Play Friday Reminder😕 Join us for Play Friday TONIGHT from 6-8 p.m. Play Friday is an all ages evening that includes a pizza dinner, numerous games to enjoy, and this month we will have an emphasis on giving with a selection of make and take gift crafts and a collection to benefit the Backpack Buddies program through Community Kitchen. Perhaps there will even be a gift for us! It helps with food planning if you RSVP to Hopi Stosberg at hopi@stosberg.com or to the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2099088430319064/
CANDLELIGHT AND CAROLS IS UPON US!! Outreach will host the traditional reception after this beautiful service TODAY at 7:00 p.m., and are asking for your contributions of cookies and sweets, cheese and crackers, crudit?s, fruit, and whatever says ?holidays? to you. Outreach will provide coffee and punch. Contributions can be left in the kitchen in the morning or before the service. Any questions, or to let Outreach know what you can bring, contact Jo McClamroch toohogwild@yahoo.com or 323-7435.
EQUALLY important is that we all invite newcomers to come and enjoy this lovely service. (The church used to be SRO every year for this event.) This is a wonderful way to reach out to friends of any faith who might be less open to a traditional church service, but may enjoy hearing beautiful Christmas music (with no sermon!). It?s a great opportunity to invite others to check us out and widen our outreach in the community.?? Our offering collection for New Leaf New Life may also interest some visitors. Let’s see if we can fill our pews!
?BUDGET HEARING, DECEMBER 17. An update on the church’s projected income and expense budget for 2018 will be held in Room 6 after the service.? Please join us to learn about the budget and share your input.?
OFFERING ENVELOPES READY FOR PICK UP. You will find the 2018 offering envelopes on a small table, outside of the sanctuary doors. Please pick up your envelopes. If you are new or don’t have envelopes yet, there are some new ones to pick from.Please place your name and envelope number on the piece of paper beside the offering envelopes. Thank you.
USHERS FOR DECEMBER. We will need ushers for seven worship services in December – five Sundays plus Candlelight communion December 10th and the Christmas Eve service.? If you are willing to assist, please sign the sheet in the Fellowship Hall area or let Pat Martin know when you will help.? Greeting and ushering are important facets of our being a warm and welcoming congregation.? Thank you for your willingness to present a smiling face to those entering our doors for worship.
KITCHEN CLEAN-UP MORNING. Come tidy, sort, wipe, and socialize on the morning of December 23 from 8:30a-10:30a. Refreshments provided.
CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION ?? CANDLELIGHT & CAROLS
First United will celebrate its annual Candlelight Communion on the second Sunday of Advent, December 10 at 7 p.m.? The program will include a number of seasonal hymns, readings from Scripture, the beautiful choral sounds of the First United choir, and music by our children?s choir.? Our collection will go to a charity designated by the Board of Outreach, and we will have an array of lovely cookies and punch for all to enjoy in Fellowship Hall following the service.? The service will include Communion, and all who find Communion meaningful are invited to join in.
This year, we will celebrate Communion in a different manner from our usual custom.? Congregants will be invited to come forward down the center aisle where celebrants will offer the elements.? Each congregant coming forward will receive a piece of bread and then dip their bread into the wine before consuming.? This ancient practice is called intinction (from the Latin intinctio ? to dip into dye).
As the subtitle above suggests, we have decided to change the traditional name of Candlelight Communion to Candlelight & Carols.? The reason for the change is to make the service more welcoming to those who may be uncomfortable with the liturgical word ?communion.?? By revising the name to Candlelight & Carols we hope to draw in people in the community who want to sing and hear seasonal music, find some peace during a hectic time, and perhaps see what church is all about.?
NO STEP COMMUNION SERVICE. If you would like to serve Communion but are not comfortable negotiating the steps up to and down from the altar, be not afraid! ?We welcome anyone who would like to serve but avoid steps.? We will set up Communion so that you may come forward and sit in the first pew.? When it?s time to distribute the elements, we will happily bring them to you and allow you to distribute as usual.? If this service is of interest to you, just sign up and let Florence Shelton know so that we can prepare accordingly. Eric Metzler, Chair, Board of Christian Worship.?
A GIFT TO SOMEONE CLOSE AND TO SOMEONE YOU DON?T EVEN KNOW.? Many of you may already make gifts to others through an NGO, in honor of, or with thanksgiving for, or as a hostess gift or Christmas gift to someone dear to you.? Now you can make such a gift in your own community.? The Farm to Family Fund, a project of the Center for Sustainable Living, has lovely gift cards designed by Kayte Young, the new host of Earth Eats on WFIU.? The Farm to Family Fund buys food at half price at the close of the Bloomington Winter Farmers? Market every Saturday, December through March, and donates the food to The Rise, The Community Kitchen and Mother Hubbard?s Cupboard.? For a $10 minimum gift you can provide a dozen eggs to 15 local families, or $25 will provide a 1-week supply of greens for 7 families.? Gift cards are available at the Bloomington Winter Farmers? Market each Saturday morning in December at Harmony School or by contacting Janice Lilly at healthfulfoodfund@gmail.com.
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FRIDAYS AT FIRST UNITED?
Play Friday: Play Friday is a recurring family game night welcoming all ages. There will be pizza dinner, games and crafts-specific theme TBA. Join us! It helps with food planning if you can RSVP to Hopi Stosberg at hopi@stosberg.com. Hope to see you there!
Just Friday: Just Friday is a monthly adult discussion group focused on various issues of justice.?
MINISTER OF CARE FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 10, IS JEAN PETERS.? A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits members in their home.
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