Wednesday,

November 27, 2024

OUR MISSION: We are an open community who believes God is love

and who lives our belief through praise and service.

mailing address:  Balmoral Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 17309, Memphis, TN 38187

Church Office Hours: Mon - Thur, 10:00am- 3:00pm

WEBSITE: www.balmoralpc.com

THIS WEEK:

• SUNDAY, December 1: 1st Sunday of Advent
• Advent Sunday Studies at 9:30am
• Worship & Communion at 11:00am

• MESSAGE from the PASTOR

• SPECIAL OFFERINGS for the CHRISTMAS SEASON:
• FILL the ADVENT TREE
• MIFA PLUS1 GIVING IN MEMORY & IN HONOR
• "UNDIES" TREE
• JOY GIFT OFFERING



• ADVENT DEVOTIONAL (online) from the Presbyterian Mission Agency available

• PW CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON

• BOOK CLUB CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON

• EARTH CARE TIP of the MONTH

• NEWS from the PC(USA)
• ‘Long live King Jesus!’
• Sharing a holiday meal together: warm Thanksgiving memories

• BIRTHDAYS

• CALENDAR of EVENTS

• BPC Photos
• Worship Photos

ONGOING INFORMATION LINKS:

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

DONATIONS

• BRING FOOD for the FOOD CART
• JOHNSON AUXILIARY ITEMS NEEDED
• RECYCLE YOUR TOOTHBRUSHES

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

• SIGN UP to be a WORSHIP LITURGIST!
• SIGN-UP to BRING COFFEE HOUR SNACKS!
• GIVE OUT HOSPITALITY BAGS
• MAKE SANDWICHES and/or SERVE LUNCH at the SOUP KITCHEN @ 1st PRES
• DISTRIBUTE FOOD at COLONIAL PARK

Did you miss these previous articles?

• THANK YOU to 2024 MODERATOR of PRESBYTERY of MIDSOUTH
• CINNAMON ROLLS from PINECREST still on sale until Dec 3

Sunday

1st Sunday of Advent

December 1, 2024

ADVENT

SUNDAY STUDIES

Our Advent Sunday Studies will begin on December 1 with the class "History of Christmas Hymns". The class will continue on 12/8, led by Scott Hill and Jane Schneider.

(There will be no Sunday Studies for December 15, 22, and 29. Winter Studies will resume on January 5.)

WORSHIP & COMMUNION

at 11:00am

Scriptures: Jeremiah 33:14-16

& Luke 1:5-25

Sermon: "What If I Missed It?"

Rev. Mark Howland

Can't attend Worship in person? Join us on YouTube LIVE!

Link to Sunday's Bulletin

Link to Sunday's Worship on YouTube

Previous Worship Services at Balmoral are also still available on the 

Balmoral YouTube channel 

This week we begin a new season in the church liturgical calendar. We are entering Advent which points us to new beginnings, new possibilities, and new directions. Advent is filled with hope, peace, joy and love. Advent reminds us of dreams held by the Hebrew people and characters in the Bible; dreams realized in God's purpose and plan. We are challenged to dream forward with ancient stories of God's people as we are asked to dream forward in our own stories.  

Dreaming forward is more than an act of imagination; it’s a deliberate effort to envision and pursue a better future. In a world full of challenges, the ability to dream forward is a vital skill for individuals, communities, and societies. It requires blending optimism with action, creativity with commitment, and hope with hard work.

Dreaming forward is the process of looking beyond current circumstances and imagining possibilities that inspire growth, progress, and transformation. It is a forward-thinking mindset that allows individuals and groups to envision what could be, rather than being constrained by what is. Unlike idle daydreaming, dreaming forward is anchored in intention and often tied to goals and aspirations.

This Sunday we will look at the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth during worship. How does their story connect with the story of Abraham and Sarah? How can we find ourselves in these stories? We will be challenged to dream forward.

Blessings,

Pastor Mark

FILL the ADVENT TREE!

It's time to fill up our Advent Tree with our donations. This year we have 2 projects to fill the tree:

• Gently used clothing for the Clothes Closet at 1st Pres: Especially needed are men’s pants, belts, shoes, jackets and sweatshirts. 
• For the food pantry, there is a special need for evaporated milk, saltines, soup and spaghetti sauce. Always needed are corn, green beans, canned beans and peanut butter.

IN MEMORY & IN HONOR:

MIFA PLUS1 GIVING

DONATIONS to MIFA-Plus1 in Memory or in Honor of someone will continue again this year. A donation of $12 per person in memory or in honor will help those in need to receive assistance for their utility bills. The list of names honored or memorialized will be listed in the bulletins on Christmas Eve and the Sunday after Christmas. Make checks made out to Balmoral and attach a note of the names of those to be in memory or in honor! Place them in the offering plates or mail to the church’s PO box. All checks must be received by Sunday, December 15 in order to be listed in the bulletin for Christmas Eve. 

"Undie" Tree

Instead of having a mitten tree, we are having an “undie” tree this year. The First Presbyterian’s Clothes Closet is in GREAT NEED for NEW, UNUSED underwear (eg packages of undershirts, socks, briefs, boxers for men and panties and sports bras for women). Large is the most desirable size.

Each year during the Advent and Christmas season, we lift up past, present, and our future leaders of the church. God has blessed the Church with incredible leadership in every time and place, but those leaders often need to be supported by their communities as well. This Offering addresses the support needed by some of our leaders, including supporting leadership development for communities of color, and providing support for Presbyterian church workers in their time of need.

When we all give a little, we help a lot!

The 2024 Advent Devotional from the Presbyterian Mission Agency is available ONLINE. This year, these weekly devotionals reflect the four themes of the Advent Season: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.

Link:

https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/2024-advent-devotionals/

Presbyterian Women

CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON

PW will not have its regular meeting on December 4. We are having our Christmas luncheon Saturday, December 7 at 12:00 at Fratellis, located in the Botanic Gardens.

(Bible Study will meet again in classroom A on January 8.)

BOOK CLUB

CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON

December 10, 11:30am

at the home of Cathy Bailey, 1419 Glen Oaks Drive, 38119

December's Book Club will meet December 10th for a potluck lunch: Ted Pearson will lead us in a poem or two by Donald Hall, a poet, writer and literary critic living in New England who died in 2018. More will follow about how you can access the poem(s).

The potluck will begin at 11:30 a.m. Janice Hill will provide the chicken casserole we've shared the last couple of years. We will need side dishes and desserts.

The location is not definite yet. 

NOVEMBER Earth Care tip:

Turn out lights when leaving a room!

DECEMBER Earth Care tip:

Use cloth napkins and towels instead of paper.

NEWS from the PC(USA)



USE the BUTTON HERE FOR MORE NEWS from PC(USA) :

FOR DECEMBER:

Kathy Singleton (2);

Ian Mercer (4);

Cliff Gurlen (6);

Ted Pearson (7);

Richard Vosburg (9);

Jerry Francisco (18);

Kay Dawson (21);

Carol Mitchell (23);

Mary Nell Easum (29); Janice Carney (30) 

CALENDAR of EVENTS

REGULARLY SCHEDULED EVENTS

Want to know what days certain groups or events meet? Or what groups may not meet during the Summer? Check out the current regular events calendar! Click the picture here -->

UPCOMING EVENTS

Robin Van Nortwick, Liturgist

Rev. Mark Howland

Musical Offering

DID YOU MISS THESE

PREVIOUS ARTICLES?

to 2024 MODERATOR of the PRESBYTERY of the MID-SOUTH

Becky DeLoach has served as Moderator for the Presbytery of the Mid-South this past year. She was honored at the Presbytery meeting this month with a plaque.

PINECREST CINNAMONS are STILL on SALE through December 3!

CONTACT INFORMATION



Pastor Contact: Rev. Mark Howland

(515-988-5183 or email pastormark@balmoralpc.com)

Pastoral Care: Rev. Elizabeth Dick, Pastor Associate

(314.330.0506 or email elizabethdick2@gmail.com)    

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES!

FOOD CART

Bring items for the Food Cart weekly - keep the cart full!

JOHNSON AUXILIARY

Items needed at Region One for patients and their families.

RECYCLING

Toothbrushes, Toothpaste tubes etc can be recycled. Cardboard recycling is also available

SUNDAY LITURGIST

Sign up to join Mark at the podium as a Liturgist

SIGN-UP to BRING COFFEE_TIME SNACKS

For goodies with your coffee.

SUPPORT the HOSPITALITY BAGS PROGRAM

Make donations and/or pass out bags to those in need

VOLUNTEER for the SOUP KITCHEN

Make sandwiches and/or serve lunch at 1st Presbyterian

PASS OUT FOOD at COLONIAL PARK

Food from the MidSouth Food Bank distribution location

• Newsletter Articles & Photos should be emailed to Kathy Singleton at ksingle2@bellsouth.net no later than end of day Monday for the week you want the article in the news.
• Bulletin Announcements should be emailed to Kathy Singleton, no later than Monday the week before the Sunday you want the information to appear.