Presbytidings – Dec 2024/Jan 2025 | First Presbyterian Church of Wayne, Nebraska

Presbytidings –

December 2024/January 2025

The Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church

216 West Third Street, Wayne, Nebraska 68787

“Our chief end is to glorify and enjoy God forever.

Advent poetry reading

A poem by J. Barrie Shepherd

An invitation to go deeper,
to penetrate the hard-worn surface
of our habitual this-and-that, permit entry
to images, suggestions, even fears
that normally are held up at the gate.
A summons to release your grip, filter beneath the spoken words, and let your mind be led far past the hard and fast and on toward the soft and slow, the tender and the wise.

A passport to an unacquainted realm where stables shelter royalty, sheep and oxen kneel,
shepherds join the heavenly chorus,
and the secret of the ages is disclosed
within the midnight-piercing cry
of an infant newly born.

J. Barrie Shepherd is an award-winning poet and an honorably retired PC(USA) pastor, the author of many books.[*]

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE: December 24^th, 5:30pm

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.

COMMUNION

We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper on December 1^st. Gail McCorkindale will be the communion elder.
January 5^th will be the next worship service with communion. John Fuelberth will be the communion elder.

Advent Series – The Gifts of Christmas

Christmas is a traditional time for giving presents. Christian gift giving was influenced by the nativity story and presentation of the gifts of the Wise Men, or Magi. The Magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to Baby Jesus in the manger. These precious items showed the respect and reverence the Wise Men had for the Son of God. Likewise, we bestow presents on family members, friends and the needy as a way of remembering the Three Wise Men honoring of the Christ Child.

A modern interpretation of the gift giving custom is the recognition that Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. Since giving material birthday presents to Him is not possible, instead people give gifts to each other in celebration of the day.

During the season of Advent, we celebrate God’s gift of his son, Jesus and that by his birth Jesus’ kingdom has come, but we await the kingdom coming in its fullness when Christ returns. This year our Advent candle lighting and worship will focus on what gifts Christ has brought us. During the Advent candle lighting and worship, we will be pairing passages from the book of Romans with the narratives about Jesus’ birth. What are the implications of Christ’s birth, and life for each of us What are the gifts of Christmas for us as Christians? Romans 8 reminds us that Jesus’ birth means that we are accepted as children of God. Jesus has given us the gifts of hope, love, joy and peace.

Advent Candle Lighting Advent Candle Lighters

December 1^st – The Gift of Hope Tiffanny & Larry Heese

December 8^th – The Gift of Love

December 15^th – The Gift of Joy The Ras/Sjuts family

December 22^nd – The Gift of Peace. Austin & Michelle Galles & family

December 24^th – The Gifts of Christmas Mark & Gail McCorkindale

PRESBYTERIAN PEALERS

The Presbyterian Pealers will be performing at the Sunday morning worship service on December 8^th and December 22^nd, 2024.

PMC ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING REMEMBRANCE SERVICE

The PMC Annual Tree Lighting Remembrance Service will be held Sunday, December 1^st at 2:00pm in the Providence Medical Center Auditorium.

A STAR IS BORN

The FPC Sunday School program is planned for December 22^nd, the students and their teachers are busy preparing their proclamation of the Christmas story. Plan to join us for worship on December 22^nd for the message from our youth.

CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING

The Christmas Joy Offering has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s. The Offering distributes gifts equally to the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. The Assistance Program provides critical financial support to church workers and their families. Presbyterian-related schools and colleges provide education and leadership development while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage. This has been a Presbyterian commitment for nearly 140 years. We will receive the Christmas Joy offering on Sunday, December 22^nd, however you may make your gift any time before the end of the year. Please note on your check or offering envelope that the gift is for the Christmas Joy offering.

SEASON OF GIVING

In this season of giving, you are encouraged to support local non-profit agencies such as Salvation Army, Haven House, the Backpack Program, Wayne Food Pantry, Coat Closet, and WACAM.

You may also give toward an international mission through your donation to the Presbyterian Giving Catalog. For example, a pair of goats cost $175.00. If you give by check to the Giving Catalog through FPC make the check out to FPC Wayne with a notation of your gift of choice to allow it to be recorded by the financial secretary and forwarded to PC(USA).

Peanut Butter and Jelly & More Challenge!

The Wayne Food Pantry finds many of the shelves empty. Staples of the Wayne Food Pantry include peanut butter and jelly which is used both in the school Backpack Program with the school and in the regular food boxes. Pastor Teresa issued a challenge to the congregation to collect 50 jars of peanut butter and jelly by December 8^th.

The next challenge to the congregation will be for canned soups, both condensed and chunky style, crackers and granola bars for the weeks of December 15^th and 22^nd. Are you up for the challenge? Let’s help fill up some shelves at the Wayne Food Pantry.

PASTORAL COMMUNITY OUTREACH SERVICES – December 2024/January 2025

December 2024:

KINSHIP POINTE: Pastor will lead a chapel service at Kinship Pointe on Wednesday, December 4^th beginning at 1:30pm.
RADIO DEVOTIONS: Pastor Teresa will be giving devotions on 104.9 Big Red Country KTCH the week of December 9^th – 13^th at 5:40am.
WAYNE COUNTRYVIEW: Pastor will lead chapel service on Sunday, December 29^th, beginning at 1:30pm.

January 2025:

KINSHIP POINTE: Pastor will lead chapel service on Wednesday, January 8, beginning at 3:30pm.
RADIO DEVOTIONS: Pastor Teresa will be giving devotions on 104.9 Big Red Country KTCH the week of January 20^th – 24^th at 5:40am.

PASTOR’S VACATION & STUDY LEAVE

Pastor will be on vacation December 25^th, 2024– January 2^nd, 2025.
The Christmas Eve service will be held at 5:30pm.
On Sunday, December 29^th Gail McCorkindale will be the worship leader.
Communion will be held on January 5^th, 2024.
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

The church office will be closed December 25^th– January 1st. We will re-open on Thursday. January 2^nd, 2025.
Pastor Teresa will be on leave Wednesday, December 25 – Wednesday, January 2^nd 2025. Please leave a message if you have a need at either (402)375-2669 or fpcwayne@gmail.com

TAX REMINDER

All donations for the 2024 calendar year need to be to Anita Fuelberth no later than December 30^th for tax purposes. Any mailed donations should be postmarked no later than December 28^th.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING: November 24^Th,2024

At the November 24^th Congregational meeting the budget for 2025 was presented which included the terms of call for the pastor. Copies of the budget are available in Fellowship Hall.

The Nominating Team presented the following slate of officers;

Elder – Brian Bowers (1^st term)

Suzanne Sjuts (2^nd term)

Deacon – Karen Johnson (1^st term)

Tiffanny Heese (2^nd term)

The slate of officers was approved. Thank-you to these folks who said yes to be leaders in the congregation. The installation of officers will be January 12^th during worship.

COFFEE HOUSE TO RETURN IN 2025

CoffeeHouse Worship will return on February 16, 2025. Please contact Jane to volunteer or share ideas for topics. We will also need volunteers for treats and to make the coffee so please watch for the sign-up sheet to volunteer. We look forward to more discussion about the Scriptures’ and how they impact our lives. Coffee House begins February 16^th.

SESSION

The Session will not meet in December.
The Session will gather for a retreat Saturday, January 18^th, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for a time of training and planning for 2025. All Session members including the incoming class of elders should plan to attend. We will be reviewing polices of the congregation as well as planning for communion, monthly devotions and organizing Session teams.
If you are responsible for a particular ministry (e.g., deacons, music, nominating, church school, property), please submit a brief report to the church office (fpcwayne@gmail.com) by Friday, 1/17/2025.

FPC ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

Our annual congregational meeting will follow worship on Sunday, January 28^th. If you are responsible for a particular ministry (e.g., deacons, music, nominating, church school, property), please submit a brief report to the church office (fpcwayne@gmail.com) by Friday, 1/17/2025.

SESSION & DEACON TEAM REPORTS DUE

If you are responsible for a particular ministry (e.g., deacons, music, nominating, church school, property), please submit a brief report to the church office (fpcwayne@gmail.com) by Friday, 1/17/2025.

December 2024 – First Presbyterian Church

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
1 1^st Sunday of Advent *Communion	2	3	4 3:30 Chapel @ Kinship Pointe	5	6	7
8 2^nd Sunday of Advent *Presbyterian Pealers performance	9 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living	10 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living	11 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living	12 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living	13 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living	14
15 3^rd Sunday of Advent	16	17	18	19	20	21
22 4^th Sunday of Advent Presbyterian Pealers performance Christmas Joy Offering	23	24 5:30pm Christmas Eve Service	25 Merry Christmas! Jesus is born!	26 Church Office closed	27 Church Office closed	28
29 10:00am Speaker: Gail McCorkindale	30 Church Office closed	31 Church Office closed	1 Church Office Closed	2 Church Office open	3 Church Office open	4

January 2025 – First Presbyterian Church

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
			1 Church Office closed	2 Church Office open	3 Church Office open	4
5 Communion	6	7	8 10:30 WACAM 3:30 Kinship Pointe	9 Word in Faith in the Wayne Herald	10	11
12 Deacon & Elder Ordination	13	14	15	16	17 Session Reports due	18 9:00am Session Retreat
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26 Annual Congregational Meeting	27	28	29	30	31

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS

5 Tiffanny H.

7 Candyce P.

14 Randy D.

18 Beau B.

22 Nina H.

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

2 Larry H.

5 Terry B.

9 Jenny H.

20 Kent P.

27 Jim P.

28 Jackie O.

31 Shannon P.

This New Year
Poet: Catherine Pulsifer[†]

For the year that has passed, Lord we thank you.
For the coming year, Lord we thank you.
For the people you have put in our path, Lord we thank you
For the blessings you have generously given us, Lord we thank you.

Let us being your shining light in this new year.
Let us always see and help with the needs of others this new year.
Let us share what we have this new year.
And, let us praise and worship you in freedom this new year.

Contact Information:

First Presbyterian Church

216 W. Third Street

Wayne NE 68787

FPC Office & Wayne Food Pantry:

402-375-2669

fpcwayne@gmail.com

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/