Sermon Title: The Gift

We welcome all of our visitors today. No fellowship coffee after worship today.

TODAY

COMMUNION

COINS FOR CHARITY – The UCC Outreach Board is implementing a new project. The coins in the offering plate will now be designated to a charity specified by the Outreach Board.

THIS WEEK

CHURCH OFFICES – will be closed this Friday, December 30, 2016.

NEXT WEEK

YOGA meets Tuesdays at 4:00 ($5.00) & Fridays, 10:00, Fellowship Hall.

CAROL REEL MEMORIAL CONCERT will be held on Thursday, December 29, at 1:00 p.m., here at UCC. Everyone is welcome.

2016 CONTRIBUTIONS must be received or postmarked by midnight 12/31/16, due to legal requirements. Anything received after that date will be recorded as a 2017 contribution.

THE 2017 FLOWER SCHEDULE is on the PIC board in Fellowship Hall. Sign up early to get your preferred date. There is a copy of the 2016 schedule on the back if you need a reminder of your usual date.

RACHAEL HELD EVANS will be the guest speaker for the Richard D. Greene Memorial Lecture Series on Friday, April 21—Saturday April 22, 2017. She will be speaking at College Hill United Methodist Church on Friday, April 21 at 7:00-8:30 p.m., and at University Congregational Church on Saturday, April 22, from 9:00-10:30 a.m., and from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 per session or $50 for all three sessions. More information on where to purchase tickets to come.

Rachel Held Evans is a New York Times best-selling author and popular blogger who writes about faith, doubt, and life in the Bible Belt. Her books include Faith Unraveled (2010), A Year of Biblical Womanhood (2012), and Searching for Sunday (2015). With millions of visits each year, her blog has become a renowned online hub for conversations about Christianity and culture.

Rachel has been featured on The View, The Today Show, NPR, Slate, The BBC, The Washington Post, The Atlantic Monthly, and Oprah.com. She also serves on President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Her popularity as a writer also keeps her busy speaking across the country. She has spoken at The Festival of Faith and Writing, the Q Conference, Trinity Wall Street, Princeton University, Austin Theological Seminary, Eastern University, Baylor University, The Gay Christian Network Conference, The Wild Goose Festival, and a wide range of retreats, conferences, universities, and churches. In 2015, in partnership with Nadia Bolz-Weber and Jim Chaffee, she launched the Why Christian? Conference, which features fresh, diverse voices responding to the question of why they continue in the faith. Rachel lives with her husband, Dan, in Dayton, Tennessee—home of the famous Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925.

Sermon Title: Advent Inverted: Love in the Ruins

We welcome all of our visitors today and invite you to the Fellowship Hall for beverages and cookies after the service. Please follow the
congregation to the left out of the sanctuary.

TODAY

THE CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS TABLEAU is performed this morning by the children of UCC during A Time for All Children portion of worship.

MEET OUR NEW MEMBERS today during worship. Be sure to welcome them in the fellowship hall after worship. (See insert for names and profiles of new members.)

DOLLHOUSE TICKETS are on sale in fellowship hall after worship. Tickets are $5 each. Today is the last day to purchase tickets for a chance to win this beautiful dollhouse valued at $600. Proceeds go to benefit the Head-to-Toe Hygiene Pantry.

COINS FOR CHARITY – The UCC Outreach Board is implementing a new project. The coins in the offering plate will now be designated to a charity specified by the Outreach Board. We have collected approx. $115 so far.

ALL BOARDS MEET immediately following the worship service at 11:45.
THE CE BOARD will meet in the Science and Exploration Room.
THE DEACONS will meet in the area outside the downstairs kitchen.
THE MUSIC BOARD will meet in the room beside the choir room.
THE OUTREACH BOARD will meet in the office meeting room.
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES will meet in the conference room.

THIS WEEK

CHURCH OFFICES – will be closed this Friday, December 23rd.

CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE is on Saturday, December 24, at 6:00 pm. Please join us for this beautiful family service with Christmas
Carols, lighting of the advent candles, meditations, and special music.

YOGA meets Tuesdays at 4:00 ($5.00) & Fridays, 10:00, Fellowship Hall.

NEXT WEEK

CHRISTMAS DAY WORSHIP SERVICE at 10:30 a.m. We will not have
fellowship coffee and cookie afterwards.

CHURCH OFFICES – will be closed on Friday, December 30, 2016.

YOUR ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED for the Christmas Eve Service 6:00 p.m., on December 24. We are looking for volunteers to light the advent candles and read some scriptures. If you are willing to be a participant please contact Heidi in the church office at Heidi@box2384.temp.domains, or by phone at 634-0430.

2016 CONTRIBUTIONS must be received or postmarked by midnight 12/31/16, due to legal requirements. Anything received after that date will be recorded as a 2017 contribution.

THE 2017 FLOWER SCHEDULE is on the PIC board in Fellowship Hall. Sign up early to get your preferred date. There is a copy of the 2016 schedule on the back if you need a reminder of your usual date.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN of the Annual Meeting of University Congregational Church, Wichita, KS as provided for in the church’s bylaws. The meeting will be held on Sunday, January 8, 2017 in the sanctuary immediately
following the worship service.

Sermon Title: “Advent Inverted: Joy”

Special musical guests today from the Wichita Symphony and Wichita State University

We welcome all of our visitors today and invite you to the Fellowship Hall for beverages and cookies after the service. Please follow the
congregation to the left out of the sanctuary.

TODAY

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS MUSIC is featured today throughout the worship service. Many musicians are present from the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Wichita State University, and the UCC Chancel Choir, all directed by Dr. Michael Hanawalt.

TRUSTEES MEETING will be held today immediately following worship at 11:45 a.m., in the basement conference room.

POTTERY FOR SALE Jon Romain is selling his pottery to help fund his trip to Chacreseca in January. Credit cards are accepted.

THIS WEEK

IFM OPERATION HOLIDAY: We are collecting food items in fellowship hall. Please bring any of the following items and deposit them in the box marked Operation Holiday. Items needed: cereal, canned fruit, peanut butter, canned meat, new blankets, coats, hats, mittens, scarves, pet food. Sign up on the PIC board if you would like to volunteer this Saturday, December 17, at 9:00 a.m. to distribute items. The last day for donations is Thursday, 12/15.

NEEDLE WORKERS meet Tuesday, December 13, at 10:00 am, in fellowship hall.

HEAD-TO-TOE HYGIENE PANTRY workday is this Thursday, December 15, from 9:00-11:00 a.m., at 1611 N Mosley. The Pantry is open on Saturday, December 17, from 9:00-11:30 a.m.

MEN’S GROUP LUNCH is this Thursday, December 15, 11:30 a.m., at Scotch & Sirloin, located at 5325 E Kellogg Drive. The guest speaker is UCC Pastor Paul Ellis Jackson. Paul will be talking about cycling.

YOGA meets Tuesdays at 4:00 ($5.00) & Fridays, 10:00, Fellowship Hall.

NEXT WEEK

THE CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS TABLEAU will be performed by the children of UCC on Sunday, December 18, during A Time for All Children portion of worship.

ALL BOARDS MEET – on Sunday, December 18, at 11:45 a.m., immediately following the worship service.

NEW MEMBER SUNDAY is during worship on Sunday, December 18. Come and meet our new members.

CHURCH OFFICES – will be closed for day on Friday, December 23rd.

CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE is on Saturday, December 24, at 6:00 pm. Please join us for this beautiful family service with Christmas Carols, lighting of the advent candles, meditations, and special music.

COINS FOR CHARITY – The UCC Outreach Board is implementing a new project. The coins in the offering plate will now be designated to a charity specified by the
Outreach Board.

2016 CONTRIBUTIONS must be received or postmarked by midnight 12/31/16, due to legal requirements. Anything received after that date will be recorded as a 2017 contribution.

THE 2017 FLOWER SCHEDULE is on the PIC board in Fellowship Hall. Sign up early to get your preferred date.

YOUR ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED for the Christmas Eve Service 6:00 p.m., on December 24. We are looking for volunteers to light the advent candles and read some scriptures. If you are willing to be a participant please contact Heidi in the church office at Heidi@box2384.temp.domains, or by phone at 634-0430.

Sermon title: Advent Inverted: Finding Peace when War is Never Ending

We welcome all of our visitors today and invite you to the Fellowship Hall for beverages and cookies after the service. Please follow the congregation to the left out of the sanctuary.

TODAY

COFFEE WITH ROBIN will be on December 4, at 9:15 a.m., in fellowship hall. This will be an informal gathering of those who have interest in joining UCC. You set the agenda. Childcare available.

POTTERY FOR SALE today after worship in fellowship hall. John
Romain is selling his pottery to help fund his trip to Chacreseca in January.

THIS WEEK

UCC CHRISTMAS DINNER & ENTERTAINMENT: Mark your calendar for Saturday, December 10, at 6:00 p.m., in fellowship hall. It will be a festive evening of food, music, and Christmas cheer. Students from the UCC choir will entertain us. The Deacons will supply the meat, sides, bread and drinks. Appetizers are requested from those with last names beginning with A-M. Last names beginning with N-Z please bring a dessert. Crayons and coloring book donations are requested for the Hygiene Pantry. Call the church office if you need childcare at 634-0430.

IT’S POINSETTIA TIME! – If you would like to contribute to the Christmas floral display, please send a check for $13.50 to the church, payable to UCC by December 6, or you may put it in the offering plate today. Be sure to write flowers on the memo line and indicate if your donation is in honor of, or in memory of someone special.

UCC ANGEL TREE: Due to an overwhelming response, all 50 of the
angel tags were acquired last Sunday. We contacted Starkey and they
suggested that if people still want to give, they may make a monetary contribution. We will purchase additional gift cards. We welcome your additional donations, and will have a table in fellowship hall for the next two Sundays to receive your contribution. Also, you may mail or deliver your check in person to our office any time before the December 4 deadline.

NEXT WEEK

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS MUSIC on Sunday, December 11, at 10:30 during worship. Music performed by the UCC Chancel Choir and special guests.

NEEDLE WORKERS meet Tuesday, December 13, at 10:00 am, in fellowship hall.

IFM OPERATION HOLIDAY: We are collecting food items in fellowship hall. Please bring any of the following items and deposit them in the box marked Operation Holiday. Items needed: cereal, canned fruit, peanut butter, canned meat, new blankets, coats, hats, mittens, scarves, or pet food. Sign up on the PIC board if you would like to volunteer Saturday, December 17, at 9:00 a.m. to distribute items.

THE CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS TABLEAU will be performed by the children of UCC on Sunday, December 18, during A Time for All Children portion of worship.

COINS FOR CHARITY – The UCC Outreach Board is implementing a new project. The coins in the offering plate will now be designated to a charity specified by the Outreach Board.

2016 CONTRIBUTIONS must be received or postmarked by midnight 12/31/16, due to legal requirements. Anything received after that date will be recorded as a 2017 contribution.