WORSHIP IN NOVEMBER
​​We will conclude the sermon series on the book of Revelation this month, and conclude with our annual Thank-Offering service, led by the Women’s Association. 
 
                FOUR WAYS TO WORSHIP
During these times of COVID-19 precautions, Old Union offers four ways to participate in our Sunday worship services.
1. Join us in person.  Please wear a mask, practice social distancing, use hand sanitizer, and touch as few surfaces as possible.
2. Worship on-line through the church’s Facebook group.  You will need to join the group in order do so.  During the service, feel free to post greetings, prayer requests, and comments.
3. Worship by telephone, if you do not have Internet access or use Facebook. Join us at the beginning of the worship time by calling 605-468-8003, access code 627725#.
4. Watch the service later, if you’re not able to join us on Sunday morning.  You’ll be able to find a recording of the full worship service on our Facebook group, and you can find the sermon on the church’s YouTube channel.
 
Because of COVID, there will be no Thanksgiving worship service this year.
 
When you enter the church building, please use one of the touchless hand sanitizer stations located just inside each entrance.
 
The pastor will be on vacation November 22-28.
 
              RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE
Old Union will host a blood drive on November 27 (Black Friday).  This event is being organized by Olivia L., a young woman in our community seeking “to give back to our current distressed and chaotic world.”  Visit redcrossblood.org to sign up as a blood donor.
 
             CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
Old Union Church will hold its annual congregational meeting after worship on November 8.  During this meeting, we will elect officers for the coming year, receive financial reports and the 2021 budget, and vote on the pastor’s terms of call.  Please plan on attending if you are able.
 
The session has prepared a budget for 2021 of $147,200 to present at the congregational meeting on November 8.  This is an increase of $5,695 from the 2020 budget.  Most of the increase comes from increasing mission giving not related to “adopt-a-mission” by $2,000 in keeping with contributions received, a total $2,550 increase in staff salaries and terms of call, and anticipation of an increase in our water bill.
 
Please pray for the nominating committee as they prepare a list of nominees for church officers to present at the congregational meeting.  If you are invited to serve, please spend time in prayer to seek the Lord’s will.

                LIVE-STREAM OPERATORS
We’re looking for one or two more people to take turns running our live-stream, which puts our worship services on-line for those at home and those far from our area.  If you are comfortable learning new computer skills, please speak with Heather I..
 
Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, the bank along the kitchen side of the fellowship hall will be covered with river rock.  The flowers and plants are beautiful, but take too much work to maintain.
 
Sign up in the lobby if you’d like to read Scripture for one of our upcoming worship services.
 
Because of COVID restrictions, many of our Advent and Christmas activities will not be taking place this year: the Chrismon service, Christmas caroling, the choir cantata, and the Christmas party.  No official decision has been made at press time about the Christmas cookie sale.
 
                 ADVENT DEVOTIONAL
Because COVID restrictions are forcing us to cancel most of our Advent and Christmas activities, we are putting together an Advent devotional as a way for us to be connected with each other.  We are looking for 27 people (one for each day of Advent) to prepare a daily thought, meditation, story or prayer.  Each day has a suggested Bible reading, but feel free to use your own favorite passage, or write something not related to the Bible at all.  We will need to receive your submissions by November 15.
 
Christmas Eve is a long way off, but the worship committee and session have made plans for how we can hold this beautiful worship service under COVID conditions.  Instead of having one service at 7:30, as we usually do, we will have two services, beginning at 6:00 and 8:00.  To ensure that we have enough room for social distancing, we will cap attendance for each service at 50 people.  If you and your family plan to attend, please sign up in the church lobby (or call or email the church) for which service you plan to attend, and how many spots you’d like.
 
Because we are not able to have a choir because of COVID restrictions, we are seeking people to provide special music (vocal or instrumental) during worship.  Please speak with Cindy M. if you are interested.

                Rada Cutlery Fundraiser
On behalf of the Fund Raising  Committee, Lorene W. and  Sally P. thank you for
participating in our first Rada Cutlery Sales endeavor. With your help, we  raised $839.51 to be used where  needed-the  sound  system, outside wall, etc. As the holidays get closer, if anyone wants any dips or mixes from Rada, I would be willing to put in an extra order. Order blanks and a few catalogs will be placed out in the entry way. Again, thank you to all for supporting our first Rada Fundraiser. 

     

Old Union Presbyterian Church | 200 Union Church Road, Mars, PA 16046
​724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com