August 2017 LPC Summer Youth Camp at Camp Duffield

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1 August 2017 LPC Summer Youth Camp at Camp Duffield See more pictures on page 4.

2 P a ge 2 T h e Grapevine Son Treasure Island VBS Kele-Communication omething has happened to S my thermostat in the eleven years since I first returned to New York from East Tennessee. I ve gained a few pounds. I don t prefer the July heat. I can tolerate it, but my new optimum temperature is around 60ᴼ. One can always add layers. When I was a kid the summer heat didn t bother me. We would have every fan in the house stirring the air. My big brothers were good to me. We fought like boys will, but, for the most part they looked out for me and endeavored to bring me into the benefit of their advanced experience. My brothers received more of the artistic gifting than I did, or mine tends more toward the musical. I have always admired their ability to draw. They would draw these elaborate treasure maps with snaking trails of foot prints all over the house and grounds, and if I followed their directions to where the x marked the spot I would come into some rewarding treasures: things like little bite sized chocolate bars, Bazooka bubble gum, Tootsie Pops and Charms Blow Pops. Seeing the church all decorated for Son Treasure Island VBS put me in mind of the hot summer days, treasure hunts and VBSs gone by. I have vivid memories of our first VBS together. It was so hot, and we didn t have air conditioning in Waith Fellowship Hall in those days, or in the kitchen. I remember all of the many hands laboring to make light work especially the kitchen crew. I can still see Mary Lou Appelbacher smiling through the heat, holding out a plate of that which proverbially leads to a man s heart. Lancaster Presbyterian Church is a great blessing to me! The work continues in our day. I took a few minutes to smell the flowers and survey the campus this morning. Signs of VBS are everywhere. I noticed the huge sign in the glass atrium: Set Sail for Son Treasure Island. As I entered the front hall I noticed leafy vines hanging everywhere from the ceiling with a trail of enormous blossoms leading upstairs. The sanctuary took my breath away: again, palm trees, vines, leaves, big colorful blossoms, the pulpit transformed into a great island flowing with waterfalls, signs for Welcome Treasure Hunters, and CoCo Banana s Snacks welcoming the children, and a massive treasure chest center platform. What really stands out in the sanctuary are the great Scripture Cards of memory verses from 1 Corinthians 13. The twins are helping with recreation this week so I have been enjoying hearing about the plans for cool games and activities like Crab Grab, Catch the Eel s Tail, and The Greased Banana Relay. I also noticed some catchy snack handles ranging from the familiar S mores and Finger Jell-o to the more adventurous sounding Sticks N Bricks. Sounds like a fun week! The substance of our VBS celebrations is always the gospel, and all of the games, snacks, decorations, skits, memory verses and lessons are calculated to highlight the incomparable Treasure that is ours through the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are blessed with many educators who are devoted to understanding the age level understanding and characteristics of our sons and daughters and investing their influence with our children in the all important trust of passing the faith to each generation. The gospel, of course, is simple and readily explainable to every child. God is good and He deserves our loving obedience. We often get it wrong and we need His forgiveness. He loves us and gives us His forgiveness through His Son Jesus, and so we want to learn about God s love and forgiveness in Jesus and share His love and His ways with others. The gospel of God s loving forgiveness in Jesus is the Treasure that we esteem above all others here in Lancaster Presbyterian Church, and I am so thankful for the blessings that come to me every day with you all in the service of this glorious gospel. Give thanks for the ministry that we share, for all of the teachers and helpers who invest so selflessly and sacrificially in our children to supportively reinforce our efforts to impart the truth and the treasure of the gospel to our sons and daughters! I will continue to give thanks for all of you! God bless you, Dear Ones! All my love, Pastor Kelly

3 T h e Grapevine P a ge 3 Church Announcements Church Wide Operation Christmas Child Collection Our small group is sponsoring a collection of items for Operation Christmas Child. We are asking the entire church to join us. This would not take the place of filling our individual and family shoe boxes. It will be in addition to all of us packing our own boxes. When we have collected the various items needed, we will have a shoe box packing party sometime in September or October. We would like to see our church pack an additional 100 boxes on top of the 90 to 100 boxes we pack as individuals. We will begin the collection of items in July. There will be a bin labeled "Operation Christmas Child" across from Pete's office on the 1st floor. Please join us in this project to send Christmas Gifts and the Gospel message printed in the language of the child who receives the box around the world to those many children who may have never received a Christmas gift or heard the Good News of the Gospel. July collection items will be personal hygiene items and school supplies. Some suggestions for Personal Hygiene items are: Toothbrushes, Toothbrush holders, Toothpaste, Bars of soap, wash clothes, combs and brushes, hair items for girls Some suggestions for school supplies are: Pens, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, small pads of paper (able to fit in a shoe box), markers, safety scissors, pencil sharpeners, erasers. The summer is a great time to purchase some of these items as there are many sales!! The above are only suggestions. Feel free to include other items as well. Some items that may NOT be included are: liquid items, war toys of any kind, breakable items, and any perishable food, including chocolate. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Pat Gerber at Don't forget to begin collecting items for your own shoe boxes!! November will be here before we know it! Craft Fellowship Craft Fellowship will be starting up again! Our regular meets are every 1 st Friday of the month. Due to Labor Day weekend we will postpone September s til the 2 nd Friday, on the 8 th. Our meetings start at 10 am-to approximately 1:00 at Southwind Apts Transit Rd. Depew. Have fun chatting while stuffing bears and heart pillows for cancer patients and sick children. Can't sew? Don't worry. There is always stuffing to do! If you have a sewing machine we'll give you material to take home to trace, cut, and sew. Bring them back and we'll stuff them on Friday. No Quotas! Bring a bag lunch. Noon is quitting time for lunch and devotions. Tea and coffee provided. For more info. or a ride to the meetings call or Chris at christinegrear@yahoo.com or call A Special Thank You A special thank you to all the Wonderfair volunteers! This event was a huge success because of all of you! We appreciate the donations of time, food, money and talents!! ~The Wonderfair Team Congratulations LPC on winning first place in the Fourth of July parade float contest!! Thank you to those who volunteered their time and talent into putting this float together! Sunday, September 10th Regular services at 8:30am and 11:00am return with Communion. Adult Education and Sunday School Junior/Senior High Youth Kick Off Party 6:00pm

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6 P a ge 6 T h e Grapevine August 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Office Closed Worship Committee Mtg 7:00pm 2 Office Closed Outreach Committee Mtg 7:00pm, Mission Committee Mtg 7:00pm Worship 9:30am Communion 7 DAB 6:00pm 8 Junior/Senior High Youth Como Park Cookout 5:00pm, Trustees Mtg 7:00pm Worship 9:30am 14 DAB 6:00pm 15 Stated Session Mtg 7:00pm 16 Technology Committee Mtg 7:00pm Worship 9:30am Grapevine Crew 10:00am, Junior/Senior High Youth Pool party at the Negus 7pm Worship 9:30 28 Office Closed Sept. 1 Sept. 2 Office Closed Junior/Senior High Youth August Events August 8 th, 5-9pm: Football game, cook out, fun at Como Park August 24 th, 7-10pm: Pool party at Negus home, 400 North Davis Rd. Elma NY, off Seneca St. east of Pound Rd. September 10 th, 6-9 pm: 2017/18 youth group kickoff party at Carlsen home, 94 Elm Pl. Lancaster NY, swimming, food, fun, games, devotional, talk about upcoming schedule of events/etc. Invite your friends to these activities!! It s a good way to introduce them to the youth group program.

7 T h e Grapevine P a ge 7 Prayer Page August 2017 Pray for the pastors: As our pastors preach, let them proclaim Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:28). Let our pastors preaching be in the energy of the Holy Spirit. The Pray! Prayer Journal, Nov Press 2003, p.156 Praying for LPC ministries: Session: For the Lord to grow us who attend LPC in pursuing and enfolding His harvest. Prayer for our country: Pray for those in this nation who have been deceived into thinking that our country would be better off without Christianity. Ask God to open the eyes of many who have been blinded by Satan to the truth of God and His word. Prayer for our world: Pray for the people of Iraq and Syria. Pray for Christians, that their faith will remain strong and that they will forgive their enemies. Pray for refugees, that their basic needs will be met and that they will meet Jesus. Pray for Muslims that they will seek the peace of the God of the Bible in the midst of chaos. And also pray for those in ISIS and other extremist Islamic groups. God can change even the darkest heart. Ask God to break Satan s hold on these deceived people who serve a false god. Praying for our family Sue VanOrman David Bogey Janet Kranso Rob Herget Joyce Klaasesz Ken Gordon Kathy Frank Bob Ludeking Jan Stasiowski BJ Rustic Jim Cavanaugh Betty Glowacki Beth Rettew Terry Riordan Al LaVenture Sally Godfrey Rob Benzel Heather Cronk Pat Shaner Alice Hirsch Nancy Lyon Janet Thuerck Joyce Olivieri Lettie Vona Norma Pereny LPC s Military Personnel: Thomas Eaton Dan Pulley Steve Schuman Missions: Emily Pulley Julia Gawron Sarah Michel

8 Non-Profit US POSTAGE PAID Lancaster, NY Permit # Broadway St. Lancaster, NY Phone: Fax: Rev. Kelly Negus, Senior Pastor Peter Gawron, Director of Family and Youth Ministries Purpose: For God s glory we are committed to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in all we say and all we do to make and equip disciples in our families, our community, and the world. Core Values: We believe in the authority of Scripture and we affirm the historic teachings of Reformed Christianity. Address Service Requested