Week of December 20-26, 2020
Merry Christmas!
Thank you for checking out our Journeying Together email where we share many church happenings and updates! We continue to pray that you will experience the riches of the Lord's presence during this time in which many of us are not able to be present with one another!
PRERECORDED WORSHIP SERVICE (WITH COMMUNION)
A prerecorded worship service including communion will be available on the HBIC YouTube Channel on Sunday morning by 9 am, as well as anytime thereafter. Don't forget to prepare some bread and juice (or a substitute) so that you can participate in this special portion of the service)!
ZOOM REFLECTION
At 11 am, we'll meet on Zoom to reflect on the prerecorded service. We will pray together and consider some questions to help us process and discuss the week's message. To join, click the button below or use your phone to call in by dialing +1 929 205 6099 and entering the Meeting ID: 838 6007 3327.
WORSHIP RESOURCE PAGE
The worship resource page serves as a companion to the worship service on the HBIC YouTube Channel and includes the song lyrics, the sermon scripture, reflection questions and announcements.
WEEKLY CHILDREN'S RESOURCES
This week's special children's message is about the last week of Advent, shared by Pastor Patty and some special guests! You can access this video by clicking the button below or catching it in the full prerecorded service. We have also prepared pages for help children engage in worship.
Looking forward: Sunday morning calendar at a glance
December 20 - Prerecorded service (9am) and Zoom reflection (11am)
December 27 - Zoom worship service (11am)
January 3 - Zoom worship service (11am)
January 10 - Prerecorded service (9am) and Zoom reflection (11am)
CHRISTMAS LOVE GIFT UPDATE

Thank you for showing appreciation to our pastors and staff through the recent Christmas Love Gift opportunity. HBIC continues to be a generous congregation in many ways. As you can imagine this was a challenging year for the pastors and staff. In March on short order they had to completely redo how worship, fellowship, outreach, discipleship, and pastoral care is offered and provided to all age groups in the congregation and wider community. And, during the year they had to keep adjusting as the pandemic changed and the needs of the congregation changed. Like many other front line and essential workers the pastors and staff placed themselves in greater risk of possibly getting the virus to serve others. 

Thank you for showing the pastors and staff that you appreciate their dedicated and compassionate work during this difficult year. Almost $8,300 was raised. Each person receives a specific amount based on the total number of hours worked in year, which will be given to them in the last paycheck of the year. I also invite you to send cards, emails, or letters to them to express your appreciation and support.

Emerson Lesher, Chair, Church Board
SHOW US YOUR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!

We want you all to play a special part in our Christmas Eve service on Zoom! Send us pictures or short videos of you and your family with your light displays - your outdoor decor, your trees, your candles, etc.! Email Pastor Hannah with questions or your photo contributions by this Monday, December 21!
FOOD PANTRY
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The Food Pantry team is in need of volunteers who are able and willing to unload potentially heavy boxes and stock food pantry shelves every 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 11am to 1pm. For more information or to sign up, contact Pastor Carmen.
POST-SECONDARY
SCHOLARSHIP FUND

At this point in our country's history, education is as important as ever in helping students not only survive but thrive. Among other things, education offers opportunity and equity, particularly for those whose circumstances may leave them less able to afford it, whether due to family income, issues related to coronavirus, or other factors.  A scholarship fund has been set up through the church to help students cover a small portion of their college costs.  These funds can help students towards finishing their degrees so they can start jobs God has particularly gifted them to do.   

If you are a post-secondary student interested in applying, please email Pastor Brie for the application.
DOUGH HOLY NIGHT

Last week, some of our Creation Kids families participated in Dough Holy Night cookie making. We wanted to share the event with the church to do on your own time with your family. This is a fun and interactive experience designed for your family to do at home. Together you’ll bake a batch of Christmas cookies and, along the way, hear the story of the very first Christmas. Best of all, there’s a video that walks you step-by-step through the entire experience. It’s so simple!
 
To get started, click this link to access the video and materials needed. When prompted, you’ll need to enter the following password: LETSDOUGH (all caps)

We hope and pray that this opportunity allows you to press pause on the busyness of the season and remember that Jesus is the sweetest part of Christmas.
The following will be taking place during the week of December 20 to December 26:

  • Sunday, 9am - Prerecorded Worship Service (HBIC YouTube channel)
  • Sunday, 11am - Sunday Morning Reflection (Zoom)
  • Monday, 4pm - Creation Kids (Zoom)
  • Monday, 6pm - Church Board Meeting (Zoom)
  • Monday, 6:30pm - Senior High Youth Group (Zoom)
  • Wednesday, 5:30pm - Junior High Youth Group (Zoom)
  • Thursday, 6pm - Christmas Eve Service (Zoom)

If you'd like more information, contact any of the pastors or the
church office. Please remember these gatherings this week as you pray for the church.
CHURCH OFFICE SCHEDULE

Due to the upcoming holidays, the church office will be closed from December 25 to January 4. We will continue to check email and voicemail, so please contact us if you need anything!
CREATION KIDS ON ZOOM

Pastor Patty and some of our children's ministry volunteers are looking forward to hanging out with your children on Zoom, Monday afternoons at 4 pm, catching up with one another, playing some games, and praying together. Contact Pastor Patty for the link that your child will need for these times of connection designed especially for kids.
WEEKNIGHT YOUTH MINISTRIES

Junior High
Youth in grades 6-8 are invited to join in the Zoom Youth Group gathering every Wednesday evening at 5:30 pm.

Senior High
Youth in grades 9-12 are invited to join in the Zoom Youth Group gathering every Monday evening at 6:30 pm.

These virtual gatherings are great opportunities to reconnect during the week for fun and spiritual food! Contact Pastor Brie with any questions about any of our Youth Ministries!
CHRISTMAS EVE

In this unconventional year, we're choosing to love our community well by celebrating Christmas Eve together through an online service experience this Thursday. We'll meet together on Zoom at 6pm and reflect on the coming of Jesus through song, prayer, and reading the Word! We will also have a bit of prelude music beginning around 5:50pm, so make sure to join a bit early if you'd like to hear these special songs! Prepare a candle if you have one available - we'll light them together at the end of the service as we would if we were physically together! Join by clicking the button below or call in (audio only) using the phone number 1 929 205 6099 and the meeting ID 892 4718 7293.
FYI - JOBS SHARED WITH US

As we receive job postings at the church, we are trying to pass them along, in case they'd be of help to you or someone you know.

Messiah University has openings - check them out on their website by clicking here.
MISSIONARY CONNECTION OPPORTUNITY

The Córdova family (Jen, Jona, Sara and Daniel) works with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Oaxaca, Mexico. They will have an informal get-together on Zoom on Tuesday, December 22 at 7:30pm (our time in PA) to give us an update on what is going on in their lives and answer any questions we may have. To join, click the button below or call 1-301-715-8592 and enter the meeting ID 678 561 5089.
MCC CHRISTMAS GIVING PROJECTS

Each year our church invites the congregation to participate in a Christmas giving project that reaches around the world. Rather than collecting specific items this year as we have done in years past, we are sharing with you Mennonite Central Committee's (MCC) Christmas Giving Project List.

MCC makes it easy for individuals and families to choose Christmas gifts full of purpose and practicality. From tangible gifts such as fruit trees, wells and goats to broader gifts of hope and welcome, each gift helps people to improve their life in some way. Check out the online 2020 MCC Christmas Giving Project List by CLICKING HERE!

You have two choices about how to be involved:
  • Pick one or more projects that you'd like to give toward this year, and give your donation directly to MCC.
  • Give a donation to our church, between now and December 20th, marked for MCC Christmas. All donations that the church receives (either by check or in our online giving) will be forwarded to MCC toward the "Food to Fight Hunger" Project for Zambia.
STAFF CONTACT INFO

We welcome you to contact us by email or by phone if you have a need.
Here is the E-Mail & Phone Contact information for our pastoral and office staff: