The Caller. October 2011 Worship Schedule. October 2, a.m. World Communion Sunday Commit to Be Fit: BODY Rev.

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1 Volume XX Issue 4 The Caller Inside this issue: October 2011 Volume 22, Issue 8 October 2011 Worship Schedule 2-3 Letter from Pastor Brenda 4 Birthday & Baptisms; Operation Christmas Child 5 Session notes; Boy Scout Spaghetti dinner 6-7 Family Hospice & Palliative Care events October 2, a.m. World Communion Sunday Commit to Be Fit: BODY Rev. Brenda Barnes October 9, a.m. Fall Festival Retreat at Camp Crestfield Guest Preacher - Pittsburgh Theological Seminary Student, Tara Fenton 8 Plum Food Pantry report 9 Church Board/ Committee members October 16, a.m. Commit to be Fit: MIND Rev. Brenda Barnes October 23, a.m. Commit to Be Fit: SPIRIT Rev. Brenda Barnes The Presbyterian Church of Plum Creek October 30, a.m. Reformation Sunday Commitment Sunday Commit to Be Fit: JOY Rev. Brenda Barnes 550 Center-New Texas Road Pittsburgh, PA secretary@plumcreekchurch.com September 2011 Volume 22, 7 Page 1

2 The Presbyterian Church of Plum Creek publishes The Caller monthly (with the exception of July and August). If you have an item to contribute, please it to or place it in The Caller mailbox in the church office. To submit a newspaper or magazine article to be reprinted in The Caller, include the name and date of the newspaper or magazine where the article was originally published. The deadline for all articles is the 15 th of the month. Please provide submissions in computer-ready (WORD 2002 or text) format when possible. Thanks! Church Address: Presbyterian Church of Plum Creek 550 Center-New Texas Road Pittsburgh, PA Office Phone Number: (412) Address: Office Hours: Minister Director of Educational Ministries Director of Youth Ministries Worship Services Sunday School Classes secretary@plumcreekchurch.com Monday Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Reverend Brenda Barnes Meredith Hedeen Tori Campbell Sundays at 10:00 a.m. Sundays 8:45 a.m. September 2011 Volume 22, 7 Page 2

3 Grace and peace to you from the Lord Jesus Christ STEWARDSHIP IS managing ALL of life with the understanding that everything belongs to God. It is the seemingly radical idea that every breath we take, every step we make, is a gift from God. Each day is His precious gift to us and all that we have been privileged to know and possess is ultimately from God. Think of that in holistic terms if you will. Children belong to the Lord. We, as parents or grandparents, or aunts and uncles, are given the privilege of loving and nurturing them for a few years but, ultimately, they are God s children. God s time. God s money. God s world has been given to us to care for and use for His glory. Nothing more is possible and nothing less will do. The issue of stewardship can be asked in one question: What does the Lord require of you? And the answer: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8) To act justly, we must let go of our own thoughts, wants, needs, feelings the list goes on and on. We must understand that everything we think should happen, everything that we might want and need (whether those things are financial, physical, or non-tangible or not!) is in the Lord s hands. To love mercy, we must understand that the Lord loves us so much that He died that we might have eternal life with Him. And, we must love others and want the same for everyone else. We must be grateful for what the Lord has done for us and help others to know and be grateful also. To walk humbly with our God, we must give EVERYTHING to Him. The GOOD NEWS is that as Christ followers, we know that God owns us. We are His! The Psalmist says: We are the sheep of His pasture. He watches over us and cares for us and nothing can separate us from His love in Christ Jesus. It is the Lord whom we want to possess us, nothing or no one else. STEWARDSHIP is living into the reality that everything - even we ourselves belongs to God and God is faithful. If we believed as God has promised that He will always be present with and for us, and that He will provide for anything that we need, then we should live like we believe it. What would it look like if we trusted God for every day? The Lord requires that you give back to Him, everything. This month, we will be asking you to estimate your financial giving to the work of Christ through PCPC. You are asked to prayerfully consider the blessings of God and give out of a joy-filled and grateful heart. The temptation is to give to the church for ministry and programs and to meet the budget but the Lord asks that you give out of a heart filled with gratefulness for his love, mercy and care. October 2011 Volume 22, Issue 8 Page 2

4 The Stewardship Committee is also asking you to fulfill your requirements with the Lord by getting fit in mind, in body, and in Spirit. Love the Lord your God with ALL your mind, body, and Spirit! We are asking you to make at least one commitment in each area for the 30 days of October until Commitment Sunday on the 30th. Here are some ideas to help you get fit : Get fit in mind: Memorize a scripture verse each week; take up the crosswords puzzles or Sudoku in the newspaper; read a book in a genre you don t usually read; read the Year-Of-The-Bible for the month of October just to try it out. Get fit in body: Work to lose a pound a week; eat more nourishing-ly (just for the month give up something that isn t quite as nutritious as fruits and vegetables); eat to lower your blood sugar a few points; take a short walk everyday; take up stretching exercises to keep your whole body limber and protect your bones. Get fit in Spirit: Make a commitment to the work of the Lord on October 30 th (and be praying to Him every day until then about the amount); trust Him for every need by finding a Scriptural mantra to say over and over to yourself until you believe it during those times of difficulty (For examples, see the end of this letter). Forgive someone as the Lord has forgiven you. Friends, none of these is easy to do but when we learn to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with the Lord, they become easier and easier and we find ourselves richly blessed in His faithfulness! Amen and Amen! Together, we are Being changed for His glory, Pastor Brenda Scriptural mantras: I worship the Lord my God and serve him only. (adapted from Luke 4:8) I will serve you with all my heart and will all my soul. (adapted from Joshua 22:5) For a challenge: For the Lord my God will bless me in all my harvest and in all the works of my hands, and my joy will be complete. (adapted from Deuteronomy 16:15) For ease (this one is not direct from a biblical passage, but the sentiment is scriptural!): Praise God from whom all blessings flow. October 2011 Volume 22, Issue 8 Page 3

5 BIRTHDAYS Espe Ressler October 2 Alice Yearn October 8 Hazel Berringer October 10 Helen Young October 21 If you know anyone who is 70 or older, please let the church office know. We don t want to miss anyone. BAPTISMS Tyler Armstrong Dorsch August 28, 2011 Ian Hunter Koss September 11, 2011 OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD Please help churches worldwide to deliver gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of Jesus Christ! You can make a difference in a child's life -- Pick up a box in the Narthex. Choose whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl & the child s age 1) Fill the box with gifts (they include suggestions) 2) Include a $7 donation for shipping when you drop off your box at the Church before November 13. The gifts will be dedicated on November 13th and then taken to the mailing centers. Thanks in advance for making a difference in so many lives! RE CREATION Come for a night of inspiration and fellowship with RECREATION - a Christian worship ensemble. On October 5, dinner will be served at 5:30 and concert will begin at 6:30. Invite your friends and neighbors to attend this uplifting music ministry. A free will offering will be taken for the group. October 2011 Volume 22, Issue 8 Page 4

6 Session Minutes Snip-it s from August 16, 2011 MSP - to have a Congregational Meeting on October 23, The subjects for the meeting: Election of Officers and approval of By-Laws. Oasis is to start on September 14, The group Recreation will be coming to Plum Creek Church on October 5, This will be at 7:00 PM following the dinner at Oasis that evening. Presbytery: The next Presbytery meeting will be September 15, 2011 at Camp Crestfield. MSP - to approve Bonnie Caliendo and Dave Forrest as commissioners to this meeting. Sunday School Slate of Teachers: Toddler - Lindsay Mueller Wee Children at Church Preschool/K None yet We Believe 1-2 Shannon Polacek We Believe 5-6 Janet Wood We Believe 5-6 Tim Mayo We Believe 9-12 Bill Gibson Faithfully Asking Questions - Fall/Winter 9-12 Ed Ray/Sherri Gibson We Believe - Freedom (New Testament survey - then in December ask if they want to study a particular book.) New Business Budgets for 2012 should be prepared for the October 2011 Session meeting. SPAGHETTI DINNER Troop 877 has monthly Spaghetti Dinners from October through April each year at the Plum Creek Presbyterian Church. Each Spaghetti Dinner involves 'all-you-can-eat' spaghetti and meatballs, a salad; drinks, and a desert. We are always happy to accommodate special requests (no sauce, no meatball, sauce on the side, extra sauce, etc) and we accommodate take-out-orders. Our sauce is meatless so vegetarians can enjoy! We also will deliver to local senior citizen centers (upon request). Our costs are: $7 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and $3 for children ages Children under 2 are free. Here is our 2011 / 2012 schedule Saturday, October 8 4 pm to 7 pm Saturday, December 3 4 pm to 7 pm Saturday, January 7 4 pm to 7 pm Saturday, February 4 4 pm to 7 pm Saturday, March 3 4 pm to 7 pm Saturday, April 21 4 pm to 7 pm October 2011 Volume 22, Issue 8 Page 5

7 October 2011 Volume 22, Issue 8 Page 6

8 October 2011 Volume 22, Issue 8 Page 7

9 October 2011 Volume 22, Issue 8 Page 8

10 Church Board/Committee Members Session Dave Anderson Bonnie Caliendo Don Campbell Laura Campbell Jim Delo Karen Delo Dave Forrest Bill Gibson Beth Kist Jim Nesbit Rick Ofstun Ed Ray Ed Smith Al Tresco Larry Wood (clerk) Deacons Linda Bartley Clyde Bradley Laura Burnett Keith Donnell Wilma Elicker Jeremy Ewing Barbara Grossi Doris Hedeen Lois Holmes Marty Holmes Sharon Lasser Nancy Mayo Mary Jo Nesbit Donna Pellegrino Dave Plance Bonnie Redlich Larry Sturchio Lorraine Udanis Audit Jenny Caliendo David Nesbit Mary Ann Racki Building, Grounds and Finance Committee Tim Arnold Don Campbell Jim Delo John Hedeen Marty Holmes Al Tresco Christian Education Linda Bartley Laura Campbell Beth Kist Lucy Ofstun Alexis Peifer Carolyne Ressler Janet Wood Evangelism Bonnie Caliendo Joe Delo Jeremy Ewing Bill Gibson Ed Smith Larry Sturchio Marilyn Sturchio Memorial Jim Nesbit Carolyn Nonnenberg Dave Plance Al Tresco Elaine Tresco Mission Laura Campbell Sandy Cole Sheri Gibson Gaye Mallisee Donna Pellegrino Ed Ray Linda Stotler Lynn Wolfe Nominating Committee Karen Delo Albert Durante Gary Lasser Carolyn Nonnenberg Dave Plance Emily Szitas Larry Wood Personnel Beth Kist John Thompson Al Tresco Ron Wolfe Stewardship Laura Burnett Dave Forest Ed Ray Ed Smith Worship and Music Deb Caruso Karen Delo Ashley Dunn Dave Forrest Gloria Mayo Rick Ofstun Joy Smith October 2011 Volume 22, Issue 8 Page 9