Bridgeport Presbyterian Church NEWSLETTER OF BRIDGEPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH JUNE 2014 VOLUME 21 NUMBER 6 WWW.BRIDGEPORTPRESBYTERIAN.COM Church Events June You are invited! 7:30 pm, June 26 In the Sanctuary For the VBS Picture Presentation And Children Singing Followed by an Ice Cream Social 2 Christian Education 9 Resource Management 10 Session 16 Outreach 16 CLC 18 Men s Breakfast 23 Vacation Bible School 24 - Vacation Bible School 25 Vacation Bible School 26 Vacation Bible School In Fellowship Hall
Men s Breakfast The Men s Breakfast Group will meet at 7:00 AM on Wednesday, June 18, in the back room of Eat n Park Restaurant on Bridgeport Hill. Bring a friend along and join us. As always, you are encouraged to invite a friend or neighbor to join with us for a time of Christian fellowship. Remember Men s Breakfast is the third Wednesday of each month! JUNE BIRTHDAYS 1 Bob Graeber 1 J.D. Lister 15 Marcus Pinti 4 Drew Tate 17 Traci Liebig 7 Mary Jo Hitt 20 Pauline Snyder 8 Steve Atkinson 23 Nancy Aucremanne 8 Beth McCaughtery 25 Robin Ray 11 Barbara Judy 25 Kevin McMullen JUNE ANNIVERSARIES 1 Kathleen & Phillip Dodson 17 Freddie & Don Villers 10 Nancy & Steve Atkinson 21 Rita & Carl Friebel 16 Barbara & Ralph Bean 22 Ruth & Robert Allen 27 Stacey & Kevin McMullen
Dear Friends, Over the last few weeks, as I attended different functions for graduates, I often have thought about the families who will have teenagers leaving home for the first time. I wonder how it will be at home for the parents, with the stillness and quietness that fills a house because an active, noisy teen is absent. No jangling phone, no messy bedroom, no rushing in or out with doors slamming, no bathroom occupied for hours on end. All the drama and excitement is gone. I think about how they might find it nice to have a quiet, neat home, but also how empty it might feel. I have been feeling the same empty nest syndrome around our church. There are a few more empty pews, fewer interruptions and stories during children s time, fewer hands to help around the church. We have lost members this past year to: separation/divorce, death, temporary job transfer, moving to be near grandchildren and to other churches and we grieve each and every loss. We miss their presence amongst us. This provides us with new challenges as a church. Unless everyone volunteers, the weight can become too great for those carrying it and they burn out. Finances become tighter and choices need to be made on how to stretch our budget dollars. New families seeking a church might pass us by because of the lack of children and youth in our congregation. What do we need to do to bring new life and vitality to our church? What is our mission? What can we do to share the joy and fellowship we experience as a community of faith with others within our local community? As a part of our community of faith, what you think is important. If you have ideas and recommendations I would like to know as would your session. Please contact us. In the near term what can you do this summer? *If you are not already involved in something in the church, volunteer - many hands make light *Invite a neighborhood child to come to VBS June 23-26, volunteer to bring them if their parents are unable and stay to help or attend the adult bible study. *Invite a neighbor to the closing program for VBS and the ice-cream social, Thursday evening at 7:30. *Lead Children s Sunday School one week. *Come to Burgers and a Bible in July and bring a friend or neighbor. *Invite or bring a child to hear Brent Vernon on July 18 for dinner and a program. *Volunteer an hour or two at the Book Sale in August This is our church and we need to come together to do God s work and to sustain our church programs. Forty years ago a Great Cloud of Witnesses had a vision for a Presbyterian Church in Bridgeport; we are called to keep this vision alive.
The scriptures remind us that God knows the number of hairs on our head; the tiny birds of the air are each known by God. So who we are, counts. We count to the church; we count to God; and no matter where we go, we still are a part of the family of God. Help us to keep our family alive and growing. Pastor Robin Burgers and the Bible Wednesdays in July Each week we will gather at a different home for dinner and a Bible study. There will be something for everyone from our youngest members through to adults. Our children are studying Paul this summer and we will continue this discussion on Wednesday evenings. We will meet as a large group for dinner and then break into smaller groups for the Bible study. Here is an overview for our study: Overall theme-life of Paul for Today Week One-Paul before his conversion Saul/Paul was not an obvious choice as a leader for Christianity, just like many of us feel that we are not the obvious choice. Week two Paul Immediately after his conversion How has being a Christian changed your life? Week three Paul s first Missionary Journey Looking at the differences/similarities between evangelism and Mission. How to we speak to others who do not know the language of the church? Week Four Divisions in the Community of Believer s Looking at some issues that divide the church and how do we work together in love. Week Five-Understanding Joy When or in what situation does Christian Faith bring you joy? The Congregational Life Committee is busy brainstorming ways to increase fellowship and encourage new membership in our church. All ideas our welcome! Tammy
Pentecost Special Offering Pentecost Sunday will be June 8. It s easy for us to use a word like investment when referring to gifts made to support our youth and young adults, but sometimes the meaning can become lost in hyperbole. Yes, these gifts will no-doubt pay off in the future, but let us remember the impact that these gifts can make right now, especially right here in our community. Each year on Pentecost Sunday we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit as a bringer of new life. With the Spirit s coming, we no longer need to settle for business as usual but can know the transforming, redeeming love of God that makes the impossible possible. The Pentecost Offering is one of the four Special Offerings of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). When you give to the Pentecost Offering during Sunday morning worship, you help bring God s transforming, redeeming love to children at risk, guide and nurture young people s growing faith, and provide opportunities for young adults to become spiritual leaders all in the name of Jesus Christ. Forty percent of the Offering stays within your own congregation to support ministries that help children at risk. The remainder is sent to the Presbyterian Mission Agency to support programs to help youth and young adults and advocate for children at risk. Your session has approved using its 40% of the Pentecost offering, including the loose plate offering, to provide scholarships for youth to attend the Presbytery s Bluestone Camp this summer. Please consider making a special Pentecost gift to help youth and young adults and advocate for children at risk. Resource Management Maintaining our beautiful church is an ongoing endeavor. The updated work project list is as follows: a) Lawn mowing - Ongoing b) Front stoop carpet replacement begun May 13; a. Carpet Showcase generously donated the carpet for this project; c) Sanctuary fan replacements June 21; d) Sanctuary carpet cleaning; e) Kitchen/washroom floor repair; f) Fellowship Hall floor buffing; g) Painting; h) Exterior of kitchen steel door painting; i) Holly tree removal; and j) Parking lot resealing. Anyone interested in assisting on these projects should contact Dave Davis or Kevin McMullen and we will be happy to match you with a project.
Bridgeport Presbyterian Church The Church Office is open Monday-Friday 9:30am 12:30pm Email: Pastor Robin Ray pastorrobin@bridgeportpresbyterian.com Email: Office office@bridgeportpresbyterian.com Website: www.bridgeportpresbyterian.com Pastor Robin Ray 842-3332 Clerk of Session Ruth Allen 842-3638 Treasurer Jessica Johnson 543-7569 Interim Director of Music Beth Armentrout 745-4881 Presbyterian Women Sue Davis 842-6532 Janitorial Support Sharon Salate 842-2211 Bookkeeper Janice Oldaker 842-2211 Bridgeport Presbyterian Church 1 John Calvin Drive Bridgeport WV 26330