The Spire A monthly newsletter published by Magnolia Presbyterian Church: A welcoming community of caring Christians in service to God A well of faith and renewal. December 2015 Volume 8, Issue 9 Pastor s Column: Advent Angels By the time you read this column, a brand new Advent banner will have appeared in our sanctuary, graced by a beautiful angel. The lines of the angel s robes on the left side banner now flow into the lines of the hills around Bethlehem in the paired banner on the right, a banner we ve been enjoying since Advent 2013. Knowing this new banner was coming, I ve been thinking a lot about angels as I ve prepared for Advent this year. Angels are central to the early chapters of Luke s gospel. They set the stage and prepare the way; they deliver important messages from God - critical assignments too - and when the baby Jesus is born, they are on the scene to proclaim the good news. So it s fitting that an angel will stand before us throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons. Join us in worship this month as we focus on the angels of Advent and their appearances to Zechariah, to Mary, and to the shepherds. Celebrate with us their good news of great joy! Grace and peace, Pastor Deb In this ISSUE The Second Advent Banner Is Here! You will want to see the handsome gold and blue Angel banner that has been created as a companion to our original Wisemen and Town of Bethlehem banner. The creative team -- Brom Wikstrom, Mona Owen, Pete Smith, Freda Clark, Kris Clark, Robin Maddox, and Mardell Smith -- have all worked hard to make this lovely pair of banners. Thanks again for this beautiful new tradition. Childrens Ministry Updates 2-3 MPC Decluttering Team 4 Remembering Marie Barnes & Molly Langdale 5-6 Important Dates & Reminders 9-10 1
Save the Dates Advent Party Children s Christmas Pageant Christmas Eve Service December 6th December 13th December 24th, 7pm The Innkeeper's Big Night December 13th The Children's Christmas Pageant The Innkeeper's Big Night is coming Sunday, December 13th. This fun version of the Nativity story is told from the perspective of one very tired innkeeper. BLAST, BLAST Jr. and Connect Class members will be featured in the traditional roles including the Holy Family, Angels, Sheep and the Star. The children will perform the pageant during worship at the point when we would normally have the Children's Message. Children will sit with their parents until the pageant begins and then return to their parents at the conclusion of the pageant for the remaining portion of the worship service. There will be no kid's classes that Sunday. So, mark your calendars for what is sure to be a highlight of the Advent season! Advent Lunch & Decorating Party December 6th The whole church family is invited to come to Fellowship Hall after Worship on December 6th for a buffet lunch featuring soups, sandwich makings, and a dessert table. After lunch the fun begins when it s time to decorate the church for the holiday. Look for ways to help decorating the tree, and putting up the wreaths and garland. Come join the Advent fun on Sunday, December 6th. Candlelight Christmas Eve Service Please invite family and friends to join us at 7 pm on Dec. 24th for our Candlelight Christmas Eve Service. This traditional service of Lessons and Carols will feature familiar Scripture readings, hymns and choir music. At the end of the service, the sanctuary lights will be dimmed as we sing Silent Night by candlelight. Order Poinsettias by December 13th The Deacons will be providing poinsettias to decorate our sanctuary for Christmas. If you would like to purchase a poinsettia in memory of a loved one or to honor someone special in your life, please fill out one of the order forms you will find in the bulletin on Sunday morning, or contact the church office. Poinsettias are $10 each. Checks should be made out to Magnolia Presbyterian Church with poinsettia in the memo line. Note that the final date for poinsettia orders is Sunday, December 13th. 2
Youth Classes Provide Help to Homeless December 2015 The Spire Magnolia Presbyterian Church Baking Chocolate Chip Cookies was the November Middle School Class project. The group baked up cookies that were taken to the November 11th Operation Nightwatch dinner for the homeless. A good time was had by all! Our youth classes are also helping with the Giving Tree for Mary s Place. They picked gift cards from the tree and will be donating their presents for homeless families. After the December 6th deadline the class will help the Deacons load the gifts to take to Mary s Place. Christmas Spirit 3
A Report From Your MPC Decluttering Team Several weeks ago, following Session s decision to close MPC s preschool, Pastor Deb asked us if we would be willing to take on the task of sorting through and finding new homes for preschool supplies, toys, furniture, and hundreds of other miscellaneous items we no longer need. After consulting with our Children s Ministry Director, Lori Sawyer, about what might be useful for ongoing MPC children s programs, we put on our Sorting Hats (see photo) and got to work. We ve been clearing out closets and the former basement preschool room ever since. Here s an update on our progress so far. We re happy to report that we ve donated an entire truckload of toys and clothing to Mary s Place. (Thank you, Pete and Mardell Smith, for transporting those items!) We ve donated yet another truckful of furniture, kitchen, and household items to The Sharehouse, a YWCA organization which assists people transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing. Our former preschool s large riding toys and tricycles will be donated to Treehouse, an advocacy organization for foster children. Another local organization, Seattle Recreative, will accept many of the preschool craft supplies such as paint, fabric, and yarn. The few remaining items not accepted by these organizations will be donated to Goodwill. As you might expect if you ve ever undertaken a similar project at home, one thing often leads to another, and as a result we have done some organizing and decluttering in other MPC rooms as well (with more to come). We ve tried to be sensitive to the many uses of our building s spaces and only removed or moved items which did not seem to belong, were broken, or which no longer served their former purposes. Our goal was to get items gathering dust in MPC s rooms and closets into the hands of people who not only can use them but will appreciate them on a daily basis. If you cannot find something you need at church, please ask! Chances are good that it has just been moved to another spot. And if you d like to lend a hand with transporting remaining items, please let us know! Your Decluttering Team, Cindy Bain and Cheri Yonich 4
Marie Barnes Memorial Service is December 12 th at 1pm Sweet and charming to her very last day, Eleanor Marie Barnes - our beloved, graceful dancer - passed away peacefully in her sleep on the morning of November 24, 2015 at the age of 101. A longtime resident of Seattle s Magnolia neighborhood, she was born in Chicago on December 31 st, 1913 and moved around the Midwest with her family before settling permanently in Seattle at the age of 9. Always a Magnolia resident, she lived on Perkins Lane originally, and later moved to a small house on the beach of what is now Smith Cove, eventually moving to a home near the top of Dravus Street. Dancing was Marie s passion from an early age. She often related one of her earliest memories: Highland dancing on the Jefferson, Missouri state capitol steps during a celebration at age five. In Seattle, she attended Lawton School, Broadway High School on Capitol Hill and graduated from Queen Anne High, all while flourishing as a dancer. She continued her training at Seattle s highly regarded Cornish College of the Arts before setting out on her own as an instructor. A Modern Woman, Marie ran her own dance studio business and directed lavish annual productions featuring her students at the Moore Theater in downtown Seattle. With her husband, Jim Barnes, she had two children: Jack in 1938 and Diana in 1947. Following Jim s death in 1965 Marie retired as a dance instruction and embarked on a second career running a daycare from her home and babysitting for neighborhood children. Marie was a long-time member of the Magnolia Presbyterian Church. She cared for children in the nursery for decades, and became well known by generations of children as the Cookie Lady. Unwaveringly optimistic and nurturing, lavish in her care and attention, and generous with treats, Marie was a magnet for children and animals. As she entered her 80s and began slowing down just a bit, her grandson and his family moved in to help keep her in her own home. Despite a couple of minor health scares, Marie remained active into her 90s, and she continued to give away tiny jars of jam and homemade cookies to employees in the Village when taken shopping for groceries! After her 100 th Birthday, Marie moved into the Heath Center at Bayview Manor on Queen Anne. There, she became the life of the party gracefully demonstrating her dance moves with her hands and participating in every activity she could attend. This is why, even as she approached her 102 nd birthday, her loss came as such a devastating surprise. She is survived by her son Jack Barnes, (Shirley), their daughter Kimberly Kerr (Randy Kerr) and their son Alex. She is also survived by her daughter Diana Noe (Lynn Gleason), Diana s son Keith Peterson (Donna Luke-Peterson), and their daughters Katy and Lauren. Special thanks to King County Respite Care Services, Providence Hospice, and Bayview Manor for their kindness and care to Marie. 5
Remembering Molly Langdale Mary Dempster Langdale, known to all at MPC as Molly, died peacefully at home on November 25, 2015 after a brief illness. Molly was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1923. Her family moved to North Vancouver, British Columbia when she was a child where she grew up on the slopes of Grouse Mountain. As a young woman she began a career in banking, working for the Royal Bank of Canada and eventually assuming roles in management. Molly married Frederick D. Langdale, a civil engineer from Washington State, in 1947 and became a naturalized citizen of the United States. They moved into their Magnolia home in 1952. This home would be her haven, pride and joy for the next 63 years. Throughout that time, Molly remained passionate about the arts, supporting music through the Seattle Symphony and Opera and drama by attending Seattle Repertory Theater nearly continuously for over 30 years. She was an active member of the Magnolia Presbyterian Church, serving as the children s choir director, a Deacon and an Elder, and taught piano to many Magnolia children. After her husband s death in 1972, she returned to her banking career until retirement. From then on, Molly was a fixture in her garden. Fiercely independent, she remained active until within a week of her passing. Molly is survived by her loving daughter, Lorrie A. Langdale MD, her brother, Duncan Macpherson, three nieces and four nephews and their families. At her request, there will no service she asked only that her friends and family remember her in their prayers. Remembrances may be directed to the Magnolia Presbyterian Church or a charity of your choice. 6
Some Updates on Afternoon Women s Bible Study You are welcome to join us as our afternoon women s Bible study continues on Thursday, December 10th at 1:30 pm, in the Mt. Rainier Room at church. Our study guide is entitled Come to the Waters, and this month we will cover Lesson Four: Dangerous Waters. Copies of the study guide are available from Deb Sunoo in the church office for $8.00 each, if you wish to purchase one before our next gathering. Evening Women s Bible Study Supper The Evening Women s Bible Study will gather at 6 pm on December 14th for a potluck supper at the home of Sharlene Bathum, 1209 NW 120th Street. Please bring an appetizer, salad or dessert to share. After dinner, the Bible Study lesson will look at Job Chapter 11:1-6 and Chapter 12: 1-4. Please let Sharlene know if you will be attending the dinner/bible study. Cindy Bain Hosts Supper Club Holiday Dinner Cindy Bain will host the annual Supper Club Holiday Dinner on Saturday, December 19th. Please come for dinner at 6:30 pm, bring a dish to share, and join us for a Christmas sing-along, shared stories and holiday fellowship. Please let Cindy know you ll be at dinner by calling 282-2699 or e-mail skippybain@comcast.net New address for Dorothy Fergusson Dorothy Fergusson has moved to an apartment at Crista. Her new address is 526 N. 192nd St, #313, Shoreline, 98133. You can call her cell phone 206 617-9880 or house phone 206 533-436. 7
December MPC Birthdays Saturday, December 5 th Mimi Greenough Park Sunday, December 6 th Dolores Kiilsgaard Tuesday, December 8 th Allison Bain Wednesday, December 9 th Sue Leet Jackson Hollingsworth Thursday, December 10 th Alex Cooper Monday, December 14 th Sarah Yonich Steve Bass Thursday, December 17 th Robin Obourn Friday, December 18 th Jack Whipple Saturday, December 19 th Ken Sunoo Wednesday, December 23 rd Marcus Bathum Tripp Madill Friday, December 25 th Deb Sunoo Monday, December 28 th Clara Mak Tuesday, December 29 th Esther Cooper January MPC Birthdays Friday, January 1 st Hannah Tyler Monday, January 4 th Robin Maddox Marion Wright Wednesday, January 6 th Charlotte Ferguson Tuesday, January 12 th Robin Whipple Saturday, January 23 rd Muriel Wellwood Tuesday, January 26 th Jarrad Matthews Thursday, January 28 th Andrew Whipple Give Your Christmas Joy Offering on December 20th On Sunday, December 20th the Christmas Joy offering will be received. This is a special giving opportunity in our denomination, which helps provide financial assistance to current and former church workers and their families. This offering also provides financial assistance to deserving students attending Presbyterian racial-ethnic minority colleges and schools. Watch for more information in bulletin inserts in the coming weeks. Thank you in advance for your gifts to Christmas Joy! Installation of New Officers, Sunday December 6th Join us in worship on December 6th as we ordain and install Elders and Deacons who will be stepping into leadership roles in the church in the coming year. Sharlene Bathum and Jim Glaser will join the Session with Riki Clark returning for a 2nd term. Clark Bathum, Laurie Trettel, and Chris Wyrick will join the Deacons. Thank you to each officer for answering the call to serve! Still Time to Turn In 2016 Pledges Many thanks to all of you who have turned in your pledge cards, indicating your expected giving to the church for the coming year. If you were not able to be with us on Pledge Dedication Sunday, there is still time to turn in your pledge. Extra cards are available in the narthex as well as in the pews. Completed pledge cards can be left in the offering plate or mailed to the church office. Thank you for your faithful giving to MPC! 8
Women s Walk and Coffee Group: Saturdays: December 5th and January 2nd at 9 am in the Mt. Rainier Room Installation of New Officers: Sunday, December 6th at 10:30 am during morning Worship Advent Luncheon Sunday, December 6th at 11:30 am in Fellowship Hall Nightwatch: Wednesdays: December 9th and January 13th at 7:30 pm Women s Bible Study: Thursdays: December 10th and January 14th at 1:30pm in the Mt. Baker Room Children s Christmas Pageant: Sunday, December 13th at 10:30 am in the Sanctuary Deacons Meeting Sundays: December 13th and January 10th at 12pm Women s Evening Bible Study: Monday, December 14th at 6:00 pm at the home of Sharlene Bathum at 1209 NW 120 th Street (next meeting is January 25th) Supper Club: Saturday, December 19th at 6:30 pm at the home of Cindy Bain 2401 Rosemont Place West Candlelight Christmas Eve: Wednesday, December 24 th at 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary Annual Meeting: Sunday, January 31st at 11:30 am following morning Worship Men s Coffee Group: Tuesdays at 9:30 am in the Mt. Rainier Room AA Meetings: Two AA groups are now meeting at MPC Tuesdays at 8 pm and Wednesdays at 6:45 pm. All are welcome to attend. Prayers, cards, and calls to those who cannot be with us regularly in worship are always appreciated: Charlotte Ferguson Dorothy Fergusson Evelyn Freeman Katherine Hoagland Nancy McPhaden Ruth Weitkamp The Spire Is a monthly publication issued by Magnolia Presbyterian Church Pastor: Rev. Dr. Deborah Hannay Sunoo Copy Editor: Sharlene Bathum News Editor: Nancy Wright Layout/Design Editor: Jacquelynn Kuhn Magnolia Presbyterian Church 3051 28th Avenue West Seattle, WA 98199 206-283-3322 church@magpres.org www.magpres.org Find us on Facebook! We welcome you to join us any Sunday! 9:15 am Choir Practice 10:30 am Worship Service 11:30 am Coffee Hour 9