THIS WEEK @ CCMI: November 26 - December 2, 2018

Events for the Week of November 26 – December 2, 2018

Tuesday, November 27

2:30 p.m. – Music Mends Minds. Informal choral participation for people with memory loss, sponsored by the Mercer Island Rotary Club. The community is also invited to the sing-a-long sessions. (Note: We are delighted to report that this event will occur the third Tuesday of each month. Mark your calendars to attend!)

Thursday, November 29

6:00 p.m. – Bible Study

7:30 p.m. – Choir Rehearsal

Saturday, December 1

8:00 a.m. – Highway clean-up. Committee meets at church at 8:00, drives to the Bellevue Way exit on I-90, and picks up trash. This usually takes about an hour. The more hands, the faster the work gets done!

9:00 a.m. – Decorating the church for Christmas! Please join in the fun of decorating our beautiful church. This should easily be completed by noon.

3:00 p.m. – World AIDS Day Interfaith Service. Held at First Congregational Church in Bellevue, 11061 NE 2nd Street, Bellevue.

Sunday, December 2

10:30 a.m. – Worship Service

Greeters: * Volunteers Needed * – Please email office@ucc-ccmi.org

Communion Servers: Diane Calvert, Stan Harrison, Gloria Kasonic, Jane Nelson

Ushers/Advent Readers: Stan Harrison and Marc Ferguson

Flowers: * Volunteers Needed * – Please email office@ucc-ccmi.org

Coffee: * Volunteers Needed * – Please email office@ucc-ccmi.org

11:45 a.m. – Church Council Meeting in the Upper Room

2:00 p.m. – Joyful! Noise Christmas Concert in the Sanctuary. They are an inclusive community choir with a mission to spread the joy that singing together can bring.

Birthdays This Week

None who are telling.

Building Use This Week

The Sanctuary will be occupied on Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday evening, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday afternoon.

The Downcenter will be occupied Tuesday evening and Saturday afternoon.

The temporary office manager is out of the office Wednesday through Friday.

Events in Upcoming Weeks

Saturday, December 8

8:00 a.m. – Women’s Breakfast

9:30 a.m. – Holiday Artisan Shopping Tour (see description below)

Tuesday, December 11

6:00 – 8:30 p.m. – Christmas Candlelight Meditation. You are invited to stop by the candlelit sanctuary on the evening of either December 11 or 12 for a moment of quiet reflection during the hectic holiday season. There is no service planned, rather an opportunity to be alone with your thoughts in a beautiful, peaceful setting.

Wednesday, December 12

6:00 – 8:30 p.m. – Christmas Candlelight Meditation

Sunday, December 16

3:00 p.m. – Christmas Concert. Bring your friends and neighbors for this lovely concert to hear Christmas music sung by our talented choir. Cookies and coffee will be provided afterward.

Tuesday, December 18

2:30 p.m. – Music Mends Minds (monthly, every 3rd Tuesday)

Monday, December 24

9:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve Service. Bring visiting family members, friends and neighbors to this joyful service.

Atlantic Street Center Holiday Toy Drive

Please donate new, nonviolent, unwrapped toys, books, games and gift cards for children and teens for the annual holiday Toy Drive. Our collection boxes are up near the church entrance until Monday, December 17. The Atlantic Street Center's Holiday Toy Drive event will be held on Wednesday, December 19. Anybody with questions is welcome to contact us at office@ucc-ccmi.org.

Gift Ideas That Give Back

The Social Outreach Committee recommends social justice oriented gift-giving ideas for the people on your list who are either hard to buy for or would appreciate a donation to a nonprofit in their name. The attached “Give A Gift That Keeps On Giving 2018” document provides names of charitable organizations you may consider for your holiday giving this year.

Advent Devotional Books

Advent begins December 2. Advent devotional books from UCC are available to purchase for $5 at the church foyer table.

Holiday Artisan Shopping Tour

Share in the holiday spirit and finish off your gift giving checklist with a visit to Monroe's Artisans Holiday Fair and Duvall's Main Street on Saturday, December 8.

Enjoy holiday treats, warm drinks and live entertainment, including an appearance by Santa himself, as you browse locally made products from over 120 artists and artisans at the Holiday Fair, held at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe (free admission!). Next stop, Duvall's quaint and festive Main Street where wondrous shops like Country Collections and the Rustic Rose teem with holiday lights and decorations. Before we depart for home, we'll gather for an optional lunch in one of Duvall's highly rated restaurants on Main Street.

Carpools will leave CCMI at 9:30 am, right after Women's Breakfast. Expect to arrive back at the church at about 3:30 pm.

Need a ride or want to drive? Please email office@ucc-ccmi.org by Sunday, December 1.

Message from the Minister

Dear friends,

Advent is nearly upon us! Can you help us decorate the church next Saturday? 9 a.m. Won’t take long if enough of us come.

Our worship in December will be inspired by “Silent Night”. This year is the 200th anniversary of its debut. Singing “Silent Night” has become the best-loved worship moment for many Christians–even those who only come to church once a year. Something mystical occurs as we light our candles and sing the hope of "all is calm, all is bright" – peace and light for the world. This year we will pay attention to the words. But we won’t sing the whole carol until we light those candles on Christmas Eve.

There’s a new announcement I’d like to call your attention to. Cheryl Malcham has suggested an outing to the Christmas craft market in Monroe, followed by lunch and a stop in Duvall to enjoy the lights and enticing little shops. This will be on Saturday, December 8th. We’ll leave right after Women’s Breakfast and be back by mid-afternoon. Hope you can come!

See you in church,

Roberta

Message from the Moderator

Gail Layman is out of the office travelling until January. Elta Loy is filling in to handle Moderator duties while Gail is gone.