Advent Magazine 2012 by First Pres

Dear First Pres Family, Advent, from the Latin word Adventus, means “to wait for.” We are all waiting for the Savior to return some day, and though we haven’t yet reached Thanksgiving, the Advent Season and, of course, Christmas are rapidly approaching. This is always a special and inspirational time for those of us in ministry as we are able to reach out into the community and spread the good news of Jesus during this season. This year will be no exception as we celebrate the reason for the season throughout the month of December. Of course this means special family events, such as Breakfast in Bethlehem, and musical extravaganzas like Christmas Joy. The following pages have more information about all the services and special events you can look forward to this December. But this special Advent issue also contains a unique focus for this holiday season. Following the ideas laid out by the Advent Conspiracy, the devotionals included in this issue will offer you and your family a chance to look at this season differently. Included is an Advent calendar that has special activities, prayers, and devotional items to help us capture the real meaning of the Advent season. Speaking of Advent, I couldn’t be more excited for our special focus during the Sundays leading up to Christmas. We will be featuring a new series, Faces, that examines the gift of Jesus through the promises offered in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” I am excited that First Pres will feature art that aligns with this theme, and there will even be special art commissioned as a part of these worship services. Over the four weeks of Advent, we will explore each of these powerful names for Jesus as we lead up to the celebration of His birth on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Speaking of Christmas Eve, this year we’ll have some exciting, inspirational, and powerful services as we celebrate the theme “Follow The Light,” a reference to the Magi who brought gifts for the baby Jesus. We will be trying something special this year, adding a Christmas Eve preview service on the evening of Sunday, December 23. This will be the first Christmas Eve service of 2012 and will be an experience you won’t want to miss. Christmas Eve is one of two times in the year when we can really reach out to those outside the church, and it’s also a time when our church is filled to capacity. We’d ask those who are able to consider attending the service on Sunday, December 23 to free up some spaces for those visiting First Pres for the first time on Christmas Eve. But no matter what service you attend, I hope you’ll feel blessed by the music, the message, and the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. In Christ,

Graham Baird Senior Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs

FIRST PRES M

NOV/DEC 2012 contents 30 Years of Christmas . . . . . . . . . . 4 Matt Fox This Year Join the Conspiracy . . . . . . . 7 Katie Dayton Worship Fully . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Amber Odvody

Spend Less . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Amy Erickson Advent Conspiracy Calendar . . . . . . 10 Give More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Marilyn Ehle Love All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Katie Dayton and Kendall Rock Something Significant for Christmas . . . 14 Tribute to Hugh Eaton . . . . . . . . . 15 Alison Murray The Bread of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Lois Keffer

Seasonal Events . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Contributing Writers: Katie Dayton, Marilyn Ehle, Amy Erickson, Matt Fox, Lois Keffer, Alison Murray, Amber Odvody, Kendall Rock Contributing Editors: Matt Fox, Alison Murray Graphic Design: Beryl Glass Proofreading Team: Mary Bauman, Christine Dellacroce, Betty Haney, Daisy Jackson, Marty Kelley, Karen Kunstle, Linda Pung All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, © 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. First Pres Magazine Nov/Dec 2012, Volume Four, © First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs, CO. Published by First Presbyterian Church, a non-profit organization. To contact First Pres Magazine: 719-884-6175 or 219 E. Bijou Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903-1392 or magazine@first-pres.org. Printed in the U.S.A. Cover illustration: from a painting by Gigi Gallant, used by permission

By Matt Fox

30Y

ears

hristmas Joy is coming. The traditional concert extravaganza that features Big Blue and a number of special guests will take place at the Pikes Peak Center on Sunday, December 9. In anticipation of the big day, the choir is hard at work preparing a host of songs to entertain audiences. But the work preparing for Christmas Joy began months earlier, as Jim DeJarnette, Minister of Music and Pastoral Care at First Pres, took a study leave in late September to focus his creative energies on Christmas Joy, the Advent season, and Christmas Eve. The result of those creative energies will be a new number, one aligned with the theme of this year’s Advent series, that will debut on Sunday, December 2 and remain a part of the seasonal celebrations this year at First Pres.

A New Song For Advent

This year the theme for the Advent series is drawn from Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty 4 | www.first-pres.org 11-12/12

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God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas Eve will explore one of those names, and Jim has written an original piece that goes along with that theme. “The carol is based upon the passage in Isaiah,” he said. “I wrote a four-verse carol, and each verse is based upon one of the names in that verse. The refrain is a reiteration of those names and a comment on how our world needs the Wonderful Counselor to show us the way.” The carol will be worked into three versions — one to be sung in the traditional services, a second to be used in the contemporary services, and a final version that will be fully orchestrated for Christmas Joy. The carol also ties into the Christmas Eve services, which are linked to the point of view of the Magi. Jim took the gifts of the Magi, and the themes of that story, and worked that into each verse of the new carol as well. The idea is that, through the music that accompanies the messages, the themes and ideas of this Advent season will take root in the hearts of those that attend services.

But Jim’s sabbatical wasn’t solely dedicated to writing a new carol for Advent; he also spent time planning the lineup for Christmas Joy, an event he helped create and has led since its inception. This year’s event will feature a Scotch-Irish theme, a nod to new Senior Pastor Graham Baird, his Scottish roots, and the Scottish tradition of Presbyterianism. The congregation got a taste of those Scottish roots during the Kirkin O’ Th Tartan service on October 28, and Jim promises more bagpipes and more Celtic music on December 9. “I’m leaning into the Scottish and Irish heritage, so I’ve found incredible, big orchestrated pieces for orchestra, chorus, and the bagpipes,” he said. “I think we’re going to do some pretty exciting things.” One of those exciting things includes a fully orchestrated version of “The Highland Cathedral” and a version of “Amazing Grace” that works for bagpipes. What makes Christmas Joy unique, Jim said, is that it is a genuinely sacred concert done in an entertaining way out in the community. There will be two performances of Christmas Joy — at 2:30 and 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 9. Tickets are $14, $17, and $22, and are now on sale.

A Legacy of Written Music

Writing a new Christmas carol for the Advent season isn’t new for Jim. This year marks the fourth year he’s written a carol for the Advent season, beginning the practice during the tenure of Jim Singleton. “I started writing them to serve Jim Singleton’s sermon series during Advent,” Jim said. “When I saw Graham’s sermon series this year, I thought this would work perfectly and I would do it again.” Of course, Jim has been writing original music for worship for years. It was during the tenure of John Stevens that Jim first began writing hymns for the close of worship. It wasn’t easy at first. “When I first started it would take me about 20 hours,” he said. “Eventually it got somewhat easier, but I would always come to a point where I needed to lean into what the Lord wanted me to say through His word. His

faithfulness was always there. He always broke through the logjam in my trying to get this established.” Jim developed a rhythm for writing hymns that aligned with the sermon. He estimates that during his time at First Pres he’s penned about 450 hymns, all with original lyrics set to familiar tunes. “They’re all exhaustively footnoted with Scripture,” he said. “It was the greatest Bible study of my life. It was a deep communion with the Lord. It was such a privileged time to spend hours and hours trying to study and commune with the Lord. Week by week He really did accomplish that.” But the music isn’t the only place in the service where Jim leaves his indelible creative mark. He also writes the corporate prayer of confession for the 8:20 and 9:45 a.m. services. It’s something he takes great time and care in crafting, and something he said is only 11-12/12 | www.first-pres.org | 5

possible because it’s deeply rooted in the Word of God. As he has for all his years at First Pres, Jim sees putting together the worship service as an incredible privilege and responsibility.

time. When he came to interview, Jim said he felt instantly at home and knew the Lord was orchestrating something great in his life. He notes that, 30 years later, he feels as excited, energized, and committed to the ministry at First Pres as he did the day he arrived. “When you really feel called to something, that energy remains with you,” he said. “I made a commitment years ago that I would be here as long as I felt called. And I have never stopped feeling called here. I just can’t imagine being elsewhere.” What he loves is the sense of community that’s built up here over his time at First Pres. Jim said that one of the things he dearly loves is the community that he builds through his work with Big Blue and the way that community extends through the rest of his ministry at First Pres.

Worshipping at Christmas More Than An Occupation

This year marks a milestone in Jim’s tenure at First Pres. He and his wife, Barb, began their ministry here 30 years ago. The contribution of the DeJarnettes was celebrated by Big Blue at the annual Choir Banquet in early September and by the congregation during a special reception on September 30. As Jim shared during a message in August, taking a position at First Pres marked a major departure from his original career path as he gave up his dream of a career in opera. Despite that, he said he has never had any doubts that this is where God called him to serve. “I feel that it was the movement of the Spirit, the Lord essentially closing one door to open another door,” he said. “A guy walked in with a magazine advertising an opening at this church, and when I saw it I knew that this is where I was supposed to be.” After seeing the ad, he immediately put a resume together to apply for the position, something he’d never even considered before that

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On Christmas Eve, through the many services, Jim will be where he’s been for the past 30 years — leading worship. Though he’s excited about the new wrinkles in the services this year, what most excites Jim about Christmas Eve is marking the holiday by worshipping our Savior. “What I love, and what I think the choir loves, is that we don’t just go to worship on Christmas Eve, we observe Christmas Eve,” he said. “It is a total family, community experience of observing Christmas together. There’s nothing like that, so for us the experience of Christmas really is sacred.” Jim notes that, at the end of a long day of services, everyone is totally spent, but it’s a joyful tired that comes from spending a day worshipping the Lord. And he can’t wait for this year’s celebration. This year’s Christmas Eve services begin on Sunday, December 23 at 5 p.m. There will be a full slate of services on Monday, December 24, beginning with the children’s service at 10:30 a.m. and closing with the Celtic service at 10:45 p.m.

This Year Join

the

C nspiracy T

By Katie Dayton

hroughout the Stewardship season we focused, as a church, on what it means to invest in the kingdom, to make it our life’s ambition to be instruments of the Kingdom of God. This Advent, as we celebrate the coming of our King, we will examine the upside-down nature of God’s Kingdom. Included in this magazine are some tools that help us consider how Jesus came to set the world right . . . by turning it upside-down! It is certainly true that the world has never been the same since that day the Messiah was born. This is the King who was born in a manger and died a criminal’s death. This is our Savior who proclaimed that the Kingdom He was establishing was based on love for our neighbors AND enemies, that the way to keep your life was to lose it, and that the greatest in the Kingdom were the least of these. According to Jesus, in the Kingdom of God, something as small as a mustard seed can produce a revolution, power is in weakness, the first shall be last, and the last shall be first. Jesus, the only one worthy of our full allegiance and loyalty, invites us into a different sort of life as heirs of a different sort of kingdom.

Borrowing ideas from Advent Conspiracy, an international movement that calls us back to the heart of Christmas, this Advent season we want to embrace our King and the fullness of the kingdom that Jesus is ushering into our world. Included in this magazine are four meditations that draw us into the heart and significance of this season. It is all about Jesus! You will also find an advent calendar. Each day you will be prompted to pursue our King and his upside-down ways through the reading of Scripture, prayer, reflection questions, and action steps. Consider how you might use the calendar with your family, roommates, or small group. As you read through these devotionals and spend time each day with the Advent calendar, may you be drawn into worship of Jesus. May each day in Advent be one in which you Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More of Yourself, and Love All. “‘Tis the season to share. To love. To give ourselves to something bigger than any of us. ‘Tis the season to turn our heads, tune our hearts, and worship a savior whose birth turned this world upside-down.” — designers of the Advent Conspiracy 11-12/12 | www.first-pres.org | 7

he arrival of the Messiah in the world in the form of a human being, tiny fingers and all, brought about many different reactions. King Herod wanted Jesus dead because He represented a threat to the existing powers and principalities. Others, including Mary, the Magi, and the shepherds responded in worship. We, too, were made for worship; we cannot help but assign ultimate value and worth to someone or something. If we stop and look at the cultural Christmas, we see a particular kind of worship. The celebration of our Savior’s birth has been hijacked along the way. Instead of loving God with our heart, mind, soul, and strength, we are lured into loving the “holiday season,” filled with copious amounts of stress, the echo of cash register chimes, and hyped-up hyper-consumerism. And at the end of it all, we wake up on December 26 with that eerie sinking feeling that somehow we missed the point of Christmas. Is our celebration of the birth of the Savior a half-hearted nod toward God accompanied by the consumption of stuff? There is another Christmas story; the story that the church needs to tell. It is the Biblical practice of worship, which is more than attending a service once a week. It is loving God with everything we’ve got. And out of our love for God flows love for our neighbor. Our worship should be seen in the lives that we live, in the decisions that we make, in ways that we give of our time, money, and affections. As Mark Labberton writes, “Worship is to be the one activity that sums up the scope of our lives.” Is

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By Amber Odvody the church so caught up in the unfolding Christmas story of God-come-to-earth, Godwith-us, that true worship springs from the deepest places of our hearts? Is our worship exemplified in the entirety of our lives? Look again at the various reactions to Jesus’ birth. Mary said, “Oh, how I praise the Lord! How I rejoice in God my Savior” (Lk. 1:46-47). Mary reminds us that Christmas is, first and foremost, about God. We praise God for his amazing goodness, for looking out for the lowly, the marginalized, the outcasts, and for becoming one of us. When the Magi saw Jesus, they “bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasures and presented their gifts” (Mt. 2:11). The Magi spent it all on Jesus, giving their time and treasure to the only true King. Then the shepherds announced, “Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about” (Lk. 2:15). The shepherds left everything to worship the King. They laid it all down to announce with their lives that a little child had changed everything. What are we announcing with our worship? If we worship with the entirety of our lives — like Mary, the Magi, and the shepherds — we announce the world-changing story of God giving us His Son. Let’s reclaim Christmas as a season of true worship, a response to the glory, power, and love of God revealed through Jesus Christ. ‘Tis the season to fully worship the only One worthy.

By Amy Erickson

s soon as the leftover turkey and stuffing have found their properly sized Tupperware containers in the fridge, we brace ourselves for it: Black Friday. The infamous day when otherwise normal civilians camp outside storefronts like an over-enthused “Twilight” movie-goer. We may make fun of it, judge it, lament it, or even reluctantly participate in it to snag that irresistible deal. But in the end we accept Black Friday as our culture’s unfortunate, but necessary, prologue to the Christmas season. We know what we’re in for the day after Thanksgiving. But do you know about the day after Christmas? It happens all again, only in reverse. December 26 is the biggest shopping return day of the year. Last year it was estimated that businesses refunded $53 billion to underwhelmed gift-receivers. An estimated $17 billion was spent re-boxing, repairing, restocking, and reselling returned electronics. To put that last number in perspective, it’s enough to cover Compassion International’s annual expenses more than 30,000 times over. Think of it — all those scatter-brained Christmas shopping lists, the frenzied driving, the agonized purchasing, and the last-minute gift wrapping eeked from tight budgets and busy schedules only for that odd patterned sweater to land itself right back on the shelf. How did

we become enslaved to this maddening ritual? During this Advent season, we’re taking a look at how we can spend less. A clarification is needed here though — stuff itself is not bad. God made a universe full of stuff and declared it good. But after God’s creation rebelled against his original plan, the material world became distorted by abusive consumption instead of enriched by mutual enjoyment. So God wrapped himself in flesh to redeem a physical world filled with physical people. If we believe that, in Jesus Christ, God is breaking into the world to reign in it with justice, beauty, and abundance, we need to evaluate how our relationship with money and possessions can best reflect that reality. Spending less can take lots of different forms. It can mean spending less on gifts in order to give more away, like drawing “secret Santa” names among family or group of friends instead of giving gifts to each person. It can mean buying gifts that promote a better world, like those from the Something Significant for Christmas catalog or from a local or fair trade business. It can mean creating your own personal gift, such as compiling a photo collage or writing a poem or story. It could mean speaking a love language other than gift giving, like a homemade coupon book of free services. “Spending less,” then, is not code-speak for “guilt trip.” It’s also more than a command to simply buy one less gift this season. “Spending less” is an opportunity to see the world differently, through the eyes of engaged servants rather than compulsive consumers. It is an invitation to consider with creativity and joy how what we do and don’t buy this holiday season can honor our King. ‘Tis the season to honor Jesus. 11-12/12 | www.first-pres.org | 9

dvent A Conspiracy 1

Read Luke 1:46-55. How did God show mercy to Mary? How has God revealed His mercy in history? In your life? WF

What would make this Christmas significant for you? SL

Write an encouraging letter, Facebook message, or e-mail to someone. GM

Set an alarm for 9am, 12 noon, 3pm, 6pm, and 9pm. When it goes off, pause and list things for which you are grateful. SL 10 | www.first-pres.org 11-12/12

Read Ephesians 3:14-21. Pray this Scripture for those in our city living in homeless situations. LA

Every 20 seconds a Read Mark 6:30-44. child dies from unsafe water. Where in your life do you feel Consider giving the gift like the disciples — not having of clean water in enough? May you hear Jesus Jesus’ name. say: give what you have. LA GM

Finish the sentence. My Savior is __________. Write this on a post-it note and place it somewhere you will see it repeatedly today. WF

Read 1 Thessalonians 2:8. How can you share your life with someone today? GM

At the tomb of Lazarus, “We are so inclined to cover up our and ignore it that we often Jesus wept over the ravages poverty miss the opportunity to discover of sin and death. What God, who dwells in it.” Henri Nouwen about our broken world Look for poverty today and ask causes you to weep? God how He is active there. LA SL

Have you ever given gifts for no reason other than obligation? What are some other ways to show love and generosity? SL

Emmanuel. God with us. Pray that God would comfort survivors of the Waldo Canyon Fire as they experience grief during this holiday season. WF

dvent A Calendar

2012

Americans will spend $450 billion dollars during this Christmas season. What response does this statistic bring about in you? SL

Read Psalm 113. What does this Psalm tell us about the heart and character of our God? WF

Jesus’ birth ushers in an upside Try giving away one of your possessions today. Find out down Kingdom. Make a list just how attached you are of all the ways Jesus has tuned the world upside down. to your things. What is that like for you? How about your world? SL WF

“In Scripture we see how God has a special concern for people on the margins. How does this concern express itself in your own life?” Shane Claiborne LA

The best gift you can give is yourself. How can you give of yourself today? GM

Share a meal with someone. Or spend time with someone over coffee or tea. GM

Bless someone today with an act of service, a kind word, or however the Lord leads you. GM

Read Proverbs 14:31. How does caring for the needy honor God? LA

Pray the Lord’s Prayer out loud (Matthew 6:9-13). How can you make God’s Kingdom visible “on earth as it is in heaven” this day? LA

Listen Well: Call up a friend, ask about their life, listen to their stories, and spend some time praying for them. GM

Key

Create space today to worship Jesus with your heart, mind, soul, and strength. WF

WF = Worship Fully SL = Spend Less GM = Give More LA = Love All

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By Marilyn Ehle

Give More

ive more? To be honest, my first response at hearing those words was, “I don’t have time to give more. I don’t have energy to give more. I just want to buy a gift or write a check and get it over with.” But sober thought slowly returned and I decided to look at those two words more closely: Give — bestow, commit, devote, entrust, yield; More — greater, larger, taller, bigger. I’m a Christ follower and that means, in part, that I look to Him for examples of how to live in this culture, how best to “look like Jesus” as I interact with family, neighbors, friends, and the world both near and far. While I often fall short of my goal, it’s always a challenging and exciting adventure. So how did Jesus “give more,” and what can I learn from his example? First, I see that giving was so essential to His being and call that He never needed to think twice about it. While praying in a solitary place, He was interrupted by His anxious disciples and simply left His “quiet time” and went along. He washed and dried dirty feet because He knew who He was, that He came from God and was on His way back to God. He had a clear and accurate view of His life’s goal and His life’s meaning. His giving wasn’t from duty, coercion, or even the plight of a desperately needy world. He gave because He was vitally connected to the Father, and the

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Father’s heart is always giving. Jesus gave by living with people — touching the untouchable leper, valuing the invisible child, and forgiving a rebellious disciple. Jesus saw what His Father saw. Do I see what my neighbors need? They may need mended relationships and peaceful hearts, but maybe I can contribute to those results with an extra loaf of bread when I bake, or a few more cookies. Do my grandchildren need a check or a long letter — included with the check — in which I describe how I see their strengths and talents? Or maybe I can give focused listening to my friend’s long and rather dull story. Who do I need to touch? To whom can I bring value? Who needs forgiveness? It seems easy to describe how Jesus gave “more” — I need only look at the cross. But Jesus lived a culture-shattering three years before the cross. Paul’s words about Jesus are so grandly written that it’s easy to miss their pathos, the way they wring the heart when he writes, “He made himself nothing” (Philippians 2:7). That’s the heart-throbbing centrality of “more.” Could that be where I must go to begin understanding the “more” God is calling me to? Maybe I don’t need any more time or energy. Maybe I just need to walk so closely with Jesus that where He points I go. What He whispers I hear. ‘Tis the season to give like Jesus gave.

By Katie Dayton and Kendall Rock

he Christmas story is a shocking tale. Think about it. Jesus, the Eternal Word of God, comes as a vulnerable baby. Shocking. Though rich, Jesus would become poor and homeless. “The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger.” Scandalous. Shocking that in the first few years of his life, the Savior of the world would be on the run, living as a refugee in Egypt. Scripture shows us that to save the world, God becomes lowly, poor, and humble. But the scandal doesn’t end with the birth of Jesus. The ways of our King, the life of Jesus, were shocking to First Century folks. Jesus ate with the marginalized and those with shameful reputations — women who had no status, children who were considered the least of these, and lepers who were deemed unclean. This was the company that Jesus kept, and people were unnerved by it all. At one point, they said of Jesus, “Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and ‘sinners.”’ (Matthew 11:19). God, the Holy One of Israel, incarnate in Jesus Christ, embraces those who do not have it all together — the lowly, poor, and humble. Jesus loves; He loves fully; He loves all. If we are honest, the ways of our King are also shocking to us Twenty-First Century folks. His ways are so upside down from the ways of the world. Consider for a moment:

Who are the persons of shameful repute, the outcasts, and disenfranchised of our world today? Those are probably the people Jesus would be hanging out with right now. But as people who belong to the King, our pursuit is to live fully in this upside-down kingdom, even when our King calls us to things that are hard or don’t seem “normal.” There is a clear call in Scripture to love all, especially the unlovely and the disregarded, to stand on the side of the oppressed, to be present with the outcasts, and to remember the forgotten. We are called to love and support the vulnerable, the disenfranchised, the needy, and the poor. Compelled by the love of Christ, we love like Jesus loves. The Apostle Paul, writing to the church in Corinth, puts it like this, “For Christ’s love compels us... So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer” (2 Cor 5:14,16). How is Christ’s love compelling you to give of your time, your resources, to serve and support others, especially those that tend to get overlooked? By spending a little less on ourselves this Christmas, we free up our resources to love as Jesus loves; to give our resources, to those most in need. One way to do this is to “shop” using the First Pres Something Significant for Christmas catalog. Consider how you might use your resources to provide clean water for those in need, to purchase a bus pass for a refugee in our city, or to make it possible for a teen mom to spend a week at camp. These are all possibilities afforded by our alternative gift catalog, and there are many other options in the catalog to consider. ‘Tis the season to love well. 11-12/12 | www.first-pres.org | 13

2012

Catal

Significant OMETHING

Significan HING OMET

TMAS HRIS FOR C

–1–

FOR CHRISTMAS

THIS YEAR FOR CHRISTMAS, how about giving a gift that serves as an Investment in the Kingdom of God. How about giving a gift that makes an impact in the local and global community. How about giving a gift that moves away from the commercialization of a holiday meant to celebrate the greatest gift mankind has ever received, Jesus Christ. All that is possible when you consider the opportunities that exist in the Something Significant for Christmas catalog. This Christmas, in keeping with the spirit of the Advent Conspiracy devotionals in this magazine, considering giving a gift that can change a life. Listed below are a few highlights from this year’s catalog. If you want to get involved, just pick up a catalog and fill out an order form, or shop online at www.shop.first-pres.org!

Theological Training for a Christian Leader/MONGOLIA $15 Share Toward Seminary Tuition This gift will also assist Uuganaa and Una Chulanbaatar, who will join us here at First Pres as they study at Fuller Theological Seminary starting in the fall of 2013

Interfaith Hospitality Network/COLORADO SPRINGS $50 a Share in Housing to Move Out of Homelessness

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I nternational Justice Mission Against Slavery/INDIA $50 for One Day of Investigation into Human Trafficking

Urban Peak/COLORADO SPRINGS $25 for Participation in a Weekend Activity Program

In Celebration of the Life of

Hugh Eaton

August 6, 1932 – August 5, 2012

irst Pres Magazine celebrates the life of Hugh Eaton. Hugh has been one of FPM’s most prolific writers and contributors over the last three years. Hugh profoundly illustrated the importance of community in his “Friends, Friends, Friends” article from the October 2011 issue. During his struggle with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, which kept him homebound most of the time, Hugh remained steadfast in his need to minister in one of the few ways left to him — his writing. In addition to writing for the magazine, Hugh wrote many of the sermon questions for small groups and supported our spiritual formation team. Whether capturing the essence of a First Pres community such as our artists in "Creativity," April 2011, or the life experience of one person, "God, Please Help Me!" March/ April 2012, Hugh had the gift to communicate and we were all the better for it. For all of us that work on FPM, Hugh’s wisdom, friendship, and encouragement is greatly missed.

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The

BREAD OF LIFE By Lois Keffer

Award-winning author, Lois Keffer, provides us with her annual look at the gifts of the season for children of all ages!

icky looked into the bowl of potato soup and sighed. It was the fourth night in a row they’d had potato soup. Then he looked up at his mother’s pinched face and felt bad about sighing out loud. Quickly exchanging glances with his brothers, he said, “Your potato soup is always good, Mom.” Walter, the older brother offered, “You make it better than anyone I know.” Lowell, the youngest, just watched the exchange with solemn eyes. Dad asked, “How ‘bout some crackers?” Mom set out a small plate. There were only two crackers apiece. You could say this about potato soup — it was always filling.

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Conversation was as sparse as the meal itself. This week before Christmas had been long on activity and short on food. The blustery days had coughed up enough snow to keep the streets and walks slick. Dad, the local pastor, sent the boys out on daily shoveling expeditions. By the time they’d made their rounds, it seemed to Ricky that they’d shoveled the whole town, including the few parking spaces in front of Ame’s Market. The three growing boys returned each afternoon with chapped cheeks, dripping noses, and growling bellies. Mom always had piping hot chocolate. At first there had been oatmeal cookies too. But today they had been replaced by chunks of fried cornmeal mush leftover from breakfast.

Dad came home from his church office just as the wobbly winter sun began to lose its hold on the day. The boys were surprised to see him, even more surprised when he called the family together for prayer. They got on their knees. “Dearest Lord, we praise you for your goodness and mercy. You promise to supply all our needs according to your riches in glory. Today, Lord, we humbly ask you to provide our daily bread. We pray this in the name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.” And with that, Dad was back on his feet. It took a moment for the boys to realize the prayer was over. Dad usually went on until their knees were numb. Mom was surprised too. But a mischievous smile danced on Dad’s face.

“Everyone bundle up and get in the car.” There would be no answer to the endless “whys?” or “where are we goings?” until they made the last turn to the Jackson farm. Finally Dad admitted that the Jacksons had cut a Christmas tree for them and invited them to come and pick it up. And what a tree it was! Farmer Jackson chuckled at the boys’ delight as he helped Dad tie it to the top of the sedan. The generous farmhouse kitchen dazzled with a tempting array of cookies. Simmered spiced cider filled the air with an irresistible aroma. There were three kinds of fudge. Mrs. Jackson gave each of the boys a small plate. Mom gave each of the boys a severe look. Mom went first, indicating an appropriate portion. Exercising painful

Today, Lord, we humbly ask you to provide our daily bread.

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constraint, the boys followed her example. A happier family rattled homeward over winter rutted roads. Returning to the cold, dark parsonage brought reality back with a stinging slap. To Ricky, the abundance of the cheery farmhouse seemed cruel in comparison to everything this house lacked. His stomach growled loudly, stating the thoughts he had determined to keep to himself. Mom entered through the kitchen while Dad and the boys dragged the tree through the front door. Pans clattered, but soon Mom realized that there was nothing but silence from the parlor. She tiptoed through the dining room to find Dad and the boys standing gape-mouthed at a pile on the parlor floor. She flipped on the overhead light. There were gleaming tinned goods of every kind. A crate of oranges, another of apples. Two large canned hams. Canvas bags of flour, sugar, coffee. A homemade cake

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standing tall with two layers of burnt sugar frosting. Plates of Christmas goodies, bunches of cheery orange carrots, a pot roast with all the trimmings ready to be devoured. All sprinkled with thank-you notes for faithful snow removal. And on the very top, two loaves of fragrant, freshly baked bread, buttery tops gleaming. Ricky was the first to move. He picked up the loaves of bread and crossed the room to Dad. “Our daily bread,” he said, with awe in his voice. No one could say anything. Presently Mom picked up the pan of simmering pot roast. “Supper, anyone?” She smiled. “We eat at the Lord’s table tonight!”

The Advent season is almost upon us, and with it comes lots of events for the whole family. The following is a listing of the major events hosted by First Pres this holiday season. Breakfast in Bethlehem Saturday, December 1 9 to 10:30 a.m., First Seating 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Second Seating Fellowship Hall $4 per person, maximum $15 per family Tickets available online or at Congregational Support This annual event for the whole family is a great kick-off to the holiday season. The morning will consist of a pancake breakfast, simple crafts for young children, and an engaging play. RSVP for Breakfast in Bethlehem by Monday, November 26! Christmas Joy Sunday, December 9 2:30 and 6 p.m. The Pikes Peak Center Tickets $14, $17, and $22 Available at Congregational Support, TicketsWest, and the Pikes Peak Center Box Office Hear all your favorites — including the Pikes Peak Ringers, Ballet Immanuel, and the Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale. In addition, this year’s Christmas Joy will include bag pipers, the Celtic Mountain Band, and featured soloists Anna Marie Zmolek and Lydia Countess. A Prime Time Christmas Party Wednesday, December 12 2 to 3:30 p.m. Fellowship Hall Tickets $5 Available at Congregational Support beginning November 18 All are invited to A Prime Time Christmas Party, featuring food, entertainment, and fellowship.

Father/Son/Grandson Christmas Brunch Saturday, December 15 9:30 to 11 a.m. Fellowship Hall Tickets $10 Available at Congregational Support Men of all ages are invited to enjoy a special breakfast at this intergenerational Christmas brunch. Bring the men in your family, a friend, or just come out all by yourself. Follow The Light Christmas Eve Sunday, December 23 Monday, December 24 First Pres Sanctuary Celebrate the reason for the season this Christmas with our special Christmas Eve services. New this year is a special preview service on Sunday, December 23. On the 24th Christmas Eve services include the traditional children’s service as well as the Celtic Christmas service to cap the day’s events. See below.

C�ristma� E�e Ser�ice� Sunday, December 23: 5 p.m. Family Service

Monday, December 24:

10:30 a.m. Children’s Service 2 p.m. Family Service 3:30 p.m. Family Service 5 p.m. Family Service 7 p.m. Christmas Eve Service 8:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Service 10:45 p.m. Celtic Christmas Service

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ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

219 East Bijou Street Colorado Springs, CO 80903

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Non Profit Org. U. S. Postage PAID