Announcements:

ANGEL TREE: Every child deserves to experience the joy of Christmas morning. The Salvation Army Angel Tree program helps provide Christmas gifts for hundreds of thousands of children around the country each year. So grab a tag off the tree on Nov. 12th, shop for your child, and  return gifts to the church by Dec. 3rd. You can do this on your own or team up with a friend. We even have elves willing to do the shopping for you if you prefer to make a monetary contribution instead of shopping.  More information can be found on the tag and the attached information sheet, when you take one off the tree. 

HELPING HANDS: We could use a few hands to help get down the Christmas decorations and set up the Christmas tree on Nov. 19th after the church service. 

CHURCH AUCTION COMING UP!! We are planning an online only auction to raise money for the church and we need your donations. We are looking for good quality furniture, vintage items, gift baskets, gifts cards, and other high value items to auction off for the church. Look through your house and see what treasures you are willing to part with. Items need to have a minimum value of $25. Take up to four pictures, send them to Louise (via email) along with a detailed description and we will get it on the website ready for a buyer to find that special item. If your items have any scratches or defects please make sure to snap a picture of that and put it in the description. Items will not be brought to the church until the auction has closed and your items have been purchased. Have questions? Talk with Sue or Louise. Don’t have an item that’s okay. We will be sending the link for the auction and will need you to share it with all your friends, family, and social media outlets. 

OFFICE CLOSURE FOR THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS: The office will be closed from noon on Tuesday Nov. 21st and will reopen on Monday Nov. 27th. We will not have youth Fellowship time on the 26th, however we will have a children’s church. 

ALL CHURCH GATHERING OPPORTUNITY: Do you want to see a full solar eclipse and fellowship with your church members and other presbyterians at the same time? We have a great opportunity to join Presbterians from all over the country in Little Rock AK for an Intergenerational Creation Care Event culminating with the total solar eclipse at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center. Please see the insert for more information. You can register with this link https://bit.ly/creationcareevent2024. We are asking everyone to register on their own, so you can select the accommodations that best suit your family. Then let us know you will be attending. We hope that families and individuals of all ages will join together for this wonderful all church event. 

ADVENT DEVOTIONALS: Even though it’s not even thanksgiving yet now is a great time to get your advent devotional ordered. Here is this week’s suggestion: Light from Afar: An Advent Devotional from Around the World By Nadiyka Gerbish, Joel Bengbeng, Claudio Carvalhaes, Sidwell Mokgothu. Embark on a Global Journey through the Season of Advent. Advent is celebrated differently throughout the world. Some cultures barely observe the waiting and focus on the Christmas celebration. Others feel deeply the contrast between present circumstances and God’s promise of a better future, making for a season of fasting and prayer. All of them focus on Christ as the Light of the world.

Light from Afar is a daily Advent devotional that illuminates the season through the unforgettable stories and reflections of four writers from around the world. Authors Nadiyka Gerbish (Ukraine), Joel Bengbeng (Philippines), Cláudio Carvalhaes (Brazil), and Sidwell Mokgothu (South Africa) share cultural and religious traditions of the Advent season in their daily reflections. Each day’s meditation includes a scripture reading, a prayer, an opportunity for reflection, and a link to a song from the author’s home country. The light of the star of Bethlehem has spread around the world.By joining with Christians from different cultures and countries in prayer, we can experience the hope, love, joy, and peace of Advent, leading ultimately to Immanuel-God with us-on Christmas day.

(If you would like to see all the recommendations for this month check out the new reading recommendations tab on our website.) 

ZOOM ADVENT BIBLE STUDY: Join us each Thursday evening in December at 6:00 PM for a special Zoom Bible Study for Advent. We will be studying the book: Holy Disruption. Holy Disruption presents a fresh understanding of the holiness of Christmas grounded, not in a conventional cozy Christmas message, but through Mark’s disquieting gospel which invites its readers to experience God’s disruptive but transformative love for us and our world.Each week a different teacher will walk us through one of the four advent lessons. Please let Louise know if you would like us to order you a book. Right now they can be purchased on the PCUSA website for $10 but the price is subject to change. If you need a quick zoom tutorial or refresher prior to the start of the Bible study let Louise or Pastor Aaron know and we will get you set-u. 

PLAYSCHOOL HAPPENING AND FUNDRAISERS: See the bulletin board for more information on any of the items below. 

CALENDAR 

11/13 – 10:00 AM – Staff Meeting 

12:15 PM – Playschool Committee Meeting 

2:00 PM  – Outreach Committee Meeting 

11/15 –  2:30 PM – EJIC 

7:00 PM – Christmas Cantata Rehearsal 

11/19 – 9:15 AM – Adult Bible Study, Youth Sunday School, Fellowship time kids 

            10:30 AM – Worship Followed by getting the Christmas Decorations down and tree set up

12:30 PM – Choir Practice