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First Presbyterian Church Newsletter December 1 to December 15, 2011 What we are doing now
Dec. 1- 15
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.
A Gift for you, a Gift for the Nations This 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.
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What is for YOU! Seniors First Birthday Luncheon
For Women
Wednesday, December 7, 12:00 p.m. Call the church to register.
Norfolk Night MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) 1st and 3rd Thursdays 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
For Men
Advent Choir Rehearsals Wednesdays, 7:30-8:00 p.m. Beautiful arrangements of Christmas Carols to be sung with instrumental accompaniment Sunday, December 11. All singers are welcome! 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.
Shoulder-to-Shoulder Men’s Breakfast in First Hall 7:00 – 8:00 a.m., 2nd & 4th Tuesday each month NEW! Men's Small Group 11:05 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.
FPC 101 FPC 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
Operation College Care Packages Calling 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 Party Mark 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.
What can YOU do? 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.
GAM Coat Drive Bring all your used or new coats to the collection box in the commons. Go 2 Blocks! 1 Block Sunday School + 1 Block Worship Please park 2 blocks away to make room for visitors!
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.
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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.
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.
Sanctuary Flowers If 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
www.fpcnorfolk.org
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.
Who we are Our 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.org 757-625-1697 Pastors on Call: M-W-F Jim Gates-625-1697(O); 615-1799(C)
To the Church Triumphant Helen Renn Lawson November 16, 2011 Helen is the Mother of Nancy Oelrich, please keep the entire family in your prayers.
Tues-Th-Weekend Valena 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.
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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 820 Colonial Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23507 757.625.1697 www.fpcnorfolk.org
Finishing Strong Is More Important Than How You Start When 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:
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 218 Norfolk, VA
Decorating the Church with Poinsettias for Christmas! Give a poinsettia in honor or in loving memory of someone this Christmas Season. Due Date Dec. 4th Visit www.fpcnorfolk.org for more information
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 Giving Because 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.
Healing and Wholeness Service Sunday, December 4, at 7:00 p.m. In the Sanctuary A time for prayer, beautiful music and reflection.