Table Talk

Ten Fun Facts for Thanksgiving

Yes, it’s true. As a country, we desperately need to work on our civil discourse skills, but Thanksgiving may not be the best time to practice those skills. With that in mind, here are 10 fun facts that you can bring up to steer the conversation away from politics at your Thanksgiving feast. Pull these out as needed to prevent heartburn and hurt feelings.

1. Thanksgiving is to blame for TV dinners. In 1953, a Swanson employee accidentally ordered way too many turkeys for Thanksgiving. To get rid of them all, salesman Gerry Thomas came up with the idea of filling 5,000 aluminum trays with the turkey – along with cornbread dressing, gravy, peas and sweet potatoes. They were sold for 98 cents, and were a hit. Within one year, over ten million were sold. Triumph or tragedy?
2. The day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday, marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. The term "Black Friday" originated in the 1960s, and it was initially used to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic that would occur on the day. Since 2006, more people in the US have died in Black Friday accidents than in shark attacks. Statistically, the most dangerous place to shop on Black Friday is Wal-Mart.
3. The annual presidential turkey pardon has been a quirky tradition since the 1940s, with the President of the United States "pardoning" a turkey from being slaughtered for Thanksgiving dinner. The pardoned turkey often lives out its days on a farm.
4. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is a famous tradition dating back to 1924. It originally featured live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo!
5. Not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving. Some Native Americans observe the day as a National Day of Mourning, reflecting on the impact of European colonization on Indigenous peoples.
6. Thanksgiving and football have a deep-rooted connection. The NFL has been hosting Thanksgiving Day games since 1920, and it's a time when families often gather around the TV to enjoy both the game and the holiday feast. Also, it takes about 600 cows to make one season’s worth of NFL footballs.
7. Americans prepare 46 million turkeys for Thanksgiving each year. Eighty-eight percent of Americas eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
8. The Butterball Turkey Talk Line answers almost 100,000 calls each season. So if you’re having a turkey crisis (or just a question) you can call 1-800-Butterball.
9. The day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday, marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. The term "Black Friday" originated in the 1960s, and it was initially used to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic that would occur on the day. Since 2006, more people in the US have died in Black Friday accidents than in shark attacks. Statistically, the most dangerous place to shop on Black Friday is Wal-Mart.
10. Black Friday is the busiest year for plumbers. So scrape those plates before putting them in the dishwasher and don’t try to get rid of those turkey bones in the disposal.

Keep these fun facts in your back pocket and apply as necessary.

And, This Thanksgiving, Remember…

You are a beloved child of God.

You do not owe your great-aunt Mildred an explanation for your life choices.

You get to eat as much or as little as you like–and allow others to do the same…without comment.

Your value is not determined by how you measure up to the achievements of others.

Thanksgiving is only one of 365 days in the year that we should be grateful for the love and grace and abundance in our lives.

You are a beloved child of God…and so is everyone else gathered at your table.

Blessings and peace to all,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pastor Adam

RSVP Sunday in the Atrium.

“The Glory of Christmas—Celebrating Christ’s Birth” by Lloyd Larson. The congregation will participate in singing verses of some of our favorite carols. “We see the majesty, the color, the sounds, and even the solemnity of this glorious season! We witness the anguish of God’s chosen people as it gives way to joy in the fulfillment that God would send a Messiah to save them. But the message…is not solely for a people who lived long ago. It’s a message that our world needs to hear today.”

• 8:15AM Chapel Service
• 10:30AM Interactive Children & Family Service (sanctuary & online)
• 6:00M Traditional Evening Service (sanctuary & online)

All three services will include Holy Communion & candle lighting. Beyond the traditional elements of Christmas Eve worship, each service will be a different worship experience, shaped by its own unique worship liturgy and sermon.

Join us as we end the year 2023 and say hello to 2024 with a “Favorite Old Hymns” worship service that will include lots of your favorite songs of faith!

Gracious Conversations at the Intersection of Contemporary Life and the Christian Faith

Parlor Room Led by Susan Sheridan, ssher77@sbcglobal.net or 330-507-9232

Weekly reading material for discussion is available by email or in the church office.

• November 22: No Discussion. Thanksgiving Break
• November 29 Topic: We will begin a mult-week discussion on the state and future of the Christian Church. Pt. One: From The New York Times, “America Is Losing Religious Faith” by Nicholas Kristof. From Christianity Today, “’Nondenominational’ Is Now the Largest Segment of American Protestants’” by Daniel Silliman. From The Presbyterian Outlook, “’Nones’ and ‘dones’ and Presbyterians” by Sue Pizor Yoder & Stephen Simmons.

Come when you can. Leave when you must.

“Free Birds” Movie

Quiet Play (coloring, playdough, puzzles) & Popcorn

Turkey Bowling, Dinner, & Crafts

RSVP—Bevin: 330-774-0809 bevin.k.flaugher@gmail.com

• Ending November 26—Jonah, a Whale, and the Mystery of God’s Grace. Sometimes you discover that your life has been headed in the wrong direction. When that happens, the will of God is not a mystery. What you should do is turn around. But for that, you will need help.
• Beginning December 3—The Holy (Messy) Family: A Holiday Series About our Complicated Families. Throughout the month of December, we’ll journey with the holy (messy) family of Jesus, working our way through its history of conflicts and secrets. We’ll also explore some of the ways our own family histories, conflicts, and secrets can either build us up or hold us back.

Through this seasonal devotional, you'll be invited to pray the words of our beloved Advent & Christmas hymns. Each day includes a single verse and question for reflection. Printed copies will first be made available at the Thanksgiving Eve service and continue availability through the Sundays of Advent. A PDF digital edition is available below.

If you setup an Advent wreath at home, we’ve made available a concise, family-friendly liturgy and prayer guide to use as you light the candles of hope, peace, joy, and love each week. They’re available next Sunday in the Atrium. The printed guide is small enough to keep on your refrigerator, wherever you eat your meals, or near your Advent wreath…and can quickly be referenced when you have only a minute to reflect on the meaning of the Advent season. Enjoy! A PDF digital edition is available below.

Thanks to everyone who has signed up to ring the bell and take our faith “on the road” this weekend as part of the Red Kettle Campaign for the Salvation Army. All day Friday and Saturday WPC members & friends will be ringing the bell at the Giant Eagle Store in Boardman, covering 16 hours of shifts.

Blood Drive @ WPC Fellowship Hall—Monday, Dec 18, 12:30P to 6P

Schedule your appointment today: 1-800-REDCROSS or RedCrossBlood.org

Thank you for your contributions this fall to Operation Christmas Child, where we collected 62 shoeboxes. Also, thank you for your donations to our Thanksgiving food drive, which enabled us to provide a Thanksgiving meal to 45 families. The Mission Partnership Committee of WPC thanks you for your ongoing support of the mission and ministries of our church.

In December you will notice two mitten trees standing proudly in the main entryway. We are hoping to cover the trees with gloves, mittens, socks, scarves, and stocking caps for the students at Taft Elementary School and Needles Eye, two of our local mission partners. While you're out Christmas shopping, consider purchasing an item and then hanging it on one of the trees. Your donations will help keep students warm and give you a warm feeling as well.

On November 26 during the children’s message the kids will sing and learn a song about Jonah, a whale, Gabriel, a trumpet, and Daniel in the Lion’s Den.

• Sunday, November 26, 3:00 pm: Messiah performance by New Castle Music Club at Northminster Presbyterian in New Castle.
  
• Sunday, December 3, 6:00 pm: Messiah performance with orchestra Blessed Sacrament in Warren. Repeat performance Monday, December 4, 7:00 pm at St. Columba in Youngstown.
• Wednesday, December 6, 7:00 pm: Dana Holiday Concert Stambaugh Auditorium.
• Sunday, Dec. 10, 2:30 pm: Holiday Concert of Giving featuring the Youngstown Area Community Band and Stambaugh Chorus, Stambaugh Auditorium.

The Session of WPC has called a Congregational Meeting of the members of Westminster Presbyterian Church for Sunday, December 3, 2023, 11:30 AM. The meeting will be held in the sanctuary. Active church members will be counted as “present with both voice and voting privileges.” The purpose of the meeting is to vote on a motion approving changes to the 2024 Terms of Call for Pastor Adam Rodgers. The meeting will be announced in both written and verbal forms on Sundays, November 19, 26, and December 3, and in weekly e-newsletters on November 17, 22, and December 1.

As we anticipate an increase in visitors & guests throughout the month of December, the WPC Hospitality Deacons are asking ALL PEOPLE to wear name tags at WPC events, especially worship services. Not the metal name tags with magnets. The stick-on name tags with colorful edges. Why? Because we, the children of God, are forgetful people. Even if you’re a faithful member, the nametags are an opportunity finally to learn so-and-so’s name. Maybe you’ve shared a pew with them for years, but felt too embarrassed to ask again! The simple addition of paper nametags will allow for a new level of connection. On top of that, by providing everyone with a chance to make a nametag, whether it’s your first time at WPC or your 500th, we’re creating a culture of uniform inclusion and hospitality. Members, friends, and guests have the same nametags as the rest. Everyone has a name. Everyone is an equal. All were welcome. Nametag stations will be setup near both entrances and throughout the church, with ample nametags and markers. And, yes, if you’re wondering…even Pastor Adam will be wearing a nametag.

• Chancel Choir rehearsals Thursdays from 7-8:30 pm
• Handbell Choir rehearsals Thursdays from 6-7 pm
• Children’s music 2nd and 4th Sundays during 10:30 sanctuary service

Have a joy? We’d love to celebrate with you. Have a concern? We’d love to encourage and support you. Don’t hesitate to share your joys and concerns with Pastor Adam OR send a note to our beloved email prayer chain: rgibbs22@zoominternet.net

DON'T HAVE EMAIL? The prayer chain is also available via phone for those without email. There are two wonderful ladies who do the calling.

This list is an invitation for you to hold your WPC siblings & friends in prayer. Names added to this prayer list will remain on the list for one month or whenever you request it be removed, whichever comes first. After a name has been removed, we will gladly add it to the list again if such a request is made.

Alison Dobro

June Baker

Jim Floyd

Betty Galbreath

Marilyn Burrows

Brenda Hughes

Patrick Hughes

November Birthdays

Nov 24 Mathew Hunter

Nov 25 Michael Pauline

Nov 26 Anna Baker

Nov 27 Susan Sheridan

Nov 28 Robert McCollum

Nov 28 Kaylee Sorvillo

Nov 30 Julia Castellano

Nov 30 Allison Madgar

Joe Parsons

330-503-8354

Anna Baker

330-881-7724

Email: westch2@zoominternet.net
Website: www.wpcboardman.com
Location: Westminster Presbyterian Church, Stadium Drive, Youngstown, OH, USA
Phone: 330-758-4513

Email: adamjosephrodgers@gmail.com
Phone: 724-893-6244

Director Janet Petro

Location: 119 Stadium Drive, Youngstown, OH, USA
Phone: 330-755-7041
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCWacademyPreschool