The Highlander. Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church Invites You to Join Us for Worship Every Sunday at 10:30 AM

Transcription

1 Saint Andrews UPC NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION 201 East Jefferson Street US POSTAGE PAID Butler, PA PERMIT NO 34 BUTLER CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED The Highlander Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church 201 East Jefferson Street, Butler, PA Rev. Merry Hope Meloy, Pastor Phone website: February 2015 Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church Invites You to Join Us for Worship Every Sunday at 10:30 AM Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church 201 E. Jefferson Street, Butler, PA Phone: (724) website: MINISTERS All members of the church PASTORAL MINISTRY EDUCATION MINISTRY Rev. Merry Hope Meloy Stephanie Slezak, Youth Ministry Lori Haughey, Children s Ministry Hm Allison Martin, Nursery Ministry MUSIC MINISTRY Deanna Golden, Director Chuck Davey, Organist Susan Moon, Bell Choirs OFFICE MINISTRY Danielle Smith, Office Manager/Bookkeeper Office Hours: Monday Thursday 9:30 AM 2:30 PM Closed Friday

2 Worship with Us in February 2015 Sunday, February 1 4th Sunday after Epiphany 10:30 am Worship 11:30 am Soup Luncheon Sunday, February 8 5th Sunday after Epiphany 10:30 am Worship with Rev. Jim Campbell Sunday, February 15 Transfiguration of the Lord Sunday 10:30 am Worship Wednesday, February 18 Ash Wednesday 7:00 pm Community Service at Saint Andrews Sunday, February 22 1st Sunday in Lent 10:30 am Worship with Communion Our worship service is broadcast at 11:00 am every Sunday on WBUT Radio 1050 AM. February 4 February 5 February 7 February 9 February 12 February 14 February 16 February 18 February 22 February 24 February 27 February 28 All in the Family The sympathy and resurrection faith of the congregation go out to the McCaslin family. Helen McCaslin died on Sunday, January 18, Please keep her loved ones in your prayers. February Birthdays Lois Clement, Patricia Morgan Kris Caplan, Lori Love-Franke Anzie Kelley Gladys Beaver Maddie McGraw Richard Franke Andrew Hazle Seth Co on, Nicholas Ripper Brendan Stevens, Derek Stevens, Bob Stevens Jeanne Wilson Shari Manos Donna Jenereski 2015 Flower Calendar Would you like to donate the chancel flowers for one or more worship services? The Flower Calendar still has openings for: Worship Helpers for February 2015 Liturgist Children s Sermon Children s Church Acolyte 1 Denise Hawks Dawn Grossman None Danielle Golden 8 Susan Moon Susan Moon Janice King Kevin Golden 15 Travis Grossman Liv Mulneix None Ben Grossman 22 Bob Eamigh Denise Hawks Lori Haughey Nate Grossman Ushers 1 Rick Kelley Anzie Kelley Susan Race Don Eyth 8 Chuck King Bob Gladd Vickie Swigart Jeanne Wilson 15 Jon McKay Natalie McKay Shari Manos Andrew Hazlett 22 Scott Hazlett Mary Ann Hazlett Carol Landis Dave Landis February 8 February 22 March 1 March 8 March 29 The calendar is in the narthex. When you sign up, don t forget to tell us if the flowers are in honor or in memory of someone, or if they are to commemorate an important date. The flowers you donate are yours to take home after the worship service, or you may leave them and a Deacon will take them to one of our homebound members. The cost is $40. Thank you!

3 Dinner with Friends Dinner with Friends will be gathering on Saturday, February 21, at 6:00 pm at the Hardwood Cafe. Please RSVP Susan Moon at if you would like to come. It s always a wonderful night out! Save the Date! 50 s Sock Hop Saturday, March 14, :00 pm in the Bethany Room Everyone is invited to the coolest party in town! Dig out your poodle skirt, find your leather jacket, polish your saddle shoes, and come on out for dancing, food, games, food, friends, and FUN! Dear Friends in Christ, We would like to thank everyone who donated to our Edith E. Weckerly Memorial Bear Drive. It was quite a success. 53 bears were collected! On January 9, which was Edith s birthday, we distributed all 53 bears to residents at the Saxony Health Center in Saxonburg. The residents were very pleased. Some of their faces just lit up when they were handed a bear. We saw how important the bear became to mom. It was something she could hold on to through everything. We wanted to give this love to others so they could hold on tight to something when others were not around. All of you helped to make this happiness for many. This bear drive is something we would like to continue every year in honor of Edith (our wife, mom, grandmother, and special friend). Each year we will deliver bears to a different nursing facility on January 9 and be able to see the joy in those faces of ones who have endured so much. With love and thanks, The Weckerly and Mulneix Family (Ken, Kendra, Dan, Justin, and Liv) Soup Luncheon The Youth Group is hosting a Soup Luncheon on Sunday, February 1, in the Memorial Room immediately after worship. The youth will provide a variety of delicious soups and salad. Everyone is asked to bring a dessert to share. Donations received at the luncheon will benefit the Youth Group s local mission efforts. See you there! Pastor Merry on Study Leave Pastor Merry will be out of town February 2 through February 9 for a week of continuing education. She will be attending the APCE (Association of Presbyterian Church Educators) annual conference in Baltimore. While she is away, Rev. Jim Swanson will be available in case of emergencies. If you have a pastoral care need or concern, please call Danielle at our church office ( ) or Rev. Swanson at Covenant ( ). Rev. Jim Campbell will be leading us in worship on February 8th. Please welcome him! Community Ash Wednesday Service Join us as we begin the season of Lent in worship with our Presbyterian sisters and brothers in Christ. Our Community Ash Wednesday Service will be on February 18 at 7:00 pm at Saint Andrews. The service will include Communion. Childcare will be provided. Bring a neighbor and come! Communion Sunday, February 22, 2015 We will be celebrating the Lord s Supper together during worship on the First Sunday of Lent, February 22nd. Please join us!

4 Building Funds Update (As of January 18, 2015) Project Donations to Date Target Amount % Raised Ramp Fund $32,271 $40, % A/C Fund $20,281 $72, % Total $57,552 $117, % In addition to your regular giving envelopes and the McKee Memorial giving envelopes, there is an envelope labeled Offering for Saint Andrews Building Improvements. It appears around the middle of each month throughout the year. These envelopes may be used to help fund any of our recent building projects. Please indicate on the front of the envelope if you would prefer to have your gift credited to the Ramp Fund or the Air Conditioning Fund. Thank you in advance for you generous giving! Per Capita is Due in February Per Capita is an allotment that Saint Andrews owes the Beaver- Butler Presbytery for each active member on our rolls. This money is used at the Presbytery, Synod, and General Assembly levels to pay operating expenses salaries, utilities, supplies, etc. This year, the rate is $40.00 per member. If you wish to pay your portion of our per capita, you may use the envelope marked Denominational Apportionment You may also simply mark per capita on the memo line of a check made out to Saint Andrews. Thank you. Contribution Statements Contribution Statements were mailed on January 29, If you have any questions about your Statement of Giving for 2014, please don t hesitate to call the church office at Thank you! A few weeks ago, Pastor Merry quoted a small portion of a nun s prayer during her sermon. The nun s words resonated with many of us and a number of people have asked for copies. The full prayer is printed below. 17 th Century Nun s Prayer Lord, you know better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody s affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all, but you know Lord that I want a few friends at the end. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of other s pains, but help me to endure them with patience. I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a Saint some of them are so hard to live with but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people. And, give me O Lord, the grace to tell them so.

5 The Church in Action The Chili Cook-Off was exciting and the events surrounding the entire day full of grace. Yes, the entire day. When Pastor Merry arrived in the morning to finalize preparations for Helen McCaslin s memorial service, she found the water company digging up the fire hydrant by the Cliff Street entrance. She was told the water would be shut off around noon. Pastor Merry then went into warp speed knowing that the luncheon following the service would have to be moved. Our brothers and sisters in Christ at Covenant Presbyterian Church grace-fully agreed to let us use their church to host the lunch. Elders from our church grace-fully escorted Helen s family and friends to Covenant where our Deacons cool, calm, composed and full of grace served a delicious, comforting meal. The water company workers, realizing what a pickle we were in, grace-fully accepted the many questions and inquiries about whether they would be done in time for the Chili Cook-Off. They smiled at Pastor Merry every time she appeared in robe, holding her Bible. We actually considered surrounding the gaping hole and workers, holding hands, and praying over them. The workers informed us around 2:00 p.m. that they would not be done in time and that we would have no water meaning the event would have to be moved or cancelled. Once again, our friends at Covenant grace-fully stepped up and agreed to let us have the event at their church. A path was soon worn between the two churches as trips were made back and forth to decide where everything could be set up. But prayers were answered and about 2:45 p.m., the workers told us they could temporarily patch the fire hydrant and water could be had after all! By 3:00 p.m. the water was back on, and we were good to go by 3:30 p.m.... one-half hour before our 4:00 p.m. decision deadline! The event was very well attended; the entertainment Becky Veith on keyboards and Laurel Colonello on acoustic guitar was fantastic; the chili delicious; the many baskets creative and the abundance of baked goods sold like hotcakes. It was so nice to survey the room and see so many volunteers helping and the community at large laughing, sharing, and gulping down chili. I don t know what the totals are yet, but I do know the ripple effect of helping people in need will be HUGE and that suffering will be prevented by the spaying and neutering of many, many animals. And why was the event so successful? Because of the grace of God and all of you. You came together to make it happen. You who hung posters; you who bought tickets; you who volunteered; you who donated baskets, Thank You! I told Pastor Merry, I think angels wings are in the wrong place. They should be moved down by their posteriors, because I know I saw a bunch of angels on January 24th flying by the seats of their pants! With Gratitude, Susan Race Revelation Revealed Join us as we continue our journey through the famous (or infamous) "Revelation to John," with Rev. Jim Campbell as our guide. The book of Revelation has led some people to near insanity and others to a profound realization of God's saving grace. It has provided the seed for doomsday books, movies and sermons as well as inspiring music and children's stories, Some people refuse to read it, while others base their lives and religion on it as if it were the only book in the Bible. So what can we make of it and what can it teach us today? Rev. Campbell has noticed that much of Revelation is written as a fantastic picture book but the pictures are in words, paragraphs and chapters. Often these word pictures are difficult to imagine so we are looking at artists' renditions of some of the images. Though some of the pictures would be rated R for violence, we will end up singing halleluiah just in time for the upcoming Easter season. Our study runs through Sunday, February 8 th. We meet at 9:15 in the church library. There s a seat waiting for you. Grab a cup of coffee and come! Tis a Gift to be Simple Tis a Gift to be Free Lenten Study on Living a Simpler Life Starts February 22nd Do you find yourself busier than you want to be? Are your calendar and closets filled with too much stuff? This Lent, we ll be focusing on the spiritual practice of simplicity and the joys of living lightly. Join us as we explore some of the blessings and challenges of choosing less in a world of more. Our study begins the First Sunday in Lent, February 22, at 9:15 in the church library. See you there!

6 Souper Bowl of Caring Offering On Sunday, February 1, our youth will have soup pots in the narthex for the Souper Bowl of Caring Offering. Our donations will benefit the Salvation Army s efforts to alleviate hunger in Butler. Every dollar dropped in a soup pot helps people in need feel the power of God s love! First Sunday Mission Offering At the beginning of each month, we receive the First Sunday Mission Offering. The McKee Memorial Offering is our biggest foreign mission project and is collected quarterly. It helps fund the work of Dr. Barbara Nagy (a PCUSA medical missionary serving in Malawi). The rest of the year, the First Sunday Mission Offering goes to other local, national, and international missions. This year, our recipients will be: January McKee Memorial Fund February Youth Souper Bowl of Caring March BERI (Butler County Emergency Relief Initiative) April McKee Memorial and One Great Hour of Sharing May The Community Health Clinic of Butler County June The Lighthouse Foundation July McKee Memorial Fund August Catholic Charities September The Indo-American Home for Children for our Sponsored Child, Naveen October McKee Memorial Fund November Samaritan Counseling Center December Saint Andrews General Fund Each month, the Mission Team will provide information about that month s mission project and report on the collection from the previous month. Thank you all for your faithful generosity! Scholarship Applications Applications for scholarship money from the Elmer Bell Trust Fund are now available for the academic year. Income from the trust is to be used for scholarships in memory of Mr. Bell s parents, Nellie M. and Lester H. Bell, and his aunt and uncle, Pearl and Frank W. Clark. The scholarships are intended for members of the congregation who are high school graduates and are pursuing higher education. To apply for a portion of this year s scholarship money, please contact the church office for an application. The application deadline is April 1, 2015 Chili Cook-Off Thank You A round of applause and a huge Thank You goes out to EVERYONE who supported the 8 th Annual Chili Cook-Off! From publicity to phone calls, from baking to basketmaking, from decorating to dish-washing, from music to mingling, this event could not have happened without you. Special thanks to our sponsors: Butler County Ford, Martin Sales and Service, Magnotti and Son, Meridian Equine Associates, Myoma Animal Hospital, NSPC LLC, The Butler Florist, The Store on Main Antiques and Collectibles, Thompson-Miller Funeral Home and Butler Pet Cremation, and Quality Gardens. This year s Chili Cook-Off winner was Butler Memorial Hospital. Our Cook-Off participants were (#1) Mac s Café, (#2) Fairground Market, (#3) Butler Memorial Hospital, (#4) Monroe Hotel, (#5) Eat N Park. Thank you ALL for helping make this year s Chili Cook-Off a success!

7 February Youth Schedule All youth are invited to Table Talk. We meet for dinner and fellowship most Wednesdays at 5:15 pm in the Church Library. Hope to see you there! February 4 Table Talk February 11 Table Talk February 18 Ash Wednesday Service February 25 Table Talk K.I.C.K. Kids in Christ Klub K.I.C.K. is for anyone in Preschool through Fi h Grade. We meet every Wednesday from 5:15 to 7:15 pm. This month, dinners will be provided by: The Rippers (Feb. 4) The Grossmans (Feb. 11) Ash Wednesday Service (Feb. 18) Janice King (Feb. 25) Alternative Gift Fair THANK YOU Thank you to everyone for making the Youth s Alternative Gift Fair a huge success. The theme this year was Home Health Hunger, with the Youth selecting a variety of alternative gifts. Thanks to your generosity, $1, was raised to purchase the following gifts: HOME HUNGER HEALTH 1 Box of Nails 8 Meals 4 Clinic Visits 2 School Kits 2 Sets of Farming Tools 1 Mosquito Net 2 Kitchen Kits 10 Feed a Refugee Family 4 Sets of 5 Boxes of for a Week Vaccinations Shingles 8 Fruit Tree Seedlings 2 Water Purification Shingles 7 Ten Chicks Tablets 3 Feed 10 People at a 3 Shares of a Well Soup Kitchen 1 Rainwater Catch 3 Honey Bees System 4 Family of Chickens 1 Goat 2 Seedlings & Tools for a Garden Thank you again for your support of Saint Andrews Youth and the charities that benefited from the Alternative Gift Fair: Habitat for Humanity, Presbyterian Mission & ELCA Mission. Community Dinner Team If you are unable to help this month, please contact one of the following individuals. They will be more than happy to substitute if needed: Pat Patterson, or Chuck King, Lamb Team Cooks Arrive around 2:30 pm Terri Bonnett, Bob Gladd, Bud Weckerly Set-up Arrive around 4:00 pm Gary Gregson Servers Arrive around 4:45 pm Kristi Caplan, Melinda Stevens, Karen Pressler, Betty Staaf, Chuck King Clean-Up Arrive around 5:15 pm Karen Pressler, Bob Stevens, Chuck King Sunday Lunches 1st Sunday, February 1st: The Grossman Family Covenant Food Cupboard Please prayerfully consider how you can help with this ongoing mission to our neighbors. Suggested items for this month are: Cereal, Crackers, Graham Crackers, and Baby Food. The Food Cupboard happily accepts other food items as well. Food donations may be left in the grocery cart in the narthex. If you would like to make a monetary donation, just put Covenant Food Cupboard on the memo line of your check. Thank you!

8 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 4th Sunday after Epiphany 10:30 am Worship 11:30 am Soup Luncheon 12:00 pm Sunday Lunches 2 3 6:30 pm Deacons 4 5:00 pm Community Dinner Saint Andrews ( Lamb Team) 5:15 pm KICK 5:15 pm Youth Table Talk 8:00 pm Narcotics Anon. 5 6:15 pm Canticleer Ringers 7:30 pm Chancel Choir th Sunday after Epiphany 10:30 am Worship, Welcome Rev. Jim Campbell :15 am VOICe 7:30 pm Worship and Outreach 11 12:00 pm Mission Team 5:00 pm Community Dinner Hill 5:15 pm KICK 5:15 pm Youth Table Talk 8:00 pm Narcotics Anon. 12 Newsletter Deadline 5:15 pm VOICe 6:15 pm Canticleer Ringers 7:30 pm Chancel Choir Transfiguration Sunday 10:30 am Worship 11:45 am Nurture Team :30 pm Session 18 Ash Wednesday 5:00 pm Community Dinner Meridian 6:00 pm KICK Music Rehearsal 6:30 pm Choir Rehearsal 7:00 pm Ash Wed, Service at Saint Andrews 8:00 pm Narcotics Anon. 19 6:15 pm Canticleer Ringers 7:30 pm Chancel Choir :00 pm Dinner with Friends at Hardwood Cafe 22 1st Sunday in Lent 10:30 am Worship with Communion :00 pm Community Dinner Faith and Covenant 5:15 pm KICK 5:15 pm Youth Table Talk 8:00 pm Narcotics Anon. 26 6:15 pm Canticleer Ringers 7:30 pm Chancel Choir 27 28