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Vol. 48, No. 35 October 15, 1999

First Presbyterian Church

Harvest Dinner

City Mission Needs Our Help

All members of our FPC family are invited to support the CM by donating any of the listed "needed" items to help make a real difference in the lives of homelsess men, women and children who come to the Mission hoping for a better future.   These "daily need" items are very helpful in the Mission's work:
        paper towels, laundry detergant, dishwasher detergant, fabric softener sheets, canned fruits, canned meats, boxed potatoes, granulated sugar, pasta, coffee and cleaning products.

Additionally, children's divided plastic plates, insulated baby dish, stainless flatware, one gallon thermos server, 2 glass sugar pourers, 14x5 deep skillet, two pastry brushes, metal shelving for food storage, small table (24" x 15"), small microwave cart, electric iron, used cable-ready tv (for Paul and Caedmon's apartment so they can get CNN).

At your earliest convienance, please bring your donated items to the church and place in or near the box in the narthex.  Thanks for your consideration and loving support of others.

Caring, Committed People Needed

Have you ever wanted to be intimately involved in a ministry of your own, but just did not know how, or where or with whom?  In early January, FPC will begin an intensive training session for Stephen Ministers to do caring ministry.  Here is your opportunity!  Talk with one of the Stephen Leaders (Gene Hall, Deb Watson, Shirley Copeland, Jane Carmean or Elaine Malacos) today!

Baptism Dates Set

October 31 and November 21 have been set as baptism Sundays.  Parents who may be considering presenting their children for baptism are invited to consider these dates as appropriate.   However, if another Sunday would be more desirable, please call the church office to discuss it.

Children's Chapel This Sunday

Children's Chapel is designed for children in Grades 3 - 6.   Children will be dismissed from the sanctuary, after the sermon this Sunday, October 17, and will go to the chapel for the program which will last until 10:00 am.   The program this Sunday will  be "Consequences of Revenge" using the Butter Battle Book Story.  The leader will be Becky Pfaltgraf.
Our presenters are all church members who have experience in the areas of counseling and education.  Please direct all questions to Jan Schultz, Interim Director of C.E., at the church office.

In preparation for worship on All Saints Sunday, members and friends of the congregation are invited to provide information that will be helpful in remembering all who died the past year.   It has been customary tin the commemoration to recite their faith and character, as a rose is presented to members of the confirmation class.  Members are reuested to send information of "all that was kind, good, and faithful" of the following members, to the interim pastor:  Bruce Scarbrough, Sara Galbreath, Monty Monroe, George Pelto, Max Moorehead, Jay Parker, Marian Leader, Frances Shuck, and Earl Irons

Members of the Black Swamp Chapter of the American Guild of Organists will present Pipescreams!, a Halloween organ recital, in our sanctuary on Monday, October 25, at 7:00pm.   Performers will include:  Bob Asel, Karen Brown, LouAnn Cousino and Gina Knaup, Wanda Gillespie, Mary Jo Urschalitz and Jane Van Valkenburg.  Here's one more chance to wear your Halloween costume AND enjoy some entertaining organ music.   Admission is free and you are invited.  Halloween treats will be served in Fellowship Hall following the program.

Sarah Circle will meet on Friday, October 15, in Fellowship Hall at noon when we will welcome Grace Frounfelker from Bluffton who will  present a program based on her book.  She will be encouraging us to explore our spirituality from the perspective of awe and wonder of a child.  Guests are welcome.  Please call the church offfice by Wednesday, October 13, to make lunch reservations ($5) or just come and bring a sack lunch.  If you have any questions, call Mary Alice Patrickson.

CROP Walk a Success!

A HUGE thank you to everyone in our congregation who walked in this past Sunday's CROP Walk.  Nearly 60 people of all ages walked the 6 mile route to raise over $3,100.  Twenty five percent of the proceeds will be split between CHOPIN Hall and the Hancock Christian Clearing House, with the remaining seventy five percent going to support the efforts of Church World Services.

Wow!  You've done it.  You and your neighbors in faith have done it!  It's been a year since your pastor of thirty years retired.  What a year it has been!  You've passed the marks of passage- Christmas, the election of officers and the annual meeting, Easter, and some lesser annual events too.
Students of transition tell us, it takes a year or so to move on, following death, divorce, or other significant separation.  The first year is often given to firsts as one adjusts to the significant moments without the other.  In one of my early sermons I mentioned the "suffering and recovery" cycle associated with loss.    This is as true for business, school, meighborhood, or nation, as for an individual.  And it's also true for the church in transition.
Some suffer less than others, and some recover sooner.  The church, as a body, will not be on any one member's timetable in its suffering and recovery.  Some may remain stuck, captives of past experiences and relationships, others may dany the feelings associated with loss and seek to get on as if it didn't matter much.  We will know we have recovered when we are functioning more normally - that is, when we take time to think through decisions and make plans without feeling rushed to fix something.
During the coming months, you and your neighbors in faith may feel less colored by the loss, and can begin moving on in your efforts to be faithful to the call of God in your midst.  You may feel less a need to do as you have always done; you may feel free to explore some alternative strategies in the way you accomplish your mission.  Now you are more ready to get on with visioning and probing the future.
I am excited for you as you approach the new millenium.  Shalom!     Harris

Wide World Shop to Return

The Wide World Shop returns to First Presbyterian Church on Sunday, November 7.  This ecumenical, non-profit volunteer shop carries items crafted by artisans from third world countries, Appalachia and the Southwestern United States.  Items will be set up from 8:30-9:00 and after the service from 10-1 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.  Again, we will be needing help in unloading and loading, and at the sales tables.  If you can lend a hand, please call Mary Alice Patrickson (420-0332) or Jeanne Monroe (422-9207).  Your help, for any length of time, would be greatly appreciated to make this sale a success.

The Psalter as Theme for Hymn Fest

Worship this Sunday will be centered in singing the Psalms in a hymn fest.  One reason is to use music in different ways in worship, such as the Prayer of Confession.  Another reason is to remember our Presbyterian heritage of using Psalms in worship.  Persons familiar with Presbyterian worship traditions know that once upon a time the Reformed churches could be divided into two camps, those who sang only the Psalms in worship and those who did not.  Some wanted to use the Psalms just as they appeared in translation, without alteration, and others sought to arrange the words for metrical sense, and yet others took liberties in paraphrasing the texts.  In all of this, the intent was to praise God with the best words - words of scripture.  Join us this Sunday for our Psalter Hymn Fest.

Christmas In A Shoebox

On Sunday, October 31, our congregation will kick off our 3rd year of participation in Christmas In A Shoebox (a.k.a. Operation Christmas Child).  Kim Duff will be coordinating distribution and collection of shoeboxes for the congregation and Karen, Kelly, and Julie Havens will coordinate distribution and collection of shoeboxes for all youth groups and church school classes.  Beginning October 31st, the billboard to the right of the church office will have information brochures on how you can participate and what items to put in your shoeboxes.  If you're unable to do a shoebox but would like to donate money to the God Squad to allow them to prepare a box in your name, just mail your donation to the church or drop it in the Sunday offering plates.

Meet Our Teachers Of 3 Year Olds

Candy Walton has been teaching the 3 year old class for several years.  She grew up in Tiffin, earned a Secretary Associates Degree from Bliss Business College, and is now employed at Cooper Tire in the Accounts Payable Department.  Candy is an elder and serves on the Christian Education Committee.   She also volunteers at Donnell School.  Candy loves all kinds of sports.   Her husband, Rod, is the Vice President of Industrial Savings and Loan.  They are the parents of two children: Sean (Gr. 8) and Kelly (Gr. 3).
Marty Hards and Candy have teamed up several times before.  She was born in North Carolina and raised in several other places.  Marty has been a public school teacher for 14 years and is employed as a 3rd grade teacher for Allen East School District.   She graduated from Bluffton College with a degree in elementary ed. and then earned a masters in education from the University of Dayton.  Marty serves the church on the Christian Education Committee.  She enjoys playing volleyball and collecting Amish items.  Her husband, Dave, works for the Hancock County Engineers Department and they are the parents of three children: Kilee (Gr. 3), Sara (Gr. 1), and Matthew (age 2 1/2).

CIA (grades 4-8)

This Wednesday, October 20th, our theme for the nite will be "Around the World in an Hour and a Half."  From 6-7:30 p.m. Fellowship Hall will become our window to the world and we need everyone in 4-8th grades to help us discover the uniqueness of our world.  Dinner will be a banquet of foods from different regions of the world, the small group Bible study will focus on "Down In My Heart (joy)", and our games for the nite will be your choice of floor hockey or a trust game called "Blind Man's Journey".  Remember to bring $2 for dinner and wear shoes you can run in!

God Squad (grades 9-12)

Two weeks to go until the Halloween Parade and our donation of the playhouse to CASA and we're in need of major help!  The weather has been rainy the last two weekends and really put us behind schedule for painting, so we need everyone's help this Sunday, October 17th, from 6-8 p.m. to paint like crazy.   As part of the night, we'll move on to studying Chapter 5 of John and learn how never to be thirsty again.  Bonus question:  In chapter 5 of John an invalid is healed by Jesus.  What was wrong with the invalid that required Jesus' healing power?

Family News ... Family News ... Family News ... Family News

Congratulations to Mendy & Todd Parker on the birth of Madeline Rachelle on October 4, 1999.  Connie & Jim Hutchison are Madeline's grandparents.  The Sacrament of Baptism was administered to Parker Alan Lee, son of Kelly & Terry Lee, on Sunday, October 10.  Both Bev Risser and Nancy Sargent are recuperating following hospitalization at the Heritage.  For your address books: Bruce & Jean Tischler, 148 Storer Ave., New Rochelle, NY 10801  (914) 636-3825; Dean & Many Ann Carzoo, 2508 Brices Creek Rd., New Bern, NC 28562  (252) 634-2926.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10:
9:00 a.m.     Worship S
10:00 a.m.   Church School
                  Character Builders 108
                   New Member Seminar 110
                   Christian Doctrine P
                   Active Parenting 116
                  Young Adults 109

11:00 a.m.    Worship Telecast Channel 33
                   Joyful Noise S
11:15 a.m.    Worship C
12:15 p.m.    Gabriel Singers CR
6:00 p.m.     God Squad    CASA Playhouse

MONDAY, OCTOBER 18:
4:00 p.m.  Girl Scouts US
6:30 p.m.  Secrets   340            
7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts 112-116
                Millstream Singers CR
               Living Through Loss FH
              

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19:
3:30 p.m. Rainbow Club 111
7:00 p.m. CCBS George House
               Depression Support Group FH
              Communications Committee 332

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20:
6:30 a.m. Men’s Breakfast     Café Marie
10:00 a.m. B.I.B. 338
                Gather-Ring S
12:15 p.m. Prayer Service C
4:00 p.m. Joy Singers CR
5:00 p.m. Handchime Training Choir 111
5:00 p.m. Jubilate Ringers S
5:30 p.m. Jubilate Singers CR
              A New Creation 111
6:00 p.m. CIA FH
6:15 p.m. Chancel Bells S
7:30 p.m. Chancel Choir CR

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21:
8:00 a.m. BVRHC Seminar FH
11:45 a.m. Nurs. Sch. Staff Meeting 108
4:00 p.m. Girl Scouts 340
7:30 p.m. Scout Roundtables US

Our Staff
Harris H. Schultz, Interim Pastor
Jane Van Valkenburg, Music Director/Organist
Jenna Kyle-O’Brien, Music Associate
Jan Schultz, Interim Christian Education Director
Jody Shultz Noble, Interim Youth & Young Adult Program Director
Stacy Stover, Crib Room Supervisor
Sharon Vaas, Nursery School Director
John Williams, Financial Secretary
Dana Bourne, Assistant Financial Secretary
Linda Lotz, Membership & Contribution Secretary
Elaine Malacos, Administrative Assistant
Skip Lamb, Building Superintendent
May Tate, Evening Custodian

G. Terry Bard, Pastor Emeritus
Dean M. Carzoo, Associate Pastor

CONNECT FOR ALL SEASONS
We are a Stephen Ministry Congregation
CHURCH PHONE: (419) 423-2112;
FAX: (419) 423-2113
InfoLine: (419) 421-8888, Category 4500
Prayer Chain: (419) 423-2112
e-mail: fpc@friendlynet.com
www.findlayfpc.com