Newsletter
December 2016
Advent Worship Service Schedule

November 30 and December 14 at 7pm Haugen Evening Prayer 

December 7 at 6pm - Open Arms Christmas Program

December 24  - Christmas Eve Worship at 5pm and 7pm

December 25 - Christmas Day Worship 10am Lectio Divina and Christmas Carols

January 1 - New Year's Day Service 10am
From the Desk of Pastor Glover
As I write this December newsletter article, how could I not begin with "Merry Christmas!"?  However, I encourage you not to rush things.  That's a challenge as we are bombarded with Christmas songs WAY before Thanksgiving. Andy, our current church musician, enjoys the music of the Advent season.  Recently he asked, "Are we going to sing Advent hymns during Advent?"  It was a gentle reminder to me not to rush things.

Advent is the season that begins on the Sunday closest to November 30.  It lasts for four weeks.  The Christmas season is actually the twelve days starting with and following Christmas Day.  Advent is a season of waiting and hoping. We wait and hope for Jesus' final appearance at the end of history, even as we remember his first coming in a manager. 

Advent hymns reflect the theme of waiting and hoping.  Consider the plaintive and haunting melody of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel."  Each verse pleads for Jesus' return.  There is a hope that the promises may be filled.

Pastor Matt Rawle writes, "One of the reasons I love the song "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" is because it's difficult to count. The time signature is common time (four beats per measure and the quarter note gets the beat), but each measure seems to flow into the next without a structured beat or meter. Rarely does a phrase in the song begin with beat one, and words are extended past measure breaks. The song also talks about the promises of the past coming into fruition. The words and music together suggest that the past and future unite in an ambiguous but blessed present."

Things are ambiguous because we realize that this current time is "out-of-joint."  Things are not always the way we hope and desire.  We might struggle with something in our past which still haunt us in the present, or we may face an uncertain 2017 because of health or personal issues.  Numerous people have said to me that they struggle with this time period between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Holidays are reminders of life's bitter sweetness.

So we wait, hope, pray, and cling to the promises that Jesus comes to restore all things.  Yet, we do not have to wait for Jesus, because he is already here.  When we gather, we believe that he is in our midst.  When we eat and drink his body and blood, he gives us the strength to live in this time and all times of Advent expectations. 

There are resources to help in this journey of living in the in-between time.  Please consider the daily readings below. Pick up an Advent devotional guide at church.  Join us for Advent services on Wednesday evenings. 

Happy Advent, and a Merry Christmas, too!  

Advent Readings
December 1 John 1: 1-5
December 2 Isaiah 9:2-7
December 3 Isaiah 11:1-10
December 4 Jeremiah 33:14-16
December 5 Luke 1:5-10
December 6 Luke 1:11-17
December 7 Luke 1:18-25
December 8 Luke 1:26-38
December 9 Matthew 1:18-21
December 10 Matthew 1:22-26
December 11 Luke 1:39-45
December 12 Luke 1:46-56
December 13 Luke 2:1-5
December 14 Luke 2:6-7
December 15 Luke 2:8-12
December 16 Luke 2:13-14
December 17 Luke 2:15-18
December 18 Luke 2:19-20
December 19 Micah 5:2-5
December 20 Matthew 2:1-2
December 21 Matthew 2:3-6
December 22 Matthew 2:7-8
December 23 Matthew 2:9-12
December 24 John 1:1-14
Advent by Candlelight
Save the date for Sunday, December 11th from 5-7pm, for the annual FLC Advent by Candlelight women's event.  This year's theme will be a Star is Born.  

We look forward to seeing the women of FLC and their friends at this wonderful event.
Advenet Schedule
Open Arms - Advent Service
Wednesday, December 7 at 6pm
The Open Arms children will be participating in the service. We hope that you can attend and encourage your friends and family to join us for this family-fun service.
December Prayer

Prayer Thoughts December 2016
 
GOD the Father has a message for you
at this time of celebration -
His Son's birthday
 
           
             How can you say I'm a distant GOD who is too far away to be really concerned about you.  I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with loving kindness.  Jer 31:3  I have loved you with a Father's heart.  You're not a speck to me. I have created you in our image, in our likeness Gen 1:26    I AM He who created you and formed you have redeemed you.   For you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Your frame was not hidden from Me when you were made in the secret place, when you were woven together in the depths of the earth. My eyes saw your unformed body.  All the days ordained for you were written in My book before one of them came to be . Ps138:15-16   I have summoned  you by name, you are Mine Isa 43:1  Although a mother may forget a child she has borne, I will not forget you for I have engraved your name on palms of My hands  Is 49:16  
 
             I have loved you so much that I sent My Son, Jesus Christ, whose birthday you are celebrating to be the sacrificial lamb for your sins that you might have eternal life. For I so loved the world that I gave My only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him  should not perish, but have everlasting life.    John 3:16   
Call upon Me and pray to Me, I will listen to you.  I will answer and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.  Jer 29:12, 33:3    When you are in trouble, I will hide you under the shadow of My wings.  Ps 17:8  For  I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11
            I AM the LORD your GOD. I will be with you every step of your day. I am mighty to save.  I take great delight in you I will rejoice over you with singing.  Zeph 3:17  As your Father, I lavish my love on you so that you may be called children of GOD.  I John 3:1
            As my children I ask that you spend time talking (praying) to me and studying  My words on a daily basis. There are many more promises in the scriptures for you to claim and to hid in your heart so that you can say, "Your promises have been thoroughly tested and that you love to say them out loud."  Ps 119:140   Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.  Mark 13:31 
           
           
 

Offering Envelopes
Offering Envelopes and Website Giving Options 2017 Assigned Offering Envelopes - If you have used an assigned offering envelope on a Sunday since October 02, a box of offering envelopes for 2017 will be available for pick-up in December. 

If you do not currently use assigned envelopes but would like at set, please contact Gail Mahnken at FinSec@flcgainesville.org or 919-280-5056. 

If you would prefer to contribute to FLC electronically, go to flcgainesville.org and click on the Give Online button in the upper right corner of the webpage. It will take you to the next webpage where you can click "Donate Now" which will take you to a secure website where you can make a one-time or recurring donation from a bank or credit card account.
Thank You
Many thanks to all who have sent lovely cards and calls. It is heart warming to know that you are all praying for my healing. May God Bless you all.
~Jane Stahmann

Welcome Table Buttons
It is that time again to reveal our thoughts about the wonderful event of Jesus' birth. We can show our spirit through words or by wearing a Christmas button. So help yourself to a button at the Welcome Table and take another for a friend.

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Help Your Neighbors
As the weather becomes cooler, it is time to remember that people living in tents need blankets and extra clothing such as socks, scarves, jackets and gloves. Any new or gently used, donations can be placed in the box in the church office. 

Miriam Circle
LWMLMiriam Circle will meet on Tuesday, December 13th, from 10:00 until noon in the church library. Our study will be "Celebrate God's Love" on page 20 of the Fall Quarterly. 
Our December meeting tradition is to begin by trimming our Christmas tree with the Chrismons that were made by the Miriam Circle ladies many years ago to trim the church's tree. 

We also bring our December offering wrapped as an ornament to add to the tree. At the end of the meeting, we add those offerings to the rest of our fall offerings to be divided among our mission projects. The trimmed tree remains in the library through Christmas. Come join us! 

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 Women's Book Club
The Women's Book Club will meet  Saturday,Decmber 10  beginning at 10:45am, at Perkin's Restaurant.  Please RSVP to Shirley Bagnall 352-378-1202.

Reading  L ist
December - Any Christmas book

 

Tuesday Tasters
Our next Luncheon will be held on December 13, 2016 at the home
of Doris Garrington located on 2222 NW 25th St. in Brywood. 
    
Time: 11:30 am  Please note that it is the 2nd Tuesday instead of   the 3rd Tuesday because of the Holidays. 
 
Please bring a sandwich or two to exchange and share with all. 
 
Beverages, some fruit and cheese, and dessert will be supplied by  the hostess. 
 
Please RSVP to dgartiste@aol.com or phone 373 7069 by Dec. 9th.

In This Issue
Calendar

Prayer Circle - First Sunday of each month at 9:15am
Women's Book Club - Second Saturday of each month at 10:45am
Phoebe Circle - Third Tuesday  of each month at 7:30pm

Celebrations

Click here to see the December birthday celebrations!
Click  here to see the December anniversaries!

Newsletter Editor - Julie Kahlfeldt 
If you have news to share with the FLC community, please send a word document (or content within the body of an email) to Julie Kahlfeldt by the third Monday of the month.