PWOC Keynote, December 2011

8/3/2019 PWOC Keynote, December 2011

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Keynote Volume 1, Issue 5 December 2011

Protestant Women of the Chapel

By Mitzi Roberts

What has 64 legs, shrieks when excited,

and devours any food within reach? Thirty-

two women playing

Bunco, of course!

The women of

the SHAPE Chapel

PWOC joined with

t h e C a t h o l i c

women of MCCW

to host a girls’

night out on Thurs-

day evening, No-

vember 10. As

women began to

trickle in, so did

the snacks and

goodies. We all

enjoyed nibbling

and, dare I say,

feasting while we

patiently scanned

the competitionand the cleverly concealed prizes.

Once the bell chimed, we were off and

rolling. If you have never played Bunco,

you should know that it requires finely

tuned dice rolling skills in order to progress

to the coveted head table. I could sense

that some women were masters of the

game as shouts of ―Bunco!‖ and shrill

laughter echoed throughout the room.

Meeting new women was my favorite

part of the evening (of course, if I had

won anything,

maybe I would

say otherwise).

As we switched

tables and part-

ners, we en-

joyed lively con-

versation and afun fellowship. I

bumped into my

new friend Ma-

rina at the gym

the next day—

perhaps she

overindulged in

the wonderful

Buffalo chicken

dip as much as I

did …

W i n n e r swalked away with Polish Pottery prizes

for most wins, most Buncos, most baby

Buncos and even most losses. Several

guests expressed interest in exploring

what PWOC has to offer. This girls’ night

out was the perfect way to introduce

women to the warmth of PWOC and

must be considered a colossal success

by every measure.

Focus on Ministry: Bunco Night

We are Christ’s Ambassadors

By Sarah Pollock

Sheila Pollard rolls the dice in hopes of a Bunco.

On Tuesday, November 8, about 50

PWOC women attended the ―We Are

Therefore Christ’s Ambassadors‖ sympo-

sium. The participants minister to the 28

NATO countries of the SHAPE community

through their presence, prayers and ser-

vice. This program was an opportunity for

us to celebrate what God is doing in His

Kingdom and discover ways to promote His

agenda in our community.

During the program, we heard the Lord’s

Prayer declared in eight languages, a

powerful testimony to the global nature of

God’s Kingdom. Hearing the Word of God

spoken in so many tongues brought to

mind the millions of people each heart-

language represents—people who are

continued on page 3

Christmas Traditions

These are some of the tradi-

tions SHAPE PWOC members

enjoy each Christmas with their

families:

We teach our kids through Ad-

vent devotions and light the

Advent candles. As we deco-

rate our tree, we listen to old

Christmas carols by Nat KingCole and other oldies but good-

ies. We all get new Christmas

pajamas on Christmas Eve and

each open one present before

bed.

- Evangel Hernandez

Our first ornament on the tree

every year belonged to my hus-

band’s grandmother. The kids

have to take turns every year

to be the one to hang it. Theother child gets to put the star

on top of the tree.

- Cathy Anderer

My family reads the Christmas

Story; then we sing Happy

Birthday to Jesus and open

gifts.

- Brandy McCamish

All of us have matching paja-

mas we wear while sitting on

the steps to read the Christmas

Story. Then, starting with the

youngest, we get to go into the

room with the Christmas tree

and see all the presents. We

open the gifts one person at a

time. Three gifts for each of us

aren’t wrapped and represent

the gifts from the three kings.

- Stephanie Irizarry



2

Fearless

by Max Lucado

Fear, it seems, has

taken up a hundred-

year lease on the

building next door

and set up shop.

Imagine your life, wholly untouched by

angst. What if faith, not fear, was your

default reaction to threats? Envision a

day, just one day, where you could

trust more and fear less. Can you

imagine your life without fear?

David: Seeking aHeart Like His

by Beth Moore

Explore how David's

life proves God will

never give up on you.

In this examination of

the man after God's

own heart, David will delight and disap-

point you. You'll want to be just like

him at times and nothing like him at

others.

Behold, Jesus Is

Coming

by Kay & David Arthur

Yes, the everyday

Christian can under-

stand the book of

Revelation! This clear,

helpful study encourages readers to

delve into this important scripture and,

by studying it inductively, let the text

speak for itself.

30 Days to Taming

Your Tongue

Deborah S. Pegues

How easily a slip of the tongue can cause

problems in personal

and business relation-

ships. This devotional

helps readers tame their tongue and

turn it into an asset. Learn to stop say-

ing the wrong thing at the wrong time

in the wrong way, use words to build

others up, and avoid the pitfalls and

consequences of lies, flattery and ex-

aggerations.

Winter Study Opportunities

The Book of James

instructs us on govern-

ing ourselves in trials,

temptations, listening,

doing, speaking, wis-

dom, boasting, pa-

tience, and faith.

Sacred Marriage

by Gary Thomas

A marriage study led

by Mike and Mitzi

R o b e r t s , c o -

sponsored by PMOC.

Discover how mar-

riage works to de-

velop Christ-like character -- forgive-

ness, love, respect, perseverance -- in

each of you.

Monday Evening Studies Tuesday Morning Studies

Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA

Hobbies: Running, Scrapbooking, Photog-

raphy

Current Church: SHAPE Chapel

PWOC Position: ParticipationFavorite Bible verse: Matthew 7:7 ―Ask

and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and

the door will be opened to you.‖ This serves as a constant

reminder to me that, when things are overwhelming, I only

need to turn to God in prayer and ask Him for help.

How PWOC has impacted her life: When I came here, I

found a group of positive, uplifting ladies who were kind and

accepting of where I was in my spiritual journey. PWOC has

been a place for me to grow spiritually while surrounded by

supportive women, passionate for sharing God’s Word.

Danielle Yeager Jodi Miller

Meet Your Board

Hometown: Air Force brat … West Coast

Hobbies: Quilting, Reading, Running

Current Church: SHAPE Chapel

PWOC Position: Praise and Worship

Favorite Bible verse: Psalm 37:4-5"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give

you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in Him and He will do this."

How PWOC has impacted her life: A fabulous community

of committed Christian sisters that I encounter in different

settings throughout SHAPE, keeping me accountable and

inspired to be around those who love Christ all over

Europe!!

Jesus is the reason for the season! Merry Christmas!



Point of order

By Karlena de la Cruz

3

I remember as a child being so

excited for Christmas morning that I

could not sleep. My brother and I

would lie awake watching the hourstick away. We would ask each other

if it was late enough to go wake our

parents – we were giddy with ex-

citement. Now what was all the excitement for? The

gifts, of course! We could not wait to see what was

under the tree. Now for us, the ―good gifts‖ came from

Santa and they were contingent upon whether we had

been naughty or nice. You know, ―You better watch

out, Santa is watching!‖

We have all been offered the most precious gift of all.

One that should cause us the ―I can’t sleep‖ excite-

ment. One that fills us with expectation, hope and joy.This gift is given freely "f or it is by grace you have been

saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is a

gift of God" (Eph. 2:8), but it was "bought with a

price" (1 Cor. 6:20 & 7:23). This gift is not contingent on

us being ―nice." In fact, it was paid for while we were

still ―naughty.‖ "But God demonstrates his own love for

us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for

us" (Rom. 5:8).

As we enter into the holidays, I hope we can remem-

ber and reflect on why Jesus came: "I have come that

they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10 –

just one of the many reasons). I hope that we can take

time from the busyness of the holidays and allow our hearts to be filled with joy and gratitude for the greatest

gift ever given - Jesus Christ, our precious Lord and

Savior.

I pray you and your family have a blessed Christmas

full of God’s love, peace and joy!

Hugs,

Devotion: Give for His Glory By Trisha Raynoha

Most of us know ―it is better to give than to receive‖ (Acts

20:35) and I dare say, most of us probably like to give more

than we like to receive, especially during Christmas. I abso-

lutely love finding the perfect gift for my family members. It

brings me such joy to see them open that perfect gift and

delight themselves in it. But am I giving these gifts with self-

ish motives -- to feel the satisfaction of being the one who

gave the perfect gift?

Matthew 6:1-4 talks about giving to the needy privately, so

righteousness will be rewarded by God, not by men. In the

same way, we should give gifts at Christmas to glorify Him

whose birth we celebrate. They don’t have to be store -

bought. What good deeds can you do for your family mem-bers, your co-workers and friends to show them God’s love,

His grace and His mercy this Christmas?

I challenge you to be daring this Christmas. Don’t just give

gifts that will boost the commercial markets. Give gifts that

will boost God’s good works in the small communities

around you, gifts that will honor Jesus in the spiritually

needy people around you. Remember, Christ is the most

essential element in Christmas. Don’t ―X‖ him out, either in

writing or in your giving this season. After all, He shows us

how to give -- He actually did give us the perfect gift.

able to read God’s Word because someone, at some time,

translated the Bible into their native tongue. It was a re-

freshing reminder that God’s Kingdom knows no national or

earthly boundaries.

Mitzi Roberts, a skilled Bible teacher and mentor, said

ambassadorship is a two-fold responsibility: to represent

and to reconcile. She reminded usthat Jesus is the ―exact representa-

tion‖ of God in every way (Hebrews

1:3) but that we also are called to ―be

imitators of God‖ (Ephesians 5:1).

That certainly is a tall order —one

that we need God’s grace to fill! Am-

bassadors also have the responsibil-

ity to promote and strive for recon-

ciliation in our families and our com-

munities. In fact, our families are our primary sphere of in-

fluence and as such should receive our top priority in repre-

senting Christ and bringing His reconciliation to bear.In addition to Mitzi’s challenging message, we were chal-

lenged by a trivia-packed game of World Jeopardy and a

few rounds of Geography Memory. Lots of laughs were

heard and lots of chocolate won. And of course, what better

way to wrap up the event than by sampling fine cuisine from

around the world? From stuffed grape leaves to bruschetta,

we tasted a plethora of delicacies. Many thanks to all who

made this program possible - it was a memorable morning

for all involved.

Ambassadors continued from page 1

The Lord’s prayer was pre-

sented in eight languages.



4

A Time for Renewal

and Refreshing

January 10

9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

SHAPE International Chapel

Fellowship Hall

Winter Kick-Off Program

Titus 2:11-14

It is the season of gifts and that causes me angst. I have

never been a good gift giver. I know this to be true and most

people who know me would know it to be true, also

(experientially). I am well-intentioned. After all, I am aware

that birthdays and holidays are approaching. It is not asthough the calendar fails to remind me. I just do not have

that special ability to find the perfect gift like some people

do. My husband, Mike, is a fantastic gift giver. He begins to

prepare for Christmas in July. He has an

amazing ability to seek out, or even create,

the perfect gift that captures the passions

and interests of the intended receiver. I

lean toward giving the one-size-fits-all kind

of gifts. There is nothing truly wrong with

these gifts, but they are impersonal and,

honestly, not very thoughtful, creative or

interesting.

But recently I have discovered that I am

also a very poor gift receiver. Yes, it is sadly, embarrassingly

true. I will confess to my inconsiderate failures, but I must

warn the reader —this is an exercise in self-disclosure that is

not pretty. A few years ago, my son overheard me say that

my favorite film is Gone with the Wind. Zach bought me the

DVD of Gone with the Wind for Christmas and I have not yet

watched it. It is an American classic, and frankly, I would

enjoy watching it very much. I just have not taken the time to

lose myself in 238 scrumptious minutes of Vivien Leigh and

Clark Gable. This is just one example. There are more. My

jewelry box conceals secrets of unworn earrings, bracelets,

rings and necklaces from birthdays gone by. And the mostrecent of sins…last Christmas, Mike gave me a terrific gift—

a raclette grille. I love it! I would much rather have a kitchen

toy than a piece of jewelry any day, and he found me a very

nice raclette grille indeed. I had big plans for it—it would

become the vehicle that would turn an ordinary evening into

an extraordinary memory with friends gathered all around

roasting and toasting our tasty morsels. It has never been

out of the box. It sits on my pantry shelf in the box reminding

me day after day of what an exceptionally, inexcusably poor

The Gift

By Mitzi Roberts

gift receiver I really am. I had the best of intentions with this

gift—I was really, really excited about it last Christmas!

I know that it disappointed my son when he discovered the

DVD still in its wrapper months later (and rightfully so). Mike

wonders aloud when we will use the 220V raclette grille thatwill no longer be usable when we return to our 110V world

stateside. Gifts must be more than simply given; gifts must

be truly received or it is an offense to the giver. And I know

that it deeply disappointed our Savior

when He—the ultimate Gift—was not re-

ceived. You see, I am not the first person

who fails to receive gifts well. God’s good

gift to sinful mankind was not welcomed.

"He came to His own, and those who were

His own did not receive Him. But as many

as received Him, to them He gave the right

to become children of God, even to those

who believe in His name (John 1:11-12)."

Many before me and many after me have heard about Jesus

as the Savior of the world but have kept this Gift in His box,

shelved Him and thereby have not received Him. Neverthe-

less, some of us have seen this Gift as perfectly meeting our

need and thoughtfully given by a gracious and fantastic

Giver, and therefore have taken delivery of the Divine Deliv-

erer. The Gift of Christ grants me the right to be a child of

God, and "if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow

heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17)." As co-heirs with Christ, we

are the recipients of all the spiritual blessings Jesus enjoys

in God’s kingdom.

Jesus the Christ came packaged as a humble infant in alowly manger, but do not let the wrapping fool you. Accept

the Gift. Unwrap the box. Joyfully receive all the Giver has to

offer. What you will discover inside is a Gift that is priceless.

Confirmation Classes

at SHAPE Chapel

Calling all Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and oth-

ers who are interested in Confirmation Classes! Ch. Beltz

and Padre Broddle will be offering Confirmation Classes

beginning Sunday, January 8 and concluding with a confir-

mation service on Saturday, March 17. For more informa-

tion, contact Ch. Beltz at 423-6037 or 0486-79.46.22 (cell)

or [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]





5

Worship & Study 2011

―Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of

various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith

produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its

full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking

in nothing.‖ James 1:2-3 (ESV)The Worship and Study Conference was a wonderful

opportunity to fellowship with other PWOC members and

grow in our love for God. It was a time of connection for

me, connecting with my sisters in Christ and connecting

with the Lord more intimately than I ever have. The week-

By Geneva Nygren

end was filled with encouraging and challenging truths but the

one I most needed to hear was this call in James to find joy in

every circumstance. Counting everything as joy gives worship

to God.

Finding joy is hard! Every day brings another opportunity, or many opportunities as the case may be, to find the joy.

Choosing joy does not negate tragedy or pain. But it does

cause us to worship God which brings peace and comfort to

our hearts. What a difference it would make in our families,

relationships and community if we all decide to find the joy!



This newsletter is published under direction

and authority of the SHAPE Chaplain exclu-

sively for the SHAPE Protestant Women of

the Chapel program. The views provided

herein do not necessarily reflect those of the

SHAPE Chapel and are meant for informa-

tional and entertainment purposes only. If

you have questions, concerns or would like

to contribute to this publication, please con-

tact the Newsletter staff . Contributions are

due no later than two weeks prior to the first

Monday of the publication month.

2011-2012 PWOC BOARD MEMBERSPresident: Karlena de la Cruz

VP Spiritual Life: Sarah Becking

VP Programs: Terri Taylor

Administrative Coordinator: Pam Giacomello

Financial Liaison: Dana Maksimowicz

Hospitality: Laura Glover

Prayer: Christine Horsley

Participation: Jodi Miller

Watch Care Liaison: Mary Admiraal

Praise & Worship: Danielle Yeager

Outreach/Inreach: Cindy Weir

Titus II: Mitzi Roberts

Leadership Selection: Mia Basilici

Publicity: Trisha Raynoha

Contact any member of the board via e-mail: [email protected]. You may also

find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pwocshape. We look forward to serving you!

Tasty Treats Schedule:

Dec. 6: 10 Best Decisions

Dec. 13: Crazy Love

Budget Update

Estimated Monthly Need: $473

November Gifts: $692

Next Offering: Dec. 6

Dates to Remember

December

5 Program: Silent Auction

5 - 6 Offering

12 - 13 Last Fall Study12 - 13 Bethleem Food Donations

17 Children’s Nativity

24 Christmas Eve service

25 Joyeux Noel

January 9-10

Winter Session Begins

Birth Announcement

Jameson Ryan Irizarry - Nov. 21

(Dan and Kelly)

Children’s Christmas

Nativity Special

Wanted: Children age 3 years to 4th grade

wishing to participate in the Christmas nativity

performance at SHAPE Chapel

When: Practice 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Dec. 17 at

SHAPE Chapel; games/activities and lunch will

accompany the practice session

What: Children will learn two songs and be

given their costumes Dec. 17

Performance is Dec. 18, 11:45 a.m. during the

Protestant service at SHAPE Chapel

Please RSVP to Danielle Yeager by Dec. 10

[email protected]

Dec. 11 - 6:30 p.m. Anglican ―Nine Lessons and

Carols‖

Dec. 18 - 6:30 p.m. Carols by Candlelight

Dec. 24 - 6 p.m. Protestant Christmas Eve Service

Dec. 24 - 11:30 p.m. Anglican Christmas Eve Service

Dec. 25 - 10:15 a.m. Anglican Christmas Service

Dec. 25 - 11:45 a.m. Protestant Christmas Service

SHAPE Christmas Services

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Documents

PWOC Keynote, December 2011