December 2nd, 2021
A Note From Pastor Dave
We began Advent last Sunday, thinking about Advent as anticipating and participating in God’s kingdom. We remember Christ’s first coming in anticipation of Christ coming again to fulfill God’s kingdom.
We continue this week with Zechariah and Elizabeth, considering these two as figures of Advent who wait and anticipate what God is up to. This work God is bringing about fulfills their old hopes, changes their expectations, and fosters new hopes. Perhaps these two might provide an example for us as we remain faithful to God’s enduring work and prove open to how God is moving in and around us.
I hope you’ll join us on Sunday.
This Sunday:
Communion: We will be celebrating communion during the service utilizing pre-packaged elements. For those at home, we encourage you to prepare for yourself some rudimentary elements in order to participate with us. If you plan to participate from home and would like prepackaged elements, please let us know and we will do our best to get those to you.
Deacon Sunday: Sunday December 5th, is Deacon Sunday for the month of December. In addition to your regular giving, you are invited to give to the work of Deacons in our church. The Deacons are starting to do our end of year giving to those organizations who help those in need this time of year or individuals who find themselves in need this time of year. Providing support to our community is important to all of the Deacons and we realize we are not able to do what we do without your generous donations. Thank you!
Coffee or tea anyone? We will now have coffee and tea available before church in the fellowship room on Sunday Mornings. Please grab a drink and socialize with us!
Christmas:
Celebrating Christmas Eve @ Providence: Please join us for a service of lessons and carols on Christmas Eve at 7pm, in-person and over Zoom. We hope it will be a meaningful evening for everyone as we reflect on the great gift of Jesus’ birth.
Christmas for 2 Families in Need: We are looking for volunteers to help purchase and wrap Christmas gifts for 2 needy families assigned to Providence by the Parker Task Force. All gifts need to be wrapped with a tag showing the family members name and family number and brought to the church no later than December 7th, 2021. They will be delivered to the Task Force on December 10th. A limit of about $50 per person is suggested. If you are interested in providing a gift for one of the family members, please contact Chris Hudson. She will give you the name, age, size, and the wish list for the child or adult. This is a tremendous opportunity to bless others this holiday season.
Spreading Christmas Cheer for the Homebound: The women of Providence would like to give some Christmas and holiday cheer to the shut-in members of congregation who are not able to attend regular church services or other holiday events. On Wednesday, December 15th at 1:30 p.m. we will meet in the Sanctuary to sign cards and make gift boxes of cookies and Christmas candy for each of our homebound members. Please bring a box of Christmas cards and either 3 dozen of your favorite Christmas Cookie recipe or some bags of your favorite Christmas candy. Addresses, stamps, and gift boxes will be provided. Please RSVP by December 7th to Liz Jansch.
Poinsettias: If you would like to purchase a poinsettia to decorate our sanctuary during the holidays, the envelopes to order one are now available on the table in the narthex. The cost is $10.00 for each poinsettia. Dedication information can be written on the envelope. You may place your envelope in the collection plate on Sunday mornings or leave it on Alaina’s desk in the office. The last date for ordering will be December 19th, and you may take your plant home after the Christmas Eve Service.
Upcoming Sundays:
Collection for the Parker Task Force: Our November collection for the Parker Task Force was one of the most successful collections we’ve ever had! In addition to nonperishable goods, we received 4 full size turkeys and multiple cash and grocery gift card donations. Our next collection for the Task Force will be December 19th, 2021. Donations can be brought in to the church during the week beforehand if you are participating in the service via Zoom. If you plan to make a gift card or cash donation, please make sure you keep it separate from the food donations. If you have any questions, please contact the church office. Thank you for continuing to faithfully support this important ministry in our community!
Annual Congregational Meeting: On January 9th, 2022, we will hold our annual congregational meeting to receive the annual report, approve our Session elders and Deacons, and receive the 2022 ministry budget. Please plan on attending this important meeting and let’s get excited for the new year!
Missions/Church Life: Ways to volunteer at church and in our community:
Serve as a Greeter on Sunday Mornings: The primary role of a greeter is to welcome people at the entrance to the church and take attendance. For more information or to volunteer please contact Chris Hudson.
Upcoming Events & Announcements:
Women’s Support Group: The women’s support group will meet on the second and fourth Thursday of the month in the Providence Fellowship Hall at 3:30pm. The next meeting is on December 9th, 2021. There will be no meeting the week of Thanksgiving. Questions? Contact the church office.
Men’s Breakfast: The men’s breakfast will meet on December 16th at 7:30am at the Egg & U. Come join us for a meal and fellowship. Questions? Contact the church office.
PPC Book Club: Our book club will meet Thursday December 16, 2021 at 2:00 at church and on ZOOM. The book we are reading is The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey. Everyone is welcome.
Coffee and Conversation: Weekly on Tuesday mornings from 9 to 10am. We connect, reflect on Sunday’s sermon and scriptures with observations and questions, and close in prayer. It is a chance to get to know each other more, to grow together, and to linger longer with the scriptures. Come join us!
Providence Financial Update: At the end of October 31, 2021 the Income and Expenses are as follows:
| Income | Expense | Variance | |
| Month of October | $10,898.05 | $12,161.28 | (1,263.23) |
| YTD | $100,485.44 | $131,976.06 | (31,490.62)* |
| Per Capita | $1,803.00 | $2,500.00 | (697.00) |
*This deficit will be made up by transfers from several CD’s.
King Soopers Fundraiser: Our Kings Soopers fundraiser earned $325 for Providence in the 3rd quarter. Thank you to all the individuals and families that are continuing to support the church in this way. It’s now easier than ever to support Providence Presbyterian Church when you shop at King Soopers and City Market! King Soopers has changed its charitable fundraising program and no longer requires you to purchase a gift card from us. Simply register your King Soopers/City Market loyalty rewards cards and link it to support Providence. Then King Soopers will donate to us based on the purchases of our supporters. If you don’t already have a rewards card, they are available at the customer service desk of any King Soopers or City Market. Here’s how to link your King Soopers/City Market loyalty rewards card to support Providence:
- Login to your King Soopers or City Market account (or create an account) at www.kingsoopers.com or www.citymarket.com.
- Click on Savings & Rewards, then King Soopers Community Rewards, then Enroll Now.
- Search for Providence Presbyterian Church or enter our organization number YJ207 and click Enroll.
Your King Soopers/City Market loyalty card will be linked to Providence and you’ll be helping us every time you shop! Please feel free to contact the church office if you have any questions.
Heather Chimhoga Orphan Center (HCOC) Updates: HCOC Poultry Project – HCOC has established a poultry project, growing and selling poultry. The project is performing well and managing to be self-sufficient with all salaries coming from the earnings of the project. Additionally, the poultry project paid $500 toward efforts to help and support some of the female children at HCOC and also help to supplement the feeding centers. They are currently only using 40 – 50% capacity due to the market for chickens right now (which is down), and that providers are limiting the number of day-old chicks available to HCOC right now.
Online Giving
You can now give online! Providence Presbyterian Church has partnered with the Presbyterian Foundation to offer a convenient, safe and secure way for our community to give online. Visit our giving page on our website for information on how to donate to Providence electronically.
Prayers
This week at Providence please keep the following people in your prayers:
Jim and Judy Nash, Laurie Schmidt, Paul White, Betty Holum, Ken Stabler, Phyllis Christensen, Pat Schwartz, Renee Mastriona, Lea Marot, Evan & Janell Totten, Donna Hoyt, Jacqueline Murphy, Kris Fairbanks, Higgins Family, Sharyn Horvath, Shari Reese-Wilson, Robert McCown, Betty Lutz, Vanessa Pierce, Sherry Flohr, Cindy Roth, Deanna, Patsy Slack, Renee and Mark. We would also ask you to keep those suffering from COVID-19 in your prayers. Thank you for your prayers.
Phone: 720-851-6881
MidWeek Update Deadline:
NOON on Tuesday
ppcmwu@providencepcusa.org
Hearing Loop is available in our Sanctuary
MidWeek Scripture Reflection
Philippians 1:3-11
3 I thank my God every time I remember you, 4 constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5 because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.
Luke 1:57-80
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” 62 Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him. 67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and has remembered his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.
