Due to Social Distancing, this week’s service will be held online on Zoom

 

Hanging of the Greens

O Come All Ye Faithful (vv.1,3,4) # 212

INTRO & INVOCATION

MEANING OF THE SERVICE

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus #178

THE STAR

ADVENT WREATH & RATZLAFF BANNERS

Hark the herald angels sing # 201

POINSETTIAS

GREENS + TREE

CHILDREN’S TIME

Luke 1:39-56

SHARING AND PRAYER

OFFERING

CAROLING

Joy to the World # 318

 

Verse for 2020

But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31  NRSV

Mais ceux qui se confient en l’Éternel renouvellent leur force. Ils prennent le vol comme les aigles; Ils courent, et ne se lassent point, Ils marchent, et ne se fatiguent point.         Ésaïe 40:31     LS1910

                 

Servers

Pastor - Dave Nickel

Worship Leader - Jeanette Harder

Music Leader - Jolene Boshart & Wanda Stauffer

Next Children’s Story - Children’s Pageant

               

Calendar

Today - Hanging the greens

Thursday - Shop Hours

Wednesday, Dec 2 - Gifts of Love pickup

Tuesday, Dec 15 - Last day to donate for the Sunday School Collection - MCC Medical Supplies

Thursday, Dec 24 - Virtual Christmas Eve Service

Thursday, Dec 24 - Last day to bring Diapers and Wipes for the Giving Tree

Mid-January - Annual Meeting

               

Sunday School

Library - Adult Class – Uniform Series

Room # 1 - Adult Class – The Bible Unwrapped

Room # 6 - Adult Class – Uniform Series – Take 2

Nursery - Pre-K – Grade 1

Room # 8 - Grades 2-5

High School Room - Grades 6-12

               

Record for November 22

85 - Attendance - Zoom

               

Announcements

Sunday morning will be Zoom only:

Sunday school will be at 9:30. There will be a "fellowship break" at 10:30. Worship will be at 10:45. The meeting will be "open" from 9:15a-12:30p. We will have a virtual hanging of the greens service.

Please be creative in decorating your worship space... try to have 5 candles to participate in the lighting of the advent wreath. We will also begin our 5-part Christmas program. We will read from Luke 1 and a virtual choir will sing Joy to the World to help lead congregational singing:-)

Next week we will continue our 5-part Christmas program, reading Hebrews 13:1-6.

 

This year's Children's Christmas Program is being held during Sunday morning worship over the next five weeks. Each week a scene in the Christmas story will be performed by the children of our church from their homes. An essential part of a 'normal' children's Christmas program has been special musical performances from children and adults. We want to maintain that tradition. If you would like to provide a musical contribution to one of the last five Sundays of this year. Please contact Stan so that we can have a special music number each week during advent. 

 

Thank you for all the calls, text, prayers, love and support during this time of my dad’s passing.  We appreciate the community of support we have felt at this time. – Barb Schlegel & family

 

There's a Gifts of Love box in the fellowship hall for those who want to donate. They will pick up around December 2, and more information about donating money or ordering gifts directly can be found online: https://cityimpact.org/gifts-of-love/.

 

People's City Mission is our 4th quarter mission offering recipient. Please put "People's City Mission" in the memo line of your check and send it to the church if you'd like to support them. 

 

YAMS & STUFFING - Thanks to your generosity, we were able to donate to the People 's City Mission: 174 cans of Yams & 221 boxes of Stuffing.

 

The kids Sunday School class would like to invite you to participate with us in our giving project to collect funds for Medical Supplies for displaced people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Please write checks to First Mennonite Church, writing “MCC Christmas Project” in the memo.  Find the link to this project here: https://mcc.org/christmas#!  Please send your donation to the church by Dec. 15.  

 

Our Christmas giving tree recipient this year will be the Center for People in Need and their diaper drive. On their website (https://www.cfpin.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/Donate%7CDonations), it looks like they are especially in need of sizes 5 and 6. We'll be delivering the diapers in the week after Christmas.

 

In January we will be voting on a new Elder as Anita's term is coming to an end. Please begin to consider those in the congregation you could nominate to serve in this position for the next three years. Current elders are Anita, Rick, and Sheri. Please contact a member of the gifts discernment committee with your nominations for elder. Committee members are Julie Schlegel Youngs, Becky Waegli, and Jolene Boshart

 

We have a sharing fund to assist our members as well as those more loosely connected w/ us who are struggling with financial hardship. Please speak with someone on the nurture commission: Steve, Julie, and/or Ron.

 

The shop will continue to be "open" for shop hours Thursday from 3-6. We are meeting virtually on Zoom. Stop by to chat if you'd like.

 

As winter weather forces us to adjust our lifestyles, please continue to be extra intentional in connecting. Physical distance is not equal to social isolation. Let's love our neighbors around the area and world.

 

CONFERENCE PRAYER REQUEST - We give thanks for all the relationships in our congregations and in our conference that sustain us, guide us, and help us to see the Kingdom of God!