Newsweekly for Sunday, December 31, 2017

      Comments Off on Newsweekly for Sunday, December 31, 2017

Worship this Sunday, December 31

Worship Series: Let it be new

Worship Leader: Brendon Derstine

Song Leaders: Matt Hunsberger and Angie Clemens

Preacher: Jennifer Davis Sensenig

Children’s Story: Duane Miller

Scripture Readers: Jim and Anna Smucker, Adrienne Griggs

Pastoral Prayer: Jennifer Davis Sensenig

Advent Candle Lighters: Travelers Small Group

Prelude/Offertory: Carlson family

Musicians: Eric Olson-Getty, Alex Clemens, Jim Clemens, Matt Carlson

Scripture: Isaiah 61:10-62:3, Psalm 148, Galatians 4:4-7, Luke 2:22-40

Bulletin: 123117-bulletin.docx

 

Upcoming CMC Events

Sun, Dec 31                  Christmas breads, 8:30 am; Worship, 10 am, No Sunday School

Fri, Dec 29- Tues, Jan 2  Church office closed

Wed, Jan 10                   Women’s Bible Study, 8:30-10 am, Room 109

Thurs, Jan 11                 CMC Seniors, 6:45 pm, Fellowship Hall

 

CMC Events and Announcements

No Church Recess. There will be no supervised church recess for children during the worship service on December 31.

Church Office Closed. The church office will be closed Friday, December 29-Tuesday, January 2.

Pastor Schedules. Pastor Jason and Pastor Jennifer will be traveling to visit family the week of December 25-29. If you have an urgent pastoral care need during that time, you may contact Pastor Dayna at 919-236-9796.

Christmas Breads on Sunday, December 31. On Sunday Dec 31, all are invited to bring Christmas breads, leftover cookies, or other breakfast treats such as egg casseroles and fruit to share before worship. Hospitality committee will provide coffee and tea. Coffee will be ready at 8:30 am.

Offering on December 31. Donations collected during the offering in the December 31 worship service will be counted towards the 2017 budget and tax year.

Church Office Hours. Please note that regular church office hours are generally 9 am-4 pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and 9 am-1 pm on Tuesday and Thursday.

First Friday Art Event at CMC. There will be a First Friday art event at CMC on January 5, 2018 from 5-8 pm. David Kreider will be opening an exhibit and there will be music and refreshments. More details to come!

CMC Women's Bible Study Beginning in January. Not everyone is available 8:30-10 am on Wednesdays, but we think some of us are.  CMC will sponsor a women's Bible study on Wednesday mornings beginning Jan 10th.  Our Bible study and conversation will relate to the scriptures included in the previous Sunday's worship service. The first series (Jan 10-Feb 7) will focus on Treasures in Clay.  The second series (Feb 14-March 21) will focus on Lent.  Childcare will be provided.  Please RSVP to the church office if you're planning to join us!

CMC Seniors Event. On Thursday, January 11 at 6:45 pm (note starting time), the CMC Seniors will have our own travelogue with members from the CMC Seniors group who have enjoyed travels in 2017.  Travel with Dwayne and Pat Martin as they enjoyed the National Parks of the Southwest and the Oregon Coast.  Enjoy the adventures of Tim and Ruth Jost to Poland as they connected with Mennonite history, Sam and Vi Miller on their recent trip to Cuba with MEDA, spring tulips and travel to Holland and Belgium with Larry and Wilma Miller. The presentations and pictures will be kept to 15 minutes so we can travel "worldwide." We will meet in the CMC fellowship hall.  Bring finger foods to share.  Decaf coffee and tea will be provided.

Pastoral gathering with faculty, staff and administrators of all public schools. Pastoral Team is testing a date for a "coffee break" (actually it may be more like a lite supper) and conversation with CMCers who are employees of any local public school.  If you are interested in participating, and available on Thursday, January 25th at 5:30 pm at The Gathering Place (841 Mt. Clinton Pike), please RSVP by contacting the church office (433-2148 or cmc_office@cmcva.org).  Also, if you can't make it, let us know if you would like another opportunity like this later this winter.  — Pastoral Team

Interested in Being an Usher? Four new people are needed starting in late January. Ushers are on duty once a month and head usher once a quarter. Be in touch with Jennifer North Bauman if you are interested or need more information. baumanj@emu.edu or 540-801-9304

Pastoral Support. CMC has a network of small groups and other friendships that provide a great deal of mutual care for persons in our congregation.  For some protracted or acute situations that households are facing we also have Care Teams.  These teams, led by a pastor, are usually 4-5 persons discerned by those seeking support and the pastor.  Households who might benefit from a Care Team include:  persons facing serious physical or mental illness and caregivers, challenging parenting circumstances, discernment in job transition or other major life events.  To assess whether a Care Team might be helpful, contact a member of Pastoral Team.

Looking for a Small Group? The CMC Small Group Committee has created a small group opportunity called the Open Circle. It will meet monthly on Second Saturdays at 6 pm in room 109 of the church. This group invites folks who are looking for a way to connect with others in the church through fellowship, discussion and mutual support. So if you are new to the congregation, new to the idea of small groups, or are not currently in a small group and are looking for a way to connect, you are invited. The circle is always open! Children are welcome and there will be snacks. Contact Adam Yoder for more information at yodera@yahoo.com or 540-810-3376. The next Open Circle will gather on January 13, 2018.

Sunday School Connection. Below is a weekly note for families of children (age 4 and up) who use the Shine curriculum. Each Sunday you will find faith nurture ideas that coordinate with the weekly Sunday school session plans. Note that these stories will not necessarily coincide with the CMC worship series during this quarter.

Faith Talk. Luke 2:8–20: “Shepherds show the way” Here are some ways to nurture faith at home based on this week’s story. (1) Read Luke 2:10–12. Who is the good news for? (2) The angels sang about peace on earth. Draw or paint an example of what that might look like. (3) Mary treasured the words of the shepherds. What do you treasure?

Did you know? The Angel of the North, a metal sculpture in England, is 66 ft / 22 m tall!

Prayer for the week: Loving God, we welcome you into our hearts and home today. Amen.

Children’s Bible Memory Passages This Quarter: Early Childhood: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace.” Luke 2:14a; Primary and Middler: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. Luke 2:13–16

Music and Worship Leaders Retreat. The annual Music & Worship Leaders Retreat at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center will take place January 5-7, 2018. This program gathers a wide variety of individuals interested in worship, including new music or worship leaders looking to become stronger leaders, experienced leaders looking for a refresher course to help them improve their effectiveness in their congregations, or anyone with a love for music and worship who is discerning their gifts and interested in exploring that more. More information can be found here: http://www.laurelville.org/our-programs/mwlr/ If you have any questions or have interest in attending this year's retreat as a representative from CMC, please contact Katie Derstine (katiederstine@gmail.com).

'FIRST FAMILIES' AT CMC. A photographic review of November worship services focusing on characters and relationships from the book of Genesis and a photo flashback to EMU's Homecoming and Centennial celebrations, Oct. 13-15, continue on display through this Sunday on the "Community Mennonite Church: Today" bulletin board on the west wall of the fellowship hall. In addition, you'll find posted a yuletide Christmas shopping apology, 'A Mall and the Night Visitor" – a "Virginia Ham" column from the 12/14/2000 issue of Mennonite Weekly Review – and a CMC congregational report for Sept.-Oct. from the 12/4/2017 issue of MWR.

COME AND SEE: LET IT BE. Now up and running on the "Community Mennonite Church: Today" bulletin board on the west wall of the fellowship hall – a double-poster photo collage from Advent, 2017. In addition, you'll find posted a reflection on the first year of the new millennium, a 12/29/2000 "Bishop's Mantle" column, "2001: A Place I Odyssey" and a CMC congregational report for Sept.-Oct. from the 12/4/2017 issue of MWR.

ADVENT-AGEOUS ADVENT-URE. Then, turn around and cast your gaze eastward to a double-poster photo collage from Advent 2016, shining brightly on the "Community Mennonite Church: Yesterday" bulletin board on the east wall of the fellowship hall. Do you see what I see . . .? –Jim Bishop

 

Events and Announcements from the Broader Community

The 11th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration will be held on Saturday, January 6 at 3 pm at the Lucy F. Simms Center in Harrisonburg. The keynote speaker will be Rev. Dr. James E. Coleman, with music by local choirs. The program is presented by the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County NAACP and is free and open to the public.

The January ACRS gathering is ​January 8th, 2018. We will be viewing and discussing the new video teaser, “Being Mennonite In America,” the beginning of a documentary being produced by Burton Buller.​ PLEASE NOTE: The meeting will take place at the Park View Mennonite Church Fellowship Hall.

An Invitation for Young Adults: Shenandoah Valley Faith & Light would like to invite young adults into friendship with persons with intellectual disabilities. Join us once a month on a Friday evening for an informal, get-to-know-you supper, followed by worship. In June, we will celebrate new friendships with a weekend worship retreat at Camp Overlook. There is no cost to you for these activities, other than your time. For more information, contact Dave Gullman (pastor at Pleasant View, dgullman@pleasantviewinc.org) or Derek Yoder (student at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, derek.yoder@emu.edu).

Community Mennonite Church
70 South High Street Harrisonburg, VA
office@cmcva.org
540-433-2148