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December 2013
COMING UP
Gift Collections for RANH - until Dec. 8 Craft Night - Dec. 13 Nativity Enactment - Dec. 22 Christmas Eve Family Service - Dec. 24 Blood Drive - Dec. 30th For all our December events see our online calendar at www.oakarbor.org
Q: How do I get into the Christmas Spirit? A: Love your neighbor “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people of goodwill.” Luke 2:14 By Rev. Derek Elphick* The “Scrooge” in us may scoff at the superficial trappings of the Christmas season. We may ask, what does all this commercial activity, the buying and selling, the parades, Santa Claus and his reindeers, the cartoons, the lights, the trees, the secular carols—what do these things have to do with the Lord’s Advent? A lot actually, for no season is marked with as much good cheer and goodwill as the Christmas season. This is because the spirit of Christmas rests on the second Great Commandment—loving our neighbor, which is the Christian commandment (John. 13: 34-35). The “Christmas spirit” can be sustained in us indefinitely so long as we have charity (God’s love) in our hearts. And what is charity but the wish to bring to another a little bit of joy and happiness? To the degree we can “get out of ourselves” and think of others we enter the Christmas spirit. Have fun, and think of the millions and millions of good people around the world who will be joining you in sharing the magical gift of “goodwill” (Luke 2:14). * Thanks to Rev. N. Bruce Rogers for inspiring this Editorial
Christmas Events at Oak Arbor Church Family Craft Night, Friday Dec. 13th, 6 - 8 PM. Come and enjoy a variety of Christmas crafts for all ages! This is a great event for inviting friends. Pizza, snacks, and drinks will be for sale. We need help with setting up, organizing the food, and we need your creative ideas and willingness to run a craft table! To sign up to help with any of the above, please contact Donna Donakowski: [email protected]. Nativity Enactment (Tableaux), Sunday Dec. 22nd at 6 PM This year’s Nativity Enactment theme is “Receiving the Lord.” The warm, inviting scenes with costumed actors and the singing of the traditional favorite hymns will undoubtedly put you and your family in the Christmas spirit, if you aren’t already! You may want to arrive early to get a good seat. Because of the enactment, we will not have a morning church service on Sunday Dec. 22nd. Christmas Eve Family Service, Tuesday, Dec. 24th at 5 PM. Special music, hymns, and an inspirational Christmas message for everyone. Children in attendance will receive an ornament from the church.
Merry Christmas!
Church Volunteer Schedule Get involved by volunteering at an upcoming Oak Arbor worship service.
Please contact the church secretary at (248) 652-3420. December 2013
www.oakarbor.org
Date Usher Greeter Refreshments Nursery Teacher
Pre-School Teacher
1st - 3rd Teacher
4th - 6th Teacher
7th - Highschool
Teacher
Youth Group
Dec. 8 DPE
Worship, 10:30 am
Greg Clay Sherry
McCardell Dave & Karen
Kostick Deb Alrutz
Denielle Schnarr
Rebecca Barry Amy Elder Jon & Karin
Childs Jack &
Kären Elder
Dec. 15 DPE
Worship, 10:30 am
Jim Pafford Marcia Bradin Dave & Karen
Kostick TBD
Donna Donakowski
Kim de Chazal Amy Elder Jon & Karin
Childs ***
Dec. 22 DPE
Nativity Enactment,
6:00 pm
Brad McCardell Sherry
McCardell Marge Gurney
Liane de Chazal
Dec. 24 DPE
Christmas Eve, 5:00 pm
Paul Elder Pam Steen ***
Dec. 29 DPE
Worship, 10:30 am
Scott Mahrle Suzanne Cochrane
David & Laura Cattermole
Sherry McCardell
Sue Elder Liane de Chazal
Judi Pafford Jon & Karin
Childs ***
Jan. 5 DPE
Worship, 10:30 am
Dale Genzlinger Deb Alrutz Nancy Genzlinger
Suzanne Green Camille Green Kim de Chazal
Ann-Marie McCardell
Bryn Brock Sulie Tyler ***
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DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
DECEMBER ANNIVERSARIES
Carl & Barbara Owens
December 6, 1980
Craig & Sarah McCardell December 27, 1976
Mark & Julie Elder
December 30, 1983
Paul & Kathy Rogers December 30, 1983
Francis van Loosbroek Dec.1
Logan Curtis Dec.2
Natalie Steen Dec.5
Julie David Dec.7
Steve McCardell Dec.9
Victoria Cattermole Dec.11
Karen Heinrichs Dec.11
Peter Elphick Dec.12
Trevor van Loosbroek Dec.15
Sue Elder Dec.16
Stan Lehne Dec.18
Helen Devine Dec.20
Shara Barrett Dec.21
Elias Schnarr Dec.22
Ed de Chazal Dec.23
No Sunday School
Jason Wilson Dec.24
Brett Bowyer Dec.29
Denielle Schnarr Dec.30
Kurt Synnestvedt Dec.30
Zachary de Chazal Dec.31
Jesse Elder Concert - Saturday, Dec. 7th at 2 PM and 7 PM Jesse Elder (jazz pianist, son of Jack & Karen), and Grammy award winning cellist and composer Eugene Friesen, are being featured performers at the Karen Joy Theater @ Upland Hills School (2575 Indian Lake, Oxford, MI 48370). They will perform together at 7 PM. Eugene will also perform earlier in the day, at 2 PM, at the same venue, targeting a younger audience with his "CelloMan." This performance is more introductory, and includes fun with music and masks. Jesse, and possibly his fiancee Blanca, will also join him at 2 PM. Tickets can be purchased on the Upland Hills homepage
(www.uplandhills.org).
Blood Drive Oak Arbor Church
Social Hall Monday December 30th, 2013
2 PM to 8 PM Call Angela at 586-879-9857 or go
to redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code “oakarbor” to make an appointment. Walk-ins welcome, but
appointments are recommended. Get a brick of Dunkin Donuts coffee and a coupon for a
free pound of coffee.
Join New Church Challenge New Church Challenge was organized more than 20 years ago to serve those in the church with disabilities. We currently have over 200 members. This is an invitation to join us in embracing and supporting a special group of people in the church. If you have a family member or a friend with a mental or physical challenge, or if you are interested in how the church can help people with disabilities, you should join New Church Challenge. We need you. To learn more, talk to any of our board members listed below. You can join by sending $5.00 to our Treasurer, Les Alden, at Box 277, Bryn Athyn Church, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. (Checks should be made out to: New Church Challenge. Any additional financial support would be welcome at this time of our annual appeal.)
2 collections for Rochester Area Neighborhood House: Gift program - ends Dec. 8th Please donate new board games and stocking stuffers for families in need. Gift cards are also a great way to help. The popular cards are gas, Meijer, Target, and Walmart. Buy them from our Scrip program! The collec-tion box will be in the church foyer on Sundays, and the school wing during the week. If you’re able to volunteer your time to put the packages together, please contact Sherry McCardell 248-651-8983 or
Mitten Tree - ends Dec. 8th The school invites you to donate new mittens, hats, and scarves by placing them on the mitten tree in the school lounge. RANH will distribute them to those in need. Questions? Please contact Julie Elder 248-652-7575 or [email protected]. News from the Oak Arbor Development Committee Following procedures from Oak Arbor Deed Restrictions, Mark and Julie Elder have asked us to an-nounce that they plan to sell their current residence at 394 Olivewood Court. Members and friends of Oak Arbor Church who are interested in purchasing this property should contact Mark or Julie at (248)652-7575 within fourteen days. Following the sale of this property, Mark and Julie plan to remain in the Oakland Township/Rochester area
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Mitten Tree Thank you for all your donations so far! Anyone is welcome to stop into the school lobby and decorate the tree with new mittens, hats, or scarves for children in need. The collection ends on December 8th. The outerwear will be delivered to Rochester Area
Neighborhood House.
Christmas Party - Friday Dec. 20th at 1 PM! Join the students in the Social Hall at 1 PM for a Christmas Program directed by Traci Bartell, followed by the annual faculty skit. Christmas Refreshments and Kris Kringle gift exchange will begin at 2 PM in the school wing. Hope to see you there!! Christmas Around the World is Back! The teachers, with the support of the Middle School stu-dents, are busily preparing for this popular event. The students will be divided into three groups, and will “visit” another country to experience how different cultures celebrate Christmas. This year the countries are Russia, Holland, and Greece. If you have decorations/recipes/ideas etc. from these countries that you would like to share, please send them in! Save the dates! Please save the date for our 2 big fundraisers next year, the Scrapbook Fundraiser on January 25th and the Benefit Dinner & Silent Auction on March 22nd. We need your help! Please check this online sign up and help where you can: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/5080F45A4AE23A46-oakarbor1 If you’re willing to solicit a local business for a donation, we have letters available in the information holder out-side the main office. Or contact Liane for an electronic version ([email protected]). Please check the online sign-up first and let us know where you’ll be going so we don’t double-up. Thank you! Pancake Breakfast Thank you to the crew of 5th - 8th grade students and parents who worked at the pancake breakfast on November 17th. Two more events are planned and other families will volunteer. Funds raised will be put towards spring trips. This year the middle school will visit the Grand Canyon and the 5th & 6th graders will spend time in Chicago. Thanks very much for your support!
Cup Stacking The students had a great time on November 14th, participating in breaking the cup-stacking world record! Official word from STACK UP Headquarters: We blew right past our goal of a half-million and set a new Guinness World Record of 555,932 for "Most People Sport Stacking at Multiple Locations in One Day." We will now submit the documentation to Guinness to make it official.
3rd and 4th graders at Cranbrook As part of their study of astronomy and dinosaurs the third and fourth graders visited Cranbrook Institute of Science. There they attended the planetarium program, "Night Sky Objects and Beyond. They also enjoyed the traveling exhibit, "Dinosaurs, The Lost World", which had over sixty life-size cast representations of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and marine reptiles from western North America. The hands-on activities were a lot of fun too!
Submissions
www.oakarborschool.org
Submissions: [email protected]
Rev. Derek Elphick - pastor, school director [email protected]
