The Outlook. Central Presbyterian Church. 402 N College Street Waxahachie, TX October 2018 From the Pastor s Desk. Matt

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1 The Outlook Central Presbyterian Church 402 N College Street Waxahachie, TX October 2018 From the Pastor s Desk About four years ago, we were sitting on our back porch when we spotted something small and brown moving rapidly through the tall grass, some distance away. It had come from the direction of our creek, and it was headed toward the road. We ran over to see what it was, and once we were there, even then, we were not sure. The little, fourlegged guy was encrusted with mud and covered with fleas. We thought it might be a puppy. Kerry thoroughly scrubbed him up and confirmed that it was, indeed, a small dog. I think Emma fell in love with him first. But since we already had two dogs and two cats, adopting another dog was out of the question. Besides, someone had to be missing this little guy. Or so we thought. Ultimately, our efforts to reunite him with an owner were unsuccessful. And we had no luck trying to find him a new home. He was on odd looking pup (and is today an odd looking dog). He was small and long. The veterinarian informed us that he was part terrier and part dachshund. So I refer to him as a long terrier. Kerry named him Rusty shortly after issuing a decree that no one in the family name him so that we would not become too attached. It was too late, anyway. Rusty had already adopted us, and there was nothing we could do. Rusty was a very quiet dog when he first came to us, but he quickly got over it. He is quite the watchdog. As far as Rusty is concerned, everyone who knocks at the door is a potential serial killer. So, we are always on our toes. Rusty enjoys tearing dog toys to shreds with his sharp teeth, chewing holes in blankets and scrapping with his sidekick, Buster the orange cat. They like to take turns chasing each other around the couch to entertain the humans. He alternates between believing he is a cat or a really big dog who can steal food from actual big dogs, Sammie and Ginger. He enjoys harassing Molasses the cat, because he knows that she dislikes him immensely and believes that our taking him in was a deep betrayal. We have a lot of different names for Rusty now, and he is also the subject of several songs. Sometimes we call him The Bucket. He is also known as The Rustoleum Product or simply Russell or Russell Curry. Rumor has it that there is a road named after him in Mansfield, but I don t know anything about that. Russell s life has changed dramatically since we met him, and ours have, too. The blessings are mutual. At 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6 at Fellowship Park, join us for Blessing of the Animals as we celebrate those members of our family from the Animal Kingdom for whom God has appointed us as stewards like my long terrier watchdog, Rusty. I would love to meet your pets, and to give them, and you, a special blessing. Bring your animals of any kind, leashed, in a carrier or otherwise properly restrained. Ask friends to come and bring their animals as well! This is a good opportunity to introduce guests to the church, and to the wideness of God s mercy. Animal owners are welcome to bring pet food or other donations, which will be delivered to the Ellis County SPCA. Blessings of the Animals are traditionally done in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi, who was known for his love for all creatures.. Blessings, Matt

2 Highlights from the September 20, 2018, Stated Session Meeting held in the Chapel of First United Methodist Church: Pastor Matt thanked FUMC for its hospitality in providing its chapel for the monthly meeting. The pastor highlighted the ecumenical partnership with FUMC that has grown to include involvement in Worship Outside the Walls with several other churches. The pastor also gave a brief tour highlighting the renovations of the FUMC Chapel a few years ago. Those changes include the removal of pews and installation of comfortable and moveable seating. He also highlighted the various ways the chapel is used, in addition to worship. The session discussed the CPC chapel, classroom space and future opportunities to more effectively use our facilities to the glory of God and benefit of the congregation. No action was requested or taken. Elder Denise Johnson read a letter of resignation from Annette Goss, effective at the end of the year. The session gave thanks for Annette s service to the church as DCE on two different occasions and granted permission for the personnel team to move forward in the search for a part-time DCE/youth director, combined position. Session formally approved creation of a team that will be responsible for overseeing ongoing projects at the soon-to-becompleted Fellowship Park. Commendations: Annette Goss, for her service to the church as DCE. Everyone who came out for the Feed the Hungry breakfast taco event on Saturday morning, Sept. 15. Priscilla Clore and Arlene Hamilton, for their work raising money for the Community Garden through North Texas Giving Day. Rutans, for hosting Youth Group Fun Times Party after church on Sunday, Sept.16. Good food! Great fellowship and fun! A Message from the Finance and Stewardship Team Dear Church Family, Did you know that you can have your church contributions sent directly to the church from your bank or financial institution? You can do this by using bank draft, EFT or Bill Pay methods. Regular direct deposits to the church help you to be a faithful giver and help the church with cash flow during slow giving times. Also, if you are eligible for or receiving a required distribution from your IRA or 401K, you can direct an amount to the church without having to pay income tax. If you wish to donate or make pledge payments using the IRA tax-free arrangements, please contact the church office for the bank routing and account number for Central Presbyterian Church and arrange the direct withdrawal with your financial institution. To learn more, please contact the church office. Arlene Hamilton and Karl Goss Gift Cards The church office is in need of gift cards for people that stop by the office for assistance. It can be in $5 increments to Wal-Mart or HEB so that they may purchase gas or any items they may need. FINANCIAL UPDATE Income Actuals Budget August 2018 Results Favorable/ (Unfavorable) Variance to Budget Increase/ (Decrease) from Prior Year Actuals Budget August 2018 YTD Favorable/ (Unfavorable) Variance to Budget Increase/ (Decrease) from Prior Year Pledged Offerings $ 17,085 $ 23,805 $ (6,720) $ (2,777) $ 176,025 $ 190,440 $ (14,415) $ (6,689) Unpledged Offerings $ 2,930 $ 2,409 $ 521 $ 1,746 $ 24,179 $ 19,272 $ 4,907 $ 8,279 Other Income (Weddings & Royalties) $ 727 $ 375 $ 352 $ 679 $ 3,911 $ 3,000 $ 911 $ (373) Total Unrestricted & Other Income $ 20,742 $ 26,589 $ (5,847) $ (352) $ 204,115 $ 212,712 $ (8,597) $ 1,217 Note: Total receipts are unfavorable to budget year-to-date but total collections are higher than the amounts collections through August last year. Expenses are under budget, covering the shortfall in Pledges. As many expenses tend to increase during that latter part of the year, we need to catch up on our pledges soon. As we approach the 100 th year in our beautiful facility, we will need to provide funds to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the worship and fellowship that has enriched so many before us. Stay tuned to activities and fund raisers that you can participate in. T h e outlook

3 October Birthdays John Hamilton 2 Jennifer Chamberlain 4 John LeBreton 9 Jeanie Killough 10 Chase Barksdale 13 Beth Davis 14 Margaret Felty 18 Emily Rutan 19 Tony Drollinger 20 Jason Willett 28 Announcement Part Time Discipleship and Education Director (30 hours a week) Central Presbyterian Church, Waxahachie We are looking for someone who is an enthusiastic follower of Jesus Christ and can organize and lead children s and youth ministries at CPC. This would include, but is not limited to, Sunday School, mid-week opportunities, occasional weekend activities, mission trips, camps, special events (VBS, Family movie nights, etc.) and special services (Children s Advent Program, Youth Sunday, etc.). While the main focus of the job would be children and youth, minimal duties with adult education and the mission team will also be a part of the job. This person would help shepherd our youth in their journey of becoming disciples of Jesus Christ, which would help sustain their faith into adulthood. Qualifications: Must be an exemplary role model of our Christian faith, have a good working knowledge of the Bible, the Presbyterian Church (USA), current issues facing youth and families and experience working with youth. Must be able to work well with other adults; including parents, volunteers and other members of the church staff. Must have good communication skills with both youth and adults/parents. All interested parties please send resume and cover letter to: cpcwaxyouth@gmail.com

4 The Sound of Music You only have to hear the title of that musical and my guess is that your mind begins singing, The hills are alive.. (Now if you sing it out loud, then there is a place for you in the choir.) But that musical has so many songs that we know and sing or whistle or hum. The songs from this musical make our hearts sing with joy. There is a terrific hymn that does the same for me. Take a look at hymn # 641 When In Our Music God Is Glorified I googled this title and found several videos of the hymn. If you don t know it, you might want to do the same. The melody of the hymn is majestic. (You might even start humming the melody.) The text of the hymn is powerful. (Take some time to read this text for yourself.) Worship is about glorifying God. The music we offer to God in our hymns, our anthems, our gathering music, our bell music, our preludes and postludes are all offered that we might glorify God. And as the text of the hymn says: and adoration leaves no room for pride. All of our musical offerings are given as our offering and praise to God. I am grateful that each Sunday the sanctuary of Central Presbyterian Church is filled with The Sound of Music. May God give us faith to sing always: Alleluia! See you at choir on Wednesday evening. See you in worship on Sunday morning. Shalom, Tom MISSION REQUEST Submitted by: Cheryl Loper Waxahachie Care has requested that CPC donate 350 cans of pumpkin for the Thanksgiving baskets that are made and distributed to families in our community each year. Mission Ministry Team is considering clever ways to promote this effort, but for now cans may be put on the stage in the Undercroft. It is exciting that we have the blessing of being part of this worthwhile project that is so important to so many in our community. Thanks in advance to all who will participate. Do you ever participate in worship from the pew and think, I could do that, but take the thought no further? This is your chance. Be A Liturgist! We have a new year of worship opportunities with new leaders. Please contact Priscilla Clore at (903) (call or text) or pclore@sbcglobal.net to learn more and turn that thought into action. Jesus is calling you? BE A LITURGIST

5 Men's Fellowship Breakfast Saturday, October 13th - 8:00am CPC Undercroft or Fellowship Park All men of the church are invited to gather for our monthly fellowship on Saturday morning, October 13 th, at 8am. We had so much fun cooking outdoors in September that we may try it again in October. At a minimum, we will gather at church in the Undercroft to swap stories and talk football. We may find some time to stop and have a short devotional as well. Come celebrate life with us and start off the weekend right by spending some quality time with a group of guys who will always be there for you. The Men s Fellowship of CPC would like to invite men and boys of all ages to our breakfasts, so feel free to bring your sons, grandsons, nephews, neighbors, etc. Guys, if you haven t been to one of these breakfasts, or if it has been a while, please come join in the fun! All men of the Church and community are welcome to attend, swap tall tales and lift each other up. Even if you just want to play on the swing sets, we hope you will join us. Please contact Brent Rutan ( ) or Mike Tull ( ) with any questions. An Anniversary to Remember with a Cookbook! Plans continue for The Marthas church cookbook due to be cooked up and ready for purchase at the 100 th anniversary celebration in April, 2019, of the completion of the present CPC building. The proceeds from sale of the cookbook will go toward restoration and maintenance of the century old building which makes it possible for the people of God to meet as the people of God in this place. Recipe submission closes on September 30 th, so get your recipes in NOW if you have been putting it off. So far, we have over 400 recipes, but not everyone has submitted. Some have over 20 entries, and others none. We would love for everyone to have at least one favorite included. As part of our preparation, The Marthas ask your input in naming the cookbook. The anniversary celebration, and therefore, the cookbook, will be a theme of where the building and the congregation have been in the past, present, and then on, into the future. So, put your thinking caps on, and submit your ideas via , phone, or note to Priscilla Clore at pclore@sbcglobal.net, (903) , or drop it by the church office.

6 The Marthas The Marthas small group met Saturday, September 9th at 8:30 a.m. in the parlor at CPC for breakfast hosted by Dee Dreckshage and Jeanie Killough. Following an opening meditation and prayer by Priscilla on All things work together for good to those who love the Lord with those in attendance sharing their experiences that support that verse, we began our discussions. For October, we agreed to make baked potato microwaveable cozies under the leadership of Jeanie. These cozies are used to cook and then handle the potatoes, which come out just right for a yummy meal. Jeanie also showed us different sizes of soup/coffee/tea cozies as well as cozies for Corning Ware casserole dishes and standard serving plates. Cozies come in all sizes and for every use, and are microwaveable when made from 100% cotton. Who knew? We also discussed making totes that fit on walkers to assist in carrying items which allows the walker-dependent person more independence and participation in regular activities. The cozies will be available for purchase at our church building s 100 th anniversary celebration in April 2019, and you may receive one FREE with the purchase of five cookbooks! More to come on that later. November s project will be soup, with Arlene leading us. Hopefully we will have some vegetables from the Community Garden to include in our soup for friends and neighbors. Arlene gave a report on the status of the Community Garden. Lynn and Arlene will prepare the breakfast for our next meeting on Saturday, October 13th at 8:30 a.m. The meeting adjourned after a prayer, and split into two groups. Cheryl Arey and her group made tags for the soup/goodies deliveries. The other group reviewed the cookbook web site and information briefly before deciding to spend more time individually studying the options, and then meeting again to compare our thoughts so that we can make firm decisions. Priscilla will send out the administrator log-in info to those who were interested, and set a date to meet again. Journey Through Genesis With Beth Moore An 11-Session Study from Beth Moore Discover God's pursuit of relationship and the unfolding of His earthly plan: How through one nation and ultimately one man all people on earth will be blessed. The Patriarchs is a journey through Genesis Explore concepts such as blessing, covenant, and promise, and the bearing each has on a New Testament believer's life today. This small group meets on Wednesday mornings from 10:00 12:00 for prayer, Bible study and fellowship. Please join us as we begin our next study facilitated by Cheryl Arey. We meet at the home of Cheryl Loper, 204 Red Oak Creek Dr., Oak Leaf, Tx Please contact Cheryl Arey if you have any questions. We hope you will join us for our study which began on September 5 th. Submitted by: Cheryl Arey T h e outlook

7 Earth Care Congregation News Earth Care Congregation ministry team. To the thirsty, I will give water as a gift from the spring of life. Revelations 21:6 How can we break the bottled water habit? Drink water from a reusable bottle, travel mug or canteen, from the tap. Encourage CPC to provide water pitchers rather than individual bottles at meetings and events. (We already do this). Engage in water issues through education, worship, advocacy and service. Encourage municipal officials to keep our water utility in public control. Insist on safe standards and affordable access for all. Conserve water (fix leaky faucets, use low-flow showerheads, etc). Presbyterians for Earth Care is a nationwide network that cares for God s creation by connecting, equipping and inspiring. Learn more at What do I recycle and where do I do it? Find out where and what to recycle at Earth911.com. Enter the item and your zip code or call cleanup. Going green is a money saving, environmentally wise thing to do. Summer is a perfect time to make simple changes that can have long-lasting and far-reaching results. Improving the Air We Breathe When you choose to bike, use public transit, walk or carpool instead of driving alone, you are reducing the amount of harmful pollutants that enter our air. Learn more and sign up for air pollution alerts at God saw everything that He had made and behold, it was very good. Genesis 1:31. Recycle and Support Missions at CPC Your Earthcare Team brought you cardboard and paper recycling via Moore Recycling; now we bring you aluminum (cans and other aluminum products), tin (food) cans, and soon, glass recycling via Winningham Iron and Metal! Located at 313 Howard Road, Waxahachie, this business was owned by Jack Winningham and has now re-opened under the management of Jennifer and Brody Hinton. Jennifer is Jack Winningham s granddaughter, and she has spent much time at the business since childhood. The office is clean, neat, and Jennifer is a joy to meet. Central Presbyterian is setting up an account with Winninghams so that your recyclables can support the church Mission budget at CPC. She will accept your recyclables, write you a receipt, keep the copy for her records, and, once a month, send the church a check. Earthcare will take the church metals every week to two weeks as well. We will be saving the planet, and serving our neighbors at the same time! So, pitch in and help out! T h e outlook

8 Community Garden Update The Community Garden project of Mission and Earthcare is growing! The first clean-up day accomplished a much improved setting for the garden, with more sunlight and space opened up for four more beds. Our second work day included installation of another bed plus relocation of the tire planters to the center aisle between the beds. The city has installed the water line, and the meter was installed on Wednesday, September 19 th (see picture) so that the church can complete water access. Cheryl Loper with Mission planted some seeds at the first work day, and has since planted carrots. They are up, largely due to the recent rains. We have an application in to Grace Presbytery for a grant up to $3,000 to assist with the garden, and we signed up for North Texas Giving Day that was on September 20 th to receive donations for the project. The totals are two offline donations of $500 cash, $100 check, $ online donations from ten donors for a total of $1, Thank you to all who donated toward the Community Garden project. We had ten donations from church members, and two from non-members. Be assured that the outreach of this congregation is recognized and applauded by those who surround us. Annette Goss, DCE, has agreed to dedicating one Sunday a month for the children to visit the garden, plant, weed, and harvest as a way to include them in the wonder of gardening. Common Grounds ministry, a nearby after-school program, will also be sharing the gardening opportunity with the children and families that participate in their program which is supported by CPC and other local churches and charities. Once we are producing, the vegetables will be shared with our members, neighbors, and friends at a monthly/bi-monthly market where people can purchase via donation or commitment to helping tend the Community Garden. -Your Mission and Earthcare Teams

9 OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD This year we will be accepting COMPLETED shoeboxes for OCC! You can pick up a cardboard OCC box either at the front of the sanctuary or the church office and fill it with goodies. Select a wow toy such as a doll, soccer ball or stuffed animal. Then fill it with other fun toys, hygiene items, and school supplies. Please try to include a bar of soap, a wash cloth and a tooth brush. This year we CANNOT send any toothpaste or candy. This is a customs regulation. Bring back to the church on or before Sunday, November 11 th for Blessing of the Shoeboxes. Please attach a $9 check made payable to Central Presbyterian Church (or cash) to cover the shipping and other project costs. All the school boxes will be delivered to a local drop-off location during the week of November 12 th. Please visit samaritanspurse.org/occ or contact Annette Goss at for more information. How to Pack Your Shoebox Gift

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11 Grace Presbytery PW Fall Gathering October 19-20, 2018 Mini-Retreat at Gilmont Camp and Conference Center Called to be one body in Christ...For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body...1 Corinthians 12:12-14 This fall, you are invited to a Fall Gathering Mini Retreat at Gilmont. Bring a friend or family member and join us Friday, or come Saturday morning. Together, with our speaker, Joanna Kim, Director of Ministry Services with Grace Presbytery, we will enjoy conversations, workshops, worship, and time in God s beautiful creation. Mini-Retreat specifics A discounted rate of $78 covers the PW Mini-Retreat and includes dinner on Friday, breakfast on Saturday, the Saturday gathering with lunch, and your choice of overnight accommodations. Choose between the Lodge which includes 2 twins with private bath, or if you have several friends or family coming together, opt for a Cabin, where 3 or more can bunk together comfortably, sharing common bath and community space. Day Only option Cost is $8 for those coming Saturday only and includes a simple breakfast, lunch and the program for the day on Saturday. register at marie@gilmont.org Continued on next page

12 Be there or be Square! All PW groups are invited to participate in a quilt project for Fall Gathering Retreat. Ask the quilters in your church to complete an 8-inch square (cut size would be 8 and 1/2 inches) that reflects some-thing unique about your church. (For example: One church has decided to make a "window" block to represent a beautiful stained-glass window in their sanctuary.) Embroider the name and city of your church on the square. Then bring the square to the Fall Gathering for display. Later the squares will be put together and the quilt will be displayed at one of our meetings. Then it will be donated to the Single Parent program at PCHAS (Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services). Who should come? Consider bringing not only your PW Circle friends, but this is a perfect opportunity to reach out to a daughter, a new friend, neighbor, or any woman that God lays on your heart to invite. The relaxed nature of this retreat along with time to fellowship to and from, staying together in a cabin, sharing time working on a mission project or taking a hike, make this a great time to invite others to join us! Schedule Friday, October 19 4:00 pm arrive for workshops including a mission project, creative prayer, nature hike, and a book discussion for those reading Waking Up White by Debby Irving. 6:00 pm enjoy the evening meal at the O Neal Center 7:00 pm a time of learning with Joanna Kim Depending on your schedule, you are welcome to come in at any time Friday evening. If you cannot make it Friday, you are welcome to join us Saturday. Saturday, October 20 9:00 Registration, Breakfast 9:45 10:30 Gathering Worship/Business Meeting Opening prayer and hymn Election/Installation of Officers Presentation of the Budget for approval Offering 10:30 10:45 Break 10:45 11:45 Keynote Speaker, Joanna Kim, Director of Ministry Services with Grace Presbytery 11:45-1:00 Lunch, Fellowship, and browsing Mission Tables 1:00-2:00 Keynote speaker followed by Communion (dismissal, or linger to enjoy the camp, work on mission projects) Optional Workshops throughout the weekend will include: a hands on mission project, nature photo hikes, walking the labyrinth, and creative prayer practices. T h e outlook

13 Committee for Weddings and Funerals Central Presbyterian Church has a committee for weddings and for funerals. Both are headed up by Winnie O Donnell with assistance from Kary Meade on weddings and Larry & Glinda Felty, and Kary Meade on funerals. The committees stand by ready to assist any member of the church. Are you still receiving the CPC Monthly Newsletter, The Outlook, by mail? Sign up for -only delivery by contacting the office at cpcwax@gmail.com and help save on printing and postage. Shop on Amazon and support our Church! CPC is now a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. For us to earn money, you must go to Amazon by clicking on the Amazon link on our CPC web site. Do your normal shopping, and we will earn a portion of the qualifying sales. It is that easy! Reminder Please have your Newsletter contributions/submissions to both Nancy Post at ntposttx@gmail.com and Johnna Breedon at cpcwax@gmail.com by the 20th of each month. No computer? No problem. Please just submit to the office. Thank you! Sign up for CPC updates and reminders by by contacting: cpcwaxnews@gmail.com Welcome Center To access our online directory, you must enter you own personal username and password. If you need your login information, please send an to: cpcwaxnews@gmail.com Once logged in, you can update your own information and picture anytime you want, and connect with members directly through the app! A Welcome Center is open to greet visitors, members, and all who enter the Narthex (the front of the church) with coffee and juice. The Welcome Center will be open from 9:15 until 10:45. If you notice a visitor entering the ramp entrance, please help them find the Welcome Center. Larry Felty, Worship Team Leader T h e outlook

14 402 N. College Street P O Box 38 Waxahachie, TX Sunday School Worship Service Office hours: Monday-Thursday 9am-3pm Friday 9am-Noon Phone: :45 am 11:00 am Office: cpcwax@gmail.com Pastor: cpcwaxpastor@gmail.com Web: Follow CPCWAX on social media: October 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 7 9:30 am Prayer 9:45 am Sunday School 10:15 am Music 11:00 Worship Service 14 9:30 am Prayer 9:45 am Sunday School 10:15 am Music 11:00 Worship Service 21 9:30 am Prayer 9:45 am Sunday School 10:15 am Music 11:00 Worship Service 12:00 Bring A Dish and Mission Fair 28 9:30 am Prayer 9:45 am Sunday School 10:15 am Music 11:00 Worship Service 1 6:30 Jubilate Ringers 8 6:30 Jubilate Ringers 15 6:30 Jubilate Ringers 22 6:30 Jubilate Ringers 29 6:30 Jubilate Ringers 2 6:30 Worship MT 9 9:30 Women s Morning Circle 6:15 Women s Evening Circle 16 6:30 Personnel MT 23 10:00 Communications MT 3 5:30 WNF 7:15 Chancel Choir 10 5:30 WNF 7:15 Chancel Choir 17 4:30 Staff 5:30 WNF 7:15 Chancel Choir 24 5:30 WNF 7:15 Chancel Choir :30 WNF 7:15 Chancel Choir :00 Blessing of the Animals 6:00 Saturday Seekers 11 6:30 Finance MT :00 Men s Fellowship Breakfast 8:30 Marthas :00 Saturday Seekers 25 6:30 Session 26 27