Central

Journal . . . electronic edition

                                                                                                         December, 2004

Keeping Members and Friends Informed

                                      Promoting Fellowship                                                                                       
                                                         Contributing to Spiritual Growth

THE GIVING TREE
Margaret North, Mission Commission

This year the Mission Commission is going to have a giving tree project to help a needy family in the Lansing area to have a happier holiday season. We are asking for your help in purchasing gifts for this family, as well as nonperishable food for a nice Christmas dinner.

You will see our tree in the library which will contain tags listing gifts that the family would like to receive for Christmas. We would ask you to stop by the tree, select a tag, and purchase the item listed on the tag. Please check carefully for any specifications such as size or color that the family has made. You may then return the gift to the church, wrapped, and with the tag attached to the package.

We are also going to collect food to provide the family with a delicious Christmas meal. If you are unable to purchase a gift for the family, perhaps you could give a can or two of food for the food basket. All items collected for the giving tree project should be dropped off at the front desk of the church no later than Sunday, December 19.
If you are not able to get out to buy something, even just donating a dollar or two will be helpful. The Mission Commission will use the money collected to purchase items not donated. Mission Commission members will then deliver the gifts and the dinner to the family during the week of Christmas. Thank you for helping a family to have an enjoyable Christmas.
Sip 'n' Sing Sunday mornings

Celebrate the Advent season with our traditional Sip and Sing at 8:45 a.m. in the Dining room. Sip hot or cold drinks, munch donuts and sing Carols each Sunday morning till Christmas. It's an uplifting way to begin Sunday mornings during Advent. Bring the family and ring the bells!
The MITTEN TREE
Pat Mort, UMW

The Ruth Fishbeck Memorial Mitten Tree will be in the Dining Room. Hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, warm socks, etc., can be left during Sip 'n' Sing! These will be distributed through local agencies such as Potter Park and Open Door ministries.
Ad-vent E-vent
Sunday, December 5
Pat Mort

Come One, Come All! After Sunday School in Fellowship Hall; come laugh, sing, create, share, eat (we have to eat, right?) and celebrate the Advent Season with your Central family at our Advent Event!

We will enjoy a Central staple-the pot luck-and then create Advent and Christmas keepsakes as families and friends. We'll have good Christmas music, skits, stories and remember why it is we celebrate this special time of year. One special activity will be the creation of holiday garlands for our shut in and homebound friends.

If you forget to bring food, come anyway. At Central, we never seem to have to worry about how much food we have-there's always enough for all. So come, create, celebrate, be with us to ring in the 2nd Sunday in Advent-at our Advent Event!
Education
Joi Tennant, Christian Education Director

Books for baby baptisms

The Education Commission is in the process of creating a new program for the purpose of being true to the vows we speak as a congregation when a little child is baptized: "We will surround these persons with love... that they may grow..." On the day of a child's baptism and for the following four years of baptismal "birthdays" we will give an age-appropriate Christian gift (most often a book) to each baptized child. We hope in this way to continue a relationship of caring for the children and their families, even if they have not in any way continued to be connected to Central. We will begin this program immediately with the next child who is baptized at Central. And we will also begin our "baptismal birthday" gift-giving now by giving a gift to children who were baptized in the last 2 or 3 years on the anniversary of their baptism.

We also intend to give the easy-to-read contemporary version of the Bible, The Message, to new Christian teens or adults when they are baptized. Part of this program will be funded by our budget, but we are also requesting that persons might consider giving money toward these baptismal gifts as a memorial.
We made a new room!

If you haven't noticed it yet, step into the Fellowship Hall room behind the coffee pot on Sunday morning and you'll see a nice transformation.

We created an "All-purpose Room" designed to adapt to a whole variety of formal and informal meetings. We used odds and ends of furniture, which had been stored here and there around the church. One end of the room has a round table and chairs and a dry-mark board and bookcase. In the middle of the room is a conversation/meditation area with comfortable furniture and our old sanctuary altar as the focal point. A "stained glass" window over the altar was made by former youth members of our church about 25 years ago. At the other end of the room is a place for children to play with blocks, read books or color. Russell has already claimed this room for his new-member class on Sundays, which he hopes to start soon. But feel free to use this space for meetings or meditation or small group studies.

I want to especially thank these people who gave several hours of hard work one day to make this pleasant improvement -- Mary Bowers, Jeanie Sanders, Tom Rosier and Jermal Nash. Those of you who remember Max and Judy Grove may be interested to know that some of the things in the room were originally given in their memory.
Coping, kids, Christ and Constantine

The Chapel Video Series, "Coping As Christians," continues through December 12. To remind us at Christmas to think of the plight of children in various parts of our world, we will also show the videos, The World Through Kids Eyes, Young and On Their Own, and Let Children Live, December 12 and 19.

Coming up in January, Pat Mort will lead the book study, Concerning Prayer, and the 6-week Chapel Video Series, From Christ To Constantine, will begin. Remember, you are always welcome and encouraged to join the "Genesis to Revelation" Bible Study at any time in the second floor conference room.

Sunday School holiday

We will not have Sunday School December 26 or January 2. We hope this helps everyone have a little less stress and more family time at this busy time of year. By the way, we have Advent gifts for all the children. Please be sure to ask for one if you aren't here when we hand them out!
Where's your niche?
Joi Tennant

Mary Bowers has discovered hers. She really likes to clean and organize, and she has been making a difference this fall. You don't have to go to committee meetings to serve at Central. Let us know what kind of work gives you satisfaction and we will find a place for you to serve!
MusicNotes
Caryn Welter, Music Director

Personal reflections about the Advent devotional book . . . compel me to share with you the profound effect its contents had on me as I was privileged to read each and every entry! Rich and loving memories, stories of long-established traditions and familial growth, difficulties that sometimes are enmeshed in the wonder we call Advent, and all the "stuff" of which our spiritual growth is made, left me feeling renewed passion and awe at the approach of this blessed season. To all who committed their thoughts to this worthy undertaking, I extend a sincere thank you.

Sip 'n' Sing . . . is a rich time of tradition and fellowship as we meet in the Dining Room of Central to sing favorite Christmas carols. The singing is joyful and holds in its spell all those who participate. Donut holes and juice are an added bonus. Won't you add this to your family's calendar of special events and join with us each Advent Sunday, from 8:45-9:15 a.m., just before worship?

Choir members . . . often don't get the added recognition that's given to directors or section leaders. Let me use this as a forum to thank each and every one of you who sing with the Youth Fine Arts Group, the Wesley Choristers, the Spirit Singers, or the Chancel Choir. Your loyal dedication to weekly rehearsal and worship times is very much appreciated, and you are highly valued.

Worship Committee . . . efforts are striving to smooth the details of worship. Hopefully, folks' participation in Sunday morning services will be made easier. As you are presented with the friendship folders, given directives for the Celebration of Holy Communion, or even asked merely to stand for a hymn, please know that the aim is to promote the flow of worship and enable us to become even more visitor-friendly.

On Christmas Sunday, December 19 . . . you may look forward to a slightly different format for Lessons and Carols. The service will begin with some key components of our traditional Sunday service, and then go into a rich portrayal of the Christmas story, using anthems, carols, and hymns to underscore (no pun intended) its development. All choral groups will participate, and you can look forward to this presentation whose fresh look originated with Chancel Choir Director Trey Jacobs.

Ring those bells… Central's bell choir will reconvene in December in order to ring during Advent and Christmas.

Christmas Eve . . . promises a slightly different look this year that incorporates some of our well-loved, historic traditions, in combination with some new ideas that have been compiled as the service is being designed. Congregation members will be invited to bring some of their precious Christmas artifacts. On that evening, the carillon will begin a 9:45 p.m., the diverse program of prelude music will begin at 10:15 p.m.; worship is at 11:00 p.m.

Looking ahead . . . to music events in which our Chancel Choir will participate:
December 18 - 9 a.m. rehearsal, in preparation for December 19
December 19 - Christmas party, off-site
February 9 - Ash Wednesday services, off-site
March 24 - Holy Thursday worship, with St. Paul's choir
March 25 - Good Friday service - presentation of Faure's "Requiem"
April 24 - Choral Festival at Plymouth Congregational Church, 4 p.m.
May 22 - Celebration of Music in Worship

A quest for help: Parents, would you please encourage children / youth to arrive on time at scheduled rehearsals? This would help us a great deal as we prepare for worship.
Hang in there

Thank you to all the people who participated in the "Hanging of the Greens" on Sunday November 21. We are looking forward to seeing you on Sunday January 9, 2005 for the "Retiring of the Greens." Thank you. Jan Keen, Pat Mort and Jamie and Paul Zimmer, coordinators.
UnitedMethodist Women Pat Mort, President
Christmas by Candlelight

Tuesday, December 7, at 6:15 p.m. The East Lansing High Choristers will present a wonderful variety of Christmas Music. Punch will be served before the program and dessert will follow. Tickets are $2.50 and are available after worship in Fellowship Hall.

UMW Bake Sale coming Sunday, December 12 during Fellowship Coffee Hour. All proceeds go to Missions.

On behalf of United Methodist Women, you are wished a Blessed Holiday Season. May Advent find you expectant, Christmas find you awed and Epiphany find you filled with the Love of the Babe born in Bethlehem. Christmas joy to you all.
- UMW Mission Team

UMW ladies: Have you paid your pledge for 2004? Women, children and youth the world over are waiting, praying, hoping for the gifts UMW pledges can bring. Think of those closest to you and how you would feel if anything was to happen to them. Consider how you would do anything to help. Take that step and, realize we are all Children of God and responsible to one another. If you have paid your pledge, consider giving a special gift to Undesignated Giving. If you haven't, consider what is right for you at this time and give what you can. God Bless.
COFFEE HOUR
Alice Pifer, Chair, Fellowship Coffee Hour

Happy Holidays to members and friends of Central. This past year many of you worked, brought goodies or just enjoyed Fellowship Coffee Hour. I really appreciate the time and energy so many of you have generously given to help continue this very enjoyable fellowship time.

But as always, we need more volunteers to sign up. We're a little short of workers on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Sundays in December, and January really needs your support.

Please check your December and January calendars and sign up for the Sunday(s) of your choice on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall or call me at 694-0686.
Elderberrys
Frank F. Anderson

What do senior adults do together when they have a party? Come to our December 14 meeting and find out! We will begin at 10:30 a.m. on that Tuesday morning in the church dining room, lower level. Caryn Welter will be with us at the piano, and we can have our own Sip 'n' Sing at a time older adults can make it. We invite everyone to bring a wrapped, low cost item for a GRAB BAG gift to share (a white elephant is okay). Question? See Mr. Anderson, 323-6968.

A special thank you to Mary Jessup for a superb presentation on the Elderhostel and their educational advantages and fun. She graced our meeting in November. There are thousands of choices of places to go and themes to pursue in the USA and many other locations in the world. We had 19 people present, and we want to double that number.

Why not come and give a Tuesday morning to real fellowship? We meet the second Tuesday of every month. This is a ministry for God's choice people-the elderly.

Sign up in Fellowship Hall on December 5 and 12 or call the church office, 485-9477. Leave your name. We will have a Meals-on-Wheels luncheon. That's Tuesday, December 14 at 10:30 a.m.
Among Friends

Remember...

At press time...

Lucy Akpabio in Nigeria
Nancy Arnold at home
Nancy Dibble
Margaret Ebersole at home
Ralph Gibbs at Hospice
C. Jon Holmes
Charles & Mary Jacobs at home
Nancy Johnson at home
Maxine Jones
Muriel Kirby
Joe O'Shea at home
LaVinna Roberts at home
Lulu Smith at home
Sally Swiss at home
Capt. Scott Wangen - deployed in Iraq
Father of Russell McRenolds - in Alabama

Please keep these individuals in your prayers.
At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir
singing God's praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
- Luke 2:13,14 The message

Advent Reading
Win Anderson

We have all heard the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. Now, here is a list of twelve books for your Christmas Advent reading. All are shelved in our church library:

It's Time for Christmas - I am Christmas
The Crippled Lamb - The Story of Christmas
A Wish to be a Christmas Tree - Skipping Christmas
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
Esther's Gift - The Christmas Box
Chicken Soup for the Soul - Christmas Treasury
The Holy Bible, N.T., Luke 2:1-20

May the light of God's love burn brightly in your heart and home, this season and always. - Library Task Force
Youth News
Jamie Tipton, Youth Director

S3 (Spiritual Growth through Service and Socializing) is growing by numbers and by faith... On Sunday, November 7 we talked about working together as one body. We read 1 Corinthians 12:12 and 13. I asked the youth to get into groups and rewrite that passage. Here is what two of the groups wrote:

"Christ is like a fruitloop; it has many ingredients. We have all been baptized in the milk. So we drink the milk because the milk is the fruit of the spirit."

"The mind, body and soul are one. We are not all the same but we have one purpose: to serve God. We strive so hard to become what we aren't, and we overlook the special qualities that we do have."

Calendar Sales
Please remember to find a youth on Sunday morning in Fellowship Hour to buy your 2005 God's Creation Calendars. They are $5 and proceeds will fund a youth winter retreat.

On-Going Pop Can Drive
Please bring in those pop cans that are overtaking your garage. The Youth will be holding an on-going Pop Can Drive. You can drop your bags of cans off with any of the youth in Fellowship Hall. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Upcoming Events for the Youth Group
December
5 - 5-7 p.m. - Cards & Cookies for Shut-ins 12 - CHRISTmas, the REAL story
19 - Christmas Party
23 - Help with Christmas Fellowship Lunch

Jamie Tipton, 669-3259 - home
and 896-6606 - cell
Life in Bolivia
November 2, 2004
Elisabeth Wangen, in Bolivia

Dear Central Family,

My time in Bolivia is coming to the end, and I will be returning to Michigan in a few weeks. My time here has flown by with all the new and different experiences that I have had. I have been teaching 7th through 12th grade English, and it is truly amazing how much alike the students here are to the students in the United States. Obviously, some of the customs are different and their style of learning and teaching is somewhat different, but the basic behavior and concerns of the students are the same as in the United States.

My Spanish has improved a lot, but it is still pretty awful, though I can get around by myself when I have to. I am finding that I am growing daily emotionally and spiritually. Throughout my time here, I have grown more and more confident in my surroundings.

Speaking of my surroundings, Bolivia is truly a beautiful country, even though it does have lots of bugs which has been a daily struggle for me. The school is basically in the middle of the jungle, and a person couldn't ask for better scenery as seen right outside of their window. It is fairly primitive, but for the most part, it wasn't too hard to get used to the primitive shower and toilet.

Since I have been here, I have participated in a teacher's Olympics where five schools from the surrounding areas got together and the teachers competed against other schools in basketball, volleyball, and soccer. The women from our school actually won first place in volleyball! And yes, I, the girl who can't kick a ball straight, played soccer. Luckily, the other teachers decided that I made a better goalie so that is the position I got to play. I actually blocked some of the goals. I can't say that soccer is my favorite sport, but at least I now understand some of the basics about the sport.

One of the things that I really enjoy during the week is the Wednesday night worship service that all the students attend. It is great to see so many teenagers getting excited about God. I don't understand much of the prayers or sermons but the singing is fun and the students are always energetic. I can definitely understand the attitudes behind the prayers. Then there is church every Sunday; again I don't understand much of the sermon, but even so everyone there makes me feel welcome. They have even gotten me to say the closing prayer. Of course it was in English, so really only Peter, Estela, and the boys understood it, but I believe they at least understood what was behind the words.

Everyday here is filled with some new experience, whether it is just trying to have a conversation with a student, traveling somewhere, or seeing something new. I am so glad that I have had this experience of living in a totally different culture and actually experiencing it to such a full extent. I know this time has changed me forever, and makes me appreciate my life in the United States a whole lot more. I am looking forward to getting home and seeing my family and friends, but I will miss the new friends that I have made here in Bolivia. Thank you all so much for supporting me and praying for me. It is all very much appreciated. While my time here has not been easy, it has been rewarding and worthwhile. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences and many pictures with everyone once I am home. God Bless You.
Sunday Vespers Class to study Borg

The Sunday Vespers Class will share in reading and discussing Marcus Borg's most recent book, The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith.

The book includes such chapters as What Does It Mean To Be Christian Today?, Faith: The Way of the Heart, The Bible: The Heart of Tradition, God: The Heart of Reality, Jesus: The Heart of God.

Borg divides his book into two parts: Seeing the Christian Tradition Again and Seeing the Christian Life Again. The second part addresses: Born Again: A New Heart, The Kingdom of God: The Heart of Justice, Thin Places: Opening the Heart, Sin and Salvation: Transforming the Heart, The Heart of the Matter: Practice, and Heart and Home: Being Christian in an Age of Pluralism.

Karen Armstong, author and scholar, writes: A marvelous book that is both challenging and illuminating, and effecting exactly the kind of transformation that Borg describes so lucidity.

The Sunday Vespers Class will begin its winter term on Sunday, January 9, 2005. It will continue to meet from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the second floor Conference Room. All who are interested are invited. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Keith Pohl at 244-0389 or POHLKIRJ@CS.COM
DISCIPLE Bible Study?
Bill Amundsen

Disciple Bible study was begun about 10 years ago and transformed The United Methodist Church. The study doubles as a learning experience and a support group for its participants. You are asked to read about 45 minutes per day and answer some questions before coming to class. The class begins at 7 p.m. and ends slightly after 9 p.m. A time for prayer and brief worship is included. Video clips will bring us professional comments about the texts which are assigned for that week. During Disciple I (the first course), approximately 75% of the Bible will be read by each participant. It will change your life. You will be glad you said "YES!" Contact Bill Amundsen or Wendy Roiser to sign up.
Restoring Historic Central - Update Larry Beckon, Chair, Restoration Task Force

As reported in an earlier issue of the Central Journal, a Restoration Task Force is working to identify and define the projects that need to be carried out to meet the immediate and longer term needs of our church building. Our ministry to the community will be enhanced by restoring and renewing our building, as we continue to renew and restore ourselves. The task force, composed of Gene Welter, Kathy Prout, Kathy MacLaren, Susan Hepfer and Larry Beckon, is maintaining communications with the Administrative Council, the Board of Trustees, and the Finance Committee in this restoration effort.

Completed To Date: Potential consultants (architects) have been determined, questions to ask potential consultants have been drafted, and letters have been sent to 13 firms asking for an indication of interest in being hired for this project. Responses from interested consultants were due November 19. Conversations have been held with most of the potential consultants.

Planned for Completion by Early January: Architects to be interviewed will be selected and interviewed in early December. From that first group, architects to be interviewed a second time will be determined, and final interviews will be held. A consultant will be selected and hired in cooperation with the Board of Trustees, likely in early January.

Expected Product from Consultant: A report, in April, containing a list of recommended restorations at Central, estimated costs for the work, and recommended sequencing of the needed work.
Mark Your Calendars:
2nd Annual Believers' Ball
February 12, 2005
7 -11 p.m. Fellowship Hall
If you would like to help, please contact Jamie Tipton or Denise Kelley.
Watch for more details.
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