WESTERN SPIRE Nancy s Nuggets for December 2013 During Advent, we are considering together what it means to be a welcoming congregation. As we seek to welcome the newborn king, we ll be looking at the way in which the world welcomed Jesus, the Christ and we welcome others into our midst. In truth, sometimes, we are as warm as Herod! Church Historian, Martin Marty (who has a grand sense of humor) reports a study that indicates that the average Episcopalian invites someone to church once every twenty-eight years. Before we laugh too hard, we might consider the possibility that Presbyterians do so at least every thirty years! While the statistic may be an exaggeration, his point is not. Marty says that one word defines the difference between churches that grow and those that don t: invite. When a church isn t growing, its members are not inviting. Research has shown that three out of four people who were not previously attending church were influenced by a friend or family member to come to church. The body of Christ grows person-by-person, family-byfamily, through a layperson who cares enough about a friend, neighbor, colleague, or family member to offer him or her a bridge to relationship with Christ and his church. If the invitation does not begin with loving concern, it will not succeed. The prophet Isaiah tells us, Enlarge the site of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes (Isaiah 54:2). For churches that want to enlarge the site of their tent, an effective hospitality or welcoming ministry is necessary. For members to not hold back, consciousness raising and education are needed concerning our unique call to ministry as Christians. Jesus Christ came into the world a stranger. The Gospel of John says: he came into the world and yet the world did not know him. As we lengthen our cords and strengthen our stakes, it is we who will be strengthened and enriched, both as a church and as individuals. For it is through the stranger our view of self, of world, of God is deepened and expanded. Through the stranger we are given a chance to find ourselves. And through the stranger, God finds us and offers us the gift of wholeness. Look around the world daily; look around the sanctuary during this Advent- Christmas season, welcome the strangers in our midst, consider beginning a conversation with loving concern for the other rather than preoccupation with self. We never know when we may be entertaining angels unaware! Have a Merry Christmas; welcome love into our midst, Soli Deo Gloria! The Rev. Dr. Nancy J. Farrell References Cited Geitz, Elizabeth R. Fireweed Evangelism: Christian Hospitality in a Multi-Faith World. New York/Church Publishing. 2004. (pp.109, 128). 1
Christmas Eve is Tuesday December 24, 2013 Two worship opportunities: Jesus Birthday Party, an informal Service with Celebrating Children is at 5:30 p.m. Service of Lessons and Carols is at 10:00 p.m. 2
December Celebrations! December 1, 2013 Scriptures: Isaiah 40:1-11; Matthew 25: 34f-35 We shall welcome... Reader: Janet Manktelow Trapiss Family Lighting Advent Wreath December 8, 2013 December 15, 2013 Reader: Eric Chapman Communion Sunday Scriptures: Isaiah 54: 1-8; I Peter 2: 1-10 We shall enlarge our tent... McFarlane Family Lighting Advent Wreath Communion elders: Irene Fadden, Don and Ruth Dantz Scriptures: Isaiah 35; Luke 2:1-7 We shall make room in our Inn... Reader: Patti Griffin & Company of Angels Talma Family Lighting Advent Wreath December 22, 2013 Scriptures: Hebrews 13: 1-6; Matthew 1:18-25 We shall entertain angels... December 29, 2013 Reader: Paul Powell Hemmings- Hillebrant Family Lighting Advent Wreath Scriptures: Isaiah 63: 7-9; Matthew 2:13-23 We shall continue to dream and to entertain angels... Reader: Edie Chapman Pruitt Family with Owen VanDuyne Lighting Christmas Wreath The December Usher is Gary LaBerge 3
Our church is blessed with the many committees it has working on its behalf. Perhaps this time of the year would be a good time to acknowledge the many hours, possibly unnoticed or taken for granted, that one particular committee devotes to the church s preservation, upkeep and repairs. The Property Committee members give freely of their time overseeing heating and plumbing, snow removal in the winter, repairs and repainting as needed, shampooing carpets and overseeing things such as the chair lift. If the Sanctuary seems to have a brighter glow, it is because a morning was spent lowering the chandeliers, a tricky job, repairing, and replacing all the bulbs. To finish their morning, if you had looked up, you would have seen Dave and Don and Steve doing their balancing act on the roof as they saw to the gutters and eaves. Thanks to the committee we are ready to face the winter. Notes from the Choir Loft: We need YOU! Yes, YOU! Do you sit in the congregation week after week and enjoy the melodious sounds coming from the choir loft? Do you get told by those around you that you have a nice voice? Do you want to enrich your Sunday worship with more music? If you have answered YES to any of these questions, you should consider joining the choir. If you did not answer YES to any of these questions, then I am really worried...seriously, though...if you could answer YES to any of these questions for someone you know, please consider encouraging them to join the choir or leave me a note and I will speak to them personally. They don't even need to be a member of this church...encourage your friends outside of church to come join us in song! The choir is seeking boys and girls, men and women in grade 8 and beyond to join us! We are a quirky group, but we love to have fun and make beautiful music together. Please consider joining us any Thursday evening from 7-8 or Sunday morning at 9:30 and we will hook you up with a fabulous robe, a fuzzy folder, and lots of music and friendship! Hope to meet you soon! Heather 4
ADVENT CHORAL FESTIVAL INCLUDING AREA CHURCH CHOIRS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2013 AT 4 PM at WESTERN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CORNER OF EAST MAIN AND CHURCH STREETS PALMYRA, NEW YORK EVERYONE IS INVITED RECEPTION TO FOLLOW CHRISTMAS COOKIES AND PUNCH FREE WILL OFFERING TO BENEFIT THE GOOD NEIGHBOR FUND AND LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES 5
News from Session The following items were approved at the October session meeting: A. Approve minutes from September session meeting B. Approve increase in worship Committee budget by the amount of the sound system equipment ($1,260.00) and allocate the expense to Worship. C. Approve the use of WPC facility for a day of classes on medieval and renaissance life and culture to be held on June 21, 2014. Session also discussed making new job descriptions to bring them up to date. Each committee discussed their upcoming events. These events can be found on the church calendar. Finance committee will put the pledge form on the church website for easy access. They will also have additional pledge forms at Sunday s service. Janet Manktelow Clerk 6
POINSETTIA ORDER 2013 It is time to order your Poinsettias to decorate the sanctuary. You may order by filling out the order form below and placing it in Mary Beth LaBerge s mailbox at the church. The deadline for ordering your Poinsettia is Sunday, December 15, 2013. The cost will be $12.00 for each plant. If paying by check, please make your check payable to Western Presbyterian Church. Thank you! Poinsettia Form Name: Poinsettia in memory of, etc.: Amount enclosed: $ (Please check one below) Please give my Poinsettia to a shut-in or wherever it will bring joy during the balance of the season. I will pick up my Poinsettia following the Christmas Sunday service. 7
Deadline for the next SPIRE is Tuesday, December 17, 2013. Thank you! We are in need of people to sign up for Sunday Coffee Hour. If you can help out, please fill in the sign up sheet on the bulletin board or contact Barbara Bucknam (597 5492). Many thanks! Offering envelopes are in the Narthex for pickup. If you did not request envelopes and would like them, please put a note in the offering plate or in my box outside the office. Valerie Gendron A CELEBRATION Friends For Fellowship, the women formerly known as Circle 1, will celebrate the Christmas season with a luncheon at Parkwood. If you wish to join us, simply meet in the front lounge at Parkwood at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 10 th, for visiting with friends over a tasty meal in festive surroundings. All women of the church and any of their friends are welcome. If you are not a former member of Circle 1, please just call the church office to make a reservation by Thursday, December 5 th. In anticipating the birth of our Savior, we are reminded that Jesus Himself often met with friends to enjoy communing with them over a meal! BEHIND THE SCENES During Advent, the EBW adult Sunday School group will be focusing on the stories that led to the writing of some of our most loved Christmas carols. How did someone living in the United States in the 1800 s so perfectly describe the little town of Bethlehem? Did you know that one beautiful Christmas song, often done by a soloist in our own choir and printed in our hymnal, was written and composed by two who made no claim to Christianity? The Twelve Days of Christmas oh, what a silly song! But, not at all. Our study will show how each verse reflects a Biblical meaning, and why they were written that way. Although it s a busy time of year, feel free to join us, relax over coffee, and find new meaning in the carols we sing this season. We meet in the Fellowship Hall on Sundays from 9-9:45 a.m. Everybody IS Welcome! 8
TODDLER SCHEDULE Below is the Schedule for staffing of the Toddler Room during the 10:00 AM Sunday morning service. Thank you in advance for your extremely important mission of providing infant and toddler care. Please arrive about 10 15 minutes early. Many thanks! 12/1/13 Katie Mitchell 597 5653 12/8/13 Ruth Dantz 597 2143 12/15/13 Janet Manktelow 597 4314 12/22/13 Laurie Ellis 597 5934 12/29/13 Rena Haigh 597 5971 01/05/14 Maxine Babcock 986 0926 Marietta Koeberle 597 6498 01/12/14 Sue Pringle 597 9553 01/19/14 Vicky Powell 331 3814 01/26/14 Sue Leonard 597 6616 02/02/14 Maxine Babcock 986 0926 Marietta Koeberle 597 6498 02/09/14 Irene Fadden 986 1340 02/16/14 Carol Sloan 597 5182 9
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY December 3 Linda Williamson December 9 Susan & Robert Pringle December 3 Vicky Powell December 17 Carolyn & Walter Lester December 6 Jane Culver December 27 Emily & Joshua Hunt December 8 Kelly Babcock December 29 Randy & Stephen Kennard December 15 Marian Kirchhoff December 15 Sandy McMenamin December 17 Kristena Clark December 17 Peter Fadden December 29 Grace Williams December 30 Tricia Spence If you are an active member and we have missed your birthday or anniversary, please contact the office at 597 9171 so we can add it to our list next time. If your anniversary or birthday is missing, it means it was not in the Data Base, which is where we get the list. 10
SUMMARY OF INCOME AND EXPENSES Operating and Mission Funds October 1, 2013 Through October 31, 2013 INCOME AMOUNT Operating Pledges/Offerings $14,447.00 Per Capita $398.00 Other Donations $0.00 Income from Investments $3,890.00 TOTAL INCOME $18,735.00 EXPENSES Session Committees $2,982.00 Personnel $11,972.00 Mission $500.00 Per Capita $755.00 TOTAL EXPENSES $16,209.00 NET INCOME (EXPENSES) $2,526.00 11
DECEMBER 2013 1 Advent Choral Festival 4 pm SUN. MON. TUES. WED. THURS. FRI. SAT. 2 3 4 6 7 7 pm CTNS Board 2 pm Deacons 7 pm Mission/Social Angel Tree 8 9 10 11:30 am Friends for Fellowship Parkwood 6-9 pm King s Daughter s FH & Kit. 6:30 pm Property 7 pm Worship 11 12 5 Noon to 2:30 pm Hope for the Holidays Nancy s house 6 pm Bell Choir 6 pm Bell Choir 13 6:30-9 pm 4H-FH 14 Circle IV Christmas Luncheon At Warfield s Noon 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 SPIRE DEADLINE 7 pm Finance with Howe & Rusling 6 pm Bell Choir 22 2-5 pm Piano Recital Sanctuary & FH 29 No Sunday School 23 Open 9 am to 2 pm 30 Open 9 am to 2 pm 24 Christmas Eve Open 9 am to Noon 5:30 pm Jesus Birthday Party 10 pm Lessons & Carols 31 New Year s Eve Open 9 am to Noon 25 Christmas Day 26 27 28 12
JANUARY 2014 SUN. MON. TUES. WED. THURS. FRI. SAT. 4 1 New Year s Day 2 3 5 Epiphany Potluck Dinner 6 7 pm CTNS 7 pm Fellowship 7 2 pm Deacons 6:30 pm Property 7 pm Worship 8 7 pm Christian Ed. 7 pm Mission/Social Concerns 9 10 11 12 Celebration Meeting 13 14 15 7 pm Finance 16 17 18 19 20 Martin Luther King s Birthday 21 SPIRE DEADLINE 22 23 26 27 28 29 6-9 pm King s Daughter s Mtg. FH 30 24 25 31 13