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Philipsburg First Presbyterian Church |
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Easter Our History Activities
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JANUARY
2007 THE
GROUND IS FERTILE! As church growth
goes with the modern cycle of pastorates, you as a congregation and
I as your pastor are entering our “fertile years.”
That means that
we’ve had our three years to figure out how to minister together, see who returns
to the church, settle out leadership styles, and basically decide if we like
each other! The good news
is that we are thrilled to be in ministry
together.
So, from here, we
are in the place of rolling up our sleeves and putting energy, time and
prayer into focused ministry of the church.
What that looks like and how we
do that will be the foremost task of our church leadership in the coming year.
It will begin in earnest at our Leadership Retreat on January 20.
This is an
exciting time for our congregation!
We are a revitalized church seeking to move
out into the community and to establish our place as the light of Christ in
Philipsburg. This is a
daunting time for our leadership! We
want to be about ministry
with wisdom, grace and excellence, so please be in prayer with our
leadership to listen for God’s calling.
This is a challenging time for our members!
As we listen for God’s call to each of us, we know it will be a
call to follow well.
The way of following often means sacrifice and change – before we see the fruit
of growth in our Christian lives.
As we begin 2007,
let us begin prayerfully, attentively, and wisely!
Grace
and Peace, NOTE:
If this newsletter has been passed to you by one of our members
as an introduction
to our church, we welcome the opportunity to get to know you
better through coming to worship with us.
Our Sunday worship service begins
every Sunday at 10:30 AM, with Sunday School for all ages at 9:30 AM.
Our
church is located on Presqueisle Street between 5th and 6th
Streets, with parking
behind the building or on the street. JANUARY
BIRTHDAYS
2
– Jay Milsom
16 – Ashley Laux 7
– Kathy Richmond
17 – Susan Harris 8
– Carol Moore
18 – Dennis Calvin 8
– Eric Rodgers
18 – Ryker Bullis 9
– Tom Holden
26 – Jennifer Starner 11
– Laura Barnett
31 – Chalmer “Mouse” Dixon 14
– Pastor Tracie Bullis JANUARY ANNIVERSARIES 19TH
– Ed and Leona Good – 55 years 24th
– Don and Beverly Holt – 48 years 28th
– Tom and Julie Jo Johnston – 40 years OFFICER
MEETINGS for JANUARY (in the parlor)
Deacons:
Tuesday, January 2nd @ 7:00 p.m.
Session:
Tuesday, January 9th @ 7:00 p.m.
Trustees:
Tuesday, January 15th @ 7:00 p.m.
PW:
Monday, January 21st @ 7:00 p.m. DEACON MEETING HIGHLIGHTS…. q
Jill Reed shared her faith story. The
Deacons approved her
nomination to the board. q
Discussed a letter received from the Cancer
Society regarding the
2007 Relay for Life. A decision on participation will be made in
January. q
Noted the following events:
Jan. 7: Installation/Ordination of church officers;
Jan. 20: Leadership Retreat;
Jan. 21: Annual Meeting, lunch provided by PW;
Feb. 4: Krisland Sunday and luncheon; March
18: Luncheon;
April 8: Sunrise breakfast;
May 20: Youth
Sunday and luncheon. DECEMBER SESSION HIGHLIGHTS We
were again blessed to hear the faith story of another incoming member of
Session, Susan Millward. This
church is fortunate to have so many dedicated individuals willing
to assume leadership roles. We
also wish to thank two outgoing Session
members, Paul Springer and Ilo Warg, who have each served with grace
and dignity for more than one term. As
we begin a new year and look back over the past, this church is blessed
with many
fine people who serve in so many ways.
They all deserve our thanks and gratitude. Handing out thank-yous
is a bit tricky since deserving people are always missed. But we wish to take this opportunity to single out a few.
Since Session is charged with overseeing worship, we wish to
extend an enormous thank-you to our worship leader, Pastor Tracie.
It’s impossible to put into words what you and your family have
meant to this church. Your presence and leadership have been a blessing.
Another vital part of our worship service is music, and Sally
Gearhart has done a masterful job of playing, directing, leading,
organizing and founding the many choirs of our church. Again,
words cannot express our deep thanks. Session is also charged with overseeing the work of the Board of Deacons and the Board of Trustees. Again, this church is blessed with a fantastic collection of individuals. The service and mission our Deacons provide to our congregation and community is truly amazing, and the financial health of our church and the exquisite maintenance of the church property is a testament to the talents of our Trustees. Thank you both. And thank-you to the many others, unnamed here, who work for the glory of God, both inside and outside the doors First Presbyterian Church. Your efforts are noticed and appreciated.
Have
a blessed and peaceful New Year,
Session
SNOW AND WORSHIP REMINDERIn the case of
snow on Sundays, Pastor Tracie will plan to conduct the worship service
for all who can attend. While
this may mean a service without an organist or choir, we will worship in the
spirit of “where two or three are gathered.”
Each member of the congregation is encouraged to make the best
individual choice they deem necessary for travel and attendance in
inclement weather. WHAT
A FEAST! The Holiday Feast on Sunday, December 10,
was blessed with clear weather, loads of
volunteers, lovely tables, delicious food, and
wonderful guests from our community.
Our church served 90 people with the gifts of turkey and all the
trimmings, a Christmas ornament, friendship around the
table, and the gift of song from our children and in caroling, led by
Karen Wood. What a feast! Pastor Tracie has already heard that we need to make it an
annual event! The
spontaneous planning team of Shannon Johnson, Barb Little, Gigi Sayers,
and Holly Kithcart made it possible – plus a gracious donation from an
anonymous donor who wanted to celebrate Christmas with us all! MANY THANKS As full as December is, many in our congregation
served the church in significant and meaningful ways.
Thank you ! To Paul
Springer, for directing the Church Musical …
thanks! To Karen Wood and Sally
Laux, for covering the music side of the Musical … thanks! To Jill Blake, Jen Starner, and Tracie Bullis, for
costuming and corralling the participants of the
Musical … thanks! To Betty Mantz, costume maker extraordinaire
... thanks!
To the Senior Choir, for the gift of your voices for the
Musical … thanks!
To the many gift-givers who made sure the needy elderly and
children of
prisoners in Philipsburg had gifts for Christmas … thanks! To
the Women of the Church Christmas Dinner participants,
who gave the gift of each other in a night
of celebrating … thanks! To
Carol Moore, who helped with so many arrangements
for the Christmas Dinner … thanks!
To outgoing leadership (Deacons Lisa Holden
and Lora Storck, Elders Paul Springer and Ilo Warg, Trustees Gigi
Sayers and
Steve Starner), who gave well in their years of service …
thanks! To Jim Gearhart and Ethel Cipollini, who
take the lead on Advent and Christmas
decorations at the church …thanks!
To Shannon
Johnson, Gigi Sayers, Holly Kithcart, and Barb Little, who
pulled together our first Holiday Feast for the
community… thanks! To
all the volunteers,
servers, hosts, and bakers who
contributed to the Holiday
Feast … thanks! To
our anonymous donor who gave $250 to cover ALL the
expenses of the Feast … thanks! To
Ilo Warg, who works
with the organist to tune the organ and schedules the
piano tuning … thanks! To
Dick Kithcart, who read the
“Angel Speaks” series with Pastor Tracie … thanks! To
Darrell and Helen Hollis, Don and Betty Mantz, Jim
and Judy Gearhart, Nancy Fetters, and the Rishel family
for lighting the Advent candles … thanks! THE 2007 ALTAR FLOWER MEMORIALSThe flower chart
for 2007 is in the narthex with weeks selected based on prior years of
sponsorship. If your name
is listed from prior years and you wish to make a change, please notify
Laura Barnett at 342-3476. If
you would like to sponsor flowers one week, please fill in any blank
date on the chart or call Laura. COMMUNION Communion
will be held Sunday, January 7, as we begin 2007 together.
To extend the Lord’s Supper to the community, please
bring canned soups to the Food Bank Offering basket that day. NEW OFFICERSOn Sunday, January 7, we will have the
privilege of ordaining and installing our new officers
to serve their three-year terms on our Boards.
The church can be grateful for so many gifted individuals who
serve faithfully. Trustees:
Julie Milsom, Gary Barnett, and Ed Storck for the Class of 2009.
Barbara Little fills a one-year term for the Class of 2007.
Session: Darrell Hollis (already installed last year), Susan Millward,
and Julie Jo Johnston
Deacons: Dave Dixon (serving a second term), Amy Rodgers, Shannon
Johnson, and Jill Reed WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDYJanuary will be a
month of choosing a new study and setting dates for the Women’s Bible
Study. If you want to be
part of this study, prayer, and friend-making time, join us on Monday,
January 15, 7-8:30 PM. LEADER RETREATSNew
Officer Training for the Presbytery (incoming
Deacons, Elders, and Trustees) will
be held on Sunday, January 21, from 2-4 PM at our church. In this time,
leaders will be connecting with each other in their respective shared ministry
roles and learning the place of the particular church in the larger governing
bodies. All
current Deacons, Elders and Trustees will be meeting for our Church Leadership
Retreat on Saturday, January 20, from 9 AM until noon in Westminster Hall.
Lunch may follow as a spontaneous outing for those wishing to go.
Leaders, please mark this date on your calendar.
Other members, please
be in prayer for the growth and guidance of our leadership. CONGREGATIONAL MEETINGThe Annual
Congregational Meeting and Corporation’s Annual Report Meeting will be
held Sunday, January 21, 2007, after worship and lunch together.
Lunch is again prepared by the loving hands of the Presbyterian
Women. Please plan to take
time to fellowship and hear of God’s work among us in the last year.
DECORATING TEAMThe beauty of our sanctuary, especially for special church seasons comes through the loving hands of gifted artists in our
congregation. With some anticipated changes in that
personnel, we have created a “Decorating Team” who
will keep up the many aspects of sanctuary beauty.
They will work on banners, candle use, flower
arrangements, paraments, and other needs.
If you have suggestions for the team, please see Jim Gearhart, Ethel Cipollini, Jill Blake,
Casey Blake or Helen Dixon. MARRIAGE CLASS OFFEREDChildren’s Aid
Society is excited to announce a new program being offered throughout
Clearfield County: our Healthy Marriage Program.
Learn to know your partner!
Learn techniques to build a happier relationship! The 12-week
sessions begin in January. Clearfield
and Philipsburg sites are available.
Classes will be offered two different times: Thursday nights, 6-9
PM or Saturday
mornings, 9 AM to Noon. There
is no cost and free childcare! For more
information, contact Amanda Clark, Administrative Assistant for Healthy
Marriage Program at (814) 765-2686, ext. 225 or amandac@childaid.org.
CAMP NEWS! Krislund Camp Brochures are out!
One should be mailed to every child/youth in the congregation. If you need one, please speak with Pastor Tracie. KRISLUND CAMPAIGN PLEDGEIn the last three years, our summer camp attendance has gone from no child attending to as many as 17 children attending one summer. Krislund Camp is an integral part of our church outreach, education and Christian growth ministries! Since Krislund is so important to us, the Session welcomed the opportunity to support the camp’s “Funding the Future” campaign for the next three years. Our congregation made a $10,000 pledge to this campaign, which will provide for an adult retreat facility, a recreational building for summer camp, and debt relief from the large acre purchase done to protect the rural camp setting. Krislund plans to raise $2 million dollars, with Huntingdon Presbytery committing to $500,000 of that goal. First Presbyterian Church of Philipsburg is thrilled to be a lead church in pledging our support.
How will we
accomplish our goal that helps Krislund accomplish theirs?
We will ask Deacons, Trustees, and Session to commit to $1,000
per year for the next three years from their fund-raising and benevolent
funds. That will cover
$9,000 of the pledge. In
order to give our congregation a chance to get in on the support, we
have designated Sunday, February 4, as Krislund Sunday.
On this day in worship, Steve Cort will preach the Word, and we
will offer an opportunity for the congregation to support Krislund with
a gift beyond your regular offering.
The goal will be to raise at least $1,000, with any funds over
that goal going to Krislund as an extra gift of love and support.
As you plan your 2007 giving, be sure to remember Krislund camp
on Krislund Sunday!
Following worship, our Deacons will offer a fellowship lunch
where Steve can speak further
about the campaign and giving opportunities, plus update us on the
advance giving of the campaign. It
will be exciting to hear how God is at work!
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