December 2013 Sunday Schedule - On the Tiptoes of Expectation

10:30 am Worship

11:00 am Sunday School (children excused from worship)

11:30 am Coffee Hour and Fellowship

December 1 - First Sunday of Advent with Communion Scripture: Matthew 24.36-44 Topic: Keep Your Alarm Clock Handy SPECIAL EVENTS: 9:45 am Choir Warm-up 11:30 am Hanging of the Greens: Following worship come, decorate a tree and hang the garland as we

sparkle up the church for the Christmas season.

December 8 - Second Sunday of Advent Scripture: Matthew 3.1-12 Topic: You Brood of Vipers!

December 17 - Third Sunday of Advent and Pageant

SPECIAL EVENTS:

10:30 am All children and youth are invited to present the Christmas Pageant. 11:30 am Sharing family crèches in the social hall

December 22 - Fourth Sunday of Advent Scripture: Mathew 1.18-25 Topic: Identity Crisis SPECIAL EVENT: Receiving the Christmas Fund Offering

December 24 - Candlelight Communion Service, 8:00 pm Scripture: Luke 2.1-20 Topic: Joy to the World

December 29 - First Sunday after Christmas Scripture: Luke 2.19 Topic: The Treasure House of Memory

January 5 - Epiphany Sunday with Communion Scripture: Matthew 2.1-12 Topic: Foreigners Welcome

SPECIAL EVENT: 9:45 am Choir Warm-up

Reports and Meetings

Notes from the Board Give thanks to the Lord! For the gifts you have received, give thanks to the Lord. For the gift of life, for the gift of family, for the gift of friends, give thanks to the Lord. In everything, give thanks to the Lord. In this time of Thanksgiving, we thank the Lord for our abundance.

Giving thanks to the Lord for the gift of our Church, we conducted the business of our Church.

Thank you to all who have pledged for next year. Your pledge is very much appreciated. If you have not yet submitted a pledge, please consider doing so. Your pledge greatly helps in our budgeting process.

Thank you to all who have agreed to chair committees for next year. Without your leadership we could not continue the activities of the Church. There are positions available on each committee and volunteers are needed to fill these positions.

Thank you to all who attended our November congregational meeting. We want your input as we prepare our budget for next year. We anticipate it will be very challenging to balance next year’s budget.

With your support, our youth group was able to contribute 6 thanksgiving boxes to the community as part of their hunger project. Our group thanks the Church.

Respectfully submitted, Will Patterson, Board Chair

Search Committee Update Your Search Committee has been busy the past month, meeting weekly. You might ask “what are we doing?” We are still receiving profiles of pastors who have an interest in coming to Wright Church. At the same time we have been reviewing profiles, pondering what they tell us, and we have even listened to some sermons from candidates.

We have received profiles from 14 pastors from across the country. We have prayerfully considered each one. We have received and listened to sermons from five of these. In the next two weeks we plan to interview five of these candidates using Skype or the telephone. We will follow up with face to face interviews with finalists. We are enthusiastic about the possibilities.

We continue to ask that you keep the Search Committee in your prayers..

Carl Van Slyke, Chairperson

New Slate of Officers

The following slate of officers for 2014 were nominated at the November congregational meeting:

Moderator-Carl Van Slyke; Board Chair-Chuck Pond; Board Secretary.-Susan Busche; Financial Secretary-Kim Smith; Treasurer.-Janice Aagaard; Historian-Carol Rivers; Fellowship-Laura Shockley; Memorial-Dolores Wallace; Ministry of Volunteers-Meredith Pond; Mission and Outreach-Deb Carlson; Music-Dale Parsons; Pastoral Relations/Personnel-Syl Apperson; Property-Dave Turner; Public Relations-Trevor Makinson; Religious Education-Susan Busche; Stewardship-Mary Ellen Parsons; Ushering-Wes Andrews; Wedding/Receptions-Jama Capshaw; Welcoming and Membership-Carol Rivers; Library-Nancy Miller; Women's Fellowship- To be determined; Scholarship-Carol Card.

Diaconate:

Class of 2014: Linda & Dwain Baxter, Lois Taylor, Clay & Laura Shockley, Wes & Cathy Andrews, Haylee Andrews.

Class of 2015: Chuck & Meredith Pond, Marilyn Williams, Anne Schnebly, Carl Van Slyke, Dave Carmen, Syl Apperson.

Class of 2016: Robin Canning, Carol Rivers, Jim Morrow, Mike & Kim Smith, Trevor & Jennifer Makinson

Usher Notes: Volunteers are needed for ushering in 2014. Please contact Wes Andrews if you are interested. Several of our older ushers are retiring.

Your Updates Needed for Directory Do you have a new number or a cell phone number to add to the 2014 directory? How about a new email address? Please contact the office with updates or corrections by the end of December. Don't be left out.

Wright Up Articles for the January issue are due in the office on Jan 2 by 10 am. The newsletter will go out the first full week of January.

Church Missions

Christmas Fund Offering We Have Come To Bear the Light of Christ

The annual Christmas Fund Offering provides financial aid to retired and active ministers and their surviving spouses and children who face overwhelming financial demands. It is a ministry carried out by the UCC Pension Boards.

The funds are used for:

Christmas thank you checks to 500 retired UCC clergy/lay church employees.

Monthly pension supplementation for 395 lower-income retired UCC clergy/lay employees.

Quarterly health premium supplements for 228 lower-income retired UCC clergy/lay employees.

Emergency grants for 45 active or retired UCC clergy/lay employees.

Last year our sister church in Pocatello was in the top 13 churches nationally for per capita giving! Their gifts averaged from $25 to $55 per member. That is an amazing accomplishment for a struggling church and gives us an idea of what we can do.

We will receive the offering on Sunday, Dec 22.

Youth Group Food Drive a Huge Success Our Youth Group had a huge success with their food drive for the St Vincent de Paul Thanksgiving Dinner Boxes. They collected enough to contribute six complete boxes and an additional $140 to help with other expenses. On Sunday, Nov 24, they slipped out of worship and delivered the boxes and cash to St Vincent. By the time you read this, the dinner boxes will have been distributed to families in need and they will be enjoying a more thankful Thanksgiving.

The Youth Group (Hayley Andrews, Dakota Hunt, John Shockley, and Michael Trammell) says 'thank you' to the congregation and we say 'thank you' to them for helping us help others in this season of thanks.

Bench Supper Takes a Break There will be no Bench Community Supper in December. Please contact Julie Patterson if you are interested in helping with next year's suppers.

Central Bench Neighborhood Assoc. The CBNA will have its Neighborhood Chili Feed and 2014 office elections on Thursday, Dec. 5. The meal begins at 6:00 pm in our social hall. All are welcome.

Pantry Items Needed Non perishable items are always needed especially in the winter time. Our stock is very low at the present time. Please Help!

Celebrations in December Birthdays: Dec. 3 Trevor Makinson Dec. 6 Frank Capshaw Dec. 7 Chris Watson, Netti Adkins Dec. 8 Jim Morrow, Ginny Trapp, Wes

Andrews Dec. 9 Haylee Andrews Dec. 10 Hugh Lovin Dec. 12 Margaret Johnston Dec. 14 Jeffrey & Justice Flaherty, Elaine

Norman Dec. 16 Dick Palmer Dec. 18 Elizabeth Shockley Dec. 19 Jim Erickson Dec. 27 Carl Van Slyke Dec. 28 Irlean Phillips, Mike Hyder, Nancy

Miller

Anniversaries: Dec 14 Dave and Debbie Turner

Please Help the Furnaces! When these things break, it can get pretty cold. We have had to repair or replace three of our furnace units in the last month. Please do what you can to help us cover the almost $4000 bill.

Donations can be made to the Building Fund; note that it is to help pay the furnace bill.

December Worship Team Lay Worship Leader Carl Van Slyke

Ushers Dwain Baxter, Will Patterson, Cathy and Wes Andrews

Care Giver Meredith Pond

Altar Care Joan Wenske

Communion Servers Ron Apperson, Carl Van Slyke, Jack and Joan Wenske

Date Greeters Fellowship Hosts Flowers

12-1 Jerry & Carol Card Parsons Janice Aagaard

12-8 Dave & Marilyn Carmen Carol Rivers & Carl Van Slyke Shockley Family in celebration of John and Elizabeth's birthdays

12-15 Dale & Cindy Shoemaker Capshaw's and Card's Marilyn Williams

12-22 George & Nancy Miller Youth Group & Sunday School Dale & Betty Ramsey

12-29 Carol Rivers & Harry Teilmann No one signed up yet No one signed up yet

Fellowship Activities

Women's

Fellowship

Join all the ladies for a Holiday lunch at Jerry's State Court Café on Fairview. Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 1:00 pm. Please RSVP to Janice.

Janice Aagaard

President

Upcoming Schedule for first Thursdays at 1:00 pm: Dec. 5: A Place for Kathy, by Henry Denker

Jan. 2: The Grave Digger's Daughter, by Joyce Carol Oats

All are welcome to come and enjoy a cup of tea and interesting discussion.

Sunday, Dec. 15 following church at Robin's house. Please bring a wrapped white elephant gift not over $5. RSVP to either Carol or Robin. All food provided. Music and great company are also on the program.

Lunch bunch will not meet in December. However, everyone is invited to attend the Women's Fellowship meeting at Jerry's State Court Café on Dec. 4

th at

1:00 pm.

Bible Study The Wednesday morning bible Study group will not meet until the first of the year.

Suggestions are very welcome for new topics and resources. Contact Rev Cynthia with any ideas.

Office Closed Dec. 24 thru Jan 1

The office will be closed from Dec. 24 through Jan. 1 so staff can enjoy the Christmas season with family and friends.

If you have an emergency please contact Rev. Cynthia at 860-4989 or leave a message on the office phone.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all from Rev. Cynthia and Robin.

December 2013

SH-Social Hall UR-Upper Room S-Sanctuary

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 First Sunday of Advent 9:45 Choir Warm Up

10:30 Worship Communion 11:30 Hanging of the Greens

and coffee

2 7- Search Comm.- UR Lighting of the Statehouse Christmas Tree

3 7- Alanon SH

4

1-Women's Fellowship at Jerry's Cafe

5 1- Book Club L 6- CBNA Chili Feed-SH

6 7

8Second Sunday of Advent

10:30 WORSHIP 11:30 Fellowship/ Coffee

9

7-Search Comm.-UR

10 7- Alanon SH

11 6- Huntington’s SH

12 No Lunch Bunch this month 5-Wood Carvers Holiday Potluck- SH

13

14

15Third Sunday of Advent

10:30 Worship Christmas Program

11:30 Fellowship/Coffee Noonish-Wright Ones

Christmas Party at Robin's

16

17

7- Alanon SH

18

7- Board of Directors SH

19 -

20 21

22Fourth Sunday of Advent

10:30 Worship Christmas

Fund Offering Children's Sunday Sch.

11:30 Fellowship/Coffee

23

24 Christmas Eve Service

25 26

27 OFFICE CLOSED

THUR JAN. 1

28

29 10:30 Worship 11:30 Fellowship/Coffee

30

31 7- Alanon SH

January 2

Wright Community Congregational Church United Church of Christ 4821 Franklin Road, Boise ID 83705 wrightucc.com

December 2013 Vol. 2013 Issue 12 Published Monthly

Contact us: Phone: 208.343.0292 E-Mail: church@wrightucc.com Web: wrightucc.com

Ministers: You

Interim Pastor: Rev. Cynthia Brandt

Office Administrator: Robin Canning

Organist: Ginny Trapp

Board Chairman: Will Patterson

Moderator: Carl Van Slyke

Sunday Schedule: 10:30 Worship 11:00 Sunday School 11:30 Fellowship Time Cry Room available for restless little ones.

Communion 1st Sunday of each month

Return service requested

Christmas SMiGHT Tree

What is a SMiGHT Tree? It is a tree that is decorated with scarves, mittens, gloves, hats, and toiletries for men, women, and children.

Where is the SMiGHT Tree? At the back of the sanctuary.

How can I help decorate the SMiGHT Tree? Take an ornament (in the shape of a scarf, mitten, glove, hat, or toiletry; purchase the product; bring the SMiGHT back (unwrapped) and hang it on the tree.

When should I get my SMiGHTs back to the church? Anytime between now and Sunday, December 22.

Who will benefit from our SMiGHT Tree? The Mission and Outreach Committee is checking out where the need is greatest and consulting with the Women's and Children's Alliance and Interfaith Sanctuary.