Christ Moravian Church December 2015 FELLOWSHIP MESSENGER Dave’s Devotional I always enjoy traveling around town observing the Christmas decorations. One thing I have noticed less and less is the presence of a Nativity Scene. As we think of a nativity scene, I am reminded of the story about a family that was putting up a nativity scene in their front yard. All of them were carrying out the little statues to put in the nativity scene. Finally everything was in place, Mary, Joseph, the manger, the baby Jesus, the angels, the shepherds and all the barnyard animals. Their little son came out carrying one of his favorite toys, the figure of the fierce Tyrannosaurus Rex, king of the dinosaurs; it was an action figure from the Jurassic World movie. It was a plastic figure, and in comparison to the other figures it was smaller. Needless to say it was something not typically included in a nativity scene. The Dad tried to explain to his son that T-Rex did not belong in the nativity scene. Trying to reason with his son he said, “Son, you have to take that back because it doesn’t belong there. Dinosaurs existed thousands of years before the baby Jesus, and it just doesn’t belong in a nativity scene.’" But the little boy insisted, so they finally put it there behind all the other animal figures - a fierce dinosaur hovering over the manger and everything else. The father reflected on the nativity scene now complete with a prehistoric action figure. He began to realize in that moment of reflection that maybe that dinosaur said more than he realized. For over each of us there can often be a menacing character that threatens to rob us of all our joy, peace and cheer he thought to himself. During this month of December let us be reminded that the season of Advent comes and shares with us the reminder that the baby in the manger is stronger than all the dinosaurs in our life! God has given us the great gift of His Son and through our faith in Him we can obtain joy, peace and good will in our lives and in our world. May the Lord richly bless your Advent season! With the joy of serving Christ together, The Rev. Dr. David A. Marcus, Jr. All items to be included in the newsletter must be submitted to the church office by the 20 th of the month. CMC Archives Corner Advent Wreath Did you know that our beautiful wooden advent wreath was featured on the cover of the Moravian in the Dec 1989 issue? “The liturgical Advent wreath was presented to Christ Moravian Church by Shirley Denny Olive in memory of her mother, Minnie K. Denny. It was handcrafted by John A. Steely of Courtyard Turning Shop, Winston-Salem. The photo is by Michael Hastings. The four symbols at the base are the crown, the lamb of God, the cross and orb, and the Bible.”
Transcript
Christ Moravian Church December 2015
FELLOWSHIP MESSENGER Dave’s Devotional
I always enjoy traveling around town observing the Christmas decorations. One thing I have noticed less and less is the presence of a Nativity Scene. As we think of a nativity scene, I am reminded of the story about a family that was putting up a nativity scene in their front yard. All of them were carrying out the little statues to put in the nativity scene. Finally everything was in place, Mary, Joseph, the manger, the baby Jesus, the angels, the shepherds and all the barnyard animals. Their little son came out carrying one of his favorite toys, the figure of the fierce Tyrannosaurus Rex, king of the dinosaurs; it was an action figure from the Jurassic World movie. It was a plastic figure, and in comparison to the other figures it was smaller. Needless to say it was something not typically included in a nativity scene. The Dad tried to explain to his son that T-Rex did not belong in the nativity scene. Trying to reason with his son he said, “Son, you have to take that back because it doesn’t belong there. Dinosaurs existed thousands of years before the baby Jesus, and it just doesn’t belong in a nativity scene.’" But the little boy insisted, so they finally put it there behind all the other animal figures - a fierce dinosaur hovering over the manger and everything else. The father reflected on the nativity scene now complete with a prehistoric action figure. He began to realize in that moment of reflection that maybe that dinosaur said more than he realized. For over each of us there can often be a menacing character that threatens to rob us of all our joy, peace and cheer he thought to himself. During this month of December let us be reminded that the season of Advent comes and shares with us the reminder that the baby in the manger is stronger than all the dinosaurs in our life! God has given us the great gift of His Son and through our faith in Him we can obtain joy, peace and good will in our lives and in our world. May the Lord richly bless your Advent season!
With the joy of serving Christ together,
The Rev. Dr. David A. Marcus, Jr.
Contents
All items to be included in the newsletter must be submitted to the church office by the 20th of the month.
CMC Archives Corner
Advent Wreath Did you know that our beautiful wooden advent wreath was featured on the cover of the Moravian in the Dec 1989 issue?
“The liturgical Advent wreath was presented to Christ Moravian Church by Shirley Denny Olive in memory of her mother, Minnie K. Denny. It was handcrafted by John A. Steely of Courtyard Turning Shop, Winston-Salem. The photo is by Michael Hastings. The four symbols at the base are the crown, the lamb of God, the cross and orb, and the Bible.”
Christ Moravian Church December 2015 2015
2
News From the Leadership Board The Leadership Board met on Monday, November 9 at 7 PM in the Church Office. Committee reports were given and business of the board was discussed. The LB reviewed the list of Associate Members and Inactive Members who have not contributed within 3 years and a motion was made and approved to remove these people from our Church roll. The next LB meeting will be Monday, December 14, at 7 PM in the Fellowship Building. News From the Petersbrook RCC The Petersbrook RCC is doing a MEN’S SOCK DRIVE at each of the Petersbrook RCC churches to benefit the Augsburg Lutheran homeless shelter. A collection box for the socks is on the ledge below the Archives display. The deadline for bringing socks in is December 13.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Women’s Fellowship News The Advent season is upon us and the start of our year. It is the most wonderful time of the year.
Please visit a circle meeting soon as we would love to have you!
Our candle trim dinner is Tuesday, December 1st at the Fellowship Building @ 6:30 PM. Please be sure to attend as this is a wonderful, fun evening. Sign-up sheet is in the hallway behind the sanctuary.
Being a Diener is a wonderful opportunity and service. Please consider this opportunity to serve as we begin our busy Lovefeast season
Please remember our shut-ins and special friends with calls, letters and visits during this holiday season. We cannot do enough for them.
Please bring in Salemtowne bingo prizes as often as possible, There is a box in the hall behind the sanctuary. Prizes could include word search books, pens, combs, brushes, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, sun catchers, small flower pots, jewelry, lotion, soap, magnets and postage stamps are most requested…please donate!
Please keep our Day of Prayer in mind for next year. It falls on Valentine’s Day in 2016. We have a lunch planned so please mark your calendars and plan to attend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CANDLE TRIM DINNER
The Candle Trim Dinner will be Tuesday, December 1, at 6:30 PM in the Fellowship Building.
MARVELO US MORAVIANS
MARVELOUS MORAVIANS TRIP – December 8 - (Dinner at Clemmons Kitchen and trip to see the Tanglewood Christmas Lights.) THE BUS IS NOW FULL! If you wish to still go, passenger cars will be taken; please sign your name on the sign up sheet in the yellow section. We plan to leave the Fellowship Building parking lot at 4 PM. Bring at least $15 for your meal at Clemmons Kitchen and any additional money if you want to purchase any items at the Red Barn Souvenir Shop at Tanglewood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTES FROM THE LOFT
Greetings to you all. I am not sure where 2015 went, but here we are with Christmas on our doorstep. As Moravians, music has always been a special part of our personal lives as well as our church services. December provides many opportunities for us to enjoy the music of the season. The youth will present their Christmas program on Dec. 6, and on the 13th Lynn Swaim and Martha Walker will be playing a duet on our grand piano. How exciting! The youth and adult choirs have been working very hard on music for our Love Feasts. The youth will be singing with the adult choir for the Dec. 20th 11:00 AM service. I am really excited to have two-part music which will be sung by both choirs during the love feast, and a lovely anthem which will be done by our youth for the offertory. We will also have hand bells during all our services. For our 7:30 p.m. service we will also be using flute and clarinet on one of our pieces, and our chime tree will also be used. My hope is that each of you will be able to receive a blessing from this season of music, and that as we enjoy, we pray for peace in our world in the new year.
In His Service, Jeanie Rothrock
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
West Salem Neighborhood Association and CMC Youth Pancake Breakfast
Saturday, December 5 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
The West Salem Neighborhood Association and CMC Youth are partnering for this PANCAKE BREAKFAST at the Christ Moravian Church Fellowship Building. We hope you will be able to join us!
Christ Moravian Church December 2015
3
Calendar of Events 12/1 6:30 pm Candle Trim Dinner (Fellowship Building) 12/2 8:00 am
7:00 pm Men’s Breakfast (Stratford Station Grill) Choir Rehearsal
12/3 7:00 pm Heritage Woods Christmas Lovefeast & Candle Service 12/5 9:00 am
11:00 pm
West Salem Neighborhood Association & CMC Youth Pancake Breakfast (Fellowship Building) Children’s Christmas Program Practice (Sanctuary)
12/6 9:45 am 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:15 pm
Opening Exercise Sunday School Worship: 2nd Sunday of Advent / Children’s Christmas Program Coping With Grief Class (Church Office)
12/7 7:00 pm Central Trustees Meeting (Fellowship Building) 12/8 4:00 pm Marvelous Moravians depart for dinner at Clemmons
Kitchen and to see the Christmas Lights at Tanglewood (depart from Fellowship Building parking lot)
12/9 8:00 am 7:00 pm
Men’s Breakfast (Stratford Station Grill) Choir Rehearsal
12/11 ALL DAY FELLOWSHIP BUILDING RESERVED 12/12 11:30 am Marx-Carr Class & Marvelous Moravians Christmas Party
(Fellowship Building) 12/13 9:45 am
10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 12:15 pm
Opening Exercise Sunday School Worship: 3rd Sunday of Advent Adult Choir & Youth Practice music for Lovefeast & Lunch Coping With Grief Class (Church Office)
7:00 pm Men’s Breakfast (Stratford Station Grill) Choir Rehearsal
12/20 9:45 am 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm
Opening Exercise Sunday School Worship: 4th Sunday of Advent/Christmas Lovefeast Christmas Caroling (meet at Church Office for lunch) Oxford House Meeting (Fellowship Building)
12/23 8:00 am 7:00 pm
Men’s Breakfast (Stratford Station Grill) Choir Rehearsal
12/24 ALL DAY ALL DAY 4:00 pm 7:30 pm
Fellowship Building Reserved CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY Christmas Eve Lovefeast & Candlelight Service Christmas Eve Lovefeast & Candlelight Service
12/25 ALL DAY CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY 12/27 9:45 am
10:00 am 11:00 am
Opening Exercise Sunday School Worship: First Sunday after Christmas (Bishop Graham Rights-Guest Preacher)
12/31 11:00 pm News Year’s Eve Watch Night Service (Fairview Moravian Church – Rev. Russ May, officiating)
NOTE FROM THE TREASURER: In order for your church contribution to count in 2015: (1) the check must be dated in 2015 and (2) either delivered to the church or postmarked 12/31/15 or earlier. Any checks, even those dated 2015, not received or postmarked by 12/31/15 will be counted as 2016 contributions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2015 Watch Night Service – The 2015 Watch Night Service will be held on December 31 at 11 PM at Fairview Moravian Church. The Rev. Russ May will be brining the message.
Birthdays in December
2 Sherri Buchanan, Tracy Holman & Cackie Rollins 3 Sarah Pacd 4 Ashlee Pace 5 Matt Pace 6 Becky Hill & Sabrina Maksi 7 Ruth Hill 10 Ken Sparks 11 Sarah Grace Vogler 14 Becky Lanier 16 Jane Chitty & Sandra Davis 18 Lauren Walker 23 Maryanne Keller & Carol Wade 24 DeEtte Jarrard 25 Lisa Sheppard 26 Howard Chambers, Jr. 28 Mike Hastings & Rosie Sloan 30 Nita Capone & Candace Jones 31 Diane Saunders
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COPING WITH GRIEF DURING THE HOLIDAYS
Pastor Marcus is offering the grief study on the following dates/times in the church office:
December 6 from 12:15 – 1:45 PM December 13 from 12:15 – 2:00 PM
January 3 from 12:15 – 1:45 PM We will be having a lunch and study to follow. A sign up sheet has been posted on the CHURCH FAMILY LIFE Bulletin Board. Please sign up for each session.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTICE TO VETERANS – CMC Member, Sam Dixon, is newly retired from the Veterans Administration and is an excellent source of information and help with any questions you may have about benefits. You may reach him on his cell at 336-251-4478 or by email at [email protected].
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Address Change for Ada Anderson Homestead Hills 2101 Homestead Hills Drive, Room 310 Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Christ Moravian Church December 2015 2015
4
CE Committee Report: The CE Committee did not meet in November. The next meeting will be on January 10, 2016 in the church office following the service. Youth Fellowship: In December, the youth will be working with the West Salem Neighborhood Association on their Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, December 5 followed by the Christmas Program rehearsal. The Children’s Christmas Program will be during the service on the 6th. On December 20th, the youth will sing during the 11 AM Lovefeast. We will go Christmas caroling that afternoon (lunch will be provided to the Carolers). Keep watching for upcoming events. Dieners Wanted: If anyone is interested in being a diener, please contact Sabrina Maksi for more information. Children’s Church Leaders Wanted: Children’s Church leaders work in pairs and may have a teenage volunteer helping them. The leaders are responsible for the lesson and craft/activity. If anyone is interested in helping with Children’s Church during 2016 or you need more information, please let Sabrina Maksi know. Lovefeast Bun Orders: If you would like to order lovefeast buns for either December 20 or Christmas Eve, please let Sabrina Maksi know by December 6. You can call or text her on her cell phone at (336) 918-2496, email her at [email protected], or let her know on Sundays. Christmas Cards: Christmas cards featuring our new star are now available for $10 per pack of 10 cards/envelopes. There are also blank notecards available with either the church in snow, the church in spring and the star in packs of 12 for $10. All proceeds benefit the Youth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNITY PRAYER WATCH The Moravian Church has experienced spiritual renewal and strength through a covenant of prayer. In 1727, the church in Herrnhut, Germany covenanted for an “hourly intercession” which continued for 100 years with great blessing to the entire Moravian Church. As we prepare for observing the prayer watch across our province, the Provincial Elders’ Conference asks that you plan with your congregation’s Board for your congregation’s local observance.
Christ Moravian Church has been assigned the date of January 5, 2016 from Midnight to 8 AM as our local observance.
SHARE THE LIGHT AT CHRISTMAS
It is time again to purchase a luminary in memory or in honor of loved ones or special people. The luminaries will line the walk and driveway for the lovefeasts on Christmas Eve. An insert will be included in the ode listing whom the luminaries are for. The luminaries are $3 each. There is a box in the Resource Center to put your luminary list and money in or you can contact the church office at 722-2007. All proceeds go to the youth and their mission projects. In Memory of: _____________________________ Given by: _____________________________ In Honor of: _____________________________ Given by: _____________________________
DEADLINE IS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHRISTMAS CARD BOXES
Christmas is a time for getting in touch with friends and family and letting them know that you are thinking about them. Once again there will be decorated boxes for our Special Friends, some of whom are unable to join us on Sundays, in which you can put Christmas cards for them.
Forrest Ader Ada Anderson John & Julia Denham Rosa Gaddy Nancy Marshall Grace Marx Jackie Newton Anne Raymer David Sheets Vertie Mae Spry Evelyn Vickers
The boxes will be delivered during the December Christmas caroling. THE DEADLINE TO BRING CARDS IS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20.
Christ Moravian Church December 2015
5
Treasurer’s Report October 31, 2015 Year-to-Date:
Actual Pledges/Offerings* 163,473.15 Expenses 208,438.79 Net Income/(Loss) (44,965.64) *Does not include memorials Monthly expenses averaging $20,844 Monthly pledges & offerings averaged $16,347 Average shortage per month = $4,497 Transfers to cover payments:
• $7,500 from Money Market to Operating Account (March) • $11,000 from Money Market to Operating Account (May) • $5,000 from Money Market to Operating Account (early August) • $20,000 taken out of Moravian Ministries Fund Investment put into Operating Account (late August) • $5,000 from Operating Account to Money Market (October)
Account Balances (Actual Cash in bank or Investments): 09/30/15 10/31/15 Operating Account 26,218.70 20,914.17 Money Market Account 5,679.25 10,678.53 Mission Account 847.38 847.42 M Tesh Mission Account 2,884.92 6,591.17 Christian Education Account 6,321.34 6,539.62 Youth Account 813.84 1,104.84 Petersbrook RCC Fund (in Youth Account) 1,173.86 1,173.86 Outreach (Pastor’s Discretionary) Account 952.37 952.37 Designated Endowment Funds (Invested with Ameriprise) 94,579.08 96,557.58 Moravian Ministries Fund Investment 92,529.40 92,529.40 IMPORTANT NOTE: If you give a cash donation (even if just a couple dollars), please put it in an offering envelope (located in the pews) with your name on the outside in order to receive credit for the contribution. The Leadership Board periodically reviews membership status that includes all 3 types of stewardship: time, talent and treasure. Respectfully submitted
Sabrina L. Maksi, Treasurer
MEMORIALS October 21, 2015 – November 20, 2015
In Memory of Kate Price In Memory of Harvey Hastings In Memory of Tim Crater Mrs. Bonnie Edwards Carol Johnson Mr. & Mrs. Doug Crater Mr. & Mrs. Ned Kinney CMC Band & Orchestra Mr. & Mrs. Mike Hastings
Christ Moravian Church December 2015
LOOKING AHEAD IN WORSHIP
December 6, 2015 Childrens’ Christmas Program December 13, 2015 “A SONG IN OUR HEARTS” (Isaiah 12:2-6 & Philippians 4:4-7) December 20, 2015 Christmas Lovefeast (Mark 13:1-8) December 27, 2015 Bishop Graham Rights, Guest Preacher
STEWARDSHIP OF SERVICE
Date Sunday School Opening Greeter Ushers Nursery Children’s Church December 6, 2015 Angie Conrad Carol Johnson Page Crater
Annie Fry Avis Gray Trish Gray Nancy Reid
Lou Saunders
Avis Gray Joey Gray
NONE – Children’s Christmas Program
December 13, 2015 Matt Pace Nancy Reid Bradley Conrad Phil Kane
Bob Peddycord N.T. Russell
Kenny Wright
Page Crater Cathy Saunders
Trish Gray Sabrina Maksi
December 20, 2015 Avis Gray Bobbie Russell Mark Crater Skip Johnson John Manos Jim Markus Lee Wilmoth
Jo Brown Elizabeth Peddycord
NONE - Lovefeast
December 27, 2015 Donna Tesh Cathy Saunders Herman Critz Jeff Glance
Jim Hill Jack Sparks Doug Stutts
Kay Butner Mary Ferguson
Matt Pace Sarah Pace
Dear Church Family: Thanks to all of you for your cards, kind words and prayers at the passing of my Dad. It meant so much to Linda and me. (Mike Hastings)
Dear Church Family: Thanks to all of you for your thoughts, prayers, cards and concern shown me during my Dad’s illness, surgery and recovery. (Lee Marcus)
