First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Disciples serving Middletown since 1912.
Once again our congregation is showing the true spirit of
Christmas through their generosity and support of Outreach
programs. The Hat and Mitten Tree is being filled with colorful
gloves and hats for school children. Many new toys and clothing
items have been donated for Santa to provide to children in
families we’ve adopted this holiday season. Food items have
overflowed our giving baskets and will grace the dinner tables
of six families on Christmas Day.
Join us Christmas Day to celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus Christ! Worship will be in the Sanctuary at 10:30 A.M. followed by breakfast and fellowship in the fellowship hall.
Join us at First Christian Church, Christmas Eve, at 7:00 P.M. for Christmas Eve Worship, including our candle light worship to close out the evening.
Come join us for
Dress in your favorite Holiday-wear and be ready for another festive time on the front porch (in the Fellowship Hall) to celebrate this wonderful season!
We encourage you to invite your family and friends to join us for this special service of fellowship and music. Please bring a cover dish of your choice and we’ll also provide the fried chicken and beverages.
We also ask that you bring a pair of socks to put on the Chistmas tree that is on the porch. All the socks will be donated to Hope House for their residence during these cold winter months.
Hope to see you all there.
Join us Sundays at 10:30 A.M. for the Season of Advent.
During Advent we Celebrate the Sundays of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.
We are eagerly anticipating our Celebration of the birth of Jesus.
Join us and celebrate the reason for the season!
CWF will be hosting the reception following the Messiah presentation on Dec. 4th. We will be serving cookies, cheese ball, and crackers along with punch and coffee. We will also need people to prepare, serve, or clean up on that day. You may contact Tina Yarber, Dorice Perkins, Betty Stacy, Mary Back, or Marilyn Chamberlain with your availability for that day.
Hannah Circle will go out to lunch on Dec. 4th and then return to the church to help set up for the reception.
Sarah Circle will meet on Dec. 12th at 6:00 pm for a carry-in dinner at Zola McClish’s home.
Sarah Circle cleaned the kitchen on Nov. 3rd. We put felt tabs on the inside of the cabinet doors so that they would open and close easier. We also cleaned the steam table, cleaned out the refrigerator, and fixed the silverware drawer. Many thanks, ladies!
Join us After worship November 20th, for the Hanging of the Greens. Following worship pizza will be provided for lunch and then we will decorate our sanctuary and narthex for the season of advent. Join Us!
Thanksgiving is fast approaching and many of you have brought in food donations to support Outreach in assisting our adopted families this year. We will be providing turkeys and all the trimmings for five families which include 17 members in their households. Families will be picking up their Thanksgiving boxes this coming Monday, November 21st so there is still time to drop off your donations by this Sunday.
In December, we will continue our holiday giving program by handing out food requests for Christmas. We will also be distributing gift requests for Christmas gifts for the children in each home. All of your support is greatly appreciated! If you would like additional information about any of the Outreach activities, please see Linda Poynter, Judy Andrews (co-chairs) or Janice Kash, Judy Lemmert or Sharon Amburgey.
Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas are just around the corner and planning has begun to make this time meaningful and celebrative. I take some time in this article telling about some of those plans. We actually celebrate Thanksgiving Sunday this coming Sunday. I will be preaching on the idea of “Thanksliving”. Following worship many hands will be needed to help decorate our sanctuary and narthex.
Orders will soon be taken for poinsettias to help adorn our sanctuary with these beautiful flowers.
We will celebrate the four Sundays of Advent observing the following themes: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Each Sunday, families or individuals will help us to gradually light the four Advent candles on our special wreath. The fifth candle, the Christ candle will be lit on Christmas Eve.
To help our children celebrate this special season, we will gather for worship in our Fellowship Hall on December 18. Following worship, we will have dinner together.
Our celebrations come to a close with a special Christmas Eve worship in our sanctuary and a very special
Christmas Day worship at 10:00 a.m. (note the change of time) in our beautifully decorated sanctuary followed by having a birthday party for Jesus in our Fellowship Hall. Invite your friends and encourage others to worship with us through this special season.
Actually, Christmas does not end with the day. It continues on for the next twelve days to the celebration of Epiphany.
I again want to reaffirm what a pleasure it is to serve as your interim pastor.
With His Love,
Pastor Nik
The Thanksgiving Offering benefits the Colleges, Universities, Seminaries, and Divinity Houses affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).These learning communities are an extension of the church, challenging students to understand and respond to God’s call to serve.
From the very beginnings of the movement, Disciples have founded institutions of higher learning, encouraging students in their intellectual pursuits. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is still committed to higher education. Your gift to the Thanksgiving Offering helps underwrite the education of students attending one of our fourteen undergraduate institutions and our seven seminaries or divinity houses.
Thousands of students have attended the Colleges and Universities of the Christian Church receiving both a quality education and the opportunity to remain within our Disciple’s heritage. Your financial gift provides scholarships and support for spiritual life offices. By giving to the Thanksgiving Offering you are investing in our students and helping keep education costs down.
The Thanksgiving Offering also provides scholarship and support for those pursuing theological education at one of our seven seminaries or divinity houses. Consider the many generations of pastors, who, if not for the support of faithful congregations and individuals over the ages would not have flourished as our pastors, teachers and leaders. What impact has your pastor had in the life of your church, community or region? You can thank them by supporting the Thanksgiving Offering.
Attending a Disciples College or Theological School is possible through the scholarships and grants that are made available by generous individuals, the Disciples Mission Fund and your gifts to the Thanksgiving Offering.
Take a few minutes to get re-acquainted with Higher Education and Leadership Ministries (HELM) with this video. You can also give to the offering at http://disciplesmissionfund.org
