Belle Valley Belle Newsletter - December 2009

The Pastor's Searchlight
Our Mission & Outreach Committee and the Deacons Need Your Help! As Christmas approaches, there will be several projects to participate in as a part of our church’s outreach efforts continue: 1) The Mercy Center for Women & Children Gift Tree (where you can take angel tags from the foyer tree, sign those tags out, and purchase gift suggestions for women and children who are cared for by this shelter program as they move in the direction of self-support—return gifts by 12/13); 2) The “Breakfast with Santa” Outreach Event (held Dec. 12 @ 8:30am, for families of our church, the Mercy Center for Women, and our summer VBS program)—can you help in the kitchen or with other details? Please contact Kim Ragen (825-4554); 3) The Protestant Campus Ministry Gift Basket Auction (fundraiser for campus ministry @ Behrend University—you can help by preparing a themed gift basket to donate to the auction, held December 5 @ Smith Chapel; last year we donated 6 baskets ourselves!—please bring in baskets to church by Nov. 29 if at all possible!). We’ll continue providing all the details to these efforts via the bulletins/email as we get them. If you have any questions, please contact me (397-1861), Deacon moderator, Kim Ragen (825-4554), committee chair, Clay Woodring (899-1245). Keep seeking God’s wisdom for creative ways we can reach out to the folks of Belle Valley with the gospel message of Jesus Christ. When God inspires you, let Clay or Pastor Dave know so that we can begin praying and planning for the results together!!
Yours In Christ, Dave
reved87@verizon.net

Don’t forget! The Deacons have special envelopes in the pew racks for all those who wish to donate to their caring & assistance ministry during communion Sunday each month.

We continue with our Advent Celebration series: Love Finds a Voice in Bethlehem!
In the birth of Jesus Christ, heaven’s love found a voice on earth. That voice—God’s infant voice—spoke in languages that draw us into a right relationship with God. That voice continues to speak in languages that influence and guide our own relationships with one another as well. Over the weeks leading up to Christmas we will translate and interpret those languages (time, affirmation, acts of service, physical touch, and gift-giving) as we prepare our hearts and homes for Christ’s coming. **CRUCIAL NOTE: Mention will be made in the series of a Five Love Languages Profile test which can be taken by anyone. It will allow you the opportunity to discover and define your own personal love language preference (based on personality type) and those of your loved ones. This test can be accessed (for free) at: www.afo.net/hfw-lovetest.asp . We encourage you to go online and test yourself in preparation for this series! Advent Series Family Devotional guides are available in the foyer!
Dec. 6 (Communion) 2nd Sunday of Advent: The Christmas Language of Affirmation!
Dec. 13 (Youth Chimes Choir performing!) 3rd Sunday of Advent: The Christmas Language of Acts of Service!
Dec. 20 4th Sunday of Advent: The Christmas Language of Physical Touch!
Dec. 24 (Youth Chimes & Chancel Choirs performing!) Christmas Eve: The Christmas Language of Gift-Giving!
Dec. 27 (Penny Sunday) Christmas Carol-Sing! Come and join in a worship service devoted to praising God through the rich tradition of our Christmas Music heritage! Listen as we share great stories behind some of your favorite carols and carol-writers!

The Worship Committee Is Preparing the 2010 Worship Schedule! If you were on the 2009 volunteer schedule and wish to continue, do nothing and we’ll include you. If however, you wish your name to be removed from involvement in the worship calendar for this next year, please contact Stacey Simons (881-1323). If you haven’t been included on the worship calendar prior to this and wish to be involved (as ushers/greeters, liturgists, acolytes, or nursery volunteers), please contact Stacey (881-1323) to get your name on the list!

Communion and worship guidelines in light of the flu season:

• wash hands before and after worship/communion…try to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before & after communion.
• Stay home when sick. Cover noses and mouths with tissue when coughing/sneezing (or shirt sleeve/elbow if none available).
• Try greeting everyone with a hand to the upper arm/shoulder, instead of hugging or shaking hands; avoid touching your face, eyes, etc. with your hands.

Any Church Family Needs… sickness, hospitalization, funeral reception after the loss of a loved one, financial need, etc. Please contact the Deacons through Kim Ragen (825-4554 or 392-5831) or contact Pastor Dave (397-1861) if concerned about anonymity! We also need to ask you all to confirm your birth date w/Kim (including the year, as we don’t want to miss anyone’s landmark birthdays (80th, 90th, 100th). Also if any one has any health issues that the Deacons should be aware of, please contact Kim or Sandy McConahy (825-5400). Are you or anyone you know in any kind of emotional crisis or grief over loss (of loved one, employment, mobility, independence, etc.)? We have access to trained Stephen Ministers who can journey alongside you as you face your crisis or loss. A SM is a gifted listener/encourager just for you alone, without cost, and completely confidential. Contact Pastor Dave for more information (397-1861 or email at reved87@aol.com).

Please pray for: (Please contact us with any changes to or removals from this list) Buzz & MaryAnn Stein, Joshua Schallet (swine flu), and his daughter Anna (challenging birth defects), Kunith family, Randy Traut, Scott & Michelle Feeney, Eileen Picheco, Carol Lehr, Stoops family, Mae Lichtenberger, Mikey Nedreski, Jen Askins, Pauline Syder, Craig Rogers, Sarah Kuhn, Stephen Kerchansky, Bill Toomey, Jerry Marzka II, Ken Holtz, Rusty Kerr’s family, Harold Peterson, Kristen Respecki, Eileen Cullen, Shuhart children, Clarke Leasure Jr. & Sr., Kim Drake, George Wellsby, GE employees, Indonesian earthquake victims, armed services personnel around the world (especially John Mark Hofmann, Blake Myers & James Hudson), the Ft. Hood victims & families; peace & healing in the Middle East, and in Darfur (Sudan); and the Gulf reconstruction. Presbytery prayer list: Revs. Jim Moelk, Stephen Morse & Viktoria Berlik (cancer), Harmonsburg church, Cooperstown churches (Ken Hall, CLP), Elder Elizabeth Montgomery (Moderator of Council). To contact the prayer chain, call Norma Hitchcock at 825-7513. Belle Valley’s Prayer Chain Ministry Needs YOU! Our prayer chain is in need of some new members. This ministry is called upon whenever there is an emergency prayer need brought to our attention from members. If you would be available to be a “prayer warrior” to offer prayer for those in need whenever asked, please contact Norma Hitchcock (825-7513) or Pastor Dave (397-1861) for more information!

Belle Valley’s Recycling Ministry Needs YOU! Unloading the newspaper trailer onto a delivery truck normally takes place on the 2nd Friday each month (Dec. 11) at 4:30pm, and the 2nd Saturday (Dec. 12) at 8am. If you can be available to help with our recycling efforts each month, then contact Charlie Blanchard (825-3925) for more information! New recycling criteria please take note: only aluminum cans (no longer accepting plastics, glass or metal cans), newspaper, cardboard.

A Huge Thanks to the Deacons and Mission & Outreach Committee…and all of YOU! to all those who participated in the Operation Christmas Shoe-box Project (providing Christmas gifts for needy children overseas)…and all those who voluntarily took angel tree tags to provide Christmas gifts for the women and children of the Mercy Center for Women! Thanks to the Deacons and the M & O Committee for coordinating these special projects!

Dec. 5, “Hanging of the Greens,” 9:30am (donuts & coffee/juice), followed by decorating the church for Advent. We need your help! This is great and quick fun the more hands we have!! So Please come!!

Dec. 12, “Breakfast w/Santa,” 8:30-10am, invite all children you know to this wonderful outreach event (cost: $2, free for 5 and under)—games, music, gifts, crafts, pictures w/Santa!! Please use this event as an opportunity to reach out to kids and families around you (your neighbors, co-workers, friends, etc.)!!!

GHANA-Bound! Lake Erie Presbytery Exploratory Mission Trip The Mission and Social Witness Committee is coordinating an exploratory mission trip to Ghana Feb. 21—March 9 (western coast of Africa) to meet with Presbyterian Church leaders from Ghana. Plans have been made. 9 people have been recruited to explore this new international mission partnership, including Pastor Dave. Having said that, each participant will need to help raise approximately $2,200 to make the trip. We ask your help in supporting Pastor Dave and the team—First with your prayers, and then if you would like to financially support this effort, please contact Rev. Dave for more details (397-1861) on making a fully tax-deductable donation! Trip expectations: 1) Be willing to be gone for 14-15 days in Spring. 2) Be willing to engage a different culture and discern whether there would be value in establishing an International Partnership with the Presbyterian Church in Ghana. 3) Be willing to attend some orientation time in the next few months. 4) Be able to pay for the cost of the trip. (Total cost of the trip will probably be $2,200 to $2,300. The presbytery will support each traveler with $200.) 5) Be willing to interpret the trip to neighboring congregations following the trip. If an agreement is reached to enter into this new international partnership it would be the desire to have the participants help to develop this partnership in coming years. This is an exciting possibility! The committee is praying for the team to foster a deeper understanding of the global church w/our Ghanaian neighbors! Dream big for God is always doing a new thing! Questions? Contact Pastor Dave (397-1861)

Letter from Jesus: (Submitted by Char Napierkowski)
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town. Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks was. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15:1-8. If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:
1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up...it will be nice hearing from you again.
4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.
7. Instead of nit-picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.
8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary—especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.
9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.
10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.
Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember: I LOVE YOU, JESUS

Any Church Family Needs… sickness, hospitalization, funeral reception after the loss of a loved one, financial need, etc. Please contact the Deacons through Kim Ragen (825-4554 or 392-5831) or Pastor Dave (397-1861)!