DecemberAdvent

3 (Sun.) 9:30 am – Full Worship Service

Holy CommunionHanging of the Greens

(Lunch to follow) NO – Adult Bible Study

6 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible Study* 10:30 am – Lakeshore Living Service 1:00 pm – Missions Meeting 3:45 pm –YOUTH GROUPS

7 (Thurs.) 1:00 pm – Handbell practice

10 (Sun.) 9:30 am – Full Worship Service

Youth Christmas Program

after church - Special Congregational Meeting

to elect Elders & Deacons13 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible

Study* 9:30 am – Session Meeting 3:45 pm –YOUTH GROUPS

14 (Thurs.) 9:30 am – Guild – Bible Study & trip to Wild Boar restaurant 1:00 pm – Handbell practice

17 (Sun.) 9:30 am – Full Worship Service 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study

Chit Chat articles due 20 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible Study* 3:45 pm –YOUTH GROUPS

16 (Thurs.) 9:30 am – Guild 1:00 pm – Handbell practice

24 (Sun.) 9:30 am – Full Worship Service

7:00 pm - Christmas Eve

Communion Service27 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible

Study* NO –YOUTH GROUPS 28 (Thurs.) NO– Handbell practice

31 (Sun.) 9:30 am – Full Worship Service New Year’s Eve

*- meets at Hogan’s Store

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!!!

DutiesUshersDec. 3 Mark & Marjean SchuelkeDec. 10 Hannah Semmerling & Natalia Schellinger

Cody Behnke and Kadee KnippDec. 17 Mark & Marjean Schuelke Dec. 24 John & Hope Dougherty Eve Bill & Janie Williams & FamilyDec. 31 Dick & Sheri Smith

Liturgist: Dec. 3 Matt, Katy & Grace EllingsonDec. 10 Gindorff FamilyDec. 17 John & Carmen Farwell Dec. 24 Rose King Eve Deane & Joan GallowayDec. 31 John Hanson

Communion Person Dec. 3 & 24 DuWayne SchumacherLay Leader: Dec. 3 Stephen RussellDec. 10 Nancy RussellDec. 17 Helyn WoolfDec. 24 Helyn WoolfDec. 31 Eric Koster

CountersDec. 3 Vince Hoehn and Sharon BridgesDec. 10 Bob Bridges and Jean EalesDec. 17 Eric Koster and Kathy VogtDec. 24 Mid Sharpe Eve. DuWayne SchumacherDec. 31 Deane Galloway and Carol Bohlin

For unto you is born a Savior…

SESSION MEMBERS 2017Clerk Lois Bauers -715-904-3105

Nan Bloch – 715-356-9410, Eric Koster – 715-686-7300Helyn Woolf -715-686-7173, Dave Lukas – 715 -686-

7697

John Suffron – 715-686-2668, Joyce Hoehn – 715-543-8350

Margo Perkins – 715-686-2035 Joan Ouimette – 715-476-3887Deane Galloway- 715-543-8010

William Williams – 715-862-2898DuWayne Schumacher (Treas.) -715-686-2074

DEACONS 2017

Susan Schroeter – 715-493-4602 Sharon Lukas – 715-686-2244

Carmen Farwell – 715-686-7480Jan Schumacher – 715-686-2074

Robert Rider – 715-686-2620 Dick Smith – 715-686-7686

OUR WEBSITE NEEDS YOU! Our church’s website (www.mwcpc.org) features information, activity schedules, and photos for church activities, youth and adult education, and profiles of our pastor and staff. In spring and summer, it plays a major role in publicizing Fleazaar’s schedules, items for sale, and photo albums of volunteers. In spring and summer it gets hundreds of visits monthly as Fleazaar activities intensify; recently, in the last thirty days up to this writing (Nov. 17), it recorded nearly two hundred visits.

To make sure it offers current information about our church and its work, the website pages must be regularly monitored and updated. Those tasks are not difficult, but they are essential to insure it communicates a timely, accurate view of who we are and what we do as a community of Christians. I’d like to invite volunteers to join me in maintaining the website. As I said, it’s not difficult to edit and update once these steps become familiar. I have no technical background, so if I can manage it, so can you! But more than one person is needed to insure the website’s sustainability into the future. Please let me know if you’d be interested.

My email address is davdfost@aol.com, my phone number 715-385-2217.

Thanks, David Foster

STEWARDSHIPOne More Chance!!

What do you think of when reminiscing over the life of the Manitowish Waters Community Presbyterian Church? Is it the choir on a particularly inspirational Sunday with all voices in perfect harmony? Or is it the prayer time with Pastor Chips showing us the way toward a constant faith? Perhaps it’s the fellowship expressed during the “Hanging of the Greens.” Then maybe it’s the clanging of the church bell at 7:00 AM on the third Wednesday in July. Whatever your most special memory is of our church in the woods, it most likely includes people — your church friends — doing things in a gracious, thankful way. That picture of you embracing the kindness of others is what one might call “the reality of stewardship.” It is pure thankfulness without any expectation of favors in return.

This image of the living Christ working among us is my cue for thanking each of you for your pledges of time, talent, and financial resources which make it possible for our church to carry out its mission to love others in all circumstances. In this context, where giving of yourself is everything, please know that the dollars that we contribute, whether pledged or unpledged, are graciously accepted for God’s ongoing work. This testimony also gives me one final opportunity to request one and all to pledge if you are able.

John SuffronStewardship Chair

MISSION

As winter has arrived, and the Christmas season is fast approaching, i would like to write about "The Christmas Joy Offering",  there will be weekly announcements, a display in the Narthex, and envelopes in the pews for your convenience. 

What is the Christmas Joy Offering?  It is a cherished Presbyterian tradition that began in 1930., and through worship and service, we can share the good news that all will experienceGods love, and be filled with great joy.

One half of the Offering supports Presbyterian related racial ethnic schools and colleges.  The Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions receives the other half of the offering and uses it to assist Pastors, Missionaries and church workers in special need.

Your participation in this program is greatly appreciated. Two years ago, on the other side of the World, an earthquake destroyed Rainaskot, Lamjung, Nepal.  Monies sent from our church helped with rebuilding of this village.  Our donation went toward the construction of the home of Indra Bahadur and Bun Maya Gukung.  A modest and humble couple with big hearts, are so grateful that people they do not know, helped them recover from the most devastating event of their lifetime. 

A photo of Indra and Bun Maya, and their thank you letter will be posted on the bulletin board in the Friendship Hall. It is heartwarming to receive thanks and to know how much our contribution can mean to so many people in need. 

May all of you have a Blessed Christmas Season,and once again thank you for your generosity.

Respectfully submittedJoan Ouimette

Time and Talent Opportunity for 2018 Are you a slightly persuasive and fairly organized person? We have the opportunity for you to serve your church!We need someone to enlist greeters/ushers for the 2018 calendar year. Our church members are happy to serve, so getting commitments for this friendly and easy job of being a greeter/usher is not too difficult.

Even if you are a snowbird or traveler, the internet and email will allow you to oversee this scheduling from your warmer locale.

Please consider this volunteer opportunity and let Joyce Hoehn of the Worship Committee or Lois Bauers know of your willingness to serve.

We appreciate and thank Parker Sharpe and Margo Perkins for volunteering in the recent past.

WESTMINSTER GUILDWestminster Guild met on Thursday, November 2, for our Bible study, entitled “Cloud of Witnesses: The Community of Christ in Hebrews.” Our lesson focused on being in community with the “living word.” The book of Hebrews was written, in part, to give a marginalized minority group of people a sense of hope and security. In Hebrews 1:3 we read that the Son “sustains all things by his powerful word.” The theology behind the “word of God” and the “word of Christ” has a long history, beginning with the creation story: and God said, “Let there be light.” Words have power, and God is the very definition of power. Thus God’s word is EXTRAORDINARY! God’s word was living and active for the Hebrews, and it lives in us and our community — when we exhibit it through our own words and actions. When we allow God’s word to enter our souls, we are renewed by its life and activity.

There are several important things to remember as we enter the joyous advent season. 1) Marin Moll has generously donated one of her beautiful paintings, “Over the River and

Through the Woods, to Grandmother’s House We Go,” which we are raffling for the benefit of the Christmas for Kids program. The lovely painting is on display and tickets are available each Sunday during the fellowship hour. The drawing will take place during the fellowship hour following our Sunday morning service on December 24.

2) When doing your Christmas shopping, don’t forget our wonderful cookbook, which has recipes from nearly every member of our congregation — they make a GREAT gift!!

3) For the month of December only, our Bible study is moved to the second Thursday — December 14 — so that Father Bill can be with us. Following our Bible study (and a short business meeting) on that day, we will celebrate the season with our annual Christmas luncheon at the Wild Boar restaurant in Arbor Vitae at noon. All ladies of the congregation are invited, and we sincerely hope you will plan to join us — it is always a lot of fun. Please let an active Guild member know if you can come, so that we can give the restaurant an accurate count.

And please consider joining us when our Bible studies continue in January too. We will take up Lesson 5, “In Community with the Tradition of the Past,” on Thursday, January 4 — 9:30 AM in the Fireside Room. Please come!

Kay Suffron, Moderator

December Birthdays:4th Jean Eales, Alex Danielson, 5th John Suffron, Natalia Schellinger, Lauren Gardner, 7th Morgan Frandy, 8th Ann Wilson, Peggy Eble, Caroline Behnke, 10th Steph Lewis,

11th John Reichling, Pat Indermuehle, Kim Woolf, 13th Dan Bloch, Dave Kebrdle,

14th Dick Indermuehle, Wild Jacobs, 15th Mark Halliburton, 16th Ken Winchell, 17th Peggy Caldwell, 18th Sue Strauss, Barb Johnson, 19th Pati Moberg, Jeremy Glynn, 22nd Charles Rayala,

23rd Bob Paneitz, 24th Carol Laible, 27th Kathleen Wilson, Suzy Foster, Jessie Chaney, 29th Michael Hayes, 30th Cay Wright, Ashley Trapp, Blaze Jacobs, 31st Barb Boneck,

December Anniversaries:4th Zack & Melody Wilson, 26th John & Carmen Farwell, 27th Parker & Mid Sharpe,

28th Tony & Mary Schilling

Manitowish Waters CommunityPresbyterian ChurchPO Box 69Manitowish Waters, WI 54545

December

2017

Christmas schedule Dec. 3 – Hanging of the GreensDec. 10 – Youth Christmas programDec. 24 – 9:30 am Worship ServiceDec. 24 Eve – 7:00 pm – Festive Christmas Eve Communion Service

All are welcome…infact we “invite ” you to comeand enjoy the holiday season with us!

Office Hours:Monday through Friday = 9:00 am till noon

715-543-2998Rev. Chips 715-776-2998

manwtrschurch@centurytel.netwww.mwcpc.org

December, 2017 -“The Birth of the Creating ‘Word’”Welcome to the Advent Season of 2017. We’re anticipating the celebration of Jesus’ birth. The writer of John’s gospel, like that of Mark, contains no birth narrative. There are no Maggi, or stars, or shepherds or stables or Inns. We do not have Bethlehem at all. There is no “slaughter of the innocents,” nor stories of gold, frankincense or myrrh. In fact, there is not even the story of Rudolph and his reindeer games. John gives us instead the story of creation.

John revisits the first of the two creation poems from Genesis, and makes it very clear through his choice of words the story he is about to tell is the story of a “new creation.” “In the beginning....,” he opens, and then proceeds, telling us something or someone called “The Word” is the eternal, creative agent or source of all the universe. “In the beginning was the Word...” says John, echoing the writer of Genesis. “God said...” is the narrative refrain prefacing each act of creation in the first poem in Genesis. Everything God creates is ‘spoken’ into existence. John identifies Jesus of Nazareth as this creating “Word of God.” God’s Word speaks through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and brings us new life in the New Creation. This Advent season we are, therefore, also celebrating the birth of that “new life” within us.

One of my favorite authors is Frederick Buechner. In his “Alphabet of Grace” Buechner makes autobiographical reflections as he writes about the power of God to create each new day. He too begins by quoting Genesis: “Darkness was upon the face of the deep, and God said, ‘Let there be light’." Buechner then continues saying: “Darkness laps at my sleeping face like a tide, and God says, "Let there be Buechner." Why not? Out of the primeval chaos of sleep (God) calls me to be a life again ... To wake up is to be given back your life again. To wake up is to be given back the world again and of all possible worlds this world ... Waking into the new day, we are all of us Adam on the morning of creation, and the world is ours to name. Out of many fragments we are called to put back together a self again.”

This time of year there are many fragments in each of our lives. Each of us have our share of problems, pains, pitfalls and perplexities. Some of us have lost a loved one while others are feeling overwhelmed by financial burdens. Some of us fear the future, others hold remorse and guilt from the past. Loneliness plagues some, while relentless activity makes the minds of others feverish. The season of Advent can exacerbate our problems and stress, and leave us feeling like the pre-conversion curmudgeon Scrooge, silently mumbling “bah humbug.” This is a season of anticipation and gladness. In our frustration we can find ourselves instead,“Refusing Joy.” Perhaps this process is more autobiographical than universal, nevertheless, I have some suggestions (for myself first, and then possibly for a few of you as well.)

God willing, each morning of this Advent season you will “awaken.” Open your eyes, therefore, to this reality of a New Creation God is birthing in us through the eternal “Word.” This “Word” says each of the four gospels, is now poured-out upon us, within us, and around us through the Holy Spirit Jesus’ gives. Stretch your arms up, therefore, and yawn if you must, before you whisper the sentence of a prayer and bring your body to life again. Move your thoughts consciously to the gift you arise to embrace. Notice the

sharp, steely glint of the sun reflecting from the snow. Focus your attention on those quaint little idiosyncrasies; those impulses of love; those partially hidden hurts, and sparks of joy God gives you through those with whom you share your life. Step out into the crisp breath of a new day, and breathe in as deeply as you can, the gift of life God gives you. And be thankful.

Have a blessed Advent and Christmas season.

Gratefully yours,

Chips