First Evangelical and Reformed Church

320 W. Wayne St. Lima, OH 45801

We are a Bible based Church that presents God’s relevant word

of caring and sharing for all people.

Rev. Edward Rinehart, Pastor

Pastor’s E-Mail:

Church Office: (419) 222-6700

Pastor’s Study: (419) 222-6200

Parsonage: (419) 225-8592

PLEASE SIGN THE BLACK ATTENDANCE BOOK AND PASS DOWN.

Visitors are invited to take the Welcome Packet found inside the cover.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Third Sunday in Advent

THE PEALING OF THE BELL

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PREPARING OURSELVES FOR WORSHIP

“Rise Up Shepherd and Follow” Lyndell Leatherman

APPROACHING THE THRONE OF GRACE IN PRAYER

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH

*HYMN “O Come, All Ye Faithful” # 91

PRAYER CONCERNS AND PRAISES

OFFERTORY “The Shepherd Boy” Iris Ackenhusen

*DOXOLOGY

*BLESSING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

CHOIR

SCRIPTURE Isaiah 40:1-11 Page # 623

MESSAGE “Finding Peace in the Preparation” Pastor Ed Rinehart

*HYMN “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” # 97

*BENEDICTION

*TAKING OUR LIGHT TO THE WORLD

POSTLUDE “Three Kings” Patricia Lou Harris

(*Indicates Congregation Standing / (For Those Who Are Able)

Serving You This Week

Elder Cleadous Hawk

Pastor Rev. Ed Rinehart

Secretary Gloria Moening

Organist Charles Cheuvront

Director of Music Margaret Lewis

Nursery Director Joan Haines

Greeters Jack and Becky Gross

Videographer Grant Coon

If you have trouble hearing please let a Deacon know and they will assist you in getting a Hearing Device.

COOKBOOKS Make Great Christmas Gifts! – We have plenty more so if you would like to purchase a cookbook the cost is $10 each. Please make checks payable to First E & R Church. Please see Ginger or Eleanor to purchase cookbook.

Shut-in of the Week: Verdie Augsburger is this week’s Shut-in of the week. Please take time to send her a card and to pray for her this week. Her Address is: 100 Red Oak Circle

Cridersville, OH 45806

Bible Trivia: John 8:32 says, “And you shall know the truth and the truth shall ______.” a. Save you

b. Open your eyes

c. Enslave you

d. Make you free

Pondering: We may be free from the fear of death itself but, the process of dying is another matter entirely.

CHURCH CALENDAR

TODAY: We welcome you to our service today and hope you are blessed and edified by our service.

MONDAY: Narcotics Support Group 5 – 8 pm (Fellowship Hall)

TUESDAY: Gospel of John Bible Study @ 7 pm at Alicia’s

WEDNESDAY: Choir Practice @ 6:45 pm

SATURDAY: Men’s Brotherhood Breakfast @ 8:30 am

Shut-in Trays made @ 10:00 am

NEXT SUNDAY: Sunday School @ 9 am – Come Join Us!

Dec. 22nd, 2013 Morning Worship @ 10:15 am

Fourth Sunday of Advent

After Worship – Prayer in Chapel Open to All

Greeters: Cleadous & Jeanella Hawk

Flowers: Clete and Jeanella Hawk

Scripture: Matt. 1:18-25; John 3:13-16

Sermon: “How Great Our Father’s Love”

Financial Statement and Distribution

December 8, 2013 / Total Attendance @ 91

Weekly Budget / Account / Sunday Offering / YTD / Budget
Difference
Unified Budget / 2,862.00 / 156,467.71
Budgeted Specified / 280.00 / 7,881.65
$3,606.66 / Running Total of Budget / 3,142.00 / 164,349.36 / ( 12,376.98)
Memorials / 360.00 / 2,405.00
Unbudgeted Specified / 254.90 / 30,465.03
Total Giving / $ 3,756.90 / $ 197,219.39

PRAYER and PRAISES:

HEALTH: Betty & Doug Hadding, Betty King, David Lutz, Carole Cheuvront, Mary Fletcher, Donna Hollar, Sue Lutz, Shirley McLaughlin, Gretchin Bowen, Darlene Sackett, Matt Martini, Marilyn Lawrence, Nancy Riegle, Mabel Lewis, Jeri Stimmel, Perry Truesdale, Dustin Ingle, Mary Ream, Pat Guagenti, Randell Allen, Sr., Mike & Becky Long, Sarah Stidham, Anna Bell Harriman, Mara Noelle Brewsey, Comfort for the George Scheckelhoff family in his passing, Our Military, Our Government Leaders, the Philippines and the Shut-ins.

NOTE: If you have a prayer request, please fill out the small green card and give it to Pastor or an Elder before the service.

“And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:15 & 16

Men’s Brotherhood Breakfast – Saturday, December 21st, at 8:30 am in the Fellowship Hall. All men are welcome to attend.

DONATIONS NEEDED FOR THE SHUT-IN BASKETS. We will be putting the trays together next Saturday, December 21st, at 10 am. Need candy, cookies, little lotions or small tissue packs, etc. See Bev Snook if you wish to help or need more info.

ANNUAL REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 29th.

Junior Church Meeting - Dwight would like to meet with anyone that helps with JR church on Monday, December 30th@ 6:30 in the Church Lounge. Please plan to attend for this meeting.

2014 Offering Envelopes are ready to be picked up! – Please stop by the table to get your envelopes.

FEAR Youth Group will be hosting a Church-wide New Year’s Eve party at the Church. This will begin at 8:30 pm and conclude about 12:30 am, this is a night of fun, fellowship, and a great way to bring in the New Year as we take time to pray and begin our year based on Christ. We invite you to come and join us for part of all of the fun in the Fellowship Hall.

17thANNUAL SOUPER BOWL

OF CARING AND SHARING

“Food for the Needy”

A CHRISTMAS SHOPPING suggestion – why not include on your gift list a generous donation of soup and crackers for C.U.P. and the Lima Rescue Mission?

Purchases for Christmas giving will be counted in our up-coming 2014 Souper Bowl collection.

Monetary gifts may also be left at the Church Office

and we’ll do the shopping to buy more soup.

Thank you and “Merry Christmas” from C.U.P. and the Lima Rescue Mission.

CHRISTIANS CARE - CHRISTIANS SHARE

Paul Kreher

2013 Soup Drive Results: As of Today:

5321 Cans of Soup 144 cans taken to C.U.P.

226 Boxes of Crackers

$1,678.00 monetary donations

"Blessed are those who are generous because they feed the poor." Proverbs 22:9

Legend of the Three Trees

Long ago, when God created the world, He made grass and seeds and trees. In a green valley, a hungry fox dropped an olive pit. From that pit, a new olive tree with beautiful wood began to grow. Along a rocky shoreline, a stork dropped an acorn into a deep crack. From that acorn, a great oak tree began to grow. High on a mountainside, a clumsy goat knocked a log into a tree. The crash sent pine cones and their seeds spinning to the ground. From one of those seeds, a new pine tree began to grow. Each of the trees had great dreams of what it would become.

The Olive Tree hoped that its beautiful wood could become a treasure chest decorated with sparkling jewels. The mighty Oak hoped to become a strong ship. Proudly, it would carry kings and queens across the waters! The tall, majestic Pine hoped to always stay on the mountainside. There, it would forever point people to God.

God had His own plan for each of the trees. The beautiful wood of the olive tree did not become a treasure chest. It became a feeding box for animals. But in that simple manger lay the greatest treasure of all time ---- God’s only Son, Jesus.

The mighty Oak tree did not become a great ship. It became a simple fishing boat. Yet that little boat carried Jesus, the King of Kings. In that boat, Jesus calmed a terrible storm with just a word.

The tall pine did not stay on the mountainside. It was made into a rough wooden cross. On that cross, Jesus died to save people from their sins. Ever since, the cross has reminded people of God’s great love for them. The dreams of the three trees came true. It was just not in the way they imagined.

As with the three trees, God has a plan for each of us. And so we see, God’s ways are not always our ways, but His ways are always best.

From a book by Tommy Nelson