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THE GOOD NEWS
December 2014
Christ
United Methodist Church
JOIN US AS WE WORSHIP OUR LORD!
Pastor Sandy Kraft
Office: 717/532-6850
Email:
Church : 717/532-6850
Office hours:
Monday-Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: Christ United Methodist,
Shippensburg
Web -www.christumcshipp.org
Christ United Methodist Church is committed to
the safety and well-being of our children and
vulnerable adults by
participating in Safe Sanctuaries.
Vision: To be inspired by God’s love to serve everyone.
Mission: To make disciples of Jesus Christ
for the transformation of the world.
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE The deadline for the January 2015 “Good
News” newsletter is Sunday, December
14. Please submit your articles to the
office by this date. The email address is
TRANSPORTATION TROUBLES? If you know of anyone in need of transporta-
tion to or from Worship service please con-
tact Steve VanDixon – 830-9510 or Bill Mor-
gan – 532-7519. We will make every attempt
to see this is not an obstacle for anyone wish-
ing to worship!
HERSHEY PARK FUND RAISING A fun way to support Christ UMC is by volun-
teering at Hershey Park. Each worker makes
$5.85 per hour, receives a ticket to the park-
valid for one year, and eats a meal. All the
money made is sent to the church to be used
by the church as specified by the individual
working. It is an easy and fun way to raise
money. Please for more specifics speak with
Annette (532-4545).
We at Christ UMC greatly appreciate the
generosity of M & T Bank and Orrstown Bank
for allowing us the use of their parking lots
during our Sunday morning worship services.
HELP OUT AT THE COMMUNITY MEALS
We are looking for volunteers to lead devo-
tions during the Community Meals on Saturday
mornings and Thursday evenings. If you feel
called to share a brief devotional or an inspir-
ing message of how Jesus Christ is working in
your life please see Steve VanDixon.
Each Sunday - 8:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Worship, 9:30 a.m. Sunday School
Church office hours - Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. As of November 26, 2014
Please contact Committee Chair before attending any meetings for actual date.
December 2014
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 7p Worship Committee
2 6:30p Finance Committee
3 6p Handbell Rehearsal
4 5 Church office closed 7p Movie Night— “The Nativity Story”
6 9-11a Clothing Bank with Breakfast
7 2nd Sunday of Advent
8 4p Ministry & Nurture Committee 6:30 Outreach Committee
9 10 6p Handbell Rehearsal
11 5:30p Community Meal
12 Church office closed
13 9-11a Clothing Bank with Breakfast
14 3rd Sunday of Advent Newsletter Items Due
15 16 17 6p Handbell Rehearsal
18
19 Church office closed
20 9-11a Clothing Bank with Breakfast 7p Christmas Cello Concert
21 8:30 Service in lower-level social hall 4th Sunday of Advent
22 6:30p Administra-tive Council
23 24 7:30p Christmas Eve Service
25 12 noon Meal at St Andrews Episcopal Church
26 Church office closed
27 9-11a Clothing Bank with Breakfast
28 29 30 31 Church office closed
Anniversaries!
December
15 - Frank & Rene Menton
31 - Mark & Beth Minnich
If your birth date and/or anniversary date do
not appear in the newsletter and you would like
it published, please contact the church office.
THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL Due to the possibility of inclement weather if there is an early school dismissal or
closing, the church will be closed and all activities for that evening are cancelled. If
there is inclement weather on a Sunday morning you may call the church and receive a
cancellation message, if there is one, from the answering machine or check the scroll-
ing cancellations on WNEP.
THE LIGHT HAS COME Scripture: Matthew 4:14-16
Star light, star bright,
Heavenly star this holy night.
Prophet’s word again is heard;
In The Light, my heart is stirred.
Dawn is nigh, cattle sigh;
We await the baby’s cry.
World believes; heart receives;
Hope is born this Christmas Eve.
Darkness, sadness, sin, and badness—
All are gone! We walk in gladness!
Jesus, shine, Light Divine!
Enter this poor life of mine.
Star light, star bright,
Guide us to our Lord this night.
Prayer:
Lord, on this holiest of nights,
open our eyes that
we may see the great light
of salvation.
Bring us out of the
shadow of our sin
and into the light of
rebirth. Guide us to
the manger where,
walking in The Light,
we may truly love
and be loved every day.
AMEN Dorina Saul 12/24/09
CHRISTMAS DAY MEAL St. Andrews Episcopal Church will
provided an afternoon meal on Decem-
ber 25, Christmas Day. The doors will
open at 11 a.m. and seating will begin at 11:45
a.m. The meal will be served from noon to 2 p.m.
All guest are asked to enter the front church
doors. Handicap guests may enter at the clois-
ter door. Seating is limited,
if needed there will be two
settings. One at noon, one at
1 p.m. Please call 532-8089 to
make your reservations.
DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE? Christ Church is seeking a dependable part-
time Director of Children’s Ministry to work
with elementary children, plan and organize
activities, ten hours/week. The church look
forward to increasing enrollment in youth and
children’s activities to bring them close to God.
Applicants must be at least 23 yrs. old, have
computer ability and experience working with
youth. Police clearances required. Send applica-
tion to Staff/Pastor/Parish Relations Commit-
tee (SPPRC) at 47 E. King St. Shbg. PA 17257
ADENT Each Sunday morning of Advent the lighting of the Advent Candle will take place.
The Christmas Eve Service
“A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.” This is the form our Christmas Eve worship will take this year
and is based on the service found on pages 284-288 in The United Methodist Book of Worship and used
with permission. The order of service was first composed in 1880 by E.W. Benson, then Anglican Bishop
of Truro, England and is based on ancient sources and intended to be used on Christmas Eve. Other addi-
tions to the service were added in 1918 and 1930. For many years
now on Christmas Day, WITF has broadcast the service from the
chapel at King’s College, Cambridge University. The form we will use
has been adapted for United Methodist congregations and will include solos and
our Handbell Choir.
If you haven’t attended this type of service before, it consists of nine scrip-
tural readings for the Christmas season alternating with nine Christmas hymns
or selected verses from those hymns. This should be a beautiful Christmas Eve
service, and we encourage you to invite friends and neighbors to attend.
November 30
First Sunday of Advent “Hope” - It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salva-tion of the Lord. -Lamentations 3:26
December 7
Second Sunday of Advent
“Peace” -Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. -Luke 2:14
December 14
Third Sunday of Advent
“Joy” -When they saw the star, the re-joiced with exceeding great joy.
–Matthew 2:10
December 20
7:00 p.m.—Christmas Cello
Concert -Rob Rohr
December 21 Fourth Sunday of Advent
“Love” - As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. -John 15:9
The 10:30 a.m. Worship Service will focus on a
"Love" theme this Advent morning. More than
two dozen musicians, singers and narrators will
share a message that adds a spiritual exclama-
tion point to the season. You will hear your fa-
vorite familiar carols and scriptures wrapped
in original narration and music arrangements.
We welcome all to share in this celebration of
Christ’s birth.
December 24
The Christmas Eve Service “A Festival of Lessons and Car-
ols.” A candlelight service of wor-
ship and celebration will include
solos and the Handbell Choir, held
at 7:30 p.m.
Advent/Christmas Schedule
UPCOMING EVENTS, ACTIVITIES & MINISTRIES AVAILABLE AT CHRIST UMC
Happy Birthday!
December 4 - Brandon Shuman
5 – Diane Willis
9 - Stacy Lynch
22– Tom Lynch
26 - Annette Shuman
28 - Janice Hockersmith
30 - Steve VanDixon
A TIME FOR GIVING A Christmas Giving Tree is located at the
back of the sanctuary There are paper orna-
ments with gift ideas (small & large) hanging
on the tree for, you, our congregation to con-
sider purchasing while out shopping with your
family and friends. These gifts will benefit
the United Method-
ist Home for Chil-
dren. Please do not
wrap the gifts.
There is a box lo-
cated in Hollar Hall
to place your dona-
tions in . Please con-
sider this worthy
cause to make the
holidays brighter
for the many less
fortunate children
living there.
2015 ALTAR FLOWERS If you would like to dedicate flowers for the
coming 2015 year please sign up on the flower
chart--on the bulletin board outside of Hollar
Hall. Dedications can celebrate a birthday,
anniversary, or other special day. They can
also be in memory of someone or "to the glory
of God." Please consider doing this!
GET THERE!! Come one, come all! To an exciting event
happening every Sunday at 9:30 am!
Sunday School!!! We would love
to see more friends.
GIVING
The 2015 Offering enve-
lopes will be available on
Sunday, December 28.
CHRISTMAS CELLO CONCERT -Rob Rohr
An exciting concert is coming your way on December 20 at 7:00 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church.
Take a break from the hustle-bustle on this evening and be inspired by Rob Rohr, a cello major. This is
Rob’s second Christmas concert that also features an ensemble including cello, violin, soloists, and two
amazing pianists. The music created by these young musicians will carry you away. Rob began cello lessons
with Beth Dickinson when he was in fourth grade. He continues his music studies at Shenandoah College
and plans on playing with a professional orchestra upon graduation. The concert is free and open to the
public.
BEAUTIFY THE SANCTUARY FOR CHRISTMAS This year you will have
the opportunity to pur-
chase a poinsettia for in
honor or memory of a
loved one. There are two
options of color, a red or
white poinsettia. Cost is $7.00 for
each. Please call the church office, 532-
6850, if interested in ordering a poinsettia
ORDERING DEADLINE: December 7, 2014
From the Pastors’ Desk
There is a beautiful story of Jesus’ birth out – “The Nativity Story”. It’s been out for
several years now and I’ll admit that when I first heard about it I was not impressed. I
thought this was just another film turning a sacred religious story into something cheap
and sensational. But of course you can’t miss seeing the reviews, and something in them
caught my attention. The writer states that the film did an excellent job of portraying
what Mary would have gone through as a young girl in that culture who was unwed and ex-
pecting a child.
Something about that statement caused me to pause. I realized I had never really given
Mary’s difficulties a second thought. So wrapped up in the story itself, and knowing the
conclusion, I tended to gloss over the difficult parts. It was like the Christmas season
itself had become – all glitter and no actual content. Indeed, it was true that the birth
involved human suffering and great personal sacrifice.
Sometimes in our faith journey we forget that this isn’t all glitter - going to church, giv-
ing gifts to the needy, putting up a nativity scene at our home. Our faith involves real
sacrifice. It involves moving out of our comfort zone and standing up for what we believe.
That can mean being candid and telling our story if someone in the work place asks us. It
can mean being considered odd and losing a social group at school. It can mean inviting
neighbors you don’t know to church and being rejected. Whatever the case, at some point
our faith is going to call for sacrifice.
This year let’s use Mary as our example. Let’s think about the sacrifice she made in the
relationship with the man she loved, in the relationship with her family and her village.
Let’s vow to be as willing as Mary to stand up for our faith, no matter where that takes
us!
The Nativity Story – Friday night, December
5th at 7:00 pm, we will be showing “The Nativity
Story – The Journey of a Lifetime, a Story for
All Time” at the church. This is a movie for all
ages so bring your whole family and start the
season with a beautiful re-telling of the Christ-
mas story.
Pastor Sandy