Blessings and warm wishes for your
health and wholeness this holiday and always
—Revs. Rodger and Laurie
December 8 Worship: The second Sunday in the season of Advent, including the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
FOR YOU DURING ADVENT
The season of Advent, when we prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus, runs from December 1 to December 24 this year. We have a variety of Advent daily devotional booklets displayed on the table in the hallway, and invite you to take your pick! There is also an online daily devotional, at pts.edu/devotional.
2024 Christmas Joy Offering
It has been the Presbyterian tradition to give a special offering during the Advent season for over 70 years. This offering is one of the four special offerings designated by the General Assembly of the PC (USA) to provide congregations direct ways of supporting specific causes that help those in need. Those who are helped by the offering:
1) Retired pastors and church workers and surviving spouses through the Board of Pensions receive 50% of this offering. The Board recognizes that some church workers don’t make enough to save adequately for retirement. By offering them income supplements, they can live modestly and independently.
2) The PC (USA) has long promoted education through establishing and supporting racial/ethnic colleges and schools. They receive the other 50% of this offering. The Christmas Joy Offering provides much needed scholarships to racial/ethnic colleges including schools like Cook College and Theological School in Tempe, AZ and Knoxville College in Knoxville, TN.
You can give by using the envelopes provided in the Sunday bulletins December 15 and 22, or the envelopes on the big table in the hallway, or by marking any envelope “Christmas Joy Offering.” Please make out your check to Paris Presbyterian Church, and write “Joy Offering” on the memo line.
The Christian calendar
December brings two of the most well-known and treasured seasons of the Christian worship year:
ADVENT begins on December 1 and runs until December 24. In this season before Christmas, we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ anew into our lives.
Favorite Scripture texts include Isaiah 7:14: “Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, God is with us;” and John the Baptist’s words in Luke 3: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.”
We remind ourselves that “getting ready for Christmas” doesn’t mean only shopping, wrapping, decorating, baking and sending cards; but also examining our hearts and lives to make sure we are prepared to greet the Lord when he arrives. In worship the main feature of this season is the lighting of an Advent Wreath.
CHRISTMAS is also a season, not just a day, in the worship calendar, running from December 25 until January 6.
Now we celebrate the birth of the Christ Child and the beginning of God’s saving activity in Jesus of Nazareth.
The Bible stories we concentrate on are Luke 2:1-20, Matthew 2:1-12, and John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” Or as one of the favorite carols puts it, “Christ was born to save!”
Once again we will have our church doors and a Christmas message of hope at the: Holiday in the park (Twin Lakes Park) yearly light festival. Don’t miss out on warming your heart for the holidays. Each year more and more lights are added.
December 24 at 11 P.M.
Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols service is so meaningful. It features wonderful special music and the telling of the Christmas Story through a series of lessons read from the Bible, as well as a candle lighting ceremony sung to “Silent Night.” What a way to bring in Christmas Day as we finish at midnight If you are willing to take a reading, please tell Rev. Rodger. All ages are welcome to read.
GREETINGS
Please remember, as you send your Christmas cards this year, members and friends of the Paris Presbyterian Church who are at least temporarily unable to join us for worship:.
Bob and Alice Sprague
Horizon Health, Room 124
721 E. Court St. Paris
Mary Anna Ludington
520 E. Madison, Paris
Jeff Hodge
Twin Lakes Rehab, Room #3
310 S. Eads, Paris
CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS – 2024:
Deacons Fundraiser Deadline: December 15
______I/We will give $ ________ to the Deacon’s Fund with the understanding
that the poinsettia will be delivered to a special person.
______I/We will give $ ________ to the Deacon’s Fund and would like to take a poinsettia to a special person following the Christmas service.
The poinsettias cost $15.00 each; any gift above that goes to the work of the Deacons.
If your gift is a memorial or in honor of a loved one, please list the person(s) below for inclusion in the Christmas bulletin.
Memorial/In Honor:
____________________________________
____________________________________
Signed: ____________________________________
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS:
1 Charles Ruff
2 Ryan Clawson
3 Jane Asher
4 Debbie Benefiel
5 Serena (Hoff) Rush
Jillian Hebermehl
14 Caitlin Blair
Zane Blair
17 Isaac McVicker
18 Christie Russell
21 Morgan Jipp
22 Jane Blair
Brad Boland
Kathryn Franklin
24 Ken Gough
25 JESUS
26 Carol Collier
27 Kathy Smilie
Fred Kreckman
29 Michael Hebermehl
DECEMBER ANNIVERSARIES:
24 Alvin & Juanita Kimball
27 Robert & Jani Howrey
SANCTUARY CHOIR NEWS
As mentioned elsewhere in the Profile, the BIG Community Advent service is this Sunday, December 8, at 3 PM in our sanctuary. This service has been in Paris since 1978!! Numbers are up this year – good news! – even though that creates the problem of fitting everyone into the choir loft. Come and listen to the sounds of the season!
In contrast to the Advent Choir, lower numbers have been a problem in our Sanctuary Choir. If by some miracle everyone is present, we have ten singers in our group. On recent Sundays, however, we have had just four or five. But – the show must go on, as they say, and we continue to provide anthems for our worship which we hope bless those who hear them.
December will fly by, as the other months have; already we are down to only two or three rehearsals before Christmas. Check with the office or in the bulletin for details if we decide to schedule caroling – possibly December 22 early afternoon.
The days are hectic and stressful. But it’s a beautiful season with beautiful music. Please make every effort to attend worship, and catch and share the true spirit of the season.
–Susan
Jesus is the original Christmas gift. Everything we give is because god first gave himself to us.
“For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not die, but have eternal life.” John 3:16
NEWS FROM SESSION
Business at the November meeting of the church Session included:
- Session took its official vote in favor of hosting the Boy Scouts downstairs for their weekly meetings from late Fall to Spring (they meet outside the other months). Later that month, we
received and approved, a request to host the recently-reconstituted Cub Scout troop as well.
- The October Treasurer’s Report was reviewed. Income continues to run ahead of a year ago at this time.
- Work is beginning on the 2025 Budget.
- The meeting began, as always, with opening devotions, and closed with a time of prayer.
- The next Session meeting will be Tuesday, January 14 at 5:00.