The Lighthouse. December A Spiritual Sanctuary for the Thinking Christian. Please come and join us. for these special up-coming events!

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1 The Lighthouse December 2010 THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Disciples of Christ) OF PACIFIC GROVE A Spiritual Sanctuary for the Thinking Christian. 442 Central Ave. Pacific Grove, CA Phone: (831) Fax: (831) Daniel Wm. Paul, MDiv. Pastor Church Website: Please come and join us for these special up-coming events! Cookie Swap: Sunday, December 5th Advent Writers on Fridays at 6:00 pm-24th at 1:00 pm Trust Circle on Thursdays at 6:00 pm Hanging of the Greens, Sunday, Dec 12th CWF Christmas Party and White Elephant gift exchange on December 16th at 11:00 am Sunday Schedule: Worship Service 11:00 AM Fellowship After Worship In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity. Christmas Brunch after worship/ Caroling: December 19th Leftover Christmas Potluck, Dec 26th Christmas Eve Service: December 24th at 6:30 pm I Help Dinner: December 30th at 6:00 pm

2 Notes From the Lion s Den The Work of Christmas by Howard Thurman When the star in the sky is gone, When the Kings and Princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flocks, To find the lost, The work of Christmas begins. To heal the broken, To feed the hungry To release the prisoner, To teach the nations, Notes From the Lion s Den To bring Christ to all, To make music in the heart. Christmas arrives once again inspiring us to dream of what our inspired capabilities can achieve. The annual clock turns and the Christ encourages us to work toward those dreams we share with Isaiah, Martin King, Jr., John the Baptizer and Desmond Tutu. And we can take stock in how our lives have helped bring fruition to those dreams and we can deepen our resolve to be better agents of Grace in the world. We get to share this exciting and heart-warming time. The very pulse of Advent and Christmas hopefully fills us with the calmness that when it is all said and done, life is good and we are blessed to be living in these days. I hope you are able to amp up your participation with the church this month --- perfect attendance at our corporate worship is a good start. And taking advantage of the variety of our calendared opportunities to be with others in our community of faith is even better. Merry Christmas to you! Dan

3 December in the Church Offering Elders Serving Communion 5- Lois Barker Nancy Bingaman 12-Sally Newberry 19-Mike Dremel 26 Ed Kilgore Frances Weesner Reuben Negron Sandi Ellis Flowers Refreshments Worship Leaders 5 Eppie Hoover Cookie Swap 12 Chong Brashear Soup 19- Erin Farquhar Xmas Brunch 26- Sandi Ellis Xmas Leftovers 5 Ed Kilgore 12- Andrew Crockrun 19- Sandi Ellis 26- Jackie Burns Deacon of the Month Marc and Jackie Happy December Birthdays 1 Dawn Lowery 4 Sean Bigelow 12 Janelle Bingaman 15 Lois Barker 18 Chong Brashear 22 John Shykun 24 Magali Negron 28 Eddie Getz 28 Dawn Wilson Happy December Anniversaries 22- Bill and Lori Trumbo

4 December 2010 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Choir Rehearsal at 7 pm. Lunch noon 3 pm Advent 1 pm and 6 pm Trust 6 pm 5 Meditation 10:10 am 11:00 am Cookie Swap 6 7 Trustees & Stewardship and finance 7:30 pm 8 Choir Rehearsal at 7 pm. 9 Lunch 12 noon 1 pm 3 Trust 6 pm 10 Advent 1 pm & 6 pm :10 am 11 am Elder s Mtg Board 7:00 pm at the Dremel/ Weesner Home 15 Choir Rehearsal at 7 pm. 16 CWF Christmas/ White Elephant/ Pot Luck 11 am 17 Advent 1 pm & 6 pm 18 Hanging of the Greens Trust 6pm 19 11:00 am 10:10 am Choir Rehearsal at 7 pm. 23 Lunch noon 3 pm 24 Advent 1 pm Christmas Eve 6 pm 25 Christmas Day Christams Brunch/ Caroling Trust 6 pm Jan 1st 11:00 am 10:10 am Leftover s Potluck No choir Lunch noon 3 pm I Help 6 pm New Years Eve New Years Day Brunch Weesner/ Dremels

5 I-HELP INTERFAITH HOMELESS EMERGENCY LODGING PROGRAM DINNER & BACK PACK DISTRIBUTION THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30TH, 6:00pm We will be serving dinner to 25 homeless men AND giving each one a new backpack. We have the back packs. We need your help to fill them with essentials like: scarves gloves socks hats handkerchiefs tooth paste & brushes water shampoo soap pens & note paper If you would like to help with the dinner see Jackie Burns or Jean Saltsman or come at 6pm to join us all for dinner and fellowship with the men. This is a very rewarding ministry our church has done for over 15 years. Church Directory There is an old copy of the directory hanging on the bulletin Board in Fellowship Hall. Please check and add your name, address, , and phone numbers if you are new or for some reason you are not in the directory, as we will be working on the new directory very soon so we can get it printed for January sometime. Please make any corrections and updates to your current information for those of you who may have moved, changed and phone numbers.

6 A Big Thank You We would like to thank our own Eppie Hoover for once again taking charge of the Christmas Shoe Box Project! She always steps up to the plate to make sure this event continues each year. Eppie is a very special lady whom we treasure so much. We are deeply grateful for all of her hard work. For the past several years, Eppie has led us in collecting children s items to be sent to Third World countries as Christmas Gifts. A child receives a shoe box filled with Christmas Joy. Thank you once again!! Reflections As I sit writing this article, it is a couple of days after Thanksgiving and a couple of weeks after our Annual Congregational meeting. It has been an eventful year and I am reminded how grateful I am for this year s Administrative Board and all we have accomplished together. Not only did the members of the board work shoulder to shoulder, we also worshipped hand in hand each month. We raised our voices in prayer and in song and shared our hopes as well as our fears with each other. As a result of the trust and caring established this year, we have a substantial list of completed goals. Among the accomplishments we named at last month s meeting as the most noteworthy were the new stained glass windows in the Fellowship Hall, the prayerfully and discerningly developed budget, a comprehensive By-Laws review, and a very successful Annual Meeting. But there are many others, so at the next coffee hour or Advent gathering, please ask some of the board members to share their favorite stories of this year s work. In closing, it has been an honor and a pleasure to serve as your Administrative Board President for the last two years. I thank all those who have served in those two years for the dedication and commitment they have shown. I would also like to thank all the members of the congregation for the opportunity to serve and the confidence and trust you have placed in each of the lay leaders of this community. And finally, I wish to Neal Heckman, your 2011 Board Moderator, all the best for the upcoming year. I am certain it will be equally as fulfilling. Sincerely, Frances Weesner

7 YOUR "SHARES" CARD? Your SHARES card credits each user with one point for every dollar spent for groceries you purchase at the SAVE MART, SMART FOODS, FOOD MAX AND LUCKY supermarkets. THANK YOU FOR USING YOUR "SHARES CARD" Easy Money: Did you know that if 20 individuals or families spent an average of $70.00 weekly using their Smart Card, the church budget would have an extra $2,000 a year!!!! So, think SMART and do your part!! For more information and to get your are, see Jackie Burns!! Want to honor or have in memory of a loved one? Poinsettias Will be displayed in the church through the Christmas Holidays and on Christmas Eve we will put an insert in the bulletin mentioning you and your loved ones! Look for inserts in your weekly bulletin to fill out. You can put them in the offering plate or give to Sandi Ellis. $20.00 donation appreciated!! Don t Forget to sign up! for Refreshments and Flowers!! Save your receipts for what you spend on refreshments, and you can be reimbursed!! Thanks for all your help. Holiday Cookie Swap Sunday, December 5 th (During Fellowship after morning worship) Bring a batch of your favorite holiday cookies and take home an assortment of treats to share during the season!!

8 Thanksgiving dinner was a BIG success!! This was one of the biggest crowds we have ever had! The food was Wonderful and the company was the best. Also, a big Thank You to our new Men s Quartet.. Bryan Epps, Craig Bigelow, Ed Kilgore and Mike Dremel for the giving of their many talents to sing for us before dinner. Thank you to all who contributed in some way, whether it be cooking Turkey s, ham, potato s, gravy, bringing food, clean-up and taking out the many bags of garbage!!! And now in the words of our own Princess Sally Newberry. Many thanks to all who helped the "old ladies" of the CWF with the Thanksgiving Dinner!!! Sally Regional Updates Thanksgiving Offering: is still being taken. Your giving supports 21 theological institutions, universities, and colleges related to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), students discover vast opportunities to educate the heart, the mind, and the soul. Christmas Offering: will be received mostly on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12 and 100% of this offering goes to support regional programs, ministry, mission and staff. A special five minute "Minute for Mission" that tells the exciting stories of regional ministry and how this offering MAKES A REAL DIFFERENCE. About 30 churches have invited a Regional Representative to bring this Minute for Mission live! Christians Women's Fellowship: CHRISTMAS PARTY in Fellowship Hall Thursday, December 16th at 11:00 am. Pot Luck Lunch. Dessert will be provided. WHITE ELEPHANT GIFT EXCHANGE: (A "White Elephant" is an item that you think no one would want...strange, ugly, unique, useless, etc.) Gift wrap or bag your gift.

9 Great Expectations Children are counting the days til Christmas The days of Advent. They are looking forward to the most marvelous and magical time of the year. They can hardly wait until that special day filled with surprises and the realization of their hearts desires. Over two-thousand years ago, a chosen few were waiting for a miraculous event. God was to send his love to earth in human form..a baby, The Baby...The one that would change the world forever. As he came to us as a little child, in the same way, we should come to Jesus Christ. In Matthew 18:3, Jesus taught us through the disciples, to become as little children in order to enter the Heavenly Kingdom. Also remember what he told Nicodemus in John 3:3-10. Once Advent is past; we know he was born to many and was welcomed by Shepherds and Kings. It would have been wonderful to have been there at that time, but there is yet another Advent, the second one, the Messiah s return when we will see Christ in all glory. Let Us Welcome Our Two Newest Members for This Month!! Brian Sheffield and Greg Knowles Regarding New Members From Ben Bohren: Hey Dan: Fantastic! What an incredible experience to see all the new members there at CCPG. A D V E N T!!!

10 Elder s Message I have been deeply humbled to be one of the Elder s of this church. It s a gift that I treasure, and take very seriously. As I reflect over these last two years as being the Elder chairman, I m deeply grateful to my fellow Elder s and my Pastor as they have given me such wonderful support. I ve realized that sometimes as Elder s we are faced with difficult situations that may arise within the church, and we must prayerfully ask God to help and direct us in the right path in order to help work through and resolve these situations to the best of our abilities. But...we as Elder s never forget that our loyalties and priorities remain with our pastor and the members of our church family. We are here for you when you need us. I know of course we all want our pastor to confide in, but if for some reason he is gone, this is a good time for Elder s to be able to step in to help you in some way if needed. As Elder s we continue to pray for our pastor and church family, and we also ask for your continued prayers so we may continue to provide spiritual guidance to those in need. Continued blessings to each and everyone of you as we get ready to go through the holy season and on to Sandi Ellis Church Clerk Message As the new Church Clerk for this coming year, please let me know if you have not ever received a new member packet so I can get you one soon. For anyone who has not yet completed their paper work, please try and get it completed in the near future so that we can have all of your current information on file in the church office. It s all confidential. You can give Pastor Dan or myself the paperwork when completed. I also have a Church Clerk and Church Secretary folder next to the phone in the Fellowship Hall which you can also place your information in to. Thanks for all of your help. Blessing to all and have a wonderful holiday season and a happy and healthy 2011!! Sandi Ellis The Lighthouse c/o The Christian Church 442 Central Avenue Pacific Grove, CA Board of Directors President - Frances Weesner Vice President: Nancy Bingaman Board Secretary - Cindy Heckmam Financial Secretary - Neal Heckman Chief Financial Officer - Jackie Burns Church Clerk - Sandi Ellis Pastor - Dan Paul Church Secretary - Sandi Ellis