Share. Grow. Serve.

Zion Lutheran Church, Middletown, MD

Advent, p. 2-5

Christmas Eve

Worship

Services, p. 3

Blue

Christmas p. 4

Quilter News

p. 6

Message from

The Bishop

p. 7

Christmas In

the Valley, p. 9

Youth News, p.

8-11

I Was

Wondering

p. 12

Altar Guild

News p. 12

Winter 2017

Music

Schedule

P. 18

LWR Orders,

p. 19

Advent Special Events

December 2—Christmas in the Valley 7:00 p.m.

December 6—Advent mid-week meal 6p.m. and service 7 p.m.

December 8—Advent Family Event 6 p.m.

December 13—Advent midweek meal 6 p.m. and service 7 p.m.

December 17 - Young Adults and Families Christmas Gathering (Time and Place TBD)

December 20 - Blue Christmas Service 7 p.m.

December 22 - Christmas Caroling 6 p.m. -8 p.m.

December 24 - Christmas Eve services 10:00 a.m. 4:30, 7:00, and 10:30 p.m.

Congregational Town Hall Meetings will be held on: January 17th at 7 p.m. and January 20th at 4:30 p.m. Our Annual Congregational Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 28, 2018 following the 11 a.m. Service.

Christmas in the Valley Saturday Dec 2 7:00p.m. Please contact Jim Hoover at 301-371-6500 or jhover@zionmiddletown.org for more information see p.9

Our Saturday night worship service on Dec. 2 will take place at 5:00 p.m.

Advent Family Event December 8 see p. 2

Christmas Eve

Worship

Services See page 3 for

details...

Join us this Advent. Our Mid-Week Meal

and Worship will be held on Wednesdays,

December 6, 13. Dinner will

begin at 6:00 p.m. followed

by

Worship at 7:00 p.m.

See page 5 for more information...

2

On December 8th, Zion will be

hosting an Advent Event! We will

begin with dinner (pizza provided

by Ilforno) and fellowship at 6:00

p.m. After we eat, there will be a

family scavenger hunt (the first family to complete their

“Advent Passport” will win a prize!)

We will have stations to make Christmas ornaments,

Chrismon ornaments for the trees in the Sanctuary, a cookie

decorating station.

This event is open to EVERYONE!

Feel free to invite your friends!

In order to make a variety of

ornaments, we are asking for

donations of supplies:

Paper Towel & Toilet Paper

Tubes

Buttons (Small)

Battery Operated tea lights

Clear glass ornaments

Glitter Glue (Any Color)

Candy Canes (Full Size)

Orange Foam Sheets

Mini Marshmallows

For Cookie Decorating:

Icing and Gels

Sprinkles & Assorted Candies

Frosting

3

Christmas Eve Worship

Services:

10:00 a.m.: 4th Sunday in

Advent Worship

4:30 p.m.: Family Service

Carols & candle lighting and service

for family and children.

7:00 p.m.: Candlelight,

Lessons & Carols

A service of Holy Communion -

musical prelude begins at 6:45 p.m.

10:30 p.m.: Candlelight,

Lessons & Carols

A service of Holy Communion -

special Christmas music begins at

10:15 p.m. and includes brass, hand

bells, choirs and orchestra.

4

Sundays in Advent

Hope, Peace, Joy, Love! On Sunday, December 3rd, we light the first candle on the Advent Wreath with our hearts and minds turned to hope. We continue through the season with peace, joy and love. As we anticipate the celebration of Christmas with the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we are reminded of these gifts that shine as beacons in a world of despair, war, sorrow and hate.

5

For God so loved the world that he gave his one

and only Son, that

whoever believes in him shall not perish but have

eternal life.

John 3:16 NIV

Wednesdays in Advent—The gifts of Advent

Mid-Week Worship Opportunity-- The Gifts of Advent

A gift is given freely and offered in love.

In the weeks before Christmas, we often

race around finding just the right gifts for

friends and family. The season of Advent

is itself a gift—a time set apart to prepare

our hearts for the coming of Christ. We

give thanks for God’s gift to us in the

baby of Bethlehem.

You are invited to a 45 minute Mid-Week Worship experience that in-

cludes the gift of Holy Communion.

Wednesday December 6: The Gift of Patience

Wednesday December 13: The Gift of Hope

The worship service begins at 7 p.m. Come early for dinner. Food will be served at 6 p.m. Children’s choir with activities begins at 7 p.m.

6

Zion Quilter News

Zion quilters wanted to do a service project for the One God-Our Hands event at church. We de-cided we wanted to help veterans, so we made 100+ pillowcases that were delivered to the Mar-tinsburg VA home around 2 weeks ago. At the One God-Our Hands event here at Zion we decided to use the assembly line method. Some of the ladies measured and cut, some ladies sewed and we were even able to corral several members to iron them throughout the process. We contin-ued to work till after 4:00 p.m. The next couple Tuesdays we continued to make more pillow-cases. The fabric was donated by the various quilters. Also taken to the VA home was a number of lap robes that were done in patriotic colors. The coordinator at VA was most appreciative. He said that there were a number of patients that never have anyone visit, and they receive nothing in the mail. Last year we made pillowcases for the children at the University of MD hospital cancer center. Both endeavors were found to be heartwarming and rewarding.

Quilters: Alexa Masser, Diane Shafer, Sharon Thomas, Pam Gleason, Jeanne Mauro, Roberta Harper, Liz Kurtz, Pat Hansen, Debbie Smith, Ruby Pyles, Evelyn Vollmer

Anyone interested in learning to quilt or to sew are welcome on Tue mornings 9 – 2 in the social room. All are welcome.

Alexa M. Masser

Zion’s Operation Christmas Child a Huge success!

The People of Zion have shown 254 children the generosity in their hearts and their love of God’s children

in donating Christmas Shoeboxes for children around the world.

This was another wonderful effort of collecting boxes as in previous years, and all are to be commended. A

special thanks goes out to Linda Huckleberry and Connie Ahalt who did a wonderful job of heading up

Zion’s efforts in Operation Christmas Child.

We also want to mention all those who helped load up the vehicles to transport the boxes for shipment. (It took many loads!)

Merry Christmas to all who participated!

7

Down in a lonely manger, the humble Christ was born; and God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn!

My beloved, all:

Christmas is a time of joyous surprise as we receive God’s gift of hope yet again. The darkness, though threatening, has not over-whelmed us. In bread and cup, body and blood, the gift of Christ comes given and shed for you, for me and for all. In a simple, al-most hidden way, hope breaks into our hearts, our lives and our world anew.

The joy of such a simple, subtle surprise stands in stark contrast to the let-down experienced by so many of us. Gail Ramshaw once put it succinctly: “Santa Claus promised us perpetual happiness, a mythic family gathering, mounds of toys, all of our heart’s desires. But it didn’t happen. Heaven didn’t establish itself in my living room this year. We got sick on the eggnog...”

Because Christmas is for so many a painful time, a season of disappointment and lone-liness, it is important for the church’s celebrations and holy day observances to be dif-ferent.

Let this season of hope be a time of telling the truth in love. Let it be a time to center our lives in prayer, the Word made flesh, a holy communion with God and neighbor. Let us remind one another, that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is born among us, still the ruler yet. Let us receive the gift; and be in Christ, gift to one another and the world.

Praying with you that our days and our deeds in this Christmas season and throughout 2018 will be marked with peace. I am grateful for the privilege of serving Christ with the Pastors, Deacons and Lay Leaders of our Delaware-Maryland Synod; may we wit-ness faithfully to the love of God in Jesus Christ, our Emmanuel.

...Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and ev’rywhere; go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!

The Rev. William (Bill) Gohl, Jr., Bishop

Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCA

8

Cost: $20/Child Checks payable to Zion Lutheran. **Due to dietary concerns children must bring their own bagged lunch as no lunch will be provided.**

RSVP: Advanced sign-ups are REQUIRED by January 8th for this event because we

will be traveling off-site to Ski Liberty for snow tubing.

Kids might get a little messy and we may be outside. Be sure to send them in weather appropriate clothes and warm boots.

Forms can be found on the youth bulletin board, on our webpage, or by calling the church office at 301-371-6500, or office@zionmiddletown.org.

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH

DAY OFF PROGRAM

Zion is offering day programs for elementary aged children (K-5) on certain days FCPS schools are closed. Join us for structured games, crafts and other activities.

Please return forms and money to: Zion Lutheran Church

Attn: Day Off Program Director 107 West Main Street

Middletown, MD 21769

Please make your checks payable to Zion Lutheran Church.

Who: Elementary School aged (K-5th Grades)

Who else: YOUR FRIENDS!

When: January 15, 2018

Time: 9:00 a.m. —3:00 p.m.

Join us for Snow Tubing at Ski Liberty!

Mark your calendar for these up-

coming Day off Program Dates:

February 19th - April 10th

9

Christmas in the Valley

Join us in celebrating the be-ginning of the holiday season

at Middletown’s annual Christmas in the Valley celebration, Saturday

December, 2, at 7:00 p.m.

Volunteers are needed to “Share Christ’s Love” with hospitality for the

program here at the church.

We need approximately 4 more adults to help with this event. Please contact Jim Hoover at

301-371-6500, or jhoover@zionmiddletown.org if you are interested in helping (volunteers need to arrive at

7:00 p.m.).

Venture Crew Wants You!

Do you want to get

out and experience

high adventure ac-

tivities with kids

your age? Venture

Crew 121 is a co-ed scout unit that

does just that. We’ve backpacked the

Appalachian Trail and through moun-

tains in New Mexico. We’ve paddled

through the boundary waters in Can-

ada. We’ve sailed the Florida Keys.

We white water raft at Ohiopyle, PA.

We do service projects at Zion and

around Middletown. We ski. We

shoot. We eat ice cream, lots of ice

cream.

The crew is open to boys and girls age

14 through 21. We meet in the Zion

youth house on the first and third

Sunday of each month from 6:30 p.m.

to 8:00 p.m. We also meet for activi-

ties at other times during the month,

generally meeting at the youth house

to depart. Please contact the crew

advisor, Mr. Phillip Ramsey, for more

information.

(phillipramsey@comcast.net, cell:(858)

213-4991). Come Join us!

10

Safe House Schedule for December 2017 & January 2018 On November 30, the youth and volunteers from Safe House will decorate Cone Branch Park to help Middletown get ready for the Holiday Season. Lights and decorations will start the celebration of the Christmas season and

holidays for all. As you travel on Main Street, take a look at the decora-tions! In December, Safe House will make hand-made Christmas cards to take to homebound Zion members. During another Safe House, Christmas cookies will be baked, decorated, and brought home to share with families.

December Safe House Dates 3:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Thursdays in December: 7, 14, 21

January Safe House Dates 3:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Thursdays in January: 4, 11, 18, 25

Children’s Choir for the Holidays

Come join in the fun as we begin preparing for the Holiday Sea-

son. Practices for Children's Choir and Children's hand-bell

choir will be held on Sunday's after Sunday School (11 a.m.) and on

two Wednesday Evenings during Advent at 7 p.m. (Dec. 6, Dec.

13). Wednesday nights will be a seasonal event for children, including a craft and

small devotion. Please call Dana 240-344-2999 or email sanctuarymuch@msn.com if

you have any questions. All are welcome

11

January 19-21, 2018 Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel, Ocean

City, Maryland

All High School youth are invited for a week-end of service projects, faith-filled discus-

sions, and relationship-building in small groups.

RoadTrip includes workshops and network-

ing for adults, as well as opportunities to worship with brothers and sisters in Christ from

throughout our synod. Come make new friends and renew friendships

with attendees from throughout our synod!

You’re invited to learn how God is speaking to and through you

– to the world.

Please contact wendik@zionmiddletown.org or

treasurer@zionmiddletown.org for details!

2018 Dates

January 26th

February 23rd

March 30th

April 27th - May 25th - August 31st

September 28th - October 26th

November 30th - December 21st

12

I was Wondering

Where do we stand in our fundraising efforts for Historic Preservation?

13

Altar Guild News The last day to turn in poinsettia orders was Monday, November 27. No orders after that

day as we have to give our total number to our supplier on November 28.

Donations for LWR gifts will be accepted through December 11 (this allows time to pre-

pare the listing to be inserted in the Christmas Eve bulletins). Order forms are also outside

the church office and may be placed in the Altar Guild mailbox.

Altar Guild members, please stop by the Altar Guild Room beginning December 9-10 to pick up names of homebound members for poinsettia delivery.

The 2018 Flower Chart is now posted outside the Living Library. Please sign up if you

would like to provide altar flowers next year. As always, we are thankful for all those indi-

viduals and families who donated flowers this year.

The Altar Guild will be trimming the church on Tuesday, November 28, at 9:00 a.m. We

will put up pew candles on Saturday, December 16, as well as arrange the poinsettias in

the church. We will be taking the Christmas decorations down on January 2, 2018 at

9:00 a.m.

Altar Guild members, as well as family members, may pick up poinsettias donated for

homebound members after the 10:30 p.m. Christmas Eve service. All others who ordered

poinsettias and plan to pick them up may also pick them up any time after the 10:30 p.m.

Christmas Eve service.

The next Altar Guild meeting is scheduled for Saturday, January 13, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. in

the Conference Room. Members are encouraged to attend. There will be a lunch after

the meeting at Schroyer’s Tavern, 11:30 a.m. The snow date will be January 20, 2018.

Anyone who is interested in any of the above activities is invited to participate. The Altar

Guild is in need of new members. Please stop by the Altar Guild Room after Sunday morn-

ing services to talk to an Altar Guild member regarding how you may be able to serve or

contact Shirley Ferguson at 301-662-7775 or sferguson12@comcast.net.

14

Valley Seniors and Friends Lunches & Fellowship

Thursday: December 7

There will be no Luncheon on December 21

11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Cost: $6 per person. Reserve your meal! Please call Terry Shafer, 301-371-

8837, by the Monday before the luncheon to reserve your meal.

Lunches will resume on March 1, 2018

Hope in Faith

If you have experienced a loss recently or at any time in your life, please know that you are welcome to attend. Contact Greta, 301-371-7706, or Dixie, 301-371-4232, for more in-formation. We meet on the last Monday of the month at 2:45 pm. in the rear parking lot. We will be dining at the Mountainview Diner. The next meeting will be held on January 29th. We won’t be meeting in Dec.

Surprise and Honor Our Homebound This Christmas

Is your family able to set aside a short time to bring Christmas cheer to one of our homebound members?

Select an ornament and card from the basket in the Sanctuary windowsill…

Each card has a homebound member’s name and address on the back. Set a time to stop by for a brief visit to bring your Christmas cheer and ornament. Our homebound would enjoy your visit as you Share Christ’s Love - One Generation to Another! (If the person does not answer the door you can leave it at the door - be sure to write a personal greeting with your names!)

Ornaments will be available on the weekend of December 9th and 10th. You can take more than one card/ornament and visit other home-bound members.

HOME ALONE!

A lot of men & women live alone. Some

older and some not. The one thing they

all have in common is that when you live

alone and if you should fall, who will

know; how will you get help? Even if

your family lives close by that does not

necessarily mean they are going to

call or see you every day. I feel that

everyone that lives alone should have

a cell phone that they carry in their

pocket at all times or wear a medical

alert. I know you don't think it will hap-

pen to you, but it could. It has happened

to people I know. Think about this and

put the cell phone in your pocket at all

times or look into getting a medical alert.

~Rosella Wilson

Visitation Ministries

15

We remembered those

who died

this past year...

Camille Acevedo

David Babington

Doris Bidle

Nancy Bidle

Viola Blickenstaff

Barbara Bolard

Doris Brown

Bob Buchanan

Gina Cumberland

Richard Douglass

George Dulebohn

Kevin Elkins

Jack Emhoff

Martha Emhoff

Constance Fitzsimmons

Harry Gorman

Daniel Harrison

Pat Hendricks

Hank House

Irma Howard

Greta Huffer

Terry Irgens

Todd Kinna

Gloria Wiles

Annette Goodman

Scott Kishimoto

Otho Kretzer

Joyce Leggett

Jean Lloyd

Les Long

D Arline McIntosh

Mabel Pearl

Jennifer Pierce

Donald Plunkard

Esther Poffinberger

Dennis Reese

Jenny Reichelt

Betty Renn

Arthur Rhoderick

Naomi Root

Bruce Seboda

Kate Smith

Karen Sullivan

Bob Szeyller

Clarence Thomas

Bill Thompson

Pastor Don Turley

Don Wilderotter

Joe Wilson

16

Best Wishes on the Marriage of:

Michelle Wilson and Justin

Crowder on November 11th

Carissa Doody and Mathew Adams on October 14th

Clothes Closet News:

October and the first few weeks of November have been a very busy time at the Closet. We have seen an increase in the number of clients we are serving each week and our volunteers have been busy sorting and keeping the shelves full.

Needs: Winter coats, hats, gloves, fleece and sweaters. We are still in need of men's pants, kids clothes and always appreciate shoes of all sizes.

Open Saturdays from 9a.m.—11a.m.

Advent Family Gathering: December 3

Join us for a wonderful afternoon of crafts, wreath making, hot

chocolate and a camp-fire. All are welcome!

Agape Hall 1-4 pm. RSVP: mlr@mar-lu-ridge.org

Mar-Lu-Ridge 2018 Summer Camp

Registration opens January 1, and the Early Bird discount goes until Feb.

18. You can save $35 off the cost of any residential program (not Day Camp). http://www.mar-lu-

ridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2018-MLR-

Brochure.pdf

http://www.mar-lu-ridge.org/camp/schedules-fees/

For more information call the church office at 301-371-6500 or contact Mar-Lu-Ridge at mrl@mar-lu-ridge.org

Don’t forget to take advantage

of Zion’s Church Camp Cost

Assistance Program!

Zion will pay 50% of the Camps cost

up to $200! Call the Church office

for more information

17

Middletown Food Bank All canned items are needed, especially pork & beans, pasta, canned fruits and vegetables,

toilet paper, shampoo, deodorant, and other personal items. Please give whatever you can; place items in cart located in hall.

Dear Zion– Many, many thanks for your recent generous donations to-ward the Backpack Ministry Program. Your gifts go a long way towards pro-viding supplies for this program. Again, thank you! ~The Weekend Backpack Food Program

Charles Palmer celebrated his

101st birthday on

October 24th.

Adopt A Family at Christmas

Middletown Valley People Helping People will be collecting and distrib-uting Christmas presents for fami-lies in need.

Deliver your gifts UNWRAPPED to Middletown United Method-ist Church (MUMC) on Wednesday, December 6, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Families will pick up gifts on

December 9th.)

For more information on adopting a family please contact

Donna Jean Brandenburg at 301-371-5139and leave a clear mes-sage. If you need Christmas help call 301-371-3119 and leave a clear

With our deepest sympathy we keep in our thoughts and prayers the

family and friends of the recently departed:

Betty Renn David Babington Dr. Robert Fulton Tom McDermott Gloria Wiles Annette Goodman

Evangelical Lutheran Church Zion,

We are very thankful to your church for the $1600 and $500 donations. Your support will help the local

community in so many ways which may be impossible without

your help. Just think of the of the smiles of many children’s faces on Christmas

morning. You put them there! Sincerely, Diane Zepp

Corresponding Secretary

18

Zion Lutheran Music & Liturgical Dance Calendar

Winter 2017-2018 Rehearsal & Program Schedule

CHILDREN’S CHOIR /CHILDREN’S HANDBELLS: pre-K thru grade 5

rehearses every Sunday, 10:50 - 11:20 a.m. lower level of sanctuary

Programs: select Sunday mornings through the year (See Director, Dana Lichtenberger)

HANDBELL CHOIR: grade 6 thru adult, every other Tuesday, 6:45 p.m. (new) - 7:45

p.m. Rehearsal dates: Dec. 5, 19 music room Programs: Sun., Sun., Dec. 24, 10:30 p.m.

Christmas Eve (See Director, Jim Dent)

LITURGICAL DANCE: rehearsal times/locations/programs to be announced

(See Director, Anna Beth Fowler)

ORCHESTRA: grade 6 thru adult, any orchestral instrument, reads 3 sharps/flats 7:30-

p.m.—8:15 p.m. Rehearsal dates: Nov. 30, Dec. 14, 19, 21 music room.

Programs: See Director, Jim Dent. Sun., Dec. 3, 11:00 a.m. 1st Sunday of Advent, Sun.,

Dec. 24, 10:30 p.m. Christmas Eve

RAINBOW CHOIR: adults sing at Advent worship (See Director, Jim Dent)

Rehearses 6:45 p.m. on Thursdays, Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14, 21 music room

Programs: Wed. Dec. 6, 13, 20, 7:00 p.m. Advent worship, Sun. Dec. 24, 7:00 p.m.

Christmas Eve

WORSHIP CHOIR: grade 9 thru adult, every Thursday, 7:15 - 8:45 p.m.

music room Ministry on Sundays, 11:00 a.m. (See Director, Jim Dent)

WORSHIP TEAM: Rehearses every Wednesday, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. sanctuary

Contemporary Worship Music ministry on Sundays, 9:00 a.m.

(See Director, Matt Puziss)

YOUTH ENSEMBLE: grade 6 thru college, singing/playing techniques emphasized. Re-

hearses every Sunday, 10:50 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. music room

Programs: select Sunday mornings through the year (See Director, Jim Dent)

19

November Council Highlights including Zion Financial information is available on the piano in the

Chapel, and on the windowsills in the Sanctuary. Don’t miss our Town Hall Meetings on January 17th at 7 p.m.

and January 20th at 4:30 p.m.

Zion’s Congregational meeting is on January 28th at 1 p.m.

MONETARY GIFT IN MEMORY OR HONOR OF LOVED ONE (ALTERNATIVE TO POINSETTIA)

Zion is providing an opportunity to remember or honor a loved one with a monetary gift

to Lutheran World Relief (LWR)—an alternative to purchasing a poinsettia. All gifts will

be combined to make a purchase from the LWR gift catalog to help a family and/or a

community in need.

Members of the Altar Guild will be available to take donations the same days that the

poinsettia orders are taken, November 19-20, and November 26-27. Monetary gifts will

be accepted no later than December 11 by mailing the completed form below with a

check to Zion Lutheran Church, 107 West Main Street, Middletown, MD 21769. Please

mark your envelope “Monetary Gift for LWR”.

Monetary Gift for LWR (Alternative to Poinsettia)

Each gift is $8.50 Amount Enclosed $__________

In Memory of: In Honor of:

_________________________________*__________________________________

_________________________________*__________________________________

_________________________________*__________________________________

_________________________________*__________________________________

_________________________________*__________________________________

Given by ______________________________________________________________

20

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage PAID

Frederick, MD Permit No.

2205

Evangelical Lutheran Church Zion

107 W Main Street Middletown MD 21769

ZION BEACON Phone: 301-371-6500; FAX 301-371-8100

jhoover@zionmiddletown.org or office@zionmiddletown.org.

Are you or a family member celebrating a

milestone birthday or anniversary? Let us know and we will include it in the newsletter.

End of Year Contributions All contributions to be credited for 2017 need to be in the church office by 11 a.m.,

Thursday, January 4, 2018 and dated no later than Dec.31,2017. Statements will go out to

all members who contributed in 2017 by the end of January. If you have any questions, feel

free to contact Debbie Stup at financialsectretary@zionmiddletown.org,

or call 301-371-6500, x204.

End of Year Bills

Please turn in all bills for 2017 to the Treasurer's box by Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. If you

have any questions or concerns feel free to contact Deb Reichelt at

treasurer@zionmiddletown.org.