Prayer Request

Please keep the Shoemakers in your prayers this Christmas season. Anna has experienced a sudden loss in her extended family that will make Christmas a difficult time for the whole family.

Gettin' Married

Congratulations to Andrew Canavan who persuaded Rebecca Williams to accept his proposal of marriage Wednesday night on the campus of Wheaton College where they first met.

Rescue Mission Report

Dear Congregation:

Thank you for supporting Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission by holding a food drive. Your
effort truly makes a difference in the lives of the needy in our community.

This fall we collected more than 500 bags of food through local churches and businesses. Tenth Presbyterian contributed more than 200 of these bags. The food will be used to feed homeless people at the mission and provide for needy families. We distributed several food boxes to families at Thanksgiving, and we expect to pass out many more during the rest of the holiday season.

Local churches play an important role in the mission’s ministry to the Philadelphia area. Community partnerships strengthen our ability to provide services and reach out to the homeless. We appreciate your commitment to our community. We hope that your church will continue to partner with us to meet the needs in our area. May God bless you for your kindness and generosity.

Sincerely,

Dick McMillen

Executive Director

The God of All Comfort

Women members and regular attenders -- watch your mailbox for your invitation to the TenthWomen 2008 Conference, "The God of All Comfort," with speaker Diane Langberg on Saturday, February 23, 2008. Ruth Naomi Floyd will be providing special music.

To download a brochure click here .

As in prior years, this conference is open to women outside of the Tenth community - so invite your friends. (This could make a great last-minute Christmas gift!)

If you are interested in helping out at the conference, please contact Loren Gleason at lorenmeyers@hotmail.com There are all kinds of things that you could help with -- both before and during the conference.

RH Make-over

Reception Hall will have had a make-over when you walk in Sunday. Painters are busily repainting the ceiling now, and will then start on the walls. "Chestnut Buff" will be the color. I preferred Chestnut Biff, but was overruled.

Woodford Seeks Caretakers

Woodford, a National Historic Landmark house museum in East Fairmount Park, seeks a caretaker couple to live on the premises rent-free in exchange for weekend guiding, light housekeeping duties, and some yard work.

Please submit a letter of interest by January 10, 2008 to: Lawrence Berger, Trustee The Naomi Wood Trust at Woodford 360 Pond View Road Devon, PA 19333

Hannah Update

Hannah Cohen is home. Still keep her and the family in prayer, as she remains very ill.

Kingdom Discipleship Report

Here is a brief update on progress toward improving our pastoral care and community in Kingdom Discipleship.

We are in the midst of a transition to a new database - ACS. The electronic transfers are taking place now. Our administrative staff received two days of training last week. More training will be coming for all staff in March. The new system will allow more efficiency in keeping up with the continual information changes of our membership. It will also allow parish elders to more easily keep up with parish memberships and thus enhance their ability to keep in contact with members.

We continue to grow the numbers of TCAs, albeit more slowly than we like. Our goal is still to have enough to contact the whole membership by the summer. As the network of TCAs grow, we will need to provide good support for the TCAs.

David Apple led a day training seminar for our diaconate a couple of Saturdays ago. This was the foundational training session upon which he will conduct monthly brief training lessons at each diaconal meeting.

One Year Old

Cresheim Valley CHurch is celebrating its one year anniversary January 6. For information and to indicate that you would like to join their celebration (service and luncheon) contact Harriet Mola at hmola@verizon.net by January 2.

Pageant Offering

The Christmas pageant raised $4,300 for the Rafiki Foundation work in Liberia. $2,000 will be used for playground equipment.

Baptisms

We have several children being baptized Sunday morning:

Stephen Kyoh-Sung, son of In Hwan Kim and Hyunsil Chang
Davis Marischal, son of Trey and Becky Holloway
Thomas Andrew, son of Richard and Sarah Homer
Maya Grace, daughter of Jesse and Suzanne Hubley
Tayler Brinley, daughter of David and Kelly Shields

Paul's Been Working on the Railroad

There are some guys who like model trains. And then, there are some guys who really, really like model trains. Paul Reimold falls in the latter category. And he wants you men to join him in his revelry. You are invited to a prayer breakfast and playtime with his Lionel trains Saturday the 22nd, 8 - 10 AM at the Reimolds, 419 East Manoa Road in Havertown. Please RSVP at 610-446-0146 or pjreimold@verizon.net if planning to attend.

Here is his latest notice:

Marion,

A few more details about Saturday:

We want this event to be inclusive. We encourage men of all religions to participate. We are even reaching out to those from American Flyer and HO backgrounds.

The trains are ready. The Pennsylvania Broadway Limited is departing for points east; the Sante Fe Super Chief is leaving for points west. Meanwhile, the SEPTA trolley is making local stops. The miniature workers are standing by. The gateman comes out of his shack to warn pedestrians of approaching trains. The milkman is tossing milk cans out of his car. The cop is chasing the hobo, and the guy in the switch tower comes down the steps to meet the train. The oil derrick is contributing to the nation's energy production while the aircraft beacon warns low-flying aircraft. The drawbridge can be raised for ships coming into port. In case of medical emergencies, the helicopter will transport the injured to local hospitals.

Paul

Expelled

You may find interesting the following site about a new film by Ben Stein regarding freedom to explore Intelligent Design.

Heart Cry

Arlita Winston's first book, Heart Cry, has just been published. Heart Cry is the story of David Morken, Arlita's father, who took his family into the jungles, showing God's love to aborigines of Sumatra. This story of danger, survival, and hope will inspire your whole family! There is ordering information about it at: http://www.trafford.com/07-0574.

The proceeds from the book are going to support Pastor Manurung, the Malaysian pastor whose father was a cannibal, who is now working with the Kubus, pastoring some of the very tribes that Arlita's parents ministered to.

Christmas Devotions

I have completed chapter 27 of Proverbs in my "A Proverb a Day" devotions (see right hand link). For the remaining five week days before Christmas, I will post exerpts from the messages of Tenth ministers pertaining to Christ's birth. Today is a posting from Donald Grey Barnhouse's book, Guaranteed Deposits.

Andrew DiNardo

Andrew DiNardo has been nominated to serve as Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Margate/Coral Springs, Florida. The congregation will vote on January 6. Please keep Drew and the church in prayer.

Singapore Notebook: St. Andrew's Cathedral

Here I finally begin posting some reflections and reactions on my recent trip to the Far East. My 11-year old daughter Kirsten and I left for Singapore on December 3, returning on December 12. The main purpose of the trip was to serve Singapore Youth for Christ by teaching at their annual Bible Trails Conference, as well as to visit a career partner in a nearby country that is officially closed to Christian work.

Singapore is a beautiful island/city/country of nearly 5 million people. The conference was held at St. Andrew's Cathedral, a gospel-centered Anglican church in the heart of the city. The grand sanctuary was built roughly around the same time that Tenth Presbyterian Church was built in Philadelphia. The church also has a beautiful new worship facility with terraced seating, built down into the ground, as well as (this is rare for Singapore) beautiful green space around the central buildings.

What really excited me, though, was the subway station that is located virtually on the church property. Downtown commuters stream up the escalators and exit directly adjacent to the church's all-glass visitor center. St. Andrew's does a wonderful job of presenting the gospel in their written materials, and also of inviting passers-by to come into the church for rest, reflection, and meditation. Few things quicken my pulse as much as a gospel-centered church in the heart of the city, and it was encouraging to see St. Andrew's taking advantage of its golden opportunities for evangelism. One of my own parishioners was there on a recent Sunday and reports that the church was full for multiple services (the new worship center seats perhaps 800).

I was pleased and perhaps somewhat surprised to see the church fully outfitted with the English Standard Version -- another promising sign for Bible-teaching ministry. And it was good to see St. Andrew's sharing its facilities with Singapore Youth for Christ and other Christian ministries, thereby serving the wider church.

-Phil

The Story of Dori

I have not seen it yet, but Dori Baggs is featured in the latest edition of byFaith Magazine, our denomination's publication, for her Sparrows ministry. You can see the beginning of the article here, but will need to suscribe. It is an excellent magazine and would be worth your while.

Vehicle Needed

Sarah Fletcher sent in this notice:

Brandon Page, the new music teacher at The Christian Academy in Brookhaven, PA, and his wife and young son are in desperate need of a vehicle. Their 98 Chevy just died, needing new head gaskets which is a repair more costly than the worth of the car. Brandon and his wife are in no position to buy a new car, however, I was hoping someone at Tenth might have a car they'd be willing to donate or at least loan to Brandon and his wife. Alternatively, perhaps someone with mechanical abilities would be willing to donate the time and parts to repair the car? Brandon and his wife recently moved to this area from Indiana and are living with the principal at TCA while they try to sell their house in the Midwest. Anyone interested in helping out this family, please contact Sarah Fletcher at sarahefletcher@gmail.com. Thanks!

New Communicant Members

Welcome, to the following young people received into communicant membership yesterday after appearing before the elders:

Mr. Benjamin Paul Carter
Miss Erica Bonell Elzey
Miss Michaela Margit Fallon
Miss Alina Danelle Figueroa
Miss Ayanna Elise Gardner
Miss Mayim B. Kim
Mr. Quinn Jon Laidig
Miss Adjoa Mante
Miss Julia Mia Peterman
Miss Kirsten Elisabeth Ryken
Mr. Nathan Sherwood Taylor

Christmas Services

The Lessons and Carols Service will be held at 7:30 both Sunday and Monday evenings. Gates open at 6:45. Both services will be webcast.

The Sunday evening service will have child care (3 and under). The Monday service will not.

We are providing webcast also for the Family Christmas service on Monday at 4:30. No childcare. Gates open at 4:00.

Parking available for Monday services according to "Special Events" on the back of your parking placard.

Hannah

Continue to pray for Hannah Cohen, Seth and Anne's 16 year old daughter in CHOP. Pray that she will be able to return home for Christmas. Cards may be sent to:

Hannah Cohen
c/o Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
6E, Room 1934
Civic Center Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Helpful Tip

Husbands, you only have one more week for shopping. Get busy!