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COMING EVENTS

Contemplative Prayer Services Saturdays, December 23., 30 & January 6: 5:00 - 5:45 pm

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service December 24: 7:00 pm

Labyrinth: Open to All Saturday, December 30: 5:00 - 8:00 pm New Year’s Eve: 9 am - 1:00 pm; 6:00 - 8:00 pmNew Year’s Day: 2:00 - 4:00 January 2 - 5: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Epiphany/Communion Service: January 7: 10 am

the Visitor 607-273-5800; www.firstbaptistithaca.org; email: fbithaca@gmail.com

Special Christmas Edition First Baptist Church

First Baptist youth join to sing “Angels We Have Heard on High!” On the right, Abraham Phelan drums to accompany the youth singing as Duffy Beigel plays the guitar (see pix on page 5).

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Pastor Debbie joins Bay and Addy Aittama-Ward in singing.

Follow the Star to FBCDecember 17th was such an heart warming and inspiring morning at First Baptist that it merits a special Christmas Visitor to celebrate our com-munity, our wealth of talent, and the wonderful children and youth at First Baptist Church.

So this special Christmas issue of the Visitor is short on words but filled with images to carry with us through this Christmas season. SAE

Elenna Renae Adams, daughter of Will & Belinda Adams, was introduced to the FBC community on Dec. 17th. Many choked back tears as Pastor Debbie walked Elenna through the sanctuary telling her that these folks were her church family and God had made this world for her.

Dedication of Elenna Renae Adams

Cooper Pia-Miller lights the candle for the Third Sunday in Advent as his brothers Cristian and Kasieum look on.

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Christmas Breakfast Kicks Off Third Sunday in Avent

Advent Wreath

Once again Anne Farrell and her Hospitality Team created a festive holiday ambiance for the annual Christmas break-fast that featured her inspired table decorations.

The food was delicious, espe-cially the bacon cooked up by Tae Hemsath, and most plen-tiful.

Angels from Anne’s private collection were table centerpieces.

Lily Adams Baby sister Elenna Adams

First Baptist Youth Narrate Christmas Story

First Baptist youth take turns reading a narration of the Christmas Story compiled by Youth and Children’s Coordinator Amy Beigel from the Message, a Bible in contemporary language.

Sumptuous food offerings

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Collage of Images/Memories from Pageants Past & Present

An the decree went out...

And there were choirs of angels singing God’s praises.

She wrapped Him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them at the inn.

Joseph and Mary

Page 4Falling to their knees, they honored him and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Christmas Pageants Past & Present cont.

And there were shepherds and sheep, lots of sheep.

And they saw a star shining in the east..

Innkeepers blocking the way.

Youth and Children’s Coordinator Amy Beigel, Leslie Schultz, David Caughey and FBC youth presented a memorable Christ-mas pageant during the Dec. 17th service.Drawing on archival photos from years past, Leslie Schultz combined them with photos taken this year to create a pow-er-point presentation with over 100 im-ages. As the images of the children were being projected, the FBC youth took turns reading the story of the birth of Jesus compiled by Amy Beigel from the Mes-sage edition of the Bible. Sound engineer David Caughey created a track of back-ground music that played as the images were being projected.

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“Greensleeves” by Tony Lister & Christopher Morgan Loy

Music from Youth and Adults Inspire and Warm HeartsWEXFORD CAROL

“The Wexford Carol”, sometimes known by its first verse “Good people all this Christmas time”, is one of the oldest extant Christmas carols in the European tradition.

The song achieved a renewed popularity due to the work of William Grattan Flood (1859-1928), who was organist and musical director at St. Aidan’s Cathedral in Enniscorthy. He transcribed the carol from a local singer and had it published in the Oxford Book of Carols, putting Enniscorthy into most carol books around the world.

First Verse: Good people all, this Christmas time,Consider well and bear in mindWhat our good God for us has doneIn sending his beloved sonWith Mary holy we should pray,To God with love this Christmas DayIn Bethlehem upon that morn,There was a blessed Messiah born. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

COLEMAN HAWKINS

Coleman Randolph Hawkins (1904 – 1969), nicknamed Hawk and sometimes “Bean”, was an prominant American jazz tenor saxophonist. While Hawkins is strongly associated with the swing music and big band era, he had also a role in the development of bebop in the 1940s. Miles Davis once said: “When I heard Hawk, I learned to play ballads.”

Tony and Christopher wait “in the wings” to perform “Greensleeves.”

Although slated to play “Body and Soul”, Tony Lister (below) explains that he was blown away when he heard the famous tenor sax musician Coleman Hawkins play “Greensleeves” and suggested to Christopher Morgan Loy that they play this song together for the Dec. 17th service.

Christopher created his own distinctive piano accompaniment for the piece as he and Tony played the famous Christmas ballad for all to enjoy.

Duffy Beigel accompaniesthe youth on the guitar and they sang Christmas songs.

Mark Lawrence and Christopher Morgan Loy (photo from archive)

Mark Lawrence Begins Advent ServiceThe service for the Third Sunday in Advent began with tenor Mark Lawrence singing the Wexford Carol to the delight of all. After a Welcome by Pastor Debbie, Mark then went to the podium to solicit contributions for the Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering. He related that after they had retired, both his parents, as well as Lil and Rich Barron visited other retired clergy only to discover how welcome the check from this offering is each December and it really makes a difference in what they can afford.

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First Baptist StaffPastor: Rev. Debbie Bennett-ReynoldsSecretary: Shella ChaceOrganist: Christopher Morgan LoyChoir Director: Belinda AdamsYouth and Children’s Ministries Coordinator: Amy Beigel

Childrens and Youth Performing Arts Coordinator: Belinda Adams

Nursery Caregiver: Carol FlemingSunday School Aide: Sarah Zipfel Custodian: David Hopkins

Elected LeadersModerator: Bill Fry Vice Moderator: Judy KennisonMembership Clerk: Tina Hilsdorf Recording Clerks: Rich Barron/Andrea Mooney

Treasurer: David CaugheyAssistant Treasurer: Andrea MooneyFinancial Secretary: Marlene Sack

Board of Trustees Rich Barron (chair); Mark Lawrence, Anne Farrell, Steve Hilsdorf, Baruch Whitehead, Marlene Sack, Susan Eymann, Bill Phelan, Jose Zanfordino, David Caughey (ex offico)

Church Archivist: Linda Caughey

Lay Delegates: Affiliate OrganizationsRochester Genesee Region (2 dele-gates), ABC-USA (2 delegates): Ossie Heath-Crump, Anne Farrell, Debbie Allen, Bronwyn Evans, Mark Lawrence, Rich and Lil BarronACT: Marge Hansel AWAB: Shella Chace, Josie Zanfordino, Baptist Peace Fellowship: Meg Gillard,

Cornell Protestant Cooperative Ministry: Julia Dean, Linda Nicholson, Anne Farrell

Kitchen Cupboard: Amanda Ufford, Sue Hemsath

Tompkins County Workers Center: Bill Abeles

Pastoral Relations/Search CommitteeAmy Chaffee, Bill Abeles, Judy Kenni-son, Tim Dean, Steve Farrell, Tina Hils-dorf, Lou Carlucci, (ex officio Johnson)

Nominating CommitteeLeslie Schultz, Andrea Mooney, Louise Mudrak, Susan Eymann, Rich Barron

Personnel Committee Tony Lister, Julia Dean, Beth Wolfer

Ministry TeamsWorship: Barbara Fry, co-chair; Debbie Allen, co-chair; Andrea Mooney, Bill Abeles, Bill Staffeld, Edie Reagan, Amy Chaffee, Susan Eymann

Education: Meg Gillard, Carol Flem-ming, Lou Carlucci, Greta Cotraccia

Christian Concern: Steve Farrell, Louise Mudrak, Baruch Whitehead, Lynne Glase, Bill Phelan, Susan Eymann, Tony Lister, Amanda Ufford, Beth & Matt Wolfer, Dana Murray-Cooper, Adrienne McNair

Stewardship Committee: Steve and Anne Farrell, Alice Grow, Mark Lawrence, Adrienne McNair, Josie Zanfordino, Janet Cotraccia, Bronwyn Evans, Bill Fry, Rich Barron, Tony Lister

Finance & Endowment David Caughey, Marlene Sack, Janet Cotraccia, Judy Kennison, Curt Ufford, Steve Hilsdorf, Bill Fry and Julie Costie

Hospitality Ministry: Anne Farrell: chair; Shella Chace, Meg Gillard, Tina Hilsdorf, Adrienne McNair, Andrea Staf-feld, Ella Dean and Greta Cotraccia

Circle of Care: Coordinators: Amanda Ufford, Sue Hemsath

Flower Committee: Barbara Fry, Mariana Morse, Tina Hilsdorf, Andrea Staffeld

Parable of Talents: Shella Chace, Marlene Sack

DeWitt Park Social Action Coalition and “Green” Ministry: Josie Zanfordino, Louise Mudrak, Lynn Glase, Adrienne McNair, Mariana Morse, Linda Caughey, Judy Kennison, Marlene Sack, Leslie Schultz, Sarah Zipfeld, Tony Lister, Barbara Pease

Facility Planning: Tim Dean, Dan Lamb, Louise Mudrak, Mark Lawrence

Myra’s Ministry: Myra Fincher

Interior Decoration: Barbara Fry, Julie Dean, Tina Hilsdorf, Bill Abeles, Anne Farrell, Andrea Staffeld, Susan Eymann

Visitor —January 2018 Issue Editor, publisher: Susan Eymann Proof readers: Judy Kennison, Tony

Lister

Christmas Tableau 2017: For the 2017 Christmas pageant, the youth of First Baptist participated by donning custumes for photos in the park and then narrating the Christmas story during the Dec. 17th service. Each of the youth read part of the Christmas story from the Message as Leslie Schultz projected a collection of over 100 photos compiled-from pageants pas and present onto a screen. A collage of some of these pictures appears on pages 3 and 4. All the photos from pagenats past and present can be accessed at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e27me77y8grsplu/AACTqE6zG-mlsrQPgvMj9fGu_a?dl=0

Visitor SubmissionsAs we are all called to be ministers, you are each invited to contribute to our Visitor. Please send announce-ments, articles, features, pictures to: susan.eymann@transonic.com by Jan 4th for the next issue.

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Please keep in your prayers: • Lil Barron• Judy Kennison• Carol Fleming• Alexei Waters• Emily Young• Nancy Sokol• John Gross• Naomi Hollister• Laurel Lawshae (Jan and Frank Butler’s daughter)• Joan Yarborough and John Laney• Barbara Lister• David and Geri’s Johnson’s son-in-law Frank• David and Grace Evans

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What does the Lord require of you?

To do justice, Love mercy and Walk humbly with our God Micah 6:8

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