People, look east. The time is near of the crowning of the year.

Make your house fair as you are able;

trim the hearth and set the table.

People look east and sing today:

Love, the Guest is on the way.

~ People, Look East,” Glory to God hymnal. #105

Dear Friends,

Thanks in large part to our college-student elf, our house is decorated for Christmas. There are a few loose ends, but for the most part, we’re ready…or at least the house is. The true “getting-ready” work lies ahead. There’s so much still to get, to buy, to cook, to wrap, still so much to do. What if there’s another way? A friend pointed me to a different take on the season, “Advent 2022: Making Room (By Doing Less)” (more info here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CleLhJlO7Xy/). The idea comes from Emmy Kegler, who describes herself as a pastor on leave to care for her son and recover from burnout. Along with her co-podcasters, she writes, “What we want to invite you to, in doing less, is making room for the arrival of Jesus.”

The notion of doing less to prepare for Jesus doesn’t make the most sense to me; preparing room for him does. “Love, the guest is on the way,” and I want to clear a space in my heart and in my world for him. So maybe I can try not to clutter up my heart with all the worrying and scurrying and stressing and teeth-gritting I usually associate with the season. Maybe I can huff and puff less and breathe more. Maybe I can let go of the shoulds and embrace the blessings I’m too often too harried to see. Maybe less is truly more.

Grace and peace,

Ellen

Usher sign up link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0948acab2dabf49-fpcusher

Lay Reader sign up link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0948acab2dabf49-scripture

link for online worship:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfpzVUz-ZgaCJuogIMor8Iw/live

link to Ellen's sermon podcasts:  https://bit.ly/Sermons_FPCConcord

Bridge Texts: November 30 - December 4

      Wednesday, Habakkuk 2:5-14

Thursday, Habakkuk 2:15-20

Friday, Habakkuk 3:1-7

Saturday, Habakkuk 3:8-16

Sunday, Isaiah 42:1-9

December 4 - December 6

Sunday, Isaiah 42:1-9

Monday, Isaiah 40: 1-11

Tuesday, Isaiah 40: 12-31

The total collection this month was $267.34!! 

All proceeds support our neighbors in need at Coltrane Webb Elementary School through the Backpack Program.

As you begin to deck the halls – or as you take down your decorations weeks from now, please be aware that we are accepting artificial Christmas trees of all sizes.

The lights do not need to work, but we would like trees to be green (some artificial trees come in a range of colors). We will store these at the church for props for future Vacation Bible school and other programs.

Please contact René Prager at r.prager@firstpresconcord.org or 704-788-2100 x 4 to schedule a drop off. We do not need the trees this holiday season, so there is no rush. We would prefer to repurpose gently used trees that you are planning to discard versus purchasing new ones. 

Thanks to all who helped coordinate and serve at our Second Course Fundraiser Fellowship Lunch November 6th. About 150 members of our church and community attended the wonderful event and approximately $13,360 was raised for Second Course. 

We will have combined Youth Group this week, 4:30 - 6 PM. All 6^th-12^th graders are invited and encouraged to attend.

We will gather in the sanctuary and rehearse for the pageant. We will take a break for dinner about midway.

ALL Youth should attend, even if they are not able to participate in the pageant on December 11^th.

Please RSVP for Dec 4^th here: 2022-2023 Youth: 12/4 - Combined Youth Christmas Pageant Rehearsal (signupgenius.com)

And if you are interested in a particular role in the pageant, please sign-up here: 2022-2023 Youth: Youth - Christmas Pageant (signupgenius.com)

Youth should also mark their calendars for Sunday, December 11^th.

6^th-12^th graders should be in the sanctuary at 4 PM for a final walk through in costume before the 5 PM Christmas pageant. We will have a Youth Christmas party after the pageant and each person should bring a gift for a gift exchange in the $10-$15 range.

Our Middle and High School Girl Scouts visited the Mac Tabby Cat Café in downtown Concord on November 17^th. The girls enjoyed fellowship with one another and with at least a dozen furry friends. The Brownie Troop worked on this Celebrating Community Badge and learned about flag ceremonies and even made their own flags for a special parade! They also assembled shoeboxes for seniors for Cooperative Christian Ministries.

All Girl Scout Troops, K-12, meet again this Thursday, December 1^st. If you are interested in joining or volunteering, please let Rene Prager or Cindy Wise know!

The Girl Scouts also enjoyed gathering on the Fellowship House lawn for the Christmas Parade and the Tree Lighting. 

“Thank you to those serving our church as ushers. We have several opportunities in the coming weeks. 

Below are particular needs:

December 4 

December 11 - 4 ushers needed

December 24 5 PM - 4 ushers needed

December 24 10 PM

December 25

January 1

The usher sign up link is available on the church website, in Ellen's article at the beginning of the Banner each week, or below in the Banner Sign-Up Links section, or you can contact Cindy Wise, 704-699-1039.

The next meeting of the Racial Equity Reads group will be at 3 PM December 18 in The Commons. We will finish the discussion of "Dear White Peacemakers." Thank you to everyone who has participated! We have gained many new insights from all of you this fall.

Our next book will be announced soon, to be discussed beginning in January on a date to be determined. Everyone is welcome to participate, especially if you haven't been part of this group before. As a Matthew 25 congregation, we are called to work to understand how racism maintains systems in U.S. society that prioritize White people over those of other races.

For more information email sverner@yahoo.com.

Sign up now for Lunch Bunch by calling 704-788-2100, ext. 7. A $9 donation is welcome. Come early and attend the Wednesday morning Bible Study which begins in Davis Hall at 10:30 AM. No preparation needed!

Join Carrie Myers in The Commons during the Sunday school hour this Sunday to discuss Christmas in the gospel home of Matthew. Books are available in The Commons.

Coats! Coats! Coats! On November 19, a carload full of coats from FPC were distributed to our unhoused neighbors at Love Feast on the Streets. Our neighbors

will be warmer this winter because of your generosity. Thank you!

We will continue to collect coats for children through January 31.

Christmas Parade- Hot Chocolate and cookies were served to lots of parade watchers.

Our hospitality was much appreciated.

Christmas Tree Lighting- Young folks and older, gathered Sunday evening for our annual tree lighting event. Edible tree decorations for our neighborhood bird friends were assembled. We enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies, sang Christmas carols, and had fun being with one another.

The Christmas Pageant is scheduled for 5 PM on Sunday, December 11^th. We hope the whole congregation will join us for this beautiful retelling of the Christmas story.

You are invited to bring an unwrapped non-perishable food item to the pageant and present that during the offertory.

Our children and Youth are invited to participate in the following ways:

4 year-olds – Our 4 year-olds are invited to participate as angels. Plan to arrive between 4:30 & 4:45 in the Fellowship House for costumes

5 year-olds through 5^th graders are invited to arrive at 4:45 in the sanctuary and select one of the animal costumes in the Narthex.

6^th-12^th graders will rehears on December 4^th and again on December 11^th at 4pm. Please contact René Prager if you have not received an e-mail with additional information

Backpack Program: Coltrane Webb Elementary School

 December 2022 and January 2023

Grocery Needs

Need by:  December 12, 2022

Thank you so much for all you do to support the FPC BackPack Program! We are currently gathering groceries for both the December and January bags. Our congregation will help 13 families each month. Please note that we send two cans of each canned item in each bag.

Fruit Cocktail (canned):  15 oz

Pinto Beans (canned): 16 oz 

Fruit Rollup Snack (gummy): Box of 10 rolls

Potted Meat (located with Vienna Sausage):  3 oz

Chicken Broth (canned):  14.5 oz

Egg Noodles:  8 oz

Yams (canned):  15 oz

Dried Beans (mixed beans):  1 lb bag

Beef Stew (large can):  20 0z

Diced Tomato (canned):  14.5 oz

Black Beans or Kidney Beans (canned):  15 oz

White Rice:  1 lb bag

Peaches (canned):  15 oz

Green Beans (canned): 14.5 oz