Dates to Know
December 4th – 10:50 a.m. Congregational Meeting, High School Progressive Dinner, Young Families
December 10th – OPPC Parents Night Out, hosted by the OPPC Youth
December 11th – 10:00 a.m. Christmas Cantata, Cookie Reception after Cantata, Middle School Christmas Party, 3rd – 5th Grade Fellowship
December 18th – Children’s Christmas Program, Christmas Joy Offering
December 22nd – High School Ski Trip
December 24th – Christmas Eve : 7:00 p.m. Lessons & Carols with the sanctuary choir : 11:00 p.m. Communion & Candlelight Service
December 25th – Christmas Day : 10:00 a.m. Christmas Caroling Service
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING: December 4th,
Immediately after service. A congregational meeting has been called for December 4th at 10:50 a.m. for the purpose of electing church officers.
ADVENT AT ORCHARD PARK. The Advent Theme for this year is “From Generation to Generation.” Our theme is a call to action: what are we being called to generate or bring forth? What have your ancestors and those who have come before you passed on for you to continue? Who are the spiritual elders in your community who planted the seeds for the things that are now blooming? What seeds are you planting for the future?
From Generation to Generation… reminds us of the ways our lives, histories, actions, and stories are interconnected and woven together. In the midst of narratives, policies, and rhetoric designed to divide us, what does it look like to practice belonging to one another? The work of God is always unfolding, in and through us. This Advent season, how will we carry it forth?
2022 SHARE THE LIGHT GIFT MARKET: Shop our Alternative Gift Market on Main Street. Make donations to the organizations you select, then give cards to friends and family, telling them about the gifts you have given in their honor. We provide the cards!
HIGH SCHOOL PROGRESSIVE DINNER: December 4th at 5:00 p.m. Join us on Sunday, December 4th for the High School Progressive Dinner! Meet at the church at 5 pm if you need a ride and let Kristin or Jenny know. OR show up at Anna Harvey’s at 5:15 to enjoy the appetizer portion of the Progressive Dinner. We will move on to the Haugk’s for the main course and the Pieters family for dessert! RSVP to Kristin at klehr@orchardpark.org and get home addresses and specifics.
YOUNG FAMILIES: December 4th at 4:00 p.m. We recognize the importance of our children getting to know other loving adults in the congregation; so we will encourage our children to partner with other adults to create a Christmas gift for parents (or grandparents or teachers or any loved one). All supplies will be provided as will dinner. Please join us!
OPPC PARENTS NIGHT OUT: December 10th at 6:30 p.m. OPPC youth are hosting PNO as a fundraiser for their annual youth caravan mission trip in June, let them be your childcare for a few hours. Cost: Free, donations will be accepted. Suggested giving of $20/child or $50/family for 3 or more kiddos Details: Please feed your child before dropping them off. We will provide a light snack during the evening. How: contact Dr. Kristin Lehr, klehr@orchardpark.org
MIDDLE SCHOOL WHITE ELEPHANT/ UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER PARTY: December 11th at 11:00 a.m. Wear your ugly Christmas sweater and bring a wrapped gift of no more than $10 to our party! The kids have been bragging that they each have the BEST family Christmas cookie recipe. I would like the kids to bake 2 dozen cookies to have a blind taste test at our party. 🙂 Winners DO get a prize! This is a highly competitive group but I’m sure you already know this about your children.
ADOPT A STUDENT FOR FINALS WEEK: December 11th. High school is having secret Santa for finals week. We need Santa’s! The kids who would like to have a secret Santa are sending me their information and things they like! It couldn’t be any easier to support one of our high school kids during finals week. There will be a drawing after service December 4 for adults to get their student. Meet Kristin on Main Street if you would like to participate! OR complete the following link and I’ll get you a student! *If you don’t think your student will sign up BUT you would like them to have a secret Santa, please email Kristin Lehr at klehr@orchardpark.org.
CHRISTMAS CANTATA: December 11th, at 10:00 a.m. This year’s Christmas Cantata will feature a piece called Festival of Lessons and Carols, by John Leavitt. After the Cantata a Christmas Cookie Reception will be held at 11:10 a.m. We hope you bring your favorite Christmas cookie as we celebrate this year’s Advent theme of generation to generation.
3rd – 5th GRADE FELLOWSHIP: December 11th, at 11:45 a.m. Please join us after the Cantata and Cookie Celebration for fellowship! We will gather in the Pavilion at 11:45 a.m. and finish up at 1:30 p.m. (PLEASE note time change). We will play some games, be a little crafty and possibly do a little mission work upstairs in Room 205 and have lunch together; please join us!
CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING: December 18th. PCUSA Christmas Joy Offering Dedicated in Worship Sunday, December 18th. The Christmas Joy Offering has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s. The Offering distributes gifts equally to the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color.
CHILDRENS PROGRAM: December 18th at 10:00 a.m. The children’s Christmas Program will be at 10:00 a.m. on December 18th, they will be performing The First Christmas, by Teresa Jennings and Karl Hitmann.
Our children have been working hard to prepare a pageant to share with the congregation. We are incredibly grateful for the leadership of Rebecca McConnell and Kim Pietranczyk; and for the children who put so much energy into sharing their love of Jesus!
PERFECT NORTH SKI TRIP- HIGH SCHOOL AND YA-YA’S: December 22nd. High school-Age. Come enjoy a day at the slopes! Meet at the church at 9:30 am and relax in a chartered bus that will take us to Perfect North. Purchase your OWN ski ticket for the day and bring the attached waiver! Must be signed by a parent if under the age of 18. OPPC will pick up the tab for our dinner on the way home. We should be back to OPPC by 8:30 pm. I would love a few adult volunteers for this. 🙂 Need a scholarship for your lift ticket? Just let Kristin know.
CHRISTMAS EVE: December 24th worship schedule. 7:00 p.m. Lessons and Carols with the sanctuary choir- – childcare available in room 126. 11:00 p.m. Communion and Candlelight
*Youth: Put on your most festive attire and join us at 7:00 p.m.*
CHRISTMAS MORNING CAROLING SERVICE: December 25th, Worship at 10:00 a.m. Childcare available in room 126
