Hear the Good News!!

Transcription

1 Special points of interest: Do you know where the Christmas Joy Offering goes? Check out the article on page 5. See all the good we can do. Hear the Good News!! Newsletter of New Hartford Presbyterian Church December 2014 New Hartford Presbyterian Church 2014 Advent Calendar Saturday, November 29 Hanging of the Greens Sunday, November 30 First Sunday of Advent 10:30 am Worship Saturday, December 6 6:30 pm Holiday Open House at the Young s 6 Woodstock Court, New Hartford Sunday, December 7 - Second Sunday of Advent 10:30 am Worship Tuesday, December 9 6:00 p.m. Women s Christmas Dinner Sunday, December 14 Third Sunday of Advent 10:30 am Worship 5:00 pm The Happening Twas the Night Before Christmas Jesus Birth Version Sunday, December 21 Fourth Sunday of Advent 10:30 am Worship Choir Cantata Wednesday, December 24 5:00 pm Christmas Eve Family Service 11:00 pm Candlelight Communion Service Sunday, December 28 10:30 am Worship Carol Sing December 2012 Volume 19, Number Genesee St. New Hartford, NY Phone: Fax: newhartfordpresbyterian.org Letty Umidi, Commissioned Lay Pastor Inside this issue: Bazaar Pictures 2 Men s Breakfast 2 Calendar 3 PNC Making Progress 4 A Letter from Letty 5 Ideas for the Season 5 Other Advent Opportunities 6 Special points of interest: Newly Elected Officers for 2015 page 4 Happy Birthday page 4 January Sunday School page 6

2 Women s Bazaar and Luncheon November 15th, Fun for All Men s Breakfast All Men of the Church are invited to enjoy food, camaraderie, and friendly Conversation on Saturday, December 13 at 8:00 a.m. at Raspberries, 2634 Genesee Street in Utica (less than 1 mile from Church). Please let Matthew Taube know by Thursday, December 11, if you will be there. Contact him at home evenings at or by at matthewtaube@gmail.com. Page 2 Thank You Thanks to all who worked for months to make our NHPC Bazaar a big success. We had wonderful Christmas crafts, afghans, quilts, sewn, knitted, and crochet items, attic treasures, baked goods, books, & beautiful poinsettias. The kitchen crew did a wonderful job with their lunch. Lastly, we couldn t have done it without those who set up and dismantled the bazaar area. Thanks everyone! Community Forum November 16th Cathy Pedler, Guest Speaker HEAR T HE GOOD NEW S!!

3 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 7 Second Sunday B# Concert Of Advent 14 Third Sunday of Advent 5:00 The Happening 21 4th Advent Choir Cantata New sletter Articles are due today 28 Hymn Sing No Sunday School Hope House Meal Prepared 1 2 7:15 AM Prayer 3 9:30 Sew n Sews :30 Fellowship 8 9 7:15 AM Prayer 15 Annual Reports Due Today December :00 Women s Christmas Dinner Hall in Use 6:30 Holiday Open House at Young s 10 9:30 Sew n Sews :00 Men s 16 7:15 AM Prayer 17 9:30 Sew n Sews :15 AM Prayer 24 9:30 Sew n Sews 5:00 Family Worship 11:00 Candlelight Communion Worship :15 AM Prayer 31 9:00 Newsletter 9:30 Sew n Sews Merry Christmas Office Closed Breakfast DECEMB ER Page 3

4 In our update last month, we noted that the PNC was having discussions with four candidates about whom we were eager to learn more. Having completed those, we re pleased to report that one of those discussions has advanced through a second Skype (live online video) in-depth interview and plans are now being made for an in-person visit, with appropriate follow-up meetings, etc. There are many steps remaining in the process, but both the PNC and the candidate are enthusiastic about the direction this is taking and the progress being made. We will continue to keep the congregation informed as we move through these next stages. Once again, your ongoing prayers for our work are felt and appreciated. Harry Young PNC Chair Page 4 PNC Making Progress NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS FOR SESSION AND DEACONS The following members were elected at a congregational meeting held after worship on Sunday, November 9: Elders (Class of 2016) Deacons (Class of 2016) Cherie Huey Lynn Montesano Rayna Schneider Elders (Class of 2017) Deacons (Class of 2017) Kathleen Jarrett Karen Barendse Marty Morreall Kara Bisaccia Debb Recore Elaine Cleveland Laura Stewart Ellen Cole DeForest Winfield Donna Gentile Elizabeth Worth Chris Ruben Judy Winfield 2015 Nominating Committee Howard Heffron Wendy Morgan Marge Reese Signe Sheldon Congratulations to all for saying yes! Thank you also to this year s nominating committee, consisting of Judy Bean, Karen Cleveland, Cherie Huey, Chris Ossont, Bill Pfeiffer, Rusty Roseen, Evelyn Tierno, and Janice Young. Happy Birthday December 1 Dorothy Chadbourne 4 Sarah Dobson 6 Rayna Schneider 7 Marsha Roseen 11 Barb Jones 13 Liam Mahardy 13 Jim Stewart 14 Allison Owens 15 Norman Williams 16 Susan Hotaling 16 Robert Morris III 16 Susan Philo 17 Mac McLean 17 Jillian Powles 19 Ian Millen 19 Glen Patterson 20 Phyllis Bessey 21 Johnny Friedel 21 B.J. Jones 23 Elizabeth Passalacqua 25 Judy Winfield 27 Amy Kulow-Taylor 28 Marion Richards 29 Brayden McCaw 30 Karen Barendse Is your birthday in December? Is it on our list? If not, please let the church office know. Thank you. HEAR T HE GOOD NEW S!!

5 A Letter from Letty Isn t it interesting how we break our lives into seasons? We have the four seasons. We have the seasons of life, divided into many sub-seasons. We have seasons within our families including joy seasons and mourning seasons. We even have seasons at work. In my position as a special education teacher, my year is broken up into Alternate Assessment Season (don t ask), IEP Season, and my version of Ordinary Time, wherein I prepare for Alternate Assessment Season and IEP Season. Many of these seasons intersect with each other; in fact, they can transform each other. In my family, August and September mark many anniversaries and birthdays. Through the years, those seasons of celebration have changed into seasons of remembering and sadness. I am certain that more than a few of those reading this are going through these changes of seasons. Throughout these seasons, we are in preparation. Before we even enter the myriad seasons of our lives, we are in preparation. We all have our Ordinary Time which is not so ordinary. We are looking forward, with hope, longing, and dread, and joy. We prepare ourselves, our loved ones, our colleagues, and our friends for the seasons coming up, looming large. So it is with the liturgical seasons. We have moved through an entire liturgical year, and are beginning a new one. Advent begins this year, and rather than being an extension of Ordinary Time, just an appendage to the insatiable march toward Christmas, it is by definition a time of looking to things coming into place, into view. It is a time of preparation, even while it s a Season unto itself. I would contend that Advent is a season that saves us. It saves us from becoming so frantic and caught up in what our culture calls Christmas that we lose the mystery of what is happening. Yes, as we look forward, there can be hope, longing, dread, and joy. But what is happening during Advent is full of promise and possibility, of silence and reflection. What will we do with this Season? Ideas for the Season.. Angel Tree The Mission Committee reminds the congregation that Angel Tree gifts for children from the Neighborhood Center are due at church are due by Monday, December 8. The unwrapped gifts should be placed under the tree and include the age and gender of the child. The gifts will be distributed in time for Christmas. Help spread the joy of the Christmas Season. Christmas Joy Offering Each year during advent, the congregation is asked to contribute to the Christmas Joy Offering. This is initiated by the Presbyterian Mission Agency, part of PCUSA. During Advent, we especially recognize that God has given us a great gift in the form of his Son, Jesus Christ. One of the ways we can respond to this wonderful gift is by sharing our own gifts through the Christmas Joy Offering. Many of us may not be aware of how the funds generated by this appeal are utilized. The offering supports two separate but equally important missions. One is the support of racial ethnic education at Presbyterian related schools and colleges. The Joy Offering, through the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions, also helps families of active and retired church workers who have unexpected needs. Envelopes will be place in the pews during Advent and offerings will be accepted during this time with the final collection on December 28th. The Joy Offering aids those who currently serve or have served the church as well as supporting those that will serve in the future. It is truly an important investment in our church. DECEMB ER Page 5

6 HEAR THE GOOD NEW S!! New Hartford Presbyterian Church 45 Genesee St. New Hartford, NY December 2014 NON-PROFIT O R G. U. S. P O S T A G E P A I D N E W H A R T F O R D, N Y P E R M I T N O. 3 5 We re on the web! newhartfordpresbyterian.org Other Advent Opportunities Adult Sunday School We will prepare for Christmas by examining and contemplating the Advent themes of Peace, Joy, Love and Hope. The classes run November 30 th through December 21 st. There is no Sunday School on December 28th. Christmas Decorators Needed! The Presbyterian Home is inviting us to help decorate the Presbyterian Home. Dates are: December 1st-December 3rd from 5:30-8:30pm. Pizza and beverages will be available for all volunteers at 7 p.m. Staff will be present to assist and guide all volunteers. If you can attend, please call or leave a message for Jane Devecis, Director of Activities, at to RSVP. The Mohawk Valley Choral Society and Orchestra under the direction of Randy Davis will perform its Christmas Concert on Sunday, December 7 th at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, 2222 Genesee Street, Utica. The choir and orchestra will perform Vivaldi s Gloria and the Bach Magnificat featuring soprano Anita Firman, mezzo-soprano Lucille Beer, tenor Stephen Humes and bass Michael Roddy. Tickets are $12.00 in advance or $15.00 at the door and can be purchased from Rusty Roseen, or Center Stage Piano in the New Hartford Shopping Center or by calling As You Address Your Christmas Cards, please consider adding one to: A Recovering American Soldier c/o Walter Reed Army Med. Ctr Georgia Ave., NW Washington, DC Coming in January Beginning on January 4, Dom Passalacqua will conduct a seven week study of the Gospel of Mark.