Today Could Be Christmas. By Martin Copenhaver. "Beware, keep alert, for you do not know when the time will come." - Mark 13:32-37

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1 First Presbyterian Church of Bordentown Church Address: 420 Farnsworth Avenue Office Address: 435 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown, NJ Office Phone: December 2018 Newsletter Devotional Today Could Be Christmas By Martin Copenhaver "Beware, keep alert, for you do not know when the time will come." - Mark 13:32-37 Sometimes I think that Christmas, properly celebrated, would not be a fixed date on the calendar. It would not happen on the same day every year. It would be more like a surprise party. It would arrive when we least expect it. After all, no one knew when the Messiah was going to arrive, and we never really know when the spirit of Christ will be made known. It might be on a special holiday circled on our calendars, or it might not. Imagine waking up each morning and thinking, "Perhaps this is the day. Perhaps this is Christmas." Then, perhaps, we would know that the arrival of Christ is not something we plan or arrange. It is a gift. And you never know when it will be given. So I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that it happened to fall on December 25. That is, I hope that the spirit of the living Christ was palpably present in every way on that day. But if not, do not despair. The presence of Christ may be made known to you today, perhaps in a surprising moment of grace, after the expectation-laden holiday has already passed, just when you least expect it. It could be today. This could be the day when the promise of Christmas is fulfilled. So, beware, keep alert and be ready to party! Prayer Jesus Christ, may I be prepared to see you and receive you whenever you are made known to me on a special holiday or in the most ordinary of days. Surprise me! Amen.

2 2 December 7 December 9 December 12 December 13 December 14 December 16 December 17 December 18 December 19 December 20 December 22 December 24 December 27 December 28 December 29 December 31 Marlie Guicheteau Liana Robertshaw Domenick DelVecchio Deb Branson Gayle Lawson Ellis Rominiecki Silvia Campo Kim Murray Sarah Shultz Caryl Tipton Candace Walling Marlene Lyszczak Meredith Bolinger Alexander Ryba Justin Clark Edward O Malley Richard Shaw Michael Lyszczak Erin Chamberlin Jenna Rominiecki Alan Stoneback Charlotte Brown Judie Martin Chase Seguin Duane Arnold Jake McEniry ANNUAL SILVER TEA The Deacons will be hosting the Silver Tea on Sunday, December 9 after worship in Fellowship Hall. Please join this holiday celebration to greet each other and to thank our gifted music team for their talents. Sign up charts will be on the back counter in the sanctuary for contributions of cookies, punch ingredients, silver candle holders and other items needed to provide a festive reception. PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS Shawna (Kochie) Catarinicchia; Fern Dennis, Mae Hamilton, Vincene Palmonari; Evelyn Seyebe; Paul Sootkoos; Edith Van Arsdale. Please contact the office or the Deacon on call to add someone to this long-term prayer list

3 3 Deacons Corner Deacons Meeting December 2, 2018 (following Worship) DAILY DEVOTIONAL BOOKS Books are available on the back counter of the sanctuary. They are titled These Days: Daily Devotions for Living by Faith. THE SILVER TEA Please join us on Sunday, December 9th following worship in Fellowship Hall. Sign up charts for donations of cookies, punch ingredients, silver candle holders and serving trays are on the back counter in the sanctuary. Deacons host this annual event tot celebrate the holidays with the entire church family.. Deacon on call: Pat Andrus Your Deacons: Pat Andrus, Megan Arnold, Linda Blackwell, Karen Chamberlin, Amy Dallas, Jodi Hawryluk, Bobbi Maiuro, Melonie Newton, Lisa Van Pelt, Maggie Hetman (Youth) WHO S IN CHARGE FOR DECEMBER Church Office: (609) Deacon-on-Call or the Deacon moderator (Pat Andrus, ) Director of Music Gwendolyn Huber Accompanist Dr. Bob Lowden Office Manager Sheri Devlin, Office Hours: Tues, Thurs, Fri 10:30-2 bordentownpresbyterian@gmail.com Sunday Mornings To volunteer: to be a Worship Reader, please contact Donna Potts. for Fellowship Hour, please contact Kathie Ackerman or Margaret Conover Worship Readers 12/2 Deb Branson 12/9 12/16 12/23 12/30 Fellowship Hour 12/2 Share a Recipe/Cookie Party 12/9 Silver Tea 12/16 Kathie Ackerman & Donna Potts 12/23 Christmas 12/30 Bring Your Leftovers (see below) Communion Servers Donna Potts, Gordon Potts John Burke, Elke McAteer Plan on bringing your holiday leftovers to fellowship the week after Christmas. This is a chance to share your holiday bounty with your church family.

4 4 Food Pantry Ongoing donations of non-perishable food are collected in the basket on the right at the rear of the sanctuary. Meals are delivered to St. Mary s Church Food Pantry. Standard monthly needs of the Food Pantry include: tuna, beefaroni, coffee, canned meat, kids cereal, jarred tomato sauce, canned fruit, soap, toilet paper, toothpaste. See each week s bulletin for the most current needs. Our Bread of Life Mission Meals Bread of Life Mission Meals are held on the last Sunday of each month. If you would like to donate to this worthwhile mission in our church, you can write a check to The First Presbyterian Church of Bordentown and write Mission Meal or Bread of Life Meals in the memo section. Next Grocery Bag Mission Our church provides microwaveable meals for the homeless each month. Our donation is combined with donations from other churches to provide grocery bags to homeless families living in local area motels. Some examples of items you can donate are pop-top soup cans, Chef-Boyardee pasta meals, or cans of stew. You can put your donations in the basket in the back of the church, labeled Grocery Bag Mission Meal. Thank you for your generosity! Ready To Distribute Meals!! The Mission Commission now has the cabinet put in place for Ready To Distribute Meals in Julien House. From time to time, if you have the opportunity, we are looking to stock our new cabinet with items listed below. You can place them right in the cabinet when you have a chance. Your contributions will be greatly appreciated! Items we would be looking for: apple sauce, fruit cups, tuna packets, microwaveable meals, jello cups, juice boxes, water bottles, and similar items like these. Grace and Peace to all! The Mission Commission Pat Andrus, Karen Chamberlin, Robert Joe Lee, Bobbi Maiuro, Donna Potts, Karin Venezia Volunteers Needed! Readers Needed: Please sign up to be an occasional Reader for Sunday Worship. It s easy and all you have to do is read 2 things: the Prayer for llumination and the First Reading. You will get an with your script the Friday before Worship and a hard copy at church, so there is nothing to do but show up and read. If you can help out reading occasionally, please see Donna Potts. Thank you!!

5 5 2 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 8:55 Childrens Chimes 9:15 Singing & Pageant Practice 10:30 Worship 11:45 Percuss Ensemble Deacons mtg 9 8:55 Childrens Chimes 9:15 Singing & Pageant Practice 10:30 Worship/Cantata Silver Tea 2 pm Youth Group Pty 16 10:30 Worship/Pageant 23 10:30 Worship 30 10:30 Worship Mission Meal 3 7:30 pm Women s AA 10 7 pm WBS 7:30 pm Women s AA 17 7:30 pm Women s AA 24 7:30 pm Women s AA 8pm Worship & Communion 31 7:30 pm Women s AA 4 7 pm Session 5 7 pm B&G 6 7 pm Choir 7:30 pm AA 8:15 pm Bells am Men s Breakfast 7:30 pm AA :30 pm AA 7:30 pm AA Wanderers to Kelsey Theater OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10:30 am-2 pm

6 6 Session Summary The Session met on November 13 th and the following topics were discussed/ announced: A new sound system will be installed in the sanctuary after Thanksgiving (installed 11/28). Windows in the Manse and Julien House will be installed within the next few weeks. The sidewalk repair around the Julien House has been completed by the city. Heating repairs in the Manse and Sanctuary have been completed. Total expenses for the year are under budget, while total income is also under budget. Overall we have a slight budget surplus year to date. Per Capita payment to the Presbytery has been paid, honoring our 2018 total commitment. 56% of this commitment was received from the membership. The Allegretti estate sale was a great success. The house is now currently empty, with the exception of two rooms, and is ready for sale. The book sale produced an income of $ and 22 boxes of books which were given to the Classic Book Store in Trenton to provide free books for children in the Trenton area. Thanks to all who participated! A special thanks to John Burke, Justin Clark, Margaret Conover, and Dana Maiuro for their Moment for Stewardship presentations, and to Kathie Ackerman and her crew of cooks for the excellent Stewardship Luncheon. Volunteers are needed to prepare communion next year. See Donna Potts if able to assist. The Pastor Search Committee continues to work toward finding a pastor for our church. Thanks to Dr. Rob Morrison, Elder Candy Peterson and Chris Small for supplying our pulpit during the month of November. During Advent each service will have the Advent Candle lighting. December 9 th : The Christmas Cantata. December 16 th : The Children/Youth Service.

7 7 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BORDENTOWN PRESENTS A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER featuring Dr. Robert Lowden, Pianist Saturday, December 8, O clock *THERE WILL BE A FREE-WILL OFFERING COLLECTED AFTER THE CONCERT.* Bob Lowden will also be presenting a Christmas Concert at the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Cinnaminson on Sunday, December 2nd at 7 o'clock.

8 8 A Note from Wendy If I lent a Ukulele to you, would you please remind me that it was you that I lent the Uke to, just in case I need to (temporarily) borrow it back from you. Thank you! Hymn of the Month Silent Night (Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht) Text by Joseph Mohr Music by Franz Gruber It was Christmas Eve in the Austrian Alps. At the newly constructed church of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf, a village near Salzburg, Father Joseph Mohr prepared for the midnight service. He was distraught because the church organ was broken, ruining prospects for that evening s carefully planned music. But, Father Joseph was about to learn that our problems are God s opportunities, that the Lord causes all things to work together for good to those who love him. It came into Father Joseph s mind to write a new song, one that could be sung organless. Hastily, he wrote the words, Silent Night, Holy Night, all is calm, all is bright... Taking the text to his organist, Franz Gruber, he explained the situation and asked Franz to compose a simple tune. That night, December 24, 1818, Silent Night was sung for the first time as a duet accompanied by a guitar. Were it not for a broken organ, there might not have been a Silent Night. We are pleased to celebrate the 200 th year anniversary of this classic carol! It may be found in our hymnal on page 60, and may be heard on the church s web site.

9 9 COOKIE IDEA EXCHANGE December 2, 2018 ~ Fellowship Hour Would you like to find a new recipe, something to add a new color or taste to your holiday table? Here s an opportunity to give and to receive: On Sunday, December 2nd, bring a few cookies, candies or treats, along with copies of your recipes especially if it includes a time-saving idea! This is not a full blown cookie exchange, but rather a sharing of family traditions and an opportunity for ideas to give those special homemade gifts. Come have some fun and a hint of Christmas future! The Wanderers On Saturday, December 1st, The Wanderers are going to the Kelsey Theater for the 2:00 pm performance of A CHRISTMAS STORY...a musical. We will meet at the theater at 1:45 PM. We will eat dinner at the Hamilton Tap and Grill on Rt.130 next to Residence Inn. See Gail Fouse with questions about The Wanderers. Statements of giving for 2019 will be available on the back counter before January 31, Please look for them and take them so we don't have to pay postage to send them to you. A reminder, we can only credit gifts for 2018 if they were received on or before December 31, Financial Secretaries From Dana Sunday School (No PreK-2nd grade Sunday school on 12/9 or 12/16) Please make every effort to be at Chimes Practice/Sunday School December 2nd and December 9th as we get ready for our Christmas Pageant! December 16th Christmas Pageant Sunday! December 23rd and 30th No Sunday School! Youth Group December 2nd No Youth Group December 9th Youth Group Christmas Party 2-4pm Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

10 10 "We endeavor in all things to nurture the fruit of the Spirit within the family of God." From FPCB Mission Statement DECEMBER CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS! Bring canned/packaged meals for Bordentown Motel Ministry On the THIRD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH (December 16) EVERY WEEK Bring non-perishables for the Food Pantry Sunday, December 2 10:30 am Worship with Guest Preacher, Rev. Dr. Byron Shafer; Share a Recipe/Cookie Party Fellowship Sunday, December 9 10:30 am Christmas Cantata and Silver Tea; Youth Group Party Sunday, December 16 10:30 am Christmas Pageant Sunday, December 23 10:30 am Worship with Guest Preacher, Christopher Small Monday, December 24 8pm Worship & Communion with Rev. Terry Fouse Sunday, December 30 10:30 am Worship; Mission Meal following worship January Newsletter Deadline December 17 First Presbyterian Church of Bordentown 435 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown, New Jersey bordentownpresbyterian@gmail.com