
Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 22 @ 10:00am
"A Song of
Joy!" - Luke 1:46b-55
Pastor Eric Markman
preaching
Join us for the fourth
Sunday of Advent as we listen to Mary’s song of joy, also known as
the Magnificat. As the birth of Jesus nears, Mary gives voice to
all God’s Kingdom seeks for our world. We will be lighting all but
the final candle on the Advent Wreath and enjoying the
beautiful carols of this sacred season.
About the Art:
"Magnify" - Hannah Garrity [Inspired by Luke 1:46-55]
Acrylic painting on canvas. © a sanctified
art/sanctifiedart.org. The central image in this quilt square design is of
Mary’s soul, an abstract and concentric shape that
begins to look like an eye. It originates as an outward
spiraling abstraction of the soul magnifying God. For Mary’s
soul magnifies her creator. In her song, Mary honors her God
who
mirrors the life her son will live: lifting up
the lowly, filling the hungry, coming to the aid of
God’s people, bringing down the powerful, sending
the rich away empty, and scattering the proud.
Mary is on the verge of delivering
God’s depth and beauty into the world; God will be embodied by
a child. Mary, the earthly mother of our incarnate God, can see it.
She can see hope, justice, and right relationships. In the
Magnificat, she speaks the way of God into being, just before Jesus
is born.
Join us for
IN-PERSON WORSHIP on Sunday at 10:00am; doors open at
9:40am.
To join in WORSHIP ONLINE this
Sunday, December 22, click on the picture above to go
to our Concord website. Near the bottom of the home page, click on
the same picture to connect with the worship video. The worship
service will be available live at 10:30am Sunday morning or later
in the day to view at your convenience.
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- 10:00am: Children worship in the sanctuary with
their family.
- 10:15am: Children may come forward for the
Wondering Time or remain in their seats and watch from
there.
- 10:20am-11:00am: Children are invited to leave
the sanctuary with the J.A.M. leaders to go to the Sunday
School rooms (upstairs hallway) for a time of creative
response to the Bible story, prayer, and fellowship.
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- The Church Office will be closed December 24
through January 1.
- The Preschool will also be closed December 23-27
and December 30-January 1.
- In the event of a pastoral emergency, Pastor Eric
Markman can be reached at 603-770-3239 or pastoreric@concordpc.org
- There will be no Concord Connects
Christmas or New Year's. The next issue will be January 8.
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Prayer
List
Prayers of
condolence for the family of Barbara Wise following the sudden death of her son Jim
from San Diego, CA.
Prayers for Kathie Pownall's friend Sue (Lititz,
PA) - suffering from terminal cancer.
Kay Jewett's friend's sister Theresa just
had open heart surgery for severe mitral valve regurgitation. Doing
well but needs our prayers.
A joy that Nancy
Tucker's son Ray & family will be visiting for three weeks over the
holidays.
Prayers for Wayne Stahl who is at Kutz
Home under hospice care. Prayers also for Wayne's brother
Gray, facing his own health issues.
Prayers for the
following list of people who are in our hearts as they deal with
ongoing health struggles - Lexi, Jo
Ann, June, Ginnie M., Dan V., Duane, Craig E., Sue, Eileen,
Rita & Dawn.
Prayers for peace - in our country,
among nations, in our homes, and in our hearts.
***
If you would like to add names/needs to this list
and our ministry of prayer, please email info@concordpc.org or
fill out a "Prayers of the People" card at the Sunday
service and hand to a greeter during the offering.
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This
Sunday (Dec. 22) following worship...

**NEW
ACTIVITY for children, youth and parents**
11am-11:30 am CODE PURPLE HELP
Friendship House has called for Code Purple this Saturday and
Sunday (temperatures below 20 degrees putting unhoused folks at
risk). Please join us in the Fellowship Hall kitchen after
worship to assemble 50 (or more!) PB&J sandwiches. They will
be dropped off at First & Central Presbyterian Church at
5:30pm Sunday evening. ( If anyone is available to do the drop
off, please let me know.) Thank you for helping us care for our
neighbors ❤
11:30am-1:00pm Youth Group rehearsal for Christmas Eve
and PIZZA 😉
We’ll meet in the sanctuary following sandwich assembly to read
and walk through the play, break for lunch, then figure out
costumes. See you there!!
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CODE PURPLE HELP
Sunday, December 22
11:00-11:30 am
Friendship House has
called for Code Purple this Saturday and Sunday (temperatures
will be below 20 degrees putting unhoused folks at risk). Please
join us in the church kitchen after worship to assemble 50 (or
more!) PB&J sandwiches.
They will need to be dropped off at First & Central
Presbyterian Church (1101 N. Market St, across from the Hotel
DuPont) at 5:30pm Sunday evening.
** If anyone is
available to do the drop off, please let me know!**
Thank you for helping us care for our neighbors ❤
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We will receive the
Christmas Joy Offering throughout the month of December.
Give a gift that opens doors.
When we all do a little, it adds up to a lot!
Make checks payable to Concord, memo: Christmas Joy or
donate online
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New
Flag in the Sanctuary

The Progress Pride flag displayed in our
Sanctuary is a visual
representation of Concord’s mission to be a welcoming and affirming
congregation to the LGBTQIA+ community. In addition to the
traditional rainbow colors, the black and brown stripes represent
marginalized people of color, as well as those living with
HIV/AIDS. The light blue, pink, and white stripes represent the
transgender community, reflecting traditional gender colors (pink
and blue stripes), as well as those who identify outside the gender
binary (white stripe). The chevron (triangular) shape symbolizes
forward movement, and its placement along the left edge shows that
progress still needs to be made.
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No Mug & Muffin -
Dec. 25, Jan. 1
We will meet again via Zoom on Wed.,
January 8 from 10:00-11:00am, led by Pastor
Eric Markman. To join the Zoom gathering ONLINE,
click on this link.
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Advent Is the Season of Giving!

Mission &
Congregational Life invites you to take part in this Reverse Advent Calendar activity to benefit our community! Instead of
receiving a little daily gift as we count down the days to
Christmas, we will give back
daily by placing a non-perishable food
item in a bag each day at our own homes.
Bring your items to church each
Sunday in December and place them by the empty manger in the
narthex. We will be sharing these gifts with the community by
placing them in the Blessing Box outside Concord Church.
Suggestions: SPAGHETTI SAUCE,
dry pasta, canned tuna & chicken, cereal, PB&J, canned
fruit & vegetables, canned soup & broth, oatmeal packets,
boxed mac & cheese, granola/ protein bars. Smaller containers
are best, as the box provides for short-term needs and space
inside is limited. (No glass or expired items, please.)
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Contributions
for the Flower Fund for Christmas

If you would like to contribute to the
Flower Fund for the upcoming holiday season, please make your check
for $20/poinsettia payable to Concord Presbyterian Church, memo:
“Christmas Flowers.” Place it in a designated envelope in the
offering or the Church Office mailbox. Be sure to include a note
stating how you wish the acknowledgment to read in the bulletin.
Contributing to the grace and beauty of our Christmas decorations
is a lovely way to remember or honor a loved one.
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We are beginning work on a
do-it-yourself, updated photo directory. This Sunday,
Dec. 22, Terri Jones & Marj Johnson will be taking
photos in the front of the sanctuary during Gathering Time.
Stop by before or after snacking to have your picture taken and
to update your contact information.
We will be continuing this process
for a number of weeks, so don't worry if you can't make it this
Sunday. Watch Concord Connects for future dates. Deacons will also be working on
getting current photos of our homebound members. Please don't
worry if you're not an "official" church member - if
you are part of our Concord Family, we want to include you!
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Share the Spirit!
Winner Winner Chicken
Dinner
Women in Guatemala
have been marginalized by a very macho culture. They are often the
ones left at home when the men go to the US or elsewhere to try and
find work. Through microloans, literacy training, and guidance, the
New Castle Guatemalan Partnership helps women create their own
businesses and support their families.
One such project provides young (mostly male)
chickens to be raised for meat, not eggs. They grow quickly
(about 3 months). The women sell them at market and keep a little
for their own family.
A gift of $250 provides a woman with a starter
set of 20 chicks, feed, delivery and training. After three cycles
of growing the chicks, the woman returns $125 to a fund to help
other women get started and can sustainably continue the business
on her own.
Please make any contribution you wish through
Concord (memo Guatemala Chickens) or at https://mailchi.mp/637434c252f3/gift-of-chicks-advent-2024.
Beautiful gift cards are
available on the table in the Sanctuary if you would like to make
this donation in someone else’s honor. (A limited number of Delaware
Blue Hens are also available during Gathering Time
for a donation of $15. Please see Dottie Lund.)
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MARY
CIRCLE COOKIE BAKERS

Twenty containers of cookies were put together
and delivered on Monday for the various houses of Friendship
House. There were also lots for preschool and church staff. Many
thanks to all who contributed cookies for the Advent Fest, the
Christmas Concert, and Friendship House.
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Thank you for supporting the Ronald
McDonald House of Delaware over the years with your pop tab
donations at Concord Church and Preschool! As of December 31, 2024,
RMHD will no longer be running the Pop Tab Program due to lack of
space, decreasing returns, and developing more beneficial
fundraising opportunities. Please click on the picture above for
more information.
Sunday, December 22 is the last
day Concord will receive pop tab
donations. If there is a family or individual who
would be willing to deliver the pop tabs to RMHD before December
31, please email Christina Pressley at concord.christinap@gmail.com. As
always, thank you for your generosity!
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Concord Photo Gallery
Show
us your activities, vacations, special occasions, children
or pets being adorable...! If you have photos you'd be
willing to share with your Concord family, please send them to Margaret. We'll
try to include your photos in Concord Connects as space permits.
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Ashley lends a hand
in the office, getting the candles ready for the Christmas Eve
service, as well as making Christmas decorations and jewelry.
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Margaret O'Boyle's
grandson Reid gives his new winter jacket a thumbs up;
fortunately her grandkitty Raja has no thumbs!
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