Memos from Memorial. The Ponderings. For this month s Ponderings, here is a message from our new interim pastor, Rev. Kevin Murphy.

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1 MEMORIAL UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Memos from Memorial V OLUME 8, I SSUE 10 O CTOBER 2018 The Ponderings For this month s Ponderings, here is a message from our new interim pastor, Rev. Kevin Murphy. I am a life-long Presbyterian. I was born to parents who were first members of Pleasant Ridge, then Sycamore and finally and still, Lakeside Presbyterian. I can t remember a time when I wasn t involved in the Presbyterian church. After high school I studied speech and theater at Morehead State University and started my career working in technical theater. There I met Mary, my wife of 34 years and the love of my life. Once we were married and had our first son, Michael, I heard God s call to the ministry and attended Union Theological Seminary in Richmond Virginia. Upon graduation and ordination in 1989, I was called to Colonial Heights PC in Kingsport Tennessee, where our second son, Jack was born. After three years as their associate pastor, I once again returned to the Cincinnati area and to work in the theater. I also took a part-time pastorate at Cranston Memorial in New Richmond Ohio. That s when our third son, William was born. Since that time I ve served churches throughout the Presbytery of Cincinnati as Stated Supply and Interim Pastor and in 2009 accepted the call to pastor Northwest Community Church where I most recently served. In the midst of God s creation, my family loves the beach, sailing our 16' Hobie Cat, bicycling and getting together with our friends and families. I enjoy photography, woodworking and tending to my small farm in near Warsaw Kentucky. As far as church goes, I love worship. I especially like music all kinds. And I get a kick out of doing special things in worship; theater, dance, visual art whatever gifts God gives us to share in prayer and praise. I enjoy teaching and being with others as we explore the meaning of our faith. And of course, faith without works is dead which leads me to be involved in hands-on mission, especially those where I can put my carpentry skills to use, such as PDA. Finally, preaching... one of my greatest challenges and deepest pleasures in life. Rev. Kevin Murphy INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Children/Youth News The Spoken Word What s Going On 3 Missions 4 Places to Go/Things to Do Volunteers - Birthdays 6 Appreciations/ 7 Calendar 8 SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: Oct. 3 and 7 - Kid s Night Out October 7 - World Communion October 14 - Sunday Café Steak Fry October 21 - Rev. Kevin Murphy October 31 - Trunk or Treat 2 5

2 P AGE 2 V OLUME 8, I SSUE 10 News for the Younger Set Rally Day was a great success thanks to all of you! We had a wonderful time sharing wonderful food. The weather was wet but it did not stop us from having fun indoors. Thanks to your generosity, we raised enough money to send one of our Youth to the 2018 Youth Triennium in July! We are so blessed! Kid s Night Out for this month will be Wednesday, October 3 and 17 from 5:30-7. Please bring your children and grandchildren for Faith, Fun, and Friends! On Sunday mornings at 9:15, the Youth will continue Bible Studies and All things Presbyterian study. This is an informal gathering and mostly a discussion group! We want to invite all Middle School and High School Youth to join us! Please mark your calendars for Sunday, November 11. The Youth want to invite the whole congregation to our Church Family Thanksgiving Dinner after worship! We are cooking and preparing the meal as a way to spend time with you and to thank you for always supporting us. There is nothing for you to do except join us in the Fellowship Hall and enjoy this Church Family gathering. As the day gets a little closer, we will have more information in the bulletin. As we welcome Fall, I hope you find time to spend with your family and friends. ~ Nancy~ Plan Ahead: November 11 Church Family Thanksgiving Dinner! The Spoken Word Fall is here! It s time to jump back into our program year with Rally Day, Choir practices, Bible studies, and Sunday School. And to welcome our new interim Pastor - Rev. Kevin Murphy! October 7 World Communion Sunday Sacrament of the Lord s Supper Rev. David Fleming October 14 Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost Dr. Kevin Sharrett Sunday Café - X-Out Hunger Steak Fry October 21 Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost Rev. Kevin Murphy October 28 Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost

3 P AGE 3 V OLUME 8, I SSUE 10 What s Going On World Communion Sunday, October 7 Celebration of World Wide Communion Sunday was adopted as a denominational practice in the Presbyterian Church (US) in Today, World Communion Sunday is celebrated around the world, demonstrating that the church founded on Jesus Christ peacefully shares God-given goods in a world increasingly destabilized by globalization and global market economies based on greed. The concept spread very slowly at the start. People did not give it a whole lot of thought. It was during the Second World War that the spirit caught hold, because we were trying to hold the world together. World Wide Communion symbolized the effort to hold things together, in a spiritual sense. It emphasized that we are one in the Spirit and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Rev. Dr. Donald Kerr, son of Rev. Hugh Kerr who first celebrated World Wide Communion Sunday) (reprinted from the October 7, 2002, issue of Presbyterian Outlook and PC(USA) website) Xenia FISH Food Pantry needs help! Our local food pantry is in dire need of volunteers. With the current roster, they are having to cut our hours back and will only be open two days a week. If you would like more information about lending a hand, please contact Brenda Donahue at don60378@gmail.com or Rally Day Carry-In The rain didn t keep us from good food and good fellowship!

4 M EMOS FROM MEMORIAL P AGE 4 Missions of Memorial Sunday Café Enjoy a steak/chicken dinner, feed the hungry. The Mission Team is hosting a dinner on October 14 after worship as a fundraiser for the X- Out Hunger program. We will be selling tickets before and after worship through October 7. The menu will include your choice of ribeye steak or chicken, potatoes, green beans and dessert for $8 per plate with all proceeds to go to the Xenia X-Out Hunger program. Many children who rely on school meals go hungry over the weekend. This program supplies backpacks with food for students to take home on the weekend. Looking for ideas on what kind of non-perishable foods to donate? Here s a list to get you started: Non-refrigerated puddings; pop top cans of soup, fruit, vegetables, tuna, chicken, stew, etc.; instant oatmeal; boxed or bottled juice; peanut butter and jelly; crackers; granola bars; dried pasta and canned or bottled sauce; cereal; basic pantry items. Foods that are easy to open and ready to eat are great choices as they are simple for kids and older adults who may need to fix their own snacks or meals. Memorial Ladies Lunch A group of ladies in our church who are single at this time of their lives are getting together to eat out once a month. This month we will be gathering on October 15, to eat at O Charley s in Springfield. We will meet at noon at the restaurant. Call Linda Howey at if you are interested in joining us or car-pooling. FISH FOOD PANTRY Sunday, October 28 is collection day for the FISH Pantry. Please check to make sure that the food isn t expired! If you forget to bring food, monetary donations are always appreciated. Please place your food donations in the FISH boat in the Narthex. Specially marked envelopes are available in the pews and can be dropped in the offering plates. BAGS 4 BEDS - Time to get out the scissors and crochet hooks for another year of making sleeping mats for the homeless. Anyone interested in learning how to make the mats is invited to join the dedicated ladies who have been doing this since the project began in We'll meet this month on 10/9 and 10/23 from 9:30 to 2:00. Bring a sack lunch and beverage if you are staying over the lunch hour. For more info, contact Elaine Anderson at or Ruby Rector at

5 M EMOS FROM MEMORIAL P AGE 5 Places to Go and Things To Do IHN of Greene County/Schneider House of Hope Third Annual Empty Bowl Dinner and Silent Auction Friday, October 12, :00-8:00p.m. Faith Community U.M.C. Handmade Ceramic Bowl & Dinner: $25 Dinner Only: $20 / Children Under 5 Free Dinner: soup, bread, dessert, and a beverage All proceeds donated to IHN/Schneider House Reservations with payment: IHN (124 S Detroit St., Xenia OH 45385) or pay at the door Trunks needed for Trunk or Treat! Come join us for an outing for the children of the church and community as we "trunk-or-treat" together in the front church driveway. The Mission Ministry Team will sponsor a trick-or-treating opportunity for all children. If you can provide your trunk, hatchback, truck bed or van door for Halloween decorating and candy sharing, let us know by calling the office at ! We are collecting bags of candy in a basket in the Narthex for the giveaway. DATE: Beggar's Night, October 31 st TIME: 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (arrive by 5:30 p.m.) PLACE: Front Driveway of Memorial Church (inside if raining) Dr. Kevin Sharrett will be our guest preacher on October 14. A graduate of WSU Boonshoft School of Medicine, he completed his residency in family medicine at St. Elizabeth. Since 1994 Dr. Sharrett has been in private practice in Jamestown, OH. He is affiliated with KHN and Greene Memorial Hospital. In addition, Dr. Sharrett is the Coroner of Greene Co., Medical Dir. of the Greene Co. Health Dept., and Medical Dir. of Rural Health Services KHN. He also serves as a Clinical Asst. Professor at BSOM, a position he has held for over 10 years. His professional memberships include the American Academy of Family Practice-Ohio, Ohio State Medical Association, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, National Association of Medical Examiners, and he is serving a second term on the board of the Ohio State Coroner s Association. Dr. Sharrett specializes in family medicine, public health, and general preventative medicine.

6 P AGE 6 Birthdays/Volunteers V OLUME 8, I SSUE 10 Remember in Prayer: Barbara Meade, Ann Edwards, Mary Jo Black, Carolyn and John Sparks, Joan Anderson, Ben White, Julie Martin, our shut-ins, and military personnel and their families who wait for them to come home. Please contact the church office ( or mquinn@xeniamemorial.org) to add a prayer or praise to the list in the bulletin. If you prefer your need to remain private, you may request that details not be included. Pastoral Needs Information If you are hospitalized, want to receive a pastoral visit, or know of someone who does, please call the church office at If it is after office hours, you may contact Elder Kathleen Strickland or Deacon Robin Fife-Riley Morning Fellowship Coffee Schedule October 7- Session October 14 - *Sunday Café Steak Fry October 21 - Session October 28 - Session October Birthdays Sawyer Barr Leesa Poole Sandi Jacobs Lynda Marquardt John Sparks Logan Dunlap David Crandall Sarah Haines Pat Riley If I have missed anyone s birthday, please let me know in the office. Mary 10-Oct 16-Oct 19-Oct 24-Oct 24-Oct 25-Oct 26-Oct 29-Oct 31-Oct Bulletin information must be received in the office by Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. to guarantee inclusion in the next week s bulletin. Newsletter information and articles must be received in the office by the 22nd of each month to guarantee inclusion in the next Memos from Memorial. Committees and Teams, please let the office know of any meeting schedule changes. Lay Readers Children's Sermon Ushers 10/7 Carolyn Randall Rev. David Fleming Mary Ann Van Horn 10/14 John MacMillan Kathleen Strickland Robin Fife-Riley 10/21 Kathleen Strickland Jill-Ann Bryant 10/28 Josh Jacobs Robin Fife-Riley

7 Memorial United Presbyterian Church 343 West Ankeney Mill Road, Xenia, OH Church Office Office Hours: Monday- Friday, 9:00 am-2:00 pm Website: Memorial United Presbyterian Church Nancy Beam, Director of Youth & Children s Ministries nbeam@xeniamemorial.org Michael Weller, Music Director Jill-Ann Bryant, Organist Dixie Szalejko, Memorial Preschool Director Mary Quinn, Secretary mquinn@xeniamemorial.org Appreciations Dear Friends, On behalf of the Xenia Area FISH Food Pantry, thank you for your generous monetary support of $8.00 on August 27, We served 1467 adults and 883 children in August and the number of people in need continues to grow. Sincerely, Gail Matson, President. ***** Dear Friends, I write simply to say thank you for making Presbyterian Disaster Assistance a priority out of many opportunities to give and serve. Your gift of $500 is deeply needed and greatly appreciated. It is a privilege to serve together in a Church that makes such giving reliable and provides constant faithful partnership to our siblings across the world and here at home shadowed by the challenges and changes brought by disaster and war. In Christ s peace, Laurie Kraus, Director, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. *all thank you notes are posted on the bulletin board outside the office XHS Band Post Game Party! Post-Game Parties for the Xenia High School Marching Band have started up again. The Prindle family has faithfully hosted this wonderful community outreach for several years now. Over 50 kids and parents attend these parties. If you would like to support the Post-Game Parties, please mark your donations with PGP in the memo line. We re on the Web: xeniamemorial.org Men s Fellowship Breakfast - 7:30a.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at Frisch s, Xenia. Prayer Circle We have a dedicated group of people here at Memorial who are part of our Prayer Circle. This group can be notified of prayer requests quickly via or phone for needs that arise during the week and may be urgent. If you are in need of prayer, you can contact the office Monday- Friday from 9-2 or call Kathleen Strickland ( ), Robin Fife Riley ( )

8 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday :00 PM GCRTA Board Meeting - Room 1 5:30 PM Kid's Night Out - Art Room 4 11:00 AM Bible Study - Library 2:00 PM Women's Club - Parlor 6:30 PM Bell Choir Parlor 7:30 PM Chancel Choir - Choir Room 5 9:00 PM XHS Band post game party :15 AM Christian Education Classes - & Parlor 10:30 AM Worship with Communion - Sanctuary 11:45 AM Fellowship - Narthex World Communion Sunday Peace and Global Witness Offering No Preschool 1:30 PM Ruth Circle 7:30 AM Men's Fellowship Breakfast Xenia Frisch's 9:30 AM Bags 4 Beds Fellowship Hall 1:00 PM Women's Association Meeting Library 4:00 PM Stewardship Team - Library 5:00 PM Worship and Music Team - Computer Room 6:30 PM Mission Team - Computer Room 6:30 PM Spiritual Growth Team - Room 1 11:00 AM Bible Study - Library 6:30 PM Bell Choir Parlor 7:30 PM Chancel Choir - Choir Room :15 AM Christian Education Classes - & Parlor 10:30 AM Worship - Sanctuary 11:45 AM Sunday Cafe Steak Fry - X-Out Hunger - Fellowship Hall 12:00 PM Memorial Ladies Lunch - O Charley s 7:00 PM Session Library 5:30 PM Kid's Night Out - Art Room 11:00 AM Bible Study - Library 6:30 PM Bell Choir Parlor 7:30 PM Chancel Choir - Choir Room :15 AM Christian Education Classes - & Parlor 10:30 AM Worship - Sanctuary 11:45 AM Fellowship - Narthex Deadline for Memos 9:30 AM Bags 4 Beds Fellowship Hall 6:00 PM Deacons Room 1 7:00 PM Trustees Computer Room 9:30 AM Morning Friendship Circle 11:00 AM Bible Study - Library 6:30 PM Bell Choir Parlor 7:30 PM Chancel Choir - Choir Room 1:00 PM Montgomery Party - FH FISH Food Pantry Collection Day 9:15 AM Christian Education Classes - & Parlor - FH - FH 6:00 PM Trunk or Treat October 10:30 AM Worship - Sanctuary 11:45 AM Fellowship - Narthex