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Glad TidingsVol. 32, Iss. 10 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Gaithersburg, MD Dec 2013/Jan 2014
ADVENT
CHRISTMAS
EPIPHANY
Pastor Steve talks about the “backwardness” of the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany season in his letter. As Christians, we start the celebration in Advent. Here at PoP, we start this celebration with sales of Gifts for Hope. Then, we are immediately observing an Intergenerational Event where all generations get to make an Advent Wreath. We continue with Wednesdays in Advent, a Christmas Cantata performed by our adult choir, and a Christmas Pageant put on by our young people helped by high schoolers and adults. To round out the season, we have our Adopted Family, Giving Tree, and Living Nativity. Our celebration is not limited to these church-wide activities. Smaller groups change their routine meetings for something different and special. The Women’s Book Group has their annual book swap while the Women’s Bible Study Group celebrates with a party and “white elephant-type” gift exchange. Faith-Full Families explores Advent in December and Epiphany in January. The children attend a birthday party for Jesus during Parents Night Out. Our celebrations do not end there. Second graders (and older) will be presented with Bibles in January. In February, we have Souper Bowl Sunday. Some of us will volunteer to help with videotape requests or Meals on Wheels. To find out more about these events and others, read on.
Prince of
Peace Calls
Pastor
Christine
Stephan to
be Associate
Pastor!
See the article on page 4.
December/January Highlights Every Sunday
8:30 am Worship with piano and guitar 9:45 am Sunday School 11:00 am Worship with organ and piano A Supervised nursery is available during all Services
Every Tuesday 10:00 am Quilters 12:30 pm Women’s Bible Study 6:00 pm High School Youth Group
Every Wednesday 5:00 pm Handbell Ensemble (starting January 15) 7:30 pm Adult Choir
Every Thursday 7:30 pm Grace Notes
Every Saturday 7:45 am Men’s Group 5:00 pm Saturday Evening Worship
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From Pastor
Steve…
Pastor Steve Buechler ([email protected];
301-869-3666)
As we celebrate the seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany in December and January, we’re really
celebrating the “backwardness” of Christian faith and experience. What I mean by this is that throughout history, “religion” has often been about figuring out how to transcend the here and now, and reach an “otherworldly” Being or experience. Religion, therefore, is often about me finding a way to God. But the experience and faith of followers of Jesus is that God is about doing exactly the opposite. “Religion” for us is not about us finding a way to God, but about how, through Jesus, God has found a way to us. Advent is the story of how God promises to come to and save people who haven’t been able to find a way to God. Christmas is the story of how God makes himself known not in the “other world”, but in this world. And Epiphany is the story of how people come to find and experience God in this life, not just the next. God is in fact, often doing things “backwards” from what we expect. And so part of our call in living into that “backwardness” is about living the Advent, Christmas and Epiphany story in our daily lives. That is to say, in Jesus, God is calling us to announce God’s promise and love for people right here and right now, not just God’s promises for people after they die. In Jesus, God is calling us to look for and experience God’s presence in the world around us, not just to look forward to the world to come. And in Jesus, God is calling us to be instruments and vehicles of his presence in the lives of our neighbors right here and right now, so that people will come to experience God coming to them, instead of fruitlessly searching for a way to God. It’s a way of life that’s backwards from the way many people think “religion” should work. But it’s the way God works, and it’s the way both we
and our neighbors can come to experience the living presence of God right here and right now. Yours in Christ,
CHRISTMAS SEASON!
Adopted Family
Prince of Peace is adopting a less fortunate family in our neighborhood for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The family consists of consists of two parents and three children living on Muddy Branch Road. Peg Welborn and other volunteers work to make sure the family members have coats and other warm clothing. They will also provide groceries for the holidays so our new neighbors will share in God’s bounty.
Giving Tree
Make a child’s Christmas joyful! Each year, PoP members can select a child’s name from the Giving Tree and purchase a special Christmas gift for him/her. The City of Gaithersburg sponsors the program and this year, the Social Ministry Committee is working with Rachel Carson Elementary School to provide a happy Christmas for selected students and their siblings. The delivery date will be posted in the Sunday Bulletin as soon as we have confirmation. Gifts should be brought to the church wrapped with the identification card securely attached to the package. You will see the tree up in the narthex very soon!
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Gifts of Hope—Shop, Receive, Give Would you like to give a unique gift to your loved one this Christmas season? Would you also like your purchase to benefit those in need? You can do both with a purchase of a Gift of Hope. Your Gifts of Hope purchases will bring hope to others while you honor those on your gift list. Gifts of Hope is an alternative gift program for members of congregations in the Metro DC Synod that benefits 10 Lutheran-sponsored social service agencies, 2 church camps, 2 educational institutions, and 3 global Companion Synods. Instead of going to the mall to purchase a gift for someone that they neither need nor want, purchase an "alternative gift" through this ministry to honor the individual and the actual item goes to someone who needs the gift. For example, traditionally, a child might give a box of candy to her teacher at Christmas. Alternatively, the child might give her teacher a Christmas card that tells the teacher that a pair of school shoes has been made available to a needy child as a Gift of Hope. The Gifts of Hope Catalog has 40 different gifts, with prices ranging from $5 to $250. For each gift you select from the catalog you will receive a Christmas card to present to your honored loved one. The card will include a description of your purchased gift and beneficiary organization. Give the card and gift description to your honored loved one. Your Gift of Hope is guaranteed to benefit those in need and to please those on your shopping list. Gifts of Hope will have a table in the Narthex the weekends of 11/30, 12/7 and 12/14.
Make an Advent Wreath for Your
Home
We’ll have everything you need to create a beautiful Advent wreath during our Intergenerational Event on December 1 between services (9:30 – 11:00) in the Fellowship Hall. This annual event replaces Sunday School. Your $5 donation for candles helps offset the cost of this event. Please bring your wreath form if you have one. When you are finished enjoying your wreath, please place the foam ring and candle holders in the box in the narthex. Questions?
Contact Janet Levine ([email protected]).
Wednesdays in Advent
Join us each Wednesday in Advent (December 4th, 11th and 18th) for soup and salad suppers at 6:15 p.m. followed by Holden Evening Prayer at 7:15 p.m. See sign-up sheets in the Narthex to volunteer to bring food, or contact Lisa Woodard ([email protected]).
Faith-Full Families
Faith-Full Families’ Advent event will be held Thursday, December 5 from 6-7:30 in the Fellowship hall. Families with pre-school – elementary age children, and their siblings, are invited for dinner, crafts, a Bible story and fellowship. Sign up in the narthex, email Judy Bruening or just come! We will provide a main dish. If you would like to bring a side dish/salad or a dessert sign up in the narthex or let Judy know. If you just have younger children you are welcome to join us for fellowship, too.
Our Epiphany event will be held Thursday, January 16
th.
Questions? Contact Judy Bruening ([email protected]).
Parents Night Out
Parents! Drop your kids off at a special PNO on Saturday, December 7th from 6-9 PM. We will be having dinner, working on some crafts, watching a movie, and celebrating the birth of Baby Jesus. This will give you a chance to rest, relax, and enjoy a little downtime. Please sign up in the narthex. Email to follow with details! High School kids are welcome and encouraged to help out. Good will donations are accepted to support Work Camp.
Christmas Cantata
Come listen to PoP’s Adult Choir perform a Christmas Cantata with String Chamber Ensemble and Kelsey McDonnell on Sunday, December 8 at 4:00 pm.
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There will be a reception following the performance. Donations of fruits, sweets and other finger foods would be greatly appreciated, as well as help with set-up and clean-up for this event. If you can donate food or help out, please sign up in the narthex or contact Lisa Woodard ([email protected]).
"The Not-So-Silent Night"
What was the verdict in a Bethlehem courtroom when the gavel sounded 2000 years ago? How would three young shepherds know they were "disturbing the peace" when they shouted God's praises after visiting baby Jesus? The "trial" will be presented at 6:00 pm, Sunday, December 15 in the sanctuary at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church by an array of witnesses, attorneys, a judge, angels of all ranks, a Prince, shepherds and animals. Witness the verdict firsthand. An experience you won't want to miss. Smiles are predicted. Dress Rehearsal (audience welcome) will be Saturday, December 14, at 6:00 pm. Cast and crew arrive at 5:15 pm both nights.
Living Nativity
Look for the Living Nativity coming each evening Dec 19 – 22.
UPCOMING EVENTS
“Souper” Bowl Sunday
Already dreaming of eating pizza, wings, and chips while watching the Super Bowl on February 2? Before rooting for your favorite team in front of the television, be sure to root for your team at PoP by donating cans of stew or soup to be given to Gaithersburg Help. Drop off your stew/soup in one of the boxes decorated for the final two teams. The count will be made to see who PoP attendees think will win. Let’s make sure that the winner is Gaithersburg Help!
RECENT NEWS
Prince of Peace Calls Pastor
Christine Stephan to be Associate
Pastor!
At a Special Congregational Meeting on November 3, Prince of Peace unanimously voted to call Pr. Christine Stephan to serve as our Associate Pastor, and Pastor Christine has accepted our call! We are very excited to have Pastor Christine join us in ministry and look forward to her beginning her ministry with us on Christmas Eve. Pastor Christine was ordained in 2009, and has served as Pastor at Epiphany Lutheran Church in Burtonsville since that time. Pastor Christine has also helped out at Prince of Peace in the last year, leading our Women's Bible Study and helping with worship leadership on Saturdays once a month. You can learn more about Pastor Christine by checking out her bio (poplutheran.org/aboutus/Christine_Stephan_Bio.pdf) and reading her blog (christine-tinydartfrog.blogspot.com) Please plan to worship with us on Christmas Eve as we welcome Pastor Christine!
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RECENT EVENTS
More fun pictures from our Halloween Party and Trunk or Treating!
Big Church Clean
Several members volunteered to help clean and spruce up our church building on Saturday, November 9 for the Christmas season.
Habitat Volunteers
On Saturday, November 9th
POP volunteers helped with the construction of the new Maple Hill Townhomes in Gaithersburg being built for low income, needy families by Habitat for Humanity. Please recognize our volunteers for their help with this project: Ken Prather, Chet Wolejsza, Pastor Steve, Danielle Curtiss, Will Smith, Cathy Mattax, Chris Michel, Stuart Barr and Lesa and Steve Sullivan. The day was spent framing walls for these new townhomes. We all had a great day helping with this very rewarding project. 19 Townhomes will be ready in the summer of 2014 with the help of volunteers like those from Prince of Peace. Stay tuned for upcoming volunteer opportunities with Habitat.
Joyful Noise
On Sunday, November 10, Joyful Noise from UM Campus Ministry blessed us with their music.
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Sending Care in a Sweet Way
Care cards and Rice Krispy Treats are on their way to 28 POP college students. Youth and Social Ministry worked together to create the goodies on Tuesday, November 12th. It took 12 batches of treats to fill all the packages. Many thanks to our cooks - Jackson Malmgren, Cassidy Solomon, Jennifer Maloney, and Sharon Wahl. Thanks also to Chris Schaefer and AJ Oddo for making sure that every student received a card, Elizabeth Cockerham for promoting the effort, Tom Kettler for taking the packages to the post office, and to all the POP members who wrote care cards to our students.
Fall Festival and
Silent & Live Auction
On Saturday November 16, Prince of Peace held our first Fall Festival. The event was coupled with our annual Silent & Live Auction and had a goal of raising money for PoP as well as attracting new families. It was a chilly fall day but that didn't stop the fun. Tons of new faces attended the event and the church was filled with children of all ages. There was face painting, pumpkin chunkin, pie eating contests, and apple bobbing. The children loved all of the games but one of the most popular events was the "throw a whip cream
pie at AJ".
After trying all the games, the crowd headed into the church for a live performance by The Great Zucchini. Both adults and kids roared with laughter! At 5pm there was a child
friendly service followed by dinner and the live auction. The event was a huge success. It raised over
$4000, was attended by many members as well as new family and friends, and most importantly was a GREAT day of fellowship! Thanks to all the people
that donated items and/or helped to make the event a success. We especially want to thank the auction team: Astrid Crookshank, Lori Kohne, Richard Farrar, Susan Soileau, Jamie Pflasterer, Chris Schaefer and AJ Oddo. Also, thank you to Cora Barr for doing an amazing job at auctioneering; to the youth for helping run the games, especially to Tony Wimmer for building our pumpkin chunker; to Gordon Gipe for running
around to help us capture the event through pictures; to Shafer Smith (Chesapeake Barbecue) for donating the delicious BBQ; and to Lisa Woodard and
the Fellowship team for pulling together an amazing dinner. So many people helped to make this event a success. We look forward to making the Fall Festival an annual event for PoP.
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YOUTH MINISTRY
Parents:
Bible Presentation Weekend
Bible Presentation Weekend will be January 25th
- 26
th. Second graders and older children through
6th grade who have not yet received a Bible from Prince of Peace will receive their Bibles during worship. If your child is between 2nd and 6th grade and has not yet been presented a Bible, please contact Janet Levine ([email protected]) so that we have an inscribed Bible ready.
Sunday School: December Schedule
Regular Sunday School classes will be held on 12/8 and 12/15. Enjoy the Intergenerational Event on 12/1 and celebrating the season with your family and friends at home on 12/22 and 12/29!
POP Handbell Ensemble for
Children 1st-6th grade
Now Forming!
Sign up in the narthex or contact Danielle Drobny (240-498-5874, [email protected]). Rehearsals will be held Wednesdays, 5-5:45pm beginning January 15. We need a minimum of 8 participants so please join us!
Student Corner
This column is dedicated to the extra activities our youth participate in outside of Prince of Peace. Please remember to submit any and all information by the deadline for Glad Tidings to Martha Rogers ([email protected]) – thanks! Please keep all our youth in your prayers and support their endeavors outside of PoP!
Upcoming Youth Events
Please refer to the website calendar or the Youth Ministry bulletin board for details about events throughout the year. Also, don’t forget that the High School youth meet weekly on Tuesdays from 6:00-7:30 pm. If you have any ideas or would like to volunteer, please contact Kim Drissel (301-349-
2848; [email protected]).
Money for Nothin’?
Did you know the church recently received a check for more than $170 from GoodSearch.com? Thanks to everyone who has been using this portal for online searches and shopping! It’s really an easy way to help with our youth fundraising. With Christmas coming (and all the shopping it seems to involve) this is a great time to sign up and participate with GoodSearch and GoodShop. You can help generate funds for searching and shopping you already do! Here’s how to help with the fundraising program: GoodSearch is a Yahoo powered search engine which makes a donation to us each time you do a search. GoodShop.com works with more than 2,500 stores (including Target, Toys R Us, Apple, Petsmart and all our favorites) and every time you purchase something, a percentage will be donated to us! And, even more exciting, GoodShop also offers over 100,000 of the most up-to-date coupons and free shipping offers so you can save money at the same time. It’s win win. Get started by going to GoodSearch.com and enter Prince of Peace Lutheran – Gaithersburg as your favorite cause. Use the toolbar to set GoodSearch as your homepage so you never forget to help PoP each time you need to run a quick search or make an online purchase. Pass the word to family, friends, colleagues and neighbors.
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ADULT EDUCATION
Pot Luck Christmas Luncheon for
PoP’s Women’s Bible Study
Women’s Bible Study will wrap up their weekly meetings for the year on Tuesday, December 3 at 12:30 pm with a final discussion and a Potluck Christmas Luncheon in the Fellowship Hall. Please bring a food or dessert item to share. We will also have a fun Gift Exchange for those who want to participate. Gifts can be handmade, a white elephant, or a new item – limit of $5 to be spent on the gift. Also at this meeting we will be discussing study options for the New Year study which will begin Tuesday, January 7 at 12:30 pm. For more info, please contact June Herron ([email protected]), Susan Victor ([email protected]) or Pastor Christine ([email protected]).
WITNESS MINISTRY Cookie Brigade
The Cookie Brigade is looking for fresh faces to help bake and deliver cookies -- it's a great way to get to welcome our visitors and help spread the word about Prince of Peace. Interested? Contact Susan Muma ([email protected]) for more info.
FELLOWSHIP
Men’s Book Club The POP Men's Book Club is taking off December but will return to action in January with Bart Ehrman's Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. "The book introduces lay readers to the field of textual criticism of the Bible. Ehrman discusses a number of textual variants that resulted from intentional or accidental manuscript changes during the scriptorium era." We will meet Thursday, January 16 at the home of Chet Wolejsza. RSVP to cwolejsza@aol. All men of POP and their male friends are warmly invited to join us for fun and fellowship.
Women’s Book Group
Celebrate Christmas with a very special gathering for Women’s Book Group. Nancy Morton hosts the event on Thursday, December 12, at 7:30 pm. The evening includes our annual book “exchange;” to participate, simply bring a new or gently used, wrapped book that you would recommend. We will also discuss The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. Susan described the book on Amazon.com: “A tragic tale of a young Irish girl whose childhood is forever changed by the death of her parents aboard a ship bound for America...This book is beautifully written about a desperate time in history.” All POP women are welcome to attend one, two, or all book group gatherings. For December, RSVP Nancy ([email protected]). If you would like to receive email reminders, please send an email to Jennifer Maloney ([email protected]). Future Dates, Book Selections, and Hosts: January 9
th – Still Alice by Lisa Genova, hosted by
Deborah Dixon February 13
th –Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a
World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain, hosted by Jennifer Maloney March 13
th-The Astronaut Wives Club: A True
Story by Lily Koppel, hosted by Gina Linton April 10
th-The Language of Flowers: A Novel by
Vanessa Diffenbaugh, hosted by Nancy Wolejsza May 8
th-The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty,
hosted by Lisa Woodard June 12
th –The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier,
pool party hosted by Susan Victor and Joan Kowalik
Women’s Luncheon
The Women's luncheon will begin a new year of fellowship in 2014! On Monday, January 13th at 11:30 am all women of POP are invited to come to Sherry Schiebel's home for the first Women's Luncheon group meeting. Please bring a sandwich and something to share. For questions please contact: Sherry Schiebel at 301-977-2620.
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PoP Playgroup
PoP Playgroup ended up at the church the same time that the German brass band arrived, so they kindly showed us an instrument! Sam Gibson and his mother Lauren were the only ones who were able to make it to the playgroup in October. Here is what Lauren saw Sam experience: The gentleman played his instrument for Sam, who was curious, and then taken aback when it made such a loud sound. The man showed him the valves to touch, with the idea that he would blow into the instrument and Sam would press the valves, thus changing the notes. But Sam did not want to get that close when the man could make the loud sound again. Once he put the instrument down, Sam investigated the valves. Finally, they found a good working distance with the back of the chair between them. It's cold outside - but the fun doesn't stop! PoP Playgroup will next meet on Saturday, January 25 at 11am in the church nursery, after a short holiday break. We'll sing songs, play silly games, and then have a short devotion and snack together. (Check out the PoP Birthday Party for Jesus (12/7) and Christmas Pageant (12/15) show for preschool fun in December!) On Saturday, February 22 the playgroup will meet at 11am at the Meadowside Nature Center at 5100 Meadowside Lane in Rockville. The nature center has an indoor play area with snakes, insects, and fish to view - and multiple hands-on activities to explore. PoP Playgroup is a great way for families and their babies/toddlers/preschoolers to connect with each other. Please contact Jamie at [email protected] or Lauren at [email protected] for more info!
HELP WANTED
We have an immediate need for people to create and edit short video clips of interviews, PoP events, ministry in action, etc. These short videos will be used to tell PoP’s story and the good ways that we make a difference in people’s lives. A video camera that records electronically is needed. This position does not require a long-term commitment and can be done on a project by project basis. Ideally, creating a team of people who enjoy creating and/or editing videos would be fantastic!! Please contact Jean Bernstein ([email protected]; 301-922-0969) if you are interested. Thanks!!
LET’S CELEBRATE POP!
We’re HERE FOR GOOD! and we’d like you to share how PoP has made a positive difference in your life by being videotaped for a Mission Moment. These short videos will be shown during our weekend worship services as a way for us to be informed of all the good that PoP does. If you’d like to share your story, please contact Jean Bernstein ([email protected]; 301-922-0969). Thanks!
GAITHERSBURG MEALS
ON WHEELS, INC.
VOLUNTEER DRIVERS NEEDED: Gaithersburg Meals on Wheels has an urgent need for drivers to deliver hot lunches and cold suppers weekdays at lunchtime to the elderly and shut-ins in the Gaithersburg area. Meals are prepared at Asbury Methodist Village, 333 Russell Ave., and picked up by drivers between 10:45 and 11:30 a.m. Monday-Friday. Containers are provided for carrying the meals, and delivery takes about one hour, with 8 to 12 clients on each route. Volunteers are asked to drive either once a week, or once every other week. Children are welcome to accompany parents. Training is provided. Please call 301-216-4200, or Lisa Koenig at 301-869-0190.
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COMING UP…
December 1 – Advent Wreath-Making 5 - Faith-Full Families 7 – Parents Night Out – Happy Birthday, Jesus party 8 – Christmas Cantata 14 - Christmas Pageant Dress Rehearsal 15 – Christmas Pageant 19-22 – Living Nativity 22 – No Sunday School 22 - POP Rocks Tree Decorating 24 – Christmas Eve 25 – Christmas Day 25-27 - Church Office Closed 29 – No Sunday School 31 – New Year’s Eve January 1 – New Year’s Day 5 – Epiphany Sunday 5 – Sunday School resumes 13 - Women's Luncheon 16 – Faith-Full Families Epiphany event 25 - POP Playgroup 26 - Annual Congregational Meeting 26 – Bible presentation
February 2 - Souper Bowl Sunday 21 - POP Family Game Night 22 - POP Playgroup
COLOR ME!
Glad Tidings is published monthly (July/August and
December/January issues combined) by:
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
11900 Darnestown Road
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878-2210
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.poplutheran.org
Senior Pastor ………………………………… Steven Buechler
Support Pastor……………………………………… Dave Pearcy
Youth & Family Minister…………………… Chris Schaefer
Council President ………………………………… Jim Bostrom
Glad Tidings Editor…………………………… Martha Rogers
Production ……………………………………… Martha Rogers
Photography ………………………………………… Gordon Gipe Articles for the February issue of Glad Tidings are due January 19, 2014. Please e-mail articles to Martha Rogers at [email protected]. Photos and/or graphics are welcome! Glad Tidings is online at www.poplutheran.org.
© 2013 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church