On this third Sunday of Advent, we welcome the Griffon String Quartet to provide special music in worship. Our children will also sing, and Jeff Verkuilen will substitute at the organ. Our From the Manger theme will have us consider how joy comes from the manger. Texts include Isaiah 12: 2-6 https://bit.ly/3PbBJpX and Luke 2: 8-20 https://bit.ly/3ZuCIpW and the sermon title is “Stirring Up Joy.”
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Worship Service December 8, 2024
On this Second Sunday in Advent, we continue our series on what comes From the Manger with a look at Luke 2: 8-16 https://bit.ly/49klVKs and Luke 10: 1-6 https://bit.ly/3OFugPq to discover how PEACE comes. Pastor Katie’s sermon is “The Peace of Christ.”
Worship Service December 1, 2024
This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent! Our Advent theme has us considering what comes From the Manger: hope, peace, love, and joy. We will light the first candle on our Advent wreath as we look to Luke 2: 1-7 https://bit.ly/3ZoYj46 and see how the birth of the Savior brings hope to a weary world.
Thanksgiving Worship Service November 25, 2024
Please join us for our Thanksgiving Worship Service when we celebrate with members of First United Presbyterian in DePere and Wequiock Presbyterian. With members from each church we have a full choir of 22 singers.
December 2024 Rundown
Commitment Sunday Dinner
What a glorious Sunday to IMAGINE our future together! November 10 was our Generosity Commitment Sunday and we had a grand time. Jesse Nummelin of the Griffon Strings blessed us with special cello pieces and many pledges for the 2025 budget were submitted. Everyone enjoyed a delicious pork loin dinner in Banner Hall that was catered by Renard’s, and Jane Bies’ cupcakes were better than ever. Thanks to all!
Thanksgiving Worship Service & Dinner Celebration
Thanksgiving worship on Monday, November 25th was a wonderful chance to gather with members and friends from this church and First United Presbyterian in DePere and Wequiock Presbyterian. We had 83 people in attendance and a full choir of 22 singers, and we enjoyed a beautiful piece by the handbell choir from DePere as well. Apple, pumpkin, and pecan pies were featured during our time of fellowship.
Confirmation Sunday
Confirmation Sunday was a joyful celebration on November 24th with four young people confirming the faith into which their parents baptized them. We welcome Maame Yaa Berko, Alaina Erickson, Vic Jimenez, and Elliott Stenson as full members of the church. Cupcakes were enjoyed following the service—thanks, Jane!
Rundowns will publish with our Connections issue on a monthly or bimonthly basis. To submit rundowns for consideration contact us at communications@firstpresgreenbay.org by the 15th of the month to be included in the following month’s publication. And, as always, we look forward to receiving your Rundown of what’s been Happening Now!
2024 Advent Workshop
Sunday, December 1st
“Advent” means coming or arrival. Rather than just waiting for Christmas to get here, we use the season of Advent to prepare for Christ’s coming. Advent begins this year on Sunday, December 1st and we will kick off the season with our annual Advent workshop following worship.
Open to all ages, this event will feature crafts, activities, and Kevin’s famous chili lunch. Brenda has designed some great crafts once again, including reindeer ornaments and Loni has an aroma therapy potpourri project for us to create. And of course, as always, we’ll have Loni’s cut-out cookies to decorate (and eat!).
New this year is a reverse Advent calendar. With this project we’ll provide you with a list of items and a box. For each day of Advent you’ll place an item from the list in the box and by Christmas you’ll have a full box of items that include dried and canned goods, hygiene items and cleaning supplies that you can then donate to a local pantry, homeless shelter or other organization that helps members of the community that are in need and less fortunate than ourselves. We believe that it’ll prove to be a very enriching experience for everyone.
Please join us for this all-church celebration.
2024 Season of Advent
Our theme for this year’s 2024 season of Advent is From the Manger.
Hunger is a universal human experience, drawing attention to our most basic needs for food and nourishment and our more complex needs—peace, liberation, and meaning in this life. So, it’s no wonder the story of Jesus—the one who came to feed the hungry—begins, ends, and centers around food.
From the Manger gathers around the birth story in Luke 2, embracing the playful symbolism of a newborn Jesus being laid down to sleep in a feeding trough in a town called “House of Bread”. Beginning Advent with the birth of Jesus may feel a bit unconventional, but we hope this liturgical dissonance will invite you to reflect on the life-sustaining hope, peace, joy, and love Jesus brings and notice how the baby born in a bread town continues to feed a hungry world today.
Christmas Eve 2024
Our Christmas Eve worship service will be held at 6:00pm on Tuesday, December 24th in the sanctuary.
Adult and children’s choirs will sing, the children’s message will be an extended story time, and familiar carols will be sung. Bring your family and friends to celebrate this special evening together.
2024 Blue Christmas
Thursday, December 12th at 6pm
For any of us who have experienced loss or are in the midst of struggles, the holidays can be a particularly painful time, stirring up grief in acute ways. As a result, churches of every denomination and style have adopted the practice of a “Blue Christmas” service. We continue this tradition with a Blue Christmas service on Thursday, December 12th at 6:00pm in the sanctuary.
This time of worship is designed to provide space for prayer, reflection, and remembrance in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle. It will include special music, candle lighting, and the sacrament of holy communion.
All are welcome to join us for this contemplative service of worship. A dessert reception will follow in the Fellowship Room. Invite a friend or neighbor!
2024 Christmas Toy Shop
This year our Toy Shop, that benefits Pantry guests, will be held on Tuesday, December 10th. Please consider donating toys to support our cause.
Toys are needed for ages 2 through 18 years old and should be dropped off before Sunday, December 8th. Please place your unwrapped donations in the toy chest that’s at the bottom of the Sanctuary stairs.
And for those not interested in shopping, you can contribute with a monetary gift by selecting the Pantry Toy Shop Fund through our online giving portal at Give Now – First Presbyterian Church Green Bay or send a check to the office at 200 S. Ashland Avenue, 54302 and note Toy Shop in the memo line.
As guests arrive for the Pantry between 10am and noon, they’ll receive a slip of paper to shop the toy shop. We’re in need of 3-4 of Santa’s elves to be personal shoppers for our guests.
Personal shoppers will assist our guests to choose from the age-appropriate selection of toys. If you’re able to help as a personal shopper elf, please call Jane Bies at 920-621-6400.
Thank you for your support and for helping us make a Merrier Christmas for those in need!
