The Five Senses of Christmas - Deep Creek Friends€¦ · The Five Senses of Christmas No one has to tell you that it is almost Christmas, you can sense it. Christmas brings a unique

The Five Senses of Christmas

No one has to tell you that it is almost Christmas, you can sense it. Christmas brings a uniqueatmosphere to our most common surroundings. All of the human senses are affected by the activityof this season. There is the soft touch of velvet bows and fuzzy stockings on the mantle. The smellof spiced cider on the stove, and the scent of balsam from a fresh cut Christmas tree. There is thetaste of cranberry sauce and candy canes. The sound of Christmas carols can be heard as it mingleswith the bustling noises of busy shoppers. Then there are the sights of glowing Advent candles,brightly wrapped packages, and glittering lights. All of the five senses are stimulated at Christmas,and they serve as reminders that the most joyous time of the year has arrived.

My, how things have changed in two thousand years. What would have arrested our fivesenses if we could have witnessed the first Christmas? There would have been the rough andsplintery feel of a dirty manger. The pungent odor of animal waste would have overwhelmed oursense of smell. Our sense of taste would probably have been limited to bread, and the saltiness ofcrudely preserved meat. We would have seen the anguish of a teenage peasant girl in the pains oflabor and would have heard the sound of a baby crying out in the darkness of the night.

Those sights, and sounds, and smells, would have told us a story on that blessed night. Oureyes would have beheld the love of God in the crudest context possible. Our ears would have heardthe cry of hope in a world of despair. We would have tasted sacrifice and smelled humility. Wewould have touched and felt filthy things that actually made contact with the holy, and sweet littlebody of our salvation.

Such thoughts fill us with wonder. Not just amazement that God came to mankind, but theway He came. Philippians 2:6-7 says of Christ “For He, who had always been God by nature, did

not cling to his privileges as God’s equal, but stripped himself of every advantage by consenting to

be a slave by nature and being born a man.” (Phillips)During this Advent season our senses will again be stimulated with sweet and pleasant things.

Could these contemporary traditions become sparks for worship? Could we ask the Lord to remindus of His humble arrival every time we encounter this commercialized holiday? Could we let theSpirit of God take us back a couple thousand years, to meditate on a holy God who was willing to beborn a slave? Born in the shadow of a cross. Born to die. Born that we might have abundant andeternal life.

What a glorious and joyous thought to realize the love of God for us. A God who could loveus so intensely that He would enter the world so humbly. Let everything that touches your sensesthis year remind you of that first Christmas. Don’t just think about the meaning of Christmas,absorb it. Let each of these God-given senses be tuned to the amazing love, and selfless sacrifice,of our King.

Randy

And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. L uke 18:27

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December 1 – 10:30 WorshipHanging of the Greens(Also - Practice at 9:30)

Bring your familyand an angelornament for eachperson to helpdecorate the trees.(No worry, if youhave an extraperson or forgetyour ornaments,more will beavailable for youruse.)

Christmas MailboxOutside Randy’s Office

Mail your cards to the churchfamily through December 22.Your 25¢ each card is a donationto Missions by Quaker Women

December 8 – Handbell Choir will presentChristmas Music during the morning worshipservice.

December 15 – 6:30 PM Christmas PlayYouth and Children will present Looking for Jesus

followed by Christmas Refreshments in theFellowship Hall. Bring your favorite Christmastreat to share. Visitors are our guests. Also:Bring food items to the Fellowship Hall for needystudents @ Forbush High and Middle Schools.

Sunday, December 22 – 10:30 AM WorshipChoir Cantata - Hallelujah Jesus Is Born

Also March to the Mangerwill be during this service

December 29 – 10:30 AM Worship –

Generation Excellent will present their Christmasprogram, The Third Promise. See page 4

Special Music for Worship Services - December1 Hanging of the Greems8 Handbell Choir

15 Praise Choir22 Choir Cantata29 Generation Excellent

Submitted by Vickie Warden

Greeting the People – December1-29 The whole month

Arnie and Mary WillardLouis Shore

Submitted by Steve Hutchens

Children’s Church – DecemberTo be announced

Submitted by Donna Raines

Nursery Workers for Worship – December

1 Hanging of the Greens (families in service)

8 Donna and Skyler Raines

15 Sarah and Destiny Ray

22 Priscilla Shore

29 Janet RobbinsSubmitted by Vickie Warden

Ushers for Sunday Morning Worship – December

1 Rhett Steelman / Trevor Collins

8 Steve Hutchens / Franklin Shore

15 Jay Brendle / Clark Shore

22 Adam Hutchins / Leon Robbins

29 Louis Shore / Mike ShoreSubmitted by Jay Brendle

Worship Message with the Children - December1 Trevor Collins8 Debbie Hutchens

Submitted by Vickie Warden

The Choir Practice – DecemberSundays, December 1 and 8 at 3:00 PMSaturday, December 21 at 2:00 PM

Submitted by Vickie Warden

Praise Choir Practice - DecemberSundays, December 1 and 8 at 4:00 PM

Submitted by Jacob Brendle

Sanctuary Flowers – December

Hanging of the Greens Committee

Contact Sarah Ray to place flowers for special

occasions.Submitted by Angie Brendle

Handbell Choir Practice and Performance

December 1 at 2:00 PMDecember 8 at 8:30 AM; Perform at 10:30 AM Worship

Deep Creek 4-H Club will NOT meet in December

December 10 at 6:30 Quaker Women Christmas PartySee pg. 5

December 1 at 8:30 AM – Monthly MeetingMeet in The Fellowship Hall

Come; participate in the business of the meeting.

Ministry & Counsel will NOT meet in December.

Friday, January 3 at 7:00 PM – Young Adult SundaySchool Class Christmas/New Year Gathering See Pg. 3

3

From Randy From Vickie

LookingAhead...

Friday, January 3 at 7:00 PMThe Young Adult Sunday School Class

Will have a Christmas/New Year Gathering

At the home of Jay and Angie Brendle.

We will enjoy a time of fellowship, dinner and

have lots of laughs. Plan to join us!!

For more information: See Angie Brendle or Jean Hutchins.

Take a

moment

each

day

prayfor

a

Ministry

or

Church

in

FCNC

Yearly

Meeting

Friends Church

of North Carolina

Daily Prayer Calendar

One of the Core Values of Deep Creek Friends

Meeting: WorshipWe at Deep Creek are a fellowship centered in JesusChrist and led by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Worshipis a celebration of adoration and obedience to Godthrough listening, music, and the spoken Word.

During December, note the variety of Christmasmusic to be presented during our worship servicesusing the gifts and talents in our congregation.

Sunday, December 29 – Presentation byGeneration Excellent, the Christmas Story, TheThird Promise. We will have a donation basket forour guests. Last year, everyone really enjoyed theirprogram. See next page

Yadkin County Community Chorus will presentExcerpts from

Handle’s Messiahat Yadkinville United Methodist Church

Sunday, December 15 at 3:00 PM.Free Performance

Several members of our congregation are participating.

4NOTE: You Can HELP with “KNIT FOR KIDS” See next page.

5

Food for the HungryI tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me. Matthew 25:40

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your contributions. People have been helped. In one day 25 families were served. Thesupplies are used quickly and the need in our county continues to be great. Canned vegetables, soupsand fruits are needed. Anything extra in your cabinet would be good.

Volunteers are still needed. To offer your services or suggest someone, you may go by or call: 336-677-3080

Yadkin Cristian Ministries Monday: 5:30 - 6:45 PM117 Woodlyn Drive Tuesday – Friday: 9:00 - 11:45 AMYadkinville, NC 27055

Blessings, Phyllis Barnes

**********

Christmas MailboxOutside Randy’s Office

Mail your cards to the church familythrough December 22,Donations go for Quaker Womenmissions projects

December 10 – 6:30 PM– Quaker Women Christmas Party

In the Fellowship HallAll women are welcome to come enjoy the Dirty Santa fun.

Will You Donate a sweater, hat, gloves, scarve, or blanket for a child?Sunday, December 29, we can help Generation Excellent with their 1,000 goal

Generation Excellent continues to sponsor World Vision’s "Knit for Kids" program. This is a nationwide program that unitesthousands of knitters and crocheters to fight poverty with their needles.For millions of children, a hand-made item isn’t just a sweater or ablanket. It’s a chance at better health. It’s protection and warmth fromfreezing temperatures. As we infuse our time, our talent, and moneyinto an item, we also infuse our love.

At each performance that Generation Excellent does this year, they will

be collecting children’s hand-made knitted or crocheted sweaters,hats, gloves, scarves, and blankets. Although you are encouragedto give of yourself by making these items, they also accept them

ready made for those who want to give but do not knit or crochet.

This year’s goal of Generation Excellent is 1,000 items.

World Vision distributes these items as far away as Armenia,Nicaragua, Swaziland, and Tanzania; and as close as Appalachia,New Orleans, and the Bronx. Sometimes these creations areshipped to an area that has experienced a recent natural disaster.

Please continue collecting L Dollars (Love Dollars) tohelp local High School students who may have specialneeds. Place in envelopes on door facing in hallway.

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Thank you to everyone who helped with the Chicken Stew – those who set up, cooked, cleaned

up and those who donated. Extra crackers were donated to Yadkin Cristian Ministries. It was a great time ofCommunity Fellowship and Outreach.

Special Thanks: to Geneva Reece for the beautiful framed cross stitch which she spent hours making.to Sweet Hollow Bluegrass Band & Friends for providing the beautiful and fun music.

Donations for the Silent Auction and monies dropped in the Donation Basket amounted to $1,875 toward the newceiling project. Thanks, Vickie

Everyone enjoyed the soup and great desserts while being entertained by the music along with fun and fellowship.

The light flickers across the glass framing Geneva’s Cross Stitch as she andMaggie Ray, all smiles, hold the piece now to hang on Maggie’s wall after her dadhelped her make the highest bid in the silent auction to benefit the church project.

Michael now tells the story that a few days after, he received anunexpected amount of money that covered the amount of his bid with$100 extra. As some say, “God is good; good all the time”.

At times, the SweetHollow group wasjoined with moresingers, including 2little girls and VickieWarden and Bill Terrellplaying his dobro.

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Out of Gas

I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5:00, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., and the carstarted to choke and sputter and die - I barely managed to coast, cruising, into a gas station, glad only that Iwould not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn'teven turn over. Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the 'Quickie Mart' building,and it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay.

When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen. She was ayoung woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as Ihelped her up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It was a nickel.

At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed fullof stuff with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat), and the gas pump reading $4.95.

I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying “don't want my kids to see mecrying.” So we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California andthat things were very hard for her right now. So I asked, “And you were praying?” That made her backaway from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person and said, “He heard you, and He sent me.”

I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so she could fill up her carcompletely, and while it was fueling, walked next door to McDonald's and bought 2 big bags of food, somegift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the car, who attacked itlike wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little.

She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City. Her boyfriend left 2 months ago and she had notbeen able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent January 1, and finally indesperation had finally called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about 5 years. They lived inCalifornia and said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there.

So she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids they were going to California forChristmas, but not that they were going to live there.

I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walkingover to my car, she said, “So, are you like an angel or something?”

This definitely made me cry. I said, “Sweetie, at this time of year angelsare really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people.”

It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course,you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me homewith no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspectthe mechanic won't find anything wrong.

Sometimes the angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutterof their wings...

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. He shall neversuffer the righteous to be moved. Psalms 55:22

Contributed by Donna Terrell from a friend, Una Graham

8

The last several months have been interesting to say the

least! Having two youth groups has been great. We wereable to do some combined events throughout November. Thefirst weekend, we attended a youth retreat at Quaker LakeCamp with other youth groups. We had great worshipsessions and enjoyed an outdoor laser tag trip. It was greatto re-connect with other youth and youth pastors in our yearlymeeting association. We also had a combined dinner andbowling trip later in the month. This was a great evening offood, laughs, goofing off and some bowling in between! Godhas blessed Gwyn and I thoroughly in the youth ministry. Aswe enter the season of Thanksgiving and look towardChristmas, we have much to be thankful for. We are both soblessed to have three loving and supportive church families.We love them all and look forward to what God will continueto do in the coming days.

May all of the readers of The Encourager have a very blessedseason! May God’s grace warm your hearts all season long.

Blessings, Jared

CHILDRENYOUTH & JR.YOUTH,From Jared

Coming up...

Dec. 1st - Christmas Play Practice at 6:00

Dec. 8th - Christmas Play Practice at 6:00

Dec. 14th - Dress Rehearsal Christmas Playat 10:00 am (Lunch provided after)

Dec. 15th - Christmas Play at 6:30

Youth and Children's Christmas Events - Dates TBA.

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Thank You to everyone who bought tickets, helped serve, etc. for the

Youth BBQ Fundraiser

A total of $1,400 was raised to help with future mission trip and activities for the group.Special thanks to the CE committee for working hard to sell all 200 tickets. This group is very dedicated to the support of our

Youth and Children Ministries at Deep Creek.

Rules to Live By: T – Home and Familyhe Queries from the new Faith and Practice of FCNC

Do you promote the moral and spiritual life of your children through careful supervision oftheir education, recreation, and friendships?

10

Congratulations

Kaylee Shore

Senior NightKaylee Shore wasescorted by herparents, Anita andFranklin Shore.It was Fall SportsRecognition atStarmount HighSchool. Kaylee hasbeen a cheerleaderall four years ofhigh school.

Destiny Ray

senior NightDestiny Ray wasescorted by herparents, Sarah andMichael Ray.It was Fall SportsNight at StarmountHigh School. Destinywas a cheerleader allfour of her highschool years.

Senior night at Starmount High SchoolKaylee and Destiny celebrate at Starmount on theirSenior Night. They have spent many hours togetheryelling, dancing, being a base for flyers, who weresmaller than them, and occasionally flying themselves.They have created a lot of smiles and entertainment forthe spectators as they cheered and coached the crowdand players through nights of heat and cold and wereobviously appreciated by the student body. Andcheerleading is only one of the many things these twohave been involved in together and individually.

“What means that

star,” the shepherds said.

“That brightens

through the rocky glen?”

And angels,

answering overhead,

Sang “Peace on

earth, good will to men!”

James Russell Lowell

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REMEMBER TO PRAY – Prayer changes things!The following information is included by request. Be specific when you pray and send notes.

This color indicates an addition or change from last month.

Among those requesting prayer:

Pray for special needs of members, friends and relatives and celebrate God’s care.Contact the editor for information

12

2324 Shore Rd.Yadkinville, NC 27055

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Deep Creek Friends Meeting

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Thanks to all who have contributed to this issue.Next issue – January, 2020Deadline for news – December 29Send Information and Materials to:e-mail: [email protected] address: 2324 Shore Rd, Yadkinville, NC 27055Phone: 336 679 8466

Shelby ShorePublished at Shore House, Ink

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Church Address: 1 1 4 0 Deep Creek Church Rd. Yadk inville , NC 2 7 0 5 5 Phone: 3 3 6 9 6 1 4 4 0 4

[email protected] Pastor: Randy Quate Assistant Clerk : Ruby Brendle

Director of Youth and Jr. Youth Minist r ies: Jared W arden

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDYADKINVILLE, NC 27055

PERMIT No. 4

Musicians joined in unison to give praise andthanks to the Lord. 2 Chronicles 5:13