1

ACCESSFirst Presbyterian Church Newsletter December 1 to December 15, 2011

We ask you to:

Send Yourself to the Nation(s)Make a 2% Commitment:

Commit 2% (7 days or 168 hours) of Your Year to Missions.

During Advent, we celebrate that our God sent Himself to earth in Jesus Christ. This season, consider sending yourself to the same world to which

Jesus was sent, so that the least, the lame, the last and the lost might know the love of God. Pick up a brochure in the Common for more information.

This is the Pra•x•is of faith.

This is is the story of Christmas.

What we are doing now Dec. 1- 15

A Gift for you, a Gift for the NationsThis Christmas give a mission pilgrimage to a friend or loved one, or consider giving the gift of yourself to the Nations.

A gift that will last longer and do more good than any Black Friday deal you could want.

Choose one of our many mission trip options:Massanetta (June 17 -9); Kenya (June 23-July 8);

Mexico (July 15-21); Nicaragua (August 4-11); Kenya (Oct 21-Nov 11)Visit www.fpcnorfolk.org for more information.

Gift cards are available, and are perfect for wrapping.

W W W . F P C N O R F O L K . O R G

2 www.fpcnorfolk.com

Operation College Care PackagesCalling all bakers! We need for you to share

your baking talents with our college students. December 4th we will be putting together care packages and sending them to our students

before they take their semester final exams. We need cookie bars, brownies, Rice Krispie treats, etc. We need baked goods that will stand up to

the USPS and not arrive as crumbs! Please contact Vickie Beale, vickiebeale@cox.net.

Young Adults Christmas PartyMark Your Calendars for

Saturday, December 10 because you are invited to the F.P.C. Young Adults Christmas Party, at the residence of Joe and Susie Folk!

The event will run from: 6:30pm til 10pm

Dressing up is encouraged. Gentlemen, please wear your suits and ladies, please wear dresses.Please R.S.V.P. on or before December 4th to josh@fpcnorfolk.org or to this email address.

There will be a "White Elephant" Gift exchange so bring a gift ($10 or less) that will be

entertaining to watch someone else open!Please note that watching someone open toilet

paper is no longer funny.

Contact Josh Whitaker about helping out with the evening.

For WomenNorfolk Night MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers)

1st and 3rd Thursdays6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

FPC 101FPC 101 is an opportunity to meet our staff, learn about our vision as a

congregation, and discover what membership means for us. Our next FPC 101 is Dec. 4th from 4:00-8:00pm

Dinner and childcare are provided.

Please register online. www.fpcnorfolk.org

Advent Choir RehearsalsWednesdays, 7:30-8:00 p.m.

Beautiful arrangements of Christmas Carols to be sung with instrumental accompaniment Sunday, December

11. All singers are welcome!

Seniors FirstBirthday Luncheon

Wednesday, December 7, 12:00 p.m.Call the church to register.

For MenShoulder-to-Shoulder Men’s

Breakfast in First Hall7:00 – 8:00 a.m.,

2nd & 4th Tuesday each month

NEW!  Men's Small Group11:05 am Sunday mornings

Meeting in the Center for Prayer and Spirituality. Enjoy time with other men in rich discussions, current topics and

fellowship. Contact Mike Smack (374-7177) for more info.

Check out www.fpcnorfolk.org for more information on our Men’s Running Team

and the upcoming Men’s Retreat.

N.E.S.T. Hygiene Kits Once again our church will host overnight guests of the Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team the week of Christmas. We would like to provide our guests with hygiene kits. If you are able to participate, please place the following items in a plastic grocery bag and return the grocery bag to the crate in The Common where we are also

collecting the coats: Travel size deodorant, shampoo, shaving cream, and toothpaste; white tube socks and rolls of Duct Tape.

Boxes of Love Each ornament ($60) has a picture of an African child who is part of the Holy Family Center in Kenya. Supported by FPC, the Center serves many precious children who are HIV+. Your gift provides things like: mattresses, blankets, back packs, shoes, socks, jackets and food, enough for a MONTH! Sign up in the Common. To support our Tree of Lives ministry in Kenya, you may begin purchasing Boxes of Love today. Visit the Christmas Tree in the Common to select your

box.

GAM Coat DriveBring all your used or new coats to the collection box in the commons.

What can YOU do?

Go 2 Blocks! 1 Block Sunday School + 1 Block Worship

Please park 2 blocks away to make room for visitors!

What is for YOU!

David M. Edwards’ new EP - Rising Up To Heaven from Maranatha! Music / EMI is

now available on iTunes and Amazon.This 4 song EP contains powerful songs

sung right here at FPC. The full project will street in April 2012.

W W W . F P C N O R F O L K . C O M

www.fpcnorfolk.org 3

World Aids Awareness Day/One Day of Pay

December 4, 2011

Thursday, December 1 is World Aids Day, when the global community joins 

together to increase awareness of the global fight against AIDS. Please pray for all of those affected by AIDS, and, in 

parCcular, for our Joy Home orphanage and the Holy Family Centre at Nazareth Hospital, both in Kenya, ministries of our Church.  As we have for the past three years, we ask you to prayerfully consider giving one day of your pay to Tree of Lives, our AIDS ministry in Kenya.  One 

Day of Your Pay can enable some families to live close to  half a year.  What an 

incredible return on your dollar. We will officially have offerings come in on December 4 but of course would 

appreciate it at anyCme the month of December.

Christmas Pageant & Family Dinner

Sunday, December 18 at 5:00 p.m.

Students currently enrolled in Creative Kids for Christ are busy preparing for the annual dinner and Christmas pageant, on Sunday, December 18 at 5:00pm.

Light of the World, by Mark Patterson, is an exciting musical rendition of how Jesus came to be the “Light of the World,” beginning with the story of creation and leading up

to His birth! If your child would like to have a primary role in the upcoming performance, please contact either Hunter Johnston or Lucy Gates to discuss the

potential of enrolling your child in the current session of CKC.

All students who are part of the pageant are required to attend a dress rehearsal on Saturday, December 17.

For more information, please contact hunter@fpcnorfolk.org or lucy@fpcnorfolk.org.

Who we areOur Missionaries:

Dana & Brandi Bates-Romania; Jeff & Marilyn Greenway-Nicaragua;

Brandi Hammock-Uganda; Chuck & Antoinette Smiley-Cambodia;

Tim & Gloria Wheeler-Honduras

We want to Pray for YOU

Prayer Requests: Prayer requests can be made through our parish visitor,

Grace Weedman, grace@fpcnorfolk.org757-625-1697

Pastors on Call: M-W-F

Jim Gates-625-1697(O); 615-1799(C)

Tues-Th-WeekendValena Hoy

625-1697(O); 627-0810(H); 287-0812(C)

Parish Visitation: Contact the church office (625-1697) if you desire a visit or pastoral care or are homebound and would like to

receive communion.

Sanctuary FlowersIf you are interested in donating flowers for the

sanctuary, in honor or in loving memory of someone, please call Shirley Roberts at

757.428.0726

Grand Toys That Teach

and Last

What can I buy for my grandchild? For any child in your life, purchase toys that are teaching tools and

that will not be broken and discarded in a week. For young

children, stay away from television series related toys, electronics and even Disney. They will get enough

of those eventually! Does it make any sense to encourage them to watch

television and DVD's?Visit The Loft between services and chat with Lucy Gates. Pick up a list of age appropriate toys

that teach and see some samples.

To the Church TriumphantHelen Renn LawsonNovember 16, 2011

Helen is the Mother of Nancy Oelrich, please keep the

entire family in your prayers.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH820 Colonial AvenueNorfolk, Virginia 23507757.625.1697www.fpcnorfolk.org

!

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 218

Norfolk, VA

!

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 218

Norfolk, VA

Finishing Strong Is More Important Than How You StartWhen you receive your fourth quarter contribuCon statement in the mail, please take a moment and look over your giving record and ask yourself this quesCon: 

Am I commiTed to finishing strong in 2011 in the area of my giving?Finishing strong involves commitment, concentraCon, and a clear focus on an 

end goal. Here are two ways that you can finish strong:

1. If you've made a pledge to First in 2011, ensure that you fulfill your pledge.2. If you've already fulfilled your pledge, please consider sending

 in an addiDonal "Finishing Strong GiG."

Year End GivingBecause all contribuCon are subject to IRS regulaCons and deadlines, please 

remember that all year‐end gi[s must be received or postmarked by December 31 to be included in the giving statement FPC provides for your tax purposes.

Decorating the Church with Poinsettias for Christmas!

Give a poinsettia in honor or in loving memory of someone this Christmas Season.

Due Date Dec. 4thVisit www.fpcnorfolk.org for more information

Healing and Wholeness Service Sunday, December 4, at 7:00 p.m.

In the Sanctuary A time for prayer, beautiful music and reflection.