1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

Join Us Each Week!
 Ebensburg Presbyterian Church
 Colver Presbyterian Church
 200 North Center Street
 79 Reese Avenue
Morning Worship 11:00 AM
 P. O. Box 327
 P. O. Box 540
 Ebensburg, PA 15931 814 472-6920
 Colver, PA 15927 814 748-7253
Bible Study Tuesdays at 1 & 7
 http://ebensburg-presbyterian.com
 [email protected]
 [email protected]
 www.colverpresbyterian.org
2014
DECEMBER
A JOINT NEWSLETTER OF THE EBENSBURG PRESBYTERIAN
AND THE COLVER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
T H E F E L LOW S H I P
CHURCH
At Pastor Laura’s House
Join Us Each Week!
Morning Worship 9:00 AM
Sunday School 10:15 AM
Bible Study Tuesdays at 1 & 7
at Pastor Laura’s House
Earth Day
Dear friends,
I came across a short film last Christmas called
“The Boy”, produced by the Reformed Church in
Hungary. From their website (theboy.eu),
“What is a real Christmas like?
Snow. Christmas tree. Nice presents. Family dinner. The
holiday of love. These images come to mind, and these
should be the ingredients of the ideal Christmas film.
But what is left of the real Christmas once it has been
stripped of these usual, reassuring ingredients? The Biblical
story. A story void of comfort and indulgence because it takes place at the edge of the world, so that
God can show Himself under these impossible circumstances. We believe this is what the real
Christmas is.”
“The Boy” ponders the question of where that place at the edge of the world might
be today. If Christ were to be born in 2014, where do you think his mother would
lay him down? If not an animal’s feedbox, where would Christ lay his tiny head?
And who would surround him following his miraculous birth? Shepherds were certainly on the bottom of the social order of their day, so what rough characters might
the angels visit to announce the birth? Would Mary and Joseph be seen as a nice
young couple on a road trip, or would we fear they were dangerous outcasts?
I invite you to ponder these questions and ask what impossible circumstances God
might be seen in today. Advent is a wonderful time to reflect upon Christ’s growing
light in the world. As we add to the light of the Advent wreath each week, little by
little, we meditate upon how pieces of Christ’s light shine in the darkness of our
world. What starts as a flickering candle flame becomes full-blown dazzling light.
When we take the light from the Christ candle on Christmas Eve and share it with
each other, it is more than a nice tradition. It is our bold declaration that God is present in even the darkest, most hopeless places. Places that it seems the world has
forgotten, at the fringe. Even there, the light grows. Inside of us, too. Even in the
darkest, loneliest parts of ourselves, Christ’s light is growing.
In the next month, we will have ample opportunities to share Christ’s light with others. My prayer is that we would keep our eyes open for the people who are on the
edge, forgotten and abandoned by the world. May we see the flickering flames of
Christ shining in them.
I hope you all have a meaningful journey to Bethlehem this Advent and a blessed
Christmas as we welcome Christ. And may the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love of Christ
rest and abide with you throughout this season and into the coming year.
Peace,
Laura
Page 2
Services and Sermons:
(both Churches)
November 30 Isaiah 64:1-9
Mark 13:24-37
December 7 Isaiah 40:1-11
Mark 1:1-8
THE FELLOWSHIP
Pine Springs Camp Winter Retreats based on
ROOTED –Colossians 2:6-7
2015 Sr. High Winter Retreat
from January 23, 2015 7:00 pm
to January 25, 2015 1:00 pm
($90 per person)
December 14 Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
2015 Jr. High Winter Retreat
John 1:6-8, 19-28
from February 20, 2015 7:00 pm to
December 21 Luke 1:26-38
February 22, 2015 1:00 pm
Luke 1:46b-55
($80 per person)
December 28 Isaiah 61:10-62:3
See www.pinesprings.org or call 814 629-9834
Luke 2:22-40
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ebensburg Family Christmas Dinner Ebensburg 2015 Offering Envelopes
The Annual Dinner will be held imme- 2015 Offering Envelopes will be available soon.
diately following worship on Sunday, Please let us know in the church office if you prefer any changes or additions to what you have
December 14th.
The church will provide meat, rolls and been using during 2014. Thanks so much!
beverages.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please bring the following items according to the first letter of your last Colver Women’s Association Reorganizes
name:
At its meeting on October 8, the executive comA - J Salad
mittee and members of the Presbyterian Women
K - R Dessert
of Colver decided to make some changes to the
S - Z Vegetable
Please notify the church office or sign organization. The reasons for the changes inup on one of the bulletin inserts to give cluded a decline in membership and increase of
the committee an approximate count in age of all of our members. Income from our 2
order to purchase the proper amount of major fundraisers has continued to decline over
the past 4 years. It has been harder to get workers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
meat.
for Bazaar and to sell tickets for the calendar
~~~~~~
We look forward to seeing you!
party. The changes include: 1) No longer hold
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
the annual bazaar and calendar party; 2) to deA Note
The
firstfrom
Game Night sponsored by the
crease meetings from monthly to 4 times per year
Women’s
Post
Card Group
proved fun.
the Colver
Financial
Secretary
(March, June, October, and December). We will
Games
played
includedthe
checkers
andenve21.
To save
on postage,
offering
lope boxes will be available for pick up continue with 1) bake/soup sale for election days;
at the church after December 7. The 2) funeral dinners; 3) executive board; 4) fellowend of the year statements for tax pur- ship outings; and 5) Bible Study from Horizons
poses will be distributed during the Magazine. Special meetings or additional fundmorning worship services beginning raisers will be held as needed throughout the year.
Changes will take effect in 2015.
January 11.
THE FELLOWSHIP
Page 3
Colver Basement Floor
Receives Long-needed Waxing
Waxing the basement floor of the church is
a daunting task and is one that happens
every few years. It is time consuming and
back breaking work. Four days were spent
in November having a crew come and move
furniture, wax and buff the floors. The cost
to have the floor finished is $2,170. Donations toward the cost of finishing the floor
would be greatly appreciated. To make a
donation to this project, please place it in an
envelope label it “Floor project.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christmas Eve Services
The Colver Presbyterian
Church Christmas Eve
Communion Service will
be held Wednesday, December 24th at 5:00 pm.
“Silver Bells” for the Salvation Army
Once again this year volunteers
from both the Colver and the
Ebensburg Churches will be ringing
bells at the local WalMart in support of our local unit of the Salvation Army.
The dates are: Colver Monday, December 8th
from 4:00 to 9:00 pm and for Ebensburg Thursday, December 11th from 4:00 to 9:00 pm.
Come out and support those who brave the
weather each year (rain or snow!) for such a
worthy cause.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Colver Cans for Cash
Did you know that Colver collects
aluminum cans to recycle for its youth
programs? Anyone who would like to
get rid of aluminum cans, recycle, and
help with youth programs can drop of cans outside the basement entryway of the church.
With holiday parties coming up, donating your
cans to the church can go a long way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Ebensburg Presbyterian Church Christ- Ebensburg Giving Tree
This advent season we will feature a
mas Eve Svc. is scheduled for Wednesday,
Giving Tree in the sanctuary. The
December 24th 7:00 pm.
style of the tree and decorations will
be different than we typically use but
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
the intent is to highlight and provide
opportunity for giving. The tree will
COLVER WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION
be decorated with ornaments representing misINSTALLS OFFICERS
sions we have already given to from the benevolence fund this year. Look for take away ornaThe Colver Women’s Association
ments that detail suggestions for Jared Box Coninstalled is officers during the
tributions, Board Games, and other gifts for local
worship service on November 23.
students. We encourage you to take one or more
of these ornaments and place the gifts in the apDuring this service, the women
propriate baskets under the tree.
also took up the Thank Offering.
Page 4
THE FELLOWSHIP
Youth Group Trip to Winter Jam
BIBLE STUDY at Laura’s House
(844 8th Street, Colver)
All youth grades 6 and up are invited to attend the Winter
Jam concert at the Bryce Jordan Center on Friday, January 16th at 6 PM. Tickets are $10, which we will pay at Dec. 2 No Bible Study
the door. Please contact Laura by December 28th to RSVP
for this fun evening. (Once we have a count on how many Dec. 9 7 PM
youth are attending we will set up a carpool and ask for
chaperones.)
Dec. 16 1 PM
Dec. 23 1 PM and 7 PM
Go to www.jamtour.com for more information about the
Dec. 30 1 PM and 7 PM
concert, including a list of all the bands we will hear!
Music Events in Colver
Each Sunday the Chancel Choir helps to lead our morning worship
with anthems and responses related to the seasons of the
church. The children of the church will be helping with that during
Advent.
The Children’s music group “Ring and Sing” will be presenting
special music on the following days:
Sunday November 16th and 23rd they will sing during the worship hour at 9:00 a.m.
Sunday evening, December 14th at 6:00 p.m. they will participate, along with the Chancel
Choir and others, in our annual Christmas program which is sponsored by the Colver
Presbyterian Women.
The program is open to everyone so please bring a friend and join us as we celebrate the birth
of our Savior. Refreshments will be served following the program.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Presbyterian Home of Greater Johnstown Adopt-a-Grandparent Program
This is a program to give a Christmas/holiday gift to each of the elderly in our local nursing
home. With your $20 donation, a gift set (which includes gift, tax, wrap & delivery) will be
given to one of the residents. The gift set you give will have a tag saying it comes from you!
There are 75-100 people in Johnstown's Presbyterian home & the goal is to provide 1 gift set
for every person living there. This set includes a satin hands hand cream & a mint bliss foot
& leg lotion, so this is perfect for men or women!! To contribute to this program, please contact Tara Kushner at 814 248-5764.
THE FELLOWSHIP
Page 5
About members of our Church Families…
From The Mountaineer Herald…
Sarah Segear and Brooke Lyons, students at Central Cambria High School, were recently among those participating in
Stephen Schwartz’s timeless telling of the book of Matthew,
“Godspell”, which included parables, teachings, scripture,
singing and dancing: a great night out for families!
In the Good Old Days…
30 Years Ago, in 1984, Martha O’Brien, Talus Rock Girl Scout
Council President, was among 11 council representatives
at the 1984 National Council Convention in Detroit, Michigan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WELCOMED INTO THE COLVER FOLD
Colver welcomed new children and two adults into its church family.
In September, the congregation participated in the baptisms of Christian Ondishko IV, son of
Lynn (Stoyka) and Christian Ondishko and Isaac LaMantia, son of Toyna (Link) and Joseph
LaMantia.
Dan and Amy Brown became members of the Colver Presbyterian Church on Sunday, November 16. Their daughter, Leah, was baptized on November 23 during the morning worship
service.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Judy and Herman Carl report that the Northern Cambria Community Band will be performing
the following Holiday Concerts:
Thursday, Dec. 4th
6:00 Richland Towers
Saturday, Dec. 6th 2:00 Cherry Tree United Methodist Church
Sunday, Dec. 7th
4:00
Tuesday, Dec. 9th 6:30
St. Benedict Presbyterian Church
Ebensburg Rebekah Manor
Tuesday, Dec. 16th 7:00 Indiana Mall
Ebensburg Presbyterian Church
THE FELLOWSHIP
December 2014
Sun
Mon
1
Walker Bag
Project Due
Pastor ———
7 Morning
Worship 11:00
8
Tue
2
Wed
3
Point of Freedom
N.A. Group 6:00
—— Laura ——
— on ———-
10
Counselor
Ebg. Area Clergy
Noon
9 Bible Study
7:00
10:00
Cub Scouts 4:00
Girl Scouts 6:00
Point of Freedom
N.A. Group 6:00
Session
Meets 7:00
15
Christmas Party
Immediately
16
Bible Study
1:00
17
Point of Freedom
N.A. Group 6:00
Following Worship
Cub Scouts 4:00
Girl Scouts 6:00
21 Morning
Worship 11:00
Congregational
Mtg. following
Worship
22
23
Bible Study
1:00 & 7:00
24
Christmas Eve
Service 7:00
R.S.V.P. due
for WinterJam
-- vacation -→
30
Bible Study
1:00 & 7:00
Light-up
Ceremony
Kimball Park
6:00
18 Happy
Birthday!
Martha O’Brien
Holly Lyons
Happy
Anniversary!
Ed & Donna
Huttenhower
Choir 7:00
19
Happy
Birthday!
Sylvan
Vietmeier
25
Christmas Day
26
Happy Birthday!
Carol Vaughn
Clare Morrison
29
Happy
Birthday!
Larry Davis
5
Dickens of a
Christmas
11
12
Salvation Army Happy
Bell Ringing
Birthday!
@ Walmart
Tracy Dixon
4:00—9:00
Point of Freedom
N.A. Group 6:00
Girl Scouts 6:00
28 Morning
Worship 11:00
4
Happy
Birthday!
Teagan Vaughn
Fri
Sat
6
Happy
Birthday!
Paige Forberger
Community
Choir 3:00
UCC Church
13
Choir Practice
7:00
Happy Birthday!
John Kinkead
14 Morning
Worship 11:00
Thu
31
Counselor
Noon
Point of Freedom Happy
N.A. Group 6:00
Anniversary!
Bennett &
Carol Vaughn
20Counselor
9:30
Narcotics
Anon. Bus.
Mtg. 10:45
Happy Birthday!
Joy Robbins
Bob Magley
27
Page 7
NEWSLETTER TITLE
Colver Presbyterian Church
December 2014
THE FELLOWSHIP
Page 8
Ebensburg Presbyterian Church
200 North Center Street
PO Box 327
Ebensburg, PA 15931
December is say “Hi” to a Neighbor Month.
This is the perfect month to think about your relationship with those in near proximity to you.
We’re busy with parties, dinners, gift exchanges and counting down to the New Year so it’s already a very social season. Did you reach out to your neighbors this month too? Have you
even met your neighbors? Have you greeted them on your way in the door? Bake something
for them, make them an ornament, or invite them over for coffee. You may find a treasured
friend that you didn’t realize was only a quick walk away. Or there may be an elderly shut-in
nearby who is in need of a little neighborly help and conversation. Offer to pick up groceries,
bring them something to eat or help shovel snow. Say “Hi” to your neighbor!