Announcements:
Worship with us.Join us as we worship together in real time on Facebook Live at 10:45 a.m. Central on Sunday (no login required). The service will also be posted to our YouTube channel before 10:45 a.m. each Sunday.
If you are having difficulty accessing the online services, please don't be shy. Reach out to our church office so we can assist.  We have a tradition on Christmas Eve of writing down our prayers on small slips of paper and placing them in the manger in our Sanctuary. This year we’ve moved the nativity scene outdoors and are inviting anyone in the community to join us throughout December. Please stop by the church lawn anytime after December 1st and before Christmas to leave your prayer. You can come as many times as you’d like! There is a plastic box with slips of paper, writing utensils, and a small stapler. After you write your prayer, link it to the other prayers and staple it to create a prayer chain. Together, our prayers will decorate the creche as we await Christ’s arrival. A big thank you to Bert Allen for creating our gorgeous prayer station! Dec. 13: Christmas Pageant
Dec. 20: Lessons & Carols
Please note: the Zoom worship services on Dec. 24, Dec. 27, and Jan. 3 will NOT be on Facebook Live, YouTube, or DVD. You will need to join us via Zoom for the live service. Let us know if you have questions! Dec. 24: Christmas Eve
Announcements:
Worship with us. Pastor Caela is on vacation this week and we are going on a road trip together for worship this Sunday. We will be worshiping with First Congregational UCC in Norman, OK where the guest preacher will be the Rev. Kayla Bonewell.
How to worship this weekend: We will be sharing First Congregational Norman's worship service on OUR Facebook page at the regular time. So just go to facebook.com/uccmanhattanks/live at 10:45 a.m. and look for the red box that says Live or Premiere like you do every Sunday. You can also catch the service anytime on Sunday on our YouTube channel. How to fellowship this weekend: We will still gather for our regular Zoom Fellowship Hour at 11:45 a.m. in our regular Fellowship Zoom room. We will be welcoming Rabbi Moti Rieber for a meet-and-greet and you can learn more about KIFA while you're at Fellowship Hour. We hope you can join us for a time of conversation and connection! Even with all of the challenges of 2020 it can be uplifting to take advantage of some of the things we can do now that we couldn't before...worshiping online with a congregation in another state is a gift! Announcements:
Worship with us.Join us as we worship together in real time on Facebook Live at 10:45 a.m. Central on Sunday (no login required). The service will also be posted to our YouTube channel before 10:45 a.m. each Sunday.
If you are having difficulty accessing the online services, please don't be shy. Reach out to our church office so we can assist. What are star words? The use of star words, also called “star gifts,” is a prayer practice connected to Epiphany and the new year that has been growing in popularity in Protestant churches for nearly a decade now. The idea is that a list of intention words, or guiding words, are written or printed on paper stars. These paper stars are then distributed at random. Individuals are often encouraged to place their star word somewhere they will see it regularly throughout the year to allow consistent reflection on how God has moved through, around, or in connection to that word. There Are Several Theological Statements Being Made in this Tradition: 1. The Magi followed a star, which ultimately led them to Jesus. Therefore, we too use all the resources we have available to us—including creative prayer practices and intention words for the new year—to move closer to Jesus. 2. We trust that God uses multiple ways to guide us and speak to us. Star words are one such lens that might provide us a way to look for God in our midst, both actively and in hindsight. 3. We trust that it is often easy to miss God in our daily midst. Having an intention word to consider both in present days, as well as to reflect on at the end of the year, allows for us to see God in ways we may not have seen God before. This is the greatest gift. 4. We know that the most common prayer practice for many involves speaking to God as opposed to silence or contemplation. We believe that star words invite a new prayer rhythm of reflection and review that can be a powerful new way to connect with God. 5. By receiving a star word chosen at random, we practice the spiritual task of receiving. It is not we who are in control in this moment. Instead, we trust that God is present, and we let go of our desire to cultivate or control. Ideas for using your star word:You might display your star word in your home. Get creative—seek beautiful ways to add your star words to spaces around your home so that you will continue to see them and think about them throughout the year. Prompts for using the star words for daily prayer: A. Look up the definition of your word, even if it is a word you know well. You may even look into the etymology of the word and how its meaning has changed throughout history. If you drew a non-English word, do as much research as you can into the meaning of the word in its original culture. B. What does this word remind you of? Does it recall any memories or experiences? How might God be speaking to you through this word? C. See if you can find your word—or a synonym—in the Bible. What scripture passages can you find? How is the word used in these passages? Are there other scripture passages that remind you of your word? D. Write or speak aloud a prayer using your word. (This is a fun challenge for children using the star words.) SOURCE FOR THE ABOVE TEXT AND IMAGES: A Sanctified Art  The Advent season brings the opportunity for you to provide poinsettias in honor of someone important to you as the church is decorated for Advent and Christmas. The cost to donate poinsettias is $10.00 per plant and we will share the dedications in worship on Dec. 13 and 20. The Deacons will be providing a date for you to pick up your poinsettias before Christmas so you can enjoy a bit of First Congregational in your own home this year. Or perhaps you'll want to pick up your poinsettias and share them in a porch drop with a friend! Order your poinsettia now by clicking the button to complete the online order form OR call the church office to place your order.   Advent devotionals are now available for pick up! Look for the plastic box outside the double doors that go into the office area at the church building. If you'd rather have one posted in the mail, e-mail [email protected] to request. Our devotionals are from A Sanctified Art and include poetry, art, scripture, and space for reflection.
 Dear Church Family,
We know that soon you’ll be putting up your Christmas decorations for the coming season. For some of us, we’re a little afraid that we are putting up the tree and hanging the stockings but no one will see them. We want to fix that. Send pictures of your tree, stockings, holiday décor and nativity scenes to be used in our worship services and on social media. Please upload them to our Upload Portal by December 4 (sooner if you can). Announcements:
Worship with us.Join us as we worship together in real time on Facebook Live at 10:45 a.m. Central on Sunday (no login required). The service will also be posted to our YouTube channel before 10:45 a.m. each Sunday.
If you are having difficulty accessing the online services, please don't be shy. Reach out to our church office so we can assist. We are also happy to send you a copy of the sermon via U.S. mail or e-mail. |
