TheClapper

SECOND CHRISTIAN CONGREGATIONAL December 2017 - January 2018 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST www.2ccucc.org Pastor: The Rev. Brad Hirst (207)439-3903

Christmas Eve ServicesFamily Worship

December 24, 10:00 AM

Traditional Christmas EveCandlelight ServiceDecember 24, 7:00 PM

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~Leaning Toward the Light

A “Blue Christmas” Jazz VespersDecember 21 at 8:00 PM

The Christmas season can be a very lonely, sad,"blue" time for those grieving the loss of loved ones orother losses and for those who feel all alone whenothers are rejoicing and gathering with friends andfamily members.

On Thursday, December 21, at BUOY (2 GovernmentSt.) we will gather together with our friends from FirstCongregational Church of Kittery Point and others inour community to comfort and care for one another inthis season of memory. Our Blue Christmas servicewill be intimate, informal, interactive and filled withmusic to release “the hopes and fears of all the years.”

As the dark times can be truly dark, let us cometogether to meet one another in that darkness andthen to lean toward the light. Bring a friend.

Christmas Tea&

Fashion ShowDecember 10

3:00PMOn Sunday, December 10, at 3:00 PM, we will be hosting our annual Christmas Tea & Fashion Show. All proceeds to benefit Fair Tide, which offers transitional housing and community supportprograms that guide participants towards self-sufficiency.

For a suggested donation of $40 you may sponsora table and decorate it withyour favorite fancy tea cupsand tea pots, and theninvite your friends to joinyou at the table. Or youmay buy tickets for $5 eachfor you and your guests,and enjoy the beautiful tables created by your 2CCUCC friends. In addition to tea, there will be special refreshments for you and your guests to enjoy. We will also have a Fashion Show featuring clothing from the Fair Tide Thrift Store. Ladies, if you have always dreamed of modeling, then this is your chance! And gentlemen, we wouldn't want to disappoint your modeling aspirations, so you are invited to participate in the fashion show as well. We could also use male volunteers to help as servers for this fun event. We are also asking for volunteers to make centerpieces to raffle to help support Fair Tide. Please contact Linda Baran (439-8815, beegood1@comcast.net) to reserve your table or volunteer.

The Clapper December 2017 & January 2018

Dear Friends,

Advent is upon us once again! Did you know that this first season of our church year was once, like Lent, a 40-day long

period of penitence and preparation? It's hard to imagine giving up chocolate for Advent, don't you think? But these weeks leading up to Christmas have now become a 4+ week flurry of shopping, baking, over-eating, family gatherings and celebrations. Advent can be exhausting! Add in a Christmas Tea, Caroling with your church family and some extra travel,and it's easy to lose the “reason for the season.” We set such a furious pace for ourselves that all we see is a blur as the days speed by.

Don't get me wrong! I enjoy all those extra things that make this season so special. I love the busyness, I love the constant din, well – mostly. But in this season of waiting, I've discovered that if I wait – even hopefully– for time and space just for me, well... it will be a long wait.

So from time to time I find myself looking for a quiet corner, an out of the way place to just sit, maybe in thefleeting afternoon sunlight, to revel in the holiness of the season. In that place of quiet I witness the hopefulness of lights strewn around town just holding their own against the approaching darkness. I experience the peace of the day fading. For me that's a holy time.

I hope in this season of Advent, through this season ofwatchfulness and anticipation, of hopefulness and peace, you'll be able to find a place of quiet rest. I hope you might pick up an Advent devotional that makes finding this time intentional and necessary. To help with this you might want to look at the Advent calendar on the table in the Vestry that has a devotional task for each day... Or you might find something online – maybe something like this one through Facebook called Keeping Watch Together.

However you do it, I pray you seek out a path that putsyou in touch with the Holy One who is coming among us once again – who indeed is already here!

Grace and Peace,

From the Treasurer:

The black line at the top of the chart represents themonthly target to meet budget. The vertical bars

represent the actual offerings received each month, asof Nov. 26, 2017.

Kittery Holiday BasketsIf you would like to help spread Christmas cheer to two Kittery families, please check the Christmas tree in the vestry for an

ornament with a description of a person in need. UNWRAPPED gifts should be returned by Sunday, December 10. Please remember to return the gift tag ornament with the gift! If you have any questions, please speak to Nadine Donnell (207-363-7640).

The Book Club will be meeting December 5 at 6:30 pm at the home of Robert and Diane McDonough (48 Old Post Rd. Kittery) to discuss Our Souls of Night by Kent Haruf. Kent Haruf’s novel tells the tale of the unlikely love found whenAddie Moore proposes that her neighbor, Louis Waters, sleeps in the same bed as her because the nights are lonely in small town Holt County. Their arrangement immediately comes under fire from the other elderly folks. Despite their words, the two continue because they believe they have finally found some light after the death of their spouses.

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The Clapper December 2017 & January 2018CHRISTMAS

POINSETTIASIf you would like a poinsettia

placed in the sanctuary inmemory of or in honor of a

loved one or friend, please fillout the order form available in the vestry andplace it in the offering plate or send it into thechurch office by December 17. The cost is

$12.00 each. Also, gifts in any amount may bemade to the Memorial Fund. Space is limited!

Kittery Holiday ParadeThe Kittery Holiday Parade will be stepping off from Post Office Square at 3:00 PM on December2, and will wind its way through the downtown passing Second Christian, and concluding at the John Paul Jones Park with the tree lighting. We're not going to be creating a float this year, but we'd love to have some folks out front of the church on our new patio to welcome guests and cheer on the parade as it passes by!

Christmas CarolingDecember 17, 5:00 PM

Please join our church familyas we spread Christmascheer through Kittery onSunday evening, December17. We'll meet here at thechurch at 5:00 PM, and then will visit the homes ofshut-ins and regale our neighbors with the Good News of Christ's Birth!

Bring a friend and join us as we get into the spirit of the season!

We are each invited to share a single Christmas card for the whole church family and display it on the large bulletin board downstairs in the church hall. Of course, you are always free to send cards via the USPS, or even hand-deliver them on Sunday morning!

Our “Gratitudes”A special thank you goes out to Diana Marzinzikand cast of thousands for pulling together such a wonderful celebration as we dedicated our new patio on October 22. Thanks also to Rob Varney for securing the services of the “pedi-cab” for scenic trips around the block. Wow! What an amazing celebration!

My grateful thanks go out to everyone for the kind and generous gift for my 15th anniversary of serving this wonderful church! Anyone up for 15 more? Pastor Brad

Thank you also to Alan Robinson for meticulously painting the clamps and mounting our parking signs in front of the church. They look as though they've always been there. And if you look up an see the warm glow of light from the steeple, thank Alan for that too!

Finally, to each and every person who helped tomake this year's Evergreen Festival the best ever (we are on a roll!), we say thank you! It takes an entire congregation to make this happen, and we had pretty near everyone involved! At the risk of omitting key players, we thank especially Kathy Runey, Edie Niles, LindaWentworth, Bea Paisley and Elaine Hansberry, the Crafty Ladies, and Alison Hannan on the keyboard! What a day it was!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~December Food for Footprints

December & January

Footprints particularly needs:

Healthy kid's snacks including fruitroll-ups, small boxes of raisins, juice boxes (in

the cardboard boxes not foil), pancake mix,cereal, peanut butter, mac & cheese, Spaghetti

O's, toothpaste and toiletries for children, as wellas non-grocery items such as aluminum foil and

plastic wrap. They would also appreciatedonations of rice and pasta side dishes, pasta

sauce, Saltines, and coffee. Cleaning supplies,diapers, and pet food are also needed.

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The Clapper December 2017 & January 2018

Rock My Soul Holiday Concert

Saturday December 16 7:00 pmThe Dance Hall, Kittery

7 Walker St. KitterySee Dawn Boyer for tickets or go to

www.projectmusicworks.org

2018 Ecumenical Epiphany Concert

Saturday January 6 at 6:00 pmThe choirs of the churches of the Kittery-Eliot

Clergy Association will be performing at St. Mark'sUnited Methodist Church in Kittery.

All are welcome!~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Second Sunday JazzMusician of the Month of December:

John Grolnik

December's Second Sunday Jazz featured musician is Don Grolnick, an American jazz pianist, composer, and record producer. As a session musician, he recorded with the likes of Roberta Flack, Bette Midler, Marcus Miller, Linda Ronstadt, David Sanborn, Carly Simon, Steely Dan, and James Taylor.

He was born in Brooklyn in 1947 and began his musical life on accordion but later switched to piano. His interest in jazz began as a child after his father took him to a Count Basie concert.

His bands were the opening act for B.B.King, TheJeff Beck Group, and the Velvet Underground at Boston clubs. This was Grolnick's first foray into rock and blues as a performer, and he began to write within the medium as well. Grolnick died at the age of 48 on June 1, 1996 from Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Kittery Coffee HouseSaturday, Dec. 9, and Jan. 13

Beneficiaries of December's and January's coffee houses have yet to be determined, but we'll be here pickin' and grinin' with some of the area's finest and aspiring musicians! 6:30-10:00.If you are a musician or group and would like to play center stage, please contact Bob Dearborn at 207-438-6087, 603-842-3818, or shadesofgrass@hotmail.com.

SNOW CANCELLATIONSIf the church is to be closed due to snow or other emergency it will be announced on television on channel 6 WCSH (Portland). The notice will also be posted onour website www.2ccucc.org ,,

Facebook page, and on the church voicemail. We hope to be able to do this by 8:00 AM for anyregular Sunday morning service. Occasionally ourtechnology fails us in bad weather, if travel may be difficult for you, or you just don't feel like you can make it here and back safely, STAY HOME! We'll be here the next week as well!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Christmas Fund

It wasn’t easy picking up the telephone to share with you my present situation. In fact it was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life although it reminded me that grace still happens. Sometimes we as clergy persons lose sight of God’s grace when the negative stuff comes into our lives.""…thanks so much for sharing your time andministry with me. Your most gracious gift is appreciated more than words can say as I continue to live in the 'meantime."

These eloquent words are from a pastor who is the recipient of the caring and concern of those who contribute to the Christmas Fund Special Mission Offering. You have the opportunity to be a part of this ministry that cares for the active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ through your participation in the 2017 Christmas Fund Special Mission Offering. This year's theme is "Shepherding the Light."

On Epiphany Sunday, January 7, 2018 we will bereceiving this special offering.

Envelopes for this special offering will be availablein the back of the Sanctuary and in the vestry.

Please give generously!4

The Clapper December 2017 & January 2018 Deacons Meeting - November 19, 2017

Meeting opened by: Senior Deacon Ernie WiswellOpening Prayer: Laurie RowanSecretary for the meeting: Sharon WiswellDeacon’s present: Ernie Wiswell, Sharon Wiswell,Laurie Rowan, Linda Baran, Tom Baran, Alison Hannan, Pastor Brad Hirst.Minutes of the October meeting: Approved.Unfinished Business: Deacon of the Month for December is Tom Baran with Charlie Donnell as alternate.No reports on home Visitations presented. Team Liaison Reports: Linda Baran reported that new Welcoming Bags need to be made up. Sharon Wiswell offered assistance with this.Church’s 175 Anniversary Celebration / May 25, 2018. Rob Varney continues to assemble a team to organize for this event. Pictorial Directory: Will continue to explore options of how to proceed with this after the holidays.New Business: Communion will be served Dec 3, First Sunday in Advent and Christmas Eve at morning worship and New Year's Eve at morning worship.Christmas Caroling will be December 17th. On Dec 3, Pastor Brad will be at a family weddingin Puerto Rico. Rev. Pat Smith will be pulpit supply. It is Communion Sunday. Sharon Wiswell will make bread for this.Jazz Vespers at the Buoy will be moved to Dec. 21 at 8:00 pm. A Blue Christmas/Winter Solstice theme is being planned. Child Care for Sunday Mornings. We continue to look for a person to fill our paid position. Church Safety was discussed and we feel that the Deacons and members of the congregation could volunteer to rotate as the second person in the nursery.Christmas Tea and Fashion Show for Fair Tide will be Dec.10, 2017. All proceeds go to help Fair Tide. Tom and Linda Baran have this well underway. Brad Hirst informed us that Susan Tuveson has offered us a piano for long-term loan to be placed in the Vestry. The Church Insurance does cover property in our building. This is a mutual benefit for our church and Mrs. Tuveson.Respectfully submitted, Sharon Wiswell

Those Sunday Readings...

Where on earth does Pastor Brad come up with all those scripture readings every week? Well, hegenerally follows The Revised Common Lectionary, a three year cycle of readings. Each of the three years focuses on one of the synopticGospels – Matthew Mark, and Luke – with readings from John mixed in through the year. The Revised Common Lectionary also “assigns” a lesson from the Old Testament, one from the Psalms (also Old Testament, but...) and one from the Epistles – the letters in the New Testament. We usually pick two.

We just finished Year A, reading mostly from Matthew, and are now entering Year B which features readings from Mark. See if you can heara difference!

Revised Common Lectionary Readings forDecember & January

Dec 3 Isa 64:1-9, Ps 80:1-7, 17-19, 1 Cor 1:3-9, Mark 13:24-37

Dec 10 Isa 40:1-11, Ps 85:1-2, 8-13, 2 Pet 3:8-15a, Mark 1:1-8

Dec 17 Isa 61:1-4, 8-11, Ps 126 or Luke 1:46b-55, 1 Thess 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19-28

Dec 24 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16, Luke 1:46b – 55 or Ps 89:1-4, 19-26, Rom 16:25-27, Luke 1:26-38

Dec 25 Isa 9:2-7, Ps 96, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)

Dec 31 Isa 61:10-62:3, Ps 148, Gal 4:4-7, Luke 2:22-40

Jan 7 Gen 1:1-5, Ps 29, Acts 19:1-7, Mk 1:4-11

Jan 14 I Sam 3:1-10 (11-20), Ps 139:1-6, 13-18

I Cor 6:12-20, Jn 1:43-51

Jan 21 Jonah 3:1-5, 10, Ps 62:5-12, I Cor 7:29-31, Mk 1:14-20

Jan 28 Deut 18:15-20, Ps 111, I Cor 8:1-13, Mk 1:21-28

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The Clapper December 2017 & January 2018DON'T FORGET: WE COLLECT FOOD FOR FOOTPRINTS FOOD PANTRY & END 68 HOURS OF HUNGER

EVERY SECOND SUNDAY OF THE MONTH (DECEMBER 10 AND JANUARY 14)

SERVING YOU THIS MONTH:GO TO OUR SIGN-UP PAGE AND LET'S FILL IN THE BLANKS!

December DEACON OF THE MONTH: Tom Baran, Alternate: Charlie Donnell

December Ushers: December Greeters: December Liturgists:03 Kathy & Tim Runey 03 03 Laura Donnell10 John & Diana Marzinzik 10 10 Kathy Maloney17 Priscilla & Orville deRochemont 17 17 Go to our Sign-Up Page to fill this spot24 24 Sandy Raynes 24 Go to our Sign-Up Page to fill this spot Alan & Melissa Robinson31 Sharon & Ernie Wiswell 31 Laura Donnell 31 Go to our Sign-Up Page to fill this spot

January DEACON OF THE MONTH: Ernie Wiswell Alternate: Laurie Rowan

January Ushers: January Greeters: January Liturgists:07 Laura Donnell 07 Ernie & Sharon Wiswell 07 Go to our Sign-Up Page to fill this spot14 14 14 Go to our Sign-Up Page to fill this spot21 21 21 Go to our Sign-Up Page to fill this spot28 Ernie & Sharon Wiswell 28 28 Go to our Sign-Up Page to fill this spot __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

OUR PRAYER LISTPlease keep the following people in your prayers this month:

Nadia Ames Bill Baran Madeline & HollyBeryl Hill Don & Alison Hannan Chris WintersDot Langton Lezlye Shea Holly BanvilleLaurie Rowan Ed & Gwen Mossman FrancescaJanet Kolod Aidan James Elaine Hansberry

If you are aware of anyone who should be added to or taken off our prayer list,please contact the church office.

December Birthdays

December 2 Kathy RuneyDecember 5 Chantal RogersDecember 6 Diana MarzinzikDecember 9 Scott DamsellDecember 11 David SyphersDecember 14 Ro CurtisDecember 15 Christine CloughDecember 20 Tina DamsellDecember 21 Tom SullivanDecember 24 Catie JonesDecember 26 Diane McDonoughDecember 27 Mistee Boyd

December 30 Amanda Kowalski

December Anniversaries

December 19 Bill & Betty BaranDecember 21 Don & Alison Hannan

January Birthdays

January 1 Barbara RobinsonJanuary 2 Patrick SeawardJanuary 3 Mike LaMontagneJanuary 4 Roger KenneyJanuary 5 Andrew Morgan

Montana WiswellCheryl Beckert

January 13 Linda WentworthJanuary 18 David KenneyJanuary 23 John MarzinzikJanuary 25 Melanie MackenzieJanuary 27 Jeff MackenzieJanuary 31 Sharon Wiswell

January Anniversaries

January 2 Ron & Pam Cooper

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