The Mail-Journal, Volume 23, Number 52, Milford, Kosciusko County, 24 December 1986 — Page 20

8

THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., December 24,1986

Christmas Eve programs

As Christmas is fast approaching, the following is offered as a reminder of some special area church programs yet to be completed this Christmas season. In Milford The Christmas Eve candlelight communion service at Christian Church, at Fourth and Henry Streets in Milford, will begin at 9 p.m. on Dec. 24. Bethel Church of the Brethren will join with Milford First Brethren Church, on Catherine Street for a Christmas Eve service at 11 p.m. Members of both churches will participate in this service of scripture and songs. Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, on Main Street in Milford, will celebrate its Christmas Eve Mass at 9 p.m. The Christmas Eve candlelight service at Milford United Methodist Church on Catherine Street will also begin at 9 p.m. on Dec. 24. On Christmas Day, at 6 p.m., Filadelfia Evangelical Spanish Assembly; of God, on Emeline Street, will present a Christmas drama, “Ask and Thou Shalt Receive." Children attending will each receive a treat after the Play. United Methodist Church news The annual candlelight service will be held at United Methodist Church in Milford at 11 p.m., Dec 24. Sunday. Dec. 28, will be United Methodist’student day and a special offering for loan and scholarship programs will be taken. On Sunday, Jan. 4, there will be installation of the 1987 church' officers. Then, on Jan. 6. the newly elected parish committee will meet with the pastor at 7:30 p.m. Special music was presented on Sunday, Dec 21. by the newly formed women's chorus, which sang “Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming." Hospitality time after the service was hosted by Allen and Cheryl Brunjes and cake, punch and coffee were served in celebration of the birth of Jesus.

Lakeland Churches

TEGHTMEYER \ jL / North Webster 834-2021 X=\mAoW4»f Syracuse 457-3474 Representing flfciJi] ERIE INSURANCE GROUP Mu B X H e:r h ffillzklsl 116 E. Main St SYRACUSE ["<s7-5300 ] AUTOMOTIVE BRUCE'S MARATHON Always Keep Our () Number Handy v ' 658-9113 Hwy. 15, Milford ✓ii. Griffith’s | • HARBOR CRAFT UUQUUOCQQ • CORRECT CRAFT VVaWaOCC • BOSTON WHALER W mnring • MERCURY OUTBOARDS Q( - c a OOC 'lid • HARRIS FLOTE BOTE ujO'ZZuU Family Owned Since !946 Hook's Drug The Prescription People SYRACUSE RUBBER inßli PRODUCTS, INC. 457-3141 **'***’*■■ ] 35 s ou th Sycamore Sigmund; GOSHEN ndiona $ Finest Jewelers ELKHART I Open Daily 9 A.M. To 5:30 P.M. Peoples State Bank “THE FRIENDLY BANK” Leesburg, Indiana FDIC

In Syracuse Grace Lutheran Church will celebrate its Christmas Eve candlelight service at the church on East Main Street at 11 p.m. Also at that hour. Calvary United Methodist Church will have its traditional candlelight communion service of lessons and carols. Wawasee Lakeside Chapel, north of the old fish hatcheries on the southeast side of Wawasee Lake, will have its Christmas Eve service from 7to 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 24. Rock Church, just north of there, will also have its Christmas candlelight service at 7 p.m. that evening. All Saints Episcopal Church, on the south shore of Lake Wawasee, will have a Christmas carol service at 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 24. This will be followed by the Christmas Eve Eucharist service at 11 p.m. On Christmas Eve, St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church, SR 13 north of Syracuse, will have its candles, carols and communion Christmas service at 11:30 p.m. St. Martin dePorres Catholic Church, south of Syracuse on SR 13, will celebrate a children's Mass at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. There will then be a midnight Mass and a 10 a m. Mass on Christmas morning. New Year Masses at St. Martin dePorres will be at 5:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve and 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. on New Year’s day. Milford Chapel special meetings Milford Chapel will be having special meetings of the Sharing Concerns Bible Conference. Friday and Saturday. Jan. 2-3. The conference theme will be “Blessings of the Christian Life,” and sessions will be at 9:30 am., 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on these two days. Everyone is welcome to attend the conference. Another announcement for the church is that regular Wednesday evening services for Wednesday, Dec. 31, have been changed to Tuesday. Dec. 30, at 7 p.m.

APOSTOLIC CHRISTIAN MILFORD Jesse Beer and Walter Steffen, Ministers Morning Worship 10a. m Afternoon Worship 12 15 pm CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH (Armstrong Road) OSWEGO Sunday School 9 JO a m Morning Worship 10 30a m • Sunday Evening Worships p m Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7 p m AWANA Clubs Wednesday 6 15 p m FAITHWAY BAPTIST CHURCH Formerly Barbee Community Church (Kuhn Drive, Little Barbee Lake) William L Hutchins. Pastor Sunday School 10 a m Worship Service Ham. Sunday Evening 6pm Wednesday Bible Study And Prayer 7 p m. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF OSWEGO Rev Roy Mickley. Pastor ' Sunday School 9 30 a m Worship Service 10:30a m ! WAWASEE HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH (Across From High School) Carl Calloway, S.S. Supt. Sunday School 9:30 a. m Worship 10:30a.m. and 7pm Mid Week Wed. 7 p.m. AWANA Clubs Thurs. 6:30 p m WAWASEE COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH Milford Tom Speicher, Pastor Sunday School, _ All Ages, 9:30a.m. Morning Worship 11 a m BETHANY CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN (US6) F Wayne Lawson. Pastor Morning Worship 9:30a m. Sunday School 10:30a m Wednesday Activity Night 7 30 BETHELCHURCHOF THE BRETHREN MILFORD Ernest R Jehnsen, Pastor Raymond Hoover. Bd Chm Sunday School 9:30a.m Worship 10:30a.m NEW SALEM CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN (900 N & 200E) Sunday Bible Study 9 30 a m Worship Service 10:30 a m Evening Worship6:3o p m. Wednesday AWANA Clubs 6 30 p m Bible Study, Prayer 7:30 p.m. CHURCHOF THE BRETHREN NORTH WEBSTER Emery Kintner, Pastor Morning Worship 9:30 a m Sunday School 10:30a m.

If- - - • LEESBURG TRIP TO BETHLEHEM — Mary and Joseph set out on the trip from the Leesburg town hall to the Leesburg school, Dec. 21, with the guiding hand of Herschel Wehrly, r 6, Warsaw, on the donkey. The scene was part of the Nativity story, accompanied by scripture readings by Rev. Dale Mendenhall, pastor of Leesburg United Methodist Church, and Rev. William Smith, pastor of Grace Brethren Church in Leesburg, as part of the Leesburg community’s Christmas Candleria celebration. The school gym was filled with an appreciative and attentive audience. (Photo by Glen Long) jM V" J ■ j 118 I •=»-->-•— "*'• OwM - O NATIVITY SCENE IN SYRACUSE — Wawasee Heights Baptist Church, across SyracuseWebster road from Wawasee High School, is displaying this Nativity scene, lighted at night, during the Christmas season. The congregation feels that the birth of Jesus is the true meaning of Christmas and that this scene is most important to the season. (Photo by Mark XV einstein >

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN SYRACUSE Robert Ebby Interim Pastor Junior Blough. Supt ■■ Sunday School 9 30 a m Morning Worship 10 30 a m Sunday Bible Study 7 p m TURKEY CREEK CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN GRAVELTON Dorotha and Ivan Fry. Team Pastors Church School 9am Worship 10 am SAINT MARTIN DE PORRES CATHOLIC CHURCH SYRACUSE Father Robert Hammond Sunday Mass 8 00 a m and 10 45 a.m Saturday Mass 5 30 p m - Confessioh Before Masses Holy Days 5 30 p m . 7 a m and 7 30 p m OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH (4th And Main Streets) MILFORD Bro James Linscott. Administrator Sunday Mass 10 30 a m FILADELFIA EVANGELICAL SPANISH ASSEMBLY OF GOD, Milford Bi Lingual Services Pastor Alberto Jimenez Sunday School 9 30a.m Sunday Worship I) am &6.30 pm Wednesday Bible Study 6 30 p m FIRSTCHURCHOF CHRIST SCIENTISTS (175 N. Detroit) WARSAW Sunday School 10a m. Sunday Service )0 a m. Wednesday 7 p.m. GOSHEN CHURCH OFCHRIST SCIENTIST Service 10:30a.fn. ' Sunday School 10:30a.m Wednesday Service 7:45 p m Reading Room open Monday. Thursday and Friday, Ila m.to3p m NORTHERN LAKES CHRISTIAN CENTER NORTH WEBSTER Karen and Thorpe Mitchell, Pastors Worship Service 10 a m Adult Classes, Tuesday 7 p m BIBLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH NORTHWEBSTER Dean McFadden, Pastor Sunday SchooJ 9:30a.m. Worship 1030a.m8.6pm Wednesday Services 7 p.m CHRISTIAN CHURCH MILFORD Dale Kuhns, Senior Minisier Bible School 9:00a.m. Worship 10:00a.m. and 7 p.m Wednesday Bible Study 7 p.m

Attend The Church Os Your Choice

CHURCHOF GOD NORTH WEBSTER Stephen W Fours Pastor’ Jim Davey. Associate Men s Prayer Breakfast 7-00 a m Worships 30ard 10 45 a m Sunday School 9 45a m . E venmg Servii e ot Praise 7 p m .CHURCH OF GOD SYRACUSE Rev Michael Johnson Pastor Paul Yeager S S Supt Sunday. School 9 30 a m ■ Morning Worship. 10 30 a m Junior Worship 10 r(Ta m ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOUTHSHORE LAKEWAWASEE Vicar Rev David L Hyndman Holy € ueharist 9a m FIRST BRETHREN CHURCH MILFORD Paul T inkel. Pastor Church School 9 15 a m Morning Worship 10 30 a m BYC Sunday'6p m Mid Week Worship 7 p m GRACE BIBLE CHURCH SYRACUSE Dr David R Hartley Pastor Sunday School 9 45 a m Morning Worship ’ I a m Evening Service 7 p m Wednesday Evening Service 7pm GRACE BRETHRENCHURCH LEESBURG William W Smith Pastor TomVieth C E Director Marlin Rose. Moderator Sunday School 9 30 10 30a m Morning Worship 10 35 a m Evening Worship 6 p m. Family Night. Wednesday 7pm JEHOVAH'S WITNESS KINGDOM HALL ( East Papakeechie Lake Drive) Sunday Public Lecture 9:JO a m Watchtower Study 10 JOa.m Tuesday. Study of Prophecy 7: 30 p m Thursday. Ministry School 7pm CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH _ I (111 W. Orange St.) CROMWELL Paul Clement, Pastor Sunday School 9:00 a m Worship Service 10 00 a.m. EMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH Missouri Synod Lakeland Youth Center Syracuse Sunday Worship Service 11 a.m GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH (200 E Main St.) SYRACUSE Richard Dunning, Pastor Worship 9:15 am Sunday School 10 15a.m. TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD LIGONIER Don Fischer, Pastor Divine Service9a m. Sunday School 8. Bible Class 10:30a m.

I From INDIANA UNIVERSITY News Bureau “Star of wonder ... Westward leading, still proceeding.. What was it that caused a group of astrologers to travel in search of a new king almost 2,000 years ago? The Star of Bethlehem is mentioned only in a few verses of the New Testament’s Book of Matthew (chapter 2:1-12) but it is one of the best known parts of the Christmas story. Historians and astronomers have been intrigued enough to devote much effort to figuring out what the unusual sight could have been. Nevertheless, there is no consensus. Several explanations have been proposed since the time of Johannes Kepler in the 17th century, but each new contribution has seemed to raise as many problems as it solved. Hollis Johnson, professor of astrology at Indiana University, has collected a number of journal articles and other materials on the subject. “The question of the star is divided into two parts.,’’ Johnson pointed out. One is astronomical: If a star was reported at the time, what was it? The other is astrological: Why did the wise men associate the star with the birth of Jesus?” The most perplexing astronomical problem is that the star was seen only by the wise men. Luke’s description of an angel announcing the birth of Jesus to shepherds in a field makes no mention of a star. According to Matthew, when the wise men arrived in Jerusalem they asked King Herod, “Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him.” Herod had no idea what they were talking about and had to summon his advisors. Apparently the astronomical event that inspired the wise men was significant only to them. This appears to rule out the possibility of a conspicuous comet, for example, which might otherwise be a good candidate. It reinforces

MILFORD CHAPEL Mennonite » (East Catherine Street) Arthur Hershberger. Pastor Amos Ramer Deacon Sunday School >oa m Worship Service 11 a m Sunday Evening Service 7p.m. Wednesday Service 7pm WAWASEE COMMUNITY CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE Ron Blake. Pastor Church School 9 30 a m Worship 10 30 a m Christian Living Studies 6pm Wednesday Midweek Service 7pm QUAKER HAVEN FRIENDS CHURCH (500E andYOON) DEWART LAKE Sunday School 9: 15 a m Worship 10 a m (Quaker Hall) May Starting Lakeside Service. Memorial Day Labor Day. E very Other Sunday. 8 30 a m ROCK CHURCH INTERDENOMINATIONAL (13- A & 1050 N, E. Lake Wawasee) Rev Sarah M Tuttle, and Dr Gary M. Tuttle. Pastors Morning Worship 10a.m Evening Worship 7 p.m Wednesday Bible School 7 p.m A SALEM COMMUNITY CHURCH (I'z Miles Southeast Os Wilmot) Pastor Elmer Miller Sunday School 9:30a m Morning Worship 10:30a.m Sunday Evening Service 7 p.m Prayer Bible Study Wednesday 7 p m BURR OAK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Lawrence Byrnes. Pastor Sunday School 9 30 a.m Worship 10:30 a.m CALVARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (SR 13 South) SYRACUSE David C Maish, Pastor Kim Conrad, Church School Supt. Church School 9:30a.m. Worship Service 10:40 a.m, CLUNETTE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Stewart Carter. Pastor H Sunday School 9:30a.m. Worship Service 10:30a.m. HASTINGS ISLAND CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH David Widmoyer, Pastor Mike Zimmerman, Jr., Supt. Kendall Biller. Asst. Supt. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship 10:30 a.m. Prayer Meeting Thursday 7:30p.m - tUNITEO METHODIST CHURCH LEESBURG Dale Mendenhall, Pastor Morning Worship 9:30a.m. • Church School 10:30a.m.

Star of Bethlehem study

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH MILFORD Robert Ellison. Pastor Dan Brown, Lay Leader Church School 9:15 a.m. Worship 10:30a m UMYF Sunday 5:30p.m. Bible Study Wed 7 OOp m MORRIS CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST R. 1, Pierceton Charles Taylor, Pastor Ron Cambell, Supt Sunday School 9:30 a m Worship 10:30a.m UNITED METHODIST CHURCH NORTHWEBSTER Rex Lmdemood, Pastor Worshipß:3oa.m. and 10:45a m Church School 9:30a m Senior High Youth Group, Sun 700 p m SAINT ANDREW'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH SYRACUSE Rev Lewis Hathaway, Pastor Church School 9:15 a.m. Worship Hour 10:30a m. UMYF 6:30p m. SOLOMON'S CREEK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Brian Clear, Pastor Worship9a.m. Sunday School 10a.m. WORDOF GRACE FELLOWSHIP Robert Lewis Drive West Side Irish Lake Allen & Peggy Giant, Pastors Sunday Worship 10 a.m. & 7 p.m. Wednesday 7 p.m. prayer meeting ZION CHAPEL U.B. CHURCH (Corner Syr. Web. Rd. and 1000 N) DonMerillat, Pastor Eric Kolberg, S.S. Supt. Sunday School 9a.m. Worship 10 a.m. Evening Worship 7 p.m SYRACUSE UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH (Corner Harrison A Pearl St J Ronald G. Looney. Pastor Sunday School 10a.m. Praise and Worship Sunday 6:30 p. m. Bible Study, Thursday 7:30p.m. WAWASEE LAKESIDE CHAPEL Harlan Steffen, Pastor Mark Pfeister, Supt. Sue Ganshorn, Primary Supervisor Worship Service 10a.m. Sunday School 11-a.m

the idea that the wise men were astrologers, for such men would have known how to interpret an astronomical event that would not have attracted more than the casual attention of ordinary people. Before anyone can even try to provide an astronomical explanation of the star of Bethlehem, therefore, it is necessary to know precisely when the wise men made their journey to Judea. That turns out to be difficult to determine. The most critical facts are: Herod was king when the wise men arrived in Jerusalem and after asking the wise men when the star had first appeared, Herod ordered the slaughter of all children in Bethlehem less than two years of age. This means the wise men could have arrived in Jerusalem more than a year after they first saw the star, since Herod apparenty concluded from what they said that Jesus could be almost two years old. The best clue available is a convincing determination by historians in recent years that Herod died in January, 2 B.C. This would mean Jesus was born in 3 or 2 B.C. as early church historians believed. Some fascinating astronomical events took place during that time. The most important were the two occasions when the brightest planets in the sky, Jupiter and Venus, appeared to come very close together. Modern astronomers have calculated that in the second encounter, on June 17, 2 8.C., the planets merged into a single dazzling “star” near the western horizon. Observers in countries to the east would have seen the fused planets as a beacon in the direction of Jerusalem. To astrologers Jupiter was associated with the birth of kings and Venus with fertility. Both close approaches of Jupiter and Venus took place in the constellation, Leo the lion, associated with the Jewish people. Furthermore, they happened near the brightest star in Leo, Regulus, most closely identified with kingship.

Hl Great Hobby - Start Today - Visit ow" Ok W pebble latch Originally Located At The Stoplight Now Just 1 Mile North Os North Webster On State Road 13 Clayton Garden Center Most Everything For Lawn & Garden Rt 2 Box 133 NORTHWEBSTER 834-2249 PRINTERS P.O. Box 446 Milford, IN 46542 (219)658-4180 W vx • Remodeling M ■ ■ AWtfAl!n * InaofßMe Repair WACKSONf » Fira-Storm, Etc. coMsmocnoM, mt.) | esT-seu | General Contractor Syracuse, in 46567 Byland Jewelers ■HBI “Complete Jewelry l| Service” 107 E. Main 457-4282 Syracuse . Let Us Solve Your Plumbing And Heating Problems VILLAGE PLUMBING & HEATING Rood 13 457-4349 South Os Syracuse Wawasee Boat Co. Chris Croft. Century. Ski Supreme. Viking, 5-2 Yachts. J.C. Pontoon. MacGregor Sailboats. Johnson Motors No Sole Is Complete Without Service R. 1 457-4404 SYRACUSE P 44 ~ Pacific Molasses Company Syracuse LOGAN MONUMENT CO. MONUMENT DISPLAY IN GOSHEN Phone Goshen 533-2161 Wawasee Service Center ifSnx Full & Self Service IK j JBJ Diesel IP Goßohne K-I Kerosene Mint Mor t 457 3217 SR 13 Across From Bowling Alley SyTOCUSG

The Bible does not mention how many wise men there were or where they came from. (The tradition of three wise men developed from the description of three gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.) It is reasonable to suppose that their journey took several months, however, since they had to cross several hundred miles of desert to reach Jerusalem. If they were in Jerusalem before dawn on Dec. 25, 2 8.C., they would have seen Jupiter “stopped” almost directly over Bethlehem, five miles to the south. They could have travelled the short distance to Bethlehem and presented their gifts that day, though Jesus by then would have been a child living with his parents in a house, not a manger. This implies that Jesus was born in the summer, making a better setting for Luke’s account of the shepherds. In December in Judea it was too cold for sheep to graze in the open fields and they were kept under shelter during the winter months. The date of Dec. 25 for Jesus’ birth was an arbitrary choice. Early Christians changed the date numerous times to avoid discovery by the Romans when persecution of Christianity was at its height. Eventually pec. 25 was established because it was the beginning of the Roman holiday of Saturnalia, when the days began to get longer again after the winter solstice. Amid the wild Roman celebration Christians felt in less danger of being detected in their own quiet celebration. The designation of Jupiter as the star of Bethlehem is the most recent attempt to provide an astronomical basis for the events described in the Bible. It eliminates a number of previous problems, most of which were caused by the belief that Herod died in 4 8.C., but it is probably not the last word on the subject. So little is known historically about the period when Jesus was born that new information may well provide a more accurate picture of what happened.