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TRANSCRIPT
January 2018 Newsletter
Christmas is just about in the rear-view mirror now, maybe a few last minute gifts to get, plans on
who exactly is bringing what to dinner, but overall, hopefully you have things pretty well set at this
point. So all that is left is to take care of those last minute details, enjoy the day, and then Christmas
is over: gifts opened, parties done, guests sent home. You made it through for another year.
It may not seem like it, but Christmas is more than just one day a year; Christmas is a season,
twelve days to be exact, running from December 25th until January 5th. (This is where the title to
Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night comes from.) During that time, we are to celebrate Christ’s birth
in Bethlehem, the news that came to the shepherds, the miracle of that life, and the joy which it
brings.
But then on January 6th, we move right on to the next season, Epiphany, which marks the arrival of
the magi. These astrologers from the east, likely modern day Iran, arrived in Bethlehem after much
searching, a year or two after Jesus was born. It’s amazing to think that the only way that they were
able to find this child was the guiding light of a star which dictated their lives for years. When they
saw the child, they were amazed that they had finally found the One who they had sought for so
long. In greeting the Christ, they brought precious gifts: gold, frankincense, & myrrh, representing
his life to come. When the time came for them to return home, they left by a different route.
For us, the Sunday closest to Epiphany lines up with the first Sunday of the New Year. In celebra-
tion of both Epiphany and the beginning of a new year, we will start a new tradition at Living Hope:
Epiphany Stars. During communion, when you come forward to receive the bread and juice, you
will also be offered an Epiphany Star. These are simple paper stars with words of spiritual
disciplines on them to use as a guide for the coming year. The invitation to you will be to use that
word as a way to orient yourself towards God for the coming year, giving you a potential guiding
light for every day of 2018. The church that my grandparents attended did this every year and my
grandma would always put her star on the mirror of her dresser as a way to remind her to practice
that discipline every day as a way to see Jesus. And maybe that Epiphany Star will allow you to
encounter Christ in a new way so that, like the magi, may approach the world differently.
Merry Christmas, Blessed Epiphany, and a Happy New Year!
In Christ,
.
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Please continue to give canned
and boxed goods for the two food
pantries we support.
Donations are taken year round.
Larry Under the Bridge January 21, 2018
Please sign up to pack or deliver lunches for our January
Meal Packing on the Congregational Life bulletin board.
Because of your generosity, we were able to purchase
supplies for lunches from your donations for 2017.
THANK YOU!
Christmas Joy Offering—Celebrating God’s Indescribable Gift
Collection Dec. 24, 2017– Jan. 7, 2018
Every year during this time, we turn our eyes toward Bethlehem and anticipate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Through him we receive the indescribable gift of God’s grace. This year, we take time during the Advent and
Christmas season to consider the gratitude we feel. It’s out of this gratitude that we turn to support church
leaders who dedicate their lives in service to Christ and the church. It’s out of youthful wonder that students
at Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and colleges look forward to a life of faith, worship, and
Christian leadership.
With Christ at the center this holiday season, we can follow in his example of servant leadership by serving
our brothers and sisters in faith. Through the Christmas Joy Offering, we are able to support those in our
community and give them the gift of hope. Funds from the Christmas Joy Offering help the Assistance
Program of the Board of Pensions provide critical financial assistance to eligible workers in the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) and their families, and to qualifying retired church workers and their families.
The Christmas Joy Offering also supports the education and development of our future leaders at
Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and colleges. These schools are dedicated to creating opportunities
and environments for racial ethnic students built on a foundation of Christian values. The Offering benefits
Menaul School and Presbyterian Pan American School, two secondary schools that ready students for a path
of higher learning, as well as Stillman College, where graduates are prepared for lives of leadership and
service.
By giving to the Christmas Joy Offering, we can share in the hope of Christ and celebrate his leadership by
providing support to our church workers, racial ethnic young people, and their families. Thank you for your
generosity in donating.
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Women’s Association
Thank you, Living Hope Members and Friends, for supporting the Thank Offer-
ing. $1,195 was collected, and sent to the national Thank Offering collection,
providing assistance to many.
Thank you to all who helped make the Living Hope/Dickson Hollow Christmas
Celebration a joyous time of celebration. Thanks to our bakers, caterer, Dickson Hollow per-
formers: flutist Kendall with Mary Dalton, and Leroy on the accordion, DH beverage waiters:
Walt, Dave and Ray, planners and assistants.
Your donations to The Toy Store at Christ Church, Milwaukee, (50 toys and $225 purchased
scarves, hats, and mittens) made Christmas a happier a warmer time for many children
Circles are reconvening with Naomi Circle meeting on January 8 at 10:00 a.m. at Kathy
Mathews', and Martha Circle meeting on January 9 at 12:30 p.m. at Living Hope PC.
Our church is always very generous when we are asked to give to the special offerings through-
out the church year [One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost, Peacemaking, PW Thank Offering
and Christmas Joy]. The Per Capita Apportionment is a little different in that every church is
required to pay its fair share in full each year to the denomination, Presbyterian Church (USA)
to maintain our relationship with the larger church.
This offering is based upon the number of members on our church rolls at the end of the prior
year (in our case, 94) and is essentially a cost of being members in the Presbyterian Church
(USA). Just as we are a community in Christ, we also are a part of the larger church community
and we help to support that larger community with our per capita offering.
This year’s Per Capita, $34.00 (an increase
from 2017) is really a small price to pay
for membership in the national church
organization that provides so much support
to our congregation.
At LHPC we ask our members to help offset
the cost by contributing their individual per capita offering over and above their regular pledge.
The more members who contribute their per capita payment the more money is available to
cover other costs in our church budget.
A special envelope is included with your special offering envelopes for your use. Parents --
remember that all confirmed youth are members too, even if they are away at college or on their
own, if they have not transferred their membership to another church.
The per capita apportionment for 2017 is:
General Assembly $ 7.73
Synod $ 5.40
Presbytery of Milwaukee $20.87
total $34.00
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Did we miss your birthday or
anniversary? Please let the office
know so we can update our files.
Christian Education Connection
Kids’ Sunday School class meets every other Sunday at 8:45 AM in the Learning Center.
This Month: January 7 and 21
Teachers, Teacher Assistants and Snack Providers are always needed. Please sign up on
the bulletin board in the Congregational Life Hallway.
5
We are a connectional church… connected in faith to God—Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Jesus taught
us that prayer connects us to the Divine… and to each other.
Each month we list our faith community. Every family has a date when we ask you to hold them
1. Marjorie Gauen
2. Emmy Gedeit
3. Arleen Goranson
4. Majd Hanna, Nour Ajami, Timothy and
Christian
5. Larry and Marge Harris
6. Mitz Holley
7. Bernie and Judy Huizenga
8. Hazel Hurum
9. Bob Hutchings
10. Barry and Thelma James
11. Goldie and Ray Jones
12. Joan Junek
13. Peter and Harriet Kirchhoff
14. Amanda and Paul Lavoe, Ziva, Zion, and
Zach
15. Curtis MacDonald
16. Kathy Mathews
17. Char Mattson
18. Ginny Maurer
19. Anne Melvin-Rood, Kip Rood, Catherine
and James
20. Pat Mitschrich
21. Nancy Molstad
22. Paula Moore
23. Priscilla Nealey
24. Don Olson
25. Jim and Bette Olson
26. Bruce and Kris Parker
27. Mike & Jenni, John, Sam, and Scott Parnon
28. Monica Partenfelder, Olivia, Campbell and
Mack Partenfelder
29. Scott Partenfelder
30. Bill and Pat Perkins
31. Ray and Arlene Petersen
January Calendar
January
Family
Prayer Calendar
6
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
31 10 AM Worship 11 AM Fellowship
1 January No Bible Study
2 3 8:30-12:30
Office Open
4 5 8:30-3:30 Office
Open 11 AM Morning
Prayers
6
7
8:45 AM Sunday
School 10 AM Worship 11 AM Fellowship 11:15 Mission
Meeting
8 9:30 AM Bible Study 10:00 AM Naomi
Circle at Kathy Mathews’ home
9 8:00 Collaboration
Meeting 12:30 PM Martha
Circle at LHPC
10
.
11
12
11 AM Morning Prayers
13
14 10 AM Worship—
Installation of Officers
11 AM Fellowship 11:15 AM Deacons
15
9:30 AM Bible Study 10:30 AM Worship
Committee 8:30-3 Office Hours
16 8:30-1 Office
Hours
17
18
19
8:30-1 Office
Hours 11 AM Morning
Prayers
20
21
8:45 AM Sunday
School 10 AM Worship 11 AM Fellowship 11:30 LUTB 11:30 Session
22 9:30 AM Bible Study
23
24
February Newsletter Deadline
25
26 11 AM Morning
Prayers
27
28 10 AM Worship 11 AM Fellowship
29 9:30 AM Bible Study
30
31
1 February
2 11 AM Morning
Prayers
3
Office Closed Sat Dec. 23—Tues Jan 2.
Open 10-12 on Friday morning, Dec 29.
Living Hope Presbyterian Church
New Office Hours Start this week:
M—8:30-3 Tu & F— 8:30-1
ANNUAL MEETING
after Worship
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Jan 7 Jan 14 Jan 21 Jan 28
Communion
Servers
Joe Fresch*
Marcia Sinner
Nancy Molstad
Peggy Waterman
Kathryn Fresch
Liturgist
Fellowship
Hosts
Don and Peggy
Waterman Steve and Marcia Sinner
Dan, Allison, and
Christine Brankle Barry and Thelma James
Counters Joan Junek
Ginny Maurer
Steve Sinner
Kathy Mathews
Dan Brankle
Dave Stephan
Don Waterman
Judy Bauer
Sunday School Marcia Sinner Marcia Sinner
Welcome Host/
Lock up Karen Stephan Karen Stephan Ann Tennyson Ann Tennyson
Ushers
Keith Pierce
Karl Bertram
Barry James
Tom Tennyson
Ann Tennyson
Don Waterman
Tom Tennyson
Ann Tennyson
Don Waterman
Ken DeBoer
Diane DeBoer
MONDAY BIBLE STUDY GROUP
Bible Study meets Monday mornings at 9:30 AM
in the Brookfield Room You are invited to join us!!
The passages we study are the scripture passages
for each upcoming Sunday. Even if you cannot
attend our study group, you are invited to read
through the passages prior to worship in your
preparing for worship.
Lesson Date and Passages: For Sunday:
1/8 Genesis 1:1-5; Mark 1:4-11 1/14
1/15 Mark 1:14-20; Jonah 3:1-4:11 1/21
1/22 Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Mark 1:21-28 1/28
1/29 Isaiah 40:21-31; Mark 1:29-39 2/4
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LIVING HOPE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH W156 N4881 Pilgrim Road, Menomonee Falls WI 53051
Office hours: Mon and Wed 8:30-12:30, Fri 8:30-3:30
www.LivingHopePCUSA.org
Transitional Pastor: Rev. Will Houts Email: [email protected]
Office: (262) 599-8340 Cell: (262) 949-1830
Administrative Assistant: Lisa Quinn Email: [email protected]
Office: (262) 599-8341
Clerk of Session: Kathryn Fresch
Director of Music: Dr. Wallace Cheatham
Session Members
Judy Bauer, Joe Fresch, Kathryn Fresch, Curtis MacDonald, Nancy Molstad, Keith Pierce, Eileen Pierce,
Marcia Sinner, Steve Sinner, Tom Tennyson
Deacon Members (designated last names)
(A-B) - Julie Courtney (G-K) - Kris Parker (P-R) - Peggy Waterman– Moderator
(C-F) - Karen Stephan (L-O) - Ann Tennyson (S-Z) - Julie Camp
Winter Weather and Worship at LHPC
Our current policy for cancelling worship
service due to weather is that worship
will go on no matter the weather.
Everyone is advised to use their judgement
and only drive to church if they can
SAFELY make it.
Annual Reports Reports due: January 10, 2018
Reports available: starting January 21, 2018
Annual Meeting Sunday, January 28th, 2018
immediately following worship.