DECEMBER 18, 2016

GREETERS THIS MORNING ARE:

10:00AM

Westville Ave - Mike Bruchac

Bloomfield Ave - Chris Flanagan

DEACON ON DUTY THIS WEEK Andre Massop - 973-262-1874

AFTER THE 10:00AM SERVICE

Join Andre Massop for Coffee Hour in Room 120

FIRST PRESS WELCOME VISITORS!

We are glad you have chosen

to worship here today! Please come again!

Nursery care is provided for children

up to 24 months in our Cradle Room during the

10:00AM Worship Service. There is Christian Education during the 10:00AM Worship Service.

The Cradle Room and Rest Rooms are located

through the door to the left of the pulpit then left down the hallway.

For more information about our church, please visit our website:

www.firstprescaldwell.org. An information

packet is available at the rear of the sanctuary and an Usher or one of the Greeters that you met

as you came in will be glad to provide you with

more information.

You are respectfully requested to turn

off all pagers and cell phones. Our church is

equipped with a hearing assistance system.

Please ask the usher for a receiver.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW

CHRISTMAS WORSHIP SERVICES

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18th

5:00 PM - Family Worship Service

Angels, Lambs, Ladybugs & Fireflies

Chapel Handbell Choir

Cherub & Blaze Choirs

Followed by the Live Nativity

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24th

8:00PM - Candlelight Worship Service

First Church Ringers

Pilgrim Choir

Westminster Choir

Brass Ensemble

10:30PM - Candlelight Worship Service

Chancel Handbell Choir

Chancel Choir

Brass Ensemble

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25th

10:00AM - Family Worship Service

IS THE CHRISTMAS SEASON

A DIFFICULT TIME FOR YOU?

Join us on Tuesday, December 20th

from 7:00-8:00PM for a Blue Christmas

Service. The Holiday Season is hard for those

whose hearts are hurting. You are not alone. Blue

Christmas is a quiet, contemplative service for

those who are carrying pain or loss during this

season of celebration. This service will be held in

the chapel.

THE LIVE NATIVITY IS TONIGHT!!!! Be a part of this great tradition at First Pres! Our

annual Live Nativity is from 6:00-8:00PM TONIGHT

immediately following the Family Worship Service. All are

invited to stop by to see the animals, have a cup of cocoa and

some cookies, and share in the Christmas joy!

SANDWICH NIGHT IS COMING On Tuesday, December 20th we are gathering in Fellowship

Hall at 6:00PM to make sandwiches for St. John's Soup Kitchen in

Newark. This Sandwich Night will be hosted by Shelly May and her

friends and family. This group of volunteers has been joining us for

several years now and we invite all family and friends from our

congregation to come a join in the fun. Come out and join us as we

prepare 400 to 450 bagged lunches for St. John's Soup Kitchen in Newark.

We look forward to seeing all of you as we continue to serve others,

especially during this Christmas Season. Any questions?? Please call Dave

Johnson (973-464-9121) or Joyce McGrath (201-738-6531).

See You on the 20th.

YEAR END CONTRIBUTIONS This is a review of the IRS rules concerning year end

contributions of cash and securities. In general, the delivery date

determines the year in which the contribution can be claimed as

a deduction. If gifts of cash are mailed, the date of mailing is the

delivery date. If gifts are delivered by any other means, the date

the gifts are received by the charity is the delivery date. More specifically, checks

mailed with a postmark of December 31, 2016 will be credited as a

contribution in 2016. Hand-delivered checks, received prior to January 1,

2017 will be credited as 2016 contributions.

2017 OFFERING ENVELOPES Everyone who

used offering envelopes

during 2016 has been

issued envelopes for 2017.

If you make your

contributions electronically, please be sure to

check your offering envelope number with your

bank for 2017. In an effort to save the cost of

postage to mail your envelopes (about $2.30 per

person), please pick them up at the rear of the

sanctuary. They are in alphabetical order for

your convenience. If you have a family member,

friend or neighbor who cannot be here to pick up

their offering envelopes, please take them and

deliver them. If you did not use offering

envelopes in 2016, but would like them for 2017,

please call Nancy Felter in the church office

during the week.

WERE YOU AT THE ADVENT FESTIVAL FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED - Snapshots from the Advent Festival are posted

on the walls in Room 120, and you are invited to help yourself. Enjoy Coffee Hour

and if you see a picture of yourself or a family member, please take it. Thanks to

Photographer John Lanza for these beautiful pictures!

OUR STAFF Dr. Richard N. Sommers, Pastor/Head of Staff

Rev. Don Brown, Associate Pastor

Rev. Barbara Jo Piercy, Minister of Music

Rev. Todd Shumpert, Pastor of Spiritual & Missional Engagement

Jaime Staehle, Director of Y outh & Children’s Ministries Nancy Felter, Office Manager

Karen Pouy, Secretary/Receptionist

Chris White, Building Manager/Head Sexton

Noel Piercy, Associate Director of Music Michael Diercksen, Youth Intern

Brittany Heun, Sunday Morning Receptionist

Kaitlyn Heun, Sunday Morning Sexton

Kathleen Carlson, Director Weekday Nursery School - 973-226-6674

http://www.firstpresnurseryschool.com

David Hicock

Superintendent, Prospect Hill Cemetery - 973-228-4410 prospecthillcemetery@firstprescaldwell.org

Dr. Robert R. McGruther, Pastor Emeritus

Rev. Robert Pryor, Parish Associate

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION NOTES

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY NEWS

KIDS KART - We hope you will check out our Kids Kart at the back of the

sanctuary. The Kids Kart has activity books, crayons, and books for children to

enjoy during the worship service. Please take what you would like, but remember

to return the crayons at the end of the service!

CABIN FEVER DAY - All children in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited

to join us on Wednesday, December 28th from 9:00AM-3:00PM for a fun day at

church. We will be playing games, doing crafts, watching a movie and spending

time with friends. Bring a snack and a sack lunch. Sign up with Jaime Staehle to

participate.

YOUTH MINISTRY NEWS

JR. HIGH FELLOWSHIP (6th-8th Grade) - Join us today for the Family

Christmas Service and Live Nativity beginning at 5:00PM!

SR. HIGH FELLOWSHIP - All 9th-12th Graders are invited to join us TODAY for

lunch and coloring our new Advent Posters! We will meet in the youth room at

11:30AM and we will order food from there.

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

AT CALDWELL 326 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell, NJ 07006

Office Hours: M-Th 9:00AM - 5:00PM

F 9:00AM - 4:00PM

Office Phone: 973-228-0310 * Fax: 973-228-0629

e-mail address: fpc@firstprescaldwell.org webpage: www.firstprescaldwell.org

facebook: The First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell

Stephen Ministry - 973-228-0310 ext. 235

stephen.ministry@firstprescaldwell.org

CHURCH CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK

SUNDAY, December 18

8:30 AM Worship Service with Communion,

at Pleasantdale Campus

10:00 AM Worship Service / Sunday School

11:15 AM Pilgrim & Westminster Choir Rehearsal

11:30 AM Confirmation Mentor Lunch, Fellowship Hall

11:30 AM Stephen Ministry Training, Rm 118

11:30 AM Sr. High Fellowship, Youth Room

11:30 AM Card Ministry Luncheon, Heritage Gallery

5:00 PM Family Christmas Worship Service

6:00 PM Live Nativity on Church Lawn

7:45 PM First Church Ringers (Grades 9-12)

MONDAY, December 19

7:00 PM Yoga & Meditation, Rm 120

7:00 PM Venture Scouts, Youth Room

7:30 PM Messiah Sing-Along, Sanctuary

TUESDAY, December 20

9:30 AM Staff Meeting

11:00 AM Advent Study, Parlor

6:00 PM Sandwich Night, Fellowship Hall

7:00 PM Blue Christmas, Chapel

8:00 PM God Squad, Sr. High Girls Group

WEDNESDAY, December 21

9:30 AM Crafting Group, Parlor

7:00 PM Women’s Bible Study, Parlor

7:00 PM Advent Vespers, Sanctuary

7:30 PM Young Adult Group Christmas Party at the Pace Home

181 Park Ave, West Caldwell

THURSDAY, December 22

7:00 AM Men’s Fellowship Breakfast, Caldwell Diner

6:30 PM Chancel Handbells

8:00 PM Chancel Choir

FRIDAY, December 23 5:30 PM AA Meeting, Fellowship Hall

SATURDAY, December 24

8:00 AM Dads With a Mission, Inc., Rockn’ Joe Café

8:30 AM Soup Kitchen Crew leaves First Pres

9:30 AM First Church Ringers (Grades 9-12)

11:00 AM Youth Choir Dress Rehearsal

8:00 PM Candlelight Worship Service

First Church Ringers

Pilgrim Choir

Westminster Choir Brass Quartet

10:30 PM Candlelight Worship Service

Chancel Handbell Choir

Chancel Choir

Brass Quartet

SUNDAY, December 25

10:00 AM Christmas Family Worship

MONDAY, December 26

MERRY CHRISTMAS

CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED

SOUP KITCHEN NEWS THE PANS ARE OUT and we will be heading to Our Lady of

the Valley Soup Kitchen on Christmas Eve. Pick up a pan and

prepare a portion of the meal to brighten someone’s day. We are

excited that the Jacobsen Family will be joining us to serve in person.

If you wish to volunteer, please phone Joyce McGrath at 201-738-

6531. We can use your help at the December 31st Soup Kitchen. Adults, teens,

families are all invited to join us. This is a great way to share the joy of the

season for all ages.

Just quick reminder, we have 2 Soup Kitchens this month, the 24th

pans will be in the normal location, the 31st will be on the Christian Ed Desk.

Any questions, call Joyce McGrath

CARD-WRITING MINISTRY:

HAVE LUNCH AND FIND OUT MORE In this season of sharing time and talent, think about

joining the caring friends who send monthly messages to our

homebound members. Each volunteer takes one month of the

year and sends “thinking of you” cards with some personal

words. You can sign up to write to the full list (about 30), or

share the month with another volunteer and write half the list. We

can help you with sample messages, and if you don’t want to buy stationery, we

can provide church note cards. This is a simple mission, but for those who are

confined and for whom the day is long, getting a piece of personal mail from a

church member is a highlight.

If you would like to know more, please drop by the Heritage Room

TODAY, immediately after the 10:00AM service. It’s a casual brunch/lunch

in appreciation of our current volunteers, but anyone else who is interested in

participating is invited to come and find out more. So plan to drop by for a few

bites and ask a few questions. If you want to be plugged into the 2017 schedule

without further ado, email Jack and Lynne Stoddard at jandlstod@gmail.com.

Call or text us at 973-896-8216 for any more information.

LOOKING FOR A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT? Join us as the Church Life Committee sponsors a night out at the NJ Devils.

When: Sunday, March 19, 2017 at 1:00 PM

Where: Prudential Center

Cost: $54 per ticket (section 130 & 131)

If we sell over 50 tickets, we will qualify for a group

photo on the ice following the game! We encourage everyone

to carpool to this event.

JOIN US FOR AN ADVENT STUDY We will meet on Tuesday mornings at 11:00AM

through December 20th. Join Rev. Todd Shumpert as we study the book Names for the Messiah

- An Advent Study by Walter Brueggemann. Isaiah 9:6 pronounces four titles for

the coming Messiah: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and

Prince of Peace. Brueggemann, one of our most admired Old Testament

scholars, reconstructs the first-century Jewish expectations for a deliverer, then

evaluated how Jesus did and did not fulfill them. This four week study, suitable

for individuals or groups, considers biblical passages and historical contexts to

answer the Messianic claims for the Messiah and offers questions and prayers

for each week.

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE As of Thursday, December 15th we have received 181 pledges totaling

$514,852. If you have not yet returned your pledge card, please do so as soon as

possible. Once all the pledge cards have been received, the Finance Committee

can begin working on the 2017 church budget. The total amount pledged for 2016

was $568,592.

Also you can assist us by keeping your 2016 giving current and adding

to that amount if possible.

Thank you,

The Finance Committee --

Chuck McGrath, Chair

Bob Hicock, Treasurer

PLEASE RECYCLE

YOUR USED BULLETINS In our continuing effort to

become a “Green” congregation,

please recycle your used bulletins

in the containers at the back of the

sanctuary.

CALDWELL FOOD PANTRY

NEEDS YOUR HELP Did you know that the Caldwell

Food Pantry now serves 80 families with

children each week? Due to increased need,

The Caldwell Food Pantry is experiencing a

shortage of staples important for each needy

family. In December we will be collecting non-

perishable food (i.e. pasta and sauce, canned

meat and fish, vegetables, peanut butter, etc.),

but any donations are always welcome. If

you can help please drop off the items in the

shopping carts in the church entrances.

Hint: Take advantage of store sale items and

manufactures coupons that will help make your

contribution donation dollars go even further!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE CHURCH STAFF

The church office will be closed

on Monday, December 26th and Monday, January 2nd

Tuesday, December 27th through Friday, December 30th

church office hours will be 9:00AM – 2:00PM

Normal office hours will resume on Tuesday, January 3, 2017

STEPHEN MINISTRY Stephen Ministers are available to all who seek comfort

and support through Christian caring. It is confidential, effective,

and free.

To find out more call the confidential line at 973-228-0310

ext 235, speak to one of our pastors, or send an email:

stephen.ministry@firstprescaldwell.org.

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.