The Christmas Fund

“And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them…” —Luke 2:9

“The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December to our lower-income retirees.

United Church of Christ congregations and members have blessed the Christmas Fund with their generosity for many years. This year, your care and compassion will be especially appreciated by those servants of the church who are facing a time of need. Thank you!”

Brookmeade will be accepting donations for the Christmas Fund now through the end of December! Just mail a check to the church office with “Christmas Fund” as the designation, or give online via Tithe.ly by choosing “UCC Christmas Fund Offering” in the drop-down menu!

Brookmeade and HTCC Singers will be joining together this Advent Season for choir performances on the first, second and third Sundays of Advent! Our first rehearsal will be this Monday 11/25 from 6-7 pm at the Brookmeade building, and we will have some more upcoming rehearsals through the next few weeks on Sundays and Wed. 12/11. For full details please contact the church office (brookmeade@comcast.net, 615-352-4702). We would love to have you come and sing with us!

This year we continue our tradition of supporting the Last Minute Toy Store which provides Christmas gifts for families in need. We are currently accepting donations of new, unwrapped toys, and other age-appropriate gifts in the $10 – $25 price range for newborn to 18 yrs of age (please avoid toys that require batteries). Guidelines for Teen Gifts (ages 12-18): Gift cards, valued between $15 – $20, are a great idea! Here are a few stores that are a hit: Bath & Body Works, Walmart, Old Navy, Target, Game Stop, Books-A-Million, Amazon. If you prefer to buy specific items, here are some ideas: remote control drones, blue tooth speakers, karaoke machines, headphones, tool kits, make-up kits, shavers or trimmers, make up mirrors, purses, shoulder bags, curling irons or journals. Please bring donations to the church by Sunday, December 15th. Thank you for your generosity this holiday season!

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Please join us at 10:00 AM on Saturday, November 23rd for our Annual Hanging of the Green! We will decorate our building for the advent season and enjoy fellowship and crafting decorations together. We look forward to this fun time of fellowship together as we decorate the sanctuary, fellowship hall and the halls with our creations. We can’t wait to see you there!

For many years, Brookmeade Congregational Church has been one of few churches in Nashville open on Thanksgiving Day. Open to members and the general public, we have a potluck dinner at 2:00 PM, which is always a great time of fellowship with one another, this year extending an invitation to UCC sister church Holy Trinity Community Church in residence, as well as to the larger Nashville community. Organized by the Fellowship Team at Brookmeade, this is a long-standing tradition of Brookmeade Congregational Church for those who are free to come, who are in town and not otherwise engaged with family on Thanksgiving Day in the afternoon of Thursday, November 28th at 2:00 PM. There is a potluck sign-up in the long hallway of the church, or contact the church office (brookmeade@comcast.net; 615-352-4702) to sign up & indicate what you’re bringing to the feast & celebration!  All are welcome!

HTCC and Brookmeade are hosting a winter coat drive. We will be collecting coats and other warm clothes (shoes, sweaters, hats, scarves, gloves) all through the month of November until December 1st to be donated to those in need! Feel free to bring donations on Sundays or contact the office to arrange another time to drop items off (brookmeade@comcast.net).

This winter season Brookmeade is happy to provide beds, meals and a warm place for unhoused folks in the Nashville community! Our first date hosting Room in the Inn will be Friday, November 15th. Here is a list of ways you can get involved:

Set Up of Cots in Hallway
Drivers–2 to 3 Pick Up at RITI Campus on Friday at 5-5:30 PM
2 Overnight Hosts
Dinner (Coordinator and Helpers)
7-8 Sack Lunches
Breakfast
Drivers–2 to 3 (6 am pick up at Brookmeade to take the participants back to RITI Campus)
Laundry Pick Up
Cot Breakdown
Donations of Socks and Underwear 

Click here to sign up to sign up online!

Our upcoming dates to host will be on Friday evenings for the next several months. Please put these dates on the calendar and decide how you and your family and friends can help: December 20, January 17, February 21. Please contact the church office to learn more.

On Saturday, November 9th, we will meet at our building to freshen up for the fall and prepare for Advent from 10 am to 1 pm. We will be straightening up in the building, moving Pastor Liz’s office, and freshening up the garden and our yard. Everyone please come chip in. Many hands make for light work!

New UPPER ROOM daily devotionals for Nov-Dec are now available without cost in the foyer of the church.  The UPPER ROOM is a great devotional aid to have daily set-aside time for prayer & meditation of sacred scriptures to grow in being closer to God and God’s people across the globe.  Published in 34 languages & distributed all over the planet, the UPPER ROOM is a daily connection with the universal communion of saints as we approach the Advent season.  Pick up a copy in the foyer in the foyer of the church or call the church office to have a copy mailed to you.

First Sundays of the month we collect our COW (“Contribute Our Wealth”) Offering. Monetary donations are split between Second Harvest of Middle TN and Heifer International. You can also bring canned goods on Sunday morning to donate to Second Harvest. Please designate your check for COW Offering or if you give online you can choose COW offering on the drop-down menu on Tithe.ly. Thank you for supporting these important organizations and helping Brookmeade fight hunger!