Dear Friends,
Merry Christmas! I wish you and yours a very happy and safe holiday season. Please join us at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church for our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, on Monday evening, December 24 at 7:00 PM. Our Chrismon Tree is decorated and ready for a thrilling night of Christmas carols, reliving the story of that first Christmas so long ago, and a special musical surprise. Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without singing “Silent Night” in the soft glow of candlelight!
Our Christmas Eve offering this year will go to the Heating Assistance Program of Solanco Neighborhood Ministries. In the last year, this important ministry has provided heating assistance for 43 families in our neighborhood, and we want them to be able to continue to make sure people are safe and warm this winter.
It’s been a big year for all of us: Your church has a new pastor as I begin my first assignment, following Pastor Cheryl’s retirement after 14 years of service. The people of Mt. Zion have been most gracious and welcoming. My wife and I really appreciate the wonderful Christmas cards from so many of you.
For those who have not met me yet, here’s some biographical background. As a Certified Lay Minister in the United Methodist Church, I have been through several years of preparation and training, including classes in preaching and church administration. Lay ministry is my third career; in previous careers I was a radio and TV announcer, and then moved into computer networking before retirement. My wife Sue and I are active members of Covenant UMC in Lancaster; we live in Lancaster, and have 2 children and 4 grandchildren.
My personal goal for 2019 is that we as a church live up to the shared mission of the United Methodist Church, “Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” We continue to join together in worship Sunday mornings at 11:00, with Holy Communion on the first Sunday of each month. Don’t miss our weekly Bible/Book Study at 10:00 Sunday morning! In addition to our active United Methodist Women’s group, we’re working with the SOULanco Mission ConneXion churches to develop a new men’s ministry; look for more details soon. We plan to have our cabin at Rawlinsville Camp Meeting open this year, too.
Please check our church website, at www.pbmtzionumc.org. We have a new social media presence, too. Be sure to Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pbmtzionumc, and you can follow us on Twitter at PBMtZionUMC, or tag @pb_umc. You can always contact me by way of my email address listed below.
We wish you a Merry Christmas, and a happy and successful new year!
Pastor Roger Kresge
717-548-2821 (Answering machine)
Email: roger@pbmtzionumc.org
