Gifts from Above. The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch. News and Notes January & February In this Issue

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1 The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch News and Notes January & February 2019 Gifts from Above Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17 God said, Let there be light ; and there was light. Genesis 1:3 At the beginning of a new year, many of us take a moment to consider the things to which we are committed. I want to be healthy, and so we commit to losing a few pounds, or eating more spinach, or smiling more often. I want to do better in my job, and so we map out strategies, build new collegial relationships, or enroll in night school. I want my family to share in love, and so we reorganize our weekly schedule, plan a family trip, or agree to start praying together. We look at these commitments at the beginning of the year because they reflect who we are and who we want to be. I want to glorify and enjoy God. Our annual stewardship campaign is a chance for us to consider this commitment as a reflection of who we are. God has blessed us with light, life, and love. When we commit ourselves to our family of faith, we commit ourselves to God s generosity. We have a chance to remember the many gifts given by God throughout the previous year and in all the years of our lives, and we are invited to be generous alongside God, to give as God has given to us. In this Issue 50 Words of Faith Souper Bowl Mission News Connect-by-Night Preschool News Scouting News The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch is an inclusive Christian community whose members have been: saved by God s grace, united by God in Jesus Christ, and given by God as a light to the nations. Our mission is patterned after the example of Jesus Christ, who came "not to be served but to serve." To that end, we seek to think with the mind of Christ, to love with the heart of Christ, and to act as the Lord requires, doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God. January 27 will be our Dedication Day in worship. We invite you to take the month to consider God s generosity in your life and then to respond with generosity of your own. The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch

2 Our Community in Worship 50 Words of Faith January January 6 Epiphany Luke 2:22-36 January 13 Inspiration Luke 3:1-22 Installation of Church Officers January 20 Generations Luke 3:23-38 January 27 Generosity James 1:17-18 Dedication Day February February 3 Awe Exodus 3:1-15 Sacrament of Communion February 10 Beauty Exodus 34:29-35 February 17 Heart Jeremiah 17:5-10 Claire Jones, Guest Preacher February 24 Power Second Kings 2:1-15 Annual Congregational Meeting to Follow Worship CARE CLOSET CANS are collected in worship on the First Sunday of the Month, the same day that we have communion. This month communion is on Sunday, January 6 th and February 3rd. Bring your family s care closet can with you to worship. Children may bring their care closet cans to Sunday School if they wish. Congregational Life Tackle "Souper Bowl of Caring" Hunger Let's Team Up to Help Others! Our Sunday School class will be helping us to participate in the "Souper Bowl of Caring Offering" on Super Bowl Sunday, February 3rd! In an effort to help our friends at Chester Eastside Ministries, the children of our Sunday School are asking you to bring canned or packaged soups to church on Sunday, February 3 rd (or any Sunday before that). Open those cupboards, see what you have to share and bring those cans along to church. Monetary donations are greatly appreciated as well. Let's make this a cooperative effort that we can be proud of! The children of our Sunday School thank you!! We are searching for more ways to participate! Please stay tuned! The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch 2

3 Children s Education and Ministry Preschool News One mission of our church is our preschool that continues to adapt each school year to the needs of our community families. This year s enrollment numbers are approximately 25 children ages three to five which allows for exceptional social and curriculum-based programing. The Christmas season highlights include the hat and mitten collection for needy children in our county, wooden trees decorated with bottle caps and a return visit from Santa! Llanerch is grateful for the commitment and dedication of our certified teachers and staff in making our preschool a treasure in the church and community. You may enjoy the art work of the children in the classroom and share the news with your friends and neighbors! Registration is in progress for the school year. Please contact Preschool Director, Mrs. June Hoyle at or visit the church/preschool website for further information. Sunday School Same time () New Location (Upstairs Middle Room) This year our Sunday School program follows the Witness Sunday School Curriculum by Augsburg Fortress. We now meet in the middle room on the top floor of the education building, beginning at and ending at noon. It is here that we are learning to become faithful followers of God. We enjoy joining the congregation for Communion and other special activities that are part of the church service. Scouting News The Scouts from Troop 434, the Venturers of Crew 434, and the Cubs in Pack 432 had a great December with some traditional activities and a big dose of community service. One of the most popular meetings of the fall season is Gym Night, a high-energy extravaganza of dodgeball where young scouts show their skills against the adult leaders in the troop. Back at the church, this was paired with a festive but slightly more sedate night of skits, treats, and a gift exchange in a holiday themed party. The Scouts don t camp in December so they were busy around the Township making improvements to a various parks and recreation centers at Powdermill Park, the Grange Estate, and the Hilltop ball field. All of these projects were led by Scouts at the Life Scout rank who are preparing to apply for the top rank of Eagle Scout. We get a thrill to see these young people reach out to the community in so many ways. At the end of January, they ll be back outside with their special Klondike Derby sled participating in a big meet of speed, teamwork, and (possibly) winter snow challenges. Through the month of February, Scouts start preparing for summer by working on their swimming skills in the pool. Scouts across the district will be at Valley Forge Military Academy going through the requirements for the Swimming and Lifesaving merit badges. We re also grateful for all the Scouts and their families who are participating in the Church s Connect-by-Night service. Many good deeds, on many days! The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch 3

4 Mission Notes Connect-By-Night Service to the local community is one of our most important ways of living out Christ s words. During January, we will be working to support the most vulnerable adults in our region through the Connect-by- Night program. Every other night we will be providing a bag lunch, an evening snack, and the security of a warm place to sleep to homeless adults. That secure warm place to sleep is the activity room at Christ Community Church at the Riverview Center, but our partners at CCC firmly state that they could not keep up this commitment without our support. There are a few dates in January when we still need help in fulfilling this need for food and fellowship. Please see the Connect Calendar in the Fellowship room at the church, or find the online version on the church website. There are supplies for volunteers on the table in the Fellowship room and we would be happy to receive donations for that table or financial support to help buy the fresh food used Don t miss Sunday School Service to Connect Day, which is planned for January 13. The Sunday School children will be setting up the lunch bags, but they ll need contributions of bread, fruit, juice, cookies, and News from our Mission Partners Two of our mission partners have sent warm Christmas and New Year s greetings. Betty Wu from thevillage children s home in Rosemont extends the thanks from the staff and residents of thevillage for the wonderful gifts for those children and their families. Blood Drive on Saturday, February 2 nd The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch 9:00 AM 2:00 PM To make an appointment, please call RED CROSS Visit Sponsor Keyword: Llanerch community snacks to complete the job. The church fellowship will be completing the task with making the sandwiches and stowing them during the coffee hour. Look for the sign-up sheet In the Fellowship Room to figure out how you can help. February is a month to rest and plan for another month of service in March. We have a few volunteers for the Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (and Sundays on March 10 and 24), but we will need many more. As you shop, as you cook, as you plan social events with friends and other organizations, think about how you can help. Be ready to make a donation on any level. Be ready for the satisfaction of reaching out to those in need and meeting those needs. Be ready to pray for all the participants and guests. We connect in many ways in this project: many thanks to those who have volunteered already and those who support them. Congratulations to some of our new volunteer groups, like our Venturing Crew. Zuline Wilkinson from Chester Eastside sent a big thank you and to a nice video showing the bright spirits in the youth and family programs there. In particular, we love the Food Matters! healthy eating education program, and the afterschool enrichment program, Camp Phoenix: The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch 4

5 ALTERNATE GIFT GIVING We are continuing to accept donations through the month of January! In the past our congregation has supported Heifer International in their continued effort to bring help, healing and hope to millions of impoverished families worldwide. Today they are working in more than 30 countries and in areas where hunger and despair once prevailed. Heifer programs have reinvigorated communities through livestock, training and Passing on The Gift while also caring for the earth. Heifer International works in the areas of livestock and agriculture to develop programs that alleviate hunger and poverty. Their field staff is comprised of livestock specialists and their programs are considered among the most successful in the world. Please look at our display in the Fellowship Room. It will remain all through January. This display will provide you with all the information that you need to make this gift giving opportunity to a husband, wife, daughter, son, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, grandparents, neighbors, teachers and coworkers. The list can go on and on. With a donation of $10 or more you will receive an Honor Card to send to that individual or family. We will have the cards here for you at church. For those of you unable to make it to church, but would still like to participate in this type of gift giving and its valuable outcome, please get in touch with Kelly at the church office or call Joanne Janos at Feel free to call Joanne any day of the week. It doesn t need to be on a Sunday. Joanne and Kelly will see that you get the necessary materials. Donations to this point total $ Let s see if we can surpass last years total of $820.00! Here is how it works: You decide to donate a sheep in honor of your mother, who has always loved these gentle animals. Your mother receives a holiday Honor Card from you describing the generous contribution you ve made in her honor. Thanks to your gift, one more family is on the road to self-reliance. Once the family has completed training and has prepared appropriate facilities, they then receive a healthy female sheep. Throughout the year, the sheep provides soft, warm wool that can be made into clothing or sold to pay for food, medicine and school all the ingredients for a brighter future. The family gives one or more of its sheep s offspring to another family in need. That s part of the Passing on the Gift tradition that participants agree to when they become partners with Heifer International. You can see that your kind gift is much more than one animal it s the gift of hope and opportunity for an entire community. That s why this is The Most Important Gift Catalog in the World. The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch 5

6 Stewardship and Generosity Socks for Someone Online giving reminder This is a great time to make the transition to online giving through the Presbyterian Mission Foundation. The green button on our church website will make this easy for you. If you would rather not fuss with offering envelopes, the online system is secure, effective, and easy. Making your pledge automatic is a sign of faith that you are putting the word of God and the work of the church right up front in your financial life. As you are consider your pledge for 2019, don t forget to click on the Donate button and update your weekly or monthly offering amount. Even so, if you love the look, the tradition, and the nice rustle of offering envelopes, we can make this happen, too. Your pledge card will let you request envelopes that you can mail to the church office or drop in the plate on Sunday. Chancel Flowers Needed for Worship Opportunities abound for contributing chancel flowers for Sunday worship. Bouquets needed each week. All floral requests should be ordered at least two weeks in advance, but special needs will always be addressed. There is a sign-up poster in the Fellowship Room and phone orders may also be placed by calling the Church Office at These flowers are often delivered to shut-ins and the sick so this is a gift that gives twice! Thank you for your continued support! Would you like to help warm the feet of a friend in need? We will be collecting Socks for Someone during the months of February and March. NEW ADULT SOCKS would be appreciated perferably MENS! These socks will be shared among our friends at Connect-By-Night. PLEASE HELP US FILL OUR BARRELS!! We look forward to your support!!! Thank you! The Christian Education Committee Save the Date! The Annual Meeting for the Presbyterian Church of Llanerch will be held on Sunday, February 24th, following morning worship. This is an important meeting for the whole congregation to hear reports from the previous year, receive the budget for 2019, and plan for the future. Please mark your calendar! The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch 6

7 The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch JANUARY 2019 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 CONNECT-BY-NIGHT 2 3 CONNECT-BY-NIGHT 4 5 CONNECT-BY-NIGHT 6 Holy Communion Care Closet 13CONNECT-BY-NIGHT CONNECT-BY-NIGHT 9 10CONNECT-BY-NIGHT 11 12CONNECT-BY-NIGHT 15CONNECT-BY-NIGHT 16 17CONNECT-BY-NIGHT 18 19CONNECT-BY-NIGHT 20.Chester Eastside Gifts Received 27CONNECT-BY-NIGHT Session 21 Deacons CEC 7:30 PM National Alliance on Mental Illness 6:30 9:00 PM Jeanne Wilkins Memorial Service 10:00 AM at the church 22CONNECT-BY-NIGHT 23 24CONNECT-BY-NIGHT 25 26CONNECT-BY-NIGHT 28 29CONNECT-BY-NIGHT CONNECT-BY-NIGHT Pledge Dedication Day

8 The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch FEBRUARY 2019 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 BLOOD DRIVE 9:00 AM 2:00 PM 3 Sr. Choir 9:45 AM Holy Communion Care Closet Boy Scout Sunday 10 Sr. Choir 9:45 AM 4 11 Session Sr. Choir 9:45 AM.Chester Eastside Gifts Received 24 Sr. Choir 9:45 AM Annual Meeting 18 Deacons CEC 7:30 PM 19 National Alliance on Mental Illness 6:30 9:00 PM