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 Dear Partners in Ministry,

It is so hard to transition to the season of Advent. I just can’t get my head or my heart ready for the wait. Part of me wants to rush ahead to Christmas; part of me wants to stay with Thanksgiving.

I read that Advent was observed as a season of fasting and penance (much like Lent) as early as 480 AD. In more modern times, we have made this a season of new beginnings, of longing for a Savior, of preparation and waiting. It is a season of expectation. It is a season of long nights and short days, a time when we yearn for the coming of the light. We light candles, the light builds towards Christmas. Following is a Latin hymn from the 9 th century as translated in The Hymnal.

Creator of the stars of night,
Your people’s everlasting light,
O Christ, redeemer of us all,
We pray you, hear us when we call.

 To you the deep travail was known,
That made the whole creation groan,
You came, O Savior, to set free
Your own in glorious liberty.

 When this old world drew on toward night,
You came, but not in splendor bright,
Not as a monarch, but a child
Of Mary, blameless mother mild.

 At your great name, O Jesus
Now all knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
All things on earth with one accord,
Like those in heaven shall call you Lord.

 Peace and joy to each of you.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Sue

THANK YOU

I would like to thank the congregation for their cards and prayers following my recent foot surgery. I’m not ready to run a marathon, but hopefully heal by Christmas.

Joan Hemingway

To the Sunday School:

Thank you for underwriting the cost of Gilbert’s allowance with your recent gift of $25.00. Your gift and encouragement is a great support for Gilbert in his efforts to overcome his troubles.

(signed) Michael P. Brennan, Executive Director

Evangelical Children’s Home

Greetings in Christ:

We thank God for sending us angels when we need them. This is what happens when you tell God it’s in your hands. He sends angels like you to fill that need. It doesn’t matter if that need is financial or material, God takes care of it.

Whenever you commune with God, please ask that he keep us effective and efficient in his work.

In Christian Service,

(signed) Johnniest B. Henry

St. John’s Community Service Ministries

Dear Friends of Feed My People:

We are very grateful for your donation of $125.00 and the food to help us with our programs that assist many people in our area. Without the support of our generous friends, our clients would be facing the upcoming holiday season with much less optimism.

Our holiday programs aid the recipients in special ways while our regular activities continue to provide some of the more basic needs of our clients which, of course, increase our costs for this time of year.

God bless you for helping us carry on this important work.

Sincerely yours,

(signed (Carol and John DeGuire) Executive Co-Directors

KEEP IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS

• Lucille Brand at Green Park Resident Home
• John Schuette at Green Park Nursing Home
• Ruth Lenz at Bethesda Meadows
• Walt Miller at Orchid Terrace
• Ann Goetz at Sunrise Assisted Living – Clayton
• Robyn Mikusch who underwent knee surgery Monday of this week.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Be sure to make the following change in your church directory.

Ann Goetz
Sunrise Assisted Living on Clayton
7920 Clayton
St. Louis, MO 63117
314-646-7600

Steve Hladnick
122 Steamboat Lane Apt. 302
Ballwin, MO 63011-3288

ADVENT DEVOTIONALS

If you didn’t pick up a devotional book for the Advent/Epiphany Season there are still some available on the credenza in the gathering space. Many thanks to those of you who contributed to this.

BRATWURST DINNER UPDATE

Thought you might like to know that the profit from the crafts made by the church members was $361.25. Thanks to everyone who made or bought an item.

The Craft Committee

Also – what a supportive congregation !!! Our thanks go to those of you who donated pies, cakes, brownies, and cookies.

Total desserts donated – 27
Total plates of dessert - 630

Our job was made so much easier this year because most of the cakes were at church at 9 am on Saturday. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

“The Dessert Committee”

JOB BOARD

Be sure to check out the bulletin board for the list of jobs that need to be done around church. If you can see your way clear to take on one of these projects – please sign your name by the one you will take care of and be sure to put the date down when you finish the job.

CHRISTMAS CANDLELIGHT DINNER

We hope you have signed up for the Candlelight Dinner on Friday, December 7 th at 6:30 pm – sign up sheets on the easel in the gathering area. Please join us for fellowship and worship to usher in the holiday season. If you would be interested in hosting/decorating a table, please put your name on the sign-up sheet in the gathering area. If you decide to decorate a table, you can decorate as simple or as elegant as you wish – it is entirely up to you. We would appreciate if the dish you bring would serve 10-12 people.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

Thanks to all the efforts of the Sunday School Classes and members of the congregation we were able to assemble 31 shoeboxes for this program. We even collected enough money to pay for the postage – only lacking $25.00.

LADIES FELLOWSHIP

Ladies Fellowship will meet at Roberto’s Restaurant in Concord Plaza on Tuesday, December 18th at 11:30 am for our Christmas luncheon. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board. All are welcome to join in the fun.

CHOIR NOTES

The Children’s Choir will continue rehearsing next Sunday (Dec. 2 nd) for 15 minutes and they will sing December 9th with the Chancel Choir and Bell Choir. No rehearsal on December 16 th.

FEED MY PEOPLE

We will still be collecting items for Feed My People the next couple of weeks.

• December 2 nd – tuna or canned meat
• December 9 th - liquid dish detergent
• December 16 th – paper products (Kleenex, toilet tissue, etc.)

ANNUAL COOKIE SALE

It hardly seems possible but Christmas is just around the corner and that means the wonderful St. Philip’s cookie sale can’t be too far away. Dust off your favorite recipes (or use this as an opportunity to try some new ones) and bake some cookies for us to sell on December 2 nd. They need to be at church by 9:00 am the day before and that’s the time we also need help packaging. Consider baking, boxing, or buying – or all three! You just can’t go wrong with cookies from St. Philip’s wonderful bakers!

CHURCH ALTAR HAS FOUND A HOME

The church altar that Nadine Saulka’s father made has found a home in Cahokia. She thanks us once again for all our efforts on her behalf.

FIFTY PLUS CHRISTMAS LUNCH

The 50+ Christmas lunch party will be:

• Date: Sunday, December 16 th
• Time: 11:30 am – 3:00 pm
• Place: Helen Fitzgerald’s on S. Lindbergh
• Cost: $18.00 per person (this includes tax and tip)

Our menu will be: (choice of one)

• Chicken Mudega
• Eight ounce strip steak
• Fried or Baked Cod

Served with: House Salad w/house dressing or Caesar Salad, roasted red potatoes, vegetable medley, bread and butter, coffee, iced tea and water, (Dessert will be provided.)

Reservations should have been made by now. Check with Jan or Alice if you would be interested in attending.

P.S. Each person is asked to bring a $1.00 wrapped gift.

Committee: Jan Freese, Alice Hillyard, Virginia Hladnick, Betty Moore, and Ruth Ann Nuelle.

EPIPHANY SUNDAY, JANUARY 6 TH

Epiphany is the climax of the Advent/Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are usually counted from the evening of December 25 th until the morning of January 6 th. This is an occasion for feasting in some cultures, including the baking of special King’s Cakes. The Worship and Music Committee will be providing the refreshments after worship that morning – King’s Cakes. Come have a slice of cake and if you find an almond in your piece, you will have special blessings for the year.

CHRISTMAS FUND OFFERING

In this sacred and festive time of year, our thoughts turn to God’s gift of love to humankind in the birth of the Child who shows us how to live in perfect relationship with God and with one another.

The Christmas Fund Offering is one way that we, as members of the United Church of Christ, embody God’s love for one another, living out a holy vision of caring and compassionate relationship. Your generous giving to last year’s Christmas Fund Offering enabled the Pension Boards’ Ministerial Assistance Program to provide nearly $1,500,000 in assistance grants on behalf of the United Church of Christ.

As the needs of those who have served our Church continue to increase, we invite you to prayerfully consider your response to the 2007 Offering and give with a thankful heart. Think of the ways in which your life has been touched by a former pastor, a retired Sunday School teacher, a church secretary, a minister of music – and honor their ministries with a gift that will help others in times of need.

On behalf of the nearly 1,500 clergy and lay individuals and families who received some form of Ministerial Assistance since the last Christmas Fund Offering, I express my thanks to you for your generosity. May the blessing of Christmas touch you and yours as, together, we seek to live in the spirit of Imanu’el – God-with-us, we-with-God, all of us-with-one another.

Faithfully,

(signed) Michael A. Downs

President/Chief Executive Officer

Pension Boards-United Church of Christ.

You will find enclosed with the Crier an envelope for this offering. They will be collected on Sunday, December 23 rd.

BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICE

On Thursday, December 20 th at 7 pm there will be a Blue Christmas Service at St. Philip’s. this is a thoughtful worship for those who have difficulty this time of year. It is especially for those who have lost someone and for whom the season brings painful memories. This is a time to reflect on the meaning of Christmas for everyone.

YOUTH NOTES

Don’t forget the rehearsal on Sunday, December 2nd after worship for the Christmas play “Sleepover at the Stable”. We will practice again on Saturday, December 15 th from 9 – 11 am. Mark your calendars for these dates.

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS

COMING EVENTS

COMMUNITY EVENTS (see bulletin board for details)

Friday, December 7 – 9 am – Christmas Pilgrimage at Neighborhood Houses

Saturday, December 8 – 9 am – 1 pm “Cookies Galore” and

Mini-Holiday Bazaar – Mt. Tabor UCC 6520 Arsenal

Monday, December 31 st – 7 pm – 1 am – New Years Eve

Dinner Dance - St. Johns Evangelical UCC – Mehlville –

Reservations required

LITURGISTS, USHERS, ACOLYTES AND CHILDREN’S TIME FOR DECEMBER

Liturgists

• December 2 Brad Urban
• December 9 April Schillinger
• December 16 Jennifer Larsen
• December 23 Frank Holdener, Jr.
• December 30 Jim Caldwell

Children’s Time

• December 2 Pat Siewing
• December 9
• December 16 Kit Norton
• December 23 Brad Urban
• December 30 Harry Jennings

Ushers

• December 2 Council
• December 9 50+ Group
• December 16 Property and Grounds
• December 23 Women of the Church
• December 24 Council
• December 30 Worship and Music

Acolytes

• December 2 Carley Nickel
• December 9 Scott Karcher
• December 16 Alex Balzer
• December 23 Rachel Fischer
• December 30 Ashley Kulich

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

This being Christmas Season I thought it would be appropriate to tell a cookie story – thanks to Nancy Krenning.

Share Your Cookies

Subject: A Good Cookie Story leaving us with crumbs of wisdom we should always be aware of…..

A young lady was waiting for her flight in the boarding room of a big airport. As they would need to wait many hours, she decided to buy a book to spend her time. She also bought a packet of cookies.

She sat down in an armchair, in the VIP room of the airport, to rest and read in peace. Beside the armchair where the packet of cookies lay, a man sat down in the next seat, opened his magazine and started reading. When she took out the first cookie, the man took one also. She felt irritated but said nothing. She just thought; “What a nerve! If I was in the mood I would punch him for daring!”

For each cookie she took, the man took one too. This was infuriating her but she didn’t want to cause a scene. When only one cookie remained, she thought: “ah.. What will this abusive man do now?” Then, the man, taking the last cookie, divided it into half, giving her one half. Ah! That was too much! She was much too angry now! In a huff, she took her book, her things and stormed to the boarding place.

When she sat down in her seat, inside the plane, she looked into her purse to take her eyeglasses, and, to her surprise, her packet of cookies was there, untouched, unopened! She felt so ashamed!! She realized that she was wrong…she had forgotten that her cookies were kept in her purse. The man had divided his cookies with her, without feeling angered or bitter….while she had been very angry, thinking that she was dividing her cookies with him. And now there was no chance to explain herself…not to apologize.

There are 4 things that you cannot recover, the stone…after the throw! The word…after it’s said! The occasion…after the loss! The time….after it’s gone!

An interesting little story. Have a blessed day.

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