CONTENTS
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Supporting Year-End Outreach to Those in Need
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If you haven't done so already, please consider honoring or remembering those on your Christmas list with "Light Up a Life" gifts--which also help neighbors whose needs are so very great this holiday season.
Gifts provide important year-end support for the life-changing programs of Fourth Church and Chicago Lights and are easy to make online at www.bit.ly/FPCgifts.
Help "light up a life" this Christmas with gifts that make a difference in the lives of those we serve!
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A Favorite Tradition of the Season
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Fourth Church's brass ensemble will continue its celebrated concert tradition, "Christmas with Tower Brass," next Saturday, December 23 at 5:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
Come enjoy this fun and festive performance of traditional Christmas carols!
A suggested donation of $20 will be received at the door.
Time:
Saturday, December 23
5:00 p.m.
Place:
Sanctuary
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Charpentier's Work based on Luke 2
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This Sunday the Morning Choir will sing "In Nativitatem Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Canticum," composed by the French composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1634-1704), during both the 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship services.
Except for the opening sentence that sets the scene, the text of "In Nativitatem Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Canticum" ("Song of the Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ") is based on Luke 2:8-16. The cantata concludes with a series of "artless but devout songs" from the shepherds.
We hope you'll join us for this seasonal cantata tradition at Fourth Church!
Time:
Sunday, December 17
9:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Place:
Sanctuary
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Children's Musical Also This Sunday
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At 10:30 a.m. in Buchanan Chapel
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Support our children and youth this Sunday--and enjoy a fun half-hour Christmas musical at the same time.
Pop up to Buchanan Chapel between the 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. services and join the Children's and Youth Choirs for their presentation of the musical Where's the Newborn King?
Time:
Sunday, December 17
10:30 a.m.
Place:
Buchanan Chapel
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"Longest Night" Service
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When Joyous Celebrations Are Difficult
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Feelings of grief, loss, loneliness, sadness, and anxiety can become more pronounced during the holidays. The "Longest Night" service this Wednesday, December 20 provides a Christmas worship opportunity for those who may find it difficult to share in the traditional celebrations on December 24 and 25.
This service, hosted by our Stephen Ministers, will be held at 6:30 p.m. in Buchanan Chapel.
Time:
Wednesday, December 20
6:30 p.m.
Place:
Buchanan Chapel
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With Some Slightly Different Times This Year
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Since Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year, we will have some slight differences in our worship schedule.
Next Sunday morning, December 24, we will worship at 11:00 a.m. only. (There will be no 8:00 or 9:30 a.m. services on December 24.)
Some Christmas Eve candlelight times will also be different this year. Anticipating the birth of Christ, we will joyfully gather for four Christmas Eve services, each with candlelight:
4:00 p.m. Children's Pageant
6:00 p.m. Family Service with Jazz
8:00 p.m. Service of Lessons and Carols
10:00 p.m. Service of Lessons and Carols
Shannon Kershner will preach at 11:00 a.m. and also during 6:00, 8:00, and 10:00 p.m. worship.
Christmas Eve child care for infants and toddlers will be provided in the Nursery, which is located on the first floor of the Gratz Center, from 3:00 to 7:15 p.m. (Child care will be not available in the morning or during the 8:00 or 10:00 p.m. services). Please also note that there is no reserved seating at any of the Christmas Eve services, including the Children's Pageant.
Parking rates for Christmas Eve worshipers using the 900 N. Michigan garage will be the $8 Sunday rate, provided that parkers pick up special holiday parking vouchers at the church available--and valid--only on that day. There will be no validated parking in the Hancock garage on Christmas Eve afternoon or evening.
Those of you who will be unable to join us on Christmas Eve don't have to miss worship! We'll be offering a live stream of the 8:00 p.m. service, viewable online at www.bit.ly/FPCworship and from the home page of the Fourth Church website. If you are busy at that time or will be with us but want to enjoy the service again at another time, you will also be able to view the service later at that same link.
Additionally, the 8:00 p.m. service will be rebroadcast on WGN radio AM-720 at 7:00 a.m. on Christmas Day morning.
Time:
Sunday, December 24
11:00 a.m. -- Fourth Sunday of Advent Service
4:00 p.m. -- Children's Pageant
6:00 p.m. -- Family Service with Jazz
8:00 p.m. -- Lessons and Carols
10:00 p.m. -- Lessons and Carols
Place:
Sanctuary
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Christmas Day
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Celebrate the birth of Jesus next Sunday, December 25 when we gather for worship at 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary!
We will come together to give thanks for Emmanuel, God born among us, and sing Christmas hymns. Nanette Sawyer will preach.
Parking rates for Christmas Day worshipers using the 900 N. Michigan garage will be the $8 Sunday rate, provided that parkers pick up special holiday parking vouchers at the church available--and valid--only on that day. There will be no validated parking at the Hancock garage on Christmas Day.
Time:
Sunday, December 25
11:00 a.m.
Place:
Sanctuary
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An Invitation to Christmas Dinner
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Our Christmas Day celebration will continue with a traditional Christmas dinner at 12:15 p.m. in Anderson Hall. Reservations (required) for the dinner can be made online here.
Seating is limited, so if you haven't already, be sure to reserve your spot now!
Time:
Sunday, December 25
12:15 p.m.
Place:
Anderson Hall
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Cuba Trip Deadline: December 22
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Travel with Us to Havana April 23-30
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For more than sixteen years we have had a sister relationship with the First Presbyterian Church of Havana, who will be our hosts. Our time with our Cuban brothers and sisters will
offer opportunity to continue to nurture this relationship, learn about the changing realities of Cuba, and explore Havana.
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Nanette Sawyer, Associate Pastor
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Newly Elected by the Congregation
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We are delighted to share that at last Sunday's congregational meeting, the congregation elected Nanette Sawyer to serve as our new Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Small Group Ministry!
We are grateful to Nanette for her ministry among us these past two years as Minister for Congregational Life, after Joyce Shin accepted a call to Swarthmore Presbyterian Church and as the Personnel Committee reviewed ways in which the role Joyce held might be best defined going forward.
We are excited about Nanette's leading us in our growing emphasis on discipleship and small group ministry within the life of the congregation!
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Worship This Week
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Third Sunday of Advent, December 17, 2017
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8:00 a.m.
Communion
Judith L. Watt,
Associate Pastor
9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
New Members at 11:00
Christmas Cantata sung by the Morning Choir
"In Nativitatem Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Canticum"
by Marc-Antoine Charpentier
4:00 p.m.
Jazz Communion
Abbi Heimach-Snipes,
Pastoral Resident
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Passages
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Marriage
We give thanks to God for the gift of life together.
Katharine Cornell Lennox and Grant Michael Manny
December 9, 2017
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Concerts and Musical Events at Fourth Church
All concerts are free unless ticket information is noted.
Sunday, December 17
Christmas Cantata with the Morning Choir
9:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship in the Sanctuary
"In Nativitatem Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Canticum"
by Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Sunday, December 17
Christmas Musical: Children's and Youth Choirs
10:30 a.m. in Buchanan Chapel
Where's the Newborn King?
by Anna Laura Page and Jean Anne Shafferma
Friday, December 22
John W. W. Sherer, organist
12:10 p.m. in the Sanctuary
Saturday, December 23
Christmas with Tower Brass
5:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary
Suggested donation of $20 at the door
Friday, December 29
Beena David Quartet
12:10 p.m. in the Sanctuary
A complete concert schedule is available online.
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Volunteer and Donation Needs
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There are several ways to get involved in the mission and ministry of Fourth Church. See below for just some of the details!
Current Volunteer Needs
Servers for the congregational Christmas dinner (volunteers needed 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Monday, December 25)
Hosts on January weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for the Calvin College January Series shown in the Page Smith Room
Greeters for the Jazz at Four 4:00 p.m. Sunday service
Current Donation Needs
Individually packaged snack items (5,000 per month) for Fourth Church Meals Ministry bag lunches and Chicago Lights Elam Davies Social Service Center emergency snack packs
Men's clothing
(all sizes)
for guests of the Chicago Lights Elam Davies Social Service Center
Large paper grocery bags for use in the Social Service Center Food Pantry (four grocery bags are needed for every guest who visits the Chicago Lights Elam Davies Social Service Center Food Pantry)
Unless otherwise noted, to sign up for volunteer opportunities or to learn more about them--as well as additional volunteer opportunities--stop by Coffee Hour on Sunday morning or email Robert Crouch, Director of Volunteer Ministry.
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