December 3, 2021

Grace and peace to the saints of FPC:
 
At Hanging of the Greens, as we gathered around the firepits in the dark, Kerry shared this meditation:
 
I’ve been thinking about the story of God’s coming to be among us... Emmanuel, God with us….thinking about the people who were part of the story of the coming of the baby Jesus…
 
John the Baptist, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, wise men…and it struck me that they all had one thing in common. 
 
They all had to get up and go somewhere. 

John the Baptist had to go to the desert…Mary had to go to her cousin Elizabeth’s home…Joseph had to go to Mary and marry her…Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem…shepherds had to go find the manger…wise men had to go to a far off land...and then they had to go home by a different way…and then after that, Mary and Joseph had to go to Egypt.  
 
Everyone involved in the coming of God to earth had to “go.” They all had to move in a particular direction, towards somewhere, something, someone. And so, as a result, in order to go, they had to leave – had to leave somewhere, something, someone.
 
John the Baptist had to leave the way normal people lived to go into the desert. Mary had to leave her mother and father’s home. Joseph had to leave behind his old view of Mary, and his old vision of what his life with her would be like…then he had to leave his kin and his carpenter business...
Shepherds had to leave the familiarity of the fields, leave their job. Wise men had to leave the path they knew and strike out on an uncharted route. Eventually, Mary and Joseph had to leave their country-- with a newborn infant, and become refugees, strangers living in a foreign land.
 
So much of the story of this baby’s coming depends upon people going, getting up and moving, striking out, shaking off the old ways of living or thinking or seeing things. It appears that God comes to us in Christ, but if we want to find him, meet him, enjoy the beauty of him…
 
…we must go. We cannot stay where we are, or how we are. We must get up out of the grooves of our lives, step off the well-worn paths of our days, leave behind the familiar, the expected, the known, and go. Go where the angel, the messengers of God, the whispers or dreams or annunciations of the Holy Spirit send us.
 
So our Advent symbol this year is a green stoplight. A sign of going.  Put it somewhere where it can nudge you to think, and listen: where do I need to go? Where is God sending me? What do I need to leave behind? What different direction is God pointing me towards? What new path am I being told to take so that I can find myself in some holy space, meeting the One who comes?
 
158 – that is the number of times the word “go” appears in the gospels. 1,308. That is the number of times the word “go” appears in the Bible. This Advent, let us prepare for the One who comes by being willing to go. 

Kerry and Carter
Limited number of Advent symbols in the lobby if you weren’t at the Hanging of the Greens 
May it help you as you travel through this year’s Advent and reflect on God’s promises and invitations.
Covid Exposure Update
As we told you in an email this week, we had someone in worship who learned after worship that he/she had Covid. We are pleased to report that it appears that there was no transmission at church and that the person had only mild symptoms as he/she was fully vaccinated.
Receive Hope, Be Hope, Share Hope
You can make your pledge for 2022 online or by mailing in your card
to the office. Please give as God inspires you so that together we can be hope and share hope in 2022.
In the Adult Forum Class on Sunday
Hear from two of our mission partners who have received support from FPC in their work with children and youth in Pottstown. Jocelyn Charles, Director of the Ricketts’ Center and David Charles, Director of the Middle School Mentoring Program, STRIVE, will speak on their work and their perspectives on the needs and challenges facing the children and youth in the community. 
Please join us – 9:15AM in the Community Room.  

The Men’s Sunday Morning Bible Study
is meeting in the Pastor’s Conference room again during Sunday School and discussing the gospel of John.
Advent is here!
Being the Church This Week

Sunday, December 5 
Sunday School – 9:15AM
Service of the Lord’s Day - 10:30AM
We will celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper during worship.
Session – after worship – welcome new members    
Kitchen Committee Meeting – after worship 
Confirmation - 5PM   
Jr. Seekers – 6PM
 
Monday, December 6
HENS – 9:00AM
Music/Rec – 4:30PM – with Ms. Jaylee and Mrs. B
Cub Scouts – 7PM
Theology Reading Group – 7:30PM   
                                                                                                        
Tuesday, December 7
Yoga – 8AM – Community Room       
Church Library is open during office hours
Staff meeting – 10AM
Praying the Scriptures – 7:30PM
 
Wednesday, December 8
Yoga – 8AM – Community Room
HENS – 9AM
Girl Scouts – 5: 30PM
Girl Scouts – 6PM
Deacons - 7:30PM
                                                                                                      
Thursday, December 9
Sisters of the Way Bible Study – 9:30AM – Community Room
Church Library is open during office hours
Community Meals – 5PM – lower parking lot
Girl Scouts – 5PM
Chancel Handbells Rehearsal – 6:15PM
Chancel Choir Rehearsal – 7:15PM    
 
Friday, December 10
Yoga – 8AM – Community Room
HENS – 9AM
Mission Partner: Cluster Outreach Center
Every good gift, every perfect gift, comes from above. These gifts come down from the Father, the creator of the heavenly lights, in whose character there is no change at all.  (James 1:17 CEB) 
 
At FPC Pottstown, we believe that our time, our talents, our earthly treasures are not our own; they are gracious gifts from God. God entrusts them to us, and calls us to use our gifts and our lives to make God's love known in the world.
 
The coronavirus has not stopped God's work! We continue to clothe, feed, educate and uplift one another, and our neighbors in need.  This work requires offerings of time, talent and treasure. Your giving makes that work possible. Thank you!