Angel Tree
The ANGEL TREE is up and waiting for angels to be selected. Gift cards and actual gift amounts are $35.00. If there is more than one item on a tag, you need not buy everything. Please be sure to SIGN OUT the angel on matching color coded sign out sheets and attach it to the gift with the Bible verse side up when returning the gift to the church BEFORE Dec 12. Thank you for caring and sharing.
Live Nativity - Canceled
Due to concerns for everyone's safety, the Live Nativity has been canceled this year. We look forward to having Kathy Ammerman and her animals back with us next year.
Wednesday Evening Vesper Services at 7:00 pm
Join us these Wednesday evenings at 7 pm to enjoy selections of Advent and Christmas Music:
-
December 2 (in the Meeting House): Guitarists, Dr. Candice Mowbray and Danny Webber
-
December 9 (LIVE-STREAMED ONLY at 7 pm): Christmas in Perfect Harmony
-
December 16 (in the Meeting House): Allegro con Fuoco, organ/piano
Special Meeting of the Congregation, Sunday, December 6, 12:15 pm
The Session has called a special meeting of the congregation Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020 at 12:15 pm for the purpose of dissolving the terms of call between SSPC and Rev. Jane Anabe by the Presbytery of Carlisle. The Book of Order requires this action in response to Jane's having accepted a call to serve a congregation in Indiana, closer to her extended family.
There are three ways to participate in this meeting:
1. In Person. The meeting will be held in the Meeting House with overflow seating available and a broadcast of the meeting on the screen in the Chapel. Remember to wear your mask.
3. By Phone. Call the following number: (301) 715-8592 Enter the meeting ID: 966 1001 2068
To toggle between mute and unmute: hit *6 / To raise your hand for voting: hit *9
Please mute yourself upon entry.
There is a box in the Gathering Place to place your cards to Jane, for thanking her for her time here with us at Silver Spring, and wishing her and her family all the best as they relocate to Illinois to start the next part of their journey.
Christmas Bonfire – Sunday, December 6, 3:30 pm
Your Fun-loving Fellowship Committee is hosting a Christmas Bonfire on Sunday, Dec 6th starting at 3:30 pm in the meadow below the gym. Rain/snow date is Dec. 13. Highlights of the event include a huge bonfire, a fireside dinner complete with roasting marshmallows, s’mores and singing Christmas carols. The grand finale is the lighting of the candles as we sing Silent Night. To keep everyone safe, this will be a socially distant event and masks are required. There is no cost to you for this event, but you do need to register. Registrations can be made on-line using Realm (see below) or using the paper sign-up in the Gathering Place. just bring a lawn chair for each member of your family/group, and a flashlight. So, save the date for this all church event. P.S. If you have a kerosene heater that we can borrow for this event, please contact Ellen Frey.
Christmas Poinsettia order forms are available in the Gathering Place
Please return the form to the box in the Gathering Place by Monday, December 14. The names of dedication will be listed in the bulletin on Sunday, December 20. The cost of each poinsettia is $10. If you are unable to get to church, click
HERE for the form to mail it into the church. Thank you.
The Sounds of Advent
Our Silver Spring Sanctuary Choir will perform a Virtual Cantata for viewing on Sunday, December 20th.
Christmas Eve at SSPC
On Christmas Eve, join your friends at Silver Spring for a special live service outside at 7:00 pm. Please dress warm and bring your own hot chocolate. We will wear masks and social distance in order to sing. There will also be a virtual family service on Christmas Eve (information on how to view will be provided on a later date).
Presbyterian Giving Catalog – A Gift to give to someone who has everything!
Through the Presbyterian Giving Catalog Online you can explore a wide variety of gifts that provide real impact around the world – including aid for refugees, access to clean water and helping to end hunger. Give a gift that represents a cause that’s close to your heart. Or make a gift in someone’s honor and choose a ministry they’d love. Aid kits, livestock, agricultural assistance, children’s education…. there’s much to choose from. Go to
https://presbyteriangifts.pcusa.org to find out more and donate.
Christmas Tree Thanks
Special thanks is extended to Basehore Farm Market for the donation of a tree for the Meeting House and also to Roy McLain for donating the outdoor tree.
Visioning For the Next Generation – Part 5 of 6
As you probably know by now, we’ve been putting something in the announcements the last several weeks to catch you up to what’s been happening with youth ministry at our church. Our youth are not only the future of our church, but they part of our church now. Our vision for youth ministry at SSPC is “to be a youth ministry that unites students, congregation members, and staff in an environment of acceptance and authenticity as we learn and share Christ’s love with all.” We do that by “connecting students and adults as we become more faithful disciples of Christ while growing, serving, and having fun.” In order for that to happen, we looked for people to join with us in one of three partner capacities: Youth Group Partners, Mentoring Partners, and Special Event Partners. We are considering additional partner roles but have not yet created descriptions of how that might look. While each partner position title is fairly intuitive, each one has its own job description that is available by emailing our Youth Director,
Bryan Corbin. Youth Group Partners make a commitment to being present and helping to lead regular CORE meetings. Mentoring Partners reach out to our youth and seek intentional contact with them. Special Event Partners help plan and execute CORE special events. There are many ways you can be involved, and we hope you’ll read more about that in next week’s announcements. At the end of the summer and into the fall, our staff made many, many attempts to contact several of you to participate in one of these areas of partnership and we made good progress. We hope you’ll read about our progress and ways you can be involved in next week’s announcements.
Stephen Ministry
We are at a time in our lives where the whole world is in complete turmoil due to the Coronavirus. In these times, when control is lost and fear overcomes, there is one thing we know for certain: God is our strength. He is our ration. He is enough! Release yourself today into the control of the only one who will never lose control. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. -- Psalm 73:26
During this time of isolation and social distancing, our Stephen Ministry is still on call. We are available to speak with anyone who is struggling and needs to hear a Christ-centered voice on the other end of the telephone. Please call the church office if you have such a need.
National Donor Sabbath Weekend was 11/13-11/15 but everyday should be organ donation day. Here are a few facts about organ donation: Over 109,000 men, women and children are on the national transplant list as of 9/2020 and every 9 minutes another person is added to the list; 17 people die each day while waiting for an organ transplant; 90% of US adults support organ donation but only 60% actually sign up as donors; one donor can donate up to 8 lifesaving organs and only 3 in 1,000 people die in a way that allows for organ donation. Please consider giving the ultimate Gift of Life to become an organ and tissue donor. For more information visit
www.organdonor.gov and select PA; this will connect you directly to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles where you can register for organ donation.
