December 2018 │Page 1

Community Presbyterian Church of Forsyth, Missouri

Community Presbyterian Church Newsletter • December 2018

Ongoing __ Sunday School 9:00 a.m.

Worship 10:30 a.m., Communion on the

1st Sunday

CAM Food Pantry Sunday on the 1st

Sunday

Men’s Breakfast meets Wednesdays,

8:15 a.m. at Fat Daddy's BBQ

Women’s Breakfast meets Wednesdays,

8:15 a.m. at Yummy Donuts

Choir Practice meets Wednesdays,

7 p.m.

Exercise Class meets Tues. & Thurs.,

10 a.m., Old Fellowship Hall

AA Tuesdays and Saturdays, 7 p.m. in

Old Fellowship Hall

December___ 3 Diabetes Focus Group, Fellowship

Hall, 10:00 a.m.

6 The Bookies Book Club, Hospitality

Room, 10:30 a.m.

7 Birthday Party, Forsyth Care Center

3:00 p.m.

8 6th Annual Ecumenical Cookie Sale,

Forsyth United Methodist, 9:00 - 1:00

11 Christmas Candlelight Dinner,

Outback Steak & Oyster Bar, 5:00 p.m.

16 Dinner with Friends, Oaxaca, follow

ing worship

17 Women’s Circle Bible Study,

Fellowship Hall, 10:30 a.m.

20 CHIMES deadline!;

Session Meeting, Hospitality Room,

6:00 pm.

24 Candlelight Communion Service,

7:00 p.m.

Liturgist ___

Edd Riley

Ushers/Greeters ___

Rick & Penny Cantwell, Dave & Sue Wright

By Dennis Winzenried

Pastor, Community Presbyterian Church

Christmas – here in the Ozarks it begins

right after Halloween. Branson shows take

on a Christmas flavor. Decorations are put

up in shops. The television ads begin. So, the question I

ask is how do we, God’s children, prepare ourselves to fo-

cus upon the real gift of Christmas instead of how commer-

cialized it has become. Christmas seems to get more and

more commercialized each and every year. So, what do we

need to do, to really put Jesus back in the center of our cel-

ebrations?

First off, let Advent be Advent. Advent is the first four Sun-

day’s before Christmas. This year the first Sunday of Ad-

vent is December 2. In worship we’ll be lighting the Advent

candles each week and focusing upon God’s promise that

HIS Son would come, came and will come again. We’ll be

taking a look at John the Baptist, Joseph and Mary, as well

as Jesus.

This Advent I invite you to slow down (commercialized

Christmas says rush, rush, rush). I invite you to slow your-

selves down, turn to God’s word and prepare yourself for

Jesus’ coming. One way you can do this is reading the dai-

ly devotion that I post on our website (compresby.org) and

send out via email. During Advent I strive to help us open

(Continued on page 2)

Ref lect ions f rom the Pastor ’s Desk

Page 2 │December 2018

Community Presbyterian Church

271 Main Street

Forsyth, MO 65653

417-546-2584

Elders

Officers

Staff

Linda Reynolds

Tex Ritterbush

Anna Koelling

Wayne Gailey

Madelon Kinkade

Donna Lakey

Clyde Henscheid

Dave Wright

Betty Forrest

Dennis Sulgrove

Nathan Woodward

Reed Click

Pastor: Dennis Winzenried

Church Phone: 417-546-2584

Cell Phone: 417-546-7103

Email: pastordennis@mchsi.com

Administrative Assistant: Denise Carr

Organist: Linda Stillings

Choir Director: Arliss Stillings

Custodian: Gala Vrionis

Outside Custodian: Dennis Sulgrove

Corporation President:

Tex Ritterbush

Clerk of Session:

Sue Wright

Treasurer:

Linda Reynolds

Assistant Treasurer:

Dennis Sulgrove

Website: www.compresby.org

Church Email address: compresby@centurytel.net

On Facebook: Community Presbyterian Church of Forsyth, MO

Mailing address PO Box 486, Forsyth, MO 65653

ourselves unto the ONE who came and comes to us. Al-

so, set aside a couple of times each day for prayer and

silence with God. Morning and evening or meal times.

Find what works for you.

Use the Advent season to really open yourself to Jesus

whose birth we are to remember and celebrate.

Then on Christmas Eve (Monday, December 24) we’ll

hold our Christmas Eve Candle Light/Communion service.

We’ve got some cards that we’ll be sharing with you, so

that you can share them with others inviting them to join

us. Our service will be a 7 pm. If our time doesn’t work for

you, I know of several other Christmas Eve services in the

area beginning at 5 pm and extending until later in the

evening. Attend one and focus upon God’s gift(s) to us.

For us the season of Christmas really runs from Christ-

mas Eve to Epiphany January 6. So it is during this time

that we’ll be singing Christmas carols and enjoying what

God has done and promises to do.

So, once again I say; slow down. Breathe deep. Let God’s

Spirit come unto you and prepare you to receive the gift of

life given in a manger and upon the cross.

Thanks be unto God for this special season of the Chris-

tian Year, a new year for Christ’s people. Let us open our-

selves once again to God’s coming to us.

For God so loved the world (and you and me and all peo-

ple) that HE sent HIS Son, not to condemn the world but

that the world might be saved through HIM. Amen.

Blessed Advent and Blessed Christmas (beginning on De-

cember 24.)

Dennis

(Continued from page 1)

December 2018 │Page 3

Session Digest of November 15, 2018 Meeting

All elders were present. YEA!

Donna Lakey opened the meeting with a devotion on giving thanks. All el-

ders then shared what they were thankful for and how blessed they were.

Pastor Dennis shared highlights of his work since the last meeting. One of

the things he did was share in the funeral service for Linda S. Denley. He

also took communion to some of our homebound members and became

chairman of the Community Thanksgiving meal.

Under the clerk’s report the elders began the review of our membership

rolls. They took five members off the roles because of inactivity or worship-

ping at another church. Ken Bavuso’s membership was transferred to Pine

Ridge Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, MO.

The pastor called a session meeting for the following Sunday to receive

four new members into the life and work of the church; Dallas and Sharon

Flann, Gwynn Ball and Doug Simpson.

Question was raised concerning the presbytery’s request for donations

from elders and members. The pastor shared his reflections on the presby-

tery’s financial situation. The elders decided to take no action at this time.

Upon recommendation from Pastor Dennis, $2,000 dollars will be taken out

of our endowment account and deposited into our Benevolence Fund. The

fund is an important part of our ministry to people within and beyond our

church. This along with a gift from the Slusher Foundation will help us min-

ister to people in our area.

Business from Committees

Budget and Finance. Elders reviewed and approved for audit the

budget and different accounts. Budget committee will be meeting before

December meeting to review budget and make plans for 2019.

Building and Grounds – few minor things taken care of since the last

meeting. Most may go unnoticed but each is really helpful.

Care of Members – update on congregational members and their health.

Contact is being made with members who are absent. Cards are being

sent to members and friends having birthday or anniversary.

Evangelism and Mission - Dave Wright reported the post cards are print-

ed and mailing labels attached to send out to new move-ins denoting the

Christmas worship schedule and inviting them to attend. He also got 100

extra cards for session members to send out.

Pastor reported that the Presbyterian disaster buckets were delivered to

Presbytery. 80 buckets will be sent to Little Rock, Arkansas to go out to

disaster areas. We raised $305.44.

Parish Activities – Donna reported 76 registered for the Consecration ca-

tered meal at a cost of $15 per person. Donna also gave an update on the

Christmas dinner to be held December 11 at 5:00 p.m. at the Outback res-

taurant. People need to respond if they will be attending.

Worship and Education - Communion was served to 83 people on

(Continued on page 4)

The Bookies

The next meeting of the Bookie

Club is scheduled for Thursday,

December 6, 2018, at 10:30 AM in

the hospitality room.

Our book this month:

Called to Rise: A

Life of Faithful

Service to the

Community That

Made Me by Chief

David O. Brown

The Dallas police

chief who inspired a nation with

his response to the killing of five

of his officers shares his personal

story and his faith in America’s

potential to unite communities

through a dedication to transpar-

ency and trust.

Our January book:

That Camden Summer by LaVyrle Spencer

In the early 1900s,

divorcee Roberta

Jewett, returning to

her childhood home

in Maine with her three daughters,

is talked about and shunned by

the community. Even Roberta's

mother is ashamed of her. Then

Roberta develops a friendship with

the man repairing her home, and

the neighbors are up in arms.

Please join us and bring a friend!

Are you missing any

serving utensils?

Kathleen Gailey has some lefto-

ver serving pieces from the

church picnic. See Kathleen if

you are missing anything!

Page 4 │December 2018

Diabetic Focus Group

Our next meeting will be on

Monday, December 3, at 10 a.m.

in Fellowship Hall.

This month will be open

discussion and sharing of any tips

you have for dealing with diabetes

or other chronic disease.

Join us and bring a friend or a

neighbor who might benefit from

this meeting.

Benevolence Fund Report: During November we helped 3

families: 1 with transportation, 1

with utilities, and 1 with prescrip-

tion medication.

As we mentioned last month the

balance in this fund was very low

so we were not able to help as

many this month. However, we

received a total of 15 donations to

the fund to help with this shortfall!

Thanks to all of the members who

made contributions this month! In

addition, thank you to the Presby-

terian Women who also made a

donation to the fund!

If you would like to make a dona-

tion to the Benevolent Fund,

please do so by marking your

check “benevolent fund”.

If you have questions about the

fund, please contact the office or

Pastor Dennis directly. Those who

receive our assistance greatly ap-

preciate your gifts! * Statement does not include

end of month salaries.

November 4, 2018 – All Saints Sunday. The next communion ser-

vice will be December 2, 2018 – the first Sunday of Advent.

The adult Sunday School will begin an advent Study in December.

Regular youth classes are being held by Anna Koelling/Reed Click.

Presbytery Report –

Reed Click reported on information received at the meeting. He at-

tended a presentation on the Education Center located next door to

the United Nations. It coordinates all religions and was built by the

Methodist Womens’ association.

Meeting assessment. A good meeting, moved right along. Pas-

tor noted that it was nice to have all 12 Session members present.

NEXT REGULAR MEETING – DECEMBER 20, 2018 AT 6:00 P.M.

Session Digest of November 15, 2018 Meeting

(Continued from page 3)

December 2018 │Page 5

A new small format directory will

be published soon. Please take a

minute to review your listing in the

most recent edition of the directo-

ry to be sure your email address

and phone numbers are correct.

(The most recent edition is June

2018.)

If you would like your cell phone

listed in addition to your home

phone, please let us know. Also, if

you no longer have a home phone

let us know that too and we can

delete that number.

Christmas Candlelight Dinner

December 11, 5:00 p.m.

Outback Steak and Oyster Bar

We will order off the menu and re-

ceive a 10% discount. Reservations

are required and can be made now.

All reservations will need to be in

by noon on Friday, December 7, so

the restaurant can be sure to prepare

a big enough space for our group.

The above is a picture of the postcards that were ordered to

invite new members of the community and your friends to wor-

ship with us during the Christmas season. There is a stock of

these at the office if you would like to send some to people you

know.

Page 6 │December 2018

Poinsettia Fundraiser

Emma Woodward is selling

beautiful poinsettias to help

raise money for a school

trip to Europe in July 2019!

All plants are $10 and come

in a 6.5 inch container. Col-

ors available: red, white,

pink, or jingle bells.

Delivery December 15th,

just in time for Christmas

decorating. To order,

please call Sarah Wood-

ward at 620-249-2823 or

email to

nursesarahw@gmail.com.

Thank you!!

December 2018 │Page 7

Food Pantry Sundays During 2018, the first Sunday of the month is

CAM Food Pantry Sunday. Although food can

be donated for this effort, CAM can turn each

$1 into $10 to purchase food for the pantry. CAM donations for November: $140.

BIRTHDAYS

1 Susan Wood

5 Jeff Merrell

11 Anna Koelling

13 Juanita Elders

17 Clayton Copoer

18 Gretchen Keith

24 Emma Woodward

Quote of the month:

Each of us in an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus! —Neal Maxwell

Bulletin Board Corner by Linda Jasper-Reynolds

The Parish Committee would like to thank every one of our congregation who helped with a food event this year---from bringing food, washing dishes, picking up trash (and that includes Bro-dy) or whatever job you were involved in. Many hands make a big task a quick and simple one, and all of us appreciate your help and participation.

—Donna Lakey

Thanks so much for all the cards and best

wishes for my birthday!

—Pauline Ritterbush

Page 8 │December 2018

COMMUNITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

P.O. Box 486

Forsyth, MO 65653-0486

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Monday, December 24th at 7:00pm