SPIRITUAL LIFE COMMITTEE
Virginia Nicolette, Chair
Duane Grant, Stuart Kline
Lois Brown, Louise Huey, Sonny Huey
Janet Lloyd, Tom Ward
The Congregational Meeting held on Tuesday, November 14th
was in place of our monthly meeting. Election of officers was held, as well as adopting the budget for 2007. Approximately
60 people attended.
Hanging of the Greens will be on Saturday, December
2nd at 6:00 p.m. Come and help decorate our church for the first Sunday of Advent, which is December 3rd.
If you would like to bring some goodies, we'll meet downstairs for some refreshments after the decorating is finished.
Friends/families have been signed up for the Advent
readings and lighting of the candles. Thanks to everyone who agreed to do this. If you missed out for this year, 2007
is just around the corner!
Our Sanctuary Choir will be singing the cantata, 2000
Decembers Ago, at both the 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. services on Sunday, December 17th. Then at 6:30 p.m.
on that same day, the Children's Musical, The Flower of the Holy Night, will be presented.
Our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Services will be held Sunday, December
24th at 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. God's Kids will sing at 6:00 and the Sanctuary Choir will sing at 8:00.
This is such a special service - hope you can all attend. There are more details elsewhere in this newsletter
Our next communion service is Sunday, December
31st, 8:30 and 10:00 a.m.
There are so many things coming up in our church - hope you'll
be a part.
See you in church,
CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS MUSICAL
REHEARSALS
Sundays, 12-12:30 p.m.
Saturdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
PRESENTATION
Sundays, December 17th
6:30 p.m.
Rehearsals have been going great. So good
that it has been decided to eliminate the Thursday evening rehearsals! Sundays and Saturdays will find us working hard to
learn lines, songs, and staging. This is one musical you won’t want to miss!
The t-shirts have arrived and are sorted, ready
for distribution. Participants will wear these t-shirts for the first time on December 17th.
Sunday, December 3rd
All those interested in joining Ardara Church
or simply learning more about us, are invited to the Sunday, December 3rd, Information Class in the Social
Room. The class begins at 3:30 p.m. and includes a light supper.
At 6:45 p.m. Session will meet with those
who choose to join this congregation.
PROPERTY & FINANCE COMMITTEE
Jim Funk, Chairman
Bill Cipra, James Hopkins
Thanks to Duane Grant who found a buyer for the choir cabinet.
The beautiful new choir robe cabinet has arrived and is being used. If you haven’t checked it out, you will want
to do so.
It has been determined that the furnace heating the basement
has cracks and must be replaced. This is a priority item now that the weather has turned cold.
Thank you to those Elders who faithfully took care of getting
garbage cans to the curb for Thursday pick up.
In His service,
Jim Funk
DEACONS’ CORNER
Nancy Gillespie (Moderator), Judy Fisher
Darla Grant, Georgann Griser Roy Griser, Cindy Kohler
Rebecca Mayhue
Amy Rabo, Mary Smith
Hi everyone. The holiday season is now upon
us!!! This is a very joyous and blessed time of year...and very busy, too. Sometimes it is easy to forget that
we celebrate this time of year to give thanks for God's blessings and to praise Him for sending His Son to us. Please
try to take a few minutes each day and just think of all the good things Jesus has done for us this past year.
The most important thing we can do this season is to give thanks to God for sending His Son - - our salvation - - to us.
The Deacon's have been very busy, also. On November
18th, the Deacon's sponsored our first Vendor Fair here at Ardara Church. Some of the vendors included
Avon, Jacob's Ladder, Killybegs, Cookie Lee Jewelry, and Taste of Gourmet. Thanks
to Amy Rabo who coordinated the event. Many thanks to all the vendors who displayed their wonderful products and many
thanks to all of you who helped make it a big success.
I am pleased to announce, Ardara Church was able to send 55
Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes this year. Thanks to all who were so generous and kind. Thanks, also, to
those who made monetary donations. These donations helped pay for shipping the boxes. Thanks to all of you, 55
children will have a very Merry Christmas this year.
Please remember the following upcoming events:
- Poinsettias that were ordered will be on display for the morning and evening services on December
24th.
- Hanging of the Greens is scheduled for Saturday, December 2nd,
beginning at 6:00 p.m.
- Angels for Project Angel Tree were placed on the Narthex tree on November 26th.
Gifts are due December 7th. See the article in this newsletter for further instructions.
Thanks to your generosity this past year, the Deacons are able
to make donations to many worthy ministries this holiday season. Some of the ministries include the Larimer Food
Bank, the Salvation Army, Light of Life Ministry, Meals on Wheels, and others as the Lord leads.
The Deacon's want to thank each and everyone of your for your
generous support and for your prayers. All have been greatly appreciated. May the Lord richly bless every
one of you.
-Darla Grant
NURSERY
for children through age 5
(All other children may sit with their parents)
Thank you very much to Grant Funk, Kathy
Ward, and Melissa Ullom for providing care for our youngest members. Additional volunteers are needed in the Nursery
during the 10:00 a.m. Worship Services. Adults and youth (Grades 9-12 – only one per week) can offer his/her
services by talking with Nancy Gillespie. Please note that only one youth per Sunday may assist an adult. You
can volunteer for once a month or however often you are willing to serve the Lord and Ardara Church.
SESSION ACTION
The Session of Ardara Church met on November 14, 2006, and…
- VOTED to approve sending a letter of thanks to New Hope Church for loaning AUPC a full
set of bells for a Bell Choir, also agreeing to the terms that the bells would be returned to New Hope if not used by AUPC
for one year.
- VOTED to participate in the Salvation Army Bell Ringing at the Giant Eagle in Irwin on
December 9th.
- VOTED to schedule an Information Class at AUPC on Sunday, December 3rd, from
3:30 – 6:45 p.m., followed by a Special Meeting of Session at 6:45 p.m. to approve and receive any new members.
- Elected Ron Rabo as Treasurer and Randy Pedder as Assistant Treasurer for 2007.
- Elected Barbara Lunn as Auditor for a three-year term (2007- 2009).
- Noted that the church’s old choir robe closet was sold on Ebay for $1034; a new closet was
built and purchased by AUPC for $1000.
The Annual Congregational Meeting immediately followed. Election of officers was as
follows:
- Elders (Class of 2009): Paul Beck, Jeffrey Burk, Nancy Love, Donald Smith
- Deacons (Class of 2009): Judy Fisher, Kathy Kee, Ruthie Kiesel
- Flower Chair (one year): Darlene Geiger
- Nominating Committee (one year): Grant Funk, Shelley Grubbs, Sonny Huey,
The 2007 Budget of $113,222.00, was received.
The Congregation voted to renew the Terms of the Pastor’s Call.
Wendy Tusay
Clerk of Session
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
RESULTS
Thank you to the members of our Nominating Committee
– Jim Funk, Chairman; Jim Hopkins, Roy Griser, Shelley Grubbs, Jackie Hopkins, Glenn Meyers, Randy Pedder – for
their faithfulness and hard work in drawing up a list of names for our officer ballot. By your presence or your absence,
you elected the following to begin serving in January 2007:
Elders (Class of 2009):
Deacons (Class of 2009):
Judy Fisher, Kathy Kee, Ruthie Kiesel
Flower Chair (one year): Darlene Geiger
Nominating Committee (one year):
Grant Funk, Shelley Grubbs,
Sonny Huey, Rhiannon Parry
The 2007 Budget ($113,222) was presented by Ron
Rabo and received by the congregation. Session elected Barbara Lunn to serve a three-year term as an Auditor,
Ron Rabo to serve a one-year term as Treasurer, and Randall Pedder to serve a one-year term as Assistant Treasurer.
2007 PER CAPITA….
NOW “FIRST FRUITS OFFERING”
The Presbytery of Redstone made some revisions to their 2007
Budget compared to previous years, one of which includes the subject of the annual per capita share. This year, there
will be no defined Presbytery share of per capita requested from each member of the congregation, thus, renaming your contribution
the “First Fruits Offering”. Your First Fruits Offering supports the following: 1) the mission/ministry
work of the Synod and General Assembly, and, 2) the mission work as well as maintenance of Presbytery functions.
It was Session’s decision to make this offering entirely
optional to each member of the congregation at an amount of his/her own discretion (2006 per capita was $21.50 / member).
If you choose to submit this offering, please designate “First Fruits Offering” on your envelopes. The total
money collected will be forwarded to the Presbytery of Redstone.
-Wendy Tusay
