WARNING WARNING: ADVENT VIRUS!!!!!

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1 DECEMBER 2015 WORSHIP SERVICES 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. Sundays 9:30 a.m. Adult Bible Study 11:00 a.m. Church School Deacons Prayer Service Wednesday at Noon Prayer Meeting Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Bible Study on Thursdays 6:30-8:00 p.m. HOLY COMMUNION First Sunday At 11:00 a.m. Worship Second Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Worship Nursery available during 11:00 a.m. service Acting Senior Minister WARNING WARNING: ADVENT VIRUS!!!!! Be on the alert for symptoms of inner Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to this virus and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world. Some signs and symptoms of The Advent Virus: A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences. An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment. A loss of interest in judging other people. A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others. A loss of interest in conflict. A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.) Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation. Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature. Frequent attacks of smiling. An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen. An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it. Please send this warning out to all your friends. This virus can and has affected many systems. Some systems have been completely cleaned out because of it. I am willing to risk infection, what about you?

2 MISSION AND VISION OF THE CHURCH MISSION OF THE CHURCH The Mission of Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ is: To worship God and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to labor for peace and justice so that the world may become the kingdom of God on earth; To foster within its membership, by its teaching and its ministry, the spirit which was in Christ; To be to its membership and the community a source of spiritual refreshment, guidance, transformation, comfort and support; To impress upon its membership the need for mutual loyalty and charity; To teach its young people the noble traditions of its past; to point them to the possibilities of its future, and to give guidance in the building of Christian character; and To educate and develop its members for consecrated and sacrificial service. VISION OF THE CHURCH so we, who are many, are one body in Christ and individually we are members of one another. (Romans 12:5 NRSV) Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ is a progressive Christian community called by faith, led by hope, and united by love to build strong and committed disciples for Jesus Christ and to be a spiritual presence locally and globally in service to humanity. This vision is lived out through our focus on relationship with the Lord, which produces perspective; scholarship in study of the Scriptures, which produces focus; stewardship awareness in our giving and sharing which produces trust; and fellowship with our sisters and brothers in Christ, which produces unity. Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it, for there is a vision for the appointed time (Habakkuk 2:2-3 NRSV)

3 2015 MONTHLY MEMORY VERSES (FROM THE NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION) January: And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory of a father s only son. (John 1:14) February: I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:19) March: I hereby command you: be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1: 9) April: The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord s doing ; it is marvelous in our eyes. (Psalm 118: 22-23) July: So I say to you, ask and it will be given you search and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. (Luke 11:9) August: Now faith is the assurance of things hope for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) September: fight the good fight of faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and for which you were made. (1 Timothy 12) October: Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing to the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise. (Psalm 66:1) May: If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15: 7) November: Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) June: So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9) December: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness-on them the light has shined. (Isaiah 9:2a) DECEMBER LECTIONARY READINGS DECEMBER 6TH SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT MAKE READY Old Testament: Malachi 3:1-4 New Testament: Luke 3:1-6 Epistle: Philippians 4:4-7 DECEMBER 20TH FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT MOVING WITH MARY S SONG Old Testament: Micah 5:2-5a New Testament: Luke 1:39-55 Epistle: Hebrews 10:5-10 DECEMBER 13TH THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT LOOK FORWARD Old Testament: Zephaniah 3:14-20 New Testament: Luke 3:7-18 Epistle: Philippians 4:4-7 DECEMBER 27TH FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS WHO IS THIS CHILD? Old Testament: I Samuel 2:18-20, 26 New Testament: Luke 2:41-52 Epistle: Colossians 3:12-17

4 PEOPLES CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST CELEBRATES 125 Years, ROOTED BY OUR HERITAGE REDEEMED BY OUR FAITH THEME: We are united in striving to know the will of God as taught in the Holy Scriptures, and in our purpose to walk in the ways of God, made known and to be made known to us. (From the Covenant.) SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 43: 18 & 19: Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF PEOPLES CHURCH, Thanks be to God we are poised to celebrate our 125 th anniversary in The 125 th Anniversary Committee led by Patricia Ellis is planning several exciting activities. You will hear more of the details beginning in January. The 125 th Club will open and there will be other opportunities as well to support the Church during the celebration. Online giving will be available for the 125 th Club membership (donations of $ and multiples) as well as sales of special commemorative items. Go to and click online giving, select menu option, search anniversary. Proceeds from the celebration will benefit the General Fund and the Endowment Fund of the Church. Three members of the congregation have agreed to serve as Honorary Co-Chairpersons of the celebration. They are Ms. Susan Greer Burton, Dr. David Driskell, and Mr. Daniel Veiga. They are participating with the Committee on activities and the congregation will have a chance to hear each one of them share their vision for the Church, moving forward. Celebration activities center on Founders Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, March 5 and 6, On Saturday, March 5 the Anniversary Luncheon and Silent Auction will be held at the College Park Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Hyattsville, Maryland. On Sunday, March 6, the actual date of the founding of Peoples Church, we will hold one service at 10:00 a.m. with Holy Communion. A reception will follow the service in the Fellowship Hall. On Sunday, April 17, 2016 we will hold a Sacred Celebration and Tribute to Clyde T. Parker, our Minister of Music. There will be one service at 10:00 a.m. with a reception honoring Mr. Parker to follow in the Fellowship Hall. The Music and Arts Committee has the lead with me in planning this service. Our youngsters and their friends and families will have an opportunity to learn the details of the Peoples Church history by participating in a History Blast to be scheduled in the Spring of The Board of Christian Education is collaborating with the Anniversary Committee on that activity. And yes, we will celebrate our seniors! On Sunday, May 22 we will hold Senior Day. Stay tuned for more details. We look forward to seeing all of our members, families, friends and neighbors as we celebrate our 125 th anniversary. Yours in Christ, Rev. Leslie Dowdell-Cannon, Acting Senior Minister

5 NO PHOTOGRAPHS, VIDEO, OR AUDIO RECORDING: This policy has been adopted to protect the musicians and speakers who are a part of the worship services and special events at the Church. The cooperation of the congregation is essential to the observance of this policy by visitors and guests. Photographs and CD recordings of worship services and other events are available as produced by the designated Church photographers and the Sound Engineer. Please contact the Church office to request specific photographs and/or recordings. Thank you. On behalf of my family I d like to thank you for all the expressions of condolence we received after the passing of my beloved brother. I am overwhelmed by the love you ve shown to me and my family during this time. Peace and Blessings to you all. Lynda Mack Peoples Food Pantry thanks the members and friends who supported the Thanksgiving turkey distribution project. Three hundred forty seven families were served. Special thanks to the anonymous donors, Dr. Philicia Bowman, Christian Social Action, Girl Scout Troops 4574 and 4461, Ward One and Ward Four School Nurses, Adas Israel Congregation, Safeway and all of the volunteers who helped to prepare bags for distribution. The Food Pantry is collecting gift wrapping paper, assorted cards, calendars, note pads and new and gently used books for children of all ages. We also welcome books for adults. Donation boxes are located in the Atrium. Your help sustains this community outreach ministry to keep its doors open all year. THE WELLNESS CORNER Holiday Depression Remember Ebenezer Scrooge from Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol? Was he mean-spirited, miserly or just depressed? Like Scrooge, do you sometimes feel like saying Bah, humbug when Christmas time comes? Depression or holiday blues affects many people at this time of year. There is so much excitement about joy and giving, feasts and parties, so much hype about how much fun the holidays are meant to be, that it may just get too much! Sometimes the real meaning of the holidays gets lost. Missing loved ones, a change in the family, not having the money that they wish, loneliness and isolation are some of the reasons that people get depressed or blue. If you find that you are blue, here are some suggestions for getting through it. Find someone to talk to, volunteer at a senior citizens home or read to children in a hospital, find an activity that you enjoy and do it! Get involved with a group. Exerciseit may be just turning on the radio and dancing to the music -even in a chair. Avoid situations that you know are stressful: can t control it, let it go! Pace yourself: don t do more than what is reasonable for you. Stick to a budget- don t overspend. Eat sensibly. Don t drink too much; remember alcohol is a depressant. If you take medications, keep on track with them and see your doctor if you need to. Be kind to yourself; and, remember the true meaning of Christmas. Thanks to Deacon Carrie Tyus and the Board of Deacons for the generous donation of Thanksgiving fruit baskets for Sick and Shut-in members of Lincoln Temple UCC. The baskets were beautiful and greatly appreciated by those who received them. What an amazing accomplishment for Nicholas Rowe, grandson of Deacon Mary Elizabeth Rowe. Nicholas is appearing in the Motown Musical at The National Theater here in Washington, DC. Minister Geneva Hudson

6 NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS 8

7 General Information WEBSITE, FACEBOOK FAN PAGE, AND TWITTER NEWS: our website address is if you have any questions. The website is constantly updated, so click the refresh button when you visit. Our Twitter handle Follow us on Twitter! The Prodder, Website, Facebook Fan Page and Twitter exist to further the social connect with the membership of Peoples United Church of Christ and with the community to promote outreach and notice of important Church events. The social networking tools are designed for easy mass communication and media sharing. Through the Website, members and users can access the Online Giving page to donate to the General Fund and purchase tickets for Church events and fundraisers. Members/users can view the Events Calendar to participate in the life of the Church. Members can advertise Church events through the Website, Facebook Fan Page and Twitter. To advertise Church events and/or submit flyers for Church events, members can submit information to The website is the New Front Door of the Church, and allows members/users to interact, communicate and connect to foster connectivity and community. Prodder Guidelines: All announcements and flyers must be submitted by the third Tuesday of the month by 12:00 noon. Announcements and flyers can be ed to Ms. Yvette Hunter, Operations Specialist, at to the church account, or faxed to (202) Do not mail information. Announcements should be no more than 90 words and should be informational about Peoples Church events or members and their families. Announcements may be edited. If you would like to have a flyer inserted in the Prodder, please contact Ms. Hunter for more information. The Church Office will be closed a half day on Thursday 24th, an all day Friday 25th, and Saturday 26th in observance of the Christmas Holiday. Normal Hours will resume on Sunday, December 27, MINISTER S ADDRESS: Rev. Leslie Dowdell Cannon, Acting Senior Minister: ldcannon@peopleschurchucc.org CHURCH MODERATOR S ADDRESS: Robert Veiga, Church Moderator onyxbob@verizon.net Facility Reservations: If you wish to reserve space for an event and/or activity, please contact Ms. Yvette Hunter, Operations Specialist, at the church office o n ( ) o r e m a i l yhunter@peopleschurchucc.org to complete a reservation contract. Facility reservations can also be made online through the church s website: Reservations are made on a first come, first served basis; however, religious events and funerals take precedence. Peoples Church is a multi-use venue so reservations are necessary to ensure competing needs are met efficiently and to specification. Member and nonmember reservation fees are available. ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF (202) (202) Fax info@peopleschurchucc.org (National Setting) Ms. Yvette Hunter, Operations Specialist, yhunter@peopleschurchucc.org Mr. Frank Blakeney, Maintenance Supervisor Mr. George Porter, Maintenance HOURS OF OPERATION CHURCH BUILDING HOURS: Monday: Closed Tuesday: 12:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Wednesday: 12:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Thursday: 12:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Friday: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Sunday: 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m..

8 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Church School Pre-K Adult Bible Class Men s Bible Study Youth Ministry GROW Ministry Prayer Meeting Prayer Meeting Prayer Service Bible Study Sunday Sunday Sunday Sunday 2nd and 4th Sunday 4th Sunday Tuesday Wednesday Wednesday Thursday 11:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 6:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Elmes Center Nursery Corbin Lounge Small Lounge Youth Lounge Room 203 A & B Small Lounge Corbin Lounge Corbin Lounge Corbin Lounge Voices of Peoples Fellowship Choir Rhythmic Choir Chancel Choir Men s Chorus Tuesday Wednesday Wednesday Thursday Saturday CHOIR REHEARSALS 6:45 p.m. 8:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 10:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. CHURCH BOARDS MONTHLY MEETING SCHEDULES Board of Christian Education Board of Trustees Christian Social Action Church Council Board of Deacons 1st Wednesday 2nd Wednesday 2nd Wednesday 3rd Wednesday Saturday Before the 1st Sunday 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 12:00 noon Hours of Operation: Sunday: 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Tuesday: By Appointment Call (202) Saturday: 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. PEOPLES NEIGHBORHOOD FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ALTAR: To order a designer floral arrangement to remember your loved one or recognize a special day, contact Vernandi Richardson (301) or Diane Miller (202) for additional information. Celebrating Our December People