December 2022 News
December 2022 Newsletter
Worship Schedule this Month
December 4th – 2nd Sunday of Advent, “The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer”, Rev. John Yost – Psalms 72: 1-7, 18-19, Romans 15:4-13, Luke 1:39-45. Christmas Brunch and Carols
December 11th – 3rd Sunday of Advent & Holy Communion, “Mary’s Song Magnifies How We Are Able to
See Jesus”, Rev. John Yost – Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10, Luke 1:46-56.
December 18th – 4th Sunday of Advent, “A Christmas Message: Our Journey of Faithfulness”, Jerry Amabile – Psalms 80:1-7, 17-19, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25.
December 24th - Christmas Eve – A Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols, “Will We Find Room for
Jesus?”, Rev. John Yost
December 25th – Christmas Day, “Happy Birthday Jesus”, Rev. John Yost – Isaiah 52:7-10, Psalms 98, Luke
2:1-20.
Annual Meeting
The annual congregational meeting for election of consistory for 2023 will take place immediately following the worship service on January 8th, 2023.
Highlights from November Consistory Meeting
· Greetings from Consistory! This is the season of giving and Dreisbach has lots of opportunities for you to support different charities. Please refer to the Bulletin and Newsletter for ways to bring joy to others!
· If you are interested in serving on Consistory, please inform Sharon Magyar, Dave Beckley or Tammy Pierce. We will have a Congregational meeting on January for Election of Consistory and review of the 2023 Church Budget.
· The microphones for the sanctuary are still on backorder.
· $5,000 from the Youth Account has been transferred to the General Fund. The remaining $847.83 will be used for the Backpack Project.
· Theo Lentz has given Consistory his letter of resignation from the Music Director position. He will be with us until December 31st. We have been greatly blessed by his talents and wish him nothing but the best. Thank You Theo!
· A music committee has been formed, those members are Dave Beckley, Diane Hackenberg, Detra Dodge and Sharon Magyar. They will be advertising for the position of Music Director as well as an Organist.
· Recordings of funeral services will be offered to the families on a thumb drive is requested.
· Dreisbach 2021 Contribution to Our Church’s Wider Mission was $13,8000.00.
· The Consistory voted to engage in a service contract for the elevator with Total Access, the elevator installer. The cost of the contract is $991.60. This includes 4 service calls free of labor for the year and 2 preventative maintenance visits that will begin when they receive the signed contract.
Rummage Sale Distribution
Thanks, again, to everyone who helped in any way to make this year’s rummage sales the successes that they were. Because of you, we were able to support people around the world and near at home with a total of $10,500. Internationally, we supported The City of Joy in Rwanda and the Amblers who work with Youth with a Mission bringing relief and the Gospel to needy places around the globe. Reaching out across this country through Pastor Yost’s connections, we sent funds for health initiatives to the Sicangu Lakota people in South Dakota. Locally, we are helping the hungry and cold through Hope’s Haven Food Pantry and funds designated for fuel support; women and children in difficult situations through Transitions, Birthright, and Kiwanis Christmas gifts; and young people through Central PA Youth Ministries and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Blessings to you all.
Veterans Christmas Remembrance
We are pleased to be able to hold our Wreaths Across America event here at Dreisbach on Saturday, Dec. 17th, 2022 at 10 AM. Join us as we honor and remember the veterans who served our nation. If you would like to sponsor a wreath to be placed on a veteran’s grave the cost is $20. Sponsor sheets are available at dreisbachucc.org and are also available at the back of the church. If you would like to help contact Elaine Rockey.
Thank You
· Thank you for the cards, phone calls with best wishes for my birthday. Sincerely, Ella Willow
· Dreisbach Church Family, Thank you so very much for your kindness and love during our recent loss. The support we had from all who extended sympathy and all who helped with the services and luncheon, it will always be appreciated. Thanks again, The Family of Mabel June
Nursery
Volunteers will be available to care for your child in the nursery every Sunday after the Children’s Time until the end of the service. Parents and caretakers are welcome to send their children to the nursery during that time. All volunteers have appropriate clearances. If you would like to participate in this ministry, please contact Diane Hackenberg.
December’s volunteers are: December 4 – Jesse Hackenberg; December 11 – Mallory Leitzel; December 18 – Mike Finerghty. The nursery will be available for parents and their children on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but it will not be staffed.
Prime-timers
The next meeting of the Prime-timers will be on December 22nd, 12:30 at DC Coffee in Mifflinburg. All are welcome.
Instant Church Directory Updates
As you gather with family this holiday season and snap photos please consider sending us an updated photo for the directory. Please also, keep us up to date with all of your contact information (address, phone #, email). You can submit changes directly on the website, instantchurchdirectory.com, or send it to pam_adminsec@dreisbachucc.org.
VBS Silent Auction
Thanks so much for making this year’s VBS Silent Auction a success. Our church family rallied together to volunteer, donate, purchase and bid on so many wonderful items. Ella Willow went above & beyond by baking five pies as well as an assortment of hand crafted items. And a special thanks to the Buchholtz’s for volunteering there their time to help make the day run seamlessly. Through all your generosity, we were able to raise $1078 dollars which will support next year’s VBS. Thank you all!
Kiwanis Club Food Collection
The Mifflinburg Kiwanis Club deeply appreciates the huge donation of Harvest Home food for our Food box Program. While we will appreciate additional donations of any kind of food, we are in very short supply of boxed cereals.
The Kiwanis Club along with other volunteers will be assembling the food boxes and distributing the food to needy families on December 19th. Your food contributions may be placed in identified boxes in the overflow room at the back of the sanctuary from now through Sunday December 18th. Your donations will be greatly appreciated.
The Christmas Fund Offering
The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December to our lower-income retirees. We will be accepting offerings for “The Christmas Fund” throughout the month of December. Envelopes for the offering are available at the back of the sanctuary or simply make a note in the memo of your check. Thank You
Shut-Ins List
An updated address list for our shut-ins is available at the back of the church sanctuary.
Christmas Gifts
A reminder that Devitt House gifts should be brought to the church by Sunday, December 4th and gifts for the Bethany Children’s Home should be unwrapped and at the church the following week, Sunday, December 11th.
2023 ALL CHURCH RETREAT
(An Uplifting & Spiritually Fulfilling Weekend)
Friday March 3, 6:30 PM - Sunday March 5, noon
Crystal Springs Retreat Center
North of Mifflinburg
The weekend includes sessions with our speaker Rev. Rachel Hackenberg, 5 meals, kids’ program, singing, games and lots of fun!
(Rachel grew up in Dreisbach and is currently the publisher of Pilgrim Press, the publishing branch of the United Church of Christ.)
Please fill out the registration form below and return it along with your payment to Scott Sanders 221 Pine St. Mifflinburg, PA 17844 or see him during worship no later than February 19. Checks should be made payable to Dreisbach UCC. Payment is due before the start of the retreat.
If you have any questions please contact one of the committee members - Sharon Magyar, Sue Leitzel, Mallory Leitzel or Scott Sanders
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Dreisbach 2023 All Church Retreat
Name of all family members attending:
Please include age and grade level for all children.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Phone #__________________________________________________________
Email address____________________________________________________
Check One: We will be commuting. _______ We would like to stay overnight _________
Cost: $40.00 per person age 6 and older, $ 20.00 per child age 5 and under
Total Amount Paid: ___________ Cash or Check #__________