~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Before any Service, speak to God; During the Service, let God speak to you;

After the Service, speak to one another! MISSION is every believer’s responsibility! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORNING Advent Candle No 3 :: As we light this Advent candle, may its flame be a symbol of hope; its warmth be a symbol of God’s love for each one of us; and may it inspire us to live simply and generously, after the example of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the World. Amen (lit today by Aaron Brown) Scripture: Call to Worship: Psalm 146 (page 632) (Antiphonal) Isaiah 35:1-10 (page 719); Matthew 11:1-11 (page 976) WHO IS THE CHRIST IN YOUR CHRIST-MAS? Praise: MP 490 O come, let us adore Him (Adeste fideles) IPH 314 Come and join the celebration From the squalor of a borrowed stable IPH 324 It came upon a midnight clear (Traditional)

EVENING Scripture: James 5:1-11 (page 1216) BE PATIENT…..FOR THE LORD’S COMING Praise: IPH 316 Come and sing the Christmas story (Ar hyd y nos) IPH339 Unto us a boy is born (Piae Cantiones) IPH 399 From heaven You came, helpless Babe (Kendrick) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This week Today 11.30 am Revd Dr Isaac Thompson

Welcome! Please take this

Bulletin

home with you. —————————— Strive for peace with

all your heart—

Christ Himself

is our peace

Psalm 34:14b; Ephesians 2:14

Remember: www.firstcookstown.co.uk You can access this Bulletin, listen to service recordings, and contribute news and updates, along with much more information.

First Presbyterian Church Cookstown (founded 1646)

of The

in the Presbytery of Tyrone

gathered to worship on

Sunday 11 December 2016 THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT

11.30 am & 7.00 pm

12.30 pm Finance Committee meets in The Morrison Room 7.00 pm Revd Dr Isaac Thompson 8.00pm Youth Fellowship in The Loft for year 8 to age 24 until 9.30 pm Monday 6.15 pm Joint Squirrel and Beaver Christmas party until 7.45 pm, in The Loft. 6.30 pm Cub Scouts: 100th Birthday celebrations. Promise Party with Desertcreat, Derryloran and

Kildress, until 8.00 pm. Last meeting for the Cubs until the new year. 8.00 pm Explorer Scouts meet at The Leisure Centre until 9.15 pm Tuesday 10.15 am Prayer Cell in The Minister’s Room—all welcome 7.45 pm First Bowling Club—new members always welcome. Wednesday 10.00 am Cookstown Primary School’s Carol Service in First 10.30 am Morning Midweek Bible Study in The Loft will resume on 11 January 2017 6.30 pm Cookstown Primary School’s Carol Service in First 8.00 pm Midweek Evening Bible Study at 81 Sweep Road will resume on 18 January 2017 8.00 pm Sperrin Choir in concert in The Burnavon Thursday 1.30 pm Cookstown High School Parents & Friends Prayer Meeting until 2.00 pm upstairs in

Coolnafranky House at the High School—all welcome! 8.00 pm Prayer Cell in The Minister’s Room—all welcome 8.00 pm Sperrin Choir in concert in The Burnavon 8.00 pm Scouts meet in The Hall until 9.30 pm: CONGRATULATIONS to Ewan Brown, Ethan Robinson

and Aaron Harkness on being selected for the Co Londonderry Scout wall climbing team. Friday 7.00 pm Cookstown Methodist Church: carol singing at the front of the church building—all

welcome! Saturday 10.30 am Practice for the Nativity Service in the Church until 12 Noon. Next Sunday: Fourth in Advent 11.30 am Nativity Service prepared by the Sunday School and Youth Fellowship 7.00 pm 23rd Annual “Carols by Candlelight” - a Festival of Nine Lessons and Nine Carols, followed by

festive supper in the Main Hall. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Prime Minister Theresa May says church will be the main part of her Christmas day celebrations. Mrs May plans to join the churches in her Maidenhead constituency who lay on lunch and entertainment for older residents who would otherwise be on their own. She has also revealed that she will go to both midnight Communion on Christmas Eve and a service on Christmas Day morning. As the daughter of a minister, the PM told the Radio Times she was raised with Christmas revolving around the church. "I had to wait until my father had finished his services before I could open my presents. It felt like a very long wait," she said. (Aaron James, Premier New UK) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A former Prime Minister with roots in The Presbyterian Church in Ireland On this day, 11 December 1916, David Lloyd George formed a coalition British War Government. Among the cabinet was Andrew Bonar Law, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the Commons, son of Rev James Law, born at Maddybenny, Portrush: he ministered in New Brunswick for 33 years, and died at Maddybenny, near Ballywillan, in 1882. Andrew became Prime Minister in 1922; his son, Richard, was created Lord Coleraine in 1954. Dr WK Law was an elder brother and had a medical practice in New Row, Coleraine and inherited the farm at Maddybenny and was still owned in 1961 by the family. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

December 2016 Tuesday 20 Cookstown High School Carol Service in Molesworth PC at 10.15 am—all welcome. Sunday 25 All-Age Christmas Day Service at 10.30 am—the offering as usual will be for the PCI’s Annual

World Development Appeal: information leaflets and envelopes are available in the pews and on the entrances’ tables.

January 2017 (some dates) Sunday 8 The Sacrament of The Lord’s Supper at 11.30 am Monday 9 PW in The Morrison Room at 8.00 pm: Brad & Hilary Turkington, ‘Megavoice Talking Bibles’ Wednesday 11 Morning Midweek Bible Study resumes in The Loft, 10.30 am—12 Noon. Christian Beliefs, No

7: Romans 3:9-31, “Deliverance from sin”. All welcome Monday 16 Cookstown Christian Aid Committee meets in The Minister’s Room at 7.00 pm Wednesday 18 Evening Midweek Bible Study resumes at 81 Sweep Road, Battles Christians face: this week:

“Pride”. Thursday 19 Trefoil Guild meets in The Morrison Room, 10.30 am—12 Noon Sunday 29 World Leprosy Day ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WFO Envelope No 12 Would the holder of WFO envelope no 12, please make contact with either Bob Agnew (8676 3513) or Paul Ferguson (8644 8601). Thanks in anticipation! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our Iraqi sisters and brothers Perhaps we believe that, if the control of ISIS is broken in Iraq, the masses of scattered Iraqi refugees will happily return to the war-scarred place that was once home. Iraqi troops are inching forward in their ongoing battle to take back the city of Mosul, perhaps it will soon be safe? Reality is a little different. Front-line workers feel that, if Mosul is freed from ISIS, few Christians will want to return there. Meanwhile, Christians in the war-torn region continue to face the threat of death, persecution, kidnap and bombings. Wassim from the Bible Society of Iraq said, "Actually, it's very difficult for Christians. I don't think a lot of Christians will come back to his house in Mosul ...they will not trust people in their neighbourhood... they helped ISIS to take their houses; everything they have." Mike Bassous from the Bible Society in Lebannon travels regularly to Iraq and what he has witnessed is how Christianity has powerfully sustained some Iraqi people during decades of civil war. "The faith of Iraqi Christians is stronger than any other group or community of Christians all over the world," Mike says. "I've never seen stronger faith than Iraqi Christians. They've been through so much persecution in the last 30 years. Christians in Iraq have been displaced four to five times since 1980. They have been moved around, shifted around, due to wars and that is why they are now seeking to leave the country." Before ISIS captured Mosul, the Bible Society distributed Bibles and other materials in villages around that city. Based now in Erbil (near Mosul in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq) they work with partner organisations like World Compassion and Christian Aid; working on distributing wheelchairs, food, and Scriptures, occasionally bringing doctors to visit refugee camps in Erbil. They host free events in Erbil for children, youth and adults on Fridays, along with Scripture distribution. They see around 400 people attending these events. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hospitality needed for two weeks next summer The Chernobyl Children NI Appeal have been bringing children from areas affected by the Chernobyl disaster to Northern Ireland for a holiday each summer. The Cookstown Group are again bringing children to this area next summer. Those involved in previous years agree that this is an extremely rewarding experience which is scientifically proven to enhance the health and lifespan of the children. If you are interested in taking children next summer or would like more information on the Appeal, then call: 07934774693 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ROTAS—read through them carefully! READERS’ ROTA

Today ............................................................ Colin Rea Next Sunday ....................................... Nativity Service F.W.O. TEAM ROTA

This Week ................................................................ Lesley McGlaughlin, Hazel Pearson, Will Shaw, Carol Moore Next Week ............................................................. Keith Gilmour, Colin Rea, Brian McGlaughlin, David Johnston

CAR PARK ROTA Today .................................................. Tony Patterson Next Sunday ........................................ Jeffrey Deeney

FLOWER ROTA Today ................................................................................................................................... Christmas Decorations Next Sunday ........................................................................................................................ Christmas Decorations

CHURCH STEWARDING ROTA December ................................................................................................................ Margaret Hamilton, Colin Rea January ................................................................................................................ Ian McMullan, Margaret Wallace

COLLECTION ROTA Manse side (December) ............................................................................................ George Black, Ian McMullan Gallery (December) ................................................................................... Alan Badger, Trevor Crooks, Chris Kerr Town side (December) .................................................................................................. Bob Agnew, John Topping Manse side (January) .................................................................................... Stanley Faulkner, Christopher Leitch Gallery (January) ............................................................................ Robert Leonard, Peter McIlwaine, John Purdy Town side (January) ............................................................................................... Brian McGlaughlin, Sandra Rea

SOUND DESK ROTA This Morning ................................... Andrew Johnston Next Sunday ............................................... John Black

JUNIOR CHURCH ROTA Today ................................................................................................................................... Judith McGeown & Co Next Sunday .................................................................................................................... Christmas All-Age Service

CRÈCHE ROTA Today .......................................................................................................... Sandra Black, Jo Nicholl, Zac Johnston Next Sunday ................................................................................................... No Crèche until Sunday 8th January

SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERVISION ROTA Next Sunday ............................................................................................................. Jim Donaghy, Raymond Sloan Sunday 25 December ................................................................................................................. No Sunday School ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PRAYER FOCUS THE BEREAVED: Ian McMullan (aunt); Hilary Reid (mother) and Len, Gordon and Jim Donaghy (aunt) {Mrs Martha Rankin; funeral in Molesworth PC today at 1.30 pm} PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND PRAYERLINE: (edited) For full versions, visit: www.presbyterianireland.org Home: The Moderator, Rt Revd Dr Frank Sellar: in Strean PC, Newtownards this morning and in First PC Monaghan this evening. Heather McCracken – Deaconess serving in the Royal Group of Hospitals and Belfast City Hospital: along with the chaplains, she will help to deliver 500 Christmas Bauble Books to share the meaning of Christmas with children in the RVH SC. The books have kindly been provided by Scripture Union. Henry Coulter – International Meeting Point, Belfast: The International Meeting Point, a drop in centre for refugees and asylum seekers, continues to reach out and share the Good News with many. Dinner on Christmas Day will be provided for refuges and asylum seekers. Give thanks for those helping to facilitate the dinner and pray for those who come along for the meal. At least one Bible study is held each day in the centre. Some of these are in foreign languages. Pray that God’s Word will transform lives and families. Overseas: Brazil: Naomi Keefe writes, In Brazil, there is an economic crisis, with a rise in unemployment and corruption…There is also an increase in the number of armed robberies of banks, armed assaults on buses, drug-related problems, and prostitution. Remember Naomi and all our overseas workers away from home this Christmas. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We will remember them! In December 1916, 209 men, serving with Irish Regiments of the British Army, were killed. These included 33 from The Royal Irish Rifles, 26 from The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and 24 from The Munster Fusiliers. Casualties continued on the opposing side as on 13 December 1916 an avalanche killed 10,000 Austrian and Italian troops within 24 hours in Tyrol.

Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC 105651)

Announcements for inclusion in the bulletin must be with: Paul Ferguson (paulferguson@firstcookstown.co.uk or 028 8644 8601)

no later than 12 noon on Friday of this week.