NEW HANOVER UMC Christmas “Eve Eve” and Christmas Eve … · Christmas “Eve Eve” and Christmas Eve Services. Celebrate the birth of our Savior with . our special Christmas

NEW HANOVER UMC

December 2018 Newsletter

Inside this Issue:

2018 Christmas Offering

Pastor’s ViewPoint

What a Blessing

Blue Christmas Service

People Talk

Kids to Kids at Christmas

Miller Keystone Blood Drive

The Animals Thank You

December Calendar

December 3 - Miller Keystone Blood Drive, 2:00 - 7:00 pm, Chapel

December 5 - Platter with Chatter, Christmas Entertainment Extravaganza & Cookie Exchange, Chapel, 12:00 pm

December 7 - KidSit, 5:30 - 8:30 pm

December 17 - Blue Christmas Service, 7:00 pm, Chapel

December 22 - Regular worship service, 5:00 pm, Chapel

December 23 - Regular worship service, 9:00 am only,

December 23 - Christmas “Eve Eve” Candlelight Services 5:00 pm & 7:00 pm

December 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Services 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm, 7:00 pm & 11:00 pm

Christmas “Eve Eve” and Christmas Eve Services

Celebrate the birth of our Savior with our special Christmas Eve-Eve and Christmas Eve Candlelight Services. We will host six candlelight services, Sunday, December 23 “Christmas Eve-Eve” at 5:00 & 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary and Monday, December 24 “Christmas Eve” at 3:00, 5:00 and 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary and 11:00 pm service in the Chapel. The 5 & 7 pm service on Christmas Eve-Eve (12/23) and the 3, 5 and 7 pm service on Christmas Eve (12/24) are family-friendly with a time for the children and share in birthday cake after the services. The nursery will be open and childcare is available for children 5 and under at all services except for the 11:00 pm service.

There are many opportunities to serve for the Christmas Eve services. From handing out candles and programs, ushering and greeting, being a parking lot attendant, serving at the Welcome Desk, helping clean up between services to providing food for all our volunteers

who serve on Christmas Eve. If you would like to serve for one or more of these services, stop by the Christmas Central table in the church lobby beginning the weekend of December 8 & 9, or contact Liz Buckwalter at [email protected] or by calling the church office 610-323-2353.

*Sunday, December 23 at 5:00 pm willbe interpreted for the deaf.

2018 Christmas Offering by Pastor Ricky Ayala

As we prepare for the two Christmas Eve-Eve Services (12/23) and the four Christmas Eve Services (12/24), I want to remind you that we give away 100% of the Christmas Eve offering to organizations in need. This year, our focus is on one local and one global ministry which feed those less fortunate. They are Operation Backpack and Seeds of Promise, respectively.

New Hanover UMC provided an offering eight years ago when Operation Backpack started its ministry and they are still going strong today. This ministry currently serves six school districts (Pottstown, Pottsgrove, Boyertown, Upper Perk, Spring Ford and Norristown High School, 32 schools all-

*Please note abbreviated regularworship schedule: On Sunday,December 23, there will be one serviceat 9:00 am only in the Sanctuary.

Pastor’s ViewPoint

Senior Pastor, José “Ricky” Ayala

We just finished the “Attitude of Gratitude” sermon series last weekend. We had the opportunity to thank our veterans and volunteers, and to be thankful for God’s blessings.

We should celebrate that one of the greatest blessings in our lives is found in Jesus Christ. As we transition from Thanksgiving into the Advent season, we are so excited to share the next sermon series titled, Who Needs Christmas? it starts this weekend and will run until Christmas Eve services.

I ask that you start praying now for all the services, volunteers, staff, and all those who will enter our doors to worship. Let them experience the love, joy, and peace of Jesus.

I also ask that you consider coming to the Christmas Eve-Eve services, in order to free up seats for guests who will come on the 24th. We offered the same worship program and sermon at those services last year and we had over 700 attend. Let’s make this a tradition and see our church continue to grow.

Have a Merry Christmas,

~Pastor José “Ricky” Ayala

2018 Christmas Offering...continued from page 1

together). Last year, during the 2017-2018 school year, Operation Backpack served 325 students and sent out 6,111 backpacks, equaling 42,777 meals! Our donation will help to purchase food and buy backpacks and supplies for the program. There’s also a possibility for this ministry to move into all the schools in Norristown. If it comes to fruition, they would be looking into buying a van to transport the backpacks to the schools.

As for the global ministry, this past summer my daughter, Jannineris and I had the opportunity to travel to Africa to see the ministries this church has supported throughout the past years. I came across UPI Malawi’s Seeds of Promise. Their goal is to utilize their farmland to grow crops that will feed the children, volunteers and leaders, other UPI ministries, and local villagers.

The following is from Maclean Onsewa: “We need to dig a well estimated at $5,000. The well will be used to collect underground water for irrigation and consumption. To date, we don’t have a good source of drinking water on the farm. The well will supply water to the 10,000 liter tanks on the water tower, which will be used to irrigate 3 greenhouses.

We are building a farmhouse and we need support for the finishing phase estimated at $10,000.

As of now, youth training in the village takes place under a tree. One of the rooms in the house will be used as a training centre. The farm house will host interns and visitors that will come to volunteer and work on the farm. During summer camps, it will be used as place where meals can be prepared. It will also act as a place for a farm manager who will oversee work on the property.”

Our goal for the offerings for all six services is $50,000. Anything above this amount will be divided up between

the local ministries to further their outreach to those in need. I want to thank you in advance for what you plan to give in the offering plate when you come to worship. We will provide the results in the January 2019 SeedSower.

Greenhouses

Seeds of Promise Pond

Unfinished Farmhouse

Pastor Ricky, Maclean Onsewa & Jannineris

Unfinished Farmhouse

People TalkVaughn Everett, son of Jason Tempesta & Katherine Harvey was baptized on November 25 at the 10:30 am service.

Addison Elizabeth, daughter of Sean & Stephanie Kane was baptized on November 18 at the 9:00 am service.

Norah Rose, daughter of David & Coren Strawbridge was baptized on November 18 at the 10:30 am service.

Jack Leonard, son of Eric & Stacie Albitz was dedicated on November 18 at the 10:30 am service.

A huge thank you to Teresa Mantle, Allison Roberto & Diane Shultz who organized and led Operation Christmas Child this year. Thank you to everyone who donated shoe-boxes.

Thank you to everyone who participated and donated to our “Season of Giving” outreach projects which included; Operation Backpack and the Boyertown Salvation Army Food Drive

Thank you to the Craft Show team led by Nancy Henry for another successful event! Thank you to all the volunteers who helped with set-up and break-down of this event.

Thank you, Sarah Hershberger, Darlene McIlvee and Helen Reichert for coordinating and heading up the Craft Show Luncheon and Bake Sale.

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped decorate the church for Christmas and to John & Debbie Major for coordinating the volunteers and delivery of the Christmas trees!

Blue Christmas Service by Ana Gallardo

What a Blessing! by Liz Buckwalter

Not everyone feels merry and bright during the holidays. When our hearts are heavy, it can be difficult to enter fully into the joy of Christmas. In the midst of celebration, our pain often seems more pronounced and we feel even more alone.

This Blue Christmas service is a time set aside for those who are feeling ”blue” looking for acceptance, hope and healing. On this night we create a sacred space to acknowledge the pain that is present in so many lives. Most

importantly, it is a time for remembering the hope we have in Jesus Christ. He is the light that the darkness can never put out. Please join us on Monday, December 17 at 7:00pm, New Hanover UMC in the Chapel. For additional information please contact Ana Gallardo, Coordinator of Lay Pastors & Stephen Ministers at [email protected] or at 610-323-2353.

Many thanks to everyone who donated to our November Season of Giving opportunities.

Three hundred and thirty shoe-boxes were collected for Operation Christmas Child on November 18 with additional boxes coming in throughout the week of Thanksgiving. The shoe-boxes will bless children throughout the world and will give them the opportunity to learn about Jesus and also will share the love of Christ with those who receive one of these boxes.

Our church also participated in Operation Backpack and the Boyertown Salvation Army Holiday Food Drive. Operation Backpack provides food to students in our community who would go without food over the weekend. The Boyertown Salvation Army Holiday Food Drive helps feed those less fortunate in the local area over the holidays. Thanks to your overwhelming donations we were able to provide both organizations with car loads of food.

We will never know the number of lives that will be changed because they have received these gifts and food, but what we do know is that our giving comes from the heart and from the love of Christ.

May God Bless each of you this holiday season and fill your hearts with the

peace, joy and love that God has shared with us through the birth of his son and our savior Jesus Christ.

610-323-2353 - Church 610-327-9096 - Creative Moments

610-327-9207 - FaxE-mail: [email protected]

Web Site: www.newhanoverumc.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/

NewHanoverUMC

José “Ricky” Ayala, Pastor

Gil Vining, Pastor for Outreach

Todd Pearage, Pastor for Students& Their Families

Jake Marshall, Pastor for Worship

Rob Petro, Pastor for Congregational Care

Curt Erb, Coordinator of Human & Financial Resources

Amy Bates, KidMin Director

Heather Wallace, Director of Life Groups

Kristin Schmidt, Creative Moments Director

Ana Gallardo, Coordinator of Lay Pastor & Stephen Ministers

Liz Buckwalter, Administrative Mgr., SeedSower Editor

New Hanover UMC

New Hanover UMC2211 Swamp PikeGilbertsville, PA 19525

Address Service Requested

Miller-Keystone Blood Drive

Our final blood drive of 2018 will be held on Monday, December 3 from 2:00 - 7:00 pm in the Chapel. Sign-up online at www.giveapint.org or after services in the lobby. Walk-ins are welcome!!! For more information contact the church office at 610-323-2353.

Kids to Kids at Christmas by Carol Carroll

Creative Moments Preschool and Daycare is once again working with The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities to collect t o y s for kids in need at Christmas. The Cluster, as it is commonly referred to, is a non-profit organization that has served the Pottstown area since 1971. They provide various services such as a food pantry, community meal program and financial assistance, and supportive service projects.

Five years ago Walter Ostromecki, a long time church member, contacted Creative Moments and asked if the students and their families would be willing to participate in a Toy Drive. From late November to early December two large collection boxes were placed in the school’s lobby. The boxes would be filled and collected about 8-10 times over that time period. The items were for children newborn to

16 years of age. The toys had to be new and unwrapped. The donated gifts were collected by Walter and then distributed by the Cluster to about 300 children.

For many families who can’t afford to spend money on toys, this project has been a blessing. It is a way for The Creative Moments’ children to feel like they are making another child happy and that it is better to give than to receive during the Holiday season.

The Animals Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who donated items to the Montgomery County SPCA at the Blessing of the Animals and throughout the month of October. Thank you to Elin Perate who organized the collection.