Christmas Eve Services at Trinity and St. Peter’s    
Because Christmas Eve is on Sunday, December 24 this year, we will have a unique opportunity to offer a Christmas Eve service at both churches that day.  Trinity will have a Christmas Eve celebration at 10 AM and St. Peter’s will have a Christmas Eve service at 7 PM.  Candlelight and communion will be offered at both services.  We are hoping that those of you who hesitate coming out for an evening service because of weather or other family functions on Christmas Eve will take advantage of a morning service.  We hope to see you at Trinity or/and St. Peter’s on the 24^th!!!!
 
Poinsettia Orders for Trinity
If you would like to place an order for poinsettias for December 24’s morning service at Trinity, please call Jan (717-608-7220) before December 10.  They will be placed in honor of or in memory of whomever you would like.  They will be available for pick up after the 10 AM service on the 24th.  There are also order forms in your bulletins today.  The cost is $11 for each.  (That is the florist’s price for us.)
 
Prayer Shawls
Prayer shawls are stacked up on a table in the foyer of Trinity.  If you know of someone (or even yourself) that is in special need of the comfort of a shawl and the prayers that go with it, please feel free to take one from the pile.  If you are taking one to a friend, please check the sign-out book to be sure that person hasn’t already received one from us.  If they haven’t, please sign the book and feel free to take a sheet that explains the prayer shawl to deliver along with it.  These shawls are free of charge, but some people like to give a small donation toward the purchase of materials.  There is a box there for that purpose.  A contribution is NOT necessary and NOT expected.  Thanks!

St. Peter's Congregational Budget Meeting
St. Peter's will be having their annual Budget meeting on December 10th immediately following worship. Please plan to attend as we vote on our budget for 2024.

Highspire United Methodist Soup and Bake Sale - Show some love to our neighbors and stop by between 11am and 1pm on December 9th!

Lutheran Camping Corporation Fall 2023/Winter 2024 Upcoming Events

• Advent Day Apart (Sat, Dec. 9) The Wittel Farm
• Advent/Christmas Night in the Barn (Sun, Dec. 17) The Wittel Farm
• Winter Youth Retreat (Fri-Sun, Jan. 5-7, 2024) Camp Kirchenwald 

For more information: check RIG bulletin boards for posters, go to lutherancamping.org, call 717-677-8211, or contact Clydene Strauss 

ChicaBean Coffee
Order forms are now available on the tables in the foyers at each church.  If you have any questions about this program, please talk to Pastor or Pat Hawkins.  Thanks to those who have been ordering!

All are Welcome Bible Study
The All are Welcome Bible Study meets on Tuesday nights at 6:30p.m. via Zoom. 
We are working our way through the Bible.  We are currently reading the Gospel of Luke. 
We send out a weekly email with the Zoom link, as well as a brief summary of what we covered the previous week.  To get the link for attending the Zoom session, or just to get on the weekly email list, please contact Matt and Mary Hunt at allarewelcomebiblestudy@gmail.com.  

Young-Adults Group:
Laundry Love (2nd Thursday of Every Month 6:30-8:30)

June 2023 – 7 people served, 30 loads
July 2023 – 29 people served, 98 loads
August 2023 – 25 people served, 120 loads
September 2023 - 20 people served, 84 loads
October 2023- 20 people served, 64 loads
November 2023- 13 people served, 64 loads

Monday Night Meals at St. Peter’s (5:30 – 6:30)

Oct. 30              130               29                                     25
Nov 6                112               35                                      25
Nov 13              133               38                                     35
Nov 20              156               35                                     25
Nov 27               96                22                                     12
        
Thursday Night Meals at Trinity (5:30 – 6:30)
Trinity also assists with non-food items and clothing, but they don’t keep a count for number of people helped.
Oct. 19             86
Nov. 2               89
Nov. 9               96
Nov. 16             97

Non-Food Assistance Needed 
We continue to need items for our outreach on both Monday and Thursday nights.  Donations of the following may be dropped off in either social hall: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap bars, razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes, liquid hand soap, hand sanitizer, 4-pack of toilet paper, boxes of tissues, paper towels, small packs of napkins, small packs of paper plates, plastic utensils, small boxes of trash bags, dishwashing liquid, sponges, small boxes of sandwich bags, and anything else you can think of that someone might need.  THANKS IN ADVANCE!

Vendor Fair
Penn State Harrisburg is hosting a vendor fair at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Middletown on Saturday, December 2^nd from 8:30am-3:30pm in Luther Hall. Proceeds from vendor fees benefit THON, a student-run philanthropy which provides emotional and financial support to families affected by childhood cancer. Please come do some holiday shopping while you support local vendors and a great cause. Admission is free! Questions? Email: JKemper@StPetersMiddletown.org
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church: 121 N. Spring Street in Middletown.
 
Holiday Concert
The Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus is performing a FREE holiday concert at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Middletown on Sunday, December 17^th at 3pm in the sanctuary. The Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus was founded in 1987 and celebrates the LGBT experience in the central Pennsylvania region and beyond, delighting and entertaining audiences with fun, vibrant and gay-positive musical programs. It is comprised of men from diverse paths and origins, uniting in spirit with a common love of music to build bridges of understanding in our community through music and public outreach efforts.
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church: 121 N. Spring Street in Middletown.
www.harrisburggaymenschorus.org

Hope Academy Sponsors Needed
Please consider signing up to sponsor a student at Hope Academy in Guatemala. Both congregations have a sign-up sheet for 2024, but sponsorships are still needed for the remainder of this year! A one-month sponsorship is $100. Contributions can be marked “Hope Academy sponsorship” and placed in the collection plate. Please see Pastor Chad with questions.

Fellowship Committee Meeting Results
At our meeting on Sunday, November 5, it was decided to use $700 of Oktoberfest dance profits for our meal programs.  A check for $500 will be given to St. Peter's for Monday Night Meals and a check for $200 to Trinity for Thursday Night Meals.  (St. Peter's fund was really depleted, whereas Trinity's wasn't.)  If anyone has a monetary donation for either program, see Sally Schonewolf or Jim Canning.  Thanks to everyone who helped make the Oktoberfest such a FUN evening!

Shut-ins and Those in Need of Prayers and Cards
Members in care facilities:
Warren Nelson  Columbia Cottage, Room 48, 103 N. Larkspur Dr., Palmyra  17078
Doris Miller  Middletown Home, 999 W. Hbg. Pike, Middletown 17057
Ben Whittington  Traditions of Hershey, 100 North Larkspur Dr., Room 309, Palmyra  17078
John Brunner  600 Masonic Dr., Elizabethtown  17022
Bob Wertz   Artis Senior Living, 150 N. 12^th St., Lemoyne  17043
Evelyn Hippensteel  Oak Hill Village, Rm. 113 (door), 1020 N. Union St., Middletown  17057
Geraldine Reider Brookdale Assisted Living, 3560 N. Progress Ave., Harrisburg, Pa 17113

Shut-ins:
Joyce Stickle, Jacqueline Acri, Evelyn Hippensteel, Joan Hogentogler, Ann Kline, Andy Jones, Nancy Wilson, Rose Hoover, Lynette Stough, Jeff Myers

People in our Prayers:
Spike Spilker, Ashley Rager, Alice Hoover, Bob Wertz, Bruce Baldwin, Jack Etter, Don Alsedek, Jeff Myers, Aaliyah Pisle, Gloria Watkins, Warren Nelson, Duck Harris, Carl and Anna Zeiders, Kenny Price, Spike Spilker, Thelma Thomas, Geraldine Reider, Jessica Brenizer, Harold Bolton, Elijah Dean, Lynette Stough, Corey Keller, Asher Mitchell, Tim Keene and Dorthy Murphy

Office Hours for Renewed in Grace
Pastor:
Mondays from 8:30 AM to noon at St. Peter’s
Wednesdays from noon to 3 PM at Trinity
As always, if you ever need to talk or discuss anything and those times are not convenient, please feel free to contact Pastor Chad to schedule another time.  Call him at the office, email, or text to set up an appointment.
Secretary:
Tuesdays from 1-5 PM at St. Peter’s
Wednesdays from 1-5 PM at Trinity

**Wednesdays in December Jen will hold office hours 9am-1pm.

**The Office will be closed on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday November 22nd.

In case of a pastoral emergency outside of his or Jen’s office hours, Pastor Chad can be reached by his cell phone which is 610-297-2514.  
Please note the following message from Pastor:
“Due to the overwhelming amount of spam calls we receive, I most likely will not pick up, so please always leave a message in the case of a pastoral emergency.  Do not hesitate to call again as well if I don’t respond within a half hour.  Please limit pastoral emergency calls to life-threatening circumstances and/or death of a loved one.”

Take care & God bless,
Renewed in Grace Cooperative Ministries