Pastor Brenda Leigey and the Trinity United Methodist Church have joyfully continued their

Shoebank Ministry, which is the distribution of shoes to children in need.  Distribution takes place during the mornings of the 1^st and 3^rd Saturdays of the month.  As a direct result of the Shoebank, they also now distribute a new pair of socks to the children.  Let us praise God for this good work in the community!

THE CHURCH DIRECTORIES ARE IN!

After months of planning, phone calling,

picture taking, and proof reading, the

Deacons are thrilled to have the Church

Directories in hand!  Since copies are limited

and we would like to have enough directories

for visitors in the next year, we are asking that

each household take just one copy.  Enjoy the

opportunity to connect names with faces!

WORK DAY SET FOR NOVEMBER 12

Our Fall and Spring tradition is to hold

a Work Day at the church to take care

of a number of maintenance and

clean-up needs.  This Fall’s work day is

Saturday, November 12, from 9 AM to Noon, with lunch around 11:30 AM. 

Projects will include indoor and outdoor work, consisting of leaf raking, gutter cleaning, closet sorting, and indoor clean up.  There is a variety of work for different age and skill levels.  Plus, lunch donations are accepted if you cannot attend personally.  A sign up sheet for work jobs and lunch items is at the 5^th Street bulletin board.

YOUNG AT HEART LUNCHEON

The “Young at Heart” will have their monthly luncheon

on Wednesday, November 16^th at 12:00 p.m.   If you are 50 years young

or better, please plan to attend.  Reservations may be made

by calling (814) 342-4371

PRESBYTERIAN HOMES – 2005 CHRISTMAS BAZAAR

The Bazaar will be held at the Moshannon Heights home in Philipsburg on Saturday, November 19^th from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.  Lunch will be served, and

vegetable soup and sloppy joe mix will be sold by the quart.  In addition, Santa will be on hand from 11:00 am. until 2:00 p.m. for photos with children of all ages.  Please plan to attend.  Your support is needed for the success of this important mission.

COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING SERVICE

The Ecumenical Ministerium group is again planning a Community

Thanksgiving Service for Sunday, November 20, 7 PM, at Grace

United Methodist Church on Pine Street.  Valley Voices will be singing,

and the pastor at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Rev. Mark Luscombe,

will be preaching.  Come and give thanks together with brothers

and sisters from the community.

3W: THE WOMEN WHO WORK BIBLE STUDY

Our women’s study is for women at all ages

and stages.  This year, we are studying from

the “Seasons of Faith” curriculum that helps

us discern God’s work in different seasons of our lives.  We are also enjoying a worship DVD as we open our time together.  We’d love to have more women learn with us!  The 3W Bible Study will be continuing for the remainder of the school year, with an eye towards these meeting dates and times:

            Monday, November 21, 7-8:30 PM, studying John 6:22-40

            Thursday, December 8, for dinner with the women of the church

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

SHARE YOUR SEAT

The Deacons, with the approval of Session,

are providing yet another way of ministering

to Faith Presbyterian Church in Harvey, Louisiana.

This ministry, called “Share Your Seat” is an

opportunity to provide a padded, stackable chair

for the sanctuary at Faith Presbyterian Church.  Their

chairs were rusted and mildewed from the storm, but

their insurance considers this damage “flood damage”

and will not cover it.  Thus, they need chairs for worship!

And they need to be able to move and stack these

chairs so their sanctuary can be used throughout the

week for their preschool.

Our Deacons invite members to purchase a total of 75 chairs at $40 each. 

Joy Branstetter has designed a stunning chair display that will

track our progress.  The Alternative Christmas project

(see the article in this newsletter) is offering the chairs as a way for

you to give gifts to others.  And, already, some of the

chairs have been purchased!

HURRICANE KATRINA – HELPING OUR PARTNER CHURCH

After Hurricane Katrina, the needs seemed overwhelming and the lack of knowing how to help compounded the problem.  We are fortunate to have reached a church just outside of New Orleans that sustained wind and water damage, but was not entirely flooded.  This is Faith Presbyterian Church in Harvey, Louisiana, and this is our partner church for Hurricane Aid.

Faith Presbyterian Church is a church of 60 amazingly active members.  Their pastor, Rhonda Detenbeck, has graciously pastored them through this difficult time.  Their church had water and wind damage that damaged their roof, ruined carpets, mildewed some walls, and took out a fence.  But they consider themselves lucky.  Their insurance will pay for about 75% of the damage, and they are in good enough working order to be able to hold services, offer their church for workgroups (because they have showers and a large kitchen),

and reopen their preschool.  Wow!

Our church is helping to partner with them in two ways:  First, we are

addressing their needs, and, second, we are sending aid to help

them help others.  The Deacons have taken these actions:

1.      Sent emergency aid funds of $200 (plus a $100 private donation) for their use where needed.

2.      Collected new or gently used toys/books for their preschool through the end of October.  Even if we collect more than they can use, they are part of a preschool network that can share with others in need.

3.      Sent our used Red Hymnals for their distribution to another church who sustained significant flood damage.

4.      Implemented the “Share Your Seat” program to invite members of our church to supply a padded chair for their worship service.  (See the Share Your Seat article in this newsletter for more information.)

How good it is when brothers and sisters can live together in

peace and encouragement!

ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS GIFT OPPORTUNITY

The Mission Committee of the Session has designed an Alternative Christmas

Gift opportunity for the members of the congregation.  There may be

members of your family, friends, colleagues, or other special people in

your lives you would like to honor with a gift at Christmas, but you

don’t know what they would like and there is really nothing they need. 

The Mission Committee has a great solution – honor that person with

a gift that benefits a ministry of the Presbyterian Church.

Beginning November 20^th, the Alternative Christmas Gift table will be placed in the narthex following worship.  At this table you may purchase gift certificates honoring those special people in your life.  You will receive a certificate for each gift purchased which you may give to that special person at Christmas.  The certificate will tell what the gift is and for which ministry.

The following alternative Christmas fits are being offered:

The Heights at Windy Hill:

                        - $25.00 or $50.00 to help furnish a room

Krislund Camp:

- $25.00 toward a digital camera

- $50.00 toward DVD software and duplicator

- $75.00 toward a canvas wagon cover

- $100.00 toward a canvas tent cover

Faith Presbyterian Church, Harvey, Louisiana:

- $40.00 to purchase a stackable, padded chair for

   the sanctuary

Please consider honoring someone in your life with this expression of

God’s love.  Order forms will be available early in November.

ADVENT DEVOTIONALS

In order to help us to slow down

during the season of Advent, we

are offering Advent Devotionals

based on the work of Henri Nouwen,

called Our Light and Our Salvation.  These small pamphlets offer a reflection for every day, which will give us just enough impetus to pause and wait in wonder for a while.  These are offered free of charge to each household of the church.  Please pick your copy up at the Presqueisle entrance before or after worship.

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN – WOMEN WHO WORK CHRISTMAS PARTY

The PW-3W Christmas party will be held on Thursday, December 8, at 6:00 p.m., at the Gaslight Restaurant on Presqueisle Street.  ALL women of the church are invited and encouraged to attend.  Reservations need to be received by December 1^st and may be made by calling

Babs Herman (342-1481)

Bonnie Rodgers (342-5109)

Carol Moore (342-0758)

The Church Office (342-0812)

The program for the evening will be another hilarious White Elephant

Chinese Bingo.  The big question – Who will end p with the Santa slippers

this year???  So, look around the house for a great give-away item,

wrap it lovingly, and let’s have fun!

GA QUILT BANNER

An industrious pastor from Oregon is seeking to celebrate the anniversaries of the ordination of women pastors, elders and deacons by creating a mosaic quilt banner for the General Assembly in June 2006.  To do this, she is collecting 2-inch squares from every PC(USA)

church that has ordained a woman elder and deacon, or has called a woman pastor.  For our part, we are sending three squares to this project of denominational celebration and unity.  These are honoring, Tracie Bullis, our first woman pastor, Alice Houser, our first woman elder who is still living, and Barbara Springer, our first woman deacon.

INCOME AND EXPENSES FOR THE GENERAL FUND FOR SEPTEMBER, 2005:

Total Offering and Income to the General Fund               $7,422.13

Total Expenses from the General Fund                                         9,169.77

Shortfall for September                                                              -$1,747.64

Note:  Cash Flow from the $4,500 transfer in July helped to cover the deficit. 

Total transfers from the Reserve and Investment Fund for 2005 total $6,000. 

Hopefully, our giving can meet expenses for the remainder of the year.

NOVEMBER CHURCH CALENDAR