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News and Events News JANUARY, 2010 POINT PRESS | JANUARY, 2010 POINT PRESS |
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| Written by Dr. Carlos Wilton | |
| Thursday, 21 January 2010 | |
 The January, 2010 issue of our monthly newsletter, Point Press, is now available in our e-mail archives. CLICK HERE to read it. For a plain-text version of Point Press, please click on "Read More," below. Point PressPoint Pleasant Presbyterian Church January, 2010 In This Issue From the Pastor Worship Services Deacons Haiti Earthquake Congregational Meeting Sandwich Sunday Soup & More Church School Organ & Choir Festival Bible Study Confirmation March Madness Thanks from Robin Support Group Church Family Hymn Sing Birthdays Drug Education Welcome to the ELECTRONIC edition of Point Press! To save money and trees, e-mail is our distribution method of choice - but, if you'd like to receive a paper copy, please contact the church office. Carl Wilton, Pastor -- (vacant), Church Secretary Donna Ferry, Financial Secretary -- Sara Hoey, Organist Amanda Rauffer, Youth Director William Shoppell, Chancel Choir Director Joanne Van Sant, Church School Coordinator Robin Vogel, Point Beach Prep Director Leticia Walker, Voices of Praise & Childrens' Choirs Director Phone Us Church Office (732) 899-0587 Point Beach Prep (732) 701-9900 Mail Us 701 Forman Avenue Pt Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 From the Pastor... (Our apologies for the lateness of Point Press this month. We have been engaged in a search for a new Church Secretary, and have had only part-time assistance during this time. Special thanks to Financial Secretary Donna Ferry, for all the extra time she's put in!) We've all been concerned by the recent news out of Haiti. A devastating earthquake near the capital city of Port-au-Prince has led to the deaths of tens of thousands, and the destruction of virtually every building in certain areas. It hardly seems fair that a nation that's already numbered among the poorest on earth should be rendered even poorer by this tragedy. Not only that, the widespread loss of life means whole families have been obliterated, and that many more families who have lost loved ones will never be the same again. There's a scene in the film, Fiddler on the Roof, in which a village wedding feast is utterly destroyed by a pogrom, as mounted Cossack soldiers ride through the crowd of merrymakers, slashing with swords and tossing torches onto the thatched roofs of houses. In shock and disbelief, the survivors look to God for answers, which do not come readily. They ask Tevye, who's rarely at a loss for words, "What are we to do now?" Tevye looks back at them for a long moment, as though uncompre-hending. Then, he picks up an overturned chair and says simply, "Clean up the mess." That's the task that is before our Haitian brothers and sisters. The least we can do is lend them a hand. God has given us many gifts. Among them is financial wealth. (Most of us don't feel wealthy - especially during a recession - but believe me, compared to the Haitians, we are.) Could it be that the Lord has entrusted us with this wealth for such a time as this? Please support the work of relief agencies, such as Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, as they serve as our emissaries of hope to a nation laid low by trouble and heartache. Carl This Month in Worship PPPC Sanctuary Sunday, January 17, 2010 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 9:00 am - Chancel Choir 11:00 am - Voices of Praise SANDWICH SUNDAY (See article below for details) Acts 6:1-15, 7:54-8:1 Dr. Wilton preaching: "The Church Emerging, 7: "SERVED BY AN ANGEL" - The Apostle Stephen's short life has had untold influence on the Christian church. During the trial preceding his execution, observers said his face "was like the face of an angel." What led to such remarkable inner peace? The answer may surprise you. January 24, 2010 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 9:00 & 11:00 - Choral Bells Acts 8:4-13 Dr. Wilton preaching: "The Church Emerging, 8: "THE ILLUSIONIST" - What relationship is there between faith and magic? The tale of Simon the Magician, Christian convert, offers an opportunity to consider this question. January 31, 2010 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time ONE SERVICE ONLY - ANNUAL MEETING FOLLOWS (See article below for details) 9:30 - Chancel Choir Acts 8:14-25 Dr. Wilton preaching: "The Church Emerging, 9: "NOT FOR SALE" - The story of Simon the Magician continues, with his clumsy attempt to buy a leadership position in the church. Despite our attempts from time to time to strike a bargain with the Almighty, certain things are just not for sale! From the Board of Deacons A reminder: If you, or someone you know, becomes a patient at Ocean Medical Center (OMC), you must register as a Presbyterian in order for Carl to become aware of your hospitalization. This works only for OMC; if you are hospitalized elsewhere, it doesn't matter how you register, you'll still need to call the pastor, Deacon-of-the-Month, or church office to let us know you've been admitted. The Epiphany Party for Valentine House residents was held on the evening of January 5. PLEASE NOTE THE CARING AND SHARING BOARD IN THE NORTH HALL AND THE CARENOTES DISPLAY IN THE NARTHEX. The January Deacons meeting took place on January 4, 7:00p.m., in the Chittick Lounge. Deacon of the Month for January: Sarah Lovgren (732-899-2906) Haiti Earthquake Christ's church responds This month's earthquake near Port-au-Prince, Haiti is clearly one of the worst natural disasters in recent history. Christian churches around the world have been at the forefront of relief efforts, and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is no exception. Prayers are desperately needed, of course, but so is financial assistance - both immediately and in the coming months and years. The Haitian people had so little, even before the earthquake - they need all the help they can get to recover and rebuild. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has issued an emergency appeal for 1 million dollars in gifts for Haiti. This is to supplement funds from last year's One Great Hour of Sharing offering that have already been committed to immediate assistance. There are three ways you can give to this appeal: 1) By writing a check to "Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church," with "Haiti earthquake" on the memo line; 2) By making an online gift through Point Pleasant Presbyterian, via credit card or bank-account debit (please enter the amount in the "Special Giving" field and specify "Haiti earthquake" in the box beside it); 3) By making an online gift through the PC(USA) website. Please specify that you're making your gift on behalf of Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church. Thank you for giving from the heart. Annual Congregational Meeting The Annual General Meeting of the Congregation and Corporation of the Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church will take place on Sunday, January 31st at 10:30 a.m., following a single worship service at 9:30 a.m. The Congregation will elect the Nominating Committee (for the election of officers), approve the Pastor's terms of call, and conduct any other business that may properly come before the Congregation. An extended program for Church School children will be available in the Education Annex, so parents may attend the Annual Meeting. Our First "Sandwich Sunday" Food and fellowship following worship Sandwich Sunday Between services on Sunday, January 17, the Kitchen Team will be offering their first monthly "Sandwich Sunday" meal - a light brunch/lunch in the Education Annex. Although the main event will be between services, some sandwiches will be set aside for those who come over for coffee hour following the 11:00 service (which will also take place in the Annex). A free-will offering will be received to cover expenses, with anything left over going to Mission. Sandwich Sunday will take place on the third Sunday of each month. Soup SupperSouper Wednesday! It's every Wednesday evening ... Come join us for soup, salad and dessert. Drop in any time between 4:30 and 7:00 pm. to enjoy great food and fellowship! The WoRM NEWS FROM THE CHURCH SCHOOL Many Thanks to everyone for a wonderful service of worship on Christmas Eve! Many thanks to Leticia Walker who wrote and directed "A Crabapple Chirstmas" - it was a great story of Christmas love and hope; and to Cindy Kells who did an excellent job working with our instrumentalists - we really have a wealth of talent between singers, actors, and instruments! Thanks to all the cast, family and friends who juggled schedules, learned lines, learned music and who gave their time to bring this message to our church family on Christmas Eve. Praise God! HAPPY NEW YEAR and preparing for the new year with WoRM! Upcoming Dates to Know: January 17 Good Samaritan Workshops 24 Good Samaritan Workshops 31 Good Samaritan Workshops ** ** Congregational meeting, extended church school hours Volunteers Needed for Rotation C As usual, we look to parents and church members to assist with the Church School WoRM rotations. Rotation C began on Janauary 10th, and continues on the 17, 24 and 31st. Workshops run from 9:20 to 10:15. Classroom prep time is from 8:30 to 9:20 - whatever works best for the facilitator. Curriculum and workshop outlines are completed for you, as facilitators - volunteers take care of the day's set-up, class facilitation, clean-up and dismissal of children. Thank you all in advance for your help with the success of our program! Good Samaritan January 2010 Rotation C: The Good Samaritan Neighborliness is not about picking and choosing people to care for as we might choose the ripest piece of fruit or the best brand of shoes. If God were to send a text message to "my BFF" (best friend forever), it would go to ALL people, in ALL times, and in ALL places. Jesus was saying that if everyone is on God's list to be loved and cared for, then everyone should be on our list too. Loving as God loves is more than being polite and pleasant; it is about expending great energy and taking risks in order to help support another. The Samaritan expended a great deal of time, effort, and money to care for the injured man. Doing this meant that he got his hands dirty and that he spent at least two days' wages to provide the man an opportunity to heal. Jesus challenges us to extend widespread love to anyone and everyone he met. Educational Emphasis To be compassionate is to feel regret and concern for someone who is suffering; it is to walk in someone else's steps, at least in our minds, so we can have some inkling of the difficulties they are experiencing. You might engage the children in a conversation about what it feels like to be homeless, or to go without clean water, or to live in the midst of a war torn country. To live in such a way means going without and being uncomfortable. Compassion involves being kind and considerate of others, finding out what they need, and seeking a way to provide those things that will lighten their load. As in the case of the Samaritan man, showing compassion may mean being loving toward someone you might even call an enemy. A LOOK AHEAD: February 7 Family Sunday 14 Storytelling Worshop - Lent 17 Ash Wednesday 21 Storytelling - Lent 28 Storytelling - Lent** ** 3rd grade Bible presentation @ 9 AM worship Organ & Choir Festival This special musical event, sponsored by the Ocean County Chapter, American Guild of Organists, will take place on Sunday, January 31 at 3:00 p.m. at St. Pio of Pietrelcina (St. Bonaventure) Roman Catholic Church, Rt. 35 North, Lavallette. Join us for a wonderful presentation. A free will offering will be accepted. Bible Study: The Sermon on the Mount New attendees are welcome each week! Each Wednesday, a Bible study on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 & 6) continues, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Chittick Lounge. Pastor Carl Wilton is the leader, with Joanne Van Sant filling in when he's not able to make it. Come to the Annex for a quick and delicious Souper Wednesday supper first, or just come for the study. No study guide, no workbooks, no frills: just Bible study. No prior Bible knowledge assumed or required. Newcomers are welcome! We'll begin and end promptly. CONFIRMATION CLASS 2009-2010 Confirmation Classes resumed with Session B on January 10, 2010, between worship services. Assignment #4 was due that day. Your study Bibles are available to be picked up, but you may use any Bible to complete the assignment. To make it more interesting, get your family involved in this assignment! REMEMBER, it's possible for new students to join the Confirmation Class at the start of any of the Sessions. Please call the church office for more information. March Madness Flea Market It's time to reserve your space! When: Saturday, March 20 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm Where: CE Annex (main floor only) Set Up: Friday, March 19, 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm Cost: $25 for a 6' x 8' space... includes 1 table and 2 chairs (if needed) FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED!!! Contracts available in the Church Office or by e-mailing Judy Antonucci. Sponsored by Presbyterian Women A THANK-YOU FROM ROBIN LOSTETTER IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO THANK ALL the individuals of the PPPC church family for their kind words and best wishes as I move on to serve the congregation of First Presbyterian Church, Bordentown. So I hope you will accept this single group "thank you". I was overwhelmed by the festivities on December 27. To all who spoke with me, to all who wrote letters or cards, to all who contributed to the "purse", to all who publicly shared experiences, to Jacque and her fabulous kitchen committee, to the PW for their thoughtful gift to the Jersey Shore Animal Shelter in my name, to the Deacons for their generous gift, and especially to the members of the APNC who brought me to the Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church-my heartfelt appreciation. I will treasure your words, and they will buoy me for the challenges ahead of me. I leave in confidence in the leadership teams that are in place for Confirmation Class, the Women's Retreat and PW, the Family Retreat, Deacons, the Depression Support Group, and the upcoming Mission Trip. And I trust that folk will step up to assist Carl in the in-between-time, as you continue the congregation's ministries in the name of Jesus Christ. To Carl and Claire, my deepest appreciation for your friendship, hospitality, and collegiality. And to the entire staff-Bill, Donna, Joanne, Mandy, Sara and Tish-you rock! You've set the bar high, and I will be seeking to develop a team that is as responsible, creative, and effective as you all! In Christ's shalom, Robin The APNC, chaired by Elder Jim McGuire, included Ron Claeys, Bob Hrasna, Jacque Miscavage, Kathy Schmidt, Mary Beth Schroeder, Barbara VieBrock, Lorna Williams, Ben Wilton, and Regina Young. Wednesday Support Group Support Group We've moved back to 1:30 Wednesdays once again - Monday just didn't work out with peoples' schedules. Bruce Larsen will be facilitating the group, which re-commenced its weekly meetings on Wednesday, January 16. Church Family News Deaths 12/16/09 - Florence R. Kramer 01/06/10 - Adele Troxler Ball We were also saddened to learn of the sudden death on January 2, 2010 of Ronald P. Murat, Jr., the husband of church member Jill Murat and father of Kristin and Meghan Murat. "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39 Community Hymn Sing This month's Hymn Sing will take place on: Sunday, January 24 at 6:30 p.m. First Baptist Church Point Pleasant Beach This Month's Birthdays January 2010 Birthdays 1 Elizabeth Carter 2 Walter Flannelly, Chase Sudol 3 Kaitlin Pennypacker, Garret Saul 5 John Hoey, Trey Norris 7 Rachel Harvey 9 Colby Biggs, Courtney Bixby, Elaine DeBenedett, Christopher Garner 10 Peter Friedrich, Ami Gallagher, Edna Hamilton 11 Brianna Harvey 12 Ronald Emerick, Madison Forsberg, Madeline Iadarola, Pat Shoppell 13 Judy Antonucci, Fred Ebner, Jason Krayl 14 Kendall Kiernan, Jesse Urban, Michael Yankowski, Jean Whittaker 15 Stephen Ferguson, Nicholas O'Hara, Calvin Potter 16 Ethan Duffield, Victoria Lees, Oliva Marx, Chris Nelson, Lois Roche 18 Patricia Hewitt 19 Timothy Green, Fiona Haggerty, Ann Lappke 20 Lauren Braaten, Mary Beth Schroeder 21 Angelique Marsala 22 Donald May, Londa Scarpone, Joan Vitale 23 Debra Moran 24 Tyler Green, Lynda Wilson 25 Luke Atkins, Jason Braaten, 26 Aiden Marsala, Regina Young 27 Billi Jo Murphy, Samantha Trainor 28 Jordan Cooper, Connor Durante 29 Blake Birdsong, Lincoln D'Esposito, Joseph Di Rosa, Dimitri Marsala, Jaime Williams 30 Michael Fanizzo, Ronald Krayl 31 Vincent DeMartino, Donna Ferry, Maria Tirpak Point Press Deadline Deadline for the January issue of Point Press was January 15, 2010. You may drop your article off at the Church Office. Please include a name and phone number with it. E-mailed articles are preferred (plain text, please; no pdf files). If you have a photo or graphic, please send it separately in jpeg format. Thank you! How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid Drug Education Event for Teens and Adults Here's advance word (with an opportunity to register in advance) for a very special event taking place at the main branch of the Ocean County Library in Toms River. On March 8, 2010 at 6:00 p.m., Joseph A. Califano, Jr. will speak on the topic, "Tools for Teens and Adults." There will be sessions in separate rooms for parents and youth. Teens say that drugs and alcohol are the number one problem they face today and parents say their worst nightmare is their child getting hooked on alcohol or drugs. The speaker will give parents tools to prepare their children for that moment of decision when a friend, a classmate, or a group at a party offers them drugs or alcohol. There will be a separate, simultaneous session for youth, addressing the same subject from their perspective. The first 250 adults to register will receive a free copy of Mr. Califano's book, How to Raise a Drug Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents. The speaker, Joseph A. Califano, Jr. is founder and chairman of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. Mr. Califano has held various United States Government postions and served from 1977-1979 as U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. Advance registration for this event is essential, as it is expected to fill up fast. You can register online at the Ocean County Library website. Upcoming Events Sunday, January 31 - ONE worship service only, 9:30 am, followed by the Annual General Meeting of the Congregation and Corporation, 10:30 am "Strengthening Families, Sowing Friendships, Serving Community... For the Sake of Jesus Christ" Thank you for reading this month's issue of Point Press! Got a question? Please call the Church Office at (732) 899-0587, or SEND US AN E-MAIL. Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church 701 Forman Avenue Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 office: (732) 899-0587 fax: (732) 899-2946 http://www.pointpresbyterian.org |
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