Volume 43, Number 9 - September 2018 Westgater the Collegiate Presbyterian Church & The Vine Student Center l Ames, Iowa CPC Rummage Tradition to End Presbyterian Women (PW) is sad to report that, after 70+ years of faithful service to CPC and missions around the world, the Rummage Committee regretfully will be ending its work after the Fall 2018 sale. This difficult decision reflects the realities of an ever-increasing quantity of donated items; inadequate storage space at CPC; a dwindling number of Wednesday workers (and current members aren t getting any younger!); increased competition from new second-hand stores that are open every day, from more organizations holding rummage sales, and from new businesses doing tag sales. Rummage Committee has enjoyed and appreciated the support of the congregation throughout the decades. CPC s rummage sales have been a tremendous recycling project and the source of considerable funds for good works at CPC and the larger community. And, members of the committee have had, beyond measure, the pleasure of fellowship and friendship each Wednesday. The Rummage Committee hopes to work with PW to consider possibilities for a new project that would have similar goals but a less demanding physical commitment. Stay tuned for further news in 2019. Presbyterian Women congratulates Rummage on its exemplary service to God s work in the world. Help celebrate this by supporting the Fall Rummage Sale on November 1, 2, and 3! Jean McMaken, PW Moderator Marsha Jackson, Sandra McJimsey, Sue Trow, Rummage Co-chairs
SEPTEMBER A D U L T S P I R I T U A L F O R M A T I O N C L A S S E S Sunday, Sept. 2 - No Spiritual Formation Class - Labor Day Weekend Sunday, Sept. 9 - Westgate Student Center Meet & Greet with Julie Erkel Hagee Sunday, Sept. 16-30 See E-News and Bulletin for details. Presbyterian Women The Rummage Committee meets Wednesday mornings to mark rummage and enjoy fellowship. Men and women of all ages are invited to help with getting ready for this fall s sale. CPC rummage sales fund local, national and international mission projects. For more information on ways to help, contact: Marsha Jackson(515-965-0643), Sandra McJimsey(292-9013) or Sue Trow(231-1329). The final sale is November 1-3 (Thursday 5pm through Saturday noon). Presbyterian Women circles will begin again in September. If you aren t already involved in a circle, this is a wonderful way to get to know others in the church. Women and men are invited to join us! This year s study is Cloud of Witnesses: The Community of Christ in Hebrews by Melissa Bane Sevier. In January 2019 we start God s Promise: I Am With You by Amy Poling Sutherlun. Bible study is a core part of Presbyterian Women. For over one hundred years, the women of the Presbyterian church have been publishing Bible studies and nurturing their faith together through Bible study. https://www.presbyterianwomen.org/bible-study/ Contact for the afternoon Circle of Faith: Mary Frahm(233-0368). Faith circle meets the 4th Thursday of the month, 1:30pm-3:30pm at Northcrest Community Founders Room. Contacts for the evening Circle of Hope: Jean McMaken(515-2312-7470) and Judy Ligouri(296-2291). Hope Circle meets the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:00pm in the Conference room at church. The Kitchen Committee monitors the Social Hall and Sarah Barlow kitchens. Contacts: Anne Clubine(292-9500) and Jane Smith(233-2694). We are always looking for new ideas for programs and projects. We would love to hear your ideas. See you at the Rummage Sale! Jean McMaken, Moderator, CPC Presbyterian Women SAVE THE DATE! The annual Ames CROP Hunger Walk will be held on October 14th. Please consider how you might support this worthy cause through giving or walking, or both! Keep your eye out for more details about how to get involved with the walk through CPC and The Vine Student Ministry. In the meantime, visit the Ames CROP Hunger Walk website www.crophungerwalk.org/amesia, for more information.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10 January 1 is the official start of the New Year but Fall has always seemed like the true time of new beginnings: new school year, many organizations start up their program year after the summer hiatus, a time to start new activities or hobbies. Maybe that s why Stewardship is held in the Fall, too. Stewardship is a time of new spiritual beginnings, a time to consider our faith and how we are living it, a time to rekindle the embers in our spiritual fire. This year the Stewardship season here at CPC will be marked by a truly significant new beginning: the commencement of Rev. Brett Becker s ministry at CPC. It is an exciting time and the Stewardship Committee hopes it will also be a time for CPC family and friends to stoke their own spiritual fires. As we approach Rev. Becker s arrival and the start of Stewardship, we hope you will consider your faith at CPC and how you use it to minister to others as a good steward of the manifold grace of God. Search for Contemporary Music Leader A search is underway for a new Contemporary Music Leader for the 11:15 re:forming service. Building on a strong foundation, we seek a highly motivated and spiritually grounded individual to provide musical leadership to the praise band and contribute to a high-quality contemporary worship experience. The search committee, composed of Teresa Rummer (chair), Dayle Nickerson, Kathey Schuckert, and Karen Welk, seeks your prayers and support and welcomes any possible contacts. Links to the job description can be found on the CPC website or by contacting a member of the search committee. Those interested in the position can send applications, resumes or questions to reformingmusicleader@cpcames.org. FALL ALL CHURCH WORK DAY The Fall All Church Work Day will be held on Saturday, October 20th, from eight until noon. Please keep the date in mind and consider participating. More information to follow. Dear CPC Family, Thank you for the heartfelt messages and generous gift as I begin this transition to the Des Moines area and prepare for my CPA exams. I'm so glad to have been part of the re:forming service for the past year. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your church family and allowing me to share my musical gifts in glorifying God. I still have a few courses remaining as I pursue my CPA and ask for your prayers of guidance, wisdom, and encouragement during this journey. I, too, will continue to keep you all in my prayers. Thank you once more!! -Daniel Ansong
Summer Stretch Eight middle and high school youth joined together for 3 days in early August for Summer Stretch, our mini week of service in the Ames community. The youth visited St. Cecilia Catholic Church to participate in the Days for Girls program. They learned about this interfaith program that provides menstrual kits to girls in Africa, Nicaragua, and other countries where girls were missing several days of school each month due to their periods. According to Days for Girls, these kits change the girls lives and give them days of education back each month that they were previously losing. The youth cut, sewed, serged, and assembled kits. The youth made meals for one of the YSS shelters and CPC s Loaves and Fishes program. The YSS meal was delivered that night for the residents to enjoy a home cooked meal. The food items made for Loaves and Fishes will be used to feed a family expecting a new baby as well as serve as extra baked goods for fellowship time on Sunday mornings. The youth traveled to Northminster Presbyterian Church to help with the Shared Blessings program. The youth were able to help set up, repackage items and actually serve the clients of Shared Blessings. The youth distributed diapers, wipes, birthday bags, books, toilet paper, dish soap, laundry soap, personal hygiene items, feminine hygiene items, oral care items as well as a few school supplies and gently used clothing items. Spiritual Formation for Children and Youth We are gearing up for our faith filled, fun fall programming. Please fill out the form linked below to register your child(ren) for our Sunday morning and/or Wednesday evening spiritual formation programs and/or childcare. Questions? Contact Betsy (betsy.thompson@cpcames.org). Registration for Childcare: tiny.cc/cpcchildcareform Click here to Register: tiny.cc/2018cysfreg Photo Release Form: tiny.cc/2018photorelease Family Sunday School Last year the children and youth committee decided to offer a Sabbath for traditional Sunday School for a variety of reasons. While that happened, they tried a new model called Family Sunday School. Throughout the year they hosted three, three week sessions for children of all ages and at least one parent. These sessions were successful with 5 to 8 families participating with a total of between 10 and 20 children. These spiritual formation opportunities gave families the chance to delve into seasonal themes with one another, to listen and engage Scripture, to make relevant crafts and to take resources home to continue the discussion. Families agree that this is a format that works with their needs, busy schedules and interest levels. We will continue with the Family Sunday School model for the 2018-2019 school year.
Child Offering When we give an offering (whether it be time, talent or treasure) it is in response to God s provision for us and tied to our calling to serve the poor and those in need. We give a small portion of what we have back to God. In order to help teach CPC s children this aspect of our faith, we have an offering tube. This is a concrete way of the children seeing how quickly their offering can add up in order to do good in the world in God s name. When we fill the tube, the children can pick a mission project in which to contribute the funds. We hope this offering opportunity gives children and their families a chance to explore their faithful response to God through their offering. Adults: don t be shy! If you have some spare change you are willing to part with, find a child nearby and encourage them to take it forward! C P C S TA F F Brett Becker Pastor/Head of Staff Betsy Thompson Children & Youth Pastor betsy.thompson@cpcames.org Julie Erkel Hagee Director of Campus Ministry & Adult Spiritual Formation julie@cpcames.org Doug Sweeney Choir Director dsweeney@carrolltigers.org Volunteers Needed Children & Youth Spiritual Formation Needs YOU! Our fall programming is quickly approaching and we need YOU in order to provide quality Spiritual Formation for our children and youth so they can grow in faith and learn how to live Christ s love for the world. In order to make this more convenient, we are offering our sign-ups electronically this year. Whether it be bringing desserts for Club CPC, or being part of a cooking and/or cleaning team for our Wednesday night program, we have a spot for you! It certainly takes a village to raise children and we hope YOU join in as we seek to teach CPC s children and youth about God, faith and being part of a Christian community. If you have questions or would like to sign up to be part of any of these programs, please contact Betsy (betsy.thompson@cpcames.org). Club CPC Desserts: tiny.cc/cpcdessertfall2018 Club CPC Cooking/Cleaning: tiny.cc/cookcleanfall2018 Pre-School Sunday Morning Teacher: tiny.cc/preschoolfall2018 Laura LaGrange Organist laura.lagrange@cpcames.org Jenny Foley Business Administrator jenny.foley@cpcames.org Victoria Knight Secretary/Graphic Artist secretary@cpcames.org www.cpcames.org MEALS Sept 5 - Walking Tacos Sept 12 - Spaghetti & Meatballs Sept 19- Tailgate Menu Sept 26 - Breakfast for Dinner
September Sunday, September 2, 2018 Communion 10:00a Fellowship Coffee (Library and SBL) Sunday, September 9, 2018 10:00a Fellowship Coffee (Library and SBL) 10:15a Julie Meet & Greet (WGCtr) Sunday, September 16, 2018 10:00a Fellowship Coffee (Library and SBL) 10:15a Spiritual Formation (Helser) Sunday, September 23, 2018 10:00a Fellowship Coffee (Library and SBL 10:15a Spiritual Formation Classes Sunday, September 30, 2018 10:00a Fellowship Coffee (Library and SBL) 10:15a Spiritual Formation Classes Collegiate Presbyterian Church & The Vine Student Center thewestgater