Pogonip

 December 4, 2024

  

Happy gorgeous pogonip-ed Advent, church family and friends!

As I sit here writing in my warm bed, with my warm puppy dogs snuggled up next to me and  my warm cup of coffee on the side table, the freezing fog outside my window looks SO COOL. This weekend I tried everything I knew with my iPhone camera to get pictures of the pogonip, with no luck. They all come out blurry, kinda like when I was trying to take a picture of the COOLEST orb weaver and her web in my tomato plants this past summer. User error, I’m sure…I know there is a way, just haven’t found it yet. So for now, I have to be content with looking at the ice crystals on the bare branches and fall leaves with my boring old eyeballs. Anyway, I just love it. It looks like fairy winter wonderland outside.

My husband, whose job it is to keep planes safely in the air out at NAS Fallon, enjoys the pogonip much less. Apparently planes don’t love freezing fog? Car tires don’t love it either, really, so every morning this week I’ve gotten “be really careful driving” texts from my beloved. But from here in the house, it’s beautiful. All about perspective. Probably there is a sermon in there somewhere. 

I am especially thankful for our friends at Social Services and so many open-hearted folks all over our community who are stepping up to make sure folks are safe and warm this time of year. Folks who sleep outdoors take good care of each other, our law enforcement officers are especially kind and good, and our whole community rallies to provide warm blankets and clothing and other supplies. We pray a whole lot, all the time, that folks will become motivated to improve their situations, because there is SO MUCH HELP available for them when they’re ready. We’ve found it’s often just a matter of convincing them: convincing them to show up for appointments, to be patient with paperwork, to trust that there are good people in the world who truly want to help, and that they deserve the help. I know you are praying with us, too.

This time of year is very full, and thus so is this newsletter. A couple of important tidbits that don’t fit in the next pages:

1.     I decided to change the time for Pizza with the Pastor to 12:30pm, to accommodate choir rehearsal. That’s this Sunday!

2.     In consultation with several members, your worship team has decided to add a 3:00pm service on the Longest Night and Christmas Eve, for the sake of folks who don’t drive at night. And anybody else who would prefer a service before dinner. Yay! So, our Christmas services will be:

·      The Longest Night, Saturday December 21, 3:00pm and 7:00pm

·      Candlelit Christmas Eve, 3:00pm, 7:00pm, and 11:00pm

I feel like there is a bunch of stuff I’m forgetting. Par for the course, really. Thank God we have each other, and are serving the Lord together as a team! See you in church.

Come, thou long-expected Jesus,

Pastor Dawn

Worship This Week 

Advent 2: Who Needs Christmas

We are aided this season by Andy Stanley and his Advent Bible Study, “Who Needs Christmas?” Pastor Stanley’s approach is really unique and inspiring, and I (Pastor Dawn) am getting a lot out of it. I hope you are, too. We’ll start by kind of combining his first 2 topics: the blessing God gave to Abram in Genesis 12 fulfilled in Jesus, and the way that blessing is LIFE for each of us and all the world. As you prepare your heart for worship, you might like to spend some time reading and praying with Genesis 12:1-3, Galatians 4:4, and Matthew 1:20-21.

Worship begins at 9:00am every Sunday, in person. If you can’t be there, remember to find us on YouTube so that you can watch live from wherever you are, or join us on KVLV radio on AM980 every Sunday beginning at 9:30am. If you have ideas or questions, or if we can be in prayer for you in any way, please call the church at 775-423-4714, or call Pastor Dawn directly at 775-671-5553. We’d love to hear from you.

 

News and Fun Stuff

Online Giving

Everything we do to serve God and our neighbors is made possible because of your generosity. THANK YOU! To set up online giving, go to our website epworthfallon.org/give.

Wreaths are Here!

They will be available in the Fireside Room for pickup on Sunday and all week. Stop in any time Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, or give Pastor Dawn a call at 775-671-5553 to arrange a time.

 

Help Us Staff Our Table at the Craft Fair on Dec 13 & 14

We’ll be selling fresh undecorated wreaths, and decorated ones too, at the Christmas Craft Fair at CCHS. Join us to greet folks and answer their questions about Epworth and the Wolf Center. The more of our smiling faces, the better. 

Lahontan Valley Choir Christmas Concerts 

Come hear some fun and inspiring Christmas music at the Fallon Theater on Friday December 6 after the tree lighting, on Wednesday December 11 at 7pm at Epworth, or on Monday December 23 at 11am at the Senior Center. Buy raffle tickets for the gorgeous winter quilt, too, made by our very own Carolyn Parrish! Drawing will be held on December 14 at the Christmas Craft Fair at CCHS.

Advent Bible Study “Who Needs Christmas”

Our Advent study this year is called “Who Needs Christmas” by Andy Stanley. We’ll have one class on Sundays after worship in the Good News Room, one on Mondays at 10:30am also in the Good News Room, and one on Wednesdays at 6pm via Zoom. There is no book to purchase this time, just video in class and discussion. Join any class, any time. All are welcome.  Meanwhile, Jeanette Strong’s class will continue their study on the Book of Acts, at 10:30 in the Wolf Center dining room. All are welcome there, too!

 

Tintabulations FREE Christmas Concert!

We LOVE our incredibly talented bell-ringing friends. They will be at Churchill County Museum on Saturday, December 14 at 1pm. As always, the concert is free. It’s likely to be standing room only, so get there early!