We Are the Church

Hanging of the Greens

Welcome Jessica Al-Imam

This Saturday

Creative Prayer Experience



This Sunday

How Does a Weary World Rejoice?

First Sunday in Advent: We Acknowledge our Weariness

Worship Information and Bulletin

Luke 1:1-23

Too Wearied to Hope?

Communion

Advent Calendars

This Week

Wednesday Bible Study on December 6, 2023

Choir Practice- December 7, 2023- 7-8:30 pm

Upcoming Events

Gathering of Spirits - December 5, 2023

Thank You Brunch for Jessica - December 12, 2023 - 11:00am

Vocal Mixology Concert- December 15, 2023- 7:30-9:30pm

Christmas Open House at Pastor Kim's Home - December 17, 2023 - 2-5 pm

Ministry Opportunities

Gardening

Coffee Fellowship

Prayer Requests and Praise Reports

Giving

It's not too late to offer your pledge for 2024!

How to donate to the Church

Nursery Wish List

We are the Church

Thank you to everyone who helped prepare our sanctuary for the Advent and Christmas seasons.

May we as carefully and joyously prepare the sanctuaries of our hearts!

Welcome Jessica Al-Imam

Our beloved Jessica Johnson is leaving us on December 15 to prepare for the birth of her son, Silas, who is due early January.

However, she recruited and is now training her successor who is another Jessica--Jessica (or Jessie) Al-Imam. 

Jessie has been married for 18 years to her husband Aaron who has been serving in pastoral roles for over 20 years. They have six kids and three dogs. She loves to crochet and spend time with her family. She has a background in administrative support and is looking forward to using her skills to serve this community.

This Saturday!

Creative Prayer Experience

On Saturday, Dec. 2 (this weekend!) Christine Smith is offering another virtual Creative Prayer Experience from 10:30am-11:30am. Those who joined her when she offered a similar experience back in October in our sanctuary can attest to the quality of this event.

Often in this season we struggle to stay truly present (let’s be honest, it can be a struggle year round!). But during the holiday hustle it’s even more difficult. Years ago Christine discovered that visual prayer was a method that helped her slow down enough to feel calm and grounded; and it gave her the tools she needs to navigate the business of the next minutes, hours, days, and weeks.

If you feel the anxiety of the holiday season creeping in, consider joining her in Zoom-land on 12/2/23. It’s a quick, but powerful, hour. And you can even stay in your jammies while we meet.



Click Here to RSVP 

This Sunday!

How Does a Weary World Rejoice?

Christ was born into a weary world. King Herod ruled the land with a legacy of ruthlessness. The Romans treated the people of Israel with contempt. Poverty and destitution were pervasive. And yet, Christ was born, bringing good news of great joy for all people. 

As Advent comes again to a weary world, we ask, “How does a weary world rejoice?” In the opening chapters of Luke’s Gospel, we find a few answers: we acknowledge our weariness, we find joy in connection, we allow ourselves to be amazed, we sing stories of hope, we make room, we root ourselves in ritual, and most importantly, we trust our belovedness. In the parallel birth stories of Jesus and John, joy arrives—despite trepidation, fear, or grief. In these stories, we find rhythms for rejoicing.



And so, this Advent, we will hold space for our weariness and our joy. We will seek a “thrill of hope” in our hurting world. We will welcome joy—even if, like the prophet Isaiah, we cry out for comfort (Isaiah 40:1). In this weary world, may we find many ways to rejoice.

First Sunday in Advent: We Acknowledge our Weariness

Worship Information and Bulletin

Pastor Kim Skilling will be preaching,

Luke 1:1-23

Too Wearied to Hope?

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Join us on Zoom: HERE

 If prompted for a password use: 888861

If you do not have access to a computer or smart phone,

 you can listen to the service from any telephone:

Step 1:

Call (669) 900-9128.

Step 2:

When prompted, please enter the 

Meeting ID: 870 8084 6315 followed by the #. 

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You will be asked to enter your Participant ID which you do not need.

Press # to move past this.

 Step 4:

If prompted for a password use: 888861 followed by the #

Wednesday Bible Study This Week

Bible Study this Wednesday, December 6, @ 10 am

All are welcome to join us in this Zoom Discussion

The scripture for our study will be:

Luke 1:24-45

To join us on Zoom click on this link: HERE

To join us on by telephone call: 

(669) 900-9128

Meeting ID: 608 966 196

Passcode: 5352176



Choir

Our Chancel Choir is a non-auditioned choir that is supported by the wonderful voices of our choral interns. All are welcome to add their voice as we lead the congregation in giving praise to God. 

Choir Practice is on Thursday nights from 7-8:30pm.

Gathering of Spirits is an informal time of open conversation

 where human spirits can connect with one another and God’s Spirit

while sipping some spirits (or soft drinks).

Windsor Browns is a Beer, Wine, and Sandwich Pub located at the corner of Center St Promenade and Clementine.

It is an easy 1 block walk from the church.

Our next meeting will be on December 5, 2023. (Please note new date)

Meeting time changed to 5:45pm to get Happy Hour pricing!

Thank You Brunch for Jessica

Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 11am

In January we made a commitment to work toward offering our sanctuary to the community as a musical venue and we have already seen an increase in use in this past year. Most of the events have been recitals, but coming up is a concert that members of the congregation may be interested in attending.

On Friday, December 15 Vocal Mixology will hold its winter concert in our Sanctuary. Our own John and Nikki Saylor are members of this Barbershop Acappela Style vocal ensemble. If you would like to attend, you may purchase tickets for $15 by clicking here.

[https://www.vocalmixology.com/watch-us]

Fellowship and Goodies?

We are always looking for donations of cookies or other treats to give us something to munch on while enjoy a cup of Dale's coffee. If you feel like baking (or shopping) just bring them with you on a Sunday. If we have too many treats that day we will freeze some for the next week. Thank you!

Please pray for Cheri Archer who will have surgery for GERD and a hiatal hernia on Monday, December 4.

Please pray for those in treatment for cancer: Carole Chambers, Judy Jordan, John Harb (Kendall Schubert’s father), Matthew Williams (Jack and Geri Baird's grandson), Catherine Morris, Bill Anderson (Bruce Anderson's Brother)

Please pray for those on hospice: Patricia Carl



Please continue to pray for the health of: Dave Lopez (Alan Lopez’ brother), Harvey Taylor, Norma Leichtweis, Luca ( son of Christina Cuddy's friend), Carol Talbot, Wanda Reynolds.

If you have a prayer request that you would like to add to our prayer list, 

please contact the church office: offices@anaheimfirstpres.org or 714.535.2176.

If you have not already done so, please mail or bring your 2024 Pledge Card to the church. Your estimate of giving is critical to the Session's ability to set a church budget for the coming year. If you did not receive a stewardship mailing, you may read the letter here and download a pledge card here.

Thank you so much for your faithful and generous support of our congregation!

Nursery Wish List

Our Nursery has created a Wish List to provide some much desired supplies to enhance Sunday Service for the children. Anything received will be greatly appreciated.

Click here to access the Amazon Wish List:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3KCGSBO3CNOUW?ref_=wl_share