Life at Unity. October 15, 2018

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1 Life at Unity October 15, 2018 Since 1788 United in Christ s love, we glorify God through worship, nurture, and service to all people. Celebrating 230 Years of Mission and Ministry IN THIS ISSUE: Blood Drive Page 3 Advent... Page 3 Year End... Page 4 Planning For Life Page 6 And Much More PRAYER CONCERNS LUNCH BUNCH Lunch Bunch will meet Monday, October 29, at 12:00 noon, in the Fellowship Hall. Bring a sandwich and join us. Drinks, chips and dessert are provided. Our program this month is Unity member Ann Spitzer, doing a tribute to World War I Veterans. Ann s family has a special connection to the World War I poem, In Flanders Fields. This program is most appropriate, since Veteran s Day is right around the corner. Beth Anderson Greyson Gload Betty Kimbrell Millie Williams Dickie Havnaer Vera Reid Cindy Fritz Bob Tuthill* Charlee Rae Gribble* Dot Hollis* Margaret Morgan* Libby Kern* Dee Rutter* Bob Lane* Billy Barron* Our Mission Coworkers Cindy Corell - Haiti Dori Hjalmarson Honduras *Long Term Prayer Concern

2 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION STAFF Kathryn McGregor Director of Christian Education (children and adults) CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Rev. Lindsay White Assoc. Pastor for Youth Ministries (youth grades 6-12) Melissa Dye Children in Worship Coordinator Linda Bunge Director of Unity Preschool Lauren Lochel Nursery Coordinator #FLAT JESUS AT UNITY... Sunday Night Live was postponed a week. New dates for the fall are Sept Oct 21. Opportunities for Children from 5-6 pm include: Ready to Worship (2nd graders & a parent), Learning to Use My Bible (3rd graders), Growing Christians (4th & 5th graders) Opportunities for Adults from 5-6 pm include: Mission Study Conversations a repeat of the Sunday school conversations in August and September for those who weren t able to attend Planning for Life & Beyond These guided workshops will provide an opportunity to learn about and work through the various documents that will express your wishes regarding difficult medical and end-of-life decisions. Each session will include tools and time for decision making. A nursery is available for pre-registered participants. Dinner will be served each night at 6:00 pm. More information is available on the church website. Please be sure to register for the meal each week by Wednesday at noon. Average Sunday school attendance for September: 132 YEAR OF THE BIBLE READINGS FOR THE WEEK OF OCT Sunday: Jeremiah 21-22/Psalm 117, 118 Monday: Jeremiah 23-24/John 9 Tuesday: Jeremiah /John 10 Wednesday: Jeremiah 27-28/John 11 Thursday: Jeremiah /Psalms 119:1-24 Friday: Jeremiah 32-33/John 12 Saturday: Jeremiah 34-35/John 13 YEAR OF THE BIBLE: TRIVIA TRIVIA QUESTIONS OCT. 15 But first, the answers to last week s questions: Hananiah, the prophet from Gibeon, disagrees with Jeremiah s prophecies about Nebuchadnezzar. (Jer 28) Jesus says to Martha, I am the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25) While you re reading this week, think about these questions: Which is the longest Psalm? Who is the Babylonian king at the time Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, is carried off into captivity?

3 SAVE THE DATE VACATION OF A LIFE TIME! Mark your calendars now for a Vacation of a Lifetime next summer at our new Intergenerational VBS! Bring your entire family to Babylon, where Daniel had courage in captivity. You ll travel back into Bible times-without setting foot outside our church. Each day, your family can become part of history as you see, hear, touch, and even taste what it was like to live in Babylon! You ll explore the Marketplace shops, visit Daniel, take part in games, dance to lively Bible songs, and sample tasty tidbits as you discover more about Daniel s adventures in Babylon. These experiences make God s Word come alive with new meaning for all who participate! So mark these dates on your calendar: June 21st 5:30-8pm, June 22nd 9-12pm, and June 23rd 10-11am. Registration for this awesome Bible adventure will begin in April Have questions or want to help? Contact your Babylon Marketplace Directors: Anna Gosney & Kate Haynes. ADVENT DEVOTIONS You are invited to help us write our 2018 Advent Devotions. The devotions will be written by the members of our congregation, and will be available in printed booklet form and online on the church website and Facebook page. They will begin on the first Sunday of Advent, December 2nd, and continue each day until Christmas day. The theme for our devotion booklet is: Anticipating the Word Made Flesh. These devotions will help members of our church family learn more about each other, learn from each other, and prepare for the celebration of Christmas. You are encouraged to choose one of your favorite Bible verses from your Year of the Bible readings this year. These devotions may be written by individuals, couples, or families of all ages. We are also looking for a cover illustration for the printed booklet. Please speak to Kathryn McGregor about illustration guidelines. To participate, please sign up for a particular day of Advent and post your selected scripture here: Detailed devotion writing guidelines are available on the church website. Devotions should be ed to Kathryn McGregor at kmcgregor@unityfortmill.org by Tuesday, November 6. December 3, 2018 is the Tony Dehler Circle Christmas Auction. We would like to recruit some items for auction. If you have a beach or mountain or lake house that you would be willing to donate for a weekend, or if you have other items like Panther tickets or boat rides, please Dannie Vaughn at vaughndl@comporium.net or call We would love to advertise some great items ahead of time. LADIES NIGHT OUT Tickets for Ladies Night Out, October 25th, at 6:30 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall will be sold for $5.00 each. Tickets will be available in the church narthex hallway on Sunday morning, October 21. Come enjoy homemade soup, salad and dessert and hear our speaker, Kristy Spears, tell about her experience during the Miracle on the Hudson. Presbyterian Women will also take the annual Thank Offering which is used for world mission. Jean Knox with questions at jsknox@comporium.com BLOOD DRIVE Unity will host a blood drive on Nov. 27, from 2:30-7pm in the Fellowship Hall. Online sign up is now available. Sign up sheets will be in the narthex on Nov 18 and Nov. 25 after both services. LAST SUNDAY S ATTENDANCE 8:45 am :00 am Livestream

4 NURSERY CHANGES Unity is still looking for an additional nursery caregiver. This is a part-time, hourly position, averaging 4 hours a week. All Nursery Caregivers work on Sunday mornings from 8:30-12:30, or until all children have been picked up, on any holidays that fall on Sundays when nursery is offered (ie: Easter, 4th of July etc.) and for any Christmas Eve services when nursery is offered. Nursery Caregivers may also be asked to work at other times, as needed, for Sunday Night Live (SNL), Vacation Bible School (VBS), and other special services. The Nursery Caregiver must be 21 years of age or older and not a member of Unity. A complete job description can be found on the church website at: oyment-opportunities Interested applicants should contact Kathryn McGregor at or KMcGregor@UnityFortMil.org. SHARING GOD S BOUNTY Non-perishable items will be collected through October 26 for the Fort Mill Care Center. Everyone is encouraged to put the food items on the display center, which will be located off the Narthex going toward the Sunday school wing. There will also be a collection box in the Narthex. The food will be distributed to local families for Thanksgiving. Suggestions are canned vegetables, rice, fruit, canned milk, pasta sauce, canned meats, dried beans, cereal, sugar, grits and soups, etc. Final collection and distribution will be on Saturday October 27, during Go MAD Day. Thank you for sharing!! HELP COMPLETE UNITY S TIME LINE The History to Our Story Team has just unveiled a timeline of Unity s 230 years, HOWEVER, it is not complete until you and your family place your significant dates on the timeline. Using the post-it notes provided nearby the timeline... the team wants everyone to place various experiences and meaningful personal events on the timeline such as: Baptism Confirmation Joining the church Marriage Serving as an officer Involvement in a ministry Participating in a mission trip And other notable dates. By putting your special dates on the timeline, you are helping to tell the fuller story about our congregation. HAVE YOU VISITED THE HISTORY EXHIBIT? The History to Our Story Team has displayed an exhibit highlighting various aspects of Unity s 230 years. As the congregation plans for the future, including the search for a senior pastor, it is helpful to look back on the important milestones and reflect on our collective journey of faith. From the beginning, members responded to God s call by assuming leadership and contributing resources of time, talent, and treasure so that the church could continue to spread the Gospel and care for those in need. You will find the historical exhibit near the narthex in the 2010 Sanctuary Building. Come visit. 4

5 YEAR END GIVING Gifts of Appreciated Assets such as stocks and mutual funds When appreciated assets are donated to a non-profit charity like Unity, two benefits are realized. First, Unity gains the full value of the donated stock. Secondly, the owner likely would not owe any tax on the increased value of the asset. INTERIM PROGRESS The interim period has reached the 10 month point, and as your interim minister, I want to provide an update on Unity s progress so far: The life of the congregation in worship, education, pastoral care, mission, and administration continues without missing a beat. Professional and lay leaders exercise their gifts and attend their duties for the good of this congregation and the glory of God! Thus far in 2018, 55 people (24 families) have joined Unity Presbyterian Church as their spiritual home and family, to deepen their faith and serve their Lord and the needs of this world. Unity continues its tradition of welcoming and embracing new people! A remarkable array of programs is being offered as we kick off the fall! Some have begun and you are invited to join them in progress (see Sunday School and Sunday Night Live offerings). Others (such as the Endowment Team s professional seminars Oct 23 & 30, and the Health and Wellness Team s Hope and Wholeness: A Mental Health Series Oct 29, Nov 4 & 11) are scheduled, so plan to participate. A special day is devoted to mission opportunities in our annual GoMAD day (Oct 27). The interim teams (Mission Study Team and History-to-our Story Team) are engaging their tasks and completing their work. We can expect to see the fruits of their labor in the next 30 to 60 days as reports are made and published and displays are presented for the congregation to engage. Please check the document Milestones Checklist under the Transitions tab on Unity s website for specific details of their work. Once the Mission Study Team completes its report and it is approved by the Session and Presbytery, it will be presented in full to the congregation. The approval of the Mission Study Report by the Presbytery will authorize Unity to proceed to elect a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) and then the process of seeking the next called head of staff/pastor for this congregation begins. If you have questions or suggestions related to the Interim Teams or their tasks, please direct them to the leaders of the Teams (Sissy Martin for the History-to-our- Story Team, and Steve Hardy for the Mission Study Team) or to me. So much is taking place at Unity! Continue to pray for, and participate in, opportunities to express and live out our lives of faith. Mark Charitable IRA Rollover aka Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) For individuals with Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), there are requirements once you turn 70½ to begin taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMD). Under current rules, individuals age 70½ or older may transfer up to $100,000 annually from their IRA accounts directly to a charity like Unity without recognizing the distribution as income. Such a distribution counts toward the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), the mandatory, minimum yearly withdrawals that generally must be taken starting the in the year after you turn 70½ and avoid any penalty tax that occurs by not meeting the RMD. This is a tax benefit to the individual and also provides a benefit to Unity. Donor Advised Funds (DAF s) DAF s provide a simplified way to manage charitable giving. Transfer cash or securities to an IRS approved donor fund. The donor retains flexibility to decide the amounts and timing of distributions from the fund to charitable organizations such as Unity. It is important that you seek the advice of your tax or financial professional in any of these cases. Matching Gifts. Please remember Unity during your 2018 benefits enrollment process. Many employers will provide a matching gift through your payroll charity giving or one-time charitable gifts. 5

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8 Unity Presbyterian Church 303 Tom Hall Street PO Box 1267 Fort Mill, SC JOIN US SUNDAY 8:45 a.m. Worship service 10:00 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Worship service FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE Newsletter Info Deadline: Wednesday by 5:00 pm Return Service Requested UnityFortMill.org FROM THE PASTOR Friends, The opportunities at Unity to learn and grow and serve and build are truly remarkable, and at times difficult to keep up with! [See full descriptions in the newsletter and online] Sunday Night Live programs finish up this coming Sunday (Oct 21). Go MAD Day (Go Make A Difference) on Saturday Oct 27 will send members out to numerous projects as to make our community a better place for all. The Endowment Team s Professional Seminars on Planning for Life and Beyond (Tuesdays Oct 23 & 30) will present experts from a variety of fields to address issues related to aging and end-oflife concerns. Hope & Wholeness: A Series on Mental Health will provide three Monday night presentations (Oct 29, Nov 5, and Nov 12 at 7 pm) addressing the continuing crisis on mental illness and the societal stigma that interferes with effective diagnosis, treatment and recovery for individuals and families. Worship Services Nov 4, 11, & 18 extending the focus on Mental Health with an All Saints observance, Caregiver Sunday, and Hope & Wholeness Service. You may not need to participate in everything, but I do encourage you to find a place that fits your calling and your needs at this point in your life as you grow and serve. If you need guidance or direction to choose, ask any of the staff. We are here to help! Grace and peace Mark Mark E. Diehl Church Office Emergency Pastoral Line Senior Interim Pastor Mark E. Diehl Senior Associate Pastor Jeannie Bickett Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry Lindsay White