Faith Presbyterian Church “To know, to grow, and to show Christ to all people”

Joy! Then Re-joice!

I am writing this on November 18, just one month and two days after I started serving Faith Church. I feel like I have been here longer—in a good way! I have met a lot of people and gotten a good sense of the health of the congregation. I feel more connected that I would expect after such a short time. Kudos to the Session for giving thoughtful attention to bringing me on board.

In my first sermon I mentioned that “faith” is not a verb, but it should! I certainly think Faith, that is Faith Church, is lots and lots of verbs. There is a lot going on!

December 1 is the first day of the new Church Year, and the first Day of Advent. This year at Faith there will be a strong emphasis on joy during Advent. 2019 is the 300th anniversary of the composition of “Joy to the World!” In worship we’ll examine joy from many different angles. “Joy” is not a verb in English, but “rejoice” is. In the Bible sometimes people are described as rejoicing, or even commanded to rejoice, but never to “joice.” When we feel and express joy, we rejoice. Maybe in the Season of Advent, a season of hopeful, expectant waiting, it would be good to think about the first time you remember feeling joy. Where were you? Who was with you? How old were you? Try to connect with that moment.

This month I am feeling joy as I remember a dear friend named Joyce. Joyce was the greeter at the church that was my church home for the past year. Joyce has a way of looking you in the eye that you just knew she was glad to see you. When Joyce gives you a hug, she keeps one arm around the back of your waist. She’s surprisingly strong, and she needs to make sure that you know you’re welcome. I don’t know Joyce’s last name. I have never seen her any place other than church. Just remember-ing Joyce makes me smile. Just remembering Joyce makes me rejoice.

Advent ends with the stunning miracle that God became a human being, and started out as all human beings start, as a baby. The theological word for this is incarnation. As we use the Season of Advent to make room in our hearts to welcome the Christ child, look around and notice the people in your life who embody the grace we know in Christ. I hope you have a Joyce, and I hope thinking of her in this season leads you to rejoice.

See you in church,

Pastor Tom

2019 December

Arms of Faith

Faith Presbyterian Women’s Association News

The December meeting will be moved up a week to December 10, 2019. This meeting will be held at the home of Sharon Fleming, 1101 Deer Run Lane, Papillion, NE. at 11:30 am with fellowship, lunch and celebrating the Advent Season. All women of Faith Presbyterian Church are invited to join us on January 21, 2020, at 1:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall as we resume Bible study with fellowship and refreshments. Any questions, please contact Debbie Kippley at 402 331-0310. We will not be playing bingo at Shadow Lake Hillcrest this month because of Christmas. But if you would like to participate in this mission pro-ject, contact Jackie Cook, 402 339-3682. We definitely need volunteers to assist the resi-dents. Men are also welcome to help.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dec 1 Debbie Eggers Dec 1 Scott Jamieson Dec 2 Steve Norman Dec 3 Rachel Fraley Dec 6 Robin Gentry Dec 6 Margaret Hermanson Dec 7 John Gjersvik Dec 7 DeAnna Healey Dec 10 Richard Svoboda Dec 12 Jackie Bogenhagen Dec 15 Doug Firebaugh Dec 15 Karen Greni Dec 16 Carol Matschullat Dec 16 Bill Wollenhaupt Dec 18 Christopher Hayes Dec 19 Pam Bottorff Dec 23 Jackie Zimmerman Dec 28 Susan Caster Dec 30 Tom Negley

ADVENT BRUNCH

The Fellowship Committee will host an Advent Brunch on Sunday,

December 8th immediately following the 11:00 worship service in the Family Life

Center. This will give us a time to share and fellowship with one another while looking

forward to the Advent and Christmas seasons.

Please, plan to join us!

As the Christmas Season approaches, Faith Church will once again be supporting G. Stanley Hall and LaVista West Elementary Schools by providing Christmas gifts for families in need of assistance. The tree in the Centrum is adorned with names and wish lists of students. Please take a "TREE" and write your name and

telephone number on the information sheet provided. Please return your wrapped gift with the "tree" attached by December 8th. Thank you, in advance, for helping to make Christmas brighter for those in need.

Your Mission and Evangelism Team

Christmas Eve

Services

will be held

December 24th

4:00 pm &

7:00 pm.

November Session news

Your Session met Thursday evening, November 14, in Fellowship Hall. The meeting was a week earlier than usual, because Pastor Tom had a commitment in Wisconsin during the third week of November.

The Session welcomed George Thietje from our insurance company. Presbytery requires Sessions to review the adequacy of their coverage annually.

A draft of a trifold brochure was examined. The church’s last brochure is several years out of date. Thank you to Debbie Kippley for getting the process started.

Session scheduled the baptism of Owen Black for December 8. A baptism during our Season of Joy the Session decided is most appropriate.

Treasurer Marc Wagoner reported that the church is in solid financial shape through the first ten months of 2019.

Your Session reinstated an inactive member who has returned to active membership.

Session decided to install handrails along the chancel steps.

Your Session identified some of the highlights of the past month and November’s meeting as: 194 people came to the Clothing Give Away 11/2; PDA workteams have visited the Presbytery following the flooding earlier this year. At this point four work teams from three states have committed to come and work in 2020; It is safe and easy to make financial donations through the church’s website. Watch for instructions during worship in the coming weeks.

Pastor Tom shared that he’s attended six Meet ‘n’ Greets through the middle of November. Each conversation has been engaging—and different from every other conversation!

Debbie Kippley shared that the books we collected for Malawi earlier this year arrived in Malawi while she was there!

So goes the work of your Session.

An Opportunity—Expanding the Pulpit

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to deliver a sermon? Have you ever imagined what you would say when the Holy Spirit led you into giving a sermon? Faith Church is looking for a few good men and women who are looking for a new way to grow in faith. At the last church I served in Wisconsin about a half dozen people volunteered to preach once or twice a year. This grew out of my doctoral project which was called “Expanding the Pulpit.” Their preaching was a huge gift to everyone. The preachers found it difficult and challenging. One of them called it “an ordeal.” But they also said that the process of composing and delivering a sermon led them a new kind of faith that they could not experience any other way. If you’re interested in exploring this idea—no commitments—please call me at the office 402-331-6944 or send me an email tom@faith-presbyterian.com.

Pastor Tom

HARVEST SALAD LUNCHEON TREMENDOUS SUCCESS

The Faith Presbyterian Women’s annual salad luncheon raised over $2,800.00, several hundred dollars over the past several years. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, and THANK YOU AGAIN. The success of this endeavor happened because of everyone working together to help with our mission projects. And we are so grateful to those attending the luncheon. A special thank you to all who donated salads, bakery, crafts and pumpkin pies. But the suc-cess would not have been accomplished without the amazing workers who gave hours of their time Wednesday, Thursday and/or again on Sunday. You are “Angels” among us!!!!! Sharon Fleming, Salad Luncheon Co-ordinator

Your Session

Clerk of Session - Joe Seda Fellowship Carolyn Ernst Leadership Chuck Shafer Facilities Rod Bosserdet Steve Norman Mission& Ev Lexie Stephenson Discipleship Marc Wagoner Debbie Kippley Support Scott Jamieson Worship Terri O’Brien Meg Dorsee Human Res Bill Mavity (alternate)

Seniors’ Night Out

All seniors 50 and over, join us Friday, December 6 at 5:30 pm

Farmhouse Café & Bakery (3461 S 84th Street)

Questions? Call Carol Matschullat at 402-339-1157

Clothing Give Away Is a Huge Success

On Saturday, November 2nd, Faith Church sponsored another Clothing Give Away. 194 people attended and took advantage of the donated items. 125 knitted hats were donated by the "All Knotted Up" group, and we ran out of hats. As two ladies left the church, I stopped them and said, "It looks like you didn't find very much." They said, "But we found what we needed." Thanks to everyone who helped in any way. This event would not have happened without your support. We don't have a date set for the next one, but it is never too early to start cleaning out closets and drawers. A sincere, heartfelt thanks to everyone. John and Terri O'Brien

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Update

DID YOU KNOW... We have a PDA Long Term Host Site in our Presbytery? Church of the Cross has been serving as a Response Host Site for volunteer groups throughout the summer, providing accommoda-tions for six groups since last May. The volunteers have been working on 80 homes in the King Lake area (near Valley). In late August, the General Assembly approved Church of the Cross to serve as a PDA Long Term Host site, a two year commitment. Working closely with the PDA Call Center, they already have reservations for four groups coming from Kansas, Wisconsin and California next spring. There is still a great deal of work to do in the area of flood recovery! We are thankful for all the volunteers who have come to Omaha to help with the rebuilding efforts!

NEWS FROM THE LOCAL PRESBYTERIAN DISASTER ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE – HARD AT WORK FOR YOU!!

The forecast for 2020 Flooding does not look promising. The ground around many of our rivers is still saturated and will freeze this way, many municipal levees have not been repaired, and we have had higher than average autumn rainfall (4 times the

normal amount for September and October). This means that in all likelihood we will see spring flooding again due to many of the controls (ground saturation and levees) are not in place to handle water and snowmelt drainage. We are seeking to be better prepared for the next round of flooding that most predictions say will be occurring in the spring. The Missouri River Valley PDA has partnered with the Neighbors United:

Seeds of Hope Disaster Resource Center, which supplies warehousing space as well as disaster response training. We are storing all of our disaster response kits and

supplies on-site at their warehouse near Murdock, NE. This will allow us to have a very nimble response to disasters using supplies we have immediately available, rather

than needing to wait for them to be shipped to us. In 2019 we have re-distributed: 458 bottles of water, 6 gallons of water, $550 in gas cards, 30 gallons of bleach, 1 bundle of heavy wool blankets, 1 box fleece blankets, 140 school kits, 206 Hygiene

kits, 362 Clean-up Buckets, 20 boxes of diapers, and 69 pull up diapers.

F. Y. I. FAITH YOUTH INFORMATION DECEMBER 2019

Wednesday Nights 6:00—8:00 pm

Here are the themes for each night:

Dec. 4th - National Cookie Day - cookie exchange

Dec. 8th - 11:00 - Christmas Play

“The Friendly Beasts, One Special Night!”

Dec. 11th - Jesus’ Birthday Party - Mission Project

Dec. 18th - No Faith On Fire - Christmas Break

Dec. 25th - No Faith On Fire - Christmas Break

Our Mission project this month will be focusing on children’s books. We will collect them and wrap them on the 11th while we have a party and celebrate Jesus’ Birthday. These books will be given to children in need.

All youth and kids from grades 3-12 and their friends

are encouraged to join us for a fun evening!

Faith On Fire!

BOO! TRICK or TREAT at FAITH ON FIRE!

Dec. 1st –Practice Christmas Play and Cocoa, Candy

Canes and ELF!

Dec. 8th - 11:00 Christmas Play.—NO YOUTH GROUP

Dec. 15th - Pizza Party and Silly Presents

Dec. 22nd - NO YOUTH GROUP—Christmas Break

Dec. 29th - NO YOUTH GROUP—Christmas break

Youth Group meets every Sunday at 1:00 and

ends by 3:45 depending on the activity. If the meeting

time changes it will be announced and youth will receive a

text.

All youth (Jr. and Sr. High) and their friends are invited to

come. The more the merrier! If you like you like food and

fun and being with friends this is for you!

YOUTH GROUP

You are invited to an ADVENT CELEBRATION! December 8th following the 10am Worship Service in the Family Life Center for the Advent Presentation

The Friendly Beasts—One Special Night! And a special JOY presentation. Presented by the Faith Kids & the Faith Puppet Team.

Advent Brunch to follow.