The Chronicle From the Pastor...Rev. Dr. Darryl Goldman What comes to your mind when you think about Thanksgiving? Macey s Day Parade? NFL Football? Black Friday shopping? OK, I ll admit the painful truth--i think about food--pumpkin pie, roasted turkey, sweet potato soufflé (must have marshmallows on it) and dressing. Linda s family (from north of here) will roast the turkey with stuffing inside it made from white bread. My mother made dressing out of cornbread, with giblet gravy. Linda said if I got her a recipe she would make the gravy. The recipe said, heart, gizzard, liver and other visceral organs and the subject never came up again. Her mother made cranberry sauce from scratch but, somehow, not having the sauce stand up in the form of a tube with rings around it just doesn t seem natural. Most of us think of family. You travel to visit someone or they visit you and you tell stories, eat pie, and see how much all the children have grown. You also see how many will talk to one another through their cell phones rather than across the table. However, tradition rules at Thanksgiving. I once visited a family where the wife cooked the turkey with its legs removed. The husband remarked that they had only recently discovered that his wife s mother always cooked her turkey without legs so it would fit in her pan! But, now it s our tradition, she said. While many of us may take these family gatherings for granted it s not everyone s experience. Some who lost a spouse will not feel like going out or having company and will be alone. Or, those with a sick spouse may feel isolated. Some will be in the hospital or nursing home. A single parent may not be able to get with children for various reasons. If this applies to you, there is no shame in saying you do not wish to be alone this Thanksgiving. Give me a call or send me an email letting me know you are available and would like to join someone in their Thanksgiving celebration. Last year we had several families who said they would be happy to include others. Also, our church does a magnificent job of packaging up entire Thanksgiving dinners for those who cannot afford a turkey or the trimmings. We want to help and sometimes knowing where the needs are is the most challenging part of helping. Thanksgiving is most fulfilling when we see it as a time for saying thanks to a merciful, generous God for all our blessings. With hearts full of thanksgiving, everything else that happens on this holiday seems so much better. The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him. Psalm 28:7 Darryl N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7
P A G E 2 Dorothy Johnson 11/2 Jean Coshow 11/2 Tom Meier 11/7 K. Terri Morris 11/16 Faye Anderson 11/17 Barbara Allen 11/21 John Newbill 11/23 B.J. Breeding 11/28 Bob & Connie Lawton 11/1 George & Kay Hilleary 11/12 Dan & B.J. Breeding 11/16 John & Shelly Shull 11/17 Dan & Carol Watt 11/29 Every Wednesday Potluck Supper at 6:00 PM Bible Study for all Ages at 6:30 PM Choir Rehearsal 7:30 PM MISSION OPPORTUNITY FEED THE NEED SCHOOL BACKPACKS To continue with our theme of Helping Children at Risk, your Mission Ministry Team is going to be partnering with several churches in the community to provide food through the City-Wide Backpack Food Program again. This is for children who may not otherwise have enough to eat over the weekend. A plastic bag is filled with food and the school puts these bags in their backpack each Friday. If you prefer, we will gladly accept monetary donations. Leave your check in the envelope provided or bring cash to the office during the week. We are excited to continue this mission again and need your support and continued prayers. Thank you to everyone who helped last year feed the need in our schools--you did a great job! Food Suggestions: instant oatmeal cereal/granola Bars Ramen Noodles canned dinners (spaghetti, chili, stew) canned or pouches of tuna or chicken Individual packaged snack crackers microwave popcorn fruit roll-ups/snack packs individual cereal boxes Pop Tarts canned soups boxed dinners microwave Mac n cheese small boxes of raisins individual pkg. fruits Everything must be non-perishable. Packing date Nov. 15 at 5:30p. Page Turners (book club) The new read for November is Ashley s Ashes by Frank McCourt. We will review this book on Tuesday, November 28, at 10:00 am in the church library. Everyone welcome to join the discussion. Barbara Allen
PAGE Blessing of the Pets, October 18 A R F F A R F F All Creatures of our God and King, Lift up your voice and let us sing. 3
PAGE 4 Thank you to Barbara Wyle for two new books this month. Liberty (A Novel of Lake Wobegon) by Garrison Keillor A delightful book of a small town, Lake Wobegon, which celebrates the Fourth of July in a BIG way! What about Clint Bunsen though? What in the world is his plan? Many surprising twists and turns. Women of the Bible by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda This is a study guide that provides you the opportunity to slow down and savor the story of God s love for his people. It features 52 women of the Bible from Eve to Priscilla, whose struggles to live with faith and courage are not unlike those of today s Christian women. It is inspiring. You ll see how God acts in surprising and wonderful ways to draw you to Himself. VETERANS DAY, NOVEMBER 11 Take time to thank a Veteran today for serving. Remember to pray for those families who have lost a loved one in line of service and for those soldiers who are still protecting our freedom. PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN The Presbyterian Women of St. Andrew will meet on Tuesday, November 7, at 7:00 PM in the church fellowship hall. Our Bible study is "In Community with the Living Word," led by Barbara Allen. All ladies are welcome. Please join us. Annual Bake and Craft Sale Sunday, November 19
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PAGE 6 TRUNK N TREAT
Wednesday, November 29 Decorating 4:00-6:00 pm Soup Supper furnished at 6:00 pm Hanging of the Greens Service 6:30 pm Adult Choir 7:30 pm As the advent and Christmas season approaches, it is once again time to be thinking about placing your poinsettia order in memory of or in honor of the special people in your life. The cost is $10 each plant. The deadline to order is Wednesday, November 29. There is an order sheet in the church office. Please make checks payable to the church. You may take your poinsettia home following the Christmas Eve service. Change your clock back one hour Saturday night, November 4, before you go to bed! See you Sunday morning! Thanksgiving Meal Collection Our yearly Thanksgiving Meal project is in progress! Together, we will provide Thanksgiving meals for 45 local families. Below are the items needed for the meal. A designated area at the Donation Location is set up for the items. Thank you for your continued support. Corn - 2 regular or 1 large can Green Beans - 2 regular or 1 large can Candied Yams - 2 regular cans or 1 large can Cranberry Sauce - 1 regular can Cornmeal - 2 or 5 lb. bag Instant Potatoes (no fresh potatoes please) Boxed Dessert Mix (If bringing cake, bring frosting.) Monetary donations for turkeys may be made in the office. Make check payable to St. Andrew and place in envelope. Greg Vogel, Mission Chair
November 2017 Service Times: Sunday School - 8:45 a.m. Morning Worship -10:00 a.m. P A G E 8 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 Noon-Brown Bag Lunch Supper 6:00p Study 6:30 p Choir 7:30 p 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Communion Stewardship Sunday 6-8 pm Civic Chorus 7:00 p PW Worship Comm. 5:00 p Supper 6:00p Study 6:30 p Choir 7:30 p 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Civic Chorus Rehearsal 6:30 Session 4:30 p Backpack 5:30 p Supper 6:00p Study 6:30 p Choir 7:30 p Civic Chorus Concert 7 p at SAPC 19 PW Annual Bake & Craft Sale 20 21 22 No church activities office closed 22-23 23 24 25 26 27 28 Page Turners 10:00 a 29 Soup Supper 6:00 p Hanging of the Greens 6:30 p Choir 7:30 p 30
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church 3310 Danville Rd SW Decatur, AL 35603 The Chronicle is published monthly by St. Andrew Presbyterian Church. To submit articles by email, please submit to: churchoffice@standrewdecatur.org by the 22nd of each month. Phone: 256-355-6310 Email: churchoffice@standrewdecatur.org www.standrewdecatur.org Where God s Love Transforms Lives NOVEMBER VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE 11/5 11/12 11/19 11/26 Liturgists Linda Webster Nellie Gates Harold Culbert Stu Strong Ushers John Abbott Stu Strong John Newbill Harold Moore J. Brandon, alt. Don Foster Turner Matthews John Shull Ed Wyle F. Webster, alt. Doug Coshow Dan Watt Bob Naumann Greg Vogel G. Hilleary, alt. Dave Ellerbe Harold Culbert Fate Webster Ceil Hydrick J. Boyd, alt. Children s Message None/ Communion Rev. Goldman Barb Mouton Rev. Goldman Nursery Lee Zeiher Carol Strong Joan Jordan B. J. Breeding Wednesday Host 11/1 Nellie Gates 11/8 Bob & Jackie Naumann 11/15 11/29 Communion October 1 Preparer: Linda Grissom Intinction