Mt. Olivet Presbyterian Church

509 W. State Street Office: (513)988-0422 e-mail: mtolivetpc@gmail

Trenton, Ohio 45067 Monday-Friday (9am-1pm) www.mtolivetchurch.org

Music Minister: Jon Sanford

Pastor: Rev. Dr. Jerry W. Pitman

Sunday School for all ages:

9:15am

Worship Service: Sunday @ 10:30am

Communion served 1st Sunday

of every month

Mt. Olivet Presbyterian Church

e-mail: mtolivetpc@gmail

www.mtolivetchurch.org

Volume 50 Issue12

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Mt. Olivet Presbyterian

member of:

EPC

Evangelical

Presbyterian Church

2016

The Time for Light:

December 2016

There are so many aspects to the Christmas Holiday Season it can be overwhelming. For the Christian the greatest aspect of this season takes second place to nothing. It is the Incarnation. It is the virgin birth of the Christ Child; the promised arrival of God in the flesh as our Lord became a man. As witnessed to in the Gospels the arrival of Jesus, the Christ, was a time of a bright light in the heavens that shocked the lonely shepherds, amazed the wise men, and humbled Joseph and Mary with the glory of being God’s chosen instrument for the miracle of the light of His love for the world. Everything else pales in light of the birth of Christ.

I am humbly led to Psalms 4: 6, 7 that I might better grasp the significance of this season. It reads: “There are many who say, ‘O that we might see some good! Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord! You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and wine abound.’”

In one of the most blessed periods in the whole history of mankind we remain in a constant battle of good and evil, peace and war, right and wrong, light and darkness, and righteousness and ungodliness. We are in many ways a people who still are in darkness. Part of what makes this season so wonderful is the marvelous expression found in the need for light to shine as demonstrated in the decorations of houses, trees, shrubs, fences and yards. Every year people enjoy driving around discovering a renewed sense of inner encouragement. This is a great way to spend one evening with the family during this season of opportunity.

Even so, there is a much greater kind of light that shines. It is a light that shines into the depth of our souls providing power to counteract the effect of darkness. From our Bible reference we relate to the awesome power of a shining face; some translations use the word countenance. It is better than anything a human being can produce. It is the Everlasting Light shining in us producing gladness superior even to the effects of drinking wine.

May this be that Christmas when our faith shows the Light of our Lord in our countenance and offers a rich sense of gladness to those around us. As we identify with the tug of the heart that has such a deep need to see some goodness let us again worship together in our faith, serve together in our stewardship, and reflect in our faces the profound light of God’s love.

See you Sunday

Pastor Jerry

This month at Mt. Olivet... There is an active Scouting Program.

call the office to be put in touch with a

Scout Leader!

Lions Club

2nd and 4th Thursday @ 6pm

Choir Practice

Wednesday 6:30

Prayer Gathering

Wednesday 8pm

Men’s Group

2nd & 4th Saturday 8am

Birthday Dinner

3rd Tuesday of the month@ 6pm

Session Meets 2nd Wed. @ 7pm

Usher Schedule

Dec 4: Al Irwin, Patty Ratliff, Gary Schenck, Mike Lynskey

Dec 11: Van Skaggs, Tim Adams, Paul Huffman, Paul Durham

Dec 18: Bonnie Nicely, Wanda Stamper, Jeff Hamey, Darrell Pitman

Dec 25: Jack Davis, Tim Stamper, Charlie Martin, Randy Smith

November “State of the Church”

Report

Tithes & Offerings -vs– Budgeted Needs

$7,630.94 $10,675.83

YTD: $108,321.61 of $128,110.00

November income from “Designated Gifts”

$1,717.61

Dec 4 Communion Sunday carry-in meal

Dec 7 7pm Finance Committee Meeting

8:30p Worship Committee Meeting

Dec. 9 deadline for poinsettia orders

Dec 11 8:30a Christian Ed Meeting

Dec 14 7pm SESSION

Dec 18 Christmas Worship Celebration

Dec24 7pm Candlelight Service

Dec 25 11-11:45am CHRISTMAS DAY

“mini-service” celebrating Christ’s birthday

and singing carols. Casual…

No classes

**Dec 26-Dec30 Office Closed**

Wednesday evenings

in the LIBRARY at Mt. Olivet

ALL are invited

to participate in the

prayer gathering at 8pm.

Mt. Olivet will be donating 5 Christmas Dinners to five

different local families this year.

Giving Christmas dinners to those in need is a long tradition here at

our church. A complete meal with all the trimmings serving up to ten

is purchased from Kroger. These fully cooked meals will be handed

out December 23rd this year. If you would like to be part of this

outreach project, the cost of each family feast is about $60.

Saturday

evening,

December

24th at

7pm

Mt. Olivet is sponsoring 10 local children this year who may not otherwise receive Christmas gifts. Please consider taking an angle from the “Giving Tree” located in the sanctuary. The gender and the age of the child is on one side, their “wish” list on the other. Purchase and wrap your gift, tape the “angel” on your gift, and return it. We’ll make sure your Christmas Angel receives his/her gift(s).

Attention all Elders/Committee Chairs

Annual reports must be turned in to the church of-

fice no later than January 6, 2017.

December 21, 2016 at 6pm

It’s a PARTY!! This festive gathering will be at the home of Jon San-

ford extraordinaire! Call the church office if you would

like to carpool. Bring a dish and prepare to have fun.

It’s a tradition! Providing a gift for each residence at

Tamarind Square. Please donate a Christmas figurine

for the Deacons to wrap-up with Christmas cookies.

These love gifts are delivered by our carolers on

December 11th. Deadline: December 7th.

Joyce Harris 1

Janis Patrick 1

Ellie Webster 6

Nina Hacker 9

Butch Kirby 10

Sandi Butt 11

Rob Ballantyne 12

Helen Moore 17

Paul Durham 27

Jeff Hamey 28

Jeffrey Abner 29

Lucy Noe 31

Tim & Wanda Stamper 2nd

Bill & Barb Fairchild 5th

Bobby & Tara Hunt 17th

Bill & Mary Back 24th

Ron & Sandy Kash 31st

5Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

5:30pm

Deacons

2 3

4

Communion

Carry-in Dinner

5 6 7

6:30 Choir

7pm Finance

8pm Prayer

8:30 Worship

8

9 10

8am Men’s Group

Breakfast

11

8:30am

Christian Ed

12

13

14

6:30 Choir

7pm Session

8pm Prayer

15 16

17

18 19 20

6pm

Birthday

Dinner

21

6pm Choir Party

no prayer meeting

22

23

24

25

26

Office

Closed

27

Office

closed

28

Office

Closed no

prayer @8pm

29

Office

Closed

30

Office

Closed

31

2016 Tuesday December 20 @ 6pm. We will celebrate December birthdays.

Sign up in the narthex! If your birthday is in December

You eat free!!!!!

7pm Candlelight

service

5pm

May God Bless

2017

A tradition at Mt. Olivet you just can’t

pass up. Caroling at Tamarind Square

while delivering a gift to each

resident; and then a Pizza Party

featuring the ever famous homemade

Hufford pizza.

5pm Sunday December 11th

The presentation and election of

our church officers.

Sunday Jan. 8

Presentation of The

State of the Church

reports, 2017 budget.

Sunday Jan. 22

11-11:45am

**There will be NO Classes on December 25th