First Presbyterian Church Sweetwater, Texas

December 2016

The mission of our church is to make disciples for Jesus Christ

Our vision is to be an oasis of God’s love.

From the Pastor’s Pen

Dear Everyone,

Advent has dawned upon us with its usual beauty and significance. We look forward, lean-into, fairly-catch-a-glimpse-of all that is to come-the surprise that all babies bring to us, but especially this baby which houses the fully God and fully human spirit.

Can you see his face, his tiny fingers and toes? Would you, like the shepherds and wise men of old, come with haste to the manger to worship him? Would you notice the bright star amidst all the partying of Bethlehem? I believe you would for you look for him today too. I see this in each of you!

Thank you for your attentiveness to all the details of worship, Sunday School, Children and Youth Ministries, Music, Eldership, Women of the Church, and Plarning. What joy you bring to the body of Christ. You have heard the anonymous quote, “God is in the details,” which originally was from the 17th century “God hides in the smallest places.”

Look for the Christ child in all you do this season. Hear him in the choir and music. See him in the ornaments and joy. Touch him as you bless another person. Open your heart, mind and soul to create a space for God to reach you. God is ready, willing and able to fill you up to overflowing with all God’s gifts.

As I consider each of you in my daily prayers, I realize how blessed I am to be here. Thank you for the opportunity to be your pastor and friend.

Merry Christmas and with love, Kary

Kirk Stroman will present his 2016 “Christmas Reflections” concert on

Sunday, December 11th at 6:00 pm.

Bring your family and friends to enjoy the music

of the season and Kirk’s amazing talent.

1311 McCaulley Office hours: M ~ F, 9:00 am ~12:00pm website: www.fpcsweetwater.org

P. O. Box 956, Sweetwater, Texas 79556 325-235-5491 email: secfpc@att.net

Pastor – Rev. Kary Fry email: kary.fry@att.net

Clerk of Session: Paula Huckabee Elder of the Month: 4-Dennis Cumbie

11- Donella Parker & Ruthann Campbell 18- Stephanie Wiele 25- Keith Brock & Mitch Moore

Christmas Caroling

December 4th

Children’s Program Practice

4:00pm-5:00pm

Caroling (Meet at Church)

5:00pm-6:00pm

We need 2 groups! Hot Chocolate

Afterwards.

Dates to Remember

1 Kary Ann’s Clan~11:30am~ Dairy Queen

Choir~ 5:30pm

4 Hoyt Place Worship ~ 9:00am-9:30am

Sunday School ~ 9:30am

Worship ~ 10:45am ~ Congregational Meeting

Reverse Offering~ Communion Class of 2016

Christmas Program Practice 4:00pm-5:00pm

Christmas Caroling 5:00pm-6:00pm

7 Plarning~ 1:00pm

Presbyterian Women~5:00pm

Christmas Meal & Bible Study

8 Kary Ann’s Clan~11:30am~ Pizza Hut

Choir Practice~ 5:30pm

11 Adult Sunday School~ 9:30am

Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal~ 9:30am

Worship~ 10:45am~ Christmas Program

Christmas Reflections~ 6:00pm

12 Bible Study~ Acts 5 6:30pm Mike & Kary’s Home

14 Plarning~ 1:00pm

15 Kary Ann’s Clan ~ 11:30am~ Great Wall

Choir Practice~ 5:30pm

18 Sunday School~9:30am

Worship~ 10:45am

Last Day to Return Angel Tree Gifts

22 Kary Ann’s Clan ~ 11:30am~ Skeet’s

Choir Practice~5:30pm

23 Church Office Closed

24 Christmas Eve Service 6:00pm~ Joy Gift Offering

25 Merry Christmas!

No Sunday School

Worship~ 10:45am

26 Church Office Closed

29 Kary Ann’s Clan ~ 11:30am~ Schlotzsky’s

Choir Practice~5:30pm

4 Karen Brown and Gary Brown

11 Karen Brown and Gary Brown

18 Donella Parker and Hilary Brennan

25 Mike Fry and Keith Brock

Welcome to Collyns Eska Stafford, great-grand daughter of Morris Hinshaw and

granddaughter of Sharon Gotcher born November 1, 2016; 7lbs 11ozs and 21 ½ inches.

Birthdays 3 Richard Smola

4 Max Nemir

6 Michelle Maxwell

Betty Staton

7 Anissa McCollom

8 Caroline Brennan

9 Justin Wilburn

10 Mike Fry

12 Jessica Bond

20 Kristen Shirley Peters

25 James Parker

26 Robert Whitteker

Prayer Cards

The Fellowship Committee will be sending out prayer cards to those who are on our prayer list. Please give us the addresses of the person for whom prayers are requested so cards can be sent to them. You can email to secfpc@att.net or call church office 235-5491.

Hoyt Place

We are excited to lead worship every

first Sunday of the month at Hoyt Place, from

9:00-9:30 a.m. We will sing, hear the Word of

God, and share Communion.

Come join us in this wonderful

Ministry of fellowship.

All Women of the Church are invited to come for

fellowship, prayer and Bible Study. Presbyterian

Women will meet on Wed. December 7th for a

Christmas Meal 5:00pm and Bible Study with

Kay Staton

The study this year is

I Hear Voices, and That’s a Good Thing!

By James W. Moore

December 7~ Chapter 9

We invite you to an Acts study

Every other Monday night.

Come, learn and share!

Next Study: Acts 5

Monday December 12 6:30pm

Mike and Kary’s Home

#5 Greenwood

Advent Candle Lighting

2nd Sunday of Advent~ Jarrod & Brandie Gee Family 3rd Sunday of Advent ~ Heath & Stacy Belk Family 4th Sunday of Advent~ Stephanie Wiele & Alex Wiele Christmas Eve~ Mitch & Ryan Moore Family

Mission Projects for December

Angels from the Children’s Advocacy Center will be on the Angel Tree in the narthex on December 4. These children are in need of our unconditional love this Christmas Season. Remember Matthew 25:40 - ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Please bring your Unwrapped gifts to the church no later than Dec 18. The Mission Committee thanks you for your service and love to some of Sweetwater’s “least”.

Give to Christmas Joy Offering

As we gather together on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to make a gift to the Christmas Joy

Offering.

Fifty percent of undesignated receipts to the

Christmas Joy Offering are distributed to the Board

of Pensions for assistance programs that provide

support to retired and active church workers and their

spouses and families. The other fifty percent supports

Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and

colleges through the Racial Ethnic and Women’s

Ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency.

December 4:

Christmas program practice from 4:00 - 5:00 for all

ages

5:00 - 6:00 Christmas caroling to Hoyt Place and to

2 members of our church. We would like all of the

kids (all ages) and their parents to join us for this

special time. The choir and all members of our

church are invited to join us.

Hot chocolate at the church when we finish (about

6:00)!

December 11: 9:30 am Dress Rehearsal (parents

please help with the costumes). Meet upstairs in the

new room. Middle School and High School - wear

warm clothes (coats, hats, gloves, etc.). After

everyone is dressed, we will head downstairs to

practice.

The Christmas program will be during the service

today.

LouAnn and Dorian

Session Minutes

Stewardship and Finance: Financial Report which

was unanimously approved.

Property Committee: Several members will meet to

recommend use of the Nunn Trust Funds which is

used for the beautification and maintenance of the

garden area by the end of the year.

Renovation Committee: Dennis Cumbie reported

that he and volunteers will be painting and

renovating the Golden Room for Youth Sunday

School classes next month.

Fellowship: Ruthann Campbell reported the annual

Thanksgiving meal on November 20th is being

prepared by the Sweetwater High School Culinary

Depart. Plans are being made to serve treats

following the Christmas Day Service.

Mission and Outreach:

The Nolan County Advocacy Center is being

contacted to provide names for the Angel Tree.

Christian Education: St. Stephens Episcopal

Church has requested to join together with our

congregation and Highland Heights United

Methodist Church for Vacation Bible School next

summer.

Worship Committee: Kirk Stroman’s Reflections

program will be Dec. 11th at 6:00pm in the sanctuary.

Old Business: The Manual of Operations to be

submitted to Palo Duro Presbytery was approved.

New Business: A motion was made to have a

Congregational Meetings on December 4th to

approve the 2017 Budget, receive Year-End

Committee Reports and receive Nominating

Committee Report for Elders for Class of 2019.

Paula Huckabee agreed to serve as Elder of the

Month for January 2017.

If you are visiting First Presbyterian Church,

we warmly welcome you in the name of Jesus

Christ!

If you want to join in this journey of faith, you

are invited to join by:

-letter of transfer from another church;

-The Sacrament of Holy Baptism; or

-Reaffirmation of faith in Jesus Christ as

your Lord and Savior.

Kary and the Session elders are always happy

to meet with you.

We celebrate the Sacrament of Holy

Communion every first Sunday of the month.

Because this is the Lord’s Supper, we invite all

in Christ to share the blessings of this

Sacrament.

Preparing for Advent

Caleb Reed

Ryan Moore, Alan Carmichael,

Dustin Hammit, Mitch Moore

Keith Brock, Aly Moore,

Alan Carmichael

Mike Fry, Bud Alldredge