It has been an honor being here and worshiping with you at CHPC. You have helped us see big changes in the lives of many kids through programs, mentoring, events and camps. January is National Mentoring month. Mentoring is about building significant relationships. Significant relationships are what my team and I make a priority with the Holy Spirit’s help. Significant relationships build accountability and trust, and give kids the courage to press on. They empower kids to dream dreams instead of being trapped by what they think they can’t do.

“We may not be able to accomplish everything we can dream,
but we will not accomplish anything without our dreams.” ~ Erwin McManus in Soul Cravings

I am very excited about what is to come as we seek to see God’s kingdom empower one life at a time. If you are interested, contact me, Ron Whitt, rwhitt@citygospelmission.org. Here’s how God is using three of our volunteers:

Aarika Burton, Teen IMPACT
Assistant and Gal Pal Mentor

Through Teen Impact, I have the opportunity to bond with 15+ teens weekly. We do activities, and have weekly meetings on IMPACT night. Two weeks ago we took a trip to a UC men’s basketball game.

The teens had such a great time that when it was time for drop off’s, they couldn’t stop laughing and thanking us for the exciting night they had. It was apparent that their spirits had been uplifted. The glow on their faces told it all.

While volunteering I’ve noticed things about teens that I may not have realized otherwise: how eager they are to learn and to try new things, how they are very appreciative of even the smallest gestures of kindness, and how they are willing to come to programs but are just waiting for the invitation.

Teens today have everything it takes to be impacted as well as to make a positive impact in this world. As volunteers, we are leading them by example. We are showing them that it only takes one person willing to sacrifice their time, to make a difference in the lives of many. I pray that God will continue to use us!

Cindy Carlson, Gal Pal Mentor

Gal Pals pairs a group of elementary school girls with an adult friend to build relationships. We share a fun activity every month. The adult friend calls the girls weekly to chat with the purpose to build a supportive relationship.

Gal Pals have attended concerts, visited the new fire station, seen the Duke Energy Christmas train display, had lunch out, and made Christmas ornaments. After an outing to watch a movie, seeing the city from atop the Carew Tower observation deck, and having lunch in a little diner, one girl wrote: “This was the best day of my life. I want to remember it over and over and over.”

If you have an interest in young people and have the time for a few phone calls each week and a get-together once a month, Gal Pals may be for you! Contact myself or Ron Whitt.

The Outreach Foundation is very grateful for the gifts that we have received in support of our partner in Port-au-Prince, Haiti Outreach Ministries (HOM). Those gifts so far have totaled nearly $100,000. Last Sunday - since the church buildings at Cite Soleil and Repatriote are not safe to use - the people gathered outside on the soccer fields. 1500 worshipped at Cite Soleil where forty people gave their lives in faith to Jesus Christ. God’s glory and grace are being revealed amidst the brokenness.

Daily food relief and housing of displaced people continues. The church grounds are a kind of sanctuary for many who are homeless. Food is prepared in the compound for those now living there, and other food is taken into the communities to distribution points. Your gifts are also being used for supplies for the clinic at Cite Soleil.

Allen Rainey did not go to Haiti last Thursday as he had planned. He was going to stay with Hearts with Haiti as he worked on a solar project, but learned that their main guest house and orphanage, St. Joseph’s in Port-au-Prince, was completely destroyed by the earthquake. However, the solar power system he was to install there had been sent to Trinity House in Jacmel, so the equipment may be fine. The photos here show his room as it appeared in July and the home after the quake. One guest died and two adults injured, but all of the children got out safely.

Allen asks prayer for those still alive in Haiti, for grace and mercy. He is most concerned about Becky Karns, a missionary who has adopted numerous children and had at least eight at her house in Carrefour - the epicenter of the quake. He has stayed at her place often and her kids were always sweet and bright, and thought of Allen as their white-bearded grandpa.

SonLight Power is also preparing to depart for Haiti in a few weeks to take solar water pumping systems to those missionaries who might need it. Since fuel is likely to be scarce, they anticipate a great need for solar power. If you would like to join the SLP team, call Allen at 521-0708. They could also use donations to cover transportation expenses and equipment for those missionaries who cannot afford the systems, or who have lost everything and are starting from scratch.

Other suggested organizations through whom to send funds:

The Outreach Foundation
318 Seaboard Lane, Suite 205
Franklin, TN 37067
(Designate “Haiti Earthquake.”)

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
PO Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700
(Designate to DR000064)

You may also write a check to the church, designate it to “Haiti,” and place it in the offering or give it to the Finance office.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) has issued an emergency appeal for Haiti, where millions of people have been affected by a major earthquake that struck the country on Tues., Jan. 12. Reports indicate that tens of thousands - possibly hundreds of thousands - of people are feared dead and countless others have been left homeless.

The Haitian infrastructure was already in a fragile state. The earthquake has caused widespread damage of homes and other buildings as well as damage to water, electrical and road systems. Schools, hospitals and churches have been damaged or destroyed.

PDA Response
PDA is rushing an initial $100,000 from One Great Hour of Sharing and designated funds to help provide immediate emergency relief to the affected people. Funds are being sent through our ecumenical and local partners working in Haiti.

PC(USA) mission co-worker Carlos Cardenas is joining an ecumenical team through the Action by Churches Together (ACT) Alliance going to Haiti to help with the response and needs assessments.

Presbyterian World Mission is gathering information on the safety and status of our mission personnel and ecumenical partners in the area.

What You Can Do
Give: The generous sharing of your financial blessings through the One Great Hour of Sharing offering and special designated giving provide resources needed to assist with immediate and long-term recovery needs.

Individuals may give

• through their local Presbyterian congregation (at CHPC designate the check to “Haiti”)
• through the secure PC(USA) website, www.pcusa.org
• through a check designated “Account DR000064 – Haiti” and sent to: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) / P.O. Box 643700 / Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700

Pray: Join with others in lifting up the people of Haiti and those seeking to provide aid in this critical time. As the eyes of the world turn to Haiti, let us join our hearts in prayer:

"God of compassion, please watch over the people of Haiti, and weave out of these terrible events wonders of goodness and grace. Surround those who have been affected by tragedy with a sense of your present love, and hold them in faith. Though they are lost in grief, may they find you and be comforted; guide us as a church to find ways of providing assistance that heals wounds and gives hope. Help us to remember that when one of your children suffers we all suffer. Through Jesus Christ who was dead, but lives and rules this world with you. Amen."

Hard work yielded a special blessing as this series’ graphic
took shape for Jesus, Our Common Language.

As I thought about how to picture this sermon series in a graphic, it became my desire to create the head of Christ from smaller images. The foundational image of Christ would be a beautiful painting by Patrick Devonas, a Swiss classical artist living in America. The smaller pictures would be members from our own congregation.

After transforming our congregation’s photos with a sepia filter, I started with the first name in the alphabet, “Abbott.” Looking at the shapes of dark and light in their photo, I matched it with similar darks and lights on Christ’s image. Then it was Helen Aichholz’ turn. The dark triangle of her dress matched Christ’s left eyebrow very well. In fact, as I continued down the alphabet, everyone seemed to have just the perfect place in Christ.

It dawned on me - and touched me - that this is true also of God’s church. Everyone in their own way is perfectly placed to show Christ to the world. Some may be obvious, and some more hidden, but both individually and collectively we are His image bearers.

I love Tuesday mornings! That is my day to volunteer at the Sonshine House. Perhaps you have seen the brightly painted yellow store at 1607 Llanfair Ave. just across from the new fire station. The Sonshine House is a consignment store specializing in children’s clothes, shoes, toys, books, videos, and larger infant and toddler products like strollers. Three years ago it was founded by 3Cs Nursery School families to help fund Christian children’s programs in the College Hill neighborhood. Proceeds are shared by the individual consignor and the store . The store is open three days a week: Tues., 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m, Thurs., 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sat., 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

I like meeting customers from all walks of life, hanging up the newest items that have been dropped off by the sellers, and merchandising the store to look its best. Our regular Tuesday volunteers have become good friends, and it is a joy to be with them each week. Working along side my manager, Jenny Smith, has given me the opportunity to see the absolute joy and grace she bestows on customers and sellers alike.

Sonshine House also holds special sales - like the one coming up at the end of January. The Final Friday Warehouse Sale on Fri., Jan. 29, 6 - 8:30 p.m. would be a great time to stop in the shop and check out this College Hill gem. In conjunction with the Warehouse Sale, we will be kicking off a used book sale that runs through the first week of February. This is the time to stock your library or your grandchild’s library. Hundreds of children’s books will be sold at prices that range from .25 cents to $3.

Stop in soon to see the store, shop, and feel good that the bargain you got just helped fund children’s education in our city. If you want to try volunteering at the store, helpers are needed once a week, once a month, or once a year. If this seems like a place where you would like to offer your gifts and time, please call Jenny Smith at the store, 541-5095.

How beautiful are the words of Jesus in Mark 10:14 as He welcomes the little children into His presence. Yet despite those words, nearly one million unborn children die by abortion every year in America alone. Figures worldwide top 50 million annually.

What is the answer? The time has come for God’s church to rise up and cry out against the atrocity of abortion that destroys not only the baby’s life but forever changes the life of its mother. This is also the time of year when we have the opportunity to offer our support through PregnancyCare of Cincinnati.

PregnancyCare
PregnancyCare is committed to providing a holistic range of compassionate services for families experiencing untimely pregnancies. Free and confidential services are:

♦ Pregnancy testing
♦ Mentoring
♦ Childbirth classes
♦ Parenting classes
♦ Bible study groups
♦ Material support
♦ 24-hour helpline
♦ Referrals for on-site prenatal care

Abstinence Education
PregnancyCare’s Making Abstinence Possible program works to prevent teenage pregnancies and other difficult consequences of premarital sexual activity. Through positive, age-appropriate presentations in schools and community groups, thousands of students each year learn the emotional, physical, and societal benefits of abstinence. Commitments to premarital abstinence and virginity are reinforced through after-school clubs and peer counseling opportunities.

Post-Abortion Support
The Post Abortion Counseling and Education (PACE) ministry is designed to assist those who have experienced abortion. Facilitated by trained leaders, the small group setting enables participants to address difficult memories in a safe, confidential environment.

What can I do?

1. Call your nearest pregnancy resource center and ask how you can help.
2. Reach out with loving arms to those experiencing crisis pregnancies in your church or your neighborhood. Get involved in their lives and help meet their needs.
3. Share the Good News of God’s love by lovingly sharing with others the way to receive forgiveness for sin and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

This coming Sunday is the beginning of the Baby Bottle Challenge.
If you would like to help support PregnancyCare programs, pick up a baby bottle from the Deacons after church,
fill it with spare change and return it on Sunday, March 7th.

Last Sunday, Chris Miller, CHPC's Director of Community Relational Outreach, was awarded the Martin Luther King Award for College Hill. She said, “I was looking around at the pastors and people and wondering which of them would receive the award this year.” Then her name was announced!

It reads: “The Ministerium of College Hill presents the Martin Luther King award to Christina Miller in recognition of outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the religious community of Cincinnati in her position at College Hill Presbyterian Church in Community Relational Outreach.

A seeker of truth and love for all God’s people, she believes as did Martin Luther King ‘if we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values - that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control.’ She is a lover of the truth and sings the song of Zion for all of God’s people.”

Families now make up 40 percent of the homeless population, and one out of every four homeless people is a child.The Interfaith Hospitality Network brings the faith community together to help families regain their housing, their independence, and their dignity. IHN is a partnership of congregations within a community helping families who are facing homelessness.

In the College Hill area, College Hill Presbyterian Church, United Church of Christ are host churches. First Baptist Church of West College Hill, Second Baptist Church of West College Hill, St. Clare Catholic and Grace Episcopal act as supporting churches.

You are invited to a shower that will help in this outreach. The shower will be held on Sat., Jan. 16 from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of West College Hill, 6210 Betts, 45224 (Phone: 681-1011). In case of inclement weather, the shower will be held on Sat., Jan. 23. It will benefit the families who stay with us or UCC while they are working with IHN.

A list of items to bring to the shower is available in the Atrium - or see Jan Osborn and Jan Scheyer for suggestions.

It was a “laugh out loud” evening Fri., Dec. 11 for the eighty people who went to Smoke On The Mountain - Sanders Family Christmas at the Playhouse In the Park. It was great seeing cast members from previous Smoke plays return to deliver their upbeat homespun humor and music. Over $1500 was raised for our mission houses.

This was the highest priced play of the Playhouse’s season, but the College Hill Presbyterian Church group discount made tickets more affordable. Special bouquets go to The Llanfair Retirement Community for graciously providing their van and driver for the evening.

The CHPC Mission Committee sold play tickets to raise funds for the two CHPC Mission Houses on Wintrop Avenue. As one committee member put it, these homes-away-from-home for our Global Workers are like children; they “always need new shoes.” Landscaping, kitchen rehab, painting and furnishings await funding.

Look for future fun opportunities for Mission House fundraising.

The week after Christmas is usually riddled with returning presents, shopping the “After Christmas sales”; or just recovering from the holidays for most people. Not so for the 19 participants in the youth mission trip to rural Alabama on Dec. 27.

Early Sunday morning as congregants were arriving for the 9 a.m. service at CHPC, a convoy of vans, filled with youth and adults, was pulling out of the parking lot on the way to Tuskegee to serve two needy families.

Working with ARM (Alabama Rural Ministries, www.ARM-AL.com), for the second time in as many years, our team was blessed to serve. We re-roofed a house, and leveled and tiled floors. The roof was old and worn-through to the rotted plywood below. We removed all the material down to the rafters and started anew with fresh supplies and a great attitude! We installed 1,500 square feet of sheeting, 8 rolls of tar paper, 47 bundles of shingles, and 110 linear feet of fascia board. The roof looked great, and our homeowner, Mrs. Randolf, was very pleased and blessed!

The other project was a floor that first needed to have many old layers of linoleum scraped off. Then, after it was stripped, it was leveled, primed, and new vinyl tiles were installed. Our homeowner at that site was a wonderful man named Alphonso. He loved to talk about football with our team, and was thrilled to have his bathroom and bedroom floors renewed.

Our week ended with a photo scavenger hunt around Tuskegee that helped us become acquainted with the town and its people and understand its culture a little better. We also enjoyed a New Year’s feast of collard greens, black-eyed peas (a Southern tradition) and large pizzas (a youth tradition)!

It was a great trip with great people serving a great God. Thanks for your prayers and support!

Classic Sunday School begins a new series on the Gospel of Luke to coincide with the current sermon series. We’re hoping to amplify what we hear from the pulpit by digging deeper into this unique Gospel - which is the only one written by a Gentile. We are using the John MacArthur study series beginning January 10 for this 12-week course. Books are $7 each.

Luke, The Savior of the World is a study from John MacArthur with thought-provoking questions and verse-by-verse commentary. Luke, the only non-Jewish gospel writer, highlights the universal scope of the gospel invitation. He portrays Jesus as the Son of Man, rejected by Israel, and then offered to the world.

The class meets each week at 10:45 a.m. in Barnabas 201. Fran and Jim Kelley will be co-leaders. You may direct any questions to them or reserve a study guide by giving them a call.

The Westminster Confession of Faith has been called the finest crystallization of the Bible ever written. Join a study and discussion group led by Scott Rice and Marybelle Chapman at 9 a.m. in the Fireside Room to explore your faith.

Financial Peace University: Learn practical skills and gain the confidence needed to achieve your financial goals and experience true financial peace on Sundays, 9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. In Fellowship Hall. There is still room for three or four people. Just come to the class to sign up. For more info, call Rob or Robyn Bechtel at 931-1229.

It’s always a little sad when I take the Christmas tree down. I wish I could leave it up all year. I wrap my ornaments carefully in tissue paper and place them in a good strong box that could be transported halfway around the world. You see, I’ve spent twenty Christmases of my life overseas, never quite sure where I would be the next year.

So I pack carefully, and even this morning when I put the decorations in the box, I wondered, “Where will I be next year?” – or even – “Will I be the one to unpack them?” It’s become a custom for my grandchildren to decorate the tree. I let them unwrap each ornament. When they were little, I told them the story of each one, “This was my mother’s . . . Dan made that one when he was a little boy . . . my friend Sam brought that one all the way from Italy . . . I bought that one in Germany at a Christmas Market.” This year Kendra remembered and told me most of the stories as she carefully undid each ornament. When Jacob unwrapped one this year, he said, “We’ll put this one way in the back, Gramma, because it’s ugly.” Yes, I know it’s ugly, but it is precious. It’s the only ornament I have left from my mother’s collection. It’s old, faded and frail and not very pretty. But I wrap it more carefully than all the others each year.
I’ve been married for 56 years, so you can imagine I have a lot of ornaments.

I never buy them anymore. Each year I have two or three or maybe even four given to me. Sometimes I leave some in the box. Then a year or two later, the tissue paper comes off and I say, “Oh, yes, I forgot that one, let’s put it there on that branch.”
Ornaments are like friends. Some are a little cracked. Some are old. Some are not very attractive, but came into my life with so much love that only death can part us. Some are exquisitely beautiful and I love to show them off. Sometimes my friends move away and I wrap their memories carefully and put them away. But a phone call, or an e-mail unpacks them in my mind, and I see their beauty again, remember their funny little idiosyncrasies, and laugh aloud about great times we shared.

When Robyn was a little girl she said, “When I grow up, I’m going to buy a big house and have everybody I love live there with me.” Why can’t we have all our friends within arm’s reach every single moment? C.S. Lewis said, “Christians never see each other for the last time.” Because, you see, that good strong box will be unpacked some day in a far away country, and we’ll unpack those treasures never to be wrapped up in tissue again. And the Christmas tree will stay up all year long.

Young and old, start the New Year off right at a special church-wide potluck feast on Sat., Jan. 9 at 5:00 p.m. This is a celebration of Twelfth Night or Epiphany, a day to remember the adoration of the Magi (the Wise Men) for the “shining forth” or revelation of God in human form in the person of Jesus Christ. The meal together will be followed by the gifted, dramatic interpretations of Tom Long and Colleen Scheid of “The Friends of the Groom” which many already know.

Kings Party . Saturday, January 9 . 5 pm

Mark down the date and time for this special experience. Bring a friend and a dish to share in the wonderful, free fellowship event. A-G, entrée; H-L, sides/salads; M-Z, desserts. Tom and Colleen will entertain and inspire all ages with a lot of drama!

Friends of the Groom is a theater group committed to proclaiming the Christian message with a unique blend of humor, story, challenging content and scenes that are hard to forget. The name, Friends of the Groom, refers to the image of Christ as the bridegroom in the New Testament - but there’s no need to be concerned about formal attire for this event!

Tom Long is the director, playwright and chief storyteller for Friends of the Groom Christian Theater Company based in Cincinnati though they have performed nationwide. Tom has an M.A. in Theatre from the University of Cincinnati. His work has won the Christians in Theatre Arts sketch writing and one-act play writing competitions, two Telly awards, and a Dove award nomination.

Colleen Scheid joined Friends of the Groom in 1985. Many of us already know Colleen since she and her family have been longtime members at CHPC. She has a B.A. in Journalism from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and has a Masters degree in counseling from the University of Cincinnati. Colleen has blessed the congregation by sharing her talents numerous times in our church services.

So come and join in the Kings Party fun for all on January 9th. RSVP to the Front Desk, 541-5676 or stop by the Kings Party table in the Atrium on Sundays.

Pastor Drew challenged the Leadership Team this past summer to stand in the church parking lot and consider what our church’s appearance was saying. Our conclusion? The space - both outside and inside - was not welcoming. It did not look like we were wanting to Connect, Serve or Celebrate. We know that is not the case...but that’s how it appeared.

At that point, the Atrium Committee was formed to evaluate and address the appearance and message that our Atrium gives to both visitors and members.

The committee has come to the conclusion that our church should present itself as it actually is - approachable, warm and vital. The team has some great plans that focus on three areas: the Atrium’s physical appearance, directional signs, and how to present our church’s vision visually. Every effort is being made to keep expenses down while maintaining quality.

The first phase is about to begin. To visually express the desire to Connect, two inviting carpets will sit under the large sectional couch. The columns and wall behind the Front Desk will be painted a warm caramel brown. Attractive material will be laid under the glass table tops by the sofa to add pops of color. There will be a counter to welcome people with coffee.

The Facilities, Finance and Administration Team has approved money left over from the Building Fund for this purpose. In addition, other church members have already provided incredible discounts on the carpets with an anonymous donor completely covered the remaining cost! Another member of the committee will be using his gift in carpentry to construct the welcome/coffee counter using nice cabinets from a second-hand store. The second phase will involve signs, and the third stage, art.

Young and old ventured out into the frosty evening on Sun., Dec. 13 to carol the news of Jesus’ birth.

As they made the rounds, they sang for the firemen across the street and pleasantly surprised a number of our neighbors - praying on the spot with one lady whose father was very ill.

Then all cuddled up around the fireplace to listen to Gramma Marybelle read the Christmas story.

Thanks to Maggie Smith and her great crew for this wonderful event!

Greetings from a wonderfully green Zambia where our rainy season has broken the heat and reinvigorated us all. We are approaching the Theological College of Central Africa (TCCA) graduation now - our last time to be part of it since we will be in the States beginning our part-time role next year at this time. It’s hard to believe that we will have concluded 41 years in Zambia, so even in our cottage at Messiah Village our thoughts and prayers will be with TCCA.

We’re grateful for your prayers for us as we continue the process of gradual disengagement from our roles here, and we’re especially thankful for your support which has enabled us to serve here for so long. Thank you for your part in that through prayer and giving. Part-time beginning in 2011, we plan to serve as visiting lecturers at TCCA as needed.

Rich will also continue his work with the accrediting council, ACTEA via internet from our cottage in PA, and we will serve as TCCA representatives in the States as is helpful. We’re thankful that our links with TCCA will continue, since we realize that cutting ties completely would be very hard for us emotionally. Africa has become part of us, and will continue to be in the years ahead. As we do things for the last time, we thank the Lord for the privilege of being part of his planting here in Zambia and especially at TCCA.

We also plan a trip to Ohio in late May/early June when we hope to see some of you in that area. We want to report back to all of you who have so faithfully prayed for us and supported us. Please also pray with us for the Lord to send TCCA the faculty we will need in the coming years, and especially people who can replace us.

In Christ’s service, Kathy and Rich Stuebing

It’s a compelling story. Two men - 71 and 84 years of age - help catch a former high school football star and his 21 and 22 year old accomplices as they try to flee from the police. Jim Bodmer - a member here - and “his friend, Don Baechle, volunteer in a Citizens on Patrol group in our College Hill neighborhood. They were listening to a police radio earlier this month when they heard of a suspected break-in.

They immediately attempted to spot the thieves as they fled the scene. After determining the thieves would likely flee through the backyard of the home, he and Baechle headed to the site and successfully spotted the suspects. ‘We called their description in over the radio and the rest is history.’ Jim explained. ‘[The police] caught one under a pile of leaves. They found the other one in a garbage can, and I don’t know where they found the other one.’ The Enquirer said police suspect the three men may be responsible for twelve additional burglaries in the area.

Why is Jim involved with Citizens on Patrol? Each case they help to break, each bad guy they help to take off the street is a step toward reclaiming what once was a bustling business district, he says.

‘It’s happened all over the city. Because of the demise of the business districts, we are in a Catch-22 situation,’ Bodmer said. ‘We are trying to get more businesses in. We just got a new wine store in that is going to be fantastic. But there are still too many empty storefronts; and when you have empty storefronts, you have too many young kids hanging around, and it’s a crime triangle. We would like to see College Hill be a destination place for people to come to and businesses to move to.’”

Sometimes people get to retirement age and figure they’ve “done their time.” But Jim and others like him find these years give them more time to make a difference. In a letter to the editor at The Enquirer, George Corneliussen writes, “They take a ‘hands-on’ approach to their world, not the ‘hands-off’ approach that is so-o-o-o-o-o-o popular these days.”

We all have our own interests, talents and abilities. One is never too young or too old to make a difference wherever God has put us...true?

~ adapted from the College Hill ENewsletter and The Enquirer