FirstLight
December 3, 2025
Sunday Worship:
God's grace to you! I hope and pray you had a good Sunday worshipping at home.
What are ways you make worship a part of your home? Prayers before meals? A devotional time in the morning or evening?
What are rhythms you can start again or create for the first time to make worship a part of your home life? If you have children or grandchildren, how can you make worship a part of the rhythm of your home?
God's blessing as you make worship a part of your home life.
Here is the Menno Morton Monday video for this week.
~Ropp's Farm hayrack ride & s’mores for Sat Dec 6th has been cancelled.
~Sunday Dec. 14: Christmas Program followed by the Christmas Dinner
~Dec. 24, 6:30pm: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Remember in Prayer
Please pray for those who are dealing with health challenges:
Joyce Ropp - Jim Wheat
-Please pray for the family of Scott Largent as his niece recently passed.
-Please continue to pray for the family of Cathy Nestrud as Dean recently passed.
-Casey Mol (36) is in Cleveland for 20 weeks of cancer treatment, she is Dave Ekema’s niece.
-Beth Simmons' son Maverick will have surgery on December 11th.
Family Prayer Spotlight
In James 5:16 we are called to “pray for one another.” Praying for one another is a powerful way to support and uplift each other. As a church family, we want to unite in prayer to love on our congregation. This week we ask that you pray for Dan & Doris King.
Worship/Youth Intern - Part-Time Position
If you or anyone you know is interested in the part-time worship or youth positions, please submit a resume to the Elders.
Ten Thousand Villages
Join Ten Thousand Villages in the library, Sunday, Dec 14th before and after Church for some
Christmas shopping.
Et Cetera & Store Next Door - Both stores will be closed December 24 through January 1.
CHOW - Wed, Dec 3rd at 5:30pm. Menu: Taco Bar and ice cream with toppings
We Care Food Pantry ~December
We are collecting paper towels, dish soap, & laundry detergent during December for We Care Food Pantry. There are baskets in the family center lobby for you to drop off your donations. Thank you!
Memory Verse ~ December
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Meat Canning ~ Freeport Mennonite Church is hosting meat canning this year. We will be going Thursday, December 11th and Monday, December 15th. This will be a full day activity (2 hour drive there,
4 hour shift, 2 hour drive back). We will carpool. Please sign up in the library.
Christmas Questionnaire
Don't forget to fill out this short 2 question form! Also submit an individual one for your kids.
Thanks so much! -Reece and Blair Litersky Form:https://forms.gle/HD9T18M4K67FQFGeA paper copies are in the library
Children’s Christmas Program will be Dec 14th at 10am.
* Rehearsals during Sunday School & Children’s Church Dec 7th &
during Sunday Sunday School before the program on Dec 14th
Christmas Dinner will be after the Children's Christmas Program on December 14.
Suggested donations are: Adults $10.00, children 6-12 $5:00. Please sign up on the sheet
in the library no later than December 7th. Looking forward to having everyone join us!!
The Kitchen Committee
Christmas Eve Service ~ Candlelight Service Wednesday, Dec. 24th, 6:30pm
Mark Your Calendars
Dec 3 ~ 5:30 pm CHOW
6:30 pm Bell Choir
Dec 7 ~ 3:00 pm Relief Sale Board
Dec 8 ~ 7:00 pm Men’s Basketball
Quilting - Tuesdays at 9:00 am
Men’s Breakfast - Wednesdays 8:00 am at Miss Vickie’s
Ladies Lunch Bunch - 1st Tuesday of the month 11:30 am
Missionaries
Birkey Family with World Gospel Mission (AZ)
Pablo & Colleen Fast with Project Amazon (Brazil)
Doug Goertzen with MDS in Asheville, NC
Mission Spotlight
Please, pray for clear direction and open doors for Jennifer Weaver to start well in Marseille, France, in 2026.
Year-To-Date Giving: $288,854.19
Year-To-Date Expenses: $336,164.32
Deficit: ($47,310.13)
2025 Total Budget: $325,506.93
Greeter Volunteers: Dec 7th ~ Lois King, Dan & Doris King
Dec 14th ~ Rebecca Roth, Joe & Alice Slager
Nursery Volunteers: Dec 7th ~ Michael & Holly Yordy
Dec 14th ~ Brayton & D’Lisa Boss
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Dec 3rd ~ Jenny Yordy
Dec 4th ~ Russ Fosdyck
Dec 7th ~ Rhonda Hancock
Dec 9th ~ Ken Zehr
Reminder to our families with Jr & Sr High students - Menno Haven's winter camp
HS 1-16/1-18 More info on Menno Haven's website
Jr High 1-30/2-1
Contact Information
Phone: (309) 266-7591|www.firstmennonitemorton.org
FMC APP: ‘FMC Morton’ (Android, iOS, Roku, AppleTV)
Facebook: First Mennonite Church of Morton
Pastor Andrew Stern|Pastor Andrew Stern
Office Admin, Anna Leander/Jayne Tucker|office FMC
Facilities Director, Mark Crandall|(309) 573-4387
Office hours: M 12-4pm & TTh 9-2pm
December 3, 2025
Sunday Worship:
God's grace to you! I hope and pray you had a good Sunday worshipping at home.
What are ways you make worship a part of your home? Prayers before meals? A devotional time in the morning or evening?
What are rhythms you can start again or create for the first time to make worship a part of your home life? If you have children or grandchildren, how can you make worship a part of the rhythm of your home?
God's blessing as you make worship a part of your home life.
Here is the Menno Morton Monday video for this week.
~Ropp's Farm hayrack ride & s’mores for Sat Dec 6th has been cancelled.
~Sunday Dec. 14: Christmas Program followed by the Christmas Dinner
~Dec. 24, 6:30pm: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Remember in Prayer
Please pray for those who are dealing with health challenges:
Joyce Ropp - Jim Wheat
-Please pray for the family of Scott Largent as his niece recently passed.
-Please continue to pray for the family of Cathy Nestrud as Dean recently passed.
-Casey Mol (36) is in Cleveland for 20 weeks of cancer treatment, she is Dave Ekema’s niece.
-Beth Simmons' son Maverick will have surgery on December 11th.
Family Prayer Spotlight
In James 5:16 we are called to “pray for one another.” Praying for one another is a powerful way to support and uplift each other. As a church family, we want to unite in prayer to love on our congregation. This week we ask that you pray for Dan & Doris King.
Worship/Youth Intern - Part-Time Position
If you or anyone you know is interested in the part-time worship or youth positions, please submit a resume to the Elders.
Ten Thousand Villages
Join Ten Thousand Villages in the library, Sunday, Dec 14th before and after Church for some
Christmas shopping.
Et Cetera & Store Next Door - Both stores will be closed December 24 through January 1.
CHOW - Wed, Dec 3rd at 5:30pm. Menu: Taco Bar and ice cream with toppings
We Care Food Pantry ~December
We are collecting paper towels, dish soap, & laundry detergent during December for We Care Food Pantry. There are baskets in the family center lobby for you to drop off your donations. Thank you!
Memory Verse ~ December
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Meat Canning ~ Freeport Mennonite Church is hosting meat canning this year. We will be going Thursday, December 11th and Monday, December 15th. This will be a full day activity (2 hour drive there,
4 hour shift, 2 hour drive back). We will carpool. Please sign up in the library.
Christmas Questionnaire
Don't forget to fill out this short 2 question form! Also submit an individual one for your kids.
Thanks so much! -Reece and Blair Litersky Form:https://forms.gle/HD9T18M4K67FQFGeA paper copies are in the library
Children’s Christmas Program will be Dec 14th at 10am.
* Rehearsals during Sunday School & Children’s Church Dec 7th &
during Sunday Sunday School before the program on Dec 14th
Christmas Dinner will be after the Children's Christmas Program on December 14.
Suggested donations are: Adults $10.00, children 6-12 $5:00. Please sign up on the sheet
in the library no later than December 7th. Looking forward to having everyone join us!!
The Kitchen Committee
Christmas Eve Service ~ Candlelight Service Wednesday, Dec. 24th, 6:30pm
Mark Your Calendars
Dec 3 ~ 5:30 pm CHOW
6:30 pm Bell Choir
Dec 7 ~ 3:00 pm Relief Sale Board
Dec 8 ~ 7:00 pm Men’s Basketball
Quilting - Tuesdays at 9:00 am
Men’s Breakfast - Wednesdays 8:00 am at Miss Vickie’s
Ladies Lunch Bunch - 1st Tuesday of the month 11:30 am
Missionaries
Birkey Family with World Gospel Mission (AZ)
Pablo & Colleen Fast with Project Amazon (Brazil)
Doug Goertzen with MDS in Asheville, NC
Mission Spotlight
Please, pray for clear direction and open doors for Jennifer Weaver to start well in Marseille, France, in 2026.
Year-To-Date Giving: $288,854.19
Year-To-Date Expenses: $336,164.32
Deficit: ($47,310.13)
2025 Total Budget: $325,506.93
Greeter Volunteers: Dec 7th ~ Lois King, Dan & Doris King
Dec 14th ~ Rebecca Roth, Joe & Alice Slager
Nursery Volunteers: Dec 7th ~ Michael & Holly Yordy
Dec 14th ~ Brayton & D’Lisa Boss
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Dec 3rd ~ Jenny Yordy
Dec 4th ~ Russ Fosdyck
Dec 7th ~ Rhonda Hancock
Dec 9th ~ Ken Zehr
Reminder to our families with Jr & Sr High students - Menno Haven's winter camp
HS 1-16/1-18 More info on Menno Haven's website
Jr High 1-30/2-1
Contact Information
Phone: (309) 266-7591|www.firstmennonitemorton.org
FMC APP: ‘FMC Morton’ (Android, iOS, Roku, AppleTV)
Facebook: First Mennonite Church of Morton
Pastor Andrew Stern|Pastor Andrew Stern
Office Admin, Anna Leander/Jayne Tucker|office FMC
Facilities Director, Mark Crandall|(309) 573-4387
Office hours: M 12-4pm & TTh 9-2pm