This Week at FAITH

THIS WEEK AT FAITH

November 27 - December 4, 2022

No matter who you are

or where you are on life’s journey

you are welcome here.

Our Welcoming Statement

FAITH UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

5992 Route 378

Center Valley, PA 18034

610.282.3939

Regular Office Hours:

Monday - Thursday 9 am - 4 pm

Friday - CLOSED

www.faithchurchucc.org

The church office will be closed on Thursday in

observance of Thanksgiving.

Pastor Bruce will be out of town Wednesday through Friday.

Should you find yourself in need of pastoral care during this time

please contact Rev. Teresa Martin at 717-654-4044.

We wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!!

The Worship Committee will be

decorating the church for Christmas this

Saturday (11/26) at 9 am.

Please consider lending a hand.

Questions? Call Joan Hassler

at 610-838-5503.

Join us for Worship this

First Sunday of Advent

November 27, 2022

Sunday School for all ages - 9:00 am

Worship - 10:15 am

Communion will be celebrated

Special Prelude Music by Darin Jellison

(Click here to print bulletin)

Volunteers:

Cindy Talaber, Head Usher

Diane Neidermeier & Deb Herstine, Ushers

Jane Vane Horn & Cindy Talaber, Advent Wreath

Joan Hassler, Lay Reader

A Friend, Altar Flowers

Tom Hovis, Financial Secretary

To view our live streamed services at home go to YouTube

Poinsettia Orders - Orders must be placed by 11/27
1st Sunday in Advent/Communion - 11/27
Last day to return filled Holiday Hope Chests - 11/27

VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE

If you would like to take part during worship as usher or lay reader, please email Joan Hassler .

Upcoming Week....

Monday (11/28) Sandy works away from the office
Friday (12/2) Church Office Closed. Pastor's Day Off.
Saturday (12/3) 10:00 Encore Hall Rental
Sunday (12/4) 2nd Sunday of Advent - Mainstreet Brass will share special music.

IMPORTANT INFO & DATES...

COAT DRIVE for The Caring Place - 12/4 through 12/18 - new or gently used coats, hats, scarves, mittens, boots
12/18 - Christian Education Christmas Program during worship
12/24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service - 6:00
12/25 - NO Sunday School; Worship at 10:15

2023 Offering Envelopes are available in the narthex this Sunday, November 27th. Envelopes have been provided for those who use them on a regular basis or have requested them. Your offerings will be credited to you whether they are in a numbered envelope or not as long as your name is somewhere on the donation. If you don’t find any envelopes in your name but would like some, please contact Sandy and she’ll be happy to get you some.

A LETTER FROM OUR CONFERENCE MINISTER

REV. DR. BONNIE BATES

“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6, NRSV)

Dear Friends,

It’s Thanksgiving Week. It’s a time for gathering with family and friends, to reflect on all that has been a gift in our lives, but it is also a time to be thankful for the challenges as well. Today would be the 40^th birthday of my twin sons, John Steven and Kiel Edward. They never had a chance to grow up, to live the lives I hoped they would live. There is sadness today, but there is also thanksgiving. Hard to imagine, isn’t it? How could I be grateful and thankful for this loss? Well, let me tell you a story.

While I was in the hospital after their birth and death, my pastor came to see me. I was in the “why me?”” stage of my grief, angry and unbelieving that this could have happened. My pastor, knowing me well, asked me questions. “Why not you? Who would you wish this on? Would you want this to happen to someone whose faith would be destroyed?” At the time I was taken aback. How could he ask these questions of me, while I was in such pain? And yet, he knew me well. He knew I would turn to God, angry at the occurrence in my life, but I would still turn to God. He knew I would rage at God, yell into the cosmos, but he also knew my deep and abiding faith anchored me in the presence of God.

This Thanksgiving season, everything may not be as we wish. Yet, I will stand firm in my faith. I will give thanks for the others, whether they agree with me or not, who also stand firm in their faith. I will give thanks for the varying opinions about God, if we all keep seeking the presence of God. Even when the decisions of others hurt me and those I care about, I will offer thanks that God is with us in these moments, that God has not, and never will, leave us. I will stand for my belief in a loving, inclusive, steadfast God. I will stand for justice and hope and love. I will make my requests known to God, and even when it doesn’t seem that God is answering me, I will trust that God embraces me, loves me, and blesses me. I wish the same for you. Happy Thanksgiving.

Blessings,

Bonnie

To find more devotionals, click on the logo above

Ever Burning by John Edgerton

Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for [God] will speak peace to the people, to the faithful, to those who turn to [God] in their hearts. Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. – Psalm 85:8 & 10 (NRSV)

Promises like these from the psalms are grand and wonderful. I don’t deserve promises like these; they’re as far above me as the heavens.

But in my life, I’ve learned something counterintuitive: The more struggles I’ve experienced, the more hardship I’ve endured, the more mistakes I’ve made, the more I’ve come to believe the lofty promises of the psalms.

There have been seasons in my life when I felt all I deserved from God was scorn. And in those times, promises I didn’t deserve were the only kinds of promises I could believe in.

If you are in a season of struggle or grief or trouble, spend time reading the Book of Psalms. Start at the beginning and read a few every day. Read until something pulls you up short—because the heartbreak is just the same as yours or because you yearn for such lofty hope to be your own. Pray those words, let them be food and drink in the wilderness. Because that is what the psalms are.

The psalms are strength for those whose strength has failed them, a future for those whose past has destroyed them, love for those who love has passed by, comfort for those whose bodies betray them, justice for those the world scorns. The psalms are prayers for you, prayers that are ever and forever burning on the altar of heaven.

Prayer

O God, we turn to you in our hearts. We who would be faithful seek your peace. Let us hear what you will speak.

About the Author

John Edgerton is Lead Pastor at First United Church of Oak Park, Illinois.

News From the Fundraising Committee

The Fundraising Committee has been busy the last month raising some much needed money for the general fund.

October 19th - Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends ticket sales, we earned a profit of $150.00.

November 8th - Election Day food sales, we earned a profit of $319.00.

November 13th - Penny Party, we earned a profit of $3989.16

for a total of $4,458.16 going to the general fund.

Thank you to everyone who bought tickets for Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends. We hope you all got a head start on your Christmas Shopping.

Thank you to those who helped with the kitchen on election day, the bakers, and to the Keelers for making and donating the soup.

Lastly, the Fundraising Committee would like to send out a great BIG THANK YOU!! to everyone who came out and helped with the Penny Party. This was a huge success and couldn’t have been possible without all of your help. From the bakers, raffle baskets makers, the people who helped sort and price all the items, the people who went out and collected donations from local businesses, the people who donated food items for the kitchen or money to purchase food items, the kitchen workers, the tray pushers, raffle basket workers, change makers, ticket sales people, the youth who helped be runners during the penny party, and lastly all of you who were able to attend and participate in the penny Party. We are so very lucky and thankful to be working among all of you.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!!!!

FAITH UCC CALENDAR

Is there someone in your life in need of PRAYER? Click here to fill out a prayer request form and Pastor Bruce will mention that person’s first name during worship. Please be sensitive to privacy. Permission to share from those involved must be granted before making a request.

PLEASE NOTE:

**We do not need any cereal

or soup at this time**

ITEMS CURRENTLY NEEDED:

SPAGHETTI SAUCE

BAKED BEANS

CANNED PASTA

Let's remember our Friends, Members, Forget-Me-Nots and others as we go through the week. Keep each other in your thoughts and prayers and stay connected if possible.

NOVEMBER

25 Rebecca Hite

26 Eric Koch

26 Noah Ritter

27 Robert Pierson

27 Ryenn Amato

DECEMBER

01 Wes Koser

02 Dennis Frantz

03 Carol Bouc

04 Anna Breisch

04 Angela Lender

04 Nicole Ryan

11 Christine Leh

11 Allison Grammer

12 Sherry Meluskey

12 Dana Zsido

14 Faye Tirpak

14 Bonnie Stenroos

15 John Lenner

16 Harvey Weidner

16 Sis Scholl

18 Cody Schaffer

20 Ellie Kane

22 Shirley Baldwin

22 Jordan Koch

23 Diane Talaber

24 Donald Koch

27 Mike Ford

30 Ray Foulke

A Special THANK YOU to all who continue to financially support our ministry as you are able. We'd like to remind you there are several ways you can do this: