Prince of Peace
Weekly Update

December 11-17, 2020

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness."

- Desmond Tutu

 
Changes in worship at Prince of Peace this December!

For the remaining Sundays in Advent - December 13, and 20 - you are invited to join us each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. for worship over Zoom.

Together we will watch, wait and prepare for the celebration of the birth of the messiah. We will unwrap God's gift to us in song, story and prayer!

There is no need to register for worship. If you are new to Zoom give yourself a few moments to download the free app and set it up.

Now more than ever we will
benefit from the stories the church tells in the weeks before Christmas.


Now more than ever
what the scriptures have to say will provide direction, hope, and light.

Now more than ever your participation in worship will not only benefit you but your family, your neighbors, your church, and the world.

If 9:30 a.m. on Sunday isn't convenient, please go to our website at a time (or day) that is and enjoy some Advent worship. Christmas will be better because you did.
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Christmas 2020
at
Prince of Peace
 
We are excited to offer four Christmas worship services this year. 

They are: 
  • Christmas Eve at 7:00 p.m. for the entire family (with a special Christmas music prelude starting at 6:45 p.m.) 
  • Christmas Day at 9:30 a.m. for the entire family; followed by Communion in the parking lot (in your car over the radio) at 11:00 a.m.
  • The First Sunday of Christmas,12.27.2020, Lessons and Carols #1 at 9:30 a.m. 
  • The Second Sunday of Christmas,1.3.2021, Lessons and Carols #2 at 9:30 a.m.

The times refer to the Zoom, FaceBook live, or prerecorded presentations. (check the Friday Weekly Updates or our website for the links.) All the services are recorded, however, and available to watch at any time convenient for you. Simply go to our website (https://princeofpeacebrookfield.org/) to participate in Christmas worship at a time that works for you.
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Sunday Virtual Coffee/Fellowship Hour
Join us this Sunday at
11:00 a.m. for our weekly Fellowship/Coffee Hour.
It is an opportunity to stay connected, hear the latest congregational news, care for one another, and see the faces of all you are missing.

This Sunday's topic is Advent - How do you prepare for Christmas?

Sign into a Virtual Coffee Hour by clicking on the link below.
If prompted

Meeting ID: 988 8813 8373 Password: 735006

It is always helpful to test your ability to join and visual & audio sounds on your computer or tablet prior to the meeting.

See you Sunday at 11:00 a.m.!
REVERSE ADVENT CALENDAR

Would you like to participate in a reverse Advent calendar that tells you to add a food item to a box every day in December, leading you to have a container full of 24 items by the time Christmas comes to donate to a local food panty?

The items chosen on the list to fill your reverse Advent calendar donation box are inexpensive and easy to find. In fact, you probably have many of these items in your pantry already. And if you want to swap some of them for alternate donation items, the end result will be just as satisfying when you drop off your box of food.
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Offering,Tithes and
Special Donations 

We say "Thank you" to all who have mailed in their offerings.
Please help us stay current with our financial obligations
during this difficult time.
Mail in your offering to address below or give online by clicking the button below.
You can now make a one time or reoccurring donation
through your bank account or debit/credit card.
Check out the amazing 
stories of Christian
encouragement from 
members
and friends of Prince of Peace.
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DAILY BREAD
FOOD PANTRY IS SEEKING DONATIONS
 
Please consider a food or monetary donation to the DAILY BREAD FOOD PANTRY during this pandemic. 

Your food-insecure neighbors will benefit from your donations of:

  • Black beans or any kind of canned or bagged beans
  • Rice in 1,2 or 3 lb. bags
  • Pasta - any kind
  • Cereal - Cheerios, Corn Flakes. Rice Krispies (no sweet cereals)
  • Tomato sauce in cans
  • Tuna
  • Chicken in cans
  • Peanut butter
  • Pork & beans or meals in cans
  • Canned vegetables (especially corn)

Drop off your food items or checks (payable to DAILY BREAD FOOD PANTRY) to the church's freshly painted front door.

Your neighbors thank you.
Gather Magazine

There are copies of Gather Magazine from October, November, December, January and February that can be in your home if you drop by the church and pick up a copy.
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How to Reach
the Pastor

And as always, Pastor Lutz is easily accessible. You can email him (poppastorpaul@ sbcglobal.net) call him on his cell (609.578.7921) or post on his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/plutznj). Although there will be no regular office hours, the church phone is checked every couple of days for messages.
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Christmas Carol Sing-A-Long

Join us this Sunday, December 13th at 2:00 p.m. for a Christmas Carol Sing-a-long at the church. Those in attendance will social distance in “pods” wearing masks in the parking lot. There will be sheet music provided so that we all will be singing the same words to the carols. Looking forward to seeing all of you and hearing your melodious voices as we join together in song during this Blessed Christmas Season!

~ Janet Lutz
HUNGER IN DANBURY

I brought food down to the Daily Bread Food Pantry on Tuesday. The workers told me that the numbers of people seeking hunger relief has increased almost FOUR times now. The shelves were not full as they had been in the past. Tears ran down my face as I drove away. I know that the food I just delivered was a small addition to what is needed.
 
Could you open your pantry and cabinets and help this week? I can pick up from your house if you would leave bags or boxes outside and call me.
The next donation day is next Wednesday.
 
Nan Carlson
203-778-1171
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Christmas Cookie 
Exchange
 
To have some POP fun and to have an opportunity to acquire an assortment of Christmas cookies without having to make multiple batches of different varieties of cookies, we are planning to have a Christmas Cookie Exchange.
 
Each baker will contribute 4 dozen cookies. You will need to email or give me the recipe for your cookies in advance so that we know what kind of cookies you are making and what ingredients are in the cookies (due to food allergies) and to enable us to provide everyone with a cookie recipe booklet.

Our hope is to be able to take some extra cookies to our homebound and those in long-term care facilities. If you want to you can make extra cookies to make this possible or you could choose to donate a dozen or two of your cookie assortments towards this cause.

We will put your assortment of cookies back in the container that you brought your own cookies to the church in. Please put your name and phone number on your container.

We will let you know when your cookies can be dropped off at POP – this will be determined based on the situation with Covid-19 during the next month or so.

Currently, a few of us plan to meet at POP on Saturday morning, December 19th to sort the cookies. Most likely you would be able to pick up your cookies late morning.

Please let me know if you are planning to be part of our cookie exchange by calling or emailing me by Wednesday, December 16th. This will allow adequate time for me to put together the cookie recipe booklet. If you have any questions or would like to help, please contact me. Looking forward to enjoying some yummy Christmas cookies baked with love by POP members!!
 
Thanks,
Janet Lutz, [email protected]
(609) 235-6070
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Holden Evening Prayer

Several of us in the PoP community have enjoyed Knute and company at Camp Calumet sharing the Holden Evening Prayer service on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m.. I know some of you have enjoyed participating in that service during Advent in the past. This year, we invite you to tune in with Knute and company at Camp Calumet at 7:30 every Wednesday evening- he will be sharing this service LIVE every Wednesday at least through Advent. Sing along in your own living room! Join the Camp Calumet YouTube or Facebook page for the link.
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STATEMENTS

Year to date statements through 11/30/20 were sent out the first week of December.  Remember statements can be run at any time, please just reach out to Nicole Cable at [email protected]  or 203.775.8358.

If you currently have an envelope # higher than 180, you will be assigned a new number for 2021.

If you would like Nicole to set up annual giving online for 2021, please return the form to her by December 20th. If the financial secretary set this up for you last year, it will expire on 12/30/20.
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We’re bringing Sunday School into your home!

Pre-K through 6th graders will meet via Zoom for 30-minutes of games, bible stories, and interaction!

Sunday mornings at 8:30-9:00am.

Parents - Please follow the link below to join Zoom each Sunday.

Meeting ID: 810 2966 7079
Passcode: 999695
A New Advent Tradition -
"Creating Community"
Advent Devotions
 
Creating Community is an email devotion to guide your preparation for worship for the following weekend. 

Imagine how much more clear and relevant God's Word will be if you have had an opportunity to read, reflect, and dwell in the Word prior to worship. You may do this devotion as an individual, with others, as a family, or over Zoom as a small group. 

Each devotion arrives on Monday and can be engaged in anytime before Sunday's worship. 
 
The devotion includes three simple steps:

1. Read through the text (provided)

2. Respond to the questions (select one of the sets of questions from the three possibilities )

3. Offer a Prayer (one is provided)
 
Click below to see devotions for this Sunday.