1. shopping
2. gifts

Rockefeller
United
Methodist
Church
A Piece of the
Rock
Special points of interest
December 2012
 DEADLINE FOR
JANUARY ISSUE
IS DECEMBER
26th.
Advent
Advent is the period preceding the Christmas season. It begins on the Sunday nearest
November 30, the feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle, and covers four Sundays. Because
the day it begins changes from year to year, so does the length of each Advent season. In
2012, Advent begins on December 2.
The word advent, from Latin, means “the coming.” For centuries, Advent has been a
time of spiritual reflection as well as cheer and anticipation. Even as the Christmas season has become more secular-with advertisers urging holiday gift-givers to buy and buy
some more-Advent still brings joy and the observance of ancient customs. Christian
families find quiet moments lighting candles in the Advent wreath, and children use Advent calendars to count the days until Christmas.
The History of Advent
Advent has probably been observed since the fourth century. Originally, it was a time
when converts to Christianity readied themselves for baptism.
During the Middle Ages, Advent became associated with preparation for the Second
Coming. In early days Advent lasted from November 11, the feast of St. Martin, until
Christmas Day. Advent was considered a pre-Christmas season of Lent when Christians
devoted themselves to prayer and fasting. The Orthodox Eastern Church observes a
similar Lenten season, from November 15 until Christmas, rather than Advent.
Inside this
issue:
Calendar of
Events
6
Crystal
Closet
3
Head
Mouse
5
Kid’s Puzzle
4
Music Notes
3
Prayer List
5
Sunday
School
2
Many Christians still view Advent as a season to prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus. In the last fifty years, however, it has also come to be thought of as a time of anticipating the Nativity, on Christmas Day.
Advent Wreaths
United Meth- 3
odist Men
Advent wreaths have their origins in the folk traditions of northern Europe, where in the
deep of winter people lit candles on wheel-shaped bundles of evergreen. Both the evergreen and the circular shape symbolized ongoing life. The candlelight gave comfort at
this darkest time of the year, as people looked forward to the longer days of spring.
Later, Eastern European Christians adopted this practice. By the sixteenth century, they
were making Advent wreaths much as we know them today. An advent wreath traditionally contains four candles-three purple and one rose. Purple dyes were one so rare and
costly that they were associated with royalty; the Roman Catholic Church has long used
this color around Christmas and Easter to honor Jesus. The three purple candles in the
Advent wreath symbolize hope, peace, and love. These candles are lit on the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent. The rose candle, which symbolizes joy, is usually lit
on the third Sunday.
Sometimes a fifth candle is placed inside the Advent wreath. This candle is lit on Christmas Day. It is white, the color associated with angels and the birth of Jesus.
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2
The Pastor’s Corner
Sermon TitlesSeason Worship at Rockefeller
Christmas
November 1st December
16: Sunday School Christmas Pageant at 10:30 am followed by luncheon,
hanging
of8th
the- greens, carols, and a visit by Santa.
November
November 15th
December
23: -Worship at 10:30 am. Sermon title: “Beneath Life’s Crushing Load”
based
on Luke
November
22nd. 2:1-20.
-
December
November 29th
24: -“Children in the Manger” at 6:30 pm. (John’s grand finale with the children.)
December 24: Traditional candlelight worship at 7:30 pm. Sermon title is: “The Lamplighter”.
December 30: Worship at 10:30 am. Sermon title: “We See What We Are Prepared to See” based on Matthew
2:1-12.
Reverend Fulton’s Retirement
John will retire from fulltime ministry on June 30,
2013, as mandated by our United Methodist Book of
Of Special Interest
Discipline. Our Staff/Parish Relations Committee,
chaired by Charlie Beach, is already in consultation with
our district Superintendent as to a new pastoral appointment, effective July 1, 2013. In turn, Charlie will
be providing any appropriate updates to the congregation in forthcoming weeks.
Sunday School News by Karin Backus
Our Christmas pageant is on December 16th. Please
come and join us for what always proves to be a wonderful performance by our youth!
Enjoy the November
City Book Sale
2008 by Carol LeMon
It’s “ENJOY THE CITY” coupon
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
book sale time!! And what a perfect Christmas gift.
We
could3use your
help5 in pur-6
2
4
chasing and selling!
Fri
Sat
2012Christmas Projects by Susan Fulton
and the Ministry & Mission Team.
Food Baskets
Crystal Closet by Gene Clark
As is our tradition , we will be helping Grace Episcopal Church fill Christmas food baskets. Your donation of boxed potatoes, canned vegetables, bread
mixes and cash to assist with the purchase of hams.
Elmcrest Children’s Center
We are again partnering with Elmcrest to provide
books for their resource center. As you know, Elmcrest provides a temporary home for children who
can no longer stay at home because of family difficulties. Susan Cobb has again agreed to be our book
purchaser. She can do marvelous things with your
cash gifts!
Music Notes by Lori Mann
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary
School
1
7
8
10
12
13
14
15
If 9you helped
sell11last year,
PLEASE
sell
this year
also.
Those who purchased books will be looking for them
16
18
19
20
21
22
from
you 17again this
year.
If 23
you did24not sell
last year,
please
help28 us this
year.
25
26
27
29
The books sell themselves. All you have to do is offer.
If 30
you purchased a book/s, please plan to again, and
remember to buy extra for gifts. Please contact Carol
LeMon at 446-6540 for information and to help.
Thanks!!!
Our continuing effort to assist the children in the
City of Syracuse school district. We are looking for
small items to help stock the “recognition closet” at
school. Pencils (especially holiday ones), pens, small
notebooks or journals, mittens, individual snack
packs of crackers, fruit rollups, raisins, or pretzels.
Nail polish, hair clips/bands for girls. Small balls or
games, small stuffed animals. Combs and brushes.
The kids can use their “points” to purchase gifts or
items for themselves.
For many in our community it has been a difficult
year. My hope is that we can make Christmas just a
bit brighter for some. Thank you for your continuing
generosity!
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3
United Methodist Men
Coffee Hour Hosts
by Craig and Kevin Cobb
Sermon Titles
Thank you to all who purchased pies for our Annual
November 1st November
Pie Sale. We received $140.00 profit.
November 8th -
Place your order for subs on December 2nd and 9th
November 15th
following
church.
Choices are ham, turkey, or roast
beef
at
a
cost
of
$5
each. Subs will be available on
November 22nd. Sunday December 16th for your dining pleasure.
The Coffee Hour Host schedule for the next three months
is as follows:
December— Sunday School
January— Nominating/Membership
February—Open—Please sign up.
November 29th -
May you all have a very happy holiday season!
Thank you for supporting Rockefeller United Methodist Men’s Group in 2012.
Kitchen Update by Loraine Ridall
If you haven’t stopped by the kitchen at Rockefeller
yet, be sure to do so to check out how nice the new
paint looks. Our own wonderful youth have been
Of Special Interest
working to beautify the kitchen space. Painters include: Laura, Peter and Ryan Wildredge, Stuart
Harley, Claude T., Mopati Kuswani, Motse
Kuswani, Cady Ridall, Russell Nash and two of his
friends. We are very fortunate as a congregation to
have such wonderful young people donating their
time and energy to better our shared environment.
Thanks, students!
Music Notes by Lori Mann
“It is in the process of being worNovember
2008
shiped that
God communicates
His
presence” (C.S. Lewis)
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
We continue to express thanks for all those who participate in our music ministry. Thanks to our choir,
2
3
4 the Harleys,
5
6 Cady Ridall
7
8
Jennifer
Coppola,
and
Charles Mann for singing and playing in November.
We
look forward
to celebrating
the birth
of our
Sav9
10
11
12
13
14
15
ior during December. Our choir and a few others
will be singing on Christmas Eve. We are thankful
17
18
19
20
22
for16 His many
gifts—especially
the gift 21
of Jesus.
23
24
25
26
27
Purchase
your
Pecans
28
29
30
University
Church is selling pecans to help support
its food pantry. Please help hungry families in
Syracuse. Order your fresh, extra large pecans now!
You can purchase your pecans in UUMC church
office weekdays from 9 am to noon.
Crystal Closet Clips by Gene Clark
Greetings from the Gems! Have you seen our new sign?
The little triangular “Open” signs have been replaced by
large oblong signs with two metal supports so they
stand proudly in the wind, or rain, or snow and loudly
proclaim the “The Crystal Closet is open” while arrows
point toward the doors on Cumberland. They are an
anonymous gift from a talented generous Gem and we
Crystal Closet
by Genethem.
Clark Thank
gratefully acknowledge
and appreciate
you, thank you, dear Gem; you are indeed a GEM!
Thank you, too, to the many members of our congregation and neighborhood who so faithfully support us
with your donations, contributions, and patronage.
Just last Sunday we were able to sell a number of our
“new” teddy bears, and that income, of course, goes directly to our own needy church budget, rather than being sent to our Shared Ministries, since those gifts from
MaMa Bear were given to Rockefeller.
Thanks to those customers, and the rest of you. Don’t
forget: we have many teddies which we are unable to
display. Please
see Gene
or call
Music
Notes
by 471-9739
Lori Mannif you’d like to
see some. There is no obligation; it’s fun to show them.
Just let us know. Why not make your Christmas really
merry for yourself or someone else with a new teddy
bear. It adds warmth like nothing else we know!
Merry Christmas to all!!
Continued from page 5
Think on that for a while...when you’re shopping and
wrapping, and sending cards, and baking, and decorating.
It all started with a baby. Oh, but such a special, precious
Baby. No wonder that wonderful mouse (he was my ancestor, you know_ wasn’t stirring on “The Night Before
Christmas.” He was a pretty smart mouse and really
knew what a very special night that was. Just think:
God’s son came to earth just for us! Wow. No wonder
we celebrate with gifts, and music, and carols.
See you in church. Merry Christmas and a world of love.
Wish it could be peace for all!!
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4
Kid’s Puzzle
The Angel's Announcement
Luke 2 (NIV)
About 2000 years ago there was a very special baby born in the town of Bethlehem.
This baby had been promised to a woman named Mary by the angel Gabriel. You can read about
this in Luke 1:26-36. On the same night that he was born, an angel appeared to the shepherds in
a nearby field who were watching their flocks.
After this announcement a great company of angels sang a song. You can read
about it and the shepherd’s reaction after they heard this in Luke 2: 8-20.
Copyright 1999 Sharon Whitaker
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5
Rockefeller United
Methodist Church
350 Nottingham Road
Syracuse, NY 13210
Phone: 472-8130
E-mail:
[email protected]
Web site:
Rockefellerchurch.org
Sunday Services
At 10:30 AM
Sunday School
During Services
Everyone is Welcome
Church Staff
Rev. Dr. John Fulton, Pastor
Office Manager - Diana Wolpert
Organist/Choir - Lori Mann
Christian Ed. - Joseph & Karin
Backus
Custodian - Rob Curtis
Treasurer - Greg Sohrweide
Prayer List
Head Mouse at Rockefeller
Please pray for John, the church leadership and their families, for those
serving in the military, for peace in the
world, and these shut-ins, friends, and
loved ones:
“A Ha!”...or should I say…”Ho Ho!”...I
mean, it’s that time of year...so “Ho Ho! I
see the kids did the kitchen!...and a good
job they did, too. If you haven’t seen it,
peek in. Looking good, there, Mrs. Ridall
and crew! Thanks. I just love my new
digs...don’t suppose I should say that when
I live in a church. Whatever, it surely
looks great and so does the sanctuary, that,
of course, having been done by professional painters, but, you know what? Bet
you wouldn’t know that the kitchen hadn’t
been done by them either if I didn’t tell
you.
Ed & Betty Barnard—Victor, NY
Barbara Biedinger—Home
June Demarest—Home
Phil Giblin—Sunnyside
Anna Goeller—Summerfield
Margaret Hedges—Menorah Park
Gette Higbee-Kimball— Nottingham
Lloyd Osgood—Home
Mary Shepard— Loretto
Betsey Warner—Home
Dot Wiley—Pennsylvania
Jane Winters—Brighton Towers
Well, the snow has come and Christmas is
well on its way. If you haven’t been to
church lately, I expect you will be soon. I
mean if it wasn’t for Christ’s birthday, we
wouldn’t even have a Christmas Eve or
Santa Clause, or presents, or anything.
Continued on page 3
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6
December 2012
SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
1
8:30 Aerobics
Crystal Closet
2
3
4 11:00—1:00
5
9:30 Roundtable
4:15 Aerobics
5:30 Aerobics
5:40 Aerobics
10:30 Worship/SS
9
Crystal Closet
11:00—1:00
6
Crystal Closet
5:00—7:00
5:30 Aerobics
7:00 Trustees
10
Closet
11 Crystal
12 Crystal Closet
11:00—1:00
16 Hanging of
the Greens
8:30 Aerobics
13 Crystal Closet 14
5:00—7:00
5:30 Aerobics
17
5:40 Aerobics
18 Crystal Closet 19 Crystal Closet
11:00—1:00
11:00—1:00
4:15 Aerobics
15
Crystal Closet
9:00—12:00
4:15 Aerobics
10:30 Worship/SS
8
4:30 Dance
11:00—1:00
9:30 Roundtable
7
5:30 Aerobics
4:30 Dance
8:30 Aerobics
20
21
22
Crystal Closet
5:00—7:00
4:30 Dance
8:30 Aerobics
Christmas Pageant
5:30 Aerobics
6:30 Gardner’s
Club
10:30 Worship
23
9:30 Roundtable
24 6:30Children 25
5:40 Aerobics
7:00 Admin. Bd.
5:30 Aerobics
26
27 Crystal Closet 28
Crystal Closet
11:00—1:00
in the Manger
10:30 Worship/SS
7:30 Traditional
Service
30
31
10:30 Worship
New
Year’s Eve
29
5:00—7:00
Merry
Christmas
4:30 Dance
5:40 Aerobics
5:30 Aerobics
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8:30 Aerobics