The Mail-Journal, Volume 29, Number 45, Milford, Kosciusko County, 19 December 1990 — Page 15

Church doings Church Doings lists local and area religious news and special events. Send your church bulletins and news releases to Religious Editor, The Mail-Journal, P.O. Box 188, Milford, Ind. 46542. The deadline for receiving information is Monday before publication. Advent Services • Wawasee Community Church of the Nazarene, 10059 N SR 13, will present a sermon entitled “People Who ■* Missed Christmas” during this week’s 10:30 a.m. Sunday service and another entitled “People Who Found Christmas” at the 6 p.m. Sunday service. • Calvary United Methodist, 801 Huntington St., Syracuse, will present a sermon entitled “The Scene Is Set” this Sunday at its 8:30 and 10:40 a.m. services. The services will include inspirational music and anthems. D Christmas Services • Calvary United Methodist will have two candlelight worship services Christmas Eve, a family service at 7 p.m. and a traditional service at 10:30 p.m. Christmas Pageant • Bethel Church of the Brethren, corner of East and Catherine Streets, Milford, will present “Christmas Time,” a Christmas musical by Buryi Red and Terry Kirkland, during this Sunday’s 10:30 a.m. service. The children’s choir, shepherd, wise men and angels will act out the Christmas story. Elmer Sorenson will play the part of a grandfather, and Rich Robison will be his grandchild. Phil Dowty will play the part of Joseph, and Barbara Leininger will portray Mary. A time machine will take viewers back to the days,of Bethlehem. The Christmas musical will be repeated in the Sunday evening service, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. Both performances are open to the public.

willlg™ / >iz_y r « —■• '■^■•■'■'— B* 'W • * wtr' •’'-?;>•-■■■“■ 4 I 1 Kj J I I Q/| - ■WW Mt I »r Tk >■■& • ■bl „ >' i a x W J> few ■2 gi js i

CHILDREN’S MUSICAL — The children of Wawasee Community Church of the Nazarene, SR 13S, Syracuse, presented a Christmas musical Sunday evening, Dec. 16. There were approximately 303 guests who attended the musical which was directed by Lisa Stiles. Shown left to right are Amy Erwin, Joel Tindal, Sam Griggs, Kara Tindal, Sara Craig, Brandon Reynolds and Jenny Detwiler. . ' p

Lakeland Churches

S WARSAW SYRACUSE NORTH WEBSTER Builders 1 Realtors !••’ Us tQT* 'X' Buy Or Sell Build Your £ J With Us House j 457-4444 *».| (Over 51 Years ' Combined Experience) • CORRECT CRAFT ’«’*k’ •BOSTON WHALER • HARRIS FLOTBOTE *4SB UU9UU9CDD • HARRIS FLOTDECK Ml* WOndOUO • MERCURY OUTBOARDS manna • TRAILMASTER TRAILER 8511-97 AR e , „ ' UJU ZZOQ Fomtly Owned Since 1946 rubber Isßli PRODUCTS, INC. RJsSUxCI 457-3141 501 South Sycamore Sigmund Inc. GOSHEN Indiana : m»*i J«w«l«rs / ELKHART Open Daily 9 A.M. To 5:30 P.M. THE LEESBURG BANK Office Os Member First National Bank Os Warsaw fwlV <V/\HUB'S SUNOCO /&ilMnf*lV Hub Wilkinson URUIdlv 106 S. Huntingon St. SYRACUSE, IN 457-5535

When was Christ Jesus born? December date is plausible

By B.J. ZIMMERMAN To many the question of when Christ was born has become a source of dispute and disheartenment. Many would have us believe that the holiday is better ignored than celebrated. As this tends to pull us away from the cheerful and festive mood we are inclined to feel at this time of year, it would be well to look at some of the evidence available to us as to the birth of Christ. The problem before us is that many seemingly infallible arguments have been presented that would tend to prove that Christians are wrong and foolish to celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25. One such argument is that winter pagan celebrations were transferred to Christmas. It is true that pagans of old held the 25th day of December as the day when their god became incarnate. It is also true that Northern mythology records several events and traditions having to do with pecember as celebrated by the pagan people. December, the Yule month, or Thor’s month, was considered

APOSTOLIC CHRISTIAN MILFORD Jesse Beer, Nelson Beer Will Schieler and Walter Steffen, Ministers Morning Worship 10 a.m Afternoon Worship 12:15 p.m FILADELFIA EVANGELICAL SPANISH ASSEMBLY OF GOD, SYRACUSE Bi Lingual Services Pastor Domingo Melendez Sunday School 9:30a.m. Sunday Worship 11 a m. and 6 30 p m Wednesday Bible Study 6.30 p m AWANA Clubs Wednesday 6:30 pm CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH (Armstrong Road) OSWEGO Roderick V. Smith, Pastor Sunday School 9 :30 a m Morning Worship 10:30 a.m. Sunday Evening Worship 6 p.m Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7 p.m AWANA Clubs Wednesday 6:15 p m Word of Life Club Wednesday 6 15 pm FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF OSWEGO Rev. Gary Coby, Pastor Sunday School 9 30 a m Worship Service 10:30 a m WAWASEE HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH (Across From High School) Jerry Walden, Pastor Jim Rodgers, Youth Pastor Doug Smith, S S Supt Sunday School 9:30 a m Worship 10:30a m and6pm Mid Week Wednesday 7pm AWANA Clubs Wednesday 6:30 p 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 BETHELCHURCH OF THE BRETHREN MILFORD Verne H. Leininger, Pastor ArlieWaggy, Bd Chm. Sunday School 9:30a.m. Worship 10:30a.m. GRACE BRETHREN CHURCH LEESBURG Jeffery Hoffard, Pastor Dennis Reed, Moderator Sunday School 10 50 a m. Morning Worship 9 30 a m Fellowship 10:30 am Sunday Evening Worship 6 p m Bible Study, S.M M & Boys Club, Wednesday 7 p.m • NEW SALEM CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN (900NA200E) Robert Rice, Jr , Pastor Sunday Bible Study 9 30 a m Worship Service 10X am Evening Worship 7 p.m Bible Study, 7 p.m. Wednesday

sacred to Frey, the one who presides over rain and sunshine, as well as to Thor, the thunder god. The month began op the longest night of the year, Mother Night. It was a time of feasting and rejoicing as it heralded the return of the sun after the people had continually seen the days getting shorter and shorter, until almost total darkness covered far Northern countries throughout the day. The festival was call Yule, meaning wheel, because the sun was supposed to resemble a wheel rapidly revolving across the sky. The people would assemble yearly upon a mountain to set fire to a huge wooden wheel, twined with straw. This wheel, all ablaze, was then sent rolling down a hill and plunged with a hiss into water. All the Northern races considered the Yule feast the greatest of the year, celebrating it with dance, feasting and drinking — each god being pledged by name. The missionaries, recognizing the great popularity of the feast, thought it would be best to encourage drinking to the No room: History repeated itself (EDITOR’S NOTE: The following first appeared in “Our Daily Bread.’’) In the fall of 1775, the manager of Baltimore’s largest hotel refused lodging to a man dressed like a farmer because he thought the man’s lowly appearance would discredit his inn. So the man left and found lodging elsewhere. Later, the innkeeper discovered that he 1 had turned away none other than the Vice President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson! Immediately he sent a note to the famed patriot; asking him to return and be his guest. Jefferson replied, “I have already engaged a room. I value your good intentions highly, but if you have no place far a dirty American farmer, you have none for the Vice President of the United States.” \ Likewise, almost 2,000 years ago an innkeeper had no room for the King of Ages.

CHURCHOFTHE BRETHREN NORTH WEBSTER Tim Walts, Pastor Morning Worship 9:30a.m. Sunday School 10:30a.m. CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN SYRACUSE Philip Shankster, Pastor Sunday School 9:30a.m. Morning Worship 10 30 a m. Sunday Evening Bible Study 6 p.m TURKEYCREEKCHURCH OF THE BRETHREN GRAVELTON Kenneth Swank, Pastor Church School 9 30a.m. Worship 10 30 a m SAINT MARTIN DE PORRES CATHOLIC CHURCH SYRACUSE Father Richard Urbine Saturday Mass 5 p m Sunday Mass7a m ,9a m , 10 30a m Confession — Saturday 4pm Holy Days — Vigil Mass 7 p.m ,7am and 7pm OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH (4th And Main Streets) MILFORD Father Paul Bueter Bro. James Llnscbtt, Administrator Sunday Mass 10:30a.m. FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTISTS (17$ N. Detroit) WARSAW Sunday School 10 a m Sunday Service 10a.m. Wednesday 7p m GOSHEN FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST Service 10 30 a m Sunday School 10 30 a m Wednesday Service 7 45 p m Reading Room open Monday, Thursday and Friday. 11 a m to 3 p m BIBLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH NORTH WEBSTER Lonnie Nicholl, Pastor Sunday School 9 30a.m. Worship 10 30 a m & 6 p m CHRISTIAN CHURCH MILFORD Chris Mahan, Senior Minister Brian Wilcox, Youth Minister Sunday School 9:45a.m. Worshipß:3oa m. & 10:40a.m. Wednesday Bible Study 7 p.m. NORTHERN LAKES CHRISTIAN CHURCH Located 14 cottages east of the Tip pecanoe Country Club, EMS 35, Country Club Lane, Lake Tippecanoe Thorpe and Karen Mitchell. Pastors Worship Services Sunday 10 a.m. &

6pm Wednesday 7 p.m

health of the Lord and the 12 apostles when they first began to convert the Northern heathens. In Scandinavia, King Olaf transferred most of the festival’s observances to Christmas day to help reconcile the ignorant people to their change of religion. However, while it is true that pagans had their own festivals at 'this time of year, this is no proof that Christ was not also born at this time of year. Rather, it would seem to verify Paul’s statement about the pagans, “who changed the truth of God into a lie” (Romans 1:25), by revealing how and why these pagan beliefs developed. Another argument raised by some is that shepherds could not have been in the fields watching their sheep in the middle of winter. The theory here is that December is very cold in Israel and snow sometimes covers the ground. Therefore, a more comfortable month like August or September would have been more likely. Those who hold this view either have not been to the Holy Land in winter or have not talked to those who have been. Those who have been to the Holy Land in late December have not only seen shepherds keeping watch over their sheep in the fields, but they have seen the sheep grazing quite happily while in the cold. The time of the “greater rains” begins around December 15, causing the grass to grow quickly and lushly, thus providing a feast for sheep and cattle. Instead of being in the folds, as they are during the dry summer, wool-clad sheep are enjoying the high, green grass while their shepherds keep watch, day and night. And of course, the shepherds had to be out in the fields with the sheep, for the the Lord was born in an empty stable when the animals were away. While other, more minor, arguments have been raised, it is time to determine whether or not Scripture gives us any assistance in determining when Christ was born. An often overlooked, but very valuable portion of Scripture describes King David organizing the Temple services for Solomon. I Chronicles 24 outlines the divi-

CHURCHOF GOD NORTHWEBSTER Stephen W Fouts, Pastor James Davey, Associate Steven Clarke. Associate Men's Prayer Breakfast 6 30 a m Worship 8 a m Sunday School 9 30 a.m. Worship Celebration 10 45 a m Evening Service of Praise 6 p m. CHURCH OF GOD SYRACUSE Ron Bruce, Pastor Paul Yeager, S S Supt Sunday School 9 30 a m Morning Worship 10:30 a m Junior Worship 10 30a m Evening Worship 6 45 p m ALL SAINTS' EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOUTH SHORE LAKE WAWASEE Vicar Rev David L. Hyndman Holy Eucharist 9 a.m FIRST BRETHREN CHURCH MILFORD Paul Tinkel, Pastor Church School 9 15a.m. Morning Worship 10 30 a m BYC Sunday 6:30 p.m Mid Week Worship 7 p.m FREEDOM CHAPEL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP (Corner Syra/Webster Rd. & 1000 N) SYRACUSE Ray Shanklin, Pastor Sunday Worship 10 a.m. & 6 p.m. Wednesday Worship 7 p.m. GRACE BIBLE CHURCH SYRACUSE Dr David R Haifley. Pastor Sunday School 9 45 a m Morning Worship 11 a m Sunday Evening Service 7p.m. Wednesday Evening Service 7p.m. JEHOVAH'S WITNESS KINGDOM HALL (East Papakeechie Lake Drive) Sunday Public Lecture 9 30a m Watchtower Study 10 30 a.m Tuesday, Study of Prophecy 7 30 p.m Thursday, Ministry School 7 p.m. CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH (111 W. Orange St.) CROMWELL Laraine Sundin. Pastor Sunday School 9 a.m. Worship Service 10a m GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH (200 E. Main St.) SYRACUSE Richard Dunning. Pastor Worship 9 15 am Sunday School 10 30 a m TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD LIGONIER Don Fischer, Pastor Divine Service 8 A 10:X A.M. Sunday School A Bible Class 9:15 a.m.

sion of the priests into 24 orders, with two orders serving the Temple each month of the year. Verse 10 should be of special note as it says, *. . . the eighth to Abijah.” Abijah, being the eighth order, served the fourth month, July — the first month being April according to the Jewish calendar. This portion of Scripture become invaluable when we read in Luke 1:5, “There was in the days of Herod, the King of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia...” This is, the same course seen in I Chronicles 24: Abijah, the Hebrew word, and Abia, the Greek word. Thus, Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, was serving his term during the month of July. Beginning with verse 23 of Luke 5, we read, “And it came to pass

E.l -V ■ 11’STOW' & ftw JUh fl '• p Mg IB , / {■Win 1 k 1911 i

FEAST DAY CELEBRATION — Children of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Milford, re-enacted the appearance of the “dark virgin" mother of Christ. Catholics believe the apparition occurred to Juan Diego, an Indian, in the 16th century in the vicinity of Mexico City. An estimated 275 parishioners celebrated the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe with Mass on Saturday evening, Dec. 15. The children’s presentation and a parish potluck dinner followed the service. (Photo by Linda Musselman) &

MILFORD CHAPEL Mennonite (East Catherine Street) Arthur Hershberger, Pastor Amos Ramer, Deacon Sunday School 10 am Worship Service 11 a m. Sunday Evening Service 7 p.m Wednesday Service 7 p.m. DEWART LAKE COMMUNITY FRIENDSCHURCH t (500E and 900 N) DEWART LAKE Lou Herchenroeder, Pastor Sunday School 9a.m. Worship 10a.m. (Quaker Hall) Kids in Christ Youth Group Thursday, 7 p.m. WAWASEE COMMUNITY CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE Ron Blake, Pastor Steve Griggs, Associate Pastor Church School 9:30 a.m. Worship 10:30a.m. Even ing Wor sh Ip 6p.m. Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7 p.m. ROCK CHURCH INTERDENOMINATIONAL (13-AA 1050 N, E. Lake Wawasee) Rev Sarah M Tuttle, and Dr Gary M Tuttle, Pastors Morning Worship 10 a.m Evening Worship 7 p m Wednesday Bible School 7p m SALEM COMMUNITY CHURCH (1V» Miles Southeast Os Wilmot) Pastor Kurt B Church Sunday School 9 45 a m Morning Worship 10 30a.m. Sunday Evening Serviced p m Prayer Bible Study Wednesday 7pm BURR OAK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Lawrence Byrnes, Pastor Sunday School 9 30 a. m Worship 10 30 am SYRACUSE CALVARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (SR 13 South) Dr James J Babbitt, Pastor Kim Contad. Church School Supt Sherry Leedy, Youth Worker Church School 9 30 a m Worship Service 8 30a m. and 10 40 a m CLUNETTE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH John Bell, Pastor Sunday School 9:Xa.m. Worship Service lO Xa.m HASTING ISLAND CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Gary Lewis. Pastor Kendall Biller, Supt Sunday School 9: X a m Worship 10: X a m Prayer Meeting Wednesday l OOp m

Wed., December 19,1990 — THE MAIL-JOURNAL

that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he (Zacharias) departed to his own house. And after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived ... ” Elizabeth become pregnant around August or September, with her first month being either September or October. Continuing from Luke 5:26, the progression Os time is outlined by saying that in Elizabeth’s sixth month, either February or March, the virgin Mary conceived. Mary’s first month would then be either March or April, with her ninth month being either November or December. With this scriptural evidence, plus the fact of the “greater rains” beginning December 15, we can safely assume that Christ was born in December.

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH LEESBURG Pastor Don Shanks Morning Worship 9:30 a m Church School 10 30a m UNITED METHODIST CHURCH MILFORD Ben Whirledge, Pastor Dan Brown, Lay Leader Church School 9:15a.m. Worship 10.30a.m. UMYF Sunday 5:30p.m. Bible Study Wednesday 7pm MORRIS CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST R. 1, PIERCETON Rev Christine Newman Jacobs Bob Wine, S.S Supt Ron Campbell, Asst SS Supt Sunday School 9 30 a m Worship 10 30 a m UNITED METHODIST CHURCH NORTHWEBSTER Pastor Richard Taylor WprshipS 30a.m. and 10 45a m Church School 0:30a.m. Senior High Youth Group, Sunday, 6 p.m. SAINT ANDREW'S UNITEDMETHODIST CHURCH SYRACUSE Rev. Kenneth Overmyer, Pastor Church School 9:30 a.m. Worship 10:30a.m. UMYF Sunday 6:30p.m. Bible Study Wednesday 6 p.m SOLOMON'S CREEK UNITEDMETHODIST CHURCH Harold North, Pastor Worship 9am Sunday School 10 a m SYRACUSE UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH (Corner Harrison & Pearl St.) Ronald Cox, Pastor Sunday School 10a.m. Praise and Worship Sunday 6 Xp.m Bible Study, Thursday 7 30 p m WAWASEE LAKESIDE CHAPEL (10419 N. Turkey Creek Rd.) Harlan Steffen, Pastor Worship Service 10a.m. Sunday School 11 a m. t ■ ■ WAWASEt COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH MILFORD Tom Speicher, Pastor Sunday School. All Ages. 9 30a m Morning Worship 11 a m WORD OF GRACE FELLOWSHIP CHURCH (CR 300E A Rookstool Rd.) Allen Giant, Pastor Worship Service 10 am Bible Stuffy, 7 p.m. Wednesday

Therefore, we Christians can enjoy the birthday of Jesus Christ, the one who died to pay for our sins and rose again to give us eternal life. Rather than being discouraged by the commercialization, Christians can treat this holiday as God intended it to be when He had His angels announce, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring to you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born THIS DAY in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). B.J. Zimmerman Is a freelance writer from Milford who teaches English part-time at two area colleges.

Byland Jewelers “Complete Jewelry Service” 107 E. Main 457-4282 Syracuse ICOHSmCTTOII, DK ) 1457-54171 General Contractor Syracuse, in 46567 @ Wawasee Service Center Full & Self Service Diesel LP Gasoline K-1 Kerosene 457-3217 Mini-Mart SR 13 Across from Syracuse Attend The Church Os Your Choice Let Ils Solve Your Plumbing & Heating Problems VILLAGE PLUMBING & HEATING Road 13 457-4349 South Os Syracuse Wawasee Boat Co. Century, Rinker. J.C. Pontoons, Ski Centurion, Seo Nymph, Catalina, MacGregor, Hobie. Laser/Sunfish Power And Sail North Side Os Lake Wawasee 457-4404 B/M - Pacific Molasses Company Syracuse LOGAN MONUMENT CO. MONUMENT DISPLAY IN GOSHEN Phone Goshen 533-2101

15