The CHIMES
V Phone:
540-434-3496 V Fax:
540-574-4023E-mail address: Muhlenberglc@verizon.net
V
Website:
http://home.rica.net/Muhlenberg
December 2, 2007
The First
Sunday in Advent
Selected
|
"The duty enjoined is not to watch
for Christ, but to watch ourselves to see that we are ready." B.W. Johnson,
1891 |
"Advent is concerned
with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man.
Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory
within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing
memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to
rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it
can discern the star of hope…”
Joseph
Cardinal Ratzinger,
Seek That Which Is Above,1986
Luther Quote for the Day
Great God, what do I see and hear! The end of things created! The judge of mankind doth appear on clouds of
glory seated! The trumpet sounds; the
graves restore,The dead which they contained before; Prepare, my soul, to meet Him!
Food
Pantry Donations &
Lay
Communion Ministers
Food will be received for area food
pantries and our lay communion ministers will be blessed and sent forth this
morning.
Today
at Muhlenberg
The Season of Advent
The first Sunday of Advent is the beginning of a new
church year. In our Gospel readings from
Matthew, hopeful people are urged to be ready for God’s unexpected
appearances. The sung liturgy changes,
with responses from Setting Four in our hymnal and other sources. Our Advent Wreath response comes from a South
Korean composer, Geonyong Lee, giving our liturgy an echo that Christ came for
all the nations of the world.
Advent—waiting, preparing, pondering, and
hoping as we prepare for the celebration of Christ’s coming at
O come, O
come, Emmanuel!
ADVENT
DEVOTIONALS
A Circle of Love, a family devotional for Advent may be found on the
table in the Narthex.
CONSECRATION
SUNDAY CELEBRATION TODAY
Today is the day we make our giving promises into a form of written covenant with God and for
everyone to “consecrate” or make holy their written and unwritten pledges of giving for the year ahead.
You will be asked to bring
forward your blue pledge card, which can be found in the pews, during today’s
liturgy. Join us today after the 11 am liturgy for a time of celebration and returning thanks for God’s
many blessings. A catered reception will be held in
the MAC.
Advent-ure
Sunday-TODAY!
12:30-3:00 PM in the
MAC
Come and enjoy crafts for the whole family including
making your own advent wreath with greenery and candles.
inclement Weather Policy
This notice is just a reminder to everyone to tune in to the WSVA AM 550 Radio or WHSV
Television stations to monitor church closings on Sunday mornings. We
almost never close. However, if we decide to cancel the 8:00 and 9:30
a.m. worship services, Sunday School will also be cancelled for that morning. Every attempt will be made to hold the 11:00
a.m. service but it may be cancelled if conditions are too severe. If
the 11:00 a.m. service is cancelled, the 6:30 p.m. service will also be
cancelled.
Lessons & Carols at Muhlenberg
Presented by
“The James
Saturday, December 8 at 8:00
p.m.
Mark
Your Calendar
FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT
Friday evening December 14 at
6:45 p.m., join your Muhlenberg family in the MAC as together we watch the
classic movie for all ages, “The
Nativity”. What a great way to enjoy
this season of Advent. Bring your
favorite lawn chair, blankets and pillows.
A great
way to spend a Friday evening!
A d v e n t C h
o r a l V e s p e r s
A Service of
Lessons and Carols
presented by the
Sanctuary Choir
&
Chamber Orchestra
December 16 – 7:00 p.m.
House Blessing
Pastor Emeritus K. Roy Nilsen invites his Muhlenberg
friends to a blessing of his new home on Saturday,
December 8, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m
Go-Go Luncheon
The Go-Go
group will meet at Traditions on Thursday, December 6th at 1 p.m.
Annual Christmas Concert on Friday, December 21st at 7:30 p.m. at the
Faith
Formation & Youth
(Contact
JAMers
Meet today
during the Advent-ure activities to make Christmas cookies for our shut-ins and
also make Advent-ure crafts.
Alpha Teens
Meet in the MAC following the 11:00 liturgy to help
the younger children make Advent-ure crafts.
JCREW
Meet in the MAC to help serve refreshments for the
Consecration reception. We will then go Christmas shopping for the Salvation
Army and return to the church to fill Santa Christmas bags.
Religions of the World
We will meet Today, and Sunday December 16. For more information contact Chris Arndt
(434-0452) or Darryl Nash (433-0255).
lpcm exam kit items due today
If
you have not had the opportunity to donate items to help brighten a student’s day
during exams, please contact
Marriage Enrichment
Meet
at
Fellowship Time
…
…Every Sunday morning, 10:35-10:55
in the MAC. The host
group for December 9 is the “Campus Room Adult Class”.
ATTENTION ALL CONFIRMATION MENTORS
In this season of
Advent we all prepare for the coming of our Lord as a tiny babe lying in a
manger. I would ask that each of you
take the opportunity during Advent to prepare together with your confirmand by
calling them to have a faith conversation and perhaps plan an outing
together. Sharing in the journey of
Advent with your confirmand is a blessing for both of you and a great faith
forming experience.
Have your food for the Free
Health Clinic to the church by 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 5th.
The annual Christmas party will be held at the church at 12 noon on Tuesday,
December 11th. Questions? Call Juanita Propst at 434-6804.
Will meet December 3rd
at 6:00 pm in Wayland Hall for their Annual Potluck Dinner. Note
New Time!
CRC Christmas Giving
Would you like to adopt a
child or family for Christmas, or simply donate needed items to make their
Christmas joyful? If so, please contact
the
Health
Report Update
A full Health
Report is printed monthly in
At RMH: Sue Hiner, Roy Carlberg
If you desire
a visit in the hospital or to be placed on the
prayer chain, please be sure to call the
church office.
Weekly Report
November 25, 2007
Attendance:
8:00 Worship 124 Wed.
Noon 11
9:30 Worship 130
11:00 Worship 211
6:30 Worship 10
Total 475
Total
Regular Offering: $ 7,672.00 Designated
Receipts:
Capital Campaign II...... $ 2,402.00
Use of Church Building/MAC $ 50.00
Parish Nurse Program.... $ 25.00
Marriage Retreat............ $ 60.00
Sunday School:
Second Home................. $ 65.00
World Hunger................ $ 65.00
Special Offerings............ $ 340.00
GRAND TOTAL.......... $ 10,706.56
“BUILDING THE DREAM”
Thanks to
God and the generous stewardship of the Muhlenberg Family, all outstanding debt
on the MAC, church renovations, and Garber property has been covered! All gifts received now go towards building
our new Gathering Area.
Total
received for the Gathering Area: $453,065.00
Returning Thanks Reminder
As we move
to the close of the Calendar Year, please honor your pledges and make an extra
gift to our Ministry Spending Plan and Capital Campaign Fund. Remember:
Generosity Transforms the Giver!
Daily Devotions
“Praying Our Faith Together!”
For use by individuals and families at home, at the
office, at mealtimes, over that morning cup of coffee or before bedtime. Scripture citations taken from the Three-Year
Daily Lectionary in the new ELW, pages 1121 to 1153, (Year A).
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son,
and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
(The Apostle’s Creed)
Mon. Romans
6: 1-11
Tues. Hebrews 11:32-40
Wed. Matthew 24:23-35
Thu. Acts 1:12-17, 21-26
Fri. Acts 13:16-25
Sat. John 1:19-28
Sun. Matthew 24:36-44
Weekly Calendar
December
3-December 9
Mon. 6:00
pm Ruth Sigmon Circle
Tues. 12 noon Sophie Moeller Circle
6:30 pm Celebration
Singers
7:00 pm Divorce
Care
Wed. 7:30 am Bible
Study
10:30 am No Experience
Necessary
12:00 noon Holy
Communion
5:00 pm Teen
Choir
6:00 pm WAM
Community Meal
6:30 pm Children’s
Choir
6:30 pm Gloria
Dei Ringers
6:30 pm Mary
/Martha Group
6:45 pm Teen
Theatre
7:00
pm Lutheran-Cath.
Bible Study
7:30 pm Sanctuary
Choir
Thurs. 9:30 am Joy
of Living
1:00 pm Go-Go
Luncheon
5:30 pm Partners
in Prayer
Sat. 8:00 pm JMU
Concert:
“
Sun. 8:00, 9:30, 11:00 & 6:30 Holy
Communion
9:30 am Sunday Morning
Formation
4:00 pm JAMers
7:30
pm Sunday PM Bible Study