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Focus on Faith

Faith United Presbyterian Church Newsletter

November 27, 2014 

Phone:   734-5129     Hours:  M-F   8 AM - Noon  and 1 -4 PM   

   

Pastor:  Rev. Dr. Kathy Stoner-Lasala

revkathysl@gmail.com  (609) 319-4030

 

     Church Email: faithup@maplecity.com      

Website: www.faithpresmonmouth.org
This Sunday - First Sunday in Advent
November 30, 2014
10:30 a.m. 

 

"Away from Home?  Take Comfort!"

Lectionary:  Isaiah 40: 1-11 
Liturgist:  Debra Tomlin
Communion Servers:  Jonalyn Heaton, Bonnie Heflin, Carol Heflin, Liz Nieman, Gary Pullen, John Turnbull
Ushers:  George Nieman, Carolyn Meling, Steve Johnson, Bob Green, Dee Ann Shuff
Greeters: John & Denise Turnbull, Tom & Crystal Sargent, Mia, Emma, Piper
Children's Church:  Stephanie Reading
Nursery: Sharon Graham
  Coffee Hour:  Dee Ann Shuff and Betty McBride
CD Recording:  Ted Briscoe 
Advent Readers:  Tom & Crystal Sargent, Mia, Emma, Piper

Special Music:  The Grace Notes Trio
The Church Office will be closed on Thursday, November 27 & Friday, November 28

Upcoming Meetings/Events 

 

Thursday, November 27 - Community Thanksgiving Dinner @ American Legion Hall - 12:00 noon - 1:30 p.m. -  Church office closed - to request a meal delivery, please call the American Legion Hall on the morning of Thanksgiving at 734-2976

Friday, November 28 - Church Office Closed

Sunday, November 30 - Intergenerational Advent Fair - 9:15 a.m. 

Sunday, November 30 - Congregational Meeting - 11:45 a.m.

Wednesday, December 3 - Wednesday Discussion Group on the Afterlife - 6 p.m. (final session)

Thursday, December 4 - Maple Leaf Concert - 7 p.m.  The Caterpillar Employees Big Band

Friday, December 5 - Faith Church booth at Living Windows @ 1st Street Armoury - 5 p.m. 

Wednesday Night Live - Resumes January 14, 2015
Congregational Meeting - Sunday, November 30, 2014

     

There will be a Special Called Congregational Meeting to Elect Officers on Sunday, November 30, 2014 following worship.  We will be electing four elders to Session Class of 2017, one elder to fill a vacancy in the Class of 2016, five deacons to the Class of 2017, and five members to represent the congregation on the 2015 Nominating Committee. Per our by-laws, these five congregational members should not be anyone serving on Session or Deacons in 2015 or on the staff in 2015.  The intention is that they have no other ties and can solely represent the interests of the congregation.  

 

2014 Nominating Committee:  John Marshall, Moderator; Deb Tomlin; Betty McBride; Deb Dingman; Gary Distin; Sharon Graham; Bonnie Heflin; and Gene Larson. 

 

The Congregational Meeting will be held in the Fellowship Hall.  There will also be an open forum on possible changes to the Order of Worship. 

 Advent Fair November 30th
9:15 a.m. for all ages
 
Come join us on the first Sunday of Advent for some crafts and decorating and a Christmas story in the Social Hall.

We will make a simple Advent Calendar to take home; drink some hot chocolate (or maybe coffee) and listen to a Christmas story: and put out some decorations in the Social Hall. Please come and enjoy a relaxing kick-off to the Advent Season.

Advent Devotionals are available in the Narthex and outside the office. If you want something different, come see me (Ann). I have lots of samples of different devotionals.

Nursery
Available from 10:30 through the end of the service. 

Children's Church
Meets after the children's Time in the service.  Children's Church helps children to learn to worship God and to understand what happens during worship.  Children 5 years old to 3rd grade are encouraged to attend Children's Church. 

Adult Ed.
Sunday class will continue with the Parables of Jesus on November 23rd

Wednesday Evening Discussion Group will not meet on Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday, November 26) but will have one more meeting on the Afterlife at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 3.

Elementary and Junior High Sunday School
Regular classes in November and December EXCEPT: Advent fair on Nov. 30 and no class on Dec 28th.
Save the Date - Sunday, December 14
  • PW Cookie Exchange - after church
  • Deacons' Christmas Caroling - meet at church 2:00 p.m. 
Christmas Pageant - December 24   
  
Christmas Pageant practices are Dec. 3rd, 10th and 17th. Please let Ann know if you have a child who wants to be in the pageant or if you are willing to help.  I need adults to help children run through their lines, to put together costumes (we have a whole closet full of costume stuff) and to just be there in case more help is needed.  Younger children (not yet in Kindergarten) are encouraged to come on the 10th to get used to the sanctuary and get fitted in a sheep costume.  The pageant will be Christmas Eve at 5 pm. 
College Student Care Packages 

It is almost finals time for our college students.  Help us make their studies a little easier and show them we are thinking of them with snacks, cookies, fruit and some silly games.  
The box for donations will be by the office door.

 

College Care Packages will be given out on Dec. 7.  Please bring items for boxes before 9:30 on Sunday, Dec. 7. We will pack the boxes during the SS hour. We typically deliver around two dozen care packages. 

  

    Youth Group - Upcoming Events
  • December 7 - will meet to build a gingerbread house
  • December 14 - will participate in Deacons' Christmas Caroling 
       The Crockpot Cook-Off raised over $250!  Thank you to everyone!
Isabel Circle - Thursday, December 4

Isabel Circle will meet at 7 p.m., Thursday, December 4 at Holt House, 402 E. 1st Avenue, Monmouth.  Denise Turnbull will host the meeting and Janice Cunningham will be the facilitator of Lesson 3, "Covenants and God's Enduring Faithfulness." (2 Corinthians 3: 1--4:6). 
Tree of Hope

Take the first step to help alleviate the burdens of those in need around the world. 


In 2013, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) launched the Presbyterian Giving Catalog, a simple way to help those in need while supporting projects Presbyterians are actively engaged in. The Giving Catalog allows you to purchase items like families of chickens, water wells, bags of seed, and beds for children. We are called, as followers of Christ, to help those in need, and this catalog is a way to do just that.

 

Last year you helped change the lives of countless people with your gifts.  The new 2014 Giving Catalog features new items, providing even more opportunities for you to share the love of Christ by helping people in need around the world.

 

With your support, we, as Presbyterians, can bring relief to those in need.

 

Please help by checking out the Tree of Hope in the Social Hall and consider choosing a life-changing gift today during this Christmas season. You can even give in honor of a friend or loved one.  Instructions are available under the tree. 

 

Your gift truly does make a difference. 

Prayer Concerns

Louise Roos; Amy Hoffmeister (Bette Vance's daughter); Jack Stoner (Kathy's father); Jan Speer (at Monmouth Nursing Home); Bob Meling (now at home); Rev. John Irwin: Thomas Vaughn (now at OSF St. Francis, to return to OSF Holy Family in the near future); Jim Keefe; Tamene Bekele; Jim Andrews;  Bobbi Cady (Sarah Torrance's mother); Bob McClintock; Robert Cooper (Bonnie Heflin's cousin); Bill Smallwood;  Etta Jane Pullen; Ed Strickler; Cathy Abernathy; Greg &  Joy Haning; Bill Hoover; Blaine Robinson; Vern Mettler; Cinda Stansbury; Mary Johnson; Lindsay Murdock. 
PW Mitten Tree - Nov. 20 through Dec. 7


Winter seems to have arrived much too early this year! But you can help others keep warm by placing donations of hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, socks, and slippers for people of all ages and sizes by helping decorate the traditional Mitten Tree which can be found in the Fellowship Hall. 


 You can place your contributions on the tree between November 20th through December 7th. All items will be taken to Jamieson Community Center on Monday, December 8th. Thank you for caring and sharing. 

Community Thanksgiving Dinner  -   Thanksgiving  
Thursday, November 27, 2014 - TODAY

A traditional Thanksgiving Dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie. Diabetic dinners are available upon request. There is no cost for the meal. Deliveries are available and can be made the morning of Thanksgiving by calling the American Legion (1110 North 11th Street) at 734-2976. (The church office will be closed for Thanksgiving.)

Serving from:  12 Noon to 1:30 p.m.  at the Monmouth American Legion ~ 1110 North 11th Street, Monmouth, IL
(There's no cost for the dinner)

Krista Larson has set up a Facebook Event page:

Volunteers ~ WALK-IN HELP IS WELCOMED on Thursday, November 27th (11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.)

Monetary donations to support the Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner may be made to "Community Thanksgiving Dinner" account at Security Savings Bank in Monmouth. Please make checks payable to "Community Thanksgiving Dinner."  A sign-up list for some supply donations will be up soon.

Maple Leaf Concert - Thursday, December 4

The Caterpillar Employees Big Band, established in the mid-1970s, has been performing all over the state and nation ever since.  They will present a concert on Thursday, December 4, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. at the Dahl Chapel and Auditorium of Monmouth College. They play the familiar and popular music from the 1930s to today in the styles popularized by the big bands of the 40's and 50's and this band has been featured in Fortune magazine.  For ticket information call the Chamber of Commerce at 734-3181 or go online at GoMonmouth.com. 
Choral Dynamics Concert - Dec. 5, 6, & 7

"Carols for Christmas," directed by Alisa Ramer will be presented by the Choral Dynamics group at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings, Dec. 5 & 6, and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 7 at the Orpheum Theatre in Galesburg.  Special performances include the Monmouth-Roseville High School Madrigal Singers on Friday, the Galesburg High School Chamber Singers on Saturday, and the District 205 Singing Streaks on Sunday afternoon.  Tickets are $15 for adults and $7.50 for youth.  Kids 12 & under free with paid adult.  Call 309-342-2299 or go online at TheOrpheum.org. This is a benefit for the Galesburg Sunrise Rotary Club. The production is made possible by grants from the Galesburg Community Foundation and the City of Galesburg. 
Thank You

We would like to thank everyone at Faith Church, our children and friends, for their many acts of kindness after our house fire.  Your care and concern means so much to us.

A special thanks to Jim and Carol McCurdy for allowing us to live in their home until we are back in ours.  We are so grateful.

God Bless all of you,
Gene and Donna Larson


Thank you for the use of the Social Hall for our daughter's birthday.
Nick and Julie Brown Adcock 
Service of Remembrance - December 7

We at Turnbull Funeral Home would like to invite you and your family to a Holiday Service of Remembrance on Sunday, December 7, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. at Turnbull Funeral Home, Monmouth.  

Having experienced the recent loss of your loved one, we are offering you this night of comfort and support.  This will be a time of music, candlelight, and reflections.  We would encourage you and your family to come and join us in an evening just for you.

RSVP - 309-734-2131
Buchanan Community Chorus - Dec. 12 & 13

The Buchanan Community Chorus presents "Christmas with the Buchanan Chorus" on Friday, December 12, 2014 @ 7:00 p.m. @ First Christian Church, Galesburg and Saturday, December 13, 2014 @ 4:00 p.m. @ Heritage Presbyterian Church, Monmouth.  There are some complimentary tickets on the table under the mirror outside the church office. 
Cookies, Conversation & More - December 17

Faith's own Susan Van Kirk will be the guest speaker at the next book discussion on Wednesday, December 17 from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. at the Henderson County Public Library, 110 Hill Crest Drive, Biggsville (309) 627-2450.  She will be talking about her new book, Three May Keep a Secret, which came out in November and doing book signings. This is her first in a series of mysteries, and she is already working on her second.  Don't miss this special chance to hear from Sue!

Candidate Suggestion Form - Ruling Elders, Deacons, and 2015 Nominating Committee from the Congregation

 

One of the tasks of the Nominating Committee is to place the names of qualified individuals before the Congregation as nominees for Elder, Deacon, and the Congregational Members of the 2015 Nominating Committee.  The congregation must then vote to elect these persons. The Nominating Committee needs your help in determining who is qualified and able to serve, if nominated.  Please note that per our By-Laws, those members of the Nominating Committee elected as CONGREGATIONAL MEMBERS ONLY cannot be serving on either the Session or the Deacons and may not be members of staff in the same year that they are serving on the Nominating Committee representing the congregation. 

 

Please give this form to any member of the Nominating Committee.  

 

Candidate Name:  __________________________ Office: _____________

 

The 2014 Nominating Committee is: John Marshall, Deb Tomlin, Betty McBride, Deb Dingman, Gary Distin, Sharon Graham, Bonnie Heflin, and Gene Larson.

Birthdays

 

November 26 - Carolyn Simpson

November 27 - Cindy Wilson, Krista Larson
November 29 - Bill Lee
November 30 - Carolyn Meling
December 1 -     Andrea Spainhour
December 2 -     Beverly Davis
December 5 -     Rodney Lemon
December 6 -     Gary Pullen, Karen Angotti
December 11 -   Jo Ellen Dollinger

Anniversaries
 
November 22  - Jim & Lolla Ballard (39th)
November 25  - Phyllis & Ken Wilson (54th)
November 29 - Vernon & Norma Mettler (61st)
December 19  - Buster & Jane Kellogg (44th)
December 22  - Charles & Joyce Peirce (37th)
Wanted - Nursery Attendants  

clapping-baby.jpg We are looking for Presbyterians who like adorable children (most of them do) or at least enjoy them enough to spend an hour or two with them every 
6 - 8 weeks during the worship service (10:30 - 11:45 a.m.) (The more nursery attendants we have, the more likely that will be every 8 weeks, instead of every 5 or 6). If you are interested, please contact Ann Phelps at 309-313-2011, or call Vicki in the church office, and she'll give Ann your name and number. 
Christmas Flowers 
  
Traditionally, we have a beautiful sanctuary during the Christmas season, and the tradition of poinsettias in the chancel has been a lovely enhancement. If you would like to make a donation for Christmas flowers  for the sanctuary ($7.00 each), please fill out the form below and return it with the money to the office by December 9. Please make any checks payable to Faith United Presbyterian Church, with "Christmas flowers" on the memo line.
  
(1) _______ I would like to donate to the Christmas flower fund
  
to be given in memory of:  _________________________________________
  
    ________ I would like to donate to the Christmas flower fund
  
to be given in honor of: ___________________________________________
   
 (2)  ____  I wish to take home a poinsettia following the Christmas Eve service.
  
        _____ I wish to donate a poinsettia to an at-home member.
  
Flowers are welcome simply as gifts to the church, either by family name or anonymously.
  
Given by:  _________________________________________________