Advent is upon us and our church calendar is filled with many meaningful opportunities for worship, study, service, and fellowship during this special season. This year our theme, "How does a weary world rejoice?" asks us to acknowledge the brokenness of the world we live in while calling to mind the hope that is promised to us in Jesus Christ. 

While many events are featured below, a complete listing of all our Advent happenings can be found by visiting www.fpcauburn.org/advent, by downloading a PDF version here or by picking up a printed copy at the church. 

Join us this season as we: 

• acknowledge our weariness,
• find joy in connection,
• allow ourselves to be amazed, and
• make room for the work of the Spirit.

A weary world rejoices when we celebrate the coming of the Christ-child!

Adult Advent Sunday School Class Begins

December 3, 9:45am

FPC Chapel

Join us in the chapel on Sunday mornings (December 3rd, 10th, and 17th) as we study Kara Eidson's work, Stay Awhile: Advent Lessons in Divine Hospitality. As we wait and prepare to welcome the birth of the Christ-child we will think about the role hospitality plays in our own lives and our communities of faith. You are welcome to order yourself a copy of this book from amazon.com, but there is no preparation necessary for participating in the class!

Calling All Cookie Bakers and Cookie Monsters

Join us for the 28th Annual Christmas Cookie Walk fundraiser Saturday, December 2.

There are many ways to participate. All money benefits Habitat for Humanity and builds houses. All details are available on www.auburnopelikahabitat.org

Everyone is invited to attend Saturday and buy and enjoy Christmas cookies which supports the local work of Habitat for Humanity. The Cookie Walk helps build homes, and we recently dedicated home #73 and we are building homes #74, 75, 76, and 77 this Fall.

Ways you can help:

•     Dec 1, Friday 2-7pm Bake and deliver cookies and/or help receive and set up cookies and decorate at True Deliverance Holiness Church

•     Dec 2, Saturday 7am-12 pm Help with the Cookie Walk filling tables and cookies.

•     Dec 2, Saturday 11am – 12pm help with clean up.

•     Dec 2, Saturday 8am - 12pm come enjoy and buy Christmas cookies. 

Please share this information with others and invite them to Cookie Walk. Like and share this information on Facebook at Auburn Opelika Habitat for Humanity

At the Christmas Mission Dinner to be held on December 10, at 5:00 pm, the Mission Committee will receive an offering to be shared with the Lee County DHR. Each Christmas foster parents in the Lee County DHR system provide a Christmas “wish list” to DHR case workers for the foster children in their care. The children may ask for two things they need and two things they want. The parents use it as a time of helping their children understand the difference between need and want. Our offering will help fulfill the DHR Christmas “wish list.”

You may give to the offering at any time up to and including at the Christmas Mission Dinner on December 10. It is important that we provide our offering to the DHR as soon as possible afterwards so it may be used in purchasing gifts for the children in foster care in Lee County. The Mission Committee extends its thanks in advance for your kind consideration of giving to this worthy effort for the foster children in our community. You may also give online at www.fpcauburn.org/give (please choose special offering and make a note that your gift is for the DHR fund) 

Our UKirk students may be ending their semester but they will be back before we know it! Sign up here to provide a meal for our college students during the 2024 spring semester. You may join together with friends to cook something for the students, drop off a meal you've prepared ahead of time, or simply donate money to cover the costs of a Sunday evening meal. 

Our students are always grateful for the hospitality they receive at the table from their FPC family. Thank you for supporting campus ministry!

Sanctuary Flower Sign-up

It's time to sign-up for sponsoring flowers for our Sanctuary in 2024! The sign-up sheet is located outside of the receptionist’s office in the main church office building.

If you are unable to sign up in person, you may also contact Sarah Wolak at 334-728-7853 to sign up for a date. You are welcome to split the cost with another family-- just be sure to write both names on the line. The cost of the flowers is $50 per arrangement, not including tax and delivery fee. As before, you are welcome to bring the arrangements home after the service, or to leave them to be delivered to other members of the congregation.

Begin your Advent season by volunteering at the Community Market on Saturday, December 9 from 9am-12pm. All ages are welcome to sign up and come for as much or as little of the shift as you are able. Children 12 and under, please bring a grown up with you!

The sign up genius link can be found here 

Pictorial Directory Sign Ups

In the upcoming weeks there will be more opportunities to have your picture taken for the new Pictorial Directory Picture. It takes just a few minutes for our team of volunteers to take your picture for the upcoming directory so please consider signing up. We will be taking pictures on Sunday, December 17. There will be sign up sheets in the narthex. Please contact Nick Reed if you have any questions. 

This Week at FPC

December 3-9, 2023

Sunday

9:00 AM - Worship Service with Weekly Communion (Chapel)

9:30 AM - Coffee and Fellowship (Baird Hall)

9:45 AM - Sunday School for All Ages

11:00 AM - Worship Service (Sanctuary)

Bulletin for December 3 worship

Sunday Parking Map

1:00 PM - Christmas Parade Lunch & Fellowship (Courtyard)

4:00 PM - Children's Choir Rehearsal

4:00 PM - Confirmation Class

5:00 PM - Jr. & Sr. High Youth Dinner and Fellowship

Children and Youth News

Christmas Parade Lunch and Fellowship: Join us in the courtyard for a lunch cookout Sunday, December 3 at 1pm and then stay and watch the parade beginning at 2pm.

Children Pre-K through 5th grade

• Children’s choir rehearsal this Sunday at 4pm. The children will have a short time of recreation in Baird Hall from 4-4:15 and then head down to Conway Hall for choir from 4:15 – 5. Then they will make their way back to Baird Hall for dinner. Please bring $3 for dinner.
• Godly Play: After the Word to Grow By (at 11 a.m. worship), children ages 4 to 2nd grade will go to the Godly Play room to worship together for the remainder of the worship service.
• Acolytes! 3rd – 5th grade parents, click the link to sign your child up!
• Worship bags are available for all children during worship.

Jr. and Sr. High Youth

• Jr. and Sr. High Youth will meet this Sunday for dinner in Baird Hall at 5 and Youth Group in the Youth Lounge from 5:30-6:30.

Birthdays 

Dec. 3 - Isobel Prater

Dec. 4 - Curtis Bailey, Estelle Carter

Dec. 7 - Lily Wells, Duncan Whatley

Dec. 9 - Mary Baird

Anniversaries

Dec. 6 - Ed and Dorothy Moran

Prayer Concerns & Celebrations

• Please continue to pray for many members of our church who are dealing with illness, significant health issues, grief, and difficult circumstances but at this time do not wish to be mentioned by name. Prayers of healing, wholeness, and comfort for many in our congregation.

• Prayers of comfort for Linda Stark as she grieves the death of her daughter-in-law. Prayers for all of her family during this difficult time. 

• Prayers of healing for Donine Cooper as she continues to recover at home from surgery. Prayers for Doug as he cares for her.

• Prayers for Jim Foil and his family as they continue to manage Jim’s health.

• Prayers of healing for Charlie Johnson as he navigates health issues. Prayers for Peggy as she cares for Charlie.

• Prayers of healing for Todd Jolly’s brother Robby Jolly as he awaits test for a cancer diagnosis. Prayers for Todd as he cares for his brother from afar.

• Prayers for Catherine Wolfe Riley’s father, Ned. Ned found out he has a recurrence of cancer and will be undergoing treatment over the next few months. Prayers for Catherine as she cares for her father.

• Prayers of healing for Elizabeth White’s brother Joe, who has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and is seeking other ways of treatment. Prayers for Elizabeth as she cares for her brother from afar.

• Prayers of healing for Donna Yeager as she navigates significant back pain.

• Prayers of healing and rest for Donna Yeager’s mother, Patsy Yeager, as she navigates health issues.

• Prayers healing and comfort for Sarah Wolak’s mother, Susan French. Prayers of comfort and strength for Sarah and all her family as they care for her mother.

• Continued prayers of healing for Chris Greer. We especially pray for good healing and rest as Chris recovers from successful treatments. We continue to rejoice with Chris because the latest scans show no sign of cancer. We are so grateful the chemotherapy treatments have been successful. Chris will continue a plan of treatment for the upcoming months. 

• Continued prayers for Jesse Joiner’s mother, Ann Joiner, after her hip surgery. 

• Prayers for Brooke Myers as she cares for her father, Charlie Myers. Charlie is recovering from a fall and has moved to Morningside.

• Prayers of healing for Debbie Duin’s friend, Ann Suttles, who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Carolyn William’s sister Beverly Huey as she navigates health issues. Prayers for Carolyn as she cares for her sister.

• Prayers for Amy Kilner and her family (daughter in law of Dorothy Moran). Amy is in need of a kidney transplant and is currently looking for a donor.