Nokesville Church of the Brethren
December 2024 Newsletter
PASTOR’S PONDERINGS
We’ve just begun the season of Advent, a time of preparation and waiting. The Old Testament prophets spoke God’s promises of salvation and restoration. The One who would save would be called the Righteous One, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting, Father, Prince of Peace, and Emmanuel (meaning God with us).
How will you spend time pondering these names for Jesus–the baby born in a manger. While you’re waiting for a child to come out of practice, while you’re sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, while you’re curled up in bed, think about what it means for God to be with you. Consider the meaning of each name spoken by the prophets. How have you seen God show up in each of these roles spoken by the prophets? How has Jesus fulfilled the promises of God?
As you prepare and stress about preparations, stop. Take a few minutes every day to think about the magnitude and message of Jesus Christ born in a lowly manger. Take a few deep breaths of the hope born that night in a cold stable. Pray and thank God for a love so great that he would send Jesus to walk with us, to deliver us, and to embody God’s message of this season and all time: “Peace on earth, goodwill to all.”
Pastor Janet
LIVE NATIVITY
Join us for the Live Nativity and candle lighting on December 14 following the Nokesville Community Christmas Parade. The parade starts at 4pm and we will begin the Live Nativity soon after the completion of the parade. All are welcome to join, come as a spectator or be part of the nativity. Please let Pam Breslin know if your child would like to play a role in the nativity scene or let Jeannette Funkhouser know if you would like to sing with the choir. We will enjoy cookies and hot chocolate with the community in the fellowship hall after the live nativity. Please consider donating cookies to share.
ANGEL TREE INFORMATION
This year we have partnered with The Nokesville School and Sudley Elementary School to provide Christmas gifts to families in our community. If you would like to support this project, please take an angel tag from the tree in the Narthex and purchase a gift/s from the child’s wish list. Each gift should remain within about a $30 budget. If you would like to support the project but prefer someone else do the shopping, see Pam Breslin. There are also opportunities to purchase gift cards. Please return all unwrapped gifts with angel tags by 12/15.
CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
The team was excited to help usher in the Christmas season with Christmas Craft Night. It was a wonderful evening together. Thank you to everyone who hosted a craft table, the crafts were lovely!
We are looking forward to the New Year and planning more joyful events together!
Caroling: We hope to get together on the afternoon of December 22th to carol at some of our congregation members homes. We will have lunch and then depart to carol 1:30 or 2:00. We are excited to share the sounds of Christmas with others! We will need at least 8 people to carol. Please use the sign up sheet in the narthex to RSVP for the event.
Sunday Coffee Hour: We continue to have coffee hour each Sunday morning at 9:30 am. This is a wonderful time of weekly fellowship as a congregation. We need people to sign up to provide breakfast for us to continue the activity. Breakfast can be anything you want to make it. Some people choose to make homemade items and others choose to purchase premade breakfast items. All are enjoyed and appreciated. You may consider signing up with another person or family. The signup sheet can be found in the narthex. Please see someone on the Congregational Life Ministry team if you have questions about providing breakfast.
SERVICE & COMMUNITY ENGAGMENT
Holiday Music Brentsville High School choir and orchestra students will present a performance of holiday music on December 18 at 11:30am. The performance will be approximately 45 minutes. Join us as we support and enjoy the talents of our neighborhood students.
DECEMBER 29TH SPEAKER
Austin House grew up with his 3 siblings on a local dairy farm in Nokesville, VA. He graduated from BDHS and then VMI. Austin spent time as an Army Ranger. While serving in the Army Austin was able to see the need for food, shelter and medical supplies to people in Thailand and Burma. It became his goal to try and meet some of those needs and at the same time share the Good News of Jesus with those who had never heard.
After leaving the Army Austin knew his life’s calling would be back in Asia. He met with a group of folks from Greenwich Presbyterian Church, talked about his call to this kind of ministry and the mission support group of Farthest Corners was established. Over the years Austin helped establish many outreach programs, including Happy Home, an orphanage for children displaced by fighting in or near their villages.
Austin then ventured into learning the languages of the area and eventually to teach at Payap University. While studying for their Master of Divinity degree he and Sinte met. They later married and now have 3 children.
Over the years, Sinte has served as a teacher and missionary in a small village, taught courses at their former university, and received her Bachelor of Theology. While continuing relief and development work, teaching, and ministering at a refugee camp, both have helped in church plantings. Austin has extensive teaching experience at the Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral levels.
We are very happy to welcome Austin and Sinte House to speak at Nokesville Church of The Brethren on December 29th. Hearing what God continues to do through their service and outreach ministries is a true blessing.
FLOWER MINISTRY
Did you know that flowers are a weekly standing order? When you sign up to honor someone, you place $20 in the offering plate to help cover the cost. When no one signs up, we still get flowers but they’re paid from the budget. If you’d like to help with those budget costs, you can place $20 designated for flowers in the offering. After worship, if the flowers remain up front, they may be available to take and bless someone. Double-check with the person listed in the bulletin. If no one is listed, they are available. Perhaps you know someone who is homebound, or you drive by a hospital, school, or care center and would like to bless somebody. Go ahead and make someone’s day!
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Coffee Fellowship 9:30 a.m.
Sunday School 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m.
Pastor Janet’s Office Hours
Tues – Fri
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
pastor@nokesvillecob.org