The wind blows off the water,

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1 P u b l i s h e d : A p r i l 2 4, Pentecost Sunday - May 15, :30 a.m. - Intergenerational Celebration in Fellowship Hall 10:30 a.m. - Worship and Communion Service The wind blows off the water, Stroking, comforting. The sun fills the sky, Warming, glowing. The salt air fills my lungs, Restoring, expanding. The sounds of the waves gently soothe me, Rhythmically caressing. The joy and peace of the beach envelope me, Surrounding my soul with the beauty of God s creation. Love fills my heart as the church bells ring, And I am centered, focused only on God. Written by Fran Wiser during the Women s Retreat in Ocean Grove, NJ - March, 2016

2 Pastor s Pen Dear Friends: I have a younger brother named Brian who was a pretty good basketball player during his high school days which meant that in the small town of Grove City, Pennsylvania, everyone knew Brian Ballantine. Often as I would meet people for the first time, they would say to me, Oh, you re Brian Ballantine s brother? And I was three years older than he was. There was something just not right about that picture. A few years ago as I was home visiting, I entered a retail shop and someone whom I had never met before recognized me as Brian s brother. I guess you could say I m still living in my brother s shadow. Which must be how the disciple Andrew felt most of the time. After all, his primary claim to fame seems to be that he was Simon Peter s brother. In fact, Andrew s name appears mostly if and when all the disciples names are listed. Having said that, however, there are a few notable exceptions: In John, Chapter 6, Andrew brings to Jesus a boy with five loaves and two fishes. In John 12, he brings to Jesus a group of curious Greeks who wished to see the Master. And in John 1, Andrew brings his brother Peter and introduces him to Jesus. It seems that Andrew had a habit of introducing people to Jesus. He was the inviter, the introducer, the friend of Jesus who just had to share that friendship with others. Before his ascension into heaven, Jesus issued what has become known as the Great Commission, commanding his followers to go into all the world and share the gospel, commanding his followers to be like Andrew and introduce others to Christ and his Kingdom. One effective way followers today can introduce others to Christ and his Kingdom is to invite people to attend worship on Sunday mornings. Each one of us can invite a friend, family member, neighbor, co-worker, someone new in the community, or anyone who may not have a church home to join us for worship. One of the most significant things we can do in life is to introduce another person to Jesus Christ. Christ who came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Christ who died and was raised again so that we might have life eternally. Christ who is our teacher, our Good Shepherd, our Master, our friend. It is our great privilege to introduce others to Christ by inviting them to attend worship. It is also good to invite church members who haven t participated for a while. Helping someone re-connect with Christ is just as important as making a first-time introduction. Inviting a member to come to worship could be just the encouragement that person needs to get back to church. It s in worship that people are most open to the movement of God s Spirit in their lives. It could be a sentence from the Scripture reading, a phrase in the sermon, a line in one of the hymns, an especially beautiful anthem or instrumental piece, one of the prayers, or perhaps a moment of silence as we listen for God s still small voice. It could be any of these means or something altogether different that the Spirit will use to touch a worshiper in the deepest part of his or her being -- perhaps to call that person into relationship with Christ in the first place or perhaps to help someone grow in that relationship. Worship, I believe, is the most important thing we do as Christians. Therefore, an invitation to worship is one of the most significant gifts we can give another person. I think it was the U.S. Marine Corps which at one time used the line, We re looking for a few good men. Well, we re looking for a few good Andrews. Actually, at Morrisville Presbyterian Church, we need all our members and friends to play the part of Andrew, who made it a habit of introducing others to Jesus. You don t need to do anything too complicated. Just ask people who may not know Jesus to come and see. Just ask people who do know him to come back if they haven t been here for a while. If each of us is faithful to that task, I have no doubt there will be lots of people in worship on Sunday mornings. And lives will be changed as God s Spirit moves among us. See you next Sunday! Bruce 2 Pastoral Care Reminder Members of the staff truly want to be attentive when members or friends of MPC are experiencing health difficulties. If you (or a family member) have been admitted to a hospital, please let us know by contacting the church office, and one of the pastors will be pleased to visit. You may also reach the pastors on their mobile phones: Bruce Ballantine ~ Debbie Heffernan Thank you for your assistance.

3 Sacrament of the Lord s Supper The Sacrament of the Lord s Supper will be celebrated on Sunday, May 15, 2016 during the 10:30 service. Sacrament of Baptism Adults wishing to be baptized or parents requesting baptism for their child are asked to call the church office at OUR CHURCH FAMILY CONGREGATIONAL MEETING SUNDAY, MAY 1 The Session has called a Congregational Meeting, scheduled to take place immediately following the worship service on Sunday, May 1, 2016, for the purpose of electing Elders, Deacons, Trustees and members of the Congregational Nominating Committee. All active members are encouraged to attend. Remembering our Identity Like us on Facebook! Find us at Morrisville Presbyterian Church An open book represents the scriptures of the Old and New testaments. SCENES FROM THE WOMEN S RETREAT Thirty women of MPC gathered on retreat in Ocean Grove, NJ on March It was a weekend filled with laughter, discovery, fellowship, and God's grace. 3

4 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 4 Adult Education Opportunities SUNDAY MORNINGS 9:30 a.m. Conference Room Basic Concepts of our Faith - Seeking Answers With Elders Drew Hunger and Nancy Powers Continuing through May 8 Why is the world so perverse and organized religion so flawed? What should mankind believe concerning God? What are sacraments and why are they important? What does God require of mankind? We will wrestle with these and other questions, looking for guidance to statements of faith and confessions written over the centuries. Join us for some provocative and enlightening discussions. May 15 - Pentecost Happy Birthday, Church! All ages will meet in Fellowship Hall at 9:30 a.m. for an intergenerational celebration of Pentecost. Justice for All With Pastor Debbie Heffernan and Elder Carol Carpenter Join us for another look at the Old Testament prophets and their call for justice. We will focus these three sessions on the messages of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel as they speak to a people facing captivity, in need of words of redemption and hope. Through these messengers, let us see what God is saying to our church today. ONGOING EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS Brown Bag Bible Study With Pastor Bruce Wednesdays at noon in the Conference Room Participants in the Brown Bag Bible are currently reading and discussing The Last Week, a book by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossen, which chronicles the events of the last week of Jesus life and explores their meaning for today s Christian. Now is a great time to join us! We meet at noon each Wednesday in the conference room. Take a lunch break with Pastor Bruce and members and learn to read between the lines of the text! There s a seat for you. Bring a friend! Weekly Prayer Group Sundays at 9:10-9:25 a.m. in Room 202 All Welcome Men, Women, Teens and Children Each Sunday, prayers are offered on behalf of those on the church s prayer list. Topics for Next Year Adult Education coordinators are planning the curriculum for the program year. If you have suggestions for topics and/or if you would like to co-teach one of the classes. EMC will provide support and resources. Please contact Carol Carpenter ( ; carol.w.carpenter@gmail.com) or Susan Light ( ; susanklight@verizon.net). Theatre Excursion Small Groups will be attending a performance of Man of La Mancha, The Musical at Bristol Riverside Theatre located at 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, PA on Sunday May 29 at 3:00 p.m. followed by Theatre Theology. Tickets are $43-$50. Inspired by one of the greatest novels of all time, Man of La Mancha features Miguel de Cervantes and his faithful servant, who channel the power of storytelling to recount the legend of knight errant Don Quixote and his trusty sidekick Sancho as they embark on a journey full of laughter, love and unruly windmills. His quest dares everyone to dream The Impossible Dream. A celebrated Broadway hit and winner of five Tony Awards, Man of La Mancha score includes the touching ode to romance, Dulcinea, and the heroic, I, Don Quixote. If you need a ride, please contact Susan Light by at susanklight@verizon.net. CAMPBELL S SOUP LABEL COLLECTION ENDING The Weekday Nursery School recently received notice that after more than 40 years of operation and the distribution of over $110 million in rewards to educational organizations, Campbell's Soup Company will discontinue its Label program on July 16, For many years the Weekday Nursery School has exchanged soup labels for cash cards which it has used to purchase school supplies. Please help with one last collection effort and bring in any Campbell's soup labels before June 1 so parents have time to count before the program ends. There is a collection box at each of the two main doors to the sanctuary.

5 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL YOUTH CLUB NEWS A joint Vacation Bible School with MPC, Morrisville United Methodist Church, St. John Lutheran and perhaps other local churches and organizations will be held from July 17 to July 21, Supper will be served at 5:30 p.m. with VBS activities scheduled from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. YOUTH IN MISSION MPC Youth Club members serve breakfast in Trenton. Youth in Mission will return to Appalachia for a week beginning July 16. Our spring fundraising efforts will begin with a car wash and bake sale on May 1. We will begin to sell stock in the Communication Center late in May. Stock is an opportunity to invest in our youth and in their spiritual journey as they prepare to reach out to the community in Pipestem, WV to do God s work. Stock can be purchased by making a donation in any amount you choose. In return for your investment you will receive a stock certificate, a postcard from West Virginia and will hear about out trip upon our return. BIBLIODRAMA TAKES CENTER STAGE DURING HOLY WEEK Jesus enters Jerusalem Jesus prays while the disciples sleep Sharing the Last Supper Students in grades 3-5 took part in a walk through Holy Week in their Sunday School classroom on Palm Sunday, with costumes, props and scenery, reading scriptural passages and expressing their feelings as they took on roles in the Bible stories. The events of Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday were covered. Teacher Sue Ward planned and directed this enactment, following the guidelines provided in the Teacher Workshop on Bibliodrama led by Amy Clarkson on February 21. The students who participated in this experience have certainly encountered the events in Jesus life in a way they will long remember. 5

6 CONCERT OF PSALMS - MAY 1 Mostly Motets, an a cappella group of members will present a Celebration of Psalms in the sanctuary on Sunday, May 1 at 4:00 p.m. Psalms were the first people's music of the ancient church and the first texts set to music allowed in Calvinist worship services. Psalm texts are wonderfully varied and have inspired composers through the ages to set them in the then-current style. The program will consist of settings from the 15th through the 21st centuries. Although most of the psalms are unaccompanied, guest organist Brittany Montoro will accompany the group on four of the works. Mostly Motets started out in 1993 as a group of singers who wanted to improve their sight singing skills. After a while the urge to perform some of that wonderful music made them search for venues in which to perform. They learned the music and collaborated on the interpretations. Their first concerts were conductor-less, but they invited Timothy Carpenter to join them for one concert. Mr. Carpenter stuck around as time-beater for rehearsals and arbiter of artistic decisions. The group still chooses the repertoire, provides input on musical decisions and searches out places for the group to perform. Mostly Motets has sung at the Early Music Festival at the Grounds for Sculpture in New Jersey since the festival's beginning, has performed several times at Trinity Cathedral in Trenton, Washington Crossing Park (PA), St Gregory the Great (Hamilton), Princeton Library, Nakashima Studios (New Hope), the Off-Broad Street Theater (Pennington) and with the early music group "La Fiocca" (Solebury). Evan Schnurr is also a guest artist for this concert. Carol Carpenter and daughter Miriam sing with Mostly Motets and Dori Clough is a member currently taking a leave of absence. SCOUTING NEWS Mondo Yard Sale Cub Scout Pack 3 will hold its annual Mondo Yard Sale on Saturday, May 7 in the MPC parking lot from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pony rides for $5.00. Vendors are still welcomed. Contact Tina Shannon at or at tinashannon@gmail.com. Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser Boy Scout Troop 3 will hold its 4th Annual Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser on Saturday, May 7, 2016 in Fellowship Hall. There will be two seatings with the first at 5:00 p.m., second at 6:00 p.m. Dinner includes pasta with homemade sauce, meatballs, salad, bread, beverages and dessert. A 50/50 drawing and auction will also be held at each seating. Advance tickets can be purchased for $8 for adults, $6 for children 12 and under. Children 2 and under eat free. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for an additional dollar each. Takeout is also available. For more information please at troop3morrisville@outlook.com. Shoe Recycling Program Cub Scout Pack 3 is collecting gently worn shoes to be reused by those who are less fortunate. Please place your donations in boxes located in the Communication Center and the first floor of the Education Wing. Thank you for your kind donation. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY MPC Members Ages The Young Adult Committee is coordinating service projects aimed at improving our church, assisting MPC members in need, and supporting our community. We hope to have enough interest to staff a service project every one to two months. If you are interested in helping with one or more of our upcoming service projects, p l e a s e e m a i l C a r o l i n e T h o m p s o n a t C.Lang.Thompson@gmail.com. We may be few in numbers, but we are mighty in our ability to help our church and our community. We look forward to hearing from you. Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve 6

7 MPC FINANCE COMMITTEE & TRUSTEES REPORT MPC FINANCIAL SUMMARY MARCH 2016 FISCAL YEAR-TO-DATE RESULTS Fiscal Fiscal YTD Year to Date Year to Date Variance Budget Actuals (See Note 1) Total Operating Revenue $130,431 $135,236 $4,805 Total Expenses $168,381 $159,403 $8,978 Operating Excess / (Shortfall) ($37,950) ($24,167) $13,783 Other Income $17,558 $10,756 ($6,802) Net Excess / (Shortfall) ($20,392) ($13,411) $6,981 Note 1: The variance is the difference between the Actual dollar results and the Budgeted dollars. All favorable variances are noted as positive numbers; all unfavorable variances are shown as bracketed numbers above. OVERALL SUMMARY: Due to positive pledge receipts and cost savings from every department, slightly offset by lower than budgeted bequest income, February year-to-date financial results were very positive vs. budget. March 2016 Year-to-Date Variance Explanations: - YTD Operating Revenue ($5K favorable): Pledge receipts were $4100 favorable to budget. In addition, $5700 of prior year pledge income was received YTD. This was partially offset by Plate receipts $2200 less than budgeted and Per Capita revenue $1900 under budget. - YTD Total Expenses ($9K favorable): Overall expenses were lower than budgeted due to lower than expected heating, snow removal, music ministry, admin payroll costs (from the Secretary s medical leave of absence) and earlier than expected Youth-In -Mission registrations partially offset by $8000 in repairs to the sanctuary roof and $3400 in costs to install a new fire recall system in the elevator. - YTD Other Income ($7K unfavorable): The variance was due entirely to Bequest Income which was lower than expected. FEED MY SHEEP - AN OFFERING OF LETTERS Besides providing food with donations and service to the Food Center, we can work to alleviate hunger through action to change societal systems. The simplest way for individuals to make a systemic impact is to advocate for support for nutrition programs by contacting our legislators with letters, s, and phone calls. This spring, the Outreach Committee at MPC is organizing an Offering of Letters as outlined by Bread for the World, a nationwide Christian citizens' movement that works for justice for hungry people by lobbying our nation's decision makers. The Offering of Letters is a campaign to inundate our legislators with personalized expressions of support for child nutrition funding. The Outreach Committee has chosen Sunday May 22 as the primary letter-writing day. Watch for more information on this project in bulletins, Minutes for Ministry, and FYI announcements. Joining our voices together, we can make a lasting impact to feed the hungry. 7

8 MORRISVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 771 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Morrisville, PA Phone: web: Staff Morrisville Presbyterian Church Currents (USPS# ), is published monthly except for July and August. Periodical mail postage paid at Levittown, PA POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Morrisville Presbyterian Church, 771 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Morrisville, PA C OMING EVENTS MAY 1 10:30 a.m. Worship Service 11:30 Congregational Meeting 11:45 Youth in Mission Car Wash/Bake Sale 4:00 p.m. Mostly Motets - Concert of Psalms 4 6:00 p.m. Youth Club 7 8:00 a.m. Cub Scout Troop 3 Mondo Yard Sale 5:00 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 3 Spaghetti Dinner 8 Mother s Day 10:30 a.m. Worship Service - Children s Sunday 15 Pentecost Sunday 9:30 a.m. Intergenerational Celebration 10:30 a.m. Worship Service 22 10:30 a.m. Worship Service 11:30 Congregational Luncheon 29 10:30 a.m. Worship Service 30 Memorial Day - Church Office Closed JUNE 5 10:30 a.m. Worship Service Graduate Recognition & Scholarship Presentations 12 10:30 a.m. Worship Service The Evangelism & Communications Committee is committed to keeping church news up to date. It is our goal to print and distribute Currents within the last week of the month. Therefore we ask that you please submit articles for the June 2016 Currents by May 10th to Currents@MPCusa.net Children s Sunday Worship Service May 8 10:30 a.m.