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December 2007Head Usher... Curtis Dunnivan Nursery Volunteers
NOTE: If the Sunday assigned to you is not convenient, please exchange Sundays with someone else. If you notice any supplies needing to be replaced, please let me know. Thank you for your assistance and suggestions. Donna TePoel, Nursery Volunteer Coordinator
The Children’s Christmas Program will be on Sunday, December 9th, at 5:00 P.M. The Adult Choirs Christmas Program will be Sunday, December 16th, at 5:00 P.M.
A CHRISTMAS INVITATION The Thursday Evening Circle is sponsoring a covered-dish Family Christmas Dinner to be held Thursday, December 13th, at 6:00 P.M. in the Church Fellowship Hall. All Presbyterian Women (active and inactive) and their families are cordially invited to come, bring a covered-dish, and join us for a special holiday time of food and fellowship. A brief Christmas inspirational message will be given. YOU ARE INVITED On Sunday, December 23rd during the Sunday School hour, you are invited to attend a “Happy Birthday Jesus” birthday party. There will be cake, games, balloons and much more. We may even have some special people drop by to tell us what really happened that night long ago. So don’t miss out on the fun and a chance to help Jesus celebrate His birthday! December, 2007 Lamplighter Tazewell Presbyterian Church
From the family of Elizabeth Lockhart... Dear Ladies of the Church... Jim and his family cannot thank you enough for the wonderful meal you provided after Grandma’s Memorial Service. Everything was so nice and the food was divine! I know Grandma loved working with all of you in the kitchen and you all will miss her as much as we will. Your generosity in preparing the food for Jim and the boys to eat during the week was so appreciated by them. Thanks again for all you all did for us. Jim, Rhonda and family
Thank you to Gale and Joe Gillespie of Severna Park, Maryland, for making a contribution to help with the expenses of the Lamplighter and this note: “We send our good wishes and hold you in prayer as you work toward finding an interim pastor and an “official” one.”
From the Kitts Family Dear Members and Friends of TPC & Black’s Chapel: We love you and miss you a great deal! We are slowly settling into our new home in Pennsylvania, but our thoughts are often of you. Our prayers continue to be with you, our church! May God’s love, grace, and peace guide us all!
Community Outreach Our December Community Outreach will be Wednesday, December 12th, at 11:00 A.M. The program will be “The Meaning of Christmas” by Eddie Nash - and an ornament exchange. Everyone is invited to attend and enjoy a good program and a good meal of ham, macaroni/cheese, fruit salads, baked apples, casseroles, etc. (Dora Barnes, Coordinator)
FOOD PANTRY CHRISTMAS BAGS The Food Pantry will be giving out an extra bag of food to our clients again this year from December 1st to December 21st. The contents of the bags are: 3-pound canned ham canned or boxed potatoes gravy mix packet canned sweet potatoes boxed bread mix Jello boxed dessert mix canned frosting You may give a complete bag or just some of the items. Please drop your contributions off any time now or during the month of December. Thanks so much for all you do for our Food Pantry. In Christ,
“I would like to thank those who visited, made calls, and brought food. I really appreciate it and hope to back in church soon.” Mildred Pennington
HELP WANTED The Personnel Committee is now accepting applications for the church cleaning position. The individual hired will be responsible for cleaning the church (upstairs, downstairs, and sanctuary) so that we can maintain a clean environment for fellowship. Salary will be discussed during the interview. If any church member would be interested in this position or if you know of someone who would be a perfect fit, please contact the church office (988-4724).
It is time to spread the good news! If you have ever witnessed something really amazing, it was probably all you could do to not shout it to the next person you saw. Do you think that was how the shepherds felt when they witnessed the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ long ago? “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” (Isaiah 9:6). They responded to this event by sharing the good news with everyone they saw! Their enthusiasm was passed from person to person as the birth of the Savior was shared with others. Just as the shepherds spread their good news, we should share our life experiences with the Lord in order to help strengthen someone else to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Christmas is the season to share the birth of Jesus with others. “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) Do you have something to say to someone that would strengthen and encourage them to believe in God and His Son, Jesus Christ? Sharing the good news of the birth of Christ and sharing how God is working in your life helps to fulfill what Jesus told his disciples to in the Gospel of Mark. “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mark 16:15) Just as Isaiah prophesied so long ago, “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Price of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) What wonderful news to express! This Christmas season is the time to share the miracles of your life. Kim McGraw and Joan Flynn
SESSION DIGEST - - - Meeting November 20th, 2007 1. The meeting was opened with devotion and prayer given by Vicky Rinehart. 2. The minutes of the October 16th, 2007 Session Meeting were approved and Anne Sergent was thanked for serving as Clerk. 3. The Treasurer’s reports from B.C. and the Town Church were approved. 4. A letter was presented from Lonnie Quesenberry asking that he be removed from the church rolls. A motion was made and approved to remove Lonnie from the rolls. 5. Prayer Concerns: Scott Campbell, Matthew Kanne, Justin Kanne, Michael Oatley, Kevin Oatley, Joseph Peery, Jr. (Iraq); Kelly Necessary, T. C. Bowen, Mary Witten, Richard Witten, Bill Osborne, Susan A. Hawks, Charles Asbury, Anne Bishop, Susie Bell, Ruth Steele, Jennifer Phillips, Steve Cooper, Dillard Keene, Stan Young, Lucy-Jeff Heierman, Clyde & Elaine Lapham, Mildred Pennington, Ward Lester, Shelly Keene-Hicks, Patrick McPherson, Mary Adkins, Joe Ramey, and Daisy Larimer. 6. The Christian Education Committee addressed the response of the senior high Sunday school teachers to the committee’s attempt to present concerns brought to the committee. It was decided that the committee would write a letter of apology to the teachers for any misunderstanding. Gary Sergent was kind enough to fill in as a teacher for this class until other arrangements could be made. Mark White has offered to teach the class with assistance from Jam TePoel. Plans were finalized for the Advent Festival. It will be held Monday, November 26th, at 6:00 P.M. starting with a dinner in the Fellowship Hall. Soup and drinks will be provided. People need to bring a sandwich to accompany this. Dessert will be immediately following in the tasting room in the parlor. After eating, those attending will move to work stations to decorate the church and/or work with the children on crafts in the fellowship hall. Donna TePoel also made the suggestion that Karen Ray be appointed to serve on the Preschool Board as a member of Session and the Christian Education Committee for 2008; also provided for informational purposes was a chart of accountability concerning issues with the Preschool (in order from top to bottom). 7. The Fellowship/Missions Committee reported that there were 27 participants and 3 hosts in the Guest/Host Dinner. The church and chapel received 136 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. The committee has also applied for a grant from the 2¢ a meal hunger offering. They have been approved: $500 for Mt. Rogers and $750 for Bluefield Union Mission for Thanksgiving. Pam Irvin is applying for assistance for A Child Shall Lead Them Food Pantry. December, 2007 Lamplighter - session digest continued 8. The Personnel Committee reported that a letter went out Nov. 15th to Ron McCall regarding his contract. The committee is now looking for someone to clean the church. The committee will have paid Mr. McCall $11,312 for cleaning and it has been suggested to budget next year’s cleaning at $900 a month to cover all expenses. 9. The Property Committee reported that they have not met. The Chairman reminded everyone if they have concerns to contact the committee. 10. The Pastoral Care Committee reported on various names on the prayer list. The next meeting will be Tuesday, November 27th, at 1:00 P.M. 11. The Worship Committee reported that the committee met and did form a sub-committee to search for an interim. The Session was asked for information on what they were looking for in an interim so a job description may be written and placed in the APIMS Internet search. Danny Whitt has been contacted about conducting confirmation classes and performing the Christmas Eve Service at the town church. Possibilities were discussed about pulpit supply ministers being asked to serve for several Sundays in a row to have some consistency in the pulpit. 12. The following Elders asked to be excused: Ward Lester, Chris Brown, Matthew Irvin, Frank Barnes and Curtis Dunnivan. 13. The following Elders were absent: Ruth Osborne, John Moss and Molly Thompson. 14. The meeting was closed with prayer given by Dennis Hoffman.
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox success!! Our project for Samaritan’s Purse - Operation Christmas Child or the “shoe box ministry” was a great success! Members from the town church and the chapel contributed a total of 136 boxes. After the boxes are received at the Boone, NC shipping point, a book about Jesus in the language of the country where the box will be shipped is added. When the box reaches the missionary at the destination, they will talk to the children about the love of Jesus being shared with them by caring folks like us. One box can help a whole family to learn about God! Thanks so much for your generosity. Randall Cooper, |
