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Click on the links below to go directly to that section of the newsletter.
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| Open arms and serving hands transforming lives through Christ |
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JOIN US FOR
WORSHIP
Worship Services:
8:00 and 10:30 a.m.
Traditional
9:15 a.m.
Praise and Worship
THIS SUNDAY,
December 17, 2017
3rd Sunday of Advent
Music Sunday
2 worship services at
9:00 and 10:30 AM only.
215-357-6998
HOURS
Monday - Friday
8:30-3:00 p.m.
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THIS WEEK'S
CALENDAR
Thursday, December 14
7:30pm
Ann's Choice Concert
Sunday, December 17
Music Sunday
9:00 & 10:30 Services Only
9:00am
Children's Sunday School
9:00am
Confirmation Class
10:30am
Children & Youth Sunday School
4:00pm
Youth Group Progressive Dinner
Monday, December 18
6:45pm
Advent Bible Study
Tuesday, December 19
10:00am
Advent Bible Study
Wednesday, December 20
7:00pm
Advent Bible Study
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|  PRAYER LIST Please click to view
All "Ongoing Prayer Concerns" will be listed for
2 weeks.
Please submit a new prayer request card if you desire to renew the listing for 2 additional weeks.
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Prayer Shawl Ministry
Meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month
in the parlor - 10 AM
Please come help knit or crochet various items for those in need.
Contact Roberta Nelson for more information or if you
w
ould like to request a
Prayer Shawl.
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Please go to the Children's Ministry Page for forms.
Children's Sunday School
Children's Sunday School is held weekly at the 9:15 and 10:30 services
f
or children 4 years old through 6th Grade. A parent must accompany children who are attending for the first time.
Volunteers are needed for both the 9:15 and 10:30 services in Children's Sunday School. Contact David Bigam.
Youth Sunday School
Sunday school takes place every Sunday at the 10:30 service. Youth who have completed 6th grade through 12th grade go directly to the Youth Room in the Education Wing. Youth are encouraged to worship together at the 9:15 service.
Nursery
Available at both
9:15 and 10:30.
We welcome all children birth through 4 years old.
The nursery is equipped with a calling system and will alert you in worship if your child needs you.
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2018 OFFERING ENVELOPES
The 2018
Offering Envelopes are on the tables in the hallway. Please take your envelopes home with you today and save the church much postage. If your neighbor or a relative gets envelopes and doesn't get out to church, it would be helpful if you delivered the envelopes. Thank you!
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2018 PLEDGE CARDS
Please remember to place your completed 2018 Financial Commitment card in the offering plate on Sunday or send/drop off to the church office ASAP! Additional cards are located in the pew racks and also on the Welcome Table. Thank you.
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MOBILE GIVING
Have you ever arrived at church and forgot your giving envelope? Or you would like to make a Communion Offering and you have just 18 cents in your pocketbook?
Well, help as arrived, as
St John's now offers mobile giving!
Just go to the
website
click on the donate now button, and register. Once you're registered, you can either make donations by debit or credit. It's quick and secure. The same vendor that handles electronic giving for us, Vanco Services, has state of the art encryption, so you can rest easy that your transaction is 100% safe and confidential.
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RONALD McDONALD HOUSE TABS COLLECTION
Naomi Circle is collecting tabs from beverage cans for Ronald McDonald House. You will find a container under the sign hanging on the UMW bulletin board. Please place them in a plastic bag and put it in the container. This is an ongoing collection, so keep bringing them in as you collect them.
Thank you.
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CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
Thank you to the ULW's for decorating the church. You always do an awesome job and the church looks beautiful!
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POINSETTIAS
Thanks to Marjorie Elwell and her committee for arranging the poinsettias. Again the church looks beautiful! Beppie and Howard Heinrichs, Ruth Bowyer, Nancy MacMillan, Norm and Joan Ovelman, Chris and Laura Belser, Carol Messina and her granddaughter.
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UMC LINKS
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Thanks to the Bible study lesson I've been preparing this week, I've been thinking a lot about the difference between joy and happiness. We talk about the Christmas season being a season of JOY, but what does that mean? Does it mean we should be spending the next several weeks smiling, laughing, and basking in happiness 24/7?
Well, if you're like me, there are a number of things about Christmas that make me "happy". Things like getting together with friends and family; giving gifts; seeing the lights and decorations; going to special holiday events (I'm going to the Philly Pops Christmas show this Saturday); hearing and singing carols; the immense amounts of cookies, candies and other foods you can only get this time of year - and doing things I would never do any other time of year - like wearing bright red nail polish with a Christmas snowflake design. Yes, there are definitely a lot of things about this season that make me smile and bring happiness to my heart.
On the other hand, just like most of you, there are things about this season that have the potential to be heartbreaking. It's hard to feel "happy" when there are loved ones who are no longer with us. And, of course, the many and varied problems and tragedies of life don't tend to take a hiatus for the Christmas holidays - many of us are still dealing with illness, pain, worries and fears that come in all different shapes and sizes.
But then there's "joy." It's something entirely unlike "happiness." "Joy" isn't dependent on our circumstances, and it's independent of whatever kind of bad news or grief we might be dealing with. Instead, I would define "joy" as that rock-solid steadiness that settles in our soul. It's the peace that Scripture says "passes all understanding". It's the ability to rest assured that even when things aren't "alright," they're STILL "alright." It's the knowledge that we don't have to be in control, because God IS, and whatever happens tomorrow - even whether we live or die, it'll still be okay. God has our backs, and nothing can ever separate us from His love.
So it's NICE when we experience "happiness" during this holiday season. But it's better yet to know that the JOY of the Christ child lives in us always.
I wish you continued JOY this Advent season (with a good bit of happiness thrown in!)
Pastor Janice
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2017 ADVENT/CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE
Sunday, December 17th
A service of Christmas Music presented by the Choirs
at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. only
(PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE NO 9:15 AM SERVICE)
Sunday, December 24 - Christmas Eve Day
10:00 a.m.
(ONE SERVICE ONLY)
Christmas Eve Candlelight Services
5:30 p.m.
Children's Christmas Pageant
Children's Choirs
7:30 p.m.
Adult Choir and Ring of Faith Handbell Choir
9:30 p.m.
Youth Praise Choir and Grace Notes Handbell Choir
Sacrament of Holy Communion
Sunday, December 31 - New Year's Eve
10:00 A.M.
(ONE SERVICE ONLY)
Remember to use your Advent Mission Offering Envelopes
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Advent Mission Project 2017
What gift will you give to Jesus this year for His birthday?
We invite you to give to this year's Advent Mission project, which supports the Christian engineering nonprofit, Water Mission, in its effort to bring power and water back to hurricane victims in Puerto Rico. For more information, visit
www.watermission.org. Please place your contribution in the wooden manager in the Narthex. Checks can be made out to St. John's United Methodist Church.
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Our 2017 Advent Devotional is here!
Devotionals are available in the Narthex after all three services. Be sure to get one for yourself and one to share with a family member or friend as well.
A big thank you to Bonnie Bustard, Jackie Brownell, Marjorie Elwell and Betty Witschard for their help folding the devotionals.
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Music Sunday Services
This Sunday, December 17
"A Christmas Music Celebration"
2 Worship Services at 9:00 & 10:30 AM Only
Choirs and Handbell Choirs
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Sunday nights
7:00-8:30 PM
Hmmm. What are we doing at Youth Gr
oup?
Youth Group Progressive Dinner
December 17 - 4 PM-?
Join us for a night of Caroling and Eating
You
must
sign up for this event on bulletin board
outside youth room.
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Morrisville Food Bank Monday
December 11- Contact David Bigam
Do Not Miss This Opportunity!
Come and experience great Fellowship!
Morrisville is open to anyone interested in going to help make 220 grocery bags full of food.
Families are always welcome!
Following this event we always head to Chick-fil-a for Milkshakes!!!!
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And as always
Bring a Friend and Bring a Can!
(All food collected goes to Jesus Focus Food Pantry)
Have you HELPED anyone today?
Have you SAID SOMETHING NICE to anyone today?
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CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS EVE PAGEANT
Saturday, December 16, 9-11 AM
All Children Dress Rehearsal
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ARE CLOSED FOR THE WINTER
For the past few weeks we have had a full trailer ready to go to Kentucky, but have been unable to rent a tractor to pull the trailer to Kentucky. Our understanding is that all available tractors are in the South helping with storm relief. In addition, once we reach December, the potential for winter storms in the mountains between here and Beverly, Kentucky increases and we do not want to take the chance of traveling through a bad storm. Finally, the second trailer we use for trips to Kentucky is 75% full and therefore we are limited as to how much we can receive.
Thank you for your continued support.
Dick Paulus -
Team Leader,
Red Bird Trailer Mission
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Join the Conversation and
Bring a Friend!
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DAILY DEVOTIONALS
Looking for a little inspiration during the week?
Try an online devotional.
(has many devotionals to choose from)
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BAPTISM OF THE LORD WILL BE OBSERVED ON JANUARY 7, 2018.
We will remember Jesus' baptism by John in the Jordan River. We will focus on the meaning of baptism that day and you will be given and opportunity to renew your baptism at the altar rail. This can be a very meaningful experience. If you have never been baptized and would like to be baptized during this service or if you would like to schedule your child's baptism on this special day, please call the church office. All church leaders and those who serve on any teams or committees will also be invited to stand for commissioning for 2018 at the conclusion of the renewal of baptism on January 7th.
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Neshaminy Manor Worship Service
Caroling and Communion -
December 3, 2017
St. John's Choir sang and residents received Communion
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ST. JOHN'S BOOK CLUB
January 24, 2018 - 10:00 AM & 7:00 PM
Parlor
A book robust with love and laughter, it's a son's heartfelt tribute to his mother's courage and grace. It is uplifting with powerful lessons shown through books that connect all of us.
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Leadership Board requests that our entire congregation keep these ministry goals in your prayers this month.
- The identification and development of new hands-on mission opportunities, which may include a new, large-scale opportunity that will "uniquely" belong to our congregation.
- That our congregation be moved to give even more of themselves in the stewardship of our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.
- That individuals in our congregation would be moved to deepen their relationship with Christ.
- That our congregation would respond to the biblical mandate to share the Gospel, to make new disciples, and to invite others to join them in worship and other activities.
- That our ministries would touch the hearts of our youth and children so they would grow in their faith and in their love of Christ.
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Help provide mission support for the villagers of El Naranjito, Dominican Republic. Coffee purchases contribute to clean water, basic education for children, improved farming practices and solar power generators for the village.
Coffee orders will be available in the Narthex
this
Sunday, December 17.
Warrior Coffee is served exclusively in the Grace Cafe.
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The Grace Cafe will be closed on
December 24 and December 31.
Please join us again on January 7
for fellowship and refreshments.
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St. John's Snow Policy
In case of a major snowstorm or other severe weather that would require cancellation of one or more Sunday services, we will attempt to notify everyone by:
- A special e-news sent out
- A message on the church answering machine and website.
If possible, a decision regarding cancellation will be made the night before. Please also be aware that, in the event of a power outage, it is impossible to utilize internet or phone services.
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 We wish you a wonderful Christmas and a
Happy New Year!
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