December 7, 2014 - First Mennonite Church, Indianapolis

Second Sunday in Advent
First Mennonite Church
December 7, 2014
Prelude
Welcome & Announcements
Musical Preparation for Worship
Lighting of the Advent candles
Response hymn SS#15 "Hope is a candle" v. 2
Call to Worship (adapted from Isaiah 40)
Melissa
Gaynel
L: Come, let us worship in faith the God who is here and desires our worship. [pause]
Redeeming God, work in our hearts so that we, your people, would share in your peace.
All:
Oh, that you would reveal your peace to us, O Lord.
L: The paths of our world are not straight; the ditches are littered with our friends.
P: Still, we listen for the voice in the wilderness, “Prepare a way for the Lord.”
L: Behold, our God is coming.
P: God speaks peace into our noisy world.
All:
“Comfort, comfort, my people,” says our God.
Mary
Shannon Dycus
Passing the Friendship Register
Sharing of joys, sermon responses and introduction of guests
*In lieu of applause, we encourage a hearty "AMEN."
Sunday school classes are available for all children and youth.
Attention MYF youth and parents: During Sunday school Dr. Rashid and Dr.
Salah Elsaharty along with high school students from a local mosque will meet with
the MYF to talk about relating together as Muslims and Christians. This will be an
engaging encounter with our Muslim neighbors.
Scripture Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
Message
Dr. Shaker Rashid, Steve Thomas
Hymn SS#16 "Peace before us"
Closing Song - Choir "In the Silence"
Blessing
Postlude
The FMC nursery is staffed during the worship service. All children age two and under are
welcome. Three and four-year-old children are welcome in the nursery following children's
time and until the end of the worship service.
FELLOWSHIP TIME: 10:40 a.m. Beverages are served in the fellowship hall.
Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.
Every child in every land, Jesus holds them in his hand.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
Bringing our offerings and gifts of food
SJ #31 "He came down"
Pastoral Prayer
UPCOMING SERMONS:
December 14: Third Sunday in Advent Isaiah 61:1-4,8-11; Luke 1:46b-55
December 21: Fourth Sunday in Advent 2 Samuel 7:1-11,16; Luke 1:26-38
Wilma Bailey
Justin Fox-King is available in the prayer room immediately after the worship
service today if you desire to have prayer.
Hymns #176 "Comfort, comfort, O my people"
SS#34 "You are holy"
Children's Time
Transitional Pastor: Steve Thomas
Associate Pastor: Shannon Dycus
Elders: Brian, Andrea, Sara, Lisa
Elder Apprentice: Justin
Worship Leader: Becky
Song Leader: Emilie
Choir Director: Jana
Choir Accompanist: Priscilla
Greeter: Gaynel
Ushers: Ethel & Paul
Nursery staff: Kendall, Megan, Meghan, Sidney
Ministers: Each participant in the congregation
ADULT CLASS:
Joint adult class: This Sunday's all church Sunday school will continue with our
transitional conversations. Representatives from PET (Pastor-Elder Team) and
ARC (Administrative Relations Committee) will be on hand to answer questions
and field queries about the proposed change from our current lead/associate to copastor leadership model. Meets in the fellowship hall.
Financial Update
Budget contributions for November 30:
Total budget contributions YTD
Amount of budget contributions needed per week:
Budget needs YTD
Deficit)/surplus
Sunday morning attendance on November 30: 193
$
16,305
392,270
8,269
396,923
(4,653)
Living Christ’s mission of reconciliation
through service,
with justice,
by God’s grace.
Yearly Communion Schedule:
First Sunday in October (World Communion Sunday)
First Sunday in Advent
Christmas Eve
First Sunday in Lent
Maundy Thursday
Easter Sunday
Pentecost Sunday
Third Sunday in August
0048.
Give an MCC kit for Christmas! The gift of a Mennonite Central
Committee (MCC) kit is a gift of joy…with some assembly required. MCC
urgently needs 2,000 relief kits, 8,000 hygiene kits and 2,000 blankets.
Multiple situations of crisis around the world such as Syria, Iraq, Gaza and
Ukraine have depleted MCC’s warehouse inventory. Please help MCC
replenish its supply to continue responding to needs around the world. For
more information, visit mcc.org/kits.
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is seeking Location Coordinators for the
Serving With Appalachian People (SWAP) program site in Hindman, Ky. The
Location Coordinators are responsible to coordinate week-long service opportunities
for young people and adults as SWAP works to provide housing repair for lowincome individuals and families. The Location Coordinators will plan and direct all
aspects of the SWAP ministry in Hindman, Ky., reporting directly to the Appalachia
Program Coordinators. Because of the SWAP partnership with the Hindman United
Methodist Church, this position necessitates involvement and worshipping with this
partner church. In the SWAP "off-season," this position may be developed in various
ways depending on the gifts and interests of the applicants. For a full job description,
visit mcc.org/get-involved/serve/openings/mcc-swap-location-coordinator-hindman.
Individuals interested in this position should send a letter of intent and current
resume to [email protected] by January 5, 2015.
BIRTHDAYS
TODAY- December 7, 2014
Bible Memory listening Sunday is today in the "Faithfulness" room. Recite
your memory work to a listener during the fellowship time.
FIRST MENNONITE CHURCH
4601 Knollton Road
Indianapolis, IN 46228
Vol. 62 No. 49
Phone: 317-251-1980
Website address: www.indymenno.org
Church e-mail addresses:
*Steve Thomas: [email protected]
Shannon Dycus: [email protected]
Chris Reid: [email protected]
Emilie Walson: [email protected]
Gaynel Bryan: [email protected]
Steve Thomas is generally at First Mennonite Church Sunday to
Wednesday. To reach him anytime here or at his office in Goshen, call 574-202-
Children in the Christmas musical will practice during fellowship time in
the multi-purpose room. Younger children will practice in the "Kindness"
room during fellowship time. There will also be a regular rehearsal which
will begin at 12:30 after the children have had time to eat their lunches.
Rehearsal concludes at 2:00 p.m.
Don't miss the exhibit in the MennoArts Gallery (top of the stairs west of the
kitchen). Annabella, a sophomore at Indiana University, and Bethany, a
sophomore in high school, are exhibiting a wide variety of work, and
proceeds from any sales will benefit their education. Paintings, drawings,
ceramics, photographs, jewelry, artist books, and more, are on display.
Everyone is welcome to stop by!
Advent Vespers a musical celebration of Christmas Joy at First Friends,
3030 East Kessler Boulevard, on Sunday, December 7, at 5:00 p.m.
THIS WEEK
Women's Bible Study meets Friday mornings from 8:30-10:00 a.m. in the
"Wisdom" room. They will meet through this Friday, December 13, and then
take a break until January.
Dress rehearsal for the children's Christmas musical will be this Saturday
from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
NEXT SUNDAY
Children's Christmas musical will be presented to the congregation during
Sunday school next Sunday, December 14. No classes will meet that day.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Join the arts small group for a visit to the Indianapolis Museum of Art on
Sunday, December 21, at noon. We will be looking at artwork reflecting
specifically on Advent/Christmas/Epiphany. Join Jeremy in the IMA
lobby and from there we will go to the IMA restaurant for lunch followed by
a guided tour. Sign-up on the kiosk today. We can have up to 15
people. Questions: call Jeremy
Christmas Eve Service is Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. December 24.
This service includes carol singing, a drama, special music, communion,
candle lighting. You are invited to bring guests to this very special service--a
favorite of many in our congregation.
Church Council has approved the proposed budget for 2015. The detailed
version of the final budget, with item-by-item breakdowns, is in the library
starting today. We will have a congregational vote on the proposed budget
for 2015 on Sunday, January 11.
Women: Save the Date! Saturday, January 17, 9:30-11:30 for a brunch and
for sewing MCC kit bags.
The all-church winter retreat will be held at Camp Camby on February 13
and 14, 2015. In order for the camp to reserve an adequate number of beds
for Friday, February 13, we need persons who are committing to staying
overnight to sign up on the kiosk by December 14. There is no cost to you as
an individual for this fun event. More details about the events for the retreat
will be forthcoming. The sign-up for the overnight is on the kiosk in the
fellowship hall. Photos of the sleeping accommodations are posted on the
kiosk as well. First reservations will be placed in motel-style rooms,
dormitory-style accommodations also available.
GENERAL ANOUNCEMENTS
The Pastor-Elder Team presented a proposal on November 23 that would
have FMC modify the existing Lead Pastor/Associate Pastor roles outlined in
our Handbook to a “Co-Pastor” leadership model. A document was placed in
everyone’s mailbox so that they could reference the proposal being
made. After our service today, there will be a congregational Sunday school
class to discuss this proposal and the specific vote we will be asking the
congregation to support. FMC will have a congregational vote on this
proposal during our service on December 14 and the vote will be taken by
written ballot. If you will not be in attendance next Sunday, please contact
Erv with your vote for your support or opposition to this proposal.
Please be reminded that sharing time is set aside for congregational
sharing, sermon responses and introduction of guests. Announcements
regarding the work of the church are best shared at the beginning of
service. Printed announcements should be emailed to the church office by
9:00 a.m. on Friday and you are always welcome to share any reminders with
the worship leader before the service.
We are again collecting Christmas decorations for the organization
COMPASS at the request of Susan. COMPASS is an agency that provides
residential services for adults with developmental disabilities. Any
donations may be brought to the church and we will have a collection box.
Please do not include any glass items.
We have a bulletin board area (on the kiosk) for you to post greetings of the
season to the congregation.
All FMC women/girls: If you are interested in walking together as a
group at a preselected place once a month throughout the year beginning in
January, please sign up on the kiosk to be included in the email
announcement. Likely we would walk either on a Saturday morning or
afternoon, or a Sunday afternoon for approximately one hour. Look for
further details to come. Questions: call Pattie.
December adult classes: would you like to share about your volunteer
work? On December 21 and 28, we would like to give people time to present
about the causes where our community is giving their time. Contact Todd
Grotenhuis to get involved.
Thanks for all the prayers and kind words upon the passing of Marj's father,
Nelson. Thanks, too, to the congregation for the Habig's gift certificate in his
honor. We are blessed to be part of this caring community.
-- The H. family

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