Merry Christmas

The Youth Christmas Program ~ 2007

These are photos of Groveville Methodist Church's Youth Christmas Program, performed today. This was The Nativity as described by our youth in their words and happening in their time.

Then there was the more traditional way of describing the nativity.

Sunlight on the Altar

One day I happened to be in the church during the afternoon and the light was shining on the alter through the front window. I had my camera, as I usually do, and took this picture, it just caught my eye.

The Angel Tree

This is the Angel Tree today, with one week to go we have this many presents for the needy. The earlier photo was soon after the tree was put up, many more presents have been added.

Tree Lighting Service~2007

Each year on the first Sunday after Thanksgiving The Groveville Methodist Church holds a short service in front of the Blue Spruce tree next to the church.
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Invitations are given to every household in Groveville and all are welcome.
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It is a nice chance for the community, of all religions, to come together and celebrate the beginning of the Christmas Season. There is a live Nativity, this year consisting of the youth of the church, the animals we usually have at the live nativity were not available this year. After the service everyone is invited to the hall for Cookies, Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Tea, and Cider.
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The tree is decorated the week before, under the direction of George Goldy. The tree was donated to the church as a normal eight foot Blue Spruce, the tree grows approximately one foot each year and it is now approximately thirty feet high. It has become a problem to trim the top of the tree and place the star. A normal ladder will not work, it is off the street, in the cemetery, so most bucket trucks will not reach. In the past we have had the Mission Fire Company of Bordentown Township assist, with their ladder truck.
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For the past two years we have been fortunate to have a bucket truck from Mercer County stop by and put the star and the top string of lights on for us. The tree requires more lights every two years.

The Sanctuary on the night of the tree lighting, empty, it was all happening outside.

This is our Angel tree, on the right side of the Sanctuary. The tree is placed there before Thanksgiving and is decorated with paper Angels & Snow Flakes, each with the name of a needy child and their age. These children are not necessarily from the church.
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Members of the church pick a decoration off the tree, purchase a present for that child, wrap it, tag it, and place it under the tree. The gifts are given to these children for Christmas.

The Christmas Tree lighting service, with a full moon, nice touch.

Pastor Fran and our live Nativity, consisting of the youth of the church.

This is a portion of the people of the community that came out for the Tree Lighing Service.

When we put out the word in church that we needed cookies for after the tree lighting, we get cookies, twenty seven trays of cookies and brownies, all piled high, we do eat good.

This is a small portion of those that came out for the tree lighting, there were over one hundred that were at the service and most came and shared in the food afterward. It was nice to see all those gathered together to share in the service and the community fellowship that followed. Most stayed for over an hour, chatting with friends. It's what community is all about.

Tree Trimming - 2007

George Goldy, Ron Robinson, & Ron's grandson trim the Blue Spruce next to the Groveville Methodist Church,November 17, 2007. This for our Christmas season and our Community Tree Lighting Service this Sunday. I would have helped, but I was holding the camera.

Tree Removal

Ron Robinson, George Goldy, Trudy Atkins, and Ron's Grandson are filling in the spot where the large Sugar Maple tree stood in front of the church. Trudy had an arborist remove the stump and now she is filling it in with top soil. Ron and George are offering her encouragement, just joking guys. I would have helped, but I was holding the camera.

Christmas Tree Lighting ~ 2006

Candle light Christmas tree lighting service ~ 2006. Our Blue Spruce looking very nice. Amanda Fitzgerald (in blue) and Kati Lippincott Lighting their candles for the service.

Live Nativity ~ 2006

This was part of our live Nativity, 2006

Sallie Holzbaur

Sallie Holzbaur has been our organist, pianist, music and choir director for over fifty years. She does a wonderful job of creating and directing our Christmas Cantata, and all other music related endeavors. For several years Sallie was our Lay-Leader. Our church would be lost without Sallie.

Our Choir At Christmas

Our Choir At Christmas ~ 2006

Pastor Lin Christmas 2006

Pastor Lin Hofacker delivering her final Christmas Service at Groveville, December, 2006, before her retirement in 2007

Pastor Lin and Diana Kasper

Pastor Lin Hofacker and Diana Kasper

lighting the candles, Christmas, 2006

Children's Choir ~ 2005

Our Children's Choir performing for the Bishop, 2005

Bishop Devadhar's visit -2005

Bishop Devadhar visited Groveville Methodist Church in 2005

2007 Group Photo