Monthly Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church December, 2013 From under……... The Redbud Tree Inside this Issue Pastor’s Invitation 1 October Lay Readers 2 ‘Maxine’ Church Christmas Party Invite Christmas Caroling Announcement Birthdays & Anniversaries Thank You December Church Mouse Serving in worship for December 3 Special Person of the Month 4 Pointsettia Order form Thank You “Chuckles” Hanging of the Greens Taking down the Greens 5 Crossword Puzzle 6 Financial 7 Calendar 8 Last Page 9 You are invited to Pastor Nancy’s Christmas Open House 121 Parkview Circle Dec. 18 3:00—5:00 (since parking is limited, you may want to carpool from the church parking lot) …………….continued next page 1 Lay Leaders FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 1st 8th 15th 22nd 29th - Don Crapnell Ralph Gillespie Sissy Wells Sharon Adler Barb Hough A little Presbyterian lass asked her mother, “Was Jesus born in a barn?” The mother answered, “Well, sort of…” The little girl said, “I wish I’d been born in a barn. Then when I left the door open and you asked me if I’d been born in a barn, I could say ‘yes, like Jesus” December 11th 5:00 p.m C H R Come join us for a fun, Come join us for I celebration! afestive fun, festive celebraS Bring your favorite T tion! “finger foods” or Bring your favoriteM your favorite “goodies” share. or A “fingertofoods” S your favorite Please bring a cheap/ “goodies” shareP funny ($5.00 orto less) “white elephant” A item, gift wrapped, R for a fun gift exchange! T Christmas Caroling Come and join us on Sunday, December 8th @ 2:00 pm. to go a caroling at Good Samaritan. Y Please a cheap/ A sign-bring up sheet (tofunny tell us you’re coming) ($5.00 or less) is posted in the “white elephant” Fellowship Hall. item, gift wrapped, for a fun gift exchange! MERRY CHRISTMAS Hope to see you there! 2 December Birthdays 1 2 6 6 9 11 12 14 16 17 18 20 20 22 23 27 28 Jack Coffman Joyce Hofer Ken Kunkel Lois Craven Chuck Whitcome Sarah Ruegsegger Patti Gamelin Sherman Fine Iona Weeks Loweta Rogers Frank Root David Buff Mary Golden Sarah Kelly Velma Smith Barbara Fink Carolyn Saul H O O H H O !! Another year has come and gone… This little mouse just rolls along… The Santa hat with big black ears….. He wears it now as Christmas nears... Like all our busy mice this year…… This Christmas mouse…. is also dear! Merry Christmas!! Do you know this busy mouse? USHERS FOR DECEMBER IF YOU DON’T SEE YOUR BIRTHDAY OR ANNIVERSARY, PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE SO WE CAN GET YOU STORED IN OUR RECORDS!! THE SAME GOES FOR ANY MISTAKES YOU MAY SEE!! (we can’t fix it if we don’t know it’s broke!) 1st & 8th 15th & 22nd 29th - Gary & Sharon Adler Phil & Ellen Jordan Opal Buck & Velma Shaw GREETERS FOR DECEMBER 1st & 8th Pattie Wilson 15th & 22nd - Wana Thacker 29th Doris Dykstra Thank you so much for the thoughts, cards and flowers in our time of need. It helps heal the pain of our broken hearts. December Anniversaries 7 8 28 30 30 Lowayne and Steve Wedge 3 David & Vicky Buff John & Mary Martin Phil & Ellen Jordan Richard & Georgianne Tonne Robert & JoAnn James Special Person of the Month ‘The Ruegsegger Children’ Sarah, Alex, Ian, Andrew & Elliott Merry Christmas! When we received the call to ask us to be in the Redbud – we thought, “are you all really ready for that”. So here goes…. Our Sarah is turning 17 on December 11th. She is a junior at Norfork High School. Sarah was a premie and has a heart condition, Tetralogy of Fallot (flow), C.P. and Selective Antibody Deficiency (S.A.D.). S.A.D. basically means she does not have an immune system. Sarah is not a threat to anyone else, it is all the germs that are a threat to Sarah. Sarah has had five open heart surgeries, had a feeding tube until the age of eight, receives antibodies weekly after church via an I.V. and takes many meds each day to keep her strong. She has had way too many surgeries and procedures to count. But what we have known all along is she is a fighter! Sarah volunteers two days a week at the Norfork Youth Center, is a teacher’s assistant at the elementary school library in the afternoons, texts wonderfully, sings perfectly and was voted “Best Personality” her sophomore year at school. Alex is a sophomore at Norfork and is 15 years old. Alex is in the FFA, History club and is very involved in quiz bowl and Sr Beta. Alex was ranked #1 for the state of Arkansas for Jr League Quiz Bowl and was on the Jr Beta Arkansas state championship team which earned him and his teammates a spot at the National Beta Convention in Mobile, Alabama in June 2013. His team placed 6th out of 28 teams. Not Bad! Alex is interested in becoming a genetic physicist after high school. Ian is the middle child, a freshman, and is 14 years old. Ian loves the outdoors and being with animals and nature in general. Ian is on quiz bowl, involved with FFA and just finished a chicken project. (We had 60 chickens to raise for eight weeks then went to the state fair in Little Rock to show them.) Ian, nor Alex – as he competed too, placed at state but we did learn a lot about chickens. And yes, we did the cycle of life for the chickens, or should we say we have a lot of chicken in our freezer. Ian can be found at the Moose Lodge with Grandma and Papa every other Friday night. Ian is known as “the french fry boy”. Needless to say the lodge takes good care of Ian. Andrew is the fourth child, is 11 years old and is in 6th grade at Arrie Goforth Elementary School in Norfork. Andrew is a writer and a creator. Andrew is a member of the Jr Beta, quiz bowl team and is in the gifted and talented program. Andrew and his friends have created a web page. All of the children have kept in contact with their friends from Illinois, but Andrew and his Illinois friends are quite active thanks to the internet, facebook, cell phones, texting, face time, Skype – he uses it all. Thank goodness for free long distance. 4 Elliott is our fifth and the youngest child. Elliott just turned 10 years old – double digits – doesn’t seem possible. Elliott goes to Arrie Goforth too. He is in the 4th grade in the gifted and talented program also. Elliott and Andrew both compete in the First Lego League. Regional competitions were held in Searcy in November and they received 2nd place so they will be competing in the state competitions in December at ASU. This is a robotic team that competes in different programing challenges. Elliott is our hand shaker and greeter. We have been blessed with readers. Often you will find them with a book in their hand or near by. They have all adjusted well with moving here from Illinois 18 months ago. We are still looking for a pizza delivery service to our house, but have a feeling that isn’t going to happen any time soon. They all love pasta, pizza and ice cream…...and CHOCOLATE. Some other little know facts about these children is they all watch, as a family, Jeopardy. They also watch Duck Dynasty and Mr. Who. Have I lost you yet? There is also some general cartoon watching and Ian likes the History Channel. When quizzed about past vacations the most special was California. Several years back Sarah wanted to meet Vanna White (Wheel of Fortune). She was on a feeding tube at the time and in an effort to get her back to eating again her parents told her she could get to do this if she got off the tube. They contacted ‘Make a Wish’ and all five of the family spent nine fun packed days in southern California (Santa Monica), Simi Valley (Ronald Reagan’s home and museum), Disneyland and Wheel of Fortune. Not only was Sarah on Wheel of Fortune...she won a car! How great is that! Plus, she met Vanna White!! These great kids are the grandchildren of Robert and Yvonne Kilpatrick and the children of Fred and Mari Ruegsegger. Thank You! Your attention, greetings, and words of encouragement during my recent recovery demonstrates the many reasons why First Presbyterian Church means the world to me. Thank you and blessings. Carolyn Saul “Hanging of the Greens” You won’t want to miss this fun day with your church family….mark your calendars for Saturday, November 30th, 9:30 a.m. We will be meeting that day to decorate the church for Advent and the Christmas season. There will be a continental breakfast for all who attend. PLEASE make an effort to help, we need all the help we can get!!!! Please let Sissy Wells know if you will be there and if you can bring some goodies. Poinsettias for Advent If you would like to order a Poinsettia in Honor of and/or in Memory of someone special, please fill in the following information and return this slip to the church office. Please make your check payable to First Presbyterian Church and your memo “Flower Fund” poinsettia. Thank you, Worship Committee “What goes up — must come down” (You are welcome to donate any amount for your poinsettia which will go into the Memorial Fund). Help Needed!! I would like ____Poinsettia (s). Take down decorations Friday, January 3, 2014 10:00 a.m. Furnished by:______________________________ In Memory of:______________________________ ___________________________________________ In Honor of:________________________________ 5 6 Financial News INCOME & EXPENSE SUMMARY Ten Months Ending October 31, 2013 REVENUE ACTUAL MONTHLY $9,321.00 0.00 4.62 0.00 764.00 27.00 0.00 ACTUAL YR. TO DATE $110,160.00 605.00 188.94 666.70 6,161.28 191.00 0.00 $10,116.62 $117,972.92 $366.77 11,694.88 500.00 150.15 1,452.22 2,616.36 -17.47 0.00 $2,634.01 104,824.58 2,474.23 2,462.98 11,223.23 25,325.82 441.25 0.00 TOTAL EXPENSES $16,762.91 $149,386.10 NET INCOME (LOSS) ($6,646.29) ($31,413.18) Pledges Initial Offering Interest Miscellaneous Loose Offerings Sunday School Fellowship Hall Total Revenue EXPENSES Worship & Planning Personnel Evangelism & Outreach Church Growth Administration Building & Grounds Christian Education Strategic Planning 7 REDBUD CALENDAR DECEMBER, 2013 Sun 19am School - Adult Sunday 10am Worship Service Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 am Counters 1 pm - Ladies Circle Meetings (1, 3 & 4) 10 am Bible Study 3:30 pm - E & O Meeting 10-11 am Alleluia Ringers C L O S E D 11 12 13 14 10 am Bible Study 10-11 am Alleluia Ringers 11 am Coffee hosted by Circle #1 2:00 pm Choir 11 am blood pressure Screening 8 9 9am - Adult Sunday School 10am -Worship Service / 9 am Counters communion 10 am Deacons Mtg. 11am - Coffee hosted by Circle #3 10 2:00 pm Choir 11 am Worship Meeting 5 pm Christmas Party Gardeners Christmas Lunch Copper Kettle Offering 15 16 9 am Adult Sunday School 9 am Counters 10am Worship Service 11 am Coffee hosted by E&O 12 - 4 pm Master 11:30 am - Men of the Church 17 18 19 9 am - Fellowship of Love No Bible Study 10-11 am Alleluia Ringers 2:00 pm Choir Pastor Nancy’s Open House 3 - 5 pm Christmas Cantata 22 23 9 am Sunday School 9 am Counters 10am Worship Service 24 25 26 10-11 am Alleluia Ringers 5 pm - Christmas Eve Candlelight/ Communion Svc. 11 am Coffee hosted by Building & Grounds C L O S E D 20 21 C L O S E D 27 28 C L O S E D Office Closed 29 9 am Sunday School 10 am Worship Service 11 am Coffee Hosted by Deacons 30 31 C 1 I’ve learned so much L from my mistakes……. O 9 am Counters I’m thinking of making S a few more!E New Year’s Eve Publication Deadlines Weekly bulletin - Wednesday afternoon by 2:00 pm Newsletter - Tuesday, November, 19th Please submit all articles in writing. You may drop them off at the office or email to Connie McLaurin: [email protected] Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Office closed Please verify committee meetings with the chairperson as days/times are subject to change! 8 D Church Office Hours 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Pastor, Reverend Nancy L. Taylor Mr. Gary Adler, Lay Pastor Monday - Thursday Sunday School: Sunday Worship: Church Mailing Address 1106 Spring Street Mountain Home, AR 72653 870-425-3799 Secretaries: Connie McLaurin, Helen Harding, Carolyn Saul [email protected] Website: www.fpcmh.net First Presbyterian Church 1106 Spring Street Mountain Home, AR 72653 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED 9 9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m.
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