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THE IXTHUS
December 2008
Your Pastor's Epistle
Dear Church Family,
I pray that this Thanksgiving season brings a time of
grateful reflection on God's generous blessings.
May it be filled with family and food, love and gratitude,
as we remember that God is the source of all good things.
Thanksgiving will soon be past and Advent will be right
around the corner. In fact, the Worship and Music Committee
will be decorating the sanctuary for Advent/Christmas on Sunday,
November 23 immediately after the 11 AM worship service.
Advent decorations for Fellowship Hall will be also be raised on that day.
On the evening of the second Sunday in Advent,
December 7, there will be a children's program in the
sanctuary which will be held during the 5:59 pm worship slot.
Come and support your Cherub and Junior Choirs, as well as
the CPC Chimers who will be ringing their chimes on that evening.
Christmas Eve is on a Wednesday night this year and will
witness the return of FOUR Christmas Eve candle light services.
Worship times are 5 PM, 7 PM, 9 PM, and 11 PM.
The 5 PM service is tailored to meet the needs of families
with young children. There will be a live nativity scene in the
sanctuary with new born Matthew Vinas playing the part of
baby Jesus. A children's sermon is included, as well
as an abbreviated Christmas meditation.
The 7 PM and 9 PM services will feature special music by our
Chancel Choir. The 11 PM worship will incorporate the
celebration of the Lord's Supper as well as the lighting of candles.
Christmas Eve is always a wonderful time of worship and
reflection. It is a great experience to be together on that holy night
singing the songs of faith and offering our prayers of hope. It is a
time to remember how great is our Heavenly Father's love that he
would reach out to us in such a poignant and powerful way.
I pray that this Christmas will be a time of deeper devotion
and greater gratitude to our Living and Loving Lord.
In the Lord's Service,
Gabe
 DAISY'S DIARY
Messengers of hope, peace, love and joy
When a messenger named Gabriel came out of nowhere
to a teenage Jewish girl and announced that she will be the
mother of Jesus, it became more than a message for Mary.
It is a message for us today. When Joseph dreamed wondrous
dreams, he listened and did as he was instructed. It was more
than a dream for Joseph. Their faith was great. Both were simple
people who decided to do what they were told. Both traded the
despair of shattered plans for a new life of joy. They were given
the privilege of raising the Saviour of the world, God's Son!
May we be more sensitive to the mysterious and holy whispering
of God's messengers in our daily lives. May we share Christmas joy
with others, especially those nearest to us. May we fill our hearts
with God's active love for others and thank our God for being present,
always in the ordinary times and places of our lives. Listen! Listen!
Can you hear the messengers of hope, peace, love and joy?
Peace of God be with you this season and into this new year,
Blessings,
Daisy
THE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION CORNER
Robert's Ramblings and Nancy's News
Alternative Gift Fair, Fellowship Hall
Sunday November 30, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm
In the true spirit of Christmas, give gifts that help others
around the world. This year, you may purchase a share
in one of 4 mission projects and receive a beautiful gift
card explaining the mission. Featured projects include:
The Heifer Project International: Give the gift of an
animal that provides food and product to sustain a family.
Church World Service Blanket Project: Blankets provide
comfort and warmth following natural disasters, civil
warfare and displacement, or homelessness.
Community Living Waters - Dominican Republic:
Your gift provides materials to teach a community
how to build a water purification system and prevent
the spread of disease.
Mission House & BEAM: Your gift provides food
and other essentials to families experiencing job
loss or homelessness.
Fair Trade Gifts - The purchase of fair trade goods
ensures a fair market price and outlet for sales to
artisans from third world countries struggling to
put food on their table. For sale will be beautiful
nativity sets, ornaments, clothing, coffee, and gifts
from around the world.
If you are unable to attend the fair and want
to make purchases at another time,
contact Nancy Yeakel in the church office.
Advent Devotional Guide: The Fruit of Advent
This devotional guide can be used by itself or in
conjunction with the Advent wreathes we will be
assembling at our Advent event December 2.
Different kinds of fruit, flowers, and plants are
symbolic of the spiritual fruit which grows in the
hearts of God's disciples. Each day of Advent
focuses on a different scripture reference and
kind of fruitfulness. The devotional booklet is
available in the Narthex of the church sanctuary,
in the lobby of the Fellowship Hall, and in the church
office and is free to all who would like one.
LUNCHES TO GO
The Community Living Water Mission
will be selling Lunches to Go on January 11th
The Cost is $7.00 each, includes 1/4 Chicken, Potato Salad & a roll
Advent Event
Tuesday December 2nd 6:00 PM
Fellowship Hall
Fried Chicken and a Fruit of the Spirit Wreath
Our annual Advent event provides a fun time of
fellowship and holiday enrichment. Following
our fried chicken dinner, cost $5 per person, we
will discuss and assemble an Advent wreath (cost $5)
for families to use in their homes. An accompanying
devotional booklet will guide you through the spiritual
meaning of the many different fruits, flowers, and plants
we will add to our wreathes. This is a great way for both
families or individuals to grow in God's spirit as we prepare
ourselves for the coming of Jesus at Christmas.
Women's Stocking Stuffer Potluck Dinner and Christmas Party
December 8, 6:00 pm, Fellowship Hall
You need to bring:
- A potluck item for dinner
(main dish, salad, side dish, or dessert)
- Small toys and personal care needs for stockings
A wrapped white elephant gift for our hilarious gift exchange
All women of the church are encouraged to attend this annual event.
Babysitting is not available so husbands plan a night with the kids!
We will get the "stuffings" laid out first and eat at ~6:30. We will
stuff 150 stockings for local needy boys and girls in the beaches area,
followed by our silly gift exchange. Join the fun!
Confirmation Classes
Youth in grades 7 and up who have not yet been through confirmation
classes are invited to do so this January. Parents, please mark these
dates on your calendars: Sunday January 4, 9:45 AM parent meeting
Education Building Room 17, Confirmation Retreat Friday January 9,
6:00-9:00 PM and Saturday January 10, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, Youth Hall.
We plan to cover all of the confirmation lessons in a retreat format this year.
The confirmation mentors will then review all of the materials and work
on assignments with the students during the next 8 weeks, scheduling a
once/week meeting with them at a mutually convenient time. You will
be receiving a letter in the mail with details.
Peyton's Ponderings
It's me Lord. I know I talked to you 1st thing this morning, then at the start of the staff meeting today, then before lunch. You'll be hearing from me again before church supper tonight and the last thing before I go to sleep, (if I don't doze off in my easy chair ½ way through Leno like I sometimes do), but this is a sort of an Ad Hoc prayer if you don't mind.
First I want to thank you that we even had an overage of folk signing up for the Salvation Army Bell ringing job we felt like you sent us this season. What a great way for us to get in the spirit for celebrating your son's birthday this year. Could you find me a little time to practice my Christmas songs before it is my turn?
All the food that we're gathering for Thanksgiving so that so many families can be served through BEAM is coming along. Thanks especially for those church members that are "adopting" families I've recommended directly, especially that one couple who have organized friends to serve 25 cooked meals directly. Is God good or what?!! Oops, silly of me-of course you know that, being you.
We'll be hosting a Family Promise group again during this season, (for which you are the reason, of course). Help us make these 3 families feel at home here for that week; oh, and the homeless folk who will find a cold weather shelter here soon too-global warming or not.
I want to pray, too, that a lot of good is done through our Alternative Gift Fair. You know how hard my colleague Nancy Yeakel and others work on that. Will I be able to help buy another Water Buffalo through the Heifer Project again? I hope so. For some reason it just speaks to the latent country boy in me. Oh, please guide me to something that will make my Christmas shopping easier. I know that sounds selfish, but you know how my imagination simply disappears when I go shopping for gifts. Thanks especially for that great fair trade coffee I get to drink all year because of the Fair.
I'll be contacting you later about all the special plans I want to ask you to bless for Christmas worship, specifically, around here. Here I go sounding selfish again, but I might need some of your providential help re-memorizing all those scripture passages I used to have down cold for the "Tell Me The Story of Jesus" sermon Heather Goodling and I are planning to do for our Christmas Eve 11 PM service. Reciting the whole story of the life of Jesus in nothing but scripture is a lot when it's prose instead of poetry, (which, as you know, for some reason is easier for me). Switching it all over into the New Living Translation from the R.S.V. is like starting from scratch, too. Seems like the ol' arteries aren't carrying the oxygen up to my brain as fast as they used too, but I still want that late service we're re-instituting this year to be as special and meaningful as it can be. For my first time to say it this season, "Merry Christmas, Lord". I sure hope Jesus enjoys the gifts we are all planning to bring him.
Humbly,
Pastor Peyton
School News
In December our attention is focused on God's gift of His Son,
Jesus. Our CPPK children will portray the nativity story
through narration, drama and songs beginning at 11:15 AM
on Thursday, December 17 in the sanctuary. We invite you to
be present in our audience. You'll receive a blessing!
May God richly bless you and yours with the assurance of
His peace and presence during this season of joy and wonder.
As we move into January we begin planning for the 2009-2010 school year.
A Preschool Information Meeting will be held on Wednesday,
January 14 at 9:30 AM at the school. A Kindergarten Information
Meeting will be held on Thursday, January 15 at 9:30 AM at the school.
All interested individuals are invited to attend.
Priority Registration for Community Presbyterian Church, school
and school alumni families begins Sunday, January 25, in the foyer
of Fellowship Hall between worship services.
Monday, January 26, through Friday, January 30, registration will
be in the school office. Families who have priority status but do not
exercise their option to enroll early may register on a first come, first
served basis during Open Registration; they do not receive priority during
Open Registration. Open Registration will begin at 10 AM on Monday,
February 2, in the foyer of Fellowship Hall. Open Registration will
continue until all available spaces are taken
Class options for 2009-2010 are:
Three-year-olds:*
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30-11:45AM OR
Tuesday, Thursday 8:30-11:45AM
Four-year-olds*:
Monday through Friday 8:30-11:45AM OR 12:30-3:45PM
Five-year-old Kindergarten*:
Monday through Friday 8:15AM-12:15PM
*Child's age as of September 1, 2008
Please drop by the school office to obtain forms, schedule a classroom
observation, or if you have additional questions.
Barbara
Lucinda's Light & Love
During my teenage years, I recall singing a song called
"Christmas is the Warmest Time of the Year". Being a
native of Virginia, I can relate to December cold temperatures
and snow. Mother would prepare wonderful homemade
soups or stews and dad would build a fire in the fireplace.
As far as temperatures, Christmas wasn't warm, but the
hearts of everyone near me were blazing of love and giving.
Those hearts and voices of the choir members are on fire for
Christmas. Joy is in the air, Hallelujah! We have been busy
preparing a cantata called "Candles and Carols" written by Mark Hayes.
Each song within this work focuses on the specific theme of the Advent
season and the lighting of the Advent wreath: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.
For this reason, I have chosen to separate the songs and present each
one as it relates to the Advent theme. Get ready congregation!
You will be participating with it, too.
On the 1st Sunday in December, I have invited a special guest,
Andy Barber, who plays the harp. What is Christmas without
angels and "harp"? On the 2nd Sunday, our hand bell choir will
be ringing 3 different selections consisting of various Christmas
carol medleys. For the 3rd Sunday, the Revelations will be preparing
some Christmas carol instrumentation selections.
You won't want to miss the annual Children's Christmas
service being presented on December 7th at 5:59 PM.
The hand chimers will be ringing and both children's choirs will be singing.
Finally, to top off the "Reason for the Season", there will be 4
Christmas Eve services: 5 PM which is traditionally devoted to
the children; 7 and 9 PM featuring the Chancel Choir, Joanna Yeakel
and Jamie VanderBaan singing and Joy Litton ringing; and 11 PM
with the Celebration of the Sacrament. At CPC, there is a lot of music
making to warm the hearts of everyone. You won't want to miss a Sunday.
LUCINDA
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