THE POPLAR LEAF. What a Wonderful Calling!

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1 THE POPLAR LEAF POPL AR RIDGE FRIENDS MEETING S e p t e m be r What a Wonderful Calling! od is going to do great things at Poplar Ridge Friends Meeting and I am excited G to be a part of His plan! Receiving the call to serve this church is something I could not have imagined just a few short months ago. I was proudly serving Archdale Friends Meeting where I had been for five wonderful years. In mid-may God placed an unmistakable call on my heart to pursue the Senior Pastor position at Poplar Ridge Friends. After much prayer, lengthy discussion, discernment, interviews and approvals we agreed that God was indeed leading me to serve here. What a wonderful calling! We will become acquainted over the next months and years, but let me share a little about myself. I was born and raised in the Trinity area and I have never lived more than 15 miles from Sophia. I graduated from Southern Guilford High School in 1998 and went on to study Pastoral Ministries at John Wesley College (now Laurel University) before transferring to High Point University, eventually graduating in I would go on to earn a Master of Divinity from the seminary at Wake Forest University Divinity School in My spiritual formation began at Springfield Friends Meeting under the ministry of my grandfather, Max Rees. He was a fixture there, serving 36 years of faithful ministry. My time spent in Sunday school and youth ministry planted the seeds of salvation in my heart and laid a foundation for my call to ministry. When I was seventeen years old, I called on Christ to be my Savior. Before that moment, I had known about God and I believed in Him. But I wasn t in relationship with Him until I repented and received Him in my heart....if we listen closely and faithfully obey, He will show us how we can best be used for His glory and in service to His kingdom. With conversion came an immediate, unmistakable and unshakable call to ministry. I began my ministry training in the Intern Program through the North Carolina Yearly Meeting. From there, I served as youth pastor at Oak Hill Friends and as the director of the Afterschool/Summer Camp program at Springfield Friends Meeting. My first pastoral role was at Thomasville Friends, where I enjoyed three years of ministry before moving to Archdale. continued...

2 My family is a constant source of joy and encouragement. My wife and I met on a blind date in 2005 and were married a year and a half later. Emily is my very best friend and a wonderful helpmate in ministry. We have three beautiful children, Lucy (5), Maggie (4), and Ollie (10 months). As I pray in anticipation of my ministry, I envision a place full of God s power. We will exalt Him in worship, adore Him in daily prayer, and serve Him in bold and ambitious ministry. God is doing something great at Poplar Ridge, and if we listen closely and faithfully obey, He will show us how we can best be used for His glory and in service to His kingdom. hank you for affirming my call in ministry and welcoming me into your church family. God is alive, He is T at work, and we are going to enjoy Him together! In Christ, Pastor Dave Mercadante Our church family is invited to stay for lunch immediately following worship on Sunday, September 8th to welcome our new Senior Pastor, Dave Mercadante and his family. Hamburgers & hot dogs (along with some delicious desserts!) will be provided by the Share & Care Class & Senior Friends. Please join us and let s give the Mercadante family a warm and friendly Poplar Ridge welcome!!! SEPT 8 NOV 10 Excluding 2 Sundays: September 22nd October 6th 6:00- (sanctuary) CHRISTIAN A Church-wide DVD study by Andy Stanley Christian oftentimes is all about what a person believes; disciple is all about what a person actually does. Andy Stanley Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4 NIV

3 UPWARD BASKETBALL and CHEERLEADING!!! (for boys & girls 4 years old thru 8th grade) Early Registration Cost per child : $65 After October 31, the cost is $75 DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION: NOVEMBER 14, 2013 The Senior Friends will resume meeting on Thursday, September 26th at 6:15 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Join us! New faces are always welcome! Our guest speaker this year is Brian Cook! The cost is $75, but sign up before Sept 10th and it s only $60. (If you want to stay Sunday night, it s an extra $10.)

4 Quaker Lake YOUTH RETREAT October 4-6, 2013 (Friday-Sunday) Deadline to sign up: Sept 29th (No cost to you!) Speaker: Josh Smith Prayer Worship led by Janna Harris & Tim Vestal Snacks Prizes Games Info about SYATP High School LIFE Group REACH Road Trip! We spent 4 days serving others! Here are pictures of some of the things we did... Mowing at a children s orphanage in Concord Volunteering at a thrift store George, a daily volunteer at the thrift store Stopping to assist someone with car trouble All the details coming soon...

5 (4th-6th grade) starts back on SUNDAYS 5:30- beginning September 8th in the Alpha Boys Class! SEPTEMBER MEETINGS / EVENTS: Sept 8 Sept 15 Sept 22 Sept 29 Jr Youth Meeting See You at the Pole Rally (FEC) Fall Revival (no meeting) Jr Youth Meeting WELCOME BACK! We meet on SUNDAYS 5:30- beginning SEPTEMBER 8th in the Fellowship Hall Parents are always welcome to stay for our meetings! We would love your support!

6 HAPPY SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAY! 1 Charles Gardiner 4 Jerry Neal, Sr. 5 Angela Ligon Scott Whitaker 6 Frances Coltrane 7 Ada Rich Tim Teague 8 Kendra Smith 9 Vicki Nelson 11 Tara Burge Max Memmelaar 12 Vestal Hill Hilda Mosley 15 Tristan Summers 16 Chris Jacobs 17 Nancy Lanier 18 Nathan Farlow Cindy Grubb 19 Brittany Linthicum Kimberly Linthicum Caroline Smith 20 Kenneth Monroe 22 Kendrick Hicks Dink Hill Paula Linthicum 25 Phebe Donley Autumn Sykes 26 Cody Gurley Nadine Jones 27 Linda Neal 30 Cathy Vecellio Oops! Did we miss your birthday? Call or Paula in the church office & let us know!! INSIDE NEXT MONTH S NEWSLETTER... PR Family Quaker Lake October 6 Quaker Men BBQ & Cruise-in October 12 Missions Quaker Lake October 12 Quaker Lake Pumpkin Festival October 19 Quakerfest Carnival October 31 Put this on your calendar & spread the word! QUAKER MEN BAR-B-QUE & CRUISE-IN Saturday, October 12, 2013 Cruise-in 12 noon 4:00 pm Serving BBQ 11:00 am 5:00 pm Adults: $7 Children under 12: $4 (eat in or take out)

7 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 NCYM Annual Sessions continue Prayer LIFE Group 2 Labor Day NCYM Annual Sessions end CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED 3 M & C Finance Com. 4 6:00-8 pm Praise Team Planning Mtg. Prayer Meeting :30-10:30 am Ladies Coffeehouse BEGINS 8 12noon Welcome Lunch for Mercadantes 5:00-6pm Choir 5:00pm Youth 5:30pm-Jr Youth 5:30pm-Children 6-7pm-Christian 7pm Prayer LIFE Group 9 7pm H & G 7-8:30pm H.S. LIFE Group 7pm Cub/Boy Scouts 10 MONTHLY MEETING NCYM 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer (10th-30th) Worship Nite Trinity FM 11 6:30 pm Praise Team Practice Prayer Meeting :30-10:30 am Ladies Coffeehouse UPWARD Registration begins (Bush Hill Festival) 15 8am QM B fast 5:30-7pm Jr Youth & Youth SYATP Rally 5:30pm-Children 6-7pm-Christian 7pm Prayer LIFE Group :30pm H.S. LIFE Group *no Scout meetings* 17 6:30 pm Relief of the Needy *NCYM Worship Night* Back Creek FM 18 6:30 pm Praise Team Practice Prayer Meeting :30-10:30 am Ladies Coffeehouse 22 10:45 am & 6pm FALL REVIVAL Speaker: Craig Beard 12noon CE 23 FALL REVIVAL 7pm Cub/Boy Scouts (mtg off campus) 24 FALL REVIVAL *NCYM Worship Night* Nahunta FM 25 See You At the Pole b4 school FALL REVIVAL 26 6:15 pm Senior Friends 27 NCYM Young Adult Beach Cherry Grove (27th-29th) 28 8:30-10:30 am Ladies Coffeehouse 29 10:45am-Kidstuf 30 5:00pm Youth 5:30pm-Jr Youth 5:30pm-Children 7-8:30pm H.S. LIFE Group 6-7pm-Christian 7pm Prayer LIFE Group 7pm Cub/Boy Scouts

8 Contact Us. Church Office: Mon Thurs: 8am-4:30pm Friday: 8am-2:30pm Visit us on the web at prfriends.org 9:30 am SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:45 am WORSHIP Senior Pastor: David Mercadante Associate Pastor: Brian Donley Youth & Family Pastor: Tim Vestal Connecting a new generation to their lifelong purpose in Christ Administrative Assistant: Paula Allen Poplar Ridge Friends Meeting 3673 Hoover Hill Road Trinity, North Carolina 27370