CALENDAR OF CHURCH EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

Sunday, December 7

9:00 am Advent Breakfast – Fellowship Hall

10:30 am Worship Service – Sanctuary

3:00 pm Christmas Caroling

5:30 pm  Soup Dinner - Gathering Area

Monday, December 8

6:45 pm  Worship Team – Anna Mow Room

Tuesday, December 9

6:30 pm  Leadership Team – Room 154

Wednesday, December 10

6:30 pm  Women’s Bible Study – Anna Mow Room

Thursday, December 11

5:30 pm  CDC Christmas Craft Night – Fellowship Hall

6:30 pm  Chancel Choir Practice – Sanctuary

Friday, December 12

8:30 am  Soup Kitchen – (Casseroles due at church by 8:30)

9:30 am  Book Club – Anna Mow Room

Saturday, December 13

10:00 am  Food Pantry Open 10:00 am to 12:00 pm



Sunday, December 14

9:00 am  Sunday School

10:30 am  Worship Service – Sanctuary

3:00 pm  Holiday Strings Concert – Sanctuary

**Women's Bible Study will NOT be meeting on Wed, December 24

Please click on the button to view the Advent/Christmas Calendar of Events

Click on this button to view the full calendar

Additions and updates for prayer list or calendar of events are welcome by contacting the church office.

Special note for all Ministry Teams: Please notify the church office with any upcoming meetings or events for your team so we can add these dates to the calendar.

In addition to this prayer request list contained within each Friday's e-newsletter, we also have a "prayer chain" email list. We occasionally send immediate prayer requests to those who have opted in to receive the prayer chain and are committed to praying for each concern as they come. If you would like to be added to the prayer chain list, please notify the church office by email at secretary@yorkfirst.org or by phone (717) 755-0307. If you have a prayer request and desire it to be sent to this group, feel free to contact the church office anytime. Thank you!

Sunday School News

9:00 AM - Classes will not be meeting December 7, please join us for Advent Breakfast.

Homebuilders Class

Mondays - 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM by conference call. To join, contact Mike Martin at

717-840-4184 or Caretaker@TwinBrookFarm.com and leave a phone number.

The class studies lessons from the "Guide for Biblical Studies" curriculum. 

2025 ADVENT DEVOTIONAL

"Word Among Us" by John Fillmore

Advent devotional books are available for pick up in the gathering area. Please take one per household and let it guide you this Advent Season.

ADVENT GIVING

Each year, our church chooses a focus for a special offering at Advent and Christmas Eve. This year we are sending our gifts to Heifer International. This organization supports smallholder farmers around the world in order to address hunger and poverty in their communities while protecting the environment. 

Heifer International has assisted 59 million households since 1944. At the present time there are over 1 million active participant households in 19 countries.

Our goal for the Christmas season is to collect $5,000 in order to fund an Ark for Heifer International. A Gift Ark includes two water buffaloes, two cows, two sheep and two goats, along with bees, chicks, rabbits and more. Donating a Gift Ark will help:

• Care for entire communities with milk, eggs, honey and wool
• Provide income by supplying goods to sell
• Sustain farming by providing livestock to work the land
• Provide mentorship and training to ensure that gifts are multiplied

and passed on

Thanks in advance for helping to make this goal a reality!

Upcoming Events

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:

Sunday December 7 - Advent Breakfast 9AM, Caroling 3 PM

Sunday December 14 - Holiday Concert 3 PM

Wednesday December 17 - Advent Bible Study 12 PM

Sunday December 21 - Christmas Cantata, Longest Night Service

Wednesday December 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 7 PM

ADVENT BREAKFAST

Sunday, December 7th, 9:00 AM

Please plan to attend the Advent Breakfast

December 8th at 9:00 AM Sunday school hour.

Our meal will be potluck style as in the past.

Lets all kick off the Christmas Season with fellowship and full bellies!

ADVENT SEASON CAROLING AND SOUP SUPPER

Sunday, December 7th, 3:00-7:00 PM

Back by popular demand (from so much fun and good food), we are again planning on caroling and sharing a meal together as we did last year! If you love to sing Christmas Carols and can never get enough of them, this is your chance! Or if you don’t sing but would love to ring some bells or play the tambourine or just want to come along for the fun of visiting others, you are welcome to join us! On Sunday, December 7 at 3 PM we will be caroling for our members and friends in the York area at private homes as well as care facilities. We invite folks of all ages to join us (we ask that children are accompanied by an adult) for a time of singing Christmas Carols and visiting with those who are homebound or unable to join us in person during our worship and church activities. We want to reach out to them and let them know we love them and deeply care about them. This is a fun and special way for us to stay connected with our extended York First COB church family!

After caroling we will return to the church for a fellowship meal at 5:30 PM which is open to all church members and friends, whether you carol or not. Maybe the weather is too cold for you to be out and about but you would love to join us for a warm meal of soup and other healthy options as well as hot cocoa and sweet treats! We will be looking for volunteers to bring food items (a sign-up sheet will be available in the Gathering Space starting this Sunday, November 23) for you to bring or donate dishes and food items if you wish or you can just show up and enjoy a lovely meal and life-giving fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ! There will also be a sign-up sheet for those who wish to carol and those who will be attending the meal so we can plan on having plenty of food for everyone! Again we ask that if you need transportation, please contact your deacon or the church office and we will be glad to see that you arrive safely to the church and back home again! Come join us for this special time together celebrating Advent and the joy of Christ! 

CARLISLE

TRUCK STOP MINISTRY

COOKIE BAKERS NEEDED!

♦ DUE IN CHURCH LOUNGE – DECEMBER 7TH

♦ PLEASE LABEL YOUR CONTAINER IF YOU WOULD

LIKE IT RETURNED.

Christmas & cookies all go together, Sunshine or rain, no matter the weather. So, bake those cookies for Christmas now, Freeze for Truck Stop Ministry’s chow.

Truckers on the road all night, Need a lift and something bright. So, bake those cookies because the clock is ticking, Bring to the church lounge for the truckers picking, And know the job of giving something so small, Is a job that is BIG and appreciated by ALL!

CAMP EDER

CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL

December

12th & 13th

5PM - 9PM

Come join us for a evening of family festive fun! The woods will be illuminated with lots and lots of Christmas Lights, warm fires, hot cocoa and children activities will be happening each night. This is a beautiful festival you most certainly will not want to miss! 

(All information will be posted on the bulletin board)

✦Christmas Lights & Music

✦Hay Rides -Friday & Saturday Night 5-9pm

✦Delicious Turkey Dinner & Soup (per donation) ✦Luminary Garden (honoring our loved ones) ✦Decorated Trees ✦Warm Drinks & Lots of Cookies (free) ✦Bake Sale ✦Kid's Activities ✦Cozy Fires & S’mores ✦Live Music

✦TREE DECORATING CONTEST

Have some fun decorating a tree at Camp Eder. Everyone is invited to compete in the tree decorating contest. Voting will be during the Christmas Tree Festival December 12 - 13. The Christmas Tree Festival is a great opportunity to get involved with Camp Eder and our surrounding community.

Trees are limited, so you will want to sign up soon.

OUR DAILY BREAD/SOUP KITCHEN - Friday, December 12, 2025

Sign up by calling Sandi Bowser at 717-825-7203 to make a casserole for

Our Daily Bread/Soup Kitchen on Friday, December 12, 2025 (10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.)

PLEASE contact Sandi to add your name and number of casseroles, so we can let

Our Daily Bread/Soup Kitchen know how many casseroles to expect.

The pans are located in the church lounge. Thank you!

ADVENT SEASON BIBLE STUDY/DEVOTION

December 17, 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM 

Please consider joining us on Wednesday, December 17 at the church from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM (instead of a restaurant). We invite you to a BYOBB (bring your own bag and Bible) lunch and Advent Bible Study/Devotion led by Pastor Joel. We will spend time together feeding our bodies with food and our spirits with holy words and faith-filled fellowship! No need to sign up ahead of time – just join us in the moment. Please let us know if you would like to come and need a ride – we want everyone who is interested to join us! For more information or assistance with transportation, please contact your deacon or the church office. Please consider celebrating the Advent season with this special time together!    

2026 OFFERING ENVELOPES

 ARE AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP ON THE COUNTER IN THE GATHERING AREA

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

1. Some envelope numbers have changed for 2026.

2. If you are using Online Giving, your envelope number is in the 200 range, and you will not receive a box of envelopes. See the listing located with the boxes of envelopes.

3. TO ASSURE CORRECT RECORDING OF YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS:

DO NOT use your old (2025) envelopes after DECEMBER 31, 2025.

DO NOT use your new (2026) envelopes before JANUARY 1, 2026.

4. If you would like to receive envelopes, please inform the church secretary and she will see that they are provided. Thank you!

Church of the Brethren News

Southern PA District/Denomination

Denominational news and information is always available by visiting brethren.org

Read news updates by clicking the link below

Please subscribe to receive COB Newsline via email if you wish

Online Giving is safe, easy, and convenient. Sign up by going to our church website at: www.yorkfirst.org and click on the Online Giving Link or go directly to the Online Giving website at: http://www.osvhub.com/york-first/funds.

For assistance setting up your account,

call Donor Support at:  800-348-2886 – Option 2 – Online Giving Questions? Contact Sheryl Leaman - Thank you for your support!

NOTE: Online giving can be used for regular weekly or monthly offerings, special offerings, and capital campaign contributions, as well as many other specific outreach ministries that we sponsor.

Thank you so much for the get well cards and birthday cards. I appreciate

all the well wishes and for celebrating my birthday. Dolores Mann

Patricia Carey is the Witness Team appointment for the Cash for Causes program. Please see Patricia before or after worship to purchase your Giant or Weis gift cards. Patricia will be at the table under the bulletin board in the Gathering Space.

You may purchase the cards in amounts of $100, $50, $25, or $10. The cards make great gifts, especially at holidays. Consider donating cards to the Food Pantry or using them yourself any time you shop at Giant or Weis.

Since 2011, through the Cash for Causes program, the church has received 5% of sales to support various COB and local ministries. In 2024 the gift card sales supported The Lehman Center, New Community Project and the Carlisle Truck Stop Ministry with each receiving $233.08. For 2025, the Witness Team will review past giving and determine which agencies we will support this year. 

LAST WEEK IN WORSHIP