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Upcoming Dates
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12/24 - Christmas Eve Worship Services @ 5pm, 7:30pm & 11pm.
12/28
No Sunday School.
1/17
PACEM begins.
2/27
Women's Retreat begins.
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Worship Schedule
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Saturday 5:00pm - contemporary worship Sunday 8:30am - worship 9:45am - Sunday school11:00am - worship Wednesday prayers noon Christmas Eve
Candlelight Services5:00, 7:30 & 11:00pm |
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Hope Rising
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The world around us hungers for deliverance, for
release, for hope. If we were to try to respond to these overwhelming
needs in our own strength, we would not last more than a moment. We
also are human beings in need of God's grace. We are not worthy to
stoop down and untie the sandals of the Messiah, but he stoops down to
wash our feet. He is the one who brings good news to the oppressed,
lifts up the brokenhearted and releases those in bondage...and he lives
among us still.
John told them, "I use water to baptize people. But
here with you is someone you don't know." Hope is here now, hope
lives, but often we don't recognize it.
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Christmas Miracle Offering
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"The LORD will bring about
justice and praise
in every nation on earth,
like flowers blooming
in a garden."
- Isaiah 61:11
People from the community of Peace are involved in many global activities. Some of us have traveled to Honduras, India, West Africa or Haiti to provide medical, construction and technology assistance. Others of us have provided financial support toward these mission trips and to these global mission partners. The trips and the partnerships they've led to wouldn't be possible without the support, encouragement and prayers from the whole community of Peace.
One of the things we hear over and over again from those returning from a mission trip is the feeling that they have received far more than they gave. In these landscapes of third world poverty, it seems almost miraculous to witness the abundant praise given to God for every blessing and the unrelenting hope in God for their future.
How does this global garden of justice and praise grow? The Christmas Miracle Offering is one way that Peace helps God plant seeds of justice,
praise and hope throughout the world. The global recipients for this year's Christmas Miracle Offering are located in Haiti and India.
Haiti
The Grison-Garde Orphanage and School is suffering from food shortages and other economic hardships due to recent natural
disasters. Here's a sample of their list of needs:
· An orphan can be sponsored for one year for about $800.
· Back packs can be purchased in Haiti for about $10 each. Many of the kids walk miles in the heat to get to school and most do not
have backpacks.
· A sack of rice costs about $60 and will provide about 30 servings to the poor.
· The orphans and students need new uniforms which cost $10 to $15 each. These are made in Grison-Garde, so it provides income
also.
· A commitment to purchase a gross of eggs a week for the orphans would be a nice addition for their diets. Eggs go for about $.25/ egg.
· A commitment to supply whole powdered, fortified milk would be terrific. Cost is high: $28 for a big can which yields about 20 liters, but it would be worthwhile.
Centre Sante Lumiere Hospital has found that for the first time in years, the surgeon who is available once a month to provide low cost
operations is not booked due to the lack of money. The operations (hernia, hysterectomy, mastectomy, etc) typically cost $250-$400.
Incomes are about $40/month, so this may represent either 10 months income or the selling of a donkey or cow.
India
The New Life Association (NLA) in India is delivering direct aid to Christian refugees from Orrisa who have seen their churches and homes burned and destroyed by extremists. From Philip Timoti of NLA, "Yes we are having some work in the places where the riots are going on. We have planned to go to those places where the persecuted Christians are migrated. We are raising some funds to do some relief work among them. What ever you like to do you can do to NLA and we will be blessing people there."
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Advent Happening
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On Sunday, December 21st, we invite you to a large group, intergenerational Advent experience. There will be music, our own Peace version of the Family Feud, shared Christmas traditions, an improvisational Christmas pageant, and FOOD. All of this will take place during the Sunday School hour (9:45-10:45) in place of our traditional Sunday School programming.
Laurie Niestrath is organizing a special Christmas tea for the morning, and is also inviting everyone to bring 2 dozen cookies for a Christmas cookie exchange! (This is optional - not your ticket into the event! We will let you munch even if you don't bring cookies!)
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PACEM
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Peace will once again be housing homeless women through PACEM from January 17 to 30. These women will be staying in our Fellowship Hall each night from 6:00pm until 7:00am. While they are with us we will feed them dinner and breakfast; provide them with a warm place to sleep, shower and wash clothing; and offer them hospitality, assistance and acceptance.
In order for Peace to provide this service to our community, we will need many helping hands during these two weeks. We will need help setting up cots, preparing and serving meals, collecting supplies, serving as overnight hosts, transporting linens to be laundered, visiting or offering assistance to the women and cleaning the church each weekend.
Please consider how you can offer your time and talents to this endeavor. There will be sign-ups in the narthex over the next few weeks. There will be an orientation meeting in early January to discuss plans and details.
Contact: Sue Mueller, 973-0998 or muellers@embarqmail.com
When: Saturday, January 17 thru Friday, January 30
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