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 [email protected]
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 [email protected]
Joan Clifford (479) 273-1642 [email protected] Cathy Rogers (479) 271-0049 [email protected] Sue Beck (479) 254-8715 Ila Wolfe (479) 903-4436 [email protected] Susan Drummond (479) 644-9359 Helen Davis (479) 715-6542 [email protected]
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
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
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