The Prince of Peace C O M M U N I C A T O R

Transcription

1 Prince of Peace is a Hub of spiritual transformation using God s Word, Sacrament, and Prayer, Equipping us to build networks of vibrant Christian communities, Extending to our homes, to our neighbors, and beyond, making disciples of Jesus. Vol. 19 No. 47 November 26, The Prince of Peace C O M M U N I C A T O R Prayer Helps us Slow Down in the Holiday Rush My friend asked a rhetorical question about our holiday schedule this week why do we clump so many celebrations together? I have no clue. From mid-october to January, we are either celebrating a holiday or preparing for the next. Holidays are hard work! Yet when we breathe deeply, close our eyes, and pray for God s blessing on all we do, the work of preparing and celebrating becomes relaxing and inspirational. When we pray, the world around us suddenly improves. The sun shines brighter, food tastes better, and people are happier. God answers our prayers by changing the world. Or perhaps God answers our prayers by changing us... lifting the heaviness of heart, scattering the gloomy clouds, filling us with His peace. May God lift our hearts as we pray this holiday season, giving thanks for family, our church, our partner churches, our neighbors, and for the life and love given by the Prince of Peace, which we celebrate. God bless us with joy as we celebrate! Pastor Carl Worship Ministry Fair Continues This Weekend in the Narthex November Before & After the Services Let Your Light SHINE Prince of Peace is joining Giving Tuesday and asking people around our church and school to make a difference through charitable giving on a single day, November 29, Donations received will benefit the hypothermia shelter, community members in need, and ministries of care. Please consider giving to Prince of Peace on Giving Tuesday by going to or contacting the church office. jennie.smith@poplc.org

2 Page 2 of 12 Wed. Nov. 30 th 6:00pm His Family Time 6:30pm Advent Dinner 12:00/7:30pm Advent Worship Services Wed. Dec. 7 th 6:00pm His Family Time No Advent Dinner/Hypothermia 12:00/7:30pm Advent Worship Services Sun. Dec. 11 th 8:15am A Service of Lessons & Carols Tue. Dec 13 th 7:00pm When Christmas Hurts (Restore) Wed. Dec. 14 th 6:00pm His Family Time 6:30pm Advent Dinner 12:00/7:30pm Advent Worship Services Sun. Dec. 18 th 4:00pm Christmas Concert Sat. Dec. 24 th Sun. Dec. 25 th Christmas Eve Services 3:00pm Children s (Junior Choir) 5:00pm Candlelight (HIMnals) 7:00pm Candlelight (Chancel Choir) 9:00pm Candlelight (New Canticle) with Holy Communion Christmas Day 10:00am Worship with Holy Communion and Family Blessing Sat. Dec. 31 st 7:30pm New Year s Eve Worship with Holy Communion Sun. Jan. 1 st 8:15/11:00am New Year s Day Worship

3 Page 3 of 12 Turn in Your Baby Bottles Many thanks to all who are participating in the Baby Bottle Campaign fundraiser for Sanctity of Life Ministries! We need to wrap up this year's campaign, so please return all bottles, whether full, empty or in-between to the Sonstroem family, Durkin family, or church office. Jay Sonstroem (703) jasonstroem@verizon.net Mark Your Calendars for Leaf Cleanup Saturday, December 3, 9am-1pm Lots of help is needed to clean up and bag leaves on the POP grounds before Christmas. Come and join in for a few hours. Also, we will be helped by members of our resident scout troop and youth who need some community service hours. What to bring? Please bring your own work gloves and a rake. If you want to use other leaf collection devices, you may. Thank you. We need you! Aivars Baumanis properties@poplc.org Register by December 1 for Discounted Rates 2017 LCMS Life Conference Life 360 Jan Arlington, VA Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel Stand with LCMS Life Ministry to boldly proclaim God s truth that life is sacred from conception to natural death. Walk in the National March for Life in Washington, D.C.; Listen to speakers, including Dr. George Delgado, who pioneered a protocol to reverse the abortion pill; Hear how is helping us change the conversation. Early bird rates through Dec. 1: $175 for students; $275 for adults. After Dec. 1: $200 for students; $300 for adults. Includes breakfast and dinner on Jan. 27; breakfast, lunch and dinner on Jan. 28; and breakfast on Jan. 29. (703) gary.miller@poplc.org

4 Page 4 of 12 GO Projects: Each month Prince of Peace highlights a service project we can all work towards together. For December, consider participating in the HIMnals Annual Toy Drive. Be sure to check out the GO! Board in the hallway outside Room 26. The purpose of the GO! Board is to promote our monthly GO! project and other community service opportunities. Feel free to post any local service projects on the GO! board or give them to DCE Stacey Crosson. On the GO! board, we will also be posting our stories of faith and the many ways that God is on the move through us. Everyone is invited to post their stories on the GO! Board. You will also notice on the GO! Board some chalk art. Thank you to youths Greta Holliday and Laura Maloney who have stepped up to inspire us each month with a Bible verse in chalk (photo below.) Be sure to check out the GO! Board today! HIMnals Toy Drive Drop off by December 11 Please bring some Christmas joy to children in our community through the HIMnals annual Toy Drive! The HIMnals, Prince of Peace s teen choir, are collecting toys to support ECHO s free Holiday Gift Store for local families in need. Please bring new, unwrapped toys to the giftwrapped boxes in the preschool entry or the Narthex anytime through December 11. Thank you for your kindness and support! (703) karinmaloney@verizon.net

5 Page 5 of 12 Dinner with Friends Thursday, December 8, 5pm Milano s Restaurant 6230-G Rolling Rd. Springfield VA Would you like to enjoy dinner out with friends? Would you like to meet some new friends? Join other Prince of Peace members and Friends on Thursday, December 8 for Dinner with Friends. RSVP at tiffany.sears@poplc.org or call If you need a ride, Dick Vaaler has offered to provide rides. Contact him at SENT: BLESSing our Neighbors Sundays, 9:45am Room 24 Our culture is increasingly becoming unchurched. What do we do? How do we respond? The answer: like the Apostle Paul, like the early LCMS in America, like missionaries--learn how to be a missionary to your neighbors, to your co-workers, and even to strangers you run into. Join the SENT class in Room 24, Sunday mornings at 9:45 a.m. for hands-on practical training for joining God on His mission in your everyday life. (703) david.mahen0101@gmail.com Support PoP when you shop at Amazon.smile this Christmas. Follow the link below and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase to Prince of Peace. jennie.smith@poplc.org Altar Guild Meeting December 3, 9am, Kitchen The Altar Guild (prepares communion and altar linens for services) will have a bi-annual meeting and cleaning on Saturday, December 3, at 9 a.m. in the church kitchen. We welcome all who might be interested in joining and look forward to seeing everybody. Thank you all for your participation. Georgetta Stuparitz (703) stuparitzgl@gmail.com Carolyn Thomas

6 Page 6 of 12 A Community of Women Committed to the Call of Christ Wednesday Mornings 9:30-11:30am wowwedmorn@poplc.org Faith Shapers Soul-Tending Reading Meets monthly on Tuesday or Wednesday faithshapers@poplc.org Holy Comforters Quilt Making for Charity Resumes January - May Thursdays, 9am to 3pm, Room 27 holycomforters@poplc.org Keep the Faith Make and take faith projects keepthefaith@poplc.org For more information: DCE Stacey Tasler Crosson Minister of Care and Outreach Website: stacey.crosson@poplc.org Cell: Ladies, reserve your space for our annual retreat today! Cost: $210 (includes program, meals, and lodging) (private, double-occupancy room and your own bed!) If you can attend only on Saturday, the price is $50! DEADLINE is December 15! ($100 deposit due for overnight guests and the full $50 is due for day attenders) Register at Scholarships available. Stacey.crosson@poplc.org

7 Page 7 of 12 God has Hardwired You Uniquely to Build His Kingdom! What is it that you uniquely bring to the world? What do you have a passion for? A few weeks ago, I was able to visit with my niece who is a pilot for the US Air Force. She gave me a tour of the airplane she flies and I was able to see first-hand the enormous responsibility our country has equipped her for. What impressed me the most was she niece interacted with everyone, from her lowerranking crewmate,s to the bus driver, to the workers in the terminal, to my own little girls who were enamored with her presence. What a testimony to kindness, grace, and respect for all people. She isn t able to speak openly about Jesus on her missions or in her workspace but God is using her passion for flying to spread kindness all over the globe. Another niece of mine is a Nurse Practitioner working in an emergency room in Tampa, Florida. She is exactly the kind of health worker I would want if I was experiencing a traumatic situation. Her gentle and caring demeanor brings calm to scary situations. When patients are calling out to God, she is able to pray for, or with, her patients, inserting hope in the crucial moment. And then I have a nephew who loves baseball. He s been given a gift for catching. It s fun to watch him give signs to the pitcher and throw so powerfully and accurately to second base to get the runner out. And man, can that guy hit the ball! His parents are so proud, as they are of each of their children. But it s this young guy s character off the field that makes his family most proud. He reads his Bible. He cares for his teammates. He demonstrates Christ in his choices and actions. He lives his faith. Every member of every family has a gift. Each person has been hardwired with a gift that is unique. Each person has been given the enormous responsibility to share his/her gifts with the world and build God s kingdom here on earth, spreading hope and grace to all people! What is it that you bring uniquely to the world? What do you have a passion for? Claim it. Thank God for it. Enhance it. Shine it. Share it. In January, we will be offering a new Sunday morning class on the book of Ephesians focused on how Christ builds unity in the Church through the deployment of all kinds of gifts. Please join us. DCE Stacey Crosson His Name Shall be Called Advent Brunch hosted by Women of the Word Wednesday, December 14, 9:30-11:30am Fellowship Hall All Women Invited! Members and Friends! What is it that you bring uniquely to the world? What do you have a passion for?

8 Page 8 of 12 Youth Ministry Sunday School Grades K-6 begin in the Sanctuary 9:45-10:45am HIMnals (Choir Grades 7-12) Sundays, 5:15pm rehearsal Lead worship-november 20, 8:15am Living Water Teen Praise Band Rehearsal 6-7pm Wednesdays Leads worship 10am, November 24, no rehearsal November 23 FUEL Wednesday Night Bible Study Senior High Youth, no R.S.V.P. Weekly, 7-9pm December 4 Confirmation Sunday School with Parents 9:45-10:45am in Fellowship Hall SAVE THE DATE: February 3-5, Family Ski Trip at Whitetail Mountain in Pennsylvania. $200/person. Come Join Us for His Family Time Getting Ready for a Birthday An Advent Worship Service designed for families with young children to help us all get ready for Jesus Birthday Wednesdays at 6 p.m. November 30 December 7 December 14 A FAMILY FRIENDLY DINNER will be served following the services on November 30 and December 14 th. *Please note that there will be no dinner served after the service on December 7 th due to hosting the Hypothermia Shelter. cindy.deatherage@poplc.org Check out the calendar: poplc.org/youthcalendar

9 Page 9 of 12 Save the Date for these Upcoming Youth &Family Events Jan. 7 Family Movie Night 6:30-9 p.m. Fellowship Hall Fresh-popped popcorn, and drinks will be provided along with a couple of G- rated movie options for our big screen. Parents and older students can choose to play games around the tables in the back, or watch a PG-rated movie down in the Youth Room. Bring your pillows, blankets, a snack to share and a game of your choice. RSVP john.durkin@poplc.org. Jan Confirmation Lock-in: meet in the Fellowship Hall with parents for dinner and discussion from 6-8:30 p.m. The students will stay overnight until 8 a.m. for lock in fun and games. Feb. 3-5 Family Ski Trip we have reservations to Whitetail Mountain in Pennsylvania. The cost is usually around $200 per person. Look for more information in early Men s Bible Studies Saturdays, Room 21, 7:30-9am Leaders: Pastor Tim pastor.tim@poplc.org and Aivars Baumanis Sundays at 9:45am in Room 11, facilitated by Jon Gross Tuesdays at Jeff Crosson s at 7:30pm Wednesdays at Paul Summer s at 7:30pm john.durkin@poplc.org Calling All Elves Ladies PoP: Friday, December 16 Cookies, Cards, Crafts & Carols 7-9pm PoP Fellowship Hall & Kitchen Calling all elves ladies from 8 to 108! We will be crafting cookie packages and Christmas cards for special delivery to local police, fire fighters, and other good boys and girls. Attire: Santa hats/reindeer antlers/crazy Christmas sweaters! Free babysitting in the PoP nursery. Sarah Sherwood (703) sherwoodfam@yahoo.com

10 Page 10 of 12 NEW CLASSES STARTING TODAY! 9:45 10:45am BRINGING GOD S WORD HOME Room 21 led by DCE John Durkin Design a personal plan on how to integrate prayer and God s Word in your home. A LOOK AT THE ADVENT LESSONS Fellowship Hall led by Pastor Tim Take a deeper look into the Scripture readings for each Sunday in Advent. BLESSING OUR NEIGHBORS Room 24 led by David Mahen and Jen Shaddrix Learn to share Christ naturally with your neighbor through the BLESS model (Bond, Learn, Engage, Serve, and Share) see page 5 for more info WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MAN IN A WORLD OF EXTREMES Room 11 facilitated by Jon Gross Meet with other men to study God s design for men in a current world full of extreme messages. MUG CAFE Hallway by DCE Durkin s office Connect with others over a cup of Keurig coffee. GOSPEL OF MARK Room 26 led by John Storm Study Jesus, the Messiah, and his message of salvation as written from Mark s perspective. 1 PETER Room 30 led by TK Kearney Study God s message to the fledgling churches in the earliest days of Christianity. ADULT EDUCATION FALL CLASSES MONDAY MORNING SENIOR S BIBLE STUDY Room 26 (Library) Study the book of Proverbs with Pastor Tim TUESDAY EVENINGS Grief Share Room 21 Through Dec 6, 7-9pm A grief recovery support group where you can find hope and healing for the hurt of losing a loved one. Divorce Care Room 26 Through Dec 6, 7-9pm A divorce recovery support group where you can find help and healing for the hurt of separation and divorce.

11 Page 11 of 12 ECHO December Needs ECHO needs donors to adopt a needy family to provide a basket of food for a December holiday feast or to provide grocery gift cards that would enable them to purchase their own festive food. If you can help brighten the holiday of a struggling family, or if you would like to find out more about this program, please contact Michael Reidy at reidymf01@gmail.com before December 12. ECHO s Christmas gift program: If you would like to donate toys, activity books, or zippered fleece jackets for kids, please bring them (new and not gift-wrapped) to ECHO by December 9. A list of suggested items is posted at under Holiday Donations. ECHO currently needs: baby wipes and diapers, zipper-type plastic bags in 2 gallon, 1 gallon, quart and sandwich sizes, AA, AAA, and C batteries, used-but-working vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, microwaves, computers with USB ports, and LCD monitors. ECHO is open weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 7-9 p.m. at 7205 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, VA Submission Changes for the Holidays Please note! -- There will be one combined issue of the Newsletter for the December 17/18 and December 24/25 weekends (there will be no new issue for December 24/25). Submissions for the combined Communicator must be received by noon, Tuesday, December 12. Thanks for your cooperation on this because it gives our faithful stuffers a break and our hard working Communicator team one too! Cindy.Holliday@poplc.org This newsletter is published weekly as a service to members & friends by Prince of Peace Lutheran Church & School 8304 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, VA Church School Fax Worshiping on Saturdays 5:30pm, Sundays 8:15am & 11am Sunday School & Adult Education 9:45am Submitting Material to the PoP Communicator: Submissions need to be sent via the web form page no later than 12pm on Tuesday (early submission is encouraged). Please read through the Newsletter Policies and Guidelines. Board of Servant Leaders Erin Summers, Chair Chris Martin, Vice Chair Leon Debolt, Secretary Julie Eichhorst Kim Robinson David McLean Ministry Staff Carl Gnewuch Senior Pastor Tim Christenson Associate Pastor, Worship Planning John Durkin Minister to Families & Children Stacey Crosson Minister of Care & Outreach Thomas Winterstein Director of Contemporary Music & Communications Cindy Gnewuch Director of Music & Member Engagement Jennie Smith Ministry Administrator Mecia Miles-Rockett Community Outreach Coordinator Nancy Sinclitico Accountant Tiffany Sears Administrative Assistant Tanya Tucker Receptionist Cindy Holliday Communications Assistant Dieter Stach Assistant Minister Families & Youth POPLC School Cindy Deatherage, Principal Marcel Page, School Registrar Lisa Long, Administrative Assistant To contact STAFF or BoSL use their name in the format: first.last@poplc.org or bosl@poplc.org To contact a PASTOR use: pastor.carl@poplc.org or pastor.tim@poplc.org CHURCH SCHOOL

12 Page 12 of 12 Special Events HIS Family Time & Dinner, November 30 Leaf Clean Up, December 3 If you re not familiar with any of the events listed here, please don t hesitate to contact us! or info@poplc.org Saturday, November 26 7:30a Men s Bible Study 8:15a PowerFull Core & More 9:00a Christmas Decorating 3:30p Worship Music Rehearsal 5:30p Worship w/communion Memorial Service for Audrey Dyson 6:45p Bible Study Sunday, November 27 8:15a Worship (Communion) 9:00a Nueva Vida 9:45a Doorway Class 9:45a Sunday School 10:30a Jesus First Korean Worship 11:00a Worship (Non-Communion) 11:00a Ethiopian Youth 11:00a Grace Ethiopian 11:00a S. Asian Church Sunday School and Worship 11:15a Jesus First Korean Fellowship 12:30p Grace Ethiopian 12:30p S. Asian Church Fellowship 3:00p Confirmation Classes 5:00p Safe Harbor Men s Group 6:15p Orchestra Rehearsal 7:20p Bells of Peace Rehearsal Monday, November 28 10:00a Moms Club of Springfield 11:00a Senior Bible Study 6:30p TOPS 7:00p Boy Scout Troop :00p CHM 7:00p Seekers 7:00p Stephen Ministry 8:30p Men s AA Tuesday, November 29 8:30a Powerful Fitness 10:00a ESL 11:30a ESL Conversations 4:30p Reidy 8 th Grade Confirmation 6:30p Grief Share 7:00p BoSL 7:00p Divorce Care 7:00p Faith Shapers 7:00p New Canticle 7:00p Small Group Wednesday, November 30 9:15a PoP School Chapel 12:00p Advent Worship 2:15p Girl Scout Troop :00p His Family Time & Dinner 6:30p Toastmasters 7:00p FUEL Teen Bible Study 7:30p Advent Worship 7:30p Grace Ethiopian Prayer Thursday, December 1 9:15a PoP School Chapel 9:15a MOPS 2:00p Pastor Masih Bible Study 6:30p Confirmation Class 6:30p Nueva Vida Praise and Prayer 7:00p GEC BoSL 7:00p Nami Family Support 7:00p Thrivent Retirement Seminar 7:30p Chancel Choir Rehearsal Friday, December 2 9:00a PoP School Yoga 10:00a ESL 10:30a Al-Anon 7:00p Boy Scouts 7:00p GEC Prayer 7:00p The Core Saturday, December 3 7:30a Men s Bible Study 8:00a Boy Scouts 8:15a PowerFull Core & More 9:00a Altar Guild Cleaning 9:00a Leaf Clean up 9:00a The Core 9:00a Girl Scouts Training 9:30a Creative Faith & Bible Journaling 3:30p Worship Music Rehearsal 6:45p Bible Study Sunday, December 4 5:00a Hypothermia Shelter Begins 8:15a Worship (Non-Communion) 9:00a Nueva Vida 9:45a Sunday School Confirmation with Parents 10:30a Jesus First Korean Worship 11:00a Worship (Communion) 11:00a Ethiopian Youth 11:00a Grace Ethiopian 11:00a S. Asian Church Sunday School and Worship 11:15a Jesus First Korean Fellowship 12:30p Grace Ethiopian 12:30p S. Asian Church Fellowship 3:00p Confirmation Classes 4:00p Junior Choir Rehearsal 5:00p Safe Harbor Men s Group 5:15p HIMnals Rehearsal 6:15p Orchestra Rehearsal 7:20p Bells of Peace Rehearsal The master calendar can be found on our website at poplc.org/calendar. Not receiving the Communicator via ? Please let the office know and we will be happy to add you to our subscriber list, tiffany.sears@poplc.org.