Week l y Worsh i p 9 a . m . —S t . M a t t h e w ’ s

1 0 : 3 0 a . m . —T r i n i t y

Sunday Schoo l9 : 1 5 a . m . —T r i n i t y

1 0 : 3 0 a . m . — S t . M a t t h e w ’ s

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Parish News 2-4

WELCA 4

Calendar 5

Birthday / Anniversaries 6

Prayer Chain 6

From the Pastor 7

Trinity News 8

Contact #’s back

Worship Assistants back

St. Matthew’s News 9

TLC/SMLC News

7820 State Route 722, Arcanum

St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church – Ithaca Trinity Lutheran Church – Pitsburg 7820 State Route 722 Arcanum, Ohio 45304

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. POSTAGE

P A I DArcanum, Ohio

Permit # 4Address Correction Requested

Dated Material

St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Ithaca

Trinity Lutheran Church, Pitsburg

Page 2 TLC / SMLC News

Parish News

Midweek Advent Services!!Mark Oswalt will be leading a series of worship services at 7:30 p.m.

on Wednesday evenings this Advent Season. The following schedule will be followed:

December 3—at TrinityDecember 10—at St. Matthew’s

December 17 — at Trinity

Sign-up sheets are available

at the churches for ordering your

Christmas poinsettias, which are available

in your choice of red or white. The cost is just $8.00 each.

The deadline for ordering is Sunday, December 7.

The “idea” is that you buy them,allow the church to beautify the sanctuary with them

on Christmas Eve, then you are invited to take them home.

SHOPPING FOR CASTINE FOOD BANK!!Our annual shopping trip to Sutton’s in order to stock the shelves at the food bank will take place on Sunday, December 7. This is a Thrivent funded event and we need Thrivent members from both Trinity and St. Matthew’s to attend!! We will meet at noon at Pic-nic’s Pizza in Arcanum for a bite to eat before heading over to Sut-ton’s to shop.

A special thanks to Antonia Baker from Trinity!! She ran a food drive at 2nd National Bank and donated all items to Castine!!

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

TRINITY—4:30 P.M. Family ServiceHoly Communion celebrated

ST. MATTHEW’S — 7:30 p.m.Candelight Service with Communion

TRINITY—11:00 p.m. Candelight Service with Communion

TLC/SMLC News Page 3

Parish News

Altar Flower Signup Sheets for 2009 are posted and ready for your signature!!

At Trinity, it is on the South Narthex bulletin board(or see Jennifer Arling) Also, anyone who requested altar flowers in October or November and has not yet paid, please make payment ($25) to Jennifer Arling

either at services or by mail 113 W. Second St. Arcanum.

At St. Matthew’s, it is on the bulletin board in the back of the sanctuary (or see Shannon McCullough). Payments can be made by placing

$22 for a centerpiece or $25 for a pair of vases in an envelope marked “altar flowers” in the offering plate.

If you’ve checked out the Newsletter online and live out of the immediate area, we’d like to hear from you! If you would rather read your Newsletter on-line….call Shannon today at 937-884-7006, and let her know! Rhonda will send monthly re-minders on the prayer chain when they are posted to the website.

Also, there’s lots more online than just the Newsletter….check out our new SMLC Website for pictures, and …….coming soon, a prayer link!!

Thanks to Luke Herr for getting us started, and Shane Knick for keeping us current!!

In case of Church cancellation due to bad weather, tune into the following:

TV: Channel 2 or Channel 7; Radio: AM 1290, 97.5 FM News Talk Radio WHIO, K99.1 FM;

OR WEB: www.wdtn.com. www.whiotv.com, www.newstalkradiowhio.com, www.k99online.com, or

www.953theeagle.com

TLC/SMLC NewsPage 4

Parish News

Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America

Trinity’s December meeting will be held on Thursday, December 4 (date changed due to Midweek Advent services), at 6:30 p.m., for our annual Christmas Party. We still have an opening for Vice President that needs to be filled for next year. If you are willing to serve, please contact Rita Erdmann at 947-1932 or e-mail her at prdermann@peoplepc.com.

St. Matthew’s December Christmas Party will be held on Tuesday the 9th at 7 p.m. at the home of Earlene Morris (212 Main Street—Gordon). Everyone is asked to bring 12 (and 12 only) finger food items to share! We would also like to thank everyone who gave to our Tools of Hope and Blanket Appeal in October. Our total raised was $435 this year. That’s a total of 87 warm blankets for those in need.

Our December Project—Head Start Mitten TreeWe will, once again, be collecting hats and mittens for the head start mitten tree. All mittens are due to Head Start by the 16th, so please bring your donations to

church and place them on the Christmas tree by the 14th.

THE 2009 WELCA DIRECTORIES WILL BE PRINTED SOON!!

IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER OR E-MAIL ADDRESS CHANGES, PLEASE CONTACT: MARGE WARNER OR JULIE KOSSLER AT TRINITY, RHONDA KRESS AT ST. MATTHEW’S OR CALL SHANNON AT THE OFFICE, AND WE’LL MAKE SURE WE HAVE

YOUR CORRECT INFORMATION PRINTED FOR 2009.

A Card of Thanks

Thanks to everyone for the prayers, get-well cards, phone calls, emails, and food that was sent during my hospital stay and surgery. I am feeling much better now, and looking forward to the coming holidays and the new year. Thanks so much, for the SMLC/TLC Sincerely,

—Jane Brown

I would like to thank everyone for the cards and remembrances I have received during my stay at the nursing home. These cards mean a lot to me. Thank you so much.

—Margaret Cullers (Gary Brown’s mom)

Pag

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December 2008Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

17:30 pm—SM Council

7:30 pm — Dartball vs. Painter Creek (H)

211:30 –1 Pastor at Pericope

36:45 pm—Confirmation at TR7:30 pm—Midweek Advent Service at TR

49-1 Pastor at Dayton Ministerium6:30 pm—TR WELCA Christmas Party

5 6Pastor at Hunger Task force meeting

7Holy Communion8:15 SM ChoirTR & SM shop for Castine at Sutton’s

8

7:30 pm — Dartball vs. Ithaca Grace (H)

9 11:30 –1 Pas- tor at Pericope7 —SM WELCA Christmas Party7:30—TR Council

106:45 pm—Confirmation at SM7:30 pm—Midweek Advent Service at SM

11 12 13

148:15 SM Choir

Area Youth Group Leadership Meeting

15

6 pm—CAFB Packing

7:30 pm — Dartball vs. 1st Presbyterian (H)

169-1 Pastor at Still water Cluster

Newsletter entries due

17 am—Pastor at Greater G-villle Ministerium6:45 pm— Confirmation at TR7:30 pm—Midweek Advent Service at TR

18 19 20

218:15 SM ChoirSunday School Christ-mas Programs

22

7:30 pm — Dartball at. Greenville EUM

2311:30 –1 Pastor at Pericope

24Christmas Eve Services:All with Holy Communion4:30 —Family service–TR7:30 — Candelight at SM11:30 pm—Candelight at TR

25

Merry Christmas

26 27

288:15 SM Choir

Special Hymns and Carols Service

Pastor on vacation

29 3011:30 –1 Pastor at Pericope

31

Pastor at Small Town Ministry Retreat

TLC/SMLC NewsPage 6

people of Grace LutheranJenny & Justin Whiting familyMarvin & Carolyn Fourman

Margaret CullersCastine Food Bank

Stephanie LawrenceMargaret KistlerThe Pahl familySteve Kerrigan

Betty SuttonRhonda KressPhil ChandlerRhonda Kress

Please remember in your thoughts and prayers those who’s needs we were made aware of in

Patty StumpRoger MillerSherry MyersBobby MerrittJane Brown

Amanda IsraelTom Hail

Matt & KarlaWinnie NetzleyJack’s familySarah Beard

Rosella ReaverIsaac Reichert

Prayers of sympathy and healing for the Grace Reigle

Deanna RedderAlan Brumbaugh

Kenny FarmerJohn Beard Jr.Terry ThomsonAndrew LongBetty Sharp

Prayers of Thanksgiving for:Elizabeth Grace Erdmann

Margaret WarnerJason Ledbetter

Baby CarsonChris Bowser

Acknowledging this list is incomplete, please remember to pray for all people according to their needs, commending all for whom we pray into the hands of our gracious Lord and trusting in His mercy.

December Birthdays and Anniversaries

Jason BangLloyd RiffellKatie MooreCody spencerDonna Miller

Roy HuntGene MorrisKathy HokeGene CoxIrene Hart

Steve DrewJon Mardin

Pastor Joene

1 — Darryl & Mary Ann Mehaffie Bob & Donna Stickley 3 — Kim Guttadore Gary & Jane Brown4 — Kenny Cates Lana Merzke Tyler Hofacker5 — Jane Buschur6 — Denise Farrel Joyce Knick Judy UlrichDavid & Michelle Dornbusch7 — Judy Small Linda Kinninger Louella House8 — Ron & LeeAnn Laird9 — Aaron Merzke Jerry McMullen Lowell Unger Pam OswaltRoss & Stephanie Zimmer 10 — Pam Yeomans

11 — Betty Sutton Tim Crowe12 — Dalton Bruner Geneva Seim Kristin Besecker Lori Mattox13 — Olis McKibben14 — Carolyn Fourman Kayla MorrisJoe & Sandra Williams15 — Ken Bailey16 — Rod Sease Lawson & Maryann Nickol18 — Irene Hart Jennifer Arling Linda Cates Sarah Sarver Shai Eller Wyatt Tauscher Jim & Carol Castello Roy & Dorothy Hunt19 — Cole Sagan Hailey Pahl

20 — Johna Eller Joseph Mills Lisa Hart21 — Charles Zimmer Patti Troutwine Rex Hart Ron & Sharon Rismiller22 — Danny Diceanu Shirley Rhoades23 — Austin Moyer24 — Dorothy Hunt Rick Harman25 — Jr. North26 — John Erdmann Phyllis Fisher Steve Kossler29 — Dave HofackerAaron & Kelli Merzke30 — Brenda Vanatta Eric & Dana Heckman31 — Lori Burrell

Page 7TLC / SMLC News

Tradition! The Christmas season is a time of traditions and at SMLC/TLC we are continuing beloved traditions this year and beginning some new ones.

For the second year, we will be offering mid-week Advent services the first three Wednesdays in December, rotating between congregations. Mark Oswalt will again be leading the service, with fellowship time to follow. Plan on taking a break from the hectic pace of Christmas preparation and join us

for a bit of spiritual rejuvenation.

A new way to remember Advent will be offered to all families with at least one child under confir-mation age. Advent calendars originated in Germany during the 19th Century. Families would physically count down the 24 days before Christmas, sometimes just by drawing a chalk line on the door. This year, the Advent calendars will be distributed during the children’s sermon on the first Sunday in Advent. Each calendar has 24 small windows to open; behind each window is a small treat and a bible verse. By opening all 24 windows, families will hear the nativity story during the weeks before Christmas. Advent calendars are a fun way for children to count down the days in December.

The Christmas pageants this year will be celebrated on the last Sunday before Christmas. Moving the pageant to a later date allows for more rehearsal time. The pageant is a fine way to end Ad-vent season, watching and listening to our young people share their versions of Christmas.

Christmas Eve services are a long established tradition at both St. Matthews and Trinity. This year, a ‘family friendly’ Christmas Eve service at 4:30 pm, hosted by Trinity will be added to the traditional candlelight services at 7:30 pm and 11 pm services. The family friendly service has a kid oriented structure and is timed so families can go home for supper and an early bedtime. All local families, especially those without a church home are invited to celebrate Christmas at Trinity.

In the retail world the Christmas season begins after Halloween-if not earlier- and is over by De-cember 26th. To the western church, Christmas season begins on December 25th and continues through Epiphany, January 6th. This period makes up the Twelve Days of Christmas. Epiphany is the day the church celebrates the Magi arrival in Bethlehem, where they worshipped and gave gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to baby Jesus. Epiphany has been a church festival since about 360 AD. This year SMLC and TLC will begin celebrating the Festival of Epiphany on Janu-ary 6th, with a special mid-week service. Tuesday, January 6th join us at 7 pm at St. Matthews for a new local experience of an ancient tradition.

I hope you will join St. Matthews and Trinity this Advent and Christmas season, for both the old and new traditions.

In Peace, Pastor Joene

From the Pastor

TLC/SMLC NewsPage 8

At Trinity

New Sunday School Class forming

We are looking at beginning a young adult Sunday School class

which will be held during regular Sunday School time.

If you are a young adult, single or married with small children, this class is for you! More details to follow next month!

If you are interested, please contact Dean Thompson

at 947-1102 or 459-2791.

CONGRATULATIONS!

IT’S A

Alaina Marie Merzke was born on November 18 at 8:09 am, weighing 7 pounds, 9 1/2 ounces

and measuring 19 1/2 inches. She was warmly welcomed by her parents, Jay and Tammy

Merzke; big sisters and brother; and grandpar-ents, Gerry and Betty Merzke from Trinity and

Ralph and Alice Stutz from St. Matthew’s. May God’s blessings be with Alaina and her family

as we welcome her into God’s good world!

ROOFING PROJECT-2009I have spoken to you in the past about the need for a new roof on your church home. It has come to the point of necessity and has been voted on and passed at the congregational meeting. Here is a building that the Lord has given us to use, but with this use, comes the responsibility to take care of it. We are going with a standing seam roof that will last for a long, long time if properly cared for. The cost for the project is a little over $41,000. At the present, we have $26,000 in the building fund. Therefore we need $15,000 to pay off the roof. I would also like to see a little more come in, so the building fund is not totally depleted.

I know that these are some rough times for this project but we won’t have a church building if we don’t keep the weather out. I am asking each of you to search your hearts and ask yourself, what is your re-sponsibility for our church home? You can call it a love offering, a roof offering, or just something you feel you need to do for your church. As I explained before, this needs to be done in addition to your regular giving, because all the day to day expenses of the church continue to go on. This is a large task but not insurmountable because of your large and loving hearts. Isn’t it great to have a place you can go away from, come back, and still call home?

Here are ways to give:Your church envelopes have a place to write building or roof fund.Place a check in the offering plate with building or roof fund written on the memo lineMail a check written to Trinity Lutheran Church with roof fund written on the memo line and mail to the following:Linda Baker-Building Fund Treasurer6387 Arcanum-Bears Mill Rd.Greenville, Ohio 45331

Thank you in advance for your generous gifts to pay for this much needed roof. As the donations come in, I will keep you informed of the (roofing/building) fund balance.

Thank you,Dean Thompson, President

Dean Thompson-President3108 Schnorf-Jones Rd.Arcanum, Ohio 45304

Page 9TLC / SMLC News

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PLAY

We will have our annual Sunday School Christmas Play on December 21 during the worship hour. Plan to stay for fellowship and refreshments in the

basement after the play.

At St. Matthew’s Receiving the Sacrament of Holy Baptism worship at St. Matthew’s on November 23 was Jasmyn Renae Edmonson. On this special day in her life, we rejoice with her and her family. Jasmyn, “we welcome you into the Lord’s family. We receive you as a fellow member of the body of Christ, child of the same heavenly Father, and worker with us in the kingdom of God” (LBW, p. 25).

JANITORIAL BIDS for 2009are being accepted until November 30. Please contact Shannon at the office for a description and submit your bid

to Ken Bailey.

AT ST. MATTHEW’SOn Sunday, November 30

after worship, we will be decorating the sanctuary for Christmas. Anyone who

wishes to stay and help is welcome! Re-freshments will be served!!

NEW ROOF UPDATEThe roofing project is now complete! The metal roof, gutters, downspouts, fascia, and soffit, along with all the other miscellaneous hardware has been installed and completed. We now have a roof that will protect us for a very long time. A thank you is in order to all the peo-ple of St. Matthew’s. Because of your generous giving, the roof is also paid in full. Here are a few words from Earlene Morris to sum up this great fundraising effort…..”I think that it is so wonderful how it was paid so quickly !!! St. Matthews al-ways did come through when there was a need. We are such a wonderful church family and I love them all !!!“

CONGRATULATIONS!

Ralph and Alice Stutz have a new Grand-daughter!!

Check out the birth announce-ment on Trinity’s page for

more information!!

TLC/SMLC NewsPage 10

Church Office:7820 State Route 722Arcanum, OH 45304

Office Phone/Fax: 937-884-7006E-mail:

skmccullough@earthlink.net

Pastor Joene HerrPhone: 937-564-5802

E-mail: joeneherr@yahoo.com

W h e e l c h a i r a c c e s s i b l e + E l e v a t o r o n p r e m i s e s + H o l y C o m m u n i o n c e l e b r a t e d - 1 s t S u n d a y o f e v e r y m o n t h - m a j o r c h u r c h f e s t i v a l s

Date Reader12/3 Gerry Merzke

*Midweek service12/7 Chris Cassel12/14 Gary Obringer12/17 Gerry Merzke

*Midweek service12/21 Sunday School Program 12/24 Jennifer Arling

*4:30 pm Family service12/24 Dean Thompson

*Candelight service12/28 Rick Myers and Gerry Merzke

Lighting the Advent Candle:12/7 Heather Eley family 12/14 Rick Myers family12/21 Sunday School kids12/24 Rob Arling family

* early serviceMark and Pam Oswalt* late service

Bread Baker: 12/7 Olis McKibben12/24 (both) Betty Merzke

Date Reader Acolyte12/7 Anita Schneider Katie Harman12/10 Anita Schneider Kristine Herr

*Midweek service

12/14 Rhonda Kress Lizzie Hart12/21 S.S. Program12/24 Mickie Ary Macy Dirksen

*Candelight Service

12/28 Jane Angerer andJohn Guttadore Kristine Herr

Lighting the Advent Candle:12/7 The Harman family12/14 Ken Bailey (Pres) & Anita Schneiter (VP)12/21 Sunday School kids12/24 Mickie Ary

Greeters: Rex & Anita Hart

Bread Baker: 12/7 & 12/24 Anita Schneider