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Office (505) 764-2900 Fax (505) 764-2940 www.firstpresabq.org

First Presbyterian Messenger 215 Locust NE Albuquerque, NM 87102

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Messenger deadline December 13, 2013

ABOUT OUR MEMBERS:

BIRTHS: A son, Jameson Waylon Tucker, was born to Keirschen Maize & Jesse Tucker (brother to Cassidy & Jaydah Tucker, grandson of Kay & Steve Maize), on September 25, 2013 in Arlington, TX. Twins (son & daughter), Aiden & Reagan Marousek, were born to Bekah & Scott Marousek (grandchildren of Carlye Marousek Olsen, and great grandchildren of John & Gerri Marousek), on October 31, 2013 in Covina, CA. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THEM!

IN MEMORIAM: Member, Bobbie Pool, passed to Life Eternal on October 26, 2013. A Memorial Service will be held on November 27, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., in the Sanctuary with Rev. Mike Elliott officiating. Member, LaVerne Lavers, passed to Life Eternal on November 2, 2013. A Private Interment will take place on November 23, 2013 with Rev. Mike Elliott officiating.

OUR SYMPATHY TO: Members, Marita Marshall and Cathy Knoetgen, on the death of Marita’s sister (Cathy’s Aunt), Bernice Griffith, on November 5, 2013 in Washington, D.C. Marita & Cathy traveled to Washington for the Services.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Member, Chris Guida, who was recently promoted to the rank of Captain (Select) in the U.S. Air Force. His actual promotion ceremony will be May 26, 2014.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY for our church family’s loved ones serving in the Middle East and elsewhere: Jarrett Gibson/Korea (Navajo Godson of Robert Custer); Dion Greg Chilson/Iraq; member, Amy Wilson/Korea; Keith Adams/Africa (high school classmate of Heidi

Sims) & Nathan Lucero/Afghanistan (friend of Heidi Sims); James Beard/Afghanistan; Danny Nakitare/Afghanistan (friend of the Torrez family); Garrett Chandler/Italy (grandson of Mary Floyd); Bryan Lucero & Cooper Barber (friends of Heidi Sims); Stephen Gilbert/Afghanistan; Beau Hilland/Afghanistan; member, Devon Hoffman/Peace Corps/Philippines; Tyson Walsh/Afghanistan (husband of member, Jennifer Wolfe Walsh); Daniel Wright/Iraq. PRAYERS OF PRAISE & THANKSGIVING: Garrett Chandler (grandson of Mary Floyd) is safely out of Afghanistan and is now stationed in Italy.

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Carolyn Rhodes (2901)

carolyn.rhodes@firstpresabq.org;

Sam Mayer (2908)

smayer@firstpresabq.org

Margaret Cunningham (2911)

margaretcunningham @firstpresabq.org

Church Staff Members can be reached by dialing (505) 764– and the numbers

listed in parentheses after each title.

Rev. Matthew Miller Senior Pastor (2901)

matthew.miller@firstpresabq.org

Rev. Mike Elliott Associate Pastor

for Administration (2906) mikeelliott@firstpresabq.org

Rev. Karen Hill Associate Pastor

for Youth & Mission (2903) karenhill@firstpresabq.org

Elizabeth Engdahl Whiteley Director of Christian Education

(2924) libbywhiteley@firstpresabq.org

Susan Keil Smith Director of A Child’s Garden

(2920) susansmith@firstpresabq.org

James Yeager Music Director (2914)

jamesyeager@firstpresabq.org

The Messenger

First Presbyterian Church Albuquerque, NM December, 2013

Volume 55, Issue 12

A MESSAGE FROM REV. MATTHEW MILLER Re-Thinking Advent

A friend of mine from the United Methodist church shared a link with me this week about re-thinking Christmas. It was a video that named all the things that tend to make this “most wonderful time of the year” so stressful. Of course that begs the question, “If it’s so stressful how wonderful can it really be?” This video goes on to sug-gest all the obvious ways we might re-think this season, by focusing on giving comfort and sharing the true meaning of Christmas. All that is nice, but I wonder if it doesn’t just compound the stress. Be-cause what I’ve noticed is that we try to do all the conventional things that come with the holiday-industrial complex all while trying to keep Christ in Christmas. Maybe it shouldn’t be so much work.

For the past decade, or more, this tension between generic holi-day celebrations and those who maintain a more religious viewpoint has been ginned up and exploited by the TV talking heads who thrive on conflict, and profit from the outrage they are able to manufacture over the so-called “War on Christmas.” It puts me in mind of the 80’s movie War Games starring a very young Matthew Broderick. If you don’t remember the plot, Broderick plays a high school underachiever who’d rather spend his time hacking computers. The movie is a tech-nological relic with a modem that works with an old telephone hand-set. Anyway, he hacks his way into what he thinks is a game, but turns out to be a military program designed to calculate strategies for thermonuclear war. Toward the end of the movie he’s interacting with the program from the Strategic Air Command in Cheyenne Mountain. The game plays out scenario after scenario, each one end-ing in the total annihilation of civilization as we know it. Eventually the program quits and concludes, “a strange game. The only way to win, is not to play.”

That’s pretty much how I feel about this ridiculous idea of a war on Christmas. It’s helpful to remember that this wasn’t always a Christian holiday. In fact the Christians have appropriated any num-ber of pagan winter festivals starting with the Roman celebration of Saturnalia to create their holiday celebrating the birth of Christ. In some respects this battle cry is to take back a Christmas holiday that never was, or never was what such proponents think it was. For more historic perspective on this I highly recommend Dr. Bruce Forbes’ book Christmas: a Candid History. Dr. Forbes teaches at Morningside College back in Sioux City, and he is both an excellent writer and a responsible scholar.

(continued on page 2)

PRESBYTERIAN MESSENGER * PAGE 2

CHURCH HOURS: SEPTEMBER 1ST TO MAY 31ST Monday through Thursday: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Fridays: 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

THIRD SUNDAY LUNCHEON IN DECEMBER

ALL-CHURCH FELLOWSHIP LUNCHEON: SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15TH 12:00 NOON, FELLOWSHIP HALL

NOTE: PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING A DESSERT TO SHARE.

PLEASE MAKE NOTE: Members and Friends are encouraged to call the Church Office at 764-2900 during working hours Monday through Friday, to let us know about someone they know who has been hospitalized, is ill, or needs pastoral care. There is a NEW PHONE NUMBER for after-hours and weekends. That number is 504-8076. Those phone numbers will be monitored so that the appropriate Staff can be notified and the information relayed.

(continued from page 1)

Maybe the trick to navigating all this holiday stress isn’t in diving into the fray, doing battle in the pointless culture war. Maybe the answer has been right in front of us all along. As a season of the church, Advent was never intended to be a countdown to Christmas. Instead Advent is a season that invites us to stop, and wait; to attend to the coming of God into our world. Not in a manger some two thousand years ago, but here and now in the high desert of New Mexico, or wherever else God may show up. The point of Advent runs counter to so much of the nostalgia that tends to hold us in its grip this time of year, because its orientation is unmistakably forward looking to what God is still doing and has yet to do. If we can enter into this Spirit of Advent, it can save us not only from the hustle, bustle and stress of the season, but from the whole culture war itself. Our hope doesn’t lie in whether the person at the store wishes us a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holidays. Our hope doesn’t come from others’ recognition of what we we’re celebrating. Our hope lies in the one who, scripture re-minds us, “was, and is, and is to come.”

So here in the church we’re going to wait a few weeks before we put up the greens. We’ll hold

off on the Christmas carols for awhile in order to attune our hearts to the coming of something more

than what’s playing at the mall. And my prayer is that by entering more fully into the expectation that Advents cultivates, when Christmas finally arrives we will be prepared to receive the joy it has to of-

fer instead of immediately packing it in and putting it all away, exhausted and relieved that we can

finally be done with Christmas.

---Matthew

COMMUNION SUNDAY: DECEMBER 1ST (BOTH SERVICES) Please remember to bring your food donations and/or offering (contributions will go

toward our Advent Mission Project for Camino de Vida Church) to be brought forward during the singing of the last hymn and placed in the crèche.

REMINDER - CHURCH OFFICE CLOSURES:

Wednesday, December 25th, Thursday, December 26th &

Friday, December 27th Wednesday, January 1st

SERVICE OF LAMENTATION AND LIGHT

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8TH

12:15 P.M. - CHAPEL

We apologize if we have inadvertently left your name off of this Birthday List, but please call us at 764-2900 and let us know so that we can add you to the list.

OUR FAMILY OF FAITH DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS

1 David Endsley Joyce Barefoot 2 Ellen Mather 3 4 5 Daniel Perez Samantha Elder Benjamin Bartlett 6 Kris Griffin 7 Carole Mahuron Randall Hardy Ann Dinius Allen Darrow 8 9 Janet Youngberg Beth Corbin 10 Melba Treaster Tara Metzger Thomas H. Davis 11 Robert Gutierrez 12 Yvonne Valverde

Noah Chapman 13 Karen Halderson 14

Louis Coté 15 16 Benjamin Horton 17 18 Emily Tuttle Robert Long 19 Eve Wild Hollie Roerick Jeff Reichbach Lyndsey Belt 20 Thein Pham Elaine Kelly Joan Bovard 21 Michael Williamson Araceli Palafox-Martinez Joanne Dalton Nicholas Cook Dick Cobb 22 Katrina Wheaton Susan Smith

Anice Reichbach Judith Mead Blaine Denetdele-Perry Ann Calderwood James Yeager 23 Joanne Burnett Robert Burnett 24 Nathan Torrez Eva Boettcher 25 26 Thomas Matteson Charles Bovard 27 Ruth Payne 28 Andrew Brown 29 Nora Yelton Kate Thompson Anita Oderman 30 John Doolittle Janet Trump-Bowers 31 Alicia Banes

MEN’S BREAKFAST Join us for the Men’s Monthly Weekday Breakfast! Every third Tuesday at 7am, after a moment of prayer and devotion, we gather for “just fellowship” over breakfast. In December that will be on the 17th, at Weck’s on Osuna (4500 Osuna, Suite 100). We’ll look forward to seeing you there.

A THANK YOU FROM NORMA WHITE Thank you for prayers, cards, phone calls, visits, gifts, meals, and emails during my recovery of ankle breaks and back/ hip pain. I also appreciate the flowers from the Deacons following the November 10 service. We also thank you for prayers and concerns for our son and wife in the Philippines. They were 50 miles from the path of the typhoon and had no damage. They are without power for perhaps a month. They bought generators to solve that problem. We are thankful that they are safe.

PRESBYTERIAN MEN’S ASSOCIATION The Men’s Association Saturday Breakfast Group will meet at 8:00 a.m., December 7th, in the main cafeteria at Presbyterian Hospital for breakfast and fellowship. Everyone will share some of their favor-ite Christmas memories. We will continue our tradition of bringing men’s new underwear and socks to be giv-en to St. Martin’s Hospitality Center.

PRESBYTERIAN MESSENGER * PAGE 10

SESSION NEWS Elder Clara Olivas, Session Liaison for Sarah Chivington-Buck reported that Sarah is doing well in her

studies at San Francisco Seminary and is attending church at near-by St. Andrew Presbyterian Church.

The church is changing phone and internet service to a new provider as the current system is not sufficient for communication needs.

The damage that was done to the front steps to the Sanctuary by a runaway car is being repaired and will be covered by insurance. It will take time as the material for repair has to be specially made.

Home Communion is being served during October to members of the congregation by the Pastors, Elders and Deacons.

The Annual Generosity Campaign has begun. The theme for the campaign is “Commit to God – Commit to give”. Dedication Sunday is November 17, 2013.

A Child’s Garden will be hosting a Gala Fundraiser on February 8, 2014. Jerry Lee will gain be the auc-tioneer for the live auction.

Some changes are being made to the Order of Worship on Sundays. The Lord’s Prayer will be a part of the Prayers of the People. Elders and Deacons will continue to help lead the Worship Service.

First Presbyterian Church will participate with Second Presbyterian Church and the Camino de Vida Con-gregation in a joint Thanksgiving Service, at Trinity United Methodist Church, November 27, 2013 at 6:30pm.

FROM SALLIE WATSON, MISSIONAL PRESBYTER IN REFERENCE TO OUR PRESBYTERY

I want to let you know that your generosity has been recognized by General Assembly. Of our 171 presbyteries nationally, we were recognized in three different areas: Ours is the #1 presbytery in the for total mission giving by average per member, and also for basic mission support by average per member. We came in 4th (that will only make us try harder) in Special Offerings by average per member. Please share this good news with your Session and congregation, and with that, share our thanks for your faithfulness and generosity.

FINANCIAL MATTERS As this year moves toward the fiscal year’s end, here are some important things to know:

Anyone considering a year-end stock transfer will need the following details – Our brokerage is “RBC Wealth Management for the benefit of First Presbyterian Church.” They are located at 6301 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 100, Albuquerque, NM 87110. If needed, please call Vickie Zimmerman at (505) 872-5917. Their DTC# is 0235 and the church account number is 31455218.

Pledge payments and other gifts dated and postmarked by December 31st will be included in your record of giving for 2013.

Your 2013 Giving Summary will be mailed by the 3rd week of January 2014.

The per capita assessment for 2014 will remain $33.00.

A PLACE AT THE TABLE Please join the Mission Committee for a screening of the 2012 documentary, A Place at the Table. “Fifty million Americans—1 in 4 children—don’t know where their next meal is coming from. A Place at the Table tells the powerful stories of three such Americans, who maintain their dignity even as they struggle just to eat. In a riveting journey that will change forever how you think about the hungry, A Place at the Table shows how the issue could be solved forever, once the American public decides—as they have in the past—that ending hunger is in the best interests of us all.” From www.magpictures.com/aplaceatthetable. Please join us on Sunday, January 12th from 5-7.30pm in Fellowship Hall for a light supper and

screening of the movie or on Sunday, January 26th from 12.30-3pm in Fellowship Hall for a light lunch and second screening of the film. Please RSVP in the church office for lunch or dinner. For more information, please contact Karen Hill or any member of the Mission Committee.

STEWARDSHIP: Commit to God – Commit to Give If the widow's mite had been deposited at the "First National Bank, Jerusalem" to draw just two percent interest annually, the fund today would total $1,586,147,327,603,768.00. Therefore, if a bank on earth could multiply the widow's mite to such an astronomical figure, think what treasures this dedicated woman will have in heaven “where neither moth nor rust consumes."

POINSETTIAS READY FOR PICK-UP Poinsettia orders will be available for you to pick up on Sunday, December 8th, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the Volunteer Work Room. There will also be a limited selection of plants for sale. Thank you for supporting our youth!

CHRISTMAS MEMORIAL DONATIONS Every December, First Presbyterian Church begins to collect donations for Christmas Memorials or Honorariums. These donations in honor or memory of a loved one will help our young people as they travel for mission and youth retreats, as well as feed hungry people in our community. Thank you for giving generously. Donations made by December 15th will appear in the bulletins on Christmas Eve. Envelopes are available in Commons I & II.

CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING ONE TRUE LIGHT — This holy season, let the love represented by the birth in Bethlehem illuminate our hearts and shine in our actions. By giving to the Christmas Joy Offering you’ll provide opportunities for students to attend Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and colleges. Also through your con-tributions, you’ll be helping the families of active and retired church workers through the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions.

A SERVICE OF LAMENTATION AND LIGHT During this Advent season, you are invited to a service of Lamentation and Light on Sunday, Decem-ber 8, 2013, following the 11:00 worship service. We recognize that while this is a joy-filled season for many, it is not always a happy time for those who may have lost a loved one during the past year or are in the midst of challenging situations with loved ones. At First Presbyterian Church, we want to embrace one another as a community of caring persons of faith who walk together through these times. This is an opportunity for us feel loved and supported, as we come together and share our faith and prayer concerns. Please consider this invitation an expression of our care and concern for you during this Advent season and throughout the year to come. We hope you will join us on December 8th. With care and in God’s love, Susan Smith, Moderator of the Board of Deacons

FAMILY PROMISE HOSTING – DEC 1-8 Please sign up to help host our guests from Family Promise on Sunday, Dec 1st- Sunday, Dec 8th. Family

Promise is an ecumenical ministry that helps homeless families get back on their feet - you can help provide a safe place for our guests to live while they look for work and housing. Sign up to make a meal, stay overnight, host an outing, set up or clean up or do laundry. Please sign up in the commons area or with Ann Calderwood

or Mary Ann Meredith. Save the dates for our next hosting on February 23- March 2.

ADOPT A FAMILY AT CHRISTMAS If your family or group of friends, would like to help another family enjoy their Christmas, you can

adopt one from Family Promise. Family Promise is an ecumenical ministry that helps house homeless families in churches for a week at a time until they find work or housing. The families available for adoption at Christ-mas time have already graduated from the program and need some help this Christmas. For more information,

please contact Alicea Wisneski, Program Assistant at Family Promise at 268-0331.

PRESBYTERIAN MESSENGER * PAGE 4

CHRISTMAS FOOD BOXES FOR CAMINO DE VIDA,

NEW CHURCH DEVELOPMENT. Each year, First Presbyterian Church collects food and cash donations to fill holiday food boxes. This year, the Mission Committee will again col-lect food for families served by Camino de Vida, a new church development in Southwest Albuquerque. Many Albuquerque families rely on schools to provide breakfast and lunch for their children; often they do not have enough to eat during school breaks. Our goal is to give 75 boxes of food this year. We will sup-plement the food given by the congregation with food purchased with donated money. Any remaining food and/or money will be donated to the Rio Grande Food Project. Our food drive begins on Christ the King Sunday, November 24th and will continue through the 3rd Sunday of Advent, December 15th. We will pack the boxes at the Advent Event on Sunday, December 22nd and the families will come to pick up their food boxes the following morning, Monday, December 19th. You can help sort food as it is donated or shop for the other items. To help, please contact Karen Hill.

Food Drive Schedule:

Sunday, Nov 24th – Christ the King Sunday – Food drive begins. Please bring: Non-perishable holiday foods, such as canned green beans, cream of mushroom soup, boxes of stuffing mix or scalloped or au gratin potatoes, canned cranberry sauce and boxed bread and cake mixes. You may also make monetary donations to purchase canned hams.

Sunday, December 1st – 1st Sunday in Advent – Food drive continues. Please bring: Non-perishable lunch foods, such as canned soups and meats, spaghetti, peanut butter, jelly and crackers. Monetary donations will purchase bread.

Sunday December 8th – 2nd Sunday in Advent – Food drive continues. Please bring: Non-perishable breakfast foods, such as boxes of cereal, individual packages of apple sauce, rai-sins or containers of peaches or mixed fruit. Monetary donations will purchase fresh fruit.

Sunday, December 15th – 3rd Sunday in Advent – Food drive ends. Please bring: pinto beans, rice, peanut butter, tuna fish, canned stew, spaghetti-o’s or other canned meats. Monetary donations will purchase final items.

Sunday, December 22nd – 4th Sunday in Advent – Packing food boxes. Come, help pack the boxes and sort the food at tonight’s Advent Event from 4:30-6:30 pm.

Monday, December 23rd – Food Box Pick Up. Meet in Fellowship Hall from 4:30-6:30pm to help welcome guests from Camino and help load boxes in cars. Please, sign up to help with Karen Hill or in the church office.

Thank you for your generosity and your help.

HUNGER ISSUES AND ACTION CLASS TO BEGIN IN JANUARY Are you concerned about local, national and world hunger? Would you like to learn more about the

cause and effects of hunger? Would you like to move beyond giving to charity and focus on food justice? If you answered yes to any of these, please join the Hunger Issues and Action Class beginning on Sunday, Janu-ary 5th at 10am in Room 220. This four week long class is offered jointly by the Christian Education Commit-

tee and the Mission Committee, it will be taught by Karen Hill and other guest teachers. We invite you to join us to learn more about this very important issue.

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN Remember Presbyterian Women’s CHRISTMAS GATHERING, December 5, 2013 at 11am in Fellowship Hall. All Presbyterian Women are welcome. There will be singing by the Menaul School Choir and singing of Christmas carols. A Luncheon will follow; the cost is $10. Make your reservation with Mary Brown at 884-8581.

KATIE GILL – PROFESSIONAL VOCALIST AND GUITARIST

PRESBYTERIAN SENIOR LEAGUE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13TH

We are ready to celebrate the Advent and Christmas Season with a special holiday PSL gathering and “Singalong with Katie Gill”. Katie has been a long-time member of 1st Pres-byterian Church and is a professional singer and entertainer. Women enjoy Katie’s music and leadership at their retreats each year. Katie will be helping us celebrate this season through sa-cred and secular music with solos and group singing. Join us for Dona’s delicious holiday luncheon! Everyone is welcome! Don’t miss this PSL luncheon and program on Friday, De-cember 13th at 11:30 AM in Fellowship Hall. Please sign up with the Duty Elder on Sun-days prior to the program or call the church at 764-2900 by Wednesday, December 11th.

Youth Group in December Sun, Dec 1 – PIE NIGHT! Meet at Karen’s (824 Indiana St SE) from 4.30 – 7pm. Please bring a pie or healthier snack to share. We’re eating pie & watching a movie & trying not to traumatize Pumpkin! Sun, Dec 8 – Advent Event I. Meet in Fellowship Hall from 4.30-

6.30pm. Bring a wrapped WHITE ELEPHANT present (A white elephant is some-thing you already have, something you don’t want or need. Please, don’t buy anything.) We’ll have our gift exchange & learn about our Art from the Heart fundraiser… then we’ll help with hanging of the greens & eat dinner. Sun, Dec 15 – Advent Event II. Meet in Fellowship Hall at 4.30pm to practice singing. We’ll Christmas carol at Manzano del Sol from 5-6.30pm. PICK UP AT MANZANO! There will be cookies & hot chocolate… Sun, Dec 22 – Advent Event III. Meet in Fellowship Hall from 4.30-6.30pm to pack Christmas boxes, tell Christmas stories and eat Christmas food. Sun, Dec 23 – Help distribute Christmas Food Boxes, meet in Fellowship Hall from 4.30-6.30pm. Sun, Dec 24 – Christmas Eve – come to church at 5pm or 8pm or 11pm (a special prize to anyone who comes to all three services….)

Sun, Dec 25 – Merry Christmas. Celebrate Christ’s birth. Sun, Dec 29 – NO Sunday school or youth group today!

FROM A CHILD’S GARDEN A Child’s Garden will begin registration for the 2014-15 school year on Tuesday, January 7, 2014. Registration materials will be available on the website by December 20, 2013. Registration fee of $130 must accompany applications. The ACG website is achildsgardenabq.org.

PRESBYTERIAN MESSENGER * PAGE 8

TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY SACRED MUSIC AT FPC Advent and Christmas bring us a richness of music in church. Our four choirs (Family Choir, White-

chapel Bells, Chancel and Children’s Choirs) prepare wonderful songs and anthems. Christmas Eve includes the Family Service at 5 p.m. featuring children of all ages in word and music. In particular, we plan for the Children’s Choir to offer its joyous sound! (More below). I will be offering an extended concert prelude of organ plus instruments (7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.). The Chancel Choir will lead at the middle (8 p.m.) service and the late service (11 p.m.) will feature special vocal and instrumental solos. Children’s Choir news! A letter has gone out to families with children (grades 1-8) to prepare for Christmas Eve. If you know anyone whose children might be interested in joining us please contact me or any of the staff to learn how to get involved. Here is our Sunday rehearsal schedule: December 8th 15th and 22nd. Fellowship Hall 3:30-4:25 p.m. December 24th meet at 4:15 p.m. There are a host of activities each Sunday above after the choir rehearsal. Everyone is welcome (and encour-aged) to stick around for those Advent activities.

Here is a review of our other musical opportunities!

Family Choir continues to be the mainstay of the 8:45 a.m. service. We welcome any singers of any age who wish to raise their voice at worship to just show up. We meet at 8:15 and rehearse music ad hoc for the service to follow.

Whitechapel Bell Choir meets on Wednesdays at 1:30-2:30 The enrollment is limited (we have only so many bells). But anyone interested in Bell choir should contact me to get the full information.

Chancel Choir meets regularly on Wednesdays 7:00-8:30 p.m. Singers with a tuneful voice are welcome. The repertoire has a full range from easy to challenging. The main ingredient (as with all such groups) is regular and dependable attendance. The enrollment is always open. You can just show up on any Wednes-day, or better yet, contact me about joining.

The Old Time Gospel Band is a specialized group of singers and players who perform about once a quarter at worship and rehearse ad hoc a week or two before. OTGB brings a special zest to our music program featuring the great music of the Gospel tradition in Protestant American life. Instruments cover a broad range similar to that of Western and Blue-Grass groups. Interested? Contact me.

James Yeager, Director of Music

CALLING ALL ARTISTS! Are you a painter, sculptor, potter, photographer, or woodworker? If so, we invite you to share your talents at Art from the Heart, a fundraiser for FPC Youth in Mission, on February 9, 2014. Participating artists may display or sell their work and a percentage of the proceeds will go toward the Youth trip to New York City this summer.

Supporting FPC Youth in Mission Sunday, February 9, 2014, 10 – 2 pm

Entry Form Deadline: Sunday, January 19, 2013. Downloadable forms available at fir stpresabq.org or in the church office. Questions? Contact Ellen Mather (edexmather@gmail.com, 505-823-6439).

CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICES In anticipation of the Christmas Eve services it was thought that it would be appropriate to educate parishioners as to the proper tech-nique for passing the flame. The lit candle should always be held vertical. The wick of the unlit can-dle should then be held horizontally over the flame of the lit candle until it catches fire. That candle should then be held vertically for the next candle. Plastic wax shields may have to be pushed down to expose the top of the candle while lighting.

Sunday Monday Tuesday 1. FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT COMMUNION SUNDAY (Both Services) 8:10 AM Family Choir Rehearsal 8:45 AM Ear ly Worship Service 10:00 AM Sunday School 10:30 AM Chancel Choir Rehearsal 11:00 AM Worship Service - Sanctuary 2:00 PM Family Promise Begins 4:00 PM Youth Group—Off Campus

2. 9:30 AM Library Committee 5:00 PM Family Promise

3. 9:30 AM Sunbonnet 4:30 PM Tuesday Study & Prayer Group 5:00 PM Family Promise 6:00 PM Alb. Boy Choir Rehearsal

4.9:30 AM10:00 AM 11:30 AM 1:30 PM Rehearsal 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:45 PM

8. SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 8:10 AM Family Choir Rehearsal 8:30 AM-12:30 PM Poinsettia Order Pick-Up 8:45 AM Ear ly Worship Service 10:00 AM Sunday School 10:30 AM Chancel Choir Rehearsal 11:00 AM Worship Service - Sanctuary 12:15 PM Lamentation & Light Service 12:45 PM Shalem Group 3:30 PM Children’s Choir 4:30 PM Advent Event—Hanging of the Greens ALL DAY—ACG Barnes & Noble Fundraiser

9. 9:30 AM Library Committee 12:00 PM PW Circle (Kerygma)

10. 9:30 AM Sunbonnet 4:30 PM Tuesday Study & Prayer Group 6:00 PM Alb. Boy Choir Rehearsal

11.9:30 AM10:00 AM 1:30 PM Rehearsal 5:45 PM Site7:00 PM 7:45 PM

15. THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT 8:15 AM Family Choir Rehearsal 8:45 AM Ear ly Worship Service 9:30 AM Blood Pressure Clinic 10:00 AM Sunday School 10:00 AM Alb. Boy Choir Singing between Services—Commons I 11:00 AM Worship Service - Alb. Boy Choir 12:00 PM All-Church Fellowship Luncheon 3:30 PM Children’s Choir 4:30 PM Advent Event

16. 9:30 AM Library Committee 5:30 PM ACG Staff Training

17. 7:00 AM Men’s Fellowship Breakfast (Weck’s - Osuna & Jefferson) 9:30 AM Sunbonnet 4:30 PM Tuesday Study & Prayer Group 5:30 PM ACG Family Involvement 6:00 PM Alb. Boy Choir Rehearsal

18.9:30 AM10:00 AM 1:00 PM 1:30 PM Rehearsal 7:00 PM 7:45 PM

22. FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT 8:10 AM Family Choir Rehearsal 8:45 AM Ear ly Worship Service 10:00 AM Sunday School 10:30 AM Chancel Choir Rehearsal 11:00 AM Worship Service, Sanctuary 3:30 PM Children’s Choir 4:30 PM Advent Event—Packing Food Boxes

23. APS/ACG WINTER BREAK—CLOSED DEC. 23-JAN. 3 9:30 AM Library Committee 4:30-6:30 PM Reception for Camino de Vida Families to pick up Food Boxes

24. CHRISTMAS EVE 4:15 PM Children’s Choir Rehearsal 5:00 PM Children & Families Service 7:30 PM Pre-Service Organ Concert 8:00 PM Candlelight Service 10:30 PM Pre-Service Organ Concert 11:00 PM Candlelight Communion Service

25.

29. 10:30 AM Musicians Rehearsal ONE SERVICE ONLY: 11:00 AM (Sanctuary)

30. 9:30 AM Library Committee

31. NEW YEAR’S EVE 9:30 AM Sunbonnet 4:30 PM Tuesday Study & Prayer Group

Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 4. 9:30 AM Archives 10:00 AM Program Staff Meeting 11:30 AM ACG Board Meeting 1:30 PM Whitechapel Bells Rehearsal 5:00 PM Family Promise 7:00 PM Chancel Choir Rehearsal 7:45 PM AA Meeting

5. 8:30 AM ACG Market Days 9:30 AM PW Circle (Bible Study Church) 11:00 AM PW Chr istmas GATHERING Poinsettias Delivered 1:30 PM ACG Staff Meeting 2:15 PM ACG Staff Meeting 5:00 PM Family Promise 6:30 PM Disciple II Bible Study 6:30 PM Disciple IV Bible Study

6. ALL DAY—ACG Barnes & Noble Fundraiser 8:30 AM ACG Market Days 1:00 PM TTOS/NMD Train Group Set-Up 5:00 PM Family Promise

7. 7:00 AM TTOS/NMD Train Group Swap Meet 8:00 AM Men’s Association Breakfast (Presbyterian Hospital—Downtown) ALL DAY—ACG Barnes & Noble Fundraiser 5:00 PM Family Promise 5:30-8:30 PM Train Group Potluck

11. 9:30 AM Archives 10:00 AM General Staff Meeting 1:30 PM Whitechapel Bells Rehearsal 5:45 PM Mission Committee-Off Site 7:00 PM Chancel Choir Rehearsal 7:45 PM AA Meeting

12. 11:30 AM Homeless Networking Meeting (Kerygma Room) 1:30 PM ACG Staff Meeting 2:15 PM ACG Staff Meeting 6:30 PM Disciple II Bible Study 6:30 PM Disciple IV Bible Study

13. 11:30 AM Presbyter ian Senior League Luncheon

MESSENGER DEADLINE

5:30 PM ACG Parent’s Night Out

14.

18. 9:30 AM Archives 10:00 AM Program Staff Meeting 1:00 PM Staff Food Sor ting 1:30 PM Whitechapel Bells Rehearsal 7:00 PM Chancel Choir Rehearsal 7:45 PM AA Meeting

19. 1:30 PM ACG Staff Meeting 2:15 PM ACG Staff Meeting 6:30 PM Disciple II Bible Study 6:30 PM Disciple IV Bible Study

20.

MESSENGER MAILING

21.

25.

Nativity of Jesus Christ/

Christmas Day

26.

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY Church Office CLOSED

27.

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY Church Office CLOSED

28.

December