Below you can download a listing of the Advent/Christmas activities we are celebrating this season. Please note, that there will be a church service on Christmas morning too, at 11:00AM.
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 Dear Friends in Christ, A couple of key items for your information: We are going to postpone our plans to have LifeTouch do portrait photos for our directory. Based on the feedback we received, it seemed to be too much too soon, given all the other things we've got happening in the church. We are going to schedule a date sometime early Spring. In the near future, I will provide you with more details, plus a price list for those who want to buy prints. Hope you had a joyful Thanksgiving! I did, as well as took in a couple of movies and spent quality time hanging out with the nephews. Just a reminder of upcoming events: This Saturday, Dec 3rd 4:00PM - Hanging the Greens, Decking the Halls. Bring a snack to share! It will probably take about 2 hours. We'll meet in Fellowship Hall. Thanks to Robin Cherry for getting us started with the gorgeous work she did in the Sanctuary. Also, that's Linda Sims-Randals' Birthday! Sunday, Dec 4th @ 11:00 - Worship with Holy Communion Saturday, Dec 10th @ 10:00AM - Community Health Talk "Senior Solutions" about the special needs of our Seniors and how Senior Solutions can help. Saturday, Dec 10th @ 6:00PM - White Elephant Christmas Party in Fellowship Hall. Bring a treat and a wrapped gift to exchange. It can be either serious or silly! Wednesday, Dec 14th @ 11:30AM - Presbyterian Women Christmas Luncheon. Please RSVP (1stprestucumcari@gmail.com or ph 708-0860) so we can get an accurate count. Dutch Treat at Dels (location may change). Friday, Dec 16th @ 6:00PM (come early to get a seat!!!) - Christmas Cantata at Center Street United Methodist Church. The place fills up so you need to get there 30 minutes early. Refreshments afterward. Sunday, Dec 18th - Church Potluck, Session has a brief meeting, Deacons have a brief meeting too (gift sacks)! Saturday, Dec 24th @ 6:00PM Christmas Eve Candlelight service Yep, there's a lot happening. Let us also not forget those who need our thoughts, prayers and cards during this season: Wilford Gallegos (Teresa Gallegos-Brake's brother in law) Reagan Kenyon and her family Travelers Our nation going through change Our families who are grieving during the holidays This Sunday is the second Sunday in Advent (already!). I strongly encourage we "prepare the way" by exploring each Sunday's readings in advance. Here is a link to this Sunday's texts online: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/devotion/revised-common-lectionary/2016/12/4/ This Sunday we will be lighting the candle of Peace. Think: What does peace look like to you? What do you imagine God's peace looks like? Is it the same or different from your idea of peace? Christmas Carolers Unite! Kenna McKenzie and I are looking at a little "outing" sometime before Christmas to go caroling in the neighborhoods. We tried it last year and have learned a little from the experience. For those interested, would you like to go after work on Friday, Dec 23rd, or sometime during the day of Christmas Eve? I'd love to hear your feedback. We could walk around our church neighborhood. Advent is a season of preparation. Remember to slow down and savor this season before it ends. God bless you and keep you this week. Love, Pastor Amy 
 Grace and Peace to you! Hope that you enjoyed the beautiful rain this past weekend. I also hope that you found joy and meaning in Sunday's worship. Special thanks to Elder Sharon Huffman for making sure we were fed by proclaiming God's Word, and to Deacon Richard Randals for ensuring that we were fed with the presence of Christ in the sacrament of Holy Communion. This past weekend I attended a class called "Serving the Marginalized," about recognizing the privileges we enjoy in our lives, particularly as white, Christian, American people. It was appropriate timing, given the many conversations we are having around our nation concerning winners and losers, who is in charge of writing the history books, and issues of race and religion. It is also perfect timing, as we enter this time of Thanksgiving, and should also be able to give thanks for the privileges we do enjoy. We are, despite the many complaints we make, very lucky to live in the United States. Even though there are inequalities and prejudices, we are very blessed to have the freedoms we do, compared to other countries where people live under tyranny and oppression. SO, if you have not yet done it, vote today! It's not just our right. It's our responsibility. Count your blessings, count them one by one. This Saturday, Nov 12th, Presbyterian Women have a meeting at noon. PW, please bring a main dish, salad or dessert and we will sit down and talk about next year's officers, plan our Christmas Party and more! After the meeting, please stick around to listen to the Community Health Talk. Mr. Steve Morgan will be back and this time to talk about what to expect during enrollment for next year's Affordable Care Act medical plans. Due to the constraints of regulations, he was not able to return for the Medicare Q&A, as we had hoped. The Health Talk starts at 2:00PM in Fellowship Hall! As usual, there's plenty going on in town! After church on Sunday, be sure you stop by the Elks Lodge to attend a special tribute to Veterans. The event begins at 1:30PM. Thanks be to God for those who have placed themselves in service so that that we may have freedom. Next Sunday, November 20th is potluck Sunday! (not this Sunday :) Since I missed church, I don't know what your prayer needs are. Please do not hesitate to let me know what your prayers of concerns and prayers of thanksgiving are. Don't forget to be thankful to God, no matter what happens as the votes are counted. God is constantly with us and working for the salvation of the world. May the Lord bless you and keep you today. And... VOTE! Blessings, Amy 
The Lord be with You, Saints! Hope that Halloween was a fun time for all of you. It's a time of tradition and remembrance. I don't know about you, but there's something kind of bittersweet about this date, as we move into November. Today is the traditional "All Saints Day," when we remember and give thanks for the saints of old. The people who have made this life a blessing for us all, whether they are people we have known personally, or just those people who went before us, having given something of themselves for the good of the world. We remember those who persevered in faith, thus strengthening our own. In just two weeks, we remember veterans and give thanks for their many sacrifices. On Sunday, November 13th at 1:30PM please make it a point to stop by the Elks Lodge for a Veterans Program. You will be treated to some meaningful speeches, and I know you will be touched by the music. Harold Sloan has been whipping us singers into shape with a very special anthem! Our Halloween party was a blast! Thanks to Kenna and others who made sure it was lots of fun. We probably had about 40 people, including 10-12 kids of all ages. Our games and decorations were spooktacular! Here's a few photos! If you missed worship on Reformation Sunday, you definitely missed the "Priesthood of all Believers" in action! Perhaps it was Providential that your pastor lost her voice and could barely squeak out the sermon, as we had a reminder that each one of us has responsibility for our own faith and for the church. Sharon Huffman did a lot of the prayers, David Goldston read from Habakkuk and 2 Thessalonians and we had Kenna and Marge in charge of music. Great job everyone! Fortunately, my voice is creeping back slowly but surely. This week:
Call to Service! Don't forget that if you are thinking about dedicating yourself more fully to the role of servant-leader in our church, we are presently in nominating mode, as the Nominating Committee is on the lookout for who God is choosing to serve as Elder and Deacons. Speak to Julie Sursa, David Goldston, or Marjorie G. McKenzie if you have questions. You are also welcome to inquire with me at 1stprestucumcari@gmail.com. Prayers: Thanksgiving for the safety of travelers For Wilford Gallegos, after a stroke For our country __________ - you fill in the blank. Let me know what prayers you need added to our prayer list. November 12th: Note that on November 12th, the Community Health Talk is being moved from 10AM to 2PM, because of schedule conflicts for our presenter. More on that soon! November 12th at noon is our next Presbyterian Women luncheon/meeting. See you there! We will be talking about next year's officers, planning a Christmas Party and more! Hope that you make today a great day. "God be with you till we meet again..." Much love, Pastor Amy
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