Advent Messenger 2012

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

BRYN MAWR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHMESSENGER

the NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2012 & JANUARY 2013

VOLUME 115 | ISSUE 1

Farewell Reception for the Rev. Dr. James Carter (page 2)An Evening with Anne Lamott (page 7)Special “Advent Giving” Section (pages 14-18)Advent and Christmas Schedule (back page)

For many of us, the coming festivals and festivities make these months our favorite time of the year. This year the festivals of All Saints and Thanksgiving and the preparations of Advent leading to the joyous days of Christmas carry heightened meaning for our church family.

Our Thanksgiving prayers this year will include prayers of gratitude for the ministry we have shared with Jim Carter these last three years. How timely that we will bid farewell to Jim and Marty on November 18, the Sunday before Thanksgiving! Our congregation has been truly blessed by Jim’s leadership, inspired by his preaching, and found healing and renewed hope through his pastoral presence. In his parting letter to the congregation Jim reminded us: “This is a good and healthy congregation of Christ’s greater church in the world.” That we are so today is due in no small measure to Jim’s ministry with us. Jim and Marty—we give thanks for all we have shared these three years and send you forth from us with our love and prayers for your good health and vitality in retirement.

Already the Advent season beckons us, calling us to prepare for the coming of Christ we will celebrate on Christmas. This year we are truly in touch with the Advent message of prayerful waiting and anxious expectation, for in December, just a month shy of our 140th anniversary as a congregation, we will greet and elect our next pastor at a congregational meeting that will soon be announced. We can hardly wait! By the time Christmas finally arrives, our carols will ring out with a tad more zing and our worship services will elevate our joy to greater heights.

The explorer Roald Amundsen once had to leave his crew to brave the Antarctic winter while he left for relief and supplies. It took him three attempts before he finally was able to break through to his men. He asked them how they had not only endured, but maintained healthy morale during their ordeal. They told him that every morning the leaders would rally the men to get up and prepare, because this could be the day that Ronald and the rescue crew reach them. They would eat and get their gear ready, and wait. If Ronald did not come today, they knew he would come tomorrow. That he would not come was a thought no one would entertain. The day Ronald did arrive, he found his men packed and ready.

As we wait for the next chapter of our lives to unfold, as we wait for the coming New Year and a new era for our congregation, are YOU ready? Are you waiting in expectant anticipation of a new day that is already dawning? Friends, now is the time to prepare and to wait in readiness for the unfolding of God’s good and new day: Live into hope! God now proclaims our full release to faith and hope and joy and peace.

Letter fromthe Pastor

1 MESSENGER | November/December 2012 & January 2013

R. Charles GrantAssociate Pastor for Senior Adults and Pastoral Care

Letter from

Should the Way Be Clear...

Farewell to

The following was read to the congregation on September 23, 2012, by Paul Burgmayer, Chair of our Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC):

“Above all, trust in the slow work of God..Perhaps you remember that line from the poem I shared with you last December 2011. Well, I’m happy to report that our collective patience has been rewarded. Today I am announcing that the PNC members have unanimously agreed to extend a call to an exceptional candidate to become our new head of staff. The candidate has enthusiastically accepted our offer and we have negotiated the terms of call. The next steps in our process are for the candidate to be formally approved by the Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry and approved by you, the congregation. If both approvals are obtained, our new Head of Staff will start at Bryn Mawr in late January.

This morning, I have one more request of you for patience. Right now we can’t share the candidate’s name with you. What we can say is that our candidate possesses an impressive track record of strong preaching, effective administration, and holds a deep passion for mission. If the Committee on Ministry approves our nominee in early December, we’ll be able to formally present this pastor to you later that month. Undoubtedly, this timing invites us to more patience. We must respect our candidate’s obligations to the current call which will be completed later this year. I want to stress that our willingness to respect this request made this candidacy possible. We believe the wait is a small price to pay for the person we feel the Holy Spirit has led us to call.

While I can’t say much more about the candidate now, I can say that, at the end of a long and thorough process in which we reviewed hundreds of candidates, we were surprised to discover that our choice was obvious and easy to make once we met, interviewed, checked references, worshiped with, laughed, and shared fellowship with this pastor. In our opinion, the candidate is a wonderful fit for Bryn Mawr.

Over the next few months, excitement will surely build and, before we know it, “if the way be clear,” our new head of staff will be working in our midst. Meanwhile, please continue your vital contributions of ideas, energy, and finances to our church. Continuing these will best help to demonstrate to our candidate that BMPC is moving forward with God’s work even as we wait a little while longer.

As always, thanks for listening, thanks for your support and prayers, and, of course, thanks for your patient trust in the slow work of God.” 2 MESSENGER | November/December 2012 & January 2013

The CartersThe congregation is cordially

invited to attend a farewell reception in Congregational Hall for the Rev. Dr. James L. Carter and his wife, Marty,

following the 10:00 a.m. worship service on Sunday, November 18. Dr. Carter has

been with us as our Interim Head of Staff since August 17, 2009.

Notes and photographs to be included in a memory book for Jim and Marty may

be sent to BMPC, Attn: Pam Lloyd, by November 9. If you would like to make a gift in honor of Dr. Carter’s

ministry with us, which he has designated for the Forward in Faith Capital

Campaign, contact [email protected], ext. 8807.


Blessed to Be a Blessing:

The Reverend Dr. M. Craig Barnes, the president-elect of Princeton Theological Seminary, told a story to his congregation that went something like this: He attended the funeral of a long-time, dear friend, about his age, who died too soon. This man was at the top of his profession when he died. He was incredibly accomplished, but no one wanted to talk about his distinguished career at his funeral. Yet

person after person went to the microphone to eulogize what a blessing he had been to them. He spent his life using all of his gifts to give others his kindness, his passion for life and his love. He was “blessed to be a blessing.”

Dr. Barnes said, “In the end that is how we measure

every life.” He explained that in the book of Genesis, the story of Abraham says the Lord instructed Abraham and his wife Sarah to sacrifice mightily. In return, God says to them, “I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you

will be a blessing.” Dr. Barnes went on to say, “Isn’t that what we all want? We want to get life right, to be faithful to our moment, and to do well at every age and at every stage of life.” We want to be “blessed to be a blessing” just like Abraham was centuries ago.

At BMPC, our members are clearly generous with their time, talents, and resources. Our vibrant congregation hums with the energy of people like you who aim to make a difference in the lives of others, whether through Sunday services, education classes and Sunday School, outreach opportunities, music and fine arts, or so many other ways. Stewardship is yet another important way to make a lasting difference in the life and future of our church and in your own journey to be a blessing to others.

Commitment Sunday on November 11 is a significant annual milestone as we receive your pledge of financial support. Please watch for your pledge card in the mail or consider pledging online via www.bmpc.org. Through stewardship, you can be “blessed to be a blessing” at BMPC, take steps—as Dr. Barnes said—in “getting life right” and “being faithful to our moment,” and truly make a difference here in God’s kingdom.

By Brad Baturka

2013 Stewardship Campaign

Guest Preacher for Advent: THE REV. DR. J. BARRIE SHEPHERD

BMPC welcomes back the Reverend Dr. J. Barrie Shepherd as a guest preacher for the Advent season. A native of Great Britain, Dr. Shepherd retired as Minister Emeritus from The First Presbyterian Church in New York City.

He was previously senior minister of Swarthmore Presbyterian Church and served in college and university chaplaincies and teaching. He has preached extensively across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and Africa, and he is the author of more than a dozen books as well as hundreds of published poems and articles.

Dr. Shepherd visited BMPC last year to lead a Palm Sunday adult education class, and he also preached a Lenten series of sermons at BMPC in 2005. We look forward to having him with us again in December.


Early one Monday evening, January 13, 1893, thirteen women, three men, the presbytery of Chester and the Holy Spirit brought this church into existence.

Following that event, that tiny congregation of sixteen grew to three and a half thousand members. In the course of this they heard the Word preached, they participated in the Word sung and worshipped the Word made flesh in Jesus Christ. They also fed the hungry, clothed the naked and helped those who had no helper, from Bryn Mawr to across the world. They helped found a hospital in Miraj, India. They built buildings. In 1928, they built this Sanctuary to seat 1,131 persons, with a membership of 550 at that time. Cut into the granite above the main entrance is, “The Master Is Come and Calleth For Thee.” Over our 140 years, thousands have heard that call and have come to worship and to give, to the church and to others. They persevered through the aftermath of the Civil War and then two world wars. The life of the church rocked and rolled at times but it remained steadfast. In the sixties and seventies, in the face of the fads and the cults and the “Me Generation,” it did the same. Later it extended an urban reach into Philadelphia. “The Church’s One Foundation is Jesus Christ Her Lord,” the great hymn says, and they knew it, sang it, believed it, lived it.

And we continue to do so. We look toward the future, with its new challenges and trials, and with “glory in the church,” as the former Communion service says, and with Jesus’ promise of our having life and having it more abundantly.

Jack celebrated 70 years of BMPC church membership in September 2012. He is BMPC Clerk of Session, Emeritus.

BMPC Celebrates 140 Years of Worship and WitnessBy Jack Moon

Construction activity on our campus may cause temporary inconvenience, but important improvements are underway to restore the outside of our Chapel and Sanctuary. The work on the Mary Catharine Pew Chapel, as described below, is being funded by a grant from The Pew Foundation. Masonry improvements to the Sanctuary, as well as the repair of the Pentecost window, are taking place thanks to contributions to Phase I of the Forward in Faith Capital Campaign. Your ongoing contributions will enable projects such as these to continue, preserving our beautiful worship spaces for future generations.

• The Sanctuary’s Pentecost window was carefully removed and transported to a stained glass art studio in Media, PA, where it is being repaired by experts. BMPC Property Committee members visited the studio this fall to witness the meticulous craftsmanship of the contractor.

• Scaffolding was erected around the west transepts of the Sanctuary to facilitate stone and roofing repair surrounding the Pentecost window.

• High Lifts and scaffolding surround the Chapel, where new copper gutters and downspouts are being installed along with roof slate replacements to alleviate water infiltration during inclement weather.

The work mentioned above is expected to continue through the beginning of December, when the refurbished Pentecost window will be reinstalled. With the expected arrival of our new Pastor/Head of Staff in January, we look forward to an exciting new beginning of glorifying God in these enhanced spaces.

Campus Restoration Update


Thanksgiving Pancake Breakfast 2012

Giving Thanks

If you are planning to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV this year, make sure your DVR is set to record it so you won’t miss BMPC’s annual Thanksgiving Pancake Breakfast on Thursday, November 22, from 8:30-11:30 a.m. in Congregational Hall, sponsored by Youth Ministry Council. The Pancake Breakfast is a popular church-wide event that attracts hundreds of people each year. It’s an annual opportunity for the entire congregation to join in festive, intergenerational fellowship....friends and extended family members are welcome and encouraged to attend.

In case you need further motivation besides the thought of warm pancakes and syrup (gluten/sugar-free available), you will also be supporting a great cause. All proceeds from the breakfast ($5

per person or $20 a family) support the Youth Scholarship Fund for our mission trips and August camp. Not only will you enjoy a great event and good food, but you’ll also make it possible for some of our youth to participate in our vibrant summer programs. Hope to see you there!

All are invited to attend the 15th Annual Lower Merion Interfaith Celebration of Thanksgiving on Sunday, November 18, from 4:00–5:00 p.m. at Har Zion Temple (1500 Hagys Ford Road in Penn Valley, PA 19072).

This annual event, sponsored by 25 Main Line congregations (including BMPC), will feature:

• Sacred texts from various traditions

• Native American Dancers from the Eastern Woodland Pathways Dance Troupe

• Interfaith Adult and Children’s Choirs

• A free-will offering

For more information, contact Phoebe Sheftel at [email protected] or 610-526-1802.

By the Rev. Kellen Smith

15th Annual Lower Merion Interfaith Celebration of Thanksgiving


ENRICHMENT for Adults

Sundays American Nations Book Discussion Sundays, 8:30 a.m., Conference Room. The Rev. Dr. Paul MacMurray leads a discussion of this book by Colin Woodard about 11 rival regional cultures in America.

Sing the Old HymnsSundays: November 11 & January 13, 11:15 a.m., Chapel. Sing your favorites and learn their historical backgrounds, theology, and liturgical significance.

Living Into the Second Half of LifeSundays: November 4, 11 & December 2, 9, 11:15 a.m., Witherspoon Parlor. The Rev. Dr. R. Charles Grant presents a series on the second half of life as a time of growth and fulfillment.

Advent StoriesSundays, December 2 & 9, 11:15 a.m., Conference Room. The Rev. Dr. Paul MacMurray discusses Jesus’ birth narratives found in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. (Read Matthew 1-3 prior to the Dec. 2 class).

Spiritual WritingSundays, Dec. 2 & 9, 11:15 a.m., Gloucester Room. Dr. Jeanne Walker of The University of Delaware offers tips for creative writing (Dec. 2) and the Rev. Kellen Smith provides tools for writing devotions (Dec. 9).

Visit from Mission Co-Worker, the Rev. Jed Koball from PeruSunday, December 9, 11:15 a.m., Congregational Hall. A Presbyterian missionary shares his experience of empowering Peruvian Christians to preserve their communities and environment in one of the most polluted locales on earth.

Watch for January 2013 class topics in the worship bulletin and eNews.

Weekdays Preacher’s Brown-Bag Bible StudyTuesdays through November 13, 12:00 noon, Conference Room. Bring a brown-bag lunch and discuss the sermon text with the preaching pastor for the coming Sunday.

Women’s Coffee Cup Bible StudyWednesdays, 10:00 a.m., Gloucester Room. The Rev. Jacqui Van Vliet leads a discussion of Dispatches to God’s Household: the General Epistles.

Horizons Bible StudyWednesdays: November 7, December 5, & January 2, 11:30 a.m., Rosemont Presbyterian Village Ballroom. The Rev. Dr. R. Charles Grant leads a discussion of Dispatches to God’s Household: the General Epistles.

Torah StudyThursdays, 11:00 a.m., Main Line Reform Temple, Wynnewood. Rabbi Ethan Franzel leads a study of the Minor Prophets.

Urban Suburban Book GroupTuesday, November 20, 7:00 p.m., Overbrook Presbyterian Church & Tuesday, January 15, 7:00 p.m., BMPC’s Converse House Parlor. An opportunity for members of area Presbyterian churches to become acquainted and share views on various books. Selections are listed in the worship bulletin and at The Book Center.

Spiritual ReadingStop at The Book Center in the Ministries Center (open following services on Sunday and on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to purchase books for your own enlightenment or for gifts. Or visit BMPC’s Converse House Library, open whenever the Ministries Center is open, to peruse the stacks for a book to borrow or to simply enjoy some quiet time for reading and meditation.

Broaden your perspective of faith and life and make a new acquaintance at the same time. Drop-ins are welcome at these upcoming classes and programs for adults. For more information, contact [email protected], ext. 8819.


Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying: “This is the way, walk in it.” —Isaiah 30:21

Join us for a Labyrinth Discovery Day on Saturday, December 8, from 10:00 a.m.— 3:00 p.m. in the Ministries Center. Learn about and experience the benefits of this ancient spiritual practice. All ages are invited to an orientation that will include a choice of workshops and opportunities to walk labyrinths at BMPC and others nearby. Light

refreshments will be provided from 11:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m.; you may come and go as you please. Cost is $10 per person or family. Take this opportunity to quiet yourself and listen to your body, heart, and spirit in this Advent season of preparation. To register, contact The Middleton Center at [email protected] or 610-525-0766. “There is nothing so wise as a circle” (Rainer Maria Rilke).

Discover the Labyrinth

Anne Lamott is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Some Assembly Required, Grace (Eventually), Plan B, Traveling Mercies, and Operating Instructions, as well as several novels. Readers of all ages have followed and cherished her funny and perceptive writing about her own faith through decades of trial and error. In her new book, Help, Thanks, Wow, she has coalesced everything she knows about prayer to three fundamentals to get us through the day and show us the way forward: asking for assistance from a higher power, appreciating what we have that is good, and feeling awe at the world around us. Lamott will discuss how she came to these insights and explain what they mean to her. A book sale and signing will follow.

You may purchase tickets ($10) for this not-to-be-missed event in a variety of ways:

1. Online—Visit our website at www.bmpc.org2. By mail—Send your check to Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church,

625 Montgomery Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, Attn: Amy Bauer (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for ticket mailing)

3. In person—Fill out an envelope with your name, address, city, state, and zip code; place cash or check in the envelope (do not seal it) and place the envelope in Amy Bauer’s mail box. Unfortunately, we cannot accept credit cards in person at this time.

For more information, contact [email protected]

An Evening with Anne LamottWednesday, November 28 • 7:30 p.m. • Sanctuary

Anne Lamott

Sam

Lam

ott

By Joyce Krajian

WALK THE LABYRINTH: Tuesdays: November 6 and December 4, 11:00 a.m.—8:00 p.m. (last walk to begin no later than 7:30 p.m.) in the Ministries Center.


Anne Lamott

Sam

Lam

ott

Through BMPC’s Worldwide Ministries Council, our church partners with organizations in service to the world and extends its reach to those in need around the globe. We offer opportunities such as these so you may learn about, participate in, and support these commitments.

South Africa: In October, BMPC hosted the Rev. Spiwo Xapile of JL Zwane Memorial Church, Guguletu, Capetown, South Africa. The Rev. Xapile preached during worship and presented a program about the inspiring work of JL Zwane church and community center in Capetown, South Africa.

Peru:On Sunday, December 9, at 11:15 a.m. in Congregational Hall, the Rev. Jed Koball, PC(USA) mission co-worker, will talk about his work in Peru fighting the root causes of hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation. He previously served as pastor of Larchmont (NY) Presbyterian Church and as a mission co-worker to the Philippines and Nicaragua.

Zambia Mission Trip: Join the Presbytery of Philadelphia from April 16 to May 2 on a trip to Central Africa to visit our Zambian partners. For more information, visit http://presbyphl.org/resources/committees/congregational-outreach-and-partnership/existing-missional-partnerships/zambia-partnership/ or contact [email protected], ext. 8819.

Where in the World is BMPC?

PeruZambia

South Africa

Parenting and Family Issues Film SeriesTuesdays: January 15, February 12, and March 12, 2013. After viewing a film at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute to provide food for thought regarding family dynamics and parenting, participate in a facilitated discussion led by Tom Winner, MFT, therapist at the Council for Relationships. For more information on this series co-sponsored by the Middleton Center and Main Line Reform Temple, contact The Middleton Center at [email protected] or 610-525-0766.

An Evening with Steve Treat, D.Min., LMFT Friday, February 1, 2013, 6:00 p.m. Dinner in Congregational Hall followed by a discussion about “midlife.” Dr. Stephen Treat, a Senior Therapist and CEO Emeritus of Council for Relationships, returns to BMPC to kick off a Middleton Center series of workshops on “midlife,” including topics such as developing the underdeveloped parts of ourselves, sexuality and intimacy post-empty nest, spirituality and integration, and managing limitations. Don’t miss this opportunity to embrace and enrich your experience of your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond. To register, contact The Middleton Center at [email protected] or 610-525-0766.

Enrichment for Parents and “Midlife”

Steve Treat


Here are some practices that can become a part of family life and assist in keeping the focus of the season on the birth of the holy baby:

1. Let an Advent wreath serve as the center of your dining table. This wreath may be as simple as four purple candles and candle holders arranged in a circle with a white candle placed in the center. Regardless of the type of wreath used, let it serve as a reminder of the waiting we do during the season of Advent for Christ’s birth. Light one additional candle each week of Advent and read Scripture, share a devotional, tell stories, and pray.

2. Include an Advent calendar as part of your family worship experience. Each day in December, take time to gather around an Advent calendar to open a window that contains Scripture and illustrations related to the Advent and Christmas seasons.

3. Use a crèche to depict the story of Christ’s birth. Put a crèche, or nativity scene, in a prominent place in your home. If young children are present, be sure it is one that can be played with rather than one that is too fragile or sentimental to be touched. Instead of putting out all of the figures on one day, make their arrival to the stable gradual, demonstrating that the characters did not arrive all at once. Save and add baby Jesus to the scene on Christmas Eve and keep the Magi out of the scene until Epiphany (January 6). You may also consider inviting each family member to add a piece of hay to the manger for each action in that family member’s life that demonstrates God’s love. By the time the baby is added to the manger, it should be full of hay.

4. Share stories while decorating for the season. Find a time when family members can be present to help decorate the Christmas tree or other areas of the home. While unpacking ornaments and decorations, recall aloud the stories about those treasured items.

You may also consider purchasing or making a new ornament or decoration that symbolizes the family that year (special vacation, rite of passage, or certain occasion) and adding it to the festivities. Consider making your decorating a gradual process through the season as you practice the discipline of waiting.

5. Decorate and share cookies. While this time of year is joyous for many, others find it a sad and lonely time. Use your joy to help those who may be less fortunate or may not have family with whom to celebrate. Make and decorate cookies and, as a family, deliver them to these folks. Create festive plates of goodies and include a note from your family.

6. Downplay Santa Claus. Since eliminating Santa Claus from Christmas is not possible, consider downplaying the role of the gift-giving Santa. Fill children’s stockings with small gifts (little toys and candy canes) from the jolly old elf and designate larger gifts from the giver. Children are then able to appreciate and thank the giver while Santa plays only a secondary role.

7. Take turns opening gifts. If your family opens gifts together, make this time more significant by taking turns. Find a pattern that works for your family, such as youngest to oldest or vice versa, and wait until each person has had a chance to open one gift before moving on to the next person. Givers are then able to share in the joy of the receiver while the receiver is able to acknowledge and appreciate the giver.

8. Make a birthday cake for Jesus. As a part of Christmas Day activities, bake and/or decorate a birthday cake as a reminder that this day is the Christian celebration of a uniquely special birth. Don’t forget to join in singing to Jesus before eating the cake.

This article is a condensed reprint of an article found at http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/curriculum/eight-practices-home-family/

Eight Practices for Home and Family During Advent and Christmas


All are welcome to join us for these events in November and December:

Communion Workshop Sunday, November 4, 9:00 a.m., Chapel. An opportunity for parents and children to learn about the significance of the Sacrament of Communion (The Lord’s Supper) in the Presbyterian, Reformed tradition including the why’s and how’s behind the ritual and its language. For more information, contact [email protected], ext. 8810.

Family Fun FridayFriday, November 16, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Congregational Hall. Enjoy a pizza supper followed by a showing of the favorite holiday movie, The Polar Express, based on Chris Van Allsburg’s famous book. We’ll also have hot cocoa, crafts, popcorn and fellowship; children may wear pajamas and bring pillows and blankets. RSVP by November 14 to [email protected]

Advent Craft Workshop and Supper Sunday, December 2, 3:00-5:00 p.m., Congregational Hall. Enjoy fellowship and fun for all ages while making an adorable keepsake nativity scene (nominal charge), with supper immediately following the workshop. RSVP by November 30 to [email protected]

Caroling at Rosemont Presbyterian VillageWednesday, December 12, 5:30 p.m. A wonderful evening for all ages! Supper at Rosemont Presbyterian Village (new this year) followed by singing Christmas carols in the halls of the Village from 6:00-7:00 p.m. RSVP by December 10 to [email protected]

Celebrating the

Each year, the students of BMPC’s Weekday School perform a Christmas Pageant as their gift to their families, friends, staff, and members of the BMPC community. While working hard preparing for the pageant, the children discover the true meaning of Christmas. Join us as they share the magic of the season on Friday, December 14, at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary (Snow Date: Monday, December 17). For more information, contact Kim Black at [email protected], ext. 8840.

with Children and Families Season

Weekday School’s Christmas Pageant


Upcoming Child and Youth Protection Training Sessions

Enjoy the winter season with these special events for youth and their families:

Out (Almost) All NightSaturday, December 8, 5:00 p.m.–12:00 midnight. Calling all youth and their families for an awesome night of bowling and music! We will begin with a trip to Wynnewood Lanes, where we’ll play a few games and have dinner together. Then we’ll head to the Liacouras Center in downtown Philadelphia to enjoy the Toby Mac concert. RSVP to [email protected], ext. 8821.

Ski Trip Retreat in the Pocono Mountains Friday, January 18–Sunday, January 20. The trip includes round-trip transportation from BMPC, two nights of lodging

and all meals, mountain lift passes for Saturday and Sunday, and modern ski or snowboard equipment and helmet rental. Cost is $275 with a $75 non-refundable deposit due with your registration form on November 4 to reserve your space. Balance of $200 is due by January 6, 2013. To download a form, visit http://www.bmpc.org/programs/for-youth-and-their-families/youth-registration-forms or contact [email protected], ext. 8821.

Get a jumpstart on your Child and Youth Protection clearances for next summer! Attend one of our upcoming Child and Youth Protection Policy (CYPP) training classes on Sunday, November 11, at 11:15 a.m. or Thursday, January 17, at 6:00 p.m.

If you will be working with the children or youth of our congregation (Sunday School teacher, youth advisor, Vacation Bible camp leader, tutor, etc.), you must have completed this training. To find out if your clearances are up to date or to register for one of the training sessions, contact [email protected], ext. 8816.

Youth Ministry Winter Fun

Save the Dates for Summer 2013!Though it’s still months away, we’re already planning for another exciting summer in

BMPC Youth Ministry! Deposits for numerous trips are due December 2:

• Middle School Urban Plunge in Philadelphia (July 18–21, 2013): $100

• High School Mission Trip to Costa Rica (July 6–July 13, 2013): $395

• Camp Kirkwood (August 4–10, 2013): $100

For more information, contact [email protected], ext. 8821.


Join BMPC adults of all ages for fellowship, beautiful art, and holiday celebration:

Christmas at the New York Metropolitan Museum of ArtThursday, December 6, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. After viewing the Christmas tree and Neapolitan Baroque crèche—a long-standing yuletide tradition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in

New York—choose from many exciting exhibits: a retrospective celebrating the work of George

Bellows; Bernini: Sculpting in Clay; or Matisse: In Search of True Painting. Or get a jump start on your

Christmas shopping at the museum store. Price of $50 includes bus and admission; lunch is on your own. Register by Thursday, November 29, by sending a check (made payable to BMPC) to the church office, Attn: Amy Bauer. For more information, contact [email protected], ext. 8821.

Seniors Club LunchOne Wednesday a month during December, March, April and May, BMPC senior adults gather to enjoy a brown bag lunch and a program by a guest speaker or performance group. All are welcome for conversation and enrichment...bring a friend! Coffee and sweets are provided, and reservations

aren’t necessary. The December lunch will take place on Wednesday, December 12, at 12:00 noon in Congregational Hall, and will feature The Haverford School Notables for another holiday a cappella performance with their new conductor, Mr. Mark Hightower. Information on future lunches will be available in upcoming bulletins closer to the event dates. For more information, contact [email protected], ext. 8821.

Holiday Festivities for Adults

BMPC Prime Time (a group for singles and couples over age 50) invites you to a Festive Advent Party at the home of Bob & Barbara Hauptfuhrer in Wayne (directions will be mailed) on Sunday, December 2, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The cost is $10 per person, which includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and beverages. We are also asking you to bring an unwrapped gift for either a boy or girl, infant to 18 years old. The gifts will be donated to Turning Points for Children. To make a reservation, send a check (made payable to BMPC) to the church office, attention Amy Bauer, by Monday, November 18. Upon receipt of your check, directions will be mailed to you; be sure to include your return address with the payment. For more information, contact [email protected], ext. 8821.

“Prime Time” Advent Party


By Jeffrey Brillhart

Celebrate the holiday season at our annual Christmas concert on Sunday, December 9, at 4:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Continuing a cherished 28-year tradition, the Senior Choir, Youth Chorale, St. Cecilia Girl Choir, St. Andrew Boy Choir, handbell choirs and Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia will offer The Light of the World, a concert to sweep you into the Christmas season with a broad array of carols, choral motets, and hymns, as well as beloved carols for congregational singing such as Joy to the World and O Come, All Ye Faithful. At the center of the concert is John Rutter’s dazzling Gloria, performed by choirs, brass, percussion, timpani, and organ. Framing the music are traditional

biblical readings and poetry by Herbert Brokering.

The English composer John Rutter has become a veritable icon of contemporary choral music. His association with Clare

College, Cambridge; first as a student, then

as Director of Music, and later, as the organizer

of the much-recorded Cambridge Singers, has led to international recognition. Gloria is one of Rutter’s most ambitious concert works and its premiere was the occasion for his first visit to the U.S. in May 1974. Rutter himself sees this work as analogous to a symphony, with three movements— allegro vivace, andante, vivace e ritmico—i.e., fast, slow, fast, in common with symphonic practice and, says Rutter, “exalted, devotional and jubilant by turns.”

How appropriate it is to focus on Christ as light. In John 8, verse 12, we read: “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” The world needs Christ’s light; we need Christ’s light to lead us. We invite you to The Light of the World, a concert that will move you from darkness into the light of life.

Organ Scholar Keenan Boswell will begin the program with a festive organ prelude at 3:40 p.m.; visit www.bmpcfinearts.org to download the full concert program. Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for children 18 and under. To purchase in advance, contact [email protected], ext. 8836.

The of the World:LightChristmas Concert, December 9

CHRISTMAS ANGELS:Helping Children & Families in NeedOver the years, many children and families have received a bountiful Christmas in part through the generosity of BMPC members. Last year, these included:

• Alicia—a mother of four children who is at times overwhelmed by raising four children alone.Though Dad was recently released from jail, reintegration into the family was not successful. Alicia’s mother has stage four cancer and her oldest child has mental health treatment needs.

• Renata—a grandmother struggling with seizures, diabetes and high blood pressure. She is raising her four grandchildren who were removed from their mother’s care due to neglect and abuse.

• Tatiana—a mother of two boys: one with cerebral palsy, the other thriving. She works part-time but always finds the time to take her son to his many medical appointments.

BMPC’s youth group has adopted a family for many years, often providing necessities along with gifts for the family. One year, when the case manager visited a recipient family’s home after Christmas, the pre-schooler picked up the laundry detergent (about half her size) and proudly proclaimed, “This was the best Christmas ever!”

Can you help give a child or needy family its “best Christmas ever”? To adopt a family or sponsor a child with five to eight gifts, contact Betty Wu at [email protected] or 610-449-8059.

By Betty Wu

Advent is a season of expectation when we prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christmas. Just as the wise men brought gifts to the baby Jesus, we give gifts

to those whom we love and appreciate. During this season of shopping, purchasing, wrapping, and exchanging presents, however, the most important gift we

might offer is the gift of ourselves—in friendship and caring, and in time and attention. In the following pages, we invite you to consider seasonal financial

offerings and service opportunities that reflect the true meaning of Christmas: sharing the gift of hope, offered to us when God gave his Son to the world.

Advent: A Season of Giving



An annual tradition, the AGM is a creative giving program that serves as gifts for those on your list while helping those in need. Choose from more than 30 worthy projects selected by BMPC councils and committees that represent local and global BMPC benevolences. Prices start as low as $2 and aid the concerns of hunger, shelter, healthcare, children, education, peacemaking, and the environment. Brief descriptions of each project are in the AGM shopping list, which will be mailed or may be picked up in the Ministries Center Court or downloaded from the BMPC website at http://www.bmpc.org/outreach/advent-gift-market

With each donation, you receive an insert card describing the project you have chosen and explaining that a gift has been made in your recipient’s honor. It may be placed in your own greeting card, or you may purchase one of our BMPC cards for 75 cents. We are grateful for the efforts of members of the Visual Arts Committee of BMPC’s Fine Arts Council for producing two wonderful cards this year: one is photographs by Bill Kemmerer of our stained glass windows, and the other is a painting by Mary French of a beautiful winter scene (both pictured to the right).

Although we will not have an Advent Gift Market “festival” this year because we will be celebrating Jim Carter’s ministry with us at a farewell reception, orders for AGM gift projects may be placed and picked up in the Ministries Center Court after the 10:00 a.m. worship service each Sunday beginning on November 18. Sales continue through December 18, and order forms may be mailed to the church or dropped off at the reception desk in the Ministries Center during the week for pick-up on the following Sunday. Please keep other gift needs for the remainder of the year in mind when you place your orders, as AGM gifts are perfect for birthdays, weddings, memorial gifts, and other special occasions. For questions, contact Mary Bassett at [email protected] or 610-642-4365.

Gifts that Keep on GivingBMPC’s Advent Gift Market (AGM) Offers Christmas Gifts of Hope & New Life

Little things can change our world for the better! Each project you support will help our neighbors in need around the corner and across the globe.


For more than 70 years, Presbyterians have given generously at Christmas to support the unmet needs of families who have devoted their lives to God’s mission within our denomination, the PC(USA). The Christmas Joy offering is now shared equally by the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions, which provides critical assistance to current and former Presbyterian church workers and their families, and Presbyterian-affiliated racial ethnic schools and colleges, which enable students to develop their talents and find their callings. Your gifts to the Christmas Joy Offering will bring Good News of Great Joy to the poor in circumstance or spirit. You may give through Christmas Joy Offering envelopes, which will be placed in the pew racks in December.

Christmas Joy Offering

A “To-Do” List for HungerFrom the BMPC Hunger Committee

One of the time management tricks you may use to track your busy life is a to-do list, noting the important things you want to accomplish in a day or week. Unfortunately, there are many people whose only to-do item on

any given day is to find enough food to feed themselves and their families. The hunger statistics are devastating on a global, national and local scale. The problem is particularly acute in Philadelphia, where 50% of households with children in our first congressional district go hungry.

You can make a difference! Support the efforts of our BMPC Hunger Committee, which works diligently to fight this battle. On our to-do list is providing more than 1,600 nutritious casseroles to local cupboards and food kitchens each year, coordinating canned food drives such as Souper Bowl Sunday, and providing direct financial support to 24 local food agencies.

We can’t accomplish any of this without your help. Consider adding items to your to-do list that will help feed the hungry: make contributions in our white envelopes located in the pews, volunteer at a casserole blitz in our church kitchen, bring canned foods to church each Sunday, or participate on our committee. Let’s make ending hunger our most important to-do! For more information, contact Dave Hastings at [email protected]

BMPC’s Advent Gift Market (AGM) Offers Christmas Gifts of Hope & New Life


Did you know that cardiac arrest is still the number one killer in the U.S.? In cases of emergencies including accidents, near-drowning, heart attacks, and more, the use of CPR/AED can mean the difference between life and death.

For the first time at BMPC, we will offer two classes that include both child and adult CPR/AED (Automated External Defibrillator) training. Classes will be held on Saturday, February 2, and Saturday, February 9, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Witherspoon Parlor, and are open to anyone age 12 and older. The fee of $60 covers materials, hands-on instruction and a certification good for two years. BMPC member Katrina Gallia, MA, CSCS, certified American Safety and Health Institute instructor of Main Line Emergency Training, LLC will be our enthusiastic and experienced instructor.

To register, contact [email protected] , ext. 8832, or send a check for $60 made payable to BMPC, Attn: Amy Bauer. Space is limited, so reserve your spot early to prepare yourself to help in a life-threatening emergency.

The Gift of Saving a Life:CPR/AED Training

To help local organizations throughout the year, BMPC’s Outreach Council offers grants in two ministry areas: (1) community-based ministries and programs that serve West Philadelphia residents, and (2) ministries with an affiliation with the Presbytery of Philadelphia.

If you know of deserving organizations serving the West Philadelphia area or one that is Presbytery-related, encourage them to apply for a BMPC Outreach Grant by filling out an application available on the BMPC website at www.bmpc.org/outreach/grants. The deadline is December 15.

For more information about how to apply, contact [email protected], ext. 8819.

By Ann Fossum, RN, BSN, Parish Nurse

BMPC Outreach Grants Available


HANDS ON... for a Day of ServiceIf you haven’t participated in a Congregation-Wide Hands-On Day of Service, you’ve missed a wonderful opportunity to share fellowship while offering hands-on help. The October 13 Service Day included gardening with Urban Tree Connection, casserole preparation for area shelters, home repairs with The Other Carpenter in West Philadelphia, bagging food at SHARE, and serving lunch at Broad Street Ministry.

Saturday, January 26, is our next Day of Service, offering you a chance to work alongside others and serve your community in a meaningful way this winter. Since no special skills are required, children are welcome so that they, too, can experience the value of service to others. As usual, the day will begin with a brief devotion at 9:20 a.m. in the Ministries Center and will end by 1:00 p.m. Mark your calendar now for both the January 26 Day of Service and our spring Day of Service date of Saturday, May 18! For more information, contact [email protected], ext. 8831.

“When my wife Kara first suggested we participate in the church’s day of service, it was met with a groan. Mine was inward, and the kids a little bit louder. It didn’t seem like the best way to spend a Saturday morning after a long week of work and school... but we were wrong. We worked side-by-side with friends to help others in need and realized that doing good feels good. Or as one of our kids describes it... the day of service is awesome!” —Steve Udicious

“Day of Service is a nifty idea! It doesn’t take much time (it’s really half-day of service); you meet members of the church you don’t know; you do some good; and, best of all, you learn first-hand about the impressive local outreach programs BMPC supports.” —Rick Hamilton

“My husband and I have always done this together. In the city, we’ve gardened, worked with The Other Carpenter, and served lunch at Broad Street Ministry. We’ve also sorted books at BMPC for delivery to West Philadelphia. Service Days give us a chance to see programs that our church supports as well as lend a hand. It’s always an interesting, broadening, and a gratifying experience.” —Ann Vaughan

Why Participate?

The MessengerBryn Mawr Presbyterian Church625 Montgomery AvenueBryn Mawr, PA 19010 610-525-2821

The Messenger (USPS #341840) Volume #115, Issue #1 is published quarterly by the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. Periodical postage paid at Wayne, Pennsylvania and additional offices.

Postmaster: Send Address Changes To The Messenger Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church 625 Montgomery Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

Advent Schedule• Advent Gift Market (AGM) Sales. November 18—

December 18.

• Children and Family Ministries Advent Craft Workshop and Supper. Sunday, December 2, 3:00-5:00 p.m., Congregational Hall.

• Prime Time Advent Party. Sunday, December 2, 6:00-8:00 p.m., home of Bob & Barbara Hauptfuhrer.

• Christmas Concert. Sunday, December 9, 4:00 p.m., Sanctuary.

• Caroling at Rosemont Presbyterian Village. Wednesday, December 12, 5:30 p.m.

• Weekday School Christmas Pageant. Friday, December 14, 10:30 a.m., Sanctuary.

• Service for Those Who are Grieving. Sunday, December 23, 11:15 a.m., Chapel.

Christmas Eve Services in the Sanctuary 4:30 p.m. Family Service with Nativity Tableau

8:30 p.m. Candlelight Service with Communion and Christmas Sermon by the Rev. Dr. R. Charles Grant

11:00 p.m. Candlelight Service of Lessons & Carols

The Annual Youth Alumni Reunion will take place at 9:30 p.m. in Witherspoon Parlor

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Advent Messenger 2012

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