September 2014 the Cedar Chips Pastor s Corner The four bers are left for the year: September, October, November, and December! Our days are numbered. Let s keep alert and live wisely. This summer came and gone with lots of things happening. Looking back helps me to look forward. God was there with me all the way through an eventful summer. Met a few new friends: Japanese and the rest! Lost a few beloved friends thru illnesses and tragic deaths! Lord, have mercy and heal my soul. All this made me ponder what I should do today if I drop dead tomorrow. What would God expect of me to do and to be to live each day wisely? This morning I sat outside with Max looking at the birds flying around on a crabapple tree trying to get to the bird feeders but they were cautious because Max and I were sitting on the walkway near the tree. Every life struggles to survive. Every living thing has its own difficulties to deal with. How can we lend a hand or help each other to appreciate a gift of life? We should appreciate little things of life then allow God s love to shine thru our hearts. Walking Max seeing human friends, dog friends, and cat friends along the way brings joy. Quiet morning looking at corn fields makes good conversations with God. Waving or nodding to flaggers who interrupt the travels because of unending road construction shows appreciations to other people and their jobs. Flaggers normally get frown faces and mad looks from the people. I see what can easily trigger people s anger. It happens every day. Discover and remember God s purposes for our lives and our rolls as Christians and people of the Cedar Grove Presbyterian Church. Be a little seed of faith, love, peace, and joy to make a difference. Use every day God gives us with thankful and loving hearts. Grow up and grow old with God s glory and beauty. The glory of youths is their strength, but the beauty of the aged is their gray hair. Proverbs 20: 29. Haaaaaaaaa!! We have lots of beauties around here. Give thanks. God is Good! Life is Precious! Signed Pastor Kris Our Vision Cedar Grove Presbyterian Church seeks to glorify God through nurturing spiritual growth, developing faithful discipleship, and serving our community. Pastor s a genius at selecting the right people for the right jobs.
Did you know. The Pequea Presbyterian Church was the mother church for what was originally called the Church at the Run. An early history notes that on this spot a platform was erected for the preacher and seats for the congregation. According to the Leaman history no documents were in existence to absolutely verify this. There were, however, recollections of elderly church members of Rev. Leaman s congregation (his history was written in 1853) who recall their parents stories of events happening at The Run in the 1775 period. According to one story a drove of cattle came near the congregation and a vicious bull charged the group. Church members and the pastor skipped the second sermon that day! Leaman s history notes that in that 1775 period the Gospel was preached every eighth Sunday at the Run. By 1785, the congregation at the Run wanted to select a more suitable site for a permanent church building. It was at this time that the present location for Cedar Grove was chosen. Following is Leaman s description: A beautiful grove of cedars cast their shade upon the green sod beneath, and, a few yards distant, a spring poured forth its limpid waters. On this site they erected their platform and seats From that day to the present, this has been hallowed ground. The first preacher for the congregation was the Rev Robert Smith, D.D. pastor of the Pequea Church who came every eighth Sunday to preach under the cedars. Leaman s history records that two years after Smith preached for the first time under the cedars, the Cedar Grove congregation purchased one hundred and ten perches of land immediately around where they worshiped. The agreement of purchase for this land was dated March 5th, 1787 and the amount paid was $13.33. It was not until May 21, 1791 that a deed of conveyance was made to the Trustees of and for the Presbyterian Congregation of Earl Township. 2 HOME STYLE LUNCHEON Home Style luncheon after church on Sunday, September 14. By donation. Proceeds to benefit the Cemetery Committee to continue to maintain the cemetery grounds. Luncheon to consist of ham, turkey, corn, string beans, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, apple butter, rolls, sheet cake and pies, coffee and lemonade. Sign up sheet is on the bulletin board. Holy Ground Café September 26 ~ 6:00 PM. Autumn Fest September 26 will be Autumn Fest! It will feature country style spare ribs. There will be Open Mic. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. with the meal at 6:30 p.m. The church general savings will be the beneficiary of the event. Reservations would be helpful but not required. Sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board. Word n Wow TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 10:00 A.M. Word n Wow held on the third Tuesday of the month at 10:00 a.m. Study will be Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. PASTOR KRIS S OFFICE HOURS pastorkris@frontier.com Monday through Thursday~ 9:00 am 2:00 pm Closed Friday Stop in or call for appointment if you need to see the pastor at a time other than normal office hours. Monday s will be flexible. Feel free to call the office ahead of time to be sure the Pastor is in.
Sunday School News Children & Adult Sunday School will reconvene on Sunday, September 7th at 8:45 a.m. This is the first Sunday after Labor Day. There are two Adult classes. A Beginner s Bible Study and the Adult Sunday School. Beginners Bible Study will be studying Characters from the Old Testament. All are Welcome! PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN September 8 ~ 6:30 p.m. Soup, Salad & Dessert Supper Lesson 1: The Promise & Problem of Paul Facilitator: Edie Kurtz Mission Yearbook: Oct. 6th - 1:00 p.m. Lesson 2: Paul in the Context of Ancient Corinth Facilitator: Diana Boley Mission Yearbook: Jane Downes Hostesses: Jane Downes Special Offering: Hunger BLESSING SERVICE FOR TEACHERS & CHOIR A Blessing Service for Sunday School Teachers and the Choir will be held during morning worship on Sunday, September 7 th. HONORING OUR TEACHERS We give thanks that you will lead us in the ministry of Christian education. We offer you our pledge of support. As you teach your students, may all be open to God s truth and be inspired to live the Christian life as fully as possible. Remember that we appreciate greatly the time and effort you expend as teachers of our church family. May God grant you strength and joy in your important role. BOOST All Church Leaders are encouraged to attend Boost at Highland Presbyterian Church. September 28 from 1 pm 5 pm and September 29 from 9 am 12 noon. Keynote & Worship: The Rev. Raafat Girgis, Cultivating a Heart for Evangelism through Multicultural Engagement. Sign up sheet is on bulletin board. Special dates ~ September 2014 Labor Day, September 1 National Grandparents Day, September 7 Patriot Day, September 11 First Day of Autumn, September 23 Oct. 14th - CT MTG.-At the Church 1:00 p.m. Presbyterian Women s Soup, Salad & Dessert Supper will be held on Monday, September 9 at 6:30 p.m. Bring soup, salad or dessert and join us. Please sign the sheet on the bulletin board if you plan to attend. Everyone welcome! WEDNESDAY MORNING WOMEN S BIBLE STUDY Wed. Morning Women s Bible Study & Intercessory Prayer. Beginning Sept. 3 we meet every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. Intercessory Prayer Time is prior to the Bible Study. We will continue our study in John. Everyone is welcome. YOUNG-AT-HEART LUNCHEON Young-At-Heart Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, September 17, 11:30 a.m. at Yoder s Restaurant. October Cedar Chips Please submit any articles by September 15, 2014 3
ADDRESSED TO GOD A letter written in a childish scrawl came to the post office addressed to God. A postal employee, not knowing exactly what to do with the letter, opened it and read: Dear God, my name is Jimmy. I am 6 years old. My father is dead and my mother is having a hard time raising me and my sister. Would you please send us $500? The postal employee was touched. He showed the letter to his fellow workers and all decided to kick in a few dollars each and send it to the family. They were able to raise $300. A couple of weeks later they received a second letter. The boy thanked God but ended with this request: Next time would you please deliver the money directly to our home? If you send it through the post office they deduct $200. Bits and Pieces 4
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SEPTEMBER WORSHIP ASSISTANTS GREETERS & USHERS 10:00 AM 7-Janet Ott & David Ott 14-Ken & Joanne Hoover 21-David & Helen Brown 28-Butch & Ruthie Diem ELDER ON CALL: Jane Downes (717) 355-6756 DEACON ON CALL: Barbara Zook (717) 656-6322 TELLER: Elder on Call HELPERS: 7-Betty Herr 14-Carol Seaman 21-Edie Kurtz 28-Jerry Peter LITURGISTS - 10:00 AM 7-Gary Seaman 14-Scott Sweigart 21-Mary Shuman 28-Ken Hoover PROVIDING FLOWERS: 7-Ralph Ransom in Loving Memory of Joan A. Ransom 14-21- 28- TRUSTEE ON CALL: 7-14- 21-28- See Bulletin ANNIVERSARIES - SEPTEMBER 5-Jack & Patty Gaudette 6-Don & Judith Oakes 16-Robert & Betty Herr 22-Scott & Christine Sweigart Oct. 1-Bob & Bonnie Patterson Oct. 6-Donald & Sally Usner BIRTHDAYS - SEPTEMBER 8-Marion Traugh 8-Lilly Leaman 11-Jordis Patterson 12-Donald Mogle 12-Kane Leaman 13-Larry Bowersox 15-Susan Bowersox 16-Dorothy Overly 16-Lisa White 17-Barbara Overly 17-Sue Hicks 18-Gerard van Amstel 22-Judith Bakker 22-Don Usner 22-Sarah Hartman 23-Barb MacMaster 24-Jolyn Py 25-Christine Sweigart Oct. 4-Dale Smith Oct. 4-Brian Smith Oct. 5-Harvey Overly Oct. 7-Amy MacHenry 6
Kids: This page is for you! Sunday School Begins Sept. 7 8:45 a.m. Name Age 7
The Cedar Chips CEDAR GROVE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH P. O. Box 96 4833 Division Highway East Earl, PA 17519 Phone: (717) 354-5573 Address Service Requested SEPTEMBER 2014 HOME STYLE LUNCHEON Following Worship Sunday, Sept 14 th Held by the Cemetery Committee Presbyterian Women s Soup, Salad & Dessert Holy Ground Café Autumn Fest September 26 September 8 6:30 p.m. Doors Open 6:00 PM. Meal 6:30 PM If you would like to have your sent by e-mail, please contact the church office by phone or e- mail and we will add you to the list. E-mail: cedargrovepc@frontiernet.net