written and video stories of the church s past in worship and church communications artifacts and slide shows telling the church s story.

Transcription

1 May 2017 Christ Presbyterian Church This year Christ Church celebrates 60 years! The official date is October 13, close to which we will hold an anniversary banquet giving thanks for the church s six decades stay tuned for more details! But 60 years is occasion enough for celebration to kick off festivities before then. Starting in the spring, the 60 th Year Leadership Team will lead Christ Church to remember with thanks, serve others in love, gather in fellowship, and anticipate the future. We will remember with thanks through: written and video stories of the church s past in worship and church communications artifacts and slide shows telling the church s story. We will serve others in love with: a September relief kit building event that will kick off fall ministry; a 60 Acts of Kindness Challenge to share God s kindness in everyday ways. We will gather in fellowship with: an August church picnic in the Pavilion; the October 60 th Year banquet at a facility close to Chesterland more details to come! We will anticipate the future in: a project led by our children that will bless the church in coming years. Any that have celebrated decades together know that both stability and change are important for keeping love and relationship alive. Whatever change God inspires as CPC moves toward 70 will surely be grounded in the stable gospel life that has so blessed me and countless others: warm welcome, sincerity of love, depth of faith, and eagerness to serve. These gifts of the Spirit and more are what make CPC the body of Christ. Across 2017, God grant that we live grateful for the past and open to a future full of Jesus prayer for his followers: that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete (Jn 15:11). Thanks for The Music *See Page 4

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3 News in Our Lives Together JOIN THE CPC RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM May 6th, 12-9pm Relay For Life of West Geauga is a jampacked 8-hour Purple Party with a Purpose! Team members take turns walking the track and participating in the themed laps. The event is family friendly - there is something for everyone to enjoy! The CPC Team will have at least one walker on the track for the duration of the event. Individuals and families don t need be at the entire relay come for an hour or however much you can! How do I take part? Click the link here or Sign up at RelayforLife.org/WestGeaugaOH Support a Relay for Life team member by giving a contribution In addition to walking the Relay for Life, CPC Team members may provide volunteer support for the event, by staffing sign-in tables, setting up luminaria, and other modes of service. Contact Pastor Reeves at: matt@christpcusa.org or A Great Big THANK YOU to everyone who ordered Easter Flowers. The Sanctuary was beautiful for our Easter Service. DEACONS TO ASSIST LOCAL FAMILY The Deacons are leading the church in giving relational and practical assistance to a Geauga Co. family with 5 children. Their most pressing necessities are clothing and bunk beds. Lilliannah 9 to 12 Months Ian 3T, Size 10 Shoe Danny 5T, Size 12 Shoe Brooklyn Size 9 (child size), Size 1 Shoe Julian Size 2X, 42 Pant, Size 11 Shoe Gift cards to Kohl's, Wal-Mart, Giant Eagle, gas cards, etc would also be appreciated. We truly Thank You for allowing us to serve others through your love and support. THE RED BAG ITEMS FOR MAY: Any Type of Soup, Cereal or Tuna

4 Children s Ministries Elizabeth Goodin Children's Ministry Director elizabeth@christpcusa.org In 2012, a request for volunteers to lead our children s choir was posted in the bulletin. Sensing a call, Shirley Wood and Helen Frankmann responded faithfully. That was the beginning of what would become five years of sharing music, ministry, fellowship, and faith with each other and with a growing group of young song birds. Throughout the years, Shirley and Helen chose music, held weekly rehearsals, and led the Joyful Noise Choir singing in worship several times per year. Those things made them a choir, but it was the extras that made them a community. With help from Chuck and Sue Scott and Matt and Kathryn Troyer, the leaders hosted regular Christmas gatherings for the choir and their families. They organized games and other activities, and one year even gave the children sleds as their Christmas gift. Helen and Shirley remembered the children s birthdays as well, with cards and small gifts. The leaders took great joy in teaching the children how to sing and helping them to come together as a choir. Two years ago they worked diligently to secure robes for the choir to wear. Whenever the Joyful Noise Choir sings in worship, it is certain to be a special day. One of the values we try to live out here at Christ Church is that anyone at any age can be a leader and a minister. Because of Shirley and Helen s work, our children have been able to experience being leaders. The Joyful Noise Choir will continue, but after much prayerful consideration, Shirley and Helen have decided together that the time has come to pass the baton to new leadership. As Shirley put it recently, We have had a wonderful time of ministry in music with the children. But there is a time and a season for everything. With new leadership, who knows to what heights the choir will rise This time of service will always be near and dear to our hearts. Helen and Shirley, your leadership will truly be missed. Speaking on behalf of the Joyful Noise children and their parents, I would like to thank you for actively living out your faith in true discipleship and for loving our kids so well. Thank you for the music. Very well done! God Bless.

5 Life on Rainbow Pond has gotten way out of hand. Milton, Rupert, and Lydia live together, but they are thinking only about themselves and what they can claim as theirs alone. Don t go in the water, It s mine! Stay off the land, It s mine! The air all mine! Wise Toad sees that there can be no peace between them, and he tells them straight away, You can t go on like this! And so, they aren t ready when the storm comes and the waters rise. Ignoring territorial rights, the three decide to huddle together on the only solid ground left, and they are saved. Did you guess? It was Toad s back. After that, the world looks different, and they know that Toad was right. With echoes of the salvation story, Leo Lionni ends his fable, It s Mine, with a depiction of a much sweeter life on Rainbow pond. I m sure you know that world, where the abundance becomes apparent as mine turns to ours and me turns to us. Through the end of May we will discuss weekly topics of choice

6 Youth Ministries Youth Culture and Touchy Subjects Caveat: The fun thing about youth culture today is that by the time you read this article students will probably have moved on to another new fad. When I was in school yo-yos were popular for all of 6th grade (until they got banned because people would hit each other with them) but now with the ease and speed of connectivity things move so quickly that students easily get bored of fads and move on. I recently finished a new show released on Netflix called 13 Reasons Why. It s based on a young adult novel of the same name by Jay Asher that follows the story of an 11th grader name Clay as he deals with the death of a classmate. The show depicts situations that are happening in our school today and youth culture has absorbed this series very quickly - as a warning, you should know this series is very graphic. Throughout the series there are scenes of teen drinking, language, bullying, sexuality, and suicide. It s very, very difficult to watch, but also so important to know what our youth are seeing. I ve seen other articles and blogs on this show that tell youth pastors to prevent their youth from watching the show, or warn parents about it, but I think that s a fearful way to approach this kind of topic, plus at this point most teens have already watched it and your warnings would come too late. With a show that depicts real-life situations so graphically it s important to have real, candid dialogue with students to see how it affects them. If you have a student or work with them ask if they ve seen the show and what they thought of it. Ask if you can watch it with them, or watch it on your own to catch up. If we as people who care about teenagers can approach such a sensitive topic with a help me understand attitude instead of a cover your eyes and don t talk about it fear-based approach it may just open a door to conversation that would not have been possible before. The point of 13 Reasons Why isn t to glorify teen suicide but instead to shed a light onto the issue. During one of the final monologues the main character, Clay, says It has to get better. The way we treat each other and look out for each other. It has to get better somehow. I think that s the goal of this series; to shine a light on a topic that s hard to talk about, give us as adults a window into students lives, and give students a reminder of what s important. Being a teen today is so much harder than it was for me 15 years ago, and any opportunity we have to enter their world and empathize and listen is one we should take. And remember, if any student is struggling with depression or harmful thoughts seek out professional help immediately. I m always here to anyone who needs guidance, direction or resources. Cory Fetzer Youth Ministry Director cory@christpcusa.org (cell) UPCOMING MAY EVENTS May 13th : Movie Night in Mentor to see Guardians of the Galaxy 2 May 14th :No youth group on Mother's Day May 16th :CPC Serve - 5:15-Home at 8:30 I m always available to hang out after school or church and grab some food, if anyone wants to hang out!!

7 CPC ANNUAL SPRING CLEAN-UP - MAY 20 th 8:00am Noon Our annual CPC Work Day is at hand! Please join us on as we work together to beautify the Christ Church building and grounds. Bring your work gloves and tools AND your appetite lunch will also be served! Sign up in Fellowship Hall so we know how much we need to feed the masses. For more information, contact Jane Lyon: LEND YOUR SUPPORT TO WOMENSAFE RESALE SHOPPE As They Stand up Against Domestic Violence.Everything sold is generously donated by giving and gracious people like you. Please join in our search for: gently used furniture, small appliances and household items, clothes, shoes and accessories for the entire family; toys, games, infant and baby s strollers, hi-chairs and more. Complimentary furniture pick-up is available in the tri-county area by our partners, Two Men and a Truck. Please call Other donations accepted Tuesday Saturday, 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. The Mission Committee is collecting Sleepwear for Laura s Home in the Month of May. Laura s home is crisis center for women and children and is affiliated with The City Mission. All sizes of women s sleepwear are needed from small to 3X. PASSPORT TO PERU VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2017 Come be a part of this amazing experience. Volunteers are needed for the various stations. To volunteer, please call Beth Bouchek at

8 ANNIVERSARIES John & Barbara Bodmer 4-May Vic & Miriam Strebeck 14-May Victor & DiDi Bello 19-May John & Dolly Carlton 19-May Pam & Matt Lyman 20-May Bob & Barb Albrecht BIRTHDAYS 22-May Peggy Evans 2-May Morgan Palchick 2-May Bob McKenzie 4-May Adam Nitz 4-May Paul Lawrence 8-May Dave Varner 10-May Jared Lyon 11-May Simon Fischer Edna Beharry Nathan Keller Kelly McCandless Morgan Johnson Beth Bouchek Jerry Gibson Ron Schmidt Dick Sulc Aland Smith Andrea Milnar Shirley Balogh Greg McCandless Ron Congdon 12-May 14-May 15-May 15-May 17-May 18-May 20-May 20-May 20-May 21-May 23-May 24-May 24-May 26-May Church office hours: 8:30 am - 3:00 pm Monday - Thursday Contact Information Christ Presbyterian Church Chillicothe Rd. Chesterland, OH Fax: Website: Church Office office@christpcusa.org Pastor Matt's matt@christpcusa.org FLORAL ARRANGEMENT If you desire to purchase a special floral arrangement for a Sunday morning worship service, please contact: Shari McCaslin at: or pnsmccaslin@windstream.net COFFEE HOUR If you wish to host a special Sunday morning, Coffee Hour in honor or in celebration of someone, please contact: Amy Rau at: or arau@lincolnelectric.com Benjamin Chenoweth 27-May Deloris Cunningham 28-May Bob Brooks 30-May Mim Gripp 31-May

9 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 7:00pm Deacons Rm 8 7:30pm Men's Discussion Group FH 2 9:30am Women s Prayer Group 6:30pm Bootcamp FH 3 6:30am Men's Bible Study, Arabica 9:30am Children s Ministries Committee 6:00pm Cub Scouts/Tiger 4 5 Office Closed 7:30pmAlphabet Theatre at Reserve Hall 6 7:00am Christian Meditation Group 8:00am Men s Bible Study 9:00am Girl Scout Leader CPR Training Class FH Noon -9pm CPC Relay for Life West G 7:30pmAlphabet Theatre at Reserve Hall 7 *Sunday Morning Schedule 3:30pm Tres Dias Closing 6:00pm Youth Group 8 7:30pm Men's Discussion Group 7pm Youth Ministries Meeting 9 9:30am Women s Prayer Group 6:30pm Bootcamp FH 10 6:30am Men's Bible Study, Arabica 7:00pm Girl Scout Leader Meeting FH 11 7:00pm Grateful Praise Rehearsal 12 Office Closed 13 7:00am Christian Meditation Group 14 *Sunday Morning Schedule 11:45am Mission Committee RR 6:00 Youth Group 15 7:30pm Men's Discussion Group 7pm Property & Maintenance Rm #8 16 9:30am Women s Prayer Group 6:30pm Bootcamp FH 7pm Session Library 17 6:30am Men's Bible Study, Arabica 11:30AM Chapel Circle 18 9:30am Garden Club, FH 6:00pm Worship Committee RR 7:00pm Grateful Praise Rehearsal 19 Office Closed 20 7:00am Christian Meditation Group 8:00am Noon Annual Spring Clean Up 8:00am Men s Bible Study 21 *Sunday Morning Schedule 6:00 Youth Group 28 *Sunday Morning Schedule 6:00 Youth Group 22 7:30pm Men's Discussion Group 29 Memorial Day CPC Office is Closed 7:30pm Men's Discussion Group 23 9:30am Women s Prayer Group 6:30pm Bootcamp FH 6:30pm New Initiatives Meeting PR 30 9:30am Women s Prayer Group 6:30pm Bootcamp FH 6:30pm New Initiatives PR 24 6:30am Men's Bible Study, Arabica 31 6:30am Men's Bible Study, Arabica 25 7pm Community Speaker Series Daniel Porter 26 Office Closed 27 7:00am Christian Meditation Group Sunday Morning Schedule 9:15 Adult Choir Rehearsal 9:30 Parent Support Group 9:30 Sunday school (all ages) 10:30 Worship Service 10:45 Creative Play Experience

10 Pack Your Bags and Join Us For Vacation Bible School 2017 June 12 15, 9am noon For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Spend four days exploring Peru and discovering God s love for the children of the world. Share in the sights, sounds, smells & tastes of the unique culture of Peru, while spending time with friends Discover the true extent of God s eternal love for the world. Experience the power of Jesus love for us through Bible stories, games, music, snacks and mission projects. VBS REGISTRATION BEGINS ON MAY 1ST. REGISTRATION WILL BE ARRIVING SOON WATCH YOUR MAIL Please call Beth Bouchek at for more information, CHAPEL CIRCLE MEETING Wednesday, May 17th at 11:00am. Charlotte Wood will lead Devotions. Nancy Kule will lead the lesson: Hebrews Chapter 4: 1-13 pp