The Lord’s Supper — Bring your family’s communion bread and juice.
There will be communion elements available at the church in case you forget.
Do Not Be Afraid To Practice Joy
Read Luke 2:1–1
Do Not Be Afraid To Choose Love
Read Luke 2:15–20
Worship in front of the sanctuary at 3 p.m.
Christmas pageant online, “Do Not Be Afraid,”
6 p.m. premiere on YouTube, Facebook and SwiftChurch.org
Pastor Jody Beth wraps up the year and sends us into a great 2021.
►Christmas Eve at Swift Church
A virtual Christmas pageant, Do Not Be Afraid, will premiere at 6 p.m. This unusual production of the traditional Christmas story involves 70-plus men, women and children from the congregation. This whole-church production centers on families with young children sharing the Christmas story with readings, music, and 12 brief acting scenes.
It will be a delightful time of Swift Church, showcasing our talent while celebrating the birth of Christ our Lord.
After the premiere on Facebook, YouTube and SwiftChurch.org, it will remain available through those mediums. Even if you can’t be part of it on Christmas Eve night, you and your family and friends can celebrate anytime afterward.
Christmas Eve worship
Nothing is “normal” with COVID-19 concerns. That includes our usual Christmas Eve worship service. Because we can sing with more enthusiasm (and more often) outdoors than inside, we intend to have the service in front of the sanctuary at 3 p.m.., in the warmest part of the day. If weather is prohibitive, we will meet indoors with some variations toward a safe-as-possible Christmas Eve worship.
►Advent season
Advent is a season marking the preparation for and celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve.
Swift Presbyterian Church celebrates Advent in several ways.
■ We mailed each family an Advent Devotional (if you did not receive one, please contact the office). It contains a weekly Bible reading with supportive readings, questions, and activities.
■ Each week the church will light a candle on an Advent wreath,symbolizing hope, peace, joy, and love. We will do this for online worship and in-person worship. The candles are lit in that order, beginning Nov. 29. A fifth candle, called the Christ candle, is lit on Christmas to remind Christians of the light Jesus brings to the world.
■ We invite you to put together an Advent wreath at home. It can be basic (tea lights on a plate) or elaborately decorated wreaths. Check out Pinterest for ideas. Each week as you connect with the church online for worship — or as your family shares the Advent devotional — light a candle.
■ We will sing, play, and hear songs of anticipation and preparation of the coming of Christ.
Advent can be a significant time for families and the congregation. Don’t skip over these four weeks in the rush to Christmas.
SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
Swift Presbyterian Church session met on Monday, Nov. 16, in the fellowship hall, practicing social distancing.
■ We received financial reports — we are in good financial condition for the year.
■ Children and youth leaders spoke about the desire to hire a youth worker. They are to prepare a job description and salary proposal for personnel/finance to review and make recommendations.
■ Discussed hurricane cleanup. Of the $5,000 cleanup grant from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, $2,370 was spent on equipment use and $1,000 was provided to Swift Church Preschool for repair and cleanup of playground. The remaining will be used toward removal of leaning trees.
■ Revisited Christmas Eve. In October, the session discussed Christmas Eve worship and voted to have an online-only service. Pastor Keith asked to revisit that decision. There will be a 3 p.m. outdoor service on Dec. 24. The all-church Christmas Pageant will premiere online via Facebook and YouTube at 6 p.m. Dec. 24. (It will be available any time after that if you are not able to connect at the premiere.)
■ Approved reports
■ Did our annual membership review.
The meeting closed with prayer.
The next meeting is Dec. 21 at 6:30 p.m.
MUSIC NOTES Lisa Cardwell | music director
Lots of rehearsing is going on at church as well as in members’ homes right now. These are all preparations for the online Christmas program, which will be premiering on Facebook, YouTube and the church website on Christmas Eve night.
We have two piano solos performed by Chris Rogers and Jack Rogers, a vocal solo by Saylor Morrow, two piano duets played by Jenni Cain and Lisa Cardwell, two congregational Christmas carols played by the chime choir (previously known as the Joyful Tones), and two handbell anthems by the handbell choir.
These are all being pre-recorded in early December so that there is plenty of time for editing and merging into a cohesive program.
We can’t wait to see all of the scenes that will feature members and friends of Swift Church! This is sure to be a joyful celebration, so make sure you tune in!
In the meantime, don’t forget to tune in to the online Sunday worship services or the in person worship services. Jenni and Lisa will be preparing weekly piano duet anthems.
Wishing you peace and joy during this Advent and Christmas season.
Radical hospitality
►Fellowship groups
As you know, unfortunately, our “Two or More” fellowship lunch and Butterfly Girls and Guys Night Out have been canceled until we can all get together again without the fear of spreading this pandemic. Hopefully, it will be safe to get back together again soon.
Mission and service
MISSION REPORT Pate Cardwell and Al Sprouse | mission elders
Food pantry
The food pantry will be open on Dec. 9 and again on Dec. 23. In November, the pantry gave out 39 bags, helping 91 people. If you are interested in helping with filling bags or to work while the pantry is open in December, please contact Dorothy Warren at 251-424-5117.
Presbyterian Home for Children
Our mission focus for December is the Alabama Presbyterian Home for Children in Talladega.
The home serves approximately 225 children and adults each year by:
■ serving adolescents age 13–17 who have been removed from their homes
■ helping young women age 19–24 who are facing challenging times of transition
■ providing a safe haven and affordable housing to homeless children and their female care-giver
■ providing education to help children catch up and succeed academically
■ delivering services to preserve and reunify families.
►Online GriefShare groups
“GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. You don’t have to go through the grieving process alone.”
There are online GriefShare groups meeting, and several of them are with churches in our area. If you think of someone who may be interested, or if you yourself are grieving the loss of a loved one, contact Pastor Jody Beth or visit www.griefshare.org.
Intentional faith development
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION REPORT
►Cheryl’s adult Sunday school class
Cheryl’s home had extensive storm damage from Hurricane Sally. The adult Sunday school class with Cheryl will not meet until further notice.
Instead, those who normally attend will be welcomed to join “Snacks with Susan and Daryl” in the fellowship hall.
►‘Snacks with Susan and Daryl’ (well, really, NO snacks!) adult Sunday school class
We invite you to join us for Snacks with Susan and Daryl (well … no snacks right now) Sundays at 9 a.m. in the fellowship hall.
In December, we will continue “Not a Silent Night,” an Advent study about Jesus from Mary’s point of view.
We hope you can join us for some fellowship and thoughtful conversation.
— Susan and Daryl Pichoff
►Online Zoom Bible study
The Thursday Zoom Bible study will resume in January.
Contact Pastor Jody Beth, 251-213-6625, for more information.
“I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.” — Exodus 6:7
Sunday school classes for children and youth, SWAG (Saved with Amazing Grace), GphiG (Glori•fy•ing God), and Refuel will not meet until further notice.
Extravagant generosity
►Please remember to give
Generosity describes the Christian’s unselfish willingness to give in order to make a positive difference for the purposes of Christ. Extravagant generosity describes practices of sharing and giving that exceed all expectations and extend to unexpected measures.
►Stewardship update
Thank you for your generous pledges and ongoing offerings. Your financial support will enable Swift Church ministry to plan for the coming year. Our goal for 2021 pledges is $170,500. So far, we have received pledges for $148,042. If you have not turned in your pledge card, please do so as soon as possible. Your support and commitment to our church is greatly appreciated.
►About online giving
Using your “smart phone” and this box you can connect to the church’s online giving page. You can set up for automatic donations of your tithes or one-time gifts to a number of funds benefiting ministries of Swift Church. Use this by either entering your credit/debit card information or your checking account information. Of course, this is a secure website.
You can also do the same thing by clicking a donation link on the church’s website.
►News from our presbytery
Committees to focus on the future
The presbytery met in a called session via Zoom for the purpose of hearing a report from the future focus group. As the name implies, this group has been intently listening to elders and pastors, committees and staff of the Presbytery of South Alabama, as well as conducting conversations with other presbyteries around the country, in hopes of discerning a path forward for ministry and mission in this area in the coming years. It has been a process not unlike those that congregations undertake during pastoral transitions or for a long-range planning project. The report was received and adopted unanimously by the presbytery. The full report is a bit long to be included here, but some of the highlights are as follows:
As we move into the future as a presbytery, we will have as our mission: To empower and connect our congregations by educating and nurturing our members to live and serve as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ in the world. We will seek to live out this mission by being builders of relationships, encouragers of vital ministries, and becoming shepherds and guides for our pastors and congregations.
Though not limited to these things, this mission will be undertaken through a new presbytery committee structure. The new committees are as follows:
■ mission and evangelism
■ education and spiritual development
■ constitutional and connectional life
■ committee on ministry, care, and congregational nurture
■ strategic planning
■ administration and finance
■ presbytery council
Each committee will consist of elders and pastors serving rotating terms of three years and may serve two consecutive terms.
Based on everything that has happened, it is tempting to try and write off this year as a lost cause and seek to purge the whole thing from our collective memories. That would be a mistake, I believe. In fact, we may look back on this year as the time when the Presbytery of South Alabama took its first steps into the future God has been building for us for quite some time.
As you can see, these are exciting days for the Presbytery of South Alabama. However, in order for this plan to succeed, we will need you. Please prayerfully consider volunteering for one of these committees, or perhaps suggest someone you know who may have the gifts needed for this important work. We are taking this bold step together. That is the only way our mission will be accomplished.
Please include the presbytery in your prayers throughout the coming months as these plans are implemented. While you’re at it, please offer a prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving for the dedicated members of the future focus group who gave so much of their energy, intelligence, imagination, and love to this project. We are blessed to have them serving among us. Hard as it may be to believe during these troubled times, we are continually told in scripture to “fear not.” May we take our first steps into this new future not in fear but in bold assurance of God’s presence with us throughout our journey.
