Germantown Mennonite Church

ADVENT . . . is about actively waiting. Join us in preparing our homes, our hearts and minds, and our world for the coming of Christ. We encourage you to meditate and pray about the following over the next few weeks. A list of ideas and resources will be handed out each Sunday of the season. We encourage you to send ideas, activities and Advent memories to kenwhitepa@yahoo.com		Week starting November 29 Hope . . . What type of world do we hope for, and what can we do to bring it about? Week starting Dec 6 Love . . . Focus on receiving expressions of love from others and demonstrating love ourselves. Week starting Dec 13 Joy . . . Enjoy being with family and friends, finding concrete ways to make our joy real through music, dance, and creative activities Week starting Dec 20 Peace . . . Like our banner across Washington Lane says, we need peace in our city and in our world. Pray that the Prince of Peace will be present in our hearts, in our neighborhoods, and in war torn areas of the world.

Week starting November 29
Hope . . .What type of world do we hope for, and what can we do to bring it about?

We would encourage you to find time for yourself and your family this Advent season. These resources, activities, prayers and readings may be used at any time during the season, not just during the week in which they are listed.

Sometime this week take a few minutes out for a mini retreat. Think about what you would like this Advent season to be like for you and your family. What special concerns or issues are on your heart this advent season? You might consider purchasing several 7 day candles and lighting one each week so that each time you see it burning you will be reminded of your prayers and intentions for the season. Like the barren tree branch we wait, hoping and longing for new life and leaves.

The Mennonite Church in Canada is one valuable source of Advent resources you may want to check out. It has songs, books, videos, etc. http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/resourcecentre/Browse/732

Jenny Anne Horst Martz shared the following memory of a family Advent activity:
“When I was a child, my family used to read Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory" out loud, taking turns. I loved it, even though one of those times was the only time I ever heard my father sob.”

Given the current economic times, think about activities (gifts of time and talent) that you can do with your kids, spouse, or friends that might make a fun, humorous and/or meaningful gift. This little video on You Tube will show you how to deconstruct old or damaged children’s books and use them to make very personalized gifts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65pQP1UF6s4

John Linscheid and Ken White will be leading a brief Taize Advent service during Sunday School on Dec 6.

Week starting Dec 6
Love . . .
Focus on receiving expressions of love from others and demonstrating love ourselves.

The other night I surprised John by picking him up from the train station because it was raining. As he got into
the truck, John said, “I feel loved.” Although John and I make a point of saying I love you to each other every
night before we go to sleep, we have learned that what we do to show love and what makes someone feel loved
may be different. When someone makes you feel loved, take a moment to tell them so. Ken White

Green things to do for Advent and Christmas-shared by Janet Boys
   Buy a tree in a pot and use it year after year.
   Make decorations out of compostibles i.e. cranberries, popcorn greens, holly, pumpkins, squash (and then after Christmas - compost them).
   If you want a tree lit, use LED bulbs.
   Do not gift wrap (one way to make this fun is to have a ball of string under the tree where the other end is attached to the gift - the receiver must wind up the string to find the present).
   If you must gift wrap - consider using just a bow (that can be reused on the next gift occasion) or use a gift bag that can be reused for the next gift - or a cloth bag that can be used as a cloth bag for shopping).
   Consider gifts that are consumable - like food, experiences (theatre tickets, trips), help certificates so that there are not "things" or "stuff" to then dispose of later in life.
   Consider gifts for reuse by the receiver - books, clothes, radios whatever you have that you do not use any more and that you think someone else would like.
   Clothing that is: made completely of natural fibers (cotton, wool, silk, linen, ramie) or completely man-made fibers (polyester, nylon, spandex, etc). Then choose something that will keep the person warm by layering so that they can turn their thermostat down in the winter.
   Of course there are things like programmable thermostats, restricted showerheads, cloth bags, LED fixtures, etc that might make nice green gifts.
   Send email Christmas cards (maybe use an attachment?).

Week starting Dec 13
Joy . . .
Enjoy being with family and friends, finding concrete ways to make our joy real through music, dance, and creative activities

Check out    Phillyfunguide.com
This fantastic website about things to do in Philadelphia has free activities, things for kids to do, music, dance, theatre, tours, museums, outdoor activities etc. Example of activities

Mt. Airy Art Garage
December 5-December 20, 2009
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Fine Art & Handcrafts, food, fun, and entertainment at the Mt. Airy Art Garage, a new community-based artist
coop in NW Philadelphia. Browse a diverse display of original work by local artists...pick up unique gifts for the
holidays. Opening weekend December 5-6th, 10 am-6 pm. Free and open to the public. For more info, visit the
official website.

Festival of Lessons & Carols
Art Institute of Philadelphia - Chestnut Street
December 20, 2009
Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral (on 38th Street between Market & Chestnut Streets in University City) will host
its fourth annual Festival of Lessons & Carols with the Cathedral Singers, directed by Dr. Riyehee Hong. Dean
Lloyd S. Casson will be the Officiant. Featured will be traditional carols along with seasonal choral anthems that
will include: The King of Love by David White, A Spotless Rose by Herbert Howells, When the Sun Is Darkened by
Norman Warren, A More

Week starting Dec 20
Peace . . .
Like our banner across Washington Lane says, we need peace in our city and in our world. Pray that the Prince of Peace will be present in our hearts, in our neighborhoods, and in war torn areas of the world.

Pax Christi International invites Prayers and Wishes for Advent and Christmas in Bethlehem 2009
For the 10th consecutive year, Christmas celebrations will take place in a difficult climate for people in the Holy Land. As we prepare to celebrate Advent and Christmas in the security of our homes and communities, let us not forget to pray for justice, peace and security for Palestine and Israel.

Sending a wish or a prayer by email is an important way of communicating with many people who long to hear a word of hope. Our partners in Bethlehem greatly appreciate receiving wishes and prayers from people outside the region, both as personal and spiritual gestures of comfort and hope on the occasion of Christmas. These messages are one way of breaking through the isolation our Bethlehem partners experience.

Please e-mail your Christmas messages and prayers for peace before the 25th of December 2009 (Western Christmas) and/or the 7th of January 2010 (Eastern Christmas). While English is the preferred language, non-native English speakers may also send wishes and prayers in their mother tongue. Messages can be e-mailed to the Arab Educational Institute at the following address: aei@p-ol.com. To read all the messages,
please visit www.aeicenter.org

Fr. Paul Lansu
Pax Christi International
www.paxchristi.net

The children will be helping to decorate the church this coming 4th Sunday of Advent with Peace Cranes made by the Peace and Social Concerns Committee (Thanks Katie). The instructions for making more Peace Cranes for your tree or home are printed below. http://www.imagitek.com/xmas/crafts/crane.html

How to fold a Paper Crane
   Fold a square piece of paper in half horizontally. The fold A back to bottom center (D), and B forward to front bottom center (C).
   Your paper should look like this.
   Pull C (the front) and D (the back) apart all the way until you have a flat diamond (as in small diagram).
   Fold top layers of C and D inward to center line at E and fold down F along dotted line.
   You paper should look like this.
   Now here's the tricky part: Unfold step 4. Take top layer only at G and put it up making use of the crease (dotted line). This allows points C and D to fold back to center line along creases. Turn paper over and repeat steps 4, 5, and 5, ignoring new flap topped by point G.
   With split at bottom, fold H and I inward so that edges meet center line. Turn paper over and repeat
   Temporarily open flaps at (L1 and L2). Repeat with K. Fold down wings.
From Alternatives, Forest Park Georgia

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