THE MESSENGER. 30 Ways of Living Thankfully

Transcription

1 THE MESSENGER The Peekskill Presbyterian Church November Ways of Living Thankfully 1. Listen to the heart of young people. 2. Cultivate your ability to inspire/coach others. 3. Be comfortable with your years. 4. Share your stories. 5. Eat Mindfully. 6. Converse with God regularly. 7. Recognize problems and loss as disguised opportunities for growth. 8. Lose your insistence on losing. 9. Become a life-long learner. 10. Move your body to your favorite music regularly. 11. Enlarge your cultural proficiency. 12. Stay Woke (remain consciously aware of how blessed you are) 13. Embrace the beauty of each season. 14. Perform radical acts of kindness. 15. Celebrate every accomplishment. 16. Play often with babies and animals. 17. Read broadly. 18. Always be in pursuit of a dream. 19. Travel as often as possible. 20. Never compromise your healthy non-negotiables. 21. Cherish and nurture good relationships. 22. Forgive others. 23. Learn to love and like yourself. 24. Respect truth. 25. Take a stand for what you believe in. 26. Discover your spiritual gifts. 27. Face your fears. 28. Reject feelings of guilt. 29. Unlearn the characteristics of the false self. 30. Be assured of the unconditional love and acceptance of God. For more details join me for lunch any Thursday from 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. (Call the office to reserve a date for a single or group discussion) By Faith, Pastor Stephany Daylight Saving Time (United States) 2017 ends at 2:00 AM on Sunday, November 5 IN THIS ISSUE Bible memory Verses....2 Prayer Requests...2 Good News Pot Luck Dinner....2 In Memoriam....3 Session Highlights..3 Our Mission & Our Vision....3 Clerk's Corner Music Corner....4 Deacon's Corner LOMO...5 Mission Ministry Christmas Celebration Women of HOPE..7 Thanksgiving Service.8 Haiti Mission School.9 Calendar The Messenger - November Page 1

2 BIBLE MEMORY VERSES FOR NOVEMBER 2017 Submitted by Rosa Reed 1. O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name make known his deeds among the peoples. (I Chronicles 16:8) Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made to God. (Philippians 4:6) 2. Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2) I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. (Psalm 69:30) 3. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come into his presence with singing. Know that the LORD is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. For the LORD is good, his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100) 4, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (I Thessalonians 5:16 18) O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. (I Chronicles 16:34) Continued Prayers. for Joe D, Don H, Ray B, Marjorie C, Joyce & Dutch T, Greta K, Evangeline B, Ruth W, Odessa G and Roscoe R. Continued Prayers. for all of the Congregants unable to join in our activities. Prayers of Sympathy. for Nancy O. and her family. Continued Prayers of Healing. for those affected by world tragic events and Our Nation, especially for the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Spanish Virgin Islands and the first responders and all those who are helping. CONGREGATIONAL POT LUCK DINNER Everybody come to the Congregational Pot Luck dinner to be held Saturday, November 11, starting at 6:00pm for an evening of fun and fellowship. Ron Blanco will be our DJ and Master of Ceremonies. There will be a sign up sheet in the social hall during coffee hour October 29 and November 5 for food being brought; people s names are not required, just the items being brought, so as to prevent excessive food duplications and to fill in blank areas. Don t forget to bring some dollars for the Bingo! Good News will be hosting; contact John Bishop or Dan Harrison if there are questions. We hope to see all of you on the 11 th. The Messenger - November Page 2

3 SESSION HIGHLIGHTS OCTOBER 12, The minutes of the September 14, 2017 meeting were Approved with corrections. 2. The church property will be decorated outside with lights from December 9, 2017 through January 1, Approved 3. Thirsty will meet on the first Thursday in November (November 2, 2017) and the first Thursday in December (December 7, 2017) - Approved 4. The Revenue and Expenses report year to date was Approved 5. The Job Description for a permanent child care worker every Sunday and once a month on Saturday was Approved 6. Pastor extended a thank you to Ruth Garcia and Nancy Horton for their work in obtaining Signage for the church. 7. Since Karl Schumacher is no longer able to organize and conduct the Sunday Community Meal, it will be discontinued. 8. There continues to be a need to have the current congregation invite people to church 9. The Synod has awarded Spirit Talk the grant money they applied for. 10. Thank you Stephen Lynn for writing up the operating budget report. For "Spirit Talk" 11. Mini Spirit Talk services will take place in the community of Peekskill.. A videographer has been contacted to help Produce a commercial. OUR MISSION In response to the profound love of God through Jesus Christ toward all, we welcome everyone to join as we study and proclaim the gospel, seek the will of God, grow in spiritual maturity, share our resources, and respond in service to the needs of our members and our neighbors. Vision Statement The Peekskill Presbyterian Church is a faithful and diverse community of Christians with varied backgrounds, ethnicities, talents, and ages. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we are committed to nurturing individual and corporate faith through: Vibrant Worship; Committed Stewardship; Relationship Building Fellowship; Mission Focused Discipleship; and Servant Leadership. Elaine Sampson Charles L. Walther "Larry" October 27, 2017 October 29, 2017 The Messenger - November Page 3

4 CLERK'S CORNER I am sharing this with you since I am sure there are others that share my sentiments. It has gotten to the point where I do not like to turn on the news. Everything seems to focus on the negative, and, there is not enough emphasis placed on the positive events that are happening at the same time. I suppose they do not grab the attention of the television audience that is attracted to one disaster after another. Since so much is in turmoil, it should be a perfect time to turn our attention to God and focus on what He is doing positively every day in our lives. Saying that, I came across a passage that speaks directly to this issue. It is found in the book Jesus Always, by Sarah Young. It says: TRUST IN MY UNFAILING LOVE. thanking Me for the good you do not see. When evil seems to be flourishing in the world around you, it can look as if things are spinning out of control. But rest assured: I m not wringing My hands helplessly, wondering what to do next. I am still in control, and there is behind-the-scenes goodness in the midst of the turmoil. So I urge you to thank Me not only for the blessings you can see but for the ones you cannot see. My wisdom and knowledge are deeper and richer than words can express. My judgments are unsearchable, and My paths beyond tracing out! This is why trusting Me at all times is so crucial. You must not let confusing circumstances shake your faith in Me. When your world feels unsteady, the disciplines of trusting and thanking Me serve to stabilize you. Remember: I am always with you. I guide you with My counsel, and afterward I will take you into Glory. Let this hidden treasure - your heavenly inheritance lead you into joyous thanksgiving! (appropriate for this month) Biblical Support: Isaiah 54:10; Romans 11: 33; Psalm 62:8; Psalm 73: Blessing to you all at this time to focus on what we are thankful for. I am thankful that God has placed me in the Peekskill Presbyterian Church and surrounded me with such spiritually rich followers of Christ. MUSIC CORNER I hope everyone has had a wonderful October. As we get ready to head into the Christmas season be on the look out for special events that we have planned. If you'd like to try out singing in the choir, now is a perfect time to do it. Rehearsals are on Wednesday nights at 7pm for the Chancel choir, 8pm for the Praise choir. Everyone is welcome to attend. And...if you a little younger we have children's choir rehearsal from 11:30 every Sunday. See you soon, Matt Calling All Committees Calendar Dates for the 2018 Would all committee and subcommittee chairs please forward to the church office their request for 2018 calendar dates? Submit these by November 30 th, The 2018 calendar will be posted before the end of The Messenger - November Page 4

5 LOMO I don't know very many words in Spanish, but I do know that lomo means mud. When I drive along the roads in Puerto Rico I see signs like this one frequently, so I asked what lomo means. The answer is mud. When I am there, it is usually sunny and clear, but it is very easy to imagine what these same roads would look like if covered in mud. And now they are covered in mud. It is one of the many problems facing the people of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Of course water and power are paramount issues, but to address these and many other needs, it is necessary to be able to get manpower and supplies to where they are needed. And lomo gets in the way. Muds seems like a pretty awful thing and now it is in the way of the cleanup of a place I love. I really don't like mud! I wondered whether there could be anything good about mud and tried to think whether there was any mud in the Bible and, of course, there is. In John 9 Jesus encounters a man who was born blind. Do you remember what Jesus did? He spit on the ground to moisten the dirt and make mud. Then he took the mud and put it on the blind man's eyes. Yucky! Jesus then sent the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam and, when he did, he was able to see. That particularly nasty mud gave a man the gift of sight. With God all things are possible. I love to visit Puerto Rico, but I cannot imagine being there with no electricity for air conditioning and refrigeration. I cannot imagine listening to the mosquitoes (and there will be lots more mosquitoes!) humming in the dark. I cannot imagine no clean water when I am thirsty (and the water available will be, of course, warm). I cannot imagine no way to cook whatever food I do have. I cannot imagine not being able to get in my car and drive wherever I want or needing money and not having an ATM nearby. My Puerto Rico is a paradise. It is fun. It is cold beer, sangria, beautiful beaches and air conditioned living. My Puerto Rican brothers and sisters are doing without much more than these luxuries. Their eyes have been opened, I am sure, to what is really needed in life and what is really important. I pray that there is a miracle in the mud of Puerto Rico. I pray that we will turn our hearts to a people who are suffering a great deal. I pray that we reach out to help them. I pray that we understand them and life better in the aftermath of all this mud. May all our eyes be opened so that we may see. Barbara Devir, CLP He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:2) 1. All Saints Day is coming up and as is customary, the church bell will be rung once in remembrance of the passing of each loved one in the calendar year November, 2016-November, Please share the names of loved ones to be remembered with your Deacon. The Deacons serve in a ministry of compassionate service to our congregation. Should a personal need for assistance or information arise, please feel free to contact your Deacon. Deacons and their congregant lists are posted on the bulletin board opposite the church restrooms, down the hall from the choir room. If ever any questions or concerns please contact your Deacon. The Messenger - November Page 5

6 MISSION CORNER The Mission Ministry would like to thank everyone who was involved in our food drive. Through time and hard work we were able to fill all of our shelves as well as our closet. In addition we raised enough through donations and gift cards to be able to keep our shelves filled for several months. CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION Can you believe that Christmas Day is less than two months away? As I work to fill Denise Simon s shoes, I wanted to let everyone know that we will once again be collecting hats, gloves and scarves for men and women to be given away on Christmas Day. If you would like to donate items or gift cards (if you have no time for shopping) please let me know. Linda Johns ( or Lmj92455@yahoo.com) "THE FOOD BAG" The Christmas Celebration Committee is asking each family unit to donate one or more non-perishable food bags (in a decorative bag) to be given to families on Christmas Day. We ask that each bag contain the following items: 2 cans tuna 2 large cans soup 1 box macaroni & cheese 1 large can of fruit 1 bag of dried beans or 1 can beans 1 small (1-2 lbs.) bag of rice (brown or white) 1 small plastic jar peanut butter The Messenger - November Page 6

7 WOMEN OF HOPE CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2017, 12 NOON - 3:00 PM at Little Sorrento, 3565 Crompond Road Yorktown Heights, NY An invitation to the members of the Women of HOPE, their guests, and to all women friends of The Peekskill Presbyterian Church to celebrate Christmas and warm fellowship with good food' Salad, Homemade Bread, Entrée (Chicken Marsala, Stuffed Filet of Sole, or Eggplant Parmigiana), Chocolate Mousse Cake, Zeppolies, Soft Drinks, Water, Coffee, Tea & Cash Bar. Women's items needed for our Christmas Celebration women's gift table. Please bring a new (unwrapped) hat, gloves or scarf. Cost: $25.00 per person, Return this sheet with payment to: Jean Valente or The Peekskill Presbyterian Church, 705 South Street, Peekskill, NY Make check payable to: Peekskill Presbyterian Church, (memo Women of HOPE ) (Deadline for payment and reservations is no later than December 4, 2016) Name # of Guests Guests Names HANGING OF THE GREENS PPC FAMILY, FRIENDS, GUESTS COME ONE, COME ALL As many know a lot of care goes into preparing our Sanctuary and Halls for this special season of Advent. And making ourselves ready for the coming of our Lord and Savior JESUS CHRIST Please join us in doing so. Saturday, December 2nd at 9:00 AM The Messenger - November Page 7

8 Sunday November 19, :00 PM P.A.P.A. Thanksgiving Worship Service & Civil Workers Worship Service Church of the Holy Spirit, 1969 Crompond Road Cortlandt Manor, NY. REMINDER: All committees and subcommittees should check their mail slots every week. Thank you to those who pick up their mail. SAVE THE DATES December 24, :00 AM Christmas Eve Pageant December 24, :00 PM Christmas Eve Candlelight Service December 25, :00 AM Christmas Day Brunch DID YOU Notify the church office of change of address, phone or ? Notify the church office about immediate family anniversaries, births, weddings, and graduations? Notify Pastor Stephany, Elder Philena Bolden, or Deacon Nancy Horton of any family emergencies, illnesses or deaths? The Messenger - November Page 8

9 November News from the Haiti Mission School During October, a three-person team [Pastor Tom, JoEllen and Howard Nicols] was sent by the U.S. Board of the Haiti Mission School to review the situation concerning the nationalizing of the school. It was a short trip of one week including two days of travel and a weekend, which meant that we were forced to keep moving at a pretty good rate to accomplish our work. We talked with the committees at Jèrèmie and Labastille, the government inspector for the Education Department in the region, the teachers and students at Labastille and the secondary school students at College Dumas. We also visited with Lindsay Anderson, an American missionary who has been helping us in Haiti. For most of these, the work included two visits: one to gather information and a second to report back to them concerning the recommendations we planned to make to our Board. Howard and JoEllen also visited the Labastille school while Tom waited at Lucienne s house (the church s leaders), since Tom s health did not allow him to make the walk into the school. While at the school, Howard and JoEllen talked with an engineer concerning the proposed building project and saw the work being done on the new latrine. They also spoke with mason Pierre concerning the means to gather water for the cistern until the new building is built (water is collected from the roof). He suggested constructing a berm around the top of the cistern and some small holes drilled in the top to allow the collected rainwater to drain in. These holes could all be sealed when the new roof on the church is completed. [We hired him to do it and the work was completed while we were still in Haiti.] A very bright spot in this visit happened after school when about students came to Lucienne s house (about a 40-minute walk) to greet Pastor Tom with many hugs, kisses and to sing to him. They ask about him each time we visit and were happy to be able to see him once again. Howard and Jo- Ellen said that the heat and the terrain made the hike really difficult. We plan to discuss our recommendations with the U.S. Board in the next couple of weeks. Once they have approved or modified them, we will report the results to you. In the meantime, we simply want to thank you for all your support and encouragement over the years, and ask that you continue to pray for the children and the school at Labastille, and pray for us as we make the decisions concerning the families and children of the region. Singers! Come join the Interfaith Choir Singing for the annual PAPA Interfaith Pre-Thanksgiving Service Sunday, November 19th, 5:00 p.m. Church of the Holy Spirit 1969 Crompond Road, Cortlandt Manor, NY Joan Rojas, Director of Music at Holy Spirit Church will be our Director REHERSAL: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19 at 4:00 pm sharp in the Parish Activity Center (PAC), at Holy Spirit. To register, please JOAN ROJAS at: jrgemo8@aol.com All who plan to participate in the choir must register with Joan for seating setup and planning. Thank you. We look forward to having you with us! The Messenger - November Page 9

10 HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all those who were born in the Month of November. NOVEMBER 2017 Lord's Attic Thrift Shop Hours: 10 Am-3 PM Wed., Thurs, & Sat SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY October 29 Cider & Donuts 9:00am-Stewardship 9:15am-Chancel 10:00am-Worship 11:30am-Kids Choir 11:45am-Hand Bell NATIONAL CAT DAY 7-9:00pm-NA 30 6:45pm- Fit Club Gates of Heaven HALLOWEEN 31 November 1 7:30am-Prayer Call 6:30pm-AA 7:00pm-Chancel 8:00pm-Praise ALL SAINTS' DAY 2 7:00PM- Corporate & Business "Thirsty" ALL SOULS' DAY 12:00pm- Knitting 3:30pm-8:30pm Youth Ministry 3 4 8:30am-Breakfast 5 9:15am-Chancel 10:00am-Worship (with Communion) 11:30am-Good News Meeting 11:30am-Kid's Choir 11:45am-Hand Bell Mission 7-9:00pm-NA 6 6:45pm- Fit Club Christian Education Gates of Heaven ELECTION DAY 7 7:30am-Prayer Call 6:30pm-AA 7:00pm-Chancel 8:00pm-Praise 8 9 NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH 10 12:00pm- Knitting 3:30pm-8:30pm Youth Ministry 7:00pm-Bridge (at Tropiano's) 6:00pm-Church Pot Luck Dinner VETERANS DAY :15am-Chancel 10:00am-Worship 11:30am-Kids Choir 11:45am-Hand Bell NAT'L PIZZA DAY 13 6:00pm-Personnel 7-9:00pm-NA Astrological Sign Scorpio (till 21st) & Sagittarius (22nd ) 14 6:30pm-Deacons 6:45pm-Fit Club. Gates of Heaven WORLD DIABETES DAY 7:30am-Prayer Call 6:30pm-AA 7:00pm-Chancel 8:00pm-Praise :00pm-6:30pm Head Start Parents GREAT AMERICAN SMOKEIUT 17 12:00pm- Knitting 3:30pm-8:30pm Youth Ministry 18 FRUITS & VEGES OF THE MONTH Apples, Cranberry, Plantains, Kale, Swiss Chard PIE SUNDAY 19 9:15am-Praise 10:00am-Worship (with Communion) 11:30am-Kids Choir 11:45am-Hand Bell 5:00pm-PAPA Service 7-9:00pm-NA FLOWER OF THE MONTH - Mum 20 6:45pm- Fit Club 7:00pm-Chancel Gates of Heaven 8:00pm-Praise WORLD TV DAY 21 7:30am-Prayer Call 6:30pm-AA THANKSGIVING DAY 24 12:00pm- Knitting 3:30pm-8:30pm Youth Ministry 25 BIRTHSTONE OF THE MONTH - SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY 26 9:00am-Stewardship 9:15am-Chancel 10:00am-Worship 11:30am-Kids Choir 11:45am-Hand Bell 7-9:00pm-NA 27 6:45pm- Fit Club Gates of Heaven GIVING TUESDAY 28 7:30am-Prayer Call 6:30pm-AA 7:00pm-Chancel 8:00pm-Praise 29 7:00PM- Corporate & Business 30 December 1 12:00pm- Knitting 3:30pm-8:30pm Youth Ministry Book Club 9:00am-Hanging of the Greens 2 Church Office Hours Tues Fri, 9:30am 2:30pm , (fax) (kitchen) office@peekskillpresby.org Pastor Stephany Graham Office Hours Wed: 10AM 3PM, Thurs: 4 7PM On Call Friday and Saturday The Messenger - November Page 10 Church Web site: Find Us on Face Book: Peekskill Presbyterian Church 705 South Street, Peekskill, NY