There is a contemporary Christian song written by Ronnie Freeman and made famous by Mandisa that I adore called, "God Speaking." What I love about it is that it explains the purpose of the Incarnation in a way that touches you. It goes like this:

Have you ever heard a love song 

That set your spirit free? 

Have you ever watched a sunrise 

And felt you could not breathe?

 

What if it's Him? 

What if it's God speaking?

Who knows how He'll get a hold of us, 

Get our attention to prove He is enough? 

He'll do and He'll use 

Whatever He wants to 

To tell us I love you...

His ways are higher.
His ways are better,
Though sometimes strange.
What could be stranger
Than God in a manger? 

God is speaking, 

"I love you."

I hope this Advent and Christmas season, you hear God's message loud and clear. God loves YOU. Gold loves you so much, he left his heavenly home to be born in a stable and die on a cross so that he could bridge the gulf between our sin and mortality and his goodness and eternity. That is true love. May you experience God's love and may you share that love with others, not just this season, but always.

Pastor Jean 

You Are Invited to Dine at the Table of Our Lord

This Sunday, Dec. 3 at the E3 9:30 and the 

Traditional 11 a.m. Services, we will celebrate the Lord's Supper. Stick around after the early service or come early to the late service and the Men's Group will ply you with coffee and goodies in Fellowship Hall.

Beginning on Sunday, December 3, we will be awaiting the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ with eager anticipation. During the Advent season at the 11 a.m. Service, Pastor Pinto will be preaching a Sermon Series entitled, "Restore Us, O God," and based on the Lectionary Psalms for the Season. The first three Psalms (80, 85 and 126) all contain the verb "to restore." This suggests a theme that speaks to the spiritual hunger within all of us -- that of having once known a very precious truth which has somehow slipped from our grasp. The human dilemma is that we spend a lot of time groping on our hands and knees in the dark, hoping to find a light that will reveal the meaning of life, or a lantern that will light our path. What we need is a Savior, the Light of the World, to come to us and reveal the truth, and perhaps to remind us that the treasure we've been seeking isn't the true treasure after all. Although the word "restore" is not used in the Psalm reading for Advent 4, clearly the writer feels that God's love for the people of God has been restored; once again, the love of God as evinced through God's faithfulness has been decisively demonstrated, and certainly the Incarnation is the ultimate evidence that God has not abandoned us, but rather loves us, is committed to us and indeed is among us. Plan to join us each Sunday as we prepare for the coming of our Lord, and be sure to arrive by 10:45 to the late service so you can sing your favorite Christmas carols before worship begins.

Advent 1, December 3: Restoration of Hope

Advent 2, December 10: Restoration of Peace (We will have the Sermon in Song this Sunday with the Chancel Choir cantata, "Christ Was Born for This")

Advent 3, December 17: Restoration of Joy

Advent 4: December 24: Restoration of Love

SURVIVORS

The Survivors Senior Group will gather at the church parking lot promptly at 10:30 a.m. to carpool for their Christmas outing.  We will be going to the Crystal Point Yacht Club in Pt. Pleasant, NJ for the "Christmas Cheer" show and lunch. The show will end at approximately 3:00 p.m.  Reservations are closed because tickets had to be purchased and carpool arrangements needed to be made in advance. Thanks to everyone who will be driving.

Christmas Cantata will be Performed Sunday, December 10, at 11 a.m.

Congregational Meeting

The Session has called a Congregational Meeting for Sunday, December 10, 2017, immediately following the 11 a.m. Service for the purpose of electing Elders, Deacons, and Members of the 2018 Nominating Committee as well as voting on changes to the terms of call for Pastor Jean Pinto. We hope all of you can attend this brief important meeting.

It's Time to Order Poinsettias

Each Christmas we decorate the Chancel with an array of beautiful poinsettias. All of our poinsettias for Christmas will be ordered from Yardville Florist. The cost is $6.75, payable with your order, please. If you would like to purchase one or more poinsettias in memory or in honor of a loved one, please fill out a form at church and place it in the offering or send your information to: 

Mrs. Camille Nami 

38 Bear Meade Drive 

Hamilton, NJ 08691 

The information Camille will need for each poinsettia ordered is:

Final Chance to Get Gift Cards for Christmas and Help the Church!
The next and final order for Gift Cards in 2017 will be due on December 12th. Every purchase gives a portion of the amount to support the church, some cards as much as 16%! If you plan to give gift cards for Christmas, this is a wonderful way to support the work of Christ as well as make you Christmas shopping easier. Order forms may be found in the narthex.

Our Mission recipient during the month of December is Womanspace. Womanspace, Inc. is a leading nonprofit agency in Mercer County, New Jersey, that provides a comprehensive array of services to individuals and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence and dedicated to improving the quality of life for adults and their families. Programs include crisis intervention, emergency shelter, counseling, court advocacy and housing services.

There are two ways you can contribute this month to Womanspace at United Presbyterian Church. First, all moneys earmarked for Mission will be donated to Womanspace. Also, in the Narthex there is a tree that has tags for gifts for children of different ages. Choose a tag, purchase a gift for that child, and bring it to the church unwrapped by December 10. You will bring a little joy to children in crisis and they will never forget it.

Thanks, United Presbyterian Men!

If you have come to the office door lately, you may have noticed the door lock was "temperamental." Well, no longer! The Men's Group engaged and paid for Fox's Locks of Bordentown to repair it. Our heroes!  

No meeting in December. January's selection - THE DRESSMAKER By Kate Alcott

The end of the year is rapidly
approaching and that

Healing for: Maria, Angela Accardi, Bud 2nd cancer surgery; Angelica, breast cancer; Peggy, Bill Kleppe (co-worker/friend of Holly Cardinale) chemo for kidney cancer; Donna Ramsey (Holly Cardinale's cousin) diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma; Marvin; Ryan; Reilly; Paige; Wayne; John Borak, bowel blockage and cancer; Pam and Dan Rose; Ron, Bill, Kyle, Lenny, Pat, Jodi Mannix, undergoing chemotherapy; Cathy; Sally; Carolyn McPhee; Stanley, tests for lung cancer; Connie Davis; and Andrea Pinto, all undergoing treatment for cancer; Leo Clement; Micki Richardson; Dot Bracaloni; Susan Anthony; Al & Carol D'Amico; Scott Rose; Bob D'Angelo; Dianna, surgery; Billy Kocis, throat (tonsil) cancer; Amanda Lowe, kidney complications; Bob Young, post-op surgery healing; Michelle C.; Chelsea Mitchel, healing of illness while at school; Stefan Revesz; Steve Ashe, kidney stone; Jim, severe back pain; Marissa G., critically ill; Sharon Neuman, coping with neck pain hoping to avoid surgery; Mathew Johnson (Tom Zeyack's grandson) support and healing from leukemia; a member of the LaCrosse family suffering from cancer as well as another (overwhelmed) family member strength to cope with caregiving; Ali, healing brain surgery for a tumor and ensuing treatment; Julianna, life threatening reaction to anesthesia; Tony Nami, healing following surgery; Kieran Pillion, healing from heart by-pass surgery; Steve, ankle reconstruction; Kieron Pillion, heart by-pass surgery; Helen Fisher, Alzheimers; Michelle, back surgery; the family of Mrs. Henry; Frank Kostar, heart issues; Marilyn Kostar, health issues and coping with Frank; Debbie, surgery; Girja Singh, strength for future operation; Warren Brigg's daughter Lisa, and son-in-law John, recovering from kidney transplant surgeries; Mike McHugh now home from the hospital with an infection & Mrs. Walter - recovering from broken hip and broken rib; Healing, strength, and support for Ed in ongoing heart rehab and wife Barbara; Don, a stroke and heart issues; Matt, having surgery on 12/19/17; Lauren having surgery 12/1/17; Isabel Sandoz, stroke; Debby Rogers Krevor (Susy Spreat's sister), recovering from surgery on her leg following a fall; continued prayer for the following: John; Emily & Danny; Tony; Patrick; Sarena; and Gillian.

Thanksgiving for: and blessings on the birth of Jamie Cardinale son of happy parents J.J. & Alicia Cardinale, grandson of Holly Cardinale; and joy on the birth of Jackson Steel, Karen Machin's great nephew; blessings for all children & grandchildren as well as keep them safe; for the French family reconciliation; Bill Frantz, successful bypass surgery and prayer for continued healing; successful surgery for Dianna; successful shoulder surgery for Eileen Abato; Amy's Mom doing better; successful surgery and continued healing for Warren & Terry Briggs oldest daughter Lisa, and son-in-law John from kidney transplant/donation successful surgeries as well as prayer for support/strength for Terry Briggs, their caregiver; good blood test results for Colton Thibodeau and medication that is controlling his seizures; for safe travels for Jim Dixon, Jr. to and from Panama and Karen Machin to and from Utah.

 

Comfort for : the bereaved families of Anthony DeLorenzo, David Cassidy, the Ingeri family on the loss of their daughter, and members of the AA community who lost one of their own who was hit by a car and a truck and died.

Traveling Mercies: Gracie Spreat coming home from vet school in Ireland and blessings on her as she takes her exams.

Concern : prayers & support for Leigh Miller as well as her immediate family involved with several crises; control of seizures for James Bade and wisdom for the doctors to successfully treat his seizures; ALL families involved with (Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, & Maria) storm flooding in Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida, India, and Southeast Asia as well as fires in the western United States, and those devastated by an earthquakes in Mexico; All Caregivers, and especially the Walters' daughter, Debbie Furchak, who is in need of peace and strength while supervising the care for both her parents who are both in a living/memory care unit, for the extended Fisher family as they care for Helen suffering from Alzheimer's, Nancy McHugh and family, strength for dealing with Mike's illness and an aging parent, and Terri Briggs, caring for daughter Lisa and son-in-law John following kidney transplant surgery; Justin Hanewald (Marine's) being deployed to guard the border between North/South Korea; Travis, dealing with a spiritual battle in prison; concern for a LaCrosse family member who lost income as well as losing housing and another family member suffering from depression; Debbie, hoping for employment; for the families and crewmen of the missing submarine; prayer of support needed for a local homeless person ; prayers for God to watch over James Sheedrick; Carly M. as she struggles with finding a vocation; and Paul McHugh who needs a new job.

 

Birthday greetings to the members and friends whose birthdays are in   December.

 3 Shauna Guld

 5 Tom Kelley

 6 Peg Stoeckel

 8 Jessica Bateham, Paige Bates, Ronald Castor       

 10 Faith Yost

 11 Justin Gazzillo

12 Jules Dolci

14 Sydney Worek

15 Caroline Germond   

17 Irene Mason   

18 Justin Clark-Weston, Jeremy Martino

20 Marilyn Machmer

21 Shaila Gomez, Gabriel Onderdonk 

22 Evan Clark

24 Noelle Carpenter, Kristin King

27 Kelly Bernhard 

30 Kristie Casole, Weston Scullly                    

                             Monthly Calendar

Celebrate the Birth of Christ
at United Presbyterian Church
on Christmas Eve,
Sunday, December 24.
11:00 AM - Traditional Christmas Communion Service
4:00 E3 Service with Chris Neuman and Tricia Curly performing a contemporary retelling of the Christmas story.

Both services will include Christmas caroling and candlelighting. Come rejoice in the birth of our Lord and Savior!