In This Issue:

• A Word From Our Pastor
• Christmas Eve Service
• Celtic Service for Wholeness
• December birthdays and anniversaries
• December Service Participants
• December Calendar
• Decorating the Chrismon Tree
• Hanging of the Greens

• Thanksgiving Luncheon
• Advent Devotionals
• Poinsettia Orders
• Christmas Reception
• Christmas Choral Concert
• Committee Corner
• Boy Scouts Collecting Donations
• Lighthouse Brass
• Christmas Joy
• November Session Summary

A Word From Our Pastor

Advent marks the beginning of the liturgical year. The name comes from the Latin adventus, meaning coming or arrival.

Advent is a season that emphasizes a time of waiting and preparation for both the celebration of Jesus's birth at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. The themes of Advent include hope, peace, joy, and love,

which we celebrate each Sunday as we light the candles of the Advent Wreath. Advent begins this year on December 1, the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and ends at sunset on Christmas Eve. During that 1st Sunday of Advent, you will have the opportunity during worship to adorn the Chrismon tree.

The traditional liturgical color for the season is purple, symbolizing penance, preparation, and sacrifice. It is also the color of royalty and the sovereignty of Christ, representing the anticipation of the coming King.

May the journey into a new liturgical year be a blessing.

Jeff Sockwell

Interim Pastor

Outer Banks Presbyterian Church

Our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service will be on December 24^th at 5:00 pm. Please be sure to include worship in your plans for Christmas Eve! We will sing many of our favorite carols, hear the Christmas story through a number of Scripture readings, and have a brief sermon. On Christmas, we proclaim the Good News that Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, God with us.

Celtic Service for Wholeness

December 29, 2024

10:00 a.m.

Outer Banks Presbyterian Church

907 S. Croatan Highway

Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948

(252) 441-5897

outerbankspresbyterian.org

In Celtic spirituality, the emphasis is on wholeness. The whole of creation is embraced and celebrated: air, water, light, and earth. Likewise, healing is a call to wholeness for the fullness of creation. God calls us to release what we no longer need, to mend what is broken in a relationship, to balance what we tend and carry.

In the midst of our busy lives, God calls us to holy pauses in which we breathe with awareness, reset our pace, and open our hearts.

In liturgy, prayer, music, meditation, and scripture, this Celtic Service for Wholeness invites us individually to return to wholeness and collectively to celebrate, with deep gladness, the wonders of creation and community on Earth, our beautiful and fragile island home.

Join us in this sacred worship service as

we seek wholeness and healing

Decorating the Chrismon Tree

On Sunday, December 1st, during the 10:00 am worship service, the whole congregation will be involved in decorating the Chrismon Tree. The ornaments will be on display in the Gathering Space. Please pick up one, two, or more as you come in. During the service, you will come forward and place your ornaments on the tree. A beautiful way to begin the Advent Season!

Hanging of the Greens

Tuesday, December 3rd

10:00 am

There are lots of wreaths and garlands to be hung throughout the church to decorate for the Birthday of the King!

Please join us on Tuesday, December 3rd at 10 am to help us decorate the Sanctuary for the Advent and Christmas seasons. 

Thanksgiving Luncheon

The Fellowship Committee hosted a Thanksgiving Luncheon on November 24th following the worship service. It was a huge success and a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and fun. Thank you to the Fellowship Committee and everyone who volunteered to bring in their delicious dishes!

Advent Devotionals

There are two Advent Devotional Booklets to choose from:

The first is “Let Your Light Shine – Daily Prayers for Advent” by Sandi Geis. Lights shine everywhere this time of year, bringing beauty and joy to the Advent season. Yet, looming in the shadows are all the troubles of this world that often darken our spirits. The daily Advent prayers in this booklet by Sandi Geis help us look to Jesus, the Light of the World, who overcomes all darkness with his gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love.

The second is geared towards devotions shared as a family. It is “Just Add Jesus – Reflection, Remembrance (and Recipes!) for Holiday Gatherings” by Ben Kupiszewski, David Mead and Mark Zimmermann

As we enter into the season for gathering, it is good for us to savor the many moments we have together and remember that Jesus makes each gathering special. The happy memories, classic food traditions and treasured heirloom recipes shared in this booklet help to celebrate a Savior and a Friend who always has a place at the table each time we meet and eat in his holy name for the holidays.



The booklets are available in the Gathering Space now.

CHRISTMAS IS COMING

Please join the Worship and Fellowship Committees for a Special Christmas coffee hour on December 15th after Worship. There will be homemade Christmas cookies, a special Christmas Coffee, many more goodies, and most importantly, a time to wish each other Merry Christmas.  

OBX Presbyterian Church choir will host a Christmas concert on Friday, December 6 at 6:00 pm. The concert will include choral music sung by church/community singers and accompanied by Cheryl Needham and Alexandra Byers. Please join us for this joyous occasion!

Presbyterian Women

All women are invited to join the December gathering of Presbyterian Women at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 12 in the church library. There will be a Christmas lunch to follow at Karen Lurie's home.

We are excited to have Lighthouse Brass return on December 22nd to play during Worship. All of the musicians are residents of Dare County, united by a shared love of music and a commitment to bringing their distinctive sound to local churches and community organizations. The members' experiences range from high school band participants to former high school band directors.

time of need, and developing our future leaders at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. There will be a bulletin insert & special envelope on December 22nd. You may also send your Joy Offering to the church office with "Joy Offering" written on the Memo Line. Address: OBPC, P O Box 2199, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948. Please give prayerful consideration to your gift for these special groups of people.

Session Summary

Bob Snyder

Clerk of Session



At the Stated Session meeting on November 19, 2024, the Session:

· Discussed ongoing changes to the Church’s website that Elder Nancy Huff is leading.

· Approved the Transition Team's recommendation to extend the interim pastor's contract through December 31, 2025. The financial terms of the contract remain essentially the same as the current contract which expires in June 2025.

· Examined and unanimously approved the ordination of Becky Lofton-Desanto.

· Discussed the congregational listening sessions using the “Animal Farm” assessment tool that were completed on November 20th. Janet Sockwell is compiling the notes and data from those meetings and will provide them to the Transition Team, and subsequently to the Session.

· Discussed options for Children’s Church with incoming Elder Lisa Rhodes to take the lead for developing options to present to the Session at the December 17th Stated Session Meeting.

· Considered the development of the 2025 budget, noting that there are still several outstanding pledges that we hope to receive. Also discussed the desirability of developing a preliminary budget earlier next year that can be used for the 2025 stewardship campaign.

· Approved sending 30 choir robes that the church no longer needs to churches in western North Carolina that are recovering from Hurricane Helene.

· Discussed measures to enhance security for the staff at the church.

· Discussed the progress being made to renovate the rental house, with the intention of having it ready to rent again by January 1, 2025.

· Discussed the preparations for the various services to be held during the Christmas season, including a Celtic Service for Wholeness to be held on December 29th.

· Approved the Fellowship Committee's recommendation to cancel the Christmas Luncheon on December 15 and replace it with an extended coffee hour.

· Approved the Fellowship Committee's recommendation to hold a tailgate party/chili cookoff during the Super Bowl on February 9, 2025.

· Approved a request from Dare County Ministerial Association to hold Lenten Lunches at OBPC from 12:00 – 1:00 pm on March, 5, March 12, March 19, March 26, April 2, April 9, and April 16.

· Approved a request from the Dare County Ministerial Association to use the church for their 2025 monthly meetings from 8:30 – 10:30 am (dates to be determined) through June.