O Blessed One,

it is said that Christmas is for children.

Indeed, I agree:

it’s only a feast for the young at heart,

a feast for hiding beneath the tree

gifts to surprise and delight the eternal child.

Peel back the scabs of cynicism from my eyes

so that this calloused and aging child

may see holiness blazing at the tip of every branch,

may see every tree as a Christmas tree.

Let me not be ashamed to dance with delight

at hidden gifts wrapped in shimmering paper with bows of

rainbow-colored ribbon.

But also, grant me the youthful and wide-eyed wonder

to recognize, and even to expect,

life-giving miracles on every street corner,

miracles of kindness and generosity and care.

Gift my all-too-calculating heart

with the excitement of anticipation

to truly receive the gifts of life,

the capacity to feast and rejoice.

Give birth within me to a spacious-ness of heart

that can celebrate this feast

of the birth of Christ, the Child, as a child.

Edward Hays, Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim

 

 

Merry Christmas

 

Linda Abel, Jaime and Leticia Alvarez, Becca Hirsch, Sarah Johnson, Sherrill Morris, Ikuko Scheuren,

and Terry Zimmerman.

 

 

ALL-CHURCH RETREAT

Saturday, January 20 from 10 till 2 is the Annual All-Church Planning Retreat.  A light lunch will be served.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for all your prayers, support—and food!  Your help through the first weeks of my knee rehabilitation is much, much appreciated.

Joann Dennett

 

THANKSGIVING SPECIAL OFFERING

 

            The Thanksgiving Special Offering from our church this year was $560.00.  The Outreach Committee wishes to thank everyone for their generosity.  Each and every contribution is very much appreciated.

                                                                                                Outreach Committee

 

DECEMBER DESIGNATED "NAME TAG MONTH"

 

Our Church Board has asked everyone to wear his or her name tag during the month of December.  Proudly wearing our names helps newer members and visitors get acquainted with us more quickly.  Name tags are provided and may be found in racks located just inside both the north and south entrances to the narthex.  Remember, December = name tags!  Thank you.

 

YOUTH GROUP NEWS

 

            The Youth Group Christmas party is Monday, December 18 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Jim and Becky Campbell-Howe’s house.  There will be a $10 gift exchange and each youth is asked to bring a snack to share.  If you forget whose name you drew, call Sherrill for a reminder!

 

 

            Youth Group is looking for a few donated soft throws or afghans for our chilly Youth Room!  Our one blanket is scratchy.  If you have a spare, keep a kid warm!

                                                                                                Sherrill Morris, Youth Director

 

LIFE AND NEWS OF THE CONGREGATION!

 

Great to see some of our college youth home at Thanksgiving time; Erica Haseman from

Ft. Collins and Shawn Crowder (with a beard!) from Boston!

Postings on the narthex bulletin board:  A photo of Priscilla Gifford for her volunteer work with the “Let’s Bag Hunger” campaign at Golden West, and a newsy-newsletter from Alan Bennett about his work in Mukjar.

Wasn’t Youth Sunday wonderful?!!  The prayers and music and visit by the Ghost of Youth Groups Past and Present brought us a great message about caring for others!  Thanks to all our Youth and our Youth Director, Sherrill Morris.

 

Thanks to Megan, Jim and Becky Campbell-Howe, Rachel Shepherd, David Shepherd, Deb Manica, Mary ann Pinon and Terry Zimmerman for decorating our church for the Advent and Christmas Seasons.  The sanctuary looks beautiful!  And thank you to all who

                  purchased wreaths and poinsettias.

An extra thank you goes to Becky Campbell-Howe and all who contributed to our 2006 Advent Devotional Book!  It is a meaningful aid to our seasonal worship.

 

Nice to see Ray Crowder back in worship after a few weeks of recuperation following his recent knee surgery.

Zachary Scheuren’s mother, Tobie Scheuren, visited us for the “Hanging of the Greens” service on Sunday.  She’s as nice as Zachary is!

 

Hope Leighton traveled to Wichita, Kansas to spend Thanksgiving with her brother Cliff and his wife Margaret.

 

The Howe family had a different sort of Thanksgiving experience this year.  They spent it in Mexico!

 

Derril and Sue Curry Lance of Wichita Falls, Texas spent Thanksgiving in Colorado with their son Keith Lance.

During a performance at Fairview High School Sammy Landis injured her foot.  Rumor has it she’s happy to be wearing two shoes that match now.

Bob and Kay Lowe-Wendling will be happy having Cory home safely, especially after they learned he had been swimming with the sharks at an aquarium in Pusan!

 

 

Echo McAfee sends her Season’s Greetings to FCC.  See her Christmas card on the north bulletin board in the narthex.

 

Add Bill Baird to the list of those joining the trend for knee replacements.  His was done about 6 weeks ago.

Marcie Geissinger, Rachel Shepherd and Kay Lowe-Wendling, we hope you get over whatever crud you have soon!

 

JANUARY BIRTHDAY & ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS

 

1          Marcie Geissinger & Neil Ashby

4                    Jeannine Henderson

5                    Barbara Hutton

8          Erica Haseman

11                Jan Einert

            Linda Norris Quintana

13        Leon Mason

15           Shawn Crowder

16           Janet Barriger

            Becky Trejo

17           Ann Canady

19        Lillie Sowell

21        Barbara Johnson

23                Frank Pulver

26        Gale Howard

27        Ryan Wendling

28        Cathy & Wayne Frank

            Brian Holmes

29        Sara Norris Engle

Doris Martin

 

 

 

WE REMEMBER IN PRAYER

 

            Laura Campbell (daughter-in-law of Esther Campbell), Tim Creech (godson of Keith Lance), Barbara Johnson, Nelson Shepherd, John Stickle, life & death of John Rohret (friend of David Shepherd).

 

 

 

IS THE PERMANENT FUND ON YOUR GIFT LIST THIS CHRISTMAS?

 

The Permanent Fund of First Christian Church Boulder was established to help underpin the financial security of our congregation. Income from the Permanent Fund will start to flow into the General Budget at the end of this year.

 

Original money in the Permanent Fund came from the sale of assets; however, individual gifts and memorials are adding to the capital in the fund. Please keep the Permanent Fund on your gift list—now and throughout the year.

 

There are some creative ways to gift the Permanent Fund. If you’re at least 70 ½, you can share your IRA with the Permanent Fund.  According to recent information from the Christian Church Foundation, 2006-2007 offers a one-time only opportunity to transfer funds from an IRA to a charitable institution without incurring tax liability on the withdrawals.  Also, the transfer can completely satisfy your requirement for minimum distributions in either or both years.

                                                                                                Joann Dennett, Steward of Permanent Fund

 

 

 

FCCAFÉS - 9:45 a.m. - Riley Hall

 

Coffee and tea available.

 

December 17 – 9:30 Willie & Mary Rios, “Gingerbread Houses”

 

 

 

December 24 – No Café

 

December 31 – No Café

 

LIVING THE QUESTIONS SESSIONS:

 

Wednesday, December 13 – 1:00, Riley Hall

Thursday, December 14 – 5:30, Church Library

 

ELDERS

The elders will meet Sunday, December 17 at the home of Debbie Haseman for a potluck meeting following church.  Spouses, children and incoming elders are all invited!

 

DEBORAH-REBEKAH GROUP

 

Deborah-Rebekah Group meets Thursday, December 21 at 9:30 a.m. in the Spruce Room at Golden West.

 

FCC – COMMUNITY TABLE

 

Thursday, December 21 is FCC’s night to serve at Community Table.

 

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

 

Sunday, December 24

6:00 p.m. – Sanctuary

7:30 p.m. – Golden West

 

DWCC

 

Thursday, January 4 at 9:30 a.m. the Disciple Women Coordinating Committee meets in the Education Building, Room #5.

 

NEW WOMEN’S GROUP

 

New Women’s Group will meet on Saturday, January 6 at 9:30 a.m. at the home of Cindy Zimmerman.  Sherrill Morris will facilitate.

 

ALL-CHURCH RETREAT

 

Saturday, January 20 is the date scheduled for the Annual All-Church Planning Retreat.  Everyone is invited and your input is needed.  The retreat will begin at 10:00 a.m. and end at 2:00 p.m.

 

FNATM

 

Friday Night at the Movies will not meet during December and January.  If you would like to host the group on the second Friday in February, March or April, contact Marcie Geissinger.

 

 

POINSETTIAS AND WREATHS – 2006

Jane Byers                                                                                                                          M  Charles Byers

Virginia & Mel Clark                                                                                                              M  Our parents

Jean and Ray Crowder                                            M  Wilfred and Mildred Bush, Lotha and Vern Crowder,

                                                                                                                     Kay Loeppke, Harold Crowder

Mary & Hugh Crowder                                                                                                          H  Our parents

Joann Dennett                                                                                  M  Joseph & Hazelmae Temple, parents;

                                                                                                                         Blanche Taylor, grandmother

Jan and Bill Einert                                              M  Mr. & Mrs. Bill Boyer and Mr. & Mrs. William Einert Sr.

Chris Ford & Heather McLaughlin                                                     H  Marcie Geissinger, Polly Warkentine

Marcie Geissinger and Neil Ashby                                                                                 H  Our grandchildren

Debbie Haseman                                                                                                                    H  The children

Evelyn Haskins                                                                                                                M  Family members

Keith Curry Lance                                                                  H  Derril E. and Sue Curry Lance, Faye Curry,

                                                                                                                    M  James Curry, Maurine Lance

Martha Mason

Kay & Dave Norris                                                                                                                   H  Daughters

Mary ann Pinon

Dorothy and Glenn Rosenberger                                                                           M  Richard and Gary, sons

Rachel Shepherd                                                                                                                  H  Claudia Tripp

Chris Stelplugh                                                               M  Our loved ones who have gone to meet our Lord

Cindy and Terry Zimmerman                                                                       M  C.H. and Bonnie Zimmerman,

                                                                                                                David A. Smith, Zella Smith-Welsh

 

CHRISTMAS OFFERING

 

Our annual Special Christmas Offering will be taken on December 17 and December 24.  Church Finance distributes a portion of this special offering within the region from which it comes.

 

 

December 17th ~ Gingerbread Houses! 9:30

Choir Cantata:  “We Are His Gold”

Special Christmas Offering

 

December 24th ~ Christmas Sunday, Special Christmas Offering

 

Christmas Eve Services

6:00 p.m. Sanctuary

7:30 p.m. Golden West Aspen Room

 

December 31st

Dustin Adkins preaching at both services

 

 

 

NEXT RAM’S HORN DEADLINE: JANUARY 8