December 2020 Newsletter

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December 2020 Newsletter

Merry Christmas!

~ Carmen 

Worship Service for Sunday (11/29/2020)

YouTube Link:
FPCJ & HPC Worship 11292020

Scripture for Sunday (11/22/2020)

This will be our last Sunday preaching from the Old Testament. Sunday, November 29th we will begin a new series going through the Christmas Story.  The children continue to practice the Christmas play during Sunday School. The Children's Christmas Play will be on Sunday, December 13th. 

Scripture for Sunday
Habakkuk 1:1-4 (ESV)

The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. [2] O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save? [3] Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. [4] So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. 

Habakkuk 2:2-4 (ESV)

And the Lord answered me: "Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. [3] For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. [4] "Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. 

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV)

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, [18] yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.[19] God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

YouTube Link:

FPCJ & HPC Worship 11222020

Thanksgiving Luncheon Rescheduled

Dear Church Family,

As we are all aware, COVID cases continue to rise in our community. Last night the session decided to postpone the lunch scheduled for Sunday, November 22 to Sunday, December 13.

First Presbyterian Church of Junction doors will be open for members who wish to attend in person, and services will continue to be broadcast live on Facebook and on YouTube. For members who choose to attend in person, please remember do not attend services if you are sick, practice social distancing by maintaining appropriate distance between people; maintain good hygiene by washing your hands frequently, and using hand sanitizer, using your elbow to cover coughs, and not touching your face.

With that, if you are concerned at all, please stay home. Many of our church members fall into the higher risk category and we expect that you will do what is best for your health. If you are showing any signs or symptoms, fever, cough or shortness of breath please stay home from church for the benefit of others. If you come to worship please refrain from shaking hands or hugging. I know that this is hard for many of us but it is best for now. When you sit in the pews please spread out.

I encourage you to continually lift each other in prayer. Pray for our medical professionals and our first responders. Pray for those who continue to address the needs in this community in the face of this illness. Pray for the vulnerable. Love and serve one another as Christ loves and serves us. And remember that our blessings far outnumber our troubles.

Yours in Christ,
Jim and Laurie

Scripture for Sunday (11/15/2020)

Announcements:

• With the uptick in cases of Covid-19 in our community, let’s all remember to wash hands frequently and take proper precautions.
• Friday is the last day to turn in Christmas Boxes.
• Fall Food Drive: The Food Bank needs dressing mix, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, cream soups, chicken broth, green beans, rolls and pies.
• Sunday, November 22nd we will have our Thanksgiving Lunch and Hanging of the Green.

Scripture for Sunday
Isaiah 36:1-3 (ESV)

1 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. 2 And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field. 3 And there came out to him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder.

Isaiah 36:13-20 (ESV)

13 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! 14 Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you. 15 Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD by saying, “The LORD will surely deliver us. This city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 16 Do not listen to Hezekiah. For thus says the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern, 17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18 Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you by saying, “The LORD will deliver us.” Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 20 Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’”

Isaiah 37:1-7 (ESV)

1 As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD. 2 And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz. 3 They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth. 4 It may be that the LORD your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the LORD your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’” 

5 When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, 6 Isaiah said to them, “Say to your master, ‘Thus says the LORD: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have reviled me. 7 Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.’”

YouTube Link:

FPCJ & HPC Worship 11152020

Scripture for Sunday (11/8/2020)

Announcements:

• B’Lee Spiller fell yesterday and broke her femur. She is having surgery today at 2pm to put in a rod. Please keep her in your prayers.
• Tommie Gaston went home to be with her Lord Tuesday.
• Men’s breakfast is Saturday 8am. We will be meeting in Grace Place because the fellowship hall will be decorated for a wedding reception. Menu will be bacon, sausage eggs, and pancakes.

Scripture for Sunday
Jeremiah 1:4-10 (ESV)

[4] Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, [5] "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." [6] Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth." [7] But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a youth'; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. [8] Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord." [9] Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, "Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. [10] See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant."

Jeremiah 7:1-11 (ESV)

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: [2] "Stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord. [3] Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. [4] Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.' 

[5] "For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, [6] if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, [7] then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever. 

[8] "Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. [9] Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, [10] and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, 'We are delivered!'—only to go on doing all these abominations? [11] Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the Lord. 

YouTube Link:

FPCJ & HPC Worship 11082020

Worship Service for Sunday (11/1/2020)

YouTube Link:

FPCJ & HPC Worship 11012020