Midweek Newsletter: Wednesday, December 6th, 2023.

 

NARTHEX NEWS

WEEKLY EDITION

December 6^th, 2023

 

FROM THE NEWS DESK

OF

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

LEBANON, INDIANA

128 E. Main St. ~ Lebanon, IN 46052~ (765)482-5959

https://www.lebanonfpc.org ~ office@lebanonfpc.org

 

In the midweek newsletter this week:

~ Reminders & Celebrations

~ BYOB this week!

~ Advent Season: with notes on theme, music, candle lighting, and more

~ Poinsettia Info

~ Time for Tea Tearoom Info             

~ Toy Drive

~ Weekly Devotional

~ Prayer Room, with extra prayer requests

Reminders:

Live & Learn: There is Live & Learn this Saturday in the Church Library, meeting at 11:30 am.

Liturgist for December is George Piper. Elder for December is Dennis Brannon.

Live for Life Sunday this Sunday. Reminder of items from their “needs list”: new pillows, personal hygiene products, gently used or new shoes, plastic storage bags or various sizes, large trash bags, cleaning and laundry supplies. Thank you for your generosity.

There is a new “These Days” devotional available on the table in the lobby/hallway.

There has been a black umbrella in the breezeway. Does it belong to any of you? If so, please either come and claim it or contact the office for clarification. Thank you.

The Longest Night, A Service of Compassion & Peace, will be held Thursday, December 21^st at 7pm in the FPC sanctuary.

Celebrations: Happy celebrations to a really great crew. We love each one of you. We hope your year is exciting and new, and that you remember God loves you!

Happy Anniversary to: Craig & Casey Reynolds, 12/7!

Happy Birthday to: Gretel Magnuson, 12/12!

 

BYOB this week! Bring Your Own Burger this Friday in the church library at 11! Hang out, bring your lunch, and have fun chit-chatting together. Very low key. Is a lot of fun. (And burgers are not required – there has been chicken, tuna, and even noodles!)

 

Advent Season:

Advent Theme for Dec. 10th:

The theme for Advent this year is “Joy to the World”/ Nations in the Nativity. We have been traveling around the world this Advent season: starting with Persia, then Rome, moving on to a new location this week and again next week. On the pews are banners and signs with information about different countries. Have you been visiting a different pew each week to learn about different parts of the world? (You should not be experiencing any jet lag or heavy traffic as you do so!) Come join us in the Advent celebration. We pray you find joy and peace as you worship and fellowship here at FPC.

Music Notes: There have been wonderful musicians sharing their talents with us this Advent, and more yet to come! Among them this week will be the Madrigals from Lebanon Highschool. This is a group beloved by the community. Their gift of music is eagerly anticipated every year. They will be sharing with us at the end of the service.

Advent Candle Lighting!

Thank you to all our volunteers. This week’s candle lighting will be done by the Goodnight family.

This Sunday’s theme is Egypt: This Sunday, we will travel to Egypt. Bruce McConnell will provide cookies from Egypt. The recipe for this sweet treat will be included on a special bulletin insert. (These are going to be delicious! Make sure you try some and take the recipe home!)

Poinsettias Info: 

If you have not paid for your poinsettia order, you may do so at any time. It is $17 per plant. Checks should be made out to the church with “Poinsettia” in the memo line. If you pay by cash, please put it in a separate labeled envelope.

Want to dedicate your flower to someone? Leave the information with Gretel in the office and she will see that it gets into the bulletin. There is also a sign-up sheet for dedications on the hallway bulletin board. Thank you.

Time for Tea Tearoom Info:

The Time for Tea lunch group will be visiting a “Tearoom” this Thursday, Dec. 7^th. If you have connected with Nancy Turner and confirmed you are going, please plan to meet at the church at 12:45 pm. The group will be carpooling to the tearoom, located in Clayton. The group will return to the church at 3:30. If you have questions about this event, please contact Nancy Turner at: 317-443-7277 or naturner241@yahoo.com 

Toy Drive! ‘Tis the season for the Myrtle Bailey Boone County Toy Drive! (47^th year!) There is a large, wrapped box in the lobby – plenty of space for fun games, toys, etc. It’s rather empty at the moment – so we are calling on you to help us fill it up! The DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 17!

Gifts are for ages: infants through age 18.

Suggested items:

For infant – diapers, wipes, shampoo/conditioner, diaper bags;

For teens: fairy lights, cosmetics, perfume/cologne, mirrors, wallets.

For any age: books, cold weather gear, toys, games, sports equipment, hygiene items, school supplies.

Shop on, folks, and have fun giving!

Weekly Devotional: Presents Under the Tree

“. . . to give unto them beauty for ashes . . .” (Isaiah 61:3)

When do you put presents under the tree? Do you like to put them out as you wrap them? (That is, if you are one of those productive, efficient people who have your house decorated and gifts purchased and wrapped before Christmas Eve!) Do you like to hide the gifts and put them all out at once? Do you only put under the tree gifts pertaining to your immediate family, and other gifts for friends or extended relatives are placed elsewhere? Perhaps you don’t put up a tree or your tree is not big enough for gifts underneath. Currently, I have several smaller trees, none of which are large enough to have room for presents underneath. Unless: 1) the gifts were for “The Littles” or 2) the tree is propped up on some sort of tall stand or box.

During my childdood, my mother was the sort who saved it all for Christmas Day. That was a great family tradition. Oh, my sisters and I may have grumbled now and again about having to wait – I mean, we were normal kids, so I assume we grumbled, but I honestly cannot remember doing so. What I do remember is how much we actually loved it. It made Christmas Day so very special to us. All season long, the house looked and smelled full of festive cheer. But overnight (probably in the wee hours of Christmas morning!), the living room was transformed into a Christmas Wonderland. In fact, we had to stay in our rooms until the “all clear” had been given and we were led (with our eyes closed!) to the living room to see the Christmas Wonderland waiting for us.

What I want to ask you today is: what kind of gifts are you putting under the tree for Jesus? I don’t think He will mind if it’s not the fanciest wrapping paper, if the bow is not quite straight, or if the box is not the perfect size for the contents. In fact, I don’t think He’d mind if the gift was not even wrapped at all. And I’ll get right to the point about the kind of gift I’m talking about giving Him. It may surprise you. I suggest giving Him your pain, your heartaches, your broken pieces. Jesus wants all of us, head to toe, inside and out. All the good and all the not-so-good. But how often do we actually give him everything? Do we hold on to the tough stuff? Would we consider that a present? Does it feel a little like putting a weed in a pot, wrapping the pot in pretty foil, tying a great big bow around it and pretending it’s a beautiful poinsettia? What I suggest is that when we give our pain, our heartaches, our broken pieces to Jesus, He takes that gift and transforms it. We set the gift under the tree for him. He transforms it, puts a new gift tag on it, and says, “Here, it’s for you. Trust me. It’s something new.” What will it be? Only He knows. But it will be a thing of beauty!

Will you trust Him with what hurts? Do you believe He can use anything for good? (“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28). Do you believe He can make  you into a new creation? (“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17) When you give Him your ashes, and He creates a thing of beauty from them, will you trust Him? Will you open the gift? Perhaps your Heavenly Father has a special gift under the tree for you this Christmas.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound . . . to comfort all who mourn, to console all those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness . . .” (Isaiah 61:1-3)

 

Prayer Room:

Prayer is important to the body of First Presbyterian Church. Are you interested in joining the prayer chain? Would you like to learn more about the role of prayer in our lives? Please contact Phyllis Duff, Prayer Coordinator, at (765)482-1485/ raduff2@att.net.

Dear Heavenly Father, 

We lift up special prayers today, Father, for Susan Giger, who has been in the ICU at Witham. We ask for Your healing touch, Your provision for all her needs, and peace and assurance during this difficult time. We pray for Sharon Clem, who has suffered a stroke on both sides of her brain. We ask for Your healing touch, Your provision for all her needs, as well as peace and comfort for her and her family. We thank you that she can open both her eyes and move her feet. We know she has a long way to go, with more tests upcoming – including surgery this Friday to put in a feeding tube. So we pray for clarity and wisdom for the doctors, endurance for her and her family, and discernment for all involved. We praise You that You are the Great Physician, Jehovah Rapha, the God who Heals.

            We lift to you those who have unspoken requests. You know what is on their hearts. If they need healing, comfort, provision, wisdom, peace, joy, companionship, direction. If there are difficult decisions to be made. If there are multiple plans to juggle. If there is ongoing sickness or complications on the home-front. We know Your presence is powerful, and I ask that You would alert those in need to Your presence in their lives. Open their eyes to see you, their ears to hear you, and their heart to receive Your message. We take time, Lord, to think upon Your goodness. We reflect upon Your presence in our lives, and we are grateful. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.