DECEMBER EVENTS
As you prepare for the celebration of Christ's birth, please join in our congregational fellowship and worship times:

Sunday, December 14 - Christmas Caroling in the homes of our over-eighty or shut-in members - We'll gather in the St. Stephen's room at 1:30 p.m. and leave shortly thereafter. ALL voices are welcome and ALL loving hearts are needed.

Sunday, December 21 - Potluck luncheon and Hanging of the Greens - This will take place immediately following the 10:00 a.m. Worship service. Bring a dish to share. After sharing our food in Luther Hall, we'll join in the work (or, is it fun?) of decorating the nave and the Chrismon tree. Many hands make light work, so please plan to participate.

Wednesday, December 24 - Christmas Eve Worship - Special music will begin at 7:00 p.m., and the Service of Holy Communion will start at 7:30 p.m. A children's message will be provided and the tradition of congregational candle lighting will be included. Let us unite our hearts in praise of the God who comes to us in redeeming love!

Sunday, December 28 - Children's Christmas Proclamation during the 10:00 a.m. Service of Holy Communion - You won't want to miss hearing the young people of our DDZ presenting this faith message!

ADVENT GIVING
The season of Advent is fast approaching. In fact, it begins on November 30th. Advent (the word means "coming") is a time in which we focus our attention on the coming of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ. We look forward to his coming at the end of the ages to bring God's kingdom to fulfillment. And, we ready our hearts to receive him hospitably as he comes to us day by day - in the Holy Scriptures, in the love we receive from others, in prayer, and in the faces of our neighbors near and far who need our help.

In this Advent season St. John's continues the tradition of sharing our material blessings with those in need. We do this as a part of welcoming the Christ, whom we serve in his poor and needy ones. In December, there remain three Sundays in Advent, and the designations for our "Advent Giving" are as follows. (Please note that all gifts should be NEW.)

December 7 - Toys for children at Head Start - These items should NOT be wrapped. Please consider safety and appropriateness when choosing the toy.

December 14 - Hats, scarves, and mittens to be distributed by Salvation Army to needy children and youth - These need not be wrapped. Cash donations also will be appreciated.

December 21 - Cash for the purchase of items for Health Kits - Some of our LCW participants will purchase the necessary items, assemble the kits, and ship them to Lutheran World Relief for distribution to victims of disaster and poverty all over the world.

As many people are experiencing increasing economic pressures and needs, thank you for participating in this very tangible proclamation of the love of Christ.

CHRISTMAS TREASURES
The children of St. John's are sending out an open invitation to their families and the congregation, inviting all of you to their Christmas play titled "Christmas Treasures" which will be presented during the Sunday service on December 28th.

The program has an up-to-date twist on our "family Christmas treasures" along with the traditional nativity scene and…..Singing!

In order to practice the play, we need CHILDREN. During the month of December, we will be practicing during the Discipleship Discovery Zone (Sunday School) hour 8:45 - 9:45 AM. That means, that we will need the children to be at every practice so they will feel comfortable with the program. The children do not need to memorize anything (unless they wish too). The children will be assigned parts in the play. All ages are welcome to come and have fun.

Please mark your calendars, December 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th, 8:45-9:45 AM for practice, and 10 AM for the church service on Dec. 28th. We are looking forward to having a play that everyone will enjoy! But most of all, bring the children to church. We love and enjoy them all!

We're excited about performing this play. So children, come one and all!

If you have questions, please let me know!

- Melody Hinderer

HAS YOUR ADDRESS CHANGED?
If so, please inform our church office immediately. We are charged 50 cents per address to obtain corrections from the post office. So, whenever there is an address change (even if you have not moved), please let us know as soon as possible.

ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
All voting members of St. John's (confirmed members who have communed and made a contribution of record during the current or preceding year) are urged to attend the Annual Congregational Meeting to be held on January 25, 2009 at the close of the 10:00 a.m. Worship service.

< DISCIPLESHIP DISCOVERY ZONE
Our Learning Ministry Team encourages every member of St. John's to join in DDZ each Sunday at 8:45 a.m. Participants of all age groups (toddlers through adults) will find learning experiences designed to help them understand the Bible better and apply it in their daily living. DDZ aims at helping us all grow in faith and discipleship while experiencing the blessing of Christian fellowship.

The adult group currently is engaging a course titled "Understanding the Bible", led by Bruce Young. The course endeavors to provide a framework for a holistic reading of the Bible. The group meets in the St. Stephen's Room.

The youth class (Grade 7 and above) are engaging Bible passages on the theme, "Life as God's People." Sylvia Wenner teaches this class on the second floor of the educational wing.

Toddlers through Grade 6 meet on the first floor of the educational wing and currently are participating in workshops on the theme "Wonder Stories." They are learning about the miracles of Jesus. In the month of October - through storytelling, art, science, music, and other activities - they will focus on Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4:35-41).

As you can see, DDZ offers something for everyone. Please support this learning venture by your prayers and your presence so that we all will grow as disciples of the Lord!

CATECHETICS
Please hold in your prayers our catechumens (Caitlin Barr, Raymond Corra, Kristen Opiary) and those registered for the pre-catechetical year (Brianna Corra, Megan Dietrich, Tyler Hottenstein) as they seek to grow in their knowledge of God's Word and their discipleship of the Lord. They and their families have made a commitment of faithful participation in the Worship assembly at St. John's and in Discipleship Discovery Zone, as well as fulfilling other expectations of the catechetical program. We rejoice in their gifts and their presence in the body of Christ.

ROOF FUND
Looking into the not-too-distant future (a few years, maybe), our Property Team and our Church Council are making plans for roof replacement on our church building and the parsonage. In order to prepare financially for this upcoming project, a Roof Fund has been established. For the year 2008, any offerings received in the "Improvement Fund" envelopes (found in the offering envelope boxes) will be applied to the Roof Fund. The 2009 offering envelope sets will include "Roof Fund" envelopes.

KNOT-A-QUILT NEEDS
Our Knot-a-Quilt participants continue to gather in Luther Hall twice a month (on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m.) to construct quilts which are distributed by Lutheran World Relief and bring comfort to hurting people all over the world. The group reports that they currently are in need of twin-size flat sheets(new or in very good condition) and batting. If you can donate any of these please leave them in Luther Hall, or speak with Lorraine Klinger. Also, new participants in this ministry are always welcome.(Free training is provided.)

DO YOU NEED A RIDE?
If you have been regularly absent from the Worship services in St. John's due to a lack of transportation, please let us know. Our Church Council will attempt to coordinate rides for members who need it.
So, if you wish to be added to our list of those needing rides, please phone the church office and leave a message, including your name and phone number, with Lauren or on the voice mail.

OUR 210TH ANNIVERSARY IS COMING
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church will be 210 years old in the year 2009! We are trying to assemble a team to plan and prepare for this special anniversary celebration. If you have any ideas about how we can celebrate this significant event, or if you want to join the planning team, just speak to Melody Hinderer.

Let's make it an innovative and special time in the life of St. John's filled with fellowship and a renewed awareness of our holy presence in the community of faith: the Body of Christ, at St. John's, Saint Johns.

BI-MONTHLY BIBLE STUDY
On the first and third Thursdays of each month at 6:30 p.m., our congregation provides a Bible study opportunity for adults and older youth. Participants normally gather in the educational wing and all members and friends of St. John's are welcome. The sessions last an hour and a half, are facilitated by Sister Janet, and include the opportunity for questions and discussion. Currently we are studying the Gospel of Mark. Please join us!

ONGOING MINISTRIES OF MERCY
As we enter the new year, let us continue our support of the ongoing ministries of mercy in St. John's, including:

Valley Food Pantry
Food and other needed items are collected continually in the basket in the narthex. At the end of each month, these items are taken to the pantry, where they are distributed to needy persons locally. Please check the poster in the narthex to see what sorts of items are needed, and leave your offering of food in the basket provided.
Worship Services in Butler Valley Manor
Each month, on the first Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., our congregation provides a Worship service in Butler Valley Manor (Rte. 309, across from Corporate Road). Normally, Sister Janet leads the brief service and members of St. John's are present to support the singing, assist residents in finding pages in the songbook, and share the love of Christ through their presence. All members are invited to join in this ministry of compassion and fellowship. Simply come to the Manor at the appointed time and find the worshippers gathering in the activities room.
Quilts for Lutheran World Relief
Twice a month, on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m., women of our congregation meet in Luther Hall to construct knotted quilts which are then donated to LWR for distribution to needy persons around the world. Women and men are invited to join in the work and the fellowship. Please speak with Lorraine Klinger if you have any questions about this effort.

Items for “On Wings Like Eagles” may be given to the church secretary or placed in the envelope by the church office.

Please turn in articles by the second Thursday of the month to assure being included in the next month's newsletter!

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