110 N. Third Street, River Falls, WI 54022

715-425-2052 — www.firstchurchrf.org

Rev. Chris Myers: chris@firstchurchrf.org

Office email: office@firstchurchrf.org

DECEMBER 15, 2017

I enjoy Christmas music. How about you? There is just so much good music at this time of the year. I love listening to everything from Handel’s Messiah, to Christmas carols, to more secular Christmas music such as Jingle Bells and even the ever present Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas Canon. In fact I confess that I turn on the all Christmas radio station the day after

Thanksgiving (which has taught me there is such a thing as bad Christmas music—Santa baby?). Mostly though I just soak it all in. There is just so much good music out there!

The church calendar recognizes this. Half of the 6 church seasons (Advent, Christmas and Epiphany) occur during these next few weeks. Like the music, so much of the Christmas story is packed into these next few weeks. The waiting and watching that John the Baptist tells us to do during Advent. The nativity story of Christmas, how the God beyond all knowing comes close to us in the God-child Jesus. And then of course there is the arrival of the magi with their gifts at Epiphany, 12 days after Christmas.

This year as I have been reading and re-reading these biblical stories, I have been struck by one line in Luke’s gospel:

“Do not be afraid, for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10

I don’t know about you, but our world just seems dark right now. This year I need to be reminded that the first words out of the angel’s mouths is almost always this: do not be afraid. This year, I need to be reminded that God has promised us good news not just to the shepherds long ago, but for our world today, including our church and our families. More than any recent Christmas, I need to be reminded that God is with us, as Emmanuel, God with each and every one of us.

I hope you join us this Christmas as we (re)discover the joy of Christmas.

Christmas Eve Worship Schedule:

9:00 am Morning Worship (no 10:30 am worship)

4:00 pm Candle Light Family Worship with Children’s Message

6:00 pm Candle Light Family Worship with Children’s Message and Communion

11:00 pm Candle Light Worship with Choir and Communion

New Year’s Eve Worship Schedule:

9:00 am Worship

10:00 am Coffee Fellowship

10:30 am No Late worship

No matter who you are. No matter where you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here!

As Jesus’ courageous disciples, living God’s grace, we strive to:

~ Worship faithfully ~ Welcome openly ~ Grow spiritually ~ ~ Care passionately ~ Serve generously ~

Year End Giving Many families give an additional gift to the church at year end. Some do it as part of their Christmas giving.

The church counts on these additional gifts to continue its faithful ministry. December is traditionally our

biggest giving month. Thank you for your generous giving all year, but especially at year end as we seek to end

to end the year with a balanced budget. Please note that in order for us to record financial gifts in 2017 they

must either be in the church office or postmarked no later than December 31.

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E-Giving—More and more parishioners are signing up for e-giving. It is quick, easy, and safe. It is designed to help

both you with your home budgeting and financing of church ministries which continue even when you are away. Simply complete the application form found in the sign-up area to enroll. Questions can be directed to our church treasurer Missy Luedtke. If you already give electronically, please use the e-giving bookmarks in your pew as the offering plate is passed.

Pledge Cards Needed! Pledges cards of 2018 were dedicated on Sunday, November 12. If you have not turned yours in please do so. Additional cards are on the sign up table or available from the church office. As a bonus, the recipe for the delicious Cranberry Upside Down Cake made by Stacy Myers at the Journeying Together Small group sessions, will be found on the back of the thank you letter sent to all who pledge. Another reason to return yours today! Please return completed pledge cards into the offering plate or church office as soon as possible.

A Mission for Ministry Our 2017-2020 Capital Campaign has begun. Church families received a brochure in the mail with the details of the three year capital campaign called A Mission for Ministry in which we will pay off our remaining $800,000 bank debt. Imagine the mission and ministry that can done when we are done paying $8,000 for principal and interest monthly! Please prayerfully consider your financial response to this campaign and return your pledge forms. Already we have raised nearly $300,000 toward our goal!

Treasurer’s Report

Week of Dec 3, 2017 Year to Date

General Fund Income* $ 9,065 $ 390,422

General Fund Operational Needs $ 8,519 $ 417,431

A full accounting of all income and expenses is available in the church office.

*Includes annual and monthly gifts.

Thanks from the Church Staff—As the church staff, we wish

to thank you for all your cards and gifts given to us this Christmas. We try to acknowledge each gift, but sometimes gifts are left by visiting angels anonymously. Please know of our deep gratitude. Know also how pleased we are to be in ministry with you. Christmas and New Year’s Blessings to you all.

2017 Children’s Advent Musical By its nature, worship needs to be the same and different—at the same time. Our worship finds its roots in the ways the earliest Christians worshipped, but we also bring our own traditions and interests to those ancient roots. An important Advent tradition is listening to children as

they tell the story of Jesus’ birth. On December 17, during the 10:30 worship service, the children in Pre-School through Grade 5 will tell the story of Jesus’ birth—through the particular lens of Matthew’s gospel. Please come! This is an important way to support the children of the congregation.

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Confirmation Retreat (7-9th Grades) January 19-21, 2018 The dates were given at the Confirmation Kick Off Event. I assume ALL kids are going on the retreat unless I hear otherwise. I understand there is a basketball conflict for some of the boys, so please let me know if they will be late or not coming at all. The cost for the Confirmation Retreat is $90 per student for the weekend, but reduced to $45 for church families who pledge. This must be prepaid by us so please let us know by December 20 if your child is NOT coming. I will need at least one more male chaperone. Please let me know if you can join us. Our retreat this year is a service retreat to Minneapolis and includes lots of cool opportunities to serve, eat ethnic foods and worship at an African American church. This trip is always one of the highlights of the confirmation experience. Pastor Chris And JaNae Westrich

Chaperones so far: Pastor Chris, Scott Sippel, Jolene Sullivan, Anne Tuveson, Laura Anderson and church interns, Wes, Kaye, Chloe and Katy.

Pre-Confirmation Retreat (Grade 6) February 9-10 to a waterpark in Eau Claire This is a get to know each other retreat to a waterpark in Eau Claire. The 6th Grade Pre-Confirmation leader, Diana Villeneuve will chaperone it. More details after the first of the year. It is a great way for this group to bond together since they will be together in confirmation for the next 3 + years! Question to Diana Villeneuve or JaNae Westrich

Picture the Bible Christmas Greeting Cards New this year are Christmas

greeting cards featuring the “Jesus is Born” Picture the Bible image. The cards are 4 ¼” x 5 ½”

and come with an envelope. The cards are sold in a set of 12 cards for $8.00. Please

come to the church office.

Advent Projects Donna Moseman, First Congregational member and crafter extraordinaire, will be in the Fellowship

Hall on Wednesdays during Advent (December 6, 13, and 20) from 5:15–6:15 pm leading two craft

projects—one for children and another for adults. Please stop by!

New Stable Please notice the new A-Frame stable made

by Tim Bylander for the children’s musical.

The new stable will be perfect for the

available space in the chancel. It is more

than a prop—it is a work of art!

Needed: Scrap Wood If you have small and smallish pieces of wood that could be used for children’s wood sculpture projects,

please consider bring them to church so we can put them to good use. Questions? Talk to Stacy Myers.

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Adult Forum The Adult Forum meets Sundays, 9:00–10:00 am. All are welcome!

December 17: The Messiah's Birth: The New Narrative of God's Realm, Dave Ostendorf The beloved story of Jesus’ birth and life as Son of God stands in contrast to the prevailing description of the Roman Emperor as “deus filius”-- Latin for “son of god.” Jesus’ birth, life, and ministry, and its later telling by the Gospel writers, represented a new (and shocking) narrative of the power and presence of God, in direct contrast to that of the “divine” Roman Empire that encompassed the known world. The forum will consider anew the life- and history-changing narrative of Jesus and of God’s realm, then and now.

No Adult Forum on December 24 or 31

January 7: Jesus’ Nativity Narratives: Putting Them in Perspective, Stacy Johnson Myers On the day following Epiphany, come for a discussion outlining the differing approaches to Jesus’ nativity in the gospels. The conversation will also include a discussion regarding how to interpret the narratives and what they tell us about Jesus.

Tuesday Bible Study: All Are Welcome! The Adult Bible Study group meets on Tuesdays, 1:00–2:30 pm. The focus is the Old Testament. The discussion is lively and the company is excellent. Books are available in the church office for $28.00. Talk with Stacy Myers for more information.

Annual Reports All Committees, please submit your Annual Reports, preferably electronically, by January 8, 2018, to Missy Luedtke at missy@firstchurchrf.org. Thank you!

CHORD SMASH! Releases their First CD The quartet that our choir director, Scott Perau, is a member of has just released their first CD. CHORD SMASH! has performed at our church several times throughout the past few years, and

does a large variety of music, including barbershop, blues, jazz, musical theatre, country, and more.

If you are interested in purchasing a CD, please contact Scott so that he knows how many to bring to church. CDs are $15 and Scott's email is sperau@gmail.com, and cell # is 715-461-0318. He will plan to bring CDs on the Sundays the choir performs in November, and on Wednesday evenings. You can listen to a sample at www.chordsmash.com

Survivors and Thriving After Cancer Are you a cancer survivor? Did you learn something about treatment, strategies for coping, how to keep your faith strong during treatment? Would you be willing to share your insights with other folks? As a congregation we are developing a list of people who have survived cancer with the hope that those who have been diagnosed can turn to them for advice and support. If wish to be a part of this group please contact the church office (office@firstchurchrf.org) with your name, email, phone number and type of cancer you are willing to talk about. Bless you for considering being a part of this ministry of healing.

Christmas Luncheon Thanks Thanks to all who volunteered to peel potatoes (70 pounds!), make meatballs 45 (pounds), iron table clothes, bring cookies as well as set, serve and cleanup after the meal. We served about 140 people this year. What a wonderful part of our Christmas celebration.

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Church Office Holiday Hours The church office will be closed on Monday, December 25 and Friday, December 29 for Christmas and

Monday, January 1 for New Year’s Day.

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Wednesday Meals Join us each Wednesday night for a healthy, home cooked family meal in the church fellowship hall. Cost is $6 per person with a max of $25 per family. Please sign up by Tuesday at noon so we have enough food. Please also sign up to help set, serve or clean up. Whether you are single, a couple

or have a minivan full, join us as church family each Wednesday from 5:15 to 6:15 pm.

Dec 20—Breakfast for dinner, eggs benedict, breakfast burrito, stuffed French toast

Adult Back Bay Mission Trip—March 18-24, 2018 It’s time again to plan for a trip to Back Bay Mission to help with housing rehab, day shelter, food shelf, and serving meals at Loaves & Fishes. It’s a life-changing experience so consider taking a week and helping the homeless, meeting new people, eating really good food! $50 deposit holds your spot. Contact Carol Merriman with questions.

Sustainable Living: Tip Of The Month With the holiday season comes the season of gift giving and receiving. This year, consider making your gift

exchange events more sustainable by recycling wrapping paper and packaging materials. Most non-glitter,

non-foil wrapping paper can be recycled with everyday paper products (if in doubt, check with your local

recycling company). Ribbons, bows, and tissue paper can be reused for gifts next year. Packing foam and

peanuts can be reused for shipping items later in the year, or are usually accepted at your local shipping

center for re-use. And when purchasing new wrapping paper and supplies, consider selecting items that

are reusable or recyclable. ~Brought to you by the Mission Education Committee

Book Group Meeting Tuesday, January 23: The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead. Chronicles a young slave’s adventures as she makes a desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South. Winner of Pulitzer Prize & National Book Award. Meeting is at the church at 3:00 pm.

Did You Remember Your Name Tag? We are fortunate to have lots of guests these days, and lots of new members, and a few of us

who just easily forget names! Remember to wear your name tag! (Yes, dig it out of your purse

or pocket, take it off the fridge, pick it up from your dresser--and if you just can't find it, you can

request a new one from the office.) Thanks, we're glad to know you!

Spirit and Health If you are interested in joining a group focusing on our spiritual growth together around body

issues (weight, exercise, health, image), please contact Rebecca Ferguson at (262) 227-1542 or email at rebeccaaferguson@hotmail.com We'll start in early January!

Message from the Trustees As we rapidly approach the end of the church year, the Trustee Committee would like to ask each of you to review your recently delivered giving statements to ensure your 2017 giving is on track with your pledge. If you have been blessed this year with the ability to give beyond your pledge, please consider an additional gift so that the church can finish the year financially strong and ready to embark on our 2018 church year on solid financial footing.

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Cribbage Night The group meets on the second Tuesday at the church. Players are asked to donate $2 & the group decides which charity to donate it to. Playing time starts at 7:00 pm. All players & abilities welcome. The next game will be held January 9.

Yoga Class & Meditation-Mindfulness The Yoga class meets Tuesday & Thursdays from 9:00-10:00 am. Feel free to join us from 10:00 to 10:15 am for a session of Meditation-Mindfulness following the Yoga class. Bring a towel to sit or lay on and something to cover your body for warmth if you choose to lie down. We look forward to seeing you.

Save Your Family Fresh Receipts! ARC gets $1,000 for every $150,000 in receipts, so every dollar counts. ARC is the agency funded by local churches to help address the immediate needs of people in our community (rent, utility, gas, repair help). A box for receipts is on the back table.

Donations Needed for Our Neighbors’ Place: Laundry detergent and dryer sheets NEW men’s and women’s socks and underwear Pull-ups (especially sizes 4/5/6) and baby wipes Toilet paper, paper towels, kleenex

Monetary donations are always VERY appreciated.

Donations may be dropped off between 10:00 am-4:00 pm Monday-Thursday and by appointment on Fridays.

Advocates for Immigrants Held the 2nd Monday of each month at 6:00 pm at River Falls United Methodist Church.

~ Raising awareness about immigration & the social, economic & cultural benefits of an open society.

~ Advocating for the rights, safety & well-being of our immigrant neighbors.

~ Providing a hotline for the concerns and questions of immigrants.

Investment Committee Announcement One of the roles and responsibilities of our committee is to help educate our congregation in the area of estate planning possibilities as they pertain to the future of our church. To that end, we want to draw your attention to a letter from our committee that is available on the Gathering Table or in the Church Office. This letter mentions possible ways of including First Congregational in your own estate plan. Our hope is that it will be a helpful tool that can be used in discussions with your own financial advisor, lawyer, or accountant.

We can all “Make an Impact” by “Planning Today for the Promise of Tomorrow.” So please read through it and if you have questions, let us know. Our 5 committee members are listed at the bottom of the letter. Thank you!

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Chris Myers - Pastor

Dave Ostendorf - Minister for

Community and Outreach

Stacy Johnson - CE Minister

JaNae Westrich - Youth Pastor

Missy Luedtke - Office Assistant

Scott Perau - Choir Director

Marsha Pearson - Music Coordinator/Organist

Ross Fugl - Bell Choir Director

Tim Bylander - Building Supervisor

Dave Mountain - Custodian

Neal Prochnow - Moderator ----------------------------------—————————————————————-------——————————------------——————-------------------

Office Phone: 715-425-2052 Office E-mail: office@firstchurchrf.org Website: www.firstchurchrf.org

Chris Myers 715-426-2075 chris@firstchurchrf.org

STAFF

PASTOR’S HOME PHONE NUMBER

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FIRST CONGREGATIONAL

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 110 N. Third Street

River Falls, Wisconsin 54022

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT #53

RIVER FALLS, WI 54022

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• DECEMBER 15, 2017

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2017 DECEMBER 2017

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1

2

3 8:00 am Music Practice 9:00 am Worship Service 9:00 am Adult Forum 10:00 am Coffee Fellowship 10:30 am Worship Service 10:30 am Sunday School 11:00 am WEVR Broadcast

4 Endowment Grant Meeting 5:30 pm

5 Yoga 9-10:00 am

Among Friends 9:00 am-3:00 pm

Bible Study 1:00-2:30 pm

6 3:45 pm Wednesday School 5:15 pm Family Meal 5:30 pm Spirit & Health Mtg 5:45 pm Jubilee Ringers 6:30 pm Pre-Confirm (6th Gr) 6:30 pm Confirm Yr 2 (8th Gr) 7:00 pm Chancel Choir 7:00 pm Church Interns 9:00 pm Worship on Chnl 16

7 Yoga 9-10:00 am

Worship Service on Chnl 16 12:00 pm

Free Counseling Center 3:00-8:00 pm

8 Newsletter Deadline

9

10 8:00 am Music Practice 9:00 am Worship Service 9:00 am Adult Forum 10:00 am Coffee Fellowship 10:30 am Worship Service 10:30 am Sunday School 11:00 am WEVR Broadcast 11:30am Youth Cookie Delivery

Newsletter Deadline

11

12 Yoga 9-10:00 am

Among Friends 9:00 am-3:00 pm

Christmas Luncheon 11:30 am-1:00 pm

Bible Study 1:00-2:30 pm

Cribbage 7:00 pm

13 3:45 pm Wednesday School 5:15 pm Family Meal 5:45 pm Jubilee Ringers 6:30 pm Confirm Yr 1 (7th Gr) 7:00 pm Chancel Choir 7:30 pm Confirm Yr 3 (9th Gr) 9:00 pm Worship on Chnl 16

14 Yoga 9-10:00 am

Worship Service on Chnl 16 12:00 pm

15

16 Advent Musical

Rehearsal 10:00 am-Noon

Moseman 50th

Anniversary 4:00 pm

17 All Worship Sunday 8:00 am Music Practice 9:00 am Worship Service 9:00 am Adult Forum 10:00 am Coffee Fellowship 10:30 am Worship Service —Advent Musical 11:00 am WEVR Broadcast

18

19 Yoga 9-10:00 am

Among Friends 9:00 am-3:00 pm

Bible Study 1:00-2:30 pm

Wellhaven Gathering 3:00 pm

Boards & Committees Meetings 6:30 pm

Church Council 7:30 pm

20 3:45 pm Wednesday School 5:15 pm Family Meal 5:45 pm Jubilee Ringers 6:30 pm Pre-Confirm (6th Gr) 6:30 pm Confirm Yr 2 (8th Gr) 7:00 pm Chancel Choir 9:00 pm Worship on Chnl 16

21 Yoga 9-10:00 am

Worship Service on Chnl 16 12:00 pm

Free Counseling Center 3:00-8:00 pm

22

23

24 All Worship Sunday 9:00 am Worship Service 10:00 am Coffee Fellowship

Christmas Eve Worship Services at 4:00 pm, 6:00 pm

and 11:00 pm

25 Christmas Day

Church Office

Closed

26 Yoga 9-10:00 am

Bible Study 1:00-2:30 pm

27 No Wednesday Activities

28 Yoga 9-10:00 am

Among Friends 9:00 am-3:00 pm

Worship Service on Chnl 16 12:00 pm

29 30

31 All Worship Sunday 9:00 am Worship Service 10:00 am Coffee Fellowship