The Bell and the Well

Transcription

1 The Bell and the Well November 2016 Volume 50 Number 9 Spiritual Health, Spiritual Truth Jesus is not intimidated by numbers. If anything, Jesus speaks of the least and the few. His Kingdom is not characterized by BIG numbers; instead, His reign is about the faithful few: Wherever two or three are gathered is Jesus claim. Fortunately or unfortunately, numbers do matter to us. They matter more than they should, but they matter, nonetheless. For the church in the 21 st century, numbers reveal both health and truth. First, numbers are a reliable way to measure a congregation s spiritual health. Three metrics help to gauge a congregation s spiritual health: worship attendance, financial giving, and new members. According to those metrics, QHPC is not well. The numbers tell us giving, attendance, and reception of new members are down, down significantly. In response, the Elders are lifting their prayers and scratching their heads. Such a trend is not good. That trend may extend well into the New Year. If so, both pastor and Elders will have logical choices to make. Dedication Sunday for our 2017 Giving Card is Nov. 6. Before we get to 2017, we need to wrap-up Outstanding giving for 2016 places an added burden on our 2017 giving. Our prayer needs to be this: we end the year honoring every 2016 pledge. That may or may not happen. Even worse, it may be that our 2017 giving comes in less than our 2016 giving, less in giving and less in giving units. QHPC is not well. Second, numbers have a way of revealing truth, inconvenient or otherwise. Charting the future of our mission and witness, and not just in terms of one more year, requires that pastor and Elders make certain decisions, now. A significant number in our mission and witness budget is the pastor s terms of call. At current giving levels, that number cannot be met while maintaining the current support staff and as we anticipate hiring a new youth director. The logical decision is to take my leave in 2017 as soon as possible to alleviate our current spiritual/financial malaise. The conversations I am having with pastor nominating committees lead me to believe my departure may take place sometime before summer My departure should allow for a balanced budget while avoiding staff reductions and cuts in committee budgets. Jesus is not intimidated by numbers. Being faithful to Him in being His church is what counts. However, our numbers do tell us we have work to do in order to be Christ s church, faithfully and financially. Faithfully, Gus Succop, Pastor November 6 is Dedication Sunday for 2017 Giving Cards.

2 News, Events, & Happenings in and around November 2016 Church School Church School meets 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. on Sunday in the Youth Room. We ll dig into more Messy Stories of the Old Testament to find out how a loving God embraces in Christ a weird group of people through whom salvation for the whole world has come. Wow! Communication Quail Hollow Youth leadership is continuing to gather contact information for our youth and their parents. If you have a rising 6th-12th grader, please be in touch with Becky Aelick (beckya@earthlink.net or ) to be added to the Holla communications lists: weekly s, Holla Facebook, and Remind text blasts. If your student has graduated and s/he (or you) should be removed, please let her know. Upcoming Events: Nov. 3: Fun, Food, Fellowship (location TBA) Nov. 10 OASIS Dinner ($5) Nov. 17 Program Yearly Forms Have you filled out your parental consent form for this year? If not, please download it from the QHPC.org website and bring it to the next event. If you are interested in serving with the Youth, please send an to Adam Stricker. (ws56309@yahoo.com) to discuss the opportunities available.

3 PAGE 3 From the Session: Stewardship 2017 We want to follow the Lord s lead so we will be prepared to be His church in 2017 on the corner of Park & Smithfield Church Roads. Giving Cards and Time & Talent Sheets were mailed out in early October. Extras are available in the Church Office and the Narthex. We will dedicate Giving Cards and Time & Talent Sheets on Dedication Sunday, November 6, God loves a cheerful giver. (II Cor. 9: 7)

4 PAGE 4 November Scripture Lessons Indeed, the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. (Hebrews 4: 12) November 6, 25 th Sunday in Pentecost: II Thessalonians 3: 6-13 Pastor Succop preaching: Idle Hands November 13, 26 th Sunday in Pentecost: II Thessalonians 2: 1-5, Pastor Succop preaching: The Election! November 20, Christ the King Sunday: Colossians 1: Pastor Succop preaching: All In November 27, 1 st Sunday in Advent (Holy Communion): Romans 13: Pastor Succop preaching: Dressing for Christmas and Beyond Park/Sharon Community Thanksgiving Worship Tuesday, November 22, :00 p.m. Sharon Presbyterian Church

5 PAGE 5 The PW Officers for are: Moderator - Georgene Sherer Treasurer - Phyllis Brown Secretary - Cheryl Mims Missions Coordinator- Mary Hice Search - Carol Crumbley Morning Circle Leader - Peggy Warstler Morning Bible Moderator - Grace Mitchell Evening Circle Leader and Bible Moderator The Evening Circle Quail Hollow Presbyterian Women's Annual Joy Gift Luncheon & Silent Auction Saturday, December 3, 2016, 11:00 a.m. Our QHPW will meet Tuesday, November 8th. The Morning Circle meets at 10:00 AM and the Evening Circle meets at 7:00 PM. Both Circles will meet in the Betty Lambeth Parlor. Please bring items you signed up to bring for the annual Dove's Nest Mission. These items will be packed and dedicated at our annual Joy Gift Luncheon in December. Also, we will receive the Thank Offering at our November Circle Meetings. The Thank Offering gifts will fund U.S. and International ministries. Bring a salad to share. The PW Council will provide the dessert. Also, if you wish, bring an item or two for the Silent Auction. We are very excited to have our friend, Katarina Whitley, from Boone, NC, as our guest speaker. Katarina is an uplifting and amazing woman, and we have enjoyed her presentations on several occasions. We are looking forward to having Katarina with us. All ladies are invited. Please feel free to bring a guest. PW@QHPC NEWS

6 PAGE 6 Getting Ready! Getting ready! It seems like we are always getting ready for something and Someone. Just a little bit ago we were getting ready for the start of school. Now, we are getting ready for the fall and Thanksgiving. Before you know it, we will be getting ready for Christmas the celebration of Christ's birth. Every season requires us to prepare in someway. Not only do we need to purchase things, make food and celebrate, we need also to think of ways we can prepare our hearts. What better way to prepare them than to attend the Advent Hanging of the Greens Service on Nov. 30 at 6 p.m. Some of our Preschoolers will be singing. We encourage all Preschool families to participate and to bring your greenery to adorn the sanctuary. Hope to see you there! Remember, Don't Miss An Opportunity to Serve! Erin Gillis, Preschool Director Hanging of the Greens Service & Advent Covered Dish Dinner Wednesday Evening, November 30th Worship at 6:00 p.m. followed by a Covered Dish Dinner. Drinks & Dessert will be provided. A Children s Take-Home Craft will be available. An evening of fellowship and joy to begin the season of Advent. P.S. Please bring your greens and a dish (or 2) to share You Are Invited!

7 PAGE 7 ALEXANDER YOUTH NETWORK ANGEL TREE It s time to make your Christmas gift list. Please consider adding one more to your list, a child from the Alexander Youth Network. Alexander Youth Network is a caring facility that provides treatment to children with emotional or behavioral disorders. You can make their Christmas a brighter by participating in the Angel Tree. Beginning in mid - November, a beautifully lit tree will appear in the Narthex. On the tree, you will find angels. On each angel is the name of a child and his/her Christmas wish. Take an angel(s), and buy your child a their special gift. Return it unwrapped with the angel tag attached NO LATER THAN DEC. 4. The children will receive your gift Christmas week. Thank you for remembering Alexander Youth Network. Your gift will make a difference in the life of a troubled child. Questions? Contact Jan Federal - jgf331@carolina.rr.com OASIS, our mid-week meal-and-class ministry, takes place every Wednesday at 6 p.m. Martha Rand is our leader along with other faithful servants. Please fill out a reservation card found in the pew rack. Gus is leading a class studying Henri Nouwen s book, Reaching Out, after dinner. Are you willing to serve? Speak with Martha ( ). November 15, :30 a.m. Yes, it is time for Ladies Lunch Out. We welcome all new members and friends to join us. We meet at Trio s (10709 McMullen Creek Pkwy., Pineville). Please call Carol Crumbley ( ) or crumblec@bellsouth.net if you plan to join us. We look forward to seeing each of you.

8 PAGE 8 Operation Christmas Child It is time for everyone to pick up and fill the wrapped but empty shoeboxes which are ready for you. The congregation, Preschool, and scout troops at QHPC are partnering with Operation Christmas Child (OCC) to fill shoeboxes for needy children around the world. Together, we will bring joy to many through shoe boxes filled with small gifts and the love of Christ. For many, it will be the first time they will hear the Good News. Once you have your box, pick an age category (2-4, 5-9, or 10-14) and a gender (male or female) for the child who will receive the box. Remember, the most needed boxes are for children ages 10-14, especially boys. Next, picture the child in your mind, and begin collecting items for your box. You can pray for the child as you shop and pack your box. Suggestions for items include: soccer ball with pump, stuffed animals, doll, musical instrument, clothing, shoes, school supplies, toothbrushes, bar soap, combs, washcloths, hair clips or bows, jewelry, crafts, Play-Doh, a personal note to the child, and a photo of yourself / family/group. Candy such as hard candy, gummy bears, caramels, taffy and gum can be included as long as its expiration date is at least May Toothpaste must also have an expiration date of at least May DO NOT include: used or damaged items, war-related items, camouflage clothing, chocolate or food, drink mixes, liquids or lotions, aerosol cans, or breakable items. Bring your filled shoebox to church between November 13th and 20th. During that week, the boxes will be in the church to teach our Preschoolers in their chapel time about sharing with children around the world. The Amazing Journey of a Shoebox Gift Begins with You and Results in Evangelism, Discipleship, and Multiplication.

9 PAGE 9 KAIROS WALK #34 WRAP UP September 22-25, 2016 The Kairos Team for Walk #34 at Kershaw Correctional Institution would like to thank Quail Hollow Presbyterian Church for its continued support. The prayers, cookies and donations made by and through QHPC helped make Walk #34 a success. So many more folks signed the Prayer Vigil and QHPC had a record-breaking 307 dozen (3,864) cookies made with fifteen (15) bakers going at full speed. Here are some of the reflections and quotes received from Kairos Walk #34 Team Members: During a visit to deliver cookies to non-participant residents (called visiting lock-up ), one resident had two Bibles open. He was studying II Chronicles. We shared 7:14. Another non-participant resident asked that his cookies be delivered as a gift to another non-participant, along with the scriptures II Timothy 2:9 and II Timothy 1:6. I received the blessing of a broken heart and compassion for my fellow man. Thanks to God for letting me see the heart that He has for His people, to feel as He feels as we break His heart. One team member opened up about his mother s suicide when a participant spoke of the pain and guilt of the suicide of the mother of his son, and after receiving the Word, he accepted Christ. God is at work at Kershaw Correctional Institution. Kairos brings the Word and plants the seed that the Holy Spirit grows within the body of those incarcerated. There are other sources besides Kairos who bring the Message, including the Christian inmates themselves. A baptismal service is held every six (6) months at Kershaw, and it is expected that at least thirty (30) inmates will be baptized on or about October 28, Praise God! Please go to to view a short video specifically about Kairos at Kershaw Correctional Institute. KAIROS WALK #35 ONWARD March 23-26, 2017 (tentative) The meeting dates weren t received as of the deadline for this newsletter article but we do know that on January 14, 2017, the Be A Friend, Bring a Friend breakfast will start at 8:00 a.m. with a team meeting to follow. You re invited to attend. There will be more testimonials about the last Walk. If you have questions, please contact Le Johnson (704) or leonaejohnson@aol.com. We ll send out more information when it becomes available.

10 PAGE 10 Laura Robertson November 1 Michael Mangum November 2 Susan Stone November 2 James K. Polk November 2 Harrison Bellamy November 4 Gracie Kattenhorn November 4 Gale Burke November 7 Morgan Brimhall November 8 Bill Navarro November 10 Stu Cummings November 12 Oliver Owens November 12 Stefanio Sojo November 15 David Baysinger November 18 Jim Berryhill November 21 Nancy Dearman November 24 Amy Grant November 25 Ron Blake November 26 Conner Gillis November 26 Betsy Baskwell November 27 Helen Parker November 27 Karen Baysinger November 30 Holy Communion is celebrated on Advent I November 27, Nov. 6 Stewardship Dedication Nov. 13 Operation Christmas Child Nov. 20 Operation Christmas Child Nov. 22 Park/Sharon Thanksgiving worship (7 p.m. Sharon Presby. Church) Nov. 30 Advent Dinner Dec/Jan 2017 Newsletter Articles & Information Deadline: Friday, November 11th. Submit your articles to qhpcnewsletter@gmail.com QHPC Members & Friends Copies of the current The Bell & The Well are available on our website ( and in the Narthex. If you prefer to have the newsletter mailed to you, please call the church office ( ). Are you receiving the Weekly Update? If not, call Debby Coles (church office) to be put on the distribution list.

11 PAGE 11 November Ushers Gifts were received from the following members & friends of QHPC: Rich & Gale Bonnell Jodi, Jamie, & Jonathan Hearn John Peeples Sandra Stowe Jim & Georgene Sherer Ed & Lynn Boger Elton & Helen Parker Cheryl Mims in memory of Virginia King Usher Coordinators: Allen Smith & Steve Nelson September 2016 Financial Report September Tithes and Offerings YTD Tithes and Offerings YTD Budget for Tithes & Offerings: YTD Actual Tithes & Offerings vs. Budget Cheryl Mims in memory of Myrtle Ellington the church website: $24,496 $224,005 $242,029 -$18,024 YTD Total Church & Preschool Actual Revenues (offerings + other revenues) versus Expenses: + $33,954 Debt Retirement Update Outstanding Loan balance: $292,961 Remember: If a portion of your giving is meant specifically for Debt Retirement, please indicate your intent on your check. New address? New mailing address? New phone number? Please notify Debby Coles (debra@qhpc.org; ) of your changes Giving Update 2016 Pledges 2017 Pledges to date 97 Pledges Pledge Total: $268, Pledges Pledge Total: $28,450 Christ calls us to be His church! Our response is a giving response, a Christ-response. That s how we make a difference in and through our mission and witness. Submit cheerfully a 2017 Giving Card. In returning a Giving Card, we say, Y es to the Lord and No to evil! Giving cards are available in the Narthex and church office.

12 Class of 2016 Session Class of 2017 Loving God...loving neighbor Class of 2018 Marybet Hudson Scott Kusel Pettus Lilliott Grace Mitchell Joel Aelick, Co-Clerk Rich Bonnell, Co-Clerk Bill Navarro Linda Patterson Virgil Adkins Fay Miller Moderator: Gus Succop, Pastor VISIT US ON THE WEB! Visit us on Facebook! CHURCH OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday: 9:00 to 12:30 p.m. Quail Hollow Presbyterian Church (USA) Learning Hour: 9:45 a.m. Worship: 11 a.m. Church Office: Preschool: Office Fax: Newsletter published monthly from Quail Hollow Presbyterian Church 8801 Park Road Charlotte, North Carolina 28210