Sunday, December 7 Worship Service and Build-A-Bed

This Sunday, December 7, CHPC will be joining First Christian Church, located at 7700 U.S. Highway 42, Louisville 40241, for worship at 10:30 a.m., followed by lunch and a Build-A-Bed event to assemble 20 beds for children who need them. All are welcome!

Help for Build-A-Bed is needed on Saturday, December 6, and Sunday, December 7.

• Saturday, December 6, volunteers are needed to set up, cut, and sand wood from 9 a.m. to noon, at First Christian Church.
• Sunday, December 7, beds will be assembled at First Christian following worship.

CHPC is collecting donations of twin sheets, pillows, new stuffed animals, and new diverse children’s books. You may bring items with you to First Christian on Sunday, December 7.

As always, this is a wonderful opportunity to care for children in our Louisville community by providing them with a warm bed to sleep in this winter!

Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church and Master Gardeners of Louisville invite you to:

SIP, SHOP AND SOUP!

Saturday, December 6

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Sip hot tea or Apple Cider

Shop our selection of Vintage and Handmade Wares

Baked Goods and Seasonal Gifts

Enjoy a Bowl of Houe Made Soup

Free Kid' Craft Area

This is a fundraiser to benefit United Crescent Hill Ministries

10% of all sales will be donated to Crescent Hill Area Ministries. Donations of canned goods appreciated!

Advent Worship and Events

• December 14 - 3rd Sunday of Advent, Worship, 11:00 a.m.
• December 17 - Taize Service of Hope and Healing, 7:00 p.m.
• December 21 - 4th Sunday of Advent, Worship, 11:00 a.m.
• December 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, 5:30 p.m.
• December 28 - PJ & Hot Cocoa Christmas Carol Sing, Worship 11:00 a.m.

Christmas Joy Offering

One way we at Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church aid church leaders around country and the world is through participation in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Christmas Joy Offering. Funds contributed to this offering provide support to:

• Current and retired church workers and their spouses with financial needs
• Leadership development among the primarily students of color at three PC(USA)-related schools. Many of these students are the first in their families to enroll in higher education.

“Prepare the Way” (Isaiah 40) is the theme of this year’s Christmas Joy Offering. By giving generously, you can help support our past and present church leaders and prepare the way for strong church leadership in the future. Write “Christmas Joy Offering” on the memo line of your check placed in the offering plate at Sunday worship, December 21. Or give online by going to the CHPC website and clicking into Online Giving and then on Christmas Joy Offering.

Give joyfully!

Advent Encounters at the Manger 

Who are these figures who inhabit the Christmas story? What do they have to do with me? Our intention is to take a prayerful and interactive dive into the very familiar Christmas story, exploring its images, symbols, and relevance to our lives today, and perhaps even discovering unfamiliar themes and meaning.

On the 3rd and 4th Sundays of Advent — December 14 and 21 — at 9:30 a.m. in the Gathering Room, Phil Lloyd-Sidle will facilitate an adult Sunday school time. Coffee, tea, and something yummy to eat will be available as well. Open to all.

Prayer and Action for Middle East

Feel free to join us Thursdays on Zoom, in-person, or both. This group has enabled such support for one another as we all struggle to cope with the tragedies in the Middle East and the on and off cease fires and prisoner releases.

We would be grateful to have others join us. Email Soni at soni.castleberry@gmail.com to get the Zoom link and be added to the group email list for regular communication.

Scholarships are available. Here is the link for registration.

https://spiritofsophia.org/karen-walrond/

Choir Practice

Choir practice is held every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Please feel free to come and see if this is something you might be interested in.

Did You Know?

What Presbyterians Believe

The Ecumenical Character of Reformed Churches

From the very beginning and throughout their history the Reformed churches have sought to represent the church catholic. Their confessions do not speak only of what Reformed churches or Presbyterians believe but seek to confess what Christians believe. They have not claimed to be the only true church, with a monopoly on Christian faith and life, but have always been open to learn from other churches and traditions and eager to participate in conversations with them that could lead to mutual correction and reconciliation. We must not exaggerate this ecumenical openness, of course. Individuals, groups, and whole denominations who claim to be Reformed have sometimes assumed or openly declared that only this or that particular Reformed church is the true church, that all other churches (including other Reformed denominations) are false or at least fatally corrupted, and that conversation with them can only compromise the true understanding of Christian faith and life which is completely, infallibly, and unchangeably contained in this or that particular Reformed confession. But such an attitude is itself un-Reformed and contrary to the very confessional documents used to support it. Characteristic of the ecumenicity of the genuine Reformed tradition and its confessions is this statement in the confession of the Synod of Berne in 1528: But where something is brought before us by our pastors or by others, which brings us closer to Christ, and in accordance with God’s word is more conducive to mutual friendship and Christian love than the interpretation now presented, we will gladly accept it and will not limit the course of the Holy Spirit, which does not go backwards towards the flesh but always forward towards the image of Jesus Christ our Lord.  

https://pcusa.org/sites/default/files/boc2016.pdf page x

January Birthdays

Please remember these wonderful folks in prayer and, if possible, reach out to them with a card, phone call, text, email or however you choose to honor them.

Jan 8 - Luke Giordano

Jan 23 - Harrie Bucker, Kara Castleberry

Jan 28 - Ian Husk

To double-check your listing, contact the office at office@crescenthill.church or call 502-893-5381.