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Church Phone No.: (856)456-3364 Church Fax No.: (856)456-3812 District Website: www.chogeast.org National Website: www.chog.

org

Highland Park Church of God


Gods People on Gods Mission!

Pastor Bill e-mail: revwddilksjr@juno.com Office e-mail: highlandparkcog@yahoo.com Web Site: www.highlandparkcog.org

December 2011

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed
1

Thu
(II Kings 24)

Fri
2
(II Kings 25) Noon Retirees Luncheon 7:00-9:00 PM Basketball at MEC Gym

Sat
3 (John 1) 10:00 AM DVYMC Meeting at Christ Center COG

Regular Sunday Schedule:


9:30 AM Sunday School for All Ages 11:00 AM Morning Worship 5:30 PM Choir Practice

Candidate Visitation November 30-December 4

Candidate Visitation 4 (John 2) 5 11:00 AM Jason Hollar Speaking Play Practice After Church (Mandatory) 11 (John 9) 12 11:00 AM Childrens Christmas Program 7:00 PM Trustees Meeting 18
(John 16) (John 3)

6 (John 4) 9:00 AM Mens Bible Study

7 (John 5) 6:30 AM Wednesday Morning Prayer 6:30 PM FWAI Game Night/Practice

8 (John 6) 9 (John 7) Pastor Dilks to Attend 7:00-9:00 PM Basketball at MEC Gym Seminar
6:00 PM DVPF Dinner 7:00-10:00 PM Open Hs. at the Skramstads
(John 13)

10

(John 8)

10:00 AM Dress Rehearsal for Childrens Musical Gloucester City Christmas

(John 10)

13 (John 11) 14 (John 12) 15 6:30 AM Wednesday 7:00 PM FWAI Planning Meeting Morning Prayer 6:30 PM FWAI Share the Word/Kids Club 20 (John 18) 21 (John 19) 22 9:00 AM Mens Bible 6:30 AM Wednesday Morning Prayer Study
1:00 PM Ministerium Meeting

16 (John 14) 17 (John 15) 7:00-9:00 PM Basket- 9:00 AM Mens ball at MEC Gym Fellowship Breakfast 6:30 PM Ladies Possibly Choir Christmas Party Rehearsal 23
(John 21)

19

(John 17)

(John 20)

11:00 AM CBO Offer. 1:00 PM Sunday School Teachers Open House 6:00 PM Choir Cantata Followed by Dilks Open Hs. In Fellowship Hall

24 (Esther 1) 7:00 PM Christmas Eve Candle Lighting Service

************************************************Christmas Prayer Vigil ************************************************

25

(Esther 2)

26

(Esther 3)

27

(Esther 4 & 5)

Sunday School (Pre-K to 6th Grades) meet at 11:00 AM for Special Celebration 11:00 AM Morning Worship In Sanctuary Happy Birthday, Jesus!

28 (Esther 6) 6:30 AM Wednesday Morning Prayer

29

(Esther 7)

30

(Esther 8)

31

(Esther 9 &10)

New Years Eve Monthly calendars are subject to change. Please feel free to contact the church office to confirm events.

December 2011

Dear Church Family and Friends, What traditions or rituals does your family associate with the celebration of the season of Christmas? Webster defines a tradition as an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom); and a ritual as done in accordance with social custom or normal protocol <ritual handshakes>. Many times outsiders view customs, traditions, or rituals in a negative fashion, but what folks sometimes fail to recognize is that they grant the practitioners a sense of communal identity and belonging. A good friend from Tennessee has the holiday tradition of watching Christmas Vacation each year with his entire family gathered together and sharing an evening of frivolity and laughter as they watch Clark Griswold screw up everything trying to create the perfect Christmas for his family. Now my friends ritual is not my idea of a perfect Christmas spent with family, but I do appreciate his description of how much the setting aside time for family, holiday activities meant to him (his family also participated in our live nativity at the church, as well as the Christmas Eve service). Personally, I love the candlelight Christmas Eve service that we have each year, and the holidays would seem lacking if I missed attending with my family. Rituals, traditions, and customs can be very meaningful when we focus on the right things things like shared times with friends, family, church family, and the Lord. I still remember coming to church on Christmas Eve as a child as well as having my father read A Visit from St. Nick or The Night Before Christmas each year before we went to bed on Christmas Eve in our house at 44 Baynes Avenue. Precious memories and special times spent with those we love that is what makes these traditions and rituals special. Discovering new traditions and rituals can be special too, so let me suggest two take one of the December devotionals provided by the CWC this year to read with your family each day. The second would be to watch the Nativity Story this Christmas. I have given 5 additional DVD copies to the church this year (bringing the total to 7), so you should be able to borrow a copy and watch it. Perhaps something else might come to mind, but whatever your choice fill it with JOY (JesusOthers-You). Blessings,

Pastor Bill

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Gems of Wisdom from Our Seniors

Special Thanks . . . We thank you for a lovely service and luncheon on Pastors Appreciation Sunday. We certainly felt appreciated and loved by all. We love our church family. Gratefully yours, Pastor Bill and Kim ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Board of Trustees would like to extend a special thank you to Cindy Kumpel for all of her hard work at the youth house and for leading the charge on the project. Cindy has done a wonderful job painting and decorating the youth house along with the help of Cori Conner and Vicki Kumpel and Mike St. John who assisted in the scraping of the porch. We appreciate all the work they did! Thankfully, The Bd. of Trustees

Highland Park Church of God

Walk the path set before you one step at a time in the confidence of Gods leading.

Faith With An Impact Wednesdays!


December 7Game Night and Play Practice December 14Kids Clubs and Share the Word

On Christmas morning Sunday School (Pre-K to 6th grade) will meet at 11:00 AM for a Happy Birthday Jesus celebration at 11:00 AM while the adults worship in the Sanctuary.

Schedule for Candidate Weekend


Wednesday, November 30 Arrive in afternoon Attend Faith with an Impact (dinner/play practice/Advent activity)

Ladies Christmas Celebration Friday, December 16 6:30 PM


At Deb Conners Home Please see the sign-up sheet in the Narthex and check your bulletin for details.

Thursday, December 1 9:00 Breakfast with the Pastor Bill and Pastor Conner Noon Lunch with John and Gloria Ritchie (childrens ministries) 6:30 Dinner meeting with Council, Board of Christian Education and Board of Trustees Friday, December 2 9:00 Breakfast/Tour with Tracy Noon Retirees Luncheon 2:00 Tour of Cold Springs School with Pastor Bill 6:30 Open House at Church for Church Family Saturday, December 3 10:00 Pastor Bill DVPA/Youth Meeting (Jason) Ann to show Megan around area (kid stuff) Evening Gloucester County Community Church with youth to see speaker/ fellowship afterwards (Meet at the church at 5:30 PM) Sunday, December 4 9:30 Sunday School 11:00 Church Service Jason to speak Play practice to follow worship Lunch/Youth activity following practice 7:45 Youth leaders and parents to meet with Jason at Don and Deb Conners Home

Please look over the schedule and make note of activities that pertain to you. If you have any questions, please call Tracy (856-449-5446) or Ann (856-522-9885). Please keep this exciting weekend in prayer!

Highland Park Church of God

FOR THE GLORY OF THE KING

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Presented by the children, youth, and young adults of the church


Sunday, December 11th, During the Morning Worship Hour, Which Begins at 11:00
The stage is set and Mrs. Parks (Chelsea Conner) is trying to get everyone organized for the dress rehearsal of the Christmas play at their church. However, one of the narrators is missing. So she decides to take a coffee break in an effort to give Bradley (Mike St. John) a little more time to arrive. He does and things begin to happen at, shall we say, rapid speed, much to the chagrin of Abigail (played by Talia Zank) and some of the others. Be sure to mark your calendar and bring friends and family to see this performance. The music is wonderful as is the message.

Kid's Club
I have been thinking of a song that I remember from years ago.

CHRISTMAS! CHRISTMAS! ANGELS SING AND EARTH REJOICES. CHRISTMAS! CHRISTMAS! SUDDENLY WE LIFT OUR VOICES. ONE HAPPY THRONG, BURSTING WITH SONG. TELLING THE WORLD OF THE GLORIOUS GIFT OF CHRISTMAS.
Isn't this how we should all feel about Christmas? We should all be bursting with song about this glorious gift that was given to each and every one of us. This month at Kid's Club, we will be talking about just that. We are going to talk about the fact that Christmas is not about the "getting", but it is in fact about the "giving". On that note we will be praying for and sending cards to our military to share the message of Jesus' birth. We will be doing our annual choosing of gifts to be sent to Samaritans Purse in an effort to share the love of Jesus with those in great need. And we will also be thinking about shut-ins that need a special touch. Our focus will be on the "giving, in the name of Jesus." What will your focus be this Christmas? Kids Club will meet on December 14 at 7:00 PM. However, a light supper is provided at 6:30 PM, free of charge if families would like to come and eat first. There is something for parents and siblings to take part in at 7:00 as well.

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Highland Park Church of God

Our Sanctuary Choir Presents Their Annual Christmas Cantata Dont Miss Christmas Sunday Evening, December 18 ~ 6:00 PM Pastor Bill and Kim invite you to celebrate the Christmas Season with them at their open house. This will take place following the cantata in the fellowship hall.

PRAYER VIGIL
"Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.' And He said, 'Go and tell this people:. . . " The "live coal" in this passage symbolizes the purification of blood and the fire of the Spirit that enabled the prophet to speak. It also reminds us that ultimately all sin is forgiven because of a sacrifice. Isaiah knew he was a sinner, but God graciously forgave his sin. Isaiah's gratefulness made him want to serve the God who had forgiven him. God needed Isaiah to do something for him that would not be easy. Yet we see in the scripture, that Isaiah volunteered anyway. How many times has the Lord called on you to do something that is not going to be easy? I think of the many missionaries around the world that have been called on by the Lord to serve Him in ways that have to be exceedingly difficult. Just the thought of having to give up my home and be away from my family would be disturbing enough for me to want to say no to God. Not to mention the real hardship many take on when they find themselves in places not so great and having very little. Just imagine what it might be like trying to tell others about a God that loves them and cares for them when the people that are listening are not only very wary of who you are, but also already have other gods that they are believing in. I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. And yet, just like Isaiah, they go anyway because they believe in and serve a God whom they love. During this season of Advent, as we prepare for the celebration of the birth of our Savior, let us all take time to turn our thoughts to those that are serving in the mission field and those that work for particular mission organizations whether it be here or abroad. These people and organizations need our prayers and if possible, our monetary support. Beginning on Sunday, November 20th, and for the following two weeks, you will find inserts in your bulletins where you can write down those for whom you would like prayer no matter where they are serving. On Sunday, December 18th, until Christmas Eve, we will be holding our annual Prayer Vigil for missionaries. In this season of gift giving it is my prayer that we will enable ALL to hear the wonderful message of that first gift that was given for everyone, Jesus Christ. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the prayers of the people from the Highland Park Church of God helped that to be accomplished through the simple act of prayer? As my husband would say, "Hmm, something to ponder." Grateful to be in His service, Gloria

Highland Park Church of God

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"Twas the Month Before Christmas"


A politically correct Christmas poem ... sent by a friend Twas the month before Christmas When all through our land, Not a Christian was praying Nor taking a stand. See the PC Police had taken away The reason for Christmas -- no one could say. The children were told by their schools not to sing, About shepherds and wise men and angels and things. It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say -December 25th is just a "holiday." Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit, Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it! CDs from Madonna, an X Box, and I-Pod, Something was changing, something quite odd! Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanza In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda. As Targets were hanging their trees upside down At Lowe's the word "Christmas" was nowhere to be found. At K-Mart and Staples and Penney's and Sears, You won't hear the word "Christmas" -- it won't touch your ears. Inclusive, sensitive, di-ver-si-ty Are words that were used to intimidate me. Now Daschle, now Darden, now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen, On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton! At the top of the Senate there arose such a clatter To eliminate Jesus in all public matter. And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith, Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace. The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded, The Reason for the Season, stopped before it started. So as you celebrate "winter break" under your "dream tree," Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me. Choose your words carefully, choose what you say, Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ... not Happy Holiday! Anonymous Author Submitted by Gloria Ritchie

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