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9:00 am Open Door Contemporary Service in the Rec Room
Rough Ways Made Smooth Rev. Mary Kay Collins
9:00 Traditional Service in the Chapel 11:00 am Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary
Fire and Water Dr. Charlie Summers
5:00 pm Evening Prayer in the Chapel will not be offered this Sunday
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So far this year, we have received 347 pledges for a total of $1,129,724. Thank you. If you have not yet had a chance to submit your pledge, you may do so online here.
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Letters of Love and Longing
9:45 - 10:45 am, Room 219
Dr. F. Scott Spencer
Raising Children in Faith in a Secular World
9:45 - 10:45 am, Room 205
Dr. John Vest
Belief in a Secular Age
9:45 - 10:45 am, Room 218
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 We are sad to announce that Liz Spencer will be leaving our church staff after 13 years of service. Liz has done everything from creating and editing church newsletters to keeping things in order administratively with regard to pastoral care. We are so grateful for the gifts of organization and attention to detail that Liz has offered. She will be missed.
Under Liz's leadership we have offered well-organized Discover First classes; and we have communicated with our large pool of Homebound Communion teams to make sure they were ready equipped to offer this important ministry. Liz oversees our church prayer list and takes special care to note where the flowers will be delivered each week. Liz has contributed a lot to the pastoral care of our congregation, and we will miss her bright smile and her helpful demeanor. We wish Liz the very best. She will be having knee surgeries in January and our prayers go with her. We hope that she will enjoy some well-deserved time with her husband Larry and their daughter Cat.
Please join us in saying thank you to Liz for her service at FPC.
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Book Signing for Underneath are the Words
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 Sunday, December 6
Looking for a great Christmas gift? Look no further: give Underneath are the Words. In this collection of sermons and short stories, Charlie Summers reflects on his forty years in urban ministry, and invites the reader to listen for what the Holy Spirit is saying to us today about the communities we live in.
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 Sunday, December 6
Did you know that during World War II, FPC's Women of the Church (known as Presbyterian Women today), sent Christmas cards and care packages to our military members overseas?
Come by the Fellowship Hall today after worship to see a special display of original letters of thanks written by these servicemen. FPC Archivist Bev Davis will be on hand to answer questions about the display. She will also reveal the surprising contents of those care packages!
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This Sunday our elders and deacons will offer communion to some of our homebound members. We thank the following for serving: Lorene Blackwood, Sally Brown, Mary Kay Collins, Mary Anne Collins-Stauffer, Eleanor Darden, Ingrid Davis, Sally Erickson, Mert Fowlkes, Connie Gottwald, Tom Holloway, Henry Holswade, Julie Langan, Norma McClintic, Ian Nimmo, Bill Overton, Duncan Owen, Irene Owen, Eric Rohr, Pattie Sewell, Mildred St. Leger, Kasey Sutton, Jim Taylor, and Sophie-Ann White.
We remember in prayer all of our homebound members and especially those that we will serve Sunday: Nancy Bowman, Julia Brenaman, Judy Cooke, Margaret Dawson, Robert Gentil, Libby Harris, Billie Grace Howell, Anne Jennings, Barbara Jones, Audrey King, Rosemary Morgan, Ernie Neer, John Perkinson, John Smart, Caroline Stalker, Charlotte Troxell, Margie Turnbull, and Marinel Wright.
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Christmas Pageant This Sunday
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Pageant & Cookie Reception
Sunday, December 6, 4:00 pm
Invite your friends and family to this child-friendly service in which we will tell the story
of Jesus' birth with scripture, songs, and drama. Childcare will be available.
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Christmas Pageant
Sunday, December 6
4:00 - 4:30 pm
FPC Youth Progressive Dinner / Christmas Party
Grades 6 - 12
Sunday, December 6
4:30 - 7:45 pm
Youth Lock-In
Grades 6 - 12
Friday, December 18
8:00 pm
Cost: $25
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The Giving Tree Gifts Will Be Delivered
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Our Giving Tree gifts will be delivered to recipients next week, December 7 - 11. If you have a gift tag and have not yet returned your gift to the tree, please do so by Monday at noon. Thanks!
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Monday, December 7 7:00 pm
The holiday season brings on powerful memories and emotions, and it can be a particularly painful time for those who have lost a child. If you have experienced this loss, or know someone who has, we want you to know about a special service to be held at Church of the Holy Comforter, 4819 Monument Avenue, on Monday, December 7, at 7 p.m.
The Holiday Memorial Service, now in its ninth year, is an interfaith offering sponsored by several area congregations - Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish - to provide a time and place for families to remember the child they lost. The holiday season is filled with images and expectations of loved ones coming home, while bereaved parents and family members know that not everyone can be around the table. Moreover, "holiday cheer" seems to preclude bringing up the name or the memory of the deceased child. The Holiday Memorial Service offers an opportunity to do that, whether your child died 30 years ago, or three weeks ago; whether as an adult, a teenager, a child or an infant.
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Tuesday, December 8 12:00 pmJoin us for our celebration of the season at the next PW luncehon and program on December 8, when we will enjoy the lovely voices of St. Catherine's Censations. Sign up by 12:15 on Sunday, December 6. Childcare is available.
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Christmas Party
December 8, 6:30 pm
Nicole and Tyler Ball's home
All are welcome!
RSVP Emily Walker
Questions about any Young Adult Ministries activities?
Contact Emily Walker or visit the website
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Family Christmas Celebration
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Wednesday, December 9 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Parents and children of all ages will make Christmas ornaments to add to their family Christmas tree, or to give as gifts. We will also enjoy a pizza dinner and cookies for dessert.
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Deck the Halls With Boughs of Holly . . .
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Thursday, December 10 9:30 am
Volunteers are needed to help decorate the interior of the church with fresh greenery for the season. No experience necessary - instruction provided. Please join us!
Meet in the Fellowship Hall. Childcare can be available, if needed. Contact Linda Lacy, 784-4059 or lacy.lacy@verizon.net , for information.
If you have white pine, holly with berries, nandina berries, or winterberry you would like to share, please bring cuttings to the church garage between December 4 - 9.
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 December 11 & 12 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Visit Camp Hanover December 11 & 12 for A Hanover Christmas. This unique live nativity/reenactment features a candlelit stroll along a wooded path, meeting Mary, Joseph, and other characters along the way. Afterward, stay for live music and refreshments by the fireplace.
Call 804-779-2811 for information.
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Special Choir Music
Sunday, December 13, at the 11:00 am service, the Chancel Choir will present Vivaldi's Gloria with chamber orchestra.
Family Caroling
Wednesday, December 16, 5:00 pm
Join us as we go caroling to shut-in members.
Auditions for Children of Eden
Monday, December 21, 4:00 - 7:00 pm
Youth and adults are invited to participate in this musical, which will be presented March 19 & 20, 2016. For more information, visit fpcrichmond.org/music for a video from Suzanne Riehl and Bruce Miller, along with all the details.
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Help make our sanctuary beautiful for Christmas by donating a poinsettia or wreath. You may make your gift in memory of a loved one or in honor of a special person or ministry.
The names of those honored will be included in the bulletin on December 20 and Christmas Eve. Deadline for guaranteed bulletin inclusion is Monday, December 14.
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Sunday, December 20
A congregational meeting will be held during 11:00 am worship on Sunday, December 20, for the purposes of election of the 2019 Class of Elders and Deacons, and to act on Dr. Summers' request to retire.
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FPC Women's Retreat: Trusting That You Are Enough
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 February 26 - 27, 2016
You need to trust in yourself a little more. You need to trust in God a lot more. Take 24 hours of your life to do just that. Join us at the FPC Women's Retreat at Roslyn Retreat Center this coming February 26 - 27. Rev. Laurie Taylor Weicher will lead us on a journey together through our feelings of imperfection and the reality of God's love.
Register online or pick up a registration form in the Commons. The sign-up deadline is February 1. Early Bird deadline: December 11.
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