HANGING OF THE GREENS ? SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH, 4:00 PM.? Come join us as we prepare our sanctuary for the Advent and Christmas seasons. We will set up trees, lights, ornaments, battery-operated candles, chandeliers, wreaths, garlands, and more! ??After we?re done, we?ll gather for a chili pitch-in in Fellowship Hall at about 6:00pm.? This is a festive and fun event for our whole church family.? We hope you?ll join us!?

NEWCOMER EVENING AND MEAL. ?New to this church? We invite you to a Newcomer Evening and Meal. ?We?d like to tell you about First United, answer questions you have, and get to know each other better.

When??Friday evening, November 30, 5:30-7:30 pm. ?Where? ?Roger Williams Hall in First United Church

Hosts:?Jack Skiles and the Committee on Community Development

Please RSVP and inform of any dietary restrictions at??info@firstuc.orgor by calling the church office:??812-332-4439?

TOUR OF CHURCH BUILDING. Meet in front of the pulpit after the worship service on December 2 for a tour of our church building. ?It will take about 15 minutes and will involve stairs, unless special arrangements are made. ?We will end in Fellowship Hall where the coffee hour and refreshments will be going on.?

SPIRITUAL READING GROUP. We will have a meeting on?December?1st. The book is?Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion?by Sam Harris. This book was on the?New York Times?Non-Fiction Best Sellers list in 2014 and a guide to meditation as a rational practice informed by neuroscience and psychology. We will discuss?the?3rd?Chapter:?The Riddle of the Self.?All are welcome to attend. Bring your questions! For more information, please contact YouShin Choi (youschoi@gmail.com). Time: 11:00-12:30, Place: Roger Williams Hall?

CANDLELIGHT AND CAROLS? (also known as Candlelight Communion.)?Join us as we gather to sing carols in the candlelight on Sunday, December 9th, at 7pm.? Take a respite from the hustle and bustle of the season, and bask in the joy of singing favorite carols, and listen to a special performance of the Children?s Chorus!? First United Church offers communion during Worship Service on the first Sunday of each month, except in December, when communion is offered at our Candlelight and Carols service.?

USHERING. Ushering is an easy, fun way to get to know others at First United. Each week, seven ushers are needed to welcome people, distribute bulletins, help with walkers/seat cushions, and pass the offering plate. Whether you are a newcomer, or a long-time attendee, please consider helping with this service. Ushering spots are available throughout 2019, with a few critical openings still left in December.? Sign up directly with Pat Martin (pat0304martin@comcast.net), the head usher for a given month, or go online here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12ydKakNp12189bUlaKbWXhAwnaxyOnaYb3ysYnMEubQ/edit?usp=sharing??to put your name on the dates where you want to serve.? Thanks in advance!

CELEBRATING CREATION THROUGHOUT ADVENT.

The Christmas story is at its core a celebration of creativity. During the Advent and Christmas season, we would like to celebrate the creative talents of our congregation with a display in our education hallway. We need creative contributions from everyone, no matter what age. Submissions do not need to be about advent or Christmas, although they can be. These might include:

  • poems, short stories or essays
  • photographs
  • song lyrics or musical scores
  • a painting, collage or other 2D artwork
  • an original recipe

We can help prepare these items for display in the hallway. Please contact Elizabeth Busey (ebusey@yahoo.com or 812-345-3840) and she will help get your creation ready to share with our congregation. Deadline is Monday, November 26th. Let’s fill the hallway with creativity, just in time for Advent!

JOIN US FOR OUR MONTHLY POTLUCKS.? Bring yourself and a dish for food and fellowship. The next Potluck will be after service on December 16. To help ensure a diverse food offering at the potluck, let us know what type of dish you are bringing. There is a sign-up sheet on the table outside the kitchen. Questions? Contact Laura Kao laura_b_kao@hotmail.com or Hopi Stosberg hopi@stosberg.com

CHILDREN?S CHORUS FOR CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION.?Dust off your Christmas Ties and Dresses!? Candlelight Communion is being held at First United on Sunday, December 9, at 7 p.m.? All children – even little ones –are welcome to participate in the Children?s Chorus!? We will practice in the choir room right after church beginning November 4, and will continue to practice at that time until December 9.? Parents are welcome to stick around for the 15-20 minute rehearsal.? We are learning 3 simple pieces including the traditional Silent Night/Stille Nacht that concludes the time-honored tradition at our church.? Contact Rebecca at rekeith@iu.edu if you have any questions at all.

?PLAY FRIDAY: The next Play Friday is December 14th from 5:30-8. Join us for this family night that is fun for all ages. The usual pizza dinner will be served at 6. December will continue our theme of “Give and Take”. In December we will be making cards and candle holders. Stay tuned for details of what we are collecting.? We hope to see you there! It helps with food planning if you RSVP to Hopi Stosberg at hopi@stosberg.com.

MINISTER OF CARE FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 25, IS NORM OVERLY.? A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits members in their home.