COMMACK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 486 Townline Road, Commack, New York 11725

THE MESSENGER December/ January 2015-2016

People, Look East People, look east. The time is near Of the crowning of the year. Make your HOUSE fair as you are

able,

Trim the hearth and set the table. People, look east and sing today:

LOVE, the guest, is on the way. Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare, One more seed is planted there: Give up your STRENGTH the seed to That in course the

nourish,

flower may flourish. People, look east and sing today:

LOVE, the rose, is on the way.

Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim One more light the bowl shall brim, Shining BEYOND the frosty Bright as

weather,

sun and moon together. People, look east and sing today:

LOVE, the star, is on the way.

Angels, announce with shouts of mirth Christ who brings new life to earth. Set EVERY peak and valley With the

humming

word, the Lord is coming.

People, look east and sing today:

LOVE,

THE

LORD, IS ON THE WAY.

Words : Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965), 1928

A Christmas Prayer: Jesus, the light of the world, as we celebrate your birth…may we begin to see the World in the light of understanding you give us. As you chose the lowly, the outcasts And the poor to receive the greatest news the world has ever known, so may we worship You in meekness of heart. May we also remember our brothers and sisters less fortunate than ourselves in this season of giving. Amen NATIVITY DISPLAY in the MEMORIAL CABINET I would like to invite all to view my collection of Nativity Sets: They depict our beloved Nativity story and were crafted in countries around the world and commercially in the U.S. I also invite you to add your own special set to the display for the duration of Advent. The cabinet is locked so all will be safe. Kathy Muller WHAT IS A CHRISMON They are ornaments made from Christian symbols (or Chrismons, a contraction for 'Christ monograms') were first developed by Frances Spencer and the women of the Ascension Lutheran Church in Danville, VA.USA. Chrismons are traditionally colored white and gold. White is the liturgical (or Church) color for Christmas and symbolizes that Jesus was pure and perfect. Gold symbolizes His Majesty and Glory. Chrismons can be made from nearly anything, but paper and embroidered ones are the most widely used. By tradition ,Chrismons should not be sold. Set up by the ‘Tuesday Men’ our Chrismon Tree can be seen in the parlor. The Chrismons were crafted by CUMC women; inspired by Esther Foster, wife of The Reverend Bill Foster, our pastor from 1972-78. A meaning of each symbol will be posted on the bulletin board right outside the parlor. We especially invite the children and youth to enjoy the tree and it’s meaning.

5th 5th 6th 10th 12th 15th 17th 19th

25th

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS: Pete Gamby Kathleen Doss Maureen Kessler Margie Zoltowsky Paula Titolo John Muller Barbara Mondelli Tom Mazzola Shawn Devine Evangeline Manjares Mike Mallgraf James Sullivan Jesus of Nazareth

May this day and all your days be filled with the wonder of God’s special love for you. Happy Birthday

5th 12th 12th 13th 17th 22nd 25th

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS Nancy Gamby Sarah White Thomas White Martha Lockhart Tracey Kopping Zachary Zoltowsky Karen Mallgraf Matthew Colavito Betty Mascola Kaylee Reddo Alesia Simco

How does one say “Thankful?” I have so many reasons to be thankful. I am thankful for the few precious years I had with George. I am thankful for my church, for our compassionate pastor, and especially for the love and support of so many people in our congregation. I am thankful also for my family and close friends. I am thankful for our magnificent country and its bounty. I am thankful for sunrises and sunsets. I am thankful for a good game of golf once in a while! George’s memory will always be in my heart. Always remember to tell your loved ones you love them and hold them close. My love and prayers are with all of you, Marge

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN (UMW) CHRISTMAS COOKIE SALE Any donation of home baked cookies is welcome, please leave them in the parlor by 10 am Saturday morning. All proceeds go toward our mission projects. Saturday Dec 12 at 10 am: UMW members will package cookies for the sale Sunday, Dec 13 : Christmas Cookie sale in the hall after Sunday service.

On Thursday, December 14 @ 7:30 pm, we invite all congregants and friends to our December Christmas program. We will meet in the sanctuary for a short but meaningful program, then move into the gaily decorated parlor where we be able to enjoy fellowship & refreshments. Of course we are including our male congregants! At our November meeting the pledge service was presented by Margie Zoltowsky and election of officers was held. All 2015 officers were retained for 2016.Our November mission project included a donation to ‘Trees for Life, ‘ which sends Moringa trees and or seed to Africa, Asia, Latin and North America Moringa tree is a plant food of high nutritional value, ecologically and economically beneficial and readily available in the countries hardest hit by the food crisis. The Moringa tree has been identified as the vegetable with the highest nutritional value among many types of food species studied. Easy to cultivate and resistant to drought, the Moringa Tree produces abundant leaves with a high concentration of proteins, vitamins, and minerals: 100 grams of fresh Moringa Tree leaves provide the same amount of protein as an egg, as much iron as a steak, as much Vitamin C as an orange, and as much calcium as a glass of milk. Moringa Tree grows throughout the developing world and has already been used by programs to reduce child malnutrition in India. Moringa Tree dried leaves, can be easily preserved and used. Eating 30 grams of Moringa Tree leaf powder a day, a child can satisfy all his daily requirement of Vitamin A, 80% of daily calcium needs, 60% of daily iron needs, and nearly 40% of protein needs. Given the world food crisis, the use of local resources like Moringa Tree is critical to reduce the dependence of developing countries on imported goods, and to improve nutrition among poor households. Two or three Moringa Trees in a courtyard are sufficient for the needs of one family. On Thursday, December 14 @ 7:30 pm, we invite all congregants and friends to our December Christmas program. Deb Hervey will present the program “A Christmas Ship” We will meet in the sanctuary for the meaningful program, some Christmas carols, then move into the gaily decorated parlor where we be able to enjoy fellowship and refreshments. UMW members are reminded to bring a plate of goodies, coffee and tea will be available Of course we are including our male congregants! JANUARY MEETING We will meet in the parlor on January 14, 2016 at 7:30 pm. The Call to Prayer and Self Denial program for the year is: ”Women at Work; Economic Justice and Empowerment.” Our offering, this night, will support programs that empower women to gain the resources they need to earn a living wage and care for themselves and their loved ones. Kathy Muller will lead the program and Dot Megna will supply refreshments.

A

NEW SERIES OF INTERVIEWS; THIS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE

NEW YEAR. THIS IS PART 2 OF 4

HISTORIAN’S CORNER Submitted by John Muller, Church Historian

MARION CARLL

Our Youth is requesting donations for men’s new socks and toiletries as a mission project. Please leave items in the box provided at the back of the church or contact Penny White with any questions. Box Tops for Education The UMW has expanded it’s ongoing mission outreach to support a United Methodist mission in the US. The group has started collecting Box Tops for Education. This is one of the largest school loyalty programs in the country with over 80,000 schools receiving support. The box tops collected at CUMC will be sent to the Red Bird Mission School in Kentucky. Red Bird Mission and Clinic have been providing ministries in the eastern Kentucky region of the Appalachian Mountains since 1921. Today the need remains critical in this isolated, rural distressed area. Chronic poverty, lack of jobs, poor housing, and rugged mountainous terrain provide obstacles to a fuller life for the residents of this area. Red Bird Mission strives to meet these needs through ministry in five areas: Education, Health and Wellness, Community Outreach, Economic Opportunity, and Community Housing Improvement. The Mission runs a school for grades K-12 with a little over 200 students. About 10% of them live in the dormitories provided by the school. For each Box Top collected, General Foods and its peer brands (includes Betty Crocker, Green Giant, Totino’s Pizza, Scott Paper Products and many more). Simply cut the coupons from the package (be careful to get the coupon and not the logo indicating the brand supports the program).

Coupons to collect

Do Not Cut These

Bring them to church and drop them in the box. UMW members will package them and send them to Red Bird Mission periodically throughout the year. Watch for future messenger articles tracking how well we’ve been able to support this vital mission of the United Methodist Church.

“Away in a Manger, No Crib for a Bed” Greetings . . . ‘tis the season to remember to “Keep Christ in Christmas.” As we have been told, only WE can keep or exclude “Christ in Christmas.” That being said, what better way to keep Him than to turn our attention to those who are not as fortunate as ourselves and try to share God’s Blessings with them through mission work.

Please feel free to take one of the gift tags located on our Angel Tree in the back of the sanctuary. This is a mission project spearheaded by Ginny Eichenauer, Nancy Gamby, Penny White and Anne Tammaro who coordinate the needs and wants of families in our local community. This year we have ten families with which we have the privilege of doing God’s work. There are about 160 angels on the tree this year. If you would like to participate, please take an angel tag off the tree; purchase the gift listed; wrap the gift and place a blank “To/From” tag on it. This way Mom and Dad can write it out in their own handwriting. Make sure that you also include the original angel shaped tag, so that it can be easily identified as to whom it should go. Remember to bring it back by Sunday, December 13th. This is an annual staple in our church missions’ tradition. We help many families who would otherwise do without during this season. November’s group met on Saturday the seventh. They produced 1,400 sandwiches! Thank you to all who volunteered and contributed to our PB&J supplies. You are a blessing to those who are without meals on the weekends. Please drop off any supplies you wish to donate in the back of the church in the designated box (on Sunday). If you bring them during the week, make sure the church office knows. Please remember that the Peanut Butter & Jelly Gang (PB&J) meets the first Saturday of every month. Our next gathering will be December 5th beginning at approximately 8:15 a.m.

For the 8th year, we at CUMC will again be participating in the Holiday Mail for Heroes along with the American Red Cross. The cards and personal messages, sent by tens of thousands of Americans, provide a welcome “touch of home” for our troops during the holiday season. And once a year, we get the joy of delivering holiday cards to veterans, military families and active-duty service members at hospitals and installations around the world.

It is the Christmas season yet sometimes we don’t feel “in the spirit.” There can be a lot of pressure to be happy, to enjoy yourself, to find peace. There are any number of reasons we may not be in a festive spirit: the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, missing children & grandchildren who live far away, illness and chronic pain, the burdens of financial debt, worries about the future, or just feeling tired and worn out. If you find yourself sad, worried or frustrated with all the hype and commercialism of Christmas please join us for a very

We will be collecting for the Christmas Dinner Baskets – both dry and canned goods are needed (stuffing, gravy and all the trimmings). Turkeys, hams, roasts will also be gladly accepted. Remember any cakes, pies, cookies and juice will also be appreciated. If you have any turkeys, hams, etc. we also have room in our refrigerator/freezer to accept these and any other perishable items. Just give the office a call and let Mary know you are dropping these items off so that pick-up/storage arrangements can be made or call Anne Tammaro. Another option would be donating gift cards – they too are greatly appreciated. Look for more information on this in the weekly Bulletins. Also remember breakfast and lunch items for the children who will be home for Christmas Recess and will not have the services of the free breakfast and lunch programs provided by our schools. Items such as juice, cereal, oatmeal, milk, eggs, cheese, tuna, mayo, bread, mac & cheese, crackers, fresh fruit, etc. will be happily accepted and greatly appreciated by our families.

Once again . . . leftover Halloween candy? . . . We have a place for it. Drop any leftover candy with us, as these items are needed by the soup kitchens to make candy rolls for their Christmas party. Phyllis D’Amato Missions

TROOP 125 GIFT CARD FUNDRAISER Help raise money for the Troop at no additional cost to you!! All you have to do is purchase gift cards to your favorite retailers from the Troop and use them as gifts or use them in place of cash, checks or credit cards for the purchases you were going to make anyway!

ORDER PLACEMENT DUE DATE

Anticipated Fulfillment Date

December 8, 2015

December 15, 2015

order forms in the Sanctuary

FIRST FRIDAY FLICK NIGHT

DECEMBER

JANUARY

FROM

THE

KITCHEN

The annual Harvest Dinner has come and gone. Approximately 90 guests showed up. Most if not all appeared happy. If not it could not have been for a lack of food. A half of roast was left over, but was sold separately as a part of take home dinners. Financially the dinner was also a success for in the last ten years this one came in second with a profit of $962. Respectful Submitted by, Patti and Gery Spory

THE PUMPKINS The pumpkin sale made $2,049; our church nets $512.25 The bake sale netted $920.00. I would like to thank the Boy Scouts Troop 125 and their leaders, Finks Farm and Richter's Apple Orchard for their contributions to our cause. Also, all that showed up daily to help make this fundraiser a success!!! A special thanks from the bottom of my heart to our Sexton, Alex, for selling the most pumpkins!

Thank you, thank you, thank you. THE HARVEST FAIR Vegetable table $44.15 Korean table $100.00 Parcel post $161.75 white elephant $176.80

Kitchen $ 427.50 bake $ 436.75 Boutique $728.50 (plus $252.50 at harvest roast beef dinner)

This represents a total of $2,327.95, which is awesome. I would like to thank all who participated in the success of this event and all the hard work and planning that goes along with it. Without all the hard work, it would not happen. I would like to thank Glen and Pam for their dedication also. God Bless everyone. and thank you again! ~Respectfully Submitted by Kathy Doss

Event

Date

Time

Place

Movie Night

December 4th

7:30 p.m.

Parlor

Second Sunday of Advent

December 6th

9:00 a.m.

Main Sanctuary

A Time for Prayer & Meditation

December 12th

9:00 a.m.

Main Sanctuary

Third Sunday of Advent

December 13th

9:00 a.m.

Main Sanctuary

Christmas Cantata

December 13th

9:00 a.m.

Main Sanctuary

UMW Cookie Sale

December 13th

10:00 a.m.

Hallway

Fourth Sunday of Advent

December 20th

9:00 a.m.

Main Sanctuary

Longest Night

December 20th

3:00 p.m.

1789 Chapel

Children's Pageant

December 20th

9:00 a.m.

Main Sanctuary

Christmas Eve Family Service

December 24th

5:00 p.m.

Main Sanctuary

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

December 24th

11:00 p.m.

Main Sanctuary

Lessons & Carols

December 27th

9:00 a.m.

1789 Chapel

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Thanksgiving Food Drive – both dry and canned goods were collected. We were able to provide eight families with a Thanksgiving feast that they might otherwise not have be able to enjoy on their own. We also had enough left over to make a drop to the local food pantry.

LYDIA CIRCLE There will no Lydia Circle meeting in December. We were busy as bees at our November meeting; we sent Thanksgiving cards with messages to those unable to attend services and assisted the Angel Tree Project by cutting out the 100+ paper angels that will appear on our Christmas Angel Tree. On Wednesday, January 6th, we invite all women to join us for friendship, fellowship and light refreshment. Pam Capotosto will provide the coffee and goodies for this meeting.

KIDS CORNER ENJOY

THESE

CHRISTMAS

COLORING PICTURES

To stay up to date visit our calendar on line; http://www.commack-umc.org/Calendar.shtml

To stay up to date visit our calendar on line; http://www.commack-umc.org/Calendar.shtml

COMMACK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Non Profit US Postage Paid

486 Townline Road

Permit # 24

Commack, NY 11725

* If there is any change to this address please inform the church office ASAP