St. John's United Methodist Church 

 Cornerstone
   Click on the links below to go directly to that section of the newsletter.
IN THIS ISSUE
Join us for worship
Calendar
Prayer List
Sunday School
Pastor's Reflection
Advent/Christmas at St. John's
Advent Devotionals Here
Festival of Carols, Music Sunday
Youth Group
Red Bird Trailers
Table Talk
Warrior Coffee
Baptism of the Lord Sunday
Worship at Neshaminy Manor
Open arms and serving hands transforming lives through Christ
   
JOIN US FOR
WORSHIP 
       
Worship Services:
8:00 and 10:30 a.m.
Traditional
  9:15 a.m.
Praise  and Worship
  
THIS SUNDAY, 
December 10, 2017
2nd Sunday of Advent
"A Miracle of the Message"
Hebrews 1:1-6


215-357-6998
 
HOURS
Monday - Friday
8:30-3:00 p.m.
 
THIS WEEK'S 
CALENDAR

Thursday, December 7
6:45pm
  Adult Bell Choir

7:30pm
  Al-Anon

8:00pm
  Adult Choir

Saturday, December 9
9:00am
  Pageant Rehearsal

Sunday, December 10
  2nd Sunday of Advent

9:15 am
Children's Sunday School
Adult Sunday School

10:30am
  Children & Youth Sunday School

10:30am
  Confirmation Class

10:30am
Wired Word

11:30am
  Joyful Voices

4:45pm
  Orchestra Rehearsal

6:00pm
  Festival of Carols

Monday, December 11
6:45pm
  Advent Bible Study

Tuesday, December 12
10:00am
  Advent Bible Study

10:00am
  Prayer Shawl Ministry

5:45pm
 GENesis Bells

7:00pm
  Naomi Circle

7:00pm
  Table Talk

7:30pm
  AA

Wednesday, December 13
10:00am
  Rebekah Circle

1:00pm
  Joanna Circle

7:00pm
  Bible Study

7:00pm
  Advent Bible Study

Thursday, December 14

7:30pm
  Al-Anon

7:30pm
  Ann's Choice Concert

 

 

PRAYER LIST

Please click to view

 

All "Ongoing Prayer Concerns" will be listed for 
2 weeks.  
Please submit a new prayer request card if you desire to renew the listing for 2 additional weeks.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month 
in the parlor - 10 AM
Please come help knit or crochet various items for those in need.
Contact Roberta Nelson for more information or if you  w ould like to request a  Prayer Shawl.
robertahsn577@verizon.net

 
 
Please go to the Children's Ministry Page for forms.

Children's Sunday School
Children's Sunday School is held weekly at the 9:15 and 10:30 services f or children 4 years old through 6th Grade. A parent must accompany children who are attending for the first time. 

Volunteers are needed for both the 9:15 and 10:30 services in Children's Sunday School. Contact David Bigam. 

Youth Sunday School
Sunday school takes place every Sunday at the 10:30 service.  Youth who have completed 6th grade through 12th grade go directly to the Youth Room in the Education Wing.  Youth are encouraged to worship together at the 9:15 service. 

Nursery
Available at both  
9:15 and 10:30. 
We welcome all children birth through 4 years old.  The nursery is equipped with a calling system and will alert you in worship if your child needs you.  

2018 OFFERING ENVELOPES
The 2018  Offering Envelopes are on the tables in the hallway.  Please take your envelopes home with you today and save the church much postage.  If your neighbor or a relative gets envelopes and doesn't get out to church, it would be helpful if you delivered the envelopes.  Thank you! 
2018 PLEDGE CARDS
Please remember to place your completed 2018 Financial Commitment card in the offering plate on Sunday or send/drop off to the church office ASAP!  Additional cards are located in the pew racks and also on the Welcome Table.  Thank you. 
MOBILE GIVING
Have you ever arrived at church and forgot your giving envelope? Or you would like to make a Communion Offering and you have just 18 cents in your pocketbook? 
Well, help as arrived, as 
St John's now offers mobile giving! 

Just go to the  website 
click on the donate now button, and register. Once you're registered, you can either make donations by debit or credit. It's quick and secure. The same vendor that handles electronic giving for us, Vanco Services, has state of the art encryption, so you can rest easy that your transaction is 100% safe and confidential.

If you have any questions about mobile giving, email Lou Lescas at  stjohns820@gmail.com

UMC LINKS umc logo
 
  
  
PASTOR'S REFLECTION
           In case you aren't aware of it, I am one of the least crafty persons on the face of the earth.  It's embarrassing to admit that, but it's true.  So when I was faced with helping my granddaughter, Lailah, make a gingerbread house a couple of weeks ago, it sounded like a daunting task. 
            Yes, it was a kit.  Yes, it came with instructions (sort of).  And it came with big and little pieces of gingerbread to be shaped into the house and other things like trees and gingerbread men.  And it came with a zillion bags of assorted candies in all different types and shapes and sizes.  It also came with lots of icing in assorted colors along with icing tips and bags.  YIKES.
            Well, let's just say this was a two-day process.  The first night, we had to "paste" the walls and roof of the house together with icing.  After several mishaps and collapses, it finally seemed to hold together fairly well.  The instructions said to then let the icing dry for at least four hours before working on the exterior decorations.  Check.  And although it was a highly CHALLENGING process (at least it was for me!), by the next afternoon, the house was finished (hallelujah!) and even took pictures.  And yes, both of us were covered in icing.
            I then found a nice, sturdy box to transport the completed house from my house to theirs.  And I carefully lifted the house into the box.  Well, it was a darn good thing I took all those pictures.  Because the house was apparently a lot more fragile than I thought.  As soon as Lailah took one step with the box, the entire house collapsed.  OH NO!!!!  We decided that there was still a lot of extra icing, so as soon as she got home, they could reassemble it. 
            So I asked about it the other day:  "Lai, did you ever get Mom to help you fix the gingerbread house?"  "No, but it was okay.  We just ate it, and it was really good!"
            Sounds very similar to that old saying, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade," doesn't' it?  Or even that question we often ask ourselves, "do I see the glass half empty, or the glass half full?"  OR, we could even say it the way James said it in chapter 1, verse 2:  "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind..."  Yep ... the story of that collapsed gingerbread house could preach lol - and the lesson came straight from the mouth of an 8-year-old.  Thanks, Lailah!
                                                                                    Blessings,
Pastor Janice
ADVENT
2017 ADVENT/CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE

Festival of Carols
Sunday, December 10th at 6:00 p.m. 
An evening of Christmas Music and Caroling
Presented by St. John's Choirs

Sunday, December 17th
A service of Christmas Music presented by the Choirs
at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. only 
(PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE NO 9:15 AM SERVICE)

Sunday, December 24 - Christmas Eve Day
10:00 a.m. 
(ONE SERVICE ONLY)

Christmas Eve Candlelight Services
5:30 p.m.
Children's Christmas Pageant
Children's Choirs

7:30 p.m. 
Adult Choir and Ring of Faith Handbell Choir

9:30 p.m. 
Youth Praise Choir and Grace Notes Handbell Choir
Sacrament of Holy Communion 

Sunday, December 31 - New Year's Eve
10:00 A.M. 
(ONE SERVICE ONLY) 

Remember to use your Advent Mission Offering Envelopes
Advent Mission Project 2017
 
What gift will you give to Jesus this year for His birthday?  
We invite you to give to this year's Advent Mission project, which supports the Christian engineering nonprofit, Water Mission, in its effort to bring power and water back to hurricane victims in Puerto Rico.  For more information, visit  www.watermission.org.  Please place your contribution in the wooden manager in the Narthex.  Checks can be made out to St. John's United Methodist Church. 


Our 2017 Advent Devotional is here!
Devotionals are available in the Narthex after all three services.  Be sure to get one for yourself and one to share with a family member or friend as well. 

A big thank you to Bonnie Bustard, Jackie Brownell, Marjorie Elwell and Betty Witschard for their help folding the devotionals.
MUSIC MINISTRY


CHRISTMAS MUSIC PROGRAMS
 
Festival of Carols
This Sunday, December 10 - 6:00 pm
Choirs   Handbell Choirs  Special Music
Orchestra   Carol Singing
Canned Goods Food Drive
 
Music Sunday Services
Sunday, December 17
9:00 & 10:30 Services Only
Choirs and Handbell Choirs
"A Christmas Music Celebration"


YOUTH GROUP

  
Sunday nights
7:00-8:30 PM
Hmmm.  What are we doing at Youth Gr oup?

No Youth Group this Sunday (12/10)
Festival of Carols at 6 PM
_________________________________________________

Youth Group Progressive Dinner
December 17 - 4 PM-?
Join us for a night of Caroling and Eating
You must sign up for this event on bulletin board 
outside youth room.
___________________________________________________

Morrisville Food Bank Monday
December 11- Contact David Bigam
Do Not Miss This Opportunity! 
Come and experience great Fellowship! 
Morrisville is open to anyone interested in going to help make 220 grocery bags full of food. 
Families are always welcome! 
Following this event we always head to Chick-fil-a for Milkshakes!!!!
    __________________________________________________

And as always
Bring a Friend and Bring a Can!
(All food collected goes to Jesus Focus Food Pantry)

Have you HELPED anyone today?
Have you SAID SOMETHING NICE to anyone today?


CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS EVE PAGEANT
 
Rehearsal Schedule: 
December 9 (Saturday) 9-11 AM
All Children
December 16 (Saturday) 9-11 AM
All Children 
Dress Rehearsal

MISSIONS

RED BIRD TRAILERS 
ARE CLOSED FOR THE WINTER  

For the past few weeks we have had a full trailer ready to go to Kentucky, but have been unable to rent a tractor to pull the trailer to Kentucky.  Our understanding is that all available tractors are in the South helping with storm relief.  In addition, once we reach December, the potential for winter storms in the mountains between here and Beverly, Kentucky increases and we do not want to take the chance of traveling through a bad storm. Finally, the second trailer we use for trips to Kentucky is 75% full and therefore we are limited as to how much we can receive.
Thank you for your continued support.
Dick Paulus -  Team Leader,  Red Bird Trailer Mission

OUTREACH
 
Table Talk 
Tuesday, December 12th

Join the Conversation and 
Bring a Friend!
DAILY DEVOTIONALS
Looking for a little inspiration during the week?   Try an online devotional.    


(has many devotionals to choose from)

(Devotional for Women)

(Devotional for Men) 

When you purchase Warrior Coffee as a Christmas gift you can give two gifts in one.  
That's correct, because by fighting for what's right one cup at a time, you are giving the gift of a premium grade coffee and knowing that your su pport ensures that every penny of profit goes directly to the villagers in the El Naranjito, Dominican Republic to improve their standard of living and provide sustainable and environmentally friendly projects to enrich their lives.  
Coffee orders placed on Sunday will be available at St. John's on Sunday,  December 17. 

Warrior Coffee is served exclusively in the Grace Cafe.
RONALD McDONALD HOUSE TABS COLLECTION
Naomi Circle is collecting tabs from beverage cans for Ronald McDonald House.  You will find a container under the sign hanging on the UMW bulletin board. Please place them in a plastic bag and put it in the container. This is an ongoing collection, so keep bringing them in as you collect them.  
Thank you.
BAPTISM OF THE LORD WILL BE OBSERVED ON JANUARY 7, 2018.
We will remember Jesus' baptism by John in the Jordan River.  We will focus on the meaning of baptism that day and you will be given and opportunity to renew your baptism at the altar rail.  This can be a very meaningful experience.  If you have never been baptized and would like to be baptized during this service or if you would like to schedule your child's baptism on this special day, please call the church office.  All church leaders and those who serve on any teams or committees will also be invited to stand for commissioning for 2018 at the conclusion of the renewal of baptism on January 7th.

Neshaminy Manor Worship Service  
Caroling and Communion 
December 3, 2017
St. John's Choir sang and residents received Communion