WYOMISSING UCC NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2018 Reflections from Pastor Jean. Once our New Year s Eve morning worship service has concluded, the heat is turned down, the doors are locked, and we disperse throughout our community, some of us will stay up to celebrate the ball coming down at midnight and usher in the new year with friends and family. Others, like me, will celebrate the arrival of the New Year on London time.at 5pm, with a crock pot full of pork and sauerkraut and homemade mashed potatoes, and not make it to midnight. Last year, Pastor Marti from Allegheny UCC and I began a new tradition. We have movie tickets New Year s Day and invite family to join us we are excited to begin this new year with the latest installment of the Star Wars saga. May the force be with you this coming year in ways you cannot even yet imagine. I could never have imagined last New Year s Day all the amazing and life-changing events that were to bless my life in 2017. Having just watched the latest Instagram video of my now 6-month old grandson in Colorado, belly-laughing loudly at his father s antics, I realize how I have not yet wrapped my head around the magnitude of his birth in the life of my family. Sawyer Thomas Custer was born just a couple weeks after I put on my graduation gown and joyfully received my Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary. My unexpected call to Wyomissing UCC followed a few months later, just after I passed two UCC Ordination Exams and was rewriting the 25-page final paper to send to all the ministers in the Covenant Association. The association unanimously approved the church s request to have me licensed so that I could become your UCC Supply Minister for 2018. It s been quite the year of change as I grew to accept God s call on my life and set about living into that call no matter what. What changed in your life in 2017? What changes do you hope for in 2018? How you prayerfully consider what the new year will bring could color your world in brightness and light or in dullness and dark, so spend some quiet time processing and praying. Think and feel once again the power of the wondrous changes in the universe the night the Christ Child was born. Consider taking to heart the decision of the wise men to return home by a different way, after having received their divine message. Choose the way you want the world to know who you are, down deep inside in this New Year and bring your best self to bear on this new year, with a new start, a new creation that is you. Your gifts matter. You matter. You are loved and you are never alone on your way forward. Blessings on your considering a new way, a new path this year.one that brings joy to you and all those around you as you share yourself with others. May your path be straight, your burden light, and your spirit lifted by God s constant Inside this issue: Consistory Corner 2 Recipe 3 Music Notes 4 Hilltoppers, Sunday School Save the Date Acolytes, Birthdays, Greeters United Fellowship & Nov. Stewardship Kid s Page 7 Fun Page 8 Calendar 9 5 6 6
CONSISTORY CORNER Happy 2018! I hope that you were able to attend the Advent and Christmas Eve services last month. A special thank you to our music ministry team and all of those who shared their talents with us! At our December Consistory meeting, we elected officers for 2018. President Dennis Swartz, Vice President Daryl Showalter. The remaining officers stayed the same from 2017. Deacons- Janet Blimline, Kathy Hartman, Robert Hartman, Sherrie Taylor, Kelly Payne, and Daryn Ebersol. Elders- Richard Diedrich, Jim Turner, and John Weitzel. Our Consistory members are truly dedicated to serving our church in many ways! With it being the start of a new year, we look forward to any suggestions from the congregation. Anyone is welcome to attend our monthly meetings. See our church s calendar of events for those dates. Also, we discussed painting the hallways in the educational building. We were hoping to do this ourselves, but due to time constraints with many of us, we have decided to get bids on the project. Hopefully we can have this completed by Easter. One of the topics we will continue to explore this year is, The Three Great Loves. We learned about this during the Penn Southeast Conference meeting last Fall. The Three Great Loves are: Love of Neighbor (community), Love of Children and Love of Creation. 2017 goal was Love of Neighbor. Although we got started a little late with this goal, we accomplished some things last Fall that counted towards it. Donations were collected for the Hurricane Relief victims and we participated with the CROP Walk. 2018 goal is Love of Children. Make sure to pay attention for upcoming events/projects with achieving this goal. A new year is a chance to start fresh and make resolutions. For with God, nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37. I encourage each of you to get involved in our church and community. Together, we can make a difference and the opportunities are endless. Make it a great 2018! Thank you, Dennis Swartz Consistory President Page 2 JANUARY 2018
MELTING SNOWMAN RECIPE After an afternoon of sledding, kids will love to warm up with hot chocolate and these special snowman toppers. The snowmen will disappear as they sip and so will the chill on their fingers and toes! INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup whipped topping Miniature semisweet chocolate chips Orange jimmies Hot cocoa DIRECTIONS Using a small cookie scoop, shape snowmen by dropping 1-tablespoon portions of whipped topping onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Decorate with chocolate chips and jimmies to create faces. Freeze until firm. Place over servings of hot cocoa just before serving. Yield: 1 dozen. Page 3 JANUARY 2018
MUSIC NOTES MUSIC DEPARTMENT CHRISTMAS PARTY this includes all Choirs, Bells and their families for our Christmas Party on January 7 th after Worship. Sign-up sheets will be posted in the Choir Room for you to bring your favorite covered dish or dessert. There will be games for all ages. Any adult playing the gift exchange game is to bring a $10 wrapped gift. The Sr. Choir will be hosting a SOUP-ER BOWL luncheon following Worship on Sunday, February 4, 2018. Please bring your favorite soup in a Crock Pot to share. Sandwiches & Drinks will be provided by the Choir. Bring your canned foods for the Mifflin Community Food Ministry s Soup-er Bowl of Caring! In honor of the Big Game, you are also invited to come to church dressed to support your favorite sports team! Wear your team colors or jerseys. News. Organ Fund envelopes are located in the Narthex, for those who wish to donate to this fund. Wyomissing UCC News Page 4
SUNDAY SCHOOL HAPPENINGS THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SUPPORTED AND HELPED WITH THE MINCE PIE FUNDRAISER THIS PAST NOVEMBER! CHRISTIAN ED BOARD MEETING JANUARY 14TH AFTER WORSHIP STAY WARM... SAVE THE DATE. February 4th Souper Bowl Sunday February 9th Cherry Crumb Pie Sale 1-3 pm February 26 March 20 Easter Eggmaking starts HILLTOPPER S JANUARY 4, 2018 Please bring a snack to share with others! Wyomissing UCC News Page 5
January BIRTHDAYS 3 C. Kenneth Artz 3 Charles Bealer, Jr 7 Julie Rhode 9 Heather Lewis 9 Pastor Jean 11 Elizabeth Showalter Consistory Greeters 7th & 14th Daryn Ebersol Acolytes 7th - Rachel Ulrich 14th - Daryn Ebersol 21st - Sydney Payne 28th - Katie Ebersol 14 Faye Bock 14 Renee Remp 24 Robert Hartman 27 Dillon Taylor 28 Tegan Rhode UNITED FELLOWSHIP No Craft Time for January January 16th United Fellowship Meeting at 10 am. Cherry Crumb Pie Sale will be on February 9th from 1 3 pm. Price is $9.00 Sign-up sheets are in Narthex or call the church office. REMINDERS..2018 Envelopes are in the Narthex and waiting to be picked up. Are receiving the e-newsletter each month? Get a copy in the comfort of your home, all you need to do is send a note and you will be added to the list! Email a request at: wyomissingucc@verizon.net November Stewardship Report Budget Guideline $ 11,739.00 Offerings Received $ 5,290.00 Monthly Difference $ -6,449.00 Average Attendance 57 Wyomissing UCC News Page 6
KID S PAGE. Wyomissing UCC News Page 7
FUN PAGE. Wyomissing UCC News Page 8
JANUARY 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 pm Hilltopper s 6:15 pm Handbells 7:30 pm Sr. Choir 9 am Clean-up of Church decorations and greens. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 9:00 am Confirmation Class 9:15 am Sunday School 10:30 am Worship Consistory Mtg. @ 7 pm United Fellowship Mtg. @ 10 am 6:15 pm Handbells 7:30 pm Sr. Choir After Worship Installation of Consistory Officers Choir Christmas Party 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 9:15 am Sunday School 10:30 am Worship Martin Luther King Jr. Day Newsletter Articles Due for February 6:15 pm Handbells 7:30 pm Sr. Choir After Worship S.S. Board Mtg. Cherub Choir 9:15 am Sunday School 10:30 am Worship After Worship Cherub Choir 21 22 23 24 25 6:15 pm Handbells 7:30 pm Sr. Choir 26 27 28 29 30 31 9:15 am Sunday School 10:30 am Worship After Worship Cherub Choir Cherry Crumb Pie Order Deadline