Christmas Eve -
Sunday, December 24th
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Because Christmas Eve is on Sunday, we will have two specific liturgies for the day. At 9:00 a.m. the liturgy for the Fourth Sunday of Advent will be celebrated. Then at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. the Liturgy for Christmas Eve will be celebrated with Choral Communion and Candle-lighting. Festive Christmas preludes will begin 30 minutes before each of Christmas Eve services.
Dr. Williams’ Christmas Message will be The Son, The Son, Who Will Take The Son???
Advent Worship Themes
December 3 – First Sunday of Advent -- Theme: Hope
Holy Communion at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Sacrament of Holy Baptism -- 10:30 a.m.
Text: Isaiah 64:1-9
Message: I Hope So . . .
December 10 – Second Sunday of Advent -- Theme: Faith
Text: Isaiah 40:1-11
Message: The Path
December 17 – Third Sunday of Advent -- Theme: Joy
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24,
Luke 1:46-55
Message: God’s Joy Parties
December 24 – Fourth Sunday of Advent -- Theme: Favor
Text: Luke 1:26-33
Message: Finding God’s Favor
Morning Worship: 9:00 a.m.
Advent Workshop
The Advent Workshop will be held on the first Sunday of Advent, December 3. The samples and sign-up board will be in the Fellowship Hall and the Social Room. Mark your calendars for Sunday, December 3 from 12:00 noon – 2:00 p.m. Don’t miss this fun event! There will be crafts for all ages. Adults and children alike can make beautiful decorations or gifts with the guidance of a craft leader. Helpers are needed, so if you are interested, please contact Bev Benner at benner@newgoshucc.org. Hope to see you there!
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Cookies Galore
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10! The Senior High Youth Group is back in business and once again holding their beloved tradition of providing you with all your Christmas cookie needs! They’ll have the cookies, the containers, and……..the scale. You bring your sweet tooth and support of our youth.
Donations of cookies will be appreciated. Please drop them off by Saturday, December 9 in the church kitchen and mark them with the words “Cookies Galore.” The sale will be held on Sunday, December 10 in Fellowship Hall during these times: 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
Christmas Tree Lighting Event
On Sunday, December 10 beginning at 6:00 p.m., the Youth Groups will be presenting New Goshenhoppen’s First Christmas Tree Lighting event! A nine-foot Norway spruce has been planted in the front of the church property. Please join us for carols and the reading of the Christmas Story. We will have snacks, hot chocolate, and family crafts to share together. It promises to be a “new” special tradition!
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The King's Birthday Program
On Sunday, December 17, the Sunday School youth will be presenting “The King’s Birthday.” This program will be presented during the 10:30 a.m. worship service in the Sanctuary. Please come out and show your support of our young people as they present the story of our Savior’s birth.
Christmas Choral Concert - December 10th
The Valley Choral Society and the Upper Perkiomen High School A Choir will present a Christmas Concert at New Goshenhoppen. Imagine 120 singing voices from the balcony accompanied by our new organ and the grand piano!
This is the 40th Anniversary of the Choral Society, which was started by Richard Lampe who was the Choral Director at Upper Perkiomen High School. The concert includes favorites from the past 40 years concluding with The Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah by Georg F. Handel.
Following the Christmas Concert, High Tea will be served in Fellowship Hall. We do expect to fill the church to capacity for this concert! A sign-up sheet for dessert donations will be found on our webpage!
The Holidays Through the Lens of Grief
From the moment a loss occurs, we start thinking about how it will impact the holidays. Our Holiday Grief Workshop on Saturday, December 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon in the Roberts’ Room will provide guidance and resources for handling those difficult days, whether you are dealing with your own loss or want to help a friend or relative through their holidays. Pre-registration is helpful, but not required. Contact the Church Office or Pastor Elaine at pastor_elaine@yahoo.com. If you have specific questions or concerns (even if you are unable to attend the workshop) feel free to submit them to Pastor Elaine at either 215-915-4370 or by email.
The Giving Tree
Help share the joy of the Christmas season by adding to the Giving Tree. All the items on the tree will be given to Open Link and donated to needy families in our area. The suggested gifts are:
~ Stocking stuffers ~ New toys ~ Hats, gloves, and scarves for teens ~ Gifts for preteens and teens (10 years and older) ~ Movie Passes for Grand Theater ~ Gift cards to local stores and restaurants ~ Gift cards for Weis, Walmart, etc.
The Giving Tree will be located in the Social Room from November 4th to December 10th. If you are donating a gift certificate, gift card, or a pass, please fill out a "gift placeholder" and place on the Giving Tree. The "gift placeholder" can be found in a box near the Giving Tree or in the Church Office. The actual certificate can be handed into the Church Office or given to any Women's Fellowship officer Sandy Hardy, Delores Schuler, or Amy Treichler.
New Year's Eve - Sunday, December 31st
On New Year’s Eve there will be a SINGLE worship service at 10:30 a.m. with our new Associate Pastor, Rev’d Erick Kern leading the service as we conclude 2023 and prepare to welcome 2024. Dr. Williams will be away at St. Augustine’s House from December 26 through January 2nd.
Wreathes Across America
The Lt. Matthew Smith Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is participating in the Wreaths Across America program by placing wreaths on veterans’ graves to honor those that have served our country. Consider sponsoring a wreath today at a cost of $17 each. Wreaths will be placed on veterans’ graves in December at New Goshenhoppen United Church of Christ cemetery. To sponsor a wreath, please go to:
www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/PA0792
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Select "Sponsor Wreaths"; enter quantity; the location to support should say "New Goshenhoppen UCC cemetery.” At "More Options,” you may select the "Grave Specific" option if you would like to honor and remember a veteran by having a wreath placed on a specific grave. Order forms are also available on the bulletin board in the Social Room. Call 877-385-9504 with any questions. If orders are placed through our above chapter link, PA0792—Lt. Matthew Smith Chapter DAR, we will receive 3 wreaths for every 2 wreaths purchased. By including our chapter code, your order will be eligible for our 3 for 2 promotion that will assist in fulfilling our goal of honoring all veterans at this cemetery. All sponsored veteran wreaths are shipped directly to the location selected by the sponsor; wreaths are not shipped to individual wreath sponsors. Thank you, in advance, for your sponsorship and for joining in their mission: REMEMBER the Fallen...HONOR those who Serve...TEACH our children the value of Freedom.
Blood Drive
New Goshenhoppen United Church of Christ along with Miller/Keystone Blood Center is hosting a Blood Drive on Monday, JANUARY 8, 2024, from 1:00 to 7:00 pm in Fellowship Hall. To schedule an appointment, click here:
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Appointments are required. If you need help scheduling an appointment, call Sherry Peterson at 267-374-2530.
Installation of Consistory
The New Goshenhoppen Consistory will be installed on Sunday, January 7, 2024, at the 10:30 a.m. service. All Members of Consistory are asked to attend the late service that day for the liturgy of installation and ordination of new deacons and elders.
Organ Project Update
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All the pipes have been returned to their places in the organ. All the wiring of the or-gan and the power supplies of the organ have been updated and are now functioning. The chimes from the 1950 organ project have been returned to the organ case and the relay is now functioning and the beauty of the Deagan Chimes once again sing forth from the organ case.
Mr. Lucente and Pastor Dave are now in the final hours of voicing the organ to balance it for our room. The organ whispers softly and can roar with a mighty sound.
All of the volunteer labor of our congregation saved us nearly $25,000 in labor charges in the removal, cleaning, and return of the pipes to the organ case. We thank Dan Tuck, Chris Weikel, and Steve Lentz for working together to build several screens, re-covering the openings with new speaker cloth, and several other projects related to the installation of the new organ.
All of the expenses of the new organ have now been paid. We did use $4,000.00 from the Margaret Kulp Estate Gift to complete the project as three unforeseen matters had to be addressed: 3 new power supplies to power the magnets that allow the pipes to play, additional wiring upgrades to the organ system, and the moving of the Trumpet pipes to a different part of the organ.
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Thank you to all who helped to make this project a wonderful reality in our church. There will be four very special concerts to dedicate the organ in the coming year. The first concert is on November 5 with information that is in this Steeple. The second concert will be on Sunday, December 10 at 3:00 p.m. with the Valley Choral Society and the UPHS “A” Choir combining together in a Christmas Choral Music extravaganza that will culminate with the Christmas Tree lighting on the front lawn of the church. Palm Sunday, March 24 at 3:00 p.m. with Dr. Allan Birney, and then in April, Maestro Hector Olivera who designed the organ will be here.