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CHIT CHAT

2018 December NEWSLETTER

Even in the Northwoods, our Hearts are Restless until they Rest in Christ

PASTOR'S PAGE

Grace and peace to you at Christmas

and may the Advent of Jesus Christ touch your life with the presence of God through the blessed Holy Spirit. Like many other churches, our Advent season began as a season of decorating. I jumped ahead several days on my usual task by decorating the high ledge bisecting the front windows. I found it easier and safer hanging the lights on a quiet morning rather than in the joyful bustle of our official time for the “Hanging of the Greens.” Likewise, I actually put a few lights up at home prior to my usual last-minute rush close to Christmas itself. During Advent most of us spend a lot of time decorating. We decorate our homes, our streets, our stores, our towns, and sometimes even ourselves. It helps get us in the right kind of mood for the season (or at least that is the theory), and sometimes it actually works. Sometimes I find people smiling at complete strangers for no apparent reason. You may even find yourself with a little extra bounce in your step as you move toward Christmas.

It is kind of amazing we can engage in anything substantive in the usual cultural setting for our pre-Christmas pilgrimage. We hear the cheerful songs about someone up on the roof, and dreams about an alabaster colored Christmas played and replayed until, says Frederick Buechner, their effect is like a dentist's drill or a jackhammer…. Likewise, he contends the bombardment of the pathetic banalities of the pulpit, combined with people spending money they can't afford on presents (people) neither need nor want, the chilling commercialism of almost everything else, "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," the plastic tree, the cornball creche, the Hallmark Virgin … He says they add up to an assault on the central focus of the reason for the celebration itself. With a sign of relief, he says: Yet for all our efforts, we've never quite managed to ruin it. That in itself is part of the miracle, a part you can see. Most of the miracle you can't see, or don't. (Frederick Buechner’s: “ Whistling in the Dark”)

Christmas is the miracle of the magnificent unseen coming to life in the midst of the mundanely visible. It is important to remember our external decorating is temporary. The lights, plastic garlands and artificial trees will head back for a long winter’s nap shortly after December 25th, and they will not return to the daylight until next year. Second, we need to remember these decorations are exterior decorations. Using a Pauline type imagery, they are things seen, not unseen; things outside, not inside; things visible, superficial and artificial, not things of the Spirit.

We use the external decorations to help get us into the “Christmas Spirit,” however, he reminds us, these do very little to address the sometimes “barren landscape” of our souls. Red-nosed Reindeer, artificial snow-in aerosol cans and socks neatly hanging on the mantel “reveal little about our hearts,” Buechner says.

In Isaiah 11, the prophet uses the image of a fresh green shoot springing out of a denuded and apparently dead stump to give us a picture of the unseen nature of God’s internal work. Jesus does the same thing by pointing to a fig tree, implying God is active deep in the roots and the heart of the tree and from that hidden heart sprouts and leaves spring-forth until the tree bursts into life. This first week of Advent, we have decorated the outside, but in what ways can we decorate the inside?

Leonard Sweet encourages us to decorate both our outer and inner “living rooms.” He suggests four Christmas ornaments are given by the Christmas story to brighten our souls. These are: 1) Mary’s gift: the gift of faith, 2) Joseph’s gift: the gift of justice, 3) the Shepherds gift: the gift of wonder and joy, and 4) the wise men’s gift: the gift of service.

Mary gives the gift of faith. She places her trust in the message of the Archangel Michael. That trust will carry her through the stigma which accompanied the apparently unmarried and pregnant girl; it will give her strength as she walks down cold dusty roads in her last month of pregnancy toward a cluster of little cave-like homes in the tiny village of Bethlehem. It will give her the humble confidence to step into the extended family of Joseph in their home, and subsequently in the stable of the lower level of that family home, beneath the “Inn” or “Upper Room” of the cave-like dwelling. It will drive her and Joseph forward toward Egypt leaving Herod’s bloody infanticide behind in Bethlehem. It’s her humble faith which enables her to follow Jesus as he teaches, heals, exorcises, chastises, forgives and loves the world around him. That faith gives her the courage to stay at the foot of that terrible execution stake on Golgotha with her beloved son pinned to it like a tattered butterfly on a collector’s dirty display. It is faith that sends her forth in an explosion of joy and wonder from that empty Jewish garden tomb. Her faith gift bears witness to her son who being revealed as the living Lord of all life.

Joseph’s is the gift of justice. His justice is not to be mistaken as the same thing as a rigid adherent to “law and order”. One author notes that: “Some years ago a politician was seeking election to the highest office in the land. He gave a famous speech which helped him win the election. Here is a brief excerpt of what he said:

"The streets of our country are in turmoil. The universities are filled with rebelling, rioting students. Communists are seeking to destroy our country; Russia is threatening us with her might. The republic is in danger from within and without. Without Law and Order, our nation cannot survive. We shall restore law and order."

“If you had voted for this politician running on the law-and-order ticket,” the author says, “you would have voted for Adolph Hitler in 1933.” He then adds that, “One of the greatest mistakes going is the notion that just because something is legal it is moral, or that just because something is immoral, it should be illegal. Joseph broke the religious law in not turning in Mary. What he did was illegal; but what he did was just. Justice is not the same thing as legality.

It is perhaps not too speculative to suppose that when Jesus stepped in to intercede for the woman who was found in an illicit relationship and was about to be stoned, that Jesus flashed back in his mind to the fact that this woman about to be executed might have been his mother - except for the "justice" of his father.”

The gift of the shepherds was their spontaneous open-mouthed wonder and joy at the angel’s message and the tiny baby’s presence. The Magi, men of great wealth, knowledge and prestige, decorated the external space with their opulent gifts and offering their protecting service by re-routing their return. They also offer him two precious internal gifts: one is their wisdom, insight and discernment. The other is their humility as they bow their wealthy knees as well as their usually proud hearts before this magnificent treasure of Bethlehem.

We come now to the question, What about you? What about me? What do we bring to the child of the manger? How are you ornamenting yourself for the celebration of Christ’s birth. More than that, however, what internal gifts do you bring to the altar from which the cattle fed, and the child slept? May God bless you and your gifts.

Have a Blessed Christmas, Chips

December….Jan. 2019

ADVENT

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

Holy Communion

Hanging of the Greens

with lunch to follow

NO – Adult Study

5 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible Study*

10:30 am – LakeShore Service

3:45 pm – Youth Groups

6 (Thurs.) 9:30 am - Guild

1:00 pm – Handbell practice

9 (Sun.) 9:30 am –Worship Service

Youth Christmas Program

Church de-decorating – lunch provided

12 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible Study*

3:45 pm – Youth Groups Christmas Party

13 (Thurs.) 1:30 pm – Handbell practice

16 (Sun.) 9:30 am –Worship Service

11:00 am – Adult Bible Study

19 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible Study*

9:30 am – Session Meeting

NO –Youth Groups

Chit Chat articles due

20 (Thurs.) 9:30 am - Guild

1:00 pm – Handbell practice

23 (Sun.) 9:30 am –Worship Service

24 (Mon.) 7:00 pm

Christmas Eve Celebration and Communion Service

25 (Tues.) Merry Christmas

26 (Wed.) 8:30 am – Men’s Bible Study*

NO –Youth Groups

27 (Thurs.) 1:30 pm – Handbell practice

January 2019

1 (Tues.) Happy New Year

2 (Wed.) 8:00 am – Men’s Bible Study*

10:30 am – LakeShore Service

3:45 pm – Youth Groups

3 (Thurs.) 9:30 am - Guild

1:00 pm – Handbell practice

*- meets at Hogan’s Store

Duties

Ushers

Dec. 2 Dave and Sharon Lukas

Dec. 9 Jim & Emily Bokern

Dec. 16 Bill & Margo Perkins

Dec. 23 Dan & Nan Bloch

Dec. 24 Jim & Emily Bokern

Dec. 30 Dan & Nan Bloch

Jan. 6 Jim & Emily Bokern

Liturgist:

Dec. 2 David & Suzy Foster

Dec. 9 Bob & Pat Barofsky

Dec. 16 Galen & Julie Brownewell

Dec. 23 Chips & Suzanne Paulson

Dec. 24 Church Members and Friends

Dec. 30 Mary Watkins

Jan. 6 Dave Vogt

Communion Person

Dec. 2 – Dave Vogt

Dec. 24 – Nan Bloch

Jan. 6 - Erick Koster

Lay Leader:

Dec. 2 Sharon Bridges

Dec. 9 Carmen Farwell

Dec. 16 Carol Bohlin

Dec. 23 Nan Bloch

Dec. 30 Steph Louis

Jan. 6 Katy & Grace Ellingson

Counters

Dec. 2 Mid Sharpe and Jean Eales

Dec. 9 Deane Galloway and Kathy Vogt

Dec. 16 Bob Bridges and Jean Eales

Dec. 23 Vince Hoehn and Erick Koster

Dec. 24 DuWayne Schumacher

Dec. 30 Mary Koster and Sharon Bridges

Jan. 6 Mid Sharpe and Sharon Lukas

A Reminder Announcement:

Any Checks made out to the Church must be written

in this order:

MANITOWISH WATERS COMM. CHURCH

We are a Presbyterian church,

(but our original “recorded” name is as shown above.) Thank you.

MEMBERSHIP

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John and Claudia Tegtmeier currently live in Lac du Flambeau. They are parents of 4 children; 3 sons and 1 daughter and 7 grandchildren. They moved here in 2008. They have lived in Peoria, Illinois, Naperville, Illinois. Claudia has served on the building committee of a new church. John served in the United States Air Force and is a retired airline pilot for American Airlines. John has been very active in stewardship and fundraising areas. Their hobbies include golf, concerts, travel, reading and line dancing.

John and Claudia helped with Fleazaar 2018.

 

In Christ,

  Dave Edgcomb, Membership Chairperson

It takes only a little love to make a life

more sweet.

It takes only a little cheer to make a

day complete

It takes only a little smile to brighten all

the day

We send a little bit of each to

Welcome You today!

December

Birthdays:

4th Jean Eales, Alex Danielson,

5th John Suffron, Natalia Schellinger,

5th Lauren Gardner, 7th Morgan Frandy,

8th Ann Wilson, Peggy Eble, Caroline Behnke, 10th Steph Lewis, 11th Joe Reichling,

11th Patricia Indermuehle, Kim Woolf,

13th Dan Bloch, Dave Kebrdle,

14th Dick Indermuehle, Wild Jacobs,

15th Mark Halliburton, 16th Ken Winchell,

17th Peggy Caldwell, 18th Sue Straus,

18th Barb Johnson, 19th Pati Moberg,

19th Jeremy Glynn, 22nd Charles Rayala,

23rd Bob Paneitz, 24th Carol Laible,

27th Kathleen Wilson, Suzy Foster, Jessie Chaney, 29th Michael Hayes, 30th Cay Wright,

30th Ashley Fisher, Blaze Jacobs,

31st Barb Boneck, Charles Peterson,

31st Jessica Haas

December

Anniversaries:

4th Zachary & Melody Wilson,

26th John & Carmen Farwell,

27th Parker & Mid Sharpe,

28th Tony & Mary Schilling

MISSION 2018

December is the time to return your

JOY Offering

…….

CHRISTMAS FOR KIDS

Thank you…

to all of the SHOPPERS and DONATIONS for the Christmas for Kids program. It was another successful year and through everyone’s efforts, we were able to brighten the holidays and help out 24 families with a total of 61 children.

THANK YOU also to the Manitowish Waters Lioness who made and donated a fleece blanket for each child.

We are also GRATEFUL for the donations and shoppers from Our Lady Queen of Peace Church.

Please remember to drop off your gifts at the church by December 11th. Items can be left in the hallway by the handicapped bathroom.

Mary Koster, Nancy Russell,

Kristin Semmerling, Emily Bokern

…….

LOOSE COINS

OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER TO THE LAKELAND FOOD PANTRY.

Guatemala Update

Saludos Amigos de Cristo!

Greetings in the name of Christ! Our Pura Vida October 2018 Insight Trip was both enlightening and enjoyable. Our team observed the two-day process of interviewing 90 students for the Pura Vida student sponsorship program and toured several potential 2019 construction sites identified by local community members. We were also able to witness the local celebrations of El Dia de Los Santos (All Saints Day) and El Dia de Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead – honoring ancestors and loved ones). Unlike our typical somber U.S. celebrations, the people of Chichicastenango and its’ surrounding villages filled the streets with music, dance, parades and fireworks. The cemetery was decked out in flowers of every variety and color, and families gathered for meals and celebration near the graves of their loved ones. It was spectacular! Check out our trip photos at:



We still have openings in our February 9-17, 2019 Construction Trip, and our March 9-17, 2019 Construction Trip. We would love to have you join us for this amazing cultural immersion experience, working alongside the indigenous population of the Guatemalan highlands in Quiche.

If you are interested in joining our efforts, or if you would like to contribute to the project costs associated with our trips, please contact janie@.

There are not enough words to thank the members of the Manitowish Waters Community Presbyterian Church for the support you’ve given to our efforts in Guatemala since 2012. Through your generosity, we have built 6 classrooms, 9 homes, 1 school kitchen, 1 school wall and supported 3 English Camps. Gracias a todos! May God bless you for your part in making the world a better place!

Yours in Christ,

Janie Williams

WESTMINSTER GUILD

Westminster Guild met on Thursday,

November 1, for our Bible Study —

Lesson 3 in this year’s series “God’s

Promise: I Am With You.” This

lesson focused on God’s promise to be with us in our discouragement — whether from fear, uncertainty, weariness, or frustration. This promise gives us courage, strength, boldness and hope when on our own we would lose heart. Our study’s author, Amy Poling Sutherlun, uses the Biblical examples of Joshua and Haggai. Joshua was the new (and very inexperienced) leader of the Israelites as they sought to cross the Jordan into the promised land. The Canaanites were intimidating and their cities impregnable. Several generations later Haggai, God’s prophet to His post-exilic people, sought to move the weary and discouraged people from self-absorption to active engagement in the work of the Lord (I.e. rebuilding the temple). We are reminded that the spirit of God lives within us. The work of God’s people always points beyond the present moment to the continuation of God’s work and fulfillment of all divine purpose. When we participate in god’s work, the results are not entirely dependent on us — God will be with us!

For our second meeting in November, 11/15, we cleaned the kitchen — a wonderful project that needs doing every now and then!!! Our present mission project, children’s school bags for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, is well under way, with several ladies busy sewing bags and others accumulating the necessary school supplies.

All women of our congregation are warmly encouraged to join us for our Bible Study (first Thursday of each month), work, and business meetings. We meet at 9:30 AM in the Fireside Room or Fellowship Hall on the first and third Thursday of each month. This month we especially invite you to join us for our annual Christmas Luncheon on Thursday, December 6, at 12:00 Noon at Polecat and Lace in Minocqua. This will follow our Bible Study, and we will carpool from the church around 11:20 AM. If you would like to come to the luncheon, please let us know by Tuesday, Dec. 4.

Kay Suffron

Moderator

A sincere Thank You to all who donated to our Winnebago Mental Health Institute Christmas Box. The Christmas Box was overflowing with 191 items to send to WMHI, which also included 33 hand-knitted caps. Our church donated $100.00 to the Patient Event Trust Fund, along with 90 Dominoes $10.00 gift certificates, and 14 Wal-Mart $15.00 gift cards. Individual contributions of $20.00 and 2 Dominoes $15.00 gift cards were also received.

The Director of the particular hall where these gifts will go said the folks there, mostly women and some children, are a forgotten group of persons. Your gifts will bring much needed sunshine into the lives of these individuals.

Merry Christmas to all and God Bless!

Respectfully submitter by, Carol Bohlin,

for Westminster Guild and Missions.

I Thank YOU!

For the past several years I have asked the congregation to help me raise money for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Back pedal - for those who may not have been around when I have asked. My husband, Ken, has the inherited eye disease Retinitis Pigmentosa. He unfortunately passed it along to two of three daughters, which has then been passed along to their sons.

The Foundation has been making tremendous strides towards therapies for many degenerative retinal diseases. That is this non-governmental entity's sole purpose. Macular Degeneration affects over 10 million people, vs. 100 thousand with RP, also falls under their research, which I know directly affects some of you.

You have always been so supportive of me, with your donations, as well as personally. I just need to thank you all again, including the Missions Committee, for your generosity and kindness you have shown in this regard. The website is:  if you'd like to read about the different diseases they are researching and the progress on each.

From the bottom of my heart –

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

Laurie Timm

Presbyterian leaders prepare for

migrant caravan

(From the office of the General Assembly Communications)

Despite the heat and humidity, Central American migrants are still making their way slowly northward. Reports indicate that some families have dropped out because of the hardships. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) remains in constant contact with its partners in Central America and along the U.S.-Mexico border. The ecumenical churches in El Salvador continue to monitor the situation. The Rev. Santiago Flores, leader in the Reformed Calvinist Church in El Salvador, urges people to understand the complexity of the situation and that these new mobilizations oblige the church to create a shared humanitarian strategy among the nations of the Western Hemisphere.

“How we react to them says a lot about how we value them as human beings,” said Teresa Waggener, immigration attorney for the PC(USA)’s Office of Immigration Issues.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has been working to help where needed.

“We don’t have a lot of specifics right now. We’ve just approved $10,000 in relief at the Guatemala borders. We will be looking at how we can send financial support to projects along the U.S. –Mexican border,” said Susan Krehbiel, associate for refugees and asylum with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.

The church prepares to respond to this as a humanitarian crisis. “Consistently, as Presbyterians gather at General Assemblies, they decide that we, as a church, must respond with compassion, taking great care to meet the humanitarian needs of groups on the move,” said Amanda Craft, manager of advocacy with the Office of Immigration Issues. “In these moments, we are guided by scripture which says, ‘Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that, some have entertained angels without knowing it.’ (Hebrews 13:2, NRSV). These are our sisters and brothers with whom we share a loving God. May we be courageous enough to

reach out with open arms and support others in

doing the same.”

“I have been heartened to see how both our church and Café Justo partners in Mexico have responded in compassion to the reality of our sisters and brothers on their journey through Mexico,” said Mark S. Adams, PC(USA) mission co-worker, serving with Frontera de Cristo. “Through prayer, words of encouragement, material aid, and preparation to receive people in need, I am encouraged to see how many in Mexico are responding in faith and not in fear.” The Reverend Jimmie Hawkins, OPW director. If there are confrontations, he would like to see the church have a presence there, especially clergy in robes and stoles to provide a peaceful presence.

Article respectfully submitted by,

Carol Bohlin

We are thinking of you!

We pray for those

in the hospital,

those with an illness,

depression,

or have lost a loved one -

we are thinking of you

this Christmas Season and always.

May God Blesses you now

and in the year to come!

There is still time!!!

This year we will be ordering six

large poinsettias to decorate our altar area.

You are welcome to make a contribution for the plants in honor or memory of someone you’d like us to remember during this holiday season.

A list of those people remembered will be inserted in two church bulletins before Christmas.

All donation contributors will have their names placed in a hat the Sunday before our Christmas Eve service. Our youth will then select the six lucky people who will be able to take a poinsettia plant home after the Christmas Eve service.

Please see Lois to make a contribution and complete the “Remembering Someone Special During the Holidays” form.

Remembering Someone Special

Amount Given:__________________

In Honor of:____________________

In Memory of: __________________

Donation from: _________________

 

.

Wishing Everyone a

Very Blessed

and

Merry Christmas.

I THANK those whom I have called upon to do a task during the past year. Your wiliness to read scriptures, and fill in for me during my absence (to name a few) are very much appreciated!

Your church mouse…Lois

SESSION MEMBERS 2018

Clerk Lois Bauers: 715-904-3105

DuWayne Schumacher (Treas.): 715-686-2074

Dick Smith: 715-686-7686, Dave Vogt: 715-686-741,

John Suffron: 715-686-2668, Joyce Hoehn: 715-543-8350, Nan Bloch: 715-356-9410, Dave Edgcomb: 715-663-0952,

Eric Koster: 715-686-7300, Joan Ouimette: 715-476-3887, Margo Perkins: 715-686-2035, Kay Krans: 715-499-7538

DEACONS 2018

Mary Watkins: 715-686-2212, Robert Rider: 715-686-2620, Carmen Farwell: 715-686-7480, Sharon Lukas: 715-686-7697,

Jan Schumacher: 715-686-2074, Rose King: 715-583-9979

Church Office Hours:

Monday through Friday = 9:00 am till noon

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

manwtrschurch@

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Merry Christmas,

and may your

blessings continue in 2019!

Happy Holidays and a Joyous New Year to all! Please join us on the 9th of December for the 9:30 a.m. Youth Group Christmas program titled "Just a Little Christmas". We are all working hard to show you another memorable performance.

The Youth Group Christmas Party will be on the 12th of December, and in conjunction with the area school calendars, we will take a brief vacation and resume classes on Wed, January 2nd, 2019.

UPCOMING DATES: December 9TH – YOUTH GROUP CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

"Just a Little Christmas"

9:30 church service.

GREETERS: Breanna & Hannah Semmerling

OFFERING: Peter Postema and Lucian Gindorff

SCRIPTURE READING: Vivian Callendar

December 12th – YOUTH GROUP CHRISTMAS PARTY

December 19 & 26 - YOUTH GROUP VACATION DAYS

January 2nd, 2019 - YOUTH GROUP CLASSES RESUME

HAPPY DECEMBER BIRTHDAY to students Wild Jacobs on the 14th, Blaze Jacobs on the

30th, and Reid McClellan on the 31st.

As we go through the hectic days of school events/programs, staff parties, shopping, baking, etc. - all in preparation for Christmas, remember to thank God for His love and blessings, not only during Christmas, but throughout our lives. Help us also to be generous and kind, and to look to the needs of others during these busy days and the coming year. A kind word, a smile, a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on is more than you can buy in any store. Those gifts come from your heart; and have been given to you by God. Share His gifts!

In Gratitude… Adele Duranso,

MAY WE ALL MAKE THE Christian Ed Director

JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM

IN SPIRIT, TAKING WITH May you and your family be blessed with God’s

US A TENDER, CARING shining light this Christmas Season

HEART AS OUR and throughout the New Year!

GIFT TO THE SAVIOR

-by Thomas S. Monson

Manitowish Waters Community

Presbyterian Church

PO Box 69

Manitowish Waters, WI 54545

December…January 2019

2018

CHRISTMAS EVE CELEBRATION

COMMUNION SERVICE

7:00 pm

We invite you to come join us!

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