You are invited to attend an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service Wednesday Night at 7:30 pm. Scroll down to the PNEC news for details (you must preregister to receive the Zoom link.)

The office will be closed on Thursday.
Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Join us this First Sunday of Advent for our Live Stream Worship Service at 10:15 am. Special thanks to Darin Jellison for his gift of song, and to Darin & Noah Jellison for operating the live stream camera.
Click HERE to print a bulletin to follow along on 11/29/2020

Communion will be served during the service so if you have not picked up your communion kit from Pastor Bruce (there's still time - today until 5 pm and tomorrow from 10 am to noon) please prepare the elements ahead of time so you can partake during worship.

(We feel pretty positive that the glitches have been worked out...
BUT if you don't find the service on the YouTube channel at 10:15 am, please try our Facebook page.)

In order to watch the live service at 10:15 am you must go to our YouTube channel (use this link or the link on the home page of www.faithchurchucc.org) Check it out ahead of time - you may want to subscribe and turn on notifications to get notified when Faith UCC, Center Valley goes live! If you prefer to watch the service later in the day, or watch past services, the recorded service will be available on our YouTube page and on Facebook and our web page.

If you have prayer requests you would like Pastor Bruce to share during worship please click here and fill in the information before noon on Saturday.

To listen to the service on your phone, call 855-883-5992.
The Worship Committee is asking for your help to decorate the Sanctuary for Christmas this Saturday, November 28th at 9 am. What better way to get into the Christmas Spirit! Any questions, give Mim Allison a call at 610-533-1310.
UPDATE ON REOPENING FAITH CHURCH:
With the rising cases of COVID-19 in the Lehigh Valley the PNEC Conference Minister, the Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates, and Gov. Wolfe are advising against social gathering. For the same reasons our own Re-opening Task Force is also advising against re-opening. We will continue to follow the cases of COVID-19 in the Lehigh Valley as one barometer in the decision to re-open. ~Pastor Bruce
As many of you know Donna Schoenberger's family completely lost everything in their house fire the other week. They are living in a motel for another week or so until a house will be leased for them to stay.

I have reached out to Donna and began plans to help by creating a "Fire Recovery Shower". Donna is in the process of listing all their losses for her insurance but I don't know how she'll ever be able to recover all the little things as well as all the necessities she'll need. So I asked her to do a bridal registry that friends could use to lend a hand in replacing the things that she will need in her temporary housing and then to get back on her feet again.

As soon I have a list of Donna's needs I hope to share it with you, our Faith Family. I'm sure when we all offer our support we can help her at least get back on her feet. Donna is not concerned with colors or name brands. So please stay tuned for updates to shower Donna with our love and help for recovering. THANK YOU!

Caroline Frantz 

*We continue to accept monetary donations for the family as well. Please designate your gifts "Helping Hands". Thank you.
Reminder:
Monetary Contributions for Christmas Gift Cards must be received by Sunday. Christmas for our pantry families?
Please send your contribution designated Christmas Gift Cards to:

Betty Lou's Pantry
PO Box 85
Coopersburg, PA 18036
Your donations of Christmas gift wrap, gift bags, tape, gift tags, ribbon, and bows for the families should be dropped off in the office foyer at Faith Church by Sunday.

Betty Lou's Pantry greatly appreciates your continued support!
Family of Faith,
Would you like to provide a Christmas gift for one of our Forget-Me-Nots?
Below, you will find a wish list with items suggested by a friend or family member. If you are willing to adopt one of the numbers and buy the treat or gift for one of our Forget Me Nots please call Caroline Frantz at 610-691-8714 so she can be sure that each Forget Me Not is covered. Then please drop off your gift (wrapped or in a Christmas gift bag) to the church conference room by December 12th. Thank you for your support!

Forget Me Not Wish List
#1 Josh Early Nonpareils
#2 Yarn, Dog Calendar
#3 Jar of Cashews, Coopersburg Diner Gift Card
#4 House Plant, Body Lotion
#5 Jar of Peanuts, Coopersburg Diner Gift Card
#6 Josh Early Chocolates
#7 Bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Box of Ritz Crackers
#8 Can Opener, Yarn to Crochet
#9 Ladies Blue Slippers, Socks, Robe (XL)
#10 Pay It Forward to someone needy in Marv's Behalf
#11 Pay It Forward to someone needy in Patty's Behalf
#12 Hard Board Children's Books
#13 Bag of Gumdrops
#14 Box of Russell Stover Candies, Batch of Christmas Cookies
#15 Coopersburg Diner Gift Card
Let's remember our Friends, Members, Forget-Me-Nots and others as we continue through this pandemic. Keep each other in your thoughts and prayers and stay connected if possible.

Birthdays can be found in the latest issue of Focus on Faith. Our friends with Upcoming Birthdays include:

  • Bob Pierson - November 27th
  • Anna Breisch - December 4th (Anna continues to receive her mail at her home address.)
  • Please note - Dorothy Miller's room number and phone number have been updated on the list below.

(If you would like to send cards, addresses can be found in the Members & Friends Directory link at the bottom of this email.)

Click here for a list of birthdays and addresses of our Forget-Me-Not's. Some phone numbers are also included if you'd like to give a call! Also included on the list are names, addresses, and phone numbers of members who usually attend services but don't get to see the recorded services on a regular basis. Reach out to them and say hello or fill them in on the weekly news!
FROM THE PENN NORTHEAST CONFERENCE
Letter from our Conference Minister
Happy Thanksgiving! I know it’s two days early but I won’t be wishing you a happy Thanksgiving on the actual day, so this is my advance happy wishes letter.

It’s been a rough year. Pandemics, natural disaster, political divides, issues of racism and police violence, protests and violence in response. It’s hard to always find things to be thankful for. Several years ago, I asked this question in a sermon. “What if everything you forgot to give thanks for this morning simply disappeared?” I will ask it of us today.

We take for granted so many things: clean air, clean water, food to eat, a house to live in, technology, physical abilities, cognitive abilities, work, education, family, friends, love, faith, grace, compassion, kindness…the list is too long to mention everything. As I was talking with a colleague this morning, she mentioned a gratitude journal as one way to remember and honor all the gifts we have. Recently one of our local churches has been inviting people to identify one thing they are thankful each day. That’s a wonderful practice.

So, I ask you, what are you thankful for today? For me, it’s preparing for a vacation which involves bringing my husband Steve home and seeing he and my family for the first time since April. I am thankful that I can take the time from work, that I have the funds to travel, that I am healthy enough to go to North Carolina and that I have resources to be safe while I travel, while I am there, and as we travel back home. I know how fortunate I am and how miraculous it is that Steve is physically able to come home after his surgery, COVID diagnosis and treatment, and a total of nearly 6 months in a long-term care facility. I am thankful! I feel like we are living a miracle.

What miracles have you encountered, are you encountering? Babies continue to be born. Children continue to grow. Families continue to love one another. Faith communities move into new ways of non-gathering and gathering. We are here. God is here. Sure, some things hurt us. There have been tragedies and losses, illnesses, and deaths. There have been lots of problems to overcome and some that seem insurmountable. And still God is here. We are here. The sun rises each day, and then sets. The skies rain and snow and clear. The wind blows and calms.

I cannot help but feel thankful for the work of our pastors and our congregations, for the ministries and missions happening in our midst, in our communities, the ways in which we are working in the world to make the world a better, fairer, more loving and just place. Join me today, right now, and this week, to remember all the things for which we can offer thanks.

Be blessed my friends.

Bonnie
Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
Lehigh Conference of Churches
Wednesday, November 25 at 7:30PM
The members of the Interfaith Action Committee wish to invite you to a special virtual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, Wednesday, November 25th at 7:30 p.m. The story of Job (Ayyub) will be told from different faith perspectives and by spiritual leaders from a variety of congregations. Music, interaction and sacred scripture will also be included. This is a wonderful way to bring our communities of faith together in harmony and peace.

You must preregister your attendance by sending an email to: social@malv.org to receive a link for the service. Please have a pitcher of water, bowl, and towel for an act of healing and transformation during this event.

We wish you all a happy Thanksgiving and hope you will be able to attend this very special interfaith service.
Become a Friend of the Conference
Cozy up to the PNEC!

“For we are co-workers in God’s service,
you are God’s field; God’s building.” -1 Corinthians 3:9

2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, including the Penn Northeast Conference! Within our congregations, we have 33,000 individuals! If each member were to donate an additional $10, that would be $330,000. And I know what you’re thinking, another thing I have to donate to, but consider the fact that $10 is less than what the average American spends on coffee in a single week…. It’s roughly the cost of a fast food meal. For less than your weekly coffee you can make a difference Don’t give out of obligation, for God loves a cheerful giver. And small gifts in great numbers make a huge difference. If this is something that you believe in, and you want to help the Penn North East Conference by becoming a friend of the conference, you can give online using the conferences tithe.ly, mail in a donation, or email the conference for more giving options.
PNEC
 431 Delaware Ave., Palmerton, PA 18071
 610-826-3113 / pattyr@pnec.org
A Special THANK YOU to all who continue to financially support our ministry as you are able. Through these uncertain times our financial obligations continue and our regular bills are still coming in. Again we'd like to remind you there are several ways you can do this:

  1. Mail your offering directly to the church
  2. Make an electronic donation through Tithe.ly on our website's Giving page
  3. Use your bank's Bill Pay service
IMPORTANT LINKS




Need to make changes, corrections, or additions to our Church Directory? Click HERE to let us know if your info is current or if we need to make
changes. Thanks in advance for taking the time to keep our
Church Directory up to date.




Contact us via email or call the church office at 610.282.3939

Dennis J. Duda, Organist & Music Director
Sandy David, Parish Administrator
(click on names to send an email)