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The Weekly Word at Western Boulevard Presbyterian Church

Thursday, December 1, 2022

A Voice in the Wilderness



Ready or not, Advent is here! It’s always a shock to my system when Advent begins the Sunday after Thanksgiving. But the calendar is relentless, as it were, and we marked the start of this season of preparation this past Sunday. I am so grateful to our youth, our choir, and Elizabeth Davis-Everhart for leading us in the Hanging of the Greens Service to mark the start of Advent. It was a beautiful way to remember the meaning behind the symbols and decorations we use in our worship space, and it helped all of us get our hearts ready to prepare for Emmanuel – God with Us.


This Sunday we will hear another familiar Advent voice speaking to us: John the Baptist. Amid all our festive decorations and family traditions, John always feels out-of-place. He doesn’t dress like us – camel hair and a scruffy beard covers his face. He prefers to eat what’s around him – locusts and wild honey – rather than food we’d normally enjoy. And his message is like an air horn waking us from our slumber: “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.”


Why do we need to hear John or the other prophets during Advent? Why can’t we stay in the comfort of our holiday traditions each year, not being bothered by this rabble-rouser?


Perhaps John is our reminder every Advent that preparing for God’s Son is more than giving the perfect gift or creating the ideal holiday memory. It is about reorienting ourselves to God’s purpose in our lives, and holding ourselves accountable according to God’s measuring stick of justice, righteousness, and mercy. John calls on us to bear fruit worthy of repentance. In this Advent Season, what fruit are we bearing that is worthy of repentance? How do the priorities we set for our time and our resources reflect our faith in the one who is coming?


It's never easy to hear John’s voice in the wilderness. But usually those are the voices we need to hear if we are to realign ourselves with God’s kingdom. I look forward to seeing you Sunday as we all seek to bear fruit worthy of repentance this Advent Season.


With a full and grateful heart,

Frank

THIS SUNDAY AT WBPC

Worship Service – 10:30am – Click HERE for the bulletin.

@The Table Worship – No service this week - please join us for the No Frills Christmas Pageant!


NO-FRILLS CHRISTMAS PAGEANT – CHRISTMAS CAROLING – DECEMBER 4

Join us on Sunday, December 4, at 5:00pm, for our No-Frills Christmas Pageant! No practice or preparation is needed – just come and receive a simple part to share as part of us remembering the Christmas Story. Families, children, and adults of all ages are welcome! Feel free to start arriving at 4:30pm, and we’ll arrange costumes for those who want to participate. After the pageant, we will have some refreshments. Then at 6:30pm, we will go out into the neighborhood and sing Christmas carols to members and friends of our church who are homebound. Come for both or one or the other – whatever works best for you! Sign up here to bring food!

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Click HERE for all the education offerings for 2022-23.


YOUTH FELLOWSHIP NEWS - DECEMBER 4

Join us this Sunday for the No Frills Christmas Pageant! We hope to see you there!

 

BIBLICAL JUSTICE FORUM – DECEMBER 5 

On December 5th, Biblical Justice Forum (BJF) will continue our Advent study on Peace. The group will be discussing Non-Violence on December 5th at noon, Sandy Irving will lead. All are welcome to join.

Click HERE for the Zoom link.


ADVENT BIBLE STUDY - DECEMBER 6

Frank Mansell will be leading an Advent Bible Study on Tuesdays during Advent. It will be from 12:30-1:30pm on Zoom – Click HERE for the link. The scripture we study will be the lesson that will be preached on the following Sunday in Advent. We look forward to seeing you throughout Advent as we study God’s Word!


ADVENT DEVOTIONALS FOR FAMILIES AND ADULTS

Advent is the time of year when we get ready for Christmas. But it is much more than dragging all the decorations out of the attic, hanging garlands, dusting off the ornaments, baking Christmas cookies, and mad shopping. It is a time for getting our hearts ready for Christ’s birth. This year the Christian Education committee is providing some digital devotionals that can be helpful in preparing for Jesus. The advent booklet Prepare the Way of the Lord is published by the Society for Saint Andrews. These daily devotionals are appropriate for adults and align with WBPC’s focus on the Matthew 25 initiative. The Advent devotional The Jesse Tree is especially appropriate for families with younger children. We pray that these resources will help you throughout this time of reflection and preparation.

AWCM ANGEL TREE OPPORTUNITY

Another joyful season of gift giving for the annual AWCM Angel Tree is upon us! AWCM is partnering with Pride for Parents, https://www.pfpwake.org/, a program that enables parents to participate more fully in giving gifts to their children. This change will not affect our opportunity to give as usual. Your gifts will go to the child you choose from the cards hanging in the Narthex. Inside the cards you will find the child's bio and a short wish list. Please sign the card anonymously when you wrap, package and return your gifts to the Narthex by Sunday morning, December 11NOTE: This date is DIFFERENT from what is in the attached informational letter, found here. Wrap only the gifts that go to your Angel child. If you would like to donate more gifts to the Pride for Parents store, you may place them unwrapped in the same large gift bag. Please contact Susan Cummings or Joe Burmester if you have any questions. Thank you!


GIVING OTHERS JOY AND HOPE

The PCUSA offers an excellent alternative to Christmas gift-giving while helping others live fuller lives. You can find the Giving Catalog here:  https://presbyteriangifts.pcusa.org/ Enjoy shopping!


YAHVE JIRE CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION

Consider your end of year tax deductible donations to the Yahve Jire Children’s Foundation ministry. Your gifts have really impacted lives and shared Christ to those in great need especially this year! Most families in the Despinos and Croix des Bouquets communities have had to abandon their homes due to gang violence. They survive day to day. But you have helped feed the children and in some cases their families and care for them in their lowest times! Thank you for your heart for the children and staff at the children’s home, the families of Elim Christian Assembly Church, the sick, the hungry, the widow, the voodoo priestess, the abandoned child, keeping children out of orphanages and with families, and keeping young men safe and out of gangs. We thank you the body of Christ! Donations can be made to WBPC indicate YJCF or Haiti Orphanage. Mési and God Bless You.


MISSION OUTREACH

Presbyterians Engage in God's Mission: “Presbyterian HIV Awareness Day” Click HERE to learn more.



DO YOU DRIVE?

Can you imagine living in Raleigh without a car? Many do and if you are down and trying to climb up it is very difficult without a car. Spread the word to friends and neighbors that Wheels 4 Hope needs cars to refurbish for the lease of these in our community. You never know who may have a car that they no longer need.

ADVENT MEDITATION PRELUDES

We welcome you to enjoy a time of Advent Meditation each Sunday in Advent starting at 10:20am. Come enjoy beautiful carols of the season, a few moments of peace during this busy time of the year, and prepare your hearts for worship. We hope you will join us as we prepare to welcome Emmanuel, God with us!

LOAVES & FISHES: WBPC DAY

You are invited to join Loaves and Fishes and AventWest Children's Mentoring as a volunteer in the annual Pride for Parents Christmas Store! The store provides opportunities for the parents of LAF and AWCM children, and other limited-means families in Wake County, to shop for their kids at greatly reduced prices for new toys. We provide a fun atmosphere, free gift-wrapping, and community fellowship! Our "store" is located at 301 S. Swain St., in the Southeast Raleigh Table church near downtown Raleigh, and is open 10 days between December 6 and 23. If you can join us as a volunteer, we have designated Saturday, December 10, as "Western Boulevard Day" at our store. To volunteer that day, or for a couple of hours (or more!) other dates and times, click here to sign up! To understand more about the Pride for Parents program, click here for additional information.


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Click HERE to view the current Pledge Campaign Status.


STEWARDSHIP UPDATE

Through November 27, we have received 69 pledges for ministry next year totaling $382,205.00. That is 78% of our goal of $488,928 for next year. THANK YOU to all who have made these commitments so far! Our budget for next year is 20% more than this year, which reflects our hope and optimism of increased outreach and growth through programming, staffing, and use of our facility. If you wish to make a commitment to help meet this goal, you may find pledge cards in the pews in the sanctuary, on the literature table in the narthex, or by contacting the church office. Thank you for your continued faithful support of our ministry at Western Boulevard!


BREAKFAST! – DECEMBER 11

Sizzling bacon, fluffy eggs, creamy grits, hot coffee...hungry yet? Please join us Sunday, December 11 at 8:45am in the Fellowship Hall for a hot breakfast to kick off your day of Church School and worship. No need to RSVP, just show up with your smiling face and hungry tummy.


POINSETTIAS 

If you would like to purchase a poinsettia that is decorating the sanctuary in honor or in memory of a loved one, they are $10 per plant. Please fill out an order form provided on the Purple Update (included in this Sunday's bulletin) or use the form HERE along with your payment; if you write a check, please make it out to WBPC and write “Poinsettia” in the memo line. Either place your order in the offering on Sunday or drop it off at the church office by December 14. We will share a complete list on December 18. Thank you!


DIVORCE CARE

If you are considering separation or divorce, don’t try to go through it alone. Connect with a DivorceCare group either in person or online. You’ll find caring people who understand the issues you face and practical counsel for decision making and managing stress. Contact DivorceCare HERE or speak with a Deacon or Elder for a list of several groups that meet in The Triangle area, churches or online.


PRAYER CHAIN REQUESTS

If you have a prayer concern, please contact Frank Mansell (frank@wbpresbyterian.org), Marcia Bennett (sen1969@hotmail.com), or Betty Dean (betdean@nc.rr.com) and request that it be added to the Prayer Chain. Please note that any confidential prayer requests will not be added to the Prayer Chain. Please let us know if you are nor receiving prayer updates and you had signed-up, and we will work to reconfirm you are on the mailing list.


 CALENDAR OF EVENTS: December 4 - 11 


Sunday, December 4 – Second Sunday of Advent/Communion 

9:30am Sunday School 

10:30am Worship Service (Sanctuary) 

4:00pm Cub Scouts (Sanctuary) 

5:00pm No Frills Pageant/@ The Table Service (Fellowship Hall) 

6:30pm Christmas Caroling

 

Monday, December 5 

12:00pm Biblical Justice (Zoom) 

7:00pm Scouts (Fellowship Hall and Downstairs) 

7:00pm Property Committee (Parlor) 

 

Tuesday, December 6 

12:30pm Advent Bible Study (Zoom) 

4:00pm AventWest Children’s Mentoring (Fellowship Hall) 

 

Wednesday, December 7 

9:30am Wednesday Bible Study and Prayer Group (Fellowship Hall) 

6:30pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary) 

7:30pm Handbell Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary) 

 

Thursday, December 8 

4:00pm AventWest Children’s Mentoring (Fellowship Hall) 

6:30pm Stephen Ministers (Parlor) 

6:45pm BSA Girls (Youth room) 


Saturday, December 10

         WBPC Day at Loaves and Fishes Pride for Parents Christmas Store

  

Sunday, December 11 – Third Sunday of Advent 

8:45am Breakfast (Fellowship) 

9:30am Sunday School 

10:30am Worship Service (Sanctuary) 

12:00pm Session Meeting (Fellowship Hall)

4:00pm Cub Scouts (Fellowship Hall)

5:00pm @The Table Service (Zoom) 

6:30pm Youth Group (Fellowship Hall)

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RESERVATIONS, PICTURES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please refer to the Calendar if you have questions about meetings. If you want to reserve a room, please email admin@wbpresbyterian.org. If you have photos from Church events this year, please share them with us. You may upload your pictures directly to our shared Church album by clicking HERE.


If you would like your birthday included on the monthly birthday list, please update your personal information on Realm or contact the church office.


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Click HERE for December birthdays!

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