First Presbyterian Church of Bentonville

Monthly Newsletter December 2014

“Advent’s Waiting and Watching”

Are you ready for Christmas? Do you know where you will be, who you are going to be with? Are your decorations up? Have you done all your shop-ping? You know there are only twenty-something shopping days left.

Possibly, you are that extraordinarily organized person and you are ready for Christmas, but most people, myself included, are just now really getting start-ed. We are busy and we are waiting.

Advent is about one of the great paradoxes of our faith – that this is a time of waiting for Christ to come into a world in which he is already present and to which he has already come.

Paul Tillich talked about the waiting we are to do at Advent as, "Although wait-ing is not having, it is also having."

We all understand Advent as such a time of hope and expectation. There are images that can fill our minds in this time of having while not having, waiting while working, watching for the one who is already with us.

Children, and our own childhood memories, provide us with many wonderful images. The sense of confident certainty that something wonderful is going to happen, even though they aren't certain of the exact what that is coming.

Watching is more than just waiting. It is an active sort of waiting, in which one is continually looking out to the horizon, waiting for the kingdom to come, and at the same time, dealing with the challenges of the present.

The Gospel has its sudden and unsuspecting ways with us. Our call is to watch and wait.

The preparations have been made --- Now, keep watch.

Georgia and Barry

At First Presbyterian Church of Bentonville

Sunday 12/7 Second Sunday in Advent worship 10:15 am

Sunday 12/14 Third Sunday in Advent worship 10:15 am

Children's Christmas pageant 10:15 am

All church Christmas brunch following worship

Sunday 12/21 Fourth Sunday in Advent worship 10:15 am

Service of Lessons and Carols

Wednesday 12/24 Informal Family Worship 5: 00 pm

*Music for the Season 7:00 pm

(Chancel Choir, Handbells, Brass Ensemble and more)

*Candlelight Worship with Communion 7:30 pm

Offerings from the services this evening

will go to the Mission program here at FPC

All are welcome!

*Childcare available

Decem

ber

New

s a

nd E

vents

The children of FPC present an adaptation of

Unwrapping the Christmas Creche’ By Lisa Flinn

(adaptation by Stephanie Marquess-Throop)

Sunday, December 14th At the 10:15am Service

Imagine Jesus from Mary’s point of view—proud of her son, in awe of

his gifts and mission, guided by love for him as a person and so much

more.

ADVENT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS

Class starts November 9th, and ending Dec. 14th with a break on Nov. 23rd.

The five class themes are:Beginning with the End, The Piercing of Mary’s Soul, Amazed, Astounded, and Astonished, Mary, Full of

Grace, and It Was Not a Silent Night

Prepare for the holidays!

Mondays at 3:30 pm in the Library

Join us and meet our certified instructor,

Paula Hardig. For more information, Beth

Hall 479-381-0456 or bethghall@att.net

YOGA

FPC Walkers will continue as

Weather Permits

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:00am

Join us at the trail entrance by the back parking lot

2nd Quarters and their FamiliesLet’s Gather to Skate!

Meet at Lawrence PlazaSunday, December 7th

2:00-3:15 Session

Everyone is welcome to join us in the fun!

It’s a Christmas Gathering for

2nd Quarters

Fun Food and Fellowship!

We guarantee it will be a great time!

Friday, December 12th, 6:30pm

Peddlers Pub

RSVP to the Church-273-5450

(let us know if you need childcare)

A Special Christmas Holiday GatheringFor the Prime Time Players

Fellowship, Wine, and Appetizers

Sunday, December 14th

5:30-7:30pm

Hosts: Hunter and Virginia BreshearsAddress: 2416 NW Rita Way, Bentonville

Please bring an appetizer or a dessert

RSVP: Virginia, 870-718-5196, or church 273-5450

J.O.Y. Life Group Christmas Celebration

(Just Older Youth-those 55 and older)

Thursday, December 18, 11:00am-1:00pm

In the Library

Bring a dish to share and enjoy the Fun, food, and fellowship!

Prepare for some Christmas Cheer

Decem

ber

Gath

eri

ngs

Our guest speaker is Peggy Hicks, Ministry Coordinator at First

Christian Church, who will tell us about their ‘MIRACLE ON 14TH

STREET’ mission.

To support this mission, we will collect new coats, hats, scarves

and mittens in toddler sizes 3T-4T and children sizes 5-12 yrs.

Contact Ila or Cathy for more information!

Saturday, December 6, 2014

11:30 pm

Church library

Bring your favorite soup or sandwiches, all

women are welcome!

College students! Save the date for a Christmas party

during break; Saturday 12/20,

More information coming.

Thank you for your support of Caring and Sharing. Items can be dropped off at the

fairgrounds Thurs., 12/4, Fri., 12/5, and Mon., 12/8 from 9:00 am-6:00 pm or Sun., 12/7

from 12-2pm. You can also leave them in the foyer on the morning of 12/7 and they will

be delivered to the fairgrounds after the service.

Thanks to your generous contributions we were able to fill 14 Thanksgiving baskets for

shut-ins, members, and members of the community. Thank you to those who helped

deliver the baskets and bring special cheer to the recipients.

Please keep John Bruner, Roy Horan, and Healey Ikerd in your prayers. They are trav-

eling to Honduras December 9th -15th with Solar Under the Sun. They will be in-

stalling and providing a water filtration system in El Horno, installing solar power in El

Sute, and surveying for future installation sites. Let’s fervently pray for their safety and

for God to bless their mission.

Thank you for donations to the Noisy Offering. $189.18 was collected and donated to

the Food Pantry.

On Dec. 21st, we will be collecting the JOY OFFERING. This Presbyterian special offer-

ing helps fund the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions which provides current

and retired church workers help they need during unexpected challenges. It also sup-

ports education at Presbyterian-related racial schools and colleges. Look for the special

offering envelopes or mark your donation “Joy Offering”.

A message from our Mission Committee

A Prayer for Bangladesh

3 November 2014

O heavenly Father, we pray for our brother Raphael in the rural village of Laldighipara in

northwest Bangladesh, who two months ago, while playing soccer, fell and broke his right

arm. His impoverished family, fearful of costs, did not seek treatment for him. Now his

arm, supported by a simple sling, hurts too much to move; and he will not be able to take

his high school final examination in December, because he cannot hold a pencil. Lord, hear

your children crying under the oppression of poverty and illness. Empower your Church to

care for Raphael and all who need medical assistance, so that your mercy and compassion

may be known in all the earth. In the name Christ the Savior we pray. Amen.

A Prayer for Bangladesh

10 November 2014

Gracious God, we give you thanks for our sister in faith Dulari Besra, a Santal tribal nurse

who recently began providing community health services in eleven villages in rural north-

west Bangladesh. Under the auspices of her church, she works among Muslim and Chris-

tian communities to teach them how to manage basic health problems and prevent disease.

She helps pregnant mothers get antenatal care, makes sure young children receive proper

nutrition, and visits the sick to provide primary care advice and help them get medical

treatment if needed. Lord, grant Dulari strength, perseverance, and protection, and anoint

her with your grace, so that she may bring your message of salvation to people in need. We

pray in the name of Christ the Savior. Amen.

S.P.Y. Kids (Super Presbyterian Youth)!

K-6th graders we want

you! Wednesdays

from 3:00—5:00 pm

each week.

Wed. 12/3

Shopping for our

Angle Tree children

Wed. 12/10

Pageant practice &

Christmas craft

Sat. 12/13

Pageant practice

1 pm

Sun. 12/14

Christmas Pageant &

Brunch

Wed. 12/17

Caroling and hot

chocolate at Legacy

Wed. 12/24 & 31

No S.P.Y. Kids

Wed. 1/7

Ice skating at

Lawrence Plaza

Bring a friend to join!

It’s not too late!

If you would like to be in the Dec. 14th

Christmas Pageant

“Unwrapping the Christmas Creche”

Call Stephanie Throop for information.

903-1765

From the S.P.Y. kids to everyone who

supported the ornament, card and

bake sale. We raised over $400 and

have adopted 4 kids from the angle tree.

For news and updates: text@2a2e1 to 501-712-2836

We asked our children to compose prayers for the

Nov. 23rd worship service, these are their words...

Prayer of Adoration

Dear God,

We love you because you made everything, and you made us.

You are the mightiest. You are our king. You are the best ever!

You help us to not be afraid.

Thank you for sisters and brothers; thank you for life and for

our world; thank you for watching over us; thank you for be-

ing there when we need you.

Please help us through the tricky parts of life.

Awesome, amazing, forgiving, creative, powerful, great.

We’re glad that we are your kids!

Thank you for being in our hearts forever.

We all love you.

Amen.

Prayer of Illumination

Dear God – Everlasting God – our Shepherd, Help us.

Light up the Bible so that we can understand.

Help us to believe in you, even in hard times.

Teach us that love never ends.

Amen.

PRESBYTERIAN

WOMEN

Leaders:

Renee Nestor (479) 273-9383 nestor.family@cox.net

Joan Clifford (479) 273-1642 joan.clifford@sbcglobal.net Cathy Rogers (479) 271-0049 ccrogers86@gmail.com Sue Beck (479) 254-8715 Ila Wolfe (479) 903-4436 ila.nb.wolfe@gmail.com Susan Drummond (479) 644-9359 Helen Davis (479) 715-6542 celticcross97@cox.net

December 2014

The Purpose of Presbyterian Women

Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ, and empowered by

the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves

to nurture our faith through prayer and Bible study,

to support the mission of the church worldwide,

to work for justice and peace, and

to build an inclusive, caring community of women that

strengthens the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)

and witnesses to the promise of God’s kingdom.

Join one or all of the PW Circles as we strive to fulfill

the purpose of the Presbyterian Women of our local

church and Presbyterian Church (USA).

News and Events

Kerygma Bible Study Circle Leaders—Helen Davis, Sue Beck

Wednesdays, 10:00 am in the library

The Gospel of Mark—Jesus: Powerful, Courageous, and Trusting

by Carol J. Miller

Rachel Circle Leader—Lynne Walton

2nd Thursday of the month, 9:30-11:00 am in the library

PW Horizons bible study 2014-15, Reconciling Paul, a Contemporary Study of 2 Corinthians

by Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty

Service Circle Leader—Joan Clifford

1st Tuesday of the month, 12:30 pm at the Green House homes for singing and devotional with

the residents.

3rd Tuesday of the month, 10:00 am for crafts and card making. Location will be announced each

month. Lunch at Fred’s after.

Evening Circle Leader—Cathy Rogers

3rd Tuesday, 6:00 pm in the library

12/16 Caroling to home bound families and friends. Join the signing, fun and

fellowship! ( Hot chocolate and cookies at Ila’s after)

Fellowship Circle Leader—Cathy Rogers

Monthly social gatherings, date and times vary.

*Women's Christmas Luncheon—Sat. 12/6, 11:30 am in the library

Bring soup or sandwiches, guest speaker is Peggy Hicks, Ministry Coordinator at First Christian

Church in Bentonville. Presentation will be the “Miracle on 14th Street” mission project. We will

be collecting coats, hats scarves, mittens to support this project!

Skeins of Love Circle Leader—Cathy Rogers

2nd Sunday of each month, 3:00 pm classroom 8

This is a crafting circle for all women & girls. We are currently working on Little Dresses for Africa.

Food P

antr

y N

ew

s

Mission Statement

To share God’s love by providing emergency food for Ben-

ton county residents as needed, once a month.

November was very busy month; for the first 3 weeks we served 184

families which is close to our usual monthly total!

We received USDA food on 11/13 which included instant potatoes,

cornflakes, dried beans, tomato soup and peanut butter.

On Nov 21, we were able to get 160 10# turkeys from the NWA Food-

bank at a cost of only $331.

Spy Kids helped the pantry on Wednesday, Nov 20. With great plan-

ning and direction by Katie Gottlieb, the children decorated the boxes

for Thanksgiving, made cards for Thanksgiving boxes and pantry

boxes, bagged toilet paper and diapers and had a tour of the pantry.

We appreciate their help.

The pantry will be open the Saturday after Christmas and New Years.

Feel free to bring relatives and guests to help. Arrive at 8:30 and park

in the back lot by the kitchen.

Prayers and Concerns

New Prayers: News of grand-son’s birth from Drs. Les & Cindy Morgan (PCUSA medical mission-aries, Bangladesh); Please keep John Bruner, Roy Horan, and Healey Ikerd in your prayers. They will travel to Honduras Dec. 9-15 with Solar Under the Sun. Let’s fervently pray for their safety and for God to bless their mission; We rejoice with the Chambers family as they welcome their new grandson Camen Alistair Camber, born 11/3; Becky Faulk, (Tor Faulk’s mother) and Tor’s sister, car accident; Amelia Faulk, con-cussion, also needing prayers for wisdom and discernment in re-gards to arm surgery for Amelia in the new year to come; Kami Gneiting family, Kami joined the Church triumphant.

Continuing Prayers: Rev. Geor-gia Senor’s son Graham, broken leg and surgery; Darren Solomon, ankle surgery (11/14): Sid, growth on throat, waiting for biopsy re-sults, then surgery (friend of Steve Bailey and the breakfast club); Thames Family(Jimmy had a fall, and Ailene joined the Church tri-umphant); Ben Clabaugh (fall); Pat Brown, breast cancer (Mother of Virginia Breshears). Bud Barn-hart (chemo treatments); Patric Brosh; Monique Dunlap (daughter of Richard and Charlotte Macart-ney); Please remember to pray for our food pantry clients, our mis-sionaries (Dr. Les and Cindy Mor-gan), and our Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC): Marcia Smith, Jean Horan, Chip Chambers, Da-vid Drummond, Denny Rogers, Lynn Monroe, Lynne Walton, as well as Rev. Leslie Belden and Rev. Dennis Ritchie (our Presby-terian PNC liaisons)

Financial Report as of October 30, 2014

Questions? Call Darlene Thibodeau OR Drew Collom.

October In-come

October Ex-penses October Net

$ 38,844 $ 49,602 $ (10,757)

2014 YTD Income

2014 YTD Expenses

2014 YTD Net

$ 475,406 $ 480,161 $ (4,755)

Detailed Financial Statements are available in the Church Office.

For Sale

Used 60 gallon 2 HP air compressor in good con-

dition. $200. Contact the church office 273-5450

Administrative Assistant Position Available

Contact Barry Williams 479-273-5450 or

David Hill 479-644-0624

Name badges and T-shirts still available!

Order blanks are in the Welcome Hall or church

office

December 1

Cody Walters

December 2

Martha Skinner

December 3

Jessie Bruner

December 4

Wilma Witters

Darlene Thibodeau

David Breed

Lauren Bailey

December 5

Rex Hickox

Lucas Bell

December 6

Ina Turner

Logan Turner

December 7

Julie Loder

Janet Hendren

Gage Crosby

December 10

Sue Beck

December 11

Brenna Foster

Jennifer Bradshaw

December 12

Julie Anderson

December 13

Patric Brosh

December 14

Marilyn Hatcher

Nick Jolly

December 15

Crystal Fetherston

December 17

John Joseph

December 18

Matt James

December 19

Keaton Ramaker

December 20

Helen Davis

Stephen Beringer

Matt Hoffman

December 21

Katie Gottlieb

Gregory Smith

December 22

Jenny Hamilton

Tami Aranibar

December 23

Richard Horne

Jeanne Boehmler

Susan Nilsen

Jack Chambers

December 24

Michelle Jameson

December 26

Joe Kern

December 27

Roy Horan

John Bruner

December 29

Payton Hough

December 30

Cindy Hombs

December 31

Brenda Anderson

Kate Graham

December 2014 *MFM- My Friends & Me Parent’s Day Out & Preschool *PW- Presbyterian Women Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

8:00 am MFM

6:00 pm Youth Committee

6:00 pm Stewardship & Finance

6:30 pm Boy Scout Troop #450

6:30 pm PNC

2

8:00 am FPC Walkers

8:00 am MFM

10:45 am Staff Meeting

12:30 pm PW Ser-vice Circle

(Greenhouse)6:00 pm Scholarship

3

8:00 am MFM

10:00 am Kerygma

3:00 pm S.P.Y Kids

5:00 pm Children’s Choir

7:00 pm Chancel Choir

4

6:30 am Men’s Bible Study

8:00 am FPC Walkers

8:00 am MFM

5

8:00 am MFM

9:00 am Pantry Packers

6

8:30 am Food Pantry Volunteers

9:00 am Food Pantry Clients

PW Christmas Luncheon (Library)

MFM Breakfast with Santa

7

9:00 am Sunday School

9:40 am Choir Prac-tice

10:15 am Worship

Commissioning Solar Under the Sun

trip to Honduras

11:30 am Handbell

2:00 pm 2nd Quarters ice skating

5:00 pm Youth Group

6:00 pm Elder & Dea-con training

8

8:00 am MFM

6:00 pm Boy Scout Board

6:30 pm Boy Scouts Troops #450

6:30 pm Pastor Nominating Committee

6:00 pm Stewardship & Finance

9

8:00 am FPC Walkers

8:00 am MFM

5:30 pm Fellowship Committee

6:00 pm Christian Education Committee

6:30 pm Mission Committee

10

8:00 am MFM

10:00 am Kerygma

3:00 pm S.P.Y Kids

5:00 pm Children’s Choir

6:00 pm Property, Insurance, & Tech.

Committee

7:00 pm Chancel Choir

11

6:30 am Men’s Bible Study

8:00 am FPC Walkers

8:00 am MFM

9:30 am The Rachel Circle

12

City of Bentonville Holiday Luncheon

8:00 am MFM

6:30 pm 2nd Quar-ters party

13

8:30 am Food Pantry Volunteers

9:00 am Food Pantry Clients

Youth Group Christmas Party

14

9:00 am Sunday School

9:40 am Choir Prac-tice

10:15 am Worship Children's’ Pageant

11:30 am Handbells

Christmas Brunch

3:00 pm Skeins of Love

5:00 pm Youth Group

5:30 pm Prime Time Players party

15

8:00 am MFM

6:00 pm Finance Committee

6:30 pm Boy Scouts Troops #450

6:30 pm Pastor Nominating Committee

16

8:00 am FPC Walkers

8:00 am MFM

9:00 am MFM Board

10:00 PW Service Circle

10:45 am Staff Mtg

1:00 pm History Preservation

6:30 pm Congregational

Connection

6 pm PW Evening Circle Caroling,

17

8:00 am MFM (Christmas Program)

10:00 am Kerygma

3:00 pm S.P.Y Kids

5:00 pm Children’s Choir

7:00 pm Chancel Choir

18

6:30 am Men’s Bible Study

8:00 am FPC Walkers

8:00 am MFM

11:00 am J.O.Y Life Group (Library)

6:00 pm Worship Committee

19

8:00 am MFM

9:00 am Pantry Packers

6:30 pm Music Minis-try party

20

8:30 am Food Pantry Volunteers

9:00 am Food Pantry Clients

21

9:00 am Sunday School(Birds Eye only)

9:40 am Choir Prac-tice

10:15 am Worship

11:30 am Handbells

11:30 am Deacons Meeting

5:00 pm Youth Group

22

6:00 pm Stated Session Meeting

23

24

Christmas Eve

5:00 pm Family Ser-vice

7:00 pm Music

7:30 pm Service with communion

25

Christmas Office Closed

26

Church Office Closed

9:00 am Pantry Packers

27

8:30 am Food Pantry Volunteers

9:00 am Food Pantry Clients

28

9:00 am Sunday School(Birds Eye only)

9:40 am Choir Prac-tice

10:15 am Worship

11:30 am Handbells

5:00 pm Youth Group

29

30

8:00 am FPC Walkers

10:45 am Staff Meet-ing

31

Contact Us

First Presbyterian Church

901 NE J Street

Bentonville, AR 72712

(479) 273-5450

administrative.assistant

@fpcbentonville.org

Visit us on the web at

www.fpcbentonville.org

Office hours

Monday – Friday

8:00 AM — 4:00 PM

Food Pantry

Saturdays

9:00 am — 11:00 am

You Can Help Us By…

We thank you and appreciate the collaborative effort that goes into publishing

our monthly newsletter. We could not do it without your contribution.

If you have an article, announcement, or image you would like included in our

next monthly newsletter, please send your submission via email to

administrative.assistant@fpcbentonville.org.

You can help us by submitting your newsletter contribution by the usual

deadline—the fourth Monday of each month.

Again, we appreciate the support of all members of our congregation in every

ministry.

Thank you,

FPC Staff