new bethel church · 12/9/2010 · the women of new bethel are collecting foods that would be...

New Bethel Church December 2011

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Pastor’s Ponderings From us to you:

The Christmas Night

by Lucy Maud Montgomery Wrapped was the world in slumber deep, By seaward valley and cedarn steep, And bright and blest were the dreams of its sleep; All the hours of that wonderful night-tide through The stars outblossomed in fields of blue, A heavenly chaplet, to diadem The King in the manger of Bethlehem. Out on the hills the shepherds lay, Wakeful, that never a lamb might stray, Humble and clean of heart were they; Thus it was given them to hear Marvellous harpings strange and clear, Thus it was given them to see The heralds of the nativity. In the dim-lit stable the mother mild Looked with holy eyes on her child, Cradled him close to her heart and smiled; Kingly purple nor crown had he, Never a trapping of royalty; But Mary saw that the baby's head With a slender nimbus was garlanded. continued….

Please send all December 2011 newsletter info to Sara Walter ([email protected]) by DECEMBER 28th. Thanks!

New Bethel Church December 2011 Newsletter

mailto:[email protected]


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Pastor’s Ponderings Speechless her joy as she watched him there, Forgetful of pain and grief and care, And every thought in her soul was a prayer; While under the dome of the desert sky The Kings of the East from afar drew nigh, And the great white star that was guide to them Kept ward o'er the manger of Bethlehem.

A Blessed Christmas! Pastor Dave, Karen, Kristin, Dan, and Becky

New Stairlift and Stairlift Fundraiser Our old Stannah Stairlift was determined to be unreliably repairable and it was decided at a special congregational meeting that a new Stairlift should be purchased. We have ordered a new Bruno curved Stairlift that will be installed sometime around the beginning of the new year. The Bruno will function similarly to the old Stannah. Envelopes are available in the narthex to help pay for the new Stairlift. Or you can donate just by writing a check to New Bethel church and noting that the donation is for the Stairlift. Donations to the Building Fund are also appreciated at this time. It seems that our organ project may finally be near completion. More details will follow, but if you'd like to make a year end Building Fund donation, envelopes are available in the narthex or just send a donation by check to New Bethel Church and note Building Fund.


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Federation Vote Results

New Bethel Church becoming a Federated Congregation was passed by a 96% majority at the November 27th congregational meeting. Two congregations are now one in service to our one Lord! Thanks to all who worked on the process that culminated in this vote! But the thanks are probably still a bit premature because there is still much to do before the Federation is fully recognized. Both the Synod and Conference have been informed on the vote. Copies of the Federated Constitution have been sent to the Northeast Pa Synod and the Penn Northeast Conference. The Conference has accepted the constitution and we are now considered Federated by the Conference and the UCC. The NEPA Synod will send a copy of the Federated Constitution to ELCA Churchwide headquarters for final approval. The Constitution has been reviewed by Synod Staff and as it does not differ but by a tiny measure from other Federated Constitutions, there should be no problem with ELCA approval. Our lawyer, Charlie Stopp, has been informed of the vote, and after documents have been collected a group of New Bethel Church members will meet with Mr. Stopp to begin the State and legal process of Federation that will likely take several months. Beginning on January 1st, donations and offerings will no long be collected by the UCC Consistory or Lutheran Council, but will go directly to the new Federated New Bethel Church. Starting on January 1st, please make all checks out to New Bethel Church. The Council and Consistory will remain until the Federation legal process is completed. It was agreed by concensus that during this transition time, the current Joint Board will make up the membership of the New Bethel Federated Church Board. We foresee that as the legal matters are settled, a new Church Board will be elected in the Spring. After all approvals and legal matters are finalized we'll have a grand celebration this Spring of our new Congregation, fully UCC and fully ELCA!


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Upcoming Dates December 5- Joint Board/Church Board meeting- 7:00PM December 11- Sunday School Christmas program- 9:00AM December 12- MOPS meeting, 10:00am December 14- Women of New Bethel- 7:00PM December 18-Caroling Hayride after Sunday School December 20 Committee Night 7:00PM December 24- Christmas Eve Service- 7:30PM December 25- Christmas Day Service (no Sunday School)

HAPPENINGS


Pastoral Acts: Weddings: Merrie Beth Long and Richard Jansen Everhart- November 19, 2011

Women of New Bethel Food Collection The women of New Bethel are collecting foods that would be served for Christmas and New Year's until Dec. 11.

Angel Tree Once again, the New Bethel Church will be participating the Christmas Cheer service project for children of Friend, Inc. Look for the display of hearts on Sunday, November 20. On each heart is a paper circle containing the name, age, clothing sizes and other interests of a child. The names are fictitious to protect identities. These children are members of families who receive services from Friend, Inc., and they live in the Kutztown, Brandywine and Fleetwood school districts. All you have to do is sign the list next to the name of the child you are taking, then purchase an outfit and anything additional if you choose. Please return the gift with the circle attached along with enough wrapping paper. Please do not wrap the gift yourself. The gift needs to be returned to church by Sunday, December 4. The gifts will be taken to Friend, Inc., following Sunday school that day. The heart is your gift for helping to make the holidays a little brighter for a child. All Sunday School giving for the weeks of November 20th and 27th will be used to purchase gifts for one (or two) of the children on our Angel Tree.


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Advent and Christmas at New Bethel…Joy to the World!

Advent 1 Holy Communion - Nov. 27th … Be Hopeful: Hear from Isaiah, the Prophet, who foretold of a very Special Birth. We start to populate our wonderful Christmas Creche. Also our annual congregational meeting

Advent 2 - Dec. 4th …Be Ready: We hear from Elizabeth, the Mother of John the Baptist. Drop off your gifts for the Friend Inc. Giving Tree

Advent 3 - Dec. 11th …Be Joyful: Tamar, the Innkeepers wife tells us her story Our Sunday School Christmas Program. Please stay after worship and join us downstairs for cookies and refreshments.

Advent 4 - Dec. 18th …Be Love: We hear from Itzhak a Shepherd. Sunday School Caroling Hayride After Sunday School All Ages!!!!!!! Hot Dogs and Hot Chocolate.

Christmas Eve at 6:45 Live Nativity!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship, Dec. 24th at 7:30PM- Come celebrate the birth of Christ the King. Learn about our wonderful Tannenbaum as our Sunday School sings it's glory. Special German Men's Chorus and more as we wrap up our 250th anniversary. Come at 7:00 for the special Christmas Prelude featuring the many musical talents of our members.


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Nursery Would you like to have your 0-5 year old enjoy fun, structured activities while you enjoy worship? New Bethel has created a nursery during worship as a free option for parents. Children are always welcome in worship, but if you chose, the nursery will be available after the children’s sermon, every Sunday downstairs in the Sunday School area. To volunteer to help out with the nursery, please see the information posted in the bulletin board.

Collecting Email Addresses In an effort to perhaps cut costs by sending out items electronically, instead of by US mail, the Joint Board is asking for your email address. Please send the address to [email protected]. We will put together an e-mailing list of those who wish to be sent information electronically. Please put “collecting” in the subject line.


Short Notes We now have available assisted listening devices for those who are hard of hearing. If you could benefit from one, they can be found in the basket on the front balcony pew. If you're not taking your bulletin home, please recycle it in the basket in the narthex. Thanks to all who donated to the Angel Tree project, food donations for the Women of New Bethel, and other holiday philanthropy efforts!

Coffee Fellowship Everyone is invited after worship and before Sunday School! Please sign up on the bulletin board in the narthex. Coffee Fellowship sponsors provide the goodies: donuts, cakes, fruit etc. and juice for the kids. Sponsor is not responsible for setting up the coffee and hot water.


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New Bethel Youth News

MOPS Our MOPS meeting continue on Monday December 12, from 10am to noon at New Bethel Church! All interested mom's with children five and under who would like support of other moms please come to our MOPS (Mothers Of Preschoolers) meetings. Also invited now are Moms of elementary school children We will discuss MOPS & what it has to offer as well as interested topics for the coming school year. While we are meeting our children will be with a two volunteers (MOPPET) from our church playing & working on an craft. The MOPS program really needs some adults to help out once a month for a couple of hours by caring for the children in the church while the mother's meet in PJ Place (schoolhouse.) Please see Pastor Dave or Tina G. This is your chance to meet other moms in the area to give each other support. There is nothing like the friendship of other mothers who are experiencing the same things who can offer support & guidance. And the plus is your children will be having a fabulous time with others while you have a break! Tina Gammons


2nd Annual Christmas Caroling Hayride December 11th at 11:30

The Sunday School will once again be hosting a Caroling Hayride through the town of Kempton. We will have lunch and hot cocoa immediately following Sunday School, and will leave promptly at 11:30. There will be a predetermined route for the hayride this year, focusing on visiting more local homes.


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New Bethel Youth News

ULTRAS (Grades 5-8): Stuff! A Lehigh Valley Mall- Post Black Friday, Christmas is around the Corner- Scavenger Hunt about what really matters. Meet at New Bethel- Sunday December 4th at 1:00PM. Parents needed to chaperone.

Crosswalk (High School): Crosswalk Sunday Mornings. In PJ Place (Schoolhouse) at 10:15am. Sharing and discussion on matters of faith and life that affect you.

Crosswalk Helping Hand Day Sunday December 18th, beginning after Crosswalk Sunday Morning 1. Caroling Hayride with the Church 2. Shopping at Weis in Kutztown 3. Prepare salad and dessert for the Kutztown Kitchen at Trinity Lutheran Church. 4.?????? Something else? We'll see. Bonus! If we can fit it in, singing carols to 99 year old Mildred Kunkel, New Bethel's oldest member. The Kutztown Kitchen is a free meal served to the community once a month. All kinds of people come and eat, from KU students, to the elderly and those with little money for food. See Pastor Dave, Roger or Tina G, check out the Facebook Invite, call 610-756-6589 or email [email protected] Skillet! Plays their hits- Monster, Hero, It's Not Me It's You and more. Other great bands will be performing including Peter Furler- ex Newsboys lead singer and Sanctus Real. Sovereign Center, Reading, PA, Thursday January 26, 7:00PM only $10.00 See Pastor Dave, check out the Facebook Invite, call 610-756-6589 or email [email protected]



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Safe Congregation

A committee of Marge Hamm, Tina Gammons, Joanne Waidelich, Lucy Walter and Pastor Dave have been meeting to determine New Bethel's Safe Congregation regulations. These regulations will outline procedures and policies on how adult members of New Bethel are to conduct themselves as they work with our children and youth. After these policies are approved by the Joint Board an information session will be help to explain the Safe Congregations philosophy.

Want to use the building?

After the September Newsletter was printing we found out that the Spanish preschool was continuing meeting on Tuesdays and Fridays. If you're interested in this class see Pastor Dave. Part or New Bethel's outreach to the community is its opening up of the church and PJ place for our community to use for their needs.

Join The Choir and Chime Choir Too!

It’s not so scary. Can you sing? Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. the choir holds its rehearsals. It would be great to see new faces in the choir pews along with the existing ones. Sing when you can. A commitment would be nice but if you can’t commit weekly, how about two or three times a month. Singing can be addicting and it makes you smile.

Also on Thursday at 6:30, before the vocal choir, our Chime Choir rehearsals. Talk to LeAnne Zettlemoyer if you'd like to make beautiful music with the Chime Choir. There's a chime waiting for you!


Mayfest Rethought! The Mayfest Committee has redesigned Mayfest into Harvestfest to be held in the beginning of October 2012. Details will follow.


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Attendance: UCC Pastor Blitch Lutheran Marjorie Hamm Dan Walter Helen Weaver Joanne Waidelich Tim Kleinsmith Betsey Nehf Richard Albright Tim Kleinsmith called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM. Pastor Blitch opened with a prayer. The minutes were read and approved. Treasurer’s Report: Reference written report. The treasurer’s report was approved by Dan Walter and seconded by Helen Weaver. Pastor’s Report: Federation: The pastor has asked the lawyer some questions that were brought up at a previous meeting. He felt it would also be important to discuss them with Toby and Gene at the meeting on Tuesday, November 08, 2011.The board would like to try and create a timeline on the federation process. We do have to keep in mind that the document filing and the state paperwork is out of our control. It was decided that the joint board budget will be sent out with the next newsletter. Old Business: Property: The mold in the fire tower has not been able to be addressed yet. It was determined that there is also a mold problem in the schoolhouse. A dehumidifier will be purchased for the schoolhouse. The board is not sure if that will be sufficient in the fire tower. Lift Chair: The board has tried all avenues to fix the lift chair. We feel it is no longer possible. The board will be asking the congregation to approve the purchase of a new lift chair at the meeting on Sunday, November 13th. There are two estimates to review. New Business: Mayfest: The Mayfest committee has decided to do a Harvest Fest instead. It will be held on October 6th. There will be a hayride and more fall contests, games and foods. Respectfully submitted,

Joanne Waidelich

New Bethel Union Church Joint Board Meeting Minutes Monday, November 7th, 2011

7:00 PM New Bethel Church Social Room



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New Bethel Social Networks http://newbethelchurchkempton.wordpress.com/

Newsletter and Social Media Coordinator Have news to share? Send it to Sara Walter. You can contact her at: [email protected] or 484-788-5781. All social media and newsletters created in Washington, DC!

If you are in the hospital… Privacy rules are in place in our area hospitals and it is important that these are known if you want Pastor Dave to visit you while you are in the hospital. Lehigh Valley Medical Center: When you are admitted make sure to fill out a form divulging your church membership. The following codes will make the process easier: UCC Congregation 457 and Lutheran Congregation 274. If your name is identified with one of those code numbers when the Pastor calls, the pastoral care office will tell him you are in the hospital. These forms must be filled out every time you are admitted. Your congregational identification does not carry over from previous hospital stays. Also, please have a family member or friend call the church office or Pastor's home when you are admitted, 610-756-6589 or 610-944-5819. No one from the hospital will call the church indicating that you are a patient. Reading Hospital: A volunteer will call the church office if you identify yourself as a member of New Bethel Church. Hospital codes are UCC Congregation 799 and Lutheran Congregation 495. At times this process takes a while. It is best if you or a family member call 610-756-6589 or 610-944-5819.


Worship Service Cancellation Information If Sunday Worship is canceled due to bad weather, announcements will be broadcast on radio station WAEB- AM 790 and television station 69. Information will be posted on their websites as well. Please note that WEEU has suspended the reading of church closings on its broadcasts and WAEB does not guarantee that the closing will be read on the air. Your best bet is channel 69 (WFMZ) or its website, www.wfmz.com.


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“Celebrating 250 Years of New Bethel Ministry”

Historic New Bethel Church reaches a milestone in 2011 as our congregation celebrates its 250th anniversary. From humble roots dating back to 1761 in the French and Indian War era, New Bethel has served the rural Kempton area with deep traditions of the Lutheran and German Reformed denominations. As we continue toward a federation of our joint membership this year we feel it is important to commemorate our anniversary with some special events. The celebration committee wanted to inform you of some of these activities and invite you to share in these remarkable events. Plans are being developed to have a special Sunday worship service on November 6, 2011 at 9:00am. The founders of New Bethel will be honored during our celebration of All Saints Day. A special children’s pageant will highlight many of the unique aspects of our founding as the youth wear traditional garb of the 1700s. A rare collection of Pennsylvania German quilts will be on display as well as church artifacts and memorabilia. Commemorative pottery, glass paperweights and ornaments will be available for purchase. On Monday, November 21 at 7:30pm our sanctuary will open its doors for a special meeting of the Albany Township Historical Society. Local historian John Robertson and Jon Bond will do a special multimedia presentation and offer some extraordinary insights into the 19 original signers of the church charter. Learn about 18th Century men like Muhlenberg, Leydich, Drum, Probst, and more. Many of the original church documents on rare parchment will also be on display for an exclusive viewing! Advent worship will round out our events in late December. A strong focus on the German heritage of New Bethel will be highlighted through language and music during our service on Christmas Eve. Our sanctuary will be spectacularly adorned with traditional greenery and candlelight as we celebrate the Christ child and God’s eternal blessings on New Bethel these past 250 years, and for generations to follow.


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“Celebrating 250 Years of New Bethel Ministry”

QUICK FACTS: 3 churches have been built at the present site: 1761, 1791, 1853. German Lutheran and and Dutch Reformed members founded the church. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (Lutheran) and John Philip Leydich (Reformed) along with

18 co-signers founded the church on 19. April 1761. The first church cornerstone was laid on 11. November 1761. The church cemetery is the final resting spot for veterans of all American conflicts since

the War for Independence from Great Britain. Burial sites include famous people such as artist Ben Austrian and local legend Matthias

Schambach. The church has its roots in the circumstances surrounding the French and Indian War

and the many atrocities which occurred in Albany Township as early as 1757. The church has been variously named Rosenthal, Bethel, Corner Church, and New

Bethel during its existence.


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new bethel church · 12/9/2010 · the women of new bethel are collecting foods that would be...

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