Bah," said Scrooge, "Humbug.

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1 Empowering people in Christ to share His love while serving our neighbor. Holy Cross Lutheran Church (LCMS) December 2018 Church Office 6905 Greenbelt Road Greenbelt, MD Phone: (301) Fax: (301) Website: Facebook: Holy Cross Lutheran Church Greenbelt, MD Staff Pastor: Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Mentz Assistant Minister: Rev. Suah S. Deddeh Organist: Roberto Vela, Esq. Custodian: Angelo Alvarado Executive Steering Committee Jeff Burt, President of the Congregation Greg Clem, Vice-President Vacant, Vice-President/Treasurer Manuela Fortenberry, Assistant Treasurer Mission & Ministry Committee Karen Curry and Cindy Clem Co-Chairs Jim Byrnes Nikki Clem Church Office Hours Monday Friday 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m Sundays 8:30 a.m. Christian Education 9:30 a.m. Worship Service From Pastor Mentz: Bah," said Scrooge, "Humbug. I think the two phrases most associated with Christmas is first, Merry Christmas, followed by the saying, Bah humbug. What exactly does bah humbug mean? I love to look at the meaning of words and phrases. The word bah is an exclamation of disbelief or derision. It s also an example of an onomatopoeia! Do you remember the definition of onomatopoeia? Think back to your High School English classes? It s a word that sounds like what it is explaining or representing. The word humbug is an old English word meaning a sham, a hoax or a scam. The phrase was already well known before Charles Dickens used it in his story, A Christmas Carol. When Dickens Scrooge says bah humbug he is saying This whole Christmas thing is rubbish! A fraud! A hoax! There are times in this Advent/Christmas season when we will think as Scrooge felt. We feel we are being scammed

2 by advertisers, retailers and the media who seem to be forcing us to feel and think and buy what they want us to do! As Lucy said in the Peanuts classic cartoon, A Charlie Brown Christmas: We all know Christmas is a big commercial racket. Its run by a Big Syndicate back east. I suppose that most of us go back and forth between saying and feeling Merry Christmas and Bah! Humbug! I do. That is why I want to offer a piece of advice starting with myself and then with all of you! Let s not forget that the real reason for this season of Christmas is the birth of our LORD and SAVIOR. Christmas is not a season by itself! It is part of Easter! Christmas is really the beginning of the Easter story of God coming into this world to save His creation from the powers of sin, death and the devil! Try to keep that in mind as you celebrate this time of the year! Hopefully you will find yourself feeling and thinking more like Merry Christmas instead of Bah! Humbug! Yours in Christ, Pastor Countdown to Christmas or Countdown to Christ s Return! Before you know it, [BLANK] will be here! How true that is! Before you know it, Christmas will be here! We already see signs and indications that the Christmas season is fast approaching. The countdown has begun! Before you know it, Christ will return! Countdown to Christmas or Countdown to Christ s Return! This is the theme for our 2018 midweek Advent services. We are going to look at how the Church countdowns to Christmas by use of Advent Wreaths and Calendars and how, as Christians, we also are counting down to the final return of our Lord. At Jesus Ascension, the angels reassured the disciples that for the time being they would no longer see Jesus. But do not worry He will come again! [Angels] said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven Acts 1:11 NRSV). Each week, in our creeds, we confess that not only will Jesus return but that His return assures us of life with Him in heaven! [I believe in] the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Traditionally the season of Advent has been used by Churches to help people prepare not only for Christmas but also for the final return of our Lord. Each week we will look at how important it is to look forward to Jesus birth, but also to look forward to His final return. I hope you will join us as we prepare to celebrate Christmas and to meet our Lord! Holy Cross Lutheran Church (LCMS) Page 2 of 11

3 2018 Advent Services: December 5, 12, and 19. Supper starts at 6:00 p.m., and our study begins at 6:30. The study ends at 7:30 p.m. Advent Blessings, and previous attendance is not necessary. We live in fearful and anxious times. That is why we need to be reminded that there is One greater than our fears and anxieties, our Lord Jesus Christ. Please bring your friends and join us for this study. All are invited. -Pastor Mentz Thursday Evening Bible Study Moved to Sunday Morning December 9 We have begun a new Bible study that meets on the first Thursday of each month. Pastor Deddeh is teaching this class. However, in December, due to Advent services on Wednesdays and all the other activities in December, we have decided to move the Bible class to Sunday morning, December 9, right after the worship service. A luncheon will be provided. The sigh-up sheet for this class is located on the welcome counter (you can also sign up by calling the church office). If you have any questions, please speak with Pastor Deddeh. All are Invited! We will resume meeting on the first Thursday in January (January 3 at 7:00 pm). Our topic is: Overcoming Fear and Anxiety Through Spiritual Growth. The theme for December is There is no Condemnation in Jesus Christ. No preparation is necessary for this class Men s and Women s Ministries Meetings of the Men s Ministry groups are scheduled for Sunday December 2 and Sunday January 6 after the 10:30 service. In December, the Women s Ministry group will discuss Chapter 11 of Stepping Out to a Life on the Edge. Chapter 12 will be discussed in January. The Men s Ministry/ Fellowship called Iron sharpens Iron meets monthly all men are invited. The name of this group is based on Proverbs 27:17: Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another The Women s Ministry/ Bible Study, a re-constitution of the Lady Bugs group invites all women to participate in this group, using the book Stepping Out to a Life on the Edge by Deb Burma. This is mainly a group where we talk about the topic of the current book chapter and then link it to our own lives. Then we will spend time in prayer and leave hopefully filled with a deeper insight into God s word for us. If you have any questions, please contact Pamela Brown, Michelle Burrus, Dawn Felix or Anne Marie Bradley. Holy Cross Lutheran Church (LCMS) Page 3 of 11

4 Preparations for Holy Cross 75 th Anniversary Celebration Next year is the 75 th Anniversary of the founding of Holy Cross as well as the 50 th Anniversary of our sanctuary. We are planning to celebrate these milestones on Sunday August 25 to coincide with our annual church picnic. Jill LaCross is heading up a group formed to plan the anniversary celebration. The first meeting of this group was held on October 21. Subcommittees were formed for (1) History, (2) Decorations, (3) Food, and (4) Media. If you would like to help plan this happy occasion, please join us. Our next meeting will be Sunday January 6 after the worship service. If anyone has pictures or church history information that you would like to share please give them to Jill LaCross. If possible annotate pictures on the back in pencil with the names of those in the picture and the approximate date of the picture. Include your name if you wish to have them back. C.S. Lewis Book Club The C. S. Lewis book club will not meet in December. The date and topic of the next meeting will be announced at a later date. Potluck in December Rather than holding quarterly breakfasts during the rest of 2018, we plan on having a potluck brunch on Sunday December 30 after the worship service. If you are willing to bring a potluck dish (breakfast or lunch), please sign up on the Narthex bulletin board. Dece Lunch with Pastor December 21, 2018 at 12:00 noon (Church Parlor). Bring a lunch and participate in a lighthearted discussion of a Biblical topic of special relevance to today. Anointing Service The monthly Anointing Services will be held Sunday, December 16 following the morning worship service. The anointing is for healing (James 5:14, Mark 6:13), for joy (Psalm 45:7), for leadership (Exodus 29:7), amongst others. Please attend. President s Corner Thank you to everyone for being patient as we work through the issues with our roof replacement. Normally things like this don't happen and the work goes smoothly, but sometimes things don't go as planned. With the wet summer and fall all contractors have had issues and delays. We will have heat in the Parlor and Thrift Store by mid December, but all work on the roof will not be completed until Spring. Take a look at the calendar and see what great things we have planned for Christmas and the celebration of Christ's birth. We are again hosting a community Christmas party on the 22nd and we need help with that. Contact Greg or Cindy Clem to volunteer. Check out the Thrift Store's Christmas Market in the Parlor and buy them out. The Thrift Store does a great job of supporting the Church and outreach and the volunteers that run the store deserve a big hand for what they do. If you are ever have a question, comment, or suggestion, please give me a call or shoot me an . Yours in Christ, -Jeff Burt President, HCLC jeffburt@comcast.net myholycrosspresident@gmail.com Holy Cross Lutheran Church (LCMS) Page 4 of 11

5 Robert Bernhard Memorial The Bernhard family has allowed us to purchase a video camera and tripod with memorial contributions given in honor of Robert Bernhard. This camera will be used to more reliably record Holy Cross sermons and more easily upload them to social media. Sermons appear on Youtube via the link on the Holy Cross website: myholycross.org. Our thanks to Gwen Bernhard and the rest of the Bernhard family for making this possible. Christmas Flowers If you would like to place an order for Poinsettias for Christmas, please fill out a form on the welcome counter. The cost for a plant is $ Deadline for placing orders is December 16. Thrift Store and Christmas Market December Schedule During December, the Holy Cross Thrift Store is open Thursdays from 10 am to 4pm; however the Store will be closed on Thursday December 27. The special Thrift Store Christmas Market in the Parlor will be open whenever the Thrift Store is open and also during the following Sundays after church: 12/2, 9, and 16. Please take a look at our Christmas selection. Community Christmas Celebration This year we will have our third annual Community Christmas Celebration at Holy Cross on Saturday December 22 beginning at noon. See the announcement flyer on the Holy Cross facebook postings and included at the end of this Newsletter. This celebration is being planned by Mission and Ministry. If you would like to help with the celebration preparation, please speak with Greg or Cindy Clem. New Year s Eve Services There will be two New Year s Eve Services on Monday December 31. The first New Year s Eve Service will begin at 5:00 pm. This will be our traditional Holy Cross New Year s Eve service. A second, and new service for Holy Cross, will be held from 9:00pm to 12:01am. This service will be a Watch Night Service of singing and praying as we welcome in the New Year! If you are interested in helping to plan the Watch Night service or have questions about it, please speak with Pastor Deddeh or Ebenezer Emmanuel. 2018/2019 Church Calendar Holy Cross Church Calendar for 2018/ 2019 In the Old Testament reading for St. Michael and All Angels we read the story of Daniel in the Lion s Den. In the lesson we heard how the ancient Persian Empire had a rule that once a law was made it could not be broken! It was law for life! Our Church Calendar is not like the laws of the Medes and Persians! Dates and events can be changed and modified. Here s a working schedule: Important Events in 2018 & 2019 Dec 2,9,16, 23 (Sunday) - Advent Sundays, services at 10:30 am Dec 5,12, 19 (Wednesday) - Midweek Advent Studies. Supper 6:00-6:30pm, Advent Study: 6:30-7:30pm Dec 8 (Saturday) - Decorating the Church 10:00am 12 noon Dec 22 (Saturday) Children Community Christmas Program 1-3 pm Dec 24 (Monday) - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, 6:00 p.m. Holy Cross Lutheran Church (LCMS) Page 5 of 11

6 Dec 25 (Tuesday) - Christmas Day Service of Holy Communion, 9:30 a.m. Dec 31 (Monday) New Year s Eve Service, 5:00 pm Dec 31 (Monday) Watch Night Service for New Year s Eve, 9:00pm 12:01 am Mar 6 - Ash Wednesday Apr 14t - Palm Sunday / Prayer Walk Apr 21 Easter Sunday Aug th Anniversary Celebration of Holy Cross Lutheran Church 12/19 Julene Pichel 12/22 Suah Deddeh 12/26 Patricia Fitzenreiter 12/28 Paul Commins 12/29 Sharon Townsend 12/31 Emmanuel Findlay Anniversaries December, /10 Franklin & Diane Stultz 12/14 Suah & Theresa Deddeh Prayer List as of Sunday, November 25, 2018: Robin Beam (sister of Susan Lucero) Michelle Burrus (at home) Robert Coleman, friend of Eileen Farnham (lymphoma) Lucille Keys Marjorie Harcourt, aunt of Jim Ittenbach (Multiple Myeloma) Theresa Wilcox, mother of Amy Minor Samuel, acquaintance of Anita Marenka (caught up in the civil war in Cameroon) Hank Gramlich, father of Cindy Clem (health issues) Gwen Bernhard (recovering from fall) Birthdays December /04 Christian Byrnes 12/06 Carl Roberson Jr. 12/07 Ann Burt 12/09 Karin Walsh 12/11 Leah Nichole Clem 12/11 Watamae Deddeh 12/13 Jordan Proctor Volunteers of the Month Altar Guild: Saturday Virginia Mentz Sunday Jill LaCross Communion Assistants / Lectors Dec 2 Dawn Felix/Emmanuel Findlay Dec 9 Toni Gore/Dawn Felix Dec 16 Allen Clem/Obaro Sowho Dec 23 Mindy Ittenbach/Jim Ittenbach Dec 30 Paul Commins/Duland Graves Date Dec 2 Pat Fitzenreiter Dec 9 Pamela Brown Dec 16 Susan Lucero Dec 23 Ann Burt Dec 30 Frances Jordan Greeters (9:30 am) Date Fellowship (Snacks) (10:30 am) Dec 2 Team 1 Dec 9 Team 2 Dec 16 Team 3 Dec 23 Team 4 Dec 30 Potluck Brunch Date Ushers (9:15 a.m.) Dec 2 Paul Commins & Ebenezer Emmanuel Dec 9 Greg Clem & Nikki Clem Dec 16 Jeff Burt & Jim Byrnes Dec 23 Warren Winker and Cherub Emmanuel Holy Cross Lutheran Church (LCMS) Page 6 of 11

7 Dec 30 Paul Commins & Ebenezer Emmanuel Date Counters Dec 2 Lorrie Lauer & Shirley Lee Dec 9 Bob and Priscilla Krueger Dec 16 Bob and Priscilla Krueger Dec 23 Bob and Pricilla Krueger Dec 30 Lorrie Lauer & Shirley Lee Pastor Appreciation Sunday November 4, 2018 Mowers Mowing Season is over Thanks to all who helped mow during 2018! Pastor Appreciation Virginia and I want to thank you for Pastor s Appreciation Sunday! It is a joy to be with you and to serve as your pastor! May God bless each and every one of you! - Pastor Mentz Our Grateful Thanks! On behalf of Theresa and myself, including Watamae (our daughter), I extend grateful thanks for your thoughtfulness by your gift in observance of Pastor s Appreciation. Serving the LORD here at Holy Cross is a blessing. May God richly lift His face upon you, always. Amen! Pastor Deddeh Holy Cross Lutheran Church (LCMS) Page 7 of 11

8 All Saints Sunday November 4, 2018 Holy Cross Lutheran Church (LCMS) Page 8 of 11

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11 Holy Cross Lutheran Church 6905 Greenbelt Road Greenbelt, MD Dated Material Address Service Requested Holy Cross Lutheran Church (LCMS) Page 11 of 11