The Messenger Newsletter

November 27:  First Sunday of Advent
Lighting the Advent Wreath 8:30, 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. Worship
Hanging of the Greens 6:00 p.m.

December 3:
Angels by Candlelight 6:00 p.m. A holiday dinner for the entire family.

December 4:  Second Sunday of Advent
Holy Communion 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. Worship
Lighting the Advent Wreath 8:30, 9:00, 11:00 a.m. Worship

December 11:  Third Sunday of Advent
Lighting the Advent Wreath 8:30, 9:00, 11:00 a.m. Worship
Holy Communion 9:00 a.m. Worship A Shepherd’s Story (Performed by LHPC Children) 4:00 p.m.

December 16:
6:00 p.m. A Shepherd’s Story - (Performed by CDC Children)

December 18:  Fourth Sunday of Advent
The Noise We Make 9:00 a.m. Worship
Lighting the Advent Wreath 9:00, 11:00 a.m. Worship
Sing Noel – A Carol Service 11:00 a.m.
(No 8:30 a.m. Worship on this Sunday)

December 24:  Christmas Eve
7:00 p.m. Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols

December 25:  Nativity of Jesus Christ/Christmas Day
Worship at 11:00 a.m. only

January 1:  First Sunday after Christmas/New Years Day
Worship at 11:00 a.m. only

Thank you to everyone who has made the recent stewardship campaign a big success!  As I write this note, the totals are still being tabulated, but early indications are that we are exceeding last year’s total!  That is fantastic! Our church is very strong, vital and made up of very generous, faith-filled believers! However, we will not be complete until all members have made a pledge.

I got to thinking that it would be fun to look and see how “far” some of our money goes.  Would you believe Japan...or Guatemala?  Yes indeed, it does get there.

This is one of the great things about being a member of the Presbyterian Church USA and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  Parts of our gifts go to our two Churches’ mission offices and they in turn distribute them to needy missions and missionaries around the world.  The CPC has missionaries in Japan, Guatemala, Brazil and South Korea, to name a few.  The church has been instrumental in getting help to the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  The PC(USA) has relief efforts going in Pakistan for the earthquake and in the Sudan for long term drought and starvation that are present there.  The PC(USA) church has been providing world-wide mission support since 1833.  A portion of your contributions to LHPC go to these larger denominational missions around the world and here in America too!  This should give us a sense of pride at being able to give as Christ would want us to give to the neediest of the needy around the world.  This would be considerably harder without the church’s ability to distribute these funds.

If you’ve not taken the time to fill out a pledge card, please do so now.  The Stewardship and Finance Committee needs the totals by the end of the year to assess the budget for 2006. Many people around the world are counting on Christians like us to keep our missions and our disaster assistance funds spreading Christ’s love here in Lake Highlands and around the world!

LHPC needs you.  The displaced, homeless and downtrodden people of the world need you.  Jesus needs you to be His hands and feet.

Give generously.  Fill out a pledge card from the pew rack at church this Sunday.

—Chuck Ramsay, for the Stewardship and Finance Committee

Once again we have come to that time when we must begin to plan for another year.  A part of that planning includes offering you an opportunity to share in the Sunday morning worship services by providing flowers for those services.  At the back of the sanctuary you will find a fairly large chart on which you may choose a Sunday to donate the flowers for a particular occasion.  Often it will be done in memory of a loved one or in honor of someone.  Because of the current gas prices, the florist has increased the cost of the flowers to $29, a price still well below market.  We hope you will take this opportunity to take part.  Thank you!

On October 29, 2005 the Reverend Dr. Robert M. Shelton was honored at the Annual Meeting and Presentation of the 2005 Alumni Citation Award at Maryville College.

As a gifted athlete, Shelton earned letters in basketball, baseball and football.  He also met Barbara Chubb ‘55, a fellow sociology major, with whom he fell in love and married one year after graduation.

In 1956, Shelton was ordained in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  The couple moved to Memphis, where Shelton enrolled at Memphis Theological Seminary and accepted his first job as pastor.  Earning a bachelor’s degree in divinity from MTS in 1958, he enrolled at Princeton Theological Seminary, where he completed a master’s degree in theology a year later.  In 1965, he graduated cum laude from Princeton with a doctorate in homiletics and liturgics.

The Shelton family returned to Tennessee in 1963, and in 1969 he was hired as an associate professor at his alma mater in Memphis.  Two years later, he accepted a position at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary—the place he would spend the next 31 years of his professional life, serving as a professor, academic dean, acting president and, from 1997 until 2002, president.  In 1980, Barbara Shelton died of breast cancer, leaving behind her husband and two children, Tamara and James.

Under his leadership, the seminary forged a master plan, a comprehensive statement that would guide the institution’s planning into the 21st century and catalyze the seminary’s Centennial Campaign.  At a Centennial Celebration, held just two months before Shelton’s retirement, the campus’ chapel was renamed in his honor.  As a minister, he has served Cumberland Presbyterian, United Presbyterian and PC (USA) congregations and has led workshops, seminars and retreats in the United States and abroad.  He was elected moderator of the 163rd General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in June 1993.  Currently, Shelton serves as the interim pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Dallas.

In 1994, Bob married Fran Boggus, a graduate of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, currently serving as an Associate Pastor at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas.  She has two daughters, Naomi and Sarah.  Bob and Fran are a blessing to the Presbyterian churches they serve in the Dallas area today.

On Sunday, November 13, 2005, Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church congregation honored Bob at a reception to show appreciation for his work, love, guidance and wisdom as he served with us over the past three years.

The Men’s Fellowship has begun meeting every Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. for Bible Study on the Book of John.  The men continue to meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month for dinner and fellowship, where they have been discussing some exciting fund raising ideas.

Tierney Titus has been cast in the production of Children of Eden at Theatre Three in Dallas.  As one of the youngest cast members, she will be in the Storytellers Chorus and will be one of the animals.  Animal costumes are being designed by Julie Taymmor of The Lion King fame.  The musical is written by Stephen Schwarz who wrote Godspell and the current hit, Wicked.  This family show is based on the book of Genesis through Noah and the great flood.  The musical runs December 1, 2005 through January 14, 2006, so there are plenty of opportunities to see it!  Theatre Three is located on Routh Street in The Quadrangle.  Box Office Telephone is 214-871-3300

Quite often as we go along life’s way, we find we need just a little extra support.  LHPC’s Prayer Chain offers that support to our members, their families and their friends whenever the need is made known.  If you should ever find yourself in that position, please let Mac Hubbard know or call the church office.  If you would like to be among those who are a part of the chain, please call Mac Hubbard at 972-270-0905.  Your name will be placed in a group where you will both receive and make calls to hold our friends and church family members up in prayer when requested.  Thank you for being a part of this important ministry of our church.

It’s that time of year again to fill the T.Y.C. gift bags!  The bags are delivered during the holidays to the girls at the Texas Youth Commission (the state’s juvenile corrections agency) and in most cases, these gifts are the only ones they may receive.  You can pick up your bags at the church and return them, filled with the suggested items below, by Sunday, December 11. For questions contact Johnie Foster (972-680-1379).  Hats, gloves, & scarves Bright colored socks, Small stuffed animals, Mints or small candies, Notepads, Postage Stamps, Shampoo & Conditioner, Combs & Brushes, Lotions, Lip Balm.  No glass, metal aerosols, perfumes, nail polish or nail polish remover.

At the end of the month in the absence of the Rev. Betty Youngman, LHPC is to have a visiting pastor who is a special friend of ours.  Ed Kuny, who is now a Certified Lay Pastor, will be in that position on Sunday, November 27, 2005.  We know you will want to be here to give him a special welcome home on that day!

Does anyone know the deadline for submitting articles for the monthly newsletter?  The better question should be, does anyone NOT KNOW that the deadline is the 10th of the month---each month, every month, the 10th---- whether the month has 28 days or 30 or 31!

Though upcoming holidays offer extra pressures on all of us, there should be no surprises since only the liturgical calendar dates change, and all committee chairs have those calendars provided. Please look and plan ahead.

The newsletter “category” comes under the Congregational Care Committee, though the big responsibilities fall to the church office staff, primarily church secretary Kay Wyne.  It does take some time to organize, type, edit and prepare all the materials to ensure that we in the congregation receive a timely publication.

So let us worry about the details of editing, proofreading, collating the printed copies, folding, labeling, sealing, stamping and bundling for the bulk mail, after which we turn them over to the U.S. Postal Service, which guarantees delivery within 10 days.  Holiday times offer extra “crunch-time” circumstances.  A number of processes itemized above are handled by volunteers enlisted by the committee, so from start to finish, the newsletter (of which we are very proud, by the way) does take a considerable portion of time—so please, please, get your materials in to the church office on time, the 10th of the month!  Thanks very much for your cooperation.

—Martha Boyd

The long-awaited day finally came and the new playground equipment was delivered and installed on Wednesday, November 9, as planned.  It was a sight to behold as the CDC children lined up along the walk or at the windows to watch what the workmen were doing.  One child, as she was leaving with her mom, was heard to say, “Oh, Mommy, just look!  I want to play on that!”

There are no words adequate enough to express appreciation to all of you who have helped in one way or another to make this dream come true!  The generosity of the friends and family of LHPC and LHPC-CDC and the dedicated work of those who came to help install and spread the mulch for the fall zone are just unbelievable—you are wonderful!  The committee, the CDC staff and I are so, so grateful to each and every one of you for making this possible.

Thank you!  Sammye Wood,
Chair, CDC Committee

An open invitation is extended to any woman in the church to be a guest at any of the following special Christmas circle celebrations.  Please RSVP to the hostess or circle leader.

Circle l will meet Dec. 19, at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Joni Kern, 300 Raintree, Murphy, Texas 75094.  A covered dish dinner will be served.  For information call Lorene Pinnell at 214-348-0401.

Circle 2 will meet Dec. 20, at 10:00 a.m.  A covered dish luncheon will be served at the home of Geri McCleskey, 9945 Acklin Drive, Dallas, 75243.  A time of Christmas fellowship will be enjoyed instead of a study lesson.  In January, the circle will resume the study of our Liturgical Calendar entitled For Everything, A Season.  For information phone Collene Ziegenfuss at 214-348-3513 or Lucy Zaccone at 972-437-6635.

Circle of Hope will meet Dec. 21, at 9:45 a.m.  The 14th annual Christmas Tea will be held at the home of Jan Gifford, 10802 Hayfield Drive, Dallas, 75238.  For information call Jan Gifford at 214-348-8595.

Circle of Joy No reservations are needed to attend the study meetings of the Circle of Joy.  Extraordinary Faith is the title of the current study.  The meetings will be held in the office of Meg Richardson at LHPC on Monday, Dec. 12, at 7:00 p.m., and on Sunday mornings, Dec. 1 and Dec. 18 at 9:30 a.m.  For information, phone Missy Rodgers at 214-902-9935.

Other Opportunities
There will be no Women’s board meeting in December.  All women are invited to a Christmas Party sponsored by the Circle of Joy on Tuesday, December 6, at 7:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.  For information, phone Missy Rodgers at 214-902-9935.

Please continue to bring clean milk jugs to the collection area in Fellowship Hall until Dec. 18.  The plastic milk jugs will be used for luminaries at the Christmas Eve Worship Service.

The members of Young at Heart will meet on Nov. 30 or Dec. 1 to help wrap presents for the Meals on Wheels’ clients.  They will also be going on Friday, Dec. 2, to the monthly lunch at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church to hear the Reverend Fran Shelton present a Christmas message.  For more information, please contact Jan Gifford at 214-348-8595.

Gift To The King & Joy Gift Offering will be on Sunday, December 18th.  Gift to The King is designated for Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home, Denton.  Joy Gift Offering is designated for ministerial relief and minority scholarships. Your contribution will be divided equally between the two denominations.  Please give generously.

If you would like to serve the church as an usher and greeter next year, please call the church office at 214-348-2133 or contact John Wyne.

Thank You...
Thank you for the visit, many cards, and calls during my hospital stay and later, during my recovery from surgery.

     Thank you, Jim Ansley

Dear Ones,
Many thanks for all your kind thoughts, prayers, visits and telephone calls during my recent hospitalization.  Penny and I are very much appreciative.

Thanks again,

     Penny & Fred Pannek

Dear Friends of LHPC:
I just want to thank everyone for their prayers and kind wishes, cards and phone calls while I am recuperating from my back surgery.  It means a lot when you are so confined.  I’m making progress and hope to soon be healed to eliminate the walker.

I look forward to returning to the norm as soon as possible.  Again, many thanks for all your good wishes and prayers.

     Love, Lucy Zaccone

Hello to all at LHPC:
Thank you so much for the beautiful bowl and also the gift cards.  Not to mention the Potato luncheon.  It was all so very nice and I enjoyed it more than you will ever know.

You have all become such good friends over the past seven plus years, and I will always miss all of you and think of you often.  I am not going to say “Good Bye” but “See ya later.”

Love to you all,

     Laura

Memorial Gifts Frank Emrich Bob & Ione Humphrey David Hitchcock Bert & Nancy Hager J.B. & Mary Lou Pendergrass Praise On High Gifts Anonymous Ralph & Jan Gifford Steve Moore Linda Swanson CDC Gifts Anonymous Mac Hubbard Conor Puckett CDC Playground Equipment & Gifts Cal & Johnie Foster J. B. & Mary Lou Pendergrass Mason Puckett Linda Swanson

The best thing about the future is that it comes only on day at a time.

The following persons visited Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church worship services during the months of October:

Bill & Irene Keil, Ciocan Family, Leslie Durham, Allison & John Meyers, Joe & Beth Gillespie, Andy & Liz Kershaw, Andrea Eberle, Joyce Adams, Doug VanWey, Glen & Hollie Garner, Charlene Morrish, Ron & Amy Chester, Rachel Glass, Tracy Alexander, Dorothy & Roland Mackey, Raymond Maciel, Nadine Maxwell, Morris & Mary Burkwall, Charles Matz Family, Karen & Larry Richardson, Tina & Tony Hageman, Trish Perchalla, Ryan, Maddie, Loralee, Rocky & Forest Berg, Nancy Alexander, Dale Eggleston & Family, Wilma Carroll, Ray Sandefer, Roy & Mary Hines Sherrod, Fred & Roland Meyer, Tom Coleman, Mary Motley, Clement Ogumbiyi, Peggy Hanks, Jay Leaks, Anna Richmond, Ben, Laura & Jacob Taylor, Dan & Vicky Higgins, Randy & Julia Long, Roy Sayler, Kara Melton, Greg Harrison

Tuesday, December 6, 2005 — 7:00 p.m.

Come enjoy an evening of fun, food, and fellowship with the women of LHPC.

Bring the following:
Wrapped present under $10.00 for the gift exchange
Appetizer or dessert item
A festive spirit

—Hosted by Circle of Joy—

You are invited to join us for a sit down Holiday Dinner.

          Saturday, December 3           6:00—8:00 p.m.           LHPC Fellowship Hall

Reservations are a must!
$5.00 donation per adult, $15.00 maximum per household with children

Menu:
Appetizers, Salad, Two Meats, Two Vegetables, Assorted Breads, Assorted Desserts, Coffee, Tea & Lemonade

Entertainment:
Holiday Music & Carols - Contact the Church Office (214-348-2133) to make your reservations!