The Good News. Northfield Presbyterian Church. December 2015

Transcription

1 Northfield Presbyterian Church The Good News December 2015 From the Pastor s Pen Here we are again. We ve journeyed through eleven months of another year. Now we are one week into the season of Advent. The word is a noun and it means the arrival of a notable person, thing or event. And, while our calendar says this is the end of the year, in the Church, Advent is the beginning of the Church year. On one hand we are celebrating the first coming of Jesus, the man whose life transformed history. On the other hand we are anticipating Jesus second arrival. Jesus first arrival was virtually unnoticed by almost the entire world. Only the rejected of society were privileged enough to celebrate his birth filthy shepherds attending sheep in the middle of the night, and a poor carpenter who though he was very righteous didn t have more than a couple of denarii to rub together, and his betrothed, who probably was not more than a teenager. His second coming will not be missed by anyone. Isn t it amazing that God ignored sending a birth announcement to the local authorities, kings, religious establishment and all other dignitaries in the neighborhood? He could have had a great party and everyone could have celebrated like a lot of people do today. Fortunately God is the creator and the one who makes the rules. He had a great plan figured out for our benefit. And he knew that if any of the details were left for us we d probably mess things up. Humans have a hard time getting things right even when we have the playbook in front of us in English. So, according to the playbook, Jesus, God s only Son, came here on a mission. If he failed there was no Plan B, no trick plays, no razzle dazzle or Hail Mary s. God s plan was it, His plan couldn t and wouldn t fail; even though as we read the recap it appears that Jesus had the opportunity to opt out. Instead, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. 12:2) You see that is why he came. As Paul wrote to the Galatians, Jesus gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age. (Gal. 1:4). In simple terms our lives were at stake and we couldn t save ourselves, so it was from the beginning according to the will of our God and Father (Gal. 1:4) that Jesus stepped in to save us. And He was quite aware that that was his assignment. During his earthly ministry he said to his disciples, For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mk. 10:45) Even in his waning earthly hours as he was instructing the men who would carry on what He had begun, Jesus exhorted them to be servants after his example to them. We will never be able to redeem anyone with our imperfect lives. But we can follow His example by serving one another, and at times in the lowliest acts of service. This congregation, as I have said on other occasions has a very high percentage of its members serving, in not just one or two places, but sometimes in 3 or 4 different areas of our life here. Some would like to serve, but aren t sure where or how. The Board of Deacons has developed a list with some descriptions of areas where and how you can serve (including contact persons) and give back to the Lord (see insert on pages 5 and 6). Let me encourage you not only to think about but to pray about God s place for you to assimilate maybe in a new way in an area that needs to be filled. Prayer Chain, youth and children s ministries are a few other ways that you can invest in the Lord s work. Maybe this Christmas we might all discover or rediscover the Lord s place for serving as Jesus served us. In His Grip, Art Helin

2 Music Notes Thank you so much to everyone for the very gracious and warm welcome that you have given to me and my family! We are very excited to be called to Northfield Presbyterian and are looking forward to joining in worship, music and ministry with each of you. -Jennifer, Mike, Nathan & Natalie Abdoo All Are Welcome! Join us on Wednesday evenings from 6:45-7:15 for Christmas Chime Choir! Any age, all levels of experience. Come and make a joyful noise! December Prayer Time Prayer time for December is Tuesday, December 8 from 6-7pm. We will focus on Emmanuel and preparation for His coming. We will discuss future plans for prayer. Mission Update Sunday December 6, p.m. Gather the family and enjoy a Chili Supper and family friendly movie Home Alone (it s the 25th anniversary!) Dessert donations cheerfully accepted! Please or call the church if you can make it so we can plan accordingly! (npc7755@roadrunner.com) Galen and Elvis recently visited NPC on their trip to the U.S. Galen sent this afterward. We hope it is meaningful! Safely Home How often have you called after a trip to say, I m safely home? Your family wants to be sure everything is okay with you. But safely home took on a new meaning this past week when a friend, Elvis Guenekean, was returning to his family in Bangui. He is the C.A.R. Bible translation program manager and had come to the USA for a workshop and to visit project supporters. On Sept 27 th he arrived in Dallas to hear Bangui was embattled in armed rebel conflict. Two days later he finally connected with his wife, who had been in hiding with their children. But he encouraged her and things calmed a bit. But 71 persons had died and many others forced from their homes. This week, as he prepared to return to Bangui, trouble cropped up in Bangui again. He left as planned but arrived a day late when the flight was delayed flight and couldn t land in Bangui because all the airport lights are shot out. He was finally back with his family in the midst of the turmoil when he called to say he was SAFELY home! While hunting Bill, a childhood Sunday School teacher and mentor, went missing. His body was later found by his upturned ATV. We grieved together, but he too was safely HOME! One of SEED COMPANY s mottos is END BIBLE POVERTY. Some African colleagues still tear-up when discussing those whoare dying before ever having God's word in their heart language! So pray we (who have over 90 full English versions!) might do our part so that they can translate God's word, and that all these might also arrive SAFELY HOME. Galen Johnson

3 Women s Association The NPC Women s Association does not meet in December. However, we still have cookbooks available for $10 each. There are only a few left, so hurry and get the perfect Christmas present for your family! See Margaret Stitt or Fran Merriam if you would like to purchase a cookbook. Our next meeting will be Monday, January 11 th. Our lesson about Dealing with Demons will be led by Cindy Maxhimer. Mark your calendars. See you then. Share the Cookies! For Sunday, December 20, 2015, the Deacons would like to invite members of the congregation to share their baking treasures/christmas cookies for the coffee hour. Bring them in that morning. If you have any questions contact Patti Maholm or any of the Deacons. Margaret Anderson Caroline Glinski Zach Brooks Debbie Langford Beverly Redpath Helen Rutledge Kitty Kerner Carol Fenn Joe Geshke Ron Maxhimer Deanna Williams 5-Dec 5-Dec 10-Dec 11-Dec 16-Dec 16-Dec 17-Dec 19-Dec 19-Dec 22-Dec 30-Dec Stewardship Update Dear Members and Friends, Thank you for sending in your pledge cards. If you still have yours, bring it in soon so we can finish the budget process for 2016 We hope to finish the year strong! Your 2016 Offering Envelopes will be available soon in the Narthex. Please contact the office if there is no box with your name and you would like one. November Income: $ 17,273 Expenses: $ 14,305 Year-to-date Income: $ 177,330 Expenses: $ 171,106 Pastor s Special Fund: $ Thank you for participating in Samaritan s Purse Shoebox ministry. The church and day care provided 39 boxes to the drive! Clip and carry with you Groceries Needed The Women s Association continues to collect Food and other products (soap, toiletries) for the Macedonia Emergency Relief Center. There is a container in the narthex where church families can drop off their donations on Sundays or any other day they are in the building. We will continue to collect them as long as they are being donated. Suggested List of Items for December Fruit pie filling Cheesecake mix to fill a pie shell Bread mixes Biscuit mixes Canned/jar Gravy or a mix for gravy Jiffy cornbread mix THANK YOU!

4 All Ladies of Northfield Presbyterian Church and Victory Baptist Church of junior high age and up are invited to attend our annual Ladies Christmas Tea Northfield Presbyterian Church Saturday, December 5th 10:00 a.m. Speaker: Kara Ulmer, the Office Director for World Relief - Akron Please invite your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to join us Registration forms will be on the church website on a table in the narthex. For more information see Margaret Anderson or Jan Helin. Holiday Shop Collection Once again we will be participating in the Emergency Assistance Center s Christmas Lane event. The Emergency Center will receive the gifts from donors then have a shopping day for their registered parents to come and select gifts for their family from what is provided. Purchase one or more of the items below and bring them to the church UNWRAPPED, NEW and IN PACKAGE Bring items to church by December 13th and place them in a box in the office. If you get gift cards, there will be an envelope in which to place them. Below is a partial list of ideas, there is a complete list on the bulletin board in Narthex. $25.00 Gift cards (this amount only) to Walmart, Target, Subway, Chipotle, Five Below, Get GO, Claires, Menchies, Nike, Speedway, Get GO, Under Armor, Justice. Infants: (0-12 mos.): Fisher Price Laugh & Learn items, Baby Einstein items, shape sorters, VTech toys, Bath Toys, Ring Stackers Toddlers (1-3 years): Blocks, Mego & Duplo Blocks, Soft balls, Play-Doh, Little People Toys, Puzzles, Leap Frog Toys, Musical Toys Preschool (3-5 years): PBS show toys, Disney Show toys, Alphabet toys, lacing cards, play cash registers, toy cell phones, tea sets School Age Kids (6-9 years): Make your own kits, sleds, action figures, art sets, Legos, Minecraft, Board games, Remote control car kits Pre-Teens & Teens (10 and up) Nike pro elite socks, Lego sets for boys and girls, Nerf toys, Nail kits, Head phones (ear buds or DJ style), Spirit wear for Nordonia and Twinsburg, sports wear for local pro and college teams, Axe body kits. Thank You!

5 SERVE YOUR CHURCH God brought you to this church because of who you are. You have tremendous value to God and to the church. God gives everyone unique gifts and talents. The question is: where can those gifts and talents can be utilized? Being called into Christ s service is an amazing and heartfelt experience. But, with all of the many undertakings that crowd our daily lives, we know it can be confounding to have one more thing to do. So, the Board of Deacons has compiled this list to help simplify things for you. We want to offer everyone the opportunity to help serve our church. This is your chance to share your gifts with any of the listed ventures. None of the tasks require a continuous commitment and each one allows you to share your talents in a way in which you are comfortable. Many are small, but your assistance will be felt in a most profound way! Come join us in Serving Your Church. Romans 12:6 ESV Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them. Ushering: NPC can always use help with ushering and greeting. Having a volunteer who is willing to fill in when a regularly scheduled usher is unavailable is invaluable. If you are interested in being a substitute usher, contact Patty Fenn at or wabbit19@roadrunner.com. Coffee Hour: Every Sunday, a member of the Deacons handles fellowship after church. This includes setting up, providing small treats, making coffee and then cleaning up. If you would like to cohost this event with a Deacon or simply provide baked goods, speak to any of the Deacons and you will be shown where you can pick a date when you would like to help. For more specific information, contact Patti Maholm at or pattimaholm@gmail.com. Communion: The Deacons take charge of preparation (grape juice and wafers), provision of the loaf of bread and the clean-up process. The Deacons would love to have someone who would like to assist in setting up, buying supplies or baking the communion wafers. Please speak to any of the Deacons and you will be shown where you can pick a date when you would like to help. For more specific information, contact Scott Williamson at or micander68@aol.com. Nursery: During Church service, infants and toddlers (aged newborn to four years) are cared for in the nursery (downstairs daycare room). We are always seeking volunteers to assist in the nursery or to back up the normally scheduled volunteers if they cannot be available on their assigned date. Offering your service could be limited to as little as once a year! If you are interested, contact Cheryl Emch at or capern7@roadrunner.com. Children s Church: Each week, children (aged 4 to 12), may attend Children s Worship during the adult service. NPC is always looking for people that can assist in a backup position to substitute for the regular team members when they cannot cover their scheduled date. The children s teachers (usually a team of two) also provide a snack and juice during the service. If teaching is not in your comfort zone, you might volunteer to contribute juice boxes and a small healthy snack. Contact Michelle Williamson at or micander68@aol.com. Community Meal: On the last Friday of the month, the NPC Community Meal is held. This gathering could always use more volunteers to help with set up, clean up, serving and filling the grocery bags. Baked goods for dessert are always welcome. Contact Gil or Trudy Polcen at or gus7495@yahoo.com. Worship Service and Chancel: Each week, usually on Saturday or Sunday before the worship hour, the pews are checked for envelopes, sharpened pencils and pens and empty friendship pads. Your occasional assistance with these tasks would be appreciated. If you would be interested in helping, contact Scott Williamson at or micander68@aol.com or Rich Enczur at Flowers: On most Sundays, there is a flower arrangement on the altar that is later given to a member of the congregation. If that member is not in church, the Deacons deliver it to whomever it is intended. If you are interested in being a substitute and delivering the flowers, your efforts would be much appreciated. Contact Trudy Polcen at or gus7495@yahoo.com. Special Occasion Flowers: Easter and Christmas flowers are distributed by the Deacons after the respective service. If you are interested in helping to deliver them to shut-ins and ill/recuperating members of our congregation, contact Trudy Polcen at or gus7495@yahoo.com.

6 Ministry of Care and Concern: Our Deacons take time to send greeting cards to our NPC congregants during times of sickness or bereavement, as well as to shut-ins or to those simply needing cheering up. The Deacons can supply cards, addresses and stamps. If you would like to assist in sending cards and spreading cheer, contact Loraine Ellett at Meals and Funerals: The Deacons coordinate funeral lunches at the family s request. Volunteers are needed to set up the meal, serve and clean up. If you would like to help in this area, your name can be added to a list of helpers. At the time of need, you may be called upon to assist, depending on your availability. In addition, meals for those who are ill or recovering are often provided. Again, please let us know of your willingness to help in this regard. Contact Cheryl or Ron Emch at or capern7@roadrunner.com. Building and Grounds: In addition to work days, the building and grounds committee often works on small tasks around the church. They often need help with many minor jobs such as changing light bulbs, tightening cabinets, replacing faucets, and many other necessary projects. If you enjoy working on projects or items around the church that cannot often be accomplished on a work day, please think about offering to help. Contact Tim Maholm at or timothymaholm@yahoo.com or contact the church office ( ). Missions/Evangelism: If you have an idea for a mission project or wish to get involved in existing efforts Contact Gil Polcen at or gus7495@yahoo.com. Remember what we have often heard, many hands make light work. So come join us in helping to Serve Your Church. Blessings, The Board of Deacons: (Loraine Ellett, Cheryl and Ron Emch, Pauline and Rich Enczur, Patty Fenn, Connor Louis, Patti Maholm, Carol Metz, Renell Noack, Trudy Polcen and Scott Williamson)

7 December 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 7pm Evening Bible Study 2 6:30 am Men s Bible Study at Chick-Fil-A 9:45 am Day Care Chapel Time 6:30 pm Cub Scouts 6:45 Chimes 7:15 pm Choir 3 8pm AA 4 6:30 pm Tea Set Up 5 10:00 am Ladies Christmas Tea 6 9am Adult Sun. School 10 :15 am Worship 12:30 VBC Worship 5pm Dinner and a Movie Home Alone 7 7pm Boy Scouts 8 6pm Prayer Time 7pm Evening Bible Study 9 6:30 am Men s Bible Study at Chick-Fil-A 6:30 pm Cub Scouts 6:45 Chimes 7:15 pm Choir 10 8pm AA :00 am 8: am Men s Bible Study at Chick-Fil-A 13 9am Adult Sun. School 10 :15 am Worship Musical 11:30 am Deacons 12:30 VBC Worship 14 7pm Session 7pm Boy Scouts 15 7pm Day Care Board Meeting 16 9:45 am Day Care Chapel Time 6:30 pm Cub Scouts 6:45 Chimes 7:15 pm Choir 17 5:45 pm Day Care Program 8pm AA 18 5:30 pm Grocery Distribution for Community Meal am Adult Sun. School 10 :15 am Worship Children s Pageant 12:30 VBC Worship Christmas Eve Services 6:30 pm Family 9:00 pm Communion 25 Merry Christmas 26 8:00 am 6:30 am Men s Bible Study at Chick-Fil-A 8pm AA :15 am Worship 12:30 VBC Worship

8 Youth Update Operation Santa s Helpers SPECIAL ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES December 14th 10:15 a.m. Gifts of Christmas Musical Service featuring Chancel and chime choir. December 21st 10:15 a.m. Children s Pageant during the service. December 24th 6:30 p.m. Family Candlelight Service December 24th 9:00 p.m. Candlelight Communion Service Northfield Presbyterian Church 7755 South Boyden Road Northfield Ohio Phone: npc7755@roadrunner.com