Happy Thursday and Happy New Year!

It’s the 4th Day of Christmas and “on the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me … “Four Calling Birds,” …three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.

Four Calling birds. Of course, four calling birds could get a little noisy and I am not so sure I would be happy with my true love if indeed these “birds” were under the tree. AND of course, I had to look a little deeper. What exactly are the four calling birds point to. Well … the four calling birds are referencing the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. What a gift to remember. Four different accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus … all with one focus … the Christ. So today, don’t worry about the noise of four calling birds, but rejoice in the gifts of these four inspired stories about Jesus’ beginning. A little footnote here. According to PNC Bank, if all the gifts in the song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” were purchased for your true love … the total would be $46,729.86. If you order them online, $52,024.03.

I can’t explain to you what a thrill Christmas Eve was for me this year. WE had a total of 174 people in worship. As I always say, this number is a good indication of what our attendance could be as we operate on all cylinders. A HUGE, thank you to everyone who made our Christmas Eve worship services so successful. I PRAY I am not leaving anyone, or group out.

Brandon, Kendra, Peyton and Amber Kertson, Michael Pritchard, Bernie Carroll, Chris Chambers, Jeff Wield, jazzie farol, Lee Laurence, Rebecca Dhillon, Lynn Amabile, Pat Peterson, Rosemary and Greg Vandervort, Ron Kaelberer, Ryan Kelton, Freddie Harmon, Colleen Clementson, Pamela Marsh, Susan Gurriell, Rev. John and Pt Whitacre, Karin Lindsey, Kristi Perkins, Kraig Klapproth, Tim Seipel, Larry Burkholder, Butch Young

A special thank you to Kendra Kertson, Peyton Kertson and Freddie Harmon who took over the technical side of the evening. Unfortunately, COVID struck our team again. I know all three of them were exhausted at the end of the service. It is not easy to jump in like these three rockstars did. Thank you so!

This Sunday will be the 2nd Sunday of Christmas as well as New Year’s Eve. I hope to see many of you back for worship. What better place to be on the last day of the year, peering with anticipation to 2024. Our scripture will continue with the story of the child King. If you want to get a heads start, I encourage you to read through Luke 2:22-40.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A22-40&version=NRSVUE

You will also, not want to miss the Birthday Party for Jesus that will happen after the morning worship. The Board of Trustees has worked hard at making this a fun time for all. There will even be birthday cake for the new baby boy. This party is a great opportunity to catch up on your 2023 pledges to the church, paving the way for a successful 2024.

As I approach the end of 2023, I am so grateful … Grateful for this church, the Council, the Trustees, the boards, the staff, the many ministry partner volunteers. I am grateful for the people who make this such a special place to work and to live out my Christian life. Today, more than ever … I love being your pastor!

Holding you close and lifting you high!

Pastor Greg

Christmas Season

What a great Christmas eve service. It was great meeting so many of your families and friends. I hope we get to see them again. I especially want to thank Freddie and Kendra for stepping in to help with the tech on short notice. We had a few hurdles but got over them pretty well!

Many of you probably know that in the church calendar, Christmas starts December 25 and Christmas season is celebrated until Epiphany on January 6. These are the 12 days of Christmas we often sing about. Our culture often moves on quickly to New Years and new beginning, but I think there is something about sitting in this Christmas season and asking, Jesus came, so what? What does that mean for my life? How am I going to respond, live out and share this Christmas story? I’ve been thinking about a hymn “I Love to Tell the Story,” and I learned it has a number of verses that match various seasons in the church calendar. I love to tell the Christmas story and hope we continue to tell it this Christmas season. I couldn’t find a version that does this verse, but we will do it Sunday together. I look forward to worshipping with you. In the meantime, here’s a classic Alan Jackson version of “I Love to Tell the Story”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXMPzRJu1aU

Nations at War, Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine

For the lonely and those bereaving

Sharon, mother of Ryan

Linda Hansen, sister of Colleen Clementson

David, friend of Rosemary

Freddie, recovering from surgery.

Oscar, brother in law of Butch Young

Larell, friend of Rosemary

Ivana, daughter of Anne Wallace

Dianne Florio

Joanne Jonas

Nina Melad

Our Church Leadership

BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JESUS

This Sunday , Dec. 31st, Following Worship

The Board of Trustees cordially invite you to a Birthday Party for Jesus, to be held Sunday morning, December 31st, following our regular worship gathering. There will be cake and party games. This is a wonderful time to make that special year- end gift to your church, or to catch up on your 2023 pledge. Come and party with us.

Guatemala Info Meeting

January 7, 2024

Are you interested in going or learning about the CCP 2024 service trip to Guatemala? We will be having an informational meeting Jan. 7th after the service. This is such an amazing outreach that our church family has participated in for several years. Please come with your questions, ideas, and calendars to help plan the 2024 trip.

Contact Colleen Clementson if you have questions. 858-663-6584 or powclem@yahoo.com.

When we see little Jesus in a manger instead of a bed, we may be reminded of babies today who are also in a state of need. We can help them by giving a gift more practical than frankincense or myrrh: diapers! In the narthex, we are collecting Gifts to the Manger through January 7th - any baby items are welcome, but diapers are especially appreciated. These will go to Escondido Interfaith to help families feel loved this holiday season. Thank you for your generous gifts.

Greetings from the Outreach Ministry

Blessings

As this year comes to an end, all of us in the outreach ministry would like to thank you, our church family and friends, from the bottom of our hearts, for all the gifts you shared throughout the year.

Thank you for sharing God‘s love with so many people in our communities and beyond. Your kindness and generosity has touched others all around our world.

We send you blessings and love for the new year. May God continue to surround you and your families with love through the coming year.

With more gratitude than we can express, THANK YOU!!!!!

The Outreach Ministry

P.S. make sure you take a look at the end of the year annual report when it comes out. You will read just how much you were God’s hand and feet, and God’s face to others🙏🏼🥰

The JOY of FOOD!

Each week there will be a “Recipe of the Week” for the Buzz!

There will be a red basket in the Narthex where you can drop off your favorite recipes or please email them to julie@ccpucc.org. It can be any recipe from family favorites to ones recently discovered! We will be encouraging you to share your thoughts after you made the dish too. 

No new recipes, so here is an older entry!

This weeks recipe is a Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie recipe!

Click Here for a Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie Recipe!

Adult Scripture Review:

Sunday’s following worship in the fireside room!

Email Susan Gurriell

at sgurriell@gmail.com

Books & More

On January 9, Books & More will begin discussing Blowout, a New York Times bestseller by Rachel Maddow. The TV host and political commentator interconnects a series of global events, all woven together by one thread, the oil and gas industry.

Please note that we will not meet on January 2.

Books & More meets on Tuesdays at 10:30 am in the Fireside Room.

All are welcome to join us.  

Centering Prayer:

Tuesdays at 6:30pm

Contact Colleen Clementson at powclem@yahoo.com or on

her cell at 858-663-6584, for the ZOOM invite

Thank you for checking out our BUZZ! Here is what you were waiting for! If you have a favorite joke or any tips to make the BUZZ even better, please send emails to julie@ccpucc.org :)

This weeks joke is sent in by John and Mina F. Thank you, John and Mina!

Joke of the Week:

Yesterday I saw a guy spill all his Scrabble letters on the road. I asked him, “What’s the word on the street?”…

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