Newsletter
"First Things":
December 2007
Contents...
Church
News
Session News
Campus/Youth/Children
Fellowship/Study Groups
And
More
From the Pastor's Pen
Dear Members and Friends of First Church:
There is a cartoon that shows a weary lady shopper resting for a
moment with her arms filled with packages. She is in the middle
of a very busy department store overflowing with other Christmas
shoppers and she is trying to explain the whole Christmas scene to her
small son. She says, "No one is quite sure how Christmas worked
out like this, dear. Theologians are working very, very hard on
that question right now."
We've really created a mess for ourselves. The "C" of
Christmas for some might just as well be Commercialism.
The first advertisement that I saw for holiday gifts was on Monday,
November 5, and that was 17 days prior to Thanksgiving. Another
thing that has happened - to be "politically correct" we hear "Happy
Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." Some people would prefer
we take the Christ out of Christmas even though they don't mind having
the day off. Yes, there are the two holidays that we celebrate
close together, Christmas and New Year's, but when separated it still
comes out Christmas.
The other day I saw and heard on the internet a Christian cappella
band, Go Fish, who sang a song that put it right out there.
The title is Christmas with a Capital C and it goes like this:
"It's called Christmas what more can I say? It's about the birth
of Christ and you can't take that away. You can call it
something else but that's not what it will be. It's called
Christmas with a capital C." And so it is.
I pray that December 25 will not be just another holiday for any of
us but rather it will be the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
That we truly might share in the song of the angels, the gladness of
the shepherds and the worship of the Wise Men.
Please join me this Advent and Christmas season at our worship
services that are listed in this edition of First Things.
May the Christ of Christmas help to make this holy season of the year
one to remember. See U in CH_RCH and Merry Christmas.
Yours in Christ,
Mark
From the Pulpit
- December 2nd First Sunday of Advent / Communion Sunday
- Scripture: Matthew 24:36-44; Romans
13:11-14
Sermon: “ARE YOU READY?"
December 9th Second Sunday of Advent- Scripture: Romans 15:4-13
Sermon: “CHRIST FOR ALL"
December 16th Third Sunday of Advent- Scripture: Special Christmas
music presented by our Chancel Choir and the Chancel Choir from
First United Methodist Church, Akron
December 23rd Fourth Sunday of Advent- Christmas Through the Eyes of
Children - a special reenactment of the birth of the Christ Child
by the children.
- December 24th
- 7:30pm Christmas Eve
Candlelight Service
December 30th- Preaching, Pastor Mark Ford
-
Church News
Ford's Focus
Well, it is that time of the year when Bing Crosby and White
Christmas will fill the air along with wonderful sights, smells and
sounds to make the yuletide bright. The Christmas season is a
wonderful time of the year. The harsh realities of life can turn
this season of celebration into sessions of cynicism if we don't guard
against the Scrooge in all of us. I am a critical realist and
must stubbornly resist the tendency to view this season negatively for
all the apparent reasons. Fortunately I was raised in a home
that truly celebrated the season for all the right reasons. For
this reason alone I chose to see the positive and turn my head away
from the negative.
Here are some things I like about the Christmas season. Maybe
it is my imagination but it seems to me that people are in a better
mood for the most part. For that alone I can handle the stuff
that goes with it. I appreciate the Salvation Army and
everything they do to raise funds for the needy and I always try to
give especially to this worthy ministry. My heart is always
touched by the way the church seeks to make Christ the true "STAR" of
the season in spite of all the secular messages. I love to see
the eyes of children sparkle as they experience the holy day we call
Christmas. My heart is always challenged to believe that
miracles still happen in barn-like environments that smell of human
frailty and futility. Christmas is the time to get things right
with God and with your fellow man. This year I am not dreaming
of a White Christmas, I am dreaming of a right Christmas. A
Christmas where we make a fresh resolve to make Jesus the King of our
hearts every day. My Christmas prayer for you is that you too
will experience the King of Heaven in a fresh way.
Messiah Sing
Akron Area Association of churches is presenting the annual Messiah
Sing on December 9th, at 7:00 p.m. in our sanctuary. Come and
sing the Messiah with many people from area churches. Chuck Robb
will be conducting.
Poinsettia Sale
What would make our sanctuary look more festive than poinsettias
this holiday season? This year you have a choice of size and
color of the poinsettias that will adorn the sanctuary. The cost
for a 4.5 inch potted poinsettia is $5.00. A 6.5 inch potted
poinsettia will cost $10.00. Your color choices are red, white
or marble. Orders can be made by filling out the order form that
is in the bulletin or by calling the church office (330)434-5183.
You may order your poinsettia in memory or in honor of a loved one.
Please make sure you mark your intentions of whether you are picking
up your poinsettia on Christmas Eve or December 26th or giving it to a
home member. All orders must be accompanied by your payment.
Cookie Sale
 Cookies
will be ready for pick up on December 16th in the Fellowship Hall.
All outstanding balances need to be paid before you pick up your
cookies. Thank you!
Christmas Through the Eyes of
Children
Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends will want to invite
children they know to church on Sunday,
 December 23rd to our annual
Christmas Through the Eyes of Children service. This will be our
eleventh year that children are invited forward to help tell the
Christmas story and dress up in biblical costumes. You never
know how the children will tell the story of the birth of our Savior.
What a great way to bring children and families who are not attending
any church. Don't be afraid to invite others.
Food Pantry
The Deacons’ Food Pantry served 496 families in
the month of October. A total of 1687 people were served. We also
served 285 people total at the both of our Walk-In Meals.
Annual Christmas
Dinner
'Tis the season of sharing, so come share a meal at the annual
Christmas dinner. The dinner will be on December 23, 2007
following the worship service. Our Deacons will provide ham,
scalloped potatoes, rolls and beverage. Please bring your own
table setting (plate, silverware, napkin and cup), as well as a large,
generous (able to feed 10-15 people) covered dish to share. If
your phone number ends 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 please bring a large salad or
vegetable to share. If your phone number ends in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9,
please bring a dessert to share. Please make reservations by
calling the church office (330)434-5183 by December 21st.
Christmas Baskets
The Deacons need your help again this year to say
"Merry Christmas" to 100 needy families i the area by providing them
with a basket of food.
 If you could please include one or more of these
families on you "giving list" (and also on your prayer list), it
would help us to make their Christmas a little brighter. Your
gift of $35.00 will supply a complete basket of food. Of
course, gifts of any amount will be gratefully accepted.
Envelopes for this special offering are available
in the pew pockets for your convenience. Mark your check for
Deacons' Christmas Basket and place it in the offering plate or mail
it to the church office during the week. The giving of
Christmas baskets is a long-standing tradition for our congregation.
Christmas Greetings
Christmas greeting can be pinned to the Church Family Bulletin
Board as soon as you get your cards ready. In lieu of sending
cards to your church family members, give the postage you would have
used to the food cupboard for its mission. The cards submitted
will be given to Rockynol Presbyterian Retirement Community at the end
of January for its card making project.
New Year's Eve Party
Come and join us as we ring in the new year at the
first ever First Church New Year's Eve Party. The party will
take place at Lions Park Lodge in Cuyahoga Falls on December 31st
from 6:00pm to 12:30am. There will be a pot luck dinner so
please bring a dish to pass, snacks to much, games to play and any
church memories you may have. Beverages and place settings
will be provided. Please indicate if you are planning on
coming on the fellowship card or call the church office at
(330)434-5183.
Sock and Mitten Tree
 Imagine what it would be like if you had to live
out in the cold without a hat or mittens. It would be pretty
cold. That is why war are collecting NEW hats, mittens,
socks, and scarves for children and adults in need. The Sock
and Mitten tree will be up in the Narthex to put your donation on
soon. Keep watching for it.
Deacons / Youth Cookbook
Calling all cooks. Time to dig into your recipe
books and boxes. Our Deacon's and Youth are collecting recipes
for the FPC cookbook. We are asking that each family submit at
least two recipes. All recipes can be placed in the recipe box
in our church coat room when completed. The cookbooks are to be
ready just in time for Mother's Day.
Women's Retreat
Women of FPC take note. The Women's retreat is
being planned by a group of dedicated ladies of the church. The
dates for this retreat are March 7-9, 2008. We are planning a
lot of fun things as well as a great speaker. You won't want to
miss it. Mark it on your calendar and be sure to look for more
information that will be coming soon.
2 Cents for Hunger
The next 2 Cents for Hunger collection will be taken
on December 9th, 2007.
Christmas Joy Offering
The Christmas Joy offering will be collected on
Sunday, December 23rd and also during the Christmas Eve Service.
The Christmas Joy Offering is one of the four special offerings
designated by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
to provide congregations direct ways of supporting specific causes
that help those in need. An envelope for this offering can be
found in the pew pockets.
Session News
Session Highlights
Session approved the motion from the Christian Growth and
Development team to permit Sunday school rotation students to make
and sell cookies to benefit the Narnia Center Ministry and
Publishing in Russia (a Christian mission to develop discipleship
and train Christian leaders).The Christian Growth and
Development team is working with other FPC members to renovate the
nursery.
The Women's Retreat will be held March 7-9, 2008.
Andy Doyle, Stewardship and Finance team chair, gave an update
on the 2008 Stewardship campaign.
Session approved the date of the Annual Congregational Meeting
- it will be held Sunday, February 24, 2008.
Campus/Youth/Children
Wide World of Youth
We are heading into Divine December! Read
all about it on the Youth page.
Fellowship/Study Groups
Tuesday Club
The Tuesday Club will meet on December 11th at the Diamond Grill,
77 W. Market Street at 1:00pm. Call the church office if
you have any questions.
Morning Circle
Morning Circle will meet Monday, December 3rd, at 10am in the
church parlor. We will be studying from the PW study book of
Jonah and Ruth, Lesson 9. Scripture reference is Ruth 4.
Women of the congregation are invited to attend and to bring a
friend.
WNGs
They that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength. They
shall mount up with wings as eagles..." Isaiah 40:31
Women of the church are invited to participate in the Wednesday
Night Intergenerational Caring Group at 7:00 pm. December 26th there
will be no meeting.
Evening Circle
Evening Circle is going out to dinner on Tuesday,
December 18th. Call Edie for details.
First Faithful Friends
FIRST FAITHFUL FRIENDS will meet next on December 3, at 6:30pm at
Red Lobster in Montrose. Let Suzanne know if you plan to come
and let her know if you wish to subscribe to Positive Thinking
by Norman Vincent Peale, by December 2nd. Bring an address
label to our Christmas gathering on December 3 and $10 for the
one-year subscription.. Please contact Suzanne Gibson if you plan to
attend.
Men's Bible Study
There are two men's bible study groups at First Presbyterian Church.
- Wednesday
morning at 6:30 am
- Thursday
morning at 6:30 am
Contact the church office for more information.
Loss Support Group
We will not be meeting during the month of December.
And More
Newsletter Deadlines
The deadline for the December issue of First Things is
December 10, 2007.
Plain English
The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power
behind us.
Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.)
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