Tualatin Plains Presbyterian Church
30685 NW Scotch Church Road
Hillsboro, Oregon 97124
Church Office: 503-648-9573
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
HILLSBORO, OR
97123
PERMIT #58
Time-Dated Material
NEWSLETTER OF THE OLD SCOTCH CHURCH
December, 2014
Tualatin Plains
Presbyterian Church
30685 NW Scotch Church Road
Hillsboro, OR 97124
Phone 503-648-9573
FAX 503-640-2561
[email protected]
www.oldscotchchurch.org
Office: Tuesday—Friday, 9:00 AM—1:00 PM
In the beginning was
the Word …
Sundays
Sunday School
Worship
Fellowship Hour
Youth Group
9:00 AM*
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
6:00 PM*
Wednesdays
Choir Practice
7:00 PM*
See calendar for additional events.
(*summer hours may vary)
The Word became flesh
and dwelt among us …
John 1a & 14a
Tualatin Plains
Presbyterian Church
~ “old scotch” ~
DECEMBER 2014 Newsletter
Forget Christmas?
The article title is not one of those cute t-shirt slogans like "Got Milk?" The title gets at the question that
might pass through our minds when the lines are too long, the budget implodes, and the relatives stay
a day too long. So much of the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas is filled with stresses and
tensions we'd rather forget. Sometimes that tempts us, if only briefly, to forget there is a Christmas, too.
For pastors, the temptation might be a little different. In my case, I've spent 16 Christmases looking at
the gospel texts and wondering how to re-awaken what people have already heard in a way that sheds
the Christmas commercialism in favor of the Christmas child. That means I end up asking a lot of
questions of the texts.
This year, I couldn't read the texts without seeing the holes, the pieces of the story that are missing.
Then I began to wonder less about what we do know about the birth narrative and more about all that
we don't know. What was it like for John the Baptist to grow up with his fate already known and sealed?
Having just read in the Old Testament about Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel with their infertility issues,
what was it really like for Elizabeth to be married to the priest who was the town favorite and yet carry
the shame of being childless? If Mary became engaged at the traditional time of when she 'came of
age' did that make her about 13 years old ... the same age as my daughter? And how silent can the
night be when shepherds are abandoning flocks on a star-chase and angels are making music in the
heavens?
Do you see what I mean? This season, I'm doing a lot of wondering about the holes in the text.
My hope is that considering together what we don't know will help us engage more deeply with what we
do know - that God came to be with us in an extraordinary way.
For your reading in preparation for Sundays, here are our texts and list of what to forget:
November 30 Luke 1, 3
Forget all you know about John the Baptist
December 7
Forget all you know about Elizabeth
Luke 1
December 14 Luke 1
Forget all you know about Mary
December 21 Luke 2
Forget all you know about Bethlehem
December 24 Luke 2
Forget all you know about that Silent Night (Services at 7:30 & 11)
December 28
Forget all you know about Christmas Carols
January 4
Luke 2
Forget all you know about Jesus as a boy
Grace and Peace,
Did you know the Aspire and weekly sermons are now available online?
You can access them at: www.oldscotchchurch.org
Youth News!
Come join the adventure!
As the season of Advent approaches, the Old Scotch Youth Group will focus our time together
by studying the life and ministry of Jesus in three parts: Jesus as human, Jesus as teacher,
and Jesus as Savior. I am excited to see how God will work through our youth as they continue
to learn about and experience God’s unchanging love for us.
The youth group had an exciting opportunity last month to attend a Christian based concert
with thousands of others in the community. It was incredible to be gathered in one place with
so many other people worshiping God. We ended the month by holding a parent meeting. One
of the main topics on the agenda was to discuss possible mission trip dates and locations.
Please pray for guidance as we plan a trip for our youth next summer.
Here are some future events for the youth group!
Zoo Lights
Where: Oregon Zoo When: Saturday, December 13 Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Cost: $15 (Includes Zoo entrance ticket, MAX ticket, and hot chocolate)
RSVP: Sunday, December 7
White Elephant Christmas Party
Where: Old Scotch Youth Room When: Sunday, December 21 Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Bring: A wrapped gift with a value of $5 or less
Here’s an exciting event for the children!
Polar Express Movie Day
What: All children are welcome to join us for a reading of Polar Express and watching the
movie afterwards! Hot chocolate will be provided.
Where: Old Scotch Fellowship Hall When: Sunday, December 21 When: 3:00 - 5:00 PM
Please RSVP: There will be a sign up sheet in the Fellowship Hall throughout the month.
And, don’t forget…
Youth Group meets at the church every Sunday, 6-7:30 PM, unless listed otherwise!
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
Colossians 3:15
Blessings,
Brian Gustafson
Mark Your Calendar!
January Deadlines EARLY THIS YEAR!
As you may know, our office administrator, Jeff Uecker, will be out of the country from the end of
January through early March. Rest assured, capable substitutes will be covering office business during
that time, but January deadlines will be a bit earlier than usual.
If you have information for the February or March Aspire
or if you are turning in Annual Reports,
please submit them by Friday, January 9 at the latest.
Anyone who needs to beg or bribe for an extension can contact Jeff in the church office.
Holiday Movie Day!
All children are welcome to join us in the church Fellowship Hall Sunday, December 21, 3-5:00 PM for a
reading of Polar Express and watching the movie afterwards! Hot chocolate will be provided. Please RSVP.
There will be a sign up sheet downstairs in the Fellowship Hall after church throughout the month.
Candlelight Worship
Our annual Christmas Eve candlelight worship services will be held December 24 at 7:30 PM and
11:00 PM. They will include choir music, carols, scripture readings and singing by candlelight.
Please join us for this very special worship time at the Old Scotch Church. Childcare is provided during
the 7:30 PM service.
Women's Service Guild Meeting
Join us Saturday, December 27, at 10 AM as we gather to remove the Advent decorations and Christmas
tree from the church. All are welcome!
Women, Save the Date!
Annual Women's Retreat at Tilikum: Saturday and Sunday, January 24 and 25.
Look for more information in the January Aspire.
Don’t Forget!
MEN’S BREAKFAST
The Men’s Breakfast meets the first Saturday of each month at Elmer’s restaurant. Come join us for
conversation and a hearty meal. All men are welcome! For more information about Men’s Breakfast,
contact Bruce Waller or the church office.
Knitters
The knitters meet most Thursdays at 7 PM, usually at Peggy Ploem’s home. Please check the
monthly Aspire calendar for any weeks they may not meet. If you are new to the group, call Peggy
to make sure of the location. All are welcome!
COOKIE SUNDAY
The last Sunday of each month is Cookie Sunday during Fellowship Hour. We invite you to bring
your favorite cookies or healthful snack to share.
Choir
Choir meets every Wednesday at 7:00 PM in the sanctuary to prepare for Sunday worship. All who
are interested in singing with us are welcome!
News of Our Church Family
Food Pantry Needs
The following items are seldom, if ever, carried by the Oregon Food Bank, but they are always in demand at
the William Temple House West Food Pantry: bath soap, toothpaste, tooth brushes, shampoo, jams and
jellies, and cheese. Your contributions have been very generous and are greatly appreciated. Bill Graham
Old Scotch Church Giving Tree
Starting November 23, the Giving Tree will be up in the Fellowship Hall. We have the opportunity to
brighten the Christmas holidays for four families in need in Washington County. Children ages range
from four months to 17 years. Our tree will have specific gift tags for each member of the family. We suggest
no more than $25.00 for purchase of a gift. Our tags will provide you a hint at what is either needed or
wished for. Monetary donations to the Deacon Fund are accepted as gift cards to grocery stores will be added to our gift boxes to the families. Come down to the Fellowship Hall and choose a tag, sign the roster for
the tag. Return the gift, wrapped with the tag attached no later than December 21. You can provide the hope
and promise of the Season with your participation. Questions? Ask Nora Stevens or Fred Dolsen.
This outreach is to relative foster families. Relative foster families are families (often Grandparents) who are
caring for related children in the foster care program of the state. These families get no monetary
assistance from the state for this care.
New Giving Opportunity!
Our church has registered to be a charity with Amazon, which yields us .5% of every purchase you make, at
no cost to you. To use this charity option, please shop at smile.amazon.com instead of at amazon.com.
Your regular Amazon account will apply, and the prices are exactly the same. For the first time you shop,
select the link “Your Account” and then the “Choose your Charity” link. Search for our church under “Tualatin
Plains Presbyterian Church.” Once our church is selected, we simply receive a quarterly check from all the
purchases of our members who use this site! Please remember us during your Christmas shopping!
Adult Sunday School
For Advent, Christian Education has purchased devotionals called Watch for the Light, with devotions written
by a wide variety of excellent theologians and authors. Each Sunday, the class will gather and talk about
what they learned in the week from the daily readings.
Warm Clothes Donations
We are again collecting donations of warm clothes and coats for the homeless. These donations go
to the Sonrise Church's winter homeless program. Please put your warm clothes donation in the box
in the Fellowship Hall by the elevator. If you have questions about the program, please contact Debi
Knox. Thank you.
Budget News
We received $112.45 from Fred Meyer as a Community Partner donation for third quarter. Those funds have
been approved to go in the Unruh Scholarship fund by Session for the 2014 year. As a reminder, if you have
not already signed up to have Old Scotch designated as your Community Organization, please consider
doing so by going on line at Fred Meyer and using OSC’s number 87052. Signing up does not affect your
own personal award in any way! We are doing very well with our third quarter budget. Being very close to our
budget is excellent as we are usually running quite a bit behind at the end of summer. Thank you for your
support of the Old Scotch Church!! Terri Browning, Business and Finance Elder
Alternative Gift Giving
Through December 21, we will have a table during fellowship hour where you can purchase alternative gift
options. Choices this year include: supporting orphanages in China or India, supporting the Old Scotch youth
mission trip, William Temple House West, and Portland Women's Crisis Line. Please see the Alternative
Christmas Wish List below for more details on specific projects.
2014 Alternative Christmas Wish List
Organization
Price Range
Quantity @
Amount for
Total
Scotch Church Youth Missions
(Mission in the church)
$5 to $25
_____
_____
_________
_________
_________
_________
The Youth Group at Old Scotch Church, under the leadership of Brian Gustafson, is planning to do mission
work for the 2015 summer. Your gift will help support a mission trip or day-long service projects.
William Temple House Food Bank
(Mission in the community)
$10 to $25
_____
_____
_________
_________
_________
_________
Old Scotch Church has been an avid supporter of the William Temple House, which seeks to support
low-income families with food and grocery needs. This support will be given to William Temple House for
their greatest area of need, where just $10 buys $100 of food from Oregon Food Bank, or where non-food
items such as toiletries can be purchased by a special rate from a local store.
Portland Women’s Crisis Line
(Mission in the community)
$5 to $50
_____
_____
_________
_________
_________
_________
Portland Women’s Crisis Line, founded in 1973, was one of the first five sexual violence crisis lines in the
United States. PWCL mainly provides services (e.g., crisis intervention, advocacy and support, safety
planning, in-person response for survivors of sexual violence, information and referral, emergency housing
resources, danger to safety transportation assistance, agency and community support groups) in Multnomah,
Clackamas, and Washington counties. Your support provides hygiene items, transportation assistance,
basic living assistance, and self-care items for survivors.
Support for China Orphan
(Mission in the world)
$5 to $500
_____
_____
_________
_________
_________
_________
Support for India Orphan s
(Mission in the world)
$5 to $500
_____
_____
_________
_________
_________
_________
Chris Macfarlane continues to work on behalf of children orphaned in China and Fuling Kids International
("FKI" - a US-based organization). Your contribution will help fund clothing/supplies for a child. $500 will
provide care for one child for one year, but any gift of support is welcomed.
In February, Jeff Uecker will once again travel to India to work with orphans. The children in the orphanages
are there because of financial reasons, or abandonment. Your contribution will help fund personal supplies
and other basic needs.
YOUR NAME: ____________________________________
TOTAL ALTERNATIVE GIFT PURCHASE: _______________
(Please make checks payable to Tualatin Plains Presbyterian Church)
All gifts are tax-deductible, and will be calculated as such by our treasurer
For your own Alternative Gift Shopping, we suggest Heifer International:
Website: www.heifer.org/gift-catalog/index.html
New Babies!
Parents, Kendra and Alex, and sister Mathilda happily announce the arrival of Margaret Aisling
Reid, born Monday morning, November 10, weighing in at 9 lb. 5 oz.
And Caitlyn and Kyle Mitchel-Markley, with sister Corwyn, warmly welcome Carrick Danger Markley who
was born Thursday, November 13, weighing in at 7 lb 1 oz.
May God bless these new members of our church community and their families.
Join a Group!
Do you have a hobby or interest that would be fun to share with a few members of your church family?
Perhaps you like to read, go on day hikes, do a particular craft, cook, etc. The Outreach and Membership
Committee is encouraging you to organize a group! We would love to hear your idea and help facilitate
getting it started. Please contact Sue Weinbender, Outreach and Membership Elder.
Blessed Events!
We love babies at the Old Scotch Church and we would like to honor and celebrate the births of
member’s children and grandchildren by placing a rose on the piano during worship service. If
you have news of a birth, please contact Sue Weinbender with details.
Reminders in Our Service to God
ELDER ON CALL FOR DECEMBER — Mike Charles
COMMUNION SERVERS
December 21 — Sue Foster, Brian Kinnear, Debi Knox, Alex Reid
USHERS FOR DECEMBER
Alternate Coordinator, David Bratton
December 7
Dolsen/Stevens family
December 14
Catherine Dolsen and Judi Eckersley
December 21
Jon Jossy and Teresa Griffels Jossy
December 24, 7:30 PM
Charles Family
11:00 PM
Weinbender Family
December 28
Phyllis and Dolores Laners
USHERS FOR JANUARY
Alternate Coordinator, Elmer Mays
January 4
January 11
January 18
January 25
Ellen Vanasche and Pete Dunn
Ann Simmons and Sue Moore
Elmer and Harriet Mays
Duane and Sandy Zieman
ASPIRE SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR THE JANUARY ISSUE – DECEMBER 15
Church Staff
Rev. Tracie Bullis
Pastor
Children and Youth
Ministry Coordinator
Office Administrator
Treasurer
Choir Director
Accompanists
Session Leadership
Clerk of Session
Matthew Metz
Business Administration
& Finance
Terri Browning
Mission
Chris Macfarlane
Worship and Music
Fara Laners
Christian Education
Mike Charles
Cemetery
David Bratton
Outreach & Membership Sue Weinbender
Building & Grounds
Jean Moseley
Fellowship
Peggy Ploem
Brian Gustafson
Jeffry Uecker
Katherine Kinnear
Maurine Granat
Meredith Bach, Judy Charles
K.K. Friar, Kevin Upton
Wedding Hostess
Robi Knox
Nursery
Kelsey Brown
Haley Knox
Deacons
Yvonne Arnoldi • Fred Dolsen • Sue Foster • Joan Johannes • Debera Knox • Dolores Fay Laners
Cheryl McFadden • Peggy McShane • Ann Simmons • Nora Stevens • Cindy Uecker
Our Cemetery
OLD SCOTCH CHURCH CEMETERY PRICE STRUCTURE
Members
Non-members
In-Ground*
Regular, 4’x10’ lot
$700
$1200 (double-depth burial allowed in unoccupied lot)
Infant section, 4’x7’ lot
$200
$500
Cremation, 2’x2’ lot
$150
$300
(*These prices do not include opening of grave or fabrication and installation of marker. A $150 charge for recordkeeping is imposed for each interment.)
Columbarium**
Top row
$750
$1100
Middle Row
$700
$1050
Bottom Row
$650
$1000
(**Additional inurnment and shutter fees apply. Additional record-keeping fee of $150 for each inurnment.)
For more information about cemetery policies, please contact the church office or go to:
www.oldscotchchurch.org/cemetery
On a Lighter Note
3
7 PM - Knitters
4
Thursday
2
7 PM - Choir
11
Wednesday
1
7 PM - Worship & Music
10
Tuesday
7 PM - Scouts Court
of Honor
9
7 PM - Choir
Monday
8
7 PM - Session
18
12
19
26
Friday
6
Saturday
8 AM - Men’s Breakfast
@ Elmer’s Restaurant
13
9:30 AM - Deacons
6 PM - Youth @ Zoo
Lights
20
10 AM - Guild members
take down Holiday
decorations
27
Scouts Lock-in
Church Office Closed
Christmas
Day
25
17
31
7:30 & 11 PM Christmas Eve Service
24
7 PM - Knitters
7 PM - Scouts
16
23
30
7 PM - Choir
11 AM - Staff
7 PM - Knitters
15
7 PM - Scouts
January
Aspire
Submissions Due
22
29
No Choir this evening
5
This Month at Old Scotch—December 2014
Sunday
7—2nd Sunday of Advent
9 AM - Sunday School
10 AM - Worship
11 AM - Fellowship Hour
11:15 AM - Joy & Youth Choirs
11:15 AM - Scout Wreath Pickup
6 PM - Youth Group
14—3rd Sunday of Advent
9 AM - Sunday School
10 AM - Worship
11 AM - Fellowship Hour
11:15 AM - Joy & Youth Choirs
11:15 AM - Building & Grounds
6 PM - Youth Group
21—4th Sunday of Advent
COMMUNION
9 AM - Sunday School
10 AM - Worship
11 AM - Fellowship Hour
11:15 AM - Joy & Youth Choirs
3:00 PM - Polar Express movie event
6 PM - Youth White Elephant party
28—1st Sunday after Christmas
COOKIE SUNDAY
10 AM - Worship
11 AM - Fellowship Hour
No Youth Group this evening