THE EPISTLE

Volume 15 Issue 11 DECEMBER 23, 2010

PASTORAL PERSPECTIVE

S
oon it will once again be Christmas. How the time flies! The days run toward this night of all
nights when heaven came down to earth in Bethlehem, so many centuries ago. We will gather
once again as families, remembering the year past with all its joys and sorrows and we will look
forward to the clean slate of a new year with all its possibilities and promises.
We pause in our celebrating, in the dark of the night and we come to hear once again the old, old
story of the birth. We kneel, in our minds, at least in Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to
pass; the good news to all the world in the face of a child. Why do we come to church on this night of
nights? Is it a habit or a need to be in a place of sacred memory and present experience? Whatever the
reason, we feel the pull of the God who reaches out to us wherever we are on life’s journey and
welcomes us home.
A long time ago, I was in a Christmas play that our church youth group presented. I don’t remember
much of it, but I do remember the opening line since I was the one who said it: Home for Christmas,
all of us! Our good and gracious God, who came to us in Jesus on that first Christmas, welcomes us all
home to worship and adore him and to hear once more the Christmas story.
Once again we will gather twice on Christmas Eve, 5:00 PM for a family service and 11:00 PM for
our Festival Eucharist. There will be candlelight at both services and the choir will sing at the late
service. The day after Christmas, December 26 is a Sunday and we will come together as we always do
on Sunday at 9:30 AM. We will share some wonderful carols along with some other stories and poems
for the season. Remember it is still Christmas and will be until Epiphany.
I wish for you and your family the blessings and the joys which come not only at Christmas but all the
yearlong from our good and gracious God.

“Into this silent night

as we make our weary way
we know not where,
just when the night becomes the darkest
and we cannot see our path,
just then
is when the angels rush in,
their hands full of stars.”
-Ann Weems, Kneeling in Bethlehem
 WORSHIP SCHEDULE
“Come As You Are” Saturday
Worship Service Planned For
January
Interested in worshipping God in new ways?
Ever feel like sleeping in on Sunday
morning? Try our new “Come As You Are”
Saturday evening worship service!
Beginning on Saturday, January 22 at 5 p.m.,
this casual, come-as-you-are service will
warm your heart and help you connect with
God in new ways as we focus on God’s
never-ending grace. Our plan is to offer a
monthly Saturday evening service, each
featuring a variety of music and worship
traditions. We hope you join us!
WORSHIP FOR CHRISTMAS AND
EPIPHANY
December 26: First Sunday of Christmas
A service both
joyous and quiet
as we meditate
on the gift of
Jesus
-Carols
-Scripture
-Story and Poem
December 31: New Year’s Eve
5:00 PM: A brief service of quiet as we
prepare to receive God’s gift of a new year
Come for reflection and meditation
January 2: Second Sunday of Christmas
The Sacrament of Holy Communion
Celebrating God’s gift of a new year
January 9: Baptism of our Lord
Celebrating Epiphany and the Baptism of
Christ
Renewing our baptismal vows
January 16: Second Sunday after Epiphany
Guest Preacher: The Rev. Dr. Rita Root,
Interim Conference Minister, New York
Conference, United Church of Christ
Dr. Root will also have a conversation with
us during our adult education time.
January 22: Church for Busy People
5:00 PM: A different type of worship
experience; music, and message; informal
for the whole family
January 23: Third Sunday after Epiphany
Ecumenical Sunday
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, our unity
in the gospel
January 30: Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
The Beatitudes: Easier said than done
BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
MORNING CIRCLE
Morning Circle will meet on Tuesday,
January 11 at 10 AM in Fellowship Hall.
Jean Whitney will speak to us about the work
of the Perinton Historic Preservation
Commission.
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EVENING CIRCLE
Evening Circle will meet on Monday,
January 10th, for our annual 'Soup and Salad'
meeting. In addition, Holly Wolf will be our
guest, reviewing the book "THE HELP" by
Kathryn Stockett. Please join us! Any
questions, contact Norma Harrington or
Carol Moran.
Each month the Board of Missions and Outreach
focuses on an organization the Board supports.
This month Nan Notar, our liaison to the Perinton
Food Shelf, reports on their activities. We are
reporting this month because it is during the
holidays that the Food Shelf needs the most
support.
The Perinton Food Shelf is an emergency food
relief organization. Organized in 1980 by the
Perinton Lay Clergy Council, this organization
serves the communities of Fairport and Perinton
(the 14450 zip code). The Food Shelf is a non-
profit organization staffed entirely by volunteers.
Our own church has over 25 people that
volunteer their time and services: packers,
deliverers, verifiers, maintaining the facility,
gathering of items, sorting, organizing…….and
serving as Chairman of the Board.
How is the Food Shelf supplied? Food supplies
are donated by collections from churches,
schools, civic organizations and individuals.
Monetary donations are received which are used
to purchase fresh meat, milk, eggs and margarine
for the families in need. Area businesses provide
baked goods, bread and make dairy products
available for pickup.
How do people get the help they need? Residents
can call 425-7410 and a volunteer calls back
within 24 hours during the weekdays between 9
am and 5 pm. After the verification process is
completed and basic family information gathered,
a deliverer is contacted and a week’s worth of
food is delivered – usually within 24 to 48 hours.
In October 2010, 47 families and 133 people
were receivers of the Perinton Food Shelf’s
donations.
Because of the increased need for emergency
food, the Food Shelf always appreciates your
volunteer services. Please consider volunteering
for the Perinton Food Shelf, bringing donations
of non-perishable food to church, or sponsoring
walkers for the CROP Walk (the Food Shelf
receives a percentage of the contributions). For
more information visit the website at:
www.perintonfoodshelf.org.
Now that the holidays are here, Missions is in full
swing. Ongoing are several activities that the
Board of Missions sponsors: The Hillside
Christmas Giving, The Perinton Food Shelf,
Determined Divas of Rochester a resupply of
their “Closet” and Christmas Baskets for needy
Perinton residents. Your generous donations for
all of the above activities have been pouring in.
and on behalf of the Board, I would like to thank
you for your generosity and wish you a very
Merry Christmas.
Ted Avgerinos
Chairperson
THANKS FOR THE HILLSIDE
GIFTS!!
Thanks to all who provided gifts for our
Hillside Christmas Tree Project. There is a
child or family that has a very Special Santa
come into their lives,
and that is you. This
project underlines our
belief in the goodness
and greatness of
children and the
importance of families.
Randy and Maureen Clark
Board of Missions
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VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDING

ACTIVITIES IMMIGRATION ISSUES
AN INFORMATIONAL WORKSHOP
ON IMMIGRATION
MANY THANKS SATURDAY, JANUARY 15
The Perinton Food Shelf has continued to 8:45 am -1 pm
serve the hungry in
the community as a Mountain Rise United Church of Christ
result of your 2 Mountain Rise, Fairport
generous
contributions during Speakers will:
the year! Your *Survey 200 years of immigration in this
thoughtful donations country.
of the items requested
provide a hearty * Examine the economic impact of
week's worth of immigration on the US economy today
groceries for families and its’ potential for the future.
in need. Working
together -- *Inform about current law and Border
especially in these difficult economic times--
Patrol enforcement in the local area.
we are able to help others who are less
fortunate.
--The Perinton Food Shelf Volunteer Board *Share the League of Women Voters’
position paper on immigration reform.

Featured Speakers –
SALEM SOUP KITCHEN Dr. Randall Stone, Professor of
Volunteers are needed to help prepare a Economics, U of R
lunch for those in need. On January 25th our Lynn Gordon, Associate Professor of
church’s volunteers will meet at 9:15 AM History U of R
and carpool down to Salem and return to the
Sally Chamberlin- Activist, League of
church parking lot, mid-afternoon. Please
Women Voters
join us.

NEW CHOIR MEMBERS Lunch is included at no charge.

New choir members are always needed and Registration is required. Call the church
welcomed. High School students are office 223-2433 by January 10.
encouraged to join, we can work with you to
accommodate your busy schedules. For Come/Learn/Reflect/Respond
more details contact our choir director,
Heather Watras at 703-5143 or
oboelove@frontiernet.net.
 5 THE EPISTLE

FAMILY NEWS
Preschool & Elementary School
Happenings
Rotation Classes Learn About The Reason
Behind the Season
During the season of Advent, our students
will revisit the timeless story of our savior’s
birth -- told in a variety of ways in our
storytelling, art, and movie rotations.
NOTE: There are no Christian
education classes on Dec. 26 or Jan. 2.
Classes resume on Jan. 9.
JYF & SYF Movie Night Set for January
There will be both a JYF movie and an SYF
movie on Friday, Jan. 21 from 7 – 9:30 p.m.
JYFers will meet in our second floor
classroom. SYFers will meet in our
basement classroom. Sign up in Fellowship
Hall.
Senior High Update
Keep checking your emails and Facebook. I
will keep you posted on the date and time of
our annual presentation of the “Muppets
Christmas Carol”. It will be sometime
during the week after Christmas.

Elementary Happenings
Family Movie Night Set for January
Families are invited to enjoy a fun movie and
delicious snacks on Jan. 14 from 7 – 9 p.m.
in Upper Fellowship Hall. Kids are welcome
to come in PJs and bring sleeping bags to
stretch out on. Sign up in Fellowship Hall. Reach Mission Trip
Junior & Senior High Happenings Our youth will be going to Cairo, NY on July
16 for the
Undecorating Party January 8th! annual mission
All Junior and Senior high students are trip. If you are
invited to an “undecorating party” in the attending you
sanctuary on Sat., Jan.8th from 10 – noon. must submit
Help us get the sanctuary ready for the new your $50
year! This activity will count toward mission deposit as
trip requirements. soon as
possible. The
camp is filling
up fast so if
you have not registered please call Mrs.
Hamill at 746-9275.
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OUR CHURCH FAMILY

PLEASE! PLEASE! BE KIND TO
OUR ORGAN!
Dorothy Wallace and When putting tables back in the closet in
her family on the death Fellowship Hall, please make sure the tables
of her husband, Lew are not touching, or leaning against the
Wallace on November
organ’s generator. As Bea says: “That is a
30, 2010.
No-No!” Otherwise, if something is against
the generator the organ’s sound is altered.
Thank you for your help with this!

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS

Barbara Eaton, Perinton Park Manor

Charlotte Jackson, Fairport Baptist Home

Shirley Sumner, Perinton Park Manor

Les Warren, Fairport Baptist Home

IRS AND YOUR DONATIONS

If you want your pledge and donations

credited to your 2010 statements, the check
must be dated by December 31, 2010 and we
must receive it in the church office by EPISTLE DEADLINE-
January 3, 2011.
JANUARY 20, 2011
PLEDGE ENVELOPES

For those of you that requested pledge

envelopes, they are now available. They are
in a box in the library area, ready to be
picked up.