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I M M A N U E LDecember NewsPresbyterian ChurchThe Longest NightThe Christmas season can seem dark forsome if it is associated with hard memoriesor unfulfilled expectations. It can also seemoverwhelming as the cultural cacophony ofexcess deafens us to the simple seasonal notesof hope and love. At Immanuel we worshipthis year on December 22, literally the longestnight of the year, as a way of acknowledgingboth our ambivalence and our yearning forpeace. Join us at 6:30 p.m. as we sing and prayand open ourselves to God’s Spirit.volume 64 B number 12 A wrapped present under the tree is amystery, a secret waiting to be revealed.Not even grown-ups can avoid the tingleof excitement that comes from finding agift under the tree with your name on it.Rev. David CameronPastorI clearly remember a Christmas when Iwas seven years old that, according to therules of my family, I did the unthinkable. We had put our treeup earlier than usual for some reason, and as gifts were boughtand wrapped, they were placed under the tree. I was under strictorders to look but not touch. I circled that tree like an old doglooking for a soft place to lie down, and without disturbing theposition of the packages themselves, I peeked at the tags oneach one memorizing which ones had my name on them.After a week I couldn’t stand it anymore. One day when mymother was in the back yard hanging out laundry and I was inthe house alone, I selected a small gift that I could tell wasn’tone of the primary gifts but an auxiliary gift not so important.I told myself that made what I was about to do acceptable. Icarefully unstuck the tape at one end and slid out the thin,see Perspective on page 5Christmas Eve WorshipAs is our tradition we will gather this yearon Christmas Eve three times for worship.At 2:00 pm we will receive the sacramentof the Lord’s Supper. At 7:00 pm we willworship with a more child-centered focus.At 11:00 pm we will gather once more ina beautiful service of candlelight to usherin Christmas Day.We hope you will plan to be at one ofthe services, if not more than one, andthat you will make a special effort to invitea friend to join you.114 Carlisle Blvd SEThe Joy Gift OfferingA cherished Presbyterian tradition, the Christmas JoyOffering is one of the four special offerings designated by theGeneral Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Todaythis Offering is shared equally by the Assistance Programof the Board of Pensions, which provides critical assistanceto Presbyterian church workers and their families, andPresbyterian-affiliated racial ethnic schools and colleges, whichenable students to develop their gifts and find their calling. TheOffering dates back to the 1930s, when the former PresbyterianChurch in the United States began an offering to supplementinadequate retirement income and provide supplementalmedical insurance for former ministers, missionaries, churchworkers, and their families. We will receive the offering onDecember 18 and December 25.Albuquerque , NM 87106505.265.7628www.rt66church.com
Church Calenda rDecember 2011THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2011PM 5:00 Nob Hill Christmas StrollFRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2011SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011PM 6:00 Praise and Worship ServiceSUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011Second Sunday of Advent2 Cents a Meal & Baby Food SundayCommunion9:00 Child Care9:00 Church School for adults10:30 Worship – Sanctuary10:45 Children’s WorshipEnrichment10:45 Church School for youth11:30 Coffee MingleMONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2011PM 1:30 HymnStrollers4:00 Adult Ed6:30 Advent Bible StudyTUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2011PM12:30 Deacons6:00 Building & Grounds7:00 College Age Young AdultsWEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2011PM 4:00 Finance & Stewardship4:30 GIG-Growing in GraceChildren’s program7:00 WorshipTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2011PM 6:00 Dismas House6:00 Jubilee Ringers7:10 Chancel ChoirFRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011PM 6:00 Christian Singles FellowshipSATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2011PM 2:00 Deacons Christmas TeaSUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2011AMThird Sunday of Advent9:00 Child Care9:00 Church School for adults10:30 Worship – Sanctuary10:45 Children’s WorshipEnrichment10:45 Church School for youth11:30 Coffee Mingle11:45 Morningside Park cleanupAM2MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2011PM 1:00 HymnStrollers6:30 Advent Bible StudyTUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2011Newsletter Article deadline7:00 College Age Young Adults7:00 SessionWEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2011AM10:00 Berean Circle StudyPM 4:30 GIG-Growing in GraceChildren’s programTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2011PM 6:00 Jubilee Ringers7:10 Chancel ChoirFRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2011PM 7:00 Friday Night FlicksScroogeSATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2011PM 6:00 Praise and Worship ServiceSUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2011PMFourth Sunday of Advent9:00 Child Care9:00 Church School for adults10:30 Worship – Sanctuary10:45 Children’s WorshipEnrichment10:45 Church School for youth11:30 Coffee MinglePM 2:00 Children’s MusicalThe Little Shepherd of BethlehemMONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2011PM 1:30 HymnStrollersTUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2011PM 7:00 College Age Young AdultsWEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2011THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2011PM 6:00 Jubilee Ringers rehearsal6:30 Longest Night Service7:10 Chancel Choir rehearsalFRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011AMChristmas Eve – Office closes at noonPM6:00 Christian Singles FellowshipSATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011Christmas Eve ServicesPM 2:00 Communion7:00 Children Centered Service11:00 Candlelight ServiceSUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2011AM10:00 Child Care10:30 Worship – Sanctuary10:45 Children’s WorshipEnrichment10:45 Church School for youth11:30 Coffee MingleMONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2011Office closed in observance of Christmas HolidayTUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011Christmas Holiday – Office closed at noonWEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011Christmas Holiday – Office closed at noon4:30 GIG-Growing in GraceChildren’s programTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2011PMChristmas Holiday – Office closed at noonFRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011Christmas Holiday – Office closed at noonSATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2011Christmas Eve9:00 am – NoonMonday, December 26ClosedTuesday – Friday, December 27 – 319:00 am – NoonMonday, January 2ClosedImmanuel Presbyterian Church December 2011
Weeinvitointo jyouAdvent Giftsus!Beginning next Sunday throughout Advent wewill collect gifts for the Child Life Program atPresbyterian Hospital: crib toys, rattles, onesies,baby socks, children’s books, crayons andcoloring books. A special need is child-friendlyband-aids. A small gift will mean so much tothese little ones and their families. Bring yourgifts to the ‘manger’ in the sanctuary.Nob Hill Shop and StrollThursday, December 1, 2011Immanuel Presbyterian Church Presents:An IPC Readers’ Theater Production ofThe Legend of Old Befanaby Tomie de PaolaPerformances at 5:45 pm, 6:30 pm & 7:15 pmAlso featuring(Each performance approx. 10 minutes) Children’s crafts Free cookies & hot chocolate, and Classic Christmas music by the bells & choir ofImmanuel Presbyterian ChurchEnter the Fellowship Hall from Carlisle Street just south of Central Ave.Join us during Shop 'n' Stroll in the Nob Hill Food Drive for the Storehouse.Bring a can or two and get in the giving spirit of the season.Nob Hill Community GardenDon’t forget to join us for aLongest Night ServiceWork Dayat 6:30 pm on Thursday, December 22Ladies & Gentlemen . . .for all who seek a simpler way to observe the season,and three Christmas Eve Servicese cons2:00THEpm (withcommunion)Dinvite you toChristmas Tea at Immanuel7:00 pm (child-centered) and11:00 pmIMMANUELPRESBYTERIANImmanuel Presbyterian ChurchSaturday, December10, 2011114 CarlisleSE(just south of Central)2:00 pm- 4:00 pmin Brayden ParlorCHURCHChild care will be provided.We do tradition with style.Ladies & Gentlemen . . .Ladies & Gentlemen . . .On Sunday,December 4 dressTHE De cons invite you todown for worshipand plan to stayafterward to bea good Nob Hill Saturday, December 10, 2011neighbor and work in the new Nobpm - 4:00 pmHill Community Garden2:00at thecorner ofinBraydenSilver and Morningside. The projectParlorof theChildcarewill be provided.day will be irrigation andtreeplanting.Bringyour Immanuel t-shirt to wear over your otherclothes to identify yourself as part of the IPCWe do tradition with style.Neighborhood Team.Christmas Tea at ImmanuelLadies & Gentlemen . . .e cons inviteyou tothe month ofTHE De cons invite you toThe Heifer Project THEwillDcontinueduringDecember. If you couldn’t attend the Market event onNovember 27, you may still purchase shares. Look forthe children and their displays after worship in BraydenSaturday,aboutDecember10, 2011Saturday, December 10, 2011Parlor. You will find informationthe HeiferProject there.The Christmas musical, “TheLittle2:00pm Shepherd- 4:00 pm of Bethlehem”2:00 pm - 4:00 pmwill be presented by the childrenofthecongregationonSunday,in Brayden Parlorin Brayden ParlorDecember 18 at 2:00 pm. PleasejointhechildrenandtheirChild care will be provided.Child care will be provided.families for the musical play and the cookies and cocoa afterwards. The kids and Rich helped out at the Storehousethis fall. A literal ton of rice was broken downThe kids are working hard to make the musical memorable forinto 2–cup bags.you. The play will be Wepresentedon the stage in Fellowship Hall.do tradition with style.We do tradition with style.Plan to be there!GIG dates: December 7, 14 and 28. The 28th will be a special surprise event. The time for this event will be5:00 - 7:00 pm. Vickie will be getting more information out to families about the activity.The children of Immanuel and I would like to wish each of you a blessed Christmas season. Thanks for yoursupport of the children’s ministry.Christmas Tea at Immanuel3Christmas Tea at ImmanuelImmanuel Presbyterian Church December 2011
ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL:A Fond FarewellFriday Night FlicksFriday Night FlicksFriday Night FlicksFriday Night FlicksIt was a friend whoencouraged Liz LaChey togive Immanuel PresbyterianChurch a try, and are weglad she did. Chris and JoyceLieberman recognized a special quality in Liz and invited herto take on a new role at Immanuel, that of Parish Nurse. Lizdefined the role and made it her own helping members of thechurch keep check on their health, answering medically relatedquestions, visiting in homes to lend a compassionate ear anda professional touch, and being an advocate for residents innursing homes and assisted living centers. After twelve yearsLiz has decided to retire from her official role. We will honorher following worship on December 4 in the Immanuel Parlor.Please make a point to express your appreciation.DECEMBER167:00 PMGifts of HopeAs the holidays draw near, our thoughtsturn to the spirit of gratitude and giving.All participating Gifts of Hope agencies aremost grateful for the contributions receivedlast year which have been used to help an everincreasing number of persons in need.During this challenging time all of us wonder,“Can I make any donations at all?” It is during the mostdemanding times when people join together, digging evendeeper into theirpockets of generosity.If you are deciding on a gift for a co-worker, teacher, parent orfriend, etc. who doesn't need any more “things”, honor thatperson with a donation to support a Gifts of Hope agency. Itis a unique and thoughtful way to remember someone andeliminates shopping trips, gas and time.The Gifts of Hope Catalog, with a brief description of theservices provided by each agency, are available at the receptiondesk and in Immanuel Parlor. All agencies in the catalog havebeen suggested by participating congregations. Please visit us atwww.giftsofhopenm.orgImmanuel Presbyterian Church December 2011ADVENTThe Adult Sunday School participantsduring this year’s Advent season willmeet to discuss four subjects found inthe hymn “Come Thou Long ExpectedJesus.” Pastor Cameron has characterizedthese as Release, Desire, Expectation, andTransformation.The next class, December 4, will study thesubject of Desire, in one or more of thefollowing ways: By discussing what the term Desiremeans to each of us as Christians; By examining the Bible readings used inour December 4 church service, (Isaiah40: 1-11; Psalm 85; 2 Peter 3:8-15; andMark 1:1-8) focusing on passages fromthe Old Testament; and By discussing how these passages mighthelp us understand the theme of Desire.Subsequent discussions will examine thethemes of:Expectation (December 11) using Isaiah 61:1-4 and 8-11; Psalm 126; I Thessalonians5:12-28; and John 1: 6-28; andTransformation (December 18) using 2Samuel 7:1-16; Romans 16: 25-27; and Luke1:26-38.There will be no Adult Ed on December25, 2011 or January 1, 2012.On January 8, Pastor David will beginan eight week series on the inspiration,translation, and interpretation of the Bible.Plan to join the class in this importantlearning experience.4
Bugg Lights!continued from page 1Perspectivesquare item inside. It was a set of Viewmaster discs withpictures of dinosaurs. At first glance I was excited, but in aninstant the guilt set in. A) I had broken a family rule, and B) Ihad spoiled the surprise. As difficult as it was to wait, I realizedthat in opening the gift before it was time I had robbed myselfof an important experience.The season of Advent is a season of waiting, waiting to opena gift. The Apostle Paul writes that in Jesus God has alreadyrevealed one mystery to us, the secret of God’s great love forall people and a desire to be in relationship with us that is asecret no longer. Yet, there is another mystery, another presentwe long to open, another gift we wait for. We want to knowhow it’s all going to turn out. We yearn for the day whenGod’s realm is fully realized and peace reigns supreme. In themeantime, we must bide our time, looking for clues, imaginingwhat it will be like, doing what we can to condition ourselvesso that when the time comes we’ll be ready. We must learnto live with the se that the beginning is near.PS: Christmas day falls on Sunday this year. The old spiritualrefers to Easter as that “Great getting’ up mornin’” but I hopeChristmas will be that for you as well as we gather to praiseGod for the gift we can open right now.Join HymnStrollers as we sing ChristmasCarols on the following Mondays. AnneCollins (228-0698) can answer anyquestions. We meet at the church at1:00 pm or at the designated location at1:30 pm. Our schedule is as follows: December 5 – Sadie Glenn and Marge Whitson: Vista delRio, 1620 Indian School Rd NE December 12 – Fran Reed: 7010 Phoenix NE #313 December 19 – Elsie Cook and Ethel Wherley: La VidaLlena, 10501 Lagrima de Oro Rd NEThere will be no HymnStrollers on Monday, December /10Kris StephensJulie CrockerNicholas MagañaBonnie FinchTom BellPat BellettoAnn VarneyCarol PondWalter HuebnerMiles FirkinsImmanuel Presbyterian Church Barbara GauertRon ChristensenAnn NelsonJoel MacMillanShelley SimmsMary DayvaultMary CampbellBarbara ShrubsallRoy MorganMarilyn IrvinDecember 2011In 1970, Norm and Joyce Bugg starteda tradition of a Christmas light displayat their NE Albuquerque home. Threeyears ago Menaul School, one of ourPresbyterian-related institutions in town,won the right to keep the legacy of theBugg Lights alive on their campus. In ourspirit of neighborly service, Immanuel willonce again send a team of volunteers onWednesday evening, December 21 to helpdirect traffic and welcome visitors to thedisplay. Please sign up at the ReceptionDesk or call the office if you can help.Mission YearbookThe Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Studyis a daily devotional with 366 inspiringmission stories that come from nextdoor and all across the globe. It inspiresthousands of Presbyterians daily as theyuphold the mission of the PresbyterianChurch (USA.) in intercessory prayer.The stories were collected around GeneralAssembly Mission theme “Bearing Fruitand Growing in the Knowledge of God”(Colossians 1:10). Each yearbook pagebears witness to the abundant possibilitiesof the church because of the leadership ofChrist. To order online go www.pcusa.organd search for 2012 Mission Yearbook.Monday Bible StudyOn the Mondays prior to the Sundays ofAdvent we meet in the Upper ConferenceRoom to study the Bible passages that arepart of the lectionary for the season. ThisAdvent begins Year B of the Lectionary andour primary gospel this year is Mark. Comejoin us at 6:30 pm and look forward to acontinuation next year on a weekly 012/30Kate WilliamsKai HunterEdward GladdenMarvin EkedalJoe CrowderJud LeechHarold NewlanderMartha SousaDennie MillerMeg Randall5
IMMANUELPRESBYTERIAN114 Carlisle Blvd. SEAlbuquerque NM 87106NON-PROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGEPAIDALBUQUERQUE, NMPERMIT NO. 148www.rt66church.comCHURCHChange Service RequestedProclaiming God’s Grace Through Jesus ChristChristmas PoinsettiasPoinsettias for the sanctuary this year are 8.00 per plant. They will decorate the sanctuary during Advent.If you would like to purchase a plant in honor or memory of a loved one, please complete the form below andreturn it to the church office. All forms must be in by Monday, December 5th for the names to appear in thebulletin on December 11th & December 18th.I would like to purchase plant(s) at 8.00 per plant. I would like the dedication to read:In memory of:In honor of:Your Name:Phone No.Check one of 3 choices:I will take my plant home on Sunday, December 18th OR afterone of the Christmas Eve services (2:00, 7:00 or 11:00 pm).I will pay for a plant and take the plant to (name)on Sunday, December 18thOR after one of the Christmas Eve services.I will pay for a plant and the church will deliver it to a shut-in.
Immanuel Presbyterian Church December 2011. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2011. PM. ob Hill Christmas Stroll5:00 N FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2011. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011. PM. aise and Worship Service6:00 Pr SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011. Second Sunday of Advent. 2 Cents a Meal & Baby Food Sunday Communion. AM. 9:00 Child Care 9:00 Church School for adults 0 .
