January 2018 Newsletter

Christmas is just about in the rear-view mirror now, maybe a few last minute gifts to get, plans on

who exactly is bringing what to dinner, but overall, hopefully you have things pretty well set at this

point. So all that is left is to take care of those last minute details, enjoy the day, and then Christmas

is over: gifts opened, parties done, guests sent home. You made it through for another year.

It may not seem like it, but Christmas is more than just one day a year; Christmas is a season,

twelve days to be exact, running from December 25th until January 5th. (This is where the title to

Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night comes from.) During that time, we are to celebrate Christ’s birth

in Bethlehem, the news that came to the shepherds, the miracle of that life, and the joy which it

brings.

But then on January 6th, we move right on to the next season, Epiphany, which marks the arrival of

the magi. These astrologers from the east, likely modern day Iran, arrived in Bethlehem after much

searching, a year or two after Jesus was born. It’s amazing to think that the only way that they were

able to find this child was the guiding light of a star which dictated their lives for years. When they

saw the child, they were amazed that they had finally found the One who they had sought for so

long. In greeting the Christ, they brought precious gifts: gold, frankincense, & myrrh, representing

his life to come. When the time came for them to return home, they left by a different route.

For us, the Sunday closest to Epiphany lines up with the first Sunday of the New Year. In celebra-

tion of both Epiphany and the beginning of a new year, we will start a new tradition at Living Hope:

Epiphany Stars. During communion, when you come forward to receive the bread and juice, you

will also be offered an Epiphany Star. These are simple paper stars with words of spiritual

disciplines on them to use as a guide for the coming year. The invitation to you will be to use that

word as a way to orient yourself towards God for the coming year, giving you a potential guiding

light for every day of 2018. The church that my grandparents attended did this every year and my

grandma would always put her star on the mirror of her dresser as a way to remind her to practice

that discipline every day as a way to see Jesus. And maybe that Epiphany Star will allow you to

encounter Christ in a new way so that, like the magi, may approach the world differently.

Merry Christmas, Blessed Epiphany, and a Happy New Year!

In Christ,

.

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Please continue to give canned

and boxed goods for the two food

pantries we support.

Donations are taken year round.

Larry Under the Bridge January 21, 2018

Please sign up to pack or deliver lunches for our January

Meal Packing on the Congregational Life bulletin board.

Because of your generosity, we were able to purchase

supplies for lunches from your donations for 2017.

THANK YOU!

Christmas Joy Offering—Celebrating God’s Indescribable Gift

Collection Dec. 24, 2017– Jan. 7, 2018

Every year during this time, we turn our eyes toward Bethlehem and anticipate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Through him we receive the indescribable gift of God’s grace. This year, we take time during the Advent and

Christmas season to consider the gratitude we feel. It’s out of this gratitude that we turn to support church

leaders who dedicate their lives in service to Christ and the church. It’s out of youthful wonder that students

at Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and colleges look forward to a life of faith, worship, and

Christian leadership.

With Christ at the center this holiday season, we can follow in his example of servant leadership by serving

our brothers and sisters in faith. Through the Christmas Joy Offering, we are able to support those in our

community and give them the gift of hope. Funds from the Christmas Joy Offering help the Assistance

Program of the Board of Pensions provide critical financial assistance to eligible workers in the Presbyterian

Church (U.S.A.) and their families, and to qualifying retired church workers and their families.

The Christmas Joy Offering also supports the education and development of our future leaders at

Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and colleges. These schools are dedicated to creating opportunities

and environments for racial ethnic students built on a foundation of Christian values. The Offering benefits

Menaul School and Presbyterian Pan American School, two secondary schools that ready students for a path

of higher learning, as well as Stillman College, where graduates are prepared for lives of leadership and

service.

By giving to the Christmas Joy Offering, we can share in the hope of Christ and celebrate his leadership by

providing support to our church workers, racial ethnic young people, and their families. Thank you for your

generosity in donating.

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Women’s Association

Thank you, Living Hope Members and Friends, for supporting the Thank Offer-

ing. $1,195 was collected, and sent to the national Thank Offering collection,

providing assistance to many.

Thank you to all who helped make the Living Hope/Dickson Hollow Christmas

Celebration a joyous time of celebration. Thanks to our bakers, caterer, Dickson Hollow per-

formers: flutist Kendall with Mary Dalton, and Leroy on the accordion, DH beverage waiters:

Walt, Dave and Ray, planners and assistants.

Your donations to The Toy Store at Christ Church, Milwaukee, (50 toys and $225 purchased

scarves, hats, and mittens) made Christmas a happier a warmer time for many children

Circles are reconvening with Naomi Circle meeting on January 8 at 10:00 a.m. at Kathy

Mathews', and Martha Circle meeting on January 9 at 12:30 p.m. at Living Hope PC.

Our church is always very generous when we are asked to give to the special offerings through-

out the church year [One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost, Peacemaking, PW Thank Offering

and Christmas Joy]. The Per Capita Apportionment is a little different in that every church is

required to pay its fair share in full each year to the denomination, Presbyterian Church (USA)

to maintain our relationship with the larger church.

This offering is based upon the number of members on our church rolls at the end of the prior

year (in our case, 94) and is essentially a cost of being members in the Presbyterian Church

(USA). Just as we are a community in Christ, we also are a part of the larger church community

and we help to support that larger community with our per capita offering.

This year’s Per Capita, $34.00 (an increase

from 2017) is really a small price to pay

for membership in the national church

organization that provides so much support

to our congregation.

At LHPC we ask our members to help offset

the cost by contributing their individual per capita offering over and above their regular pledge.

The more members who contribute their per capita payment the more money is available to

cover other costs in our church budget.

A special envelope is included with your special offering envelopes for your use. Parents --

remember that all confirmed youth are members too, even if they are away at college or on their

own, if they have not transferred their membership to another church.

The per capita apportionment for 2017 is:

General Assembly $ 7.73

Synod $ 5.40

Presbytery of Milwaukee $20.87

total $34.00

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Did we miss your birthday or

anniversary? Please let the office

know so we can update our files.

Christian Education Connection

Kids’ Sunday School class meets every other Sunday at 8:45 AM in the Learning Center.

This Month: January 7 and 21

Teachers, Teacher Assistants and Snack Providers are always needed. Please sign up on

the bulletin board in the Congregational Life Hallway.

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We are a connectional church… connected in faith to God—Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Jesus taught

us that prayer connects us to the Divine… and to each other.

Each month we list our faith community. Every family has a date when we ask you to hold them

1. Marjorie Gauen

2. Emmy Gedeit

3. Arleen Goranson

4. Majd Hanna, Nour Ajami, Timothy and

Christian

5. Larry and Marge Harris

6. Mitz Holley

7. Bernie and Judy Huizenga

8. Hazel Hurum

9. Bob Hutchings

10. Barry and Thelma James

11. Goldie and Ray Jones

12. Joan Junek

13. Peter and Harriet Kirchhoff

14. Amanda and Paul Lavoe, Ziva, Zion, and

Zach

15. Curtis MacDonald

16. Kathy Mathews

17. Char Mattson

18. Ginny Maurer

19. Anne Melvin-Rood, Kip Rood, Catherine

and James

20. Pat Mitschrich

21. Nancy Molstad

22. Paula Moore

23. Priscilla Nealey

24. Don Olson

25. Jim and Bette Olson

26. Bruce and Kris Parker

27. Mike & Jenni, John, Sam, and Scott Parnon

28. Monica Partenfelder, Olivia, Campbell and

Mack Partenfelder

29. Scott Partenfelder

30. Bill and Pat Perkins

31. Ray and Arlene Petersen

January Calendar

January

Family

Prayer Calendar

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

31 10 AM Worship 11 AM Fellowship

1 January No Bible Study

2 3 8:30-12:30

Office Open

4 5 8:30-3:30 Office

Open 11 AM Morning

Prayers

6

7

8:45 AM Sunday

School 10 AM Worship 11 AM Fellowship 11:15 Mission

Meeting

8 9:30 AM Bible Study 10:00 AM Naomi

Circle at Kathy Mathews’ home

9 8:00 Collaboration

Meeting 12:30 PM Martha

Circle at LHPC

10

.

11

12

11 AM Morning Prayers

13

14 10 AM Worship—

Installation of Officers

11 AM Fellowship 11:15 AM Deacons

15

9:30 AM Bible Study 10:30 AM Worship

Committee 8:30-3 Office Hours

16 8:30-1 Office

Hours

17

18

19

8:30-1 Office

Hours 11 AM Morning

Prayers

20

21

8:45 AM Sunday

School 10 AM Worship 11 AM Fellowship 11:30 LUTB 11:30 Session

22 9:30 AM Bible Study

23

24

February Newsletter Deadline

25

26 11 AM Morning

Prayers

27

28 10 AM Worship 11 AM Fellowship

29 9:30 AM Bible Study

30

31

1 February

2 11 AM Morning

Prayers

3

Office Closed Sat Dec. 23—Tues Jan 2.

Open 10-12 on Friday morning, Dec 29.

Living Hope Presbyterian Church

New Office Hours Start this week:

M—8:30-3 Tu & F— 8:30-1

ANNUAL MEETING

after Worship

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Jan 7 Jan 14 Jan 21 Jan 28

Communion

Servers

Joe Fresch*

Marcia Sinner

Nancy Molstad

Peggy Waterman

Kathryn Fresch

Liturgist

Fellowship

Hosts

Don and Peggy

Waterman Steve and Marcia Sinner

Dan, Allison, and

Christine Brankle Barry and Thelma James

Counters Joan Junek

Ginny Maurer

Steve Sinner

Kathy Mathews

Dan Brankle

Dave Stephan

Don Waterman

Judy Bauer

Sunday School Marcia Sinner Marcia Sinner

Welcome Host/

Lock up Karen Stephan Karen Stephan Ann Tennyson Ann Tennyson

Ushers

Keith Pierce

Karl Bertram

Barry James

Tom Tennyson

Ann Tennyson

Don Waterman

Tom Tennyson

Ann Tennyson

Don Waterman

Ken DeBoer

Diane DeBoer

MONDAY BIBLE STUDY GROUP

Bible Study meets Monday mornings at 9:30 AM

in the Brookfield Room You are invited to join us!!

The passages we study are the scripture passages

for each upcoming Sunday. Even if you cannot

attend our study group, you are invited to read

through the passages prior to worship in your

preparing for worship.

Lesson Date and Passages: For Sunday:

1/8 Genesis 1:1-5; Mark 1:4-11 1/14

1/15 Mark 1:14-20; Jonah 3:1-4:11 1/21

1/22 Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Mark 1:21-28 1/28

1/29 Isaiah 40:21-31; Mark 1:29-39 2/4

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LIVING HOPE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH W156 N4881 Pilgrim Road, Menomonee Falls WI 53051

Office hours: Mon and Wed 8:30-12:30, Fri 8:30-3:30

www.LivingHopePCUSA.org

Transitional Pastor: Rev. Will Houts Email: Pastor@LivingHopePCUSA.org

Office: (262) 599-8340 Cell: (262) 949-1830

Administrative Assistant: Lisa Quinn Email: Office@LivingHopePCUSA.org

Office: (262) 599-8341

Clerk of Session: Kathryn Fresch

Director of Music: Dr. Wallace Cheatham

Session Members

Judy Bauer, Joe Fresch, Kathryn Fresch, Curtis MacDonald, Nancy Molstad, Keith Pierce, Eileen Pierce,

Marcia Sinner, Steve Sinner, Tom Tennyson

Deacon Members (designated last names)

(A-B) - Julie Courtney (G-K) - Kris Parker (P-R) - Peggy Waterman– Moderator

(C-F) - Karen Stephan (L-O) - Ann Tennyson (S-Z) - Julie Camp

Winter Weather and Worship at LHPC

Our current policy for cancelling worship

service due to weather is that worship

will go on no matter the weather.

Everyone is advised to use their judgement

and only drive to church if they can

SAFELY make it.

Annual Reports Reports due: January 10, 2018

Reports available: starting January 21, 2018

Annual Meeting Sunday, January 28th, 2018

immediately following worship.