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Newsletter: 12-2017 Newsletter
Calendar: 12 – Calendar
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Dear Peace family,
Are you ready for the precious time you will spend with your family this Christmas?
In the past I have had visions glorious of coming family time during Christmas. I imagined gifts perfectly wrapped and a Christmas dinner made with little stress. This picture included ample time for relaxation and calm discussion. “How awesome and perfect it will be!” I thought to myself.
Christmas has rarely met my expectations and visions of perfection. Gifts are rashly purchased and wrapped. Dinner is stressful and the many dishes are waiting after the meal. And yes, calm discussion is rare. Discussion all too naturally goes to politics and religion causing an iciness that does not thaw in enough time.
At a time that we should be celebrating Jesus’ birth, we are all too often consumed with stress…stress caused by family time!
During the Advent season, we will be taking a look at some special families connected to Jesus’ birth. Some of the issues these families faced were fertility issues, hopelessness, loss, misunderstandings and death. Yes, people like Joseph, Mary, Zechariah and Elizabeth experienced these stressors.
You can prepare for each of these messages by reading the Scripture passage ahead of time and thinking about your own family circumstances. Here is the plan:
- December 3 Two Families (Luke 1:5-25)
- December 6 (Mid-week) Our Way (Luke 1:57-66)
- December 10 Christmas Program
- December 13 (Mid-week) A List! (Matthew 1:1-17)
- December 17 Open the Door (Matthew 1:18-20)
- December 20 (Mid-week) Whoever Takes the Son Gets It All
(Matthew 1:21-25)
I can imagine that Joseph and Mary had significant tension when Mary announced that she was pregnant. Mary was with child and the father was not Joseph’s. In the end, Joseph valued his family and chose to draw even closer to Mary and Jesus. What a special holy family it was!
I pray that each one of us can follow Joseph and Mary’s example as we share family time. Like Joseph and Mary, Jesus is with us—His presence is bringing us ultimate joy!
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Lucke
Bible Readings Series B
Dec. 3 – First S. in Advent
- Isaiah 64:1-9
- Psalm 80:1-7
- 1 Cor. 1:3-9
- Mark 11:1-10 or 13:24-37
Dec. 10 – Second S. in Advent
- Isaiah 40:1-11
- Psalm 85
- 2 Peter 3:8-14
- Mark 1:1-8
Dec. 17 – Third S. in Advent
- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
- Psalm 126
- 1 Thess. 5:16-24
- John 1:6-8, 19-28
Dec. 24 – Nativity of Our Lord
- Isaiah 7:10-14
- Psalm 110:1-4
- 1 John 4:7-16
- Matt 1:18-25
Dec. 31 – First S. after Christmas
- Isaiah 61:10-62:3
- Psalm 111
- 4:4-7
- Luke 2:22-40
Peace by the Numbers
Attendance
October 15 102
October 22 104
October 29 101
November 5 125
November 12 132
Connections Corner
with Joyce Long
Hello Peace Family,
Ok last month when I left you, it was as an infant. We talked about the physical needs and I think we all know about that. Even at that young age, we already needed to be with others socially. We found great joy when the people around us spent time with us, more than just feeding us and taking care of our needs. I heard this woman talking about going in an orphanage in another country and she said she went in a room with a lot of babies and they were really quiet. She said they didn’t even cry. When she asked about it she was told that they don’t cry because they know that no one would come to them, so they had given up. I don’t know about you, but I find that incredibly sad. To think that an infant, would have to live in a world where no one comes to comfort you or sit with you and make you laugh. That hard-wired need to connect socially and emotionally was not being met. I wonder what a child such as that would grow up to think of the world if they never had the chance to be attached to others. Studies have shown that children who come from neglect often have attachment disorders. The hard-wired process of connecting with others has gone horribly wrong. Even as little children, God wants to connect with us in a spiritual way as well. I have known some young people who have disabilities and are very child-like even as they grow up. When they are exposed to the Lord, their faith is simple and beautiful. They truly understand God’s love. Matthew 19:14 – but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
Lord, let us come to you and connect to you as a little child, as Your child.
…to be continued…Blessings Peace Family
Advent Devotions
Peace has special Advent devotions available for you and your family this year. Please pick one up on the table going into the sanctuary. The title of the devotions is “Together in Advent”. In week 1, we think about how we can both buy presents and be present for one another. We will ponder how to send peace as we send Christmas cards in week 2. In addition to sharing Christmas cookies, we contemplate ways to share joy with people around us during week 3. In week 4, we reflect on ways to wrap people in love in coordination with wrapping gifts for them. These Advent devotions will take us beyond our “to-do lists” by turning our attention toward witness and service in the name of the Christ Child, who came not to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.
Christmas & Gift Cards
We are encouraging the Peace family to continue to share cards and words of encouragement in the mailboxes in the Fellowship Hall. If you, however, have something with monetary value in a card or a gift, we are asking that you give it directly to the person. This ensures that gifts and monies make it directly to the person they were intended for in the first place. Thank you!
Vina Moses Tree
A Giving Tree will again be up at Peace in the narthex for Christmas. The Giving Tree represents our commitment to partner with Vina Moses in bringing Christmas gifts to families in need. Consider grabbing a tag from the tree, checking the gift idea list on the tree and purchasing a gift. Once you have done this, return your gift unwrapped and place it back under the tree. All the gifts will be collected by Vina Moses by the middle of December. These simple gifts go a long way in bringing smiles to families in need in our community. Thank you!
THANK YOU TO ALL!!
Not long ago I told the Congregation: “To meet our quota, for the Bazaar, we only had six hours to do it” (Plus a couple weekend hours).
But the rest of the story is: Behind the scenes takes countless hours. The Guild Ladies have donated many of these hours putting the Holiday Bazaar event together, and I am talking months (some all year).
I would like to send out a HUGE thank you to them for all their work and patience with me. Another thank you to the congregation along with the sentiment that I am completely overwhelmed by your talent and generosity!
The words “Thank You” seem inadequate to express my level of gratitude but please know it comes from the bottom of my heart!
~Jani Burton
Just a Reminder!
Due to the increased use of our Fellowship Hall,
please be sure to check with the office
IN ADVANCE
if you need to use the Fellowship Hall for an event.
We will coordinate the best we can.
PLEASE PLAN AHEAD!
Sunday School Students: We need YOU to participate in our annual Christmas program! Practices are always fun, we sing lots of Christmas carols, we practice our parts, and we always have snacks! Practices start promptly at 10 a.m. right after our Sunday School opening in the Sanctuary; so don’t be late, and be sure to attend all practices. We are counting on you to be there each Sunday as others are depending on you saying your lines. Please let us know if you have to miss a practice.
Also, please be thinking about prelude music–instruments you may want to play or songs you would like to sing.
Our schedule is as follows:
- Sunday, November 26 –Practice
- Sunday, December 3–Practice & Costumes given to students
- Sunday, December 10–Dress Rehearsal and Christmas program presented to the congregation.
If you have any questions, please see Colleen or Sally.
Advent & Holiday Worship Schedule
Advent 1 Wednesday, December 6 7:00pm
2nd Sun. in Advent Sunday, December 10 Children’s Christmas Program
Advent 2 Wednesday, December 13 7:00 PM
3rd Sun. in Advent Sunday, December 17 Usual Schedule
Advent 3 Wednesday, December 20 7:00 PM
Christmas Eve Sunday, December 24 10:00 AM Worship
7:00 PM Candlelight & Communion Service
Christmas Day Monday, December 25 NO SERVICES
New Year’s Eve Sunday, December 31 10:00 AM Worship
7:00 PM Candlelight & Communion Service
Just Some Extra Information:
Men’s Breakfast: Mark your calendar for December 2nd, time for the Men’s First Saturday Breakfast, yes so soon! We normally meet on the First Saturday of the month. No topic has been set. Remember coffee on at 8:00, breakfast served at 8:30 and a discussion from 9:00 – 10:00. Should you be interested in helping in the kitchen let me know, always looking for chef that enjoy getting up early. Questions call Oscar Gutbrod 541-231-3954
Recognizing a Stroke
Submitted by Joan McDonald
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify, but the faster a victim can get medical attention the easier it is to minimize the negative effects. Recently Joan McDonald submitted an article spelling out Four Easy ways for family, friends and bystanders to identify a person who may have had a stroke. These signs of a stroke can be remembered with the mnemonic F.A.S.T.
- F – Face: Ask the person to smile, is the smile “normal” or is it lopsided. Does one side of the person’s face look droopy
- A – Arms: Ask the person to raise their arms up. Can they get both arms up over their head? Does only one arm respond.
- S – Speech: Can the person repeat simple phrases (i.e. Chicken Soup) or answer a simple question. Can they form words?
- T – Time: If ANY of the above signs are abnormal for that person get them to the hospital
2017 Corvallis Christmas Parade!
November 24 at 7:00 PM
Downtown Corvallis
For more information visit downtowncorvallis.org
This year’s parade theme:
Rudolph Guides our Parade Tonight!
