Zion United Church of Christ Arendtsville, Pennsylvania November/December 2013
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Zion United Church of Christ Arendtsville, Pennsylvania November/December 2013 Embodying the Love of God in Word and Action Reverend Dr. KIM BLOCHEr, Pastor Chris Parker, Consistory President 
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
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.
Looking Ahead December 8 is the date for the annual congregational meeting. We will meet downstairs and serve a light breakfast.
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:
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. . . 
Seminary Fund 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. ![mc900155072[1]](16112_html_m55dab208.gif) ![mc900363562[1]](16112_html_39a2432c.gif)
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. 
Holiday Home Bureau Toys. As it has in previous years, Zion is contributing to the Holiday Home Bureau Toy program. We will be collecting new and gently used (no broken, worn) toys and new hats, gloves, scarves for those 12 and under. In addition, the program is seeking monetary donations to support its food certificate program (they provide $25 food certificates). Please bring the donations to the church no later than 12/8/13. We will bring the items forward during the children's message on that Sunday. Any questions, please ask Shirley or Chris.  
Be A Homewood Hero. Homewood Retirement Centers of United Church of Christ will be giving us names of nursing home residents at Plum Creek in Hanover. We will be purchasing Christmas gifts for these residents. Donna Miller will coordinate this mission. A clipboard will be available as soon as the names are received to gather congregational member names who wish to participate. A resident’s name and gift selection will be given to you when it is received. Homewood Auxiliary memberships are now available. Bring Your “Merry Heart” And Join The Homewood Auxiliary. Memberships ($2) are now available. Auxiliary members are Homewood’s Merry Hearts – working hand-in-hand with the staff to help provide the kind of “medicine” only a friend can give. A clipboard is on the credenza. Be a “good medicine” for Homewood’s health care center residents by giving time, talents, and resources. As an Auxiliary member, you will receive Homewood’s quarterly magazine, The Fireside, which will keep you up-to-date on all the events and programs on the Homewood campuses. 
The Christmas Eve Offering this year will benefit Hoffman Homes for Youth. Our Traditional Christmas Social will follow worship on December 22. Homemade cookies, punch, coffee, and fellowship will all be in abundance. If you wish to bring homemade cookies, please sign up on the clipboard at the rear of the sanctuary. See you there for this favorite Zion tradition! Children’s Christmas Pageant Rehearsals. This year’s Children’s Christmas Pageant (K-6) will be presented during worship on Sunday, December 22. The December 8 rehearsal will be held from 11:00-11:30 a.m. The December 15 rehearsal will be from 10:15-11:15 a.m. We encourage all of Zion’s children to participate. Zion’s Non-Christmas News Great News! Zion is the recipient of a $1000 grant from the Robert C. Hoffman Charitable Endowment Trust for the purchase of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). The AED would be a life-saver for a heart attack victim. We will be scheduling a Red Cross CPR/AED certification class in January. Adult Sunday School We are finishing the first part of a 3-part study of the book of Acts. In November and December, we will begin a study on stewardship. Knitting/Crocheting Club The knitting/crocheting club will be meeting the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of October and November and only the 2nd Wednesday in December at 6:30 p.m. in the downstairs fellowship hall. Please mark your calendars and plan to join the group for fun and fellowship. If you are unable to meet with us, but are planning on knitting scarves for the Christmas project, let Pam Sanders know as soon as possible in order to obtain an accurate count of the scarves available for the Hoffman Home Christmas gifts. Note – the scarves will be collected by 11/10 for display and by 11/24 for the gift bags. South Mountain Ramble On November 9 we will meet at the Gettysburg Seminary at 9 am, in front of the Chapel, and walk to the Peace Light from the seminary grounds. Then anyone who is interested can visit the Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum…admission is $9. The new museum has 20,000 sq. feet of interactive galleries, interpreting the first day battle, the care of the wounded within Schmucker Hall, and the moral and spiritual debate of the Civil War era. This is also an opportunity to check out the new walking paths that connect the seminary with the YWCA. Book Group Meeting 
Thursday, November 14, at 7 p.m. in the mustard seed room will be our next meeting. The book is The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and the World’s Greatest Piece of Cheese by Michael Paterniti. Synopsis: In the picturesque village of Guzmán, Spain, in a cave dug into a hillside on the edge of town, an ancient door leads to a cramped limestone chamber known as “the telling room.” Containing nothing but a wooden table and two benches, this is where villagers have gathered for centuries to share their stories and secrets—usually accompanied by copious amounts of wine. It was here, in the summer of 2000, that Michael Paterniti found himself listening to a larger-than-life Spanish cheesemaker named Ambrosio Molinos de las Heras as he spun an odd and compelling tale about a piece of cheese. An unusual piece of cheese. Made from an old family recipe, Ambrosio’s cheese was reputed to be among the finest in the world, and was said to hold mystical qualities. Eating it, some claimed, conjured long-lost memories. But then, Ambrosio said, things had gone horribly wrong. . . . By the time the two men exited the telling room that evening, Paterniti was hooked. Soon he was fully embroiled in village life, relocating his young family to Guzmán in order to chase the truth about this cheese and explore the fairy tale–like place where the villagers conversed with farm animals, lived by an ancient Castilian code of honor, and made their wine and food by hand, from the grapes growing on a nearby hill and the flocks of sheep floating over the Meseta. What Paterniti ultimately discovers there in the highlands of Castile is nothing like the idyllic slow-food fable he first imagined. Instead, he’s sucked into the heart of an unfolding mystery, a blood feud that includes accusations of betrayal and theft, death threats, and a murder plot. As the village begins to spill its long-held secrets, Paterniti finds himself implicated in the very story he is writing. Look for our monthly blogs on the website!Looking Ahead: December’s meeting date: Thursday, December 12, at 7:00 p.m. The book is Loving Frank by Nancy Horan.
Proceeds from our September 23 Hoss’s Community Fund Raiser totaled $103.66. Thank you to all who supported this fund raiser. Our next Hoss’s Fund Raiser is on Monday, December 8, 2013. Soup Kitchen Update The final Soup Kitchens of the year will be October 29, Tuesday (Adult Choir), November 30, Saturday (Mission Committee) and December 31, Tuesday (Book Club). Please contact Pam Sanders if you are interested in donating food contributions or monetary contributions. Any $$ donations from the congregation or Mission Committee members for purchasing November’s Fried Chicken may be given to Pam Sanders. Thank you to the Zion Ramblers for the month of August and to the Adult Choir for the month of September – the meals were enjoyed and appreciated. Please remember the needy at the Soup Kitchen in the holiday months. A huge thank you to everyone who participated for the 2013 year.  ![c:\users\alta\appdata\local\microsoft\windows\temporary internet files\content.ie5\577t7nno\mm900336569[1].gif](16112_html_m3b035e24.gif)
November /December Event Calendars And Birthday/Anniversary Calendars Are Available On The Credenza In The Sanctuary Matthew 25 Update Our Matthew 25 fund is set up to provide assistance to families in need, whether members or non-members. It is not designated for general mission or relief work; for that we use the Samaritan Fund. Each month we will report in the newsletter on the ways that the monies are being used. Typically, what happens is that a social service agency will call and report a need, and a small committee decides on whether the funds should be given. It really functions as a “front line” measure when families are experiencing a crisis. The Matthew 25 Fund receives its money from donations and the interest from the Edward Jones account. Remember, we no longer give to non-members directly when they phone the church office for assistance; we only work through county agencies who refer needs to us. The current balance in the Matthew 25 account is $3,514.68.
2014 Offering Boxes 
Offering boxes for 2014 will be available at the rear of the sanctuary beginning November 24. If you cannot locate yours, please contact Laurie Catchings at 677-6048. The 2014 Flower Calendar will be posted the latter part of November in the vestibule. Please be sure to sign up. Community Aid Donation Bin A donation bin from communityaid.net has been placed in the Zion parking lot near Zion House. We do receive funds back from communityaid.net for each quarter based upon the weight deposited in the container. Those funds are used in the Mission Budget. Also, gift cards are available for needy families for use in their two stores, one in Hanover and one in Mechanicsburg. Acceptable items include clothing, shoes, accessories like purses and belts, linens, curtains and draperies. Please consider donating your items to our communityaid.net bin. CROP Walk The Upper Adams CROP Walk was held at Oakside Park on Sunday, October 27, with approximately 40 walkers participating from the Upper Adams churches. Zion's walkers included: Jerry and Dawn Cutshall, Jo McGlaughlin, Tony and Gina Bushey, Brittni and Brielle Hanna, Betty Frank, and Bob and Angie Vines. Proceeds are divided among CROP, the Upper Adams Food Pantry, and the Upper Adams Soup Kitchen. Thank you to the American Legion Post in Biglerville for their donation. Thank you to all who donated for the CROP Walk this year. Harvest Home Harvest Home Sunday will be held on November 17. Please bring your non-perishable food donations to church, and all items will then be delivered to the Food Pantry.
A grandchild was born to Fred and Kathy Martin. Johnathan Walter Martin was born on August 22, 2013, at Fort Bragg Army Hospital in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce and was 21 inches in length. Parents are Aaron and Kristin Martin. Johnathan was named after Marine Sargent Jonathan Eric McColley who died in 2006, and Walter Ohar (Kathy’s father) and brother who died in 1987 and 2002 respectively. Chris and Brittni Hanna with the birth of their daughter, Brielle Nicole Hanna. Brielle was born on Friday, September 13, 2013, and weighed 6 lbs., 8 oz., and was 19 inches in length. Grandparents are Tony and Gina Bushey. Zion Extends Our Sympathy To. . . The Darryl Keller family in the death of Darryl’s father, R. Delroy Keller, on September 17, 2013. Delroy was age 91 and died at the Hanover Hospital. The D. Owen Taylor family in the death of Kathleen Taylor on October 3, 2013. Kathleen was age 81 and died at the Gettysburg Hospital. The Dean and Ann Jacobs family in the death of William Jacobs, Dean’s father. William was age 84 and died at his home on October 9, 2013. The family of Dorothy Cogley who passed away on October 20, 2013, at the Forest Park Rehabilitation Center in Carlisle. Dorothy was 93 years of age. 
Thanks From Our Community. . . On behalf of Air Mobile Ministries, thank you for your generous support of $2,300. --Joseph Hurston, President, Air Mobile Ministries
--Lanny Berman, Ph.D., Executive Director, Amer. Assoc. of Suicidology Thank you very much for your donation of one Project Linus Blanket to Carroll Hospital Center. The Emergency Department, Pediatric Dept. and Family BirthPlace give your lovingly created blankets to all children who are hospitalized with us. --Amanda Vetter, Manager, Annual Fund, Carroll Hospital Center Thank you for your ongoing support of Hoffman Homes for Youth! Your congregation’s generous gift of $250 to sponsor an auction item at our annual gala will help us to provide the highest quality mental health services to abused and traumatized children. --C. Mitchell Snider, MBA, CEO & President, Hoffman Homes for Youth Thanks to Our Members. . . Thanks to Bill Stoner for trimming our shrubbery and making our church look so nice. And thanks to Roger Bushey and the property committee for all of their hard work. It has been another big year for property! We thank all who helped make the Wounded Warrior fly fishing event a success! Thanks especially to Rob Bennett, Linda and Tom Ritter, Peggy Sue Matthews, Bob and Angie Vines, and the scouts. ZION UCC SUNDAY SCHOOL TIMES November/December 2013 November ~ Noah’s Ark
Main Idea The bible story of a faithful man named Noah reminds us that God loves all creation and that God made a special covenant with Noah and all living things. Bible Verse I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. (Genesis 9:13) December ~ The Gift of Jesus
Main Idea Christmas is really about God’s great gift to us in Jesus. We can share this wonderful story with others by our words and actions. Bible Verse But the angel said to them “Do not be afraid; for see ~ I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:10) What’s New
Learning By Doing Each month our Sunday School classes participate in Zion’s mission project to provide food for our local food pantry. The item for the month for November is Pasta and Pasta Sauce, and December will be Coffee, Tea, and Hot Chocolate. If you would like for your child to participate, he/she can bring in these items any Sunday during the month. Christian Education Steering Team The Christian Education Steering Team is a committee that meets approximately 4-6 times a year to discuss Christian Education issues. It is led by the Christian Education Consistory Representative, currently, Heather Bushey. If you would like to be part of this team or have any ideas, please feel free to join us. Talk to Heather Bushey or Clarissa Pirich for more information. Contact Information If for any reason you need to get in touch with me, you may call or email me at 677-4386 - home 253-3860 - cell pircla3@yahoo.com Hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season! Miss Clarissa 1 Alister McGrath, Incarnation, Fortress Press, 2006. Directory: wp-content -> uploads -> 2013 2013 -> International post doctoral research fellowship programme final report title of the research 2013 -> Seals Family History 1565 to 2004 2013 -> Rao bulletin 15 July 2013 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2013 -> R institute of technology school of foreign languages 2013 -> Provisional Programme – subject to change thursday 10th april 2013 -> June, 2013 National hiv testing Day Month Men’s Health Week Hurricane Safety Month 2013 -> In memory of the residents of the Parish Chesham Bois that served their country during wwii 2013 -> Federal contract awards in georgia april 2013 Download 142.55 Kb. Share with your friends:
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