First News First Reformed United Church of Christ, Lexington, North Carolina

Transcription

1 First News First Reformed United Church of Christ, Lexington, North Carolina October 2013 New Evening Book Study Begins on Tuesdays, and New Lunchtime Bible Study Begins on Thursdays Fred Bahnson s opening words in his book Soil and Sacrament: A Spiritual Memoir of Food and Faith reminds me of Farmer Larry, Cheryl and Cheryl s planting technique of just throwing the seeds up and letting them land wherever. (If you missed our Rally Day skit, A Dirty Story for Seedy People, you missed a real barn burner!!) Bahnson says, Winter is my favorite growing season. Anyone can toss down a few seeds in June and get a crop, but it takes a disciplined hope to garden in the dark of December. As we re-new our Sunday School activities for the Fall, I will offer up two weekday activities/studies. On Tuesday, October 8 th through November 12 th at 7pm we will gather in the Parlor to discuss Fred Bahnson s Soil and Sacrament, published by Simon & Schuster. Bahnson is the director of the Food, Faith, and Religious Leadership Initiative at Wake Forest University School of Divinity and co-founder of the Anathoth Community Garden in Cedar Grove, NC. He combines scripture, spirituality, and gardening in his life and in his reflections, which are found in his book. And there s a possibility he will join us on a Thursday in November for further conversation. Until then we will meet and discuss concepts he presents through his experiences and reflections of Anathoth (NC); Mepkin Abbey (SC); Chiapas, Mexico; the Lord s Acre (NC), Sustenance Farm (NC); Tierra Nueva (WA); and Adamah Farm (CT). In the spirit of supporting that which is local we are asked to purchase our books locally. My second offering is a more traditional Bible Study that will follow the lectionary (the Biblical texts which I preach on each week). Again, we ll meet in the Parlor from 12:30 to 1:30 pm every Thursday, beginning October 3 rd. Since that s during the customary lunch hour, you are invited to bring your lunch, if you so desire. The lections and themes are as follows: Oct. 3 Luke 17:5-10 / 2 Timothy1:1-14 Theme: Mustard seed-sized faith Oct. 10 Luke 17:11-19 Theme: Gratitude and the grateful lepers Oct. 17 Luke 18:1-8 Theme: Persistent prayer and justice Oct. 24 Luke 18:9-14 Theme: Righteousness and humility Oct. 31 Luke 19:1-10 Theme: Dignity affirmed and hope Even with a new Sunday School year, some things do not change. Let us continue to ask the pertinent question, Have I told you today that I love you? Your RunnRev, Pastor Robin (RunnRev@windstream.net)

2 September 2013 JOHN L. BARBER MERLE AND JERRY HODGES KATHERINE SKIPPER JOHN SMITH JW AND BETTY BATES MR. AND MRS. STEVE SMITH CAMILLE MORGAN GLADYS SNIDER DORIS FRYE CLIFFORD AND PAULA LOPP JANETTE NEAL AND JOHN POTTS BILL AND COOKIE FERRISS ELIZABETH SINK AURELIA AND JERRY SMITH LEE ANN AND TONY PEELE NANCY ROBBINS BOB OATES AND BECKY POETZINGER CAROLYN WALMSLEY MARY B. LITTLE MERLE AND JERRY HODGES KATHERINE SKIPPER ELIZABETH SINK AURELIA AND JERRY SMITH NANCY ROBBINS LEE ANN AND TONY PEELE JIMMY LEE BATES (PATTIE B. EVERHART S BROTHER) FRANK C. LEONARD, JR. GLADYS SNIDER THE REV. AND MRS. BANKS SHEPHERD RONNIE DURHAM THE REV. AND MRS. BANKS SHEPHERD GLADYS SNIDER MARGUERITE LEONARD JOHN SMITH PEGGY BATES DORIS FRYE ELIZABETH SINK ED AND BARBARA PERRELL JW AND BETTY BATES LARRY AND BETTY LINK JOHN AND VICKY GRAY CATHY WAITMAN JANETTE NEAL AND JOHN POTTS AURELIA AND JERRY SMITH NANCY ROBBINS LEE ANN AND TONY PEELE GEORGE HORNER (VICKY GRAY S FATHER) JANETTE NEAL AND JOHN POTTS AURELIA AND JERRY SMITH MERLE AND JERRY HODGES LEE ANN AND TONY PEELE NANCY ROBBINS LAUREN CECIL (JACK & LALAH FRANK S GRANDDAUGHTER) GLADYS SNIDER JACK AND LALAH FRANK MARY JOHN ALLRED (SISTER OF JOHN AND JAMES GRAY) MARGUERITE LEONARD I MARY BERRIER (From her Heart Sister)

3 IN REMEMBRANCE OF JOHN L. BARBER (Remarks by the Reverend June Grubb given at John s Memorial Service on September 21, 2013)...Lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called... (Eph. 4:1) These words of Paul to the Christians in Ephesus ring true for our friend John Barber as those of us who have participated in our congregation s Stephen Ministry as care givers and/or care receivers can attest. For the goal of the Stephen Ministry program is to bring healing and love to hurting people. With all humility and gentleness, John was commissioned as a Stephen Leader and over the past four years spent many hours recruiting, training and supervising our Stephen Ministers. Each month those of us in this ministry received an from John requesting our activity for that month...which as of this July totaled 2006 contacts, 100,928 minutes...john was truly an evangelist called by God to equip the saints for the work of ministry, a ministry of Christ caring for people through people. We need more saints like John. By that I mean individuals of faith whom the church points to and says in essence... Pay attention to these lives. Take inspiration from them. Try, as you are able to follow their example. That I believe is part of the legacy John has left us...there are so many other ways in which his life of faith has impacted many people---family, friends near and far but I would say that his leadership in this congregation's Stephen Ministry fulfills the words lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called. Thanks be to God for the life and legacy of John Luther Barber. A special thank you is extended to the First Reformed United Church of Christ Stephen Ministers of whom John was so very proud: Janelle S. Bunn, Tom and Kathleen Danze, Glenyce Fulton, Rich Johnson, Camille Morgan, Clifton and Harriette Murphy, Susan Odom, Carolyn Spivey, and Eddie Yates. Stephen Leaders are the Reverend June Grubb and the Reverend Cyndi Burns.

4 We Thank our Church Volunteers for Serving Our Friends and Church Members Extend Their Sincere Thanks to You... Dear Barbara, Just a few lines to thank you for the beautiful prayer shawl you sent to me. While recuperating from surgery, it was on my bed all the time. Now, we have rented a small apartment in a home, and we are very happy. Thank you for the time you spent on this beautiful shawl. God Bless You, Isabel Klopp (Ross Klopp s mother) September 7, 2013 Dear Friends, I appreciate each visit, card, flowers, and gift! Most of all, thank you for your prayers when I was over there 60 plus days. Prayers do work! With my love, Thank You Clifton Murphy and J.W. Bates for Help with Nursery Pagers The Board of Christian Education thanks Clifton Murphy for helping with the purchase of the Nursery Pager System. A big thank you also goes to J.W. Bates for building and staining a beautiful cabinet in which the system is stored. Parents can sign in beside a pager number and take that pager with them to the sanctuary. The pager will buzz if the parents are needed in the nursery. Our nursery volunteers will feel more secure knowing that the parents are only a buzz away. Thanks to all who contributed donations to purchase the much-needed pagers. Thank You Church Volunteers for Serving at Grace Episcopal Church in Nov. Each Sunday, Grace Episcopal Church serves a homemade, hot lunch to anyone who is hungry and may need a hot meal served by friendly, smiling volunteers. The church relies on volunteers to set up and serve the food. Thank you to the following volunteers who will help feed the sheep in November. Volunteers say it makes their day especially meaningful to help in this small way: November 3 November 10 November 17 November 24 Mike Price and Brian McKerlie, Vicky and John Gray Cliff and Paula Lopp, Keri and Casey Hartle, and Ashlee and Grant Snider Nicole and Mark Smith, Beth and Frank Callicutt Roy and Anne Bevan, Adena Wall and Ramona Yarbrough

5 First Reformed UCC Members, Thank you, thank you, thank you! What a wonderful surprise! I was so honored this past Sunday with the kindness of my church family. The past 19 years of working in the church office have flown by. I never dreaded coming in...it didn t seem like work. I truly appreciate your generous monetary gift. After the shock wore off, I began planning how I might spend it. Seriously, I will treasure all the kind remarks, beautiful plaque, and warm embraces. I want to extend special thanks to all who made this day possible. God brings special people into our lives, and I celebrate that each of you are in mine. Love, Paula

6 Consistory Highlights September 2013 Consistory members met for a called meeting immediately following the Rally Day Luncheon on Sunday, September 22, Members reviewed and discussed the proposed budget presented by Doug Sink, Finance Committee Co-chair. The proposed budget was approved for presentation to the congregation for discussion and vote during the Congregational Meeting on Sunday, October 13th. Please be present for this important meeting. Sauni Johnson, 2013 Consistory President, told members she received resignation letters from Myra Thompson and Anne Fletcher, whose replacements will be filled in January 2014 when they would have rotated off the board. Financial reports presented by Treasurer Harriette Murphy reflected an average weekly offering of $3,278 for June; $7,024 for July, and $3,128 for August. The Consistory met on September 8th for an abbreviated meeting due to lack of a quorum. Lynn Klopp of the Evangelism Board reported the average attendance for July was 111, with 108 for August. The Rev. Robin Keating reported he will lead a new lectionary Bible Study at the church on Thursdays, beginning October 3rd, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., and those attending should bring a bag lunch. Rev. Keating also announced he will lead a new book study beginning in the church parlor on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m., beginning October 8 through November 12. The study will be lectionary, based on the book, Sacraments and Soil. The next Consistory meeting will be Oct. 13th immediately following the Congregational lunch meeting. Confirmation Classes Scheduled The new Confirmation class will kick off with a 4 p.m. cook out at the home of the Rev. Robin and Trudy Keating on Sunday, Sept. 29. Subject to change, Confirmation classes, which are subject to change, will held at the church at 4 pm on Oct. 13, Oct. 20, Nov. 3, Nov. 10, Dec. 1 and Dec. 22. Prayer Shawl/Blanket Ministry Needs Your Stitches If you like to crochet or knit, or you would like to learn more about this satisfying hobby, please consider joining the church s Prayer Shawl and Blanket Ministry. The group meets in the church parlor at 10:30 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month. The next batch of completed prayer shawls and blankets will be blessed by the Rev. Keating during the 11 a.m. worship service on Sunday, October 13th. These comforting wraps created by loving and caring hands are so appreciated by the recipients. If you plan to attend or would like other information, please call Harriette Murphy at , or her at hrmurphy@lexcominc.net so that she may prepare for the meeting. Members have a lot of fun and enjoy great fellowship, all for a worthy cause.

7 Women s Life Fundraiser Highly Successful Less than 60 Cookbooks Remain Thanks to the hard work of Harriette Murphy and many others who collaborated with her for over a year to produce the new church cookbook, Recipes and Remembrances, the project was a highly successful fundraiser for Women s Life Fellowship. Sales have already netted over $1,000 for the group s much-needed mission projects. If any cookbooks remain, they will be on sale during Oktoberfest on October 19th and the Women s Life Fellowship s bake sale Nov. 24. Women s Life Fellowship Meeting Notes Women s Life met Tuesday, September 17 th in the parlor. Paula Lopp opened the meeting with devotions. Belinda Yates gave a treasurer s report. We were updated on the sale of our church cookbook. Of the 283 books shipped, there are only 55 left to sell! Needless to say we are pleased. The books will be available at our annual bake sale and in the church office. Women s Life members finalized plans for the Rally Day lunch. This is another mission- oriented fundraiser for our group. The group voted to have a bake sale on the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving, November 24 th. Items will be sold prior to Sunday school, between Sunday school and worship, and again following the worship service. You will be able to purchase baked goods to assist with your Thanksgiving meal, goodies to snack on, and of course there will be cookbooks for sale as Christmas gifts for school teachers and friends.

8 Christian Education Cathy Waitman, Director of Christian Education Get Ready to Journey to Bethlehem and to... Do One (or Many!) Nice Things Inspired by Pastor Robin s sermon about Do One Nice Thing and Journey with Paul to Athens, the Board of Christian Education designed Journey to Bethlehem/Do One Nice Thing. The journey was announced on Rally Day and will continue until the Children s Christmas Program on December 15. We would like for everyone to participate by doing at least one nice thing for others each week. Slips to record the deeds will be located in the pews, where they can be filled in before the worship service and then placed in the offering plate. No names are necessary. Good deeds can also be ed to Cathy at dce@frucc.org. Each good deed will count for five miles. The journey to Bethlehem is about 6,000 miles, so we will need lots of good deeds to reach our destination before Jesus birth. Miles will be tallied each Tuesday. A map will be posted showing our progress and Pastor Robin will announce our progress from time to time. All of you did such a great job traveling to Athens by exercising, and we hope to have the same outpouring of responses for the journey to Bethlehem. It is another way that we can all work together as a congregation to make life better for others and to use the talents we have for God s Work. There will be a list of ideas of nice things to do on the bulletin board in the educational building each month. There are also suggestions for the children in the Pockets magazines that they receive each month. Praying for others, making phone calls, sending cards, and visiting sick or shut-ins are always great ideas. Helping neighbors with chores, raking leaves, or baking cookies for someone would also be good deeds. I am sure that you can think of many other ways to be helpful. By December 15, we should have made differences in lots of lives and feel better about ourselves in the process. Please join us and help make our trip to Bethlehem a success just like our trip to Athens. We hope this will be something that everyone is talking about for the next couple of months! Kid s Club will meet on the following Sundays: October 13 November 8 October 20 November 17 January 26, 2014 February 9, 2014

9 Rally Day Was A Big Success Thanks to Many People Now that Rally Day is over, I know summer is gone. I just wonder where it went! Things have been so busy already that I can t wait to see what happens in November and December. Rally Day was so much fun! We had the play, A Dirty Story for Seedy People, based on the parable of the sower. I want to thank everyone who participated in the play for the amazing job they did! The performance was the first time the whole cast was together. The little slip-ups just made the play more entertaining. The fine cast of characters were Narrator Myra Thompson; Larry, the farmer Pastor Robin; Larry s sister, Cheryl Lisa Nelson; Larry s other sister, Cheryl Paula Lopp; seeds Jianna Miller, Ellen Peterson, Abigail Johnson, Glenyce Fulton, Kaitlyn McNeill, Amy McNeill (who filled in for Claire who was sick with strep), Sarah Johnson, and Harriette Murphy; birds Lucy McNeill and Elliott Smith; thorns Ashley Johnson and Griff Smith. What a talented group of adults and children! Emory Smith was promoted to Roads to God for the coming Sunday school year. A new class of fifth graders was promoted to Junior Grapplers. They are Coreen Freeman, Jaedyn Keel, Sarah Johnson, Kaitlyn McNeill, Ava Miller, and Claire Smith. Teachers were recognized and presented with certificates. Our Sunday school teachers are so dedicated and faithful to their calling to teach. They are Nancy Robbins, Raeann Biesecker, Katie Decker, Heidi Hutcheson, Lena Johnson, Amy McNeill, Kivi Miller, Nicole Smith, Anne Bevan, Dave Fulton, Walter Hoffman, Robin Keating, Aurelia Smith, Trudy Vossburg, Sylvia Walser, June Grubb, Camille Morgan, Harriette Murphy, Lisa Nelson, Doug Sink, Eddie Yates, Frank Leonard, Banks Shepherd, and John Walser. Alice Gray is the leader of one of the Kids Clubs and she is greatly appreciated for her creative ideas for our church and community activities. We recognized Paula for her nineteen years of faithful service to the church with a beautiful certificate, designed by Myra Thompson and painted by Katherine Skipper. She was further surprised with a love offering and speeches by Pastor Robin, Lee Jessup, Mike Hooper, and Paul Freeman. We ate a delicious lunch prepared by Mike Brown, Women s Life Fellowship, and Cheryl Yarbrough. Susan Odom and her team did a great job decorating the Fellowship Hall, setting up, and cleaning up. Rally Day was a great celebration for our church members! Rally Day was also the kickoff for our next trip Journey to Bethlehem/Do One Nice Thing. Full details are available in another article in the newsletter. Just a note here do good deeds, record them on slips in the pews on Sunday, put in the offering plate (or me). Each good deed is worth five miles on our 6,000 mile journey to Bethlehem to visit Baby Jesus. The journey will end at the Children s Christmas Program. Ideas for good deeds are on the bulletin board. Please participate and join in the fun! For the month of October, we will do a Feed My Sheep campaign for Pastor s Pantry. See the list of needed foods in the ad on another page or on the bulletin board in the hallway. The phone tree will also remind you what to bring each Sunday. Bring your food donations to the narthex and drop it in the crates. Grapplers will be there to assist. On the first Sunday in November, we will attempt to collect 250 cans of cranberry sauce (jellied), to give to Pantry clients for their Thanksgiving dinner. You always contribute generously and Pastor s Pantry is so grateful to you for your efforts!

10 (Cathy Waitman s Christian Education Report, from Page 10) I really need teachers for the Junior Grappler class who would cover Sundays on a rotating schedule. As mentioned above, I need 5 volunteers to lead Kids Club parable lessons. They are scheduled from October through next spring. Let me know if you are interested in either or both groups. If you are not attending Sunday school, come join us for the first Sunday joint lesson. One of our church members presents his/her Faith Journey, followed by a social outside or in the Fellowship Hall. We have classes for all ages of children and adults and we would love to have you join us. I hope that our classes will be full this fall! Please Remember to Bring Food for Pastor s Pantry on these Sundays: October 6: October 13: October 20: October 27: November 3: cans of tomato and chicken noodle soup and cans of mixed vegetables boxes of individual packs of oatmeal and boxes of individual packs of grits canned tuna, chicken, or beef stew canned pasta - ex. spaghetti & meat balls dry beans, dry pasta such as boxes of macaroni and cheese cans of cranberry sauce (We need 250 cans!) Kids Club met in the garden two Sundays in September. Children gathered green beans, okra, and green peppers. All of the food was taken to Pastor s Pantry. Both Kids Clubs and Children s Church will resume this month. Ms. Alice s Kids Club will meet October 13, the other Kids Club will meet October 20, and Children s Church will meet on October 27. Kids Club will continue to study Jesus parables and volunteers are needed to lead the five sessions. Children will learn about the church service and the liturgical church calendar in Children s Church. All children in kindergarten sixth grade are invited to attend. Mark your calendars for Children s Church to meet on the following Sundays: October 27, 2013 January 12, 2014 February 23, 2014 March 23, 2014 May 4, 2014

11 Following is a copy of Bonita Broyles Hooper s Faith Journey that she presented during Joint Sunday School on September 8. It is printed here with her permission. My Faith Journey by Bonita Broyles Hooper Years ago I made a presentation similar to this one and I sat down and organized my thoughts in outline form thinking about my life of faith and the most important aspects of my belief system. So I was excited to find my original manuscript. Of course, it had to be extended as much has happened in the last 20 years. To paraphrase the United Church of Christ slogan, I shouldn t place a period on my life story, where God has only placed a comma. It was easy to see when I examined that outline the very intricate link between faith and family in my life. I was christened in the United Methodist Church by my uncle. He was the minister who officiated at my marriage to Michael and at the marriage of my parents. He christened Laura and Will. I was confirmed as a child in the United Methodist Church and was an active member of Sunday School and MYF. I was fortunate to have had from my earliest years strong, caring, open-minded Christian educators who taught me that God loves everyone without exception, and that Jesus taught us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Our church traditionally had ministers who reached out to the needs of youth. How? By encouraging us to question, raise our doubts and misgivings about the contradictions and ambiguities in the Bible and the Christian faith. We were not asked to accept without question, to forget, or ignore the hard questions of faith. By raising the issues we were intellectually stimulated and morally uplifted. Church life was a central part of my upbringing. I was reared in a home where my parents set good examples. We prayed at the dinner table before meals, we prayed bedtime prayers. My parents were workers and leaders in our church. My sister and I saw them being part of the life of the church and enjoying it. Their Christian faith was part of who they were as people. My parents did not leave Christian education to the church alone, and they certainly didn t expect this to be a responsibility of the public schools. They always tried to answer our questions in light of their own strong belief in the love of God and the grace of Christ. I want to share two examples of what I mean by this. I remember as a first grader coming home from school one day and telling my mother that the children at school said something bad was going to happen black children were going to come to our school. I didn t understand why they thought that was bad, but if the children said so it must be true. My mother assured me there was nothing to worry about weren t we all God s children? Several years later the minister asked my parents if the interracial students at the NC Advancement School could sit with our family when they attended church. He knew that we would be happy to welcome them. My parents probably never gave a second thought to what they said in these two situations. But to me it was a lesson in what it means to be a Christian. I feel that I have always had a personal relationship with Christ. I can t think of any one special event or moment that was a turning point in my religious life. Many moments of special closeness and emotion spring to mind. Sitting beneath the stars in Jim s cow pasture at Camp Tekoa with my young campers wondering at the glory of God s creation, and watching their young faces discover it, too, has always been one of my dearest religious experiences. (Continued on page 12)

12 (continued from page 11...Bonita Hooper s Faith Journey) My decision to be a public school teacher was an extension of my faith. In James, chapter 2, verses 17-18, it says: So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But someone will say, You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. In Matthew 25, verse 40 Jesus said: And the King will answer them, Truly I tell you just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family you did it to me. Public schools are central in the success of our communities and our democracy. They are the places where the least of these and the rest of us come into daily contact. Do we turn our backs on these children or do we embrace them? My thirty years in education were my calling. I hope that I brought as much to the lives of my students as they brought to mine. My father died of colon cancer before our children were born. Perhaps the illness and death of my father had a maturing effect on my faith -- asking the hard questions about life and death, experiencing the doubts, seeing the suffering and pain, feeling the great loss; yet, at the time of his death, seeing the great release of pain and the peaceful countenance on the face of this good man taught me what no book or counselor could illustrate. Some times during all the struggle I would ask God why? But eventually I just said God you know my heart. Marrying Michael was part of my faith journey. We met the summer I graduated from college. He was in divinity school at Duke and served an internship at my home church in Winston Salem. As our relationship became serious, I struggled with the idea of being a minister s wife. I worried about people s expectations of a minister s wife. In addition, I am by nature a private person. Michael assured me that I didn t have to be anything other than what I would be if I married someone who wasn t a minister. As it turned out, I didn t have to worry for I have been blessed to know hundreds of lovely, generous people through the four churches that Michael served. I want to share with you something that Michael wrote when we were celebrating our 25 th wedding anniversary. As I look back to reflect upon our twenty-five years of marriage, I am overwhelmed by a sense that it was part of God s plan for us to be together. We are a good match, morally, socially, spiritually and politically. If I could pinpoint what has made our marriage successful I would have to say that it is because we have always agreed on the big things. We both were deeply committed to the Christian faith and the work of the church; we shared similar socio-economic backgrounds; we valued education and the cultivation of the mind; we resonated on social issues and meshed with one another in regard to compassion for the underdog; we both believed in the larger family value that in the world we are all family and we all have value; we concurred that we would want to raise our children, not in a social vacuum, but in a world of diverse interaction where all their talents and abilities would be tested and strengthened Finally the birth of our children was truly the most significant personal and religious experience for Michael and me. Being the mother of Laura and Will, the mother in law of Kate, and now the grandmother of Caroline fills me with such joy and gratitude. Michael and I are so thankful for our family, friends, and our vocations. I thank God every day. I heard a speaker tell a graduating class that one doesn t measure life by success but by significance. I pray that my life has been significant and that God will continue to direct and push me toward that goal. I share this prayer from the UCC website: God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, help me to look back in ways that keep me leaning forward.

13 Friendship Club Enjoys Music by The Group The Fellowship Hall overflowed with fellowship, food, friends and songs as The Friendship Club hosted a special appearance by The Group during its noon meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 28. A total of 50 Friendship Club members and guests attended the covered dish luncheon. The 15 men who make up The Group and some of their wives who attended expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to attend and for the delicious home cooked chicken casseroles, salads, side dishes and desserts. The Group, along with their piano accompanist, provided rousing gospel music and old favorite hymns, with the leader entertaining the crowd with humorous quips and stories of his life as a minister and as a member of the The Group. The Friendship Club met again Sept. 25. Kathy Sill, a master gardener, presented the program and showed how to create beautiful flower arrangements using foliage, flowers and plants that typically grow in your yard. Plans were discussed for the October meeting when members will take a trip to Reynolda House in Winston-Salem. Please let Cathy Waitman know if you would like to go. Everyone is invited. Tickets are $12. Mark Your Calendars for Homecoming on Nov. 3 Please mark Sunday, November 3rd on your calendar, and join the congregation in celebration of First Reformed United Church of Christ s 112 th year. Special music, good food and fellowship are only a few of the special activities planned. A Memorial Service will be held during the 11 a.m. service to remember those congregation members who have died in the past year.

14 Women s Life Fundraiser Customized Christmas Cards May be Ordered through Nov. 15 To assist with fundraising efforts for missions, Women s Life Fellowship will sponsor a Christmas Card Project. Books showing examples of cards are in the church parlor for you to look through, select, and customize your card before ordering. You may select customized wording for your cards as well as specific imprint colors. The Christmas Card books are available for viewing during office hours and by appointment. Please call the church office at to arrange a time. Morning Glory Circle Plans Two Interesting Trips Morning Glory Circle met on September 4th in the parlor with seven members and one guest present. Peggy Bates, President, welcomed everyone and opened the meeting with a Thought For The Day, You have what it takes. Lib Sink gave a report on Wanda Daye s improving health. Minutes were read and approved, and the treasurer s report given. Mention was made of two upcoming day trips for anyone interested. They are on November 22 nd to Smith Lake, Virginia, and on December 5 th to the Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre in Wytheville, Virginia, for their Holiday Spectacular. Programs were assigned for the coming year. Peggy noted that our project this year would be to try to get more members in the circle. Our Circle helped the Willing Workers Sunday School Class feed at the Homeless Shelter on Monday, September 9 th. Gladys introduced our speaker, Paulette Morgan, who is the daughter of Doris Flynt. Paulette gave testimony of her life and how her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother had influenced her as she grew up, by making sure she attended church regularly. They were very strict and taught her right from wrong. She also told how God had guided her and helped her with a lot of trials and decisions in her life. Paulette had a lot of memories of growing up in First Reformed UCC. Our next meeting will be October 2nd in the Church Parlor. Visitors are welcomed. Men s Brotherhood to Meet October 7th The Men s Brotherhood will meet on Monday, October 7th at 6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. A meal will be provided. We look forward to seeing everybody there.

15 Liturgist: Ushers: Plate Attendant: Acolytes: Sound Tech: OCTOBER 2013 STEWARDS Doris Sink Chairperson: Jeff Hutchens Captain: Tom Danze Ushers:, Susan Odom, Roy Bevan, Nicole Smith, Heidi Hutcheson, and Birke McNeill J.W. Bates Kaitlyn McNeill and Ava Miller John Gray Adult Joint Sunday School: Class responsible for songs/announcements: Men s Bible Class Spiritual Journey Presenter: Harriette Murphy Social Host/Hostess: Raeann and Holt Biesecker, Captains Alisa and Keith Johnson October 13th Congregational Meal Set Up/Clean Up: Belinda and Eddie Yates, Captains Lisa Nelson Mike and Lynn Brown Janette Neal and John Potts Cheryl and Bill Walser Greeters: October 6, 2013 Lisa Nelson and Cathy Waitman October 13, 2013 Henry and Kay Crouse October 20, 2013 Brian McKerlie and Mike Price October 27, 2013 Irvin and Doris Sink Nursery: October 6, 2013 Amanda and Chris Fulton October 13, 2013 Beth and Frank Callicutt October 20, 2013 Keri Hartle and Ashlee Snider October 27, 2013 Heidi and Ron Hutcheson (CAROLINA HOUSE) Micki Smith, Janie Lohr & Maxine Lohr (BRIAN CENTER) Barbara Sowers (PIEDMONT CROSSING) Rita Tussey (ALSTON BROOK) Willie Ruth Leonard PRAYER CONCERNS: Joyce Bowie, Valerie Price, Juanita Beck, Earlie Hartley, Wanda Daye, Mary Crouse, Holton Davis, Margot Everhart, Dot Walser, and the Rev. Jay Ebersole. Also, remember Randy Carter, Lonnie Grubb, Chad Kirkendall, Martha Thomas, John Rollins, Johnette Davis, Victor Furr, Levi Olson, Alex Myers, Karen Steele, Brad Smith, and Danny Hill. To add a name to the prayer chain, call Adena Wall at or the church office at We extend sympathy to and share Christian hope with Barbara Sowers, Jenny Cline and Lena Moore upon the death of their loved one, Philip Sowers. Bettie Barber, Sara March, Katie, Betsy and Mark upon the death of their loved one and our faithful church member, John Barber. Vicky Gray and family, upon the death of Vicky s father, Dr. George Horner. Carolyn Spivey and family, and Lena Johnson and family, upon the death of their mother and our church member, Mary B. Little.

16 If you are of German descent, or perhaps you just enjoy German food, then you don t want to miss... OKTOBERFEST! Saturday, October 19, from 5 to 7 p.m. Come celebrate the fall season with lively German music, choreographed dancing by children of the church, delicious German food, and other entertainment. Traditional German dishes will be served such as grilled bratwurst and kielbasa with green peppers and onions, sauerkraut and noodles, German potato salad, marinated vegetables, apple crisp, German chocolate cake, and a beverage. Adult tickets: $12.00 Children: (12 & under) $5.00 Please see a member of the Evangelism Board to reserve or purchase your tickets, or you may contact the church office at

17 11am Worship Service with Communion 9:45am Sunday School 13 7 pm (Parlor) Book Study 7 pm (Parlor) Book Study 7 pm (Parlor) Book Study 12:30-1:30pm (P) 3 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 29 Confirmation Class Cook-out 4 pm The Keating Home 9:45am {Chapel} Joint Adult SS Harriette Murphy: Spiritual Journey 6 10:20am {FH} Sunday School Social and Neighbors in Need Offering 11am Worship Service & Prayer Shawl/Blanket Blessing & Kids Club New Members Join the Congregation Noon Congregational Lunch and Meeting 1:30pm Consistory Meeting (FH) 4pm Confirmation Class 9:45am Sunday school 11am Worship Service & Kids Club 4 pm Confirmation Class 9:45am Sunday School 27 11am Worship & Children s Church Bridal Shower (P) 20 6:00pm (FH) Men s Brotherhood :30pm Board of Christian Education (P) 6:30 pm {Parlor} Evangelism Board pm {FH} Genealogical Society Stephen Ministry 6:30pm (Parlor) 28 OCTOBER pm (P) Meals on Wheels Board 7pm Women s Life Fellowship 22 7 pm (Parlor) Book Study 29 11:00 am {Parlor} 2 Morning Glory Circle 6:30pm Bell Choir Practice 7:15pm Adult Choir Practice 10:30a.m.GLAMA Meeting 6:30pm Bell Choir Practice 7:15pm Adult Choir Practice :30pm Bell Choir Practice 7:15pm Adult Choir Practice Noon {FH} Friendship Club 23 6:30pm Bell Choir Practice 7:15pm Adult Choir Practice 30 6:30pm Bell Choir Practice 7:15pm Adult Choir Practice Bible Study 5:30pm {P} Yoga Class 7-9:30pm Square Dancers (FH) 12:30-1:30pm (P) Bible Study 5:30pm {P} Yoga Class 10 12:30-1:30pm (P)17 Bible Study 5:30pm {Parlor} Yoga Class 7pm Sanctuary North Davidson Chorus 12:30-1:30pm (P)24 Bible Study 5:30pm {P} Yoga Class 7-9:30pm Square Dancers (FH) 12:30-1:30pm (P)31 Bible Study 5:30pm {P} Yoga Class 4 5 WNCA Meeting Strenk/Sanchez Wedding (Chapel) pm OKTOBERFEST BBQ Festival Parking In Church Lot NOV. 3 HOMECOMING NOV. 24 Women s Life Fellowship Bake Sale

18 First Reformed United Church of Christ 104 East Center Street Lexington, NC Church Office: Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9am 1pm Website: Return Service Requested CHURCH STAFF Minister Reverend Robin Keating cell # Director of Christian Education Cathy Waitman Church Secretary Myra Thompson Choir Director Ellen Peterson Organist Lee Ann Peele Financial Secretary Paula Lopp SUNDAY SERVICES Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Worship Service 11:00 a.m. Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Lexington, NC October 13, 2013 Mark your calendar for Sunday, October 13th. Yarborough s Restaurant is serving a delicious catered lunch in the fellowship hall immediately following the worship service. Donations for lunch will be accepted at the door. Following lunch, the Finance Committee, chaired by Doug Sink, will present the proposed budget for All members are encouraged to be a part of this important process in the life of First Reformed UCC. The Consistory will meet at 1:30 p.m. following the congregational meeting.