Christmas Gift Suggestions

• “Just Coffee” is again for sale as a Presbyterian Women’s mission project after worship services in the Swain Hall entrance. The Grand Canyon Presbytery partners with Fontera deCristo, a Presbyterian Bi-National Border Ministry (one of five with Mexico) to provide 93 coffee-farming families with a better life from the sale of their coffee beans, grown in Chiapas, Mexico, and roasted at the Arizona border. Each bag sells for $9.00; regular and decaf are both available.

• Our church cookbooks are still available on the table under the PW bulletin board in Swain Hall. The books are packed with delicious recipes and an incredible bargain at only $5.00 each.

December Fellowship Dinner

Thursday, December 17, 5:00 pm in Swain Hall

You are invited to the Fellowship Christmas Dinner! Plan to come enjoy a delicious meal followed by a musical program presented by our very own choir.

The Christmas Fellowship Dinner will again be hosted by the Rev Harrell and Carol Davis. And this year as a gift to the faithful Fellowship Dinner volunteers, who have helped set tables, prepare food and clean up, Chef George Garnache will be preparing the meal! Chef George has 30+ years of making delicious meals for many clients, friends and family. George and his wife, Sally, are dear friends of the Davis family and reside in Rio Rancho, NM.

Your freewill offering will be donated to The Justa Center.

Presbyterian Women in December

Waiters at last year's High Tea

Friday, November 6, First Presbyterian Church had five women attend the NW unit of Church Women United at “New Song United Methodist Church” on West Bell Road to witness Kathie Mittelsteadt, who has been facilitator for six years, pass leadership to Sally Dorrell of New Song.

OUR ANNUAL HIGH TEA IS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, AT 1:00 PM.

Tickets are still available from a table hostess, Gail (815-7290), or the church office. Opportunities for table hostesses may still be available, for either creating your own table or hosting an already prepared table. Those that would like to help prepare for the High Tea, please sign-up in Swain Hall. Help is needed on Friday to prepare sandwiches; we will begin at 9:00 am, and then rest our busy hands and enjoy the provided lunch and fellowship. On Saturday beginning at 9:00 am we will be preparing tables. Plan to join in the fun!

Looking forward to 2016:

• January 6, Wednesday, 9:30 am—C.T. Meeting for the officers in the Annex. We will be preparing for the Gathering on January 27.

• January 27, 2016—the third annual Chili Lunch with the men as our guests. This is one you do not want to miss. Not only is the chili outstanding, the program will be our own Zane Porter and Dick Zabriskie with “An Interesting Discussion” you will just have to come and see for yourselves. That is Wednesday, January 27, at 11:30 am. Oh and one more thing—please let us know if you will be there. There will be a sign-up sheet for you in Swain Hall. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

~Lois, Marge and Gail

2015 Christmas Cantata

Ladies’ Day at Men’s Breakfast Fellowship

Tuesday, December 15, 7:30 am in Swain Hall

Take part in one of our favorite holiday traditions—breakfast plus The Story of Christmas. All men and women of the church are invited to celebrate the birth of Christ with songs and scripture.

Stewardship Reminder

The monetary portion of your annual stewardship pledge helps pay our staff, maintain the church campus, support our ongoing programs, and defray other operating expenses. As of November 24, 68 pledge cards had been returned, pledging a total of $115,000. The Session will be meeting on December 10 to work on the budget, so if you have not yet sent in your Time, Talents, and Treasure pledge for 2016, please do so as quickly as possible.

Giving Tuesday

From the Presbyterian Mission Agency:

You’ve heard of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, but have you heard about Giving Tuesday—a day designated to kick off the holiday charitable giving season? As part of this global charitable giving effort, the Presbyterian Mission Agency is inviting Presbyterians across the country to take part in this special day of giving, which takes place today, December 1, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

Every gift helps. Your contributions to the Mission Agency will help Presbyterian Disaster Assistance provide aid in times of national and international disasters; support mission co-workers as they proclaim Christ’s good news; empower vulnerable people; build bridges of reconciliation in some of the world’s most troubled places; help the Church in its mission to become more diverse and inclusive of racial, ethnic, cultural, and language groups; as well as equip women for leadership in all ministries of the Church.

We have a day for giving thanks. And now we have #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. It’s simple: go to the Presbyterian Mission Agency donation page to give your gift to support the important work of the Mission Agency. You may designate your gift to a specific ministry area by clicking on “change it here” and typing in the ministry area.