Coming in December . . .

Thursday. December 4 Choir 7PM

Saturday, December 6 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s

Sunday, December 7 Second Sunday of Advent

Communion; Congregational Meeting for Elections & Budget

Sunday School 9:45AM; children rehearse Christmas Pageant

Monday, December 8 Consistory 7PM

Thursday. December 11 Pastoral Relations 6PM

Choir 7PM

Saturday, December 13 NO Bible Study

Christmas Pageant Rehearsal 9AM

Sunday, December 14 Third Sunday of Advent

Christmas Pageant: “Angel, Please Come to Order”

Thursday. December 18 Choir 7PM

Saturday, December 20 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s

Sunday, December 21 Fourth Sunday of Advent

Wednesday, December 24 Office open 9-3

Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols, 7:30PM

Thursday, December 25, - Christmas Day, office closed

Saturday, December 27 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s

Sunday, December 28 11AM Worship

Wednesday, December 31 New Year’s Eve

Denmark Manor

United Church of Christ 2003 Denmark Manor Road

Export, PA 15632

724-744-4218

eMail > DMUCC@windstream.net

Online > denmarkmanorchurch.org

POSTMASTER:

Return Service Requested

BULK RATE

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

CLARIDGE, PA

15623

PERMIT #1

OFFICE HOURS are Mon. and Thurs., 9AM - 3PM SUNDAY SCHOOL Sundays (Sept. thru June) 9:45AM WORSHIP SERVICE Sundays (Sept. thru June) 11AM Sunday School Opens with Fellowship & Refreshments 1st Sunday each Month, 10AM, September thru June

Coming in November . . .

Saturday, November 1 Bible Studay 9AM, Panera’s

Sunday, November 2 - Faith and Food, Communion Sunday

Monday, November 3 Consistory 7PM

Thursday. November 6 Choir 7PM

Saturday, November 8 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s

Sunday, November 9 Christmas Pageant Rehearsal

Monday, November 9 Christian Ed 7:30PM

Wednesday, November 12 Women’s Fellowship 7:30PM

Thursday, November 13 Stewardship Team 6PM

Choir 7PM

Saturday, November 15 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s

Sunday, November 16 Christmas Pageant Rehearsal

New Member Sunday during Worship

Installation of Rev. David Ackerman, PWC Minister 4PM

at First Reformed UCC in Greensburg

Thursday. November 20 Choir 7PM

Saturday, November 22 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s

Sunday, November 23 - Christmas Pageant Rehearsal

Monday, November 24 Choir 7PM

Tuesday, November 25 - Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service

7PM Paintertown Lutheran Church

Wednesday, November 26 Office open 9-3

Thursday, November 27 - Thanksgiving Day, office closed

Saturday, November 29 Bible Study 9AM, Panera’s

Sunday, November 30 - First Sunday of Advent

St. Paul Continuing Care Homes Collection

Pastor Meredith leads worship @ Wm. Penn Care Center

Front Cover

VOLUME 14, ISSUE 2

Our Church Family News

Denmark Manor

United Church of Christ

From the Pastor’s Pen . . .

I don’t know about you, but while I think that I have a broad view of the

world, my world is actually pretty small. I have my family and close friends,

many acquaintances and of course the congregation that I serve here at Den-

mark Manor United Church of Christ. If I want to think in wider terms, I

have the Westmoreland Association through which we covenant with other

UCC churches in our region and the Penn West Conference, the larger unit of

the United Church of Christ, but my world-view is still limited to what I hear

on the news.

However, my world-view is about to be broadened, as is yours. About two

years ago our church applied to be a Global Mission Partner with a church in

the Northwest Luzon Conference of the United Church of the Philippines.

This Conference in the Philippines is in partnership with the Penn West Con-

ference, and churches all around our Conference are teaming up with

churches on the other side of the world. After two years and a visit to the

Philippines by the Rev. Joseph Hedden, Pastor of Hills Church, and Melissa

McLean who is a lay member of Emmanuel UCC in Warren, we finally have

our Mission Partner Church.

Starting in 2015 we will establish a relationship with Pidding United Church

of Christ in the Philippines. The pastor is Samuel (“Bogs”) Bugnosen. We

don’t know much more than that at this point, but here is our assignment as a

global mission partner:

1. We are to pray each Sunday for our partner church and they are to pray for

us. Isn’t it good to know that prayers have no borders and that we will be

giving and receiving this kind of support.

2. We are to share our stories and ministries with letters, Facebook, photos,

maps, worship bulletins, newsletters and through our Sunday school classes.

3.We are to welcome and learn about the diversity of culture, language, cus-

toms and traditions of the Philippines as we share our own customs and tra-

ditions. (continued inside)

Merry Christmas!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Winter 20134 and 2015 >

From Our Pastor p. 1-4

Advent Worship Schedule p. 5

Christmas Pageant

Christmas Eve, Help Fund

Congregational Meeting p. 6

St. Paul’s, Eternal Life, Home-

bound p. 7

Christmas Fund p. 8

Pastor’s Report p. 9

Women’s Fellowship, Treasures for Chil-

dren, Our Child in Palestine p. 10

Offering Envelopes, Bible Study,

Church Thanks p. 11

Annual Meeting, CROP Walk, Poinsettia

Ordering, Food Bank p. 12

November Calendar p. 13

Annual Reports, Chancel Coir at Installation

of Rev. David Ackerman, Christmas at

Salem Crossroads p. 14

December Calendar p. 15

Coming in December and January —

Back Cover

From the Pastor’s Pen: continued from Front cover . . .

4. We are NOT to send money unless there is an urgent need and if there is we will work

through the Penn West Conference. Our Church’s Wider Mission money already sustains the

Global Mission.

5. Our partnership is a two year commitment as we learn about the history and people of the

Philippines and they learn about us.

While the Philippines is a beautiful place, reading the enclosed letter of October 9, 2014 from

Bishop Marigza (page 4) has certainly startled me into looking beyond my own back yard.

Please devote yourself to pray for peace and healing in the Philippines.

Blessings in the name of our Savior, Jesus the Christ,

Pastor Meredith

Page 2

North of Manila, the island of Luzon tempts visitors with some

wonderful mountainous areas, volcanic landscapes and a beau-

tiful coastline dotted with heavenly beaches. Heading up the

west coast from Subic, the Zambales coast is dotted with laid-

back resorts, while the Lingayen Gulf is the location of

the Hundred Islands – a favorite weekend trip from Manila.

Further along the coast, the province of La Union draws visi-

tors particularly for its surfing. North of here is Ilocos Sur,

known primarily for the old colonial city of Vigan, where

horse-drawn carriages bounce down narrow cobblestone

streets. The area around the capital of Ilocos Norte prov-

ince, Laoag, features a number of sites related to former dicta-

tor Ferdinand Marcos, who was born in the nearby village of

Sarrat. And on the northwestern edge of Luzon there are excel-

lent beaches around Pagudpud. ›››

Pasto

ral E

Rela

tions 6

PM

Page 15

Page 14

Annual Reports Due

No Later Than

January 4

Annual reports from chairper-

sons are due in the office no

later than January 4. If possi-

ble, we would appreciate it if

you would e-mail them or

give us an electronic version.

Thanks to everyone who was

able to do this in 2013. We are

also able to scan what you

submit. Thanks to our

leaders for 12 months of

hard work!

Chancel Choir to Sing

for Installation of

Penn West

Conference Minister The Chancel Choir at First

Reformed United Church of

Christ in Greensburg will be

singing for David Ackerman's

Installation service on No-

vember 16. Karen Huey, Or-

ganist and Choir Director at

First Church, invites other

choir members to participate.

The anthem will be "Many

Gifts, One Spirit." We will

rehearse together at 3:15 on

Sunday, November 16, in the

Choir Room. Please bring

your choir robe. So that

enough copies of the anthem

can be provided, please notify

Karen Huey by Friday, No-

vember 7 at 724-837-2410.

Page 3

United Church of Christ in the Philippines

Statement of Faith

WE BELIEVE

In one God: Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, who pro-

vides order, purpose, meaning and fulfillment to all

creation. That in Jesus Christ, who was born of Mary,

God became human and is Sovereign Lord of Life and

history. That in the Holy Spirit God is present in the

world, empowering and guiding believers to understand

and live out their faith in Jesus Christ.

WE BELIEVE

That persons are created in the image of God and des-

tined to live in community with God, with other per-

sons and with all creation. That, by disobedience, they

have become sinful, but, by grace through faith, they

are redeemed in Jesus Christ. That being entrusted with

God's creation, they are called to participate in the es-

tablishment of a just and compassionate social order.

WE BELIEVE

That the Church is the one body of Christ, the whole

community of persons reconciled to God through Jesus

Christ and entrusted with God's ministry.

WE BELIEVE

That the Holy Bible is a faithful and inspired witness to

God's self-revelation in Jesus Christ and in history to

illumine, guide, correct and edify believers in their faith

and witness.

WE BELIEVE

God is at work, to make each person a new being in

Christ, and the whole world, God's Kingdom -- in

which love, justice and peace prevail. The Kingdom of

God is present where faith in Jesus Christ is shared,

where healing is given to the sick, where food is given

to the hungry, where light is given to the blind, and

where liberty is given to the captive and oppressed.

WE BELIEVE

The resurrection of Jesus Christ has overcome the

power of death and give assurance of life after death.

And we look forward to His coming again in all full-

ness and glory to make all creation new and to gather

all the faithful under God's Kingdom. Amen.

Page 4

October 9, 2014

From the General

Secretary, Bishop Reuel

Norman O. Marigza

We condemn in the strongest term the

bombing of one of our local churches in Min-

danao. According to reports gathered so far, a

two men riding in tandem on a motorcycle

fired an M203 grenade inside the UCCP Pikit

in Pikit, Cotabato while the midweek service

was going on. Two died in the bombing

(Felomena Nacario-Ferolin and Gina Ca-

biluna), another one is critical (Virginia Mano-

lid) and a number of church members

wounded, among them Jeremias and Jerome

Dandan.

No circumstance or reason can justify

such deplorable act on a house of worship

leading to the death and injury of worshippers.

We urge the authorities to act speedily

in thoroughly investigating the incident to un-

cover the perpetrators and their motives for

this dastardly act. We ask our members to re-

main sober-minded yet vigilant. Even as we

press for justice, let us not do anything that

will further escalate the violence.

All

mo

nth

we

are

rece

ivin

g f

ood

fo

r th

e S

t. B

ar-

bar

a’s

Fo

od

Ban

k. W

e w

ill

ded

icat

e th

e fo

od

on

Oct

ob

er 2

3rd

.

Wors

hip

& R

OC

Te

am

Ste

wa

rdship

Te

am

DE

DIC

AT

ION

of F

OO

D

Fo

r F

oo

d B

ank

St. P

aul’s

Co

ntin

uin

g C

are

Colle

ctio

n

CROP WALK 2014

I am thrilled at the success of the CROP

Walk this year, held September 21. The final

figures will not be available until January

2015, but here is the preliminary report as of

September 24, 2014:

Walkers Donations

First UCC Harrison City: 5 $555

Level Green Presbyterian: 11 $344

Penn Zion Lutheran: 3 $295

Denmark Manor UCC: 11 $822

Community United

Methodist Church: 91 $5,015

Total Walkers-121

Total received to date $7031

We also had a separate gift to the Cambodian

Water Project of $2,000

Awards went to:

Youngest Walker-Jonathan Gibson

Most Senior Walker-Evelyn Valesky

Most Sponsors-Karen Colley

Most Raised in Donations-Jody Miller

Largest Group-Community United Methodist

Church

First Runners to return:

Andrew Giesey-CMUC, Michael Pasek-

CMUC, Kristin Toth-CMUC

Meredith Hutchison, Chairperson

2014 CROP Walk

Thanks-GIVING is all month long in

November!

THANKS to all who have

contributed to the November

Food Bank collection for our

Mission Project.

Call to the Annual Meeting

of the Congregation on

January 25

Our Denmark Manor United Church

of Christ Annual Meeting takes place

on Sunday, January 25, right after

Worship. The Annual Report is pre-

sented for all members, and everyone

is encouraged to attend.

Page 12

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS

Please fill-in and give to Elaine DiFranco or the Office by Thursday,

December 4th - thank you!! (Orders after December 4th are $10.00)

EACH PLANT is $8.00, with pot wrapped in gold foil

______ RED _____ PINK _____ WHITE

____________ TOTAL NUMBER

____________ TOTAL COST - please pay with order.

GIVEN BY: _____________________________________

IN MEMORY OF: ________________________________

GIVEN BY: _____________________________________

IN HONOR OF: _________________________________

Your Name: _____________________________________

Your Phone: _________________________________

Page 5

Sunday Worship begins each Sunday at 11:00AM

December 2014 through May 2015

November 2-Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost

Communion

Scripture: James 4:11-17

Sermon: “The Gift of Humility”

Anthem: “Gather ‘Round the Table”

November 9-Twenty-second Sunday after Pente-

cost

Scripture: Acts 27:1-2, 7-38

Sermon: “Keep Up Your Courage”

Anthem: “It Is Well With My Soul”

November 16-Twenty-third Sunday after Pente-

cost

New Member Sunday

Scripture: Acts 27:39-28:10

Sermon: “Shipwrecked”

Anthem: “Lord, Can You Hear Us Praying”

November 23-Reign of Christ Sunday

Scripture: Luke 17:20-21

Sermon: “The Kingdom is Among Us”

Anthem: “A Thanksgiving Chorale”

November 25-Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service

Paintertown Lutheran Church at 7:30PM

November 30-First Sunday of Advent

Lighting of the First Advent Candle “Hope”

Scripture: I Corinthians 1: 3-9

Sermon: “Called to be Christians”

Sunday Worship begins each Sunday at 11:00AM

December 2014 through May 2015

December 7-Communion

Lighting of the Second Advent Candle “Peace”

Scripture: Isaiah 40:1-11

Sermon: “Tidings of Comfort and Peace”

Anthem: “Dona Nobis Pacem”

December 14-

Lighting of the Third Advent Candle “Love”

Christmas Play

December 21-

Lighting of the Fourth Advent Candle “Joy”

Christmas Fund (Veterans of the Cross) Offering

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

Sermon: “The Favored One”

Anthem: “He Shall Come”

December 24

Christmas Eve at 7:30PM

Communion

Service of Lessons, Light, Music and Communion

December 28-First Sunday after Christmas

We will launch our Epiphany Project, a Shower of

kitchen items for the Blackburn Center

Scripture: Luke 2:22-40

Sermon: “Good News, Bad News and Good News

Again”

Anthem: “O Happy Day”

Sermon: “It’s What’s On the Inside That Counts”

There will be a very im-

portant Congregational

Meeting on Sunday, De-

cember 7 immediately

following our Worship

Service. This Meeting is for Election of Offi-

cers and to discuss and vote on our 2015

Budget. Please check your Church mailbox

and look at the budget presentation before the

meeting! We hope that the entire congregation

will attend!

Christmas Eve

Worship

Begins at

7:30PM on

December 24

The evening of December 24, Christmas Eve,

offers a very special Worship Service of Les-

sons, Light Music and Communion and the

beautiful voices of our Choir. Celebrate the

birth of the Christ child so that you can take the

joy of Christmas with you for the New Year.

Come and rejoice with us!

PLEASE HELP TO REPLENISH

OUR HELP FUND - which is the fund that the Church keeps to help

people locally when we hear of a need that can-

not be met in either way. Annually, on Christ-

mas Eve we publish a CHRISTMAS CARD

which is inserted in the bulletin with the names

of donors to the Help Fund. This is a wonder-

ful way to wish a Christmas Blessing to those

in the congregation without sending out a

whole lot of cards. Envelopes for the Help

Fund will be included in the newsletter and in

the bulletin.

Page 6

Our CHRISTMAS PAGEANT is December 14 Advent is coming, and our CHRISTMAS

PAGEANT is December 14. Don’t miss

“Angel, Please Come to Order”, brought to

you by the children and youth and some creative

adults in our congregation. R.J. Miller is this

year’s Director. The play will be held December

14 during worship with a rehearsal on Dec. 13 at

9:00AM. Our littlest people don’t need to come

on Dec. 13 until 10:30 AM. There will be a

pizza party after rehearsal.

On Dec. 14th following the pageant we will

have another party for everyone with a feast of

finger foods. If you can bring something, please

sign the sheet on the bulletin board in the educa-

tion wing.

If anyone has any animal costumes for

children, please consider loaning or donating

them for the Christmas Pageant! See Barb

Green Miller, Myrt Driscoll or Doris Walk.

to Elaine DiFranco and

Marcia Simons for deco

rating the Church for

Harvest, and for help with

the Christmas Poinsettias.

To the 2014 Consistory for their continued wise leadership

of the church. Members are: President and Elder Scott

Hartung, Vice-President and Elder Robin Brautigam,

Elder Wade Anderson, Deacons Joni Mattei, Trude Hayes,

Fred Hayes, and Marcia Simons,

Trustees Steve Cherep, Glenn Galko, and Allen Mattei

Pastor Meredith also sits on Consistory as an ex officio

member.

OFFERING ENVELOPES 2015 Offering Envelopes are available in the rear of the

Sanctuary beginning December 14. Please continue to use

your 2014 envelopes through the end of this year. If you do

not have envelopes and would like a set, please let the office

know at 724-744-4218. Thank you for your generosity which

welcomes God’s presence among us.

Saturday Morning

Bible Study with

your favorite

pick-me-up.

We meet at the Murrysville Panera at 9:00AM. We can al-

ways find a way to squeeze in a new member and no previ-

ous Biblical knowledge is required. Check your Newsletter

and Bulletin for scheduling. We will be studying the Book of

Revelation and using Eugene Peterson’s “Reverse Thunder”

which is available online and downloadable.

Page 11

St. Paul’s Continuing Care Community continued from page 7

iors who needed more personal

care, yet who continued to seek

a level of independence, The

Ridgewood assisted living fa-

cility was completed in 1995. A

second assisted living facility,

The Ridgewood at Shenango

Valley, was built in Hermitage

in 1998. This facility is a coop-

erative venture between St.

Paul's and UPMC Horizon

Hospital. In 2002, Cottage Col-

ony began to expand through

Woodland Cottages; single

family homes. To date, 7 new

cottages have been built with

lots for 27 more to come over

the next few years. In 2005. St.

Paul's opened its state-of-the-

art skilled nursing facility, The

Villas.

The Villas is home to 192 resi-

dents in a residential setting

while meeting their nursing

care needs. In July of 2006,

renovations of the previously

occupied health center were

complete and The Heritage at

St. Paul's opened offering aging

-in-place, independent and as-

sisted living.

You can contribute to St. Paul Homes and their care of the elderly on months having a 5th Sunday, November 30.

Salvation Army

“Treasures

for Children”

Tags will be available in

November. Please take

one to remind a child

that someone cares.

Thanks to all

who are able to

participate in

this heartfelt

gifting of love

from happy

children and

grateful parents.

gave an informative presentation on

his trip to the Philippines, at the

Nov. 2 Westmoreland Association

fall meeting. Joyfa Kelly and Sallie

Bradley also attended this meeting

with me. Our partner church is Pid-

dig United Church of Christ in the

Philippines and the Pastor is Samuel

“Bogs” Bugnosen. The mission

team will be doing activities with the

congregation celebrating our partner-

ship beginning in January. I will be

in touch with Pastor Bogs before

then. We have found from Pastor

Joseph that the best way to commu-

nicate is through Facebook as the

postal system as well as the Internet

are unreliable, whereas everyone has

a cell phone.

During the month of November we

are collecting food for St. Barbara’s

food bank and also the Salvation

Army has promised that the tags for

Treasures for Children will be in

early this month.

Respectfully submitted,

Meredith Hutchison

Page 10

Women’s

Fellowship Meets on Wednesday,

November 12 at

7:30PM in the

Fellowship Hall.

All are Welcome!

Missed a Sunday?

Know some-

one who can’t

get out to

Worship?

Catch up with a

DMUCC SERMONS &

WORSHIP CD

Sermons are now

downloadable from our

Church website,

denmarkmanorchurch.org

and you can get a CD copy

through the church office at

724-744-4218.

Our Child Sponsorship at Rawdat El-Zuhur

School in Palestine

Fall, 2014

Dear Friends at Denmark Manor Church School,

Thank you for your support of Malek Mohammad Saiid. He will

be five years old. He has two sisters, and is named for his father,

Mohammad; his mother’s name is Muna. The family lives in Ja-

bal Al-Mukabber near Jerusalem in a two-bedroom rented

house. His father is a driver, and his mother is a housewife.

Malek’s health is good and he will be graduat-

ing Nursery class.

Again, thank you for your care and love, and for

your support. God bless you all,

Mrs. Rana Qutob

St. Paul’s Continuing Care Community St. Paul’s has been a special benevo-

lence of our Congregation for many

years, and we have become a “Builder’s

Club Church”. St. Paul's, historically re-

lated to the United Church of Christ, has

been serving the needs of residents of

western Pennsylvania and the surrounding

states for 140 years. Originally created in

1867 in Butler, Pennsylvania, to provide

care for orphans of the Civil War, St.

Paul's moved to Greenville nearly a cen-

tury ago.

Identifying the need for an independent

living community for seniors, St. Paul's

initiated Estate Cottages in Cottage Col-

ony in 1973. The community grew to 58

cottages and 17 apartments. To serve sen- continued on page 11

Please Remember our Homebound and those in care facilities . . .

Helen Maynard and Pat Kistler

at William Penn Care Center

Virginia Driscoll at Golden Heights

Claudia McLarty, Lee Ridinger,

Millie Kane, Sheila Sharatz and

Mark Walker at home

Dave Cunningham at Emeritus, Latrobe

Page 7

To help with Funeral Luncheons please

call Lynn Zimmerman at 724-523-8909.

Thanks to all throughout the year who

have comforted others in this Ministry.

We Said Goodbye to . . . Lillian Parson, who entered into Eternal Life

on September 10 and Glenn Frye, who entered

into Christ on October 19. We also grieved the

loss of little Bryce Bigler, the Grandson of John

and Becky Peters.

We thank you Lord for their presence in

life, and for the hope and assurance of life eter-

nal. We know that their passing is not the period

at the end of a sentence, but a comma - mark-

ing transition into a new and different form of

life where they continue to love with you and in

the hearts and minds of loved ones and friends.

Be with us that we may sense anew your

peace that passes all understanding. Amen.

Page 8

The Christmas Fund 2014

Page 9

Pastor’s Report to Consistory November 3, 2014

October has been a very busy month in the life of the church and in my ministry. As a member of the faculty of the

Penn West Academy I taught two courses. The first was a special block on Pastoral Leadership which was a one

time commitment and the second was the UCC Covenant and Polity Course which I teach on a regular basis. I find

that doing this kind of work gives me energy to do my more routine pastoral and administrative duties, and I enjoy

teaching the 14 adults from the Penn West Conference who are now enrolled in the Academy. The Academy trains

licensed lay ministers who serve our smaller churches. These licensed ministers also fill in when pastors are away or

on vacation. Also, those who wish to become Commissioned Ministers can enroll in the Academy. A Commis-

sioned Minister is a non-ordained person who has received the endorsement of the church to serve in a function be-

yond pastoral ministry such as music ministry, Christian education, or ministry of visitation. The program is a com-

mitment of four years for the students with a Friday night and Saturday in the fall for two weekends and the same in

the spring. United Church of Christ Covenant and Polity, the course that I will teach regularly is about the structure

of the United Church of Christ, our governance and how we work in covenant with other churches. Anyone in the

church who wants to go deeper into their spiritual formation can participate in the Academy without having to com-

mit to the licensure or commissioning track. There are several people in the group who are participating particularly

for this reason.

Unfortunately our educational event for the Westmoreland Association fell through because of lack of registrations,

but I would like to thank all that Allen Mattei did in preparation for the meal and the work that he and Joni put into

selling the spaghetti, meatballs and sauce to the congregation afterwards. So we didn’t lose any money on the din-

ner, though the Association was willing to reimburse us for any expenses incurred.

This month I have met with Kyle Dugan and Danielle and Grant Dunmire in preparation for their membership vows

on November 16, which is New Member Sunday. Danielle has never been baptized, so we will have a baptism as

well! I have made a number of hospital, home and nursing home visits in the past month. I do try to make my

rounds of those who are homebound or in care facilities about every 8 weeks.

Glenn Frye passed on into eternal life on October 19, 2014. We have not yet had any kind of memorial service,

though his family may be planning something in the future.

I have worked with Kelly in planning for Advent and Christmas music and will be meeting with the Worship Team

in the coming month. Also, I hope to meet with the Pastoral Relations Committee soon. Since Bob Berlin’s passing,

we haven’t had a chairperson of this group, but hopefully we will in 2015.

Thanks to all who put so much effort into the Ham Dinner. Our profit was slightly down due to the cost of the ham

which was $4.29 per pound. The final profit was $2,885.63 which included the sale of ham after the dinner. We

serve 490 people of which 90 were take-outs. Due to the illness of a number of people we had to change our system

this year, but I wish to thank Rheba Salac and Wade Anderson who made calls and Steve Cherep who chaired the

dinner, assisted by Dan Walk, Robin Brautigam and many others. We are trying to put together a list of duties and

people who did these duties at this dinner as we have found that there are many things that we think happen auto-

matically, but when someone is unable for any reason to perform them, it would be helpful for future reference to

know who is doing what.

I prepared the upcoming Christmas pageant, and met with R.J. Miller who will be this year’s director. The pageant

is scheduled for December 14 during worship. The speaking roles will all be angels and at the end we will do the

nativity tableau with parents and grandparents of young children playing the major roles and the little tiny people

being animals and assorted angels and shepherds (making exceptional photo opportunities). Rehearsals for the

speaking roles begin November 9 during Sunday school with the dress rehearsal and the rehearsal for the very young

children on Dec. 13, followed by a pizza party. This is sponsored by the Christian Education Committee.

As an update on our Global Mission Partnership, the Rev. Joseph Hedden, pastor of Hill’s (continued page 10)