The Highlander. The Punxsutawney Presbyterian Church. Wednesday Night Lenten Dinner & Study

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1 The Punxsutawney Presbyterian Church March 2012 Wednesday Night Lenten Dinner & Study A Hearty Dinner 6:00 p.m. and Lenten Study 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 29 & March 7, 14, 21, 28th After a great meal we will come together for a study that combines rubber meets the road, real world examples and a humorous look into the stereotypes of Christians and our faith, and what they can teach us. Speaking of Christians Lenten Series Schedule March 7 March 14 Heaven and Hell & Salvation Well, I don't care if it rains or freezes, Long as I have my plastic Jesus Riding on the dashboard of my car You Just Got to Believe! Do Christians really believe that? March 21 John 3:16 The official verse of giant signs at sporting events March 28 Christmas & Easter Come to church on Easter and WIN A CAR! Speaking of Christians will be a great way to grow this Lenten season! Contact Rev. Brett with questions!

2 Page 2 March represents our first full month in the season of Lent, and as such, contains a collection of readings all centered around discipleship - the journey to a deeper relationship with God. Please make sure to note the start of Daylight Savings Time! It begins on Sunday, March 11th and don't forget to turn your clock one hour ahead when you head to bed Saturday night. As always, feel free to read ahead. Our March 2012 Worship Calendar Join us for Worship at 11 a.m. March 4th 2nd Sunday of Lent & Celebration of the Lord s Supper Genesis 17:1-7 & Mark 8:31-38 Sermon: Life According to Monopoly March 18th 4th Sunday of Lent Numbers 21:4-9 & John 3:14-21 Sermon: The Verse March 11th 3rd Sunday of Lent Exodus 20:1-17 & John 2:13-22 Sermon: Sympathy for Money Changers **Mark Your Calendars** Daylight Savings Time Begins March 25th 5th Sunday of Lent Jeremiah 31:31-34 & John 12:20-26 Sermon: Following and Followers DATE SCREEN SOUND LITURGIST ACOLYTE(S) March 4 George Momyer Bruce Williams John Hughes Holly Hartman March 11 Nick Suntheimer Barbara Hanley Donna Kengersky March 18 Nick Suntheimer Devin Williams Flo West Owen Bartlebaugh Kally & Kassidy Graham March 25 George Momyer Tim Pearce Kathi Cessna Holly Hartman

3 Page 3 FROM THE PASTOR S DESK Feeling a bit parched following our wonderful Ash Wednesday Dinner and Worship, I headed out to Sheetz to quench my thirst. Like any other visit to our local Sheetz, I parked the car, entered the building, got what I wanted, and stood in line. This scene is reenacted countless times by a whole host of folks each and every day including the friendly but superficial banter almost every customer engages in with the cashier. Do you have a Sheetz card?, he asked. It s in here somewhere, I replied as I dug through my wallet. So church must have just gotten out, said the Cashier. Yes it did; just now, I replied. And then it hit me. In the open expanse that is my forehead (usually unoccupied) clung the ashy remains of a bygone Palm Sunday, and while it didn t really stick out in church, it certainly did in Sheetz as I tried to buy two bottles of Diet Coke. Usually your and my faith can fly under the radar. I am not sure I look especially Christian and I don t know if you do either; but walk into a gas station, a grocery store, or stand in line at the airport on Ash Wednesday and you ll remove all doubt. Ashy remains carefully applied in the form of the cross makes light detective work, and so I wonder how our lives would change if something like Ash Wednesday s ash crosses became a fixture in our public lives. If everyone knew you were a Christian, would you live differently, say different things, generally behave in a different manner? If any doubt as to your faith was removed, do you think your life would change? I guess there are two ways to answer: yes and I hope not. Yes, your life would change. I have a young Pastor friend who for Lent last year wore his clerical collar everyday. To the movies, to the store, to the office, and everywhere in between, Collin wore his collar and WOW did it make a difference. He was treated differently; and conscious of the image he projected, Collin found himself being more outwardly charitable. In some ways Collin had to live up to the expectation of Pastors held by the public, and wondered what would happen if he saw an R-rated movie or had a beer on St. Patrick s Day. The collar made him more aware not only of Christ s call to feed his sheep but also society s expectations of what a Christian should say, do, and behave. It was a double edged sword. On the other hand, would your life change too much? When folks don t know we are people of faith, do we try to get away with anything and everything? Living inconsistent lives, are you afraid what would happen if you were expected to behave a certain way now that everybody knew that you believed in Christ? Would you stop eating grapes at the grocery store, or borrowing a handicap parking pass? My prayer is certainly that the difference between our public Christian lives and our private Christian lives are not terribly inconsistent. In the end, the real tell of your faith isn t an ashen cross once a year, or the decision not to steal grapes from the grocery store. Our faith isn t boiled down into actions alone nor can it be distilled into something superficial like rules or expectations. The Christian faith is about understanding that God s love has claimed you as an adopted child of God, forgiven your sins, and understands you well enough to call you into this Life of Faith we call discipleship. This love isn t there to beat you into compliance. God s love is there to free us to be the people God created us to be. Perhaps we can find a way to wear that all our Wednesdays. Peace,

4 Page 4 Adult Education this Lenten Season Take Up Your Cross Sunday, March 11th through 25th - 9:45 a.m. Have you ever noticed the number of different Christian crosses? Why so many and what do they mean? Each cross has its own history and tells a different story that can help us appreciate love & grace of God. Join us this Lenten season for a three part class as we look into the different crosses of our faith and their rich heritage and story. Class will be held in the Seminar Room. See Rev. Brett with Questions! Rotation Station Sunday School All children in Kindergarten through 6 th grade are welcome. March: A 4 week Easter lesson called The Empty Tomb, focusing on 3 themes the way, the truth, and the life. The Rotation Station Singer will perform during worship on Palm Sunday. Practice with Nancy Pearce is Sunday mornings from 9:45 10:15, followed by Sunday School from 10:15 10:45 Bev Keeley is the teacher for March. Youth Valentine s Fundraiser Thanks to Dana, Haley, and Holly Hartman; Devin and Amy Williams; Kris, Kally, Kassidy Graham, and their 5 friends for help in preparing our desserts. Thanks to Madysen Ewing for being a great seller. And thanks to everyone who bought our goodies. We made a profit of over $200 to be used for our Christmas toy mission. Mark your calendar! Preparations are being made for Palm Sunday Intergenerational Sunday School on April 1 st at 9:45 a.m. All ages are invited to gather together in the dining room for breakfast, making palm crosses, and a chance to play Bible Jeopardy. A Special Tuesdays at Ten Lenten Opportunity! An Expanded Tuesdays at Ten Look Into Take Up Your Cross Tuesdays in March - 10 a.m. Seminar Room During the month of March Tuesdays at Ten will continue the conversation of Take Up Your Cross by looking into four more historical crosses and the profound spiritual meaning behind each. Blending art & church history, bible study, and theology, this Tuesdays at Ten opportunity will go deeper than our Adult Education offering on Sunday mornings. All are Welcome! Contact Rev. Brett with questions.

5 Page 5 March 2012 thsun Mon Tues Wed Thu Fri Sat :45 AM Sunday School 11:00 AM- Worship COMMUNION :00 AM Tuesdays at Ten 7 6:00 PM Lenten Meal and Bible Study 8 7:00 PM Chancel Choir :45 AM Sunday School 11:00 AM- Worship :00 AM Tuesdays at Ten 14 6:00 PM Lenten Meal and Bible Study 15 Noon Reservations due for Sat. Friends Out Noon Sat. Friends Out 7:00 PM Chancel choir 18 9:45 AM Sunday School 9:45 AM Deacons meet 11:00 AM Worship 19 5:30 PM Food Pantry 20 10:00 AM Tues. at Ten 7:30 PM Marriage Seminar at Nesbitts 21 6:00 PM Lenten Meal and Bible Study 22 7:00 PM Chancel Choir :45 AM Sunday School 11:00 AM Worship 6:00 PM Session meets 7:00 PM Book Club 10:00 AM Tuesdays at Ten 6:00 PM Lenten Meal and Bible Study 7:00 PM Chancel Choir

6 Page 6 Everybody is welcome! Bible in 365 Project Discussion Opportunity March 4th at 9:45 AM - Seminar Room Sunday, March 4th will be our 2nd Bible in 365 Project discussion opportunities! This time together will be an opportunity to ask questions, discuss what we have read, and look ahead to future readings. This opportunity is open to everybody who is interested in learning more about the Bible or interested in hearing about the Bible in 365 project. Can t make it & have questions? Rev. Brett (rev.brettswanson@gmail.com) A Note of Thanks from Capt. Reese Swanson, USAF Members of Punxsutawney Presbyterian Church, Thanks for the care package and letter you sent me during my deployment overseas. I really appreciate it. Thanks, Reese Swanson Capt. Reese Swanson is Rev. Brett Swanson s younger brother. Reese had been deployed to Afghanistan for a large part of In January 2012 Reese returned home to Oklahoma where he lives with his wife Capt. Laura Swanson, the base Optometrist. A Big Thank You from the Presbyterian Church, USA! Thanks to the generous contributions of our members and friends, our congregation was able to collect $ for the Peacemaking Offering. This money goes towards peacemaking ministries of the PCUSA.

7 Page 7 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God s consecrated people) -Ephesians 6:18 Prayers and Concerns Carl and Louise Benson D.J. Bianco Betty Brumbaugh Cathy Gould Kathy Kopp Nancy Lazorchak Lois Leksell Evelyn Lettie Byrt Smathers Jane Wineburg 1- Cathy Wilson 4- Tim Pearce 6- Fred Wachob 7- Dana Hartman 10 Peyton Petrini 13 Millie Burkett March Birthdays 16- Nancy Pearce 19 Keith Hughes 20 Keith Shields 25 Louise Kerr 27 Ed Bartlebaugh 28 Jim Cessna Come join us! Book Club We are a community book club, open to adults 18 years and older, that meets 5 times a year in September, November, January, March, and May. The meeting is at 7:00 PM in the parlor or seminar room, generally on the last Monday or Tuesday of the month. We read a variety of books. That month s selection along with the date are chosen by the members at the preceding meeting. For more information contact Debby Elder. THIS MONTH S SELECTION: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss Book Club meets on Monday, March 26, 2012, at 7:00 PM in the adult seminar room Celebrate Baby Fox s Baptism on Sunday, March 25th Fox David Chapman Roberts, infant son of Luke & Mandy Roberts, and grandson to Bob & Kerrin Roberts will be Baptized on Sunday, March 25th. Please join us for this moment of celebration in the life of our growing congregation!

8 Page 8 Cookie Schedule March 4: Barbara Hanley March 11: Kerrin Roberts March 18: Cookies are needed! March 25: Cookies are needed! Cookies (6 dozen) are needed each week for the fellowship time after Sunday worship. PLEASE consider donating cookies so that this worthwhile activity can continue. If you are not able to make cookies, no worry! Just buy them and donate them! The sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board across from the parlor. FINANCIAL STATEMENT - February 2012 Current Year to Date Budgeted Receipts $13, $28, Disbursements $14, $29, $179, Excess (-Deficiency) ($377.04) ($927.60) of Revenues over Expenditures ***(The above figures are subject to change and audit)*** Food Pantry Needs cereal canned fruit laundry detergent To Volunteer on March 19th: Call Donna Grabany SATURDAY FRIENDS OUT Saturday Friends Out will meet at noon on Saturday, March 17th at the Elks. The menu will be: Corned beef and cabbage RESERVATIONS NEED TO BE MADE IN THECHURCH OFFICE BY NOON ON MARCH 15th. All single women are welcome. If you need a ride, call Ann at

9 Page 9 Bible in 365 Project Update In the month of February during our Bible in 365 Project, our collection of readers have read the entire books of Leviticus and Numbers - a total of 2,147 verses! So far we ve read 16% of the entire Bible! Good job readers! Leviticus and Numbers were challenging reads. Filled with instructions on holiness and preparing the temple, these books of the Old Testament might have tried a patience or two. As we enter into March, we will begin our reading of Deuteronomy and say goodbye to Moses & hello to Joshua. Make sure to check out The Bible in 365 Project Blog at to learn more about our readings,to hear Rev. Brett s thoughts, and to gain tips on what lies ahead and reading difficult material. You can also access the site by visiting our own PUNXSYUPC.NET and follow the link on the homepage. Welcome New Members! Nickolas & Jessica Suntheimer Ben Fye & Sean Fitzgerald On Sunday, February 19th our congregation was blessed to have Nick, Jessica, Ben, and Sean join us in membership! All four of our new members have been worshiping with us for some time. Nick and Jessica are active in our wonderful music program with Jessica singing in the Choir and Nick playing in the Hand Bell Chorus. Nick is also one of our beloved Worship Screen gurus. Ben, who was baptized on the 19th, works for the Goodwill, and is active in local theater having just directed The Importance of Being Ernest in DuBois. Sean is a familiar face around town as an integral part of the team at Punxsy Phil s restaurant. If you ve see a pew full of visitors lately, there is a good chance Ben and Sean invited them.

10 Address Service Requested Punxsutawney Presbyterian Church 106 East Union Street Punxsutawney, PA Phone: The Presbyterian Church 106 East Union Street, Punxsutawney, PA Sunday School 9:45 AM and Worship Services 11:00 AM Attention Parents & Grandparents: It s Time to Start Thinking About SUMMER CAMP! Easter is right around the corner and May will be hear soon so it s time to start registering for SUMMER CAMP 2012! Northwest Pennsylvania has two great Presbyterian Camps: Westminster Highlands in Emelenton & Camp Lambec along the shores of Lake Erie - an online registration is happening NOW! For more information about camps, activities, and registration visit Berger Fund The Berger Fund, which is managed by the Deacons, is dwindling quickly. Any member of the congregation who wishes to make a donation is encouraged to do so by enclosing your contribution in an envelope marked Berger Fund. The Berger fund is used for people in need due to the following: hospital bills, fire, injury resulting in loss of work, family problems, and any other item which is brought before the Deacons. If you have any questions about the Berger Fund, please call Diane Ewing at or