The Covenanter. May God bless you and keep you on your advent journeys. Grace and peace,

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1 The Covenanter 400 S. Lakemont Avenue Winter Park, FL December 2017 The season of Advent, as we know, is often a busy time of the year. There are holiday parties to attend, food to prepare, presents to wrap, travel plans to finalize. It is also a busy season in the church. From special musical events to the Service of the Longest Night, from the Living Nativity to the Christmas Eve candlelight services, this is a busy time of the year. The invitation for all of us, however, is ensure that we carve out time for deep reflection. There are no simple ways to make this happen, no quick fixes. I often struggle with finding ways to carve out this time for reflection, but I remember a way in which my parents were successful in doing this for our family when I was young. Every year, at some time in December, my parents would drive us to the K-Mart on the north side of town. They gave all three of us kids a sum of money and set us off on our own to decide how to best use that sum of money. There was only one restriction: the items purchased were all to be dropped off at the homeless shelter on the way home from K-Mart. This usually meant that our shopping carts, upon our return to the checkout counters, were full of socks, gloves, and hats often ones that were on sale so we could buy more of them for the same sum of money. At the agreed-upon time, we met at the checkout counters, paid for our purchases, bagged them up, and set off toward the shelter to make our donations. There is no one way to carve out time to reflect. There is no method that will guarantee our success in that endeavor. But the invitation is for each of us in our own way to find time to reflect on the light that shines in the darkness. May God bless you and keep you on your advent journeys. Grace and peace, For Covenanter submissions, please fill out a publicity request online at or contact Cindy Mitchum at cindym@winppc.org or

2 2 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your WPPC Staff

3 3 FRIDAY 1 SATURDAY 2 Friendship Club 11:30 am, FH Tai Chi 11:30 am, CE Bldg. Christmas Decorating 3:00 pm, Sanctuary Stephen Ministry 4:15 pm, Rm 301 Book Club 7:00 pm, Rm 301 Christmas Decorating 9:00 am, Sanctuary SUNDAY 3 MONDAY 4 TUESDAY 5 WEDNESDAY 6 THURSDAY 7 FRIDAY 8 SATURDAY 9 Toy Collection Communion Worship Svc. 8:15 am-chapel 10:30 am-sanctuary Sunday School 9:15-10:15 am WPPC Ringers 11:35 am, Rm 102 Salt of the Earth 3:00 pm, Panera Magic of Bronze 5:00 pm, Sanctuary Youth Group 5:00 pm, Rm 204 Library Open 9:00 am Tai Chi 11:30 am, FH Book Club 7:00 pm, Rm 303 Boy Scouts 7:00 pm, Rm 204 Staff Meeting 10:30 am, Rm 301 Children s Choir 6:30 pm, Rm 102 Youth Ensemble 7:15 pm, Rm 102 Coalition Food Prep 9:00 am/kitchen WPPP Chapel 9:35 am, Sanctuary Worship Mtg. 4:00 pm, Rm 303 WM Ringers 6:00 pm, Rm 102 Chancel Choir 7:15 pm, Sanctuary Coalition Prep Meal 9:00 am/kitchen Library Open 9:00 am Caregiver/Support Group 10:00 am, Rm 301 Coalition Food Prep 9:00 am/kitchen Sort Toiletries 10:00 am/kitchen Serve the Meal 4:30 pm/fh-gather 5:30 pm Depart Tai Chi 11:30 am, FH Preschool-Breakfast with Santa & Holiday Shoppe 9:00 am Fellowship Hall SUNDAY 10 MONDAY 11 TUESDAY 12 WEDNESDAY 13 THURSDAY 14 FRIDAY 15 SATURDAY 16 Worship Svc. 10:30 am-sanctuary Sunday School 9:15-10:15 am WPPC Ringers 11:35 am, Rm 102 Salt of the Earth 3:00 pm, Panera Youth Group 5:00 pm, Rm 204 Library Open 9:00 am Hannah Circle Christmas Party 6:00 pm, Parlor Boy Scouts 7:00 pm, Rm 204 Elizabeth Circle 10:00 am, Parlor Staff Meeting & Christmas Party 10:30 am, Rm 301 Children s Choir 6:30 pm, Rm 102 Youth Ensemble 7:15 pm, Rm 102 Lake Nona High School Choir 5:00 pm, Sanctuary Preschool Board 10:00 am, Rm 301 Worship Mtg. 4:00 pm, Rm 303 WM Ringers 6:00 pm, Rm 102 Chancel Choir 7:15 pm, Sanctuary Library Open 9:00 am Young at Heart Christmas Concert 2:00 pm, Sanctuary Committee Night Committees will meet as needed. Tai Chi 11:30 am, FH Living Nativity Performances at 7, 7:30, 8, 8:30 pm Living Nativity Performances at 7, 7:30, 8, 8:30 pm SUNDAY 17 MONDAY 18 TUESDAY 19 WEDNESDAY 20 THURSDAY 21 FRIDAY 22 SATURDAY 23 Worship Svc. 8:15 am-chapel 10:30 am-sanctuary Sunday School 9:15-10:15 am WPPC Ringers 11:35 am, Rm 102 Salt of the Earth 3:00 pm, Panera Youth Group Christmas Caroling 4:00 7:00 pm Library Open 9:00 am Tai Chi 11:30 am, FH Ladies Game Night 6:00 pm-dinner 7:00 pm-games, Parlor Boy Scouts 7:00 pm, Rm 204 Staff Meeting 10:30 am, Rm 301 Sustainment Visioning Team 12:00 pm, Rm 303 Children s Choir 6:30 pm, Rm 102 Youth Ensemble 7:15 pm, Rm 102 Worship Mtg. 4:00 pm, Rm 303 WM Ringers 6:00 pm, Rm 102 Chancel Choir 7:15 pm, Sanctuary Library Open 9:00 am Service of the Longest Night 7:00 pm, Chapel SUNDAY 24 MONDAY 25 TUESDAY 26 WEDNESDAY 27 THURSDAY 28 FRIDAY 29 SATURDAY 30 Worship Svc. 10:30 am-sanctuary Sunday School 9:15-10:15 am Christmas Eve Services: 5:00, 7:00, 11:00 pm SUNDAY 31 Worship Svc. 10:30 am-sanctuary Sunday School 9:15-10:15 am WPPC Ringers 11:35 am, Rm 102 Salt of the Earth 3:00 pm, Panera Office Closed Staff Meeting 10:30 am, Rm 301 Children s Choir 6:30 pm, Rm 102 Youth Ensemble 7:15 pm, Rm 102 Worship Mtg. 4:00 pm, Rm 303 WM Ringers 6:00 pm, Rm 102 Chancel Choir 7:15 pm, Sanctuary Library Open 9:00 am

4 4 WPPC HOLIDAY SCHEDULE December 11:30 am Friendship Club, featuring Young at Heart December 8:15 am and 10:30 am Services Christmas Toy Drive December 5:00 pm Christmas Bells featuring Magic of Bronze, Orlando s Bell Choir December 10 - One Service at 10:30 am Service of Lessons & Carols December 7:00 pm Lake Nona High School Choir December 2:00 pm Young at Heart Christmas Concert December 15 & 16 Living Nativity Performances at 7:00, 7:30, 8:00 & 8:30 pm December 7:00 pm Service of the Longest Night Christmas Eve One Morning Service at 10:30 am 5:00 pm - Family Service 7:00 pm - Candlelight Service 11:00 pm - Candlelight Service with Communion by Intinction

5 5 Sunday, December 3 5:00 pm Reception to follow in Fellowship Hall See page 12 for more information.

6 6 December 3 Christmas Toy Drive Collection at the 8:15 & 10:30 Services If you would like to participate in the collection and sorting of the toys, please contact Rachel Myers myers.rachel58@gmail.com. A list of suggested toys is on the back page of this Covenanter.

7 7 Poinsettias Our WPPC sanctuary will once again be decorated with beautiful poinsettias. The plants will be distributed to the sick and shut-ins, or you can pick up your plant after the 11pm Christmas Eve Service. The cost for each plant is $15. If you would like to purchase a plant in honor or memory of a loved one, please fill out a form and return it with your check to the church office by December 14. Forms are available in the front office and in the narthex.

8 8 A Living Nativity December 15 & 16 Four 20 minute performances both evenings at 7:00 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:30 pm Visit the Certified Petting Zoo! Come inside and enjoy: Refreshments Caroling Free Family Photo Candle Lit Sanctuary Fontanini Model Village

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10 10 Book Club - The Abibliophobes (for those afraid of running out of reading material) The group discussion is open for everyone who likes to read! Friday, December 7:00 PM in room 301 Best selling author, Selina Siak Chin Yoke, will be visiting WPPC from London on December 1 st. She is the author of "The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds" and "When the Future Comes too Soon". Selina will be prepared to answer questions from either of her books, but it isn't necessary to have read them. We will meet in room 301 at 7:00 pm on December 1 st. If you have any questions, please contact Drew Byrne at drewbyrne26@gmail.com. We hope to see you there! Friendship Club Friday, December 11:30 AM in Fellowship Hall The Young at Heart Chorale will get us in the Christmas spirit with their delightful presentation. Call the church office to make your reservations by noon on November 29. If you need transportation from Westminster Winter Park or the Mayflower, make that reservation at the same time. Lunch will be ham and all the trimmings for only $5. Product of the month is paper goods. Hope to see you at 11:30 December 1 st! Hannah Circle Christmas Party Monday, December 6:00 PM in The Parlor, CE Bldg. The Hannah Circle meets monthly on the second Monday. We welcome anyone to join us! Elizabeth Circle Tuesday, December 10:00 AM in The Parlor, CE Bldg. The Elizabeth Circle meets monthly on the second Tuesday. Ladies Game Night Monday, December 7:00 PM in room 102, CE Bldg. All WPPC women are invited to join us at our monthly game night (the 3rd Monday of each month). We typically play Hand & Foot and Bridge, but feel free to come and introduce your favorite game. Better yet, come at 6:00 pm and build a salad. One lady brings greens, and everyone else brings a cup of something to go into the salad such as onions, beets, chopped eggs, beans, corn, cheese... or anything of your choosing. Bring your own drink and favorite salad dressing and, if you would like, a snack/munchies for later. Come alone or bring a friend. Questions? Call Carla Gehrig at

11 11 R in A Sunday School December 3 No class Toys collected for Hope Community Center in Apopka December 10 The Relationships in Action Sunday School Class will take a break from "having a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other" to refresh ourselves once again from the wealth of Christmas music. Matt Straub will present an eclectic sampling of traditional and contemporary religious Christmas music culled from the internet. Anyone for Mozart's Adagio in C for (Ben Franklin's) Glass Harmonica? December 17 The Relationships in Action class will host our annual Christmas Party. All adult WPPC Sunday School classes are invited to join us. December 24 No class Christmas Eve December 31 No class New Year s Eve Advent Study Come and deepen your experience of Advent in a study beginning December 3rd, continuing on the Sundays in Advent and ending the Sunday after Christmas. The study will be using the book, While We Wait: Living the Questions of Advent and will be led by Rene Cuthill. The class will meet at 9:15 a.m. in room 317. The study looks at some biblical figures often overlooked at Advent, which will help us look at some of our faith questions raised by this season. Join us on this Advent journey as we explore our understandings of the familiar story. White Socks White Socks Drive is here again! The collection deadline is December 8th since we are serving the Homeless earlier than usual and will be taking them downtown that night! The recipients of these socks are the people that come to the Coalition for the Homeless for an evening meal, or they are residents in the program. Our church has been doing this drive for over 17 years, and have dispensed literally thousands of pairs of socks. It s hard to describe the joy and thanks that is expressed for these simple gifts. Please bring NEW WHITE SOCKS and deposit them in the marked containers in the Narthex or Fellowship Hall. We will be accepting the socks up until December 8th. Thank You! ~Compassion Committee Postage Stamps Again this year we are asking for your assistance in buying U.S. postage stamps to help the homeless in our community. For the past several years WPPC has been taking Christmas cards and stamps to the Coalition and helping the clients write cards and address them. We will be doing this when we serve on December 8 th. We also put the postage on them; a book of stamps costs $10; Christmas stamps are already on sale at the post office. Several clients have told us that this is the only time this year that their families will hear from them. If you would like to contribute stamps for this ministry, please leave the stamps with Cindy Mitchum or Barbara Hordern in the front office. The Christmas cards can be left in Fellowship Hall with the donations for the Coalition for the Homeless. Thank you! ~Compassion Committee

12 12 Hanging of the Greens The Worship and Music Committee will decorate the sanctuary and put up the Christmas tree beginning Friday, December 1, between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. and on Saturday, December 2 beginning at 9:00 a.m. We invite all who would like to assist in this fun contribution to our WPPC congregation to join us. Contact Mike Galyean ( or koolade@embarqmail.com) for information. At Christmastime, the sound of bells recalls to us the thrill of hope which ushers in the spirit of the season. Magic of Bronze, a premier handbell choir in Central Florida, will be performing in our sanctuary on Sunday evening, December 3, at 5:00. As they weave their enchantment in the glow of our beautiful new Chrismon tree, we think you should be there! There is no fee for this concert but a love offering will be taken upon leaving the concert. Following the performance, your family will enjoy a cozy, winter night chili supper with ice cream dessert (we promise lots of toppings!) and a Christmas carol sing-along with our chimes, directed by Dana Irwin. Please R.S.V.P. by day s end on Wednesday, November 29 at (407) Living Nativity It's time for our annual Living Nativity, now in its 54 th year. When was your first time? Performances are Friday, December 15 and Saturday, December 16, with half hour sets at 7:00, 7:30, 8:00 and 8:30 pm, both nights. Preschoolers are especially invited for the very first showing, Friday night at 7:00 pm. Surprisingly, our Living Nativity schedule each year is determined by the availability of Dominic the Donkey! There must be a Christmas message in the fact that this one lowly creature can so affect our schedules this month. People of all ages are welcome to come at twilight to see the telling of the Christmas story complete with music, the Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph at the manger. Younger children and their parents are even invited to play the part of the Shepherds gathered around a fire, which, of course, will be tended by the grown up shepherds. Older children, too, can be shepherds as well as angels, with some middle school kids playing the roles of the Three Wise Men, and even Mary and Joseph. Each set runs twenty minutes long. Actors of all ages are welcome. After each set, people are invited to come on set to meet and chat with our petting zoo certified animals. Then, back in the warmth of Fellowship Hall, musicians sing and play carols for our guests, and volunteers dress families to have their photos professionally taken in our manger scene. Some families are in their third generation of this tradition. Photos are sent free to each family. Here you will also find the cookie laden tables with warm apple cider. Speaking of cookies, we need cookies, vast amounts of cookies, to feed the hundreds (literally!) of kids, young and old, who will flock into our Fellowship Hall after the four performances both nights. Cookies are our Christmas presents to our neighbors who are coming to see us and hear the Christmas Message. If you would like to help in some way and join in the behind-the-scenes fun, please contact Matt Straub,

13 13 Christmas Joy Offering The Wondrous Gift Is Given Sunday, December 17 The Christmas Joy Offering is shared equally by the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and Presbyterianrelated racial ethnic schools and colleges for education. How will your donation help? By giving to the Christmas Joy Offering you ll be helping families of active and retired church workers, as well as providing opportunities for the education of youth. Monika Ruiz is a college sophomore who wants to serve as a nurse in international mission, and tend spiritual needs through pastoral ministry in a developing country. Her call to service was nurtured as a high school student at the Presbyterian Pan American School in Kingsville, TX, a school supported by the Christmas Joy Offering. She came to Pan American from a community in Mexico where drug cartels hold tremendous sway, where some days she was unable even to attend school due to drug trafficking and violence. At Pan American, she not only found a safe and caring environment, but also hit her stride academically and learned lessons beyond the classroom. Without a doubt, attending the Presbyterian Pan American School has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. Without that opportunity, I would not be who I am or where I am now. Please give generously to assist those who serve the church: Past, Present and Future. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 ~ The Compassion Committee Thank You! Thank you for your generous giving to 2 Cents A Meal this year. The total collections came to over $1,600 and will help support SoSA (Society of St. Andrew), Second Harvest Food Bank, AIR (Alliance for International Reforestation) in Guatemala, and Madagascar Project, helping to support our missionaries Dan and Elizabeth Turk. Your giving to the Peacemaking Offering on World Communion Sunday came to $933. Our partners in the Presbytery, Synod and General Assembly will use 75% of this offering for various peacemaking projects throughout the world. The remaining 25% is directed to a local project chosen by the Compassion Committee, which this year is IMPACT FAMILIES, helping those families in Orange/Osceola Counties have a roof over their heads (nearly 10,000 public school students are homeless in these two counties) and address employment issues for parents. ~ Compassion Committee Global Market 2017 The Compassion Committee would like to thank the many people who made the Global Market a success. Your donations and purchases ($12,000) will make an important difference in the lives of many people. You will have helped prevent deadly landslides and improved the life of farmers in Guatemala (AIR), helped women in many countries to feed their families and pay school fees (Kenya, Madagascar), enabled families to receive essential animals (Heifer), helped Palestinian olive farmers (Peace Oil), helped farmers who grow cocoa (Fair Trade Chocolate), enabled artisans in many developing countries to support their families (SERRV, Global Crafts, Shanga, Partners for Just Trade), provided orphans in Odessa with safe housing (Ukraine Orphan Assistance Foundation), helped feed people through gleaning programs (Society for Saint Andrews), enabled orphans in Africa to receive scholarships (Namamu chickens), and supported the WPPC youth program. Thank you also for the village that made it possible the church staff and volunteers helped set it up, greeted, donated items, sold items, handled the cash station, and put items away. See you next year!

14 14 Cell Phones for Soldiers As most of you know we have been collecting phones in our church for several years and we have donated over 1000 phones! Thank You to everyone who has donated phones, please keep it up, it's for a great cause. The story below is how it got started, how it works, and what a success it is! Cell phones for Soldiers Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to turn old cell phones into more than 12 million minutes of prepaid calling cards for U.S. troops stationed overseas. To do so, Cell Phones for Soldiers expects to collect 15,000 cell phones each month through a network of more than 3,000 collection sites across the country. The phones are sent to ReCellular, which pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each donated phone enough to provide an hour of talk time to soldiers abroad. Americans will replace an estimated 130 million cell phones this year, says Mike Newman, vice president of ReCellular, with the majority of phones either discarded or stuffed in a drawer. Most people don t realize that the small sacrifice of donating their unwanted phones can have a tremendous benefit for a worthy cause like Cell Phones for Soldiers. Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist from Norwell, MA with $21 of their own money. Since then, the registered 501c3 non-profit organization has raised almost $1 million in donations and distributed more than 400,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas. Cell Phones for Soldiers started as a small way to show our family s appreciation for the men and women who have sacrificed the day-to-day contact with their own families to serve in the U.S. armed forces, says the teens father, Bob Bergquist. Over the past few years, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of others. But, we have also seen the need to support our troops continue to grow as more troops are sent overseas for longer assignments. Through increased fundraising efforts, the Bergquist family hopes to raise more than $9 million in the next five years to fund new programs, such as providing video phones with prepaid service to allow soldiers abroad to see their families on a regular basis. AIR Visit & News Pedro Miguel Opez and Anne Hallum Anne Hallum, Founder of AIR, and Pedro Miguel Lopez, tech staff member, visited WPPC on November 5 th to update the church on new developments as well as ongoing efforts. AIR responded to the problem of lack of consistent rain facing farmers by building cisterns that can hold water for dry seasons. WPPC contributed to financing this effort through the Compassion Committee. AIR is continuing to prevent dangerous mud slides through planting trees, working with farmers to raise more crops and generate other income producing products, and building fuel efficient stoves to prevent lung damage. AIR works cooperatively with community groups to identify community needs and resources. Because of their outstanding community based efforts, they were awarded the Equator prize. The prize is given to 15 community based groups every other year by the United Nations (out of over 820 nominations from 120 countries). WPPC members will be able to participate in a service mission project to work with AIR staff and community members in June WPPC has a long history of service mission trips with AIR. The trip will be led by Dr. Jason Micheli. Watch the bulletin for more information and contact Mary VanHook or Dr. Micheli for more details. ~Compassion Committee

15 15 Deacon s Den Ah, December, here at last. Have you been waiting for this magical month with great anticipation or dreading it with fear? Every year it seems that preparation starts earlier in the stores. Halloween wasn t over when the red and green decorations appeared. The day after Thanksgiving is not just Black Friday because now it lasts for a whole month. The hustle and bustle, the parades and parties, the planning and buying, are all enough to wear out the healthiest person. Stop! Take a breath. Why are we doing this? What is the reason for the season? We as Christians know in our minds and believe in our hearts that the reason is the greatest gift of all: God Himself became man to live on Earth as a human being, to teach us about God s grace and repentance, and to ultimately die for our sins, that we might have everlasting life. John MacArthur s tiny tome God s Gift of Christmas* tells the story with scriptural references in 100 short pages. It starts with the incarnation: Christmas is not about the Savior s infancy; it is about His deity. It continues with the reason for his name, Jesus, meaning, God with us. The human family is detailed, including his ancestry, so that we know it was no random people, but all were chosen and protected by God, from Adam to Abraham to David, on both Mary s and Joseph s side. Those who missed the lonely birth were either busy or elsewhere, and we are again reminded not to be too busy to miss the important message of this wonderful gift: Christmas is first of all a celebration of God s love toward man. The babe in the manger is more than just a tender child. He is the image of God, He took on a body of human flesh so that he might bear in that body the sins of the world. He made possible the gift of God eternal life (Romans 6:23). That is the sum of the Christmas message. When you shop for presents for your family and friends, take a moment to remember the real reason for the season. Most people like to give and receive presents, but many miss out on the special gift that God gave to us. This is only a small part of the whole story, but it is exceedingly important. Merry Christmas! * J. Countryman a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville TN, 2006 Christian Sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Eloise Neidlinger (October 13, 2017) Rosemary Zimmerman (November 23, 2017)

16 16 We are very happy and honored to welcome several new members into our Winter Park Presbyterian family! Please take a moment to review the information below, and if you run across any of these folks, be sure to introduce yourself and tell them how happy we are to have them here at WPPC! Jane Munns, Peter Rice, Melanie Rice, and Lee Newsom - joined 10/22/17 Dennis and Judy Schmalstig - joined 11/12/17 Jane Munns moved to Florida from Illinois with her husband and family in the late 1960s. Jane worked as a real estate agent, and they were members of Winter Park Presbyterian Church. Jane later became a member of First Presbyterian Church in Orlando, and has now decided to rejoin us at WPPC. She has three children and several grandchildren. Peter and Melanie Rice moved to Winter Park from Tallahassee in 2016 when Peter retired from Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation. Melanie is a retired high school teacher and librarian. Peter is originally from Plainfield NJ, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and served in the Peace Corps and the Navy. Melanie is from Bucks County, PA, and has degrees from the University of Miami and the University of South Florida. Both are bilingual: English-Spanish. Peter now drives a boat for the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour and consults for the title insurance industry. Melanie is interested in knitting, crocheting, foreign languages, books, and reading. Both enjoy music and the choir at WPPC. They have 3 grown children and 5 young grandchildren who live in San Francisco, CA, Charlotte, NC, and Miami, FL. Lee Newsom is retired, and is a resident of Winter Park Commons apartments. He has been an apartment resident for over 30 years, and is currently working on a book about apartment living. He is also the caretaker for the common gardens at his complex, which he enjoys. If you are interested in botany and would like a tour of the gardens, please contact Lee at Dennis and Judy Schmalstig have lived in the Winter Park area for 26 years. They previously worshipped with the Quakers of Orlando Friends Meeting. Dennis is an artist who works with oils and teaches painting and drawing at Valencia College and Crealde School of Art. Judy is a botanist and was a professor of biology at Rollins College for 22 years. They have two children, Annie and Alan, who were both married this past year.

17 17 WPPC Library Winter Park Presbyterian Church established the Library in Some people think we are just a small public library. What we are is a special library! There are books in our library that are not usually found in the public library. This library provides a large section of Bibles, Bible commentaries, books that explain our theology, church history, music, missions, worship, etc. We also have fiction, biographies, and have a table in the Narthex to make it easy for you to check out books. New books are added frequently. Recent additions are: To be Where You Are by Jan Karon. Another book in the Mitford series featuring Father Tim Kavanagh, newlyweds Dooley and Lace Kavanagh, and others. Overjoyed a collection of devotionals by six authors. 60 devotionals combining fun, candor, and wisdom. The Messiah by Marjorie Holmes. This is a novel of the retelling of the life of Christ. It breathes life into the 2,000 year old characters making Jesus, his family and friends seem like people with real life emotional struggles. The Bible Jesus Read by Philip Yancey. This book will give you abundant new insights into the heart of God the Father. If you would like to sponsor a poinsettia in honor or memory of loved ones, please fill out the form below and return it to the front office. Forms are also available in the narthex and front office.

18 S. Lakemont Avenue Winter Park, FL Breakfast with Santa and Holiday Shoppe December 9 th 9am to 1pm in Fellowship Hall Breakfast with Santa (9am-11am) Games Crafts Shopping Children s Clothing Books Home Décor Jewelry Accessories Candles Skincare Bath Items Women s Clothing Kitchen Accessories Food Items and much, much more... D E C E M B E R E v E N T S December 9 December 20 December 25 December 25 - January 5 December 31 Breakfast with Santa and Holiday Shoppe, 9am - 1pm Christmas Program, 12pm - 1pm You are invited to join the teachers & children in Fellowship Hall for refreshments following the Christmas program on Wednesday, December 20. This will be a regular school day. Participating classes ages 2 years and up will eat an early lunch and then gather in the Sanctuary for the program. Following the program, refreshments will be served until 1:15. NO EXTENDED DAY. Merry Christmas! Winter Break Happy New Year!

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20 20 COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS - Here s How to Help We are delighted to be serving in the new Men s Service Center which has brought many positive changes. Now 250 residents are housed there; the residents and the folks coming in from the outside community, are served separately. We are asking volunteer servers to please sign up on the Coalition serving list posted in the hallway near the office. Volunteers are limited to 15. Please note: In December we will be serving on the 8 th instead of the 22 nd. What Bake brownies & mix PB&J (Bonnie Gaughan ) Prepare meal - (Mary Van Hook ) Bag brownies ; make PB&J sandwiches (Eileen Silvers ) Donate unopened travel-size toiletries (soap, shampoo, antiperspirant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, disposable razors), Handi-Wipes & quart Zip-Lock bags to hold them. The folks also appreciate environmentally-friendly tote bags, and plastic grocery bags to carry toiletries and PB&J sandwiches. NO CLOTHING PLEASE. Contact Nancy Galyean ( ) Reading Donations: Magazines for men (sports, cars, National Geographic, news), religious magazines/booklets, paperback books. Sort and bag toiletries & reading donations (Marilyn Bryant ) Prepare to transport: gather supplies, load food & supplies into van (Nancy Galyean ) Serve the Meal. Please join us in the WPPC Kitchen for departure to the Coalition for the Homeless at 5:30 pm and return by 8:00 pm. Volunteers please wear closed toed shoes to the Homeless Coalition. It is a violation of the health code to wear flip-flops. Please call Nancy Galyean ( ) by the Wednesday before if you would like to serve. Cleanup kitchen - wash, sanitize items used; store supplies (Nancy Galyean ) Financial Donation: Make check out to WPPC. Note on the memo line Coalition for the Homeless - mail to WPPC or bring to the church office. When Wed 12/6 9:00-11:00 am Thurs 12/7 9:00-11:00 am Fri 12/8 9:00-10:00 am All month: Place in COALTION giant storage box located in Fellowship Hall Fri 12/8 10:00 am-noon Fri 12/8 4:30-5:15 pm Fri 12/8 5:30-8:00 pm NOTE: THE CHURCH VAN IS RESERVED FOR THIS FUNCTION. Fri 12/8 8:00-8:30 pm Any Time HOMELESS COALITION TEAM NEEDS VOLUNTEERS Each month about 50 devoted WPPC volunteers handle the many tasks to provide a wonderful meal and a bag of toiletries to our guests at the Coalition. We are in need of additional volunteers for various projects, and backup volunteers when regulars must be absent: Sort/bag toiletries at church (1 hr/mo) Make PB&J sandwiches (seated) at church (1 hr/mo) If you could help out with this special mission, please call or Nancy Galyean (info below). Any of the above gifts, or your time, are so appreciated! To help in any way, please contact: Nancy Galyean or nangalyean@embarqmail.com Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida is a Compassion Committee Ministry.

21 21 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 Lucy Martin Rene Cuthill Chris Rudolph Beverly Tavel Doris Anguish Betty McKinney Christina Roberts Clayton Roberts Annabelle Bartholomew Terry Irwin Sylvia Reaves Dawn Sumrall John Trexler Ellenorr Osterhaus Reta Jackson Robert Walker Linda Morse David Lee Salman Mohammed Berta Hall Erin Lynch Noel Wilson Alissa Mahoney Linda Beaty Benjamin Droste Steve Marshall Lee Newsom III Melinda MacDade Don McCarter Ann McDonald Betty Gale Case Jan Bone Julie Kent Holly Small Stephen Smith Cynthia Nants Corinne Dodd Ann Fetter Jessica Connor William Darcy Julie Frazier Tasha Lampe Julie Rankin Ellis Roe Luke Uttley Bob Case Brittany Hurd Jerry Osterhaus Clark Ranson Peter Rice Howard Evans Gary Henderson Ellen Skelton 31 Patrick LaRue Ann Marshall Glenn Riccio

22 22 The Rev. Dr. Jason T. Micheli, Senior Pastor The Rev. Emily Wasser, Associate Pastor for Family Discipleship Carolyn Achenbach, Director of Operations/Accountant Cindy Mitchum, Executive Assistant Barbara Hordern, Administrative Assistant Rian Schaible, Director of Communications Justin Chase, Director of Music Deniz Uz, Organist Tricia Wilson, Director of Preschool Programs Susan Davis, Director of Handbells & Children s Music Catherine Cross-Tsintzos, Cultural Arts Coordinator Kenny Lovelace, Sexton Jorge Barrios, Sunday Assistant Sexton H SESSION Mike Galyean Hal Eastburn Will Lawrence Terry Irwin Reta Jackson Will McCurdy Jayne Leach Don McCarter Rachel Myers Meg Ball Thomas Debby Roberts Dail Pribil Mary Van Hook Sara Van Arsdel Doug Reece Phyllis Woods Debby Tallungan DIACONATE Howard Evans Peggy Bargar Nancy Appich Curtis Harrison Almeda Dean Barbara Edwards Gary Henderson Carol Howell Bonnie Gaughan Allen Shaw Betty Johnston Fran Morrissey Jyme Smith Sevilla Morse Cynthia Nants Jeanne Vinci Ginny Seel Eileen Silvers MISSIONARIES Rev. Gordon and Dorothy Gartrell - Brazil Jenny Bent - Dominican Republic Mark Hare - Haiti Dr. Dan & Elizabeth Turk - Madagascar

23 23 Sunday, December 3 Keep this list with you and take advantage of all the great Holiday sales! Bicycles, Skateboards, Scooters, Helmets, Tricycles, Wagons Sports Balls (all kinds) Arts and Crafts Kits, Colorful Reading Books Dolls (over $10), especially ethnic dolls Play pretend kits, jewelry & make-up, etc. for young girls Educational Games & Books in English & Spanish NEW Socks, pajamas, play clothes & underwear for boys & girls Cars & Trucks (especially large vehicles) Board Games for children of all ages Toys, Clothing & Blankets for Infants & Toddlers Baby Diapers (newborn to size 5)