Advent is upon us and our church calendar is filled with many meaningful opportunities for worship, study, service, and fellowship during this special season. This year our theme, "How does a weary world rejoice?" asks us to acknowledge the brokenness of the world we live in while calling to mind the hope that is promised to us in Jesus Christ. 

While many events are featured below, a complete listing of all our Advent happenings can be found by visiting www.fpcauburn.org/advent, by downloading a PDF version here or by picking up a printed copy at the church. 

Join us this season as we: 

• acknowledge our weariness,
• find joy in connection,
• allow ourselves to be amazed, and
• make room for the work of the Spirit.

A weary world rejoices when we celebrate the coming of the Christ-child!

For many of us, the holidays are bittersweet. Memories of loved ones no longer with us, unmet expectations, simply feeling disconnected from the joy of the season can be challenging. Join us in the FPC Chapel on Sunday, December 17 at 5pm for a service of prayer, reflection, light, and the comfort of God's Holy Spirit that has been made known to us through the love of Jesus Christ.

At the Christmas Mission Dinner to be held on December 10, at 5:00 pm, the Mission Committee will receive an offering to be shared with the Lee County DHR. Each Christmas foster parents in the Lee County DHR system provide a Christmas “wish list” to DHR case workers for the foster children in their care. The children may ask for two things they need and two things they want. The parents use it as a time of helping their children understand the difference between need and want. Our offering will help fulfill the DHR Christmas “wish list.”

You may give to the offering at any time up to and including at the Christmas Mission Dinner on December 10. It is important that we provide our offering to the DHR as soon as possible afterwards so it may be used in purchasing gifts for the children in foster care in Lee County. The Mission Committee extends its thanks in advance for your kind consideration of giving to this worthy effort for the foster children in our community. You may also give online at www.fpcauburn.org/give (please choose special offering and make a note that your gift is for the DHR fund) 

Begin your Advent season by volunteering at the Community Market on Saturday, December 9 from 9am-12pm. All ages are welcome to sign up and come for as much or as little of the shift as you are able. Children 12 and under, please bring a grown up with you!

The sign up genius link can be found here 

Adult Advent Sunday School Class

9:45am, FPC Chapel

Join us in the chapel on Sunday mornings (December 3rd, 10th, and 17th) as we study Kara Eidson's work, Stay Awhile: Advent Lessons in Divine Hospitality. As we wait and prepare to welcome the birth of the Christ-child we will think about the role hospitality plays in our own lives and our communities of faith. You are welcome to order yourself a copy of this book from amazon.com, but there is no preparation necessary for participating in the class!

Our UKirk students may be ending their semester but they will be back before we know it! Sign up here to provide a meal for our college students during the 2024 spring semester. You may join together with friends to cook something for the students, drop off a meal you've prepared ahead of time, or simply donate money to cover the costs of a Sunday evening meal. 

Our students are always grateful for the hospitality they receive at the table from their FPC family. Thank you for supporting campus ministry!

PW Circles for December

Tuesday, December 12:

9:30 a.m.  Circle #1, Lynda Tremaine, 526 Moores Mill Road, Auburn

9:30 a.m.  Circle #2, Carolyn Williams, 541 Trammel Mill Road, Notasulga

2:30 p.m.  Circle #3, Church library

Wednesday, December 13:

5:30 p.m. Circle #4, Elizabeth White, 637 Forestdale Drive, Auburn

Sanctuary Flower Sign-up

It's time to sign-up for sponsoring flowers for our Sanctuary in 2024! The sign-up sheet is located outside of the receptionist’s office in the main church office building.

If you are unable to sign up in person, you may also contact Sarah Wolak at 334-728-7853 to sign up for a date. You are welcome to split the cost with another family-- just be sure to write both names on the line. The cost of the flowers is $50 per arrangement, not including tax and delivery fee. As before, you are welcome to bring the arrangements home after the service, or to leave them to be delivered to other members of the congregation.

Pictorial Directory Sign Ups

In the upcoming weeks there will be more opportunities to have your picture taken for the new Pictorial Directory Picture. It takes just a few minutes for our team of volunteers to take your picture for the upcoming directory so please consider signing up. We will be taking pictures on Sunday, December 17. There will be sign up sheets in the narthex. Please contact Nick Reed if you have any questions. 

This Week at FPC

December 10-16, 2023

Sunday

9:00 AM - Worship Service with Weekly Communion (Chapel)

9:30 AM - Coffee and Fellowship (Baird Hall)

9:45 AM - Sunday School for All Ages

11:00 AM - Worship Service (Sanctuary)

Bulletin for December 3 worship

Sunday Parking Map

4:00 PM - Children's Choir Rehearsal

5:00 PM - Christmas Mission Program & Dinner (Sanctuary/Baird)

Children and Youth News

Children Pre-K through 5th grade

• Children’s choir rehearsal will meet at 4pm in the sanctuary for a final rehearsal before the 5pm program. Those with speaking parts will also rehearse.
• Godly Play: After the Word to Grow By (at 11 a.m. worship), children ages 4 to 2nd grade will go to the Godly Play room to worship together for the remainder of the worship service.
• Acolytes! 3rd – 5th grade parents, click the link to sign your child up!
• Worship bags are available for all children during worship.

Jr. and Sr. High Youth

• Christmas Lock-in for Jr. and Sr. High Youth Dec 15-16: Lock-in begins at 7pm with dinner in Baird Hall. We will have a White Elephant gift exchange. Bring a fun, tacky, or silly present, wrapped, for the gift exchange. Pick-up is 8am Saturday morning. Bring air mattress, sleeping bag, pillow, and snacks to share.
• Jr and Sr. High's day to volunteer at the Food Bank this Saturday. Meet at the Food Bank at 9am. We will not be taking the bus from the church parking lot. We will be finished by 11:30.
• Jr. and Sr. High Youth will not meet at their regular time this Sunday but instead will attend the Mission and Music Program.  

Birthdays 

Dec. 10 - Emmie Larson, Terri Rouillard

Dec. 11 - Conrad Bonsi

Dec. 12 - Noah Dimick, Sarah Wolak

Dec. 14 - Jim Disque, Jan Widell

Dec. 16 - Ann Wisdom

Anniversaries

Dec. 14 - Joel and Lynda Tremaine

Dec. 15 - Chuck and Reesa Gerards (50th!)

Dec. 16 - Clyde and Susan Stanley (50th!)

Prayer Concerns & Celebrations

• Please continue to pray for many members of our church who are dealing with illness, significant health issues, grief, and difficult circumstances but at this time do not wish to be mentioned by name. Prayers of healing, wholeness, and comfort for many in our congregation.

• Prayers of healing for Donine Cooper as she continues to recover at home from surgery. Prayers for Doug as he cares for her.

• Prayers for Jim Foil and his family as they continue to manage Jim’s health.

• Prayers of healing for Charlie Johnson as he navigates health issues. Prayers for Peggy as she cares for Charlie.

• Prayers of healing for Todd Jolly’s brother Robby Jolly as he awaits test for a cancer diagnosis. Prayers for Todd as he cares for his brother from afar.

• Prayers for Catherine Wolfe Riley’s father, Ned. Ned found out he has a recurrence of cancer and will be undergoing treatment over the next few months. Prayers for Catherine as she cares for her father.

• Prayers of healing for Elizabeth White’s brother Joe, who has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and is seeking other ways of treatment. Prayers for Elizabeth as she cares for her brother from afar.

• Prayers of healing for Donna Yeager as she navigates significant back pain.

• Prayers of healing and rest for Donna Yeager’s mother, Patsy Yeager, as she navigates health issues.

• Prayers healing and comfort for Sarah Wolak’s mother, Susan French. Prayers of comfort and strength for Sarah and all her family as they care for her mother.

• Continued prayers of healing for Chris Greer. We especially pray for good healing and rest as Chris recovers from successful treatments. We continue to rejoice with Chris because the latest scans show no sign of cancer. We are so grateful the chemotherapy treatments have been successful. Chris will continue a plan of treatment for the upcoming months. 

• Continued prayers for Jesse Joiner’s mother, Ann Joiner, after her hip surgery. 

• Prayers for Brooke Myers as she cares for her father, Charlie Myers. Charlie is recovering from a fall and has moved to Morningside.

• Prayers of healing for Debbie Duin’s friend, Ann Suttles, who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Carolyn William’s sister Beverly Huey as she navigates health issues. Prayers for Carolyn as she cares for her sister.

• Prayers for Amy Kilner and her family (daughter in law of Dorothy Moran). Amy is in need of a kidney transplant and is currently looking for a donor.