Carl O. Bickel, Ph.D.
Pastor
Office phone & fax (301)249-6411
Home phone (301)249-5885
Church School 10:00 a.m.
Worship 11:00 a.m.
web page http://www.unitedparishbowie.org
| United Church of Christ | Presbyterian |
|---|---|
|
Carl O. Bickel, Ph.D. Pastor Office phone & fax (301)249-6411 Home phone (301)249-5885 |
| MITCHELLVILLE
AND MT. OAK ROADS Church School 10:00 a.m. Worship 11:00 a.m. |
email pastor@unitedparishbowie.org web page http://www.unitedparishbowie.org |
| If you are new to the Bowie area, we invite you to worship with us at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays. A nursery is provided. Christian education for children, youth and adults is Sunday at 10 a.m. We are affiliated with both the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the United Church of Christ. |
 |
Join us for a
Christmas Eve service of worship with Prism Brass
including brass, vocal choir, and the congregation singing
"The Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah
at 8:15 on Sunday, December 24.
On Sunday, December 17, the service will be a celebration of songs and scripture. We will be singing many Christmas Carols, Prism Brass will be with us, and members of the Youth Group will be reading scripture selections. We invite everyone to join us for this musical celebration of Christ's birth.
On the evening of December 17, we will have a children's program at 6 p.m. followed by refreshments and caroling at Larkin Chase. Practice for the program begins at 4 p.m.
This year on the morning (Sunday) of Christmas Eve, we will have a service of Holy Communion at 11:00 a.m. We will then have a single worship service on Christmas Eve at 8:15. This service will be a festive celebration of Christ's birth and the Prism Brass will accompany the service. Included in the service will be the Hallelujah Chorus by Handel, accompanied by Prism Brass, and joined by the entire congregation. This service will be most memorable.
Twenty centuries ago a band of cold and weary shepherds huddled with their flocks in Judean pastures. Shepherds had to be vigilant lest wild animals charge the sheepfold to snatch baby lambs from their mothers. It was startling and frightening when an angel emerged from that dark night to declare a Savior had been birthed in Bethlehem. This Savior was the long anticipated Messiah! The real shocker arrived when a crowd of angels emerged and declared, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom he favors."
Do we join these shepherds in believing the angels' messages? Have we hurried to search for that Christ? Perhaps we're too knowledgeable or too sophisticated to believe the shepherds' encounter with angels is a factual account. If our priorities haven't been shaped by the Savior's birth, then we have no authentic reason for celebrating Christmas.
Some of us permit the Advent season to be the most stressful and money-plagued season of the year. Are we allowing sufficient time for.praising God with our actions and words? If we are not careful to eliminate some activities and certain expenditures of money, we will find ourselves counting the days 'til January all the while dreading the bills which we must later pay for our Christmas extravaganza.
What is this gift of peace that the angels promised? Is it peace among nations who are plotting to destroy one another? Could this peace be a panacea for the bitterness between political parties after a lengthy and arduous struggle to win the election? I believe this peace offered to shepherds and to us today is peace with God. It's a relationship in which the believer trusts every day to our eternal Father. Each day originates with God. Each day belongs to God. We humans also belong to God. We are sheep, and we will wonder restlessly until we trust in God. God promises to watch over us. Different breeds of wolves may attack us, chewing at our resolve and beliefs, but the wolves will not completely destroy us.
The Advent season gives us an opportunity to look for God's messages and God's activity amidst our daily tasks and commitments. If our involvements allow us to be a transmitter of God's caring, healing and forgiving spirit to others, we should not be surprised to find a measure of God's peace sprouting within us. God does not forget his angelic promise to bestow "peace among those whom he favors." The Keeper of Promises is more faithful than the sun which warms us after each storm. You and I can open the gift of peace anytime we open ourselves to the infusion of God's Spirit.
- Shirley Klotz Bickel, c.2000
The Building Committee (Gene Barbato, Jan Barbato, Carl Bickel, Dina Bickel, Diane Eades, Lisa Ferrar, Judy Frank, Brian Hunt, Al McKay, Mike Mehl, and Doug Snyder) has been meeting with our architect, Greg Uekman, to discuss the design of the addition to the church. Mr. Uekman has presented us with several preliminary sketches, and we have given him our feedback, which has resulted in several new designs. We are now trying to choose a plan which will balance our need for more space, our future programs, and our budget. We are now optimistically hoping to present a preliminary design to the Congregation early next year.
- Mike Mehl, Building Committee Chairman
On October 28, the United Parish and First Community Church co-hosted the Fall meeting of the Potomac Association. The meeting theme was: "Spirit and Art: a Partnership." Among the participants were musicians, artists, and poets. The "Lifepieces to Masterpieces" program, featuring youth from Southeast Washington, D. C. was a highlight. "Prism," a brass quintet who regularly play at United Parish services, also performed.
Carl Bickel and Joseph Ruffin, along with Associate Conference Minister, Kwame Osei Reed, gave Communion. Shirley Bickel also participated.
A special guest was Noelle Damico, the new Washington Associate for the Justice and Witness Ministry. John Deckenback, Conference Minister, also attended.
- Doug Snyder
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