Providence Presbyterian Church Be Loved, Belong, Become, Be You! Advent & Christmas Eve at Providence This season of Advent and Christmas will be such a time of joyful anticipation, mystery and light, wonder and delight. Join us for the following worship services: December 2nd at 9:30am - Communion and Pastor David s last Sunday. December 9th at 9:30am - The head of our Presbytery (Interim Presbytery Pastor), Rev. Dana Hughes will be preaching. December 16th at 9:30am - Rev. Emily Morgan, a Presbyterian Pastor new to our Presbytery will be preaching. December 23rd at 9:30am - Elder Steve Heald and other leaders will be leading an interactive service of sharing and reflection on the meaning of Christmas based on Luke 2:1-20, and Micah 5:2. December 24th at 7pm Join us for our traditional candlelit service with the singing of Silent Night, three choir anthems, beloved Christmas carols, and Pastor Bob Hampel leading us in worship. December 30th at 9:30am - Elder John Kullman will speak on this Sunday after Christmas. December 2018 Published Monthly Issue Number 444 Inside this issue: Advent & Christmas Eve 1 Congregation Meeting 1 Pastors Corner 2 Missional & Spiritual Growth 3 Men s Breakfast 3 What s Next? 4 Winter Shelter Network 5 Light In The Darkness Service 5 Christmas Potluck 5 Church Info 6 Church Leadership 7 Poinsettias Dedications 8 Congregational Meeting This Sunday December 2nd Please join us after church for a short congregational meeting to do two things: 1) Vote on nominees for Elder, Deacon, and possibly a Trustee that the Nominating Committee have put forward. 2) Formally dissolve the pastoral relationship between Pastor David and the congregation. After 18 years, Pastor David has accepted a position in the business world with West Communications as an account manager and he will begin on December 3rd.
Page 2 Providence Presbyterian Press Providence Presbyterian Page 2 Press Pastors Page A Heartfelt Good-bye With a happy and excited heart I am looking forward to my new job in Centennial as an Account Manager for West Communications. At the same time, however, I am grieving over the end of an amazing 18 years as your pastor. I truly love this church and I am constantly amazed at the giving, loving, friendly, sacrificing, faithful, caring, and mission minded congregation you have become. What a journey it has been and how grateful I will always be for the deep relationships I have with you. As I say goodbye and you create an environment and attitude that welcomes a new pastor, there are primarily two passages of scripture I want to share with you in my leaving. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. My prayer for you is that you will always be praying for, looking for, discerning towards this marvelous plan God has for Providence. Philippians 1:6 I am confident in this; that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. I have all the confidence in the world that Providence will thrive under a different set of skills that I possess. With the faithful service of this congregation and reliance on the Spirit s guidance, this church has a certain future and the work will continue. Ephesians 3:16-19 This passage has become my favorite passage in all of scripture during my time here at Providence and I leave you with this prayer for you upon my departure. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. With gratitude and vitality, Pastor David
Providence Presbyterian Press Page 3 Missional & Spiritual Growth Spiritual Growth Opportunities @ Providence Godly Play All Children ages 4-11 (preschool through 5th grade) are invited to participate in our wonderful spiritual development program called Godly Play Sunday after the Children s Message in Worship. We gather upstairs with a storyteller and doorkeeper to hear the story of Jesus, God and God s people, to pray, to eat, and to respond to the story with worktime (Godly Play time). Contact Cassie Bennett, Interim Missional and Spiritual Growth Coordinator, for more info at ppcmsg@providencepcusa.org. Youth 505 Our Youth 505 Christmas Party will be December 2nd at 5:05pm at the home of the Krause s(12707 N. 5th Street, Parker, CO). Contact Cassie Bennett, Interim Missional and Spiritual Growth Coordinator, for more information at ppcmsg@providencepcusa.org. Tuesday Morning Bible Study Come join the Tuesday Morning Bible Study Group as we study The Gospel of Matthew. We meet from 9:30-11: 00 on Tuesday mornings in the fellowship hall. Sunday Morning Study We meet in the sanctuary from 10:45am-12pm continuing to explore the topic of heaven and eternal destiny. Contact jkullman@aol.com (John Kullman) for more info. Men s Breakfast The next Men s Breakfast will be held on Wednesday, December 12 at 6:45 am at the Egg & I. All men of the church are invited. Questions? Call Steve Heald @ 303-730-5759.
Providence Presbyterian Press Page 4 What Now? The Search Process for Transitional (Interim) Pastor With Pastor David s resignation, many are wondering how we go about getting a new minister and who provides leadership until a new pastor is in place? The Rev. Dan Dolquist, who is an interim pastor at Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church in Lakewood until January 1, is our Committee on Ministry liaison and will be guiding us through the process. Already, Dan and Pastor David have put together pulpit supply for each Sunday through the end of the year and Christmas Eve. The Sunday after Pastor David s last Sunday, the head of our Presbytery (the Interim Presbytery Pastor), Rev. Dana Hughes, will be coming to preach and provide words of hope and promise in this time of transition. Additionally, Dan Dolquist, our COM liaison, has already met with the Session on November 26 th and outlined a future process for us to follow: It is expected, that when a Head of Staff or solo Pastor leaves, the congregation will seek an Interim Pastor, unless granted permission otherwise by the COM. Session recruits an Interim Search Committee or acts as the search committee for a candidate for Interim Pastor. The COM representative meets with the Interim Search Committee (or Session) to help with process. The Session and/or the search committee determine the needs of the congregation, style of leadership needed, and any problems that need to be addressed and opportunities during the transition time to take advantage of. They put together a job description for the Interim Pastor position reflecting and guiding major goals within the church to be accomplished during the interim Compile a short informational sheet about the congregation including what problems and opportunities, new directions, the congregation would like to attend to. They publicize the position within the Presbytery, the Transitional ministry networks, and within the denomination. They gather PIF s (Personal Information Form, similar to a resume) of available candidates for the Interim Position. Determine which candidates they wish to interview. Compile interview questions. Interview candidates and in consultation with COM, make a recommendation to Session. It is important to remember that unlike a called pastor, the interim pastor is chosen by the Session and not the congregation. Work out the contract with the selected candidate and Session and begin the transitional journey between Pastor David s long tenure at Providence to the next called pastor. Communion Servers for December 2nd: Jim Bennett, Donna Hoyt, John Kullman, Eydie Hoeppner, Alison Love
Providence Presbyterian Press Page 5 Winter Shelter Network Winter Shelter Network is a Douglas County faith-based initiative. Partner churches from Douglas County open their doors to serve single women and mothers with children in Douglas County, CO who are in temporary need of shelter during the winter months. Guests are provided a place to sleep for the night, three hearty meals, and social connections in a safe and welcoming environment. Potential guests are referred to the WSN by local service agencies. The shelter is open from November 1 until March 31. Providence Presbyterian members have been participating in the program on Wednesday nights since it started in November 2016 through our connections with Parker United Methodist Church. We have contributed food, prepared and served meals, provided toiletry bags & supplies. We have held underwear, and hats & glove drives to provide new clothing items to the guests. We will be participating again for the 2018-2019 winter season. For more details about how YOU can participate, see Liz Jansch, e-mail her at lizjansch@yahoo.com, or go to: https:// www.wintershelternetwork.org Light In the Darkness A service of remembrance and healing HOLIDAYS ARE NOT ALWAYS HAPPY FOR EVERYONE. If you are one who is feeling a bit blue during this season, we are planning a special gathering on Sunday, December 9 th, 7:00pm At Providence Presbyterian Church 18632 Pony Express Dr. Parker, CO 80134 God is light and in him there is no darkness if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another 1 John 4: 5-7 Christmas Potluck Ruth and Rachel Circles will host a Christmas Potluck Luncheon on December 5, at 11:30 a.m. at Church. Please bring a dish to share and a wrapped Christmas Ornament or Christmas Decoration for an exchange. This is always a good time of sharing lunch and fellowship to begin the Christmas Season. This is for all Women of Providence and feel free to bring a friend.
Providence Presbyterian Press Page 6 Church Info Church Staff Rev. David Van Deren, Pastor david@providencepcusa.org Cassie Bennett Interim Director of Missional & Spiritual Growth ppcmsg@providencepcusa.org Alaina Brothers, Business Administrator church@providencepcusa.org Rev. Dr. Bob Hampel, Parish Associate Peggy Lundberg, Music Director Dana Pease, Pianist Sunday Services Worship Time 9:30 a.m. Godly Play (For Kids) 9:40 a.m. Multi-Generational Book Study 10:45 a.m. Church Publications Midweek Update: Alaina Brothers Newsletter: Alaina Brothers ppcmwu@providencepcusa.org ppcnewsletter@providencepcusa.org Have comments or suggestions about the monthly newsletter? Or would you like to submit something to be in the newsletter? Please have articles to us by the 20th of each month.
Providence Presbyterian Press Page 7 ELDERS, DEACONS AND TRUSTEES SERVING PROVIDENCE ELDERS ON SESSION Clerk of Session Margaret Wolf clerkofsession@providencepcusa.org 516-864-3899 Sessions Elders Karen Passow karenelp1@gmail.com 303-693-3633 Steve Heald shw3769ec@gmail.com 303-730-5759 William Bennett pikeslayer8@hotmail.com 303-229-1577 Kay Norden knorden1@msn.com 303-670-7790 Paul White paulwhitefsu@gmail.com 303-952-9377 Liz Jansch lizjansch@yahoo.com 720-842-4656 Rob Krause rob@thehouseofkrause.com 303-766-5887 Dean Oyster wahoo0752@comcast.net 239-405-4037 DEACONS Heather Krause (Mod.) Wolf heatherandrob@thehouseofkrause.com 303-766-5887 Jeff McCown Polar BearJeffrey_mccown@hotmail.com 303-346-8668 Marge Frauenfelder Fish Frauenfelder@comcast.net 303-386-3809 Alison Love Turtle alisonbevin@yahoo.com 303-910-1475 Bonnie Thompson Penguin bonnieat727@msn.com 970-250-9362 Ana Muniz-Cruz Panda munizcruz@comcast.net 303-840-8581 Sadie Krause Dolphin Sadie@thehouseofkrause.com 303-766-5887 Lou Meadows Owl lwmeadows1@comcast.net 303-805-0846 Becky Smith Bear beckylovessoftball@hotmail.com 303-805-4297 Wayne Lingk Eagle wayneclingk@msn.com 303-910-9637 TRUSTEES Sarah Mato smatojr@yahoo.com 720-851-8955 Greg Meadows gmeadows8@comcast.net 303-805-0846 Pat Schwartz lifeofpas@gmail.com 303-840-5731
Providence Presbyterian Vision Statement Passionately, proficiently, and proactively, we are compelled by the Spirit to love God and each other by: Encircling, Encouraging, and Empowering one another, Enlightening our families and communities with Christ's presence, Educating children, youth, seekers, sinners, and saints with Good News, Equipping all to live heartily, give fully, and serve mightily. Poinsettias Do you want to purchase a poinsettia to honor or remember a loved one? Envelopes are available on the table in the narthex. Please make your contribution before Sunday, December 16th. Each poinsettia will cost $10.00. Order envelopes can be found in the Narthex and can be turned into the church office or put in the offering plate. 18632 Pony Express Dr., Suite 105 Parker, CO 80134 Phone (720) 851-6881 Fax (720) 842-1151 www.parkerpresbyterian.org