First Christian Church(Disciples of Christ) Non-Profit Organization

Voice: 252 / 756-3138; Fax: 252 / 756-4883 fccpastor@embarqmail.com U. S. POSTAGE PAID U. S. POSTAGE PAID Office: 2810 E. 14th Street, Greenville NC 27858 fccadmin@embarqmail.com

Mail: PO Box 2366, Greenville NC 27836-0366 fccadmin@embarqmail.com Permit Number 287

fccdce@embarqmail.com Greenville NC

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ATTENDANCE / COMMITMENT/ EXPENSES IN OCTOBER 2013

AVERAGE WEEKLY WORSHIP ATTENDANCE: 190

CONTRIBUTIONS YEAR-TO-DATE

Contributions: $29,146.99 Contributions: $ 214,297.51 Expenses: $23,887.70 Expenses: $ 254,355.92

Rev. Reece Jones, Minister Marilyn Lee, Editor Volume IX, Issue 12 December 2013

Hanging of the Greens

DECEMBER 1ST

SUPPER – 5:30pm

SERVICE – 6:30pm

Annual Congregational Mtg.

DECEMBER 8th – Noon

CWF Christmas Luncheon

DECEMBER 9th – Noon

at CYPRESS GLEN

Christmas Cantata

DECEMBER 15TH - During Worship

Christmas Eve Service

DECEMBER 24th – 5:30pm

MARDELL REMICK came forward during the Hymn of Invitation on November 10th. Welcome, Mardell!

LILA WOODROW came forward during the Hymn of Invitation on November 10th. Welcome, Lila!

Merry Christmas! The Christian Women’s Fellowship at First Christian Church invites all the

ladies of the church to attend the CWF Christmas luncheon at Cypress Glen on

Monday, December 9th at noon. We will meet in the private dining room

adjacent to the main dining hall. We will be ordering off of the menu. Lunch

includes choice of entrée, salad bar, soup, beverage, rolls and dessert or you

may make your selections from the buffet line. The cost for this delicious meal is

only $10.00. You may pay in cash or make your check payable to CWF at FCC.

Please join your friends for fun, fellowship, fine dining and a few surprises. We

look forward to seeing you at the CWF Christmas luncheon at Cypress Glen.

Please RSVP by December 5th to Elizabeth Gaylord at 916-8686.

“LUNCH BUNCH” December 19

th at 11:30AM at Tie Breakers

DISCIPLE MEN’S (CMF)

There will be NO meeting in December.

REMEMBER WITH PRAYERS, CARDS, CALLS AND VISITS

IN ASSISTED LIVING/NURSING HOME/ FACILITIES Scrappy Proctor, DeeDee Read, and Bill Troutman.

MEMBER / VISITOR CONCERNS Jason Adams, Sheron Bennett, Earl Castellow, Gladys Chianello, Nancy Corbett, Sylvia Corey, Carol Cutler, Richard Gaylord, Ashley Haynes, Wanda Cox Harrington, Margaret Hudson, Lib Respess, Bruce Strickland, Raye Troutman, Donna Whitley, Julia Wilson, and Marguerite Wilson.

OTHER CONCERNS Family of Ross Andrews (relative of Sally & Howard Wheeler), Grace Arnold (Jason Arnold’s grandmother) Val Barnhart (Marla Harrell’s sister), Anna Braddy (Billy & George Davis’ mother), Becky Bundy (Dawn Manning’s mother),Doreen Cavaliere (Adrienne Fornes' grandmother), Cecily Coors (friend of the Penningtons), Bud Cox (Wanda Harrington’s uncle), Ebaugh Family (relatives of Lisa Hull), Jean Eber, (Marla Harrell’s mother), Savannah Ferguson (Sheron Bennett’s granddaughter), Jenny Gurganus (Weezie and Bob’s daughter-in-law), Ben Gurung (friend of Sue & Sam Pennington), Jennifer Harris (friend of Becky Edwards), Vernon Leggett (Fannie Croom’s brother-in-law), Andrea Linton (friend of Sara Kleinknecht), Will Lockwood (friend of Tom Gottschall), Tina Martin(Michelle Smith’s sister), Patrick Milligan (Marsha Hall’s brother), James Perry (Marla Harrell’s uncle), Ruby Parker (Karen Brown’s grandmother), Martha Roberson (friend of Alysia Bright), Emily Robertson, Max Scheetz (Donna Diehl's father), Gracey Smith (special friend in Jacksonville, FL), Janet Sneed (Sandra Everett’s aunt), Ashley Stoddard (friend of the Penningtons), Joyce Stroud (friend of Sandra and Lester Everett), Sally Tarkington (friend of the Mannings), John Tilley (Anne's husband), Mary Waters (friend of Carol Cutler and Vickie Coleman), Dick Wetherington (friend of Hazel Lovett), Jackie Whisenant (Bonnie Perkins’ niece), and Leon Wilson (Deborah Price’s cousin). Robert Vincent (friend of Raymond Wade & Wanda Harrington) was called to Life Eternal on November 5

th. Please keep the Vincent family in your

thought and prayers. Please Note: Names will appear for one month only unless the church office is notified that they need to stay on.

January 11th Cabinet Retreat 10am-4pm January 12th Installation of Board Officers (during worship) January 23rd Hookerton District Union Meeting ---__________

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Our Statement of Calling

First Christian Church is called to share the word of God by living God’s peace. People who love God and each other Emphasis on God through Jesus Christ All are welcome Compassion for all Engage in building the community of faith through Jesus Christ

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A THANK-YOU Recently we received a thank-you card from the Monday Night S.T.E.P. meeting (A.A.) that meets in our Family Life Center. Here are some of their comments: “We have touched so many lives. Thank you R & M (Reece and Marilyn) and all in your church family.” “Thanks for giving us a place to help ourselves and others.” “Thank you for your kindness.” “Grateful for such a wonderful meeting place.” “We so appreciate your generosity to meet in this lovely church.”

WE NEED BINGO PRIZES!

Early in 2014, we will be having another BINGO NIGHT! If you have any nice new or gently used items that would make exciting BINGO prizes, please drop them off at the church office. Thank you! Marilyn

RALLY NIGHT!

December

4th

11th

18th*

*Santa will visit!

Church Office Christmas Schedule The church office will be closed December 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th and 31st. The office will be open on Friday, December 27th, and Monday, December 30th.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PHONE: (252) 756-3138 MINISTER'S CELL: (252) 883-4495

MAIL: P.O. BOX 2366, GREENVILLE, NC 27836-0366 WEBSITE: www.firstchristiangreenville.org CHURCH OFFICE E-MAIL: ADMIN@firstchristiangreenville.org MINISTER'S E-MAIL: PASTOR@firstchristiangreenville.org DIRECTOR OF CHRISTIAN ED E-MAIL: DCE@firstchristiangreenville.org

COMMUNITY OUTREACH . . .

• Christmas Tag Tree is up in the narthex. These gifts will go to Pactolus School families and participants of the Creative Living Center. Each tag will list the name of the recipient on the back along with three or four gift suggestions. Please purchase all gifts listed. Fill out the perforated bottom portion of the tag and leave in the box. We need to know who took the tags. The gifts need to be back to the church by Sunday, December 15

th. If you do not want to shop, give the tag and

money (for Pactolus gifts) to Deborah Price. If you do not want to shop and choose a Creative Living Center tag, give it and the money to Howard Lee.

• Gifts for the 95 Foster Children in Pitt County (Foster Youth Holiday Cheer Fund) can be placed in the big box in the Narthex. New, unwrapped gifts are due back to the church by Sunday, December 1st

. If you would like to make a cash donation, please send check made payable to Pitt County DSS with “Foster Youth Holiday Cheer” on the memo line to: Pitt County Department of Social Services 1717 West 5

th Street Greenville NC 27834

Attn: Mildred M. Daniels

• Greenville Community Shelter Christmas cards are available for sale in the Narthex following worship or in the church office at other times. Each card is $5 or 5 cards for $20. All proceeds benefit the Greenville Community Shelter.

• Angel Cops are in need of the following in Men’s sizes XL, XXL, and XXXL: Thermal Underwear Coats Hoodies T-shirts Please drop these items off in the blue box outside the church office.

(continued on next page)

CE December Schedule

Sunday, December 1 – Hanging of the Greens Wednesday, December 4th – Regular RALLY Wednesday, December 11 – Regular RALLY Sunday, December 15th @5:00 – Christmas Caroling Wednesday, December 18th – RALLY - FCC Christmas Party Wednesday, December 25th – NO RALLY Wednesday, January 1 – NO RALLY What’s happening in Sunday School? Elementary – Studying the Advent Helps Us Wait unit through Christmas. 12/1/13 – Advent Games 12/8/13 – Advent Storytelling 12/15/13 – Advent Reflection 12/22/13 – Birthday Party for Jesus! Youth – We will continue our Study of Ancestors from the Old Testament. YAHOO – We will continue our study of the History and Theology of the Disciples of Christ What’s going on in youth group? CHI – Rho/CYF Wednesday, December 4th – Angel Tree Shopping Wednesday, December 11th – Regular Meeting Sunday, December 15th - @5:00 Caroling Wednesday, December 18th – Christmas Party. Wednesday, December 25th – No Meeting – Merry Christmas Wednesday, January 1 – No Meeting – Happy New Year! CCF Wednesday, December 4th – Christmas Tree Decorating Wednesday, December 11th – Regular Meeting Sunday, December 15th - @5:00 Caroling Wednesday, December 18th – Christmas Party. Wednesday, December 25th – No Meeting – Merry Christmas Wednesday, January 1st – No Meeting – Happy New Year!

As the non-secular world around us battles to keep our minds focused on Thanksgiving and away from the wants and demands of the commercial Christmas holiday, our Christian Children’s Fellowship (CCF) was reflecting on thankfulness.

Reading from Exodus, we discovered a people who were thankful to God for their delivery from a world of slavery and persecution. And rightly they should have been. It’s easy to be grateful when good things are happening. The Israelites had just crossed the dry land beneath the Red Sea and watched their pursuers drown as the waters came crashing down on them. Indeed, things were going good, and the Israelites praised God with thankful hearts.

But what about when things are not going so well…When we flipped over to Job, we found a thankful man who has suffered incredible loss. Job loses all his property, his oxen, donkeys, sheep, his servants, and his children. Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshiped. His first response was to thank the Lord for all he had been given. Even in bad times, we should give thanks.

Lastly, we read from Psalms, where David speaks to us and tells us “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” We learn that if we are breathing, we need to be thanking God, regardless of what is going on in the world around us! That’s true Thanksgiving, all the time! (continued on next page)

• Food Bank of Eastern and Central North Carolina – please place your nonperishable food items in the big basket in the Narthex. Update on our Food Drive to honor Louis Gaylord as he turned 95: We did not collect just 95 pounds of food in October; instead, we collected 197 pounds, $220 in cash donations, and a large quantity of protein items for the Backpack Pals project! Thank you everyone who made this possible!

Deborah Price Outreach Mission Team Chair

What you can, When you can,

Where you can

This was the title of a recent sermon by Rev. Jones. He told us that we can't help everybody everywhere all of the time, but we can do something. This is what Outreach is all about - doing something. One of our major outreach projects is serving food at the Greenville Community Shelter on the 2nd Monday night of each month. We feed between 50-80 people - it does not have to be fancy. The church furnishes the paper products. Melrose will even count them out for you! WE need people/families or groups to volunteer for ONE month out of the year. If you or your family or group of friends would like to volunteer to do ONE month in 2014 - PLEASE contact me ASAP. I am sorry to say, if we do not get enough groups willing to step up and do this we will have to drop the Shelter Meal project. Thank you for prayerful thought on this matter.

Deborah Price Outreach Mission Team Chair

FROM OUR MINISTER . . . cell: (252) 883-4495

If my newsletter article for this month looks familiar that’s because it is. Next week we begin the season of Advent, one of the holy seasons in the Christian calendar. Although our context and relationships change from year to year, the meaning of Advent is unchanging and eternal; therefore I am including here most of my article from last year’s December newsletter about Advent. Some of us need to be reminded, some of us might need to hear for the first time what it means to be Christians who live in both remembrance and anticipation. The season of Advent is a great time for us to ask questions about what we need to do differently in order to better prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. During Advent we will focus on Christ’s coming from two different perspectives. First, we look back in celebration of his first coming as a human baby. Obviously, Christmas is a time for the Bethlehem story, the manger, the dreams, the faith displayed by Mary and Joseph listening to their heart during a time of great uncertainty. But, Advent is also a time when we look forward in anticipation of Christ’s Second Coming. While Christians might disagree on what that will look like, all Christians affirm that one day Christ will return. Advent, then, is a time to think about how we as Christians can participate in what God plans to do in the world. During Advent, we will explore themes like hope, peace and joy. We will also explore the ways in which we can help bring about a world that is full of hope, peace and joy, and this is where theological reflection becomes so important. Should we view the kind of world that God tells us will one day exist as just a pipe dream or as a real possibility that will come about through God’s provision and our commitment? In other words, are there things we can do in order to help bring about a world in which people get along, in which differences are dealt with in ways other than warfare, in which hungry people have food to eat, and in which hope replaces despair? That is an Advent question, and I think the answer to that question is yes. Rather than just sitting back waiting for God to fix everything, we are called to go out and work and make a difference. We are called to work for peace, we are called feed hungry people, we are called to offer words and deeds of hope to people are hopeless. Yes, Advent is a time of waiting and anticipation, but it is a time of active rather than passive anticipation. As we wait for the coming of Christ, we are not to sit still and do nothing; rather we are to be out there in the midst of people, working, ministering, caring, loving, and doing. That is the spirit of Advent; that is the spirit of hopeful anticipation that just as Christ came once before, he will one day return again as Lord and King.

Grace and Peace,

Reece

A ME$$AGE FROM OUR TREASURER. . .

Tom Gottschall

As 2013 is drawing to a close, I hope that you will find this information useful.

Monetary Contributions: FCC will comply with IRS regulations regarding the crediting of 2013 contributions. Donors must deliver or mail and postmark contributions by December 31st, 2013 to claim a charitable contribution for 2013. Mailed contributions do not have to actually arrive in the church office by 12/31/2013, but they must be postmarked in 2013. Contributions postmarked in 2013 will be credited as 2013 contributions. The church office will be open Monday, December 30th.

Stock Contributions: At this time of year, some people complete their planned giving by donating shares of stock. After completing the process with your broker, please call either me (258-9623) or Marilyn at the church office (756-3138) to let us know your gift is coming. This will ensure that you receive the appropriate credit. Otherwise, we will not know who gave the gift.

Staff Gifts: When presenting a financial gift to a church employee, please consider giving it directly to the individual rather than giving it to that person through the church. Here’s why:

Based on Internal Revenue Code, the only way your gift can be considered a “true gift” is for you to give it directly to the employee with “no strings attached.”

If you make a check payable to the church and ask that the amount be given to a staff member, you get credit for the gift on your record of contributions. The church then honors your request regarding distribution. The IRS considers a “gift” given to an employee in this manner not to be a “gift” at all, but supplemental income for which the employee must claim as income.

If you give a gift directly to the employee without going through the church, it will not show up on your record of contribution and the employee will not incur any additional tax liability.

Please call me at 258-9623 if you have any questions.