Pastor’s weekly newsletter | Dec. 6, 2019

We are now in the Advent Season, a wonderful time of preparation and waiting for our Lord to come this Christmas into our hearts. Tomorrow at 9 a.m. we will be Hanging the Greens in the sanctuary and we invite anyone to volunteer and help us decorate our church. The manger is in place and beautifully lit for all to see on Flagler!

Our Mission Committee has two reminders for you. First, don’t forget to turn in your cans for the children of Haiti this Sunday and second, Niels Hubbell invites you to take a tag for the FKOC Gift List to help children and families in need to buy gifts for Christmas. I am attaching the instructions and the remaining available items for you to choose. Please let Niels know on Sunday which one you would like to take.

Mary Cintron has provided an update on our 2020 Pledge Drive and after the first Sunday of collecting them, we are 28% higher in the pledge total over last year’s total amount of pledges received. Give glory to God and you still have time to send your pledge card in. This increase will help us cut the deficit we first incurred going into 2019 which was $40,000. A big thank you on behalf of our Stewardship Committee.

This Sunday is our Christmas Luncheon after worship. It is a finger food lunch so we invite you to bring anything that you can eat with your fingers like sandwiches, cookies, chicken nuggets, and wings. Please avoid casseroles, salads  or anything that needs a fork!

This Sunday is also the second Sunday in Advent and the Monnier Family will be lighting the Advent Candles. We will also be presenting Joe Ordini to be received as a new member and invite anyone else who wishes to join our church family to please let us know as we would be thrilled to have you become a member of Peace Covenant.

Once again I will be preaching at Venture Out and Mary Cintron will be leading the Sunday School lesson on Genesis 16. It is a fascinating chapter on Hagar, Abram, Sarai and the Angel of the Lord who may be Jesus!

During the sermon I will be preaching on Matthew 1 and Joseph, one of the forgotten figures in the Christmas Story. We will hear how he handled the news that his wife was pregnant and yet he was not the father.

The Annual Conch Train Tour will take place on Tuesday, December 10 leaving from our church. Please be at the church by 6:30 p.m. and we will be leaving by 7. Please bring tips for our driver. Sign up with Mary Cintron on Sunday.

On Wednesday, the Lower Keys Community Choir and Orchestra will be presenting a Christmas Concert at Venture Out at 7:30 p.m. Several of our Venture Out/Peace Covenant Choir Members will be singing. The poster is attached. Next Sunday, our children will be presenting the Christmas Pageant during worship.