Weekly Witness for Facebook & Friends

December 5, 2024

(This photo above, and the one at the end, are from our Thanksgiving potluck on Thanksgiving Day, Nov 28.

Dec 8, 2024 - Second Sunday of Advent

Livestream worship and bulletin.

Preaching: Rev. Margaret Crowl

Liturgist: Victoria Flick Psalm: Linda Hood

Sermons — Rev. Frank Yates

December

01 In the End, the Beginning

November

03 Communion of Saints

10 What We Give

17 A Generous God

24 Christ Über Alles

October

13 Everyone Has a Story

20 Transitions

27 Repetition

Special Worship Opportunities This Month

• The Longest Night - 7pm, Dec 18
• Christmas Eve - 7pm, Dec 24

Finance & Stewardship Corner

Thank you to all who submitted pledge cards for 2025. If you haven't submitted yours yet, there is still time to do so. Pledge cards are still available in the narthex this Sunday; check the front of the small red locked box on the counter if you need one; and you can drop completed ones into the slot at the top. You can also mail or email your pledge card if that's easier.

The Finance and Stewardship Committee would very much appreciate your generous help as we come to the end of this calendar year in two additional areas. First, if you are able to pay your 2025 Per Capita of $37 per person, we would appreciate it. This money helps fund the administrative costs of our presbytery. Second, we hope you can complete your 2024 pledge by the end of December.

In all things, we are grateful for God's grace and generosity to us. And we are grateful to all of you, our beloved church family.

The Finance and Stewardship Committee

Men’s Breakfast, This Saturday, Dec 7, 8am

You are invited to join us for a delicious breakfast, fellowship and a guest speaker, Jan Wilson, volunteer for End of Life Options New Mexico. Death and dying continues to be a difficult subject for many to discuss. Ms. Wilson will lead a program about medical aid in dying, one of the options we have in New Mexico. Jan will explain how medical assistance in dying care works and will take time for questions and discussion.  

New Horizons Band Concert This Saturday

Please join us this Saturday, Dec 7, at 7pm to hear RRPC's Jubellation Ringers and the New Horizons Band of Rio Rancho! They will have a selection of holiday favorites and more to delight you as we celebrate the Christmas season.

Fellowship Corner: From Meredith

This Monday, Dec 9th, we will be having our next Ladies Lunch at a new restaurant and winery called D. H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro, Cottonwood, in Westside Albuquerque. It is located in the former 'The Falls' spot, on the east side of 528/Alameda, off The American Road, which runs from Westside (Westside dead-ends there, after crossing Coors Blvd...turn right and that's The American Road.)  Maps showing the location. If you research directions, be sure to specify 'Cottonwood' -- they have other locations.

On Monday thru Friday from 11-3, they offer a special menu with 11 different lunches for $11 each. Beverages extra. They also give a military discount. We will have a private room at no cost and possibly a special speaker/guest…to be finalized. 

You just might make this your new restaurant of choice… 2 different bars, a gorgeous location with awesome scenery, and a huge rock waterfall.

The luncheon menu (front and back) is posted along with a sign-up sheet in the narthex. 

THIS WILL BE OUR CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON. IT WILL BE SPECIAL.

Questions, ask me!

Dr. Meredith Beaton, Fellowship Chair

Would You Like to Read the Advent Devotional in Large Print?

Download a copy or pick one up in the narthex.

The Book Club will Meet Tuesday, Dec 17

The book this month is The Marlow Murder Club. The normal meeting day is the 4th Tuesday, but that falls on Christmas Eve this year. So they backed it up a week.

Holiday Office-Closed Days and Witness Schedule

The church office will be closed Dec 25 - Jan 1.

If you plan to give in 2024, the deadline will be Sunday, Dec 29.

The final Witness in 2024 will come out Thursday, Dec 26, and the next one will be two weeks later, Jan 9. Anything for the Dec. 26 edition should be sent to the office by noon Monday, Dec 23.

Pastor Frank's Adult Education Class Will Start

Jan 5, 2025, at 11:15

Adult Christian Education (CE) is something I hope to focus on at RRPC in 2025. I would like to use the first Sunday of the month (and perhaps other Sundays as available) to delve more deeply into our Christian faith and theology. Let's begin in the new year on January 5.

I have asked Birgitta Gufstafson to work with me in this ministry. One Sunday I would like to focus on the writings of Dr. Jim Gufstafson,

the father of Birgitta, who taught Christian Ethics and Theology for many years at the graduate level. I used his book Christ and the Moral Life in a Christian Ethics course I taught at St. Norbert College. I would like to look at the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer as well, perhaps Life Together and The Cost of Discipleship.

I would like to examine the shortest books in the Old and New Testament.

Quick quiz: What are the five shortest books in the entire Bible? Answer (beginning with the shortest): 3rd John, 2nd John, Philemon, Obadiah, Jude. It would be fun to look at these books that are short (kinda like my time with y'all – short!). We can also explore options for a special study (perhaps online) during Lent. As well as seeing if we can encourage more of you to participate in our Adult CE already going on in the Library at 9am every Sunday.

So let's make Adult CE a priority in the year of our Lord 2025!

Frank

Scholarships Corner -- Pie Sale Update

A big thank you to all who purchased a Thanksgiving pie from the Scholarship Committee. In addition to pie sales, we received donations over the price of the pies which paid for most of the supplies. So, we made enough to fund about 1½ scholarships.

Thank you all,

The Scholarship Committee

Pastor to People

One of the many things I like about RRPC is that we see our building as a way to do ministry in our community. Almost daily I enjoy visiting with the nice folks at Share Your Care. When I see them I give thanks for their Monday through Friday ministry to special needs folks. I spent two years of my life after college working with special needs folks before I went to seminary. Those years were formative for me, and I truly enjoy interacting with the SYC employees and clients. 

I also enjoy seeing the New Horizons Band folks on Tuesday mornings. Several of the band members have been friends of mine for a long time. By the way, this coming Saturday evening at 7pm the band will be in our sanctuary with a free concert with lovely Christmas music. I hope you will consider coming to support them.

Also I am so glad other groups use our facilities, like the AA and Alanon groups and the Gentle Movement exercise group. We also have occasional recitals and special events by outside groups: Guardians of the Children, music recitals, and Gratitude dinners, for example.

As we think about our Capital Campaign going into 2025, let's remember that this place of worship is also a place of service for many others in our community. Always with our building and our attitude, we need to remember the imperative of Christian hospitality and service. Advent calls us to prepare our hearts for the coming of our Lord. And prepares us to welcome others into our building, into our fellowship, and into our lives. 

Blessed Advent to you all,

Frank

pastor@rrpchurch.org

Project Management Team (PMT) Update on Our South, East, and North Perimeters -- See? The 'Junk Trees' Have Been Cleared!

North

Southeast

Also Southeast (but Chuck's favorite shot)

East

Northeast

Southeast

And About Compact Car Spaces...

All of our spaces are generously wide, but a few are shorter and are reserved for compact cars. These are located at the east end of the parking lot, and will soon be stenciled accordingly.

Mission Corner - December Giving Opportunities

Our Donations of Mashed Potato and Gravy Packets helped Storehouse West give 418 families a Thanksgiving meal. A big "thank you” to the congregation from the Mission Committee for supporting this effort!

Adopt-a-Family. This year we have adopted two large families from a local elementary school. Here's how it works:

1. Look for the small white Christmas tree on the counter in the narthex. 
2. Take a slip from one of the lettered stockings. 
3. Sign the space for your person on the sign-up sheet. 
4. Bring your wrapped gifts to the church (with the slip attached) by Dec. 15th and put them under the Giving Tree display table. 

Additionally, there is an option to buy gift cards for the parents and siblings of our adopted families who are not covered by the program. There's a box next to the angel tree to drop gift cards. Questions? Reach out to Amanda Ball, 505.269.6902.

Storehouse West (SHW) Kids Clothes Closet (SHWKCC): Dressing Children with Dignity and Care. SHW believes every child deserves to feel confident and comfortable in the clothes they wear. Their Kids Clothes Closet is dedicated to ensuring that children from birth through high school have access to gently-used clothing, as well as new underwear and socks. They understand that kids can quickly outgrow their clothes and they are dedicated to helping families cope. RRPC is collecting new underwear and socks for children (ages birth through high school) this holiday season. Look for the green and red tubs in the narthex!

Giving Tree. This Christmas, RRPC is supporting the work of Compassion International's Giving Tree program.

Here’s how it works:

1. Select a Giving Tree recipient from the narthex display.
2. Place your check or cash in the envelope provided and then in the donation box.
3. Fill out your name on the back of the corresponding ornament and hang it on the tree.

Christmas Joy Offering. This is the traditional PCUSA offering we usually take on Christmas Eve. The Joy Offering has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition for 140 years. This year, the giving period has been expanded and runs through Advent, ending on Dec 22.

There are two programs that receive Christmas Joy offering proceeds from PCUSA:

1. Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions. God has blessed the Church with incredible leadership in every time and place, but those leaders often need support from their communities as well This offering is how they get help.
2. Presbyterian-related schools and colleges, which provide education and leadership development to students while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage.

For supporting all of the above and for all you give and do, The Mission Committee is grateful.

Church Calendar for Dec 7 – Dec 14, 2024

Women's Bible Study Will Meet This Tuesday, Dec 10, at 10am

From Widows to Warriors, by Lynn Japinga, delves into the women of the Old Testament. From flawed heroes like Ruth and Rahab, to fierce fighters like Deborah and Jael, to tragic characters like Jephthah's daughter and the unnamed concubine of the Book of Judges, readers will encounter a wealth of foremothers in the faith in all their messy humanity. The group meets first Tuesdays of every month at 10 in the library...all women are welcome.

Prayer Concerns

Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening.

Mahatma Gandhi 

For all victims of gun violence.

For the citizens of Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, and Ukraine.

For all victims of war and unrest.

 Rio Rancho Presbyterian Church

1004 24th Street, SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124

505.892.6664

Email the church office

Office Hours

Monday – Thursday | 9am–1pm

Closed Federal holidays