May the beauty and joy
of this holy season
fill your heart and life
with wonder and praise
to the God who makes all things possible!
FOR YOU DURING ADVENT
The season of Advent, when we prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus, runs from November 30 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.
2025 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:
50% goes to retired pastors and church workers and surviving spouses.
50% is sent to Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping students of color.
You can give by using the envelopes provided in the Sunday bulletins December 14 and 21, 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. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and the beginning of God’s saving activity in Him as He walked the earth.
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
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.
Our Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols service is so meaningful. It features wonderful 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 Susan Farris. 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:.
Alice Sprague
Horizon Health, Room 124
721 E. Court St. Paris
Mary Anna Ludington
520 E. Madison, Paris
Jane Bittner
222 S. 35th St, Apt. 212
Terre Haute, IN 47803
CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS – 2025:
Deacons Fundraiser
Deadline: December 14
______I/We will give $ ________ to the
Deacon’s Fund with the understanding
that we deliver the poinsettia to a
special person.
______I/We will give $ ________ to the Deacon’s Fund and would like to take a poinsettia home with me following the Christmas service.
The poinsettias cost $11.00 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:
3 Jane Asher
4 Debbie Benefiel
5 Serena (Hoff) Rush
Jillian Hebermehl
14 Caitlin Blair
Zane Blair
18 Christie Russell
21 Morgan Jipp
22 Jane Blair
24 Ken Gough
25 JESUS
27 Kathy Smilie
Fred Kreckman
29 Michael Hebermehl
DECEMBER ANNIVERSARIES:
24 Alvin & Juanita Kimball
27 Robert & Jani Howrey
SANCTUARY CHOIR NEWS
December has arrived, and so have the final rehearsals for the 47th Community Advent Choral service which will be held in our sanctuary at 3 P.M. this Sunday, December 7. The 45-voice community choir includes members of several area churches, in addition to a large contingent of Paris High School students. The service will also include musical selections from the Paris Brass, the Joyful Ringers of First Christian Church, and guest organist Steven Schneider. Please plan to come and be uplifted by the special music of the season.
We have tentative plans to go caroling on December 21. We will leave after church – after enjoying a fellowship time to give us nourishment and energy!
Our six-voice Sanctuary Choir is preparing music for the Sundays of Advent and our traditional Christmas Eve service. Please attend each week and support us as we celebrate this special time of year as a church family.
The “Christmas spirit” is harder to find some years than others. But it is all around us, ready to fill our hearts with hope, peace, joy, and love. May all these blessings be a part of your life this 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:
- The meeting began, as always, with opening devotions, and closed with a time of prayer.
- The updated membership roster is complete. Jeanette will be making the final copy of the membership directory.
- Work is beginning on the elevator and a new door has arrived for the kitchen, which will be installed soon.
- The mission task force recommended to donate money to the following organizations:
Paris Ministerial Fellowship – $500
Faith in Action – $250
Doctors Without Borders – $250
- The next Session meeting will be Tuesday, January 13 at 5:00.
A God for All Seasons
“No, I can’t wear that dress to church, Mommy. It’s a Christmas dress, and today isn’t Christmas!” Our friend’s young daughter, Sally, insisted that the lovely dress she’d already worn for Christmas couldn’t be worn again on December 27th, or any other day. The garment hung useless in the closet, worn only once. Sally missed the enjoyment of that beautiful clothing because she misunderstood the purpose of it.
We can also apply this childish principle to prayer. If we make time with God a rule and set the timer as if we’re baking a casserole, we neglect God’s companionship throughout the day. This attitude is similar to someone saying, “I wore this dress (or shirt) on Christmas. I’m done with it.”
God is a person, interested in everything that concerns us, from a bee sting to a tumor; from a parking ticket to a prison term. He wants to live inside us and make a positive difference in our moment-by-moment lives, not just spend an hour a day or one church service a week with us.
It’s refreshing and strengthening to spend a huge chunk of time praising and visiting with the Lord, but don’t stop there. What about:
- Waiting in line at the post office and market or while pumping gas?
- Driving to work or the mall?
- When something spectacular happens?
Sticking God into only one portion of our day or one morning of our week causes us to miss a great deal of enjoyment and help. God wants to be so much more than a Sunday morning acquaintance or a chunk of each day. He wants to live all the moments of your life with you.
That’s why He’s a God for all seasons.
–Excerpted from Jeanette Levellie’s book, Touchable God