LAS POSADAS ADVENT SERMON SERIES

In Mexico one of the important parts of the celebration of Christmas is Las Posadas--Spanish for "the inns."  From December 16-24 a party is held in the home of the neighborhood with plenty of food and drink, with fruit and candies for the children.  This tradition commemorates Mary and Joseph's search for shelter on the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  At dusk, all the guests gather outside the house. A small child dressed as an angel leads, followed by children carrying figures of Mary and Joseph. Boys and girls dressed in silver and gold robes constitute the procession, followed by the adults and musicians. Everyone sings melodious songs as they walk slowly along, carrying their lit candles. When they reach the house, the group divides in two. One half remains outside and begs for shelter from the other half, which is inside the house. The doors are then opened, the religious part of the celebration ends, and the fun begins. On the final night, Christmas Eve, the procession moves to the local church, where the entire village welcomes the Holy Couple with a service of joy and thanksgiving as the Holy Child is born again.

 

During Advent this year I will be basing a series of sermons around this theme, using the lectionary readings assigned for each Sunday to reflect upon how we make room for the birth of the Christ Child in our lives today.  "Is there room in your home, in your heart, for Jesus to be born in you?  Will you make room for him in your life?"  Advent is a time to ask ourselves those questions.  It's a time of preparation, cleaning house, confession, and expectation.  Christmas is not just about remembering the birth of a child 2,000 years ago.  It's also about how Jesus is born in human life today.

 

November 27    "Making Room for Christmas"   

                              Isaiah 64:1-9

December 4       "You Can't Get There from Here"

                              Isaiah 40:1-11 

December 11    "Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks"

                              Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

                              I Thessalonians 5:16-25

December 18     "Here I Am...Let It Be"

                              Luke 1:5-38

December 25     Christmas Day Service of Carols

Advent Program

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Please mark your calendar for Friday, December 2nd, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.!
An Advent Program for Church School Families and The Children's Center Families!

On your way home from work that evening, stop by The Children's Center and enjoy a cup of soup and a sandwich while you meet some of the families from the Children's Center. Then we will go up to the Great Room where we will hear a story, learn an Advent song, and light the 1st Advent candle!

Dinner, new friends, candlelighting, music, a story, your support to our children's ministry,........a wonderful way to be in the spirit of Advent!
Our gift to you: A set of Advent candles to make your own Advent wreath and a children's Advent CD.

R.S.V.P Ellie Donahue at 974-1786 or bnatural@earthlink.net.
Blessings,
Ellie

Church School/Junior Choir News December

Church School / Junior Choir News
by Ellie Donahue

The Church School Winter Term will begin on January 1, 2006
Teachers for the upcoming term:
Pre-K– Diane Peterson & Jill O’Neill will be alternating weeks with
Erin & Bobby Fisher downstairs enclosed classroom
Kindergarten - Mark VanderVoort - downstairs center area
Grades 1 & 2 - Chelsea Ambrozaitis & Rachel Mullin - library *
Grades 3, 4 & 5 - Elizabeth Bove library
Grades 6, 7 & 8 Jan Arcand Great Room *
*Please note change in classroom location.

A Church School Teacher’s Meeting will be held on December 1st, at 7:00 p.m.
in the church library. R.S.V.P Ellie Donahue at bnatural@earthlink.net.

Christmas Pageant
The Christmas Story will be retold by our church
school children on Sunday evening, December 18th. Jill O’Neill has graciously offered to
be our pageant director this year. Thank you Jill! The Sounds of Christmas is a narrated play with Mary & Joseph, baby Jesus, the Wisemen, shepherds, angels and stable animals. Props, costumes and candlelight set the mood for an evening of magic and wonder.
The evening begins with a potluck dinner at 5:00 p.m. in the downstairs area of the church.
The Pageant immediately follows in the sanctuary. Bring your family and friends, and a potluck dish to share!
Rehearsal will be on Saturday, December 17th from 9:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Pre-K and Kinder – rehearsal from 10:30- 11:30 only.


The Children’s Center families have been invited to join in our Christmas Pageant festivities and Gift Sunday service. Please extend a warm greeting to those families attending. Take some time to get to know them and share with them information about our church family and activities. Invite them to join us in worship every Sunday!


A Church School Epiphany Party will be held on Sun. morning, January 1st during the regular church school class time. Epiphany means “Appearance.” The presence of God has appeared to us in human form in Jesus, who came to share God’s love with all people. Listen to the story of Matthew 2:1-12. Be a part of the procession of the three kings to the manger. Share ideas of good deeds to give as gifts to Jesus. Help decorate a Crown of Jewels Epiphany Cake. (The person whose piece of cake contains the secret trinket will be made king of the feast!) Make a CMB sign for your doorway at home. Can you smell the spicy incense?



Focus Scriptures / Events for Sunday morning church school:
December 4 Isaiah 40:1-11 Hearing God’s word of comfort and hope.
December 11 *Gift Sunday / Jr. Choir Sings / Intergenerational Worship / No Classes
December 18 Luke 1:26-38 Celebrating God’s gift to us.
December 25 *No church school classes / Christmas recess
January 1 Church School Epiphany Celebration! - Library/Great Room
*The Nursery will be available for childcare (infant through kindergarten) on the
Sundays when there are no church school classes.



Heifer Project Update - As of the end of November, our church school offering
total has risen to nearly $230.00! We are hoping to raise enough money by the end of May to purchase 5 goats ($600.00) to send to families in need, in another country. So far we are on target! If you would like a “Heifer Cup” to collect your coins at home during the week, see Mrs. Donahue.

Church School Wish List – A wish list has been posted on the kiosk in the Great Room. If you would like to donate any of these items for church school projects, see Ellie Donahue.



Junior Choir Anthem Date:
December 11 – What Can We Give To The King? - A song for Gift Sunday accompanied
by Jared Trudeau on piano.
Junior Choir rehearses each Sunday from 11:30 to noon in the downstairs area near the piano. Children in Kindergarten through Grade 4 are welcome to join in the fun! See Ellie Donahue.


What Can We Give To The King?
What can we give to the King?
Give to the One who has everything?
What can we give, what gift can we bring?
What can we give to the King?
What can we give to the King?
Give Him a heart that’s opened up wide.
Give Him a life that’s got nothing to hide.
Give Him a love that’s tender and true,
and He’ll give it all back to you.
Yes, He’ll give it all back to you.

Words and Music by Barry McGuire and Mike Deasy

For January:
This month, church school classes will focus on the following scriptures:
January 1 Epiphany Party – downstairs area
January 8 Mark 1:4-11 - God’s affirmation of Jesus’ baptism.
January 15 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20) Where do we hear God calling us?
January 22 Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Jonah teaches us about second chances.
January 29 Mark 1:21-28 Jesus’ power in teaching and healing.

Announcements & Calendar for the Week of December 4

CT WOMEN’S EASTERN DISTRICT ADVENT MEETING will be on Monday, Dec. 5th at the Second Congregational Church in New London. The theme will be "The Message of Love Through Music". More information and directions can be found on the bulletin board.

OUR CHRISTMAS PAGEANT will be held on December 18th at 5:00 pm. Church School parents - keep that date open! All church school children will want to participate in the Christmas Story. Our only rehearsal will be on Saturday, December 17th from 9:00 to 11:30 am.

GIFT SUNDAY: Our Annual Gift Service will be held next Sunday. If you took a tag, please bring the gift(s) to service. Gifts will be distributed by Covenant to Care to needy children in our area. As always, we are asked by Covenent to Care to please place your gifts in a shopping bag along with some wrapping paper and bows. Please don’t wrap your gifts! Although it would “look nicer”, the purpose of this is to give parents the chance to wrap their own child’s gifts. Also, Covenent to Care has some regulations that necessitate inspection of all gifts. And please include the tag with your gift!! We appreciate your understanding and know all of you will honor these requests.

THE FREEZER is getting low! Please help us replenish our coffee hour treats and goodies for various events by making an extra batch next time you are baking, wrapping and labeling them, and putting them into the freezer downstairs. Thank you so much!

NEED TO WORK on your Christmas shopping? Drivers are needed for next week’s SYG shopping trip to the Providence Place Mall. Meet in the Great Room at 12:00. We’ll carpool to RI and return by 5:30 p.m. Speak to Debby Kirk or sign up on the kiosk if you can help.

TODAY
9:00 am Confirmation Class
11:30 a.m. Bell Choirs to “Woodstock Glistens”
5:30 p.m. Youth Council
MONDAY
7:30 p.m. AA Group
7:30 p.m. Sr. Bells
WEDNESDAY
9:00 a.m. PCT
7:00 p.m. Deacons
THURSDAY
7:30 p.m. Trustees
NEXT SUNDAY Gift Sunday
9:15 a.m. Jr. Ch. & Bells
12:00 p.m. SYG shopping trip

South Asia Quake Relief Efforts

        The Kashmir region of Pakistan and India was struck with a devastating earthquake on October 8.  The United Church of Christ is supporting the efforts of our partners, Church World Service/Pakistan and the Church's Auxiliary for Social Action in India, to deliver immediate relief in the form of tents, blankets, food and medicine.  Plans for long-term rehabilitation, including home reconstruction are being developed.  (Check the UCC Home page www.ucc.org for updates.)

        More immediate assistance is needed, especially from the broader international community.  Please check the information below to see how you may live out your covenant of compassion in relation to this disaster.

1.  I promise to pray for victims and survivors... 
Please pray for the people of Southern Asia impacted by this tragedy as well as the relief workers who are responding to the disaster.  Encourage others in your community to lift up prayers.

2.  I promise to contribute to One Great Hour of Sharing special appeals created to respond to the needs of disaster survivors. 
One Great Hour of Sharing offering funds were used for immediate response to this disaster.  Please consider making a designated gift to the Southern Asia Earthquake special appeal fund to enable a greater, long-term UCC response.   Checks made out to the Missionary Society of CT may be sent to Connecticut Conference, 125 Sherman Street, Hartford, CT 06105.

3.  I promise to support justice initiatives... 
The humanitarian crisis is growing in the wake of the earthquake.  Even with the international relief response that has been mobilized, relief is failing to reach some of the most desperate victims due to difficult terrain and weather.  It is critical that we act now.  Please call on President Bush to act quickly to release the full $50 million in U.S. aid promised, and to dedicate more helicopters and troops needed to deliver aid.

        You may send an electronic message to President Bush through UCC Take Action!  http://www.ucctakeaction.org/action/


Peace,

Susan M. Sanders
Minister for Global Sharing of Resources
Wider Church Ministries
216-736-3210
sanderss@ucc.org

Sunday, Dec. 4, Afternoon Event

Conversations with Your Neighbors of Other Religions: How Faith Shapes Our Lives
DECEMBER 4, 2005
Location: Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford
1:30 p.m.
Co-Sponsor with the Connecticut Council for Interreligious Understanding
Cost: $8.00 per person for registrations sent by November 23; $6.00 per person for groups of 5 or more mailed together by November 23; and $10.00 per person after November 23 and at the door.

Over 30 participants from nine religious traditions will share how their faith shapes their lives. Workshops will include:

· Religious Values and Politics
· Religious Practices in Daily Life
· Interfaith Marriage
· Why My Faith Is Important To Me?
· The Impact of Scripture on My Daily Life
· Guiding Our Youth