Rev. Dr. Nicole Locke

Interim Pastor

Destiny Williams

Director of

Youth Ministry

Sophe Pope

Director of

Children’s Ministry

Julie Garcia Director of

Children’s Choir

Jason Montague

Director of Music

Jane Robinson

Organist

Wes Shannon

Pianist

ELDERS

Jay Fisher, Clerk

Danny Brown

Reid Burch

Bob Crane

Emerson Elliott (Youth)

Julie Garcia

Ginger Irby

Warren Nesbit

Mary Plishker

Chuck Standard

Eddy Smith

Peter Thornton

John Wadsworth

DEACONS Ruth Rucker, Chairman

Catherine Engelbracht

Doris Griffin

Todd Harvey

Cheryl Joyner

Lynn Lowrey

Cindy Murray

Tony Okrutny

Bob Phillips

Jill Shedd

Ruth Rucker

Tyler Standard (Youth)

Jill Stroud

MPC News McDonough Presbyterian Church

December 2017/January 2018

Advent & Christmas Events

Service for Wholeness and Healing - Wednesday, December 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Service

will be led by Nicole Lock and other leaders of our congregation.

Christmas Piano Concert - Wednesday, December 13

Lost In Wonder, Love and Praise

Presented by Jane Robinson

Join us in the Sanctuary at 6:45p.m. following Wonderful Wednesday Dinner.

Lessons & Carols Service - Sunday, December 17

Presented by the MPC Chancel Choir on Sunday, December 17, at both the 8:30 and 11 a.m. worship

services.

Bethlehem Birthday Bash - December 17

Lunch at noon, programs 1:00-4:00. This is a VBS style program for children ages 3 years old through

5th grade. RSVP by December 6. Cost per child is $5.

Walk Through Bethlehem and Stable Service - December 17 at 4 p.m. in the Anchor. Come walk

through Bethlehem where you can visit the shops, bakery and more from the Bethlehem Birthday

Bash. At 4:30 we will make our way outside for the stable service.

Sunday, December 24 - Christmas Eve

One Service at 11 a.m.

NO SUNDAY SCHOOL

Christmas Eve Services - Sunday, December 24

Candlelight & Communion service - 5 p.m.

Candlelight & Communion service at 11 p.m. All are welcome.

Service will be led by the MPC Youth

Sunday, December 31 - New Year’s Eve

New Year’s coffee & breakfast—hosted by the Deacons at 9:30

One Service at 11 a.m.

NO SUNDAY SCHOOL

A Service for Wholeness and Healing

Wednesday, December 6

6:30pm in the Chapel

The holiday season can be a difficult time when we have experienced a loss in recent months or years. If

you or someone you know has recently suffered the loss of a loved one, a change in health, the loss of a

job or income, or other significant loss, we encourage you to join us for a special time of worship on

Wednesday, December 6, at 6:30pm in the Chapel. Through music, Scripture, reflection, and prayer,

we will seek Jesus' grace, strength, and healing presence in our lives. Even if you have not experienced

a loss this year, we encourage you to consider to participate in this service, as we join together as one

body to pray for all in our congregation, community, and world to experience God's peace and presence

this Advent season.

MPC News December 2017/January 2018

Dates to Remember Soldier’s Angels

We will meet on December 6 from

9:30-11:30 in the Kitchen Classroom.

Men’s Breakfast

The men's breakfast will be held at

8:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 9, in

the Anchor. All men are invited for

food and fellowship.

Early Risers Circle

The Christmas Breakfast will be on

December 11 at 8:00 a.m. at Dianne

Cardell's home, 132 Lawrenceville

Street, McDonough.

Joy Circle

We will meet at Logans Restaurant on

Tuesday, December 19th at 11:30 for

our Christmas get together. Hope to see

everyone there. Any questions call

Judy Alfele at 678-772-9299

We will begin the new year by continu-

ing to meet the third Tuesday of the

month at 1:00 at the church. Our Janu-

ary meeting will be January 16th at

1:00.

Thank You

To my church family,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank

you all for your thoughts, prayers, concerns,

calls, cards and food. Cassie and I are doing

just fine and hope to be in our regular sched-

ules soon. I can’t thank you all enough.

God bless you all.

Pam Shannon

The Chancel Choir participated in the

"Remembering, Honoring, Healing" memo-

rial service on November 5 at ELFBC.

The Joy Gift The season of Advent asks us to be a caring Church at its best -- to lift

up our pastors and other church workers in need with our prayers,

love, and especially our financial support.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) began the Christmas Joy Offering

(CJO) more than 25 years ago for times like these. By receiving this Offering, con-

gregations throughout the country have long cared for PC(USA) church workers and

their families, especially during times of critical need. The CJO funds equally the

Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and racial ethnic schools and colleges

of the PC(USA).

On Sunday, December 10th and 17th the Joy Gift Offering will be collected during

worship. This offering is one of the four “Extra Giving” opportunities given to

MPC to help others outside our walls. Please give generously.

Annual Chili Cook-off We will be having our ANNUAL CHILI

COOK-OFF on Sunday, January 28th, 2018

from 5pm-7pm. Please bring one of the

following dishes depending on the first let-

ter of your last name:

A-G Desserts, H-L Salads, M-R Breads, S-Z Sides

Please let us know if you are bringing your

prize winning chili!

The church will provide hot dogs, drinks

and condiments.

Deadline for signing up is Wednesday, Jan-

uary 24th, 2018 Sign up sheet will be on

reception desk or you can call the church

office.

Soup’s up! Chili’s on! Black beans, beef broth, taco/chili season-

ing, canned corn, chili beans, stewed toma-

toes . . . Sounds like soup or chili is on the

menu! What are your favorite soup or chili

ingredients?

During the cold month of January, many in

our community continue to face hunger, just

like every other month of the year. Perhaps

it’s a little harder to be hungry when you’re

cold too. The Local Missions Committee

asks MPC members to bring non-perishable

chili and soup ingredients to place in the

collection bin outside of the Anchor

throughout the month of January.

Our collection will culminate on Sunday

evening, January 28th at the annual Chili

Cook Off.

Mission Mania

Let’s start 2018 with a heart for missions. Christian Education will kick off Won-

derful Wednesday nights with “Mission Mania” on January 17. Join us for dinner at

5:30 and then lend a hand to support the efforts of local and global missions. Sta-

tions will be set up in the gym for us to do a variety of things to benefit mission-

driven organizations in our community and abroad. All ages are invited to make this

a fun, family experience.

MPC News December 2017/January 2018

BETHLEHEM’’S BIRTHDAY BASH!

All children, ages 3 through 5th grade, are invited to…

Lunch will be served at 12:00, immediately following church.

We will have a 3 hour “VBS” style program from 1:00-4:00.

At 4:00, all church members are invited back to the Anchor

for a Walk through Bethlehem where you can visit all of the

shops, the bakery, make crafts, and more!

At 5:00, we will all make our way outside for the Stable Ser-

vice to end our day.

Please RSVP for children by December 4th. The cost per child

is $5.00.

The tax collector will be collecting canned goods during the

Walk through Bethlehem to benefit The Food Pantry.

Volunteers and supplies are still needed! Please see the list

below. Please contact Sophe Pope at 678.758.9089 or

mckids@mcdonoughpresbyterian.com if you are able to serve!

RELAY FOR LIFE QUILT It's time to honor and remember our loved ones who have battled cancer, by putting their names on our 2018 Henry County Re-

lay for Life Commemorative Quilt! This will be the 5th quilt we have made as a fundraiser for our MPC Relay for Life

team. The first quilt is permanently hanging in the hallway by the choir room, and the 2017 quilt is still making the rounds of

area businesses.

For a $25 donation to the American Cancer Society for each name submitted, Mary Mellott will embroider the name on the 2018

quilt. This includes anyone anywhere who has or has ever had cancer- both survivors and those who have died, from any type of

cancer.

Forms are available in the Anchor hallway or from Mary. The deadline for submitting names is January 31, 2018 and the quilt

will be revealed in April. Questions? Contact Mary Mellott at :

maremaremm@hotmail.com or 404-642-2664.

McYouth Dates for December: 2- Kindness Work Christmas Party (VMO) 6- McYouth 8- Very Merry Special Christmas Party 13- McYouth 20- Christmas Eve Service Practice 23- Christmas Eve Service Practice 24- Christmas Eve Service 31- HS Starbucks Sunday

McYouth Dates for January: 17- Mission Mania 24- McYouth

Looking Ahead.. The McYouth will be participat-ing in the Annual Atlanta Hunger Walk. The Hunger Walk Run -- an annual 5K walk and “fun run” begun in 1984 -- is an event of the Atlanta Community Food Bank that unites our community to raise awareness and critical funds for local hunger re-lief. Proceeds from the event benefit the Atlanta Community Food Bank and other local nonprofit organizations that sup-port food pantries, community kitchens, shelters and other programs for people in need of food assistance. These bene-fiting partner organizations help recruit participants and re-ceive a percentage of the funds raised to support their direct hunger relief programs. Our Presbytery (Presbytery of Great-er Atlanta) is a partner organization. So be on the lookout at how you can you sign up to walk or how you can donate to-wards the McDonough Presbyterian Team. Date for the walk is Sunday, February 25.

GO GO’s UPCOMING SCHEDULE December – No trip

January –Thursday, January 18th, tour of the new Mer-

cedes- Benz stadium. Cost of the tour is $15 per person

and I must get your reservation and payment by Janu-

ary 5th. Our tour is from 9:30 – 11:00am and we will

have lunch in town afterward. We must have at least 20

people to take this tour.

February – Thursday, February 15th, tour of the Federal

Reserve Bank.

To Make a Reservation for the Mercedes-Benz tour in

January please call or email either of the following by

January 5th.

Actual YTD 10/31/2017

Budget YTD 10/31/2017 Difference

General Fund Receipts $ 501,316 $ 562,420 $ (61,104)

Disbursements:

Operating Expenses 156,241 156,630 (389)

Personnel 311,994 336,391 (24,397)

Programs & Missions 52,135 62,181 (10,046)

Payment on Debt 41,061 41,061 0

Total Disbursements 561,432 596,263 (34,832)

10/31/17 12/31/16 Difference

Debt (Journey of Faith)

Long Term (Building) 297,280 388,958 (91,678)

Total Debt 297,280 388,958 (91,678)

WEEKLY ATTENDANCE

8:30 11:00

5-Nov 0 212

12-Nov 54 152

19-Nov 55 135

26-Nov 50 164

Total 159 663

Avg 53 166

OFFICERS ON-CALL

December:

Elder: Jay Fisher

Deacon: Jill Shedd, Tyler Standard IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A GREETER OR AN USHER

PLEASE CONTACT ELAINE HOPKINS OR GINGER IRBY

SUNDAY VOLUNTEERS

Ushers

8:30 Service

3 John & Melissa Wadsworth

10 Delores Candy & Gloria Easler

17 Judy Coker & Nan McGarity

24 No 8:30 Service

31 No 8:30 Service

11:00 Service

3 Eddy & Cathy Crumbley, Buddy Welch, Judy Neal

10 Jim & Jill Stroud, Bobbie Wingo, Elaine Hopkins

17 Debra Brown, Ruth Rucker, Beth Barlow, Sherri Gamble

24 (11a.m.) Elaine Hopkins, Deric Garcia, Rodney & Kim Bowler,

Debra Brown

(5 p.m.) Elaine Hopkins, Deric Garcia, Rodney Bowler

(11p.m.) Youth

31 Don & Dianne Cardell, Elaine Hopkins, Deric Garcia

Acolyte Cross Bearer

3 Communion Will Jones

10 Sarah Joyner Addison Okrutny

17 Piper Wadsworth Candler Irby

24 Kyndall Caudill Tucker Malcom

31 Lily Maddox Grace Healy

7 Communion Jaden Griffin

14 Emmaline Livermont Rollins Irby

21 Logan Hawxhurst JessicaHawxhurst

28 Winn Anglyn Christina Snider

Nursery Volunteer Schedule 3 Rollins Irby 7 Nicci Peters

10 Grace Healy 14 Emerson Elliott

17 Chazz Gable 21 Rollins Irby

24 Margot Peters 28 Grace Healy

31 Judy Neal

MPC News December 2017/January 2018

December Birthdays

1 Forrest Wilson

2 Zack Fisher

3 Carly Standard

4 Kevin Fisher

4 Sarah Safrit

5 Nancy Moye

8 Nicole Lock

8 Janna Warren

8 William Weikle

9 Trudy Stearns

10 Cynthia Watson

10 Janet Neese

10 Cameron Ross

10 Chloe Glover

10 Mary Katherine Laverty

11 Phil Raines

11 Rebecca Creath

12 Ann Cook

12 Katherine Garman

12 Kelsey Schmidt

13 Doug Simpson

13 Allison Barlow Weingarten

14 John Wofford

15 Mia Zeisig

15 Trey Elliott

16 Tim Wirt

16 Beth Healy

17 Jo Mercer

17 Dave Maddox

17 Morgan Rutledge

19 Phil Stevens

19 Alexander Joseph Foster

19 Callan Robert Foster

20 Warren Nesbit

20 Jamie Shannon

20 Natan Montague

21 Jill Stroud

22 Robert Dyess

24 Deborah Stellings

25 Holly Dubois

26 Norma Pierce

26 John Kerr

27 Samantha Lindsey

30 Mary Plishker

30 Sara Harvey

30 Lucy Quattlebaum

31 Scott Ewert

MPC News December 2017/January 2018

January Birthdays

1 Wayne Lowrey

3 Gloria Easler

6 Dottie Wise

6 Rick Becker

7 Bobbie Wingo

7 Jamie Ketner

7 Jessie Laverty

7 Katie Letner

8 Emily Bartles

8 Cathy Dickerson

8 Terry Neese

8 Sherri Stevens

10 Russ Garman

10 Jackson Raines

12 Sammy Craig

12 Candler Irby

14 Jeff Davis

14 Madison Neese

15 Pam Shannon

16 Cindy Hawxhurst

16 Amber Womack

16 Tervernaugh Davis

17 Lucinda Wirt

17 Hannah Dubois

19 Taylor Barron

19 Beth Campbell

19 Geoffrey Shedd

21 Cathy Crumbley

21 Stan Campbell

21 Scott Barlow

22 Barbara Tinley

23 Dorothy Rose

25 Rusty Wilson

26 Steve Mellott

27 Kathy Catale

27 Lindsay Llambes

28 Judy Davis

28 Scott Gromme

30 Ron Watson

30 Chuck Standard

30 Buddy Welch

30 Beau Watson

30 Piper Wadsworth

31 Larry Babb

31 Dustin Pouliot

Stephen Ministry Corner

by Debby Stellings "Tis the season to be jolly" may be an accurate description of the holiday season for some but not for all. During this "most wonderful time of year," we start being thankful in November. We pro-gress into December celebrating love, joy and peace for all. We start to ring in the New Year with anticipation of what 2018 will bring. However, there are those who are not so jolly. Loneliness is an issue this time of year. We have those who have lost a loved one or are jobless or ill. Galatians 6:2 tells us that should share each other's troubles and problems and in that way obey the law of Christ. Matthew 5:36-36 and Mat-

thew 5:40 says, "For I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave water. I was a stranger and you invited me into your homes, naked and you clothed me, sick and in prison and you visited me.... When you did it to these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me.” The Stephen Ministry at McDonough Presbyterian Church is ready to walk the distance to ease the burden of our broth-ers and sisters. We are here to walk beside you, listen to you, cry with you and pray with you. We do this with the strictest of confidentiality. We are here for you. I would encourage each of you to reach out to the children, the jobless, homeless, the sick, the incarcerated, the widow, the grieving parents, the single parent and the lonely of our congregation and our community. Walk with someone this joyous season.

McDonough Presbyterian Church

427 McGarity Rd.

McDonough, GA 30252

“Serving Others

Beyond Sunday Morning”

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

McDonough Presbyterian Church

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Worship: 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday School: 9:40 a.m.

Church Office Hours: Mon-Thurs 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Phone: (770) 957-9890 * Website: www.mcdonoughpresbyterian.com

mcdonoughpresbyterian.onthecity.org

mixlr.com/McDonough-presbyterian-church

New Year’s Eve Sunday Morning Fellowship

Hosted by the deacons Ring in the new year with a fantastic festive fellowship! Remember that there will be only

one service December 31st, so join us for a special coffee breakfast offering before the 11:00 worship service. If you'll be here for Sunday School that morning, be sure to stop by for a

little something... different.