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236 years.

Celebrating Our Past; Imagining Our Future

United Presbyterian Church of Millstone

Established in 1786.

Consumed by fire;

rebuilt and re-dedicated,

debt-free in one year

by the congregation - 1884.

Visit our website

10:30 am Worship

Live-streaming at www.upcm.org

Childcare is available, except the first Sunday of each month

when we celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

The Sunday School year is in session; new are students welcome any time.

Communion - 1st Sunday of each month

We are hosting in-person and livestream worship.

Wearing a mask is optional.

"From Advent, through Christmas, to Epiphany, and beyond..."

Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany are seasons of longing, love, and joy. For the Church, Advent is the start of a new liturgical year. When the days are shortest and the nights are darkest, we remember: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:5). We enter into Israel's story, watching and waiting for the coming of the Messiah. Together, we sing: "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel!" Advent reminds us that we are in dire straights and in desperate need of salvation, salvation from sickness, from poverty, from loneliness, from sin.

Then, on Christmas Eve, we come together to celebrate the arrival of the baby, "a Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11). We sing: "Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright." We light candles, dispelling the darkness and welcoming in the love and joy of Christmas. This year, Christmas Day is particularly special in that it falls on Sunday, the Lord's Day, and we hope that you will join us for worship on Christmas morning. Now, while most of the world around us will take down their lights and pack up their Christmas decorations on December 26th and start setting up for Easter, we know that the celebration of Christmas has only just begun. As the song reminds us, there are "Twelve Days of Christmas!" So don't feel guilty if your Christmas lights are still up after New Year's; they're supposed to be! Take in the twelve days this year by considering ever deeper the gift that we have in Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.

The Christmas season concludes with the celebration of the Epiphany on January 6th. Epiphany means "manifestation" or "appearance." We sing "We three Kings" and remember the gifts of the Magi to the infant Jesus. During Epiphany and the weeks following, our worship focuses on the Incarnation. We begin with the Baptism of the Lord on January 8th and focus on the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus until the First Sunday of Lent in late February.

We have much to anticipate and much to celebrate over the next several weeks. We welcome you to join us each Sunday throughout these seasons of longing, love, and joy.

The Sunday School Christmas Pageant will be held on December 11th with Pageant Rehearsal on December 4th after worship and on December 11th at 9:00 am. There will be an ALL Church Christmas Luncheon following worship with each family asked to bring a dish to share. As busy as he is, Santa is expected to drop in for a visit!

A Christmas Cantata will be performed

by our Choir conducted by

our Music Director Avi S. Wolf

on Sunday, December 18th.

Our Christmas Services

Christmas Eve

7:00 pm Candlelighting Service

11:00 pm Candlelighting Service

Christmas Day

10:30 am Christmas Worship

Advent Study: Birth Narratives from the Bible

Each Monday evening during Advent, we will be studying a birth narrative from the Bible. The first two birth narratives will come from the Old Testament, focusing on the stories of Moses and the prophet Samuel. The third Sunday of Advent is traditionally Gaudate Sunday or Joy Sunday and focuses on the witness of John the Baptist. So we will learn about his birth during the third week of Advent. Finally, we will turn to the birth of Jesus. There is no need to buy anything like a book or a study guide for this study. All you need is your bible and an internet connection. The first part of each session will be devoted to reading the birth narratives from Scripture together. Then we will consider what these narratives tell us about God and how they can help us to understand better the birth of Jesus. Join us on the following dates and times using the Zoom link below:

Monday, December 5 @ 7:00 PM - The Birth of Samuel
Monday, December 12 @ 7:00 PM - The Birth of John
Monday, December 19 @ 7:00 PM - The Birth of Jesus

Zoom Link for Advent Study: https://zoom.us/j/96578059535

Tuesday Morning Bible Study: On Dec. 6th & 13th, we’ll look at The Birth of Jesus in the Gospels and on video. On Dec. 20th, 27th, and Jan. 3rd, there will be no class. Class resumes on January 10th when we will begin with II Corinthians. This class is being held at the ministry center at 11:00 am.

Operation Christmas Child

Thank you to all those who prepared a shoebox filled with gifts destined for a child around the world who would not otherwise receive a gift at Christmas! 40 shoeboxes were blessed at our church before delivery to a Jackson church where they were blessed once more before heading to their destinations. This is the true meaning of Christmas Joy!

And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven

may forgive you your trespasses.

Mark 11:25

Please lift up in prayer Vasiliy and Svetlana from Perehonivka, Ukraine as well as many men from this village who are on the front lines, some of whom are missing. Please pray for them to come back home safely to their families. Pray for their lives, their health, their families and for PEACE.
Please pray for Nate, a boy who is fighting cancer. Pray for healing, strength and positive spirits for him and his family and the wisdom of his doctors.

For God is not the author of confusion,

but of PEACE,

as in all churches of the saints.

-1 Corinthians 14:33

Sanctuary Audio Visual and Live Streaming

It has been over two years of live streaming of our worship services. Every past service (since mid 2020) and upcoming service remains available and can be accessed at:

https://youtube.com/channel/UCaRIvsiyd_RRL5yUeqfvq3A

If you ever miss or are unable to attend, or just want to go back and watch a sermon or any part of worship, please check it out!

Assistive Listening Devices are available during worship. These discrete devices allow you to set the volume in a small earbud that you place in your ear. Please try one if you need assistance hearing our service. Elder Mark Francisco who runs our livestream, and is located at the back of the sanctuary, can assist you.

Lord, I have loved the habitation of your house,

and the place where your honor dwells.

-Psalm 26:8

Restoring Hearts Ministry for the homeless in the Trenton and Ewing area is in need of winter clothing: sweatpants, sweatshirts, gently-worn winter coats, new socks, hats, gloves, scarves, and sleeping bags. For further info, contact barbaratruscinski@gmail.com / 732-995-9484.

Reverse Advent Calendar to collect for our Food Pantry!

Click HERE for our Reverse Advent Calendar

Master Gardeners Larry Cier and Peggy Beck were able to grow and harvest about 300 pounds of various vegetables, including tomatoes, melons & potatoes for donation to the Caring Hearts Food Pantry in 2022.

"On behalf of the Caring Hearts Food Pantry,

our heartfelt thanks for your generous donations of beautiful produce again this year. It means so much to our patrons!"

Blessings always, Barbara Truscinski

Caring Hearts Food Pantry

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Caring Hearts is open from 10:00 am to 12 noon

on the second and fourth Saturdays

of each month or by appointment

at 213 Millstone Road, which adjoins the church parking lot.

Please contact Barbara at 732-995-9484.

Thank you to Millstone Scout Pack 116 and their Troop leader Brian McNamara who donated food to our Caring Hearts Food Pantry, and donated clothing and blankets for Restoring Hearts Ministry for the homeless in Trenton and Ewing! Well done and thank you!

Well done Millstone Girl Scout Troop 157

who donated LOTS of food as well!

Thank you so much as these items will go very quickly this winter!

Book club.....now reading......

Next selection is Beartown by Fredrik Backman, the 1st book in a trilogy. It’s about a town and a game, about loyalty, commitment, responsibilities of friendship; the people we disappoint even though we love them; and decisions we make every day that come to define us. Next mtg is Mon., Dec. 12th at 7 pm in the ministry center. For more info, email Joan @ jrudderow@aol.com.

Blessed shall you be when you come in,

and blessed shall you be when you go out.

Deuteronomy 28:6

Join us for Thursday morning Breakfast Get-Togethers

at Gus's Diner at 9:00 am!

LOTS of ladies enjoy this fellowship!

Remembering....

We fondly remember the lives and service of

beloved former members of our church family:

Augustus 'Gus' Bahm, Frank Palmer and

Charles Edward Van Hise, who passed

during the month of December in years past.

But as touching brotherly love, you need not

that I write unto you: for you yourselves

are taught of God to love one another.

1 Thessalonians 4:9

If you love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:15