WRPC Overlook January 4, 2020

WHITE ROCK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

THE OVERLOOK
January 4th, 2020

Sunday, January 5th, 2020

Worship Leadership Today: Rev. Deb Worley is our Pastor, Min Ro is our liturgist, James Ro is our technical maestro, and Rheta Moazzami is our pianist. Thank you to all!

Scripture Readings for Sunday
Jeremiah 31:7-14
Ephesians 1: 3-14
John 1:1-18

ALL ARE INVITED! Advent Discipleship Opportunity: The book Celebrating Abundance: Devotions for Advent, by Walter Brueggemann, is still available. For a couple more weeks during our Sunday School hour we will gather to share and discuss what struck us from any of the previous week’s readings. Come if you’ve read none, all, or anything in-between as we talk about our experience and celebration of abundance! All are invited and encouraged to participate.

First Sunday/Food Sunday for LA Cares
Please place food and other donations for LA Cares in the shopping cart in the hallway. Thank you for helping our neighbors in need!

Out-to-Lunch Bunch:
The “Out-to-Lunch Bunch” goes out today. Everyone is invited!

A Note from Deb

"Awww, Christmas is OVER!!" That's the familiar refrain, at least among my kids, uttered once the last gift has been unwrapped.... Hearing it again this year, and as I think about WRPC moving into a new year, Howard Thurman's poem about what to do when Christmas is "over" came to mind. His poem is called "The Work of Christmas," and it's beautiful, and I'd like to share it with you all in case you're not familiar with it.

I am also taking the liberty of sharing a version of his poem that I wrote a few years ago, specifically for my kids! Perhaps others will find it meaningful, too.

My prayer as we begin this new year together is that God will guide us, encourage us, inspire us, and embolden us to move from the season of Christmas into the work of Christmas.

“The Work of Christmas”
by Howard Thurman

When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their flocks,
the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among the people,
to make music in the heart.

“Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman

“Christmas isn’t Over! A Kid-Friendly Version of ‘The Work of Christmas’”
Deborah Church Worley

When the last gift has been unwrapped,
when the last Christmas cookie has been eaten,
when the tree has been taken down and put at the curb
–or perhaps taken apart and put back in its box–
when the unsold cards and candy of Christmas
are marked down 90% to make room
for the yet-to-be-sold cards and candy of Valentine’s Day,
the celebrating of Christmas is, indeed, over.
“Awwww! Christmas is over?!”
But then the work of Christmas begins:
to say hi to the lonely,
to stick up for the bullied,
to hug those who are sad;
to really listen to what someone else is saying
instead of just waiting for your turn to speak;

to let those who are different than you

be not like you without being weird or wrong;
and above all,
to accept that you are deeply and forever loved,
bedhead hair and pimples and mistakes and secrets and all,
and to allow that belovedness to fill you to overflowing,
sharing that love any time you can,
anywhere you can,
any way you can,
and with anyone you can.
Even, and maybe especially, your brother.

Save the Date –Annual Congregational Meeting:
The session has called for the Annual congregational meeting on February 9th after Sunday Worship.

Talk 'n' Treats (TNT): WRPC’s bi-monthly women’s fellowship time meets this Wednesday, January 8th at 10:00 AM. The recipe for the Coffee Cake served at the last TNT is available at the following link.
Overnight Crunch Coffee Cake Recipe - Food.com

Presbytery Retreat for Women:

Please join the Presbytery of Santa Fe Presbyterian Women for a gathering and mini-retreat on Saturday, February 1, 2020 from 9:00am-2:00pm at First Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque. Journey inward time with Rev. Jamie Martinez, Chaplain at UNM Hospital, as she guides reflection and discussion on justice work; listen as Santa Fe Presbytery congregation representatives share about justice work being carried out in their churches, Carol Main, Southwest Synod PW PCUSA Mission Experience representative from Grand Canyon Presbytery as she addresses historical sources of suffrage and abolition in Upstate New York. More info in the hallway.

Thanks to a $3000 grant from Presbyterian Mission Agency Restricted Funds, WRPC and Nihitaa' Binaanish, Our Father's Business, will be able to improve housing like this one on the Navajo Nation south of Gallup. Look for opportunities to serve on this project in 2020. And Praise God for his faithfulness as we partner with Fred and Lorraine Thomas and the House of Fellowship in community self-help ministry.

Scenes from the Nativity Reader's Theater at Aspen Ridge on Dec. 22

Mary had blue hair, Joseph wore sneakers. One of the shepherds was in a wheelchair and on oxygen. A wiseman entered with a walker. The pianist was so busy setting up chairs for the overflowing audience that she almost missed her cue. The playwright was persuaded to direct the humble players. The pastor read from scripture and a teenager sang "O Holy Night." The Nativity came alive as WRPC family, residents of Aspen Ridge and community members presented a Reader's Theater interpretation of the story of Christ's birth.

Call for New Logo Submissions The Presbytery is accepting design ideas for a new logo. We invite you and any creative types in our congregation to consider offering artistic visions that could be incorporated into a new logo for the Presbytery of Santa Fe. They will be receiving designs until February 7th at which time they will be prepared for a review process at the February Presbytery meeting.

Greetings from Washington! Recently, Jennifer and Ken were able spent a beautiful day with Al M in Marysville, WA.

Mailing address for Al M.: c/o Lisa Navarrete, 8924 47th Dr. NE, Marysville, WA 98270.

Church Directory: 2019-2020 church directories are available in the hallway. Feel free to take one

Coffee from Café Justo: NEW SIZE! Just in time for the new year: 4oz gift size bags. $4 each or three bags for $10. We still have 1lb bags for $13 in the hallway. Please pray for Café Justo growers Miguel Vincente and Maria Vincente and for the work of Frontera de Cristo, the Presbyterian Border Ministry that supports Café Justo.

PRAYERS

The Weekly Prayer Gathering meets on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. at Aspen Ridge. Please call Jennifer Holmes for specific location information. Everyone is welcome! Prayer Requests

Prayer Cards: Prayer cards are in the chair pockets. Please drop your requests in the offering plate - they will be delivered to the Prayer Team; or send to Prayer@wrpchurch.com.

Praying for neighbors in White Rock: Pastor Deb invites anyone to join her in a prayer walk each Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m. We meet at WRPC and go as the Spirit leads.

“Office Hours”: Pastor Deb will have office hours this week on Tuesday morning from 7:30 – 10:30 a.m. at the Pig + Fig for anyone who would like to chat. Coffee and pastries are her treat! She is also available to meet with you, Tuesday-Friday. Call 695-6423 or email (pastor@wrpchurch.com) for an appointment.

Coffee Fellowship: Please remember to sign up to help with refreshments for Coffee Fellowship.

“Journeys in Faith”: Our WRPC Science and Faith Dialogue meets on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. at the Reinovskys’. We are studying Alister McGrath’s book “The Great Mystery: Science God and the Human Quest for Meaning.” Contact Selma or Bob Reinovsky for information.

PM in the AM

Men’s breakfast, Fridays at 7:00 a.m. at the church – great food and fellowship!

AED Available:
We have recently installed an Automated External Defibrillator near the kitchen entrance. An AED is a rescue device to aid in a cardiac emergency.

Invitation to Serve in Worship Leadership:
The Worship Ministry Team is always happy to offer an opportunity for members and friends to participate in worship leadership, such as by filling the Liturgist role. Contact Joyce, Selma or Bob if you would like to share your gift of leadership.

Featured PC(USA) Mission Co-workers for January is Lucy Dergarabedian serving in the Lebanon. Learn about Lucy and her ministry
on the electronic bulletin board or HERE.

Sunday in the PCUSA Mission Yearbook

Today in the PC(USA) Mission Yearbook: The focus for January 5th is “Don’t just inform … Form”, for more information, please see our electronic Overlook newsletter or the electronic bulletin board or Click Here.

See What's Happening within the Presbytery of Santa Fe
Published December 12th, 2019

Were you sick or on travel Sunday and missed church? Catch up on the sermon(s) you may have missed here.

Bob Hinds   2
Nathan McCabe   8
Rod McCabe   22

You can help WRPC earn dollars by using AmazonSmile to make your Amazon purchases. Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to the charitable organization of your choice.

LEARN MORE.
Ask Rod McCabe if you would like help setting up Amazon Smile

Smith’s Inspiring Donations Program

Smith’s Grocery donates 0.5% of every eligible purchase made by rewards card holders, to the organizations of their choice. Re-enrollment is required each year. Please consider supporting WRPC by signing up for the program and shopping at Smith’s!
Sign up HERE.

WRPC MONTHLY CALENDAR

Want to know what's scheduled on the WRPC calendar? Click HERE to see the monthly calendar on the church's website.

WRPC Calendar
January 5-12, 2020

Sunday (5) 9:15 a.m.   Worship
10:30 a.m.   Coffee Fellowship
11:00 a.m. Adult Discipleship Discussion
Monday (6) 7:00 p.m.   Prayer Gathering (Aspen Ridge)
Tuesday (7) 7:30 - 10:30 a.m. Pastor Deb’s Office Hours @ Pig & Fig
Wednesday (8)   8:30 a.m.   Prayer Walk (Meet at WRPC)
10:00 a.m. Treats and Talk
Thursday (9) 7:00 p.m. Science and Faith(Reinovsky's)
Friday (10) 7:00 a.m.   PM in the AM (Men’s breakfast)

Overlook Articles, Corrections, Etc.

If you would like to submit an article for the Overlook, or if you have an idea for an article, or if you spot an error, please contact the editor, Rod McCabe (noahandnathansdad@yahoo.com, 505-309-1633). Thanks!

“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important.”

― C.S. Lewis

Contact Information

White Rock Presbyterian Church
310 Rover Boulevard
Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544

www.wrpchurch.com
Fax 505-672-3681

James Ro, Office Manager
Office 505-672-3682
officemanager@wrpchurch.com

Office Manager's Hours
Tuesday-Thursday
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.