Newsletter of The Church of the Covenant The Messenger€¦ · Chris Edwards James Edwards Donald...

The Messenger

Newsletter o f The Church o f the Covenant

December 2013

The Church

of the Covenant

267 East Beau St.

Washington, PA 15301

724.222.0190

[email protected]

www.churchofthecov.org

Worship Services

Sundays: 8:30, 9:43 & 11:00

Adult Sunday School

8:45, 9:30 & 11 am

Children’s Sunday School 11 am

Church Office Hours

Mon.-Fri. 9:00a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

STAFF

Dr. Stuart D. Broberg

Pastor, Head of Staff

724-222-0190 x 117

[email protected]

Rev. Emily Miller

Associate Pastor

724-222-0190 x113

[email protected]

Janet Nevin

Director of Christian Education

724-222-0190 x 115

[email protected]

Don Nixon

Director of Spiritual Development

724-222-0190 x111

[email protected]

Debi Nicolella

Church Administrator

724-222-0190 x 112

[email protected]

Anthony Nicolella

Financial Administrator

[email protected]

Darla Pepper-Miller

Director of Music Ministry

724-222-0190 x 118

[email protected]

Ralph Farabee

Maintenance Supervisor

724-222-0190 x 119

Cyndi Barney

Church Sexton

724-222-0190 x 119

Camille Braun

Pre-School Director

724-222-0190 x 121

[email protected]

Debbie Miles

9:43 Music Coordinator

[email protected]

Peg Flynn

Administrative Assistant

724-222-0190 x 112

December 2013

Dearly beloved:

I think there is much that feels so negative, weighty and destructive going on in our culture. People seemingly enjoy finding out the worst about someone, believing the most negative view of reality about a situation, and having a generally poor and hopeless view of the world. Just prior to the birth of Jesus Christ into the world that first Christmas the people of God had waited expectantly for the coming Messiah for 500 years. The last prophets that spoke before the birth of Jesus did so a half of a millennium earlier. From the last book of the Old Testament to the first book of the New Testament, from Malachi to Matthew, was a long, long time of expectant waiting. But still the faithful waited for the Word of God to come in newness, love and power.

But then God sent angels into the world to announce the coming birth of Jesus Christ. The Word no longer came so much in the words of the prophets as in the Word of God made flesh in Jesus Christ. At birth HE was the LIVING WORD.

Pastor Emily and I will be preaching during Advent this year about angels. In their simplest form the angels were messengers from God (angeloi in the Greek means messengers). They announced the Good News of a coming Savior and Messiah for whom the world had long hoped.

The angel of the Lord came to simple shepherds and the glory (the light) of God shone all about them. They announced to them, to the world, and to us today –“Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people.” (Luke 2: 10) The birth of Jesus into the world and into our lives is always GOOD NEWS; it is always the source of our JOY; and it is promised, not just for us, but for ALL PEOPLE. The new birth of Jesus, which is the GOSPEL, has come and is coming and is the source of our GOOD NEWS and our HOPE.

I think a Christian’s job in today’s world is to be a MESSENGER of GOOD NEWS and HOPE. So here is a simple spiritual exercise to do this Christmas. If someone is critical of someone or something, find THREE THINGS in a POSITIVE WAY to say about the situation. Don’t buy into the negativity; buy into the Good News and Hope. Become a messenger of hope for our world by announcing good news, just as the angel did.

O Lord, make me into an angel of good news and hope for my world. Have my life and faith announce: “Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people!” in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Have a blessed Advent and a joyous Christmas filled with Good News!

Faithfully, Dr. Stu Broberg

CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP SERVICES 6:00 p.m. Family Worship Service in the Sanctuary - especially designed with children in mind.

Hear the message of the Season for children of all ages!

11:00 p.m. Traditional Candlelight Service in the Sanctuary.

Please join us as we celebrate His birth!

A MESSAGE OF GOOD NEWS & HOPE

The Messenger 2 December 2013

NEWS FROM THE FAMILY OF FAITH

Homer and Rose Prigg Choir Fund Eugene M. Foster

David Wilson

Memorial Fund Jayne Wilson

USHER TEAM 1 IS ON FOR December

Brant Barletta Louis Barletta Jr. Joel Braun

Brian Edwards Chris Edwards James Edwards

Donald Faust John Riddle

BAPTISM On Sunday, November 24, 2013, Blake Matthew Piatt, born September 20, 2013, infant son of Matthew and

Amanda Piatt, was baptized. Dr. Stuart D. Broberg

officiated. Blake is the great grandson of Jean Piatt.

FELLOWSHIP OF CONCERN For prayer support or to join this ministry, call the church office. Please contact the Fellowship of Concern to give the names of those who are in need of prayer for health or other reasons. The names will then be called or emailed to the church members who pray daily for others. Prayer request forms are available in each pew. Completed forms may be

placed in the offering basket on Sunday.

WE’RE ON THE WEB!! The address is www.churchofthecov.org.

You can download the Messenger by going to the Newsletter

tab and then clicking on download the Messenger.

VISIT THE LIBRARY!! THE HOLIDAYS ARE FAST APPROACHING. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A GIFT IDEA FOR THE PERSON WHO HAS EVERYTHING, CONSIDER DONATING A BOOK TO THE ADULT LIBRARY IN HONOR OF THAT PERSON. IT’S A LASTING GIFT THAT WILL BE ENJOYED BY MANY. CONTACT BARB KNIGHT FOR MORE INFORMATION.

If you’d like to read a book with a CHRISTMAS THEME, you can do the following: 1. Browse the shelves for books with a Christmas tree on their spines (most are located in the 813.5 shelves) or

2. Check the card catalog’s SUBJECT FILE. Look up “Christmas” and you’ll find the titles and loca-tion of the books that contain a holiday theme.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! A big thank you to all those who helped with the Quilt Show lunches on Nov 8 and 9th. The event was a tre-mendous success and the proceeds benefited Presbyte-rian Woman and Christmas Shoe Box efforts. I sin-cerely hope I have not omitted any names, but wanted everyone to know that many folk were “honorary” members of Presbyterian Women. At least for the weekend!

Arlene Locy who singlehandedly made 1000 meatballs, Debi Nicolella who produced the attractive menu, Cyndi and Ralph who set up tables and helped lift roaster full of soup in and out of the fridge. Kim Carter who gave us containers for takeouts, Peg Caesber and Cookie for helping make soup, prepare fruit and vege-tables, Carol Hissom for making chicken salad and many folk who helped bus tables, acted as cashiers, served soup, spread sandwiches, etc. They are Barb Payne, Harriet Johnson, Cookie Namie, Carol Hissom,, Cindy McCarrell, Pat Boyer, April Betzner, Marge Mooney, Peg Hays Nelson, Mary Stewart, Jane God-dard, Dick Crompton, Anne Haines, Patty Mounts, Peg Caesber, Mary Ann Johnson, Connie Simon, Jean Stout, Jean Piatt, Barb Reintgen, Jayne Wilson, Dave McClellan and Del Mounts. Thanks also to those who bought soup and baked goods after the show was over.

With God all things are possible!

ADDITIONAL THANKS Dear Pastor Stu, Pastor Emily, Staff, and members of the Church of the Covenant

Please accept our sincere thanks and appreciation for all of your help to make our biannual Quilt Show a success. The proceeds from the show will be used to fund our many community service projects. We are very active in providing support as well as encouragement for people in need. The Martha Washington Quilt Guild will be happy to join with The Church of the Covenant whenever our skills and abilities may be needed. Sincerely, Martha Washington Quilt Guild. Linda Seaman, President.


CHRISTIAN EDUCATION TRANSITION

The Session received with regret the request of our Director of Christian Education, Janet Nevin, to retire at the end of 2013. Janet has served with distinction and effectiveness for 5 years and has made a significant difference in Children’s ministry, adult education, children’s sermons, small group minis-try, and Sunday School. Our program has grown through her efforts and young families are joining our church because of an expansive and wonderful Sunday School. A letter was sent to the entire congregation in late November with a copy of Janet’s letter explaining her rationale for retirement, accompa-nied by the thanks and gratitude of the congregation. It was officially an-nounced in worship on November 17th. Because, as Janet says, “she’s retiring not leaving” we will have the celebration event of her ministry in late January; she has requested “an old-fashioned potluck”; there will be presentation items which the congregation can participate in; there will be some fun and laughter and maybe a tear or two. Stay tuned for more information in early January. We will have many opportunities to say thank you to our faithful friend.

Also, the Session acted to call Stacy Phillips as the Designated Director of Christian Education, effective January 1, 2014. Stacy has long served in the Christian Education area and helped the church through another significant time of transition, serving as the Interim Youth Coordinator. Previously, she had served our church as Director of the Summer Day Camp. Stacy’s educational background is in education. She is enrolled in the Commissioned Lay Pastor Class at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary beginning this spring. Copies of her resume are available upon request in the church office. Please make a point of welcoming Stacy to this new chapter in her ministry with The Church of the Covenant.

After the first of the year, a search committee composed of key Christian Ed people and with representation from the Personnel Committee will be formed and approved by Session. This search committee will then begin the process of calling our permanent Director of Christian Education. Again, please stay tuned for more information in January.

If there are questions, please do not hesitate to ask any member of the Per-sonnel Committee. Please keep this time of transition in our prayers.

--The Personnel Committee Gary Recktenwald, Chair Stu Broberg, Staff

SESSION UPDATE

* Received update on “Mission IS Possible” involvement sign ups. * Heard a report from Alex Miller, a candidate under care of Washing-

ton Presbytery. * Received 16 new members * Heard a report from Finance that we are $40,000+ behind in giving

as of October; prayed for a great end of the year; session believes in a faithful God and a generous congregation.

* Began budget process for 2014 session operating budget; hold the line on regular expenditures; will have a $20,000+ increase in dues paid to the Board of Pensions compared to 2013, due to medical insurance portion.

Jonathan Pachter, Clerk Stu Broberg, Moderator

CONGRATULATIONS TO

OUR NEWEST MEMBERS

On November 10, 2013 at the 11:00 a.m. worship service in the sanctuary,

the congregation of The Church of the Covenant received our New Members! Those new blessings to our church family include:

Bryan Anderson and Danielle Lapcevic, Gordon, Lois and Sarah Core, Steve, April and Jackson Devenney, Bill Burns and Lindsay Flavian, Mark and Kathy Harshman, Mitchell McClay and Britney Hollick, and Eric and Bonnie Saffell.

We are thrilled to welcome you to our church family and look forward to sharing God’s bless-ings with you!

CONTRIBUTION ENVELOPES Boxes of weekly envelopes for the full year of 2014 are available in the Commons for you to pick up unless you have already told us you prefer not to receive envelopes. Many people offered to forgo their printed envelopes last year to save the church money. If you have any questions please call the office - 724-222-0190 x 112.

P.W. CANDLELIGHT BUFFET On Wednesday, December 4, 2013, the Presbyterian Women will hold their annual Christmas Candlelight Buffet. The evening

begins at 5:00 PM and we welcome the delightful Camerata Singers from Washington and Jefferson College as our holiday entertainment! Please mark your calendars to note the

time. We will provide the main dish so members and guests are asked to bring salad, vegetables or dessert. All women are welcome.

WASHINGTON FESTIVAL CHORAL Friday, December 13, 2013

The Choral presents "Christmas Memories”, a program of seasonal songs we all remember from our past. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the church sanctuary. Tickets are $12 at

the door. The concert will include “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, “The Little Drummer Boy”, and a bluesy arrangement of “What Child

is This?”. Please plan to attend this evening of joyful Christmas music!

CHURCH OF THE COVENANT TRAVEL GROUP

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS THEATER PRODUCTION OF MOSES ~ JUNE 19 & 20, 2014 Depart Church Parking Lot Thursday at 7:00 AM and return Friday, late evening. Price per person (double room) - $325 (will be $310 if we have 40 reservations). Reservations due February 1, 2014 with a deposit of $100 and the balance to be paid March $100 and April $125. Another great trip to Sights and Sounds for their new musical on Moses. Along with the show, we will do some touring, shopping and eating. Our itinerary should be as follows: Day 1 ~ Upon arrival, Kitchen Kettle Village for shopping and lunch on your own. Amish farm house and farmlands and dinner in Amish Home. Leola Coach Shop (buggies), Chalk Talk @ Elva’s Studio, check in at Country Inn of Lancaster. Day 2 ~ Breakfast at hotel, Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, Wilbur Chocolate, Lititz – shopping and lunch on own, Sights and Sounds for Moses, dinner at Miller’s Smorgasbord.

This trip will fill up fast so call or email to get your name on the reservation list! Make checks payable to Margaret McWreath and mail to 560 Shirls Avenue, Washington Pa 15301. Any questions, please call 724 225 3226 or email [email protected].


Sunday December 1 First Sunday of Advent Morning: Ps. 24; 150 Evening: Ps. 25; 110 Monday December 2 Morning: Ps. 122; 145 Evening: Ps. 40; 67 Tuesday December 3 Morning: Ps. 33; 146 Evening: Ps. 85; 94 Wednesday December 4 Morning: Ps. 50; 147:1–11 Evening: Ps. 53; 17 Thursday December 5 Morning: Ps. 18:1–20; 147:12–20 Evening: Ps. 126; 62 Friday December 6 Morning: Ps. 102; 148 Evening: Ps. 130; 16 Saturday December 7 Morning: Ps. 90; 149 Evening: Ps. 80; 72 Sunday December 8 Second Sunday of Advent Morning: Ps. 24; 150 Evening: Ps. 25; 110 Monday December 9 Morning: Ps. 122; 145 Evening: Ps. 40; 67 Tuesday December 10 Morning: Ps. 33; 146 Evening: Ps. 85; 94

Wednesday December 11 Morning: Ps. 50; 147:1–11 Evening: Ps. 53; 17 Thursday December 12 Morning: Ps. 18:1–20; 147:12–20 Evening: Ps. 126; 62 Friday December 13 Morning: Ps. 102; 148 Evening: Ps. 130; 16 Saturday December 14 Morning: Ps. 90; 149 Evening: Ps. 80; 72 Sunday December 15 Third Sunday of Advent Morning: Ps. 24; 150 Evening: Ps. 25; 110 Monday December 16 Morning: Ps. 122; 145 Evening: Ps. 40; 67 Tuesday December 17 Morning: Ps. 33; 146 Evening: Ps. 85; 94 Wednesday December 18 Morning: Ps. 50; 147:1–11 Evening: Ps. 53; 17 Thursday December 19 Morning: Ps. 18:1–20; 147:12–20 Evening: Ps. 126; 62 Friday December 20 Morning: Ps. 102; 148

Evening: Ps. 130; 16

Saturday December 21 Morning: Ps. 90; 149 Evening: Ps. 80; 72 Sunday December 22 Fourth Sunday of Advent Morning: Ps. 24; 150 Evening: Ps. 25; 110 Monday December 23 Morning: Ps. 122; 145 Evening: Ps. 40; 67 Tuesday December 24 Christmas Eve Morning: Ps. 33; 146 Evening: Ps. 85; 94 Wednesday December 25 Christmas Day Morning: Ps. 2; 147:1–11 Evening: Ps. 98; 96 Thursday December 26 Morning: Ps. 116; 147:12–20 Evening: Ps. 119:1–24; 27 Friday December 27 Morning: Ps. 34; 148 Evening: Ps. 19; 121 Saturday December 28 Morning: Ps. 2; 149 Evening: Ps. 110; 111 Sunday December 29 Morning: Ps. 96; 150 Evening: Ps. 132; 97 Monday December 30 Morning: Ps. 93; 145 Evening: Ps. 89:1–18; 19–52 Tuesday December 31 Morning: Ps. 98; 146 Evening: Ps. 45; 96

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR DECEMBER

DECEMBER PREACHING AND WORSHIP SCHEDULE

December 1, 2013 Advent Sermon Series: Angels We Have Heard on High

First Sunday Advent HEAVENLY HOST In communion we are

Communion Luke 2: 8-14 surrounded by our loved ones,

“And suddenly there was with the angel a a mighty cloud of witnesses.

multitude of the heavenly host...” v. 13

Pastoral Prayer: Ministry Team


Second Sunday Advent LET IT BE

Pastor Emily Preaches Luke 1:26-38

Pastoral Prayer: Pastor Stu


Third Sunday Advent ANGELS WITH SKIN When we do acts of kindness

Matthew 25: 31-46 in Jesus’ name we become

“When did we see you Lord?” v. 37 Angels with Skin On and we see

Jesus our Lord.

Pastoral Prayer: Ministry Team


Fourth Sunday Advent ENTERTAINING ANGELS When we open our spiritual

Festival Sunday Hebrews 13: 1-2; Genesis 18: 1-14 eyes we may see

Live Nativity “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” v. 14 a spiritual reality around us

always.

December 24, 2013 REGALOS-REGALOS! The gift given/ the gift received

Christmas Eve Matthew 2: 1-12 at Christmas.

6:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. “Then, opening their treasures, they offered

Him gifts...” v. 11

December 29, 2013 Pastor Emily preaches

Old Fashioned Carol Sing.


‘TIS THE SEASON! The church is looking festive as we prepare for the holiday season. One of our spe-cial ministries will begin as the Dove Tree and the Hat and Mitten Tree are placed in The Commons.

The Dove Tree of previous years will be the ANGEL TREE this year (following our Advent theme!) and will be decorated with Angels which will contain the name of a woman (and possibly her children) in recovery through Turning Point. This is an organization we have supported for many years. Turning Point is a halfway house for women in recovery right here in Washington.

Just take an Angel and return the gift to the tree by Sunday December 15th with the Angel as a name tag. They will be delivered the week before Christmas.

The Hat and Mitten tree will be empty at first, but by Sunday December 15 it will be adorned beautifully with new hats, mittens and gloves which will be delivered to the Avis Arbor women’s shelter.

THE COVENANT

CHOIR will present their Christmas concert on Tuesday, December 17 at 7:00 P.M. in the sanctu-ary. The choir will sing, The Jubilate Ringers will ring a very beautiful arrangement of "White Christmas". The children will ring The Kristal Bells. There will be solos and duets and a special piano duet by two very talented young ladies. Please save this date for a very special evening of Christmas music!!


CHRISTIAN EDUCATION INFORMATION

THANKSGIVING = FAMILY

AND FRIENDS! In November, the Preschoolers brought in non-perishable food items and were busily talking to their classmates during their Show and Tell about their favorite foods. All of these nonper-ishable items were donated to Washington Chris-tian Outreach. This coincides with our monthly theme of “Sharing with One Another”. It was awesome that the children collected over 400 food items. Way to go!!!!

HOLIDAY CHEER!!

Stop!!! Take about an hour out of your busy schedule—stop by the church for Preschool Christmas entertainment!! Joyfully, the 4 and 5 year olds will be performing the play “Christmas Show and Tell” on Friday, December 20th at 9:30 and 1:00. This is a cute play about baby Jesus. Thursday, December 19th at 10:00, the three year olds will be singing, reciting poems, and ringing bells to bring in the Christmas cheer. Come and enjoy the children! It will put a smile upon your face and the excitement of Christmas in your heart.

Besides getting ready for the up and coming holidays, the preschoolers are having a great time making lasting friendships, learning letters, pre-reading excitement, learning how much God loves them, and making tons of arts and crafts to accompany our daily concepts. As always, stop down and visit us to see what our church preschool is buzzing about.

PRESCHOOL JOY!! ADVENT - a time to HURRY UP! - WAIT! Our world at this time of year seems determined to cram as much as possible into our lives, our homes, our bodies, our schedules, our minds! Emmanuel - God with us - is wait-ing patiently for us to stop and take time to notice HIM!

Advent devotionals will be distributed December 1st in all 3 services. Additional devotionals from previous years will also be made available at the Welcome Center. Why not take an extra one to give to a friend, family mem-ber, or co-worker?

COVENANT CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

Tuesday, December 17th

You are cordially invited to an evening of

fellowship and celebration!

The church staff and the Covenant Choir will be hosting an evening of elegant heavy hors d’oeuvres and a delightful concert of Christ-mas music - including a “carol sing along!” The hors d’oeuvres will be served by the church staff in the Commons @ 6:00-6:45. Harp music will be filling the air as we cele-brate the season with our church family! At 7:00 pm the Covenant Choir and the Cove-nant Kids Choir and the Jubilate ringers will be presenting a concert of Christmas music in the Sanctuary! Take time out of your busy schedule to enjoy this evening with your

church family and prepare your heart for EMMANUEL - God with us!

FESTIVAL SUNDAY, is DECEMBER 22ND

ONE SERVICE @ 10:00 in the Sanctuary!

The Covenant Kids Choir will be singing!

After worship, the youth will be part of the live Nativity in the side yard. There will also be live animals (including Elmer the camel) available for petting and feeding. Warm up afterward with some steaming hot choco-late!

CHRISTMAS EVE will also be a blessed time to worship as a family! The service at 6:00 will include many opportunities for the children to share their joy as they lead us in celebrating JESUS’S BIRTHDAY!

THE COVENANT KID'S CHOIR will present The Christmas Story by Marie Pooler on Festival Sunday, December 22, 2013 at 10:00 A.M. The CKC will tell the Christmas story though song and narration. Please encourage your children, ages 4 through grade 5 to participate, and plan to attend this very special service. The children will

rehearse at 5:00 on Tuesdays, November 19, November 26,

December 3, December 10, December 17. Sunday rehears-

als are scheduled for 10:30 A.M. on November 24, Decem-

ber 1, December 8, and December 15. All rehearsals will be

held in the jungle room.

Kathy Nassar Dec 1 Delmer M. Mounts Dec 2 Glenna C. Smith Dec 2 Ginny J. Casper Dec 3 John O. Stolfer Dec 3 Margaret C. Flynn Dec 3 Thomas J. Day Dec 4 Corey D. DiGiovanni Dec 4 Dana J. Lyle Dec 4 Michael P. Meighen Dec 4 Mark D. Moninger Dec 4 Lynn Sylvis Dec 4 Abbi Jo Nicolella Dec 5 Joyce S. Chambers Dec 6 Mary Ann Johnson Dec 6 Amanda M. Kluczan Dec 6 Martha Jane McNutt Dec 6 Scott Bashioum Dec 7 Callan K. Carnahan Dec 7

T. D. Carnahan Dec 7 Lauren R. Selway Dec 7 Kelly R. Smith Dec 7 Judy Breedlove Dec 8 Ronelle M. Clutter Dec 8 Karen Davison Dec 8 Lisa L. DiNapoli Dec 9 Stephen Marriner, Jr. Dec 9 Amanda Burchett Dec 10 Elizabeth Gandelman Dec 10 Margaret Mooney Dec 10 Lucy K. Salo Dec 11 Lisa Lucas Cole Dec 12 Lorien L. Carnahan Dec 15 Holly Ann Coen Dec 15 Robert J. Lemons Dec 16 Mark J. O’Donnell Dec 17 Kylie Recktenwald Dec 17 Lindsey A. Briggs Dec 18

Nat Roe Dec 18 Shelly Snyder Dec 19 Thelma Johnson Dec 19 Shannon Book Dec 21 Gary L. Hamilton Dec 24 John E. Frazier, II Dec 25 Emily Ann Blose Dec 26 William Koman Dec 26 Elizabeth Yilit Dec 26 Wilma F. Beeghly Dec 27 Chris Nassar Dec 27 Rachel R. Betzner Dec 28 Tracie Scott Dec 29 Sara Smith Dec 29 Kim Anita Carter Dec 30 Michelle Jo Armstrong Dec 31 Crystal Miles Dec 31 Brian S. Thompson Dec 31

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS


DECEMBER SCHEDULE December is always a different month than the rest of the year. Such will also be the case for the youth of The Church of the Covenant. Take a gander at this:

• Sunday Dec 1: Youth groups meet @ church, regular schedule.

• Dec 6-8: Fallout high school retreat to Salt Fork State Park in Ohio.

• Sunday Dec 8: Youth groups meet @ church, regular schedule.

• Sunday Dec 15: Pack the Pickup Food Drive

• Sunday Dec 22: Live Nativity

• Sunday Dec 22: Christmas Photo Scavenger Hunt

• Tuesday Dec 31: New Years Eve party There will be more activity...hanging out with kids, going to their events, etc. Any opportunity to invest into their lives is valuable!

PACK THE PICKUP Once again we will collect food for the Greater Washington County Food Bank. Last year The Church of the Covenant gave much of the 1500 pounds that we collected. On Sunday Dec 15 there will be a pickup truck in our parking lot for you to drop in your contributions. Then we will have at least three sites around Washington to collect more in the afternoon. More details concerning what kind of food and exact times will be forthcom-ing in the church bulletin. Stay tuned!

NEW YEAR’S EVE! What are you doing on the last day of the year?

A memorable New Years Eve will be anticipated by all that attend the party HERE at the church December 31 from 8:00pm until shortly after we watch the ball drop at midnight. There will be food, live music and now Wifi in the Dining Room....a genuine coffeehouse atmosphere!

It'll be a great family night with the Covenant Center open as well. Watch future bulletins as details develop..

YOUTH GROUP NEWS

Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm and Sunday 8:30 am – 12:30 pm

THE CARNAHAN LIBRARY Dedicated on 11/1/09 to the memory of Thomas Dorrington Carnahan II,

Thomas Dorrington Carnahan III, George Kirk Carnahan and to the glory of God.

The following books were donated to the library. The

Library Committee thanks the donors. All have been

cataloged and are ready to be checked out. The library is in Room

308, the first room on the right as you enter the third floor hallway

from the elevator. The card catalog will help you to locate a book

by author, title or subject.

The following very gently used series of books was donated by

Robynne Moessner. The series is entitled The Patchwork Mysteries. The main character of all the books is Sarah Hart. Sarah is an expert in vintage quilt restoration and through her work, she often finds herself trying to solve a mystery. Her keen eye and gentle faith always lead her in the right direction. Sarah understands that the key to making a quilt or solving a mystery is in knowing how to put it all together. The series has many authors but each writes a story about Sarah, a quilt and a case to solve. It’s a perfect series for anyone who likes to quilt (or sew) and enjoys mysteries.

Book 1 – Family Patterns by Kristin Eckhardt. An antique quilt is found in the home of Sarah’s deceased grandfather. While restoring the old quilt, she uncovers clues in the fabric that lead her to family secrets better left forgotten.

Book 2 – Time to Share by Jo Ann Brown. Sara decides to make a quilt of her favorite view from a nearby mountain. While there to sketch the scene, she notices in the distance a man struggling with something on the ground. She later goes to the spot where she saw the man and discovers an old cellar. Inside are many stolen items from recent burglaries in the area.

Book 3 – Muslin Mystery by Vera Dodge. Sarah agrees to restore an old family heirloom quilt for a former boarder. As she works to re-store the stained and tattered fabric, she begins to see letters stitched into the muslin pieces. When she gets it all together, she discovers a message that could put her in danger.

Book 4 – Timeless Treasures by Cara Putman. Sarah buys an old quilt at an estate sale. It’s a sampler quilt in which each square is a different pattern. As she restores the old quilt, she looks for a con-nection that will link the different squares. She eventually finds that the quilt holds more secrets than she or the original owners could have imagined.

Book 5 - Homespun Holiday by Kelly Ann Riley. It’s Christmas time and Sarah is enjoying the holidays with her son and his family. She discovers that her boarder, Belle, has disappeared along with the family heirloom Christmas quilt. The quilt was made by her hus-band’s great-great grandmother and has been in the family for gen-erations. She doesn’t understand why Belle took it and where she might have gone.

Book 6 – Pieces of the Past by Susan Page Davis. Sarah makes a quilt out of her father’s old flannel shirts. When she takes it to him at the nursing home, she meets his new friend, a fellow veteran named Vern. Vern wonders where Alice, the woman he had planned to marry before the war, might be. Sarah offers to help him find her. The rest of the titles are listed below. The books do not have to be

read in order.

Book 7 – Threads of Truth by Kristin Eckhardt Book 8 – Secret in the Stitches by Jo Ann Brown Book 9 – Bound in Love by Camy Tang Book 10 – Yesterday’s Secrets by Kelly Ann Riley Book 11 – Squared Away by Cara Putman Book 12 – Mystery on the Midway by Vera Dodge Book 13 – A Quilt of Memories by Kristin Eckhardt Book 14 – The House on Lookout Mountain by Jo Ann Brown Book 15 – To Have and To Hide by Camy Tang Book 16 – Nothing to Hide by Susan Page Davis Book 17 – The Christmas Quilt by Kelly Ann Riley Book 18 - Torn in Two by Kristin Eckhardt Book 19 – Secrets in the Storm by Susan Page Davis Book 20 - The Price of Truth by Camy Tang Book 21 – A Mother’s Love by Kelly Ann Riley The following gently used book was donated by Mary Stewart.

The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury. This fictional book focuses on 4 main characters and it takes place during the Christmas season. A couple has owned a book store in TN called The Bridge for 30 years. Sadly, a flood destroys the store and its contents. The husband is so despondent that he considers ending his life. The other two charac-ters are a young man and woman who once loved each other but have been apart for 5 years. One reader describes the book as “…a story of friendship, love, forgiveness, and God’s amazing grace.” The following gently used book was donated anonymously.

The Library Committee thanks the donor.

1225 Christmas Tree Lane by Debbie Macomber. This book is the last of a series called Cedar Cove. The main character is a woman named Beth Morehouse who runs a Christmas tree farm in the state of Washington. Her two college age daughers are home for the holi-days and they’ve invited their dad to visit. (Beth and Kent had di-vorced 3 years before and hadn’t seen each other.) The reader will find that there are a lot of surprises in store. The library has many books by both Karen Kingsbury and Debbie

Macomber.


Pastor Emily’s sermon from the Blue Christmas Healing Service ~ “I Just Want Christmas to be Over” Today is Nov. 19, 2013, an ordinary day to most, a day when people get up, go to work, go to school, go to church – and prepare for the Thanks-giving holiday just around the corner. But for me, it’s a sad day because it is the anniversary of my father’s death – Nov. 19, 2006 – seven years ago today. No matter how many years go by, it still an unhappy day for me. It started about a week before the 19th, with my mom calling me to say that she had to summon an ambulance because my dad could not get out of bed. They came and took him to St. Clair Hospital where I joined them in the emergency room. My dad was not doing well – to say the least – so I called my brother, who lives in another state, and told him what was going on. He is a medical doctor, so I went through everything that was happening. He said, “Well, I’m coming home for Thanksgiving, so I’ll see him then.” I said, “Steve, I’m no MD, but I don’t think he’s going to make it till Thanksgiving.” And he didn’t. He was first admitted to the heart unit at St. Clair, where they stabilized him and moved him to a regular room. But after only a day or so, his heart crashed so he was moved to the ICU, where they asked me if he had an Advanced Health Directive stating what he did and did not want done to him. I said yes and went to my parents’ home to get it and brought it back to the hospital. The nurse pledged to do exactly what he had directed, and so the next call I got was that he had been put into a quiet room at the very end of the hallway to receive hospice treatment. He passed away Nov. 19, 2006, just a few days before Thanksgiving. In my family, I am the one to cook the turkey and the stuffing and have everyone over. I did so in 2006, but it just wasn’t the same. He used to love it that I made his mother’s famous black olive stuffing, which I did that year as well and still do. His memorial service was held at my home church on Dec. 9, 2006, with the church all decorated for Christmas. I was in charge of the service and it was really beautiful, but afterwards, I could hardly do anything to get ready for Christmas, even though I had 4 small children to buy for. We put up an artificial Christmas tree, which we never do, but I just didn’t feel like going to all the trouble to get a real one. And I remember at one point it all got to be a little too much for me, so I sat down and cried and said to my husband, “I just want Christmas to be over.” When you’re sad at the holidays, no matter what is causing the sadness, you feel this giant disconnect from the rest of the world, at least from what you think the rest of the world is doing. You turn on the TV and see all of the happy people celebrating and laughing and throwing these great parties with delicious food, beautiful presents and glittery decorations, and you realize that that is not what is going on in your life. What’s wrong with me. Disconnect. I just spoke of the loss of a loved one that caused this for me (that I know some of you have lost loved ones this year), but the disconnect can come from any number of things. You may be ill or your loved one may be ill – going through surgery, chemother-apy, or chronic pain. You may have lost your job or you may feel that your job is in jeopardy and you fear for your financial security. You may have lost a significant relationship in your life, (happy families on the TV and my family is not so happy), so Christmas this year is going to look much different than it has in the past. Or you may be battling an addiction that has you on edge, fearful of the party scene, fearful of being alone, or fearful of losing control. There’s the Norman Rockwell painting of Thanksgiving and Christmas and then there’s your life. Quite a difference. Disconnect. Our scripture passage for tonight is all about being disconnected. It is an ancient psalm, written by a person who lived long before Target started advertising the perfect Christmas, but it speaks into our lives today because it conveys pure human emotion: “Incline your ear Lord and answer me, because I am poor and needy. Preserve my life for I am devoted to you, save your servant who

trusts in you. Be gracious to me for to you do I cry all day long.”

These are longings of the human heart – the human heart that is going through a painful time and seeks God in the midst of it all. And even bet-ter phrasing is found in Eugene Peterson’s translation in a very contemporary style. Psalm 86 reads like this:

“Bend an ear God, answer me. I’m one miserable wretch! Keep me safe – haven’t I lived a good life? Help your servant – I’m depending on you!”

Haven’t you felt like that? Do you feel like that right now? Well, that’s OK, tell Him about it, tell him all about it –He can take it and never doubt that He is listening. One of the best things we can learn from the psalms is that we can say anything to God, especially the stuff that is not pretty. For wasn’t it even Jesus who said, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” But even though we feel this disconnect at Christmastime, it is precisely Christmastime when God offers us the most help of all. So if we can wipe the Target commercials and Norman Rockwell paintings out of our minds, there is a beautiful Christmas that is within our grasp. I grew up watching the classic Christmas animated cartoons, like a Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and The Year Without a Santa Claus. We still pull them out at my house, dust them off, fire up the old VCR and watch these classics. My favorite was and still is “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.” And I honestly think that this story can be applicable tonight. The Grinch is about a little town called Whoville where the Whos down in Whoville enjoy Christmas a little too much. They decorate and prepare and get all hyped up for the big day. Now the Grinch can’t stand this anticipating and celebrating, so he sets out with his little dog to dismantle Christmas. The big scene in the show comes when the Grinch and his little dog go around and steal everything in the town of Whoville that has anything to do with Christmas. They have a sleigh and a sack and they steal the presents, they steal the decorations, and the Christmas trees. They steal the toys and the candy canes right out of the hands of little sleeping children and they even steal the “roast beast” that is cooking for Christmas sup-per. They steal every last light bulb and every last ornament and they stuff it all into this huge bag and they drag it all the way to the top of the mountain where the Grinch lives with his little dog. And then the Grinch stops, and with this horribly grotesque smile on his face, he sits and waits for the Whos down in Whoville to discover that they won’t have Christmas this year because he has stolen everything. It’s sort of like a Job moment for the whole town. And the pinnacle comes when Christmas morning dawns and the Grinch hears the voices of the people rising in song even though all of the trap-pings of Christmas have been taken away. The Whos still stand together and sing “Welcome Christmas,” with smiles on their faces and love in their hearts. The Grinch learns that Christmas is not about the trappings, but about the joy that the holiday brings. Now, I wish I could say that the baby Jesus is at the center of the Whos down in Whoville as they are singing, but he’s not. This is a secular show. But the parallel is this: The Whos realized, as can we, that it is not the trappings of Christmas that make it such a special day. And we can lose things and people who are very important to us, we can have illness arrive at our door to take our health away, we can lose our job or our security or our relationships, but you know what? Christmas still comes. And that baby is still born in the manger, whether we like it or not. It is the gift of God, coming in the form of an infant, an infant who will live among us, teach us, heal us, talk to us, die for us and rise on the third day, that makes it such a special moment. And every year, that infant comes again, through the power of the Holy Spirit, right into our hearts. No matter what is taken from us, the Christ child still comes. No matter what is taken from us, the Christ child still comes. So, even though we may wish that Christmas was over, even though we may yell at God as the psalmist did, “God, answer me. I’m one

miserable wretch!” Jesus still comes. Open your heart, especially this year, and let him come in. Praise be to God. Amen.

The Messenger c/o The Church of the Covenant

267 East Beau Street

Washington, PA 15301

Return Service Requested

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

P A I D Washington, PA Permit No. 29

POINSETTIAS TO ADORN THE SANCTUARY

It’s time to order gorgeous Red Poinsettias to decorate the sanctuary for Christmas!

Only $8 each! Orders due to Church Office by December 13th; make checks

payable to “The Church of the Covenant” with “Poinsettia” in the memo line.

In Memory / Honor of - Last Name: _________________________________________

First Name: _________________________________________

Number Ordered _______ Amount Enclosed ($8 each)_____________

Ordered by ______________________________________________________________

Phone # _____________________________

� � � � I will pick mine up after Christmas � � � � I would like mine delivered to a shut-in

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