Choir & Orchestra this Sunday; Advent Services; PW Retreat; Ghana Conference; Photos & More

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2024

Advent Greetings from a Shepherd

Luke 2:8-21, Devotional by Ashlin Murphy

Ordinary. I can’t begin to tell you how long everything has felt ordinary. From the moment I wipe the wool from my eye in the morning until my head rests on the hard earth after dark, I can anticipate every second of my day. Even the seemingly unforeseen circumstances (a sheep escapes, the heavens open up, our crops shrivel in the night) feel premeditated. I’ve seen it all. I thought nothing would ever surprise me again.

I had never given much thought to The Greater Picture. My purpose was cut and clean: tend to the sheep. I thought this role was enough to shuffle me pleasantly through life. Surely the bigger phenomena at play would continue to toil without my involvement, and I would die a simple, content man. I didn’t have much care for what would come later.

[Read the full devotional at this link]

Music Offering

This Sunday, December 22 during the 10:30 a.m. worship service, our Chancel Choir and Orchestra will lead the congregation in songs of prayer and celebration. In support of this and all worship music throughout the year, we are collecting a special offering for the SCAPC Music Program this month. To contribute via Paypal, please go to scapc.org/music. You can also send a check to the church made out to “SCAPC” with “Music Fund” in the memo.

Please note that seating will be limited at Sunday's service, as unfortunately the balcony will be closed due to organ construction. We encourage all to arrive early!

Advent Sunday School Class

This Advent, we have been diving into each Sunday’s sermon text, exploring historical, contextual, and linguistic themes in select Messianic readings that lead up to the birth of Christ. Classes are led by Sandra Cabrina Jenkins and Ashley Brown and meet in the Land Building Riverside Room. This coming Sunday's sermon and class will center on the Advent family.

Longest Night: A Service of Wholeness & Healing

This Sunday, December 22, we will hold a "Longest Night" service from 5-5:30 p.m. in the columbarium outside of the Sanctuary on State Street. While Christmas is a festive season, for some it is also a time of grief and loneliness and struggle. We will gather to name those struggles and to support each other in times of darkness; and we will acknowledge that the light shines in the darkness in this season and all seasons.

Advent Giving Drive

Help us share kindness and love with our neighbors this season by bringing donations to church each week. This week you can support the the Junior League Diaper Bank by donating diapers in baby and adult sizes (open packages accepted) and period products. Beginning this Sunday, December 22, through Christmas Eve, you can support the Broadmoor Community Food Bank by bringing formula and baby/child-friendly foods. Collection bins are by the State Street entrance and in Frampton Fellowship Hall.

Christmas Eve Services

4:00 - FAMILY SERVICE (with childcare)

7:00 - LESSONS & CAROLS (no childcare)

On Sunday, December 29, there will be a casual, inter-generational service at 9:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary. There will be no Sunday School or childcare. All ages are encouraged to participate in worship. Communion will not be served.

New Staff Phone Extensions

This week the church staff received new phone extension numbers as part of a new phone system. Please see our staff webpage (scapc.org/staff) for all contact information.

Presbyterian Women's Retreat

Sunday-Monday, January 19-20

Now is the time to register for our 2025 Presbyterian Women’s Retreat at the Solomon Conference Center in Loranger, LA! Our theme this year is “Grounded by God”, led by Rev. Jessie Light-Wells, with liturgy by Sarah Chancellor-Watson. We will worship and pray together, study scripture, renew friendships, and simply recharge our batteries. To learn more about our speaker and theme and to register, go to scapc.org/pw-retreat. Printed registration forms can also be picked up on the table outside the church office. The registration deadline is December 29.

Session Meeting: December 16, 2024

The December session meeting consisted of welcoming the remaining incoming elders who have agreed to serve in the elder class of 2027, hearing their faith statements, approving the 2025 budget presented by the finance committee, taking actions that support the work of property (drainage project) and worship committees (three baptisms on December 29th), celebrating the end of a successful year of ministry (#104) in the life of this church, and finally, celebrating and giving thanks for the elder class of 2024, who will be rotating off the session in December. Our Leadership Development committee gave each outgoing session member a copy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, The Cost of Discipleship. As we end 2024 in the work and ministry of the session, special words of gratitude were shared with this elder class thanking them for helping initiate, implement, and work a strategic plan for the next five years, which has already been taking root in our congregation through supper clubs, worship shorts, and our recent successful stewardship campaign.

Our incoming elder class will be ordained and installed at the 10:30 a.m. worship service on January 12, 2025, and next year’s session will begin their work at the January session retreat, January 24, 25, 2025.

Partnership in God's Mission

23rd Annual PCUSA Ghana Mission Network Conference

In October, the Ghana Mission Network met in Tema, Ghana. The 2024 PCUSA-GMN Conference brought together representatives from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (EPCG), the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), and the Presbyterian Church U.SA. with the mission statement: “To strengthen, expand, and celebrate mission collaboration between Ghana and the USA.” SCAPC members sponsored a young leader from our partner church, the Gethsemane Presbyterian Church, in Senchi Ferry, Ghana to attend the conference.

Kwaku Tieku-Dadey, reports that “the conference highlighted the participation of many young people, with a focus on mentoring and nurturing them into Christian leadership. As a participant, I was privileged to engage in meaningful dialogue, worship, and cultural exchange, all aimed at deepening our collective mission.” For his full report, visit our Ghana webpage (scapc.org/ghana).

SCAPC Ghana Webpage

The Global Ministry Committee is working with Spiritual Formation to find ways to create and foster connections between the young people in Ghana and our young people with a goal of finding meaningful avenues to engage in the 2025 Ghana Mission Network conference when it returns to the United States.

Thank You to Our Aden Volunteers!

Last week a Volunteer Appreciation Party was held for the volunteers of SCAPC's Aden Program for Elder Care. Pictured here top row from left are Tom May, Catherine Edwards, Lucie Titus, Sarah Heyl, Woody Bealer, Louellen Berger, Ruby Bealer, Margo Phelps and John Koch. Front row are Lisa Stahl, Aden Director Marti McEnery, Assistant Director Kat Songy, and Sheila Schwartzmann. Volunteers not pictured are Gail Kaliszeski, Nancy Ellis, Philip Stagg, Rick Grubb, Candy Cranch, Jenny Baldwin, and Janine Daniel.

Children's Christmas Play

Last Wednesday, our children delighted the Wednesday Night Out audience with "A Very Mixed Up Christmas Pageant"!

Ringers & Singers

The Ringers & Singers choir rang "Joy to the World!" in Sunday's 10:30 service. Pictured from left are Hallie Boh, Corinne Currie, Savannah Weiser, Jodi McWilliams, Caroline Wheeler, Arden Weiser, Charlie Kehlenbach, and Harrison Currie with Peggy Crain conducting. Off-camera are Noah Kehlenbach and Chris Hazlaris.

Supper Clubs

SCAPC Supper clubbers (from left) David and April Weiser, Jim and Bonnie Hobden, Sally Wimberly and Sarah Chancellor-Watson enjoyed a festive night together at the Weiser's this weekend! If your SCAPC supper club is meeting soon, send us a photo!

Stacey and Frank Danner also hosted their Supper Club for a Christmas-y dinner! Pictured clockwise from left are Stacey; Helen Cooper; Tyler, Barrett, Lilly, and Ann-Kempter Wheeler; Frank; Bebe and Billy Marchal; and Beth Poe.

Staff Christmas Lunch

The church staff celebrated the season at their annual Christmas lunch today! Pictured back row from left are Ashley Brown, Joe Bean, Steven Blackmon, Chris Hazlaris, Chris Currie, April Weiser, Matt McCann, Hallie Boh, Camille Zander, Lynn Hoffman, Percy Woods, Donald Jefferson, and Pierce Young. Front row from left are Emily Fleshman, Katie Brendler, Sarah Chancellor-Watson and Tyler Wheeler.

New Member

Please join us in welcoming new member Anne Kennedy who joined the church this week!

This Week's Prayer List

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