New Castle Presbyterian News March 2016

Transcription

1 New Castle Presbyterian News March 2016 Ecumenical Lenten Suppers Join with your friends in New Castle to observe the season of Lent. We will gather through March 16 for Wednesday evening fellowship suppers at 6:00 pm, followed by a presentation by the host church. Participants are free to go by 7:30. The schedule will be: March 2 - Hope Lutheran Church March 9 - St. Peter's Catholic Church March 16 - Immanuel on the Green This Lent, we will encounter various Biblical characters of the Passion Story: Mary, Peter, Pilate, Judas. A sign-up sheet is in the fellowship hall to volunteer to help with this event. For further information, contact the church office ( ). Let us together keep a Holy Lent. Daylight Savings begins Sunday, March 13 at 2:00 a.m. Don t forget to Spring Forward!

2 Begin your daily devotions on February 28. One Great Hour of Sharing Sharing Calendar Daily Giving Devotion At a time appropriate for your household, read the theme scripture for One Great Hour of Sharing, 2016: Ruth 1:1-22 Invite each member of the household to describe one instance of how they have shared with someone else since the last daily giving devotion. Read the day s entry in the sharing calendar. Discuss the situation described and its relationship to your household. Consider your contribution for the day and add it to your offering box. Pray for the people and situations highlighted in the sharing calendar, and for the people you will meet in the coming hours: Dear God, Thank you for your love and mercy, your compassion and grace. Thank you for the many blessings you have given to us. [Each member of the household names at least two each day]. We pray that you would show us ways that we might share with others, and walk the extra mile in your name. Give us generous hearts that overflow with gratitude and joy. Today we pray especially for [the day s highlighted group]. May our gifts given through One Great Hour of Sharing be a blessing to them, and remind us all of the way that you are working in our world and in our lives. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Remember to take your offering box to worship on Palm/Passion Sunday, March 20, Maundy Thursday, March 24, or Easter Sunday, March 27.

3

4 Holy Week at New Castle Presbyterian Palm Sunday, 3/20 10:15 a.m. Gather at Town Hall to process into the Meeting House with palms and hand bells. 10:30 a.m. Triumphal Entry & the reading of the Passion from Luke. Maundy Thurs, 3/24 6:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday Supper, Worship, & Communion in the Fellowship Hall. Easter Fair, 3/26 10:00 a.m. Come with children 0-10 to learn more of this holy season, make crafts, find eggs (11:00 am), and enjoy treats. Easter Sunday, 3/27 6:30 a.m. Sunrise Service at the Wharf 10:30 a.m. Resurrection Worship in the Meeting House with hand bells and full choir. The One Great Hour of Sharing will be received at all worship services. THE EASTER FAIR IS COMING!! Saturday, March 26, 10:00 a.m. 12:00 noon Games, Crafts, Face-Painting, Refreshments, and a Celebration of the Life Christ Brings! Egg Hunt Begins at 11:00 a.m. for ages 0-10 The Entire New Castle Community Is Invited! Sign up to help! Also - take empty eggs home, fill them and return by March 25.

5 Brownie Mixes Needed! Please remember to put brownie mix on your grocery list! The Deacons supervise a ministry which provides brownies as part of our monthly Emmanuel Dining Room meal. When you see brownie mix at a good price, please purchase and bring to the church kitchen. Leave your donation on the counter to the left of the refrigerators. They will be handed out for volunteer bakers to prepare once a month. We are especially low on brownie mix, so buy some now! Thanks! -- Kim Beebe and the Deacons Bears to Good Homes Many of our Bears that Care have gone on to new homes, cheering those who receive them. Now we need more bears to send out into the community. Our Adoption Box is empty, but will hold small to medium sized bears, all colors and fuzziness that you might want to donate. Realize that these Bears may sit on hospital nightstands or at home on bureaus, where they can best remind their adopters that they (and we) care. They receive appropriately colored collar ribbons and tags that say they have attended worship and are bringing greetings to their receivers. The basket for Bears to take to your friends and family is at the back of the Meeting House, on your way out into the waiting world. The Adoption Box is near the exit door or under the display case in the Christian Ed building. Thank you so very much for donating Bears to give. They do their mission in a quiet, furry way. -- Kim Beebe and the Deacons Kitchen Updates At its meeting on February 22, the Trustees approved an updating of our church kitchen, which was left out of the Fellowship Hall project two decades ago. There will be replacements of the floor, counters, and sinks, as well as air-conditioning. The goal is to create a space which is easier to keep clean. The project will be funded by the Major Repair Fund and the Special Gifts Fund.

6 New Vision/Mission Statement At its meeting on February 23, the Session approved a new Vision and Mission Statement for our congregation. May God help us as we live it out! OUR VISION An Enduring Congregation, With a Living Ministry, Growing and Moving toward God's Future OUR MISSION New Castle Presbyterian Church offers a nurturing and supportive church community where all are welcomed to join in prayer and song, study and service as all are called to demonstrate understanding, compassion, and acceptance. By God's Spoken Word and Holy Spirit, we seek to live out the Gospel of the Risen Christ, as we grow spiritually, in strength, and with inclusiveness. We worship God in simplicity and with clarity; we study God's Word to direct our lives; and we nurture the young and the searchers in our midst. As a congregation and in cooperation with others, we engage in service and outreach with the local community and the world. We work to feed, clothe, and shelter our brothers and sisters while sharing the selfless and forgiving love of Jesus Christ. As we have been blessed, we seek to use all that we have to bless others with this good news of grace and joy.

7 Mission Outreach at New Castle Presbyterian Church Thank you for blessing our community in so many ways! The Ministry of Our Facilities 1707 Meeting House open for self-guided tours each day 9:00-5:00 Facilities used regularly by Arasapha Garden Club, Al-Anon, Country Dancers, Diabetes Education, Tai Chi, Art Classes, and the New Castle County Summer Day Camp program. Grounds open to the public 24 hours a day 1800 Cemetery still in active use for the community Mission and Outreach Committee Support of Presbytery, Synod, and General Assembly ministries Church World Service-Crop Walk annual participation Annual Collection for Clothing Bank of Delaware Friendship House Support through annual Spirit of Christmas income and annual sock collection Seaman's Center-Port of Wilmington ministry support - ditty boxes, scarves, hats Emmanuel Dining Hall monthly meal preparation Meals on Wheels participation Urban Promise staff support and annual school supply collections Touching Lives Ministries, providing dresses to children in Kenya and shoes for cottage industries there Special Offerings: Peacemaking, One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost New ventures in domestic violence response, mental illness support, and refugee resettlement Board of Deacons Administration of White Gift Fund for utility assistance and St. Vincent DePaul food closet replenishment Preparation of desserts for Emmanuel Dining Room Care of members of the church and community - illness, grief, distress Congregational Life and Membership Sponsorship of programming for the congregation and community: Alzheimers education, Five Wishes end-of-life programming, human trafficking, historical topics Annual Thanksgiving Breakfast for the community Annual Spirit of Christmas outreach event for the entire Delaware Valley community Worship Regular concerts for the community - New Ark Chorale, Delaware Women's Chorus, New Castle Presbyterian Hand Bell Choirs Ecumenical Lenten Suppers Easter Sunrise Service for the community Christian Education Separation Day Parade participation Annual Vacation Bible School for the community Annual Easter Fair for the community Friday/Sunday meal preparation for LUMOS Presbyterian Campus Ministry at UD

8 White Gift Donations The cold weather, snow, winds, and freezing temperatures have greatly increased the number of calls for help. Please continue to be generous with your donations to the White Gift baskets found in the narthex of the church and the reception area of the Christian Education building. The Deacons deliver your donations every month to the Food Locker at St. Peter s. We understand that people who are eligible for food stamps can t use them to purchase non-food products so please consider purchasing articles like: tissues, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, paper towels, Pampers, female hygiene items, soap, shampoo, mouthwash, deodorant. Please continue to bring the following food: stuffing, gravy, canned white or sweet potatoes, applesauce, canned tuna, hams, chicken, stews, soup, vegetables, peanut butter, cereal, rice, pasta, spaghetti sauce, cook oil, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise/salad dressing, relish, sugar, powdered/canned milk, coffee, tea bags, and baked beans. Thank you for your continued generosity. - Susan Townsend Lenten Concert A collaborative Lenten concert combining the choirs of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, St. James Episcopal Church-Millcreek, New Castle Presbyterian Church, St. Paul s Lutheran Church and singers from Immanuel Episcopal Highlands. The concert will be held on Sunday, March 13 at 4:00 p.m. at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 2800 Duncan Rd., Wilmington, DE. The program will consist of: Ave Verum W. A. Mozart When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Gilbert Martin Surely He Has Borne Our Griefs Michael Larkin The Lenten Sketches Joseph Martin A 40 minute cantata accompanied by orchestra. This ecumenical concert of beautiful Lenten music will most certainly be a moving and spiritual experience for both performers and audience. A love offering will be accepted with monies collected after concert expenses donated to Friendship House homeless ministries. A reception will follow the concert.

9 In the spirit of the season of Easter, the sanctuary will be decorated with spring flowers. If you would like to donate a flower in memory of a Loved One, or honor of someone, please fill out this form and return it with your check in the amount of $ Please order as early as possible. Deadline to order is March 20, 2016 (Palm Sunday). NAME: AMOUNT: $ (check one) IN MEMORY /HONOR OF: Please make all checks payable to: New Castle Presbyterian Church 25 E. 2 nd Street New Castle, DE Thanks again for your support!

10 Meals on Wheels HELP! We need Meals on Wheels delivery people for Call Susan Flook at if you are interested. Substitutes needed, too. No weekend deliveries. Thanks. Consider this as your call in Christ! Our next delivery will be February 29-March 4. If anyone is interested in delivering meals to shut-in Seniors in the New Castle area, please contact the office at Monday 29 Tuesday 1 Wednesday 2 Thursday 3 Friday 4 Shirley Knox Lois Barth Joan Smith Carol & Gene Mayhew Cynthia Robbins Nanette Nichol Susan & Jim Flook Monthly Report Look here each month for a statistical report on the life of the congregation: Membership: January February Income thru 01/31/16: 2016 Budget:... $64, Actual:... $60, Expenses thru 01/31/16: 2016 Budget:... $28, Actual:... $27, Phillip Walters, 3/2 Ruth Lindfors, 3/4 Howard Sowden, 3/5 Charles Smith, 3/6 Ginny Appleby, 3/9 Amy Selheimer, 3/10 Brian Werkheiser, 3/10 Carl Witt, Jr., 3/10 Michael Taylor, 3/11 Jennifer Dunham, 3/12 Chad Viola, 3/12 March Birthdays and Anniversaries Dana & Eric Monzo 3/24 John Handy, 3/16 Katherine Martin 3/16 Brendan Walters 3/16 Jane Fouracre 3/19 Gene Mayhew 3/20 Lucy Armstrong, 3/25 Jamie Kern, 3/25 Nancy Rowland 3/25 Sandra Wilson, 3/30 Barbara Toccafondi 3/31

11 New Castle Presbyterian Church 25 E. 2 nd Street New Castle, DE Phone: (302) Fax: (302) office@newcastlepreschurch.org Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Address Change Requested Contact the New Castle Presbyterian Church office: office@newcastlepreschurch.org Contact: The Rev. Nancy Rowland at: pastor@newcastlepreschurch.org Next Newsletter Deadline is March 25, 2016