E Update

VOLUME 39 N UMBER 40 | DECE MBER 13, 2015

EASTMINSTERPRES.ORG

Dear Eastminster Family,

Youre invited....

STAFF
DR. BRADLEY D. SMITH
Pastor
DR. MARK E. DURRETT
Associate Pastor
REV. LYNN A. GRANDSIRE
Associate Pastor
DR. JAMES I. ST. JOHN
Parish Associate
REV. CHRIS SCOTT
Parish Associate

If youre alienated from God, or from the church...I ask you

to give God, and His church, a second chance. After all,
our Lord does the same for us.
If bad news has you bruised and broken, wondering if
God is even out there...I invite you to open your heart and
receive the Savior afresh this Christmas.
If youre going through the motions, not even sure why you
are here or what you believe...I pray you will open your heart and mind to Jesus Emmanuel.
If youve confused the chaos and commercialism of the Christmas machine for the peerless
power of the presence of God coming to us in the flesh...I encourage you to be still, to be
silent and even to find a way to discreetly bless someone who cannot pay you back.
But how, you might ask, can I do these things? Receive and read the daily devotionals.
Come to Worship Sunday mornings, to the Peace Service Sunday night, or to the Living
Nativity Dec. 20. Serve at Transitions, with Family Promise, at the CHAMPS dinner, or
Circle of Giving. But most important of all, put down your defenses and open your heart
and mind, your very soul, to the God who loves you so much that Hes become flesh and
moved into the neighborhood.
In joy,

MR. CROSKEYS ROYALL

Director of Childrens Ministries
MRS. FREDNA LEE
Director of Music Ministries
MRS. ANITA POOLE
EDS Director
MR. WILLIAM L. COLLINS, JR.
Business Manager
MS. JULIE MCDANIEL
Member Involvement
Coordinator

P.S. To take advantage of any of the above listed opportunities, contact Julie at Jmcdaniel@eastminsterpres.org or call 256.1654. To talk with a pastor, call 256-1654 and ask for any of us.

Pledge Status Report - We Need Your Help!

(1 week out from Dedication Sunday for 2016)
146 Pledges With No Change
189 Pledges Increased
43 Pledges Decreased
61 New Pledges
For a total of 439 pledges totaling $2,476,344.50
175 Pledges were made for 2015, but not yet for 2016
Thank you to all who have already faithfully pledged for 2016!
If you have not yet pledged, please join us in pledging to support
Christs work through Eastminster in 2016.

Lately at EPC...Volunteers Deck the Halls

...Youth load our Christmas Trees, Fran Dye is a
Wonderful Hostess! PEP Luncheon at McCutchen, & Advent Retreat Fun, Fearless Leaders...

PEACE WORSHIP SERVICE IS DEC. 13

THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT DECEMBER 13

Staff Love Offering Due to EPC December 13
PEACE Service - December 13
Youth Christmas Parties - December 13
St. Lawrence Place Christmas Party December 14
Family Gingerbread House Decorating Party December 16 - Online Reservations
CLICK HERE.
Transitions Dinner - December 17
Poinsettia Donations Due - December 18
EDS Christmas Program - December 18

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT DECEMBER 20

College Breakfast at 10:00 a.m. in Gameroom December 20
Lessons & Carols at 9:00 and 11:15 a.m.
Traditional Services & JUBILEE December 20
Living Nativity - 5:00, 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. December 20

CHRISTMAS EVE - DECEMBER 24

5:00 p.m. Childrens Service
(Infant Nursery - 2K)
7:00 p.m. Family Candlelight Service
(Infant Nursery - 5K)
9:00 p.m. Candlelight Communion Service

CHRISTMAS DAY - DECEMBER 25

10:30 a.m. Worship - Sanctuary
(No Childcare)
12:00 p.m. Transitions Luncheon

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27
10:30 a.m. Worship - Sanctuary
(Regular Childcare)

Dont forget that the

St. Lawrence Place
Christmas Shop &
Dinner is Monday,
December 14, at
First Calvary Baptist Church.
Its not too late to participate.
Call Susan Owen at
238-4468.

(Above) YOUTH AT ADVENT RETREAT

Memorial Gifts Supporting the Eastminster

Endowment:
In memory of Sande Jeter, given by
Mrs. Chuck Prezioso.
In memory of Nancy Ross Walsh, given by
Angie M. Easterlin.

Thanks to our
volunteers who are
helping on 12/17!
We still need help
on Christmas
Day! We will take
lunch to Transitions
after 10:30 a.m. worship, around noon. We need
homemade pound cakes, clementines, lemonade
and donations for BBQ & potato salad. We also
need servers that day. Food needs to be dropped
off at the church by 4 p.m., 12/23. Servers will
leave the church after worship, or meet us at
Transitions at 11:45 a.m. We hope to have tons
of happy helpers to sing with the residents and
spread Christmas cheer!

BIBLE 101
Sunday School Class
for Young Adults
(Post-College) Begins
Jan. 3 - Room E-354

Memorial Gifts Supporting the Friends of the

CLC fund:
In memory of Virginia Little, given by
Anne Bailey.

Congregational Care & Concern

Births:
Congratulations and love to:
Megan and Steven Harrington on the birth of their
daughter, Elizabeth (Libby) Sloane Harrington, on
12/1. Mom and baby are home and doing well.
Deaths:
Love and sympathy go out
to:
Lauri (Martin) Moore and Lyn Walsh in the death of
their mother,
Nancy Ross Walsh, on 11/27.
Grandchildren are Ross, John & Lyndsay.

If interested in this class, or

for more details, contact Rev.
Chris Scott.
cscott@eastminstserpres.org.

Russ (Gail) Jeter and Don (Janet) Jeter in the death of

their mother, Sande Jeter, on 12/01. Grandchildren are
William & Russell, and Anna-Grace (Jeter) Belk,
Bud & Alex.

Dont forget to bring in white

tube socks when you come to
church this week. Katie Liggett
and Liz & Christopher Twitty
are heading up this very helpful mission project. Thanks!

Suzie Wattenbarger in the death of her husband, Tom,

on 12/3.
Medical Rehabilitation:
Jim Crosby - Wildewood Downs

Lessons & Carols December 20 Traditional Worship Services

& JUBILEE Worship (New this year, if you
like a more contemporary carol!) Prelude
music will begin 15 minutes early for traditional services. Grab a pew early and enjoy
the beautiful music by EPC Choirs.
(8:45 & 11:00 a.m.)

Circle of Giving:
Dec. 12
CHAMPS Christmas Party:
Dec. 12
Staff Love Offering due
Dec. 13
PEACE Service:
Dec. 13
Youth Christmas Parties:
Dec. 13
St. Lawrence Place Dinner:
Dec. 14
Childrens Gingerbread Houses: Dec. 16
Poinsettia Donations Due:
Dec. 18 (New)
Day School Christmas Program: Dec. 18
Lessons and Carols (Worship):
Dec. 20
College Breakfast (10 am):
Dec. 20
Living Nativity (5, 6 & 7 pm):
Dec. 20
Christmas Eve (5, 7 & 9 pm):
Dec. 24
Christmas Day (10:30 am):
Dec. 25
Christmas Challenge Cards due Dec. 25 (New)
Lunch at Transitions (12:00 p.m.) Dec. 25
Sunday after Christmas (10:30 am) Dec. 27

December Dates to Remember:

January 2016...A Church-wide Lenten Study

on Prayer to Launch in January!
Do you struggle with prayer? Do you desire to
walk closer with God and deepen your relationship
with Him? Questions? Contact Caroline Bennett
at cbennett@eastminsterpres.org.

Come to the
Lynn Temple
Jones Library to
Check Out Some
of Our Newest
Titles This
Holiday Season:

Eastminster will host Family Promise the week of

December 20; two volunteer spots are still open.
Contact Elizabeth Barber at 528-3871 for information on how you can help.
Deadline for UPDATE:
Send your information to share with the congregation to communications@eastminsterpres.org.
Please have your information in by December
20th for the January 10th Update.

Eastminster Presbyterian Church

3200 Trenholm Road
Columbia, South Carolina 29204
Nonprofit Org.
US POSTAGE
PAID
Columbia, SC
PERMIT No. 27

Update for December 13, 2015