december 2013

DECEMBER 2013 Volume 27.12

St. John’s

United Church of Christ

St. John’s is a community of faith centered in Jesus Christ, seeking

guidance and direction through the Holy Spirit, and demonstrating

God’s love to all people in words and deeds.

An Open and Affirming Congregation

503 Stuart Circle

Richmond, Virginia 23220 Telephone: 804.358.9291

Email: [email protected]

Web Site:

stjohnsrichmond.org

Published monthly © 2013 St John’s UCC

From Rev. Tom Gerstenlauer...

Merry Christmas from the St. John’s Staff...

Greetings friends,

Advent begins. Here’s a favorite song of the season, made popular by Perry Como. Hope you know it but if not, it’s on YouTube.

Blessings!

Crazy things, said and done every single day but one Every night should, I believe be the same as Christmas eve

Nights should all be silent, days should all slow down An end to the hurry, the noise and the worry

And I hope you believe that too

It's Christmas, remember? Does no one remember? The whole world needs a Christmas dream

We need it to warm us, to calm us, to love us

To help us to dream our Christmas dream

2 The Messenger | December 2013

...from the President The Ministry plan for 2014 was discussed for the final time and voted on by council and was presented for a Congregational vote on November 24th. As of the vote, we have committed pledges of approx-imately $100,000 toward our goal of $126,000. We thank those who have pledged and encourage those that have not, to please do so. With God’s help, we will continue the work of St’ John’s UCC. We encourage you to choose one or more of our endeavors and be active! As a community of people working hand in hand with God, Richmond will be a better place due to our efforts. The Council voted on the following people to form the Search Com-mittee for our new pastor. These members have committed to this job and we thank them. They will be meeting during the next 12-18 months to make a recommendation to the congregation. This group has a responsibility to us and will be asking for your help as to your special needs and desires in a new pastor as they complete a church profile. The group will be reading many profiles of candidates and will not be discussing this with you, as all this information is confidential to the group. You will receive updates as to their progress during the months to come. If you have questions or concerns about this procedure, please discuss them with Betsy Bighinatti. Search Committee members: Elisabeth Burnette- Co-Chairman; Don Steigler- Co-chairman; Justin Barbour, Sam Dalton, Kristina Gil-bert, Jeff Jacobs, Desiree McNeice, Rob Osborn, Lynn Snyder, The following will act as consultants during the process: Rev. Lex Tartaglia, Rev. Tom Gerstenlauer The old boiler has been removed along with the asbestos in the area. The new hot water boiler will be installed during the first week of December. Our existing boiler has been serviced and is providing heat for us at this point. If you have any questions or concerns about maintenance issues in the church that you please contact Richard Bighinatti at church or at 804-502-1005. Council and I wish you all a blessed holiday season. May God Bless you all. Betsy Bighinatti Council President

Members of Church Council Betsy Bighinatti, President Jeff Hetzer, Vice President

Helena DeLigt, Secretary Bryan Anderegg Marjorie Barbour Allen Caraher Teresa Jolles Desiree McNeice Kenn Shirley Dreama Terrill Bill Watson Karen-Marie Yust

Members of Pastoral Relations Committee

Lex Tartaglia, Chair Elisabeth Burnette Marjorie Barbour

Billy Poarch

RELATIONS COMMITTEE

To our ministry

As we enter the time of Advent and prepare our-selves for the birth of our Savior, my time here at St. John's is coming to a close. I would like to thank every one of you for the open welcome I received here. When I look at the faces in the pews or in the fellowship hall now, I know little bits about some of you, and would have liked for it to be a lot more. Thank you for your support and friendliness, the way you welcomed me and embraced me, and the way you helped to carry me through this experience of learning. I believe that St. John's has a lot to offer to interns, and I hope that this may be one of the ministries you will stay involved in. May God bless you and keep you, now and always, as I will carry you in my heart and in my prayers.

Thea

Sunday, December 22, 2013 After Worship!


The Christmas Tree in the Parlor has ornaments with gift suggestions for families. Please take a paper orna-

ment, purchase the item listed, wrap it and use the ornament as the “Gift Tag.” Then return the gift to Church and place it under the tree NO LATER THAN Sunday, December 15th. St. John’s Mission Elves will deliver the packages in time for Christmas. In addition, you are invited to place hats, mittens and/or scarves under the tree to be delivered to the William Byrd Community House in January.

William Byrd Community House Donations (WBCH) December 15 Our younger youth church school class will continue to organize and deliver all donations to WBCH. Don’t forget that on the third Sunday of each month, we receive contributions of non-perishable food items for the William Byrd Food Bank. Ask for a shopping bag with a shopping list attached from a member of the Welcome Team when you come to worship.

Richmond PAL Concert Here December 15 We hope you will come out and support the Richmond Police Athletic League’s Christmas Concert that will be held here, in our sanctuary, on Sunday, December 15th at 2:30 pm.

CROP Hunger Walk Thank you to all who made this year’s CROP Hunger Walk a success. St. John’s hosted over 100 people, who raised over $7,000 (funds are still coming in ) for both local hunger-relief agencies and Church World Services’ global hunger relief efforts. St. John’s had a total of participants at the walk and the SJUCC CROP Team raised over $500! Participants from St. John’s not only walked and raised money but they setup tables, posted signs, managed a water-station, organized, cleaned-up, welcomed guests into our church and much more! A special thank you to our youth and youth-leaders/parents who installed signs for the walk-route during their “lock-in.”

On Christmas Eve, December 24th, we will receive an offering for retired United Church of Christ ministers and their surviving loved ones. For 109 years, the Christmas Fund offering for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund has been a means by which the members of the United Church of Christ live out the mandate to be Christ’s body in the world. The Christmas Fund is one of four Special Mission Offerings received annually in the UCC. It is a ministry of compassion and care to those who have served our church. Please reflect upon the ways your life has been touched by a pastor, Christian education director, church secretary or minister of music, and consider a generous gift to honor and assist others like them in difficult times.

December Offering to Support Circle Center Thirty-six years ago, St. John’s and four other Stuart Circle churches worked together to create the Circle Center, an adult day care center that has now grown into the biggest and best organization of its kind in Virginia. The Center provides a way for frail or functionally impaired older adults to continue living at home with their fami-lies instead of in a residential institution. Its participants receive professional care during daytime hours, including an innovative, Montessori-based activity program for those with dementia.

The Center uses donations from individuals and organizations to provide scholarships for Richmond families and to make up the gap between costs and Medicaid reimbursement.

On Sunday, December 15, Executive Director Lory Phillippo will be here to tell us more about the Center’s ministry and to invite our financial support. Please listen, pray and be generous!

Helping Typhoon Victims If you would like to help with the aid to the Philippines you may contribute at any time. The money will be contributed, along with monies collected by our sister church in Chesterfield County, to the Asian American UCC Church. Rev. Tom has talked with the Pastor of this church, Rev. Jun Jumandre regarding these gifts.

St. John’s UCC

Advent Wreath Making To help families mark the season of Advent at home, children will be making or receiving a variety of age-appropriate Advent wreaths during church school on December 1. Toddlers will enjoy a stuffed wreath with candles that attach with Velcro. Preschool and younger elementary children will make an Advent door hanger with stick-on flames. Older elementary children and youth will decorate actual wreaths with wax candles that families can light each evening. If your family will miss church school that Sunday and would like a kit to complete your child’s or grandchild’s project at home, let Julia know.

Retelling the Nativity Story

Children and youth will spend the season of Advent exploring the story of Jesus’ birth and preparing to retell that story in the annual Christmas pageant Sunday, December 22. During the church

school hour, we will practice a French carol, He is Born, and focus on the important role played by the angels and shepherds in celebrating the first Christmas. Tony Sharpenstein will also be working with the children during December to help them learn their parts for the nativity play. Parents and grandparents, we need your help to get children to church each week so they will be comfortable with the song and their parts in the play. Watch your email for additional information from Julia about rehearsal times in addition to church school practices.

Observing the Christian season of Advent can be a great way to resist some of the craziness created by endless gift shopping, party responsibilities, decorating binges, and overwhelming expectations for a perfect Christmas. Pick up a copy of Taking the Advent Story Home and let the short reflections and suggested activities provide a respite from the holiday chaos. There are ideas provided for every day. No matter the size or makeup of your household, Taking the Advent Story Home has something to help you remember the Christ child amidst the market-driven holiday whoopla.

The Messenger | December 2013 4

Keeping the

Christmas Grinch at Bay

Singing the Christmas Story

with Handel

Join members of St. John’s women’s group on Sunday, December 8 on a trek to Bon Air Presbyterian Church’s Messiah sing-along. The singing begins at 4 p.m., with orchestra and soloists, and members of the audience joining in on the choruses. Non-singers are also welcome. BAPC is located at 9201 W. Huguenot Road. For more information or to discuss carpooling to the event, contact Karen-Marie Yust by email ([email protected]) or phone (804-380-8670).

mailto:[email protected]


St. John’s Financial Picture YTD as of 10-30-13

Have You

Turned In Your

2014 Pledge?

Budget Actual

Income

Pledge Payments* $100,000 $89,359

Cash Offerings $16,667 $26,778

Other Income (Endowment Contributions $121,421 $122,957

Parking Lot Rental, Wedding Income, etc.)

Total Income $238,088 $239,094

Expenses

Personnel 150,189 138,591

Committees 17,283 14,468

Operations/Maintenance 95,117 93,081

Local Benevolences 7,563 5,899

Other 7,275 7,275

Total Expenses 277,427 259,314

Income/Expenses Total (39,339) (20,220)

surplus (deficit)

* 55 pledging households.

SJUCC 2014 Proposed ExpensesTotal Expenses $328,855

Personnel $167,374

Committees $22,191

Operations $71,850

Maintenance $50,540

Local Benevolences $7,300

Membership Dues $9,600

SJUCC 2014 Proposed Income Total Income $272,050

Pledges $126,000

Cash Collections $23,200

Parking Lot Rentals $18,500

Endowment Fund $85,000

Weddings $8,400

Fund Raisers $3,650

Local Benevolences $7,300

Total expenses: $328,855 Total income: $272,050


December Lectionary Readings

St. John’s United Church of Christ

Dec. 1 First Sunday of Advent 11:00am Communion 5:30 pm Care Group 1 6:00 pm Care Group 6 Dec. 8 Second Sunday of Advent 11:00 am “Blue Christmas” Last day to order poinsettias Dec. 15 Third Sunday of Advent 10:00 am Play Rehearsal 12:30 pm Christmas Tea 2:30 pm PAL Concert here Dec. 22 Fourth Sunday of Advent 10:00 am Play Rehearsal 11:00 am Christmas Pageant Dec. 24 Christmas Eve 10:30 pm Christmas Eve Service (music, candle light, carols, scripture, communion) Dec. 25 Christmas Day

First Sunday of Advent December 1, 2013

Isaiah 2:1-5 Psalm 122

Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:36-44

Second Sunday of Advent December 8, 2013

Isaiah 11:1-10 Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

Romans 15:4-13 Matthew 3:1-12

Third Sunday of Advent December 15, 2013

Isaiah 35:1-10 Psalm 146:5-10

Luke 1:47-55 James 5:7-10

Matthew 11:2-11

Fourth Sunday of Advent December 22, 2013

Isaiah 7:10-16 Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

Romans 1:1-7

Matthew 1:18-25

First Sunday after Christmas

December 29, 2013

Isiah 63:7-9 Psalm 148

Hebrews 2:10-18 Matthew 2:13-23

http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=277











7 The Messenger | November 2013

The Fellowship will host the Christmas Tea, a favorite holiday tradition at St. John’s, on December 15th following worship. Bring a guest and celebrate the joyous season. This is a special tradition that brings joy to those who have been faithful in their love of the church across the years. Volunteers will be asked to provide food for the occasion. Please note there will not be a Fellowship Meeting in December or January.

The Gift of

Generosity This holiday season, we thank everyone who has supported St. John’s this past year with their time, talent and financial contributions and look forward to support from all of our members in the year ahead. If you need a convenient way to make regular offerings or if you plan to make an additional gift before the end of the year, we encourage you to look into our electronic giving op-tions. As the pace of life speeds up, especially around the holidays, you may find electronic giving a most welcome way to make contributions. Visit www.stjohnsrichmond.org or contact Bud Higgins at 804-301-5059 for more information.

One extra week to order Poinsettias! Each year we have lovely poinsettias on display in the chancel area during the Christmas Season. If you wish to order a poinsettia in memory of or in honor of a loved one IT IS NOT TOO LATE! Please complete the form found in the bulletin or call the church office. The cost is $12.50 per plant, and you may take it home after the completion of the Christmas Eve Service.

Ordering Deadline: Sunday,

December 8th

Covenant Care Groups Over the past several weeks most all of the Covenant Care groups have met, and those who have not yet have scheduled their first gathering. It is clear to me that our capacity to care for one another and cultivate a healing community at St. John's is well served by this program for congregational life. I look forward to continuing to work with the church in this way, as the body of Christ.

Rev. Tom

Please find a substitute if you are unable to perform your ministry and contact your team coordinator AND the office to let them know who will be filling in for

you. Thank you for making our church ministries run smoothly!

Welcome Team

Leader

Sound System

Acolytes Lay Readers

Fellowship

Hosts Nursery Helpers

Tellers Facilities

December 1

Justin Barbour

David

Pittman

Josh Lyle

Bryan Etter Elisabeth Burnette

Ken Shirley Richard Yuk

Melissa &

Dan Mascher

Adrianne Dery

Billy Poarch

Justin Barbour

December 8

Justin Barbour

David

Pittman

Josh Lyle

Sal Anselmo

Joe McGregor

Johanna Gilbert

Vivian White

Chris Miles

Adrianne Dery

Billy Poarch

Justin Barbour

December 15

Lynn Snyder

Dreama Terrill

Hank Allen

Cammie Allen Eddie Allen

Melissa & Dan

Mascher

Christmas

Tea

Laura Totty

Denise Martin Bud Higgins

Joe McGregor

December 22

Lynn Snyder

Dreama Terrill

Hank Allen

Cammie Allen Eddie Allen

Christmas

Play

Laura Totty

Marjorie &

Justin Barbour

Denise Martin Bud Higgins

Joe McGregor

December 29

Bill Watson

Mark

Atkinson

Savannah

Quick Ashley Quick

Cammie Allen

Chris Etter

Sarah Allen

Martha Cook

Rob Osborn

Tony Sharpenstein

Bill Watson

December 1 December 8 December 15 December 22 December 29

June Moore Mary & Fritz

Will

Lynn Snyder Poinsettias Poinsettias Poinsettias

To order fresh flowers to be placed on the altar in honor of a special occasion or person or in remembrance of someone, please sign-up on the flower chart on the

bulletin board in the hallway near the nursery or contact Sonny Darnell at 743-7528 or [email protected]

$45.00 for two beautiful bouquets.

Fellowship Coordinator: Sal Anselmo 358-1696 Tellers Coordinator: Bud Higgins 301-5059 Lay Readers Coordinator: Sal Anselmo 358-1696

1

2 3 10 am Staff Mtg.

11:30 am NA Meeting

4 5:00 pm Card Ministry 5:30 pm NA Meeting 5:30 pm Mission &

Outreach 7:00 pm WEBS

5 11:30 am NA Meeting

7 pm Choir Rehearsal

6

7 9 am –4:40pm NA

8

9 Church Council 7 pm

10 10 am Staff Mtg.

11:30 am NA Meeting

11 5 pm Card Ministry

5:30 pm NA Meeting

7 pm WEBS



13

14 8:30 am India Orthodox

Church

15

16

17 10 am Staff Mtg.

11:30 am NA Meeting

18 5 pm Card Ministry

5:30 pm NA Meeting

7 pm WEBS


5:30 pm Worship & Music


20

21

22

23


CHRISTMAS EVE 10:30pm Worship Service

25

26 11:30 am NA

Meeting

Church Office Closed

27

28

29 9:45 am Christian

Formation

11 am Worship

30 31 10 am Staff Mtg.

11:30 am NA Meeting

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS

2 Robert Wieckmann

2 Ulysses Hall

3 Jeff Hetzer

6 Jennifer Erkulwater

6 Catherine Jacobs

7 Anita Sharpenstein

9 Chris Burnette

9 Patricia Mutia

9 Logan Vass

14 Eric Hetzer

14 Mary Miller

16 Julia Eliades

21 Leigh Caraher

21 Sharon Machrone

22 Christine Krausse

27 Dean Eliades

28 Gloria Van Houten

29 Chris Etter

29 Kyra Miller

29 Lacy Miller

31 Iola Miller

December 2013

9:45 am Christian Formation

11 am Worship Communion

5:30 Care Group 1 6:00 Care Group 6


11 am Worship Blue Christmas

12:30 Intern Committee


10 am Play Rehearsal

11 am Worship Noon Christmas Tea 12:30 Facilities Mtg.

2:30 PAL Concert here


10 am Play Rehearsal

11 am Worship Christmas Play

december 2013

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