The Chimes The News of the Protestant Community Church of Medford Lakes, NJ December 2014

Worship Services at 8:00, 9:00 & 10:30 AM In This Issue Sunday School at the 9:00 AM Service Sunday School News 2 Nursery Care available at both services Thank You 3 Epiphany Luncheon 3 Fellowship Hour at 10:00 AM Advent Volunteers Needed 3 Christmas Eve Services 3 St. Nicholas died on December 6. Startling perhaps, but true… Nicholas of Myra, Sacred Circle 3 who, at beatification became known as St. Nicholas, died on December 6, 345, at Member Care 4 the hands of the Roman Emperor, Diocletian. I am in the process of planning Men’s Breakfast 4 worship for December 7 (the Sunday closest to St. Nicholas’ Feast Day), using the In Memoriam 4 legacy of St. Nicholas as a starting place. In one of the articles I found providing Coffee Hour Thank You 4 biographical information on this historical figure, I came across this entry: December Calendar Insert The Dutch kept his feast day of December 6 as the time to lavish presents on Special Gifts for Christmas Insert children who left their shoes out the night before. It was the Dutch who Monthly Casserole 5 brought the custom of "Santa Claus" to the United States. By the middle of the Thanksgiving Service & Dinner 5 nineteenth century America had embraced the custom as the center around Journey to Adulthood 6 which all of Christmas revolved. Meaning of Pilgrimage 6 Cathedral Guild 7 I had to reread this… The center around which all of Christmas Missions Council 7 revolved?!! Jazz Concerts 7 This may be an accurate assessment of the state of Christmas celebrations, but it December Birthdays 8 was somewhat unnerving to see it in print, stated without equivocation. St. Nicholas Showcase Jazz Series 8 would be appalled!

Several years ago I wrote a few vignettes to be shared in worship services during Advent. The one I recall most fondly was written for a friend who would get out his Santa suit and make rounds in the community on Christmas Day. The The Chimes Submit items to inspiration for this piece was the now familiar image of the Lynne Poag via email “Kneeling Santa.” [email protected] SUBMISSION It is true. A picture is worth a thousand words. DEADLINE: January 5, 2015 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I hope we can share the Advent season together. November Steven E. Winkler 30 is the first Sunday of Advent. We will come together in Senior Pastor the presence of the “center around which all of Christmas Dr.Virginia E. Leopold, Emerita revolves! Dr. Richard T. Say, Emeritus ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 609-654-4220 (office) God bless, 609-654-0515 (Sunday School) www.protestantcommunitychurch.org THE CHIMES PAGE 2 Ancipaon Sunday School News Preparaon Andria Gross Sunday School Superintendent

We are nearing the busy holiday season in Sunday school which is always exciting and fun for me and the children!! Congratulations to the Third Grade Students who received their Bibles in church on November 9, 2014. That was a special day in the life of the !children and their families. We will be finishing up Moses and the Burning Bush on November 23rd and !begin the Christmas rotation on December 7th. The Advent Happening is scheduled for Sunday, December 7th, and will begin at 2:00 PM and end at 4:00 PM upstairs Todd Building. Following the Advent Happening and before the Advent Dinner which will begin at 5:00 PM downstairs Todd, the children and I will watch a Christmas movie together. All children are invited to the Advent Happening although little ones need adult supervision, please. I encourage the children to invite their neighborhood friends, cousins, and anyone who would like to share in the Christmas joy and !creativity that overflows at the Happening! Adults are welcome to join us, too. We are collecting baby food jars for a craft that the children will be making at the Advent Happening. Please bring them to the church office or Sunday school as soon as possible. !Thanks very much! And, very importantly, the children will need some assistance at the different craft tables at the Advent Happening. Please consider giving a couple hours of your time and be a helper that afternoon. The crafts are simple to make, and it’s a lot of fun to witness the children’s joy of Christmas as they make their different crafts, which turn into treasures for mom and dad. Without your help, these important and meaningful events cannot happen. So, thank you for your support of the Christian Education program and the children of our church family. Give me a call at 654-0515 (Sunday school office) o r e m a i l m e a t [email protected]

THE CHIMES !!! PAGE 3 ! ! ! Luncheon ! ! ! Tickets will soon be available for the The J2A Youth want to thank everyone who Epiphany Luncheon which is scheduled participated in the Wreath and Poinsettia for Saturday, January 3rd, 2015, at 12 Sales. The money raised will be used to noon. The luncheon will be held in the offset the cost of their pilgrimage to Taize, Todd building. France, next year. ! Mark your calendar. This is the Guild’s Please Volunteer Your Hands only fund raiser so plan to give your support. Look for ticket sales on Sundays to help with the crafts at the during coffee hour. Advent Happening December 7th from 2-4 PM ! Meet upstairs in ! ! the Todd Building ! ! ! Members of Sacred Circle this fall have O Come Let Us Adore Him had very interesting and informative discussions on the roots of our various denominations and their varied religious beliefs and worship practices. We are working with two books: Christianity’s Family Tree: What Other Christians Believe and Why by Adam Hamilton and God Stories, edited by C. Michael Curtis. Christmas Eve Worship Service Family Christmas Pageant--5 PM The study continues at 7 PM each second Wednesday of the month in the Leopold Candlelight Service--7 PM study. All women are invited to join us on Candlelight Service--9 PM Wednesday, December 10th. Candlelight Service--11 PM Nancy Sauer THE CHIMES !!! PAGE 4 MEMBER CARE Member Care would like to thank everyone who came out to support the Dine for Dollars at Illianos Restaurant. Special thanks goes to Betty Hearn and Susan Egbert for making all the arrangements and getting the coupons distributed. Such events are not only fun and give us the opportunity to get together, but PCC There will be no Men's Breakfast in receives a nice check. December. The normal date of December 20 is a busy time in the life of the church Member Care is always looking to learn of and within church families. those members in the congregation who could use a little help. If surgery, bereavement or other life problems are However, please put the date of January leaving you or someone you love 17, 2015, on your calendars. We expect overwhelmed, we are available to help. to show the slide program that our own But in order to help, we must know about Lewis Kalb is putting together on the it. We can provide meals, transport to history of the Canoe Carnival in Medford doctors, or other tasks to relieve some of Lakes. the stress these events bring. Let either Ken Roberts Gloria Koretke (609.654.0650) or Suzanne (609.654.7593) know. The congregation thanks Suzanne Murray, VP Member Care all of our 2014 Fellowship H o u r H o s t s a n d Hostesses. Please sign up to take a turn hosting in the new year. Contact George Rosenkrantz or Sandy Childress or the church office to volunteer. Instructions inform you of items you need to provide and how to set up the space. It’s an easy and rewarding way to serve the Iris Densten church. Don't forget to place a donation in 11/2/14 the basket at Fellowship Time to help defray the cost of the coffee, cups, and other supplies provided by the church.

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through! ~Author Unknown THE CHIMES PAGE 5

When Did I See You Hungry We’re into Fall with expected cooler days. People remain hungry in Burlington County. Your donation of food and time this month will feed ten people. Just pick up a casserole and recipe the first Sunday of the month, make the recipe, tape the recipe to the outside, freeze it, and return it the next Sunday. Some of the PCC members are starting their ninth year of casserole donations; that would average out to over 960 meals donated per person!

Chicken (Turkey) Ala King Butter 3 T Onion powder 1 T Flour ¼ cup Chicken, boneless, cooked 1½ pounds Chicken broth 3 ¼ cups Peas, frozen 1½ cups Milk 1 2/3 cup Pimento (optional) 2 T Poultry seasoning ¼ tsp Rice 10 Servings (follow package directions) Black pepper ¼ tsp

Melt butter, add flour, and stir until smooth. Add broth, milk, and seasonings. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook uncovered, stirring often. When thick, add remaining ingredients. Make rice according to package directions. Place cooked rice in container and cover with chicken mixture. Cover, label, and freeze. When ready to serve: Bake at 350 for 45 minutes Serves 10 For it is in giving that we receive. ~ Francis of Assisi

Thursday, November 27 At 10 AM

With Dinner Following At 12 Noon

Join members of the church and the community in the Todd Building for a Thanksgiving dinner on November 27. Hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served at 11 AM during a fellowship hour immediately after the service. Dinner will begin at Noon. Contact the office if you plan to attend. THE CHIMES PAGE 6 Journey to Adulthood

Jessica Pratt is one of the youth in the Journey to Adulthood program. Her mother, Wendy, told me about Jessica making cookies over the summer for a complete stranger. Below is a letter from Wendy explaining Jessica’s journey with this new-found friend.

My friend Mary's (who happens to be my trainer at the gym) mother is Helen. Helen has a chronic medical condition that requires a lot of attention: many doctor visits (most in NYC), chemo, and other treatments. She does all of this with a lot of wisdom and grace! This spring she fell and broke her hip! Needless to say it was a blow to have this happen on top of everything else she has on her plate. Jess found out that Helen has a bit of a sweet tooth. Since Jess loves to bake, she starting baking treats for her every week over the summer. A friendship blossomed over a chocolate chip cookie! They both got updates about each other through Mary. Jess continued baking, Helen has been recovering—she has recently graduated to a cane. She recently has been able to venture out. We figured that it was time for these two to finally meet so we went to lunch yesterday and we all talked for almost 3 hours! It was very sweet. They both are very much alike—kind, smart, caring, both dealing with medical conditions, both very determined. I'm thankful that Jessica has had the chance to have this unique friendship. Just proves once again that a little act of kindness can be very rewarding!

(I forgot to mention that Helen calls Jess "my beautiful little baker!" and Mary said that the only sweets she is willing to eat now are the ones that Jess makes for her. In fact she declined dessert at lunch which made Mary laugh and when she got home she ate the sweet treat that Jess had taken her yesterday!)

I am very proud of Jessica and her brother Josh who teaches Sunday school every Sunday. Any time that I need help with events in the Christian Education program, Jessica and Josh always come forward to help. Recently, at the Pumpkin Decorating Sunday, Jessica and Josh were not available to help so they sent their older sister Jennifer Pratt-Cop and Scott Cop to help with the event! Both are former students of the Sunday school and the youth program. I’m honored to know this family and to call them friends. Andria Gross

The Meaning of Pilgrimage A pilgrimage is neither a vacation, nor a sightseeing tour, nor a mission trip. Vacations create time for relaxation and refreshment. Sightseeing tours are a time for taking in the wonders of a distant land and culture. And mission trips are principally a chance to share in the spreading of the Gospel. Pilgrimage is all of that and more--it is the time we set aside to journey in the footsteps of the faithful Christians who have gone before us. Pilgrimage is a time of seeking and finding God in new ways. Once normal activities, relationships, and obligations that sustain our day-to-day lives are removed, individuals are free to look again at their understanding of God and their need for His grace and presence in their lives. It’s important to note that every moment of a pilgrimage does not have to be meaningful, nor should it be. There must be time for play, laughter, quiet, and rest. But somehow, even in the lighthearted activities that enhance our relationships, there is something afoot. God is moving in the hearts of these pilgrims in ways that are undeniable. Andria Gross THE CHIMES PAGE 7 MISSIONS COUNCIL Cathedral Guild Covered-Dish Luncheon December 2nd at 11:45 AM Missions Council will be conducting Christmas present drives for the youth of four agencies during the month of December. We will announce the dates in the church bulletin, but we may be getting started in November because December 14 will probably be the last date to receive gifts. The drives will be coordinated with a Gift Tree in coffee hour. We are supporting the following groups: The November and December Guild meetings will be combined meeting on •Urban Promise and the Family Service Tuesday, December 2, at 11:45 AM. It Center—wrapped gifts for children. will be a covered-dish luncheon. Bring one of your specialties to share. Desserts and beverage will be provided. •Camden Rescue Mission—unwrapped toys. Stay for a program of Holiday Music to get in the Christmas spirit. We will be •Christian Caring Center—Missions writing cards to the troops, a project we have done for several years. The Council will fund the purchase of gifts by program will be holiday music. our J2A group. Dottie Mulholland We know we can count of your generous support. Thank you. Missions Council Concerts Will Resume in February

The usual Winter break in our music series begins after the November concert. A planned February program restarts the series, with monthly shows following through the Spring. Enjoy the holiday season, and I hope to see you in February. Russell Quagliata DECEMber Birthdays

01 Brent Schopfel 12 Eric Stein 23 Mandy Niemcewicz Maggie Summerville 13 Laurelle Lowe Liam Gordon 03 Marguerite Long 14 Beth Ritter 24 Dave Stuart Susan Long Christopher Stein 25 Art Allen Will Spellman 15 Hennie Buck Sarah Niemcewicz 06 Fran Webb 18 Walt Roecker 26 Andrew Poag Nicole Bernardi Chris Ulriksen 27 Dan Jedwabny 07 George Rosenkranz 19 Audry Mansfield Charles Haughey 08 Robert Conolly 20 Toni Frary 28 Richard Dunlap Greg Cop Maximus Petrakis Pat Pyne 09 Sandy Chase Amelia Jedwabny 29 Norah Jedwabny Will Cobb 21 Joyce Koontz Karie Trunzo 10 Jeffrey Masters Adrianna Vale-Roman 30 Chrissie Greatrex 11 Cindy Yingling Melissa Morrow Sarah Marchisotto 22 Allison Kaiser HAPPY BIRTHDAY 12 Doris Harrison Grace Uray Grace Darpino 23 Cynthia Conolly

Merry Christmas and thank you for supporting the jazz concerts at memorial hall this year. The Jazz & Blues Showcase Series will resume in February 2015. tickets can be purchased at the concert at a special church-member rate of $10. refreshments are provided. see www.jazzandbluesshowcase.com for additional information.

The Protestant Community Church NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION 100 Stokes Road US POSTAGE Medford Lakes,NJ 08055 PAID PERMIT NO. 74 Return Services Requested VINCENTOWN, NJ 08088

The Protestant Community Church is an inclusive ecumenical faith community purposefully seeking to be caring, faithful disciples of Jesus Christ through worship, study, prayer and Christian service.