Facilitator's Workshop

What: A great time to fellowship, connect with PWOC’s teaching team, sharpen your leadership skills, and explore the possibility of being a co-facilitator or facilitator with PWOC.

When – Saturday, 8 January

Where – Renee B’s (email for house number)

Time – 0900 – 1130

Light breakfast will be served

If you are currently facilitating or co-facilitating a PWOC Bible study, attendance is STRONGLY encouraged. If you are willing to co-facilitate or sub as needed in a PWOC Bible study this semester, attendance is greatly encouraged. We’d love to have you join us if the idea of facilitating a Bible Study “someday” intrigues you.

We will not be able to provide child care/ministry. PLEASE RSVP to De’Etta by 4 January to insure enough breakfast and handouts!

Sweet Night

PWOC is excited to be planning a Sweet Night for the wives of our deployed service members.

When: Friday, February 11th, 7-8:30pm

Where: Chapel

Mark your calendars now for an evening of desserts, drinks, friendship and fellowship as we laugh along with Christian comedian and Army wife Carol Summar Simpson. This is a FREE event and all wives of deployed service members are welcome. Children's ministry will be available but space is limited.

RSVP by February 9th to Susane.

Updates

The blog has been updated! Check the "Current Bible Studies" page for information on upcoming Winter Studies. The new Bible studies will begin January 3rd, less than a week away!

What a great way to kick of the New Year!

Where's Home?

Submitted By De’Etta Goecker, Asia Region President

This simple question raises a dilemma for many third culture kids and military spouses, me included. “Where IS home?”

How do I answer?

If the person seems like one with whom I’d like to strike up a conversation, or one that is honestly interested, I often say, “Africa or The Philippines”. If the person seems to be simply fulfilling social obligations, I’ll say, “Oregon,” and let it drop. If they seem interested after that, I’ll say, “My parents were missionaries, and we spent furloughs in OR.” If they are STILL interested, we go on to discuss Africa, Philippines, boarding school, Montana, Texas, Alaska, Japan…. Since home is where the heart is, many in my family respond to the question with one word, “Alaska”.

The reality for many of us in the midst of an OConus assignment is we will not “be home for Christmas.” We have parents, spouses, and/or children who we may not see during these Holy Days. I’ve been musing.

As Christians we know that, “This world is not our home”. I eagerly anticipate the time when farewells will cease and we’ll endlessly worship Jesus together, face to face. But for this season….separations from dear ones hurt.

“Home is where the heart is”. Hmmm… If this is true, and I begin to think it is, then it is possible for home to be a spot I’ve never seen. It’s possible home is in Spokane, WA…Eugene, OR…Crescent City, CA….Anchorage, AK….San Angelo, TX…Mangagoy; PI….Liberia, W Africa and Kabul, Afghanistan. The ultimate home being heaven….

It seems to me that no matter where I travel…or where pieces of my heart land with loved ones…if home IS where the heart is… regardless of physical location…I am always HOME for the Holy Days.

And so this season, I’ll be contentedly home in OR, home in TX, home in CA, and home in Japan, while dreaming of great reunions to come when we’ll all be truly HOME together – forever.

I count it a joy to be “home” with so many of you in Asia. Please know I’m praying for you as you enter this season of celebrating our Lord’s birth in a country that may not always feel like “home” to you. I pray for a new awareness of all God’s heavenly gift means to us, and for you to bring a touch of “home” to all you interact with this season. Remember, I’m only a Skype away if you would like to talk this season.

Prayer Coordinator

We would like to announce that Erika will be the new Prayer Coordinator for Misawa PWOC. The purpose of the Prayer Coordinator is to partner with us as we pray for the needs of our members and community. If you have prayer requests that you would like to share with her directly, you can email her at Misawa_PWOC_prayer@yahoo.com. She will treat all prayer requests in a confidential manner.

White Chocolate Covered Peppermint Cookies

These cookies, with their white chocolate shell and bright red peppermint sprinkles, make for a very festive holiday platter. They are crispy and delicious, reminiscent of Girl Scout Thin Mints. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Ingredients

1 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling cookies

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

5 tbsp butter, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk

3/4 tsp mint extract

4 candy canes, crushed

2 (12 oz) bags white chocolate chips

4 tbsp shortening

Directions

1. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Cream butter and sugar, then gradually beat in egg and yolk. Mix in mint extract. Slowly add flour mixture, and beat until incorporated. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm (at least 1 hour, up to two days).

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Dough can be difficult to work with, but will be easier to roll out if the surface and rolling pin are cold. If you have a mat or large cutting board you want to use, put it and the rolling pin in the freezer for 10 minutes prior to rolling out the cookies. It can also be helpful to roll the dough between two sheets of wax paper. Roll out one disk of dough at a time, on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. If you find that the dough is sticky by the time it's rolled out, chill it for a few minutes in the freezer before cutting out the cookies.

3. Line cookie sheets with wax paper. Cut cookies using a 2-inch cookie cutter and place on cookie sheet, 1/2 inch apart. Bake 11-12 minutes. Transfer cookies and wax paper to wire racks to let cool. Roll and cut dough scraps once.

4. Sift crushed candy to separate larger pieces from dust, keeping both. Melt chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl placed over a pot of gently boiling water. Stir chocolate occasionally. Be sure that bowl is not actually touching the water. When chocolate is almost completely melted, remove from heat. (If left on heat, chocolate will burn and develop a paste-like consistency.) Stir until smooth.

5. Using tongs or forks, dunk cookies in chocolate, let excess chocolate drip off, and place on wax paper to cool. Before chocolate sets up, sprinkle some of the cookies with peppermint pieces and the rest with peppermint dust. Refrigerate until set.

Ladies Christmas Tea

What: Ladies Christmas Tea

When: Saturday, December 4^th, 10am-noon

Where: Susane’s home

Information: Contact Susane (misawapwocprez@yahoo.com) for more information

December Nursing Home Visits

Join PWOC this month for two nursing home visits. The first visit is Friday the 17th to celebrate birthdays. Then, on Tuesday, the 21st for a special Christmas visit. We are surprising the whole nursing home with hand tied fleece blankets that say, "God Loves Me!" for all the residents and staff. We will sing Carols and bring Christmas cookies. Both visits will begin at the BX parking lot near main gate at 3:30.

Contact Twyla if you are interested in donating cookies for the Christmas visit.

misawa_outreach@yahoo.com