CALVIN COMMENTARY

4201 TRANSCONTINENTAL DRIVE METAIRIE, LA 70006 504.888.1375 www.johncalvinchurch.org

JOHN CALVIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH December 2016

FOR UNTO US

A CHILD IS BORN…

AND HIS NAME SHALL

BE CALLED WONDERFUL.

COUNSELOR.

THE MIGHTY GOD.

THE EVERLASTING FATHER.

THE PRINCE OF PEACE.

ISAIAH 9:6

Christ BEGINS WITH

Christmas

In This Issue:

THE STUDY WINDOW

MUSIC CORNER

COMMITTEE NEWS

PLAYSCHOOL

BIRTHDAYS/EVENTS

From The Study Window

From the Study Window

Christmas Love

We live in a time of vast skepticism. People no longer trust many of the institutions that have long held public confidence. Politicians have disappointed us. Journalists lift up the sensational rather than reporting facts. Even the judicial system has been affect-ed by sensationalism. We find it difficult to tell fact from fiction, reality from exaggeration, and truth from sensationalism. As we approach Christmas many see it simply as a nice tradition. But the world we live in is much like the world at the time of Jesus’ birth. In our world, poverty is the norm rather than the exception. The Christmas story is about poor people. In fact, it’s about poor people caught in bureaucracy. Mary and Joseph were forced to travel to a distant city to satisfy bureaucratic regulations. It was important to take a census, so taxes could be assessed. Mary was pregnant before she married Joseph and people being people had likely made her the subject of a good deal of gossip. Although Mary knew the wondrous mys-tery of her pregnancy, she carried the stigma of being an unwed mother. In the midst of their forced journey, a suspicious innkeeper thought it would be better for them to stay in the barn than a warm room. Yes, he assured them the inn was sold out. Sound familiar. The couple with the newborn baby was told that they were under suspicion of trying to overthrow the king. Herod the King threatened to slaughter all male infants to remove a perceived potential threat to his throne. So the family fled their homeland and in essence became refugees. When we put on glasses that can penetrate the sentimental legends of Christmas we find that it was a hard, desperate, fearful time. We need to look no further than our own neighborhood’s to find analogies to the gospel story. And it is into this troubled skeptical world that Jesus was born, and it is into our troubled skeptical world that he continues to come. It is into our troubled skeptical world that the remarkable declaration of Christmas comes, “Do not be afraid”. (Luke 2:10) “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). This is not an abstract principle. We understand it through the mixed emotions of a family Christmas. We sense it when we extend our care to those in need. We proclaim it when we repeat the ancient Christmas proclamation “God is with us” (Matt. 1:23). Christmas is the announcement that the incredible love of God has been loosed in the world. This love overcomes fear, and in the process changes us and the world around us.

In Christ’s Service, Rev. Harry Brown

THE

M

U

S

I

C

C

O

R

N

E

R

By: William R. Memmott, Organist/Choir Master

First, the Choir Music boxes are filled with music. The orchestra scores are ready. So are the music stands, choir risers, seating, video monitors and microphones. The singers, soloists and musicians have prepared and so have Julie (harpsichordist and organist) and myself (conductor and all-around handyman).

Second, the pipe organ has been tuned and the harpsichord will receive its final brush-up tuning before the concert on the 11th

Third, Eleanor has run the programs and inserts.

Fourth, the dress rehearsal will take place on Saturday, December 10 at 10;00 a.m.

And I’m certain the ushers are lined up and ready.

“MESSIAH” by George Frideric Handel

The Christmas Section

Sunday, December 11 at 10:30 a.m.

(The orchestra, chorus and soloists gathering at 10:00 a.m.)

Luncheon by the Presbyterian Women (In Fellowship Hall following)

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) composed this singular masterpiece in 1741. Alt-hough German by birth, he spent most of his life in England, Most of his oratorios and operas are in English. “Messiah” contains many of his most famous and most beloved Christmas pieces..

CHRISTMAS EVE NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS

December 24 at 7:00 p.m.

The Traditional Choral Carol Service

Following the Family Service at 5:00 p.m.

Oh, yes, and a huge THANK YOU to all of you who came a bought something!

Holy Smokes!

We made over $2000 for Program of Hope – to be used for vouchers for an

overnight stay at the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter, and for bus tokens. That’s

200 nights!

Sandy Cranfill, Sue Crawford, Julie Etland, and a friend of Julie's each had their

own booths with wonderful items to tempt the customers!

Diane Kleinfeld from First Presbyterian, Lesley Paine and friends from Parkway Presbyterian, and Ann Van Horn from St. Charles Presbyterian all had booths of

goodies. Hurray for getting Presbyterians working together!

Our own Grace Circle and Lydia Circle sponsored and ran a wonderful booth with

lots and lots of very nice things. Just fabulous!

Thank you to all of you who donated items to sell, who set-up our circle booth, priced items, and stayed to sell to customers, who helped out with setting up tables and carrying items for our guest churches, who made tasty baked goods and stayed to sell them, who obtained and made hotdogs to sustain us all. You are

wonderful.

Thank you everyone for helping out with the

White Elephant Sale!

You are invited…

to the John Calvin White Elephant Party!

Friday, December 9 at 7:00 pm

This year’s hosts are Ann and Michael Trapani

13 Platt Street, Kenner

Please bring an appetizer or dessert and your wrapped gift.

one gift per person – adults only.\

Come enjoy an evening of fun and fellowship!

Snippets

From Presbyterian Women

N

Evelyn Tobey, Emily

Garland Lorraine Hicks

The PW "Cookie Swap"

will be held on Sunday, Dec. 4th

from 3-5, in the Library.

Everyone is invited… members, non-members, males and females!

We are WILD about learning through PLAY at John Calvin Presbyterian Playschool.

This month we are celebrating Christmas and teaching our students about the

birth of Jesus and the importance of giving to others.

A couple important Playschool dates to note:

December 2: Santa Pictures in FH

December 5: Atomic Burger Fundraiser from 11-9

December 13: Angel, Angel! Christmas Program in the Sanctuary

December 9, 12: 3’s Christmas Programs in the Sanctuary

December 19- January 3: Christmas Holidays

January 4: School Resumes

Do you like to eat burgers or hot dogs? What about

delicious milkshakes?

Please take a night off from cooking and Join us for our Playschool’s Atomic Burger Fundraiser on Monday, December 5 from 11-9. The address is 3934 veterans. Just say you’re with “John Calvin” and our playschool gets 20% of sales!!

Coat Drive November 28- December 7

Benefitting the Feeding the Homeless Project of First Presbyterian Church

Please bring us your gently used or new coats/

jackets and help keep someone warm and cozy

this winter!!

Children & Adult Sizes Welcomed

BIRTHDAYS

Corley, Travis

Wiederspahn, Nell

Cox, Raymond

Russo, David H.

Craig, Suzie

Hebert, Julie R.

Tracy, Wayne

Corcoran, Margaret

12/1

12/3

12/5

12/10

12/15

12/17

12/19

12/29

Reeks, Emilie

Fernandez, Caroline

Walker, Maggie

Schaefer, Alexandria

Lowry, Linda

Tracy, Judy

Frank, Ben

Nelson, Maureen

12/1

12/4

12/9

12/11

12/15

12/19

12/28

12/31

2nd: P/S Practice: “Angel/Angel”

4th: @10:30 Service

PW “Cookie Swap” 3:00-5:00p (Lbry) “All Invited”

5th: Worship CM @ 7:00p (CR)

$-P/S Atomic Burger Fundraiser / say “John Calvin”

5th—8th: P/S Practice: “Angel/Angel” (Sanc)

6th: PW CM @ 10:00 (Lbry)

7th: Pearl Harbor Day

9th: P/S Christmas Performance (Sanc)

P/S Movie Night

Christmas Concert Set-up

White Elephant Party @ 7:00p- A. Trapani’s Home

10th: Choir Dress Rehearsal w/ Orchestra @ 10:00

11th: 10:30 Service only—Christmas Concert

Following Service—Christmas Luncheon

C/E CM after Service

12th: P/S Christmas Performances (Sanc)

P/S CM @ noon

Outreach CM @ 6:30p (Lbry)

13th: P/S “Angel/Angel” Performance (Sanc)

Resource CM @ 7:00p (CR)

16th: P/S Last Day

19th: Session Mtg @ 7:00p (Lbry)

24th: Christmas Eve Services:

Family @ 5:00p / Traditional @ 7:00p

25th: Christmas Day Service—10:30 only

26th&27th: Church Ofc Closed—Christmas Holiday

28th: ***NO Choir*** Practice

30th: Church Ofc Closed—New Year’s Holiday

31st: New Years Eve!!!

Note: Committee Mtg. time changes may not be reflected,

above times are based on a reoccurring schedule only.

1st: NY’s Day Service—10:30 only

3rd: PW CM 10:00-noon (Lbry)

4th: P/S 1st Day Back

5th: PW Fun & Games 10:00-noon (Lbry)

8th: Elder’s Ordination & Installation

C/E CM after Service

9th: P/S CM @ noon

Outreach CM @ 6:30p (Lbry)

Worship CM @ 7:00p (CR)

10th: Lydia Circle Mtg @ 7:00p (Lbry)

Resource CM @ 7:00p (CR)

16th: P/S—No Schl—MLK Day

Session Mtg @ 7:00p (Lbry)

17th: Grace Circle CM @ 9:30 (Lbry)

19th: PW Fun & Games 10:00-noon (Lbry)

22nd: Congregational Mtg after Worship (Sanc)

23rd: P/S TK Registration

24th Belly Laugh Day...LOL!

30th: P/S Church Member Reg.

Note: Committee Mtg. time changes may not be reflected,

above times are based on a reoccurring schedule only.

OUR PRAYER FOR YOU THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON IS THAT YOU WILL

KNOW THE RICHNESS OF CHRIST’S COMING DEEP IN YOUR HEARTS.