Advent (from Latin, adventus, meaning "coming towards") is a four-week season of preparation for Christmas. The First Sunday of Advent (November 29, 2009) marks the beginning of the church's year.
Advent and Christmas focus both on the past--the coming of Jesus as an infant born into poverty in Bethlehem, and the future--the coming of Christ. This past and future orientation is reflected in the readings appointed in the church for each Sunday of Advent.
The color purple--Purple is the main sanctuary color during Advent. This is the color of penitence and fasting as well as the color of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King.
Also, during Advent many churches decorate with evergreen wreaths, trees and other items symbolizing the birth of Jesus and new life present.
To learn more about Advent such as the lighting of different colored candles and the history of this church season, please visit Cri Voice: http://www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html.
Sources: http://www.ucc.org and CRI Voice.
Posted by Blog Administrator
Monday, December 14, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
FCC Support for our Native American Brothers and Sisters-Again!
This congregation never ceases to amaze me. This fall, the Iktome Ska Foundation’s need for winter coats and blankets was expressed to First Central Congregational Church and under the coordination of Arlene Luther, 78 winter coats and 46 blankets were donated and will be taken to the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations the weekend of December 18. These will be included in the community-wide coat and blanket drive and be piggybacked with the toys collected by the Lash LaRue Toy Drive for Christmas on Pine Ridge benefit concert series (by the way check it out: http://www.lashlaruetoydrive.com/) which concludes this Sunday night FYI~!! Nope I am not telling you here, you gotta link to the website to see it ALL.
By the way, Arlene came up with a novel idea; her Sew-A-Thon produced several beautiful homemade quilts that we are sure will be appreciated by the Lakota recipients who will know that none but loving hands were called upon to create them. Thanks again to the ladies and guys who helped create these beautiful night warmers.
If you didn’t realize, according to the 2000 census, Pine Ridge’s Lakota Sioux community is the 11th largest Native American reservation and the neighboring Rosebud Lakota Sioux community is the 14th largest reservation, yet these are among the most poverty stricken communities in the United States. Any help to these and our other relations living on reservations is needed and appreciated.
In addition, FCC members donated fifteen grocery sacks of non-perishable foods and $485 which will be used to purchase groceries this week for the food banks on the Santee, Winnebago and Omaha Reservations. The food donations will be trucked up to the St. Joseph Food Pantry where they will be divided among the three reservation pantries. This congregation doesn’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk!
The work of FCC is so deeply appreciated by the foundation and the people who are living on the reservations.
Posted by Rick Brenneman
By the way, Arlene came up with a novel idea; her Sew-A-Thon produced several beautiful homemade quilts that we are sure will be appreciated by the Lakota recipients who will know that none but loving hands were called upon to create them. Thanks again to the ladies and guys who helped create these beautiful night warmers.
If you didn’t realize, according to the 2000 census, Pine Ridge’s Lakota Sioux community is the 11th largest Native American reservation and the neighboring Rosebud Lakota Sioux community is the 14th largest reservation, yet these are among the most poverty stricken communities in the United States. Any help to these and our other relations living on reservations is needed and appreciated.
In addition, FCC members donated fifteen grocery sacks of non-perishable foods and $485 which will be used to purchase groceries this week for the food banks on the Santee, Winnebago and Omaha Reservations. The food donations will be trucked up to the St. Joseph Food Pantry where they will be divided among the three reservation pantries. This congregation doesn’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk!
The work of FCC is so deeply appreciated by the foundation and the people who are living on the reservations.
Posted by Rick Brenneman
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