The Encounter. A Season for Hospitality

Transcription

1 The Encounter D ECE M B E R 2017 A Season for Hospitality The season of Advent is once again upon us! For those who aren t fluent in Churchspeak, the word advent is derived from the Latin word for coming toward and is the time during which we prepare for the coming of Jesus symbolized by Christmas. Just as God came to dwell among us in the person of Christ over 2,000 years ago, God still comes into our lives today! As we move through the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, we prepare for this coming. Advent, then, is fundamentally a season of hospitality during which we get our hearts ready to welcome Jesus. Think about the times you have received hospitality. When people are truly hospitable, they welcome you warmly into their home. They invite you to sit; they offer you something to drink; they sit with you, eager to talk to you and enjoy your company. They do everything they can to help you feel welcome, and they focus their attention on you. Mediocre hospitality is quite different. Less hospitable hosts will make you feel hurried. They will treat you as a distraction from what they really want to be doing. Quite often, they will leave you sitting unattended while they do something else. Sometimes, they will even follow you about the house cleaning up every trace of your presence. For example, every time you set down a glass, they will pick it up and whisk it off to the dishwasher. Or am I the only one this happens to? In any event, no one wants to be hosted in this manner. In keeping with these observations, there are a couple things we might note as we prepare our hearts for Jesus. First of all, hurry is the enemy. I know, we are all very busy, but being a good host and being hurried just don t go well together. Perhaps we need to do less. Although there are many good things we could do, it might be enough for us to focus on doing those things that are the most important. Maybe if we slow down a little, our spirits will have more space for Jesus, and we ll be able to sit with him and enjoy his presence. Secondly, our hospitality toward God includes hospitality toward others. When we are warm and gracious to other people, we are showing that same warmth to God. Remember Jesus saying, What you did for the least of these, you did for me. This is what he s talking about. Since all people are created in the image of God, our ability to be welcoming and loving toward our fellow humans is part of our hospitality toward God. We can also show hospitality to God by being open to the unexpected things that come our way stopping to wonder at the beauty of a sunset, being ready to help a person in need, and looking at interruptions as opportunities to see something new, or experience God in a special circumstance. There are many ways that God comes to us! God didn t just come to earth 2,000 years ago. God is with us still! God comes to us, eager to take up residence in our hearts. Jesus seeks entry into our lives through the circumstances and people we encounter, and through the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. Advent is a season for hospitality. If we prepare ourselves, we can offer Jesus a warm welcome! I pray that you will have a wonderful Christmas in which you experience the love and presence God. Pastor Eric Page 1 Inside this issue: Come to the Manger 2 Blue Christmas Session Action items 3 Mission News 4-5 From the Christian Education Wing 6 APC Wellness 7 This-n-That 7 December Volunteers Birthday List 8 Advent Happenings 9 December Calendar (Attachment)

2 2nd Annual Nativity Open House Saturday, Dec 2nd, 1:00 5:00 pm Be sure to Come to the Manger this Saturday for our second annual nativity open house. Last year you told us how we could make this moving experience more accessible to more people, and we listened. We ve doubled the number of hours you can view the nativities and we re holding the event during the day so those who don t drive after dark can participate too. Come to the Manger is so inspiring that it provides a perfect outreach opportunity to invite nonmembers to come with you or to view it on their own. Stay afterward to enjoy refreshments and discuss your favorites. A number of new nativities will be showcased at Saturday s open house, for example: A 13 piece, hand-carved jacaranda wood nativity, which includes unique animals and was given to Cheryl Schwickerath by a family friend in the Peace Corps in Swaziland. A manger scene created by members of the Manos Amigas women s economic development co-op that Marcia McAdoo acquired from El Salvador. A hand-carved nativity by a Tlingit native from Ketchikan, Alaska, owned by new members Jeanne and Ed Beardsley. A manger nestled within a coconut shell that Del and Rick Konopka received from friends who were stationed in Hawaii and the Philippines. Three ceramic Wise Men a friend made for Coleen Myers, and she has cherished for 50 years. An unusual felt mouse nativity Darlene Schuster (who along with her daughter Cheryl Schwickerath is providing the bulk of the nativities) added to her collection this year. It will charm kids. Most of the nativities from last year will be on display as well, including: A crèche carved by Dale Wagner and painted by Ruth. Jim Krapf based a Christmas Eve service on the 11 people and animals in this nativity. Several that will appeal particularly to children, including a Playmobil one and a Charlie Brown version. When you Come to the Manger Saturday, December 2, from 1:00 5:00 p.m, come as you are. There s no need to dress up. And invite others to join you at this unforgettable APC Advent tradition. Page 2

3 Blue Christmas Service Sunday, December 10, 4:00 p.m. Christmas, when we celebrate our Savior s birth, should be a joyous time. But it isn t for everyone. Just driving down the street, you can t avoid seeing beautifully decorated trees, lovely wreaths and a festival of lights. Holiday tunes assail your ears when you need to pick up groceries. Your mailbox is filled with cards showing happy couples and laughing families on vacation; their annual letters describe in detail every wonderful happening in their lives for the past 365 days. Not to mention the parties and food, food, food. No wonder you feel blue. Perhaps Christmas even used to be your favorite holiday, and you relished every festive moment of it. But not now. Not this year. Maybe you lost your spouse or a parent or someone else close to you. Maybe a loved one or you has a serious illness. Maybe you ve transitioned from spouse or child to caregiver. Maybe you lost your job. Or maybe, for no reason you can pinpoint, you re overwhelmingly depressed. You don t want to ruin everyone else s holidays, but you re tired of faking a cheerfulness you don t feel. Please come to APC s Blue Christmas service, Sunday, December 10 at 4 p.m. This special worship opportunity will provide comfort and understanding because you are not alone and APC is here to support you during this challenging time. Session Action Items Session took action on the following items during October and November: Received the following Confirmands into membership in the Church: Rico D Veiga, Vanessa Frimpong, Abby Housker, Kyla Morris, Naomi SchraderBachar, Abby Seedorf, and Rachel Stephany Approved a General Mission Pledge of $20, Approved use of $ from the El Salvador fund for purchase of corrugated roofing materials for families in Corozal Approved annual soup and pie with silent auction fund raiser for Feb 4, 2018 Approved hiring of Church Campaign Services for assistance with capital campaign Approved hiring of Design Alliance for architecture services in connection with facility improvements Approved transfers of memberships for Connor Hilsenbeck, Thomas Albers, Christine Albers, and Sarah Albers Approved purchase of entertainment equipment for youth, using a special gift previously received Approved solicitation of members for end of year gifting program Please contact any of your Session members with comments or concerns. Page 3

4 Mission News Christmas Joy Offering: Supporting Past, Present, and Future Leaders This Advent and Christmas season, we celebrate the gift of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. By giving to the Christmas Joy Offering, we recognize the indescribable gift God has given us in Jesus Christ and also in the leaders within our church. Your gift by will provide assistance to current and retired church workers in their time of need and developing our future leaders at Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and colleges. Click on these links to learn more about these valuable programs: The Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions Racial Ethnic Schools and Colleges Racial Ethnic Leadership Development This year our Christmas Joy Offering will be collected on Sunday, December 17th. Thank you for your generous gifts. Page 4 Due to a scheduling mix-up at the Central Iowa Shelter, APC will not be serving on Christmas Eve this year. We will try to get on their serving calendar after the holidays. Keep the homeless in your prayers, especially during these cold months ahead. We are thankful that this shelter opens its doors and services to the vulnerable and the troubled in our Des Moines area community. Are you searching for unique gifts this Christmas? The Presbyterian Giving Catalog offers a large variety of small gifts that make a BIG impact. Take a catalog from the mission table or find it on the web: presbyteriangifts.org. Another great option is the Alternative Gift Market on Saturday, December 2nd, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at St. Paul Presbyterian Church in Johnston. A wide variety of both local and international organizations will be represented. A Helping Hand in Ankeny APC is serving our immediate neighborhood in a new way. A Blessing Box for non-perishable foods and personal care items is now in place along APC's driveway. This is one of 12 boxes placed around Ankeny for folks to feel free to take items they may need. APC will do our best to monitor the box on our property and keep it well supplied. You are invited to help us keep it stocked with healthy non-perishable foods, similar to food pantry items you would bring. As temperatures get colder, we may pull the canned food items, but typically items don't last long in the boxes. See "A Helping Hand in Ankeny" Facebook page for more info on the boxes and their locations. SAVE THE DATE: Sunday January 28 after Worship Learn about AMOS-more information coming in January.

5 Do You Knit or Crochet here s a Mission Project for You! Quietly, five women at APC do mission work year-round. They do this with their knitting and crocheting skills. Many of them do it for relaxation or when they are in front of the television. They all said they like to keep themselves busy, and giving back is very important too. They invite anyone who would like to do the same to join them on this Mission project named Warming Hearts Project. It all began in 2012 when Jane Middents, who had been part of a Nevada group that knitted and crocheted hats and scarves for homeless shelters, asked Pastor Rick Carus, if a group could be started. The group at Nevada had folded and Jane wanted to continue. Thus, the knitting and crocheting commenced. In 2015 prayer shawls and lap blankets were added to the projects. Sue Tomlinson spends her time crocheting these. Sue said, I do this because when I was very ill I received a prayer quilt from the church. It meant so much to me at the time that I now want to do the same thing for someone else. Sue added that she found this mission work very relaxing and rewarding. The prayer shawls are kept at the church and when a request comes for one from the Deacons or other church groups, Jane Middents gets one out of storage, adds a note to the gift that says prayers were lifted up as the shawl was being made asking for blessings and healing upon the receiver. The hats and scarves that are made are stored during the year and then taken at the end of October to the Central Iowa Homeless Shelter in downtown Des Moines where they are available to anyone who comes to the shelter and needs something to help keep them warm. All these items were displayed and dedicated at the October 29th worship service. Since this project began in 2012, eighty to one-hundred scarves and hats have been taken each year to the Homeless Shelter. In addition, 35 prayer shawls have been made in the past three years. The Mission Committee sponsors this group and supports them financially, but anyone may help by giving yarn or money. Prayer shawls take two to three skeins of yarn, a lap blanket probably three to four skeins. Hats and scarves use at least one skein. Our knitters and crocheters are frugal too -- they can use leftover yarn for different accents, especially when they are making hats. Consider joining Julie Cloud, Jane Middents, Shirley Pease, Jan Smith and Sue Tomlinson as they use their nimble fingers making these gifts throughout the year. The group does not meet, and there are no quotas or deadlines. You just do whatever you can in your own home or wherever you can find the time to knit or crochet. Contact Jane Middents if you are interested. She can get you started with yarn and patterns. If you don t have nimble fingers, but would like to help, you can give yarn to anyone in the group or give financial support through the church office. This is another way that the members of APC are reaching out and ministering to others in our community. Page 5

6 From the Christian Education Wing The Christmas season is quickly approaching. I haven t yet turned on the Christmas music at home, but I feel that is quickly approaching as well. The first Christmas movie has been watched by the family. We ventured out to see The Star this past weekend. It was a fun movie and definitely one to start our holiday spirit. It was fun to see my kids face light up as things happened in the movie. You know they hear the story over and over but sometimes when you see it in a movie it s easier to put together the story. They are quoted saying I already basically knew what was going to happen in the movie! There s Jesus s cousin, John the Baptist. My kids could really relate most of the movie to what they are working on for the Christmas program in worship. My hope and prayers for you all to have a very Merry and Blessed Christmas season. Amber Sunday School The kids have spent a lot of time preparing for the Christmas program that is coming up on December 17. We have been talking about the Christmas story when they aren t practicing. All kids love play dough, right?!! The kids recently made the nativity scene with playdough that smelled of Frankincense and Myrrh. Most of them hadn t smelled them, nor really knew what they were other than gifts the Wise Men brought! December 10 Full dress rehearsal and run through of Christmas program. No Sunday School December 17, 24, & 31. It will resume on January 7. APC Wednesday Friendsgiving was a lot of fun. Thank you for sharing your friends with us. We enjoyed some fun Thanksgiving themed games, a good meal, and a quick Bible study complete with a small craft. Give thanks in every situation because this is God s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 December 13 Full dress rehearsal and run through of Christmas program. No APC Wednesday on December 20 & 27. APC Wednesday will resume on January 3 Youth Group December 13 Youth will be volunteering their time at Meals from the Heartland. December 17 Annual Youth Fundraising Pancake Breakfast after worship. Proceeds will go towards upcoming Mission Trips. December 20 Youth Group Christmas gathering at the church. Be on the lookout for more details of this fun-filled night! No Youth Group on December 27. Page 6

7 Wellness Team News Let s get healthy together it is crucial for caregivers to take a positive approach in Being a caregiver can be a connecting with their loved one. rewarding and loving experience She says people with dementia while at the same time are precious and unique, like frustrating, confusing and gems. If they are provided with exhausting. A person with the right setting and care, they Alzheimer s disease or another can shine. form of dementia will in time She feels it is important for progress from one stage to caregivers to focus on what the another, so it can be difficult to person can do rather than on know from day to day what is the abilities they ve lost. To help best for your loved one. with that, Snow has devised a Teepa Snow, who is a national GEMS list to highlight characterdementia expert and advises the istics progressing from sapphire Alzheimer s Association and before dementia through many other organizations, feels Dementia Gems diamond, emerald, amber and ruby to pearl when there is still an amazing gem of a person inside. To learn more about Snow s positive and helpful approach to caregiving, check out teepasnow.com. Her website contains descriptions of each GEM. She also has a series of informative videos. $$$ Use It or Lose It If you re lucky enough to have a health savings plan, make sure you use your reserved funds before the end of the year. Glasses, contacts, prescriptions and dental appointments are all good ways to utilize any remaining money. Medicare Deadline December 7 Open enrollment for Medicare ends Thursday, December 7. If you want to make changes in your healthcare options, it s best to do it as soon as possible. Online sites tend to be swamped the closer we get to the deadline. This n-that Thanks to all my friends at APC for your prayers, phone calls, cards and visits during my recent hip replacement surgery and continuing recuperation. Also, thanks to Pastor Eric for your visit and prayer at the hospital. It was 3 weeks on and I'm already walking with little or no assistance. Thanks so much Pam Slippy Page 7 Story Time Every 9:00 a.m. December Themes December 6: December 13: December 20: December 27: Penguins Gingerbread Christmas NO Story Time

8 This n-that (continued) Sunday Assistants Lock up Elder: Laurie Berry December 24 December 3 Greeters: Rich & Del Konopka, Ruth Wagner Communion Set up & Clean up: Laurie Berry Ushers: Debi Garner & John Richards Greeters: Verne & Kelly Murray, Randy & Rita Korn Worship Leader: Coleen Myers Ushers: Mark & Marcia McAdoo Font of Identity Deacon: Cathy Bucklin Worship Leader: Lola Peters Font of Identity Deacon: Diana Haines December 31 Greeters: Scott & Jane Wood, Carolyn Rudisil December 10 Ushers: Rick Ruff & Mary Kleis Greeters: Tom & Jo DeHart, Cathy Bucklin Worship Leader: Sandy Wagener Ushers: Gary & Mary Weeks Font of Identity Deacon: Worship Leader: David Musoro Don Hansen Font of Identity Deacon: Audrey Kobus December 17 Greeters: Stewart Family, Diana Haines Ushers: Gary & Lois Anne Naylor Worship Leader: Carla Yeager Font of Identity Deacon: Marge Hennings December birthdays The Monday afternoon study group is beginning Journey to Christmas, a 4 week video/discussion series, on November 27th. Five strangers, a diverse group of people, journey to the Holy Land for the first time to discover the true meaning of Christmas. Week 1: Following the Star; Week 2: Angelic Announcements; Week 3: The Trip to Bethlehem; Week 4: Shepherds, Wise Men and a King. No preparation needed; just join in and explore Jesus birth in a new way. Meetings are held in the Fireside room at 12:30. Page Sonja Maxwell Max Simpkins Jo Thorpe Sue Musoro Gary Cloud Janie Owens Phyllis Christensen Al Wyckoff Katie Stewart Ken Nelson Jim Nurnberg 14 Sandy Taylor 16 Laurie Berry 20 Warren Brooks Karisa Pasanchin 20 Rick Ruff 22 Michael Murray Eric Morris 24 Lori SchraderBachar 26 Doris Anderson 27 Jason Ingwersen 28 Sandy Wagener 29 Tim Little Carolyn Rudisil 30 Jackson Nutt 31 Wade Cloud

9 Advent is a season of preparation, as we ready ourselves for the celebration of Jesus birth at Christmas. For some, this is a season of wonder. For others, the holidays serve as a painful reminder of loss. For most, it is a time of joy. You re invited to join us at Ankeny Presbyterian Church as we observe Advent in ways that reflect the different ways we each experience this sacred season. Saturday, December 2, 1:00-5:00 p.m. Come to the Manger Nativity display Open House Sunday, December 10, 4:00 p.m. Blue Christmas Service A comforting worship service for individuals struggling with grief or loss during the holiday season. Sunday, December 17, 9:30 a.m. Children s Christmas Program The Children will lead worship as they share the meaning of Christmas in both story and song. Sunday, December 17, 10:30 a.m. Youth Ministry Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser Proceeds will go towards upcoming Mission Trips. Sunday, December 24, 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship A service celebrating the fourth Sunday of Advent. Christmas Eve Worship, 7:00 p.m. Candlelight Service A joyful celebration of Jesus birth including carols, candlelight, and communion. Page 9