December 2016 Vol XXXIV No. 12 Pastor s Page 2 Committee News 3 Deacons & Session 4 Announcements 5 Volunteers 6 Calendar 7 Miscellaneous 8 Upcoming Events Saturday, Nov. 26 Starting at 9 AM, come trim the church for Advent/Christmas! Sunday, Dec. 4 Sunday School meets. Sunday, Dec. 18 Children s Christmas Program during worship Saturday, Dec. 24 5 PM Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Sunday, Dec. 25 No worship service Advent/Christmas Schedule November 27 - First Sunday of Advent - Hope We begin our Advent journey together, lighting the first candle, and preparing our hearts and lives to receive God s incarnate love anew! Guest Minister: Chaplain Nancy Breitsprecher. December 4 - Second Sunday of Advent: Love We will light the second candle of Advent and celebrate the Sacrament of Communion. The children will continue their practice for the Christmas Program. December 11 - Third Sunday of Advent: Joy As we head into the shortest days of the year, awaiting God s Light, we will share in God s love and fellowship. December 18 - Fourth Sunday of Advent: Peace The Children will present their annual Christmas program. They will share the story of The 12 Symbols of Christmas. The congregation will be asked to participate with the singing of carols. December 24 - Christmas Eve (5 p.m.): The Christ Candle We will gather for our annual Christmas Eve Communion and Candlelight service at 5 p.m. December 25 Christmas Day No worship service today. January 1 New Year s Day Special New Year s Day liturgy with communion.
2 Pastor s Page The season of Advent is upon us once again. The sanctuary is decorated, the first Advent candle is set to be lit, Poinsettias are soon to be ordered (you still have time to order one), the children are preparing for their Christmas program on December 18, and Christmas Eve worship and candlelight worship is being planned. This year, Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. The Session, after much discussion and consideration, has decided that we will not have worship on Sunday, December 25. Please enjoy that morning with your family and friends. We will worship on Sunday, January 1. This service will be a quiet service with space for personal reflection on the year past and the one that stretches before us. Communion will also be celebrated. Advent is a time of anticipation, of looking ahead expectantly for the in-breaking of God s Love. We talk about this in the form of human flesh through the Christ child. In preparation, we prepare the sanctuary, light candles, listen once again to the words of the Prophets of old, and rejoice together. As we do so, it would be good for us as a small congregation to consider how our acts of financial stewardship through our pledges and giving reflect this message? As a small congregation, we do not tend to have a big stewardship campaign. Like the people who looked for the promised Messiah, who would return Israel to their former glory, we sometimes look back on the days of old and long to also return to a time when our pews were full and the ministry seemed much more engaged. Like the people who longed for something big and spectacular from God, only to discover a baby, we too need to keep our eyes open the wonders of God in our midst. Like the Magi who brought their gifts, we too bring ours in the form of pledges and promises, offering them up to the service of Christ. While we will not have anything formal, please consider what financial gift you can share with the church this year. Advent Blessings, Pastor Scott
Mission News By Cheryl Stitz Meals on Wheels OCPC will be delivering meals on wheels on December 26, 2016 through January 6, 2017. If you can help deliver meals during this time contact Cheryl Stitz at 608-423-4539. Pres House Pres House Service and Fellowship on November 6 was attended by Pastor Scott Marrese-Wheeler, Linda Porter, Melanie Rumpf, Judy Schroeder, Angela Stitz, Mike and Cheryl Stitz, and Mark Touhey. A meal of chili, salad and desserts was served to about 65-70 people. A special thank you to all of the people who provided food for the fellowship meal and helped serve it. Christmas Joy The Wondrous Gift is Given Each year during the Advent and Christmas season, we turn our eyes to Bethlehem and celebrate the wondrous gift of Jesus Christ, our Savior. By giving to the Christmas Joy Offering, you honor this gift by providing assistance to current and retired church workers in their time of need and developing our future leaders at Presbyterianrelated racial ethnic schools and colleges. DID YOU KNOW: The Christmas Joy Offering has been a Presbyterian tradition since the 1930 s The Offering distributes gifts 50/50 to the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to Presbyterianrelated racial ethnic schools and colleges. The Assistance Program provide essential financial support to church workers and their families. Presbyterian-related schools and colleges provide education and spiritual development while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage. This has been a Presbyterian commitment for nearly 140 years. More information on the Christmas Joy offering can be found on the PC/USA website. http://specialofferings.pcusa.org/christmasjoy.html You can make an online gift at this website or specify your donation for the Christmas Joy Offering. Worship/Theology Committee Notes By Elder Judy Pearson A committee meeting was held after worship service on Sunday, November 6, 2016. The Christmas Eve service on Saturday, December 24, 2016 will be held at 5 PM. Special music will be provided by Mare Stewart and Cheryl Spore. Advent candle lighting will begin on November 27, the first Sunday of Advent. A listing of families for the lighting was reviewed. Sunday, January 1, 2017 we will have a short gathering time for fellowship and communion if a Presbyterian pastor is available. It was discussed that if a guest pastor couldn t be found, we would instead serve communion the next Sunday, January 8. The poinsettia sale will be offered again this year. The vendor will be the same as last year with just a small price increase. Members will be encouraged to order early. No choir will be offered for the rest of this year. Director Marilyn Schuster is continuing to improve from her recent health issues. Committee members are needed! Please join our group!
THE SESSION: Class of 2016: Cheryl Bettenhausen Fellowship Mission Nominating Judy Pearson Clerk of Session Memorial Hostess Worship/Theology Class of 2017: Kay Lund Fellowship Worship/Theology Charleen Janus Fellowship Nominating Dick Trailer Building and Grounds Finance-Stewardship Personnel Class of 2018 Renee Roland Johnson Christian Education Mark Touhey Building and Grounds Finance-Stewardship Personnel Treasurer: Dick Trailer BOARD OF DEACONS: Class of 2016: Al Bettenhausen Building and Grounds Worship/Theology Linda Porter, Co-Moderator Class of 2017: Trent Bettenhausen Nancy Kristiansen Class of 2018 Julie Anderson Ann Febock Secretary Mission Judy Schroeder, Co-Moderator Pastor / Moderator of Session: Rev. Scott Marrese-Wheeler (608) 417-0231 Cell Pastor@OCPChurch.com Budget Update: Year-to date Income: $63,429 Year-to-date Spending: $67,755 DEACONS CORNER By Deacon Ann Febock, Secretary Another year has passed and we would like to again thank all of you who donated and volunteered to support our work for the year. With your help we were able to raise enough funds to send $200 to the Cambridge Food Pantry Blue Jay Backpack program and $400 to Heifer Fund International. The children of the church will purchase the animals after their Christmas program on December 18 th. If anyone would like to donate additional funds, you can make the check out to OCPC and mark it in the memo field, Heifer International and we will add it to the already earmarked monies. Future date to keep on your calendar is Thursday, March 2, 2017 as we will, along with Rockdale Lutheran Church, serve the Community Café Meal. More information will be coming in the next few months We look forward to another year serving as your deacons. We wish you and your families a blessed Christmas and a wonderful 2017! SESSION NOTES By Elder Judy Pearson, Clerk of Session Stated meeting of the Session was held on Wednesday, November 2, 2016 at 6 PM. A scripture reading from Ephesians 1:11-14 started our devotions with the question for reflection: What is our spiritual inheritance we have received from the Church past, and what will be the spiritual gifts we will leave for others who follow us? JKP meeting will be Tuesday, November 15 starting at 9:30 AM at Reedsburg 1 st Presbyterian Church. The review of our Session records will be done. The baptism of Aspen Ann, daughter of Andy & Kelly Woodman, will be during Sunday morning worship on November 13, 2016. The monthly Session meetings for December, January and February will be at 8:30 AM on the second Sundays of the month. The joint meeting of Session and Deacons is tentatively set for Sunday, December 18 after worship. No business will be discussed, only past and future growth for OCPC New gutters will be installed in the near future. A new door and locks for the west side of the Sunday school room are to be installed, along with exit lights. It was approved to spend up to $75 to purchase a used snow blower for church use. An update on options for the Manse was discussed. The Nomination Committee will meet soon. Elder Janus is moderator of the committee. The Personnel Committee is to meet for Pastor Scott and Ruth s yearly review. The Worship/Theology Committee will again offer a poinsettia sale. There was a discussion of Stewardship and budget. The question was what avenue should we take for the 2017 appeal in order to make everyone aware of the need to be mindful of our giving to keep the budget solvent.
JKP Will Be 40 Years Old in 2017 By Judy Pearson, Clerk of Session Currently 59 churches make up our Presbytery, John Knox Presbytery (JKP). Celebration plans are in the works for the coming year and JKP s 40 th birthday. Marilyn Schuster, along with Judy Pearson, attended the fall meeting of the Presbytery in Reedsburg on Tuesday, November 15. It was a beautiful day and the meeting was held in a lovely old church, First Presbyterian of Reedsburg. Many amendments, which have come from the General Assembly for consideration, were voted on. Many changes were to wording and for better clarification of rules. Changing the title of Ruling Elder, Teaching Elder back to the "old way," naming of Pastor was not passed by our gathered assembly. At this meeting, we submitted our book of Session minutes to Alyson Janke, Clerk of JKP, for review. They were approved without exception. Thank you again to everyone who helped keep such good records for us! Ken Bilstad Mary Olson Mary Trailer Stacey Brandenburg (friend of OCPC & Julie Floyd Anderson) Judy Brandt (choir director at Grace Lutheran Church) Gretchen Burt and her family (cousin of Kay Lund) Griffin Clark (grandson of Bill & Patty Strohbusch) Nancy & Lori Davis (relatives of Kay Lund) Don Dieter (Marilyn Schuster s brother-in-law) Marjorie Erickson (friend of Kay Lund) Jane Feggestad Jacque Freund (friend of Kay Lund) Don Hawkins (new visitor to the church) Judy Hottman (friend of Judy Pearson) Egil Kristiansen (Jan Kristiansen s brother in Oslo, Norway) Charlene Charlie Porter Marilyn Schuster, our pianist Shawn Spack (son of Jenine & Jack Spack) Our children and unchurched children and families, our military around the world, our enemies, our church leaders, families and individuals experiencing financial, job-hunting, health, or relationship problems. Families who are grieving the loss of loved ones. If you would like to be added to our weekly prayer list, please leave word in the church office or contact the pastor. Permission to be included in this publicly posted list has been obtained from those listed or their families. Poinsettia Sale Poinsettia Sale is available till Monday, December 5. PLEASE PLACE ORDERS EARLY. You may contact the office for details. *Poinsettias; Red, or White. 8 inch pots with 3 flowering plants are $16.50 with your choice of red, green, gold or silver foil. A ribbon and bow can be added to any pot for an additional $2 each. Purchasers may take them home any time after the Christmas Eve service.
If you are unable to serve Communion, as Usher/Greeter, or Lector, please try to find someone to substitute for you. Or, contact Al Bettenhausen (608) 322-2932 or Judy Pearson (608) 764-8159. JAN 1 * Cheryl Bettenhausen; Christmas Eve Dec. 24 Judy Pearson * Cheryl Bettenhausen NOV 27 DEC 11 DEC 18 DEC 24 Mike & Linda Porter Sylvia & Larry Jensen Kay & Stub Lund Mark Olson; Al Bettenhausen Judy Pearson & Emily Kilian DEC 25 NO SERVICE Jan 1 Al & Cheryl Bettenhausen NOV 27 DEC 11 DEC 18 DEC 24 DEC 25 Judy Pearson Mare Stewart Mark Touhey Julie Anderson N/A?? NO SERVICE Advent Candles: Emily Hanson & Trevor Leto Advent Candles: OPEN Advent Candles: Woodman Family Advent Candles: Trent & Kari Bettenhausen Family Advent Candles: Joe Leto Family Jan 1 Open NOV 27 DEC 11 DEC 18 DEC 25 Deacons Deacons Deacons Deacons NO SERVICE NOV 27 DEC 11 DEC 18 DEC 25 JAN 1 JAN 8 Mare Stewart Julie Anderson; Marilyn Schuster Cathy & Jerry Thiltgen CE Christmas Program Birthday Party for Jesus; Worship/Theology Committee Merry Christmas No Service New Year s Day No Coffee Hour Kari & Trent Bettenhausen; Sue & Derek Bettenhausen DEC/JAN Dec 1-15: OPEN; Dec 16-31: OPEN; Jan 1-15: OPEN
DATE BIRTHDAYS ANNIVERSARIES DATE BIRTHDAYS ANNIVERSARIES Dec 3 Richard Trailer Dec 21 Stan Lund Dec 5 Jan Kristiansen Dec 28 Phillip Yeadon Dale & Ann Febock Dec 6 Kari Bettenhausen Dec 29 Larry Jensen Dec 9 Cheryl Bettenhausen Dec 30 Larry Janus Dec 13 Trevor Leto Dec 30 Rose Ann West Dec 19 Mike Stitz Sunday Schedule Worship Service 10:00 Communion first Sunday of each month Sunday School 10:00 from September through May Abbreviation Key AA: Alcoholics Anonymous CCA: Cambridge Clergy Assoc. CC: Communications Committee CE: Christian Education FC: Fellowship Committee GN: Good News MG: Membership & Growth OA: Overeaters Anonymous SG: Support Group WT: Worship & Theology YG: Youth Group December 2016 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 7:30 PM AA 4 Sunday School 5 6 7 8 7:30 PM AA 9 10 11 8:30 AM Session Library Day 12 13 14 12 PM CAP Senior Meal 15 7:30 PM AA 16 17 18 Library Day Children s Christmas Program Joint. Mtg. Session & Deacons 19 20 Newsletter articles due 21 22 7:30 PM AA 23 24 5 PM Christmas Eve Service with Communion 25 No Worship Service; No Sunday School Merry Christmas! 26 27 28 12 PM CAP Senior Meal 29 7:30 PM AA 30 31
Kudos To: Thanks to everyone who attended and contributed to the potluck meal after the worship service at Pres House on November 6. See the list of names in the Mission article on page 3. Special thanks to Cheryl & Mike Stitz for organizing everything. Dick Trailer, Mark Touhey and the Building & Grounds Committee for getting the driveway blacktop replaced and working on upgrading both the gutters around the church and the exterior door on the west side of the church. The Worship/Theology Committee for lining up a source of poinsettias for us to order, and everyone who ordered flowers for the beauty of our church. (You may still bring a plant of your own choice. Let Ruth know if you wish to do so in memory or honor of a loved one.) Everyone who contributed to the Blue Jay Backpacks program. We collected many food items as well as $265! The Deacons contributed an additional $200 to the program. CHURCH SCHEDULE WORSHIP SERVICE & CHURCH SCHOOL: 10:00 a.m. Sunday COMMUNION: First Sunday of each month FELLOWSHIP & REFRESHMENTS: Following worship service each week. VIDEO OF WORSHIP: Cable Channel 98 or 987 Sun 5:30 PM; M-T 8 AM & Noon (Link to video also available on our website or Facebook page) OFFICE HOURS PASTORAL OFFICE HOURS: Generally 9:00-12:00 Tue BUSINESS OFFICE HOURS: 8:00-12:00 Mon Thu TELEPHONE/FAX: 608-423-3001 EMAIL: Office@OCPChurch.com or Pastor@OCPChurch.com WEB: www.ocpchurch.com Visit us on Facebook: Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church Advent Preparation On Saturday, November 26 th starting at 9 a.m., the Fellowship Committee and Deacons will be trimming the church for Advent and Christmas. All are welcome. Many hands make light work! Do you have a few extra minutes before Christmas? If everyone could come on over with their favorite dust cloth and spend just an extra hour, we could also give the church a good cleaning for the holidays! Any help is appreciated! THANK YOU!