The Patriot Press
December 18th, 2020
2020 has been an unpredictable year. School went virtual. People have been instructed to wear masks, and the word "Quarantine" made it into our vocabulary. More guidelines for the unknown COVID virus was recommended, and more adjustments than not have been made. So, this year more than any other, one might feel the need to make Christmas extra special, especially if you did not spend Thanksgiving with family or have not been able to see them in sometime. Members of The Patriot Press wanted to give you some ideas on how to do just that, so we hope that you enjoy our last newsletter of 2020 and enjoy some of the activies we have provided for you.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your CCA family!

The Christmas Story: Luke 2: 1-20
In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
The Star of Bethlehem
LOOK TO THE SKIES! During the December 21st Solstice, the Bethlehem Star will be visible for the first time in 20 years. It is incredibly rare that something like this can happen. The planets will look like one brilliant star as Jupiter’s and Saturn’s 12- and 29-year orbits bring them together. “You’d have to go all the way back to just before dawn on 4 March 1226 to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky,” according to Patrick Hartigan, an astronomer from Rice University in Texas. So, for 45 minutes after sunset on December 21st look to the sky to see the Star of Bethlehem!
Local Christmas Church Services
First Baptist Church is having an online Christmas Eve service at 4, 5, 6, 7, and 11:30 PM. These services are 30 minutes long, and will be streamed on their website, https://firstbaptistclinton.church/, and on their facebook page.
Trinity Lutheran Church, 1267 E Hwy 7, Clinton, MO 64735, has a candlelight service at 7 PM on Christmas Eve and a 9 AM service on Christmas.
Allen Street Baptist Church, 210 W Allen St, Clinton, MO 64735, has a candlelight service on Christmas Eve at 5:30 and 11:30 PM. This is their 25th annual candlelight service.
Northeast Baptist Church, 619 E Lincoln St, Clinton, MO 64735, is having a candlelight service on Christmas Eve at 6 PM.
Holiday Light Diplays
Let There Be Lights - Drive Thru Christmas Light Display
Location: Branson’s Promised Land Zoo
Address: 2751 Shepherd of the Hills Expy, Branson, MO 65616
Phone: 417-544-0427
Cost: $25 per carload, $45 for mini bus
Website: https://www.plzoo.com/branson/lights/
Bagwell Lights
Location: Springfield
Address: Bagwell Lights, Springfield, MO 65804
Website: https://www.facebook.com/bagwelllights/
Christmas In The Park
Location: Longview Lake Area
Address: 3901 SW Longview Rd, Lee's Summit, MO 64081
Phone: 816-503-4800
Hours: Sunday through Thursday 5:30-10:00pm, Friday and Saturday 5:30-11:00pm
Cost: Free admission; however, arrive early. The line for this has been 2+ hours long!
Website: https://www.makeyourdayhere.com/406/3445/Christmas-In-The-Park
Candy Cane Land
Location: Prairie Village
Address: 7900 Outlook Ln, Prairie Village, KS 66208
Hours: November 28th - January 1st
Website/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCLChristmasLights/
Swope Park Tunnel of Lights
MUST MAKE RESERVATIONS - https://wintermagickc.com
Address: 7332 Oakwood Dr. Kansas City, MO 64132 United States
Hours: November 1st - January 2nd 5:00 - 10:00pm
Cost: $20 for standard vehicle size; goes to scholarships for summer camps.
Website: https://wintermagickc.com
Farrington Park
Location: Farrington Park Windsor
Address: 116 S County Line Rd, Windsor, MO 65360
Phone: 660-647-3130
Hours: Open nightly November 28th-December 6th 5:30-9:00pm
Website or cost not found
Donations are accepted.
Country Acres Christmas Lights
Location: Knob Noster
Address: 1290 NE 140, Knob Noster, MO 65336
Hours: Open everyday 5:30 to 11pm till December 31st
- Leawood Drive Neighborhood
Location: Clinton
Friday 12/18 the Grinch will be in town with Santa from 7-9:00 and a letter to Santa can be mailed until 12/19 in the box. There is a lot of traffic so please drive carefully.
Publication's Class Christmas Trees
Last Minute Shopping in Clinton
Around Christmas time, procrastination is common. Some on your list might not need anything or be hard to buy for, and others might just need a little something extra special. Clinton has some great shops available if you are needing a last minute gift…
Crave Boutique
411 Kansas Ave, Clinton, MO 64735
(660)-223-2420
The Bluebird Mercantile
104 S Main St, Clinton, MO 64735
(660)-383-1818
Simple Pleasures
107 S Washington St, Clinton, MO 64735
(660)-383-1810
Green Street Market
112 E Green St, Clinton, MO 64735
(660)-885-3441
Bread of Life Books & Gifts
130 S Main St, Clinton, MO 64735
(660)-885-2909
Cummings Menswear
111 W Franklin St, Clinton, MO 64735
(660)-885-8322
Everharts Outdoor Supply
511 Hillcrest Dr, Clinton, MO 64735
(660)-885-4436
Chel's
210 S 2nd St, Clinton, MO 64735
(660)-383-9000
Favorite Christmas songs of CCA music classes
- This is Christmas- by Kutless
- The Little Drummer Boy- by For King and Country
- Glory-by Matt Maher
- I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day- by Casting Crowns
- Born is the King it's Christmas- by Hillsong
- Adore- by Chris Tomlin
- Noel- by Lauren Daigle
- Joy to the World- by Bethel Kids
- He Has Come For Us- by Meredith Andrews
Common Christmas Traditions
Christmas time is a time full of traditions and memories. Some common family traditions during the Holiday season are:
Picking out new Christmas ornaments
Advent calendar countdown & Bible readings
Hiding a Christmas pickle in the Christmas tree
Making homemade hot chocolate
Going ice skating
Driving to see neighborhood Christmas lights
Secret Santa gift exchange
Decorating Sugar Cookies or Gingerbread Men
Putting together a gingerbread house
Holiday traditions are memorable & special. If you don't have any traditions of your own, it's not too late to start one. Just pick something and start making memories with your family!
CCA Christmas Traditions
This week we decided to ask some of the students what their Christmas Traditions are and what they are excited for this year! Here are the responses we received:
Priscilla - “On Christmas Eve we always get matching Christmas pajamas. Christmas means thanking Jesus for the gift he gave us and spending time with family,”. Something Priscilla is looking forward to this Christmas is, “Going to my grandparent's house”.
Ryan - “Christmas means Jesus being born. My family goes ice skating together every year,”. When asked what he was looking forward to this year Ryan said, “Going ice skating and spending time with my family in other ways”.
Kade - “We always make gingerbread houses and gingerbread, and while we are making the houses every year we drink eggnog and eat lots of candy while making them as well. Christmas is a time to watch Christmas movies, talk in depth about Jesus, go to church late at night, and eat lots of food.” Something Kade is especially looking forward to this year around Christmas time is, “2021”.
Angelina - “My family attends a church service, afterwards we eat food together such as nachos and pigs and blankets. This year especially because of covid Christmas is a time to spend time with my family. I am very excited for Christmas break!”.
The Magic Tree
Ice Skating
If you are looking for some places to go ice skating, we’ve got you covered!
Crown Center Ice Terrace, Kansas City, MO, opens at 10:00 am, closes at 9:00 pm every day except Friday and Saturday, which closes at 11:00 pm
Summit Ice, Lee’s Summit, MO, Open 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm from Monday to Thursday, 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Friday, 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Saturday, and 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Sunday
Independence Community Ice Rink, Independence, MO, General Admission is $8, Child admission is $6, Senior (55 and older) $6, Group (20 or more) is $7, 10 Session pass is $50, and Skate Rentals are $3
CCA Band Concert on December 17th
CCA Christmas Chapel on December 18th
Chapel today was brought to us by Michelle Houk. Her and her husband are missionaries in Nepal. Michelle, pictured below, is wearing an official dress of the people there. They live in the mountains. It is very cold. The middle belts (colors & patterns) tell the people group they are from.
Michelle talked about the UUPG—unreached, unengaged, people group which is small in population. Jared & Michele visited one of these groups when they first moved to Nepal. They spent 3 months learning the language. When the road ended for the bus they were riding, they were told to walk and they would find this people group. They walked for 5 days. There were little villages along the way to stay in.
A lady that she met and snapped green beans with had never heard the name of Jesus before. Jared and Michelle never met a person in Nepal that had heard or knew about Jesus. Romans 10:14 says, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"
Jesus told Jared and I to go through Matthew 28 which says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Jesus tells us to go, so we felt led to
Christmas is coming. It is the birth of Jesus. In Nepal, most people in the city have almost all heard of Christmas, but not of Jesus. They celebrate Christmas by decorating. They have the scary Santa, who wears a plastic face masks that has big, red, poochy cheeks, but the Santa is very skinny with a scruffy, white face.
The most important thing about Christmas, to Michelle is John 1:14 which says, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Publication's Favorite Recipes
- 4 cups cranberry juice
- 4 cups pineapple juice
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
Directions: Combine all ingredients in crock pot and heat until desired temperature. Do not drink the cloves, remove them after heating.
Oreo Balls:
- 38 Oreo Cookies
- 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup white chocolate or milk chocolate
- Crushed peppermint, Oreos, or melted chocolate to decorate (optional)
Directions: Crush Oreos in food processor or by hand. Combine crushed cookies and cream cheese and mix until combined. Roll mixture into balls and place on wax paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes. Melt the chocolate in small microwave safe bowl. remove balls from the freezer and dip into the chocolate. Drizzle chocolate or top with coatings if desired.
Rolo Pecan Pretzels
- One bag of rolos
- One bag of regular mini or square pretzels
- One bag of whole pecans, I use unsalted, but you can use salted
Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an ungreased baking sheet with pretzels, add an unwrapped rolo on top (you will use the whole pkg of rolos) and bake for 2 minutes (these get hot fast). Remove from oven and lightly add a pecan to the top. Put in the freezer for 10 minutes, then enjoy!