MCPRESBY NEWS MCDONALD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES CAREGIVER NEEDED FOR JULIE HANCZAR DECEMBER 2012

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1 MCDONALD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DECEMBER 2012 CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES Christmas Eve: This year we will again have two services of worship on Christmas Eve. We will have our Family Candlelight Service at 7:00pm and we will have our Traditional Candlelight Service at 11:00pm. The services will take place at Calvary Center. On Sunday morning December 30th we will have our usual Sunday morning 10:45 a.m. worship. CANTATA The Christmas Cantata Night of the Father s Love will be offered to our community on Saturday, December 15th at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of Trinity Center. Please spread the word and bring some friends. Following the concert we will have refreshments in the Fellowship Hall of Trinity Center. Please note: To all you awesome bakers, please start thinking about what you might contribute for our fellowship in the way of cookies. SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: Christmas Dinner Sunday, December 9th following service. MYM Post Office December 9th and 16th Cantata Saturday, December 15th at 7:30 p.m. MYM Christmas Caroling Dec. 19th December 26th No MYM CHRISTMAS DINNER SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9TH Following the service on Sunday, December 9th our Church Life Committee is hosting a special Christmas Covered Dish Dinner. This has always been a wonderful time of gathering together. The church will supply the meat and rolls. We ask that if you have a last name beginning with A-H please bring a dessert. If your last name begins with I-Z please bring salad and vegetables. We look forward to this special dinner to kick-off this blessed time of year. CAREGIVER NEEDED FOR JULIE HANCZAR The Hanczar family is seeking a paid caregiver for weekday mornings. Responsibilities would include waking Julie and preparing and feeding breakfast and medications to her (a visiting aide will arrive to dress Julie and attend to her other needs). Approximate hours would be 7:00 a.m.-10:15 a.m. A commitment for the rest of the school year is needed. Contact Kris or Dave at 724/ The Color of Hope is Teal INSIDE THIS ISSUE: PASTOR S PAGE 2 OCC THANK YOU 3 SUNDAY SCHOOL 4 NEWS MYM NEWS 6 DISCERNMENT 7 NEWS CHOIR NEWS 9 FAMILY LIFE 10 GROUPS/CARE LIST Calendar 11

2 PAGE 2 PASTORS PAGE - REV. JUSTIN AMSLER Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, to men on whom His favor rests. Luke 2:12-13 Every Christmas Season we revisit the great birth narratives of Jesus so that we will be reminded of the wonderful things that Christ has done for us. We think about how he visited Mary and Joseph and how he chose them to be the stewards of his one and only son. We well up with joy knowing that Jesus loves us so much that he came into this world as a tiny baby and suffered through many of the difficulties and hardships that we walk through on a daily basis. It is so important that we take the time that we need to truly experience the Joy of Christmas. We need to spend time reading the accounts together as families. We need to explain to our children and speak to each other about how wonderful is the love of Christ. There are so many things that work to pull us away from this sense of wonder and appreciation. For some it is the increased pressure that the holidays bring to our schedules or perhaps it is the financial stress of providing an ideal kind of Christmas for our families. All of us want this to be a special time of year for us and for those around us. The way that this happens is for us to fix our eyes on Jesus. He is the author and perfecter of our faith, the promised child of God, who takes away the sins of the world. It is simply amazing that he chose to enter the world under the cover of being a poor, illegitimate, Hebrew child. His mother and her soon to be husband Joseph were given what they needed to complete the assignment that they had been given. It was obviously way beyond their earthly ability to understand or to pull off such a wonderful task. God gave them what they needed to fulfill his plans for them and the same is true for us. God will give you exactly what you need to walk through the coming days accomplishing his purposes for your life. This Holiday season often brings to the surface the loss of loved ones who have gone on to the kingdom triumphant. Sometimes the hurt we feel because of the ones who are not with us can take away from our joy in this season of the year. While we do mourn for those who are no longer with us we remember our command to Rejoice in the Lord Always. We can do this because we know there is a heaven where we will see our loved ones once again and also we know that this is a path that Jesus himself has walked. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, he made provisions for his mother to be taken care of in her later years. It is best understood that Joseph, husband of Mary, had passed away at the time of Jesus crucifixion. With his earthly father no longer able to take care of his mother the responsibility fell to Jesus as the oldest son of Mary and Joseph. In John 19:26 Jesus gives the responsibility of her care to the beloved disciple, namely John himself. Jesus knew what it meant to experience suffering and loss and yet he completely understood the temporary nature of this life and focused on the life that was to come. We will do well to do the same. We live in this life for a time but rejoice over what Christ has done for us and know that our joy will reach full measure when we put our complete trust in him and his promises. May the God of Peace Bless you this Christmas! Pastor Justin

3 PAGE 3 OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD ** OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD UPDATE ** THANK YOU TO THE CONGREGATION OF MPC FOR MAKING O.C.C. AND OUR RELAY CENTER A WONDERFUL SUCCESS THIS YEAR! Because of your generosity our friends, families, and Sunday School have packed 404 shoeboxes! (at press time). Please continue to pray for all Operation Christmas Child volunteers and, most importantly, for the children who will receive a shoebox this Christmas. May they come to know the love of our Savior because of our simple gifts! Michelle Unruh and Jamie Wilson would like to publicly thank the following businesses who generously donated shoeboxes, filler items, gift cards or made cash donations (for shipping). Our ministry was especially blessed by: Aspen Dental (Robinson) R. Lancione, DDS V. Lynne Cochran, DMD Lowe s (Robinson and Scott Twp.) Costco (Robinson) Day Apollo (Moon Twp.) Dollar General Corp. (McDonald and Imperial) Giant Eagle (McDonald and Settler s Ridge) The Home Depot (Bridgeville and Robinson) Imperial Dollar Store Northwest Savings Bank (McDonald) Sam s Club (Robinson) Shop N Save (Imperial) Staples (Robinson) Steliotes Dental Spa (McMurray) Wal-mart (Robinson Thank you to all the individuals (by press time) who volunteered at the Relay Center. Your service is invaluable! Joann Bennett Arlene Carr Kim Cook Mary Lou Cooper Hannah Fay Descutner Lynn Fehl Becky Gladden Syndria Lowe Tom Maxwell Debbie, Gary, and Shannon McGinnis Suzanne Millner Patty Sember Janet, Marah, and Macey Slack Jim Strand Brad Unruh Jamie Wilson

4 PAGE 4 STUMP THE PREACHER RETURNS We are again looking forward to another Advent Season where Pastor Justin will be leading the Small talk time each Sunday Morning. As in the past a child will be chosen to bring a secret item in a bag to present on Sunday Morning. Pastor Justin will then and there rely on the Holy Spirit to inspire him with a Children s sermon that uses that item as an object lesson for the Gospel and the Christmas Story. The tradition is a delight to the children and to the whole church. If your family receives the honor of a Stump the Preacher turn be creative in choosing an item for the bag! ANGEL TREE We would like to start a new Christmas tradition here at McDonald Presbyterian Church with a Christmas tree decorated only with angels. This is a pencil tree (very slim) that will be placed in the Narthex as you enter the church. We would encourage those who are interested to buy an angel ornament, attach your name to it and place it in the angel container on the information table. You may donate the ornament in the name of someone else if you so choose. We will then lovingly adorn our tree with the ornaments each year as a tribute to all of our angels in our church family. We know you have been asked for a lot of donations recently, but this will be very inexpensive and it will be a yearly tribute to all, with the angels being as diverse as all of our personalities. If you would like to participate, please keep this in mind while you are out shopping! Thanks so much, Linda Matchett and Michelle Unruh SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS Cantata Practice Sunday, December 2 nd through December 9th Cantata practice will continue. Students are to report to Syndria Lowe from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Trinity. *** Normal Sunday school hours will resume on Sunday, January 6th at 9:30 a.m. CHRISTMAS CAROLING INVITATION The Sunday school kids will be making their annual caroling trek through the streets of McDonald of Sunday, December 9th immediately following Small Talk. In order to go Christmas Caroling (please dress in proper winter attire) We will leave from Calvary Fellowship Hall after Small Talk to visit Haveloch Commons and Paulin Personal Care and return to Calvary Fellowship Hall to enjoy our Christmas Dinner. We ll be finished by noon. Any adult wishing to chaperone is welcome. Thank you so much! We will resume with the normal Sunday school hour on Sunday, January 6th! Have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! December/ Sunday school schedule December 2- Cantata practice December 9- Cantata practice/christmas Caroling December 16- Sunday school Christmas Party December 23- Sunday school meeting to go over winter curriculum (no SS for kids) December 30 - NO SS FOR ANYONE!!! January 6- Begin winter curriculum

5 PAGE 5 SUNDAY VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE DECEMBER Small Talk Stump the Preacher December 2nd Pastor Justin December 9th Pastor Justin December 16th Pastor Justin December 23th Pastor Justin December 24th (Family 7:00) Pastor Justin December 24th (11:00 p.m.) None Needed December 30th Summer Steele Nursery December 2nd Help Needed December 9th Help Needed December 16th Betty Ryan/Katie Nemec December 23rd Help Needed December 24th (Christmas Eve) Self Serve December 30th Greeters December 2nd Dana and Emily Eyler December 9th Betty Ryan December 16th Alicia Slovick December 23rd Peggy Samarin December 24th (Christmas Eve) Volunteers Needed December 30th Lana and Ed (Sonny) Gilbert Hospitality Bakers December 2nd Michelle Unruh December 9th None Needed/Christmas Luncheon December 16th Emily Eyler December 23rd Help Needed December 24th (Christmas Eve) None Needed December 30th Kathy Strand Lay Leader December 2nd John Casey December 9th Peggy Samarin December 16th Linda Matchett December 23rd Michelle Unruh December 24th (Christmas Eve) None Needed December 30th Help Needed Children s Church Acolytes December 2nd Summer Steele December 2nd Jillian Panizza/Adam Unruh December 9th Summer Steele December 9th Tommy Gilbert/Clayton Roberts December 16th Summer Steele December 16th Megan Stutzman/Hailey Bair December 23rd Summer Steele December 23rd Luke Gladden/Alex Nemec December 24th None December 24th Volunteers Needed December 30th Summer Steele December 30th Logan Errett/Jimmy Gilbert

6 PAGE 6 MYM NEWS MYM to ring bell for the Salvation Army from 4:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 5 th The youth will take turns ringing the bell for 30 minutes at the Giant Eagle in McDonald. MYM Christmas Caroling Christmas Caroling, Wednesday, December 12th we will go caroling for our shut-ins in McDonald & Paulin. If you have a family member who would welcome a visit from MYM, please contact Summer Steele at 724/ or summer@mcdonaldpres.org. All MYM Youth will meet from 6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M at Trinity Fellowship Hall. MYM Christmas Party will be held on Wednesday, December 19th. MYM Post Office will be open December 9th and December 16 th MYM Post Office returns for Dec Instead of sending your Christmas cards through the Postal service, you may bring them to the MYM Post office and make a donation directly to MYM. During the service, the youth will sort them and alphabetize them and then they will be ready for pick-up after church is over. Thank you for your support in advance! MYM December December 5- Bell ringing at Giant Eagle 4:30 P.M. - 7:30 P.M. December 12 Christmas Caroling December 19- Christmas Party December 26- NO MYM STEWARDSHIP PLEDGE CARDS Please be reminded that returning our pledge cards is an important step in assisting the church with our budgeting for the 2013 calendar year. It is also a great spiritual discipline to set a goal for our giving and to put it to pen and paper that it may be a tangible amount that we can hold ourselves accountable to throughout the year. We should never be afraid to make a pledge because we may not be able to fulfill it. The pledge is simply our best estimate of what we will be able to give in the coming year and no one except our secretary knows if someone is behind or ahead in regards to their pledge amount. Please make your pledge freely knowing that the Lord is the one who takes care of our needs. MEMBERSHIP PER-CAPITA Per-Capita is essentially the membership dues of the Presbyterian Church. It is an amount of money that we are assessed for each one of our members that goes towards the operation of the local, regional and national bodies of our church government. Each level is important in the overall operation and health of the church. The largest share of the funds go toward the local Washington Presbytery to support the operations there. Smaller portions also go to the Synod which is the leadership body over Pennsylvania and West Virginia and to the National Leadership. Our congregation has chosen to withhold the funds from the national church due to some of the recent changes that have been made in the Book of Order. Our congregation is using those withheld funds to support the work of the Fellowship of Presbyterians. The per -capita assessment for 2013 will be $33.00 per member. If you have not yet given your per-capita for 2012 please do so before the end of the year. Thank you for your wonderful and faithful support of our congregation.

7 PAGE 7 A PROCESS OF DISCERNMENT There are certain times in our lives when we are called upon to make an important decision that will impact not only ourselves but others in the future as well. So often we think about the decisions we make as impacting us in the present but we cannot forget the impact that those decisions make upon our children and the generations to come. How many High School Students think about the consequences of their actions and choices upon their future children? Not nearly enough is probably an appropriate answer. Do they realize that the work they are doing now will have an impact on the rest of their lives and the future that they are able to provide for their children and family? This chain of action continues with us throughout the whole of our lives. The choices that we make never impact just us they impact those around us and those who follow us in whatever capacity we serve. As you may know, our congregation has entered into a period of discernment regarding our denominational affiliation. The Denominational Study Committee and the Session have felt God calling them to make a bold move that will secure the foundational beliefs of the Gospel for generations to come. When the current state of our national Presbyterian Church is considered the future is uncertain at best. The numerical and theological decline is staggering. The leadership that they are giving to congregations is almost absent. The Gospel is being attacked and the belief in the power of the cross to save us from our sin is being eroded at an alarming rate. Many Presbyterians today do not find salvation by Christ alone as an essential belief. We at McDonald Presbyterian Church do believe this to be an essential and seek to be associated with churches and leaders who believe the same. This is not to say that those who have questions about the matter are not loved and welcomed by our congregation, they most certainly are. It simply means that those in leadership, especially our pastoral leadership, need to believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the one and only way to eternal peace and salvation with Jesus. We are a church that is committed to ministering to the children of our community. When we think about our children and the generations to come we must consider what kind of Gospel will be proclaimed from the leadership of this church in the future. Will the leadership be forced to compromise and acknowledge those who do not believe in the truth as faithful Christians? This is already happening today and it will continue to be a challenge in the future if this congregation continues to be led by the Presbyterian Church (USA). When the definition of a Christian is opened up to the point where almost anyone qualifies then it becomes difficult to teach with conviction that the Bible must be learned and the Word of God obeyed. For some the decision may be a difficult one. For many others it is a clear and simple call by God to bring faithfulness and renewal to the church. It is the belief of many that when the full accounting of the matter is laid out that the course of action will become evident to the body of the church together. There are several things that will be occurring in early 2013 that will help us with this process. The first will be a season of prayer in January and early February. Soon we will be taking signups for the various days of the prayer vigil and spending some time as a congregation asking for wisdom. Secondly, there will be a congregational conference at a time to be announced that will give us ample time to be encouraged in the process and to help us to determine what it is that we should do to make McDonald Presbyterian a strong and vital congregation in the future. The Lord is faithful to his people and he will be faithful to us through this process. It is a true joy to be able to serve our Lord through the church and be able to bring blessing to countless individuals through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our goal is to ride on the wind of the Holy Spirit and find renewal and faithfulness in God s Amazing Grace.

8 PAGE 8 December Birthday and Anniversaries Happy Anniversary to: Terri and Duane Cole 12/05 Greg and Sue Gilbert 12/28 Happy Birthday To: Jane Baker 12/01 Errett Logan 12/02 Blake McElhaney 12/02 Christian Nation 12/07 Cathy Krenn 12/09 Cathy Krenn 12/09 Pam Thomassy 12/09 Sandi Albertini 12/10 Jeff Keslar 12/10 Julia McCloud 12/10 Karen Cooper 12/11 Jim Schafer 12/13 Matthew McKay 12/15 Laurain Lacotte 12/17 Sharon Libby 12/20 Noelle Bair 12/22 Duane Cole 12/23 Luke Gladden 12/25 Carole Masquelier 12/25 Emily Muggar 12/25 Matthew Muggar 12/25 Nolan Vance 12/25 Steve Plavetzky, Jr. 12/26 Dave Hanczar 12/29 Brad Unruh 12/29 Terri Cole 12/31 Wayne Masquelier 12/31 THANK YOU I wish to thank Rev. Justin Amsler and the many people of McDonald Presbyterian Church for their prayers and support during Alvin s illness. Your many kindnesses helped us through a very difficult time. The communion that Pastor Justin served Alvin in the hospital, the numerous visits, cards and phone calls he received, and some anonymous cookies found on our front porch all were greatly appreciated. Your love and concern for him were abundant. With much gratitude, thank you all very much. Carol L. Berthold

9 PAGE 9 Diane and Jay Nation 01/10 January Anniversaries January Birthdays Bob Klimas 01/02 Patty Sember 01/02 Kristy Bennett 01/03 Naomi Brockman 01/03 Mary Hawes 01/05 Zoey Longstreth 01/09 Robert Cooper 01/12 Helen Catrain 01/14 Shirl Krenn 01/16 Hannah Fay Descutner 01/20 Roger McElhaney 01/25 Luke Errett 01/27 Becky Gladden 01/31 CHOIR NEWS Sunday, Dec. 2 9:30am - Practice during Sunday School time for Cantata & Costuming for all kids/youth at Trinity Center Parlor Monday, Dec. 3 7:00pm Cantata Practice #6 Trinity Center Tuesday, Dec. 4 6:00pm Bell Choir Thursday, Dec. 6 6:45pm Kids/Youth/Sunday School Kids for Cantata Song Rehearsal at Trinity Center 7:30pm Adult Choir Sunday, Dec. 9-9:30am - Practice during Sunday School time for Cantata & Costuming for all kids/youth at Trinity Center Parlor Monday, Dec. 10 7:00pm Cantata Practice #7 Adults only Trinity Center Tuesday, Dec. 11 7:00pm Cantata Practice #8 Adults & Kids/Youth/Sunday School Kids/Actors/ Narrators for Sound, Lighting, Movement Trinity Center Thursday, Dec. 13 7:00pm Cantata Practice #9 All Singers/Kids/Youth/Sunday School/Actors/ Narrators for Dress Rehearsal Final Rehearsal!! Thursday, Dec. 20 6:00pm Adult & Bell Choirs Dinner & Rehearsal

10 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 PAGE 10 CARELIST DECEMBER 2012 Ms. Stacy Bennett Mrs. Donna Bennett Mrs. Joann Bennett Mr. Clarence Brockman Mrs. Naomi Brockman Ms. Dorothy Blank (Lynn Brockman s cousin) Mrs. Dolores Chambola (Ida Galicic s sister) Mrs. Sylvia Cimarrolli Mrs. Margie DeFaveri Mrs. Kris Hanczar Miss Julie Hanczar Mrs. Dorothy Irwin Mrs. Kat Rickenback (Friend of Lin Nalesnick) Mrs. Roberta Langer Mr. Floyd Laughlin Mrs. Dorothy Laughlin Mrs. Jane McRae Mr. Chuck Smith, Sr. Mrs. Dorothy Smith Mrs. Jean Tucker Mr. Carl Waspusk Mr. John Walker Mrs. Carol Wanner (sister of Debbie McGinnis) Mr. Rob Guidice (Boyfriend of Jennifer Brockman) Mrs. Dorothy Roths Assisted Living /Rehabilitation Miss Mary Ann Johnen, Presbyterian Senior Care, South Minster Place, Apartment 336, 880 South Main Street, Washington, PA Telephone: 724/ Mrs. Jo McDowell, Washington Commons, Room 209, 528 Dewey Avenue, Bridgeville, PA Dorothy Blank, Kade Nursing Home, 1198 W. Wylie Avenue, Washington, PA Telephone: 724/ Mrs. Hilda Balog, Providence Point Health Care Center, 200 Adams Avenue, Room 139-Memory Support Unit Pittsburgh, PA Mrs. Bea Cerezo, Country Meadows of South Hills, #4, 3570 Washington Pike, Room 414, Bridgeville, PA Please note change of address. Mrs. Dorothy Roths, Presbyterian Senior Care, 835 South Main Street, Washington PA / FAMILY LIFE GROUP KICKOFF FOR 2013 SIGN UP FOR YOUR LIFE GROUP FOR THE NEW YEAR AFTER WORSHIP ON JANUARY 13TH The Launch of our Family Life Groups has been a great success in 2012 and we are looking forward to how God will use them in For the first Quarter of 2013 our Groups will be choosing their own curriculum and continuing to meet on their regular schedules. After worship on January 13 th we will have an opportunity to sign up for groups and to see what curriculum each group will use in the new year. We also look forward to other church wide studies in the future.

11 PAGE 11 DECEMBER 2012 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Nation s Memorial Service 7:00 p.m. Calvary Ctr. 2 Communion 10:45 a.m. Service 9:30 a.m. Cantata Practice KC/YC Trinity Ctr. Parlor 3 Cantata Practice 7:00 p.m. Trinity Ctr. 4 Trustees Mtg. 7:30 p.m. Bell Choir 6:00 p.m. 5 MYM 6 6:45 p.m. KC/ YC Sunday School Kids Song Rehearsal Trinity Ctr. 7:30 p.m. AC 7 AA 8 9 9:30 a.m. Cantata Practice KC 10:45 a.m. Service Christmas Lunch 6:00 p.m. Session 10 7:00 p.m. Cantata Practice Adults Only Trinity Ctr. 11 7:00 p.m. Cantata Practice. AC/KC/YC Sunday School Kids All Actors, Lighting Techs, Sound, etc. 12 MYM 13 Pre School Christmas Program 6:00 p.m. Final Dress Rehearsal 7:00 p.m. 14 AA 15 Cantata 7:30 p.m. Reception to follow 16 10:45 a.m. Service MYM 20 Lioness Adult Choir & Bell Choir 6:00 p.m. Practice & Dinner 21AA Office Closed :45 a.m. Service 24 Office Closed 7:00 p.m. Family Service 11:00 p.m. Candlelight Service 25 Office Closed 26 Office Closed AA :45 a.m. Service 31 Abbreviation Key Choir BC: Bell Choir; KC: Kids Choir; AC: Adult Choir; YC: Youth Choir

12 McDonald Presbyterian Church Worship Site: 202 West Lincoln Avenue McDonald, PA Offices Located at: 119 Station Street McDonald, PA Telephone: 724/ December Newsletter Non Profit Org. US POSTAGE PAID MCDONALD, PA PERMIT NO. 9 R ETURN SERVICE REQESTED Website: Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas From the Staff of McDonald Presbyterian Church Pastor Justin Amsler Donna Klimas Syndria Lowe Summer Steele Paul Winters Cindy Sell