DECEMBER 2015 VOLUME 126

Session Update 2

Breakfast Buddies 3

Christmas Joy 3

Ladybug Luncheon 3

Youth News 4

Ladies’ Christmas Luncheon

4

From the Music Director

4

Volunteers/Month 5

Santa’s Sneakers 5

Blue Christmas 5

Birthdays 6

Celebrate the Child 6

Preschool 6

Finance and Endowment

6

Calendar 7

Combined Choir 8

Advent Calendar 8

Christmas Cards Mailbox

8

IIIINSIDENSIDENSIDENSIDE THISTHISTHISTHIS ISSUEISSUEISSUEISSUE ::::

Pastor Tom Dendy

PASTOR’S ARTICLE PASTOR’S ARTICLE PASTOR’S ARTICLE PASTOR’S ARTICLE By Pastor Tom

Join Us in the Advent Journey

as We Prepare Our Lives

to Receive Jesus Christ the King of Kings

ADVENT & CHRISTMAS WORSHIP SCHEDULE

ADVENT II – December 6 - 11:00 AM Worship

Celebrate the Child Sunday With the Four-Year-Olds from Celebration Preschool Sharing In Worship with special songs and decorating the Chrismon Tree!

Blue Christmas Worship Service—December 8 - 6 PM

A Service of Remembrance and Hope

ADVENT III – December 13 – 11:00 AM Worship Holy Communion

ADVENT IV – December 20 – 11:00 AM Worship

Family-Friendly Worship preparing our hearts for Christmas

CHRISTMAS EVE – December 24 – 7:00 PM Family-Friendly Worship

Holy Scripture, Carols, Communion and Candlelight *Special Music beginning at 6:45 PM

1st Sunday after Christmas – December 27 – 11: 00 AM

*Family-Friendly - Final Worship of 2015

from Pastor Tom and Linda

PAGE 2 VOLUME 126

Holy Communion will be served December 6.

Next Session Meeting is Monday, December 14 at 6:30 PM.

The Session met for their monthly stated meeting on November 15.

Following are the actions taken by Session and some information about what we are working on.

Breakfast with Santa participants will receive a goody bag from the Evangelism Committee with information about the church.

An update on the Stewardship Campaign showed 55 pledges for a total of $149,220. That is up from last year by over $4,000. If you haven’t sent in your pledge card, it is never too late. Your support is recognized and appreciated by the Session.

A review of financial transactions was made by Laureen Walsh and the Session approved her report.

The Halleluiah Sunday School and Tool Time Bible Study classes are going very well.

The Personnel Committee made a recommendation to changes in Pastor Dendy’s Terms of Call in the form of a performance bonus. The Session passed the recommendation and it will be presented to the congregation at the next congregational meeting.

A Security Committee has been formed by Elder Baker. Members Jim Coulter, Harvey Dulin, and Dominic Torcivia have agreed to serve. The Committee will develop and make recommendations for a church-wide Security Policy.

Pastor Dendy distributed copies of the original Workbooks from Chancel Builders. Early next year, Pastor Dendy will form an exploratory committee to investigate our facility needs for the future.

Paving of the church parking lot is scheduled to be completed over the Thanksgiving break when Preschool will be out.

Work continues with the vendor who will replace the front doors of the church.

Elders Elect have begun their training. They have been invited to observe Session meetings as part of their training. They will be ordained and/or installed in January.

The Blue Christmas service for December 8 at 6pm has been publicized through posters at fire and police stations, newspapers, and social media. Please share with all of your acquaintances. The service is designed for those who are feeling loss or sadness and may not want to participate in a traditional, more joyful Christmas service.

Pastor Tom is serving on the Disaster Recovery Commission. The group will help in planning and implementing relief services for those in our Presbytery affected by the recent flooding.

The Session approved funds for 2016 Support for the Presbytery of New Harmony for Basic Mission Support, Theological Education Fund, and our Per Capita Apportionment.

Agreement forms for the Neighbor to Neighbor program have been completed.

The request from Celebration for Presbytery support for 2016 was submitted by the church. Presbytery has graciously provided financial assistance to Celebration to help it through the early years of growth. The support anticipated for 2016 is $44,000. This amount is $20,000 less than it was for 2015. Each year the amount is reduced, and by 2017 we will no longer receive this monetary support.

The Session acknowledged with great joy the baptism of Jada Marie Cartwright.

We still need your pictures for the new website! Email them to torcgrif@sccoast.net.

The new microphones surrounding the choir are the result of the memorials given honoring Sally Herstine.

Quotes for additional landscaping around the parking lot were reviewed. The Planning Board is requiring we add additional plantings now that all of the trees on the property have been removed as part of the ordnance clearing. The Session approved a quote to add plantings. The irrigation system will also have to be modified and additional bids are being obtained.

The Session continued generative discussion of “The Sailboat Church”.

As we try hard as a Session to be deliberate is our prayers for Celebration, we ask you to join us in praying each day for our church, for our Pastor, for our Session, and for all of the congregation. How thankful we all should be for the many blessings God has given to our church.

SESSION UPDATE SESSION UPDATE SESSION UPDATE SESSION UPDATE By Nancy Torcivia

NEWS OF CELEBRATION PAGE 3

CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERINGCHRISTMAS JOY OFFERINGCHRISTMAS JOY OFFERINGCHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING

A beautiful brisk November day, sun shining, and the buddies meeting at Woodhaven Pancake House — an even dozen, with a couple of guests, Ann Patterson, and Richard Fraser. It was nice to have others to join in the fun and folly. Thanks to Carol Butler for being the hostess, even

though she couldn’t be with us. Although I wanted to join in the fun, I had a bug that prevented me from going.

Next month is our Christmas Breakfast at IHOP on Highway 501, December 18, at 9:00 am. Everyone is invited, and there will surprises for the

lucky ones because Santa's helper may join us.

Please sign up in the front of the narthex, bring your friends and family members and have a cheery time.

LADYBUG LUNCHEONLADYBUG LUNCHEONLADYBUG LUNCHEONLADYBUG LUNCHEON By Carol Butler

Our November luncheon took us once again to the Old Bull and Bush where we have dined before. Judy Leonard was our hostess. Thanks, Judy, for making the arrangements. There were 14 Ladybugs in attendance. We welcomed our newest Ladybug, Kristine Zillioux, who also happens to be our newest choir member. It was great to have Paula Jans-son with us. Sadly, it was Carol (#3) Mitchell’s last luncheon and we will miss her very much.

The fare included not only British food, but good-old all American choices as well as other ethnic goodies. Our waitresses, Jen and Jen, were very sweet and brought our food out in a timely manner. We collected $100.00 which has been given to the Presby-tery Disaster Relief Fund. Much of the monies they are collecting now will go to vic-tims of the recent flood. Thank you ladies for your generosity. As usual these luncheons pro-vide the Ladybugs, along with friends and family, the oppor-

tunity for lots of fellowship, conversation and laughter. There will not be a luncheon in December, as that is reserved for the annual Ladies Christmas luncheon. The next lunch will be Thursday, January 7, noon at Longhorn Steakhouse in front of Coastal Grand Mall. Mary Ann Bowie will be our hostess. Sign up in the Narthex if you know you can make it. Let me know if you need a ride. All Ladybugs, their friends and family (female of course) are invited…..hope to see you there.

The next Breakfast

Buddies will be held on

December 18, 9am at IHOP

The Next ladybug

luncheon will be at

Longhorn’ Steakhouse January 7 12noon

The Christmas Joy Offering is one of the four special offerings designated by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Because Advent and Christmas shine a light not only on our world’s greatest hope but also on our world’s greatest need,

the PC(USA) provides this timely opportunity for congregations to support causes specifically designed to bring Good News of Great Joy to the poor in circumstance or spirit. The Christmas Joy Offering — through its gifts to the Assistance Program of the

Board of Pensions—helps these individuals and families through difficult times by providing shared, emergency, and other types of grants. We will be receiving the Christmas Joy Offering at Celebration on Sunday, December 20, during worship.

BREAKFAST BUDDIES BREAKFAST BUDDIES BREAKFAST BUDDIES BREAKFAST BUDDIES By Pat Teal

VOLUME 126 PAGE 4

The holidays are upon us and the Youth are busy preparing for the upcoming Breakfast with Santa event on Saturday, December 5. We spent the afternoon at church on Sunday, November 15, wrapping gifts for Santa to hand out to the children. Thank you to Rich and Deborah McIlrath for your great organizational and wrapping skills. Prior to that, the Youth participated in Belk Charity Days fundraising. A special thank you to all the youth and the parents for

stepping up to the plate to cover us on the Belk Charity Day Event (particularly the Burrows and Tomlin families) since both Cecilia and I were out of town on prior obligations. The Youth spent some time reflecting on how we can get caught up in complaining and focusing on what we don’t have as opposed to being thankful for what we do have through performing an

impromptu comedy skit about a family’s Grumblesgiving Day dinner. During this busy holiday season we are looking forward to continuing in our time of fellowship and worship during He`Brews Café, as well as planning events for the new year which will include a movie outing in January. Blessings for a wonderful Christmas!

YOUTH NEWSYOUTH NEWSYOUTH NEWSYOUTH NEWS By Cecilia Evans and Jackie Sinnet

He~Brews Café is now open on the 2nd

and 3rd Sunday of

each month

HOSPITALITY TEAM HOSPITALITY TEAM HOSPITALITY TEAM HOSPITALITY TEAM By Laurie Andrews

December 12 is the Ladies’ Christmas Luncheon at the Pine Lakes Country Club at 12 noon.

We are asking those attending to bring an unwrapped gift for a child between the ages of newborn to 11 years old.

Thanks to all who attended the First Wednesday Crockpot Potluck Dinner. We had about 35 people in attendance. What a great variety of great tasting food we had! Our next First Wednesday Dinner will be December 4th at 5:30. We are calling it International Night. If you have a special Italian, Asian, German, or

other ethnic recipe you’d like to make, we’d love to taste it. The dinner will be followed by a Christmas Musical “EEK” by our youth. First Wednesday Night Potlucks will begin again in February. We are looking forward to the Celebrate the Child service on December 6th.

Hospitality will be hosting a punch and cookie reception immediately after the service. SAVE THE DATE! To beat the winter doldroms, on February 20th Hospitality is having a birthday party for the entire congregation. Look for more information next month!

Y outh of Celebration

LADIES’ CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON LADIES’ CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON LADIES’ CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON LADIES’ CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON By Laurie Andrews

PAGE 5 NEWS OF CELEBRATION

BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICE

AT CELEBRATION The Christmas season can be a

painful time for many who have

experienced loss of a loved one,

employment or good health. Perhaps

you need a space and time to

acknowledge your sadness and to

know you are not alone.

Join us for a BLUE CHRISTMAS

SERVICE IN CAROLINA FOREST

at Celebration Presbyterian Church,

2300 Carolina Forest Blvd., Myrtle

Beach, on Tuesday, December 8,

2015, at 6:00pm. This service will

include beautiful music, readings,

candle lighting, prayers and

anointing. ALL ARE WELCOME!

Contact 843-903-0308 or

celebrationpresbyterianmb@ gmail.com. FOR THOSE WHO FIND

REJOICING HARD WORK!

Elder of the Week Dec 6—Nancy Torcivia—843-390-4376 Dec 13—Terry Baker—843-903-1195 Dec 20—Mary Ann Bowie—347-7545 Dec 27—Carol Butler—843-234-1573 Liturgist Dec 6—Elizabeth Wills Dec 13—Nancy Torcivia Dec 20—Peg Speidel Dec 27—Paula Jansson Visitors Table/Greeter Dec 6—Margaret Reeder Dec 13—Barbara Barranco Dec 20—Heidi Cherry Dec 27—Mary Ann Bowie Ushers for December Mike and Kathy Wechter, Bob Stepanek

Nursery-Trudy Miller and Dec 6—Donna Woodard Dec 13—Nanette Kelly Dec 20—Vicki Jacobs Dec 27—Donna Woodard Pre K –Kindergarten Children’s Church– Tonja Paolini and Dec 6—Celebrate the Child Service Dec 13—Emmy Cicala Dec 20—Sharon Hills Dec 27—Cindy Bramble Children’s Church Grades 1-5 Mary Kait Jones and Dec 6—Celebrate the Child Service Dec 13—Leslie Eckert Dec 20—Emmy Cicala Dec 27—Emmy Cicala

Sound Board Dec 6—Neil Carter Dec 13—Harvey Dulin Dec 20—Neil Carter Dec 24— Harvey Carter Dec 27— Media Shout Dec 6—Katrena White Dec 13—Katrena White Dec 20—Bernadine Lamar Dec 24—Bernadine Lamar Dec 27—Katrena White Communion (full service) Terry Baker, Larry Dowd, Roy Andrews, Jeanne Bredbeck

VOLUNTEERS SERVING THIS MONTHVOLUNTEERS SERVING THIS MONTHVOLUNTEERS SERVING THIS MONTHVOLUNTEERS SERVING THIS MONTH

BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICEBLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICEBLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICEBLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICE

SANTA’S SNEAKERS—We have delivered 52 pairs of sneakers to the Salvation Army. Our goal is 150 pairs of sneakers for school-aged children. Our socks that we collected earlier this year are being paired with the sneakers. Thank you for helping!

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!! I can’t believe it is already December! We have a short but very busy month. We will start off the month by heading to The Palace Theatre for the Christmas Wonderland show on December 2. Celebrate the Child Sunday will take place

during the service on December 6 when our four-year-olds will be singing and participating in the service. I hope to see everyone there. If you are in the area on December 17 or 18, we will have our holiday parties from 10-11am and 2-3pm. This is a fun and festive time in our school. I have heard that the jolly man himself will

be visiting during this time. All of us at the Preschool would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The Preschool will be closed December 20- January 3. See you all next year!!!!!

VOLUME 126 PAGE 6

Take a moment to wish those who have a birthday this month birthday wishes or send them a card. If your birthday is not listed in your month, please contact Linda in the office to be included.

3—Logan White 13—Margaret Reeder 14—Bob Stepanek 15—Nicklaus McIlrath 18—George Vaupel 21—Nancy Resnick

21—Frances Mehalick 29—Jeanne Bredbeck 29—Quinn Coleman 30—Steven Siewert 30—Connor Walsh

BIRTHDAYS FOR THE MONTHBIRTHDAYS FOR THE MONTHBIRTHDAYS FOR THE MONTHBIRTHDAYS FOR THE MONTH

CELEBRATE THE CHILD SERVICECELEBRATE THE CHILD SERVICECELEBRATE THE CHILD SERVICECELEBRATE THE CHILD SERVICE

PRESCHOOL PRESCHOOL PRESCHOOL PRESCHOOL By Susan Spraker

Annual Celebrate the Child Sunday

Sunday, December 6, at 11:00 a.m.

With Celebration Preschoolers Sharing in Worship!

Bells will be ringing and hearts will be singing the joys of the Christmas season as the Celebration congregation welcomes the families of our four-year-olds from Celebration Preschool for worship and fellowship on our fourth annual Celebrate

the Child Sunday. Once again this special worship service will involve the four-year-old preschoolers singing several selections in worship and helping Pastor Tom with the decorating of our Chrismon Tree. The signs and symbols that make up these special ornaments known as Chrismons (which stands for Christ-Monograms) will be introduced by Pastor Tom and the children will bring the ornaments forward to place on the Chrismon Tree. This will be a family-friendly service and childcare

will be provided for infants and toddlers. Following worship we will share a cup of cheer and taste of seasonal treats as we fellowship together. May God bless us everyone as we join together in worship of Jesus, who is the reason for our Christmas season!

FINANCE Thank you to everyone who made a commitment for 2016. If you are behind on your commitment for 2015, please try to complete your pledge by the end of December. Every contribution makes a difference in our ministry. When you're doing your year-end planning and giving,

don't forget your church. With all the solicitations that we receive at this time of the year, please put your church at the top of your giving list.

ENDOWMENT Now is the time to do your financial planning for the coming year. When you do your analysis, check for some "Old"

stocks that you have held for a number of years and see if what they are paying is worth keeping. Or, do you want to give them to the Endowment Fund and get a nice tax write-off? For more information, there are cards on the table in the narthex, or speak to Jan about transferring the stocks to the church.

FINANCE AND ENDOWMENT FINANCE AND ENDOWMENT FINANCE AND ENDOWMENT FINANCE AND ENDOWMENT By Jan Coulter

NEWS OF CELEBRATION PAGE 7

DECEMBER 2015

Sunday Schedule: 9:15 am—Adult Sunday School 10:30am - Fellowship and Coffee 11:00 am Worship—Nursery and Children’s Church

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2 Men’s Breakfast

IHOP 8am 1st Wednesday

Fellowship Supper 5:30 pm Program 6pm

Choir Rehearsal 7pm

Preschool closed

3

4 5

Breakfast with Santa 9am

6

Advent II CELEBRATE THE CHILD SUNDAY

Worship 11am

7

Elder Training 5:15-6:45pm

8

Blue Christmas

Service 6pm

9

Choir Rehearsal 7pm

10 11

12

Ladies Christmas Luncheon

13 Adult SS 9:15am Advent III Worship 11am Communion

He~Brews Café for Youth

Choir Rehearsal at Kingston 4-6pm

14

STATED SESSION

MEETING 6:30 pm

15

16 Combined Choir

Cantata at Kingston 7pm

17 18

19

20 Advent IV

Worship 11am

Joy Offering

He~Brews Café for Youth

21

22

23

24

Christmas Eve Service 7pm

25

26

27

Worship 11am

28 29 30

31

PRAYER OF JABEZ —“Oh that You would bless Celebration, indeed, and enlarge our territory, in your name. That your hand would be with us and that You would keep us from evil, that we may not cause hurt to others.” I Chronicles 4:10 (Adapted for Celebration)

PRESCHOOL CLOSED DECEMBER 21-JANUARY 3

CHURCH OFFICES AND PRESCHOOL CLOSED DECEMBER 21-JANUARY 3

2300 Carolina Forest Boulevard Myrtle Beach, SC 29579 Phone: 843-903-0308 Fax: 843-903-0345 celebrationpresbyterianmb@gmail.com www.celebrationpresbyterianchurch.org Facebook— Celebration Presbyterian Myrtle-Beach Dr. Tom Dendy—Pastor Sarah Abushakra—Music Director Linda Berry—Office Administrator

COMBINED-CHOIR CANTATA DECEMBER 16, WEDNESDAY, AT KINGSTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Join us on Wednesday, December 2nd after dinner for Eek! The Musical!: a production by the kids of Celebration. It’s a short musical that celebrates Christmas, in particular the virtues of hospitality, as exemplified by the innkeeper, who, despite his wife’s selfishness, welcomes the Holy Family to the stable in Bethlehem. The musical also points out, in a light-hearted fashion, the penalties of meanness and extravagance which the innkeeper’s wife and her mother display. This short and sweet musical will have you laughing and “aww”ing your way towards Christmas!

Also, don’t forget that the adult choir will be joining the choirs of Kingston Presbyterian and St. Anne’s Episcopal Church for a Christmas concert at Kingston Presbyterian in Conway on December 16th at 7:00!

CELEBRATION PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OUR IDENTITY STATEMENT

We are Christ followers who are open, accepting, loving and welcoming to all!

As Advent begins, d365 offers a daily devotional to help us prepare for days and years leading up to Jesus’ birth. Click on www.d365.org/followingthestar for your devotion. Columbia Theological Seminary has published an Advent devotional called The Journey. You can click on http://issuu.com/columbiatheologicalseminary/docs/cts_adventdev_2015 each day.

ONCE AGAIN, WE WILL HAVE THE CHRISTMAS CARD MAIL BOX AVAILABLE IN THE HALLWAY. THIS IS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO “MAIL” YOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS TO CHURCH MEMBERS WITHOUT USING POSTAGE. JUST ADDRESS YOUR CARDS AND BRING THEM AND PUT THEM IN THE BOX ALPHABETICALLY AND MAKE SURE TO CHECK EACH SUN-

DAY FOR YOUR CARDS. PERHAPS WITH THE MONEY YOU SAVE ON POSTAGE, YOU WILL CONSIDER GIVING THE SAV-

INGS TO THE CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING