WEEKEND SCHEDULE AT 2/5-7
Friends and Family,
Snow seems to be headed our way again, big time! Here’s the plan for the time being.
With a great deal of disappointment, we are postponing the Family Game Night and Potluck scheduled for Friday evening. More than fifty people are signed up to attend. The initiative from the Fellowship Committee was spot on. We’ll find another time to do this again. In the meantime, see if you can round up family and neighbors for some quality time around the table on Friday night. Here’s hoping that while the weather outside may be frightful, but the fire inside can be delightful!
We are planning to have church open on Sunday morning. Because we are a commuter lot for the Loudoun County bus service to Washington, the county is great about clearing our lot. Our St. Andrew Trustees are also getting very practiced at clearing the walkways into the church. Their efforts are much, much appreciated. For now we plan to have our regular schedule for Sunday: Services at 9 and 11, Sunday School at 9:45.
There is some likelihood this will change, of course. We will have updates on the church phone (540) 338-4332, the website www.standrew-pres.org, and we will also send out another email to update you. In case we are unable to open church, I will send you an abbreviated bulletin and a sermon for you to read and share at home. Please plan to worship God on Sunday with our congregation, whether together or in the sanctuary you make of your home.
Blessings on you all. Stay safe. Give thanks to God in all you say and do.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Dave
Worship Services and Congregational Meeting will be held as planned.
- Worship at 9:00 am
- Worship at 11:00 am
- St. Andrew annual congregational meeting in the fellowship hall following the 11:00 am service
Special Offering for Haiti Earthquake
At the request of the Mission Committee the Session has approved a special offering for Haiti Earthquake relief. The offering will be collected for the next 2 Sundays, Jan 17 and Jan 24, 2010. The offering will be sent to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. If you would like to contribute via St. Andrew, please make your check out to St. Andrew Presbyterian Church and put Haiti Earthquake on the memo line of the check then drop in the offering plate this Sunday or next.
Haiti Earthquake – Disaster Assistance
As you have heard there has been a powerful earthquake in Haiti. The Mission Committee will begin exploring ways in which we can do our part to help. In the mean time here are some links to organizations which are already responding.
FAMILY POTLUCK AND GAME NIGHT
FAMILY POTLUCK AND GAME NIGHT
Friday, February 5th at 6 p.m.
in the Fellowship Hall
All are welcome! Bring your friends!!
Please bring a treat to share:
Last Names . . . beginning with:
A-K bring a main dish
L-R bring a side dish
S-Z bring a dessert
Please RSVP to Tammy Cayou — tammycayou@gmail.com
or Phoebe Henderson — phoebe900@aol.com.
UNBINDING YOUR HEART
UNBINDING YOUR HEART:
A Congregation Wide Faith Sharing Lenten Event
Just one hour, once a week for six weeks!!!
IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO SIGN UP!!!
Sunday classes begin February 14th at 9 a.m. & 12 noon.
Wednesday classes begin February 17th at 6 p.m.
This year, during Lent, St. Andrew will embark on a church-wide event to explore our faith through a variety of avenues, including daily devotionals, prayer and small group discussion. Over the coming weeks, small groups will begin to form to explore how we can strengthen our faith journey and share it with others. Instead of “giving something up” this Lent, please consider joining in this very important church-wide event.
SKI TRIP!!
SKI TRIP
Winter Break Blues?
The Family and Youth Ski Trip is scheduled for
January 31st and February 1st, 2010 at Massanutten Resort.
Families of all shapes and sizes are invited to participate. Choose from two options: 1) Water Park 2) Skiing
Please contact Pastor Jessica 540 338-4332 or Jane Munzell (Fellowship Chair) 540 882-3748.
Cancellations and Postponements for St. Andrew
- Worship at 11:00 am only for December 20th (no Sunday School or Youth Mission Trip)
- St. Andrew Choir Christmas Cantata postponed until Sunday, January 3rd (both services)
- Candlelight Christmas Eve Services will be held at 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm, Thursday evening
Advent Devotional for Tuesday, December 15
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angels a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Luke 2:10 – 18
As a child, we would always go to my grandparents’ home for our Christmas meal. We loved being with my granddad and grandmother along with Dad’s sister and brothers and their families. After enjoying all of the wonderful cooking that my grandmother had prepared, it was a tradition that the five oldest grandchildren, which my sister and I were the youngest of the group would take time to read the passage from Luke to remind the family of the reason we were there to be together and celebrate Jesus’ birth. We would follow up the bible reading with singing carols and just enjoy the time together. My granddad would always share facts about Jesus birth, his life and finally closing the afternoon with prayer.
It was such a precious time for the Greene family being together. Many things have changed in the last forty to fifty years, the grandchildren grew up and moved away. My Dad and Mom always kept the communication lines open with everyone sharing the news of what the family was doing. During this past year Dad’s oldest brother and the oldest grandchild have passed away, my Dad and Mom are having more and more medical issues which has been very tough for the family. My hope as we approach this holiday season is that we take the time to share those wonderful memories of years gone by and take the time after the meal to re-read the bible passages and sing those wonderful carols
Prayer: Heavenly Father, bless us all this Christmas. Help us to share this celebration of your birth with family and friends. Thank you that we can share the joy of loving and caring for one another in this blessed season.
Rhonda Phillips
Advent Devotional for Monday, December 14
As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
A voice of one calling in the desert,
Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
And all mankind will see God’s salvation. Luke 3:4-6:
When Christmas comes, we all prepare our home for the season and the birth of Christ, as well as the community. It’s a special time to bring out favorite ornaments and hang them on the tree, spend time with family and friends we perhaps have not seen in awhile, bake favorite Christmas cookies, sing familiar Christmas hymns and choose that special gift for someone close to us.
I always look forward to this time of year as we anxiously prepare for the Christmas celebration. It is important to keep in mind though if things become a bit hectic, God does not want us to worry about the little things to “prepare for”. Instead, we can spend time, preparing ourselves for the arrival of Jesus. During all this preparation, we must not forget to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, our savior. Take time to prepare, and have a Merry Christmas.
Julie Polizotto