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Philipsburg First Presbyterian Church |
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Easter Our History Activities
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THE STUDY LEAVE REPORT Part of my terms of call as your pastor is 2 weeks of study leave every year, cumulative to 6 weeks. This year, I am taking both weeks as part of the grant I received along with 6 other Presbyterian Women pastors from all over the US. The first week took place in Texas where our group met for the first time in February. We are working together to study, build relationships, and share the pastoral journey. It’s a great group.
We are studying Spiritual Theology by reading and discussing Eugene
Peterson’s book series. The
first book is Christ Plays in Ten
Thousand Places, and now we’re all headed to the Flathead Lake in
Montana to talk with him about the book, hike in Glacier National Park,
and ponder our pastoral lives together.
The organization that gave us the grant has nicknamed us
“Spirited Women.” I hope
they are right!
I’m sharing this with you all because this is where I’ll be the
first week of October, and I have a sense of accountability to you when I
go. I’m also telling you
about it because I’ve studied clearly in this reading that “Christ
plays in community” and the church is that very community.
The word “plays” may have an odd connotation to you, but think
of it in terms of Christ moving in community or Christ working joyfully in
community. The book has been
the constant reminder that we are on this Christian journey together, and
that our community matters very much in the Kingdom of God.
So, thank you for being my community.
Pray for me as I step away to recharge, refresh and then return to
you all. Look for the ways
how what I learn on study leave filters back into our communal life
together.
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. MUSIC FOR THE ARTS CONCERTThe grassroots
effort at a new ministry went beautifully in September, as Danielle
Schwarz and Allison Kardoley worked with Sally Laux to pull off the first
ever Music for the Arts Concert! An
hour of a variety of music filled the sanctuary, followed by a reception
and the gathering up of art supplies for local elementary schools.
This is a vision for ministry that took root and grew!
Many thanks to all those involved for helping to put on this
community ministry. THANKS"Thank
You! Many thanks to all you
helped make the Music for the Arts concert a success! Thank you to all who
came to show their support for the area school art programs & making
it possible for the church to donate to all 3 elementary schools.
Thank you to all of the performers who shared their talent.
Thank you to all who donated yummy snacks for the reception!
A special thank you to Sally Laux for her talent & guidance
& Pastor Tracie for her guidance.
Special thanks are also extended to the following folks for staying
afterwards to clean up: Dick
& Holly Kithcart, Julie Jo Johnston, Dan Nelson, Bill & Carol
Moore, Dottie Isaacson, & any one else we may have forgotten.
The evening would have not been such a success without all your
help! THANKS FOR YOUR MINISTRY IN SEPTEMBERSeptember can
seem like a busy month, yet many folks found time to volunteer, share
their gifts, and help the church. To the Deacons for re-starting the
monthly lunches … thanks! To
Jerilin Pritchard, who is overseeing the paperwork related to the Sexual
Misconduct Policies, for her organization and confidentiality …
thanks! To Paul Springer, who
designed and secured the Gray Memorial Patio Stone … thanks!
To Jen Starner, who had everything ready for Sunday School to begin
again … thanks! To Laura
Bordas, who pulled off an oral history of the “Bill and Carol Moore
Years” as well as dug up the history of the organ purchase … thanks!
To Allison Kardoley, Danielle Schwarz, and Sally Laux, who
organized our first ever Music for the Arts night … thanks! SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTESSunday school is well underway!
Please give the gift of Christian
education to your child!
A few reminders for parents:
students in the elementary
class and younger are being checked
in at the 5th Street
Entrance to help direct them to their
classes. If your child
arrives early and their teacher is
not at church yet, they will
need to wait with an adult at the
entrance. In addition, with
our “two adult” rule with
children, it would greatly help if you would
encourage your child to use the
bathroom before Sunday School starts.
OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS
2
– Adam Gearhart
22 – Benji Kanour 4
– Susan Broberg
23 – Erik Johnson 5
– Agnes Whitehead
24 – Helen Hollis 6
– Doug Goss
25 – Robert Shoff 7
– Elwood Turner
26 – Judy Pleskonko 9-
Chrissy Clyde
27 – Damon Jones 10
– Paul Springer
30 – Darrell Hollis 16
– Emily Kizina
30 – Lynn Herman 20
– Dan Guelich
31 – Andera Starner
OCTOBER ANNIVERSARIES 10th
– John and Kelly Freeman – 13 years 12th
– Marty and Pastor Tracie Bullis – 16 years 15th
– Fred and Barbara Herman – 52 years 26
– Rob and Jill Reed – 11 years OFFICER
MEETINGS for OCTOBER (in the parlor)
Deacons:
Tuesday, October 2rd @ 7:00 p.m.
Session:
Monday, October 8th @ 7:00 p.m.
Trustees:
Tuesday, October 16th @ 7:00 p.m.
PW:
To Be Announced SESSION MEETING HIGHLIGHTSThe
September Session meeting seemed to be a model of delegation of duties and
division of labor – which, incidentally got us out of there in less than
an hour!! Some of
the committees are especially busy in the Fall. Perhaps you’ve been
approached by the Nominating Committee about accepting a Board position;
the Employee Relations Committee has been doing it’s annual
contact/review with staff members and working on
a terms of call package for the pastor; the Minutes Review Committee has
been busy with its annual review the minutes of Deacons and Trustees and
will soon turn its attention to its annual review of the church roll;
Christian Education Committee has been finalizing its program for the
2007-2008 school year; Music Committee has been busy with upcoming holiday
plans; and work has been steadily progressing on plans for the upcoming
Centennial Celebration. Session also heard its usual reports about the
monthly work of Deacons and Trustees, the monthly expenditures and
receipts of the Benevolence Fund, the monthly pastor’s report and clerk
of Session’s report, as well as an “un”usual report from Darrell
Hollis on the groundbreaking ceremony for Krislund’s new retreat center.
All in all it was a pretty usual meeting with lots of conversation,
lots of decision-making, lots of good fellowship, and a good share of
laughter (You’ll have to hear the story about the “flexible” Marty
Bullis sometime!). WOMEN’S MINISTRYOur study and cooking times together have begun! Women, please plan on your calendars to join us on the following Mondays this Fall. We are cooking up delicious food and studying great passages in Genesis! Monday,
October 1 – A Cooking Night with Carol Moore, 7-8:30 PM
Monday, October 15 – Genesis Study from 7-8:30 PM Monday,
October 29 – A Cooking Night, 7-8:30 PM
Monday, November 5 – Genesis Study from 7-8:30 PM Monday,
November 26 – A Cooking Night, 7-8:30 PM DEACONS – FALL FOLIAGE TOURThe Board of Deacons will be doing
ministry again on Sunday, October 7, with the Presbyterian Homes in Philipsburg, and
you are invited!
They will be taking the bus around the area to view the beautiful Fall leaves,
then spending some time in conversation with
the residents over cookies and punch.
This afternoon is a great time of contact with our
neighboring Presbyterian Homes, so call the church
to sign up! CONGREGATIONAL MEETING CALLEDThe Session
has called a Congregational Meeting for Sunday, October 21, immediately
following worship, for the purpose of electing new officers and voting on
the Pastor’s Salary. YOUNG
AT HEART Wednesday, October 24, 2007 for their monthly luncheon consisting of food, fellowship and a program.
The cost is $3.00, and reservations can be made by calling
342-4371. Come and join in the fun at 12:00 p.m. PRESBYTERIAN YOUTH BOWLING DAYA
Bowling Day has been set up for kids in kindergarten - 12th
grade. The date is Sunday,
October 28, 2007, 1-3 PM, at Moshannon Valley Super Bowl.
Kids can gather at the Super Bowl at 1 PM for great snacks and a
chance to get to know other Christian Youth of similar ages. Then, we will divide them into age and skill appropriate
teams for TWO fabulous games of bowling.
Food, bowling, shoes, and company all provided for $10 per person! If
your child wants to bowl more than two games, subsequent games are $3 each
game, per person. Kids are
encouraged to bring a friend, and the church will be providing adult
supervision. Please RSVP to
the church at 342-0812 by Sunday, October 21! KRISLUND CAMP SCHOLARSHIP PLANThe Sunday School will continue the
Krislund Camp Scholarship program from last year, as part of our
attentiveness to the stewardship of our funds.
Please note the following schedule of
attendance for gaining a percentage scholarship to camp: Attendance
38-43 Sundays yields 50% payment to camp Attendance 33
to 37 Sundays yields 40% payment to camp Attendance 25
to 32 Sundays yields 30% payment to camp Any family with financial constraints
can speak with Pastor Tracie about special scholarships.
The congregation is invited to sponsor children to camp who have needs beyond the scholarship program. INCOME AND EXPENSES FOR THE
GENERAL FUND FOR AUGUST, 2007: Total
Offering and Income to the General Fund
$10,581.75 Total
Expenses from the General Fund
10,851.57 Deficit
for August
$ (269.82) COORDINATOR
INTRODUCTION Helen Dixon has agreed to serve as the
church building coordinator, which is a volunteer position established by the
Trustees to help with building use requests from the congregation members, as well
as outside organizations and non-members. So, if you would like to use a room in
the church for a study, party, dinner, or fundraiser, contact Helen Dixon
at 342-3818 or hddcdd@comcast.net.
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