Presbytidings – December 2019
The Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church
216 West Third Street, Wayne, Nebraska 68787
(402) 375-2669 + www.fpcwayne.org
“Our chief end is to glorify and enjoy God forever.
From the Pastor….
During the season of Advent, we prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ and celebrate all Christ’s birth meant for humanity. Woven in and through our Advent Scripture readings as well as our hymns are themes of love, hope, joy and peace. For many the beloved seasonal hymns are an important part of Advent and Christmas preparation. We each have our personal favorites; however, “Joy to the World” is one of the most beloved hymns of the season.
Perhaps you’ve never really thought about it but “Joy to the World” doesn’t contain any lyrics about stars, shepherds, wise men, angels or baby Jesus. The original theme of “Joy to the World,” was the second coming of the Lord based on Psalm 98.[*] Reading the majestic words of Psalm 98:4-9 we can see echoes of the beloved hymn;
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody!
With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!
Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.”
In 1719 Isaac Watts published a book of poems, each poem was based on a psalm, rather than just translate the original Old Testament texts, he adjusted them to refer more explicitly to the work of Jesus as revealed in the New Testament. For Psalm 98 Watts broke the psalm into two parts and summarized verses 4-9 under the name, “The Messiah’s Coming and Kingdom.” Watts interpreted the Psalm as a celebration of Jesus’s role as King of both his church and the whole world.
More than a century later, in 1839, the second half of the poem was slightly adapted and set to music by Lowell Mason to a melodic portion of Handel’s Messiah, the pairing became known as “Joy to the World” one of the most beloved of all Christmas carols.
“Joy to the World” wasn’t written for Advent yet it’s appropriate for the season as we celebrate the coming of the King in the manger and as we anticipate the return of the King. We commemorate the breaking through of the Light into the darkness at Christmas with Jesus’ birth, it is appropriate that we also celebrate the promised return of Christ. The church has celebrated these two arrivals almost synonymously through the song for centuries.
This year “Joy to the World” celebrates its 300th birthday. We will be using the classic hymn as a part of our Advent candle lighting liturgy and singing a different verse each week as part of our preparation and anticipation of Christ’s birth and return. As you hear and sing this beloved carol this season, think about the words, how they apply to the Christmas story reminding us that we must prepare room for Him in our hearts and lives, and that they also point to the reason Jesus came: to save the world!
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns;
Pastor Teresa
STRAW FOR THE MANGER
There are numerous traditions that people practice in the days leading up to Christmas. Some families use advent wreaths in their homes or some variation of an Advent calendar with a picture or a treat to help small children count the days until Christmas. Other practices like the Elf on the Shelf are a fun way to remind children to be on their best behavior. Recently I heard about a Polish tradition which said if you had a piece of straw from the manger of Jesus you would be blessed. A twist on this tradition is to prepare the manger for baby Jesus by adding straw to the manger. A stalk of straw is added to the manger for each good or kind deed done for another. In this way the spirit of kindness and generosity is encouraged as the manger is prepared for baby Jesus. This year during Advent I encourage the members of FPC to help prepare the manger for Jesus. Each week in the bulletin there will be a straw-colored piece of paper. You can jot down your service to others or kindness shared. Don’t include your name just a brief description of your action and add it to the manger. Here are a few suggestions:
Go Caroling
Bring 2 dozen cookies for the Cookie Project
Participate in an Angel or Giving Tree project for children or adults
Bring mittens or hats for the Deacons Tree in Fellowship Hall
Buy a toy or support a charity such as Toys for Tots
Participate as a Salvation Army Bell Ringer
Pick-up someone for church or a church event
Donate to the Wayne Food Pantry
Support alternative giving by donating to Presbyterian Giving Catalog
Support alternative giving by donating to Heifer International.
Donate to your local Hospice Program
Support your local Humane Shelter
Pay for a meal of a person behind you in the drive through
Christmas is about giving, God gifted us humanity with the first Christmas gift, let us continue the tradition of giving and sharing. Stop by the Alternative Giving Table in Fellowship Hall for additional non-traditional Christmas gift ideas.
CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS
Poinsettias may be displayed in the sanctuary in honor or memory of the loved ones in your life. We will acknowledge the arrangements in the Christmas Eve program. Please inform someone Jenny in the church office of the details. You can bring them anytime. We would ask that you take them home after the December 24rd worship service.
MITTEN TREE
The Deacons request your help in decorating our annual mitten tree this holiday season with gloves, hats, scarves and mittens. The tree will be in Fellowship Hall in December.
ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING 2019
December 1st -Prepare Him Room (Hope)
Scriptures: Isaiah 2:1-5, Luke 1:26-38
December 8th -Our Songs Employ (Love)
Scriptures: Isaiah 11:1-10, Luke 1:39-45
December 15th – His Blessings Flow (Joy)
Scriptures: Isaiah 35:1-10, Luke 1:46-55
December 22nd – He Rules the World (Peace)
Scriptures: Isaiah 7:10-16, Luke (57-66) 67-79
December 24th – Repeat the Sounding Joy (Christ)
Scriptures Isaiah 9:2-7, Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)
WAYNE FOOD PANTRY
We are expecting a very busy holiday season at the Food Pantry. With gifts from the community we were able to provide eleven baskets to Wayne families at Thanksgiving, and we hope to provide about the same number this Christmastime. We will also be distributing over 120 bags with peanut butter, jelly & a loaf of bread to the children on the Wayne Schools Backpack Program. Please consider donating to the Food Pantry. There is a great need in our community, please be generous. Please contact Jenny at the church office fpcwayne@gmail.com if you have any questions.
COMMUNION
We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper on December 1st with Kent Pulfer as the communion elder. Communion in January will be on the 12th with Jean Griess serving as communion elder.
HANGING OF THE GREENS
We will be hanging the greens on Sunday, December 1st after worship.
RING AROUND WAYNE
Hear the Presbyterian Pealers twice on Sunday, December 1st. They will be playing at our worship service at 10:00a.m., and then again at 3:00p.m. at Wayne City Auditorium. Our thanks to Jay O’Leary and all the participants for sharing their talents with our community.
LOVE CARVED IN STONE BIBLE STUDY
Our latest Bible study will be meeting on December 4th at 2:00p.m. in Fellowship Hall. All are welcome.
CALLING ALL BAKERS!
The Presbyterian Women will be preparing cookie plates for homebound members of the congregation for Christmas on December 4th at 3:00p.m. FPC members are encouraged to donate two dozen holiday cookies for the cookie trays. Please have the cookies at church by December 3rd. Thanks for helping spread some FPC joy and goodwill.
SALVATION ARMY BELL RINGERS NEEDED
Please sign-up to ring the Salvation Army Bell this season. Our church is slotted for Saturday, December 7th. The sign-up sheet will be on the Opportunity Table. Here are the details:
1:00-3:00pm at Quality Foods
11:00-1:00pm at Bomgaars 1:00-3:00pm at Bomgaars
FPC OUTREACH/MISSIION SERVICES
Pastor Teresa will lead outreach/mission services at the following locations this month:
- BROOKDALE: Wednesday, December 11th at 3:30pm.
- WORD IN FAITH Pastor’s article for the Wayne Herald will appear in the newspaper on 12/19.
- RADIO DEVOTIONS Pastor Teresa will be giving devotions on 104.9 Big Red Country KTCH the week of December 30th – January 3rd at 5:40am.
YOUTH GROUP & CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
The FPC Youth Group will meet on December 4th & December 11th. Watch for details of FPC Youth participating in worship this month.
CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING
Our Christmas Joy Offering will be taken on Sunday, December 22nd & 29th 2019. Whether providing financial assistance to current & former church workers and their families or providing opportunities for deserving students to attend Presbyterian-related racial ethnic colleges and schools, your generous gifts to the Christmas Joy Offering will bring Good News of Great Joy to the poor in circumstances or spirit.
SEWING SOULS
There will be no Sewing Souls meeting in December.
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE
Worship Christ, the newborn King! Tuesday, December 24, at 5:30pm. Bring your loved ones for a special candle-lit service celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
PASTOR’S VACATION & STUDY LEAVE
- Pastor will be on vacation December 25th, 2019 – January 6th, 2020.
- Pastor James Splitt will be leading worship service on Sunday, December 29, 2019.
- Lay speaker Dave Fritz will be speaking on Sunday, January 5, 2020 (Communion will be held on January 12th.)
- If you have a pastoral need while Pastor Teresa is away, please contact the office at (402)375-2669 or fpcwayne@gmail.com
HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS
- Monday, 12/23/2019, open 9am-1pm
- Tuesday, 12/24/2019, open 9am-1pm
- Wednesday, 12/25 – Friday, 12/27/2019, closed
- Monday, 12/30/2019, closed
- Tuesday, 12/31/2019, open 9am-1pm
- Wednesday, 1/1/2020, closed
- Thursday, 1/2 – Friday, 1/3/2020, open 9am-1pm
Pastor Teresa will be on vacation Wednesday, December 25 – Monday, January 6, 2019. Please, do not hesitate to leave a message if you have a need at either (402)375-2669 or fpcwayne@gmail.com
TAX REMINDER
All donations for the 2019 calendar year need to be to Anita Fuelberth no later than Tuesday, December 31, 2019 for tax purposes.
COMMUNION
We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper on Sunday, January 12, 2019. Jean Griess will serve as the Communion Elder.
SESSION
- The Session will not meet in December. They will gather for a retreat January 25th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Snow date for the retreat is February 1st.
- 2019 Session members & Deacons are reminded to compile a summary report for your area which will need to be sent to the office by Friday, January 17th. Thank you!
PMC ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING REMEMBRANCE SERVICE
Providence Medical Center is hosting their annual Tree Lighting Remembrance Service on Sunday, December 8th at Providence Medical Center (Wayne). You are warmly invited to join us for this special service. If you have lost someone recently and would like their name included in the service and bulletin, please contact PMC Chaplain Rev. Anna Speiser at 402-375-7923 by Nov 24.
ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS GIVING
Here are some Web sites that will inspire you to give gifts that will make a real difference in people’s lives:
specialofferings.pcusa.org/christmasjoy.html
presbyteriangifts.org
The Wayne Coat Closet
The Wayne Food Pantry
CHURCH RUSTIC TREASURE ACCOUNT
If you would like to donate items to the Church’s Rustic Treasure accounts, the numbers are listed below. Just take your item to the store counter, and give them the account number listed below. The proceeds will come back to us:
First Presbyterian Church #1220 Wayne Food Pantry #442
Lector/Greeter Schedule for December 2019
| 12/1/2019 | Kent Pulfer | Kent & Jodi Pulfer |
| 12/8/2019 | TBA | TBA |
| 12/15/2019 | Josephine Peitz | The Peitz Family |
| 12/22/2019 | Ken Marra | Ken & Karen Marra |
| 12/24/2019 | ***** | The Hammer Family |
| 12/29/2019 | Gordon Granberg | The Ras Family |
December 2019 – First Presbyterian Church
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| Each Sunday Morning: | 8:45 Handbells | 10:00
Worship |
11:00
Fellowship |
|||
| 1
· 10am Communion · 11:00am · Hanging of the Greens · 3pm · Ring Around Wayne |
2
6:30 Scout Den Meeting |
3
Donations for cookie trays due |
4
2:00 Bible Study 3:00 PW Cookie Trays 5:00 Confirmation 7:30 Youth Group |
5 | 6 | 7
Salvation Army Bell Ringing QFC 11-3 Bomgaars 11-3 |
| 8
|
9
9:30 Wayne Family Coalition Meeting 6:30 Scout Den Meeting |
10 | 11
10am WACAM 3:00 Brookdale Chapel 5pm Confirmation 7:30 Youth Group
|
12 | 13
|
14
|
| 15
|
16
|
17 | 18
Sewing Souls will not meet
5pm Confirmation |
19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22
|
23
Church Office open
No Session Meeting |
24
5:30 Candlelight Christmas Eve Service
|
25
Church Office closed |
26
Pastor on vacation
Church Office closed |
27
Pastor on vacation
Church Office closed |
28 |
| 29
Worship with Pastor James Split |
30
Pastor on vacation
Church Office closed |
31
Pastor on vacation
|
1
Pastor on vacation
Church Office closed |
2
Pastor on vacation
|
3
Pastor on vacation
|
4
Pastor on vacation
|
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2020
- Worship with Communion will be held Sunday, January 12, 2020.
- The Session will gather for a retreat on Saturday, January 25th from 9am-3pm.
- The FPC Annual Meeting will be held after worship at a date yet to be announced.
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
1 Brittany P.
5 Tiffanny H.
7 Candyce P.
14 Randy D.
18 Beau B.
22 Nina H.
(Would you like to see your birthday listed here?
Just contact the church office 402-375-2669 or fpcwayne@gmail.com)
Contact Information:
First Presbyterian Church
216 W. Third Street
Wayne NE 68787
FPC Office & Wayne Food Pantry:
402-375-2669
Tuesday – Friday, 9am – 12 noon
Websites:
Church: https://fpcwayne.com/
Wayne Food Pantry: https://fpcwayne.com/food-pantry/
Wayne Coat Closet: https://fpcwayne.com/wayne-coat-closet/
FIND US ON FACEBOOK
First Presbyterian Church – Wayne, Nebraska
Wayne Food Pantry – Wayne, Nebraska
Wayne Coat Closet – First Presbyterian Church
Pastor Teresa Bartlett
402-375-2669 (office)
319-795-2911 (cell)
[*] Resources for this article came from http://agodlyheritage.org/story-behind-the-song-joy-to-the-world & https://www.wordslingersok.com/2018/12/joy-to-the-world-the-story-behind-the-hymn
First Presbyterian Church of Wayne, Nebraska 