MARS MEMO

December 3, 2003 &nb= sp; Volume 29 = ; Number 6

JOHN'S GOSPEL

Some of you already have seen my suntan from our families' Thanksgiving week vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We have been traveling south to the beach just before Advent for more than twenty years, and I have been able to use the time near the ocean as a time of preparation for Christmas and Advent. It is an interesting concept to take a time of preparation for Advent, which is a time of preparation for the coming again of the Christ Child. How many times can I use the term preparation before I need to find another way to say getting ready?

&n= bsp; What are you doing to get ready for Christmas?&= nbsp; Most people need to answer honestly by listing the decorating of home and church, baking of cookies and fruitcakes, the buying of presents for the needy and not needy at all. W= e have Christmas cards to write and send and parties with friends, relatives, and sometimes associates who we rarely socialize with at any other time of the year. I am hard pressed to de= scribe any other time of the year that is busier than the month of December. That's why I have found it to be s= o very valuable to take time away at the end of November to prepare for the season established many years ago by the Church as a season of preparation.

&n= bsp; When the early Church began the practice of Advent around the sixth century, it = was seen as a mini-Lent. People d= idn't have Santa or gift giving. Sp= ecial foods and decorations don't appear in any of the early records of Advent. In fact, the early practice of preparation appears to have included fasting in the same way we understand giving up something for Lent. Celebrations like weddings were delayed until after Christmas. Things have really changed, haven't they? December has become alm= ost a non-stop party with many of us adding a pound or two in order not to offend= the hostess of any event.

&n= bsp; Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are still the high points and focus of our busiest mo= nth of the year, but we no longer have the contrast of ending a quiet time with= a great celebration when the celebration began weeks before. The celebration of the birthday of= Jesus will happen on December 25, by common consent among the churches of the wes= tern tradition so that you can schedule your time of preparation with a high deg= ree of certainty as to when and where you will be on Christmas Eve. Please take some time during Adven= t to live in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ as well. Do you know how to plan your time = around the event of the second coming? Jesus may arrive today in Mars, Pennsylvania. Our days of preparation for his ar= rival need to be ready now, not later. So as you attempt to set aside time for daily devotionals during the Advent season, remember that Jesus already came and will come again even as we cel= ebrate with joy His arrival in a stable in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve.

&n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; = ; In His Service,

&n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; = ; Pastor John

= ; On Saturday, December 6, the Junior Choir Christmas Musical rehearsal takes pl= ace in the Kindergarten Room from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.

THIS SUNDAY—December 7<= /o:p>

&n= bsp; Pastor John will be preaching at both services as we move to the second Sunday of Advent. This is the first cha= nce worshipers will have to experience the freshly decorated sanctuary and chur= ch after Saturday's "Hanging of the Greens."

&= nbsp; This may be the second Sunday of Advent, but two items are of note about this "first Sunday" of the month.&nbs= p; The first is that we celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper at the Ea= rly Service. The second comes= in our desire to designate this day each month as the time we ask the congrega= tion to bring in foodstuffs and paper products for the food bank at Glade Run. The food bank is an ongoing commitment = that we don't publicize enough. Consequently, the load is carried by just a few folk. The idea is that if we push for fu= ll involvement on the "first Sunday," perhaps it will total up to a fuller food pantry to aid those in need.&n= bsp;

The Chil= dren's Christmas Program and Party

&n= bsp; At 5:30 p.m. our children and you= th will put on their annual program. The leadership team of Jamie Daugh= erty, Linda Moody, and Mary Elizabeth has been working each Sunday morning to pre= pare for this big evening. This is= a great night for the whole church family as we invite grandparents and neigh= bors to be a part of this experience.

&n= bsp; Following the actual program, John Rickloff and the Christian Education Committee are requesting that parents of our youth take a few minutes to join in a discussion about options for our youth program in the sanctuary. We are= at a critical time in the endeavor to provide involvement for our young people.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Our leaders want some input from t= he parents. Please make it a poi= nt to be present for that meeting.

&n= bsp; The Christmas Dinner and Party follow the meeting as we move to the social hall. The Christian Education Committee = will supply the ham, breads, and beverages.&nbs= p; Families are asked to bring= their place settings and a hefty tureen since there are often unplanned guest= s at the meal. As is our custom, t= here will be a visitor from the North after the meal.

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS may be ordered through our church office at $5.25. The Deacons are in cha= rge of this project. An envelope is included with the bulletin this Sunday, the 7^th. Simply fill in the information on = the front and enclose the money inside. Put the envelope in the offering plate. All you have to remember is to pic= k up your flower after the 7:00 P.M. Christmas Eve Service. Between the efforts with the hangi= ng of the greens and the splendor of the poinsettias, the sanctuary itself makes = for a moving experience in our worship.

SESSION = AND DEACONS - continue to= have their Christmas meetings at Poverty Point Farm. Deacons will meet at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, the 16^th. Session will follow two days l= ater at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, the 18^th, which happens to be the third Thursday, their regular meeting night.&nbs= p;

FINANCIA= L NOTES - There are t= hree areas where we need some extra oomph in our giving.

1.&n= bsp; The Deacon= s Fund is standing at $933 as of December 1.&= nbsp; This is about a grand short of what the Deacons need to give aid in = the community at Christmas. They = need some special gifts and any insights about need in the community. Be sure to be a part in this great= work of faith.

2.&n= bsp; A special<= /b> Christmas Offering is received ea= ch year on the Sunday before Christmas (21^st) This is used to bring some sort of= aid to children in need. In th= is time of giving to people we love who need "nothing," please make a gift through the church to those who have nothing.

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3.      A December close is needed for our church budget. The month of November saw a jump from twelve to twenty thousand income from '02 to '03.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> This is great, but we still ended = the eleventh month $3,841 in the hole.=

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   &n= bsp;        All churches know the same truth on which charities work. That the biggest gifts come at yea= r's end. Here at the Mars U. P. C= hurch we don't dun our people. But = please get the message. We need a fi= nal kick in December. Please get = all gifts in to the church office by the 31^st.

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