What would you do if you were not afraid?

Life can be filled with uncertainty and fears. It wasn't any different two thousand years ago when Jesus was born. An aged priest is told he is about to become a father for the first time. A young woman is told she is going to give birth - outside the protection of marriage. A simple carpenter is asked to believe the impossible. A group of shepherds' night on a hill is interrupted by a bright host of angels in the sky.

Yet, each of these encounters begins with the same refrain: do not be afraid.

Those words, though, are not just words of comfort; they are an invitation and a calling from God. In this year's Advent study, pastor Erin Wathen challenges us to take this timeless message and apply it to our lives today.

We hope you will join us Sunday mornings in December at 9:50am in the FPC Chapel for this hope-filled study!

Download This Week's Advent Devotional 

Patterns of Divine Possibility: An Advent Search

In a world dominated by binary thinking – light vs. dark, good vs. evil – this year's Advent devotion encourages us to look for the more, to recognize that God’s patterns are nuanced, complex, and always beyond the limited constructs we impose. It challenges us to explore faith as trusting in the unseen patterns and embracing a fuller understanding of God’s handiwork.

From art to everyday life, this devotional series invites us to see God’s world as more than either/or. It’s a call to step into divine possibility, with curiosity and openness, just as the Advent season prepares us to welcome Christ into the world.

Download this week's reflections here.

If you need assistance, please email Rev. Dr. Kathy Reed (kreed@fpcauburn.org)

Advent will soon be upon us and the season is filled with opportunities for study, worship, service, and fellowship with your FPC Church Family. Throughout the season we will provide updates on upcoming events, but please be sure to reference this calendar and make sure you save-the-dates for many moments that will offer experiences of God's hope, peace, joy, and love.  

Join us on Sunday, December 8 for fellowship and fun as we watch the Auburn Christmas Parade! Children's choir will practice immediately following the 11am worship service. Then, a lunch of hot dogs, chips, and nuggets will be served in the church courtyard where we'll be in the perfect spot to watch the Christmas Parade pass by at 2pm.

Bring a chair and your Christmas Spirit!

Lee County Department of Human Resources Christmas Fund

From now until December 15, our FPC Mission Committee will be accepting donations to the Lee County Department of Human Resources Christmas Fund. This fund is set up to help foster families provide for children under their care during the Christmas season. Funds are used to purchase Christmas gifts as well as other items for children of all ages.

You may make a gift to the DHR Christmas Fund in any of the following ways: 

• bringing or mailing a check to church (please include "DHR Christmas" in the memo)
• giving online at www.fpcauburn.org/give and designating your gift under "special offering" 
• bringing your offering to our Music and Mission Dinner on the evening of December 15 

Please note that December 15 is the final date we can accept donations so that we can get our gift to DHR as soon as possible.

FPC Women's Retreat Registration: Deadline December 1!

This retreat is open to all women of the church but especially intended for those who are in need of some sabbath time away in nature. We will have times of reflection, prayer, bible study, and fellowship.

We will also enjoy all that our presbytery's camp, Living River, has to offer: hiking, crafting, campfires and more! At the registration link below you'll find several housing options. This year, the price of the retreat is tiered based on which housing option you choose.

Limited private rooms are available but there are several options for semi-private arrangements as well as old-fashioned camp cabins!

https://forms.gle/owva7Czt4SW6ueSv8

Prices include two nights lodging and meals from Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast: 

Private Rooms: $120-$180

Semi-Private Rooms: $90-110

Shared Cabin (6 max to a cabin): $80

Please contact Kathy Reed with questions at kreed@fpcauburn.org. 

SAVE THE DATE! 

The 29th Annual Cookie Walk to benefit Habitat for Humanity will be held Saturday, December 7, at True Deliverance Church on North Donahue Drive. You can support this event by: baking cookies, volunteering to help set up and display cookies on Friday evening, or helping with the sale on the day of the event. The Cookie Walk is an important part of raising funds for the WEHELP Coalition that has participated in building 15 new homes for deserving families in our community.

Volunteer Sign-up

This Week at FPC

Dec. 1-7, 2024

Sunday

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

9:30 AM - Coffee and Fellowship (Baird)

9:45 AM - Sunday School for all ages

11:00 AM - Worship Service (Sanctuary)

Bulletin for December 1 worship

Sunday Parking Map

4:00 PM - Children's Choir

5:00 PM - Youth Dinner & Fellowship

Monday

10:00 AM - Sowers & Knitters (3rd floor Work Room)

Wednesday

7:00 PM - Youth First Wednesday Fellowship

Saturday

Habitat Cookie Walk (True Deliverance Church, N. Donahue)

Children and Youth News

Children Pre-K through 5th grade

• Children's Fellowship and Choir Sunday from 4-5:30. Children will meet in Baird Hall for 15-20 minutes of fellowship and recreation and then head down to Conway Hall for choir. At 5 p.m., they will come back to Baird Hall for dinner with the Jr. and Sr. High Youth. 
• Worship bags are available for all children during worship.
• 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. 

Jr. and Sr. High Youth

• Jr. and Sr. High Youth meets this Sunday with dinner at 5 and Youth Group from 5:30-6:30.

Parents, click here to download the 2024 Advent Devotion for Families

and click here for the Advent Calendar.

There are printed copies available in the narthex as well.

Birthdays 

Dec. 1 - Bobbie Thurlow

Dec. 3 - Isobel Prater

Dec. 4 - Estelle Carter

Dec. 7 - Lily Wells, Duncan Whatley

Anniversaries

Dec. 6 - Ed and Dorothy Moran

Prayer Concerns & Celebrations

• Prayers of healing for Henry Helmke as he recovers from back surgery. Prayers for Shirley and the Helmke’s as they care for Henry.

• Prayers of healing for Donna Yeager as she recovers from successful back surgery. 

• Prayers of thanksgiving as the Cochran and Recknor family welcome their new grand daughter and great grand daughter. Baby Tarca was born Thursday and arrived a few weeks early so she will be in the NICU for a week. Both mom (Kelly Cochran Tarca) and baby are doing well. 

• Prayers of healing for Kay Recknor as she navigates health issues at home.

• Prayers of healing for Denise Salo as she heals from medical procedures.

• Please continue to pray for many members of our church who are recovering from successful surgery, dealing with significant health issues, surrounded by 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 wholeness, comfort, and rest for Nancy Gamble as she receives hospice care to keep her comfortable in the weeks/months ahead. She requests NO visitors or phone calls but welcomes prayers and cards.

• Prayers of healing for Todd White's mother, Joan White, as she recovers from hip surgery. Prayers for Todd and his family as they care for her.

• Prayers of healing for Leslie Chamber’s grandmother, Imogene Hill, has she recovers from hip replacement surgery. Prayers for Leslie and all her family as they care for Imogene.

• Prayers of healing for Addy Steele’s mother, Emily McDaniel, as she recovers from significant surgery. Prayers for Addy and her family as they care for her mother.

• Prayers of healing for Joyce Bravaldo as she navigates health issues at home. 

• Prayers of healing for Amanda Covington Anderson as she continues to heal. Prayers for Frank and Carole and all of Amanda’s family as they care for her. 

• Prayers for Catherine Wolfe Riley’s father, Ned. Prayers for Catherine as she cares for her father.

• Prayers of healing for Debbie Duin’s brother Warren and sister-in-law Janet as they both recover from significant falls. They are both home after a brief stay in the hospital. Prayers for Debbie as she cares for her brother and sister-in-law from a far. Continued prayers of healing for Debbie as she recovers from successful knee surgery. 

• Continued prayers of healing, rest, and comfort for Donna Yeager’s mother, Patsy Yeager, as she navigates health issues at home. Prayers for Donna and her siblings as they care for her mother in Texas.

• Prayers of healing for Olyne Fischer’s daughter-in-law Chell Fischer. Chell has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and will have surgery in a few weeks. Prayers for Olyne as she cares for Chell and her son Gary from afar. 

• Prayers healing and comfort for Sarah Wolak’s brother Chris French. Chris has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome and is receiving treatment for his symptoms. Continued prayers of healing and comfort for Sarah’s mother, Susan French, as she also navigates health issues.  

• Prayers of healing for Karen and Bob Cochran’s friend Randy Tucker as he undergoes a stem cell study for his cancer treatment.

• Prayers of healing for Don Ball’s son, Kelly, who is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for recurrence of cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Daniel and Amanda Johnson’s nephew James Ivey as he receives critical care. Prayers for the doctors and caregivers who are caring for him, especially his parents and family..

• Prayers for former Ukirk student Shannon Smith as she recovers at home after having a stroke.

• Prayers for Amy Kilner (daughter-in-law of Dorothy Moran) as she recovers from a kidney transplant.

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

• 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. 

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