THE TOWER First Presbyterian Church Sanctuary: 210 Morris Avenue Office/Parish House: 37 Church Mall, Springfield, NJ 07081 Phone: 973-379-4320 Fax: 973-379-8883 website: www.springfieldpresbyterian.com VOL. 70 NO. 04 and 05 December 2017- January 2018 HANGING OF THE GREENS DECEMBER 3 RD The Hanging of the Greens service will be celebrated on December 3 rd at 10:15am to welcome the season of Advent. Members and friends will take part in presenting some of the natural symbols of the season which we will continue to enjoy all month. CHRISTMAS CHOIR CANTATA This year, our choir, under the direction of our own Liliya Khobotkova, will present the Christmas Cantata, Hope by Joel Raney during the worship service on Sunday, December 17 th. You won t want to miss this special event with beautiful Christmas music. CHRISTMAS PAGEANT As we do every year, all children, teens, young people, and even parents are invited to be part of our Christmas Eve Pageant, that will be held this year at the 10:15am worship service on December 24 th. Costumes will be available the week before Christmas in the Chapel. Please see Lisa Guida about taking part and see for a costume! CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES Two services 10:15am. and 11:00 p.m. on Sunday.(No 4pm service) 10:15 a.m. Family service with Christmas Pageant, and special choir music 11:00 p.m. Candlelight Communion Service
PARENTS NIGHT OUT AND SANTA WORKSHOP-DEC. 8 TH Our annual Parents Night Out and Santa s Workshop will be held on Friday December 8 th from 6-9 p.m. in the Parish House. Dinner, movies, and our Santa s Workshop (under the direction of Lisa Guida) will be the activities for the children. (Santa s Workshop from 6:30 9:00 p.m. provides the children with the opportunity to make Christmas gifts for family members.) There will be certified teachers on hand to supervise the children that evening, allowing parents some free time out while the children are busy having fun. Everyone is invited to participate there are no age restrictions for the children and you need not be a member of our congregation. However, reservations are required by Dec. 6th! Please call the office (973) 379-4320 to let us know your child/children will participate in the fun. A $10 per child fee will be collected at the door. MEN S CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST AT THE MANSE-DEC 9 TH On Saturday, December 9 th, the Men s Fellowship Group is invited to the Ney s home for our annual Christmas breakfast party at 10:00am. We always enjoy this event to get into the holiday spirit. Have a wonderful Christmas season and we hope to see many of you at the various church programs. PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN The Presbyterian Women will be conducting their annual Christmas Boutique after the worship service on December 3 rd and 10 th in the Chapel. Homemade baked goods and jams will be available while supplies last! Members are asked to bake for the sale. A display of new and gently used giftware will be in the Chapel. Members will sell these items during Fellowship Hour both Sundays. The PW Christmas luncheon and grab-bag gift exchange will be held in the CHAPEL on Tuesday, December 12 th at 12 Noon. All women of the church (PW members or not) are invited to attend and should RSVP to Gloria Southward. The cost for the catered lunch is $12 per lady. If you have not already done so, please send your payment to Janice Bongiovanni. All ladies who choose to participate in the Grab-Bag gift exchange should bring their $20-25 wrapped gift to the luncheon. Whoever brings a gift, will receive a gift. The PW wishes to thank all the members and friends who have supported their 2017 programs and mission projects so generously. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! (Please note: there will be no meetings in January or February 2018.)
A MESSAGE FROM THE PASTOR Time. At no month during the year does time seem more important than the month of December. I hear phrases like, There s just not enough time. I m running out of time. Where will I find the time? We are obsessed with the busyness of the Christmas season and we are obsessed with our time. Please don t misunderstand me. I know that human beings can be obsessed with time on many other occasions not just Christmas. Children can t wait for time to pass to get to a birthday celebration, or they wait impatiently for June to arrive for the start of summer vacation. I hear parents wish for time to pass to arrive at milestones in their children s lives (i.e. I can t wait for Joey to be toilet-trained. I can t wait so Debbie can do her homework by herself. I can t wait for Tommy to go to college.) Still other people wait in hope for the return of loved ones, wait for wisdom to know what to do about relationships, wait for healing to take place in their bodies, wait for some sign from God to know what to do next, wait for strength to get through another day. People haven t changed much over the centuries. Men and women have longed for and waited for all sorts of things in their various circumstances. The ancient Israelites waited and waited for God to act through centuries of silence from on high to relieve their suffering, to come through on the promise of a Savior. The Psalmist cried, How long, O Lord, how long will you hide your face from us? The difference for us is that we know God will act. We can look backward and say with assurance that God does act; God comes through on every promise. We can look at Christmas and know that God has sent the Lord Jesus our promised Savior into our world to prove once and for all that we are loved eternally and that God will come through on all His promises. Galatians 4:4 tells us that In the fullness of time, God sent His Son In the fullness of time reminds us that God came to us at the perfect time. Not our time, not when humans planned for it but in God s time. God has eternal purpose and a divine agenda. God has a time for everything and everything happens exactly in God s time frame. God s time is the perfect time. And so, through Advent we wait we wait knowing the outcome is the hoped for Messiah of the world we wait for Christmas, when all our hopes and dreams come true in ways that are better than we could ever hope for or imagine. As the Christmas carol writer said in O Little Town of Bethlehem, How silently, how silently the Wondrous Gift is given, When God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven. May this season bring you abundant blessings and joy in God s perfect time. Blessings and love, Pastor Vicky
OUTREACH/MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE The next meeting of the Outreach/Membership Committee will be held on Tuesday, December 5 th at 1:30pm in the Parish House. The Committee will be organizing the Christmas Feast and Concert on the 17 th and the December Lunch and Movie on December 13 th. All current members as well as anyone who is willing to help with these events is asked to attend the meeting. Many hands make light work! LUNCH AND A MOVIE (December13th and January 10 th ) We will continue our popular program Lunch and a Movie on Wednesday, December 11 at noon in the Parish House Auditorium. Our movie for December will be the classic movie, Meet Me in St. Louis with Judy Garland and Margaret O Brien. St. Louis 1903. The well-off Smith family has four beautiful daughters, including Esther and little Tootie. 17-year old Esther has fallen in love with the boy next door who has just moved in, John. He however, barely notices her at first. The family is shocked when Mr. Smith reveals that he has been transferred to a nice position in New York, which means that the family has to leave St. Louis and the St. Louis Fair. In January, we will meet on Wednesday, January 10 th at noon in the Parish House (same time, same station!) Our movie to begin the New Year will be Lion, starring Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, and Rooney Mara. The movie tells the inspiring true story of a five-year-old Indian boy who gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of miles from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia. Twenty-five years later, he sets out to find his lost family. We always have room for everyone at these wonderful fellowship events. During the dreary cold of winter come and be warmed by good food, good fellowship and a nice afternoon of pleasing entertainment. Just call the office (973) 379-4320 and let us know you re coming! SPECIAL ADVENT LUNCH AND CHRISTMAS CONCERT DEC. 17 You are invited to attend an Advent Lunch in the Parish House on Sunday December 17 th. No need to rush out of our morning worship service Lunch begins at noon. The menu will include baked ham, mashed and sweet potatoes, mixed vegetables, and salad, with apple and pumpkin pies for dessert. There is NO CHARGE for this delicious meal it is a gift from our Outreach Committee to our members and friends but RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST! Please call the church office or sign up at coffee hour after church on Sunday. Following the luncheon, our own Liliya Khobotkova will dazzle us with her piano playing and lead us in some songs of the season. If you want to get into the Christmas spirit here s your chance!
The Presbyterian Women ran another successful Indoor Flea Market on October 28 th. 22 outside vendors and members filled the auditorium and library with their wares. On the lower level, the PW had their own sales tables for all the donated items from our wonderful church members and friends. We can t thank Gloria and Gary Southward enough, for their dedication to this event! Janice, Carol and Dawn served refreshments from 8:30am- 3pm with a smile. Many thanks to Mary Pat who served the vendors at 7:30am!
Local Veterans of several wars were honored during the annual service at Veteran s Memorial Park on November 11 th. Members Ray Schramm and Don Auer have been long-time active members of the Springfield American Legion. (Photos courtesy of Cathy Gleicher) We are delighted to have our church tower, front doors and flag pole illuminated brightly with the new LED fixtures. We extend our appreciation to Russ Werner, who organized and implemented the LED lighting upgrade project this year. Both the Parish House and the Church/Chapel building have be upgraded, and if all goes as planned, our energy usage will be reduced greatly, and the bulbs will not need replacement for a decade or more!
LESSONS AND CAROLS - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31 ST The 10:15 a.m. Service of Lessons and Carols combines scripture passages with carols, providing the perfect way to keep Christ in Christmas. If you plan to attend our New Year s Eve Sunday service, and would like to participate by reading one of the lessons, please let Pastor Vicky know. Pastor Vicky & Richard Ney invite you To a Holiday Open House at the Manse, 164 Shunpike Road, Springfield On Sunday, January 7th from 2:00 4:00 p.m. Enjoy some post-holiday cheer with our Pastor and her husband and friends from the congregation. We might even sing some Christmas songs around the piano!
December 2017 2-Rita Dauser, Don Rathjens, Arlene Roden; 4-Carol Kaiser, 5-Lisa Guida; 8-Samantha Werner; 10-Robert Meringer; 15-Thomas Hale, Terrence Hecking; 17-Jack Amiano; 21-Russell Lyon; 26-Marilyn Madison, 28- Christine Faraone. WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY. IF IT DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE TOWER, PLEASE SHARE YOUR INFO WITH THE OFFICE STAFF. THANK YOU! January 2018 1-Michele Faraone; 2-Jay Mullan; 5-Marian Briggs; 6- Aiden Jimdar; 7- Obiako Akachukwu Ihekwoaba; 15- Chad Jimdar, Marie Parry; 21-Dawn Hartman; 23-Daniel Donnelly; 26-Virginia Meringer; 29-Eugene Schramm; 30-Donald Auer; 31-Laura Dauser Boehler DATES TO REMEMBER Sunday, December 3 rd & 10 th PW Christmas Boutique and Bake Sale Friday, December 8 th Parents Night Out and Santa s Workshop. 6-9 pm, Parish House Pre-Registration is required. $10 per child (members and friends). Saturday, December 9 th, Men s Fellowship breakfast at the Manse 10:00am. Tuesday, Dec. 12 th, Presbyterian Women s Christmas Lunch at the Chapel-Noon. Wednesday, December 13 th, Lunch and Movie, Noon, Parish House Sunday, December 17 th, Christmas Cantata, Hope at 10:15am Sunday, December 17 th, Christmas Luncheon, -Noon in the Aud. Free-reservations are necessary. Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24 th, 10:15am Family Service with Pageant (no 4pm service) Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24 th, 11 pm Candlelight Communion Service Service of Lessons and Carols Sunday, December 31 st. 10:15am Open House at the Manse Sunday, January 7 th, 2-4pm (164 Shunpike Rd.) Lunch and Movie Wednesday, January 10 th. BINGO and Pizza Party Sunday, January 21 st, 2-4pm in the Chapel Springfield Community Children s Chorus Winter Concert - Sunday, January 28 th, 3pm-Auditorium
POINSETTIA ORDER FORM Our CHRISTMAS SUNDAY POINSETTIA display will be on December 24 th The cost is $15.00/plant. Please place your orders with payment to the Church as soon as possible and no later than the 20 th so your name will be on the donor list. YOUR NAME IN MEMORY/HONOR OF I will be leaving my plant I will be taking my plant after the Christmas Eve service. If at all possible, we would like to keep as many of the plants in the sanctuary until after the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. Number of plants x $15.00= Check # Envelope # (if available) Please mail this form with your check payable to First Presbyterian Church to the church office: 37 Church Mall, Springfield, NJ 07081 or put it in an envelope and place it in the offering plate on Sunday. Thank you.
THE FIRST CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT SPRINGFIELD 37 CHURCH MALL SPRINGFIELD, NJ 07081 stamp RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED PLACE LABEL HERE A special thank you to our office helpers, aka Office Angels who assist the staff throughout the year in countless ways: May Smith, Janice Bongiovanni, Linda Amiano, Raffaela Conetta and Loretta Werner. To those of you not listed by name, who have stepped in to help with answering the phones, Tower newsletter and bulletin assembly, setting up tables and chairs for events, decorating our buildings and just being there when we needed the extra hands, We thank you, most sincerely. The entire church staff wishes you all a very Blessed and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Pastor Vicky Ney Linda Jurczak, Office Administrator Steve Kitsko, Treasurer & Heather Francis, Assistant Treasurer Lisa Guida, Christian Education Assistant Liliya Khobotkova, Music Director Steve Wichik, Sexton & Dorothy Torres, Custodian