Brookwood Presbyterian Church

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December 2009

November 29, 2009 ~ First Sunday of Advent

Read Luke 21:25-36

Your redemption is drawing near

If you've ever been in an accident and waited for help to arrive, You know a few minutes can feel like an eternity. In the days before Jesus was born, the Jews were living under oppressive Roman rule. It probably felt like an eternity waiting for God to deliver them from the empire.

Waiting for God's light in a dark situation can be a difficult spiritual practice, but it's what we are called to do in Advent. We wait to celebrate Jesus' birth, but we also wait for the promise of his return.

Holy one, in this season of Advent, may we experience your love and peace while we wait.

From the Pastor’s Desk: What Is A Disciple of Jesus Christ?

A disciple of Jesus is many things … let’s look at a few of them this month.

Disciples are obedient: Jesus commanded his disciples to "Go, and make disciples of all the nations" (Matthew 28:19). I had a missionary professor in seminary who would often remind us that we do not seem to understand the little word, “GO”. In other words, he was saying, “Why are you all still here?” --- “Why are there so few missionaries overseas?” --- “Why haven’t you become a missionary in your own apartment building? Your own neighborhood? Your own workplace? Your own family?” He knew that we are not all called by Jesus to go overseas as missionaries, but he also knew that we ARE ALL CALLED to be missionaries whereever we go. That is what a disciple does: shows the Good News of Jesus Christ in word and deed where- ever they GO. Disciples are missionaries right where they are --- and they are obedient.

Disciples come in all shapes and sizes and temperaments: Is a disciple a “contemplative, philosophical person, dressed in a robe, walking around with his hand rubbing his chin contemplating the meaning of some deep aspect of life”? Maybe … Or is a disciple a “religious freak,” too willing to do just about anything to please the religious leadership? I do not think either of those definitions are what we are looking for here at Brookwood. A disciple is a person, loved by God and willing to love God back. A disciple is a person who has given their life to Jesus Christ and has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior --- period.

Disciples think God’s thoughts and live God’s life: JOHN 8:31 --- Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed." To “abide” means to live in - to live through - to be closely connected with - and to connect closely back. An abiding disciple is a person who wants God’s presence to be within them more than anything else in their entire lives. They want to live for God 24/7. They want to enjoy God and worship God forever and all day long. They worship not only on Sunday morning, but through all they do and say and think all week long. That is powerful!

Disciples have decided to follow Jesus and have counted the cost in following him:

MATTHEW 16:24-26 --- Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his own cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"

To “take up your cross” means to be willing to put everything else aside and put Jesus first in everything. That is a big assignment - but that is what a disciple is called to do. Does God forgive us when we fall short? Yes. Does God still expect us to take up our cross and follow? Yes. Here is where God’s grace and power and mercy comes flooding into our lives. Jesus ends up being the one who does this, through the Holy Spirit; BUT, a disciple still needs to be willing to let God in to do his work.

For this level of transformation to take place in the life of a disciple - we have to be willing to count the cost and know what we are getting into. Then we say, “Yes, Lord, come into me and do your work of transformation.” Then we find out what we have gotten ourselves into!

“If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable:

think of it as a place of training and correction and it’s not so bad.”

C. S. Lewis

- In Christ, Pastor Jim

Finance Report

Just an “end of the year” reminder. As December comes around it’s a good time to review our financial commitment to Brookwood. Our pledging/giving can be brought up-to-date and that payment to the PerCapita fund can be made if that hasn’t already been done. The final date for gifts to be credited to 2009 will be Sunday, December 27th.

Presbyterian Church USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook is out. Brookwood’s Learning Center is the featured mission this year for the Presbytery of Scioto Valley. If you have not already seen the article, stop by the office and check out the article on page 90 marking Tuesday, March 30, 2010.

TRICK OR TREAT!

This is a story of Halloween trick or treat and many Saints.

On Halloween, Columbus Academy students followed a long tradition and collected canned goods as a community service project. A communication mix-up had us thinking we were going to pick up only 4 boxes of food. We were grateful for the donation but disappointed in the dramatic decrease in the amount of food they normally collect for us. The trick or treat was truly on us. There were over 50 boxes of food being donated to Brookwood’s Food Pantry! They had help and we had a Honda Pilot. Thru true effort and expert packing skills it all fit and was carefully delivered to Brookwood. Last minute solicitations for assistance resulted in the food being unpacked and outside the Pantry door within 30 minutes of our arrival. Then diligence and helping hands had all the items checked for expiration dates and sitting in their proper place in the Food Pantry by late afternoon. A big thank you to all involved.

In addition to the food given to Brookwood, Columbus Academy collected enough food to provide one week’s worth of groceries for 30 families! Students of all ages participated and many important life lessons were learned.

An important fact: Glenna Spencer is the one who originally put this Columbus Academy project in place.

So many blessings and miracles surround us each day.

Giving – through the eyes of a child

Xavier, our eight year-old grandson, was eager to help fill the Harvest Table baskets. This was his second year, so he knew it was going to be busy, fun and have doughnuts for a treat. He was a typical boy, running here and there ready to sort, push a cart, fill a box or be a box “terminator” (his special brand of breaking down cardboard).

However, in the midst of all the activity, he decided to educate us.

The boxes were in rows of ten and most had the name of the recipient and the number in their family. Well, Xavier decided on his own that we needed to grasp the bigger picture. He made labels that identified how many individuals were in each of two rows of boxes.

Then he totaled those on a big yellow label with the number 114. He explained to me that there were only 20 boxes, but 114 people were going to receive food. So, remember, your efforts resulted in tremendous giving. Thank you, Xavier, for this important lesson.

Grandma Judy

The Village Singers Program is Friday, December 11^th. The Bexley Beat Bus will be in the church lot at 6:30 pm to take you to German Village for the program and will bring you back to the church at 8:30. Tickets and bus fare total $15 per person – you will need reservations. You may pick up tickets & pay when boarding the bus. Your church singers in this year's program are Pastor John, Craig Bailey, Bonnie Bailey, Tony Montjoy and Nancy Hartmann and our director is Karen Chitu

HARVEST TABLE – A SUCCESS STORY for BROOKWOOD

Thanks to the generosity of the Brookwood congregation, friends of Brookwood, and food suppliers, the 2009 Harvest Table project was able to again provide 120 food baskets to central Ohio families in need.

These baskets were provided to the following organizations: Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities (40); Old First Church (20); Native American Indian Center (21); First Link (15) and Brookwood Friends and Families (24).

Meijer and Walmart were the grocers used this year to purchase the turkeys and additional canned food items needed beyond what is donated by our Brookwood members. The potatoes were again donated by Schacht Family Farm market, the apples were supplied at cost by Smith’s Farm Market and Meijer gave us a $100 gift card.

We are grateful that Susan Howard and Kim Relle responded to the call for leadership support. There are so many others who gave of their time and effort.

Those youth who repacked over 600 pounds of potatoes and those who assembled the boxes to hold the food. Those who made trips to pick up boxes and food and those who carried everything to the gym. On Saturday, there were those who filled all 120 boxes with food items, a Thanksgiving message from our clergy and an invitation to our Thanksgiving services. Then on Sunday there were those who made sure each box with its turkey was properly distributed.

Every recipient was grateful for the generosity of all involved. Blessings to each of you.

Judy & Tony Montjoy

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Confirmation Class

Confirmation Class will be starting in January, 2010. The class will be for youth 6^th grade and up who have not previously been confirmed. If you are the parent, grandparent or guardian of a youth who would be interested in the confirmation class, please let Bonnie Nicosia know. You can put a note in my mailbox in the church office, or email me at BHNicosia@att.net. We will have a parent and youth meeting in December to go over what the class will cover, expectations and answer any questions parents or youth may have. Classes will be held during the Sunday School time on Sunday mornings. They will start in January with confirmation scheduled for late May.

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SIGN-UP FOR 2010

Heads up everyone! Your help is needed to help feed the hungry. 2010 is just around the corner and we need you and your groups to sign up for Faith Mission and Sandwich Making. The sheets for sign-up are on the Lobby bulletin board or you can contact Tony & Judy Montjoy.

Worship Outlines for December

11/28 Saturday Night Worship 5 pm Advent begins

Saturday Advent 1 The Prophet’s Candle - Jesus Came To Fulfill

Theme: Jesus came to Fulfill God’s Eternal plan of salvation

Message: “Salvation” Jeremiah 33:14-16; Luke 21:25-36

11/29 First Sunday of Advent Begin Lectionary Year C

Advent 1 The Prophet’s Candle --- Jesus Came To Fulfill

Theme: Jesus came to Fulfill

Message: “Clearing the Way” I Thess. 3:9-13 Lk. 21:25-36 Ps. 25

12/5 Saturday Night Worship 5 pm

Saturday Advent 2 The Bethlehem Candle --- Jesus’ Everlasting Light

Theme: The Light of Christ Illumines all we do

Message: “In the Light” Philippians 1:3-11 Malachi 3:1-4 

12/6 Second Sunday of Advent - The Bethlehem Candle --- Jesus’ Everlasting Light

Theme: The Light of Christ working to make us Acceptable to God

Message: “Made Acceptable by the Light” Malachi 3:1-4 Philippians 1:3-11

12/12 Saturday Night Worship 5 pm

Saturday Advent 3

12/13 Third Sunday of Advent - The Shepherd’s Candle - the witness of and for Christ

12/19 Saturday Night Worship 5 pm

Saturday Advent 4 See 12/20

12/20 Fourth Sunday of Advent

Theme: The Angel’s Candle - God’s Celestial Army sent to herald the Good

News - we are part of that army also

Message: “Telling” Micah 5:2-5a Hebrews 10:5-10 Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

12/24 Christmas Eve

7 pm Traditional Worship Service 11 pm Midnight Passages and CArols

Theme: The Christ Candle - This Christmas, it is not about the gifts or about

you and your wants and desires, it is all about Jesus

Message: “All About Jesus” Lk. 2:1-14 (15-20) Is. 9:2-7 Titus 2:11-14 Ps. 96

12/26 Saturday Night Worship 5 pm

Saturday First Saturday after Christmas

12/27 First Sunday after Christmas

1/2/10 Saturday Night Worship 5 pm

Saturday Theme: Evangelism

Message: “A New Song of the Same Old Story” Psalm 98

1/3/10 Second Sunday after Christmas see 1/2/2010

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