BELLTOWER NEWS College Hill Presbyterian Church – December 2019
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BELLTOWER NEWS College Hill Presbyterian Church – December 2019 513.541.5676 | 5742 Hamilton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45224 | chpc.org December Sermons Sunday, Dec. 22nd Tuesday, Dec. 24th Christmas Eve Family Worship Dec 1st - Challenging Invitations Christmas Festival 5 pm Matthew 1:18-25 10 - 11 am Candlelight Communion Service Dec 8th - Grand Invitations Please come and enjoy a 8 pm Luke 2:8-20 Children’s Creativity Center, Christmas Music, a Photo Booth Dec 15th - Uncertain Invitations and a Christmas Cookie Buffet! Luke 1:5-23 Return at 4pm to celebrate the holidays with a Christmas Dec 22nd-Significant Invitations Concert featuring the CHPC Luke 1:26-38 Band. Invite friends and family! Dec 29th–Conflicting Invitations Matthew 2:1-12 The Gift of a Warm Welcome By Cindy Carlson Thank goodness the power of God in our lives can “break down the dividing wall of hostility” in order for us to be reconciled to God and open to His direction in our lives (Eph 2:14). After teaching Jr. High students for 17 years, I was looking to make a career change. God gave me the option of teaching in China, but I had a strong prejudice against the Chinese because of their Communist form of government. I distinctly remember the day He broke down that dividing wall as I sat face to face with some Chinese travel agents who were cycling through Cincinnati with students from Taylor University. Praise Jesus He then took me to return to China many times the believers in the territory a Chinese teachers’ college after my initial two years to where he worked. Later, when where I taught English for two share the hope of Christ. the government found out he years. was a Christian, he was sent to God introduced me to models of the countryside to do manual Leviticus 19:34-35 has given me hospitality while I was in China. labor in the tea drying industry. a pattern which has shaped In 1992 a wonderful elderly When the government much of my adult life after Chinese Christian couple leadership changed, he was becoming a Christian. The welcomed all the American restored to his former job, but in Jewish people were teachers in our city. At the time our agricultural province. In admonished to treat “an alien as they told me there were about later years, as a leader of a one of your native born...and 100 house churches in our area house church, the government love him as yourself”. God led with maybe 20 people in each. accused him of distributing me to befriend international This warm and friendly couple Christian literature and tapes students at UC after attending invited us for dumplings and (true) for profit (false). He was the 5 week Perspectives on the shared their life story. “Uncle’s” fined $23,000 US. Despite these World Christian Movement class father had been a Muslim. setbacks, he was a bold witness in 1980 and joining the missions When uncle went to the for the gospel of Christ and he committee that same year. So university in Shanghai, he and his physician wife many people around the world converted to Christ. The welcomed the strangers in their are “unreached” in the sense Christians had daily prayer midst. We Americans were that they do not have a together and strong fellowship blessed by their example. Christian witness in their in the gospel. When he language or culture group, so graduated, Uncle took a Another blessing from God was it’s impossible to learn about government job in Beijing, not my Chinese friend, Kunshan. Christ. When my eyes were too long after the founding of She began to follow Christ after I opened to this reality, it became the PRC. He traveled in N. China shared the gospel with her. my heartbeat, causing me to and quietly made contact with Prior to this, she had attended two summer English training died last year from and community. We can be the programs taught by American complications from MS. But now hands and feet of Jesus to Christians. Kunshan was a lively she knows the truth about welcome them and “make the and well-loved English teacher. Christ being her savior. world feel at home” Families like Her life and faith were vibrant. the Stare’s, Dryer’s, and others God had to break down She was cheerful and light- have “loved on” international “dividing walls of hostility” hearted. She blessed me by students and given them a within me before I was ready to listening to my rants when home away from home. serve Him and witness to Christ cultural bumps in the road Consider how you can welcome as a teacher in China. People frustrated me. Her family’s a stranger and show hospitality who “loved on me” in China kindness and hospitality to those Christians and non- gave me examples to follow restored my hope and caused Christians who arrive in here in Cincinnati. International me to praise God for the gift of a Cincinnati every year. To the students and scholars who warm welcome. Sadly, Kunshan glory of God! come to the US need friendship BARBERSHOP QUARTET TO PRESENT CHRISTMAS PROGRAM By Marybelle Chapman Hearsay Quartet will perform at the Southern Gateway Chorus. Software Application Developer Supper Club’s meeting in Bob is married to Edie, herself when he’s not cooking or Fellowship Hall on December 16. an International Chorus singing Jazz, Broadway, The quartet got together in the Champion and a Sweet Classical or Barbershop music. summer of 2018 to compete in Adeline’s International Quartet Mike and Barbara are former the Johnny Appleseed District Champion. Bob is a retired members of CHPC. and to entertain folks in the Independent Insurance Agent; Singing Baritone is Tom Rouse. area. They won the International Bob and Edie live in Mason, Tom’s dad was the director of Barbershop Society Seniors Ohio. the Delta Kings Chorus for 16 Quartet Third Place Bronze The Lead singer for Hearsay is years where he introduced Tom medal in January 2019. Kent VanderKolk. Kent began to the hobby. With the contest In April, the quartet was named his barbershop journey in 1986 bug firmly in place, Tom had the Johnny Appleseed District upon his arrival in Dayton, Ohio the good fortune to sing with Seniors Quartet Champion for where he sang with the Dayton Last National Prank, Bustin’ 2019. They are all members of Metro Chapter and immediately Loose, Rumors, River Blend, the Southern Gateway Chorus joined his first quartet, Mad Rusty Pipes, Roaring 20s, and from Cincinnati Western Hills River Station. Kent is an now Hearsay as well as the Chapter of the Barbershop Information Technology Southern Gateway Chorus. Society. They have over 145 Manager for the Postal Service. So come to Supper Club on combined years of Kent is married and he and wife, December 16. Dinner at 6 barbershopping experience and Gail, reside in Fairborn, Ohio. o’clock; $12.00 at the door. You really enjoy ringing chords and Singing Bass is Mike Bell. Mike need to make a reservation by having fun. is currently the vocal coach for Thursday, December 12 by The guy keeping Hearsay the Southern Gateway Chorus calling Sally Auble at 741-3125. focused is Tenor Bob and lives in Fairfield, Ohio with After dinner you can sit back Moorehead. He has won two his wife, Barbara, herself an and enjoy Hearsay…and Spread International Chorus Gold accomplished vocalist. Mike the Word! Medals as a 50+ year member of works independently as a CHRISTMAS - FOR ALL PEOPLES By Sharlyn Stare, Elder “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” CHPC Heritage Quiz Q: Where will you find this image in the CHPC worship area? What is it, and what does it mean? A: It is one of the medallions on the pillars—a pomegranate, a symbol of God’s love, fertility, Lions, Giraffes and Elephants Show Up in This South African Manger and overflowing blessings. With all the woes the World about the Good News for all brings during this time of year, peoples contained in the scenes. it’s wonderful to be reminded of December Heritage Quiz On Christmas morning we the Good News. individually wrap up various Q: Where will you find this One of the ways that Barry and I characters including animals, image in the CHPC worship do this is that for many years trees, rocks, etc in discarded wherever we travel in the United wrapping paper. They are States or internationally we placed in a box or basket. At the would look for nativity scenes. end of dinner, each person at The designs and materials speak the table selects one of the to us of the reality that Jesus has wrapped items until they are all come as Savior of the whole taken. They open the package World. but show no one else. During the holidays as people We read selections from the enter our home we often have Christmas story in Luke 2 and them count the number of add Matthew 2:9-11. Then each Nativities (over 100). Some have person tells the 2000 year old Mary and baby Jesus. Others, news from the perspective of like the one above, have the wrapped item that they shepherds, wise men and chose. The pieces are placed animals. together to recreate the nativity scene.