THE COMMUNITY CHURCH OF LAMBERTVILLE

First Presbyterian Church

From the Heart:

And the Light of God will dwell among us, full of grace and truth

Christmas does only come once a year. But after so many years of shopping, spending, cooking,

cleaning, stress, family and all the other stuff we normally associate with the season tends to take the

joy and wonder out of this time of year. So at times we may look with dread upon this time of year, so

much stress and so much doing it all over again.

Another way of looking at Christmas is that if you counted all the days since the birth of Christ, it

is roughly about 730,000 days since that first Christmas morning in that back water village in the back

water of the Roman empire, in the vary last place you would expect to have a Savior, Messiah come

from. It is really in terms of cosmic time, earth time, human time, not that far back. In God’s time and

eye, it has just happened. But that is how God works.

God always will take us by surprise by His great saving power and works. Just when we think all is

dark and cannot get any worse, the Light of God is just around the corner. Just when we think it cannot

get any worse, God is always with us. Just when we think God does not exist, or does not hear our

prayers, we see God was always there and hears every prayer we have ever said.

My hope and prayer for you is that you approach Christmas 2015 as it was for those Sheppard’s in the

fields at night, with that same joy and wonder. With that same sense of anticipation, that God hears the

cries of His people, and his response to us is sending us His best, His Son and Savior.

Merry Christmas

Pastor Gregory

Many voices with one faith, one heart.

One family under God.

December 2015

Ask the Pastor….

Pastor, was Jesus really born in 4BC?

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Well, that date or year was first suggested in the 19th century when folks began to recount the years, or

calendar at the time of Christ. In the 1st century Roman world, the calendar used at the time was solar

based counting of time used by the Greeks and Egyptians prior. Roughly 13 months, 20-25 days each,

which the Romans just changed the names to their gods over the ones of the Egyptians.

The Roman Emperor Constantine in 387AD, adopted the Latin system we use now. 12 months, lunar

cycle based, Jan-Dec. The Gospels of Luke and Matthew reference the birth of Christ using the references

of Herod the Great, Quarious governor of Syria. We know from archeology and Roman history that Herod

the Great died in 4BC, using our calendar. Given that the Biblical record, also re-affirmed in archeology

and Roman history of the Herod’s ordering the death of the 1st born that we assume Jesus was an infant at

this precise historical event in history.

It must be remembered that the Bible is a faith document, it’s a document which has a purpose, to tell of

God’s holy work, His salvation work in human history. It is not a day by day or moment by moment ac-

count of time, as we understand it in the modern sense. The Gospel writers really were not all that much

interested in setting the exact time and date of the birth of Christ., in our modern sense of times and exact

date or on a schedule.

Again, the Gospels were not written in the lifetime of the historical Jesus’ time on earth. They were all

written at least 30-40 years post the 1st Easter resurrection. The aim of Scripture is to get across one mes-

sage and one message only. That Jesus Christ is the Son of God, His Savior. And there is no other Savior

that is to come. The most important aim of the Gospel writers was to place Jesus in the historical record,

our history, human history. They wanted to tell us that Jesus was born, he lived, he dies on the Cross, rose

from the dead and will come again.

It must be remembered, that if was not for Easter, there would be no “Christmas”, no jolly anything.

He will come again. And that’s all that matters.

Blessings,

Peter

Church 200th Update:

Starting in January, we will kick off the church’s 200th anniversary of continual worship and witness in

Lambertville and the greater Delaware River Valley. First up are the ringing of the church bell 3 January,

and the “Homecoming” service 3 April. I would encourage all to reach out to friends and neighbors and

invite them with us that Sunday. We will have the former pastors back and a good time will be had by all.

By the end of this month I hope to have the large memorial stone out in place in the cemetery garden. In

the spring we will be placing a historical bronze plaque with the names of the Revolutionary War veterans

buried in our church grounds since 1816, as well as the significance of the 200th anniversary.

There are a host of other events coming which I will get out by the end of the year. The actual date of

incorporation and establishment of the church is really in August. We have reached out to another local

church for their historic communion ware which we hope to use at times during the year. We will also be

mounting some historical documents from the safe in permanent display this spring and summer. Along

with the stone this will serve as the enduring marks of our 200th.

I think when all is said and done by next December, I hope we can all look back and agree with what is

on our church masthead, 200 years of faith, hope and grace for the next 200 years.

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March Scriptures and Sermons

A Year in the Bible 2015

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March Scriptures and Sermons

A Year in the Bible 2015

Scripture and Sermons for December

Scripture Sermon

Christmas 2015 The Light Proclaimed

29 November Isiah 60: 1-3 Into the Darkness Comes a Great Light

6 December John 1: 1-9 The Word of God is a Light into the Darkness

13 December Luke 1: 67-89 The Day of the Lord is at Hand, Sleeper! Awake!

16 December The Blue Christmas Service 7:00 pm

For those whom we have loved and lost.

20 December The Christmas Pageant

Luke 2: 8-15 And the Glory of the Lord Shined Among Them

24 December Christmas Eve

4:00 pm Family Service

8:00 pm Traditional Candlelight Service

O Come, Let Us Adore Him!

Please e-mail or call me at the church with anything you would like in the upcoming Bul-letins or Newsletters. The information for the Newsletters are due, the 20th of the month. There is no January Newsletter due to the Annual Report. Information for the Annual Report should be sent to the Church Office no later than mid January. Refer to the end of December bulletins for the Elder, Deacon and Greeting schedule for January.

There is no Sunday School December 27th or January 3rd.

Blessings to you !

Sue

Church News:

Women’s Bible Study is on Wednesday evenings @ FPCL-7:00 pm- Westminster House.

Skating for the Youth is December 4, 11 and 18th. It will resume on Friday January 8, 2016.

Our own Giulia Reading will be performing in the Sanctuary on Friday December 11th at

8:00 pm.

The “Blue” Christmas Service

On Wednesday, 16 December at 7PM Pastor Gregory will hold his annual “Blue” service.

This simple and quiet service is to bring to reflection and healing for those who have experi-

enced person loss, tragedy, and those who mourn loved ones no longer with us. Those whom

the Holiday Season may not always be all that happy or jolly.

It is a time away from the hassle and stress of the Season to reflect, remember, and honor God for His continual presence in our lives.

Please refer to the December and January Calendars for more upcoming events at the

church! (January Calendar to be posted soon!)

“From the Office”

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December Birthdays

2 Brent Pursell

4 Carol Griffiths

5 Megan McIntyre

7 Joan Pierman

14 Esther Johnson

14 Brittany Shurts

18 Sandra Parker

19 Jacob Pursell

23 Daniel Fisher

23 Charles Robertson 25 Alan Durborow, Jr.

27 Heidi Danberry

30 Caitlin Stratuik

January Birthdays

2 Sam Marriott

2 Matthew Moraski

4 Scott Cummings

7 Bernice Allshouse

7 Andrew Zambella

8 Grace Hendricks

11 Sarah McIntyre

12 JoAnn Serlenga

14 Dana Garrenger

20 Alison Dudick

25 Alan Durborow, Jr.

26 LaNelle Gallagher

30 Erin Durborow

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Minute for Mission ~ December On Saturday December 5, International Students Inc. will host their annual Christmas Dinner. See

any of the Missions Team for additional information.

“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be

blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Luke 14: 13-14

Our Deacons– During the month of December, the Deacons will be delivering poinsettias to

our senior citizens. It is always a pleasure spending time with them and we all have great con-

versations. We will also be assisting in the two Christmas Eve services. At 4:00 pm, a service will

be held for the children with Pastor Peter and a Candlelight Service at 8:00 pm. The Candlelight

Service is a beautiful service to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.

Ministry and Outreach:

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2016

Stepping out in Faith,

In response to God’s unfailing love and grace to our fellowship we hope to be able to

contribute

_________________ per month in 2016 for the ministries and programs of our church.

Name:

Preferred Contact Info:

Please place in the offering plate or return to the church office by 8 December.

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December Assisting and Greeting Schedule:

Elders:

December 6– Communion

December 13-Joanne DiBlasi

December 20-Russ Topping

December 27-Pat Buchanan

If you are in need of pastoral care after office hours, please phone the

Elder on Call– Joanne DiBlasi– 215-862-9832

Deacons:

December 6- Communion *Heidi Danberry, Debbie Crow

*Indicates Stair Glide Duty.

December 13-Carol Griffiths

December 20-Heather Pursell

December 27-Grace Reading

Greeters:

December 6-Dalia Hoffman

December 13-Dan Serlenga

December 20-Jim Gallagher

December 27-Heidi Danberry

*If you unable to serve your scheduled dates, please find

a replacement and contact the church office. Thank you!

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Care and Share Schedule-2015-2016-Think Healthy

December ~ Session

January ~ Music Ministry

February ~ LaNelle Gallagher, Ginny Moraski, Desre Pidcock, Pat Warford

March ~ Jessica Cummings, Carol Griffiths, Danielle Griffiths, Heather Pursell

April ~ Karen Armano, Heidi Danberry, Terry Peck, Joan Yannarella

May ~ Pat Durborow, Kris Gregory, Dalia Hoffman, Heather McIntyre

June ~ Music Ministry

**If you are unable to participate, please find a replacement and let the church office know**

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