katherine’s candor - wordpress.com · 11/12/2017 · if there are christmas heart songs that are...
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Sunday Worship Themes
December 3 -
Advent 1: Mary’s Song
Luke 1:46-55
Pastor Phil preaching
December 10 -
Advent 2: Zechariah’s Song
Luke 1:68-79
Pastor Katherine preaching
December 17 -
Advent 3: Choral Proclamation
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Luke 1:46b-55
Adult Choir
December 24 -
Advent 4: Angel’s Song
Luke 2:14
Pastor Phil preaching
Christmas Eve Celebration Service:
Detectives of Divinity
Isaiah 11:1-9; Revelation 21:1-7;
Luke 2:1-20
December 31 -
Sunday after Christmas:
Simeon’s Song
Luke 2:29-32
Pastor Phil preaching
Katherine’s Candor
Throughout the Advent and Christmas season, we look forward to
the opportunity to continue to sing one another’s heart songs with our
congregation’s favorite Christmas music. The music of Christmas
especially evokes meaningful memories, of childhood Christmas Eve
programs, of caroling for friends and family, of beloved Christmas songs
that represent the joy and festivities of the season for us.
The Gospel of Luke seems to lend itself very well to our Advent worship
series, as within the birth narratives of Jesus, there are four songs (known
also as the “Lukan canticles”) sung throughout the two first chapters of Luke.
The first Sunday of Advent will focus on Mary’s Song in Luke 1:46-55
(also known as “The Magnificat”). The second Sunday of Advent will center
around Zechariah’s song from Luke 1:68-79 (also known as “Benedictus”).
For the third Sunday of Advent, the Adult Choir will lead us in worship,
also focusing around the text of Mary’s Song. The fourth Sunday of Advent
will focus on the Song of the Angels from Luke 2:14 (“Gloria in excelsis
Deo”). And the Sunday after Christmas will focus on Simeon’s song from
Luke 2:29-32 (also known as the “Nunc dimittis”), which is sung at the
Temple after Simeon meets the infant Jesus.
If there are Christmas heart songs that are especially meaningful to you,
please let me know, so that we can be sure to sing as many of these favorite
carols as possible during the Advent and Christmas season. We look forward
to singing the songs of the season together in worship, so that we can join in
the song of the heavenly host: “Glory to God in the highest! And on earth
peace, good will to all!”
~Pastor Katherine
Wednesday Evenings at Tabor:
Detectives of Divinity
Christmas at Tabor December 3, 3:30-5:30 pm:
Parsonage Open House
Join us for some fellowship and refreshments
during this festive season! ~Phil and Mary
December 3, 6:30 pm:
Christmas Hymn Sing at Tabor
Please bring cookies for the social to follow.
December 9, 9 am:
Tabor Mennonite Women’s Christmas Breakfast
All women and girls are invited to the fellowship hall
to celebrate Christmas. Karen Andres and Marcene Entz
will bring the program.
December 10, 7pm:
Goessel Community Christmas Brass at Alexanderwohl Mennonite
Come enjoy an evening of fellowship and with the McPherson
Community Brass Choir under the direction of Jerry Toews along
with the Goessel High School Elbiata Singers under the direction of
Andrew Voth! An offering will be received during the service to
support the ministries of the Goessel Ministerial Alliance.
December 17: Choir Program during Morning Worship
The Adult Choir will proclaiming the Good News through song.
December 24, 6:30 pm:
Christmas Eve Celebration Service: Detectives of Divinity Come early to hear the piano and organ prelude by many different children.
December 30:
Worship followed by Fellowship Time.
Service begins at 10 am. Please bring Christmas goodies to share.
Christmas Giving Opportunities
Christmas Giving Tree The Goessel Ministerial Alliance Christmas Giving Tree project: Tags will be available on the tree at the Crossroads Credit Union on November 28 and gifts are to be returned by December 15. Here is an opportunity to help everyone have a blessed and happy Christmas!
Tabor Church Food Pantry Gift boxes will again be assembled for families that we have assisted through-out the year. Your gifts of food and mon-ey will go to help fill the boxes and pur-chase hams, fruit, and gift cards to Keith’s Foods to be used for perishable items. If you would like to assist with packing boxes, call the church office for details.
Advent Giving: MCC Relief Kits Multiple situations of crisis around the world such as Syria, Iraq and Ukraine have depleted MCC's warehouse inventory. Please help MCC replenish its supply to continue responding to needs around the world. Relief kits provide valuable supplies to families whose lives have been disrupted by war or disaster. Items for MCC Relief Kits will be collected throughout Advent. Shopping lists are in your church mailboxes. Please bring items to give during the Sunday morning offering or place in the basket in the foyer.
Christmas Eve Offering will be received to help with shipping costs for MCC Relief Kits. Please make checks payable to Tabor Mennonite Church with MCC Relief Kits on the memo line.
Phil’s Ponderings:
‘Tis the Season…for Giving
Throughout the months of November and December each year, we are
each presented with many opportunities to give money and items to support
many wonderful and worthwhile causes. In the past weeks, we have had
opportunity to give money to support the Tabor Mennonite College Task
Force, Bethesda Home, the “whale” playground at Camp Mennoscah, the
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Meat Canner, the church budget,
the building project, the Goessel Ministerial Alliance, and purchasing toys
for refugee children in Ecuador. In the coming days and weeks, we will
have more opportunities to give: to the church building project and budget,
to support our Mennonite Mission Network Mission Partners, for MCC
Relief Kits, to the Tabor Food Pantry, and to the local Christmas Giving
Tree project. And, in addition to all of this, many local organizations are
requesting financial contributions on “Giving Tuesday” and throughout
December as they near the end of their fiscal years. ‘Tis the Season…for
Giving, not to mention all the Christmas gifts that will be purchased and
given away in coming weeks.
While all of these many opportunities to give money and items may seem
overwhelming to many people, I choose to see this season of giving as a
gift. This is a season in which we are constantly reminded and encouraged
to give generously to support other people and ministries taking place both
locally and globally. In the midst of a culture where so many people focus
on themselves, this is a season to focus our time, attention, and money on
others. And, this season of giving reminds me that our church budget that
we just passed at our congregational meeting does not accurately reflect the
complete benevolent giving of our congregation. Yes, we support many
worthwhile ministries through our church budget. And, we also support
many other worthwhile ministries beyond our church budget! This season
of giving is a gift, a reminder to think beyond ourselves and give what we
can to support others.
Thinking of gifts, the Advent and Christmas season is the time each year
when we reflect on God’s greatest gift given to humanity: the gift of Jesus,
God’s Son, the Messiah. In this season, we anticipate celebrating the birth
of Christ Jesus, who came as a helpless baby and then fled as a refugee,
who lived in poverty throughout his life, who taught and embodied the
ways of God’s upside down kingdom through service, compassion, and
love, who died a shameful death. In this season of giving, we celebrate
Jesus, who gave his whole live for the benefit of others and also taught us
how to truly give. You see, Jesus didn’t call us to give 10% of our time,
talents, and treasure. Jesus didn’t ask us to follow him half way. Jesus
called us to give our whole lives to follow him, to proclaim and embody
God’s kingdom like he did, to serve others with compassion and grace.
Jesus called us to give 100%, which impacts all that we are and all that we
do and say. Therefore, in this season of giving, as we anticipate celebrating
the birth of Christ, let us continue giving generously to support many
worthwhile ministries, and let us give our whole selves to following Jesus
and living the way of Love.
~Peace, Pastor Phil
Karina Brandt: Journey International
Christmas in Ecuador:
“Karina says one of the main things she wants for Christmas is just mail and communication from home,” says, Jill, Karina’s mom. “We’re finding that mail takes weeks or more.”
Consider sending Karina a Christmas card and/or a note along with good wishes. Her address is:
Karina Brandt Cond. Puertas de Hierro, Casa 5 Ave. Galo Plaza Lazo No. 45-310 Código Postal 170503 Sector el Inca Quito Pichincha Ecuador
MCC
Meat
Canning
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31
Pastor Rosie
Sabbatical begins
and continues
through March 1
Deacon
Christmas Party
9:30 am
Worship
10:45 am FF
3:30-5:30pm
Parsonage Open
House
6:30pm
Christmas Hymn
Sing
9:15 am
Community Prayer
10 am
Staff Meeting
Wednesday
Evening Activities
TMYF:
Giving Tree
Shopping
12 pm
Newton Lunch
Bunch
9am
Tabor Mennonite
Women
Christmas
Breakfast
9:30 am
Worship
10:45 am
Faith Formation
6:30pm
Christmas Brass
9:15 am
Prayer
10 am Staff Mtg
11:30 am
Tabor Ladies
Lunch Bunch
Wednesday
Evening Activities
TMYF:
Caroling
TMYF:
Christmas Party
9:30 am
Worship
Choir Proclaimation
10:45 am
Faith Formation
9:15 am
Community Prayer
10 am
Staff Meeting
Wednesday
Evening Activities
10 am
Stories & Stuff
Newsletter Items
Due
5-6pm
Commodity
Distribution @
Goessel Church
9:30 am
Worship
10:45 am: FF
6:30 pm
Christmas Eve
Celebration Service
Rusten Schroeder & Susan Merrifield December 10, 17 yrs.
Stan & Nancy Ediger December 16, 55 yrs.
Warren & Sheri Schmidt December 16, 28 yrs.
Alvin & Wilma Schmidt December 20, 65 yrs.
Larry & Dora Goerzen December 26, 45 yrs.
Bill & Sherry Unruh December 27, 31 yrs.
Brent & Pamela Abrahams December 27, 17 yrs.
Dan & Kathryn Smith Derksen December 27, 19 yrs.
Cleo & Faye Koop December 28, 43 yrs.
John & Laura Goerzen December 28, 3 yrs.
1 - Lavonne Hermstein
Mandy Funk
2 - Susan Goerzen
3 - Clifford Bartel
Mary Alderfer
4 - Darrel Schroeder
5 - LeNora Duerksen
Helen Schmidt
7 - Mark Seibel
8 - Ron Goerzen
Marcia Zuercher
Sarah Goertzen
Abigail Johnson
10 - Teresa Kennedy
Sharon Schroeder
Bob Unruh
11 - Frank Ashley
Venita Schroeder
12 - Nathan Ensz
13 - Rollin Schmidt
15 - Devin Schroeder
Corynn Nickel
16 - DeLome Schmidt
Dale Alderfer
Sheldon Goerzen
19 - Kent Jantz
Logan Wulf
Philip Schmidt
21 - Stan Goertzen
Mary Schmidt
22 - Joshua Goertzen
23 - Sophia Abrahams
24 - Grace Regier
Vickie Schmidt
Sherry Unruh
Denise Nickel
Alex Drake
25 - Brooke Haxton
26 - Brenda (Rollin)
Schmidt
Duane Adrian
Lina Unruh
28 - Deanne Franz
Shane Goerzen
Colton Diller
Ruth Peters
Daniel Graber
29 - Kristie Graber
Carolyn Schmidt
30 - Phyllis Regier
Eldon Pankratz
31 - Ben Schmidt
Tabor Church Calendar
Bulletin announcements are due on Thursday mornings, 8am.
10 am
Worship
Christmas
Fellowship to
follow worship
Tabor Serves at New Hope Shelter
Pastor Phil on vacation
Pastor Katherine on vacation