Week of November 17, 2008

                         
Calendar
Monday, November 17
10:00 a.m.      Women’s Study Group
  3:00 p.m.      Communion at Kendal
  7:00 p.m.      Handbell Choir
Tuesday, November 18
  5:00 p.m.      Worship Committee
  7:00 p.m.      Outreach Committee
Wednesday, November 19
11:30 a.m.      Caring Committee
Thursday, November 20
  9:15 a.m.      David’s Bible Study
10:30 p.m.      School of Healing Prayer
12:00 p.m.      Endowment Income Use
  4:30 p.m.      Personnel & Finance
  7:15 p.m.      Senior Choir
Sunday, November 23 – Thanksgiving Sunday
10:00 a.m.      Worship – Dr. Catherine Taylor
11:20 a.m.      AfterWord
 
Announcements
Children’s Ministries
     Thanksgiving Food Baskets – The Sunday school children are working to create Thanksgiving meal baskets for local families.  Please help us gather turkeys and trimmings so that we can provide wonderful meals for our neighbors in need.  Our goal is to create eight baskets, so we really need everyone to pitch in.  How can you help?  Check out the display in the narthex of items we need.  Choose as many items as you would like and drop them off outside of the Children’s Ministries office by Sun., Nov. 23, before church.  The children will be assembling the baskets and making cards to include on Sun. the 23^rd.  If you have any questions, contact Stacy.
     Children’s Choir for Christmas Eve – We would like to extend an invitation to all the children of the church to participate in a special Children’s Choir for the 6 p.m. Family Christmas Eve service.  Rehearsals are starting soon, so if you have a child who is interested, please contact Diane Beckwith for more information.
    
Youth Ministries:
     Operation Christmas Child – Thank you for your amazing generosity and the hard work of our Middle School families.  We still need about $200 to cover the $7 per box program costs.  Please consider dropping a check in the offering plate on Sunday or at the church office.  Thank you again for supporting our Middle School holiday giving project.
                                   
Outreach – As the holidays approach, the Outreach Committee would like to encourage the congregation to think of alternative giving options.  The committee will have a display set up in the narthex all through November for your consideration.  There are many worthwhile and needy causes, especially in these challenging times, that would appreciate your donation.  Outreach invites additional suggestions to add to the list.
     Outreach wishes to extend our gratitude to Ann and Eugene and Jeannie and Walt for participating in a week long Rotary work trip in Mississippi representing FCC.  In January a second work group of volunteers will be heading south.  The group will include Jim, Patricia, and Fred and Susan.  Our thanks to all.
    
Men's Breakfast & Reading Group - Wed., Nov. 26, at 7:45 a.m. at Hope's Way.  All men are welcome!  Talk with David and give him your e-mail address so he can send you the readings.
 
Women’s Ministries: 
     Women’s Study Group, Mon., Nov. 17, 10 a.m. –– Read chapter 1 in our new book, A New Earth, Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhard Tolle. Contact Karen.
     Yarn Group, Tues., Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m. at the home of Karen Knudson.  Beginning and seasoned knitters are warmly welcomed.  Contact Karen.
 
Adult Education:
     Adult Bible Study Thurs., Nov. 20 at 9:15 a.m. – David Kaden leads this lectionary-based study.  The readings for Sunday that David or Catherine will be preaching on will be the focus of that week’s Bible study.  David highly recommends purchasing the Harper-Collins Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version (HarperOne 2006) because the study notes are invaluable.
     Upcoming AfterWords:
            Nov. 23, Mary Magdalene, Part II, by Carolyn, retired Cornell administrator and UCC interim pastor.  We’ll focus on these questions:  What can we learn about Mary Magdalene from the Non-canonical Gospels, especially the Gospel of Mary?  What do contemporary Biblical scholars tell us about Mary Magdalene?  After discussing these questions, we’ll view the last part of an A&E documentary, “Mary Magdalene:  The Hidden Apostle.”  (Child care with activities and snacks is provided by the Adult Education Committee in Rooms
1-2.)
            Dec. 7, Middle Eastern Christians:  Faithful in Peril by Rev. Len Bjorkman, a retired Presbyterian minister living in Owego.  He was in pastoral ministry for 42 years; for over 55 years, he has had a special interest in the Christians in the Middle East, beginning with his teaching in a mission school in Lebanon.  Recently he attended a consultation in Damascus, Syria, and Iraqi Presbyterians, and learned about the difficult circumstances under which they are barely surviving.  He also met with Iraqi refugees in Damascus and Aleppo, and visited churches in Syria and Lebanon.  This visit was sponsored by the Iraq Partnership Network, which is composed of members of the United Church of Christ, the Reformed Church of America, and the Presbyterian Church (USA); these denominations had work in Iraq since the early 1800s until 1969.  Over the years he has also visited Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Iran, Dubai, and Tunisia.  He will give an overview of Middle Eastern Christians, then will spend the largest portion of the time on Iraqi Christians.
 
School of Healing Prayer, Thurs., Nov. 20, 10:30 a.m.  Lessons 6-7.  Based on the healing ministry of Francis and Judith MacNutt.  Contact Linda.  Note change in time.
 
An Evening Reading/Discussion Group – Want to join an evening reading group with minimal time commitment but maximum discussion and fellowship opportunity?  David has been asked by several people to lead a discussion of the acclaimed book “The Shack” by William Young.  We would meet about once a month in the evening for about an hour or so.  If you’re interested, please speak to David or send him an e-mail.