Bethlehem Star October 2018

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1 Bethlehem Star October 208 Soup sale This Sunday october! BE THE CHURCH DAY WILL SERVE MANY NEEDS We are celebrating BE THE CHURCH DAY this year on October 2, right after our shortened worship service. Project leader Dave Bieler and his committee have lined up three projects for members and friends to choose from. You may sign up in Fellowship Hall to work on any of these projects. One project, headed by Eileen Kandl and located at BPC, will involve sewing new dresses, using a simple pattern, to be sent to needy recipients in Appalachia. Another project, led by Jill O Neil, will harvest one or more crops for Grow-A-Row, either in Pittstown or Milford, depending on the crop. In This Issue Be The Church Day Rev. Fred Black Birthday Soup Sale Pastor s Reflections 2 Steeple Project 3 Family Promise 3 Prayer List Thank You Liturgists and Deacons First Friday 5 Poem 6 Bethlehem Presbyterian Church 2 Race Street Pittstown, NJ (908) The third project is a clean-up of the Memorial Garden of Union Township s Finn Road Park. The garden has been overgrown and needs weeding and restoring. All projects will be followed by food at BPC! REV. FRED BLACK TURNS 80 YEARS YOUNG ON OCTOBER 8, 208 He will be worshipping with us this Sunday, October, 208 and there will be a birthday celebration with cake and ice cream at Coffee Hour afterward. Come and join us! If you d like to send a card, his address is in the BPC office.

2 PASTOR S REFLECTIONS Dear Friends in Christ, There s much to celebrate and look forward to this month! As we do so, we are reminded that God has had God s hand on this congregation for many generations, and we now see it continuing as we go boldly into the future. Indeed, we celebrate Our God, Our Help, In Ages Past, as the lovely Hymn declares and also of our future! In the past month, we baptized and received Christy Lewis as a new member. It was a Sunday to celebrate! Pictured here is Christy Lewis (holding the cake), her son, Arden Lewis-Taylor, and her good friend, Kristine Kelly (not pictured are Hope and Race Lewis-Taylor). A warm welcome to all! There are also two very special spiritual events this month of which to take note: First, October 7 th is World Communion. It is a very special day as we celebrate Communion with Christians around the world, showing our unity and diversity. We are all one in our common mission around the world, spreading the Good News of the love of our God. Above all else, it will prove to be a Sacrament for spiritual renewal. What a great service to be a part of! Secondly, October 28 th is Reformation Sunday. This special Sunday is a time to remember and celebrate the saints that have gone before us as well as the saints among us. In other words, this Sunday is also about YOU! It will be a good time to examine our calling in God and the gifts and talents God has given us as we ponder and honor those who have gone before us. In addition, please take part in the fellowship of the PW Soup Sunday, a Be The Church Sunday, and Family Promise. At this time we also celebrate the beginning of a Confirmation Class as well! Most importantly, we support and appreciate the Mission Study Team s work, led by Frank McDonald, that has boldly gone forward in their work. Let us continue to go forward into the world to make a joyful noise to the Lord. Warmest Regards, Pastor Dave Widmer 2

3 STEEPLE JUMPING? We hope not!! BPC is having the steeple repaired and painted this month by Cole, NYC. This experienced rigging company foregoes hydraulic arms and baskets for the traditional equipment of ropes, clips and harnesses to get up close and personal with its subject! In addition to painting with a special coating, they will replace rotted wood and flashing, re-shingle the entire steeple roof and refurbish and re-gild the weather vane. In order to fund part of the cost of this much needed work, the Session has authorized a Capital Campaign. Members and friends will be receiving a letter detailing the campaign. In the meantime, come and watch as the daredevils of Cole, NYC practice their art on our beloved landmark steeple! FAMILY PROMISE WILL BE HERE OCT. 28 NOV., 208 There are many ways you can pitch in. Staying with the guests for a shift is only one way to help. Setting up the inflatable beds, shopping for food, cooking a dinner, taking down the beds when the guests leave at the end of the week, and laundering the sheets and towels and returning them to BPC are other means to do your part. Renew your commitment to housing the homeless, our primary mission in the community for many years. It is a crucial and rewarding way to serve. Remember, if you sign up for a shift on the white board, you must also sign up on line. See Jane Weiss, Terri Acocella or Dave Bieler for help. 3

4 Connecting through prayer. One of the great privileges we have is to join in praying for and with one another. Dear BPC Friends, We thank you for your expressions of sympathy on the passing of Ferdie s mother. We appreciate all your notes and cards. The Paillex Family Please pray for: Marilyn Ford Marcia Pearson Don Trauger Ward Lathrop Ted Frankenbach Ginny Straub Bob Schultz Marge Hendricksen Willie Matthews Kevin Moodie, friend of the Timkos Joy and Tom Ashfield Jackie Shepherd Frank, Greg Acocella s father Georgeen Anderson, Great Aunt of Carrie and Ryan Matis Royce Stanley, friend of Bob Schultz Dan Remington, Jill O Neil s brother Bob Scrabal, friend of the Weiss Dr. Pam Roberts, Jane Weiss cousin The Williges Family on Bob s passing The victims of Hurricane Michael Liturgists/Deacons Liturgist Deacon 0-7 Dave Bieler Eileen Kwasnick 0- Rick Landolfi Jill O Neil 0-2 Frank McDonald Judy Schick 0-28 Karen Harrison Terri Acocella

5 FIRST FRIDAY OPEN MIC Coming November 2nd!!! We are thrilled to have Thomas Johnston as our November featured artist. Thomas has a busy month ahead, slated to be the showcase act for the Skylands Songwriters Guild, and opening for a favorite band of his, The Wag. Our thoughts have been with Thomas and his family this month. It will be great that he will share more of his new CD, as well as new songs that he tells us continue to flow, even with his busy schedule! A little bird tells us that a little bird (the granddaughter from the September open mic) is already considering what she ll sing at our November event if schedules allow. Looking forward to all who can join us to perform, enjoy delicious refreshments, great conversation and easy listening to outstanding local talent! HIGHLIGHTS - RECENT OPEN MICS In September, rising star Olivia Terpin brought the widest range of styles and genres yet as headliner. Though fighting a cold, Olivia gave in to popular demand, singing the iconic broadway favorite Don t Rain on My Parade in a powerful, rousing encore finish. A granddaughter and grandmother appeared, with the younger singing for the stars covering a cappella none other than a Whitney Houston hit. She was rhythm-, pitch- and storytelling- perfect, and the only person we could find to follow her act was her own grandmother, who played several numbers on the piano. In the true spirit of First Friday, favorite son Thomas Johnston, after a set that included numbers from his just released 3rd CD, enjoyed a lengthy conversation about songwriting and performing with young performers after the curtain came down on the evening. Other performances by Bethlehem Barbershop and local favorite Ray Schick rounded out a great evening of music and fun. October s event featured rock & inspiration band Wet Paint, with many of its members from the praise group at Grace Fellowship EFC in Milford. Though this was only their third gig as Wet Paint, the band was tight as a drum, causing double-takes from those thinking sound man Charley was simply spinning a CD from the back of the room! Two of its members who d played at last season s closer, Mark & John, returned during the first half, with heart-rending personal stories, spiritual and secular selections. (They refer to themselves as Primer ) Slash" from "Guns n Roses (let s call him a persona friend spelling intentional of the lead Bethlehem Barbershop singer Mike Young) prepped the crowd and later sang a Rolling Stones number with audience participation, and one of the September youth serenaded us with two songs, including another Whitney Houston favorite. Mark Fresolone 5

6 October gave a party; The leaves by hundreds camethe Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples, And leaves of every name. The Sunshine spread a carpet, And everything was grand, Miss Weather led the dancing, Professor Wind the band. (George Cooper) 6

7 Calendar for October 208 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday :00 am Gentle Exercise Noon AA 7:30 pm Bell Choir Noon Study :30 pm Chancel Choir 7:30 pm Chancel Choir 7:00 pm FIRST FRIDAY :30 am Worship 0:30 am Coffee Hour :00 am Gentle Exercise 0:5 am Godly Play :00 am Session Meeting 5:30 PM Monday Bible Study 7:00pm Girl Scout Leaders Gathering Room Noon Study Grp :30 pm Chancel Choir Noon AA :00-3:00 Soup Drop-off 7:30 Bell Choir 6pm Friendship Connections 7:30 Chancel Choir 9: 30 am Worship r 0:30am Coffee Hour 0:5am Godly Play SOUP SALE Noon Study :00 am Gentle Exercise Noon AA :30 pm Chancel Choir 7:30 pm Bell Choir 7:30 pm Chancel Choir :30 am Short Worship BE THE CHURCH DAY :00 am Union Twp Seniors Noon Study :00 am Gentle Exercise :30 pm Chancel Choir Noon AA 7:30 pm Bell Choir 7:30 pm Chancel Choir :30 am Worship 0:30 am Coffee Hour 0:5 am Godly Play :00 am Adult Bible Study Hosting Family 5:30 pm Monday Bible Study 2:00 pm Noon Study Promise thru Nov th 7:30 Bell Choir Family Promise Family Promise Family Promise 7 Family Promise Family Promise Family Promise

8 Bethlehem Presbyterian Church Route Grandin/Race St. Mailing Address: 2 Race Street Pittstown, NJ Phone: bpchurchnj@gmail.com FAX: Website: Facebook: Rev. David Widmer, Interim Pastor Helene Cantilina, Director of Music Ann Bartlett, Clerk of Session Alan Ford, Treasurer The Bethlehem Star Sunday Worship Join Us for Sunday Worship at 9:30 am Mission Statement Be a community of faithful believers who love the Lord Jesus Christ and endeavor to live our lives as examples of that love. Live with deep commitment to serving those in need in our community and throughout the world by generously sharing our time, talents, and resources. Glorify God and grow in our faith though: uplifting worship, generous fellowship, and enthusiastic learning inspired by scripture. Warmly welcome others to join us in our faith journey. 8