December 2018 Epistle (004) (1)

TheEpistle-December2018

Finding the Spirit in Life #�indingspirit www.stpeterscarmel.org #carmelucc

ThisnewsletterisWORTHREADING,anditisL-O-N-G.

We recommend that you �ind a hot beverage to sip while you read, take your time, pray

for our congregation and each other in between the articles, and know that you are loved.

HolidayWorshipScheduleBlue Christmas: December 5th at 7:00pmChristmas Eve: 4:00, 6:30, and 11:00pm

Communion and Candlelight at all Services

One Service at 10:00am on December 23 and 30

PoinsettiaDonationsforChristmasEveIf you would like to donate a poinsettia for the holiday season please feel free to bring in your plant(s)

anytime after December 16 and before Christmas Eve services. If you would like to donate in memory or

in honor of a loved one there is a sign up sheet in Fellowship Hall, or email Laurie Hesselink at of-

�[email protected].

Table of Contents: Page 2: Calendar + Page 3: Advent Calendar + Page 4-7: Clergy Team Update

Page 8 & 9: Generosity Team + 0: Music Team + Page 11: Building & Grounds Team

Page 12 & 13: Governance Council + Page 14 & 15: Spiritual Life Team

Page 16 & 17 Education Team & Preschool Team + Page 18 & 19 Missions Team + Page 20: Wider UCC

Page 21: Celebrations + Page 22: Community Happenings + Page 23: Church Office Notes

December 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

Parlor in Use

9-10am Tamil School 2-4pm

2

HOPE

Pageant/Cookie Sunday Youth Group 12:30-2pm Meyers’ Instal-lation 3pm

3

4

5

Blue Christmas Service 7pm

6

Women & the Word 9:30am Ministry Coun-cil 6pm Handbells 6pm Choir Practice 7pm

7

8

Parlor in Use 9-10am Tamil School 2-4pm

9

PEACE

Christmas Car-oling 12:30pm Rural Health Christmas Par-ty

10

Finance & Ops 6:30pm

11

Young Adults Group (Books & Brews 7pm)

12

Governance 6:30pm

13

Women & Word 9:30am Staff Meeting 1:30pm Handbells 6pm Choir 7pm

14

Christmas In Cincinnati

15 Parlor in Use 9-10am Tamil School 2-4pm Christmas in Cincinnati

16

JOY Christmas in Cincinnati Borderlands Meeting 10am Generosity Team 12:30pm

17

Newsletter Articles Due

18

Senior Pas-tor Support 6:30pm Music Team 6:45pm

19

Preschool Songfest 12:15 Missions Team 6pm

20

Men’s Break-fast 8am Preschool Songfest 12:15

21

Movie Night (Keystone Arts Cinema)6:30pm

22

Parlor in Use 9-10am

23

LOVE

Combined Worship 10am ________________ 30

Combined Worship 10am

24

Christmas Eve Worship 4,6:30,11pm Preschool out ‘til Jan 8

25

26

27 28

Youth Group Holiday Lock-In

29 Parlor in Use 9-10am

From Your Clergy Team Lori Bievenour [email protected] 317-846-6882 x222

Becca Lockwood [email protected] 317-846-6882 x223

Sam Locke [email protected]

FromLoriDuring the Hanging of the Greens, a small child among us became quite fearful that Santa was going to show up, unannounced, at church. There was terror in this child’s eyes. When asked if they were afraid of Santa, the reply was a silent nodding of the head and a tighter grip on the parent’s hand. I instinctively said, “Oh, you don’t have to worry… Santa doesn’t show up to church. Only Baby Jesus is here at Christmas.” The other adults present just looked at me. The child con�irmed, “Santa’s not going to come here?” “Nope. Only Baby Jesus,” I said con�idently. And then the next strain of questions came: “Where is Baby Jesus? Can I see the ba-by? Why is Jesus at church? Where does Jesus live? Here?” I wondered if I had an-swered a bit too quickly; I wondered if my answer would suf�ice. And, if I am being honest, I must confess that I have better answers for where Santa is than where Jesus is at this time of year. What about you? That realization got me thinking… Sometimes I hear people wonder why Christmas has become such a “commercial and secular holi-day.” One answer is we don’t talk as much about the religious aspects of Christmas as we do the general spirit of the winter holidays. How would Christmas be different if we anticipated Jesus’ birth – the com-ing of the Christ Child – in ways that are as tangible as candy canes and snow people? What if you asked a child about Jesus as often as you asked that same child if they are excited for Santa to come and bring toys? I realize that I sound pretty Jesus-y to many of you right now, but I am willing to take on that label. At Christmas, it should be about Jesus. And not in a “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” bumper-sticker-sort-of-way. In a “light emerged from darkness, Jesus’ birth surprised a lot of people, and there are gen-

erations of people who have been impacted by this tale which is lodged in the hearts of so many” sort of

way! However you understand it, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to share the Christmas story a bit more

often. To ignore the Jesus part of this series of Holy Days does nobody any favors, especially our kids,

who truly want to understand what this thing called Christianity is all about and why there are adults

around them crying while singing Silent Night and holding onto candles at church on the night before

Santa arrives. We would do well to tell the story… again and again… because stories are powerful: Je-

sus’, Santa’s, yours, and ours. Which story will you tell most often and with the most passion this Christ-

mas Season? I wonder as I wander… and I pray that you accept the challenge to share the Christmas Sto-

ry and your story!

FromBeccaUsually, I am a �irm believer and practitioner of no Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving. I like seasons. I like rhythms. I like the steady pace of the liturgical calendar. I like the planned waiting and thrill of anticipation. But not this year. This year I have thrown the theory of delayed grati�ication

out the window: I started listening to Christmas music before Halloween. I honestly can’t remember doing this before. The closest it ever got was watching Tim Burton’s TheNightmareBeforeChristmas on Halloween. And to be honest, I’m not sure if that counts. Before the audible gasps of disapproval escape, allow me to offer a reason for

this veer away from tradition. It’s a simple reason: I needed joy early. I needed to hear the gentle ring of jingle bells, the familiar tunes of classic Christmas carols, the songs from Schooner Fair (a Maine trio we grew up listening to), the silly songs about Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Sometimes we need the joy early. The world has been really hard lately, for many of us. If listening to Christmas songs early is what you need to do, then by all means, do it. Here’s to �inding joy!

WhenHolidayExperiencesChallengeYourCurrentFaith/Values… Recently, someone stopped us after worship and asked, “So, can you give me some advice about what to do when your holiday experiences don’t match your current beliefs? I mean, I get to go home for Christ-mas, but I am already dreading it because it’s not safe like it is here at St. Peter’s.” We have been asked this question more than once this season, and we each wanted to offer a bit of insight. The challenge is real. The feelings are legitimate. Our responses are wrapped in love:

FromLori:Whenfacedwithachallengingholidayexperience,I’velearnedthatquietnessandfocus

aremybestfriends.IpracticetuningouttherestoftheworldandlisteningforGodinmyheartbeat,

feelingtheSpiritinmybreath,andtryingtorecallstoriesofJesuswherehewasuncomfortable.Itry

tofocusonthepositives:theprettylights,thebeautifuldecorations,thetastyfood…andthenIlet

myselfescapetoaplacethatallowsmetohaveamomenttomyself.Truthfully,it’softenabathroom,

andthat’sok.Ijustneedafewmomentstogathermythoughts,trytopraymywaythroughasitua-

tion,andtorefocusonthepowerofgoodness.Iremindmyselfofmyvaluesoften.Igivemyselfbig-

germarginsthistimeofyear.And,I+indafewpeoplewhomIcantrusttoholdmydisappointment

whendif+icultsituationsarise.

Inmyopinion,theholidaysarenotatimetotrytobeindependentorto“hunkerdown.”Theyarea

timetobeconnectedtopeoplewhomyoutrustandatimetoallowyourinnervoicetoguideyou.The

worldaroundusscreams,“Behappy,getinvolved,don’tstop,rush,rush,rush!”butmyspiritcravesa

waitingtime,timetopercolate,timeforre+lection.Mywholebodyneedsmoredowntimeduringthis

season.Mybrainneedstodecompressalittlebitmore.SometimesIwritenamesdownofthosepeo-

pleforwhomIwanttopray,andIdon’tevenputwordsaroundmyprayers…Ijustsaythe

names.Thathelpsinstressfulsituationsaswell–especiallywhenthenamethatIsayismyown.

Mybestadviceforthisseasonistostaypresentandallowyourselftofeelwhateveremotionsare

emerging.Don’tworryyourselfintoapainfulexperience;arrivewithasfewexpectationsaspossible

(goodorbad),allowyourselftosoakupeventhesmallestbitofgoodness,andknowthatyouarenot

aloneasyounavigatetheholidays!

FromBecca:ManyhaveaskedLori,SamandIhowtomakeitthroughtheChristmasorholidaysea-

sonwithfamily,traditionsthataren’taslovedbyyouastheyarebyothers,churchservicesinother

placesetc.

Thetruthis,I’mnotsureIhaveagreatanswer.We’realltryingtocopeasmuchasyouall.

So,here’swhatIdotomakeitthrough:

-Alwayshaveaspace,whetherit’saroom,abathroom,oraclosetwhere

youcangoandbreathe.Breathingisimportant.

-Keepchocolateclose.Thisiswisdomforeveryday.

-Trynottofocusonhowallyourbuttonsarebeingpushedatonce.Iheard

thiswisdomonce:“Ofcourseyourfamilyknowswhereallyourbuttonsare;

theyinstalledthem.”

-Instead,focusonlittlejoysthroughouttheday,meal,orchurchservice.WithluckandsomeHoly

Spirithelp,allwillbewell.

FromSam:Whenholidaysdon’tmeetexpectations,lookforasurprise!Justafewweeksagowasoneof

thosesurprisesforme.Mygrandmother,whotraditionallyhostsThanksgiving,wasslatedforsurgerythe

nextday,sowetooktheyearoff.WithmykidsinMichiganwiththeirmomandnofamilyeventsplanned,it

mighthavebeenalonelyday.Needingclinicalhours,IspentagoodchunkofthedayatmyplacementIU

WestHospital.Patientsthatweretooupsettotalkthedaybeforeweresuddenlychipper,peopleinthe

throesofillnesswerequicktopointoutsomethingtheywerethankfulfor.Manypatientstalkedabouthow

theirfamiliesrescheduledtheplannedfestivitiessotheycouldtakepartwhendischarged.Somepatients

simplytooksolaceinthepresenceofthehospitalstaff.Holidayscanbewhateverandwheneverwewantto

makethem-traditionsarefun,traditionsaremeaningful-and-sometimes,takingayearoffreallydoes

helpcenterusbacktowhattheholidaymeansinthe+irstplace.Ihopewecanall+indthatblessingwhen

weneedit.

As always, if you have speci�ic prayer requests, please contact our Clergy Team ([email protected], [email protected], or [email protected]). We are prepared to journey through the holiday season with all who celebrate as well as those who struggle.

JanuaryCredoRetreatUpdateIn late January, I will return to Trinity Center in Salter Path, North Carolina, to reconnect with three col-leagues whom I met at a CREDO seminar sponsored by the UCC Pension Boards. They are from WI, CO, and IA, and each serves as a conference or associate conference minister. We have been meeting online every other month since November of 2016. I never knew that conference calls could be so important to me. We pray together, offer challenges and seek advice, celebrate successes and share laughter. We need each other in a way that we weren’t aware of when we covenanted together to continue the rela-tionship after our retreat a few years ago. At the CREDO retreat, we each crafted a CREDO Plan, which we have been attempting to live out in the months that have followed. My plan included the mantra, “Be Calm, Strong, and Vulnerable.” I’m trying to live into that goal daily, and some days are better than others! This time together in January will serve to ground us in our CREDO goals and dreams once again, and we will support one another as we discern what’s next for each of us in our unique settings. Finally, a note on location. We had always hoped to return to Trinity Center, where our relationship started. The ocean and beach had messages for us, and the tranquility of the retreat center there was something to which we longed to return. We had planned this retreat for November, but our schedules changed and we couldn’t make it work; we rebooked for January. And then Hurricane Florence hap-pened. Trinity Center needsus to return to continue their work. The retreat center sustained damage in the nurrican, and simply by visiting, we are helping them to rebuild. Thank you for praying me, my col-leagues, and Trinity Center through this sacred time! - Lori

Sabbaticals are Coming Our pastors’ call agreements include a three-month sabbatical every �ive years. Lori will be on sabbati-

cal September-November 2019. Becca will be on sabbatical for a similar time frame in 2020. The Gov-

ernance Council and Pastor Support Teams are planning these experiences for our congregation, and

more details will be announced as they become more clear! (If you did not receive a snail mail letter an-

nouncing these renewal periods, please contact Laurie Hesselink at of�[email protected])

Prayer Station Update November’s Prayer Station was a coloring poster. Coloring only a portion of the

poster each week was a challenge for some; it made us think about the things in our

lives that are incomplete and that become clearer over time. Currently, this is what

the poster looks like:

December’s prayer station will involve candles and sand. This month (in our hemi-

sphere) is when the days are shorter and the nights are longer. There is less light

(literally), and therefore, we are called to bring light to the world in creative ways.

Please light a candle and offer a prayer intention (silently, out loud, or written on

the paper provided at the prayer station), and to allow it to be seen by others. We

will take great care to see the light in others this month and to illumine those reali-

ties in our world that need some attention.

Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program Update – Fearless Dialogues In November, I attended a reunion of all participants in the Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program

(WPLP). Only one day long, we savored our time together. Our guests were Dr. Gregory C. Ellison II and

Dr. Georgette “Jojo” Ledgister, who are the self-described “animators” of Fearless Dialogues. I was

moved by our time with these visionaries. I cried. I laughed. I heard stories told in new ways. I felt

heard and seen and loved. They helped us to play with the following ideas:

See. Hear. Change.

Once you see, you cannot NOT see.

When will you see?

#seelevel

There were many ways in which my time with my dear WPLP friends affected my spirit. We’ve known

each other over a decade and are all still serving in different pastoral settings throughout the country.

There is no doubt in my mind that our ability to continue in this vocation is, in part, because of the sup-

port of this group. The Lilly Endowment had a vision to support early career pastors, and ten years lat-

er, it’s still working. I am grateful for the support of St. Peter’s as I continue to learn and grow as a pas-

tor in the midst of others who are doing the same thing. These relationships are invaluable to me!

The work of Fearless Dialogues is profound and yet quite simple. It’s too

much to explain in one Epistle article, but as the preface to the book by

the same name says:

For more information on Fearless Dialogues – a grassroots organization

committed to creating unique spaces for unlikely partners to engage in

hard, heartfelt conversations on dif+icult subjects – please visit

www.fearlessdialogues.com.

The work of Fearless Dialogues could be something that would take root

at St. Peter’s. Its applications are many, and we simply need to dream

together about how to make these ideas our own. Be in touch if you

have any thoughts surrounding these ideas… and thanks again!

GenerosityTeamTeamLeader:SethKreigh [email protected]

AMessageFromYourGenerosityTeamLeaderLast month, a different member of our team shared a few thoughts on gratitude and generosity via email each Tuesday. The same message was shared in our Facebook group, where people could choose to be in dialogue. Below are two word clouds to visually represent our messages and associated Face-book conversations. We hope that you are reminded of the many ways in which your St. Peter’s com-munity inspires generosity of all types and changes lives in myriad ways. What do YOU love about our community, and what will YOU give?

GenerosityTeamSponsorsBetheChurch2.0onWednesdaysinJanuaryExploringourMissionStatementTogether

In September, a group of curious individuals came together to explore what it means to Be the Church. We had a fantastic time discussing the History & Polity, Theology, Expressions & Slogans, and Social Justice Ministries of the United Church of Christ. Much was learned, stories were shared, and new rela-tionship emerged. It was a wonderful experience, and we had always planned to have a Be the Church 2.0 series. That time has come! In January, your Generosity Team and pastors are hosting Be the Church 2.0. Come every Wednesday or just to one or two – you are always welcome. We will be studying St. Peter’s Mission Statement, which might be new to you, even though it’s been printed on the back of every Epis-tle since October 2012:

St.Peter’sisawelcomingcommunity,sharingGod’slovewithourworld,and�indingtheSpiritinLife.

It’s a pretty solid statement, and we think it’s worth discussing! Come with ideas, questions, or just a

desire to engage your faith in a new way! Our schedule and topics will be as follows, from 6:30-8p.m. each week:

January9–WelcomingCommunityJanuary16–SharingGod’sLovewithOurWorld

January23–FindingtheSpiritinLifeJanuary30-TheWholeThing-WhatNow?

HelpusBetheChurch!GiveGenerouslythisHolidaySeasonTo be the church is to practice the spiritual discipline of generosity. It is not the church’s need to re-ceive, but the basic human need to give that drives this effort. This holiday season, won’t you consider practicing your generosity skills? Here’s a few ways to do so:

• WeeklyOfferingPlate Cash or check!

• AutomaticBankWithdrawal Contact your bank to set up an electronic deposit that will happen automatically.

• ACHTransfer Can be set up through your bank or through Realm. (Note: This option costs the

congregation less than credit card transactions!)

• Credit Card Set up a Realm account, and then set up your recurring gift. (Note: The credit card

fees are 2.75% plus $0.45 per transaction, so there are fewer fees if you combine transactions. For example, if you give four gifts of $100, our fees are $13.00; but, if you give one gift of $400, our fees are $11.45.)

• Stock Donating stock or mutual fund shares to the church is a wonderful way to experience

both the joy of giving AND signi�icant tax advantages, which may include no capital gains tax, no gift or estate tax, and an income tax deduction. St. Peter’s has an account with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, who will work with you to help facilitate the gifting process. (See details on previous page.)

• MatchingGifts Check with your employer to see if matching dollars are available!

• Text Send a text to 73256 with the keyword CARMEL and a dollar amount. (The �irst time you

donate by text to St. Peter's it will take about 2 minutes to set up your account infor mation.)

GenerosityTeamTeamLeader:SethKreigh [email protected]

Building&GroundsTeamTeamLeader:MikeFlener [email protected]

AroundtheChurchSometimes people don’t realize just how many systems have to work together to keep our building in shape. Here’s a smattering of what we’ve been addressing in recent weeks – and note: all of these sto-ries have positive endings or are on their way!

• HotWaterHeater – We noticed that there was no hot water on Sunday, November 25th… by that afternoon, multiple volunteers had assessed the problem, and about 24 hours later, Mike Flener had worked with our plumber to get everything working again! THANKS TO ALL for alerting us of the problem and �ixing it so quickly!

• SanctuaryLights – At random times, the lights in the sanctuary (and sometimes in fellowship hall) have been �lickering. Mike Croft is working with the electric company to diagnose this problem, which is more than just a bad connection or breaker issue. One step at a time, our electrical challenges are being addressed, and for this, we are grateful!

• AccessibleDoor – Mike Croft has also been working to diagnose the problem with the acces-sible door switches, which have not been working for about a month. We have identi�ied at least one contributing factor and have calls out for new parts. We hope to get this door �ixed ASAP, as we recognize that it hurts our message of hospitality and our Covenant of Welcome when it’s not operational.

• NewLEDLights – Throughout the building, you should be seeing things more clearly! LED light �ixtures are replacing our original-to-the-building �luorescent tubes in the hallways and all of�ices and classrooms. The difference is drastic! This will undoubtedly affect our electric-ity bill in a positive way, and we are grateful for the 10+ volunteers who have made this hap-pen. There will be at least one more workday to �inish up this project, so stay tuned if you’re interested in helping!

St.Peter’sInclementWeatherPolicy• SundayServices will be cancelled if a snow emergency is declared by the City of Carmel or Hamil-

ton County.

• ThechurchofFicewillbeclosedandallmeetings/groupscancelled on the days that Carmel Clay Schools are closed for the entire day. If this closure occurs during the week we are hosting Family Promise guests, we will cover our Family Promise responsibilities.

• St.Peter’sPreschool will be closed on days Carmel Clay Schools are closed, and on days when Carmel Clay Schools have a two-hour delay, St. Peter’s Preschool will operate on a one-hour delay.

ChristmasCarolingJoytotheWorld

It is Advent and it is time for Christmas Caroling! Sunday,December9is the date,12:30p.m.is the time. Following the second service, a soup lunch will be served. We then will break into smaller groups, each group traveling to a few locations to share Christmas music with others. The sign-up sheet is in Fellowship Hall. If interested or have questions, please contact Cheryl at 317-213-1871 or [email protected].

CarolChoirFor children Grades 2 and higher – the Carol Choir rehearses on SundaysintheMusicRoomfrom9:45-10:10. During December, we will be rehearsing and playing Orff instruments, preparing for wor-

ship on Sunday,December30.Come join in the joy of making music.

Instruments?Does anyone – adult or child – in your family play an instrument? We’d like to know. We have music

opportunities at all levels, and your family’s musicians may be able to participate. Contact Cheryl at 317

-213-1871 or [email protected].

JoinintheRingingandSingingMusic is being made! You can join a choir and join in the music making. We’d love to have new mem-

bers in the choirs – Chancel and Handbell. If interested, please contact Cheryl at musicdirec-

[email protected]. Remember, making music is good for your health, your stress level, and the

community… so treat yourself!

Rehearsals on Thursdays

Handbellsfrom 6:00-7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary

ChancelChoir from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Music Room

Please share comments regarding our music program with any team member: Heather Kane, Don Kaufman, Sarah Scholl, Jim Vandivier; Addie Yoder, organist; or Cheryl Keckler, Music Director.

MusicTeamTeamLeader:HeatherKane [email protected]

MusicDirector:CherylKeckler [email protected]

FromUstoYouWe wish you the very best Advent and Christmas Seasons. Enjoy worshipping with us at St. Peter’s, stretching your faith, and sharing generously with others who need to feel the hope, peace, joy, and love of this sacred time of year!

(This artwork was created by Becca Lockwood and Lori Bievenour, just for this season. You can see the original in our entryway!)

LeadershipChangesTreasurer,HospitalityTeamLeader,SpiritualLifeTeamLeader

It is with great joy that we are able to announce that Diane Carr has discerned a call to be St. Peter’s next Treasurer! Since Diane is our elected Spiritual Life Team Leader, she is stepping back from that role. Chrissy Searcy, Spiritual Life team member of many years, is stepping into leadership for the Spir-itual Life Team. She will consult Diane if needed. Both Diane and Chrissy will be of�icially elected when the congregation elects new leaders in July 2019! Cindy Whitaker has asked to resign from her position as Hospitality Team Leader. She has taken a full time job (yay!) and needs to focus on that endeavor. We thank Cindy for her 3 years of service as Hospi-tality Team leader and are grateful for her continued involvement with our congregation. Governance Council is in conversation about our next Hospitality Team Leader. Thank you to all leaders who continue to serve our congregation in so many ways. Your spirits are bright; your dedication is strong. Your love for God and our congregation is inspiring!

GovernanceCouncil President:TimTomlinson [email protected] VicePresident:JenniferAtkinson [email protected] Secretary:DennisHeavin [email protected] GenerosityTeamLeader:SethKreigh [email protected] Treasurer:DianeCarr [email protected] TreasurerElect: temporarilyFilledbyNanBucksten

FormativeCongregationsFromLearningExperimenttoMajorGrantOpportunity

Throughout 2018, Lori has been participating with the Center for Congregations in an experiment they called “Formative Congregations.” There were 10 pastors who were invited to this experience, and the congregations were each given a $3K learning stipend. At St. Peter’s, we have experimented with nur-turing our stories and our spiritual practices. This initial stipend allowed us to:

• Purchase a white board that has posed interested each questions each week, eliciting a variety of answers from our congregation and furthering dialogue among us

• Create a prayer station in our sanctuary, where we have been able to share prayers in more tactile ways (rocks in water, candles in sand, coloring posters, nails in a cross, etc.)

• Send out Advent postcards and enhance our worship space for the holiday season • Facilitate lunch and an experience at The Escape Room for our Leadership Retreat • And more!

Other congregations used their stipends for different experiences: civil rights travel opportunities, vid-eo equipment for telling the stories of congregants, community dinners, off-site retreats… the list is long and quite diverse. (Continued on the next page…)

TheCenterforCongregationswassopleasedwiththeresultsofourexperimentsthat,fortheFirsttimeever,theyareinviting8congregationstocontinuethisworkandapplyforuptoa$30Kgrant.St.Peter’sGovernanceCouncilwasdelightedto

beginthisjourney. Beginning in January, Lori and at least two lay people will attend sessions at The Center for Congrega-tions to explore the idea of formative congregations even further; our grant proposal will be due in May 2019. (Note: $10K could be granted without matching dollars. The additional $20K would require a congregational match. We are not required to apply for the full amount. We are certain that by attend-ing the sessions and continuing our exploratory work in January – May, we will craft a strong proposal, no matter the amount that we land upon!) The Center describes the experience in this way: “Thelearningcohortwillexplorewaysinwhichcongregationsmightmovetheirfocus,atleastincremen-

tally,frominstitutionalmaintenancetogreaterattentiontothelifejourneysoftheirparticipants.This

questionwillbeaddressed:Howmightourcongregationprovideexperiencesthatenhancethelifeofour

adherents?Thegoalofahealthy,functioningcongregationwillnotbetheend.Itwillbethemeanstoa

greaterend:acongregationthathelpsitsmembersincreasetheircapacitytoliveinthedeepestandbest

commitmentsoffaithineverydaylife.Thisinitiativewillexploreunderwhatconditionssuchpositivepow-

erstill+lourishes.

Thegoaloftheprogramisnottofocusoncongregationalredevelopmentortheorganizationalstructure

ofthecongregation.Noristhefocusoncommunityengagementthoughtheremaybeelementsofbothof

theseinyourproject.Thefocusisonthelivesofyourpeople.”

Governance Council will continue to update you on the progress of this opportunity. For now, will you pray for the experience and continue to trust the Spirit as she reveals these fantastic opportunities to us?

BlueChristmasService-December5at7:00p.m. The holiday season is a dif�icult time for many people. The overwhelming messages of the season are

that we should all feel joyful, or at least peaceful. We are told we should enjoy the company of friends

and family; that we should experience the luxuries of gift-giving and receiving. For many people these messages serve as painful reminders of what they have lost, or what they never had in the �irst place. Our Blue Christmas Service provides an opportunity for dif�icult feelings to be acknowledged. It is also an occasion for the St. Peter’s community to offer support to those among us who are in pain, so we all have a reminder that we are not alone. Plan to join us for this unique worship experience on Wednes-day, December 5, 2018 at 7pm. The service will last approximately one hour and there will be refresh-ments afterward. Contact Diane Carr, [email protected], for more information.

ArtDisplay–“TheSpiritofWinter”-YourGenerosityNeeded!Our next art display, “The Spirit of Winter,” will begin in January. We are now col-lecting YOUR magni�icent art works! What do the winter months do for your spir-it? How do you react to the darker and colder days? The bare trees? The warm �ires? Newly fallen snow? Do you have or can you create some art that makes your soul stir in these ways? If so, please consider sharing it for our art display. Your personal artwork or other art that you own can be included. We will be col-lecting the artwork through December. Contributions? Questions? Please contact Chrissy Searcy at [email protected].

Women’sRetreat–“Seek,Create,andWitnessTheGood”–Feb8-9,2019Does the negativism and con�lict in our world today stress you out? Bring you down? Cause despair? Does it feel like there is less “good” in the world or your life than there once was? This retreat is about reminding ourselves of the good within and around us. We will focus on seeking out, recognizing and creating positive realities in our own lives. Join us Friday, February 8 at 6 PM to Saturday, February 9 at noon at Camp Jameson for an uplifting, fellowship-building opportunity to “Seek, Create, and Witness The Good”. If you haven't been to this annual retreat before, it is a fun night and morning of re�lection, fellowship, and laughter. There is plenty of sleeping room (bunk beds), a large kitchen, and lovely gath-ering space. All are welcome! Sign up in Fellowship Hall. The cost is $40 (payment can be put in the col-lection basket with "Women's Retreat" noted). Scholarships are available by contacting one of the pas-tors. If you have any questions, please contact Chrissy Searcy at [email protected].

SpiritualityRetreat–April26-27,2019Please mark your calendars for our annual Spirituality Retreat at Waycross Retreat Center in Brown County. Shannon Abbott will be leading this experience. More information will be shared in early 2019.

WhyDoWeSuffer?-ACreativeExperiencewithScriptureWhy do we suffer? It is a questions people have been asking for generations. Spoiler alert: it is hard to �ind an answer, but it doesn’t stop us from trying. This is the basic plot of the Book of Job, often consid-ered one of the best pieces of literature in world history. This January-March, Sam will be leading a crea-tive exploration of Job - the original text, modern adaptations and hopefully a retelling of the story with a St. Peter’s twist. If you have a creative spirit or are just interested in learning more, contact [email protected] to be kept up to speed as the schedule unfolds.

SpiritualLifeTeam

TeamLeader:ChrissySearcy [email protected]

SpiritualLifeTeam

TeamLeader:ChrissySearcy [email protected]

SpiritualityMusingsAConnectionBetweenaRetreatinCA&St.Peter’s!

Teresa Ayres and Carole Blocher came back from a conference in CA so excited about her experiences that we asked her to share them more broadly. We hope that you see some parallels to what you experi-ence with St. Peter’s, and we hope that you enjoy this re�lection. It’s great holiday reading!

CaroleBlocherandIrecentlyattendedafour-dayconferenceinHuntingtonBeach,California,

“LivingaLifeofPresence”,presentedbytheEckhartTolleFoundation.Alongwith1300otherat-

tendeesfrom30differentcountries,wegatheredtolearnandbeinspiredaboutthepowerofPres-

enceinourlives.

EckhartTolle,authorof“ThePowerofNow”,championedthepoweroflivinginthenowandcon-

+irmedthathumanconsciousnessisnotoptionalifourspeciesistosurvive.Wemustallengageand

participateinapersonaltransformationinadditiontobeingpartofaspiritualcommunity.Alt-

houghpainful,theworkweemploywithourselvesresultsinadynamicshiftinothersweencoun-

ter.

Spiritualteacher,socialactivist,andauthorof,“ACourseinMiracles”,MarianneWilliamsonspoke

aboutthecurrentspiritualopportunitiesofthepoliticalworldinwhichwelive.Shetalkedabout

theneedtooverrideoureconomicdominanceinexchangeforthehumanitarianperspective.This

canonlyoccurwhenwestarttovaluepeoplemorethanthings.Asmorewomencomeintopower,

Ms.Williamsonbelievesthattherewillbeatransformationinoureconomicworld.Weallmust

windthroughourcurrentrealityandfearbeforewecanbefree.

EachSundayatStPeter’s,weareencouragedtorelax,breatheandsitinsolitudeandhaveamo-

mentofre+lection.NewYorkTimesbestseller,ShakaSenghor,“WritingMyWrongs”,sharedhis

experiencesaroundsolitude,self-re+lection,redemptionandforgiveness.Senghorwasconvictedof

murderandspentnineteenyearsinprison,fourofwhichwereinsolitarycon+inement.Theseyears

causedhimtoexamineconceptsaroundkindness,meditation,forgivenessandtheimportanceof

communityinredemption.Senghorremindedusthatwearenotde+inedbyourworstdeeds.Seghor

confrontedhispastandbecameamentortoothersfacingsimilarcircumstances.

OtherspeakersattheconferenceincludedMarkNepo,SefaliTsabaryandIyanlaVanzant.Wealso

enjoyedthemusicaltalentsofJewelandherinspiringstoryofhomelessnessandbrokennessthat

canresultevenwithenormousfame.

Itseemedeachspeakerwasmoreinspiringthantheprevious.Whatstartedasagirls’tripresulted

inacontinuationofadeepconnectionnotjustbetweentwoclosefriendsbutanentirecommunity

withaneedandcallingforaspirituallife.Theconferencecon+irmedthatpeoplearehungryfora

spiritualawakening.Nowthatisapowerfulde+initionoffaith!

WouldYouLiketoTalkaboutYourFaith/SpiritualDevelopment?As part of his work at St. Peter’s, Ministry Intern Sam Locke is part of a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program, which includes ministering to St. Peter’s members about four hours a week. If you’d like a friendly face to chat with regularly or one-time about matters related to your faith journey, please reach out to any members of the pastoral team or email Sam directly at [email protected].

EducationTeamTeamLeader:StacyMcIntyre [email protected]

AnnualChristmasPageant&CookieSundayThis year our annual pageant will be on December 2nd. We will have a scripted pageant this year, featur-ing our con�irmands and older youth. It will be an exciting retelling of the Christmas story through the lens of Joseph, the Innkeeper, and Elizabeth, the cousin of Mary. We’re excited to hear this story retold from the perspective of our youth! During Education Hour, enjoy cookies of all types as you share your favorite Christmas memories. (Please bring cookies to share!)

YoungAdultsGroupA Young Adults Group at St. Peter’s! We meet at Carmel’s Books and Brews (61 West City Center Drive in Carmel) from 7:00pm-8:30pm on the second Tuesday of every month. Books and Brews is a family-friendly place for people to come and read, chat, and simply be. Each gathering will have a focus topic for discussion. On December 11, we will explore the holiday season together, with all of its ups and downs and twists and turns. YoungAdultisself-de+ined,ifyou’reayoungadultinageoratheart,you’reinvited!Contact Becca if you have questions! [email protected]

AdventEducationHourOpportunity:NoChristmaswithoutHER

This season of Advent we will be entering our Christmas story through a different lens. During our Lec-tionary Class on Sunday mornings at 10:00am we will be exploring the theme NoChristmaswithoutHER. The Christmas story was made possible by some key women from our history and together we will remember and explore their stories. Join us at 10:00am on Sunday in the Parlor. December 2 No Christmas without the Sex Worker (Rahab) Joshua 2: 1-24, 6: 1-2, 25 December 9 No Christmas without the Foreigner (Ruth) Ruth 1: 1-18, 3: 1-5, 4: 1-6, 11-18 December 16 No Christmas without the Survivor (Bathsheba) 2 Samuel 11: 1-15, 26, 12: 15b-25 December 23 No Christmas without Consent (Mary) Luke 1: 26-38, 46-55

WomenandtheWord:AWeeklyDiscussionWomen and the Word will be reading and discussing the book "Factfulness" by Hans Rosling. It uses facts to prove that this world isn't as bad as we feel like it is right now. Many of us feel hopeless and helpless when we look at what is going on in our country and around the world. We're hoping this gives us hope for present day and the future! If you would like to join the discussion or information on order-ing the book please contact Sarah Penquite at [email protected].

PoliticsinthePurpleChurch-Success!A big thank you to everyone who participated in one or more Politics in a Purple Church sessions! By all accounts, the sessions were informative, helped to ground us theologically heading into an important election, identi�ied issues where there is broad agreement within our community and also brought forth awareness to places where we might not be as aligned as we thought. It is our prayer this program helped you practice skills for how we can faithfully dialogue and work through our differences as a com-munity in Christ. A huge thank you also for all of the guest speakers we had over the course of the series and major kudos to our own Randy Wahl, for bravely representing a position (and modeling faithful dia-logue) not widely shared at St. Peter’s in discussing gun policy. Let’s keep talking with one another and with the wider community - it is one important way that we can “Be The Church!”

EducationTeamTeamLeader:StacyMcIntyre [email protected]

ConFirmation!All 7th-12th graders are invited to participate in our Con�irmation process. If you are interested in this journey, please email Becca at [email protected].

YouthGroupUpdate

Youth Group’s adventure at the Carmel United Methodist Food Pan-try was a huge success. The full story, shared the next day, inspired signi�icant additional donations of food and other pantry items, for which we are deeply grateful.

The youth cleaned out a basement, raked leaves, assembled shelves, and moved a project into storage. Our group also learned more about food instability in Hamilton County.

Most needed items included cereal, ready-to-eat meals, and person-al care products, especially for children who are staying with grand-parents as a result of their parents’ opioid addictions.

Our Missions Team is in conversation about future and deeper rela-tionships with this pantry, as the experience was SO impactful for our youth and leaders.

FallCarnival&ThanksgivingFeastI was lucky enough to attend the Fall Carnival. A great job was done by all, and everyone had a great time! I think the Balloon Man was the most popular event and so much fun. - Tammy

LaBraidFundraiserDeadlineExtendedtoMondayDecember3at8:00am

The preschool’s annual La Braid fundraiser is now! The preschool is trying to sell enough to have Silly Safari Shows come and visit with a live Reindeer in January! The kids will love it! We earn 40% back on orders, so if you would like to order these delicious pastries there is an order form in Fellowship Hall. All pastries come frozen and will be delivered to the church freezer on Dec. 12….Just in time for the Holidays! Thank you for your support.

PreschoolTeamTeamLeader:TammyDrummond [email protected]

MissionsTeamTeamLeader:SeanHenseleit [email protected]

ChristmasInCincinnati:December14-16Christmas in Cincinnati is fast approaching! December 14-16 we will be with our sister church, Washing-ton UCC. We will work hard and create a Christmas shop for many families in the Camp Washington ar-ea. It’s a time for humility and hope as we come together to serve and to love. Please sign up in Fellow-ship hall or email Becca at [email protected].

SpecialCollection:TheChristmasFundMany retired pastors (and their beloved spouses) faithfully served UCC congregations but received low salaries. As a result, their pensions are also low, and the costs for their health insurance continue to rise. We offer our help to these dedicated church workers by contributing to The Christmas Fund, an annual offering coordinated by our UCC Pension Board, which provides a Christmas gift check and other supple-mentary �inancial assistance to these very faithful servants. St. Peter's will receive contributions to this fund throughout the month of December. Special offering envelopes are in the church pews. Make checks payable to St. Peter's but please earmark them for "The Christmas Fund." Your anticipated generosity will be much appreciated by the Mission Team and especially those retired pastors/ spouses who are helped!

RuralHealthChristmasParty:December9

On Sunday, December 9 from 2:00-4:00X.Y., St. Peter's will host our annual Christmas Party at Rural Health. Every year we spend a couple of hours meeting and connecting with the residents at Rural Health. It is a beautiful opportunity to share some time and brighten someone's day. We often sing Christmas carols, do a Christmas craft, and eat lunch. Please join us for a time of fellowship and fun! Ru-ral Health is a psychiatric nursing facility, and it is located at 1747 N Rural St, Indianapolis, IN 46218. For more information on how to be involved, please contact Bob Werner at [email protected] or Sean Henseleit at [email protected]

KrogerCardsEach year community members in need call the church for �inancial assistance when facing dif�icult cir-cumstances or emergencies. The missions team coordinates sending $50 grocery cards to assist when we receive these calls. The months of October, November, and December are by far our busiest times of year for providing this support. With our reduced budget this year, we are in need of additional support from the congregation to continue this important ministry. If interested, please consider donating $50 and making the donation for crisis intervention. Thank you for your continued support.

BorderlandsMissionTrip2019Our second borderlands mission trip will occur January 16-21, inclusive of the two days of travel from Indianapolis to the Tucson, Arizona area and back again. If you are interested in participating in this year's trip, please contact Rebecca McElfresh at 440-376-6651. On December 16th at 10:00 am, we will hold one last informational meeting ahead of the January trip. If you are eager to learn more about is-sues of immigration that are greatly impacting our nation and if you have been wondering about how you might learn more, please consider this opportunity.

MissionsTeamTeamLeader:SeanHenseleit [email protected]

GivingTreeOur annual Giving Tree is set up in the front hallway. This year we have opportunities to give towards residents of Rural Health Care (a psychiatric nursing facility in Indianapolis), kids from Washington UCC in Cincinnati, Exodus Refugee, and new this year- Border Ministry and Faith & Service action items. The Border Ministry tags have items to help folks who are migrating and seeking asylum (socks, toiletries, etc.). Faith & Service action items are things you (and a friend!) can do this holiday season as a way to embody the Spirit and try something new.

BystanderandCopWatchTrainingsOfferedElise Whitaker will be leading Bystander Training in February and Cop Watch Training in March at St Peter’s. These trainings will be open to the congregation and to the public. Bystander intervention training focuses on ways to intervene in instances of racist, anti-Immigrant, anti-Black, anti-Muslim, anti-Trans, and other forms of oppressive interpersonal violence and harassment while considering the safety of all parties. The goal of Cop Watch Training is to quickly train the average person in basic cop-watching laws, meth-ods, and safety considerations, and to promote cop watching as a method of bystander intervention. More information will be sent out via email and will be in future Epistles. Questions? Contact Elise Whitaker at 317.946.8641.

ChurchWorldService/CropHungerWalkUpdate-ThankYou! The annual Hamilton County Church World Service CROP Hunger Walk was on a warm Sunday after-noon, October 7, and St. Peter’s was represented by six walkers: Karen Carson, Nate and Martha Pauley, Joann and Eric Smith, and Don Kaufman. Thanks to generosity of these six walkers and their support-ers, our church team raised over $7,300! Overall, more than $20,000 was collected to help Church World Service and local food pantries help deal with the issues of hunger globally and locally! We are indeed grateful to those of you who offered �inancial support to this worthy cause!

NurturingANewRelationshipwiththeCarmelUMCFoodPantryThank you for your generous donations to our food and personal care donation drive during November for the Carmel UMC Food Pantry. We are exploring future ways to support this local ministry and will be excited to share with you in 2019!

WiderUCC

Germany,TheU.S./MexicoBorder,andSt.Peter’sUCCinCarmel,IndianaIn the month of November our Conference Minister and fellow St. Peter's member, Rev. Chad Abbott, traveled to Germany in the region of Westphalia to be an ecumenical guest at the Evangelical Church of Westphalia's General Synod. During this synod, Chad was asked to speak on a panel of world leaders from Hungary, Indonesian, the Congo, and more on the issue of migration and immigration across the world. Chad spoke about the current crisis at the U.S./Mexico border in that consultation and also dur-ing his speech of the second synod session. However, in the opening night of the synod their president, the Praeses Annette Kurschus, gave a rousing presidential speech about migration that included some re�lections on the U.S. This past summer, Annette came to St. Peter's along with her church board leadership. They had dinner and met with our borderland trip folks at St. Peter's for a lovely evening of discussion around issues of migration and immigration. During the opening of their synod, Annette shared her presidential address, some of which caught signi�icant media attention. In her speech she references her trip to the United States and speci�ically names St. Peter's as being a profound experience of shaping her thoughts around migration. She also went on to praise the UCC as a whole and especially their trip to our national of�ices as inspiring. It is worthy of note to share the wide impact our congregation has in this world, one that extended to Germany in the past month. Thank you to all who attended this last year's trip and for all those going in January. There is no other time more salient than now for these conversations around migration. It is profoundly important that we stand in the strength of this conversation with deep com-mitment, compassion, and discernment.

InstallationServicefortheReverendJannaMeyersJanna Meyers will be installed as Pastor and Teacher at St. John United Church of Christ on Sunday, De-cember 2 at 3:00pm. Janna is married to Daniel and is mother to Luke, both of whom attend St. Peter’s UCC! Janna has served in ministry for over ten years in various roles and states. She has served congre-gations in New York, Connecticut, and Indiana. Janna has a passion for delving deep into scripture and �inding God's presence and relevancy into today's world. She journeys and guides folks into living as Christ would call us to live. We celebrate with her as her ministry will continue to unfold in this new call at St. John's UCC Cumberland. Please come to support Janna in her new position as Pastor of St. John UCC.

CelebrationsLaurieHesselink,ChurchAdministrator [email protected]

InterfaithThanksgivingServiceThank you for bringing your choirs to participate in our Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. Your song was great! Please express our appreciation to all of your folks for giving up their Sunday afternoon and shar-ing with us in song. It was a wonderful service. - Jerry Zehr, Carmel Interfaith Alliance, & Congregation Shaarey Te�illa

St.Peter’sVeteransShareTimeTogetherThis year for Veteran’s Day, a few of St. Peter’s veterans shared a free meal McCormick & Schmicks. Thank you for your service! If you are a veteran who would like to connect with these or others at St. Peter’s, let us know by contacting of�[email protected]

CommunityConnectionsLaurieHesselink,ChurchAdministrator [email protected]

SacredPlaces:IntersectionsofReligionandEcology The Butler University Center for Faith and Vocation invites you to a four-part series of free and public lectures that are part of the Butler Seminar on Religion and Global Affairs. The theme is “SacredPlac-es:IntersectionsofReligionandEcology.” Basic details are below; more information is at www.butler.edu/cfv. Future Seminars include:

GlobalReligiousPerspectivesonClimateChangeMonday, January 28, 2019 - 7:00 p.m. in the Schrott Center for the Arts GreeningIndiana:TheologiesandEthicsofSustainabilityMonday, March 4, 2019 - 7:00 p.m. in the Schrott Center for the Arts

InterestedinActing?ConsiderthisOpportunity!The Performing Arts at Downey Avenue Christian Church is excited to bring to the stage a spring 2019 production of The Radium Girls by D.W. Gregory. In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, Madame Curie an international celebrity, and luminous watches the latest rage—until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, Radium Girls traces the efforts of Grace Fryer, a dial painter, as she �ights for her day in court. The Performing Arts group has presented sold out performances of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, the Midwest's premiere production of Four Spirits: The Play, by Sena Jeter Naslund and Elaine W. Hughes and Jesus Christ Superstar. Open auditions for The Radium Girls will be held at Downey, 111 S. Downey Ave. in historic Irvington on Dec. 2nd 5-7p and Dec. 3rd 7p-9p. The main cast calls for 5 young adult/adult females and 5 young adult/adult males (with possible doubling) and a few other minor roles of varying ages. Be prepared with a short monologue and to do a reading. Performance dates are March 8-10 and 15-17. For further inquiries or interest in the technical crew or other production roles send an email to: [email protected] or contact Anthony at 317-371-5229. Follow us on Facebook: Downey Ave Christian Church Performing Arts.

NotesfromtheChurchOfFiceLaurieHesselink,OfFiceAdministrator [email protected]

OfFiceHours&StaffSchedulesOf�ice staf�ing is Monday thru Friday 8:30-2:30. Please do not hesitate to contact our pastors. LoriBievenour,SeniorPastor [email protected], 317.846.6882 x222 (Friday Sabbath/day off) BeccaLockwood,AssociatePastorforMissions&Education [email protected], 317.846.6882, x223 (Monday Sabbath/day off) LaurieHesselink,OfFiceAdministrator of�[email protected], 317-846-6882

NewsletterArticlesArticles for the December newsletter should be sent to of�[email protected] by December 17th.

PastoralSupportTeams St. Peter’s Constitution requires support teams for both of our pastors. Carol Dobrotka leads the Senior Pastor Support Team, with team members Ryan Hand, Eddie Meyer, and Sue Nye. The Associate Pastor Support Team is led by Elizabeth Roe, and includes Jaesoo Kim, Nan Bucksten, and Eric Smith.

WeeklyEmails Community prayers and announcements are emailed on Wednesday. Notify the church of�ice if you would like to receive these communications.

AltarFlowerDonations Sign up in Fellowship Hall or contact the church of�ice to request �loral arrangements for Sunday worship services. ($50donationrequested.)Make checks payable to St. Peter’s UCC, “altar �lowers” in the memo line. When signing up in Fellowship Hall, please be sure to include your name. If you would prefer to not share your name with the congregation, please sign up by contacting the church of�ice.

DonatingStockorMutualFundSharesatSt.Peter’sThank you for generously supporting the mission of St. Peter's United Church of Christ! Donating stock or mutual fund shares to the church is a wonderful way to experience both the joy of giving AND signi�icant tax advantages. The tax advantages may include:

∗ NO CAPTIAL GAINS TAX payable either by you or by the church ∗ NO GIFT OR ESTATE TAX because SPUCC is a charitable organization ∗ AN INCOME TAX DEDUCTION based on the present value of the gift

You may �ind numerous examples of just how powerful this method of giving is by searching online for "donating appreciated stock tax bene�its". An important determination in deciding how to best gift your shares is whether they have increased or decreased in value. If your shares have increased in value they should be "donated" to the church, NOT "redeemed" or "sold" or "cashed-in". If your shares have decreased in value, it's better to sell the shares �irst and then give the proceeds to the church by personal or brokerage �irm check so you may deduct the loss on your taxes. St Peter's has an account with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management who will help facilitate you in the gifting process. For more information, including our Merrill Lynch account number (not provided here for security reasons), please contact Adam Scholl Financial Secretary (�[email protected]), Jenny Terry Financial Secretary-Elect (�[email protected]), or Seth Kreigh, Generosity Team Leader ([email protected]). THANK YOU for your interest in supporting St. Peter's in this way!

St.Peter’sStaff

LoriBievenourSenior Pastor

[email protected]

BeccaLockwoodAssociate Pastor of Missions

& Education [email protected]

SamLockeMinistry Intern

[email protected]

LaurieHesselinkOf�ice Administrator

of�[email protected]

LoriJannsenPreschool Director

[email protected]

CherylKecklerDirector of Music

[email protected]

AdelineYoderOrganist

TO:

St.Peter’sUnitedChurchofChrist3106 E Carmel Drive Carmel, Indiana 46033

Phone: 317-846-6882 Fax: 317-844-0984 Preschool: 317-846-6860 http://www.stpeterscarmel.org E-mail: of�[email protected] #carmelucc #�indingspirit

MissionStatementofSt.Peter’sUnitedChurchofChrist

St.Peter’sisawelcomingcommunity,sharingGod’slove

withourworldand+indingtheSpiritinLife.

CovenantofWelcome

“Welcome”to everybody who has faith or seeks it, who lives in hope or who needs it.. “Welcome”to all who rejoice and are strong, or who mourn and are weary.

“Welcome”to those who know Christ, and to those who long for an introduction. We believe God’s grace is extended to all. To anyone who has felt unwelcome or has experienced rejection elsewhere, we say, “All are welcome here.” We acknowledge our diversities and we welcome, respect and support people of every race, ethnicity, economic status, sexual orientation, age, gender, marital status and physical and mental ability. We are a community where all are equal, all are loved and all are respected for who and what they are, and what they can become. We acknowledge that our fears and ignorance sometimes hinder us. We challenge one another to follow the teachings of Jesus, who denied no one and welcomed all. We strive to live our faith by supporting inclusiveness and justice for all humanity, and we invite all who gather here to participate in our ministries of service, word and sacrament.

December 2018 Epistle (004) (1)

Documents

Transcript of December 2018 Epistle (004) (1)