items, please let Cyndi know and she will pass the word along to the Angel Tree Committee.
Family #5: Both Mother and Father work at local fast food restaurants and are not guaranteed to get full time hours each week. Low wages and frequent shorting of hours forces the family to live paycheck to paycheck and barley able to afford the necessities for themselves and three children. Holiday assistance would take much stress off the parents this time of year.
Family # 6 Father is employed and Mother is a para-educator at the children’s school. There are three children aged 10, 12 and 15. Mother is taking college courses to become a Special Education teacher and they anticipate that current sacrifices will mean brighter days ahead. However, this family is currently struggling to meet basic needs and could really use a boost through the holidays.
Family #7 This family’s needs became apparent through their regular visits to the Hygiene Panty. The family consists of Grandfather, Father, Mother and four children with limited ability to communicate in English. The Father is a tree trimmer who will experience significant income reduction in the coming winter months.
Mother is unable to work because she takes dialyses three days a week, has severe vision impairment, and cares for four children. Grandfather is able to contribute a minimum amount financially but provides necessary transportation to and from dialyses and helps with children. Any assistance we can provide will be greatly appreciated.
WE THANK all those below who contributed poinsettias to our beautiful Christmas floral display in the sanctuary.
*Larry and Sue Anderson
*William and Beverly Berl
*Ann Brady for DeWayne Brady
*Mert and Connie Buckley in honor of our parents
*Linda Burnside
*Nancy Cochener in loving memory of Bruce and in loving memory of Nancy and Bruce’s parents
*Jay and Phyllis Decker
*Jan Deering in memory of Bert Deering
*Tim and Anne Duncan celebrating our children and grandchildren
*Justus Fugate in memory of Connie Claire Arnold
*Anita Jones in memory of Randy and Larry
*Kathryn Langrehr in honor of my grandchildren
*Mike and Leigh Aaron Leary in memory of family
*Trudy Matthews in memory of her mom and dad
*Anna and Belden Mills in loving memory of their parents
*George and Maxine Morrison
*Gary and Karen Nye in memory of Margene Nye
*Ginger Phillips in memory of Devan Krausch
*Carol Pinsker in memory of Jack Turner
*James and Beverly Rhatigan
*Janice Riordan
*Wayne and Norma Roberts in memory of our parents
*Charles and Gloria Russell in memory Gloria’s sister, Bernadine
*Bob and Patsy Scott
*Fred and Virginia Soper
*Sabrina Standifer in memory of Louise Landers and Judy Andrews
*Burt and Sharon Tims in celebration of their grandchildren