FROM THE PASTOR
Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar
This week we will light the candle of peace on the Advent wreath, adding it to the candle of hope that we lit last Sunday. Peace is a quality of Jesus' kingdom that often seems elusive. We can despair at the conflict, bitterness, hatred, and violence that we see around us. Too often our desire for peace leads to shortcuts that ignore injustice rather than address it, or turn a blind eye to suffering rather than addressing it. At the same time, our despair can keep us from glimpses of peace that reveal Christ's promised kingdom to us. On Thursday evening, our Interfaith Bible study acknowledged that our time together studying scripture from our different faith perspectives was such a glimpse of the peace of the kingdom. I suspect that those who were in our packed sanctuary for the Barton Academy Winter Concert also found such a glimpse. Maybe you find peace in the beauty of a sunset or the quiet of a walk by the water, the stillness of an evening by the Christmas tree, a time of prayer in this busy season, or the hug of family member or friend. For me, simply paying attention to these glimpses helps me to do my part to work toward that peace we know in Christ. I hope that as you see the candles burning brightly this Sunday, you may find yourself ready to do the same.
Grace and peace,
Rebekah
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Sunday Assistants
Damon Boone
Kym Carroll
Click below to view the bulletin for Sunday, December 4:
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GSPC News
Session/Diaconate Meeting: The Session and Diaconate will have a joint dinner meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 6, in Fellowship Hall. Please email Heather in the church office if you are unable to attend.
Advent Wednesdays: The Advent Wednesday Services continue weekly throughout Advent. The services will begin at noon and will be followed by a light luncheon in Fellowship Hall at 12:30 p.m. Click here to view the November 30 service.
Choir rehearsals: Chris Nemec, Organist and Director of Music, is eager to welcome all musicians as we prepare for Christmas! Here are important dates coming up:
The Handbell Choir will have weekly rehearsals on Wednesdays at 5:15 p.m. The Sanctuary Choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.
Special rehearsals for Children: Children ages 3 years old through 5th grade are invited to be a part of the December 18 Lessons and Carols service. The children will sing "Light One Candle" at the beginning of that service. There will be a rehearsal of this song in the Tent Room on Sunday, December 11, immediately after worship.
The children's weekly rehearsals are on Sundays from 9:30 to 9:45 a.m. in the 3rd-5th grade classroom (the Tent Room). Parents, please help us set the children up for success by bringing them to the weekly rehearsals. Chris is excited to be working with our Children's Choir and looks forward to them singing in the Lessons and Carols service. Please let us know if you plan for your child to sing! If you have questions, please contact Chris by email.
Memorial Services Scheduled:
A Service of Witness to the Resurrection
for Paula Taylor Weldon
will be held on December 8 at noon at GSPC
Visitation and reception to follow in Fellowship Hall.
A Memorial Service
for Carolla Hider
will be held on January 21, 2023, at 2 p.m. at GSPC
Reception to follow in Fellowship Hall.
Stewardship Season: Please remember to fill out your Pledge Card for the 2023 fiscal year. Every gift counts! If you have questions about your pledge, please contact bookkeeper Dawn Hearn. Dawn will be out of the office December 23-28 and will return to the office on December 29, 2022, to handle any year-end pledges or donations.
Poinsettia Dedications: The congregation is invited to order poinsettias in memory of or in honor of a loved one. The poinsettias are $13 each, and an order form will be included in Sunday's bulletin. The poinsettias will be on display at the Lessons and Carols Service on December 18, and may be taken home after the Christmas Eve Service.
"Ahmal and the Night Visitors" Our very own Carter Hale, Jr., will be singing the part of Ahmal in this Christmas opera. All are invited to join our friends at Christ Church Cathedral on Friday, December 16 at 7 PM or Sunday, December 18 at 4 PM for this special performance. Donations are requested for admission.
Christmas Events for Children and Youth:
The Youth Christmas Party is set for Sunday, December 4, at 4:30 p.m. at the Rev. Alexandra Hutson’s home, 31553 Memphis Loop in Spanish Fort.
Club 345 will have a Christmas Cookie Party on Sunday, December 11, at 2 p.m. at the home of Charles and Missy Jones, 3 Wimbledon Drive East.
The Children’s Christmas Pageant will be held on Sunday, December 11, at 9:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. The pageant is "come as you are" which means that children decide what character they would like to be upon arrival. A light breakfast will be served.
|  |  | Thank you to the Presbyterian Women for decorating the Chrismon Tree! | The Youth went shopping for an Angel Tree child and found all kinds of great gifts on the wish list! | |
Talking Heads
This Sunday School class meets each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Heltzel Room on the second floor. The topic is Kate Bowler’s Advent devotional, "The Season of Waiting (and Waiting… and Waiting…)."
Sunday Book Study
9:30 a.m. in the Church Library. The group is studying the Interpretation Bible Series "Romans."
Sunday School for Children and Youth
Sunday School for Children and Youth begins at 9:30 a.m. each week.
Sunday Night Bible Study
This class, led by the Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar, meets at 5 p.m. in the Guesnard House.
Spring Hill Women Bible Study
Tuesdays at 8 a.m. at the home of Ann Adams. The group is studying Genesis.
Tuesdays at Ten Bible Study
The Tuesdays at Ten Bible Study meets at 10 a.m. at the church. The group will continue its study of the Psalms and the sermon text for the following week. For details, contact Mary Elizabeth Perry.
Men's Bible Study
The Wednesday night Men’s Bible Study meets on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in the church library and also via Zoom. Study of lectionary or sermon texts. Contact: Bo Perry.
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Opportunities for Service
Please remember the people our church is serving and those who work with them daily in your prayers.
Help for Ukraine
The Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program is our denomination's means for helping in times of disaster and crisis. The PC(USA) is in touch with our partner churches in Ukraine, Russia, Poland and Hungary. While it is difficult to get funds into Ukraine, the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance workers are doing their best to meet needs. In addition, they are sending supplies to partners in Hungary and Poland to help with the mounting refugee crisis in those countries. If you would like to help, you may give online or by text. https://pda.pcusa.org/situation/ukraine/
PB&J for Meals on Wheels
Our 45 Meals on Wheels recipients receive a sack lunch each day, along with a hot meal. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are often on the menu, and donations of creamy peanut butter (no Jif, please, because of the recent recall) and grape jelly are needed to help fill the pantry. Our clients also receive an individually wrapped snack, and snack donations are needed: peanut butter/cheese crackers, chips, cookies, cereal bars, Cheez-its, etc. Please leave your Meals on Wheels donations in the donation box at the Jackson Street entrance.
McKemie Place
GSPC has agreed to provide lunch for up to 45 residents at McKemie Place on the second Friday of each month. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered for this mission over the last year. We are in need of volunteers to provide, prepare, and serve lunches on January 13, February 10, and March 10, 2023. If you can help with this mission on any of these dates, please contact Lisa deShazo at 251-591-1077.
In addition, the residents of McKemie Place are in need of luggage to carry their belongings when they are able to leave the shelter. Please bring your donations of gently used luggage (preferably on wheels) to the church office.
Cold weather clothing donations:
GSPC is collecting gently worn cold-weather clothing items for men, women and children, such as coats, sweaters, hats, gloves and scarves. Socks are a much-needed item for those in shelters. These items will be given to various agencies that help the needy. There is a box designated for these donations in the Jackson Street Foyer.
Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies
How Can You Support Barton Academy?
- Send monetary gifts to the church to provide assistance to families purchasing uniforms. Checks should have the memo "Uniform Assistance."
- Bring the following items to stock a Hygiene Closet for the school: Clorox wipes, Tissue, Deodorant, Black socks, Paper Towels, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste.
The Mobile Area Interfaith Conference (MAIC) is a non-profit agency that provides services for inmates in Metro Jail and released inmates returning to the community. This agency was formerly known as the Council of Downtown Churches, of which GSPC was a major participant. MAIC currently has an urgent need for white underwear (see details in the listing below) and used glasses. Below is a list of needed items:
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Personal hygiene products for men and women, including full size shampoo and conditioner (must be able to see through the containers), full size deodorant (no roller balls), full size soap, full size toothpaste, white cotton socks (no anklet style);
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Clothing, including men's white cotton briefs or boxers (no snaps), white cotton T-shirts with sleeves (men and women use these, so all sizes welcome), women's white cotton underpants (all sizes), women's white cotton bras (all sizes);
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Reading material, including Bibles (softbound only, large print editions especially needed), magazines with neutral content such as food, decorating, self-improvement, health, shopping, geography, history, etc., and books (soft bound only, with mild non-violent content, non-fiction also appreciated).
- Small containers of shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and soap are also welcome.
If you have any questions about any of these missions, please contact Lisa deShazo, Chair of the Urban Ministries Committee.
Habitat for Humanity SW Alabama here in Mobile is looking for volunteers to help out – just yourself, or a group. Our volunteers come out on Wednesday through Saturday. Hours are 7:45 a.m. to noon. What a great way to focus on team-building with your co-workers and friends!
Please email and let me know when you would like to be added to the Habitat calendar for 2022.
In Partnership,
Sue C. King
Habitat for Humanity SW Alabama
Development Coordinator
3712 Airport Blvd.
251-476-7171, Ext. 229
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Parking lot
We suggest that all of our members park in the GSPC lot, double parking if necessary. If you wish to park in the lot next to GSPC's, you will need to pay $5 for 3 hours of parking.
The State of Alabama has begun issuing new tag plates with current year tag renewals. Please make sure that you update your new tag number as you receive them. You may submit new information at this link, or to the church office.
Premium Parking is handling our parking lot revenue. The company is adding a service kiosk next to the Guesnard House patio entrance.
Please remember to update us if you have a new tag and or vehicle.
Please remember:
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GSPC members park for free in the lot at all times.
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If you have not registered, you may do so at online at gspcmobile.org/parking
- If you have difficulty registering your vehicle online, please contact Heather or Barbara in the church office.
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If you receive a ticket, do not pay it. Please bring the ticket or send a picture of it to Heather or Barbara in the church office and they will take care of it.
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Blankets and more: A ministry of the GSPC Presbyterian Women
All are invited to donate items to be delivered to USA Children’s & Women’s Mother/Baby/At Risk department for full term babies of needy families (not the NICU) and to the Mostellar Clinic. Here are suggested items and sizes:
- Baby blankets (greatest need) approx. 28-36” square/rectangles 30-34”x40-46”
- A few hats and booties
- (USACW only): No-scratch mittens (must be fabric, not yarn)
Inexpensive items of any baby-appropriate washable fabric or yarn are appreciated. No large items, please: The babies we serve usually average 3-5 lbs. Store-bought or handmade items are welcomed. (Please do not donate unmade fabric.)
Donations may be left in the “Baby Box” at the Jackson St. entrance, or you may order from Amazon, etc., and request delivery to the church, marked “Blanket Ministry.”
For details, email Charlotte Naylor.
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