G R A P E V I N E. The Pastor s Page. Gettysburg Presbyterian Church. February 11, 2015

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1 Gettysburg Presbyterian Church G R A P E V I N E The Pastor s Page Recently, Pastor Dave preached about how God sometimes breaks into our lives and speaks to us in unexpected ways. He said these divine encounters can be life-changing, challenging, and provide a sense of purpose to our lives. GPC member Jerry Cleaver wrote the following true story to show what can happen when God speaks and someone is listen- ing. Does God speak to people? Has He spoken to you? For me the answer is a resounding YES. Let me tell you a story and you be the judge. Early last spring a second grade girl went to her father and told him that many children in her school came to class hungry on Mondays. She wondered if something could be done. Eligible children receive free or subsidized breakfast and lunch, but go home for the weekend with little or no food until Monday. Moved by his daughter s concern, this father felt the least he could do was make a few phone calls. He discovered Ruth s Harvest, which provides food for seven weekend meals for hungry children in a neighboring town. Could he start a Ruth s Harvest program in his daughter s school? The father met with the school principal. She was aware of the problem (about 50% of the school is on subsidized lunches) and was searching in her heart for a solution to children going hungry on the weekends. Here sitting in front of her was an answer. Now the father had a dilemma. How will he pull this off? Where is the food going to come from? Where will it be located? Who can help him? Isn t this God talking? The father went to the Ministerium to pitch the idea and found success. Churches soon signed up to provide food/money/volunteers, and space. February 11, 2015 Inside: An Afternoon of Music Gettysburg C.A.R.E.S. Training Church Van Drivers Needed in April Ash Wednesday Worship Feb. 18 Boy Scout Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser Lenten Small Groups Psalms written by 4th & 5th graders A board of volunteers was formed to plan and oversee the program. A food drive was held at the high school, members of the Lacrosse team asked spectators for help, a grant was received from the hospital, and a nutritionist volunteered to establish a meal plan. A room in a church was set up with shelving, storage bins, work tables, and food. The staff at the elementary school purchased backpacks, created distribution procedures and donated their time and money to get the program ready to begin in September. The school sent a letter to parents of 150 eligible students; 115 of those children were signed up by the end of the first week. Since September, volunteers from churches, the college, a retirement home and the community continue to deliver and sort food, pack the bags, and load them on a school vehicle for delivery each week. Other elementary schools have asked to become part of the program. In January, a small number of the neediest students from a second school will be included and the number may be increased as time goes on. Over 100 volunteers have responded to the concern of one seven-year-old girl whose caring and sensitivity led her to tell her father about her classmates. Did God talk to her? Maybe not in the way He did to St. Paul, John the Baptist, or others down through the ages. But He did put a spark in her that cannot be put out. She probably does not know that God is at work because of her, but it is our responsibility to realize what He is doing and tell the story. Will her impact stop growing? Only God knows. Jerry Cleaver

2 Page 2 Mid-Ship 30-Hour Famine Cupcake/Candy Sale a Success! The Mid-Ship group had a busy weekend on February 7-8. The group met at Libby Crowe s house for three hours on Saturday, at which time they decorated 12 dozen cupcakes and made many, many bags of candy bark and pretzel candies. On Sunday morning, they held a cupcake and candy sale in Fellowship Hall between the church services. Due to the generosity of our wonderful church family, everything sold by 12:10 and the sale netted $ for the 30-Hour Famine Fund. Many thanks to the Mid- Ship parents who baked cupcakes and loaned cupcake carriers for the sale, to Mid-Ship leaders Barb Sanders and Libby Crowe who helped throughout, and to all the kids who gave up part of their weekend to prepare the goodies and sell them! The 30-Hour Famine event will be held on the weekend of March 13-14, at which time all participants will go without food and participate in activities at church to better understand the situation in one of the oldest civilizations on earth Ethiopia where children are deeply affected by poverty and hunger. If you know a Mid-Ship kid, ask them how you can help them through prayer or monetary support! Each dollar raised goes to World Vision s 30 -Hour Famine and will feed a hungry child for a day. Presbyterian Women and Friends Thank you for your continued generous giving in 2014: CONDOLENCES Our thoughts and prayers are with: Ron Stahl on the recent death of his father. Susan Anderson on the recent death of her uncle. Lillian Hoffman s Memorial Service will be held Friday, February 1:30 p.m. at: Celebration Offering $1, Thank Offering $ Birthday Offering $ Least Coin $ Total $2, Your prayers and support bring blessings to so many. Sheryl Suplee Congratulations to our Church Administrator, Penny Messinger, who recently celebrated her 10th anniversary of working at GPC! Penny, we appreciate all you do to make the ministries of GPC a reality! We re looking forward to the next 10 years with you! The Village of Laurel Run 6375 Chambersburg Rd. Dear Church Friends, Recently Lee Weber brought me a wonderful knitted shawl that the women of the church made for me. It really comes in handy in this cold weather! If it would be agreeable to you, could you put the following message in the Grapevine: Dear friend of the church, I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to the kindly women of the church who made me the wonderful knitted shawl. I am really grateful for your kindness and thoughtfulness. It is indeed the Lord showing His love through you good people. May God bless all of you as I know He does! Many thanks! Gratefully Yours, Dan Anderson Healthy Adams County s Wellness Arts Committee, in partnership with Family First Health and True North Wellness Services, will be featuring the movie Happy on February 17th at the Majestic Theater in Gettysburg. Happy is a documentary film that explores human happiness through interviews with people from all walks of life in 14 different countries. Free tickets can be reserved at the Majestic Theater. Please contact Healthy Adams County at with any questions. NEED A RIDE? If you are having trouble attending church services and/or church functions due to not having transportation, let the Deacons help you. We are only a phone call away. The transportation Deacon for February is Marion Lambert at

3 Upcoming Events: Worship Music Schedule February 15 8:15 a.m. Early Choir 11:00 a.m. Adult Choir February 18 7:30 p.m. Adult Choir February 22 8:15 a.m. Youth Bell Choir Youth Choir 11:00 a.m. Adult Bell Choir CHORAL MUSIC SUMMER CAMP 2015 SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE. For students in middle school and high school, GPC has funding available to assist with costs for summer choral music camps. These are overnight camps, usually one week in duration, that offer concentrated training in singing combined with a number of recreational and educational activities. If you are interested in ideas for summer choral music camps, such as Massanetta Springs in Virginia; Westminster Choir College in New Jersey; Royal School of Church Music in North Carolina, Vermont, or other locations; please ask Emily Koons. There is no other experience like choral singing at its finest. We encourage and support our young people to enrich their singing experiences at church by attending a summer choral music camp. SEEING STARS: An Afternoon of Music at GPC March 8, 2:00 p.m. There will be an afternoon of music from members of GPC on March 8, at 2:00 p.m. Anyone who would like to participate by singing or playing for the show should see Emily Koons or at emilykkoons@gmail.com. Acts should be about 3-5 minutes in duration. We look forward to hearing from soloists or groups! HIGH SCHOOL FELLOWSHIP February Page 3 February 15 5:30-7:00 Dinner & Fellowship February 18 6:45-7:10 Lenten Breakfast begins, runs through April 1 February 22 5:30-7:00 Dinner & Fellowship February 25 6:45-7:10 Lenten Breakfast MidSHIP Schedule February February 15 5:30-7:00 Fellowship/Games February 18 6:45-7:10 Lenten Breakfast Begins, runs through April 1 2:45-5:00 Small Group February 22 5:30-7:00 Fellowship/Games February 25 6:45-7:10 Lenten Breakfast Begins, runs through April 1 2:45-5:00 Small Group Church Van Drivers Needed in April Our friends at Great Conewago Presbyterian Church in Hunterstown will host the Gettysburg C.A.R.E.S. shelter for two weeks beginning Monday evening April 6 through Monday morning, April 19. Once again, GPC will offer our church van to transport C.A.R.E.S. guests who don t have cars from the Resource Center on York Street to Great Conewago by 8:30 PM each evening and then back to Gettysburg in the morning by 7 for breakfast at the Soup Kitchen on High Street. GPC s insurance policy requires that a member of our church be in the van, even if not driving. If you are able to help by driving the van in the evening or morning or even just by being a GPC passenger, please contact Gail Hull (gail@hullselectric.com, ) or Rachel Parmentier (rasong@aol.com) with the date or dates and times you will be available. Gettysburg C.A.R.E.S. Training for New Volunteers Additional volunteers for Gettysburg C.A.R.E.S are always welcome and needed. Gettysburg C.A.R.E.S. is the emergency overnight homeless shelter which rotates among area churches from October through April. If you are interested in becoming part of this helping ministry, a training session for new volunteers will be held on Monday evening, Feb. 23 at 7 pm at St. James Lutheran Church. No advance registration is necessary.

4 Page 4 Boy Scout Troop 73 Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser Monday, February 16 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at General Picket s Buffet, 571 Steinwehr Ave, Gettysburg, PA: Troop 73 (the Boy Scout Troop for which our church is the chartered organization) is hosting an all-youcan-eat spaghetti buffet. The tickets cost $9.00 per adult and $5.00 per child (5 to 10 years). Troop 73 will give half of the proceeds to Ruth s Harvest, which is a program that our church participates in and provides food for families that will last for a weekend. You may purchase tickets from: Alex Nyiri. Thank you to Thrivent Financial who provided a grant to help with advertisements. Ash Wednesday Worship 7:30 p.m. on February 18th Lent may not be the longest season in the church year, but it is one of the most important seasons, if not the most important season. It is a time for spiritual preparation through repentance and growth in faith for Easter. It is the time of the church year when the passion and death of the Savior come into focus. It begins with a special day of repentance, Ash Wednesday, and ends in the depth of sorrow and tragedy on Good Friday. One way to appreciate more fully Easter s great good news is to prepare for it throughout Lent. Join us for worship, Communion & Imposition of Ashes as we begin the Lenten journey on February 18 th at 7:30 p.m. EASTER CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST Your Deacons invite you to the annual all-church Easter Continental Breakfast Buffet on Easter Sunday April 5 th. Serving times will be 9 9:30am and 10:30 11am in Fellowship Hall. The menu will include an assortment of homemade dessert breads, fruit, cheeses, crackers, coffee, tea, juices and milk. We hope you will join us for fellowship before or after the worship service you choose to attend as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord. LENTEN RESOURCES To help you prepare for Lent, there will be several resources on the Christian Education table on February 18 th for your use: A Lenten Family Practices calendar Lenten Activity Calendar for Kids Lenten Devotion for Adults Surely He Has Borne Our Grief Please feel free to take a copy for use during Lent to prepare your hearts and minds for this holy season. Calendar of Giving The Calendar of Giving is an opportunity for our congregation to support numerous local organizations. Through this program, we identify local organizations that are in need of smaller donations. Each month, we will be collecting specific items for the identified organization. For the month of: February We will be collecting items for Gettysburg C.A.R.E.S Rotating homeless shelter Instant coffee & hot chocolate, plastic spoons, hot cups, blankets (Twin Bed) new or mildly used, XX-Large Ziploc Big Bags (available at Wal-Mart, 4/box) for storing blankets, paper towels, toilet paper, copier paper.

5 Page LENTEN SMALL GROUPS The Lord Is Our Salvation by Katie Z. Dawson The Lord Is Our Salvation challenges us to know who God is by what God does. The Scriptures we will explore during this season of Lent reveal to us our Lord. Whether it is in the Flood or in Babylon, in the back alleys of Jerusalem or at the ends of the earth, God has acted consistently to bring life out of death, bring light out of darkness, and bring us back into healthy relationship with God and one another. No matter what kind of hell we are facing, the God who created us can redeem us. The cross of Jesus Christ is big enough, wide enough and powerful enough to save. All are welcome to participate, from middle school to our most senior members. Groups will meet weekly for six weeks beginning the week of February 22nd. Groups will meet in homes, at the church and at local restaurants. You will be contacted by your group leader about the exact starting date and location. Except for the Monday Small Group, each session will run approximately 75 minutes and will include fellowship, informal discussion, and a time of prayer. Please call or contact John Harman, Elder for Adult Discipleship at (harmanj372@gmail.com) if you have any questions. Deadline to sign-up is February 15 th =========== 2015 Lent Small Group Sign-Up ============= Monday noon at GPC (brown bag lunch group) 1 hour Tuesday 7:15 a.m. breakfast group Tuesday 7:00 p.m. Ungers home (Littlestown) Wednesday -- 7:00 p.m. at Harman s home (Lake Heritage) Thursday noon at GPC (brown bag lunch group) Thursday 7:00 p.m. at GPC (Ike Lounge) NAME PHONE ADDRESS NUMBER OF BOOKS Cost of book is $6.00 Also available as ebook. Summer Opportunities!! Parents, as you get ready to plan ahead for warm, summer days instead of January s bitter cold, let us make some suggestions: GPC Vacation Bible School- Water Stories June 15-18, :00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Camp Krislund Week Camp for rising 4 th graders through high school age- Weeks of June 14 through August 7, 2015 Traveling Day Camp at GPC/Krislund for those completing Kindergarten through 8 th grade- 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. July 27-31, 2015 Family Vacation Travel Bags will be available with activities that can be done in the car, at the beach, or anywhere. For more information on any of these summer options, contact Cheryl Betts at (717) ext. 5 or gpcdce@embarqmail.com

6 Page 6 The year is already flying by February! Where does the time go? I am going to discuss two books this time and hope you are able to indulge in both of them. They are very good but very different reads. How Randy the Moose Turned His Frown Upside Down by Janie Evans Miller is actually a children s book. My good friend Joyce Ryman, who is always giving me wonderful book suggestions, is a good friend of the author. She said that this book would be perfect for a church children s library and I totally agree after reading it. Randy is a moose; we have to use our imagination. He is having separation anxiety leaving his Mom when he goes to school. I am sure most of us can relate to that with our own kids. Ms. Miller uses a frog and the Bible to help Randy overcome his anxiety. The other unique feature about this book is that it is written as a rhyming story, so kids will really like the flow of the book. There are Bible verses and a prayer at the conclusion of the story that fits in well. I hope you all have a chance to take a look at it. I will give the copy to Merida (GPC Children s Librarian) so she can display it in the Children s area. The print is large and the pictures are so colorful that it makes the read so enjoyable. My second review is the selection that was made for Adams County Library Reads One Book. I know you all think we did that already this past fall. However, ACLS has decided that this has been such a popular venue that they chose two books instead of just one. So the fall will be reserved for the fiction read and the spring will have the non-fiction read. Erik Larson has written another book that makes you think you are reading a novel instead of a true story. In fact, when I first purchased this book about 3 years ago, it wasn t until I was half way through it that I realized it was a non-fiction book. OK, I ll cut to the chase. In the Garden of the Beasts is a terrific read. 1933, William Dodd has just been selected as the first Ambassador to Nazi Germany. He is thrilled. So the entire family packs up and moves to Berlin. That includes his son, wife and flamboyant daughter, Martha. Berlin is popping with excitement. A new government, Germans are happy and prospering again. The military is all over in their flashy uniforms, high kicking it up in parades. Herr Hitler is like a god. Martha jumps right in with both feet and begins dating all sorts of Nazi officials, including Rudolf Diels, first chief of the Gestapo! Everything is going splendidly, or is it? The Dodds begin to look beyond the pomp and gaiety and begin to see that there are groups of people that aren t being treated like Germans. They re different and are being blamed for the Germans losing the Great War. They begin to hear of secret camps set up for these people. They begin to see Herr Goebbels, Nazi Propaganda Minister, for the sinister and evil human being that he is. Jessica Laganosky, Special Events Librarian, has written a very good synopsis of this book in the Living Section of the Gettysburg Times, dated January 30, She is on the committee that makes the book selection. If you missed it, please go to the Friends of the Library (FOL) Book Store and check the Scrap Book. You will find the article very helpful. If you have an interest in Nazi Germany, and want to see how so many people were taken in by the monster they called Hitler, this book is a very good start. As I stated before, it reads like a novel and one you can t put down. It is an intriguing story and one you couldn t make up if you tried. Come in and take a look at it and see what you think about it! Til next time, stay warm by the fire and read a good book!! Cathy G P C Book Corner FOR FREEDOM CHRIST HAS SET US FREE: A Study of Paul s Epistle to the Galatians Led by the Rev. Charles (Buz) Myers, Ph.D. Department of Religious Studies, Gettysburg College The Epistle to the Galatians is one of the Apostle Paul s shorter letters. But do not be deceived by its length. Through his Epistle to the Galatians, Paul gave Christian theology the notion of justification by grace through faith and the idea of freedom in Christ, not merely freedom from service but rather freedom for service. There is much to be learned about Christian faith and life from this short epistle. Join us on the following Sundays for what promises to be a challenging, stimulating, and edifying study. This study, which is being led by Prof. Buz Myers of Gettysburg College, will be offered at 9:30 AM and again at 11:00 AM on the four Sundays of February, 2015: Sunday, February 15 Paul s Defense of the Gospel, Part I (A Study of Galatians 3-4) Sunday, February 22 The Implications of Paul s Gospel of Freedom (A Study of Galatians 5-6) CHURCH WOMEN UNITED welcomes all local church women to a 1 1/2 hour ($3) lunch meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4, at the Gettysburg Church of the Brethren, 1710 Biglerville Rd. Following lunch, Nancy Shoap, inspirational author and speaker, will share her testimony & ministry in her program, "Promises, Blessing, and Praise." Books & tapes will also be available for purchase. Newcomers are always welcome to join in this ecumenical fellowship. No reservations are needed. For more information, contact Cheryl Potter at

7 Page 7 The 4 th and 5 th Grade Sunday School has been studying Psalms. They were encouraged to write their own Psalms: A Psalm of Praise - Praise God God is almighty, King of the Kingdom Praise Him with music, Praise Him with prayer Praise Him with music, Praise Him with prayer Praise Him with worship, Praise Him with anything Celebrate! Celebrate and celebrate some more Kindness, caring, loving and respect God will always appreciate you even in our darkest hours Even the Lord says Love your enemies Be with family, Praise the Lord For all things are possible with God A Psalm of Protection Protection Lord please protect me from all the harmful people out in the world so when someone attacks I am ready and I shoot them all down I will pray all through it and give you praise. When I go out fighting you will watch over me and give me mercy and deliver faith to me and give me courage A Psalm The builders of the world see tools as useless junk For their tools are their faith, their knowledge of the Father and Son and their followers. For the builders are the disciples and they will preach it to all, Roman, Native American, African, American, Egyptian. The word will be everywhere A Psalm What is the Lord The Lord is the One who gave you your life. The Lord is the One who walks with you every day of your life. The Lord is the One who protects you when you think no one is there The Lord is the Ever Lasting Light that will never go out A Psalm Like a shepherd, you bring us into fields of green where everyone can run free as if it were heaven on earth. That is the best gift that we can receive. Every gift that we receive on earth are nothing in comparison to the glorious gifts that you give. You are the most wonderful person ever A Psalm of Praise Praise God God you are the key to my kingdom, the light of my day You are my Almighty, You keep me healthy You protect me from the evils, You are the gatekeeper to Heaven Like a lamb you are soft and graceful You survive me through each day Lord you put us in your hands and never let us go We will have glory to you forever A Psalm - What did the Lord give us? The Lord gave us life. The Lord gave us our family The Lord gave us everything we need to survive The Lord gave us the Bible to read when we are in trouble A Psalm - A Psalm of Thanks Thank you for the food that you gave us so we can live And thank you for shelter, clothes and my family If we didn t have those things we would die A Psalm Praise, Sing and Thank Praise your life Praise God and Jesus Praise the World Sing to the Heavens Sing with the angels Live in peace Thank God for everything. A Psalm Prayer of Praise Praise the Lord for all He has done for us. Give us good health, friends, family, food and shelter. He gives us the joy of life and love, different emotions and the joy of Him, His son and His Spirit. Praise the Lord. Praise Him.

8 Gettysburg Presbyterian Church 208 Baltimore Street Gettysburg, PA Office: (717) Fax: (717) Page 8 Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Gettysburg, PA RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED *********************** Gettysburg Presbyterian Church Mission Statement Gettysburg Presbyterian Church believes that God calls us to invite people to faith in Jesus Christ, and equip them to grow as His fully devoted followers. As disciples we: * study regularly * pray daily * witness boldly * live faithfully * serve passionately * give generously * worship weekly Celebrating 275 years of ministry in 2015! Next Newsletter Deadline: Noon, Thursday, February 19, 2015 February / March 2015 GPC WORSHIP SCHEDULE Traditional 8:15 & 11:00 a.m. Contemporary 9:30 a.m. February 15 February 18 February 22 March 1 Reconciliation Ash Wednesday - 7:30 p.m. worship service Slippage - First Sunday in Lent Communion - Second Sunday in Lent