The Good News UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF MILLSTONE 211 Millstone Road, Millstone Township, NJ 08535 732-446-5350; e-mail: upcm@monmouth.com Visit our website at www.upcm.org Don t forget to LIKE us on Facebook too! No. 30 December 2016 Did you ever notice that the Advent season seems to come and go in the blink of an eye? You had promised yourself that this Advent would be different. You wouldn t be caught by surprise, yet again! United Presbyterian Church of Millstone 211 Millstone Road / P.O. Box 202 Perrineville, NJ 08535 You bought an Advent prayer book and an Advent wreath kit. You had great intentions to make this Advent season very different from the last. But already you can feel it happening again. You didn t make it past page 2 with the book, and the wreath is only half complete. However, that doesn t have to be the case. You can make the conscious choice right here, right now to stop in your busy tracks and embrace the season of Advent; and its purpose. Worship 10:30 am 230 Years Celebrating Our Past Imagining Our Future 1786 2016 12 Advent is a season of preparing. If you have ever entertained guests, or even made an effort to get ready for company, you will see how those experiences lend themselves to your own groundwork this Advent to invite Christ to dwell within your heart and thus be truly ready for His coming. Prepare room at the Inn: Your heart is where Christ wishes to dwell and Advent is the perfect time to make room for His presence. If your heart is filled with unforgiveness, it has no room for Christ. Begin Advent by examining your conscience wherein you ask your Heavenly Father to reveal to you any unforgiveness that exists in your heart. Remember that as God has forgiven you, you are also asked to forgive. Clean out the cobwebs: After examining your conscience where you ask God to reveal any unforgiveness that you are holding, it is important to clean out the cobwebs
that may still be lurking in the dark corners of your heart. This means asking God s forgiveness and also, meaningfully reading and applying the Prayers of Confession at Sunday worship. This is an important part of preparing your heart for Jesus.. asking God to forgive those niggling little grudges and resentments that have been hanging on for so long they no longer get your attention. Hang new curtains: The room of your heart is now ready: unforgiveness and cobwebs have been cleared out. Now it is time to hang new curtains! Many of us fall into a rut in our daily lives and forget how to live in joy. You are preparing for Christ s indwelling and He abides best in those who have joy in their hearts. So throw out the old curtains of fear, despair and exhaustion, and hang new curtains of hope, joy and anticipation. Get out the fine china and set the table: Company is on its way! We aren t doubtfully thinking that maybe He s going to drop by, and make only superficial efforts to get ready. We are certain in our belief of His arrival and every cell in our body joyfully shouts, He s on His way! This is the time we get the fine china out of the cupboard our attitude is one of enthusiastic expectation. Our hearts are elated in anticipation of His presence! Open the front door: Whenever we have company in our home, after all the preparation is complete, we open our front door and wait expectantly on our couch. We can see through the glass storm door as our company approaches. It is a time of quiet for us all the work is finished and we are ready. So, in preparing our hearts for Christ this Advent, the last step after all the prep work is to simply be. In this state of be-ing we don t question how time slipped through our fingers; we don t worry if there was more we should have done. We ve been good and faithful servants and are ready for Christ. May your heart be made ready for Christ Experience a Journey to Bethlehem Drive through the cemetery grounds of Old Tennent Presbyterian Church and see a portrayal of the Christmas story. Enjoy ten live scenes, beginning with Isaiah telling of Jesus birth and ending with the Nativity scene. December 4-6:30-9 pm - Admission: FREE Sunday December 11th Third Sunday of Advent - Joy Second chance to hang your Family Ornament Congregational Luncheon with Santa Visit after Worship Please being a covered dish to share. and may your Advent season be a blessed one! ~ Cheryl Dickow, Mother, Christian, & Author He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 2 11
Next Book Club Meeting: We are changing it up a bit for the next book. We decided to read the newly-released memoir by Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run. Our next meeting will be held on Monday, December 5th, at the Ministry Center. For further info, contact Joan Rudderow at jrudderow@aol.com or phone 609-259-2619. Tuesday morning Bible Study Our Tuesday morning Bible study at 11 am at the ministry center is full, friendly, fun and growing. We currently have eight to ten folks. Come, join us as we study the Book of Romans, led by Claude Heller and occasionally Beth Adams. Coffee and caring are always available. Tuesday bible study will take a break beginning after Dec. 13th and will resume January 10th. Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 1 John 2:8 Be a Lively Christian A man once told a pastor that he wanted to become a member of the church. But, he said, I m very busy, so don t ask me to join a committee, teach a class or sing in the choir. Spare me from anything that would take up my time, and don t be surprised if I m not in worship very often. The pastor thought for a moment, and then replied, I believe you re at the wrong church. The church you re looking for is 10 blocks down the street. The man followed the pastor s directions and soon came to an abandoned, boarded-up church building. It was a dead church out of business. May each of us always be alive to the ministry of the Lord s church. Snippets from the November 10th Session Meeting.. The Annual Congregational Dinner will be held on Saturday evening, February 4, 2017 at 5:30 PM. It will be a light dinner with information from all the Committees bringing everyone up-to-date on what has happened during the year 2016. There will be a 4-week Monday evening Advent Bible Study beginning on Monday, November 21st and continuing until December 12th. It will be held in the Fellowship Room and begin at 7 PM. Session approved the preliminary UPCM budget for 2017 including a salary for a new Pastor beginning in July 2017. Session reviewed the Active Membership Roll and moved several people to an inactive status. The UPCM By-Laws were updated and will need to be voted on by the congregation at the Annual Congregational Dinner in February. The Building and Grounds Committee has installed a new router in the Church to replace the one that Verizon is discontinuing. The Secret Sister Ministry has begun with 28 women participating in it. Stewardship letters with pledge cards have been sent out to members; pledges were dedicated on November 20th. The Mission and Outreach Committee will host another Senior Lunch on December 15th with entertainment. The Nominating Committee is working to fill vacancies on Session and the Board of Deacons. The Pastor Nominating Committee has begun its work and has already received resumes from Pastors interested in looking to come to UPCM. ~ Jean Heller, Session Clerk Remember that lively Christians make churches that are alive. 10 3
Join the Church Choir The brilliant Christian psychiatrist, Dr. Walter Menninger, said that singing in a church choir was very helpful to him. After an exhausting day at work, he found it inspirational and soothing to go to choir practice at this church. The music enabled him to put the stress of his day behind him, get in touch with something beautiful and holy, and end the day relaxed and uplifted. Ask a choir member what singing in a choir does for him or her. It s very likely that you ll find he or she gets great joy in serving the Lord through singing. And remember also, there is wonderful fellowship among choir members. Singing in a choir is a good way to make new December 4, 24th (5:30 service), 25th, Jan. 1st The Rev. Joanne Petto is a Law Enforcement Chaplain with the Plainsboro Township Police Department and the NJ State Police. As a member of the NJ Crisis Intervention Network, she responds throughout the state to assist first responders who have been involved in traumatic incidents. She is a Disaster Response Crisis Counselor and a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress. December 11, 18, 24 (7:30 & 11 pm) It s time to purchase your poinsettias to grace our sanctuary for our Christmas Eve services. The poinsettias will remain in the sanctuary through Epiphany, celebrated on January 8th. If you wish to make a $20 donation toward the purchase of a poinsettia for our sanctuary, you may have it dedicated In Honor of or In Memory of a loved one. Please use the poinsettia envelope in your pew and give your envelope to any member of our Worship Team or place it in the offering plate. 4 The Rev. Joanne Petto Matthew was born and raised in Northfield, NJ. He attended The College of New Jersey, where he met his wife Ashley, a Millstone native who attended preschool at United Presbyterian Church of Millstone. In college, Matthew began to sense a call to ministry and worked with several campus fellowships. After college, he attended Princeton Theological Seminary, receiving both a Master of Divinity (2011) and a Master of Theology (2012). He has since worked as an interim youth minister, associate pastor, and as an adjunct professor of history and philosophy at Middlesex County College and Mercer County Community College. He currently teaches social studies in the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District and is pursuing his PhD in theology part-time at the University of Aberdeen. In their free time, he and Ashley like to read, spend time outdoors, and travel. Matthew is also serving as our Director of Teen Ministry. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. ~ 1 Corinthians 2:9 ~ 9
Christmas Worship Senior Lunch Calling all Seniors! You re invited for a FREE Christmas Lunch of homemade soup, sandwiches and dessert with musical entertainment and fellowship on Dec 18th Christmas Pageant 10:30 am Christmas Eve, Dec 24th 5:30 pm 7:30 pm 11:00 pm Children s Service Family Candlelighting Candlelighting Service The Rev. Joanne Petto Christmas Day 10:30 am Christmas Day Worship The Rev. Joanne Petto Thursday, December 15th Please join us from 11:30 am 2:00 pm at the church. RSVP by December 8th to the church office: 732-446-5350 or email at upcm@monmouth.com. Rides are available if needed. We re looking forward to seeing you and enjoying your company! 8 5
United Presbyterian Church of Millstone Sunday Monday Tuesday December Wednesday Thursday 1 4 Second Sunday of Advent - Peace 5 6 9-11:30 Confirm Class 10:30 am Worship/Sacrament of Lord s Supper with Rev. Joanne Petto / Family Ornaments / DOC - Jeanette Kozak / Journey to Bethlehem - 6:30-9:00 pm 7:00 pm Book Club at MC 11 Third Sunday of 12 Advent - Joy 9-11:30 Confirm Class 10:30 Worship with / Sunday School /Family Ornaments 18 Fourth Sunday of Advent - Love Christmas Pageant 10:30 am Worship with 11:00 am Bible Study 7-8:30 pm Choir Rehearsal 7:00 pm Advent Bible Study at church Joy 11:00 am Last Bible Study for Christmas Break at The 7:00 pm Advent Bible Study Heller Home at church Love 7-8:30 pm Choir Rehearsal 20 6:00 pm Mission & Outreach Mtg. at Church 7-8:30 pm Choir Rehearsal Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day 7:00 pm Christian Ed Cmte. Mtg at MC 7:00 pm Sewing Circle at Church 13 19 7 14 Friday 2 Boy Scout use of Church 7:00 pm Youth Group Meeting at Ministry Center Kitchen 7:30-8:30 pm 8 9 10 16 17 23 24 Christmas Eve 9:00 Breakfast @ Gus 11:30 Prayer Circle 10:30 am Worship - Rev. Joanne Petto 6:30 9:00 pm 7:00 pm Session Mtg. at Ministry Center 11:30 Prayer Circle 11:30 2 pm Senior Holiday Lunch Youth Group Ice Skating at Mercer Cnty Park at 7:00 pm w/ Entertainment 21 Winter begins 22 5:30 pm Children s ServiceRev. Joanne Petto 7:30 pm - Family Candlelight Service - 11:00 pm Candlelight Service - Christmas Joy Offering 25 Christmas Day Hanukkah Saturday 3 Journey to Bethlehem Christmas Drive Thru at Tennent 15 9:00 Breakfast @ Gus 7:00 pm Sewing Circle 2016 Hanukkah at Sundown 26 Boxing Day Kwanzaa begins 6 27 7-9:30 pm Choir Rehearsal 6 pm Mission & Outreach Mtg 28 29 30 31 New Year s Eve 7