Mt. Olivet Presbyterian Church
509 W. State Street Office: (513)988-0422 e-mail: mtolivetpc@gmail
Trenton, Ohio 45067 Monday-Friday (9am-1pm) www.mtolivetchurch.org
Music Minister: Jon Sanford
Pastor: Rev. Dr. Jerry W. Pitman
Sunday School for all ages:
9:15am
Worship Service: Sunday @ 10:30am
Communion served 1st Sunday
of every month
Mt. Olivet Presbyterian Church
e-mail: mtolivetpc@gmail
www.mtolivetchurch.org
Volume 50 Issue12
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Mt. Olivet Presbyterian
member of:
EPC
Evangelical
Presbyterian Church
2016
The Time for Light:
December 2016
There are so many aspects to the Christmas Holiday Season it can be overwhelming. For the Christian the greatest aspect of this season takes second place to nothing. It is the Incarnation. It is the virgin birth of the Christ Child; the promised arrival of God in the flesh as our Lord became a man. As witnessed to in the Gospels the arrival of Jesus, the Christ, was a time of a bright light in the heavens that shocked the lonely shepherds, amazed the wise men, and humbled Joseph and Mary with the glory of being God’s chosen instrument for the miracle of the light of His love for the world. Everything else pales in light of the birth of Christ.
I am humbly led to Psalms 4: 6, 7 that I might better grasp the significance of this season. It reads: “There are many who say, ‘O that we might see some good! Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord! You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and wine abound.’”
In one of the most blessed periods in the whole history of mankind we remain in a constant battle of good and evil, peace and war, right and wrong, light and darkness, and righteousness and ungodliness. We are in many ways a people who still are in darkness. Part of what makes this season so wonderful is the marvelous expression found in the need for light to shine as demonstrated in the decorations of houses, trees, shrubs, fences and yards. Every year people enjoy driving around discovering a renewed sense of inner encouragement. This is a great way to spend one evening with the family during this season of opportunity.
Even so, there is a much greater kind of light that shines. It is a light that shines into the depth of our souls providing power to counteract the effect of darkness. From our Bible reference we relate to the awesome power of a shining face; some translations use the word countenance. It is better than anything a human being can produce. It is the Everlasting Light shining in us producing gladness superior even to the effects of drinking wine.
May this be that Christmas when our faith shows the Light of our Lord in our countenance and offers a rich sense of gladness to those around us. As we identify with the tug of the heart that has such a deep need to see some goodness let us again worship together in our faith, serve together in our stewardship, and reflect in our faces the profound light of God’s love.
See you Sunday
Pastor Jerry
This month at Mt. Olivet... There is an active Scouting Program.
call the office to be put in touch with a
Scout Leader!
Lions Club
2nd and 4th Thursday @ 6pm
Choir Practice
Wednesday 6:30
Prayer Gathering
Wednesday 8pm
Men’s Group
2nd & 4th Saturday 8am
Birthday Dinner
3rd Tuesday of the month@ 6pm
Session Meets 2nd Wed. @ 7pm
Usher Schedule
Dec 4: Al Irwin, Patty Ratliff, Gary Schenck, Mike Lynskey
Dec 11: Van Skaggs, Tim Adams, Paul Huffman, Paul Durham
Dec 18: Bonnie Nicely, Wanda Stamper, Jeff Hamey, Darrell Pitman
Dec 25: Jack Davis, Tim Stamper, Charlie Martin, Randy Smith
November “State of the Church”
Report
Tithes & Offerings -vs– Budgeted Needs
$7,630.94 $10,675.83
YTD: $108,321.61 of $128,110.00
November income from “Designated Gifts”
$1,717.61
Dec 4 Communion Sunday carry-in meal
Dec 7 7pm Finance Committee Meeting
8:30p Worship Committee Meeting
Dec. 9 deadline for poinsettia orders
Dec 11 8:30a Christian Ed Meeting
Dec 14 7pm SESSION
Dec 18 Christmas Worship Celebration
Dec24 7pm Candlelight Service
Dec 25 11-11:45am CHRISTMAS DAY
“mini-service” celebrating Christ’s birthday
and singing carols. Casual…
No classes
**Dec 26-Dec30 Office Closed**
Wednesday evenings
in the LIBRARY at Mt. Olivet
ALL are invited
to participate in the
prayer gathering at 8pm.
Mt. Olivet will be donating 5 Christmas Dinners to five
different local families this year.
Giving Christmas dinners to those in need is a long tradition here at
our church. A complete meal with all the trimmings serving up to ten
is purchased from Kroger. These fully cooked meals will be handed
out December 23rd this year. If you would like to be part of this
outreach project, the cost of each family feast is about $60.
Saturday
evening,
December
24th at
7pm
Mt. Olivet is sponsoring 10 local children this year who may not otherwise receive Christmas gifts. Please consider taking an angle from the “Giving Tree” located in the sanctuary. The gender and the age of the child is on one side, their “wish” list on the other. Purchase and wrap your gift, tape the “angel” on your gift, and return it. We’ll make sure your Christmas Angel receives his/her gift(s).
Attention all Elders/Committee Chairs
Annual reports must be turned in to the church of-
fice no later than January 6, 2017.
December 21, 2016 at 6pm
It’s a PARTY!! This festive gathering will be at the home of Jon San-
ford extraordinaire! Call the church office if you would
like to carpool. Bring a dish and prepare to have fun.
It’s a tradition! Providing a gift for each residence at
Tamarind Square. Please donate a Christmas figurine
for the Deacons to wrap-up with Christmas cookies.
These love gifts are delivered by our carolers on
December 11th. Deadline: December 7th.
Joyce Harris 1
Janis Patrick 1
Ellie Webster 6
Nina Hacker 9
Butch Kirby 10
Sandi Butt 11
Rob Ballantyne 12
Helen Moore 17
Paul Durham 27
Jeff Hamey 28
Jeffrey Abner 29
Lucy Noe 31
Tim & Wanda Stamper 2nd
Bill & Barb Fairchild 5th
Bobby & Tara Hunt 17th
Bill & Mary Back 24th
Ron & Sandy Kash 31st
5Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
5:30pm
Deacons
2 3
4
Communion
Carry-in Dinner
5 6 7
6:30 Choir
7pm Finance
8pm Prayer
8:30 Worship
8
9 10
8am Men’s Group
Breakfast
11
8:30am
Christian Ed
12
13
14
6:30 Choir
7pm Session
8pm Prayer
15 16
17
18 19 20
6pm
Birthday
Dinner
21
6pm Choir Party
no prayer meeting
22
23
24
25
26
Office
Closed
27
Office
closed
28
Office
Closed no
prayer @8pm
29
Office
Closed
30
Office
Closed
31
2016 Tuesday December 20 @ 6pm. We will celebrate December birthdays.
Sign up in the narthex! If your birthday is in December
You eat free!!!!!
7pm Candlelight
service
5pm
May God Bless
2017
A tradition at Mt. Olivet you just can’t
pass up. Caroling at Tamarind Square
while delivering a gift to each
resident; and then a Pizza Party
featuring the ever famous homemade
Hufford pizza.
5pm Sunday December 11th
The presentation and election of
our church officers.
Sunday Jan. 8
Presentation of The
State of the Church
reports, 2017 budget.
Sunday Jan. 22
11-11:45am
**There will be NO Classes on December 25th