Special Generosity Needed As Cold Weather Comes

Transcription

1 HEBRON HERALD Volume 23, Issue 10 November 2014 Special Generosity Needed As Cold Weather Comes By Rev. Frank Wyche, Pastor September is when autumn officially begins, and October is when we usually experience a first frost, but November brings more consistently cold weather. And along with the increasingly cold weather come greater needs for SACRA, Valley Mission and other community help agencies, and the opportunity for contributing to various special offerings through Hebron. This year, SACRA (Staunton-Augusta Church Relief Association) has increased needs for monetary and food donations. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, from which SACRA has bought food in past years, has put in a new computer system and wants its buyers to use that system for buying food. SACRA doesn t use the computer system or software programs that the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is using; also, the food bank has raised the price it is charging for food it sells to other food banks and community service organizations. Because of the new computer system and the increase in prices, SACRA will not be buying as much food from the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, so it really needs more contributions of food and money from churches. Hebron has always been a big supporter of SACRA. We are usually among the top 5 churches in the amount of money given, and very often we are the largest donor of food. This year, SACRA needs our help even more than usual. We hope everyone will respond by increased giving to SACRA, both financially, and in nonperishable foods. Valley Mission, the Verona Food Pantry and other local helping organizations will also continue to be in need. Hebron will receive the annual Children s Thanksgiving Offering in November. This offering helps three ministries in the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic: Edmarc Saturday, Nov. 1 All Saints Day Sunday, Nov. 2 Daylight Saving Time Ends; All Souls Day; Sunday School, 9:55 a.m.; Worship, 11:00 a.m.;, Tuesday, Nov. 4 Election Day Saturday, Nov. 8, Fall Festival/Family Fun Night Sunday, Nov. 9 Sunday School, 9:55 a.m.; Worship, 11:00 a.m.;, Tuesday, Nov. 11 Veterans Day; Circles 1 & 2 meet, 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16 Sunday School, 9:55 a.m.; Worship, 11:00 a.m.;, Thursday, Nov. 20 Session Meeting, 7:00 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23 Christ the King Sunday, celebration of the Lord s Supper; Sunday School, 9:55 a.m.; Worship, 11:00 a.m.;, Wednesday, Nov. 26 Community Thanksgiving service, 7:00 p.m., at Middlebrook Church of God (see article on back page) Thursday, Nov. 27 Thanksgiving Day; Church Office Closed Friday, Nov. 28 Church Office Closed Sunday, Nov. 30 1st Sunday of Advent, season of preparation for Christmas; Sunday School, 9:55 a.m.; Worship, 11:00 a.m.;, Advent, The Season Of Preparation For Christmas, Begins Nov. 30 This Year Advent, the season to prepare for Christmas, begins on Nov. 30 this year. Advent is the four Sundays before Christmas. Advent means coming, and it is the season we look forward to the coming of Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Hospice for Children; Presbyterian Children s Home of the Highlands; and HumanKind (formerly Presbyterian Homes & Family Services, and the Family Alliance). Special inserts with information about the offering, (Continued On Page 3) The Presbyterian Women will provide a pre-printed devotional from the Society of St. Andrew for daily use during Advent. The Advent Wreath will be lighted each Sunday of Advent in the Sanctuary. The Chrismon Tree will be in the Sanctuary on the first Sunday of Advent.

2 2 Minutes For Regular Session Meeting Held Sept. 25 The Session of Hebron Presbyterian Church held its stated monthly meeting on Thursday, Sept. 25, at 7:00 p.m. Minutes of the meeting were approved at the Oct. 23 Session meeting and are printed here: Present: Present: Elders Michael Ruleman, Noah Turnage, Hannah Bush, Tom Cook, Lorrie Dean, Clerk of Session Robin Moyer, Jan Botkin, Jim McGavock, Ross Shull, and Moderator Rev. Frank Wyche. Excused: Elders Nicola Cahill, Robert Christian, and Doug Trimble. Absent: Elders Jon Arneson and Allen Martin. A quorum being present, the Moderator opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. with prayer and devotions from Hebrews 13: Clerk s Report: Session approved minutes of the Stated Session meeting of August 24, Session also approved request from the Lines Family to use the Fellowship Hall and Kitchen on Nov. 27, 2014, Thanksgiving Day. Treasurer s Report: A handout was provided by Treasurer Michael Ruleman with a detailed Report of Fund Balances as September 25, 2014, including a Budget vs. Actual Report. The general fund continues in the red at (-$23,610.83). The total in our checking and savings stands at $250, Committee Reports Cemetery (Jan Botkin, Tom Cook, Noah Turnage): Anita Tuttle will be doing landscaping in the cemetery across the road. Christian Ed (Nicola Cahill): The Back-to-Sunday School Brunch on Sept. 7 was extremely successful, with 84 people attending. The Adult Sunday School Class resumed using the Uniform Series. The next Celebration Sunday will be Oct. 5. The Crop Walk will be Oct 26. Fall Festival/Family Fun Night will be Nov. 8 hosted by the Hebron. The Christmas Fellowship Lunch will be a covered-dish meal on Dec. 14 after worship. The committee is working on the Scott Hickey Memorial Scholarship to reconcile it with the gift from Dr. John Riley. Session approved a request to approve as new Sunday School teachers and volunteers Anita Tuttle, Kelli Whitescarver, Edna Stone, and Jan Botkin. Session also passed the use of a new curriculum for the Children s Sunday School, All-In-One Sunday School from Group Publishing. Next meeting will be Oct. 12. Commitment/Witness (Robin Moyer, Mike Ruleman): Meal-in-a-Bag Program at Beverley Manor Elementary has resumed. Peacemaking Offering will be received Oct. 5. Bell-ringing at Kroger for the Salva- tion Army will be Friday and Saturday Dec Mike Fallin has offered to chair the committee beginning in January, Congregational Ministries (Jon Arneson, Joann Weikert): Martie Sieck is keeping in contact with shutins. Joann is scheduling visitations. Fellowship/Service (Jan Botkin, Lorrie Dean, Doug Trimble): Heritage Sunday is Oct. 12 with a covered dish lunch after worship. Committee will provide meat and beverages. Committee also helped with the Back to Sunday School lunch in September. Finance/Stewardship (Hannah Bush, Ross Shull): Committee requested 2015 budget request from all other committees. Personnel (Hannah Bush): No report. Property (Robert Christian, Tom Cook, Allen Martin, Jim McGavock, Doug Trimble, Noah Turnage): Discs have been delivered to repair the radiators. Supplies are being gathered to repair steps. Committee is working on plans for kitchen renovation. Worship Committee (Joann Weikert): Worship hours were changed on sign in front of church. Ushers are needed for offering. An invitation will be extended to Transitional Presbyter Roy Martin to visit Hebron. Pastor s Report: Bible Study continues on Wednesday mornings; we are currently studying the book of the Acts of the Apostles. The latest round of Home Communion with our shut-ins continues; the next celebration of the Lord s Supper during morning worship will be Oct. 5, World Communion Sunday. New Business: The Nominating Committee will hold its first meeting at the beginning of October. The next Stated Session Meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014, at 7:00 p.m. The blessings and prayer concerns of the congregation, friends, and relatives were shared by Session for corporate and individual prayer. The meeting was adjourned with prayer by the moderator at 7:48 p.m.

3 Cold Weather Calls for Generosity (Continued From Page 1) and special offering envelopes, will be put in some November bulletins. You can give to the Thanksgiving Offering either by using the envelopes, or by adding a note to your gift to the Treasurer. In December, we will receive the Christmas Joy Offering, one of the four special denominational offerings we receive each year. As our Commitment/Witness Committee reminds us, please continue to be in prayer for and generous to the following benevolent offerings or projects in which we have chosen to be involved. The Meal in a Bag Project continues with a weekly contribution of meals for the weekend for four children at the Beverley Manor Elementary School. CROP Walk This year s CROP Walk was scheduled for Oct. 26, the day this newsletter was available for pickup in the Sanctuary. Since 2005, Hebron has raised $8,098 for this project. Operation Christmas Child Hebron is again participating in this annual project of Samaritan s Purse, also known as the Shoebox Project. Boxes are provided and money for mailings or the filled boxes completed should be brought to the church by Nov. 9 in order for us to check and deliver the boxes the next week for shipping. Shoeboxes, labels, and information sheets about what gifts to pack are available on the table in the Session Room behind the Sanctuary. Weekday Religious Education programs for the Augusta County and Riverheads school districts will receive the offering collected at the Nov. 26 Community Thanksgiving Service, which will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Middlebrook Church of God. Bell-Ringing One of our annual projects is ringing bells for the Red Kettle Project of the Salvation Army. This year we have volunteered to ring bells on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5-6, from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at Kroger on Statler Blvd. A sign-up sheet will be available. If you need transportation to come and ring the bell, just call the church office or a C/W Committee member. It is helpful to have at least two persons per hour, although more are always welcome. Hebron is blessed with generous members, who have always responded to specific needs. Your support is needed for seasonal and special offerings well as general support for the church, and ongoing support for Weekday Religious Education, SACRA and other local missions. God calls us to bless and help others, even as God has blessed and helped us so abundantly. Thanks be to God that we are able to help. Pastor Frank Family Fun Night To Be Nov. 8 The Hebron will sponsor a Family Fun Night/Fall Festival on Saturday, Nov. 8. The event will be held in the church Fellowship Hall from 5:30 until 8:00 p.m., beginning with a free supper. Everyone is invited to this fun night of food, fun and fellowship. Please invite your friends and family. We hope to see you there! 5:30-8:00 p.m. Nov. 8 Malcolms Donate Games To Church Tim and Lori Malcolm have donated to Hebron a number of handmade game sets which will be used at the Family Fun Night/Fall Festival on Saturday, Nov. 8, in the church Fellowship Hall, and in future events. The games, which were used at Hebron for family game nights a number of years ago, are sturdy and durable tabletop games or upright wooden frames. The games include a ring toss, a tabletop bowling game, an upright scarecrow with holes to throw balls or beanbags, and a number of other games. Many thanks to the Malcolms for having made the games, and for donating them to the church! Scripture Selections For November Scripture selections for Sunday morning worship services in November are listed below. Pastor Frank usually (but not always) follows the Revised Common Lectionary when choosing Bible passages upon which to base sermons. Nov. 2, All Saints Sunday: Psalm 85; Revelation 7:9-17; Matthew 9: Nov. 9, The Great Commandment: Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 33; Matthew 19:16-22 Matthew 22: Nov. 16, The Day of the Lord: Joel 1:14-15; Joel 2:1-3, 11-13; 1 Thessalonians 3; Matthew 25:1-13. Nov. 23, Christ the King Sunday: Isaiah 24; Psalm 146; Ephesians 1; John 3: Nov. 30, 1st Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13: Advent themes are usually the Second Coming on the 1st Sunday; Prophecy on the 2nd Sunday; John the Baptist, Mary and/or Joseph on the 3rd; and the Birth of Jesus on the 4th Sunday of Advent. The lectionary calendar runs from the first Sunday of Advent through Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the Christian calendar. On Sunday, Nov. 30, a new Christian calendar begins, and most of the gospel lessons during the next year will be from the gospel according to Mark, instead of Matthew. 3

4 4 Evening Of Comfort And Joy Dec. 2 The Presbyterian Women s annual Evening of Comfort and Joy will be held Tuesday, Dec. 2, beginning with our traditional soup and sandwich and dessert supper at 6:00 p.m. followed by a silent auction. This event is Evening of Comfort and Joy open to everyone men, women, and young people, and Hebron s members and friends! It would help the cooks if you would sign the reservation sheet on the bulletin board across from the library. Reservations should be made no later than December 1. (However, if you only find out at the last minute that you can attend, please come anyway, because we always have plenty of food!) You can pay for your supper either by making a monetary donation of $5 and/or by bringing non-perishable food for SACRA with a total value of at least $5. All the money given for meals and from the silent auction will be divided between the Verona Community Food Pantry and Valley Mission. All non-perishable food items will go to SACRA. Silent Auction: We need lots of nice things to be auctioned. In the past, new items, freshly made fresh baked bread, cinnamon rolls, cakes (please pre-cut large cakes in half), cookies, candies, Christmas decorations, etc., have been sold. It s always very interesting to see what the ladies bring. This is both a wonderful time to do some Christmas shopping, and also to help the needy! There will be a donation sheet on the bulletin board. It is a big help to know what the ladies are bringing so they may be displayed properly. It would be great if all items to be sold are in the Fellowship Hall by 1:00 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1. However, if you don t get a chance to sign the sheet or bring your items by 1 p.m., please bring them between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 2. If you have any questions, please call Donna Kirtley, Advent Devotional Booklets To Be Offered Hebron s Presbyterian Women will once again provide booklets for daily devotion throughout Advent. This year s booklet is published by the Society of St. Andrew, which works to fight hunger. The booklets will be available in the vestibules at the back of sanctuary in mid-november. Maxine Carpenter Making Another Quilt For PW The Presbyterian Women s annual Evening of Comfort and Joy on Dec. 2 will again feature a drawing for a handmade quilt by Maxine Carpenter. Look for more details on the quilt raffle in upcoming editions of the church bulletin. Shoebox Deadline Is Nov. 9 Hebron is again participating in Operation Christmas Child, often known as The Shoebox Project. Our church collection deadline will be Sunday, Nov. 9. Shoeboxes, brochures and labels are available in the Session Room. Use the instructions in the flyer on what types of gifts are needed (see list later in this article), and how to label the box for a boy or girl, and the appropriate age category. National collection week for this project is Nov , so we are asking that any shoeboxes given by Hebron be returned to the church by Sunday, Nov. 9. You can bring your filled shoebox to the church office anytime, or bring it to church and put it on the floor by the Communion Table on any Sunday morning. The cost of mailing a shoebox is $7 again this year. If money is not given for mailing, the church will cover the costs as mission giving. If you wish to pay for your own box or for others, or if you wish to give so that the church can buy more materials to go into gift boxes, please write a check payable to Hebron Presbyterian Church with Operation Christmas Child or Shoebox Project on the memo line, or you may put cash in the collection plate. If you give cash, please do not use your regular offering envelope; put it in a different envelope, or attach a note so that the church treasurer will know that the money goes to this mission project. Churchville Giving Tree Asks Your Help Churchville Elementary School is again asking support for The Giving Tree, a program which allows members of the community to reach out and offer support to students at Churchville Elementary. The Giving Tree supports events and activities all through the school year, including field trips, book fair purchases, class pictures, and Christmas gifts. Donors can sponsor a Churchville student or students through monetary donations for school-related expenses, or monetary donations for Christmas gifts (we shop), or to sponsor a child for Christmas (you shop). If you have any questions please contact Nicola Cahill or Laura Hodges at To make a financial gift, make checks payable to: Churchville Elementary Giving Tree.

5 Wreaths, $19.00 each: In Memory Of: In Honor Of: In Thanksgiving Of: Given By: Total Amount Enclosed: Order Form For Wreaths To Decorate Sanctuary (Note Early November 6 Deadline) WREATHS Each year thirteen wreaths, including the Advent Wreath, are used to decorate at Hebron. If you wish to contribute $19 for a Frasier Fir Wreath in memory/honor/ thanksgiving of loved ones, please complete this form and return it to Hilda Dundas along with the money no later than Thursday, November 6. Order Form For Poinsettias To Decorate Sanctuary (Note Early November 6 Deadline) POINSETTIAS given in memory/honor/thanksgiving of loved ones may be purchased for $6.00 each by completing the form below and returning it to Hilda Dundas along with the money no later than Thursday, November 6. POINSETTIAS may be purchased elsewhere and brought to the church by 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 30; we will need that information for the bulletin. DONATIONS may be made to the SANCTUARY FUND. Names of donors and honorees will be noted in the bulletin. We would like to keep the poinsettias for the Christmas Eve service. Poinsettias, $6.00 each: Red White Pink Monetary Donation to the Sanctuary Fund: In Memory Of: In Honor Of: In Thanksgiving Of:

6 6 Ed Gayhart Card Of Thanks The Presbyterian Women made a contribution to Berea College in Berea, KY, in honor of Margaret Gayhart, who died on Aug. 29, after 60 years of marriage to the Rev. Ed Gayhart, who was pastor at Hebron Presbyterian Church from 1967 to Ed sent a brief note to Hilda Dundas saying, Thank you for the lovely sympathy card and the personal note. You have been down the road I am now traveling. The Hebron Women made a contribution to Berea College in memory of Margaret. I have misplaced the mailing address of the president of that group. Please deliver the enclosed letter to them for me. Ed s letter to the Presbyterian Women is reprinted below: Dear Hebron Friends, Thank you for reaching out in friendship and love following the untimely death of Margaret. Your cards with your personal words of comfort and encouragement, your prayers for strength, direction, and comfort, and your personal touch have provided more strength and comfort to my family and me than you will ever know as we adjust to a new normal in our lives. Thank you for the gift to Ecovillage at Berea College in memory of Margaret. Ecovillage is owned and operated by Berea College for single mothers and their children to enable them to earn a college degree. We first learned about Ecovillage in an article in the (Louisville) Courier-Journal a few years ago. At a later date, Margaret and I visited the village and were impressed with their mission to single mothers and their children. Margaret and I had assumed that we would retire in the Staunton area, and be buried in Hebron cemetery. However, most members of our families are closer to Louisville than Staunton. Also, as we got older we remained in Louisville for the convenience of medical doctors and hospitals. Hebron was my favorite pastorate. My heart is still heavy, but I am convinced that, even in the midst of my pain, God has a plan for each life, and that Margaret is in the presence of God and that we will be together again. Thank you for being my friend! Peace and God bless! ~ Ed Margaret s obituary from Newcomer Funeral Homes of Louisville, KY, is reprinted below: Margaret Peak Gayhart, 84, of Louisville, Kentucky, passed away on Friday, August 29, She was born on February 10, 1930, in Gilbert, WV. Margaret was a loving mother and wife of 60 years to her husband, Ed. She had a special place in her heart for her children and grandchildren and a love of music. November Birthdays And Anniversaries November birthdays are: Alan Wood 2 Barbara Moyer 3 Lenwood Shiflet 5 Nathan Moyer 6 Richard Rathburn 6 Billy Ruleman 6 Charles Shomo 6 Austin Smiley 7 Sean Ratliff 10 Frank Wyche 10 Meredith Moran 12 John Hildebrand 13 Jim McGavock 13 Addison Casto 14 Shirley Fallin 14 Robin Moyer 14 Sylvia Crawford 16 Scott Martin 16 Judi Mooneyham 19 Lena Miller 22 Cory Wood 23 Joyce Obenschain 24 Julia Martin 27 Brock Moore 28 David Wright 28 Jonathan Talbott 30 Very special birthday wishes to: Lenwood Shiflet, who will be 89 on the 5th; to Charles Shomo, who will be 83 on the 6th; and to Jim McGavock, who will be 83 on the 13th. Congratulations to: Junior and Peggy Hewitt who will be married 60 years on the 24th. Reminder: If you have been omitted from our birthday list, or if you know of someone who should be included, please call the church at with the information, as we don t want to miss anyone. November Church Office Closings The church office will be closed two separate days in November for holidays. The office will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov , for Thanksgiving. Margaret is survived by her loving husband, Ed; children Deborah Warren, Jim Gayhart, and Elizabeth Bodine; seven grandchildren; one great-grandchild; a brother, Bill Peak; and a host of family and friends. A celebration of her life will be at 2:00 pm Sunday, August 31, 2014, at the Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Jeffersontown, KY. Private burial will be in Floydsburg Cemetery Crestwood, KY. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to Berea College Ecovillage116 Washington Avenue, Berea, KY

7 November 2014 Hebron Presbyterian Church Sunday School 9:55 A.M./Worship 11 A.M. Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Children s Church Leaders 2: Kim Rathburn 9: Donna Moyer 16: Hebron 23: Julia & Scott Martin 30: Robin Ruleman 1 All Saints Day End Daylight Saving Time (Clock back 1 hour, 2 a.m.) 2 All Saints Sunday 9 Christian Ed Committee, 6:00 p.m Christ the King Sunday Lord s Supper 3 4 Election Day 10 Commitment/ Witness Committee, 6:15 p.m. 11 Veterans Day Circles 1 & 2 Meet, 1:30 p.m. 5 Bible Study,10 a.m. Property Committee Meets Choir, 7:30 pm 12 Bible Study,10 a.m. Congregational Ministries, Choir, 7:30 pm Bible Study,10 a.m. Worship Committee Meets, Choir, 7:30 pm Community Thanksgiving Service 7 pm, Middlebrook Church of God Fall Festival / Family Fun Night Presbytery Meets, 9:30, Hot Springs 20 Session Meets, 7:00 p.m. 27 Thanksgiving Day st Sunday of Advent Upcoming December Events Dec. 2 Evening of Comfort and Joy ~ Everyone Invited! Dec. 14 Sunday School Luncheon After Worship ~ Everyone Invited!

8 HEBRON HERALD Hebron Presbyterian Church 423 Hebron Road, Staunton, VA Church Office: (540) Church FAX: (540) Website: Hebron Presbyterian Church Rev. Frank H. Wyche, Pastor Ministries available to all ages Sunday Services: Sunday School, 9:55 A.M. Morning Worship, 11:00 A.M., 6:30-8:00 P.M. Bible Study: Wednesday, 10:00 A.M. Community Thanksgiving Service Nov. 26 at Middlebrook The annual Community Thanksgiving Service will be held this year at the Middlebrook Church of God on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 7:00 p.m. This annual service is a joint project of Hebron Presbyterian Church, the Arbor Hill Church of the Brethren, the Middlebrook Church of God, New Life Foursquare Gospel Church, and Smokey Row Baptist Church. Daylight Saving Time Ends Nov. 2 Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2, this year, so remember to turn your clock back one hour before going to bed on Saturday, Nov. 1. Also remember that fire safety officials recommend checking/changing the batteries in your smoke alarms at the beginning and ending of Daylight Saving Time. This year s speaker will be provided by the New Life Foursquare Gospel Church. After the service, a time for food and fellowship will be held. The fellowship time has always been a particularly popular part of the event. A free-will offering will be collected at the service, with proceeds going to support Weekday Religious Education (WRE). Contributions are to be divided evenly between the WRE programs for Beverley Manor and the Riverheads District. Please join us as our community gives thanks to God for all our blessings! Thanks To All For Helping At Heritage! A big thank you to everyone who helped make Hebron s Heritage Sunday a huge success. There are just too many to name that worked so hard to make it all possible. God blessed us with a beautiful weekend and everyone had a wonderful time. Thanks again! ~ The Fellowship Committee