December 29, 2011
Focus on Faith
Faith United Presbyterian Church
Bill
What Do You Think? Do You See What I See? 
 
Though perhaps a bit early for some, we will be celebrating the Epiphany of our Lord this Sunday, January 1, 2012.  Some congregations will be waiting until January 8, but that is the day we ordain and install church officers.  That Sunday is also Baptism of the Lord Sunday, so ordination and installation seem to fit well.  Epiphany is the day we celebrate the Magi's journey to Bethlehem to worship the Christ child.  What better way to begin the New Year than a journey to Bethlehem?
 
One of the readings for the Feast of Epiphany is from the sixtieth chapter of Isaiah.  "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you."  In reflecting on this passage, Christopher Hays writes,

"The light of the glory of the Lord is akin to the kingdom of heaven:  it is already breaking into reality around us, but we often fail to see it.  Insofar as the light is also identified with Christ, one might also reflect on Matthew 25's description of Jesus as present all around us in the hungry, sick, and imprisoned, but recognized in none of these forms.  During the holiday season, rather than being too downcast to lift our eyes, we may instead be too busy and distracted, and may thus miss the true light of the world."

As I read his words, it was hard for me not to think about our life together - not so much the "we may be too busy and distracted", but the extraordinary way Christ as made himself known in our midst this past year.  We have seen this year after year in the comfort, hope, and support our members offer one another, as well as those outside of our congregation, in many ways.  However, recently, the light of God's glory has shown in new ways.

In the last five years or so, we have become incredibly diverse, racially, economically, and theologically.  This year, we have had sisters and brothers from Ireland, Sweden, Ghana, Togo, Burma, and elsewhere, worship with us.  Among others, our Wash Day Ministry has served families from Guatemala and West Africa.  Not to mention, we continue to support Raj and Saro's ministry in India, as well as our ministries closer to home.  Those on the front lines of our ministries, particularly those supporting Wednesday Night Live, know well the challenges of economic and spiritual poverty facing many of those with whom we serve.  Nevertheless, some of the most generous among us are those who have the least.
 
Such diversity makes us different than many congregations, if not most.  Forty to fifty years ago, Dr. King believed the worship hour was the most segregated time in America.  Not much has changed.  That our congregation continues to grow in our diversity is a blessing from God.  In Galatians, the Apostle Paul tells us that such diversity abounds in Christ's church.  "As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus."
 
People of faith, as we prepare to celebrate Epiphany, again, this year, I hope you know what an extraordinary journey awaits us, if we continue to faithfully follow the Light.
 
See you in church!
 
Pastor Myers

 
Upcoming Birthdays
 
December 

30        Merle Brown

            Bette Vance

31        Charles Hallam

            Dawn Brown

 

January

 

2          Rose Trimble

            Carol Heflin

            Mitch McVey

6          John Turnbull

7          Ann Phelps

            Eddie Solberg-Hale

10        Bob Roney

            Sheila Wilson

            Darlene Moffet

11        Noah Sorensen

13        Jill McClintock

14        Jacob McLaughlin

            Alis Chy

15        Natalie Baber

            Matthew Blackford

18        Peggy Figle

            Steve Distin

20        Ann Kellogg Lal 

            Jim Lewis

25        Molly Inman

26        Heather Fisher

27        Dawn Fleming

28        Barb Gossett

29        Nisha Hager

30        Ron Murdock

 

 
This Sunday...
 

"The Miracle of Ordinary Life Seen Through

    The Extraordinary Eyes of Faith"

                                                                                             

Isaiah 60:1-6                                                                             Ephesians 3:1-12

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14                                                                 Matthew 2:1-12


Lay Assistant: Vicki Briscoe    
Ushers: Mark & Mitch McVey and Brenda Runge     
Greeters: TBA          

Coffee Hour: TBA 

Nursery:  Margie & Will Myers        

 

 

View our  calendar.   

 

 

 
No Sunday School

 

Because of the Christmastide breakfast there will be no Sunday School on January 1.  We will begin meeting again on January 8.

 

A Time for Refreshment
There will be no Time for Refreshment today, December 29, 2011.

 


Christmas-tide Breakfast
Join us on January 1, 2012, for our Annual Christmas-tide breakfast potluck at 9:30 a.m. in the social hall.  Bring a dish to pass and your own table service.     

 

Jamieson Center
Help us stock the food pantry at Jamieson!  You may bring anything non-perishable and place it under the sign outside the office.  To make it easier, you could go with a schedule such as this:

Jan. 1 - Hamburger/Tuna Helper & tuna  or Mac & Cheese

Jan. 8 - Canned vegetables and soups 

 

Let's fill the boxes each week!  Thank you!


 


An Invitation to Read the Bible
Sunday - Leviticus 10:1 - 13:14, Monday - Leviticus 13:15-14:41, Tuesday - Leviticus 14:42-16:34, Wednesday - Leviticus 17:1-19:37, Thursday - Leviticus 20:1-22:33, Friday - Leviticus 23:1-25:23, Saturday - Leviticus 25:24-26:46, Sunday (1/15/12) - Leviticus 27:1 - Numbers 1:54  



Officer Installation/Orientation
New officers will be ordained on January 8, during worship.  The orientation will be at Faith United Presbyterian Church from 2 - 4 p.m.

 
Thank You 
To all of you who generously gave baked goods, gifts, and cards to me and my family this Christmas season, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Sincerely, 
Heather Fisher
 
Pageant Thank You!

Thank you to all the parents, grandparents and helpers for all their help with the Christmas Pageant:  especially, Mary & John Lyle, Sharon Graham and Elizabeth Myers.  Keeping little angels and sheep gathered together is no easy job.  Also a huge thank you goes to our baby Jesus -  Emily Kate Shrock and her parents (Sue Ballard Shrock and Casey Shrock) and grandparents Jim and Lolla Ballard.   I inadvertently left her out of the bulletin.  She was a darling baby Jesus who just wanted to see what was going on!


Please Keep the Following in Your Prayers:
Janet Paris, Eilleen Spoerl, Greg Gilliland, and Al Kulczewski.
 
Sympathy
To Peggy Figle, on the death of her brother, Larry Lathrop, who died on December 22, 2011.

To Cassie Figle, family, and friends, on the death of her mother, Shelley Logsdon, who died on December 24, 2011.

To the family and friends of Doris Henrichs, who died on December 27, 2011.