November 26, 2025, Midweek

 

This Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent and Caring Sunday!

Important Dates

Nov. 27th: Happy Thanksgiving

 

Sat. Nov. 29th: No Bible Study

Birthday’s

Sat. Nov. 29th: Nancy Jones

Tue Dec. 2nd: Mary Piper

 

Advent Candle Lighting

We need volunteers to light the Advent and Christmas Candles. The sign-up for now:

·  First Sunday of Advent, November 30th: Hutcheson Family

·  Second Sunday of Advent, December 7th: Amy Morrison

·  Third Sunday of Advent, December 14th:

·  Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 21st:

·  Christmas Eve,Wednesday, December 24th: Piper Family

Caring Sunday

Food pantries are facing increased demand for food. It is with this in mind that we have decided to leave the collection bin for Caring Sunday out each Sunday for your donations. All donations will still be taken to the Caring Center after Caring Sunday. Below is a list of needed holiday food items:

 

A list of food items

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Christmas Joy Offering

Christmas Joy Offering, one of the PCUSA's special offerings, begins this coming Sunday. This offering helps past and present church workers and leaders in need as well as helping the future leaders of the church (i.e. seminarians). You can mark your cheque or offering envelope as "PCUSA," "Joy," or "Christmas" to contribute.

 

Advent Prayer Calendar

We have 25 days in Advent this year. The Worship team and pastor Je made a daily Advent prayer featuring two states each day, so that we can pray for all fifty states during Advent, and on Christmas Day, we will pray for our nation as a whole. This Advent Prayer Calendar will be emailed to you in a separate email. Or if you prefer a paper copy, you can pick it up at the back of the sanctuary.

 

Advent Devotionals

PCUSA's Advent devotional "Draw Near" will be emailed weekly on Saturdays during Advent. If you prefer a paper copy, you can pick it up at the back of the sanctuary.

Pastor Je' voice daily devotional (reading from 'These Days') will be emailed daily in the morning during Advent.

 

No Bible Study

Due to Thanksgiving weekend, there will be no Bible Study this coming Saturday.

 

Deck the Halls

If you would like to help "deck the halls" for Advent and Christmas, please plan to be at the church on Friday, December 5th at 6:30.  We will be putting up the tree, window decor, and putting the creche in the choir loft.  Refreshments will be provided.  Please see Lisa after church or email her at lisahutcheson@yahoo.com if you would like to help.

PPM

The family is arriving, the baking begins, the kids are restless and excited because of course Thanksgiving means Santa will soon be here. What a great time to be around little ones, they truly help make the holidays more enjoyable. Today in Chapel we talked about how God made so many things for us to be thankful for, apples, pumpkins, flowers, day and nighttime; family and teachers that love us, friends that play with us. After the story, I gave the kids a chance to tell us what they are thankful for. We had the typical answers, my mommy, daddy, brothers, dogs, elephants and so many others. But a few surprised me, in one group we had a little boy say he was thankful for monsters, and in another group a little boy said he was thankful that mommy and daddy had monster spray ( just colored water to keep the monsters away). Afterwards I got to thinking that isn't God like monster spray? By trusting God, he in turn keeps the monsters in our lives away. While we gather this Thanksgiving to those we love the most, I pray that you will find many blessings to be thankful for including monster spray

 

Happy Thanksgiving from PPM

 

2025 Myrtle Bailey Toy Drive 

FPC and PPM are collecting Christmas gift items to make a difference in the lives of local children.

 A "Toy Box" will be in the entrance for your donations decorated by PPM!

 

- Items Needed: Some of the most wanted items include:
    - Toys: Games, sports equipment, and Squishmallows (which have been in high demand for the past two years)
    - Hygiene Items: Razors, shaving cream, cosmetics, perfume, and cologne
    - School Supplies: Backpacks, crayons, markers, and more
    - Clothing: Cold weather clothing and storage crates

- Distribution: Gift distribution begins after Thanksgiving, and the toy drive expects to provide gifts for 600 to 800 children up to age 18 this year. Donations will be accepted for the next 2 weeks.  All donations should be unwrapped.

 

Stuffed Toy Collection

Our Child Care Provider, Ava McQueen, does a lovely mission each year at Christmas.  She collects gently used small stuffed toys, wraps each one and delivers them to Nursing Homes for residents. Ava has asked our congregation to help her by donating gently used small stuffed toys. You can give those stuffed toys to Ava or Nancy Turner on Sundays. Last year Ava collected, wrapped and delivered 1,000 toys, bringing joy to many!  Nancy Kincaid will purchase the wrapping paper and tape this year for Ava's project. Any stuffed toy donations the members of FPC can give to Ava for this project will be appreciated!

Waters Residential Care Christmas Needs

As many of you know, I have been volunteering at the Waters Residential Care facility on Sunday for the past 5 years.  Tracy Autrey, their Activities Director, reached out to me and asked if I could share the Christmas needs for their residents.  Je has agreed we can put this information out to the church and if anyone wants to donate, they can bring their items through Dec. 15th and I will deliver them.  They can be unwrapped.  This is what Tracy would like for the residents (there are 40 - a few more women then man, but generally 20 each) but any number will be helpful - she will try to get other donations as well:

 

MEN

inexpensive watches (large numbers if possible) with cloth or silicone bands

Old Spice deodorant and body spray

after shave and beard grooming products

socks (regular socks as well as socks with grippers on the bottom)

 

WOMEN

small wallets or change purses

body spray

socks (regular as well as socks with grippers on the bottom)

 

ALL

dishwasher safe tumblers with lids and straws (not glass)

coffee tumblers (dishwasher safe, not glass)

ChapStick

lotion

lap blankets

puzzles (300-500 pieces, large preferred)

large print books and crossword puzzle and other puzzle books 

 

I know we collect toys for kids in Boone Co and that is a wonderful and important thing to do, but we often forget there are residents in nursing homes that have no family or friends and never get a gift...anything we can donate will be very appreciated!! A red gift bag has been placed in the vestibule closet for donation collection.

 

Thanks,

Lisa Hutcheson

Sharing Your Musical Talents

If anyone is interested in sharing their musical talents on Sundays please email Lisa or see her at church.  This can be vocal or instrumental, individuals or groups, and music for the prelude, postlude, or special music during the service for the glory of God. You don't have to be Liberace or Pavarotti, just someone who is willing to praise God through music!

 

Coming Sunday Hymns

·        Prepare the Way, O Zion #106

·        Oh Lord, How Shall I Meet You? #104

·        He Came Down #137(x2)

 

Prelude: When Hope Came Down, Video

Postlude:  The Holly and the Ivy, arr. Pedersen

Sunday Scripture and Sermon Title

OT Lesson: Isaiah 11:1-2

 

NT Lesson: Luke 1:26-38

 

Sermon Title: Cities in the Nativity: Nazareth

Voice Actor Needed

Don’t you love hearing the dramatized Scripture Readings during the Sunday Worship Services? You can join the bliss of being part of it. Please let Neal know if you would like to volunteer.

1 Voice Actor Needed for Sunday, November 30th:

1.      Angel Gabiel (Male voice)

2.      Mary: Amy Morrison

Communion Server Sign-up

Do you want to serve Communion by distributing the elements during regular Communion on the first Sunday of each month? By the session’s approval, you don’t have to be an ordained elder to serve Communion. January and February still need volunteers, please sign up on the bulletin board outside the church office or let Pastor Je know.

December Communion Servers:

·        Amy Morrison

·        Don Sanders

·        Teresa Brannon

·        Dennis Brannon

Prayer Request?

If you have a prayer request, please contact Phyllis Duff at raduff2@att.net.

Got News?

Do you have something you wish to share with the church family? Sharing good news will double it. Sharing sad news will halve it. Is your child or grandchild excellent? You can boast about them. Contact the church office if you want your story in the weekly Midweek or monthly Newsletter.

This Week’s Humor

A stamp with a person and person playing piano

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Serving This Week

·        Liturgist: Roy Flanary

·        Elder of the Month: Nancy Turner

·        Accompanist: Lisa Hutcheson

Contact the Church

·        Address: 128 E. Main St., Lebanon, IN 46052

·        Tel: 765-482-5959

·        Website: http://lebanonfpc.org

·        Office-Lesley Klooz: office@lebanonfpc.org

·        Pastor Je Lee: pastor@lebanonfpc.org

·        Blog: https://pastorje-lebanonfpc.blogspot.com/

·        Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firstpreslebanon

·        YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@firstpresbyterianchurchofl3509

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