OPMH E Gram (Nov 25, 2007)

Meeting House Worshipers: Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

The choir is singing Vivaldi’s Gloria this Sunday

Morning Services (8:30 and 11:00 am)

Scripture

Isaiah 2:1-5

Matthew 24: 36-44

Meditation

With the End in Sight — Dr. Laha

Hymns

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Other Special Music

Prelude:                      Church Sonata in D, K.V. 144 – W.A. Mozart

Offertory:                    Church Sonata in E', K.V. 67 – W.A. Mozart

Choral Offering:         Gloria – Antonio Vivaldi

Postlude:                     Church Sonata in f, K.V. 68 – W.A. Mozart

Coffee Hour: Join us in Heritage Hall after the 11:00 am service. Sponsored by the Global/National Missions Committee.

Christian Education. Sunday morning education classes and Bridges to Worship resume this Sunday

Children’s Education: Children, age 3 years through Grade 5 begin a new series of workshops and activitiy centers looking at the Nativity Story. Workships include art, cookie-making, storytelling, and music. Check the board at the Education Building entrance for your grade’s room assignment. To enrich our children’s experiences we have assembled a “museum” of créches and nativity scenes. They will be on display in room 26 this Sunday and on Dec 9, and 16. Children will tour the exhibit with a guide. If you have a nativity or créche you are willing to share with us please contact Priscilla in the church Office.

Bridges to worship, for children age 5 years through second grade, will meet all four Sundays of Advent. This allows the children to experience the complete cycle of Advent stories as we prepare for Christmas. There will not be Bridges to Worship on Sunday, December 30.

Adult Education

Westminster Hall: The Gospel of Matthew, continues through Dec. 23.

Heritage Hall: “The Nativity in the Arts,” in Heritage Hall. Bonita Billman from Georgetown University will lead a discussion of how the Nativity Story is portrayed in paintings, using slides from the Georgetown University Art Images Collection.

Reformed Institute: Look on the web site for these special offerings.

Fellowship, Study, and Prayer Groups:

Youth: We meet tonight from 5-7 pm in Fellowship Hall to make care packages for our OPMH collegiates! Please bring one bag of candy and another bag of something you think would be fun for college students to receive: toys, food, pens, highlighters, gum, games, slinkys, play dough, etc.

20s/30s: This group is open to all in their 20s and 30s (married, single, members, visitors, friends). Join us Monday nights at 913 Oronoco Street at 7 pm. All are welcome! For more info., call Mike Campagna at 703-785-4736 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

First Sundays with the Stephen Ministers: An informal time of fellowship on the first Sunday (this Sunday) of each month in the Elliot House Parlor. We welcome all who are experiencing loss or struggling to find joy in their lives to meet, one-on-one, with a Stephen Minister. Call Susan Grandy (703-780-4134 or 703.836.6701) if you have questions.

Please join the Celebration married couples group for Scottish Walk and their annual Christmas luncheon on tomorrow (Saturday). We will attend the church service at OPMH, have coffee at the McElveen’s (212 ½ S. Pitt St.), and watch the parade, followed by lunch at the Warehouse Restaurant in Old Town at 12:30. Reservations for lunch are necessary not later than Thurs., Nov. 29. Email Jean Rood at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 703.323.9503.

The SPIRIT group invites church members and friends to attend the group’s Christmas luncheon on December 6 at 11:30 am in Heritage Hall. A group of West Potomac School’s drama department will present a delightful program entitled “The Christmas That Bounced.” This is an event that you will not want to miss. Please make reservation by noon on Monday, Dec. 3 by calling the Church Office at 703-549-6670.  The cost is $10. We look forward to seeing you there.

Mission

Wondering What To Get All Those Hard-To-Shop-For Relatives and Friends For Christmas? Local and National/Global Missions will again be sponsoring Alternative Giving Fair on Sundays (Dec. 2, 9, and 16) in Fellowship Hall following the 11:00 am service. You may "purchase" items destined for use by various charities, such as book bags, medical supplies, Bibles, or livestock; we'll provide a gift card for communicating your purchase. A limited amount of other gifts - such as pins, notecards, or ornaments - benefiting OPMH-supported charitable organizations will also be available.

Speak Up About the Environment! The next meeting of the Environmental Issues Advocacy Group will be Wed, Dec. 5 at 7 pm in the Elliot House conference room. We will  discuss steps our congregation can take to care for the environment, and learn what other congregations and faith-based groups are doing. For more info., contact Larry Williams.

Thanksgiving Offering: The Thanksgiving Offering raised $1,220 which helps support the programs of the Presbyterian Church (USA) for children in crisis. Thank you for your support

Blood Drive – Many, many thanks to those who assisted with the blood drive on Novem ber 25 and to those who were willing to donate blood. The drive surpassed the goal for units donated, which is very gratifying at this season of the year when the supplies are critically low.

Music:

Adult Choir rehearses on Thursdays, at 7:30 pm in the balcony. Everyone is welcome!

Children’s Choir’s rehearses on Sundays, in room 22, Education Building. 12:05-12:50 pm.

Churchwide News:

An advent service will be held at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House this Saturday at 9 am, as part of the Scottish Christmas Walk festivities. All are invited.

Advent Devotions: Advent begins on Sunday, December 2. To aid in directing your thoughts toward Jesus' coming and all that it means,members of the Meeting House have contributed their own Advent meditations which have been compiled in "A Wreath of Prayers", a small green booklet available in the narthex today. (A limited number of large-print copies are available in 8-1/2"x11" format.) Our thanks to all our writers, and particularly to Betty Heiby, whose lovely sketches of the church have been incorporated into the book. A donation of $1-$2 is requested to defray the printing costs. Also available on our website, or by email if requested ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Noonday Noël's (Wednesdays, Dec. 5, 12, 19 at 12:05 pm). Refresh your spirit with a half hour of singing, praying, and special holiday music in the OPMH sanctuary. An outstanding line up of community artists will be here to share their talents with us. The first week, Dec. 5, will feature Douglas Beck, Organist-Choirmaster at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Caroline Shaul, soprano soloist. Mr. Beck is an accomplished musician and educator. He has appeared as an accompanist, conductor, chamber musician, and recitalist throughout the U.S., Canada, and Germany. Ms. Shaul has held an impressive number of operatic roles while studying for music degrees including summer stints in San Francisco, and Graz, Austria. Upcoming Noëls will feature Tim Howe, singer-guitarist (Dec. 12) and Neil Gladd, mandolin, with Marjorie Bunday, alto soloist (Dec. 19.) A light lunch will be served for $5 after each program to help you get back to home or work full of good cheer. Invite your friends and neighbors to join for this new series of musical offerings here at the Meeting House.

Next Sunday, December 9, plan to come to the G.I.F.T. (growing in faith together) Christmas Caroling. Gather in Heritage Hall at 4:00 to practice carols. Following caroling in the neighborhood, we will return to Heritage Hall for fellowship and pizza supper. RSVP to Priscilla or the Church Office so we know how much pizza to order. A $5.00 per family donation is asked.

News Update: 2008 Stewardship Campaign – After three weeks we have received 198 pledges, 29 of which are new. These pledges total $912,500 with the repeating pledges showing some significant increases. But in order to meet the identified needs for the upcoming year, we will need everyone’s pledge. So, if you have not yet turned in your pledge, please do so as soon as possible. For your convenience, you may submit your pledge online to our Administrator, Casey Naatjes at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Pledge cards are available in the friendship pads. Thanks for your support!

Christmas Storytelling - Our 17^th annual Christmas Reading & Carols will be on December 16 in Heritage Hall where you can hear holiday stories and verse to entertain and inspire. It starts at 5 pm with stories that children, as well as adults, will enjoy. After a short refreshment break, the program will continue at 6 pm, with readings more attuned to youth and adults. Childcare for infants and toddlers is available throughout. Bring neighbors, friends and family. Our cast of readers will do their very best to make you laugh, cry and give you that special holiday feeling.

On Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve), services will be at 4:30 pm (family service) and 10:30 pm (candelight communion service). On Dec. 30, there will be one service (11:00 am), and no education classes.