Calendar of up-coming summer events:

Transcription

1 Tom s parents, Jean & Dick Forbes Francie Becker Alison s mother, Isabel Fain Theresa Wolford Ginny Flick Nina McCarty Lawrence Cook Paula Swayne Floretta Kelly LauraNell Hil Lauren Cook Artie Hartman Gloria Harrell-Cook PPC ministry George Tasker Toni McCarty Virginia Metcalf John Michael Hartman Our country and our troops Jack & Tess Tasker People who are caregivers to family members Orphans of Belize Missionaries in Belize Glynna & Shawn Harbaugh Jim Wilson June 3 June 12 June 14 June 15 June 21 June 22 June 25 June 27 June 27 July 5 July 10 July 20 July 27 August 10 August 17 August 22 August 22 August 26 Calendar of up-coming summer events: Sunday, June 7 Monday, June 8 Sunday, June 21 Sunday, June 28 Saturday, July 4 Sunday, July 5 Sunday, August 2 Sunday, August 9 Brooke Boyce Anita Lupton Becky Niland Brent Harbaugh Cameron Lynch Mary Brandlen Darlene Spitzer Brycen Rounds Steve Thrasher Olivia Bostic Sarah Evans Bob Lupton Mike Hartman Wayde Evans Brian Shay Shawn Harbaugh Barbara Murphy Lawrence Cook Food Pantry Collection Sunday Last Sunday for Sunday School & choir Worship Committee meeting 9:00 a.m. Session meeting following worship Presbyterian Women meet 10:00 a.m. Father s Day presentation during worship 1 st day of Summer Outdoor worship service at Creekside Park in Westernport followed by a picnic Independence Day Food Pantry Collection Sunday Food Pantry Collection Sunday Outdoor worship service at Jennings Randolph Lake followed by a picnic for your service to your church during the summer Ushers & Greeter June 7 Andi Grady and Kim Matthews June 14 Debbie and Steve Scheermesser June 21 Aggie and Phil Carnell June 28 Kathy and Mike Boyce July 5 Cindy Scheermesser & Sandra Chilcote July 12 Buck Knott and Andi Grady July 19 Maxine Groves and Frances Becker July 26 Lawrence Cook and Buck Knott August 2 Debbie and Mike Hartman August 9 Maxine Groves and Frances Becker August 16 Aggie and Phil Carnell August 23 Kim Matthews and Sandra Chilcote August 30 Kathy and Mike Boyce Money Counters June 7 Debbie and Mike Hartman June 14 Kathy and Mike Boyce June 21 Sandra Chilcote and Andi Grady June 28 Erma Landis and Andi Grady July 5 Denise and Darlene Spitzer July 12 Debbie and Mike Hartman July 19 Kathy and Mike Boyce July 26 Sandra Chilcote and Erma Landis August 2 Erma Landis and Andi Grady August 9 Denise and Darlene Spitzer August 16 Debbie and Mike Hartman August 23 Kathy and Mike Boyce August 30 Sandra Chilcote and Andi Grady Liturgist June 7 Steve Scheermesser June 14 Steve Scheermesser June 21 June 28 Laurie Groves July 5 July 12 Sandra Chilcote July 19 July 26 August 2 Steve Scheermesser August 9 Steve Scheermesser August 16 Cindy Scheermesser August 23 August 30 Cindy Scheermesser The worship committee is asking for volunteers from congregational members to sign up as liturgist during worship services now until the end of the year. Please see Francie Becker if you can do this for our worship services. The sign-up sheet is located on the front table in the fellowship hall. Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service...only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food...no ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit in the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him. As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation..."we would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek"...The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation...the homeless man sitting in the back stood up...and started walking down the aisle...the clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him...he walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment...then he recited Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning...many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame... he then said...today I see a gathering of people...not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples...when will YOU decide to become disciples? He then dismissed service until next week... Being a Christian is more than something you claim. It s something you live by and share with others. Scrambled Bible Names answers: Elijah 2. Stephen 3. Paul 4. Abraham 5. Silas Noah 7. Sarah 8. Anna 9. Moses 10. Titus

2 Children's Sunday School Happenings: Beginning June 7 th each Sunday during the summer, the children will get to experience Growing Up with Jesus. If anyone has the following items the Sunday School could borrow for their set for the summer, they will be promptly returned to you at the end of summer: Wicker or cane baskets, plastic fruit and vegetables, bales of hay. Ceramic/clay urns, jugs, or pottery, plastic or silk plants and trees Mexican blankets or rugs, feed bags that we can stuff with newspaper to look real. Adult Sunday School will conclude on Sunday, June 7 th and will resume on Sunday, September 6 th. $ was collected on Sunday, May 17 th for the Presbyterian Women s birthday celebration. Thank you to our women for this great mission collection and for the delicious meal that followed the worship service that morning. The Spring Fling Hymn Sing was a huge success. 55 people enjoyed an evening of great food and song. Thank you to the Worship committee for planning the event and thank you Presbyterian Women for delicious food. The Summer lunch box program will once again provide summer lunches for area children. Currently, there are 69 children signed up and more will trickle in. Donations are needed for supplies and lunches. The schedule is as follows: June 22-26: June 29-July 3: July 6-10: July 13-17: July 20-24: July 27-31: Aug. 3-7: Aug : Westernport Church of the Brethren St. James Bruce Outreach First Baptist Church Women of the Tri-Towns Danville Church of the Brethren? Church of God, Piedmont Church Women of the Tri-Towns & First Baptist Anyone can show up on any day they can make it to help with this wonderful project. They start making sandwiches around 10am. Bags with other lunch items are prepared the day before deliverers are needed for the lunch pick up sites. While deliverers are out, all others volunteers pack bags for the next day. Once you do it, you want to go back and help! The children are so grateful! For additional information, please see Jeanne Thrasher. Destiny McClintock from Bloomington UMC and Jesse Shears from Westernport Church of the Brethren were each awarded a $ scholarship from the Tri-Town s Ministerial Association. The money is given to each applicant s school and is a one-time scholarship given each year to a freshman entering college. Please note our Outdoor worship services on the following dates: Sunday, June 28 th at Creekside Park in Westernport and Sunday, August 9 th at Jennings Randolph Lake. Although the Choir will not be participating in worship during the summer, finishing up on Sunday, June 6 th, we are having special music provided by individuals throughout the summer each Sunday. Come and enjoy the diverse and talented singers amongst us. Pastor Tom will be away two weeks in June June 14 th and June 21 st. We re extremely grateful to Reverend Richard Slider for leading us in worship in Tom s absence on Sun., June 21 st. Pastor Tom will also be away the month of August studying in Dubuque, Iowa. Leading us in worship in August are: August 2 Reverend Harry Coleman August 9 Elder Lori Evans at Jennings Randolph August 16 Joint service here at PPC with Lonaconing and Barton Presbyterian Churches August 23 Elder Kermit Becker August 30 Elder Jeanne Thrasher Word Scramble: Can you figure out these Bible names by rearranging the letters? 1. Jaileh 2. Henteps _ 3. Ulpa 4. Bamhara _ 5. Lisas _ 6. Anho 7. Raash _ 8. Nana 9. Ossem _ 10. Utist _ Such is God In a mother s womb were two babies. One asked the other: Do you believe in life after delivery? The other replied, Why, of course. There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later. Nonsense said the first. There is no life after delivery. What kind of life would that be? The second said, I don t know, but there will be more light than here. Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat from our mouths. Maybe we will have other senses that we can t understand now. The first replied, That is absurd. Walking is impossible. And eating with our mouths? Ridiculous! The umbilical cord supplies nutrition and everything we need. But the umbilical cord is so short. Life after delivery is to be logically excluded. The second insisted, Well I think there is something and maybe it s different than it is here. Maybe we won t need this physical cord anymore. The first replied, Nonsense. And moreover if there is life, then why has no one ever come back from there? Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery there is nothing but darkness and silence and oblivion. It takes us nowhere. Well, I don t know, said the second, but certainly we will meet Mother and she will take care of us. The first replied Mother? You actually believe in Mother? That s laughable. If Mother exists then where is She now? The second said, She is all around us. We are surrounded by her. We are of Her. It is in Her that we live. Without Her this world would not and could not exist. Said the first: Well I don t see Her, so it is only logical that She doesn t exist. To which the second replied, Sometimes, when you re in silence and you focus and you really listen, you can perceive Her presence, and you can hear Her loving voice, calling down from above. Such is God. FYI: Did you know that at military funerals, the 21 gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year = 21

3 The Lord be with you! Tom Forbes Jeanne loaned me a book to read some time ago and I ve finally found the time to do so. You all should know that it s dangerous to give me a book. Books lead to ideas and ideas lead to oh no! change! Well, at least discussion. And maybe, together, we ll find something worthwhile. The book is The Indispensable Guide for Smaller Churches by David R. Ray. Its overall theme is that small churches are different from large churches. This seems obvious but the encouraging and, hopefully, invigorating point is that small churches are not less than large churches. Actually large churches are a relatively recent phenomenon. For centuries almost all churches were small, family oriented, communal places so we should be very good at being small. According to Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. The church is all about being together in community. Small churches certainly can do this and probably better than large churches. In fact, community is the primary expectation of the small church. A study showed that the number of bowlers increased by 10 percent from 1980 to In the same period, the number of people in bowling leagues decreased by 40 percent. Bowling alone is symptomatic of the isolation of people one from another in the technological society. People come to small churches to connect with a caring, close fellowship where they can be and do something worthwhile. One idea that was repeated several times in this book is that small churches eat together a lot! People use any excuse and make time to be together with one another in the sacramental life of the church. When Jesus said, about eating and drinking, do this in remembrance of me, he wasn t talking about the bit of bread and drop of grape juice we share occasionally but the communal meal of the ancient house church shared every week. It is in this community that Christ is present in the Spirit and it is in this fellowship that people are strengthened and sustained for Christian life. There are many other ideas offered for small churches all of which in some way create, repair, or sustain the community of the church. Some of them we are already good at doing. Some are more common sense. Some are outrageous and daring ideas. I hope and pray that we will have opportunity to celebrate and value our community and discuss ways we can be a better, even if not a bigger, community. May the loving kindness of God in Christ be with you all! Tom June, July and August Worship Services & Lectionary Readings 2015 Year B Sunday, June 7 2 nd Sunday after Pentecost 1 Samuel 8: 4 20 Psalm Corinthians 4: 13 5:1 Mark 3: Sunday, June 14 3 rd Sunday after Pentecost 1 Samuel 15: 34 16: 13 Psalm 20 2 Corinthians 5: 6 17 Mark 4: Sunday, June 21 4 th Sunday after Pentecost 1 Samuel 17: 1, 4 1, 19 23, Psalm 9: 9 20 or 1 Samuel 17: 57 18:5, Psalm Corinthians 6: 1 13 Mark 4: Sunday, June 28 5 th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 1: 1, Psalm Corinthians 8: 7 15 Mark 5: Sunday, July 5 6 th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 5: 1 5, 9 10 Psalm 48 2 Corinthians 12: 2 10 Mark 6: 1 13 Sunday, July 12 7 th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 6: 1-5, Psalm 24 Ephesians 1: 3 14 Mark 6: Sunday, July 19 8 th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 7: 1 14 Psalm 89: Ephesians 2: Mark 6:30 34, Sunday, July 26 9 th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 11: 1 15 Psalm 14 Ephesians 3: John 6: 1 21 Sunday, August 2 10 th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 11: 26 12: 13 Psalm 51: 1 12 Ephesians 4: 1 16 John 6: Sunday, August 9 11 th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 18: 5 9, 15, Psalm 130 Ephesians 4: 25 5: 2 John 6: 35, Sunday, August th Sunday after Pentecost 1 Kings 2: 10 23; 3: 3 14 Psalm 111 Ephesians 5: John 6: Sunday, August th Sunday after Pentecost 1 Kings 8: 1, 6, 10, 11, 22 30, Psalm 84 Ephesians 6: John 6: Sunday, August th Sunday after Pentecost Song of Solomon 2: 8 13 Psalm 45: 1 2, 6 9 James 1: Mark 7: 1 8, 14, 15, Sunday, September 6 15 th Sunday after Pentecost Proverbs 22: 1 2, 8 9, Psalm 125 James 2: 1 17 Mark 7: Adult Sunday School The Adult Class uses the We Believe series. Sandra Chilcote is the Adult Teacher. Class will not meet during the months of June, July and August and will resume on September 6 th. Summer self study is as follows: Summer Quarter 2015 "God's Prophets Demand Justice" Unit 1: Amos Rails Against Injustice o Judgment on Israel and Judah (Amos 2:4-8) o God Is Not Fooled (Amos 5:14-15, 18-27) o Rebuked for Selfishness (Amos 6:2-8, 11-14) o God Will Never Forget (Amos 8:1-6, 9-10) Unit 2: Micah Calls for Justice Among Unjust People o No Rest for the Wicked (Micah 2:4-11) o No Tolerance for Corrupt Leaders and Prophets (Micah 3:5-12) o Justice, Love, and Humility (Micah 6:3-8) o God Shows Clemency (Micah 7:14-20) Unit 3: Advocates of Justice for All o Our Redeemer Comes (Isaiah 59:15-21) o A Choice to Be Just (Jeremiah 7:1-15) o A Call for Repentance (Ezekiel 18:1-13, 31-32) o God Demands Justice (Zechariah 7:8-14) o Return to a Just God (Malachi 3:1-10)

4 The American Flag THE GLEANER Piedmont Presbyterian Church 63 Ashfield Street PO Box 51 Piedmont, WV Website: June, July & August 2015 Have you ever noticed how the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the American flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day! The 1st fold of our flag is a symbol of life. The 2nd fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life. The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world. The 4th fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance. The 5th fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decaur, "Our Country", in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong. The 6th fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that We pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. The 7th fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic. The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day. The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded. The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for defense of our country since they were first born. The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nations motto, "In God We Trust." After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, Ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the

5 Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today. June 21st Don t forget to wish your dad a Happy Father s Day

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