Pastors’ Prayer List David and Rachel Hammer are the proud parents of Julian Levit, born December 12 at Catawba Valley Medical Center. rachelviolam@hotmail.com Phil Thompson and his wife Carlie welcomed son Arlo Hunter to their family on December 16 in Honolulu. The proud grandparents are Pastor Bob and Linda Thompson. fillupthompson@gmail.com Hamp Shuford had emergency surgery at Baptist on December 17. wadeshuford@gmail.com Kim Ingle had surgery December 13 at Frye Regional Medical Center. kwingle@hotmail.com Irving Perez had ear surgery December 15. irving.perez@my.lr.edu Ruby Sherrill is home following a hospitalization at Catawba Valley Medical Center last weekend. Jerry Lail has been diagnosed with cancer and is considering treatment options. Rachel Hammer’s father, Kenneth Smith of China Grove, NC, passed away December 16. rachelviolam@hotmail.com Adam Cascio’s uncle, Paul Steelmon of Unicoi, TN, passed away December 14. acascio@gmail.com Aaron and Stephanie Blizzard ask for prayer for their friend, Debbie Stewart, whose husband Tommy passed away December 16. stwheatley@charter.net

To add a prayer request to this list, contact the church office, 828.328.6196 or office@corinthtoday.org.

Coming Up at Corinth Wed 12/20 — No Wednesday Night Activities. Our regular Wednesday night schedule will resume

January 3, 2018. Fri 12/22 — Church Office Closed. Our offices will reopen on Wednesday, December 27. There will

be no church newsletter published the week of Christmas. Sun 12/24 — Christmas Eve Worship, 11:00am in the Sanctuary. We will have one combined

service Sunday morning. The service will be a blended style between contemporary and traditional. Pastor Paul will preach. There will be no 8:30am service, Sunday School, or Big City Studio on Christmas Eve.

Sun 12/24 — Christmas Eve Worship, 5:00pm in the Sanctuary. Pastor Bob will preach at our traditional, family-friendly service. Children may bring gifts for the baby Jesus (toys, diapers, blankets, etc.); gifts will be donated to Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministries.

Sun 12/24 — Christmas Eve Worship, 10:00pm in the Sanctuary. For the second year, we will offer a late service on Christmas Eve. This year, join us for a Moravian Love Feast and a sermon from Pastor Bob.

Sun 12/31 — Combined Worship, 8:30am & 11:00am in the Sanctuary. Join us for either blended worship service on New Year’s Eve. We will receive new members during the 11:00 service. Pastor Paul will preach at both services.

“The Corinthian” Volume 20 Issue 48 December 19, 2017

Worship With Us on December 24

11:00am Combined Worship (Sanctuary)

5:00pm Christmas Eve Service (Sanctuary)

10:00pm Moravian Love Feast

There will be no 8:30am service, Sunday school, or Big City Studio this Sunday.

To prepare for worship, read Genesis 50:15-21; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21.

Sunday, December 17

Attendance: 816 in Worship Offerings: $49,754 for General Fund 276 in Sunday School $106,681 needed for General Fund by 12/31 $70,577 for Corinth Legacy

DATE CHANGE — Medieval Madrigal Feast

The Medieval Madrigal Feast was rescheduled because of weather, and is now an Epiphany Feast, Saturday, January 6, 6:00pm in Bost Memorial Hall. Tickets are still available in the church office.

To find other ways to belong or serve, contact the church office, 828.328.6196 or office@corinthtoday.org.

Ways to Belong

Cross Talk Hickory. This support group is for parents who have children dealing with any type of substance abuse issues. The group meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 7:00pm in the Mitchell House. For more info, contact Steve Siciliano, drsiciliano@earthlink.net.

Financial Wellness. Join us the second Sunday of the month (January thru March) for a new financial wellness program. The first session will be January 14 at 12:30pm, focusing on “Saving and Budgeting.” The event is free, but donations to offset the cost of food are appreciated. To sign up and reserve childcare, contact office@corinthtoday.org or 828.328.6196.

Ways to Serve

Warming Stations. On Fridays when the temperatures drop below freezing, we open our facilities to those who are experiencing homelessness. Volunteers are asked to serve 2-hour shifts between 4:00pm and 10:00pm. To learn more about this ministry, contact Erik Smith, corinthhomeless@gmail.com.

Hurricane Relief Trip. We have one open spot left for a female to travel to the Houston, TX area with our team February 11-16. The trip will be a rebuilding assignment with Samaritan’s Purse. Construction or missions experience is not required. For more info or to sign up, contact Pastor Amy, amy@corinthtoday.org.

Candlelighting — December 17, 2017

Above: 78th Annual Traditional Candlelighting. Below: Second Contemporary Candlelighting

Weekly Scheduled Events

Sunday 8:30am Sonrise Worship (Sanctuary) Wednesday 6:15am Men’s Exercise 9:45am Sunday School 7:00am Men’s Bible Study 11:00am Traditional Worship (Sanctuary) 9:15am Women’s Fit Thru Faith 11:00am Contemporary Worship (Bost Hall) 9:15am Women’s Bible Study — Seamless 11:00am Big City Studio (Abernethy Student Center) 9:30am Women’s Bible Study — James 8:00pm Alcoholics Anonymous* 11:00am Bible Study and Prayer 5:00pm Confirmation Class Monday 6:15am Men’s Exercise 5:15pm Fellowship Dinner 9:15am Women’s Fit Thru Faith 6:15pm Kids’ Club; Women’s Bible Study — Esther, 7:00pm Scouts/Cubs We Saved You a Seat 7:00pm Women’s Bible Study — Cultivate 6:30pm Handbell Choir; Adult Bible Study; Men’s Fellowship Evolving; Youth CREW 7:15pm Chancel Choir Tuesday 6:30am Men’s Bible Study 7:30pm Sr. High Bible Study 9:00am Women’s Bible Study — Having a Mary Heart 1:15pm Women’s Prayer Time Thursday 8:00am Men’s Bible Study 6:30pm Women’s Bible Study — The Envy of Eve 9:30am Women’s Bible Study — Malachi

6:30pm Women’s Zumba Friday 6:15am Men’s Exercise *Non-Corinth sponsored event 9:15am Women’s Fit Thru Faith

January 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

Church Office Closed

2

6:00pm Elder-led Prayer

7:00pm Elders

3

6:30pm Youth Open Mic

4

5

6

6:00pm Epiphany Feast (Madrigal)

7

8:30 Sonrise & 11:00 Contemp. Communion

Texas Mission trip (1/7-1/12)

8 9

7:00pm Boards

10 11

6:00pm Date Night

12 13

14

12:30pm Financial Wellness

15 16

6:30pm Refresh

7:00pm Deacons

17

9:10am Refresh

18

7:00pm Crosstalk (Families Anon.)

19

6:00pm Adoption Ministry

20

21

12:30pm Pastor Bill’s Retirement Celebration

22 23

7:00pm Consistory

24 25 26 27

9:00am Leadership Retreat

28

12:30pm Stephen Ministry Reception (20 years)

29 30

6:30pm Mom’s Night Out

31

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Call 828.328.6196 Fax 828.328.6197 E-mail office@corinthtoday.org Web corinthtoday.org FB facebook.com/CorinthReformed Realm onrealm.org/CorinthToday Rev. Dr. Robert M. Thompson, Senior Pastor E-mail bob@corinthtoday.org

Pastor’s Pen — “Christmas Eve at Corinth” At least until the 1930s, the tradition at Corinth was to hold a worship service at 6:15am on Christmas Day. I’m not sure we’d get much participation at that service today! Because of the Jewish tradition of a “day” beginning at sunset the evening

before, Christmas around the world often includes evening worship on Christmas Eve.

All Christmas Eve services at Corinth this year will conclude our fall sermon series with a message on Genesis 50:15-21, tying in the message of Christmas with 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. Since Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year, here’s our worship schedule –

11:00am. Pastor Paul will preach, and the service will be similar in style to our weekly 8:30 Sonrise service. We’ll also sing some favorite Christmas songs. There will be no 8:30 service, Sunday School, or Big City Studio this week.

5:00pm. After I came as pastor in 1993, we began the tradition of an early evening, kid-friendly service. We started with about 50 people the first year, but that has grown to a

Office Hours Mon-Thurs 9:00am — 4:00pm Fri 9:00am — 12:00pm

standing-room only crowd. I’ll share the message this year, and we have some special music planned. The youngest baby in the church has, for 21 years, been a live “baby Jesus,” with mom and dad standing in for Mary and Joseph as I sing “Joseph’s Song.” The congregation gathers at the front to sing Christmas carols as we close the service. Childcare is available for preschoolers only.

10:00pm. Our late service was new last year, and I wasn’t able to participate. I’ll be there to share the message this year, and we’re modeling the service after the Moravian love feast. Moravians were 18th century religious refugees who settled in Bethlehem, PA, and Winston-Salem, NC. Their passion for peace and unity includes “love feasts” with simple breads and beverages to celebrate unity and Christian love. It’s not a communion service, so everyone can participate. Christmas Eve love feasts also include lighting keepsake beeswax candles with red skirts symbolizing the blood of Christ. For more, search the web for “Lovefeast.” No childcare is available for this service.

— Bob Thompson, Pastor