From the Pastor's Pen 12/8/22

12/8/2022

Dear Friends,

I usually try to get this out to you on Tuesday each week, but this week Tuesday turned to Thursday. They both start with “T” and end with “day,” so I guess that’s something.

A late arrival of the Pastor’s Pen this week just means that things have been hopping at the church facility this week. There are so many things happening, and that is a GREAT thing!

One of the things going on this week has been preparing the library to be used as an additional office space for the Hand-in-Hand Business Center. That means sorting through books and thinking specifically about what we want to offer in the way of reading material and how to present it in such a way as to be helpful.

To that end, we decided to begin with a display of “Christmas Reads” that may interest you during this season. Some of the books were in the church library, some are from my own and others’ bookshelves. You will find this display on the table in the narthex, and if you would like to borrow one to read, there is a sign-out sheet provided so we can keep track of who has borrowed each book. In addition, if you have a Christmas Read that you would like to add to the options, please feel free to add to the collection. Books will be returned to their owners after the holiday season.

As I mentioned last week, we have come a long way this year in many ways, including financially, and would love to be able to end the year without having to take any more money out of the quickly diminishing Hartlein Fund that has supplemented our income over the last few years. As we get to these last few weeks of the year, any additional gifts you can give would be greatly appreciated. Scroll down for the ways you can give a gift to the church.

Our theme this Advent is Waiting Well, and on Sunday we talked about the ways that we prepare the way for Christ as we wait. John the Baptist spoke of a new kingdom order that would call everyone to a complete life change. This new kingdom would be a completely new reality, one that would change the way that God related to God’s people and one that would require a radical response from humanity. This response would bring a break with the past and movement into the future. This would result in a complete moral and spiritual change of hert and life that would lead to holy action that bears good fruit. Because when we wait well, we don’t just sit back and do nothing, but rather we take part in purposeful actions that prepare the way for God’s kingdom to come in fullness.

For those unable to join us in-person, Sunday morning worship is livestreamed on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/GulfShoresFirstPresbyterianChurch. The service airs each Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and will be available to watch after that as well.

I have been praying that God would bring the right people to rent space in the Business Center, and that we would be able to at least fill the six regular-sized classroooms-turned-offices by the first of the year  - and we are FULL! People continue to call and ask about space, so we continue to think creatively about how we might serve more businesses with our space.

Don’t forget:

• If you know of those who need a place to park during their visit to Gulf Shores and they would like to use our parking lot, here is the link to share: https://www.premiumparking.com/P2658. You can also pick up postcards at the church to pass on to those who might be interested.
• Keep collecting that loose change and bring it every week to add to the collection! All of the loose change will go toward the ongoing ministry of the church, as we continue to spread the life-changing good news of God’s love.
• Want to help the church just by doing your normal Amazon shopping? Now you can! Just go to https://smile.amazon.com/ch/63-0859397 and make all your purchases through this link! Each quarter the church will receive a donation equal to 0.5% of your total purchases. You can also set it up so the Amazon app on your phone automatically purchases through Amazon Smile. For help setting that up, see this link: https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=15576745011.
• The church can now receive donations through Facebook, either by clicking on the “Donate” button on our Facebook Page, or through Fundraisers you can host on your own Facebook page.
• If you have more ideas about how we can creatively fund the ministry of First Presbyterian Church of Gulf Shores, reach out and let me know!
• For safety reasons, at 11:00 a.m. each Sunday, all the doors of the building will be locked EXCEPT the north door that leads into the narthex. If you find yourself running behind, just remember to park up front by that door and enter there.

Thank you for your continued support of the Blessing Box! With the current inflation, we are struggling to keep it filled. Your donations are desperately needed. Keep bringing those non-perishable items to church on Sunday, or dropping them at the box during the week. With rising costs of everything from gas to food, the box is being used very regularly, and your donations are key to helping us bless those who are in need of what our box can offer.

You will find this week’s Prayer Requests at the bottom of the letter. Use this list to guide you in your prayer time and lift these requests to God. If you have a request (or a praise report) to include, or if a concern you have previously listed should be removed, please let me know.

Upcoming Events:

• Longest Night – December 21st, 6:00 p.m.
• Christmas Eve – December 24th, 5:30 p.m.
• Christmas Day – Worship at 11:00 a.m.

Weekly Events:

• Bible Study – Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. both in-person and on Zoom.
  • Join the in-person group in the church Fellowship Hall
  • Join the Zoom meeting at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81951398375?pwd=S0FBSEFxRmhhUWt2QnN3WERUY1dOUT09, entering the meeting ID and password below, if prompted.
  • Meeting ID: 819 5139 8375
  • Passcode: 846358
  • Next week’s scriptures: Isaiah 7:10-16; Romans 1:1-7; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Matthew 1:18-25

As always, you are welcome to reach out to me via email, text or phone with any needs or just to chat!

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
 
Rev. Chrisy Ennen
gsfpcpastor@outlook.com, (618) 980-9899
"Let all that you do be done in love.”
I Corinthians 16:14