March 2018 To know Him and make Him known THE UNION PRESS What s INSIDE 1 Session Letter 2 Session Letter Continued, Thank You Notes, Prayer Chain, & Officers 3 Quilting 4 Calendar 5 Just So You Know 6 Easter Lily Orders Friendly Reminder Newsletter Submissions for the April issue are due March 18th Watch your bulletin for Easter Happenings A LETTER FROM YOUR NEW SESSION Hello everyone from your new Session. We hope the mid-winter blues, flu, colds, etc. haven't been too hard on you. As your newly elected Session, it is truly our desire to represent the Lord AND you as well as we possibly can. We want to sincerely thank the previous Session members for all of their years of hard work and dedication to Union Church and the strength of their vision for the direction it should follow. We wish we were not thrust into the position we find ourselves in, as a lack of continuity always makes things more difficult. We sincerely ask your forbearance and forgiveness in advance for any weaknesses our lack of experience may present. As we work through mandated lessons from the Presbytery and learn the ropes of being your leaders, you may notice a bare bones approach to some Church functions and procedures. As we learn and grow, we hope to bring back a fuller church experience to all. As we start a new year with the departure of some of our faithful, and without a budget in place, we have many questions to be answered over the ensuing months as to what our fiscal capabilities will be. We hope that we can offer an openness in our conduct of Church affairs that will draw many of our lost communicants back to Union. We are truly concerned that over the last four years our Average Sunday attendance has dropped from 108 to 64, and is less than ½ what it was in 2012. It will be our sincere goal to address the issues that have caused this trend. Six years ago, Union started an investigation to address the concerns that many people had about the direction the Presbyterian Church, USA was taking. The session and minister at that time (Dr. Clark) expressed deep concerns to Donegal Presbytery over our opposition to this trend. Many informational meetings were held presenting us with our options and straw votes were even taken to get a feel for the desire of the congregation to pursue this. An offer was even made to Union Church of a reduced buyout figure (expiring this June) for Union to leave PCUSA and enter a different denomination which we might feel is more aligned with our thinking and congregational controls. This study continued on for several years and was culminated in what many people felt would finally be a congregational vote on whether to stay or leave PCUSA. A decision was made by the Session, under the Pastors guidance to stay in PCUSA( Fellowship ) and move on. An immediate result of the decision was that many long time faithful members of the congregation immediately left the church. We will never know that had the decision been made to go a different direction would a different and maybe just as large group have left. It is our strong conviction however, that this choice should be made by the congregation as a whole, and at that time, whatever the decision, that we move on UNITED in our purpose. (Contined on Page 2) 1
The Union Press March 2018 Sesson Letter Contined Page 1 As Union starts it's 202 nd year, the Session asks for your prayers and support. We seek God's guidance as we use our talents to the best of our abilities to bring our magnificent church back to its strength of being a place where our community can gather and have joys and fellowship together as it has for two centuries. Rising above personal feelings for the mutual benefit of the entire congregation as we fulfill our mission to worship God and spread the Gospel. Email Prayer Chain Diane Hastings has agreed to do the email prayer chain. Sue Shuler gave her the current list of emails but if you wish to be added or deleted please email her at fly303girl@yahoo.com. For your information, you may notice that her emails might show as Diane Jackson but is coming from Diane Hastings. Thank You Thank you to the women`s assn. for the beautiful angel it matches the ones I have. Thank you to Betty Joan for the delicious chicken noodle casserole and to Charlotte Stoner for delivering chicken corn soup and sandwiches after the luncheon and Verna Mae for the banana bread. Also thank you to all those who called to see how I was doing after my total hip replacement surgery. Your thoughtfulness was greatly appreciated. May God bless all of you. ~Nancy Ambler We would like everyone to know that Ken is coming along very well after his back surgery. Slowly, but doing very well! His biggest hurdle is, he has to talk minimally. Due to them needing to go into the front of his neck and had to move everything to the right side. Which affected his voice! Ken & I would like to "Thank" the congregation for all of their concern, prayers & cards! Especially, "Aunt" Sue Schuler for the constant checking in. The power of prayer is AMAZING! ~Ken & Angie Miller Installation Sunday On Sunday, February 18 th, Arlene Hastings, Ken Beiler, Martin Greenleaf, Jr., Barb Whyte, Ray Wallace and Milt Whiteside, were installed as the new Session for 2018. Bill Ray and Ray Wallace were elected as Trustees. Louise Jackson, Betty McCormick, and Joan Whiteside were installed as Deacons. Please pray for guidance for all. 2
The Union Press March 2018 3
U n i o n P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h March 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday By reading the Scriptures I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me. The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green. The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet. 1 2 3 4 3 rd Sunday of Lent 5 6 7 8 9 10 7:00 Trustees 1:00 Circle #2 11 Girl Scout Sunday Day Light Savings Begins 4 th Sunday of Lent Julie Away - NO Office Hours This Week 12 1:00 Circle #1 & Circle #3 13 NO Office Hours 14 9:00 Deacons 15 NO Office Hours 16 17 18 NEWSLETTER DEADLINE 19 20 21 22 23 24 5 th Sunday of Lent 25 Palm Sunday 26 27 28 29 Maundy Thursday NO Kidz JAM 30 Good Friday 31 4
The Union Press March 2018 FOOD BANK Baked Beans, Kidney Beans, Boxed Oatmeal, Diapers size 4 Easter Baskets 1- Ham or $15 gift card to Mussers or Ferguson & Hassler, 2- Cans green Beans, lb. bag fresh (long) carrots, 1-small can frozen orange juice, 1-pkg/box of brown sugar, 1-bag fresh potatoes, 1-jar applesauce (48 oz), 1-pkg dinner rolls, 1-margarine, 1-vanilla/white cake mix, 1-vanilla icing, 1-bag coconut Please bring items to the Food Bank by Monday, March 19. If donating perishable items, please make sure they are dated past 4/1/18. LECTIONARY PASSAGES March 4 th 3 rd Sunday of Lent Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19:1-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22 March 11 th 4 th Sunday of Lent Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21 March 18 th 5 th Sunday of Lent Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-12; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33 March 25 th Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday Liturgy of the Palms Readings: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Mark 11:1-11; Liturgy of the Passion Readings: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Mark 14:1-15:47 March 29 th Monday of Holy Week Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 36:5-11; Hebrews 9:11-15; John 12:1-11 MARCH FLOWERS & GREETERS 4 (Still Available) 11 Carolyn Sacks 18 (Still Available) 25 Bill & Trudy Bard March 30 th Tuesday of Holy Week Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 71:1-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; John 12:20-36 March 29 th Wednesday of Holy Week Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 70:1-5; Hebrews 12:1-3; John 13:21-32 March 29 th Maundy Thursday Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14; Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35 March 30 th Good Friday Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22:1-31; Hebrews 10:16-25; John 18:1-19:42 4 NOT AVAILABLE AT 11 PRINTING TIME 18 25 1 Donald Hastings 2 Gary Jackson 6 John Thompson Phillip Shoemaker 8 Jeff Shoemaker 10 Terry Greenleaf Carol Keefer Edgar Church 11 Ryan Ferguson Samuel Reyburn 12 Dwayne Scotten Linda Harrington 13 Julia Reyburn Richard Ferguson 14 Laura Eldreth Ruth Lefever Eileen Gilmore James Tucker Reyburn 16 Gerald Ferguson 18 Jim Law Norma Seifried 19 Susan Sumner 22 Cailin Bouchelle 24 Amy Pyle Ann Rawle Isabella Greer Adam Carter 25 Jeff McCardell 26 Nancy Lefever 27 William Ferguson 29 Amy Pitts Steven Sumner Trevor Whiteside Jay Hastings 30 Joseph Greer III 5
Union Presbyterian Church 5637 Street Road, Kirkwood, PA 17536 The Union Press March 2018 Order form for Easter Lilies Those who would like to give Easter Lilies should complete this form and return it by Sunday, March 25 th. Name Address Phone Number In Memory of In Honor of Easter Liles are $6.00 each Number ordered @ $6.00 = $ Please make checks payable to Union Presbyterian Church. Attach your check to this form and mail both to: Union Presbyterian Church 5637 Street Road Kirkwood, PA 17536 Or you may give your check and order form to Charlotte Stoner. 6