The Good News November/December 2013
From The Pastor. . .
This is the November/December newsletter, which means that October is barely over, and we are talking about Christmas already! That seems a little strange, and it’s also difficult to set dates, times and details for November and December events that we have barely had time to plan. Personally, I’m still catching up from Apple Harvest festival, and I know that our farm families are still catching up from the harvest itself! And yet the wheel of the church year keeps turning, reminding us that Christ is coming, ready or not.
The Incarnation, God in human flesh, is a central truth of our faith. “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory as of a Father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) It is Jesus who makes known God, and in Jesus we see the fullest expression of God here on earth. How can we make sense of such an amazing thing? As Alister McGrath observes, how can an event that took place at a particular time and place be relevant for all people and all times? And yet it is! So much was packed into Jesus’ 33 short years here on earth, and 2000 years later we are still trying to unpack the meaning. One thing we know for sure as Christians, in Jesus Christ human wisdom and divine promise converged. [1]
But this is such familiar ground. You know most of the contents of this Christmas season newsletter before you read it. You know we collect the Toys for Tots, the gifts for Hoffman Homes, and for Homewood residents. You know we will be having the Christmas Pageant on the same day as the Christmas social. You know the tree will be up by the second of Advent and that we will be singing those pesky Advent hymns before we break out the Christmas carols. The handmade blue Advent paraments, the Advent candles, and the banners marking the 4 Sundays of Advent are as familiar and comforting as old shoes. The traditions don’t leave a lot of room for surprises…nor do we necessarily want any surprises in our cherished sacred season!
But let’s leave room for a surprise and new insights. Let’s leave room to have our breath taken away by the astounding good news “unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, who is the Messiah.” Jesus came to earth and became human so that humankind could be healed through his loving touch. The grace of God took on flesh so that we could be raised up to the heavenly places of God where Christ now reigns. In the Incarnation is a dazzling display of God’s love for you and for me. Our eyes have to adjust to the dazzling light of that love, which is why we need Advent.
Advent, the 4 Sundays prior to Christmas, is a time of waiting, introspection, and preparation. Advent is to Christmas what Lent is to Easter. Use this sacred season to take a fearless inventory of your spiritual life and your response to the amazing good news of the Incarnation. If you have not been to church lately, ask yourself “why?” If your financial giving represents leftovers, as opposed to firstfruits, ask yourself “why?” If your prayer and devotional life is not what it could be, ask yourself “why?” Then, ask the Messiah to help. The Incarnation means that Jesus is not only coming, he is here, full of more love for you than could ever be imagined. May you be richly blessed this sacred season.
Lord, we thank you for choosing to come and dwell among us, as one of us. May we catch fresh glimpses of your glory—and may our lives reflect that glory. Amen.
See you in church,
Pastor Kim
Worship In November, December, And January
Sunday, November 3 / Sunday, December 1 / Sunday, January 5All Saints Sunday and Communion / First Sunday of Advent / Epiphany
Luke 19: 1-10 / Matthew 24: 36-44 / John 1: (1-9), 10-18
Sunday, November 10 / Sunday, December 8 / Sunday, January 12
Veterans’ Day Observance / Matthew 3: 1-12 / Matthew 3: 13-17
Luke 20: 27-38 / Annual Meeting with breakfast / Consistory Installation
Trivia Nite, 6:00 pm / Communion
Sunday, December 15
Sunday, November 17 / Matthew 11: 2-11 / Sunday, January 19
Harvest Home; Children Sing / John 1: 29-42
Luke 21: 5-19 / Sunday, December 22
Matthew 1: 18-25 / Sunday, January 26
Sunday, November 24 / Pageant; Communion / Matthew 4: 12-23
Reign of Christ / Christmas Social
Luke 23: 33-43
Baptism for Kamden David Weigle / Christmas Eve Service
7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 29
Matthew 2: 13-23
No Sunday School
Worship: 9:00 a.m.
Sunday School: 10:15 a.m.
Confirmation Class: 10:15 a.m.
Worship is the best way to praise God for all your blessings.
►Worship CDs◄
We are set up to provide CDs of Sunday worship services. Just call the office, and we will mail one to you. Obviously this will benefit our homebound members, but it certainly is for anytime you’ve missed a worship service and would like to catch up.
Upper Adams Food Pantry
One of Zion’s Ministries is supporting our local food pantries. The congregation is asked to donate a food item every month to the pantry located at Centenary United Methodist Church in Biglerville. At the end of each month, Tony Bushey delivers the items to the food pantry. The Food Pantry item for November is pasta and pasta sauce; December, coffee, tea, hot chocolate.
Food Pantry – 2013November / Pasta and pasta sauce / December / Coffee, tea, hot chocolate
Looking Ahead
December 8 is the date for the annual congregational meeting. We will meet downstairs and serve a light breakfast.
The Good News November/December 2013
The Good News November/December 2013
Major Van Brinson To Speak At Our November 10 Veteran’s Day Worship Observance
Major Van Brinson is a native of Washington, NC. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1986 and achieved the rank of corporal prior to being selected for the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps commissioning program. Major Brinson attended North Carolina State University and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Arts Education in 1992. Upon graduation he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.
Captain Brinson was designated a Naval Aviator in August of 1997 and reported to Marine Corps Air Facility New River, NC for initial training as a CH-46E pilot. Upon returning from Iraq in 2003, Major Brinson was selected for duty with the Presidential Helicopter Squadron, HMX-1, where he served for four years. Major Brinson checked into the Marine Corps Air Facility, Quantico in January of 2008, where he completed his career in the Operations Department.
Van Brinson went to work for World TEAM Sports in October of 2010 as the Chief Operations Officer. In September of 2013 he was elected to be the President and Chief Executive Officer. Van Brinson is married to the former Allyson Bright of Lafayette, LA and they have two children a daughter, Ainsley Lynn and a son Chase Joseph. He retired from the Marine Corps in September of 2010.
Our members are encouraged to invite veterans from the community to be with us for this special event. Veterans will, as always be recognized for their service during worship.
Zion’s living veterans are as follows:
Michael Althoff / Thomas Deloe / Matthew Leedy / Kenneth SellKenneth Baltzley / Gary Diveley / John Matthews / Michael Shaffer
Matt Battersby / Carey Ehly / Jay McGlaughlin / Richard Snider
Kim Blocher / Wayne Gantz / Gerald Pitzer / Gregory Sumbury
Purcell Bohrer / Elson Grim / Robert Prosperi / Harold Tuckey
Tamara Brodbeck / Richard Hartman / Richard Radcliff / Robert Vines
Paul Claus / Donald Hartzel / Ernest Rebert / Bill Warren
Jeff Davis / Loy Hoke / Neil Rothhaupt / Andrew Willman
To Meet the Budget 2013
Annual Budget = $198,140.00
Weekly Offering Needed = $3,736.13
Offering Needed / Offering Received / Needed to Date / Received to Date
January / $14,944.54 / $12,398.25 / $14,944.54 / $12,398.25
February / $14,944.54 / $13.490.41 / $29,889.08 / $25,888.66
March / $18,680.67 / $16,449.50 / $48,569.75 / $42,338.16
April / $14,944.54 / $12,537.05 / $63,514.29 / $54,875.21
May / $14,944.54 / $16,287.00 / $78,458.83 / $71,162.21
June / $18,680.67 / $18,263.03 / $97,139.50 / $89,425.24
July / $14,944.54 / $12,177.00 / $112,084.04 / $101,602.24
August / $14,944.54 / $11,976.00 / $127,028.58 / $113,578.24
September / $18,680.67 / $15,815.00 / $145,709.25 / $129,393.24
October / $14,944.54 / $14,784.00 / $160,653.79 / $144,177.24
An Easy Way to Pay: Electronic Giving
As many of you know, recently our stewardship committee initiated a program for electronic funds transfer (EFT) here at Zion. That means two things: our staff members have their pay deposited automatically to their accounts, and our members have the opportunity to have their Zion contribution deducted automatically from a debit or checking account. I can personally testify to the ease and convenience of both these programs, and recommend it to all of us! And I want to point out an important fact to our young people who are in college or just starting out in the work force. The EFT program can be initiated with any dollar amount. In other words, if $10 a month is what you can afford as a financially strapped college student, that would be perfectly acceptable and welcome. Then as your financial status stabilizes, you can always raise the amount, but you would have developed a habit of giving. EFT forms are available in the back of the church or through the office. We thank everyone for supporting the mission and ministry here at Zion. A wise person once said: “Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater person and a greater agenda. It dethrones me and exalts God.” Pastor Kim
Consistory News From. . .
Consistory President, Personnel(Chris Parker, 677-7028) / Personnel committee has been formed: Jo McGlaughlin, Joe Sharrah, Valerie Bushey, Chris Parker, and Kim Blocher. Please share any thoughts regarding organist with a committee member. We will meet again in November to continue our discussions on the job description furthering the process/search.
Consistory Vice President, Property (Roger Bushey, 359-4753) / ▪ Proposal for insulating pipe in social room was accepted.
▪ Installation of controls on furnace will be done in the next couple of weeks.
▪ Will look about replacing window at the end of sanctuary.
Consistory Secretary, Christian Ed, Worship (Heather Bushey, 677-9320) / Christian Ed: The next meeting of the Christian Education Steering Team (CEST) is on Nov. 11, 2013, at 7:00 p.m. We welcome anyone wishing to take part in discussing how to make our Sunday School program the best it can be to join us.
Worship: If you haven’t been in church, we’ve missed YOU! Hope to see everyone at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings.
Membership (Mandy Hartzel, 337-9535) / In November we are meeting to stock the freezer for the new meal ministry program.
Fellowship (Pam Sanders, 337-2845) / ▪ Casual Sunday on 10/27 and 11/24.
▪ Knitting Club will display scarves on 11/17 with children’s choir. Will have 50 scarves to distribute to Hoffman Home.
▪ Planning consistory banquet.
▪ Veterans’ Day reception
▪ Annual meeting reception
Finance (Dan White, 334-5051) / The budget will be mailed before Thanksgiving.
Mission (Angie Vines, 677-9654) / ▪ CROP Walk: $1711
▪ 11/10 Veterans’ Day program
▪ 11/17 Harvest Home
▪ November Soup Kitchen: Mission committee
▪ December Soup Kitchen: Book Club
▪ $84 received from communityaid.net for third-quarter clothing donations
Stewardship (Liz Baltzley, 352-514-4036) / The Stewardship committee will be organizing time/talent/treasure speaking spots during the offertory in November.
Young Adult Development (Ann Showers, 677-4899 ) / ▪ Continuing to contact this age group through personal mailing, texting when prompted, emailing, direct parental communication of these kids, and finally personal communication of these individuals.
▪ Working towards some small group meetings as these kids are around for the holidays.
▪ Suggestions – open!
ÖSeminary Fund Õ
Remember that we have a Seminary Scholarship Fund to encourage one of our young people to go into the ministry. A contribution would be a great way to honor a loved one. The current balance of the Seminary Fund is $966.88.
The Good News november/december 2013
Christmas News
Christmas Fund Special Mission Offering. For 110 years, the Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund has been a means by which members of the United Church of Christ and its predecessor denominations reflect the light of God in the world, individually and in the community. The Christmas Fund is a beacon of light for many who have served, and who continue to serve, our church. This mission offering will be received on December 22. Please give generously.
Hoffman Homes Gift Program. Once again Zion will be assisting the Hoffman Homes gift program by purchasing new, unwrapped gifts for Hoffman Homes. The gifts range from toiletry items/stocking stuffers to gift certificates to CD players. **Remember, no glass or sharp items**. Chris will have the gift tags displayed soon. We have a total of 35 tags. Please return the gifts to the main Sunday School room by 12/1/13. If you take a tag and cannot find the item, please contact Chris ASAP so alternative arrangements can be made. Please let Chris know if you have any questions or would like to help wrap.