Coming in December . . .
Thursday. December 4 Choir 7PM
Saturday, December 6 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s
Sunday, December 7 Second Sunday of Advent
Communion; Congregational Meeting for Elections & Budget
Sunday School 9:45AM; children rehearse Christmas Pageant
Monday, December 8 Consistory 7PM
Thursday. December 11 Pastoral Relations 6PM
Choir 7PM
Saturday, December 13 NO Bible Study
Christmas Pageant Rehearsal 9AM
Sunday, December 14 Third Sunday of Advent
Christmas Pageant: “Angel, Please Come to Order”
Thursday. December 18 Choir 7PM
Saturday, December 20 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s
Sunday, December 21 Fourth Sunday of Advent
Wednesday, December 24 Office open 9-3
Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols, 7:30PM
Thursday, December 25, - Christmas Day, office closed
Saturday, December 27 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s
Sunday, December 28 11AM Worship
Wednesday, December 31 New Year’s Eve
Denmark Manor
United Church of Christ 2003 Denmark Manor Road
Export, PA 15632
724-744-4218
eMail > [email protected]
Online > denmarkmanorchurch.org
POSTMASTER:
Return Service Requested
BULK RATE
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
CLARIDGE, PA
15623
PERMIT #1
OFFICE HOURS are Mon. and Thurs., 9AM - 3PM SUNDAY SCHOOL Sundays (Sept. thru June) 9:45AM WORSHIP SERVICE Sundays (Sept. thru June) 11AM Sunday School Opens with Fellowship & Refreshments 1st Sunday each Month, 10AM, September thru June
Coming in November . . .
Saturday, November 1 Bible Studay 9AM, Panera’s
Sunday, November 2 - Faith and Food, Communion Sunday
Monday, November 3 Consistory 7PM
Thursday. November 6 Choir 7PM
Saturday, November 8 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s
Sunday, November 9 Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
Monday, November 9 Christian Ed 7:30PM
Wednesday, November 12 Women’s Fellowship 7:30PM
Thursday, November 13 Stewardship Team 6PM
Choir 7PM
Saturday, November 15 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s
Sunday, November 16 Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
New Member Sunday during Worship
Installation of Rev. David Ackerman, PWC Minister 4PM
at First Reformed UCC in Greensburg
Thursday. November 20 Choir 7PM
Saturday, November 22 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s
Sunday, November 23 - Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
Monday, November 24 Choir 7PM
Tuesday, November 25 - Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service
7PM Paintertown Lutheran Church
Wednesday, November 26 Office open 9-3
Thursday, November 27 - Thanksgiving Day, office closed
Saturday, November 29 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s
Sunday, November 30 - First Sunday of Advent
St. Paul Continuing Care Homes Collection
Pastor Meredith leads worship @ Wm. Penn Care Center
Front Cover
VOLUME 14, ISSUE 2
Our Church Family News
Denmark Manor
United Church of Christ
From the Pastor’s Pen . . .
I don’t know about you, but while I think that I have a broad view of the
world, my world is actually pretty small. I have my family and close friends,
many acquaintances and of course the congregation that I serve here at Den-
mark Manor United Church of Christ. If I want to think in wider terms, I
have the Westmoreland Association through which we covenant with other
UCC churches in our region and the Penn West Conference, the larger unit of
the United Church of Christ, but my world-view is still limited to what I hear
on the news.
However, my world-view is about to be broadened, as is yours. About two
years ago our church applied to be a Global Mission Partner with a church in
the Northwest Luzon Conference of the United Church of the Philippines.
This Conference in the Philippines is in partnership with the Penn West Con-
ference, and churches all around our Conference are teaming up with
churches on the other side of the world. After two years and a visit to the
Philippines by the Rev. Joseph Hedden, Pastor of Hills Church, and Melissa
McLean who is a lay member of Emmanuel UCC in Warren, we finally have
our Mission Partner Church.
Starting in 2015 we will establish a relationship with Pidding United Church
of Christ in the Philippines. The pastor is Samuel (“Bogs”) Bugnosen. We
don’t know much more than that at this point, but here is our assignment as a
global mission partner:
1. We are to pray each Sunday for our partner church and they are to pray for
us. Isn’t it good to know that prayers have no borders and that we will be
giving and receiving this kind of support.
2. We are to share our stories and ministries with letters, Facebook, photos,
maps, worship bulletins, newsletters and through our Sunday school classes.
3.We are to welcome and learn about the diversity of culture, language, cus-
toms and traditions of the Philippines as we share our own customs and tra-
ditions. (continued inside)
Merry Christmas!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Winter 20134 and 2015 >
From Our Pastor p. 1-4
Advent Worship Schedule p. 5
Christmas Pageant
Christmas Eve, Help Fund
Congregational Meeting p. 6
St. Paul’s, Eternal Life, Home-
bound p. 7
Christmas Fund p. 8
Pastor’s Report p. 9
Women’s Fellowship, Treasures for Chil-
dren, Our Child in Palestine p. 10
Offering Envelopes, Bible Study,
Church Thanks p. 11
Annual Meeting, CROP Walk, Poinsettia
Ordering, Food Bank p. 12
November Calendar p. 13
Annual Reports, Chancel Coir at Installation
of Rev. David Ackerman, Christmas at
Salem Crossroads p. 14
December Calendar p. 15
Coming in December and January —
Back Cover
From the Pastor’s Pen: continued from Front cover . . .
4. We are NOT to send money unless there is an urgent need and if there is we will work
through the Penn West Conference. Our Church’s Wider Mission money already sustains the
Global Mission.
5. Our partnership is a two year commitment as we learn about the history and people of the
Philippines and they learn about us.
While the Philippines is a beautiful place, reading the enclosed letter of October 9, 2014 from
Bishop Marigza (page 4) has certainly startled me into looking beyond my own back yard.
Please devote yourself to pray for peace and healing in the Philippines.
Blessings in the name of our Savior, Jesus the Christ,
Pastor Meredith
Page 2
North of Manila, the island of Luzon tempts visitors with some
wonderful mountainous areas, volcanic landscapes and a beau-
tiful coastline dotted with heavenly beaches. Heading up the
west coast from Subic, the Zambales coast is dotted with laid-
back resorts, while the Lingayen Gulf is the location of
the Hundred Islands – a favorite weekend trip from Manila.
Further along the coast, the province of La Union draws visi-
tors particularly for its surfing. North of here is Ilocos Sur,
known primarily for the old colonial city of Vigan, where
horse-drawn carriages bounce down narrow cobblestone
streets. The area around the capital of Ilocos Norte prov-
ince, Laoag, features a number of sites related to former dicta-
tor Ferdinand Marcos, who was born in the nearby village of
Sarrat. And on the northwestern edge of Luzon there are excel-
lent beaches around Pagudpud. ›››
Pasto
ral E
Rela
tions 6
PM
Page 15
Page 14
Annual Reports Due
No Later Than
January 4
Annual reports from chairper-
sons are due in the office no
later than January 4. If possi-
ble, we would appreciate it if
you would e-mail them or
give us an electronic version.
Thanks to everyone who was
able to do this in 2013. We are
also able to scan what you
submit. Thanks to our
leaders for 12 months of
hard work!
Chancel Choir to Sing
for Installation of
Penn West
Conference Minister The Chancel Choir at First
Reformed United Church of
Christ in Greensburg will be
singing for David Ackerman's
Installation service on No-
vember 16. Karen Huey, Or-
ganist and Choir Director at
First Church, invites other
choir members to participate.
The anthem will be "Many
Gifts, One Spirit." We will
rehearse together at 3:15 on
Sunday, November 16, in the
Choir Room. Please bring
your choir robe. So that
enough copies of the anthem
can be provided, please notify
Karen Huey by Friday, No-
vember 7 at 724-837-2410.
Page 3
United Church of Christ in the Philippines
Statement of Faith
WE BELIEVE
In one God: Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, who pro-
vides order, purpose, meaning and fulfillment to all
creation. That in Jesus Christ, who was born of Mary,
God became human and is Sovereign Lord of Life and
history. That in the Holy Spirit God is present in the
world, empowering and guiding believers to understand
and live out their faith in Jesus Christ.
WE BELIEVE
That persons are created in the image of God and des-
tined to live in community with God, with other per-
sons and with all creation. That, by disobedience, they
have become sinful, but, by grace through faith, they
are redeemed in Jesus Christ. That being entrusted with
God's creation, they are called to participate in the es-
tablishment of a just and compassionate social order.
WE BELIEVE
That the Church is the one body of Christ, the whole
community of persons reconciled to God through Jesus
Christ and entrusted with God's ministry.
WE BELIEVE
That the Holy Bible is a faithful and inspired witness to
God's self-revelation in Jesus Christ and in history to
illumine, guide, correct and edify believers in their faith
and witness.
WE BELIEVE
God is at work, to make each person a new being in
Christ, and the whole world, God's Kingdom -- in
which love, justice and peace prevail. The Kingdom of
God is present where faith in Jesus Christ is shared,
where healing is given to the sick, where food is given
to the hungry, where light is given to the blind, and
where liberty is given to the captive and oppressed.
WE BELIEVE
The resurrection of Jesus Christ has overcome the
power of death and give assurance of life after death.
And we look forward to His coming again in all full-
ness and glory to make all creation new and to gather
all the faithful under God's Kingdom. Amen.
Page 4
October 9, 2014
From the General
Secretary, Bishop Reuel
Norman O. Marigza
We condemn in the strongest term the
bombing of one of our local churches in Min-
danao. According to reports gathered so far, a
two men riding in tandem on a motorcycle
fired an M203 grenade inside the UCCP Pikit
in Pikit, Cotabato while the midweek service
was going on. Two died in the bombing
(Felomena Nacario-Ferolin and Gina Ca-
biluna), another one is critical (Virginia Mano-
lid) and a number of church members
wounded, among them Jeremias and Jerome
Dandan.
No circumstance or reason can justify
such deplorable act on a house of worship
leading to the death and injury of worshippers.
We urge the authorities to act speedily
in thoroughly investigating the incident to un-
cover the perpetrators and their motives for
this dastardly act. We ask our members to re-
main sober-minded yet vigilant. Even as we
press for justice, let us not do anything that
will further escalate the violence.
All
mo
nth
we
are
rece
ivin
g f
ood
fo
r th
e S
t. B
ar-
bar
a’s
Fo
od
Ban
k. W
e w
ill
ded
icat
e th
e fo
od
on
Oct
ob
er 2
3rd
.
Wors
hip
& R
OC
Te
am
Ste
wa
rdship
Te
am
DE
DIC
AT
ION
of F
OO
D
Fo
r F
oo
d B
ank
St. P
aul’s
Co
ntin
uin
g C
are
Colle
ctio
n
CROP WALK 2014
I am thrilled at the success of the CROP
Walk this year, held September 21. The final
figures will not be available until January
2015, but here is the preliminary report as of
September 24, 2014:
Walkers Donations
First UCC Harrison City: 5 $555
Level Green Presbyterian: 11 $344
Penn Zion Lutheran: 3 $295
Denmark Manor UCC: 11 $822
Community United
Methodist Church: 91 $5,015
Total Walkers-121
Total received to date $7031
We also had a separate gift to the Cambodian
Water Project of $2,000
Awards went to:
Youngest Walker-Jonathan Gibson
Most Senior Walker-Evelyn Valesky
Most Sponsors-Karen Colley
Most Raised in Donations-Jody Miller
Largest Group-Community United Methodist
Church
First Runners to return:
Andrew Giesey-CMUC, Michael Pasek-
CMUC, Kristin Toth-CMUC
Meredith Hutchison, Chairperson
2014 CROP Walk
Thanks-GIVING is all month long in
November!
THANKS to all who have
contributed to the November
Food Bank collection for our
Mission Project.
Call to the Annual Meeting
of the Congregation on
January 25
Our Denmark Manor United Church
of Christ Annual Meeting takes place
on Sunday, January 25, right after
Worship. The Annual Report is pre-
sented for all members, and everyone
is encouraged to attend.
Page 12
CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS
Please fill-in and give to Elaine DiFranco or the Office by Thursday,
December 4th - thank you!! (Orders after December 4th are $10.00)
EACH PLANT is $8.00, with pot wrapped in gold foil
______ RED _____ PINK _____ WHITE
____________ TOTAL NUMBER
____________ TOTAL COST - please pay with order.
GIVEN BY: _____________________________________
IN MEMORY OF: ________________________________
GIVEN BY: _____________________________________
IN HONOR OF: _________________________________
Your Name: _____________________________________
Your Phone: _________________________________
Page 5
Sunday Worship begins each Sunday at 11:00AM
December 2014 through May 2015
November 2-Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
Communion
Scripture: James 4:11-17
Sermon: “The Gift of Humility”
Anthem: “Gather ‘Round the Table”
November 9-Twenty-second Sunday after Pente-
cost
Scripture: Acts 27:1-2, 7-38
Sermon: “Keep Up Your Courage”
Anthem: “It Is Well With My Soul”
November 16-Twenty-third Sunday after Pente-
cost
New Member Sunday
Scripture: Acts 27:39-28:10
Sermon: “Shipwrecked”
Anthem: “Lord, Can You Hear Us Praying”
November 23-Reign of Christ Sunday
Scripture: Luke 17:20-21
Sermon: “The Kingdom is Among Us”
Anthem: “A Thanksgiving Chorale”
November 25-Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service
Paintertown Lutheran Church at 7:30PM
November 30-First Sunday of Advent
Lighting of the First Advent Candle “Hope”
Scripture: I Corinthians 1: 3-9
Sermon: “Called to be Christians”
Sunday Worship begins each Sunday at 11:00AM
December 2014 through May 2015
December 7-Communion
Lighting of the Second Advent Candle “Peace”
Scripture: Isaiah 40:1-11
Sermon: “Tidings of Comfort and Peace”
Anthem: “Dona Nobis Pacem”
December 14-
Lighting of the Third Advent Candle “Love”
Christmas Play
December 21-
Lighting of the Fourth Advent Candle “Joy”
Christmas Fund (Veterans of the Cross) Offering
Scripture: Luke 1:26-38
Sermon: “The Favored One”
Anthem: “He Shall Come”
December 24
Christmas Eve at 7:30PM
Communion
Service of Lessons, Light, Music and Communion
December 28-First Sunday after Christmas
We will launch our Epiphany Project, a Shower of
kitchen items for the Blackburn Center
Scripture: Luke 2:22-40
Sermon: “Good News, Bad News and Good News
Again”
Anthem: “O Happy Day”
Sermon: “It’s What’s On the Inside That Counts”
There will be a very im-
portant Congregational
Meeting on Sunday, De-
cember 7 immediately
following our Worship
Service. This Meeting is for Election of Offi-
cers and to discuss and vote on our 2015
Budget. Please check your Church mailbox
and look at the budget presentation before the
meeting! We hope that the entire congregation
will attend!
Christmas Eve
Worship
Begins at
7:30PM on
December 24
The evening of December 24, Christmas Eve,
offers a very special Worship Service of Les-
sons, Light Music and Communion and the
beautiful voices of our Choir. Celebrate the
birth of the Christ child so that you can take the
joy of Christmas with you for the New Year.
Come and rejoice with us!
PLEASE HELP TO REPLENISH
OUR HELP FUND - which is the fund that the Church keeps to help
people locally when we hear of a need that can-
not be met in either way. Annually, on Christ-
mas Eve we publish a CHRISTMAS CARD
which is inserted in the bulletin with the names
of donors to the Help Fund. This is a wonder-
ful way to wish a Christmas Blessing to those
in the congregation without sending out a
whole lot of cards. Envelopes for the Help
Fund will be included in the newsletter and in
the bulletin.
Page 6
Our CHRISTMAS PAGEANT is December 14 Advent is coming, and our CHRISTMAS
PAGEANT is December 14. Don’t miss
“Angel, Please Come to Order”, brought to
you by the children and youth and some creative
adults in our congregation. R.J. Miller is this
year’s Director. The play will be held December
14 during worship with a rehearsal on Dec. 13 at
9:00AM. Our littlest people don’t need to come
on Dec. 13 until 10:30 AM. There will be a
pizza party after rehearsal.
On Dec. 14th following the pageant we will
have another party for everyone with a feast of
finger foods. If you can bring something, please
sign the sheet on the bulletin board in the educa-
tion wing.
If anyone has any animal costumes for
children, please consider loaning or donating
them for the Christmas Pageant! See Barb
Green Miller, Myrt Driscoll or Doris Walk.
to Elaine DiFranco and
Marcia Simons for deco
rating the Church for
Harvest, and for help with
the Christmas Poinsettias.
To the 2014 Consistory for their continued wise leadership
of the church. Members are: President and Elder Scott
Hartung, Vice-President and Elder Robin Brautigam,
Elder Wade Anderson, Deacons Joni Mattei, Trude Hayes,
Fred Hayes, and Marcia Simons,
Trustees Steve Cherep, Glenn Galko, and Allen Mattei
Pastor Meredith also sits on Consistory as an ex officio
member.
OFFERING ENVELOPES 2015 Offering Envelopes are available in the rear of the
Sanctuary beginning December 14. Please continue to use
your 2014 envelopes through the end of this year. If you do
not have envelopes and would like a set, please let the office
know at 724-744-4218. Thank you for your generosity which
welcomes God’s presence among us.
Saturday Morning
Bible Study with
your favorite
pick-me-up.
We meet at the Murrysville Panera at 9:00AM. We can al-
ways find a way to squeeze in a new member and no previ-
ous Biblical knowledge is required. Check your Newsletter
and Bulletin for scheduling. We will be studying the Book of
Revelation and using Eugene Peterson’s “Reverse Thunder”
which is available online and downloadable.
Page 11
St. Paul’s Continuing Care Community continued from page 7
iors who needed more personal
care, yet who continued to seek
a level of independence, The
Ridgewood assisted living fa-
cility was completed in 1995. A
second assisted living facility,
The Ridgewood at Shenango
Valley, was built in Hermitage
in 1998. This facility is a coop-
erative venture between St.
Paul's and UPMC Horizon
Hospital. In 2002, Cottage Col-
ony began to expand through
Woodland Cottages; single
family homes. To date, 7 new
cottages have been built with
lots for 27 more to come over
the next few years. In 2005. St.
Paul's opened its state-of-the-
art skilled nursing facility, The
Villas.
The Villas is home to 192 resi-
dents in a residential setting
while meeting their nursing
care needs. In July of 2006,
renovations of the previously
occupied health center were
complete and The Heritage at
St. Paul's opened offering aging
-in-place, independent and as-
sisted living.
You can contribute to St. Paul Homes and their care of the elderly on months having a 5th Sunday, November 30.
Salvation Army
“Treasures
for Children”
Tags will be available in
November. Please take
one to remind a child
that someone cares.
Thanks to all
who are able to
participate in
this heartfelt
gifting of love
from happy
children and
grateful parents.
gave an informative presentation on
his trip to the Philippines, at the
Nov. 2 Westmoreland Association
fall meeting. Joyfa Kelly and Sallie
Bradley also attended this meeting
with me. Our partner church is Pid-
dig United Church of Christ in the
Philippines and the Pastor is Samuel
“Bogs” Bugnosen. The mission
team will be doing activities with the
congregation celebrating our partner-
ship beginning in January. I will be
in touch with Pastor Bogs before
then. We have found from Pastor
Joseph that the best way to commu-
nicate is through Facebook as the
postal system as well as the Internet
are unreliable, whereas everyone has
a cell phone.
During the month of November we
are collecting food for St. Barbara’s
food bank and also the Salvation
Army has promised that the tags for
Treasures for Children will be in
early this month.
Respectfully submitted,
Meredith Hutchison
Page 10
Women’s
Fellowship Meets on Wednesday,
November 12 at
7:30PM in the
Fellowship Hall.
All are Welcome!
Missed a Sunday?
Know some-
one who can’t
get out to
Worship?
Catch up with a
DMUCC SERMONS &
WORSHIP CD
Sermons are now
downloadable from our
Church website,
denmarkmanorchurch.org
and you can get a CD copy
through the church office at
724-744-4218.
Our Child Sponsorship at Rawdat El-Zuhur
School in Palestine
Fall, 2014
Dear Friends at Denmark Manor Church School,
Thank you for your support of Malek Mohammad Saiid. He will
be five years old. He has two sisters, and is named for his father,
Mohammad; his mother’s name is Muna. The family lives in Ja-
bal Al-Mukabber near Jerusalem in a two-bedroom rented
house. His father is a driver, and his mother is a housewife.
Malek’s health is good and he will be graduat-
ing Nursery class.
Again, thank you for your care and love, and for
your support. God bless you all,
Mrs. Rana Qutob
St. Paul’s Continuing Care Community St. Paul’s has been a special benevo-
lence of our Congregation for many
years, and we have become a “Builder’s
Club Church”. St. Paul's, historically re-
lated to the United Church of Christ, has
been serving the needs of residents of
western Pennsylvania and the surrounding
states for 140 years. Originally created in
1867 in Butler, Pennsylvania, to provide
care for orphans of the Civil War, St.
Paul's moved to Greenville nearly a cen-
tury ago.
Identifying the need for an independent
living community for seniors, St. Paul's
initiated Estate Cottages in Cottage Col-
ony in 1973. The community grew to 58
cottages and 17 apartments. To serve sen- continued on page 11
Please Remember our Homebound and those in care facilities . . .
Helen Maynard and Pat Kistler
at William Penn Care Center
Virginia Driscoll at Golden Heights
Claudia McLarty, Lee Ridinger,
Millie Kane, Sheila Sharatz and
Mark Walker at home
Dave Cunningham at Emeritus, Latrobe
Page 7
To help with Funeral Luncheons please
call Lynn Zimmerman at 724-523-8909.
Thanks to all throughout the year who
have comforted others in this Ministry.
We Said Goodbye to . . . Lillian Parson, who entered into Eternal Life
on September 10 and Glenn Frye, who entered
into Christ on October 19. We also grieved the
loss of little Bryce Bigler, the Grandson of John
and Becky Peters.
We thank you Lord for their presence in
life, and for the hope and assurance of life eter-
nal. We know that their passing is not the period
at the end of a sentence, but a comma - mark-
ing transition into a new and different form of
life where they continue to love with you and in
the hearts and minds of loved ones and friends.
Be with us that we may sense anew your
peace that passes all understanding. Amen.
Page 8
The Christmas Fund 2014
Page 9
Pastor’s Report to Consistory November 3, 2014
October has been a very busy month in the life of the church and in my ministry. As a member of the faculty of the
Penn West Academy I taught two courses. The first was a special block on Pastoral Leadership which was a one
time commitment and the second was the UCC Covenant and Polity Course which I teach on a regular basis. I find
that doing this kind of work gives me energy to do my more routine pastoral and administrative duties, and I enjoy
teaching the 14 adults from the Penn West Conference who are now enrolled in the Academy. The Academy trains
licensed lay ministers who serve our smaller churches. These licensed ministers also fill in when pastors are away or
on vacation. Also, those who wish to become Commissioned Ministers can enroll in the Academy. A Commis-
sioned Minister is a non-ordained person who has received the endorsement of the church to serve in a function be-
yond pastoral ministry such as music ministry, Christian education, or ministry of visitation. The program is a com-
mitment of four years for the students with a Friday night and Saturday in the fall for two weekends and the same in
the spring. United Church of Christ Covenant and Polity, the course that I will teach regularly is about the structure
of the United Church of Christ, our governance and how we work in covenant with other churches. Anyone in the
church who wants to go deeper into their spiritual formation can participate in the Academy without having to com-
mit to the licensure or commissioning track. There are several people in the group who are participating particularly
for this reason.
Unfortunately our educational event for the Westmoreland Association fell through because of lack of registrations,
but I would like to thank all that Allen Mattei did in preparation for the meal and the work that he and Joni put into
selling the spaghetti, meatballs and sauce to the congregation afterwards. So we didn’t lose any money on the din-
ner, though the Association was willing to reimburse us for any expenses incurred.
This month I have met with Kyle Dugan and Danielle and Grant Dunmire in preparation for their membership vows
on November 16, which is New Member Sunday. Danielle has never been baptized, so we will have a baptism as
well! I have made a number of hospital, home and nursing home visits in the past month. I do try to make my
rounds of those who are homebound or in care facilities about every 8 weeks.
Glenn Frye passed on into eternal life on October 19, 2014. We have not yet had any kind of memorial service,
though his family may be planning something in the future.
I have worked with Kelly in planning for Advent and Christmas music and will be meeting with the Worship Team
in the coming month. Also, I hope to meet with the Pastoral Relations Committee soon. Since Bob Berlin’s passing,
we haven’t had a chairperson of this group, but hopefully we will in 2015.
Thanks to all who put so much effort into the Ham Dinner. Our profit was slightly down due to the cost of the ham
which was $4.29 per pound. The final profit was $2,885.63 which included the sale of ham after the dinner. We
serve 490 people of which 90 were take-outs. Due to the illness of a number of people we had to change our system
this year, but I wish to thank Rheba Salac and Wade Anderson who made calls and Steve Cherep who chaired the
dinner, assisted by Dan Walk, Robin Brautigam and many others. We are trying to put together a list of duties and
people who did these duties at this dinner as we have found that there are many things that we think happen auto-
matically, but when someone is unable for any reason to perform them, it would be helpful for future reference to
know who is doing what.
I prepared the upcoming Christmas pageant, and met with R.J. Miller who will be this year’s director. The pageant
is scheduled for December 14 during worship. The speaking roles will all be angels and at the end we will do the
nativity tableau with parents and grandparents of young children playing the major roles and the little tiny people
being animals and assorted angels and shepherds (making exceptional photo opportunities). Rehearsals for the
speaking roles begin November 9 during Sunday school with the dress rehearsal and the rehearsal for the very young
children on Dec. 13, followed by a pizza party. This is sponsored by the Christian Education Committee.
As an update on our Global Mission Partnership, the Rev. Joseph Hedden, pastor of Hill’s (continued page 10)