January 2006

CELEBRATING YOUR GENEROSITY

Your generosity as a congregation continues to encourage and gratify me.  During the

Fall, you have focused on meeting our expenses by giving to balance our budget in

the General Fund.  This year, we have transferred just $6,000 of our nearly $113,000 budget from our reserve fund.  This is the lowest gap in several years, and it’s part

of an improving trend.  Thank you for making the increased ministry of our

church possible through your financial gifts.

Beyond that regular, daily giving, you have stretched above and beyond in several ways:  You took on a need left by Hurricane Katrina in our sister church and raised $3,000 in just 6 weeks for sanctuary chairs.  You cared for the elderly and the innocent children of prisoners by giving them perhaps the only Christmas gift they will receive this Christmas.  You reduced the consumerism of “stuff” this Advent by giving an alternative gift that gives twice in a card honoring another and finances to either Krislund Camp, Sanctuary Chairs, or Windy Hill Presbyterian Home.  You came to worship and shared in an Advent season that highlighted a baptism, communion, giving to others, our children’s singing, a cantata, and candlelight with our sister church in Osceola.

This congregation is a generous community.  You not only give of your finances, but you give of your hearts and your many gifts, and that makes all the difference.

      Grace and Peace,

Pastor Tracie 

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 5^th and 6^th Streets, with parking behind the building or

   on the street.

SNOW AND WORSHIP REMINDER

In 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.

OFFICER MEETINGS for JANUARY (in the parlor)

Deacons:                        Tuesday, January 3^rd @ 7:00 p.m.

    Session:                         Tuesday, January 10^th @ 7:00 p.m.

   Trustees:                        Tuesday, January 17^th @ 7:00 p.m.

    Presbyterian Women:                     Monday, January 23^rd @ 7:00 p.m.

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

     2^nd – Jay Milsom                                                         16^th – Ashley Laux

     7^th – Kathy Richmond                                         17^th – Susan Harris

     8^th – Carol Moore                                                          18^th – Dennis Calvin

     8^th – Eric Rodgers                                                             18^th – Ryker Bullis

     9^th – Tom Holden                                                          26^th – Jennifer Starner

     11^th – Laura Barnett                                               31^st – Chalmer “Mouse” Dixon

     14^th – Pastor Tracie Bullis               

JANUARY ANNIVERSARIES

7^TH – Ned and Sue Holdren – 50 years

19^th – Ed and Leona Good – 54 years

24^th – Don and Beverly Holt – 57 years

28^th – Tom and Julie Jo Johnston – 39 years

MANY THANKS

The generosity in

December showed itself

in many ways among us, and

we seek again to give thanks.  To

Jen Starner, for directing the Children

and Youth Christmas Program … thanks!  To

Karen Wood and Sally Laux, for covering the music

side of the Children and Youth Christmas Program … thanks! 

To Casey and Jill Blake, for costuming and corralling the participants

of the Children and Youth Christmas Program … thanks!  To Sally Laux and

the Senior Choir, for another lovely Christmas Cantata … 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 PW/3W Groups,

who gave the gift of each other in a night of celebrating … thanks! 

To Carol Moore, who made all the arrangements for the PW/3W

party … thanks!  To outgoing leadership (Deacons Joy

Branstetter and Amy Rodgers, Elders Karen Wood,

Peg Capatch, and Jerilin Pritchard, Trustees Don

Blake, Carol Moore, and Tom Holden), who gave

well in their years of service … thanks! To the

Snow Removal Team, who started EARLY

this year … thanks!  To Jim Gearhart

and Ethel Cipollini, who take the

lead on Advent and Christmas

decorations at the church

…thanks!

Dear First Presbyterian Church:

Thank you so much for the gift to the new Windy Hill Personal Care facility. 

We will be using it to purchase window treatments for the resident rooms. 

We appreciate your generosity.  Thank you again for making us part of your

Alternative Christmas giving.

Deborah Hollenbaugh

Moshannon Heights Presbyterian Home

SANCTUARY CHAIRS: SOLD OUT!

The $3,000 needed to buy 75 new Sanctuary Chairs for the Faith Presbyterian

Church in Harvey, Louisiana, were generously bought by the congregation in

just 6 weeks!  Through individual gifts and Alternative Christmas gifts,

the money was raised and sent to the church in hopes of seeing them able

to sit for Christmas Sunday.  Thank you for your amazing generosity to

our sister church, who is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.

ALTAR FLOWER CALENDAR

The 2006 Calendar is now in the Narthex.  Please initial your approval of the date posted.  If you wish to make a change, please contact Laura Barnett at (814) 342-3476.  There are still Sundays available throughout the year,   and we would appreciate and encourage members to respond.  Thank you!

BRASS FLOWER VASES

The Brass Memorial Flower Vases have been beautifully polished as a

gracious gift of Lee Industries.  They are now stored in the Sunday School

office in brown anti-tarnish bags in the cupboard.  If you would like to

use them for sanctuary flowers, please direct your florist to

find a vase and insert there.  If they take a vase to the

flower shop, please request that they handle it with gloves.

COMMUNION GIFTS

Sunday, January 8^th will be our first

Communion Sunday of 2006.  Our

gifts for the Local Food Bank will be

canned meats or cereals, which you

can put in the food basket in the

foyer on that Sunday.  Thank you!

LEADER RETREATS

New Officer Training for the Presbytery

(incoming Deacons, Elders, and Trustees) will be held on Sunday, January 8, 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, February 11, 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.

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT WORKSHOP

Our church has made a commitment to making our congregation

and building safe for our children by setting up a Sexual Misconduct Policy and

Procedure Manual.  As part of this policy, all adults and teen

volunteers who work with children are asked to sign a code of ethics and view an awareness video.  If you have not done either or both of these,

please plan on attending Sunday School in the Parlor on Sunday, January 15,

at 9:30 AM to receive this important training. 

Contact Jerilin Pritchard to see if you need to attend.

    3W: WOMEN WHO WORK

After a fabulous Christmas meal in December

with the Presbyterian Women, 3W is planning

to continue to meet in 2006.  Each meeting offers

new insight, and newcomers are always welcome. 

MARK THESE DATES ON YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR:

Monday, January 16, 7-8:30 PM, studying Romans 8:18-30

Monday, February 20, 7-8:30 PM, studying John 17:1-26

Monday, March 20, 7-8:30 PM, studying John 15:1-17

Monday, May 1, 7-8:30 PM, studying Psalm 46 and Ephesians 3:14-21

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

The Annual Congregational Meeting                                 prepared by the loving hands of

and Corporation’s Annual Report                                      the Presbyterian Women.  Please

Meeting will be held Sunday,                                               plan to take time to fellowship

January 22, 2006, after worship                                     and hear of God’s work among us

and lunch together.  Lunch is again                                in the last year. 

YOUNG AT HEART

  The first “official” Young at

      Heart Luncheon of 2006 will

          be held on Wednesday, January 25^th. 

              If you are 50 years old or older and young

                at heart, please make your reservation now to

                   enjoy lunch, fellowship, and some sort of

                      entertainment on January 25^th at 12:00 p.m. in

                          Westminster Hall.  Please call (814) 342-4371.

                             for reservations!  Thank you.

KRISLUND 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.

Please note the following date correction:

  Krislund Summer Brochure Mistake:

Mini Camp ‘C’ is 8/6-8 & ‘D’ is 8/10-12.

CONSIDER BEING A BIG BROTHER OR BIG SISTER

Children's Aid of Clearfield has just received a grant to start Big Brothers and Big Sisters in the Wallaceton-Boggs Elementary School and P-O High School. On Sunday, January 15, Kristie Thorp will be worshiping with us to give a Minute for Mission and tell us more about these ministry opportunities. Following worship, Kristie will be meeting with interested persons over a buy-your-own lunch at the Country Club. Please consider whether God is calling you to share your gifts in this way.

JANUARY 2006 CHURCH CALENDAR