The Christmas Offering will support our ministries in Haiti; The School of Hope and Kaendra's Place Orphanage. Inflation is exorbitant there and needs escalate. Thanks for your generous support!
Sunday December 26, 2021
One United Service at 10 o'clock in the Family Life Center.
Sunday January 2, 2022
One United Service at 10 o'clock in the Sanctuary.
Covid in Franklin County
The FDA has approved a new drug in pill form that is 90% effective in keeping patients out of the hospital and dying. It has been given Emergency Use Authorization for those patients who test positive, are at high risk of complications, are at least 12 years old and at least 88 pounds, and have had symptoms for less than 5 days. It is called Paxlovid and may be available soon by prescription.
Prayer Focus: Currently the local hospitals are above capacity with the private hospital rooms housing two patients and even ICU rooms have been doubling up. Elective cases have been put on hold. The staff is burning out rapidly and replacements are not available. Governor Wolfe is considering bringing in National Guard personnel to reinforce the available staff. 88% of the hospitalized Covid patients are unvaccinated. Vaccination rates in Franklin County are still quite low with only 41% fully vaccinated. 19.1% of the Covid tests are coming back positive (as compared to Philadelphia County at 8.4%). Locally, Cumberland County with 58.7% fully vaccinated has a positivity rate of 15.3%. The bottom line is that there are 166 new cases of Covid EVERY DAY in Franklin County.
The CDC predicts at this point that the peak of the current surge won’t end until sometime in January, but the omicron variant is the wild card and makes thing a bit hazier. With the holidays upon us and gatherings planned, it is even more important to get vaccinated, boosted if eligible, and mask while indoors in public. Grace and Peace Dr. Hurley
COVID19 Protocol Update
To learn more about the COVID19 vaccines, please visit Facts vs. Fiction: Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy by Dr. Hurley.
First Church leadership asks that congregants wear masks while inside the building per CDC recommendation and maintain social distance.
Watch our services on youtube at 12pm!
We also have a dedicated phone number so you can listen to latest recorded service at 717-899-4JOY (4569).
We are asking folks not to mail donations through the US Postal service. Please hand-deliver them to the church, because we are having issues with receiving mail. We also have online giving available as well. Thank you for blessing us!
In Service this week:
Pastor - Steven M. Livermore
MINISTRY UPDATES
Children's Ministry
Watch the kids of First Lights (2019) share the Christmas Story!
Youth Group
Illuminate Youth Ministry meets on Wednesdays from 6-8 pm, and on Sundays at 10am.
Merry Christmas!
We will meet regularly again in the New Year!
Mark Your Calendars: January 7-8, 2022 - LOCKIN
Hungry Hearts
Egg Cartons -We have more than enough and no more room to store egg cartons for HH so, please stop bringing them to the church. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!
Hungry Heart's Clothing MissionThe Clothing Mission has remained open since last January. From January until June, we asked our customers to fill out request forms and the ladies did their best to fill those orders. Since June, customers have been making appointments to shop for themselves on Thursday afternoons. During that entire time the ladies have been meeting on Thursday to size and sort donations. When the elevator quit in August, several of our volunteers were unable to continue because they couldn't manage the stairs. We also found that without the elevators we weren't physically able to move donations downstairs. With the help of some special young men from our congregation we were able to move all our stored winter clothes from the NAPA building to the basement and continue to meet the needs of our community.
With the elevator still out of order and our stored clothing already on display, we need to ask for donations of winter clothing, blankets, and housewares. The catch is that we can only accept donations if you are willing to carry them to the basement. The bins are in the Faith and Fellowship Sunday School classroom and items can also be left on tables in that room. If you are unsure of where to leave donations please talk to Carel Fish on Sunday and I will be glad to give you the short tour of the basement. You can also call me for info. (717 264 4354). Please only donate items that can be used at this time (winter clothing) and that you are able to carry to the basement. Thanks to you all for making this mission possible as it greatly benefits our neighbors.
Team Haiti
Sponsors are Needed for Haitian Children at Kaendra's Place orphanage. School of Hope tuition sponsorships at $140 a semester or $280 for the school year. Fall semester tuition is due now. Talk to Pastor Steve or mail haiti4fumc@gmail.com for more information.
Pastoral Care Ministries
GriefShare group meets Mondays at 1:00 PM. For more information or to register for the seminar contact Gail at 717-263-8491 ext. 207.
Stephen Ministry is here to walk with you through difficult journeys. If you need someone to listen and to care, call Gail at 717-263-8491 ext. 207 for more information. Also, please take a moment to read this wonderful testimony from Bill Holland entitled The Story of Rosemary's Bible.
Women Connect
Women Connect now has a private Facebook Group! All women in the church are invited to join!
New Year: New Studies!
Sunday Morning Study: Christianity is not about following a set of rules, but about following a Person. Jesus came into our world, lived a life of perfection, died to pay the price of our sin, and rose again to show us the way of resurrection life. And He offers us a brief but challenging invitation—“Follow Me.” If you are interested in seeking a greater understanding of what it means to follow Jesus and being supported in a daily practice of the Scripture reading, prayer, and simplicity that He modeled during his life, please consider joining us. We will be meeting on Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. beginning on January 9th. You can check the study out at Firm Foundation Study.
Weekly Evening Bible Study begins Wednesday, January 12th at 6:30 PM. We will be studying the book of Matthew. Printed guides will be available at the Welcome Center the previous Sunday.
Card-Making Class
With the increased price of greeting cards...how would you like to make your own and be able to say “I made this especially with you in mind”.
I would like to get a small (6-8 people) group together once a month on the second Tuesday to get creative and make cards and sometimes little gifts. I will have everything cut out with samples you can copy or do your own thing! There are NO wrong ways....we can always come up with a fix.
I am proposing our first gathering on January 11, 2022 at 10 a.m. We will be meeting in the Alda Bower Sunday School room. You would be making 2 cards (1 birthday; 1 get well/thinking of you) with envelopes. I'm asking for a small fee of $10.00 to cover supplies. If you are interested, please contact Judy Paes at 717-753-3104 (h) or 813-220-6773 (c) no later than December 30th so I can prepare. If I do not answer, please leave a message; and I will get back to you.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Important Note regarding upcoming events: If you are planning a church event, please contact Stacey in the church office so that we can coordinate all events in the church and are not overlapping ministries. Thank you!
Please contact the church about hospitalizations as we no longer are contacted when parishioners are hospitalized.
Photos will be taken in the Lobby on Sundays, beginning today through the 26th. Lifetouch Photography has ceased their church directory operations so we will produce our own “in house” with some of our own fine photographers. The directory will be available on line and through our own Church Center app as well as in print at a later date. Each person/family will be sent digital copies. Help us make this a success by having your photo taken!
Chancel Choir-Practice is held Wednesday nights at 7:00. All singers welcomed! Contact Diaconal Minister Linda Peppernick at lindapeppernick@embarqmail.com
Post-High School Connections - First Church Friends: I am looking for people to connect with our post high age young adults. Check-in texts, notes, and emails are a great way to let them know they're a part of the family even when they may not be able to attend regularly. If you're willing to friend one of our post high young adults, please contact Beth Stahl (stahlfamily2000@gmail.com or 717-375-8011).
200th Anniversary – 2022 will mark the 200th Anniversary of the birth of First Church. We are looking for interested individuals to be part of the committee planning our celebrations. Please contact Pastor Steve at pastor4fumc@gmail.com if you would like to help.
Evening Bible Studies:
Intergenerational Study -Interested in making connections between faith and real life? In building intergenerational relationships within the church? Consider joining this discussion-based Bible study at 5:30 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of every month. Study is designed for youth Grade 7 or higher in the company of their parents. All adults welcome!
“Wednesday Bible Study” @ 6:30 PM and meets every Wednesday in the Preschool Classroom (Apple Place). We will be studying the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah lived and wrote in a dark time. Studying the ministry of the prophet Jeremiah, you will get a glimpse of what it is like to have a personal relationship with God, for God and a human to be together and you will discover how you can grow in your own personal relationship to God. This study will also stream on Zoom. Study guides are available to pick up at the Welcome Center or you can download a copy here.
Elevator Update -We have been told it will be 10 weeks from the time the parts are ordered until work begins which is the end of January or the beginning of February. The bulk of funds has come from endowment and a CD, leaving $20,000 to be raised. To date contributions of $10,310 have been received. Thanks for giving as we fund the remaining $9,690 needed.
Friendly reminder that if you need to take tables out of the FLC please return them by Wednesday night so they are available for Thursday morning food distribution.
Refugee Resettlement: Please contact Clint Bolte (717) 267-2157 to volunteer with helps for the family. Donations can be sent to Congregation of the Sons of Israel, 209 East King Street, Chambersburg 17201—memo “refugee resettlement”.
Gail Vaugh will begin a sabbatical on January 1st and will continue for 3 months. Please keep her in your prayers, that this will be a time of refreshment and renewal.
Prayer and Study Group
25 Minute Weekly Prayer Meeting on Zoom every Thursday at 7:00 PM
FUMC Prayer & Study Group-
You are invited to join us on a new journey toward intimacy with God. We will be studying different prayer techniques and spiritual rhythms. We will meet on Zoom December 14th at 6:30 here.
Meeting ID: 869 2125 5975 Passcode: 7yWCpF
We use Padlet to post our comments & experiences All the group information will be on Padlet. The link is https://padlet.com/lindsayzubal/18h7uvhpvekgim5k. If you have any questions email Lindsay
Prayers for Healing
Dean Crow - in Hershey Med. Center.
Also, please pray for Dean's family.
Prayers for Our World
Those affected by natural disasters.
The people of Haiti.
The people of Afghanistan.
Government leaders of all nations.
For all those who take the gospel to a broken world in need of healing.
For those who are grieving this holiday season - from our neighborhood in Chambersburg to a small village in Nepal.
Prayers for Church Ministries, Events and Special projects
Stephen Ministry
First Lights Children's Ministry
Illuminate Youth Ministry
Hungry Hearts Ministry
Prayers for the pandemic
Healing for those with Covid.
Safety and protection for those who are traveling this holiday season.
Safety and protection for school children and those working in school systems.
Safety and protection for health care workers and those working in vulnerable places.
Wise choices regarding vaccination.
Prayers needed for these members:
John & Bunny Parson
Larry & Avis Guise
Al & Linda Lojacono
Betty Upperman
Bill & Mary Butts
Jack & Bette Bowers
Dean & Carol Crow
Paul & Erma Collins
Bill & Thelma Peerce
Kirk & Kathy Paul
Chuck & Dianne Salter
Dave & Joan Kauffman
Sarah & Barry Baker
Paul Bridegam
Janet Johnston
Lincille Lower
Praise and Thanksgiving!
Brad Walick is home and improving.