Life at Unity. October 8, The History to Our Story Team (HOST) has displayed an exhibit highlighting various aspects of Unity s 230 years.

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.. Page 4 Go MAD Page 6 And Much More HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS The History to Our Story Team (HOST) has displayed an exhibit highlighting various aspects of Unity s 230 years.

1 Life at Unity October 8, 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: Vacation Page 3 Advent... Page 3 Matching Gifts... Page 4 Go MAD Page 6 And Much More HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS The History to Our Story Team (HOST) 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. TIMELINE COMING SOON In the next couple of weeks, a timeline of the 230-year history of Unity Presbyterian Church will be unveiled on the wall between the 2010 Sanctuary Building and the Ministries Building. Ours is a rich history, including events that may bring both pride and regret. During these 230 years, Fort Mill has grown in population and diversity, has moved from an agricultural and small town mill economy into a suburban, service, and manufacturing economy. Unity Presbyterian Church has both adapted to and led the community to meet these changes and challenges. Learn what God has done and is doing among us. Share your reflections and experiences as a member of this community of faith. On post-it notes provided by the timeline, you and your entire family are encouraged to write your thoughts and thereby add to Unity s collective story. These may note meaningful personal events: baptisms (your own or your children), confirmation, joining the church, marriage, call to service as an officer, initiating new ministries at Unity or in the community (Preschool, Habitat, Family Promise, Honduras Mission, Stephen Ministry, etc.), participation in mission outreach. Place your post-it notes on the timeline when they occurred. PRAYER CONCERNS 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

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION STAFF Kathryn McGregor Director of Christian Education (children and adults) KMcGregor@UnityFortMill.org CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Rev. Lindsay White Assoc.

org Linda Bunge Director of Unity Preschool PreschoolAtUnity@gmail.com Lauren Lochel Nursery Coordinator Nursery@UnityFortMill.org #FLAT JESUS AT UNITY.

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

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.

More information is available on the church website. Please be sure to register for the meal each week by Wednesday at noon. YEAR OF THE BIBLE READINGS FOR THE WEEK OF OCT.

17-18/John 7 Saturday: Jeremiah 19-20/John 8 YEAR OF THE BIBLE: TRIVIA TRIVIA QUESTIONS OCT.

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. YEAR OF THE BIBLE READINGS FOR THE WEEK OF OCT. 7 Sunday: Jeremiah 7-8/Psalm 114, 115 Monday: Jeremiah 9-10/John 4 Tuesday: Jeremiah /John 5 Wednesday: Jeremiah 13-14/John 6 Thursday: Jeremiah /Psalms 116 Friday: Jeremiah 17-18/John 7 Saturday: Jeremiah 19-20/John 8 YEAR OF THE BIBLE: TRIVIA TRIVIA QUESTIONS OCT. 1 But first, the answers to last week s questions: Hebrews calls Jesus a priest along the lines of mysterious Old Testament Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6 and 7) Isaiah compares God s word to rain and snow which when they are sent forth accomplish their task successfully. (Isa 55:10-11) While you re reading this week, think about these questions: A major problem in Israel was knowing which prophets were truly bringing God s word. Which prophet disagree with Jeremiah s prophecies about Nebuchadnezzar? nto whom does Jesus say I am the resurrection and the life? 2

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN NOMINATION VACATION OF A LIFE TIME! Mark your calendars now for a Vacation of a Lifetime next summer at our new Intergenerational VBS!

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!

3 PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN NOMINATION 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. Nominations are currently being accepted for Presbyterian Women Honorary Life Membership Award. The forms can be picked up in the church office, in the narthex, or online. The deadline is December 8th and forms can be turned into the church office. Contact Ruth Boetsch at grboetsch@comporium.net if you need additional information. Please help us honor a deserving woman of Unity. 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 mornings of October 14th and 21st. 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 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. CREATIVE CONNECTIONS The Creative Connections participants would like to express our sincere thanks to Unity s Endowment Board, and by extension the entire Unity family, for awarding us $200 to help cover the expenses of baptism shell chrismons and newborn cross-stitched bibs. We are happy to provide these tokens marking significant moments in our church members lives. Thank you again for your financial support enabling this ministry to continue. 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!! MATCHING GIFTS Many companies offer matching gift programs to encourage employees to contribute to charitable organizations. Some provide matching funds to support employee volunteer hours. Please check with your company to see if it offers a matching gift program. This simple step may increase the impact of your contribution at no cost to you. Your personal gift and any matched contribution will be applied according to your designation. If your company s charitable contribution matching program is for Community Support, all donations will be designated for the support of our local outreach programs. Unity s Employer Identification Number (EIN) (i.e. Federal Tax Identification Number), is for your employer s information. 4

LUNCH BUNCH TRIP DEADLINE APPROACHING ABBEVILLE OPERA HOUSE "ALMOST MAINE" INTERIM PROGRESS The interim period has reached the 10 month point, and as your interim minister, I want to provide an

5 LUNCH BUNCH TRIP DEADLINE APPROACHING ABBEVILLE OPERA HOUSE "ALMOST MAINE" 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; registration is due by Oct 7). 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 DATE: November 10th TIMES: Depart Unity 11:30am; Return 9:00pm COST: $62 per person INCLUDES: SHOW TRANSPORTATION Modern 56 passenger bus (rest stop in route) LUNCH Yoder s Dutch Oven Buffet following the play DEADLINE: October 15th The play takes place on a cold, clear, moonless night in the middle of winter in the mythical town of Almost, Maine. As the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, Almost residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways. Knees are bruised and hearts broken, but the knees and hearts mend - almost - in this delightful mid-winter night's dream. The historic Opera House opened in 1908 in the heyday of Vaudeville, and is listed in the National Registration of Historic Places. It is an attraction in itself. Contact Bill Vierstra at with any questions you may have. See you on 11/10/18. LUNCH BUNCH Upcoming Lunch Bunch on October 29 at noon! Lunch Bunch welcomes Unity member Ann Spitzer. Ann s family has a special connection to the World War I poem, In Flanders Fields. She has developed a speech (with power point) that will make for a most appropriate program. 5

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org You can find all of the information about our church here, upcoming events, registration forms, and more. FACEBOOK: Unity Presbyterian Church has a Facebook page!

GOOGLE+: Did you know the more reviews we have on Google, the faster our website is pulled up when someone is searching?

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 STAY IN TOUCH You already know about our newsletter, but did you know there are other ways to engage with Unity Presbyterian? WEBSITE: You can find all of the information about our church here, upcoming events, registration forms, and more. FACEBOOK: Unity Presbyterian Church has a Facebook page! Like us for inspirational quotes, Bible verses, event pictures, and interesting articles. GOOGLE+: Did you know the more reviews we have on Google, the faster our website is pulled up when someone is searching? Review us by googling Unity Fort Mill, just click the review button on the right hand side! YELP: Help new people find us by rating us on the Yelp app! Share your stories there too. If you have any news, suggestions, or announcements, please contact commspecialist@unityfortmill.org Church Office Emergency Pastoral Line Senior Interim Pastor Mark E. Diehl Senior Associate Pastor Jeannie Bickett Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry Lindsay White

Life at Unity. October 15, 2018

Life at Unity. October 15, 2018 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