NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER

NOVEMBER
NEWSLETTER
Peace United Church of Christ 9123 Aboite Center Rd
260-432-8290
PEACE CHURCH WEBSITE:-WWW.PEACEUCC.NET
E-MAIL ADDRESS:-PEACEUCC@FRONTIER.COM
Adult Sunday school 9:00am
Worship 10:15am
Pastor’s Page
Grateful
Yesterday was a bad day. We learned from our realtor that the negotiations for selling our house had
fallen through. I woke up with an ear ache. The sink in our kitchen clogged and I had to call a plumber.
Grayson was in a foul mood and teasing the cat and then realized he’d forgotten his lunchbox when he
and Robert arrived at school. By 8:45 I was ready to go back to bed, pull the cover over my head and
complain bitterly at my sorry, sorry lot in life. Instead, I got in my car and drove to the church, but
stopped at Starbucks on my way where I learned, upon pulling up to the drive thru window that the
person in the car in front of me had paid for my drink for me. It was amazing how quickly I went from
feeling miserable to feeling humbled. All with the simple gift of a free chai.
It wasn’t just that someone had done something incredibly nice, it was that if the worst thing in my life is a
clogged sink, and a son’s forgotten lunch box, among other things, I should pause and be thankful. In the
grand scheme of life, my misfortunes were laughable.
When I got to the office I dug through my files and found one of my favorite quotes on gratitude, written
by Garrison Keillor in the Christian Century magazine back in 2003. His words are these, “Gratitude is
where the spiritual life begins. Thank you, Lord, for this amazing and bountiful life and forgive us if we do not love it
enough. Thank you for this laptop computer and for this yellow kitchen table and for the clock on the wall and the cup of
coffee and the glasses on my nose and for these black slacks and this black T-shirt. Thanks for black, and for other colors.
Thank you, Lord, for giving me the wherewithal not to fix a half-pound cheeseburger right now and to eat a stalk of celery
instead. Thank you for the wonderful son and the smart sexy wife and the grandkids. Thank you that I haven’t had alcohol
in lo these many months and thank you that it isn’t a big struggle to do without, as I had so feared it might be. Thank you
for the odd delight of being 60, part of which is the sheer relief of not being 50. I could go on and on. One should enumerate
one’s blessings and set them before the Lord. Begin every day with this exercise.”
I’m starting my day today being thankful for fingers that can type these words, and the candle lit on my
desk, and the sound of children laughing in the hallway, and the way Truman’s fur feels so soft. I’ll set
them out before the Lord and whisper a quiet “thank you, thank you, thank you.”
What blessings do you see today?
Pastor Christen
Peace Church Mission Statement:
Peace United Church of Christ is a family of God's people who strives daily to demonstrate
Christian witness in the community by celebrating worship, learning and teaching, caring for
others and seeking justice and peace. As an open and affirming congregation, our door is open to
all.
Reminder to change your clocks this
weekend. It's time to "Fall Back"
Pastor: Christen Pettit Miller
Admin. Asst: Susan Tite
Organist: Dennis Bowman
Director of Celebration Choir: Jan Beal
Director of Angelus Bells: Helen Donnell
Director of Children’s Music: Lorie Krouse
Children’s Nursery School Director: Tonja Ashton
NEWS OF THE FAMILY
Please keep these people who we love in your prayers.
"Sympathy to John & Marilyn Nussbaum, at the death of John's brother,
Harold Nussbaum. His funeral service was held in Berne, Indiana."
Christ Dikeolakos, recovering at home following back surgery.
Judy Miller, continues cancer treatments and in isolation at MD Anderson in Houston, Texas.
Laura Migliore, continues having chemotherapy.
UCC Pastor Kim Johanessohn Moor who is undergoing treatment for cancer.
Kenton & Susan Clark's granddaughter Kelsey.
Continuing Prayers: Pat Rich, Julie Day, Vera Schmidt and Chris Apt.
And we hold in prayer all those concerns that remain unspoken...
Correction to Wayne & Helen Donnell's new address.
It is 6436 Ambrosia Cove, Fort Wayne, In. 46804
Dear Friends of Peace Church.
Thank you for keeping us in your prayers. The last few days have been kind of tough.
However, when Roger and Steve bring the mail my troubles seem to disappear. You are truly
a loving bunch of people. We appreciate your cards, thoughts and prayers as well as your
phone calls.
Sincerely, Roger & Judy Miller
Thank you so much for all of your thoughts, prayers, cards, gifts, visits and offers of help.
I am truly blessed to be part of such a loving congregation. God's blessings to you all.
Love, Pat Rich
Congratulations to Kim Vail and Scott Bowland, they were married here at Peace
Church on October 18th. Kim is the daughter of Kevin and Bekki Vail.
November~~~Birthdays
Jan Beal
Audrey Pick
Thom Moore
Steve Leslie
LeAnn Doll
Joshua Dunn
1
3
6
7
17
21
Cardmaking/Carry-in Get-together
When: Saturday, November 8, 2014 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: At church, Fellowship Hall
Why: To make Christmas cards and Valentine cards for
the veterans.
Come join us for an hour or two or all day for cardmaking.
We have a fun time, plus we eat quite well. Hope to see
you then.
Chili Cook-off Coming !!
Save Sunday, November 9 after church for our second annual chili cook-off.
Be prepared to enjoy various recipes of our favorite winter chill-chaser.
This year we are adding an important variation. This will also be a
fundraising benefit for Just Neighbors Interfaith Homeless Network.
You may purchase a ceramic bowl (made by St. Francis art students)
for $10 each. All money collected will go to the JNIHN program.
(Other bowls will be available free.) Also being served will be cheese,
crackers, fruit and cookies.
A sign-up sheet will be on the bulletin board next to the kitchen. Get out your best recipe
and sign up!!
Foods Resource Bank
Our annual Harvest Celebration was held on Saturday, October 25th. It was a good day of
wonderful fellowship, horse and wagon rides and healthy competition!
The Peace Corn Husking Team did well with Traci Riviera and Pastor Christen,
Congratulations! We are truly blessed to be part of this partnership with
Pleasant Chapel Church of the Brethren. Thanks to all who participated
in our Harvest Celebration!
Children’s Nursery School
We brought in the harvest during the month of October. Ms. Renee read us stories and we ate
pumpkin muffins. We spent some time in the classrooms talking about fall and doing projects with red,
yellow, and orange.
The month of November brings about our annual cookie dough sales. The sale will begin November 3 rd
and we will stop taking orders November 21st. Delivery is scheduled for December 10th. Please stop by
the Nursery School office if you would like an order form. Parent/Teacher conferences are November
24th and 25th; there will be no classes those days so that the teachers can meet individually with parents.
There will be no Nursery School classes on November 26-28th in observance of Thanksgiving. It looks to
be a very busy month for the Nursery School.
During our busy schedules of the month, we should all take a moment to be grateful for all the Lord has
blessed us with this year.
The staff at CNS would like to wish each one of you a wonderful Thanksgiving full of family, friends and
love!!
Tonja Ashton
Director
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Head Ushers for November:
Dave & Zo Matson
Ushers & Communion Servers for Sunday, November 2nd
Barbara Bauer, Lorie Krouse, Mike Krouse, John Paul Rivera
GREETERS:
Nov. 2 Kent & Susan Clark
Nov. 9 Joyce Dunkle & Pat Rich
Nov. 16 Dodie Graham & Rosanne Thayer
Nov. 23 The Blundall Family
Nov. 30 Denny & Bev Haupert
INFANT CARE
Nov. 2 Renee Moore
Nov. 9 Marcy Blundall
Nov. 16 Bev Haupert
Nov. 23 Ann Frellick
Nov. 30 Barbara Bauer
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
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LITURGISTS:
2 Jim Miller
9 Fran Frellick
16 Samantha Dikeolakos
23 Rise Vandenburg
30 Robert Pettit
CLOSERS
Nov. 2 Mike Krouse
Nov. 9 John Paul Rivera
Nov. 16 Bev Haupert
Nov. 23 Barbara Bauer
Nov. 30 Mike Stone
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
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OFFERING COUNTERS
2
Mike Krouse & Chris Campbell
9
Bev Haupert & Larry Hoyle
16
George Bartling & Risë Vandenburg
23
Joyce Blosser & Laura Migliore
30
George Bartling & Risë Vandenburg
IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!!!!
ORDER YOUR POINSETTIAS FOR CHRISTMAS.
If you would like to have a poinsettia plant in the sanctuary this
coming Christmas season, orders will be placed on Thursday,
December 4th. The cost is $14.00 for a 6 1/2" pot with foil.
We will decorate the sanctuary ready for Sunday, December 21st,
and we ask that you leave your poinsettia in the sanctuary for the
Christmas Eve service and then you can take your plant home.
Look for the sign-up sheet in the Fellowship Hall next to the kitchen.
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
Come and enjoy a breakfast of donuts and juice on Saturday,
December 6th from 9:00AM to 10:30AM. The children will be able to
sit on Santa’s lap and shop for their loved ones in the Santa Gift Shop.
The cost is $4.00 per person or $15.00 per family.
RSVP to the church office 432-8290 by Tuesday, December 2nd.