Christmas Eve Service, December 24 at 6:00pm. Invite your friends, family and co-workers to

join you for this celebration of the birth of Jesus. This year’s service will include an interactive

“Las Posadas” skit, gifts for children, Communion, beautiful music and lighting candles to accompany  Silent Night (Stille Nacht), a beloved hymn..

DISCERNMENT SESSIONS have begun …

Members and friends of First United Church are invited into a time of communal discernment through prayer, conversation and intentional listening to gather information for creating a church profile which will be used in the search process for calling your next settled Senior Minister. 

This is a hectic time of year, but we hope you’ll carve out a couple of hours to participate in

at least one gathering from each of the Discernment Sessions. The next session is this Sunday, December 22 12:00 – 2:00pm in Fellowship Hall. If childcare is needed for one of the upcoming Sunday discernment meetings  please email me at molly.koontz@yahoo.com . We’d like to see and hear from you!

Mitten Tree for Shalom’s Clients who are Homeless:  Help cover the Christmas tree in the narthex with items to keep a person warm outdoors (either new or gently used): hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, coats, blankets, socks, boots or cold-weather shoes. We’ll be collecting these items throughout the month of December and donating them to our homeless friends/neighbors at Shalom Community Center. Feel free to take an ornament from the tree if it helps you remember.  There is no need to wrap anything.  All adult sizes, both for men and women, are needed, howevermen’s large and extra large sizes are especially needed.  (from the Outreach Board – Kim Albright, Sandy Keller, Dave Meyer, Rebecca Nunley, Cindy Stone, and Cleve Wilhoit)

OFFERING ENVELOPES READY FOR PICK UP. You will find the 2020 offering envelopes on a small table, outside of the sanctuary doors. Your name will be on the box. Note: box numbers have changed from previous years. 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.

Tuesday Morning Discussion

Due to holidays  we will not be meeting on Dec. 24th or Dec. 31st.  Our first meeting in the New Year will be

on Jan.7th, when we will decide on our next video series.  If you are free from 10 to 11:30 am on Tuesdays, we hope you can join us!  Please see Derek Roe with questions.

Reverse Advent!

This Advent First United invites you to support our neighbors in need by reversing the usual tradition and donating a cleaning or hygiene item for each day of Advent.  All donated items will be given to the MCUM Self-Sufficiency Center, which serves at-risk families and individuals in Monroe County.  Please see Derek Roe with questions.  Thank you for your generosity!  We intend to deliver the supplies after December 22nd.  MCUM’s cleaning and hygiene needs at this time are: 

  
Shampoo/ Deodorant       Toothpaste           Household cleaning liquids          Conditioner 
Bar soap or bodywash      Toothbrushes       Household cleaning supplies       

Diapers (all sizes)         

Soliciting church programs.

Traveling over the holidays and worshiping elsewhere?  The Committee on Community Development would like to see church bulletins from other congregations as we consider the insert and announcement section of First United Church’s programs in the new year.  Please pass on programs to Laura Kao, Florence Shelton, Hopi Stosberg, Susan Bassett, or Terrie Kercher or leave them at the church office.

Minister Of Care For The Week Of December 22, IsEmily J. Caldwell.  A minister of care is a church volunteer who visits members in their home.