Dec 2010 Epistle

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THE EPISTLE Volume 15 Issue 11 DECEMBER 23, 2010

PASTORAL PERSPECTIVE

oon it will once again be Christmas. How the time flies! The days run toward this night of allnights when heaven came down to earth in Bethlehem, so many centuries ago. We will gatheronce again as families, remembering the year past with all its joys and sorrows and we will look

forward to the clean slate of a new year with all its possibilities and promises.We pause in our celebrating, in the dark of the night and we come to hear once again the old, old

story of the birth. We kneel, in our minds, at least in Bethlehem and see this thing which has come topass; the good news to all the world in the face of a child. Why do we come to church on this night of nights? Is it a habit or a need to be in a place of sacred memory and present experience? Whatever thereason, we feel the pull of the God who reaches out to us wherever we are on life’s journey andwelcomes us home.

A long time ago, I was in a Christmas play that our church youth group presented. I don’t remembermuch of it, but I do remember the opening line since I was the one who said it: Home for Christmas,

all of us! Our good and gracious God, who came to us in Jesus on that first Christmas, welcomes us allhome to worship and adore him and to hear once more the Christmas story.

Once again we will gather twice on Christmas Eve, 5:00 PM for a family service and 11:00 PM forour Festival Eucharist. There will be candlelight at both services and the choir will sing at the lateservice. The day after Christmas, December 26 is a Sunday and we will come together as we always doon Sunday at 9:30 AM. We will share some wonderful carols along with some other stories and poemsfor the season. Remember it is still Christmas and will be until Epiphany.

I wish for you and your family the blessings and the joys which come not only at Christmas but all theyearlong from our good and gracious God.

“Into this silent night

as we make our weary way

we know not where, just when the night becomes the darkest

and we cannot see our path,

just then

is when the angels rush in,

their hands full of stars.”

-Ann Weems, Kneeling in Bethlehem

S





3 THE EPISTLEEVENING CIRCLE

Evening Circle will meet on Monday,January 10th, for our annual 'Soup and Salad'meeting. In addition, Holly Wolf will be ourguest, reviewing the book "THE HELP" by

Kathryn Stockett. Please join us! Anyquestions, contact Norma Harrington or

Carol Moran.

Each month the Board of Missions and Outreachfocuses on an organization the Board supports.This month Nan Notar, our liaison to the PerintonFood Shelf, reports on their activities. We arereporting this month because it is during theholidays that the Food Shelf needs the mostsupport.

The Perinton Food Shelf is an emergency foodrelief organization. Organized in 1980 by thePerinton Lay Clergy Council, this organization

serves the communities of Fairport and Perinton(the 14450 zip code). The Food Shelf is a non-profit organization staffed entirely by volunteers.Our own church has over 25 people thatvolunteer their time and services: packers,deliverers, verifiers, maintaining the facility,gathering of items, sorting, organizing…….andserving as Chairman of the Board.

How is the Food Shelf supplied? Food suppliesare donated by collections from churches,schools, civic organizations and individuals.

Monetary donations are received which are usedto purchase fresh meat, milk, eggs and margarinefor the families in need. Area businesses providebaked goods, bread and make dairy productsavailable for pickup.

How do people get the help they need? Residentscan call 425-7410 and a volunteer calls back

within 24 hours during the weekdays between 9am and 5 pm. After the verification process iscompleted and basic family information gathered,a deliverer is contacted and a week’s worth of food is delivered – usually within 24 to 48 hours.In October 2010, 47 families and 133 people

were receivers of the Perinton Food Shelf’sdonations.

Because of the increased need for emergencyfood, the Food Shelf always appreciates yourvolunteer services. Please consider volunteeringfor the Perinton Food Shelf, bringing donationsof non-perishable food to church, or sponsoringwalkers for the CROP Walk (the Food Shelf receives a percentage of the contributions). Formore information visit the website at:www.perintonfoodshelf.org.

Now that the holidays are here, Missions is in fullswing. Ongoing are several activities that theBoard of Missions sponsors: The HillsideChristmas Giving, The Perinton Food Shelf,Determined Divas of Rochester a resupply of their “Closet” and Christmas Baskets for needyPerinton residents. Your generous donations forall of the above activities have been pouring in.and on behalf of the Board, I would like to thank you for your generosity and wish you a veryMerry Christmas.

Ted AvgerinosChairperson

THANKS FOR THE HILLSIDE

GIFTS!!Thanks to all who provided gifts for ourHillside Christmas Tree Project. There is achild or family that has a very Special Santacome into their lives,and that is you. This

project underlines ourbelief in the goodnessand greatness of children and theimportance of families.

Randy and Maureen Clark Board of Missions



4 THE EPISTLE

VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY

ACTIVITIES

MANY THANKSThe Perinton Food Shelf has continued to

serve the hungry inthe community as aresult of your

generouscontributions duringthe year! Yourthoughtful donationsof the items requestedprovide a heartyweek's worth of groceries for familiesin need. Workingtogether --

especially in these difficult economic times--we are able to help others who are lessfortunate.

--The Perinton Food Shelf Volunteer Board

SALEM SOUP KITCHENVolunteers are needed to help prepare alunch for those in need. On January 25th ourchurch’s volunteers will meet at 9:15 AMand carpool down to Salem and return to thechurch parking lot, mid-afternoon. Please join us.

NEW CHOIR MEMBERSNew choir members are always needed andwelcomed. High School students areencouraged to join, we can work with you toaccommodate your busy schedules. Formore details contact our choir director,Heather Watras at 703-5143 [email protected].

UNDERSTANDING

IMMIGRATION ISSUES

AN INFORMATIONAL WORKSHOP

ON IMMIGRATIONSATURDAY, JANUARY 15

8:45 am -1 pm

Mountain Rise United Church of Christ

2 Mountain Rise, Fairport

Speakers will:*Survey 200 years of immigration in thiscountry.

* Examine the economic impact of immigration on the US economy todayand its’ potential for the future.

*Inform about current law and BorderPatrol enforcement in the local area.

*Share the League of Women Voters’position paper on immigration reform.

Featured Speakers –Dr. Randall Stone, Professor of

Economics, U of RLynn Gordon, Associate Professor of

History U of RSally Chamberlin- Activist, League of

Women Voters

Lunch is included at no charge.Registration is required. Call the church

office 223-2433 by January 10.

Come/Learn/Reflect/Respond



5 THE EPISTLE

FAMILY NEWS

Preschool & Elementary School

Happenings

Rotation Classes Learn About The Reason

Behind the SeasonDuring the season of Advent, our studentswill revisit the timeless story of our savior’sbirth -- told in a variety of ways in ourstorytelling, art, and movie rotations.

NOTE: There are no Christian

education classes on Dec. 26 or Jan. 2.Classes resume on Jan. 9.

Elementary Happenings

Family Movie Night Set for January

Families are invited to enjoy a fun movie anddelicious snacks on Jan. 14 from 7 – 9 p.m.in Upper Fellowship Hall. Kids are welcometo come in PJs and bring sleeping bags tostretch out on. Sign up in Fellowship Hall.

Junior & Senior High Happenings

Undecorating Party January 8th

!All Junior and Senior high students areinvited to an “undecorating party” in thesanctuary on Sat., Jan.8th from 10 – noon.Help us get the sanctuary ready for the newyear! This activity will count toward missiontrip requirements.

JYF & SYF Movie Night Set for JanuaryThere will be both a JYF movie and an SYFmovie on Friday, Jan. 21 from 7 – 9:30 p.m.

JYFers will meet in our second floorclassroom. SYFers will meet in ourbasement classroom. Sign up in FellowshipHall.

Senior High UpdateKeep checking your emails and Facebook. Iwill keep you posted on the date and time of our annual presentation of the “MuppetsChristmas Carol”. It will be sometimeduring the week after Christmas.

Reach Mission Trip

Our youth will be going to Cairo, NY on July16 for theannual missiontrip. If you areattending youmust submityour $50deposit assoon aspossible. Thecamp is fillingup fast so if you have not registered please call Mrs.Hamill at 746-9275.



6 THE EPISTLE

OUR CHURCH FAMILY

Dorothy Wallace andher family on the deathof her husband, LewWallace on November30, 2010.

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS

Barbara Eaton, Perinton Park Manor

Charlotte Jackson, Fairport Baptist Home

Shirley Sumner, Perinton Park Manor

Les Warren, Fairport Baptist Home

IRS AND YOUR DONATIONS

If you want your pledge and donationscredited to your 2010 statements, the check must be dated by December 31, 2010 and wemust receive it in the church office byJanuary 3, 2011.

PLEDGE ENVELOPES

For those of you that requested pledgeenvelopes, they are now available. They arein a box in the library area, ready to bepicked up.

PLEASE! PLEASE! BE KIND TO

OUR ORGAN!

When putting tables back in the closet inFellowship Hall, please make sure the tablesare not touching, or leaning against theorgan’s generator. As Bea says: “That is aNo-No!” Otherwise, if something is againstthe generator the organ’s sound is altered.Thank you for your help with this!

EPISTLE DEADLINE-

JANUARY 20, 2011

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Dec 2010 Epistle