This week at Elkhart Valley (Dec. 11-17)

Tuesday, Dec. 11
6:30 p.m. -- Ministerial Commission
7:00 p.m.-- Trustee Commission

Wednesday, Dec. 13
5:45 p.m. -- MeOhMy - supper will be baked potatoes. Bring a topping to share.
6:30 p.m. -- Bible Study
7:30 p.m. -- Choir Practice

Sunday, Dec. 17
9:30 a.m. -- Sunday School
10:30 a.m. -- Worship
12:00 p.m. -- Cookie Walk


Looking ahead
Dec. 17, 12:00 p.m. – Cookie Walk in the Cabin
Dec. 24, 9:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve Service

Sharing joy this Christmas season

Dear friends,

Last Sunday evening, after our Open House, Tim and Craig hurried off to Bethany Church of the Brethren to help with their evening of caroling. Mother, Daddy, and I cleaned up the house (just so you don't think I simply slept the time away)! When they returned home, Tim told the story of their trip to sing carols for Cheryl.

Cheryl would have been one of the carolers, enthusiastically sharing her good voice to sing for the older members and friends of the congregation. Instead, Cheryl was in the hospital recuperating from emergency surgery. So, the carolers checked about singing and the group trooped off to her room to carol. Tim, a volunteer chaplain who knows the hospital rules about chaos and quiet, shut the door so their noise would not bother other patients and staff. But Christmas carols must be a different category. The staff had wanted the singing to carry beyond Cheryl's room. So, the carolers had to sing again as they went down the hall so others could enjoy a bit of Christmas spirit.

It must have been that kind of evening. When they were singing at Greencroft, several people asked the group to carol to friends living down the hall. One woman taped their singing for another to listen to when she returned home. The music of Christmas is something that we want to share. It reminds us that the Savior we anticipate is to be shared and celebrated. Christmas music brings us joy and joy is something to share with others.

Share a little joy this day as you remember the greatest gift we celebrate this season, the birth of Jesus, the Christ.

Blessings,
Pastor Beth

This week at Elkhart Valley (Dec. 4-10)

We hope you can join us for some Christmas again next week as we share an Open House from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. Our family looks forward to welcoming you into our home. ~Pastor Beth

Thank you to all who had a part in making the All Church Christmas party a wonderful welcome to the Christmas season. Good food, good fellowship, good program. Thank you!

Don't forget to bring your gifts for our Salvation Army family to church. There are still things they need. Check out the bulletin board and take a note so you can be a part of this project.


Wednesday, Dec. 6
5:45 p.m. -- MeOhMy
6:30 p.m. -- Bible Study
7:30 p.m. -- Choir Practice

Sunday, Dec. 10
9:30 a.m. -- Sunday School
10:30 a.m. -- Worship
11:45 a.m. -- Second Sunday Soup


Looking Ahead
Dec. 10 2-4:00 p.m. -- Sollenberger Morphew Open House

Dec. 17 12:00 p.m. -- Cookie Walk in the Cabin

Dec. 24 9:00 p.m. -- Christmas Eve Service

Sign sightings

Dear friends,

Yesterday the scripture reminded us we are looking forward to God's coming realm. That longing we feel for a better world is something we share with generations who have preceded us. William Willimon describes it this way: "By the time Luke’s Gospel was written, the church had been waiting for 75 or 80 years for the return of Christ, and that was a long time to be standing on tiptoe. It’s difficult to maintain a sense of crisis for 80 years....'There will always be a tomorrow,' some must have begun to say. 'After all, there have been about 29,000 tomorrows since Jesus told us that he would return for us.'"

Jesus says we can see signs. Are you looking for them? Do you see things that speak to the coming Kingdom of God? Last evening at the Bethany Church of the Brethren's hanging of the greens service, I heard a nice story. One of the women had been to Chicago with her husband and their adult children. Since they all had cell phones, they had gone their separate ways anticipating that they would call and check in about meeting places. When the father called his daughter's cell phone, a man answered the phone. Assuming he had dialed the wrong number, he dialed again. The same low voice said "hello." After some sputtering about and careful effort because of language differences, the father discovered that the daughter had left her cell phone in a taxi. The taxi driver brought the phone to the father standing on a street corner. Later when the family gathered in, the father asked the daughter what she wanted this year for Christmas. With resignation in her voice she said, "I guess I need a new cell phone." "Merry Christmas" he said as he handed her the phone. Isn't it nice to experience the good help of strangers? Could it be a sign?

May your week of waiting include sign sightings!

Pastor Beth