|
|
Philipsburg First Presbyterian Church |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Our History Activities
|
SEPTEMBER
2005 “BOOK
A MONTH” CLUB While
a book club sounds like a lot of fun, our church’s “book club”
will be a little different this Fall.
By “book club” I am talking about studying a book of the
Bible for each of the Fall months until Advent begins at the end of
November. Our lectionary
texts take us into these books, though not exactly divided by months, so
we’ll be following along. If
you want to follow along in your own Bible reading, here is the Fall
layout, with some suggestions of other books to read along with our
focus books. September
– Philippians will be our focus book, but go ahead and
read Galatians and Ephesians along with it. October
– 1 Thessalonians will be our focus book, but you can
keep reading into 2 Thessalonians and then 1 and 2 Timothy. November
– Colossians will be our focus book, and Romans can fill
out the rest of your reading time for that month. These
short book series will give us a chance to delve into the context in
which they were written and hear the continuous letter to the people of
God – and to us! And, who
knows? If all goes well,
maybe someone in church will feel lead to start a regular book club of
our own! Grace
and Peace,
MAKE
A NOTE! Worship begins
at 10:30 AM on Sunday,
September 4, with Sunday School classes
for all ages starting at 9:30 AM! OFFICER
MEETINGS for SEPTEMBER
(in the parlor)
Deacons:
Tuesday, September 6th @ 7:00 p.m.
Session:
Tuesday, September 13th @ 7:00 p.m. Trustees:
Tuesday, September 20th @ 7:00 p.m. Presbyterian
Women:
Monday,
September 26th @ 7:00 p.m.
SEPTEMBER
BIRTHDAYS
2nd
– Stuart Hollis
17th
– Gigi Sayers
2nd – Sonja Chestnut
22nd – Grace Hickson
3rd – David Houser
23rd – Mark Ammerman
4th
– Lauren Lesko
24th – Kevin James Gearhart
9th – Marty Bullis
25th – Sally Nelson
9th
– Bethany Coursen
25th – Joyce Kitko
10th – Helen Dixon
25th – Sharon Goss
16th
– Jerry Ammerman
29th
– Colt Viehdorfer
17th – Margaret Capatch SEPTEMBER
ANNIVERSARIES 10th
– Don and Jill Blake – 28 years 12th
– Susan and Ray Joe Millward –
24 years 17th
– Tom and Lisa Holden – 22 years RELAY
FOR LIFE TOTAL June
may feel like a long time ago, but we’re still thankful for the great
effort of the church in sponsoring a Relay for Life Team!
The total given for this year was $1,000.
Many thanks go to Julie Jo Johnston and Mary Whitehead Gilham for
co-chairing this event, and to the Deacons for the many ways they
supported the effort. A FRIENDLY REMINDER Our
per capita that we pay to the Presbytery is due in November.
If
you haven’t contributed and would like to, your generosity is
always appreciated. Per capita for each member is $22.68. Thank
you, The Board of Trustees MUSIC
PRACTICES Westminster
Bells and the Senior
Choir will began practicing on
Wednesday, August 31, 2005 at 6:45 p.m. and
7:30 p.m., respectively. Any
new members are
welcome for all groups. The
Senior Choir is in need
of men since their numbers are dwindling.
If you know of anyone who may be interested in
either group, please invite them to practice. Dove
Bells and Sonshine Ringers will
begin practice on Sunday,
September 4th. Dove
Bells will meet at 9:00 a.m. while the
Sonshine Ringers will practice at 9:20 a.m.
Again, any new members are welcome and encouraged to join.
Please note: Children need to be at least in 1st grade to ring.
No musical experience is needed for any groups.
PORTRAIT
DIRECTORY NEWS Now
that our directory pictures have been taken, we
eagerly await the first proof book, returned by
the end of September. We
hope to have our Directories in hand by the first part of November!
Thank you for your participation in this church event! REPORTING BACK ON THAILAND Our
summer missionaries to Thailand, Tom and Hannah Holden, have prepared
a slide show of their trip to share with the congregation. We
raised about $4,000 for Tom and Hannah to go on this Presbytery trip, and
they are eager to share their findings about this 2-week adventure. On Sunday,
September 11, the Deacons are preparing a Soup and Sandwich meal which
will have the delightful Thailand program as part of the luncheon. Plan to stay
a little longer after worship and hear about their work! VBS – THANKS
Vacation
Bible School was a BIG HIT this year,
with 50 children joining in the fun at the Circle-G Ranch, where Sunny
the Horse taught them all about ranch life, and their teachers told them
all about the Open Door God offers to all.
Thanks abound for the many
involved – from the dozens who brought snacks to the teachers (Christy
Johnson, Casey Blake, Jill Reed, Carol Moore, Mary Shirey, and Karen
Wood) to the outstanding help (Judy Pleskonko, Jeff and MaryBeth Eyet,
Amy Bordas, Elaine Selfridge, Diane Cochran, Racquel Branthoover, DJ
Matsco, Jordan Harris, Mallory Britton, Ryan Good, Sarah Chorle, Karlie
Morrissey, and Grady and Gavin Luzier) to the amazing kids.
Wow! What a team! A NEW COAT FOR THE MANSE WINDOWS A
group effort went into painting, caulking and glazing the Manse Basement
Windows, and the Trustees want to thank those who adopted a
window and did the work. Thanks
to Manse Basement Window painters: Ed
and Tyler Good, Harold and Mary Shirey, Tom Sayers, Darrell
and Helen Hollis, Tom Holden, Tom and Barbara Little, Ed
Storck, and Marty Bullis. SUMMER
THANKS So many work
behind the scenes to keep up with the
ministries of the church, and our thanks goes out to
them. First, for those who
helped supply
refreshments for the after-worship fellowship time,
thanks to: Matt and Christy Johnson, Tom and Barb Little, Andy and Amy
Bordas, Mary Beth and Jeff Eyet, Don and Betty Mantz, Helen and Darrell
Hollis, Mary and Harold Shirey, Ed and Lora Storck, Tom and Lisa Holden,
Jim and Judy Gearhart, and Tom and Gigi Sayers.
To the Deacons, who pulled off a great Church Picnic … thanks!
To the Deacons again, who brought together our church community
for a wonderful new directory … thanks!
To Jerilin Pritchard, who chaired the “Collections” afternoon
during Heritage Days … thanks! To
Judy Gearhart, Gigi Sayers, Angie Dixon, Laura Barnett, Helen Hollis and
Carol Moore, for introducing Pastor Tracie to the Sight and Sound
Theater and Lancaster Outlet Malls … thanks!
A
BIG THANK-YOU! The
members of the Committee for Christian Education (Ethel Cipollini, Paul
Springer, Jennifer Starner, and Ilo Warg) thank all of you who came to
our July 27th, 2005 Sunday School meeting and all of you who could not
come but were ready to substitute for teachers during SundaySchool last
year. We welcome new teachers to our 2005-2006 Sunday School year. Mary
and Harold Shirey will teach with Jim Warg, Babs Herman will teach with
Ilo Warg, Dan Nelson and Tom Holden who
started last year will continue with the teen group. Our pre schoolers
will get familiar with many members of the congregation as they again
teach on a monthly basis. So far the schedule for them is:
Sept -
Feb – Jeff & Mary Beth Eyet Again a BIG
THANK YOU to all of you and an invitation - yes a warm welcome - to
anyone in our congregation who would like to be part of the Sunday
School and has not had an opportunity to be on the Sunday School
Teacher's list. Contact any of the above Committee for Christian
Education members. Special Thanks to Rev. Moore and the adults who fill
in for him when he cannot teach the adult class. All of you and your
friends (they do not need to belong to our congregation) are invited to
have a marvelous learning experience in our adult class. Come either to
attend the adult class or enjoy our children as they learn of our Great
God, His Son and The Holy Spirit. VISION DISCERNMENT TEAM A
good deal of excellent effort has gone into building needs and adjusting
to a new pastor. With two
years of solid work, the larger needs of the building have been taken
care of, and now it is time to focus on the many possibilities for
extending the ministry of the church.
The needs are many, so it will take prayer and discernment to
hear where God is calling First Presbyterian Church to put her
resources. Thus, the
Session has invited a small group of individuals to prayerfully consider
the resources and ministry gifts of the church, along with the needs of
the Philipsburg community, to decide where our church will put its
energy in ministry next. The
core research ideas have come from three Leadership Retreats held over
the last two years, as our leadership prayerfully considered our future
together. Now, the Vision
Discernment Team will take the core ideas and start to consider how each
ministry would work for our congregation. The
team, made up of Bob Branstetter, Jill and Don Blake, Carol Moore, Dan
Nelson, Jerilin Pritchard, and Barb Springer, will appreciate your
prayers as
they look ahead to recommendations for our Boards.
Please feel free
to share your suggestions with them, and be prepared to hear
more about the many ministry opportunities they are considering. 3W:
WOMEN WHO WORK BIBLE STUDY The Bible Study
started last Fall for Women Who Work – both inside and
outside of the home – is considering what to study
when we meet again. This
time together is designed for
study, connections, prayers, and sharing.
The hope is that
women with many obligations in their work and home
will be able to commit to time for their spiritual growth
once a month. Reserve two
dates NOW for the first two meetings: Monday,
September 12, 7-8:30 PM and Monday, October 17,
7-8:30 PM. We will have a
study and then look at
materials for the coming meetings at the September
gathering. All women are
welcome – because all women work! GIVING FROM OUR ABUNDANCE As
part of our Communion Sunday Celebration, the Presbyterian Women have
made recommendations for special needs at the Food Bank with
Community Action. For World
Communion Sunday on October 2, we are planning to collect peanut butter. Advance notice will help pay attention to sales! YOUNG AT HEART luncheons
for food, fellowship and a program.
The committee has
been busy deciding on the menu and programs to ensure that
everyone has an enjoyable time. Come
and join us at 12:00 noon. Reservations
need to be made by Sunday, September 25, by
calling 342-4371. The cost is $3.00. more
volunteers to help and share ideas. See
the Hollis's, the Moore's, Babs, Gertie or Tracie if RESERVE
SUNDAY OCTOBER 23! Sunday, October
23, will be a special worship service
where we dedicate the Refurbished
Stained Glass Windows, along with a new
portable podium made by a local woodworker in memory of Bette Watson.
All the donors of particular windows, along with honorary recipients,
are invited to attend. The Trustees decided to dedicate our final
window, the Good Shepherd Window, "to the glory of God and in honor
of all the pastors who have served First Prebyterian Church, from the
Congregation." In light of this dedication, Carl Gray and his son
will be attending the service on October 23.
Following the worship service, the Deacons are planning a special
luncheon for fellowship and conversation among the congregation and
guests. KRISLUND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SUNDAY
SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS Again
this year, children and youth who attend Sunday School regularly will have
the opportunity to earn scholarships to Krislund Camp. Please note the
following incentives to help each child earn his or her way. Children
who are not able to be present in Sunday School due to custody situations
may earn scholarships if their parent is in Sunday School, too.
In
addition, families needing extra assistance with Krislund camp fees can speak
to the chair of the Christian Education Committee (Ilo Warg) or Pastor
Tracie. Incentives for Krislund Camp: Any
child wishing to attend Krislund can receive a 40% scholarship. Children
attending at least 15 Sundays can receive a 60% scholarship. Children
attending at least 20 Sundays can receive an 80% scholarship. Children
attending at least 25 Sundays can receive a 100% scholarship. There are
more than 40 Sundays each year, so plan to be regular in Sunday School
and have a great camp experience at Krislund next year! SEPTEMBER
CALENDER OF EVENTS
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
