Would you like to designate flowers for the altar 2017? Pick a Sunday and let us know the wording for the bulletin. Simply find a green colored form called “Altar Flowers for 2017” on the kiosk (located between the glass doors). Fill it out, and submit it in the offering plate with a check for $35. Call the church office if you have any questions.

The Christmas Season December 2017

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Happy New Year! It’s the beginning of Advent, the first season in the liturgical calendar. We begin a new church year while the world is busy finishing a calendar year—and the month is crammed with errands, shopping, pageants, concerts, and parties beyond what our energy and time can handle. But while society urges us to hurry and spend, scripture and tradition beckon us to slow down, focus, wait, and watch.

How do we slow down, focus, wait, and watch? Let me offer you several suggestions that I have found meaningful through the years:

1. Spend time in a barn. Prayer in such a location can give us perspective about the vulnerable way the Son of God came into the world.

2. Cultivate a little beauty and warmth. Light candles on the Advent wreath in your home. Listen to a favorite collection of sacred Advent music.

3. Research the background of one of your favorite Advent or Christmas hymns. Many hymn writers have lived the theology of the manger and cross.

4. Identify a family member, friend, or neighbor who is finding this Advent season especially difficult. Take time to be with and to listen deeply to that person.

5. Enjoy the special food and beverages of the season with moderation. The incarnation of God is an affirmation of our creatureliness.

Brothers and sisters, let us challenge one another to honor these dark and meaningful days of Advent. It is in the waiting and watching that we learn about our God, others, and ourselves. God’s peace be with you all, Pastor Dan Whitener

On Sunday, December 17 at 9am the Adult Choir will perform a Christmas cantata. Under the direction of

Pat Guth and with the help of a narrator, we will tell the story of “The Winter Rose” by Joseph Martin.

The regular 11am worship service with Rejoice! will also be held.

Come get into the Christmas spirit!

The following families celebrated baptisms and joined God’s Love during the month of November:

November 12: Michael and

Mary Robb with Eve

(baptized)

November 26: Andrew and

Holly Beth Kostrzewski

with Claire and Zoey

(baptized)

Sunday, December 17: Choir Cantata 9:00am Hanging of the Greens 10:00am Worship with Rejoice! 11:00am

Sunday, December 24: Advent Worship 10:00am

Christmas Eve Services: Children’s Pageant 4pm Rejoice! 6pm Organ/Choir 9pm

Monday, December 25: Christmas Day Worship 10:00am

Sunday, December 31: New Year’s Eve Worship 10:00am

Tuesday, December 5 from 2pm – 7pm

The Red Cross will be here in Fellowship Hall. To make an appointment go to www.redcrossblood.org Thanks. Kathy Bauer, Coordinator

This month we will collect non-perishables for the homeless shelter. Collection box is in the Commons. Thanks!

God’s Caring Stitchers

After many months of hard work, we enjoyed our holiday luncheon and fellowship on December 1. We will take a Christmas break and meet again after the holidays. Stay tuned for our startup date.

Questions, contact Cindy Sundstrom at 215-493-2484, or email cscrafter1@verizon.net

Thursday mornings during Advent, beginning November 30 – December 21, join us at 8:30am in the lounge for a study of scripture, led by Pastor Dan.

Help us decorate the sanctuary for Christmas on Sunday, December 17 at 10am. This year we will decorate the church for Christmas in a different way. Adults and children will participate in a program that will emphasize the birth of Christ through readings and carols. The Sunday School children will add ornaments to the Christmas tree and learn about the real reason for Christmas.

All are welcome to attend this fun event. We’ll end with some hot cocoa and cookies in the café.

Each year we use poinsettias to decorate and beautify the altar area for Christmas Eve. Would you like to make a contribution to defray this expense? You can designate names of loved ones (in honor of, in memory of, to the glory of God, etc.) that will be listed in a bulletin insert.

The cost of each poinsettia is $15; you may take your plant(s) home after the 9pm service on December 24. To order, look for a green half sheet in your church mailbox. The deadline is December 17. Kay, Office Manager

As the year draws to a close, please be mindful that we hope everyone will be able to fulfill their 2017 pledges so we can end the year with a balanced budget. If you are unsure how much of your pledge is

outstanding, please contact me at plevenberg77@verizon.net.

Final 2017 statements will be available in your church mailboxes by the end of January 2018. Just a reminder as we look ahead—December 31 is the last Sunday in the year. Because we need to match input into our financial data base with the actual bank deposits, that morning’s offering will be our final 2017 deposit, and the last gifts to be entered on your 2017 giving statement. If you want your end-of-year gift to be included on your 2017 giving statement, please be sure the office receives it by Friday December 29 either in the Christmas services offerings, the December 31 worship service offering, by mail, or in person at the church office. Thank you for your generous giving in this Advent and Christmas season.

Patti Levenberg, Financial Secretary

2018 Giving

As I write this note for the newsletter, the tax bill debate continues in Congress. For many families in 2018, the proposed changes in the itemized deductions allowed, combined with the change in the standard deduction, will most likely eliminate any tax advantage in taking a charitable deduction.

If you wish, we can accept contributions now towards your 2018 pledge so you can use the deduction for 2017. Please clearly mark your envelope to indicate any 2018 advance pledge gifts you are making. All such contributions, which must be received by December 31, 2017 either through the worship service offering, or brought into the church office the week after Christmas, will be included on your 2017 giving statement.

Please contact me or the church office if you have any questions.

Patti Levenberg, Financial Secretary

TODAY, December 3 at 10am

“Meditation and Advent,” how to mindfully move into the darkness of the season, cultivating expectant waiting within, led by Amy Ward Brimmer. This will be our last class of 2017. Please enjoy some extended fellowship in the café on December 10 and the Hanging of the Greens on December 17. We’ll resume classes in January.

A small group of people are part of this vital ministry of lifting up prayers for those who are in need. Just provide the name of a specific family member or friend and a few details about his/her situation. Send this information in an email to Sarah at scwheeler@starlinx.com or the church office. Sarah Wheeler, Coordinator

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November 5 November 12 November 19 November 26

Worship Attendance 2017

Want to see “Jesus”?

Sight & Sound Theater in Lancaster invites you to experience the greatest rescue story of all time! Jesus is the action-packed musical stage adventure that takes you on a miraculous journey alongside the most famous person ever to walk the earth and the everyday people whose lives he changed forever.

Mark your calendars now to see JESUS on Saturday June 2, 2018 at 3pm. We have a block of tickets reserved. Look for a sign-up sheet soon. Sandy Anthony, Coordinator

Bucks County Housing Group Community Food Pantry On

November 21 we delivered 12 Thanksgiving turkeys and 209

pounds of food for the Bucks County Housing Group Community

Food Pantry. Thank you to our preschool for their collection of

canned goods at their Harvest

Social. Thank you for your

generosity! Gloria Nelson,

Coordinator

Lutheran Charities from the

Manager of Donor Relations, Barbara Stechert dated October 20,

2017. “By showing your support with your gift of $205, you are

showing that you believe in us. Lutheran Charities serves as a

compelling symbol for perseverance. The 100,000 people who are

recipients of our charities’ amazing support thank you.”

Senior Saints’ Lunch

Monday, December 18 at Noon

Seniors are invited to meet in Fellowship Hall on Monday, December 18 at Noon for a Christmas luncheon. Enjoy a delicious hot lunch prepared by our chef, Amy Carr, and participate a fun Pollyanna gift exchange game. Please bring a small wrapped gift ($5 value, can be new or “recycled“) and a $6 offering to defray food costs.

PreSchool News • December 2017

What a joyful time the Christmas season is in preschool! The Advent season is upon us and children are learning about the Nativity and counting down to Jesus’ birth. The 4s and Pre-K children are “traveling” to different countries to learn about Christmas traditions around the world. (The class in the photo was learning about Saint Lucia Day in Sweden.) To foster the spirit of giving, we are continuing our Hat and Mitten Tree. The children are bringing in hats, mittens, gloves, scarves and socks that will be donated to the Bucks County Housing Group. On the last day before the Christmas break, the children will have birthday cake, and sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.

Thank you to the many church members who supported our Styer’s Pies Fundraiser. The funds we raised will be put toward our project to resurface the playground.

Registration for the 2018 – 2019 school year will be held January 2 – 10 for church families, current enrollees and alumni. We offer two AM classes for 3-year-olds (2 or 3 days per week). We also offer AM and PM classes for 4-year olds and a PM Pre-K class. Extras include Lunch Bunch, Music, Gym, and Science Enrichment. Registration will be open to the community beginning January 11. Please call Nikki Hendricks at 215-497-0506 for more information.

All of us at the preschool wish you and your families a joyful holiday season, a Merry Christmas, and all the best in 2018!

Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Lafayette Hill

This is the 37th year of presenting this festival, a combination of concert and

theater production including acting, medieval dancing, and Epiphany pageantry. The festival is held on Saturday, January 6 and Sunday, January 7 with multiple shows each day.

The suggested ticket price is $15; prepayment is expected in order to reserve your spot. Use the online order form at www.stpeterslafayettehill.org

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” —Hal Borland

Lutheran Church of God’s Love 791 Newtown-Yardley Road Newtown, PA 18940 215.968.4335 www.godslovenewtown.org

Rev. B. Daniel Whitener prdanw@verizon.net

Kay Rozolis gods_love@verizon.net

Susan McDonnell lcglnewtown@gmail.com

Prayer Acknowledgements

Each week our congregation prays during worship for family members and friends who are ill, grieving, or experiencing difficulties. Later in the week we mail these individuals a postcard to let them know we are thinking of them and praying for them. For those who are not listed in our church directory, we need his/her address.

Please let the church office know. Fran Herman, Coordinator

Notary Public

at Church Office

Remember that our church offers a free notary service to members of God’s Love. Please contact Kay at 215-968-4335 to verify and set up an appointment. (She also makes home visits, if needed.)

Pray for Worship Leaders December 3: Bob Loven

December 10: Andy Senft

December 17: John Shultz

December 24: Todd & Carol Stranahan

December 31: Bob Loven

Café Baristas

December 3: Karen Fox

December 10: Fran Herman

December 17: Fran Herman

December 4: Janet & Bud

December 11: Eileen & Kathy

December 18: Fran & Nancy

December 27: Janet, Bud, & Joyce

Christmas Wonder

I want to see into the heart of a thing…I want the God-given way of seeing life, not to possess and to control, but to stand back in wonder and gratitude. —Esther de Waal

December 2017

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

3 St.Nicholas Day Worship 9 & 11am Sunday School 10am 7 & 8 Grades 10am Adult Ed 10am

4 Counters 9:30am

5 Blood Drive 2 – 7pm Rejoice Prac 7:30pm

6 Bell Choir 6:30pm Adult Choir 7:30pm

7 Bible Study 8:30am

8 9

10 Worship 9 & 11am Sunday School 10am 7 & 8 Grades 10am

11 Counters 9:30am

12 Rejoice Prac 7:30pm

13 Bell Choir 6:30pm Adult Choir 7:30pm

14 Bible Study 8:30am Church Council 6pm

15 16 Christmas Tree Assembly 9am

17 Worship 9 & 11am Hanging Greens10am 7 & 8 Grades 10am

18 Counters 9:30am Sr. Saints LunchNoon

19 Rejoice Prac 7:30pm

20 Bell Choir 6:30pm Adult Choir 7:30pm

21 Bible Study 8:30am

22 23

24 Christmas Eve Worship 10am No Education Hour Eve: 4pm Children’s 6pm Rejoice! 9pm Organ & Choir

25 26 27 Counters 9:30am

28 29 30 Office Closed

Christmas Day Worship

10am

31 Worship 10am No Education Hour

A Blessed New Year to All!