Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-12-07
Monday December 7th, 2020
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
Please share your Christmas memories with me. Here’s one from John Muirhead:
* * *
A Christmas Memory/ By John Muirhead
For many of us the celebration of Christmas begins the night before, Christmas Eve.
One memory that stands out in my 73 years of celebrating Christmas is from the events of Christmas Eve, 1968.
Our family was gathered in the house where we had all grown up. My mother was there along with my older sister and her husband, my wife and me and my younger sister who was home from college. A big part of this memory is the fact that my dad was not with us. He had died in September and this was my mother’s and our first Christmas without him.
We had attended Christmas Eve services at First Presbyterian Church Danville and had just returned home. Our neighbor, who was the Protestant Chaplin at the Veterans Administration Hospital, stopped over after his services to share Christmas Greetings.
As teens and then in our twenties, it was a custom that we would tune in to WCIA Channel 3 for their annual showing of “A Christmas Carol.” This was the old black and white version starring Alastair Sim.
On this particular evening as we tuned in there was a special news story airing on CBS. It was a live broadcast from the Apollo 8 Astronauts who were orbiting the moon. This was the first Apollo space mission to the moon and this crew’s assignment was to orbit the moon, take pictures and help to find the best spot for a lunar landing scheduled for 1969.
As we tuned in we saw and heard live pictures of the Astronauts. When we began watching the Commander of the Apollo 8, Frank Borman, was about to begin reading a passage from Genesis on creation. He read verses 9 and 10 of Genesis Chapter 1 from the King James Version of the Bible.
“9And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called the Seas: and God saw that it was good.”
Before closing the transmission he wished us all a Merry Christmas and asked for God’s Blessings on All.
What a lasting impression this made on all of us and such a fitting way to end our Christmas Eve!
Given the fact that this is a memory of long ago, I did go to the internet to confirm what I remembered. If you Google “Apollo 8 Christmas Message” you will learn more. An interesting fact is that all three Astronauts took turns reading from Genesis and they started with Genesis 1:1 and ended with Commander Borman reading the final verses. You will find that it is estimated that a Billion people world-wide saw or heard this transmission, approximately one-fourth of the world’s population at the time.
YouTube videos:
The message in black and white:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
A CBS Sunday Morning Remembrance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
* * *
Advent Daily Devotion
Simeon represents those stalwart, faithful people who
show up and serve week after week. Can you think of
someone who fits this description? The dutifulness of
these folks keep the congregation going through good
times and challenging ones. They serve out of loyalty to
God, not for accolades or attention. Today remember
and give thanks for the Simeons whose waiting to see
God is marked by consistent presence and service.
Lord, we give you thanks and praise this day for your
faithful servants, those whose loyalty to you is visible in
their service to Christ’s church and your beloved world. Sure
of your Word, they keep theirs and show up daily, expecting
to meet you face to face. Help us to do likewise, not only with
a sense of duty, but with an anticipatory joy. Amen.
* * *
News
Prayer Time…
Our Sanctuary will be open for private prayer on Thursday, December 10, from 7 AM to noon. While there will be no organized service, you may come and sit in the space to pray and meditate. Physical distancing, masks, sign in with temperature check, and registration/contact tracing will be operative. Our worship team will greet and assist you. Only 10 people at a time will be allowed in. Bring your own Bible or hymnals if you wish, as the pew materials have all been removed as a safety precaution. See you on Thursday!
* * *
Seeking a personal aide
I am a widow in my mid-nineties, living alone in the home I have been in for over 65 years. I am ambulatory with a walker and have no dementia, but I am increasingly concerned about falling. I am hard of hearing and have issues with high blood pressure.
I am seeking a non-smoking woman to aid me in normal daily activities including personal care (such as showering and toileting), meal preparation, running errands occasionally, and helping me with other matters which may arise.
The woman may be of any age and background but someone with similar prior experience and perhaps a background or interest in nursing would be preferred.
I am very particular about how my kitchen and house are kept and my aide must be willing to accept my directions in this regard.
Ideally, my aide would have a flexible approach toward hours but generally be able to spend two or three hours a day with me five or six days a week and also be able to spend an occasional night at my home if needed.
Please be in touch with Pastor Matt if you are curious about this posting. And thank you in advance for praying for this ministry opportunity.
Humor (Hard times really need godly laughter):
What are doctors always calm? They have a lot of patients.
What trembles at the bottom of the sea? Nervous wrecks.
What do lawyers wear to court? Lawsuits, of course.
Good Word:
Mark 1:1-8
1The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2As it is written in he prophet Isaiah,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Let us pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.
Much, much love to you all.
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
