Bulletin for Children's Christmas Program 2011

Celebrate Jesus!

Children’s Christmas Program

Sunday, December 18, 2011  /  10 a.m.

*Those who are able, please stand.

The Prelude Silently prepare your hearts for worship

The Advent Wreath

Christmas Worship Team

Welcome / Announcements Colin Worke

Christmas Play

“Too-oo-oo Busy!!!!!”

Sunday School Kids

The Offering Brady Schumacher

The Lord’s Prayer Jordan Paulson

*“Joy to the World” Trystin Kinkade

Please join us in singing #117 (red hymnal)

*Benediction Colin Worke

Merry Christmas!

Everyone is invited to join us downstairs immediately following the program for a potluck brunch.  All are welcome even if you didn’t bring anything to pass.  There will be plenty!

	Our Cast
Nativity Characters
Mary	Ava Omtvedt
Joseph	Ethan Schroeder
Star Angel	Aubree Hansen
Wise Men	Jameson Paulson
	Colby Schroeder
	Jacob Schroeder
Shepherds	Miguel Rocha
	Clay Below
Angels	Jaida Curry
	Stella Omtvedt
Mall Kids	Cole Pomeroy	Ashton Worke
	Brady Hayes	Adam Schumacher
Guitar Player	Trystin Kinkade
Bell Ringer	Merrick Osweiler
Santa	Nick Dufault
Wreath Sales	Mikayla Bruder
Christmas Kids	Brooke Hayes	Marcus Hansen
Ian Pomeroy	Luke Osweiler	Jack Schumacher
Jordan Bauman	Jewel Paulson	Shido Moallin
Kenya Moallin	Ryan Dufault	Allison Dufault
Henry Youngberg	Oliver Youngberg	Dustin Osweiler
Brayden Rousan	Avery Osweiler
Pastor	Rev. Chris Meirose

Memorial Poinsettias

The beautiful poinsettias adorning our altar during Advent
have been given in loving memory of the following individuals:

Family members  (from Leona Wenzel)
Mae & Morton Cravath  (from Tracy & Shawn Pomeroy)
Cathy Hamor & Craig Finberg  (from Chris & Tom Krause)
Adelle Hopkins  (from Diana & Steve Welander)
David Kaiser  (from Sheila Kaiser)
Sadie & Lawrence Lee  (from Terry Lee)
Ruth Nelson  (from Roy Nelson)
Kurt Osweiler  (from Sheryl & Michael Osweiler)
Margaret & Benjamin Pomeroy
               (from Tracy & Shawn Pomeroy)
Ramon Schaub  (from Jeri Bluhm)
Tami Stanley  (from Phyllis Mercuro)
Walt Suemnick  (from Karen & Cal Below)
Oather (OT) Trodahl  (from Jeri Bluhm)
Cleo & Mark Will  (from Janet & Richard Will)


Christmas Dinner For the elderly and anyone alone on the holiday.  Hosted by Evangelical United Methodist. (Call 835-4774 to volunteer or donate.)

Sunday, December 25  /  noon

Waseca Senior Center (308 State St N)

Reservations should be made by noon this Wednesday.   Sign up at the center or call 835-4552.   Delivery & take-out available upon request (limit of four meals per household for take-out & delivery). A freewill offering will be gratefully accepted.

Annual Meeting is January 15. Potluck meal follows worship.  Meeting follows potluck.  Please turn in your reports to the office by noon Friday, January 6.


Give the Gift of Life!
American Red Cross Bloodmobile
Walk-ins welcome!  Photo i.d. or blood donor card required.
The need is constant; the gratification is instant.
This Friday  /  8 a.m. - noon
Christian Assembly  (900 14^th Ave SE)
Call 833-1082 for appointment.
Finance Committee Update


General Fund Update
The good news as we enter the last month of the year:  While some budget items are a little greater than planned and some a little less, overall the church spending for 2011 is going to be essentially right on budget.   Also, giving is up by about $4000 to date over last year.
The bad news is that total giving is still on track to be about $5000 less than will be needed to meet all expenses through the end of the year.  We realize this is a busy and expensive time of year, but if you can find it in your heart to come up with some extra giving before the end of the year, it would be greatly appreciated.  We would hate to be in a position where we don’t have sufficient general funds available to pay December heat and electricity.

Air Conditioning Pledge Drive
We currently have two pledge drives underway:  One of them is for installing air conditioning in the sanctuary.  We estimate a cost of $20,000.  The Church Council will move forward with this project when we have $18,000 pledged toward it.  To date, we’ve received 8 pledges totaling $10,460.  We’ve enclosed a pledge form for this project.  Pledges can be paid over a 3-year time period.

2012 NACCC Convention
The MN Fellowship of the NACCC will be hosting the national convention in Minneapolis next summer.  It has been several years since Minnesota hosted.  This will give many of us the chance to attend.  The MN Fellowship has asked each member church to provide money toward publicity, transportation, and other general expenses.  First Congregational has committed to provide $1000.  We put out a call to the congregation for this effort.  That call only resulted in $300 pledged. We‘ve enclosed a pledge form for this as well.  The funds will likely be requested in the March to May time frame as the MN Fellowship needs it.

The finance committee thanks you sincerely for all of the support you’ve given and wishes you a blessed Christmas Season.

Doug Leet  /  Eric Worke  /  Jason Paulson

This Week’s Calendar:

Today (18)
Sunday School	8:45 a.m.

Final Rehearsal for Christmas program!

Adult Fellowship	8:45 a.m.
Children’s Christmas Program	10 a.m.

Our Sunday School kids present their program as our worship service.

Potluck Brunch

Following program

Please stay for food and fellowship.  All are welcome even
if you didn’t bring anything to pass!  There will be plenty!

Monday (19)
Bible Study (John)	7 p.m.

Please come and delve into John’s Gospel with us at the
home of Jan Samaraka (525 8^th St NE).  All are welcome!

Wednesday (21)
Youth Chat Shopping spree	3 p.m. at WalMart

We ask each student to bring $5-10 (if possible), so we can buy toys & gifts to take to the Neighborhood Service Center for kids their ages.  Last year some in our church also gave money toward this project.  That enabled our students to expand the number of items they could buy.  They did an exceptional job leveraging every penny to get some really great gifts last year.  If you’d like to make a monetary gift toward this project and bless others as well, talk with Pastor Chris.

Youth Christmas party	After shopping
Confirmation	6-7 p.m.
Saturday (24)
Christmas Eve Worship	6 p.m.

Afterglow Fellowship time follows.

Sunday (25)
Christmas Day Worship	10 a.m.

It will be a simple service with song, praise & thanksgiving to Jesus.
Please join us and invite someone else, too!

Worship Assistants

Greeters	Chris & Tom Krause
Ushers	Leah & Eric Worke
Multi-Media	Keith Johnson
Acolyte	Cole Pomeroy
Special Music	Christmas Worship Team

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

“Belong to, Believe in, and Build the Kingdom of God”

503 2^nd Ave NE

Waseca, Minnesota

507-835-4548

WasecaChurch.org