Our Mission
Gathered by Christ. Growing in Faith.
Sent to Serve. Empowered to Witness.
Resurrection welcomes all individuals regardless of race, sex, gender identification, sexual orientation, economic status, age, disability, or family make-up. Child of God, you are welcome here!
We are pleased to present the November/December edition of our monthly e-newsletter.
We hope this publication is an informative supplement to the information found on our website. Submissions can be sent to
office@lcr-yardley.org
.
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Pastor's Note
Dear friends in Christ,
November was Stewardship month at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection and a time for reflection on our many blessings. In the spirit of Thanksgiving I recall this story about sharing your best so that you and all others may be blessed.
There was a farmer who grew excellent quality corn. Every year he won the award for the best grown corn. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors. “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.
“Why sir,” said the farmer, “Didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”
So is with our lives... Those who want to live meaningfully and well must help enrich the lives of others, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all...
- Author Unknown (Proverbs 11:24-25)
As the season of Advent begins and we p
repare for the commemoration of the
birth of Jesus
, I share this reflection on the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” from the Advent Devotional of Luther Seminary.
[During Advent], we wait. We are expecting a great gift. Like a child who can hardly wait to rip open a Christmas present, we wait with anticipation for a gift that will change our lives, a gift that will rescue us from things holding us back, a gift that will speak to the losses we have experienced this year, a gift that will help us realize we are not alone.
In the first verse of this hymn, we describe the gift we are waiting to receive. We are waiting for the gift of Emmanuel, God-with-us. That’s the gift we need more than any other. The gift of being more aware of God’s presence among us, Jesus - God in human flesh - is that gift. May we be more aware of the presence of Jesus as we enter this season of Advent.
An Advent prayer:
Jesus, thank you for being a gift to anyone who will receive you. Please help us to be more aware of how you are with us in the midst of our everyday lives as we enter this Advent season. Amen.
Peace,
Pastor Kristina
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SUNDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1ST
8:00 AM - "Morning Glory" Traditional Worship with Service of Holy Communion
9:00 AM - Contemporary Worship with Praise Band and Communion
10:00 AM - Faith Alive! for All Ages
11:00 AM - "Classic Grace" Traditional Worship with Service of Holy Communion
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8TH
8:00 AM - "Morning Glory" Traditional Worship with Service of Holy Communion
9:00 AM - Contemporary Worship with Praise Band and Communion
10:00 AM - Faith Alive! for All Ages
11:00 AM - "Classic Grace" Traditional Worship with Service of Holy Communion
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15TH
8:00 AM - "Morning Glory" Traditional Worship with Service of Holy Communion
9:00 AM - Contemporary Worship with Children's Leadership
10:00 AM - Faith Alive! for All Ages
11:00 AM - "Classic Grace" Traditional Worship with Service of Holy Communion
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22ND
8:00 AM - "Morning Glory" Traditional Worship with Service of Holy Communion
9:00 AM - Contemporary Worship with Praise Band, Communion and Children's Christmas Program
10:00 AM - Faith Alive! for All Ages
11:00 AM - "Classic Grace" Traditional Worship with Service of Holy Communion
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29TH
8:00 AM - "Morning Glory" Traditional Worship with Service of Holy Communion
9:00 AM - Contemporary Worship with Praise Band and Communion
10:00 AM - Faith Alive! for All Ages
11:00 AM - "Classic Grace" Traditional Worship with Service of Holy Communion
Please
CLICK HERE
to view LCR's December Events Calendar.
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HOLIDAY SERVICES
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4TH
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11TH
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18TH
7:00 PM - Advent Mid-Week Services
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24TH
Christmas Eve Services:
4:00 pm - Family Service with Candle Lighting
10:00 PM -
Lessons and Carols with Brass and Candle Lighting
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MISSIONS TEAM MEETING
The LCR Missions Team will meet for our quarterly meeting on Monday, December 16th at 7:00pm in the library. All are invited to join us as we discuss ways to reach out to help our neighbors in the community and around the world. We hope to see you there!
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CARE CARDS
Please remember to take a few moments to sign the care cards that are located in the narthex. You can also add the names of those who could use extra thoughts, prayers or praise to the sign up sheet.
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CHRISTMAS CARDS AVAILABLE
Resurrection Christmas Cards are available for a donation. Please support your Church’s ministry instead of commercial enterprises. Please see Donna Kimball in the office for assistance or email
office@lcr-yardley.org
.
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NEED PRAYERS?
If you wish to add a loved one, friend or neighbor to LCR's prayer list. please email Alan Chinnici at
achinnici@erols.com
. He would be happy to add them to our list.
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LCR Fun and Fellowship:
Live Nativity Trip
We enthusiastically invite all to join us in visiting the most amazing live nativity in the area on December 8th at Fellowship Community Church at 1520 Hainsport Road in Mount Laurel, NJ. This live nativity is like nothing you have ever seen before. It has 13 different outdoor scenes around the church property each depicting different bible stories centered around Jesus' birth and life. At the end of the tour there are hot beverages and cookies. The cost is a free-will offering. We will meet in the church parking lot at 4:00pm to carpool and will return to our church by about 8:00pm. You could drive separately and return early if you like. Please RSVP to Ruth DiDonato by text at (215) 208-5589.
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Thank You Volunteers
On Wednesday, November 6th, youth and adult volunteers from Lutheran Church of the Resurrection helped serve dinner at the Trenton Area Soup kitchen. Many thanks to our volunteers for sharing their time, talent and plenty of smiles!
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Shared Meal News
Please join us for the December Shared Meal on Sunday, December 15th. Set up will begin at 1:00pm, with the meal served at 2:30pm. All are invited! The menu will include soups, chili, sandwiches and dessert. We hope you can join us, but if you are unable to stay for dinner, please consider participating by providing a soup, bread, lunch meat or a dessert. A sign up sheet can be found on the ramp bulletin board.
If you have any questions, please contact Diane Casey at
dcasey16@comcast.net
.
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IFA December Donations
This year, the Interfaith Food Alliance is asking LCR members to participate in a Reverse Advent Calendar in lieu of a highlighted item of the month during December. A special collection bin, and the monthly calendars, are located outside the church office or you can
CLICK HERE
to access the calendar. We are asking that you donate one item each day between December 1st and Christmas Day. If that is too great a stretch on your budget, you can still participate by choosing an item a week, or a single item.
In addition to food, there are many important and necessary items which the families the IFA serves are in need, if you would like to make a monetary donation, please
CLICK HERE
. F
or more information on how you can help fight food insecurity, please email
ifabuckspa@gmail.com
or
call (215) 595-5623.
Please consider giving to others from the blessings you have been given during the holiday season. Thank you!
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Resurrection Christmas Caroling
Mark your calendar for Resurrection Christmas Caroling on Sunday, December 15th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. This fellowship event was a surprise hit last year with 20+ participants! We stood in the street and sang one verse of familiar carols and neighborhood residents loved the old school sharing of joyous melodious voices. We will meet at the church at 6:00pm sharp and we will cap off the event with snack and hot beverage afterward. Make sure to invite friends - the more the merrier! If you have any questions, please contact Dave Fitchett via email at
dfitchett1189@gmail.com
.
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Stephen Ministry at LCR
On November 17th, our congregation commissioned our Stephen Leaders, who responded to God's call to be part of this new Ministry at LCR. This one-to-one lay caregiving ministry is all about serving and caring for others in Jesus’ name.
Our Stephen Leaders completed substantial training to equip them for their task and we ask for the congregation's continued support and prayers to empower them in this ministry. We also ask for prayers for our future Stephen Ministers and care receivers. This ministry calls for both time and effort - at times they may feel tired, discouraged, or convinced that they are not accomplishing anything. The assurance of our prayers and appreciation will help them keep moving forward.
We can become involved in this ministry in many ways. Some of us may recognize a call to use our special gifts in this ministry and may apply to be a Stephen Minister. Others may accept the care of a Stephen Minister. We can also be ministers of referral, watching for people in need and suggesting a Stephen Minister's care.
In January, our Stephen Leader Team will begin training some of the members of our congregation to serve as Stephen Ministers. If you are interested in serving or would like to learn more about Stephen Ministry, please speak to Pastor Kristina, Anita Chinnici or Hank Merritt.
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Mission Giving Tree
The Mission Giving Tree is up! This special tree includes the names of children from the Family Backpack Center and families from Libertae. We encourage you to select a tag and purchase the requested gift(s) for that child. Be sure to sign your name on sheet provided. Instructions will be up on the tree, but if you have any questions see anyone on the Missions team. Please u have all wrapped gifts with tag attached returned to the church no later than Sunday, December 8th to ensure timely delivery to all. On behalf of the Missions Team, the Family Backpack Center and Libertae, we thank you!
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DWSN Holiday Update
Fun was had by all at our Turkey themed bowling night at Delmor Bowling Alley on Friday, November 15th. Many thanks to who brought canned fruit for donation to our Interfaith Food Alliance Backpack Center! Plan to join us on Friday, December 13th from 7:00pm – 8:30pm at LCR for a very special night of Lessons read by our Disciples With Special Needs and Carols sung by all. Hot chocolate and cookies will be provided in Fellowship Hall after the service. There is no charge for this event, but we do ask if you are able and in the spirit of Christmas, to please bring either a pair of new socks, hand or feet warmers that will be donated to those experiencing homelessness. All are
welcome, so please bring your family and friends to join us. To RSVP, please
call (215) 493-2018
or email
lcrdwsn@verizon.net
. Thank you.
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DWSN 2020 Event Calendar
Mark your calendars now for a fun-filled year of activities for our Disciples with Special Needs! Detailed information (date, times, place and cost) for each event will be provided in advance. All dates are subject to change if there are scheduling conflicts.
Friday, January 17th
Friday, February 21st
Friday, March 20th
Friday, April 17th
Friday, May 15th
Friday, June 19th
Friday, July 17th
Friday, August 21st
Friday, September 18th
Friday, October 23rd
Friday, November 20th
Friday, December 11th
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Holiday Financial Workshops
Financial Workshops discussing various topics to help you manage your money better during the Christmas shopping season are being offered by Mark Stuckley and Rich Estey. Mark your calendars now for the next four topics being covered on Monday evenings in January at 7:00pm in Fellowship Hall. Look for a sign up sheet on the bulletin board to the right of Pastor Kristina’s Office Door. If you have any questions, please call Mark Stuckley at (215) 205-2374 or Rich Estey at (215) 518-0639.
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Youth Beach Retreat
Thirteen LCR youth traveled to Ocean City, NJ November 8th - 10th for our annual Beach Retreat. It was a great weekend filled with learning, reflection and fun. Below are poetic reflections on Creation written by retreat participants on the topic
"What the Scripture has to say to us about Climate Change." This topic was suggested by Marlena Ries, who was just confirmed this October.
There was nothing
then there was light
and there was
One.
One looking over all
The Trinity who controls all
The One who created all
The One who cares for all
The One who loves
but also the One who is lonely.
by Sam Estey
In times of darkness
Even God needed someone
Giving a part of himself
He gave men and women breath
so that he may find companionship
and so we may find the same
to give a part of ourselves
to make it out of the darkness
by Julia Capaldi
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Caring in Crisis
A new ministry team (CARING IN CRISIS) has recently been created to provide assistance to those who are experiencing life crises, such as homelessness, severe medical illness, or other extreme life-altering events. Our goal is to help them work through these difficult periods. Our finance team has established a benevolence fund of which the team will have stewardship. Current team members are Anita Chinnici, Eileen Heitman, Bob Heitman, Karla Lerie, Donna Kimball, Diane Casey – Chair, Pastor Kristina Ahlman. For further information, please reach out to any of the team members.
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Merciful Mondays
Join us as on Monday evenings from 7:00pm - 8:30pm in LCR's library to discuss different life topics in a private, closed setting. We encourage you to invite a friend who may need to share their story. Upcoming topics include the following:
December 2nd & 9th - Stress
December 16th - Blue Christmas
December 23rd & 30th - No Merciful Mondays
January 6th - Open Forum
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Christmas Bazaar & Lunch with Santa
Plan to attend this annual event taking place at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Morrisville. The festivities include crafts, food and lunch items for purchase. In addition each child will receive a free book from Cops-n-Kids! Proceeds will benefit Interfaith Food Alliance Morrisville, St. John’s Youth, Shared Meals, Feed My Flock, and other area non-profits. Interested parties wishing to rent a table should contact Mickey Reifsneider via
email at
mickandchalreif@comcast.net
or by calling
(267) 560-5608. I
f you have any questions about this event, please contact Diane Coyle at (215) 493-8472 or
socialconcerns@stjohnpa.org
.
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Volunteer With AHTN
Volunteers are the backbone of Advocates For Homeless & Those In Need. Without our amazing volunteers none of our missions would be possible. You can gift some of your time and talent in ways that make a difference! Interested in learning more?
We encourage you to attend a Volunteer Orientation. Upcoming orientations will take place on Tuesday, December 10th at Woodside Church in Yardley and on Wednesday, January 15th at Calvary Baptist in Bristol. Volunteers must register online at
https://www.ahtn.org/volunteer-with-ahtn
to sign up for orientation.
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December Sonshiners' Update
On October 10th, a group of seventeen Sonshiners enjoyed an educational and very thorough tour of the Howell Living History Farm located in Pleasant Valley, NJ. It was a “hands on” experience with opportunities for some of us to operate the old grinding machines, shell the corn off the cobs, taste some wheat and talk to the animals. Our tour guides provided us with a comprehensive description of life on a farm during the years 1890 through 1910. We had two guides, one for the barnyard operations and one for the farm house, both of whom, with great enthusiasm and humor, provided vivid descriptions of the rigors of farming over 100 years ago. Following the tour of the farm, we went on to Erini’s Restaurant in Ewing where we enjoyed a delicious lunch and were treated royally by our very personable waiter.
We were so pleased to welcome Renata Reutlinger Breslow as our guest speaker on November 14th. Renata is a survivor of the Holocaust and presented a very informative and memorable account of her childhood in Germany during this tragic time in our history. Along with her mother, she fled Germany and boarded a ship, the “St. Louis”, bound for Cuba and freedom. The ship was never allowed to dock and, after weeks at sea, the passengers were finally accepted in Holland where they were placed in a detention camp. Fortunately, Renata and her mother survived the treatment in the camp and eventually were able to join her father in the United States. She feels very grateful that she and her mother survived, but sad that many in her family did not. At 89 years of age, Renata is a very lively and remarkable speaker using power point and other modern techniques to present her story. She speaks to groups to make us aware of the lessons of the past and why we should not allow history to repeat itself. “Let us never forget!” Forty-one people attended her presentation which was preceded by a delicious lunch of assorted sandwiches, salads and dessert.
In the month of October, our monthly worship service at Pickering Manor Nursing Home was held on the 16th. Once again, we were so pleased to have Barbara Merritt lead the service assisted by her husband, Hank. They do a great job of connecting with the residents who are always so appreciative of our visits. Besides the Merritts, our helpers this month were Donna DiCesare, Kay McCorkle, Julie Scott, Bonnie Sheppard and pianist, Betty Berner.
We were happy to welcome two new volunteers to our worship service this past month. Christine Riley and Don Tosh joined us on November 20th as we focused on Thanksgiving hymns and an inspiring message presented by Barbara Merritt. In addition to Christine, Don and Barbara, our helpers included Donna DiCesare, Ted Ebersole, Kay McCorkle, Hank Merritt, Julie Scott and pianist Betty Berner. The residents are always so appreciative of our ministry to them and we encourage others to join us at these services. Our next service will be on Wednesday, December 18th at 10:30am. Pickering is located at 228 North Lincoln Avenue in Newtown. Please contact Betty Berner if you need a ride.
Special Request: There is a need for warm shawls and lap robes for the residents at Pickering. These items can be new or gently used. If you can help us with this project, please place in donation box in the narthex at church by December 15th.
Our Annual Christmas Luncheon will be held at 12noon on Thursday, December 12th at the Yardley Inn and Restaurant. The cost is $33 per person. Please see information in your mail slots at church and return your choice of entrée and payment to Bernadette Beury by December 8th. We hope that you can join us for this festive pre-Christmas event!
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LCR Book Group
LCR's Book Group typically meets the last Sunday of each month (excluding holidays) at the Commonplace Reader, located at 49 S. Main Street in Yardley. Upcoming dates and books are as follows:
December 22nd: The Chef’s Secret by Crystal King
January 26th: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
February 23rd: The Chef's Secret by Crystal King
Please follow our blog page, LCR Book Group, on Facebook for updates. We're always looking for new additions to our group, so start your reading and plan to join u
s!
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A Mother’s Mutterings… By Christie Paton
What Should I Write?
Oh no, I’ve done it again. I missed the deadline for this article… and while things are *starting* to slow down a tiny bit this fall, we are still so super busy. And I’m wracking my brain… “What can I write about?” (Jim’s reply was, “There’s got to be a Megan story in there somewhere!”)
Hmmm. Well, as most people know, Daniel was sick in bed with a fever for several days and missed his confirmation. Poor guy. He was able to get up for a few hours to watch the Eagles game but went right back to bed.
Or should I write about Megan’s meltdown while making her Halloween costume, which ran the gamut from “this looks like a 2-year old made it” to “I don’t care, I’m not trick-or-treating this year, I’m just staying in my room” to “well, I painted it black – how do you think it looks, Mommy?”
Or should I mention that my sister is getting married and we are all so excited and there are things to do to get ready for that… but in fact, Jim does not have a dress shirt yet? (Oh wait, that’s one for “A Wife’s Mutterings”, sorry, wrong article.)
Or should I write about how I asked Megan to come with me to the eyeglasses store to help me pick out some frames… and once there, all she did was try them on herself and tell me how good she looked…
Or should I write about how Megan BEGGED me to get Halloween costumes for our kittens (how many times could I tell her no? the answer is NO, we’re not doing that! No no no) and so instead of looking for her hockey stick, which she left in the car, when it was already past her bedtime… well, she dug out her Build-A-Bear clothes, found a shawl and put it first on Storm, the boy kitten, and then on Shade, the girl kitten. Jim said “how can you be mad at her when she puts the kittens in a costume?”
{sigh}.
I couldn’t decide. So you got the sample set.
The Fun Continues...
So, Megan turned 13 last month. I am now the mother of two teenagers. Perhaps THAT’S why – when, after years of her messy, messy room – I said something the other day about needing to clean it up… and she did. She actually did. She sequestered herself in her room for over two hours, said she wasn’t hungry when it was dinner time… and cleaned it up. Jim and I couldn’t believe it. You could even see the floor. Really! Her bed was completely covered with about 2 feet of stuffed animals, and she had to shimmy in between the sheets to get under all the stuffed animals when she went to bed that night, but I could walk in to say good night to her without fear of breaking an ankle. I think we’re finally making progress on that front.
And Daniel. With Christmas coming up, I expected it to be like every other year. “What do you want for Christmas, Daniel?” “I don’t know.” And he is literally the hardest person to buy a gift for. BUT… this year, he actually made a list, making it a little bit easier for the shoppers…
On the other hand… Megan and I had some things to pick up at the craft store for a project she was working on the other weekend… and I suggested, “Let’s just stop into Famous Footwear for a minute to look around.” Well. I asked Megan how the boots looked that I tried on and she replied, “They’re too punk rock for someone your age.” Well, that sealed the deal and naturally, I had to buy them. She would have done the same thing, if the situation was reversed.
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Help Getting Help
Have you ever encountered the situation where somebody – a friend, a relative, or even a stranger – needed help, but you had no idea how to help them? There is a new solution in Bucks County that became available this past summer: 2-1-1.
Calls to 2-1-1 are routed by the local phone company to a United Way call center. Referral specialists at the call center gather information from the caller, access a database of local resources available from private and public health and human service agencies, match the caller’s needs to available resources, and link or refer them directly to an agency or organization that can help.
When people call 2-1-1, trained professionals answer the phones 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and can quickly direct callers to the right agency or person who can help them with resources for food insecurity, financial problems, housing and utility issues, childcare, mental health issues, drug use, employment, transportation problems, disaster relief, legal aid and more. Other examples include:
- Basic Human Needs Resources - including food and clothing banks, shelters, rent assistance, and utility assistance.'
- Physical and Mental Health Resources - including health insurance programs, Medicaid and Medicare, maternal health resources, health insurance programs for children, medical information lines, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, and drug and alcohol intervention and rehabilitation.
- Work Support - including financial assistance, job training, transportation assistance and education programs.
- Support for Older Americans and Persons with Disabilities - including adult day care, community meals, respite care, home health care, transportation and homemaker services.
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LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION
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