december 2006 pisgah post newsletter, pisgah presbyterian church

8/8/2019 December 2006 Pisgah Post Newsletter, Pisgah Presbyterian Church

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Thoughts from Ground Leveldvent holds deep meaning for me as a season of

the church year. Its two-part message to prepareand expect God to act comes from both Old

Testament prophets and gospel writers who bring uspowerful words in these days leading us into theChristmas season.

Do you notice that, while we are gathering around awreath, singing advent hymns, and hearing the messageto prepare and expect God to act, much of the rest of the

world has long since begun speaking the language ofChristmas. In the retail world, Christmas showed upright after the school supplies were putaway, and just one isle over from

Halloween costumes. On radio stationsChristmas music has been playing sincethe week before Thanksgiving. Should

we, like the world around us, be sohurried to get to Christmas?

When a church navigates throughthe season of Advent in the daysbetween Thanksgiving and Christmas, itpauses over some theme that othershave skipped over as they sprint towardthe manger. There is nothing wrong witha Christmas-only sense of theseDecember days, but is something missedin as Advent-free sprint?

At a time of year when most of the world is counting down the daysremaining before Christmas or to theend of the year, our Advent message isthat something new has begun. We have begun to retellGods story of Jesus Christ from the very beginning.

With the first Sunday of Advent, we first hear hintsof hope and expectation and coming from Old

Testament prophets who spoke long ago of Godsfaithfulness and what awaits the world in Jesus Christ.

From Jeremiah come words to remember the

promise of God to cause a righteous branch to spring upfor David, a leader of the house of Judah who would becalled, The Lord is my righteousness. From Malachi comes amessage about the one who will prepare the way for theLord. The gospel writers call him John the Baptist whocries out as a lone voice in the wilderness. FromZephaniah are words that the one who is coming will bethe king of Israel, and because of this we shall fear nomore. Finally, from Micah comes the message that theone who will rule shall come from Bethlehem in Judea.

In Advent, we mark time by candlelight andprophets message. We move slower than those who

would sprint to the manger, not because we are unsure

of the way or because we are unsure of what awaits us when we get there. Indeed, we have been there beforeand we know the joy of that humble manger. We moveslowly to the manger because we are trusting in ancientpeople of faithIsaiah, Jeremiah, Malachi, Zephaniah,and Micahto lead us there on a path illumined bysimple candlelight.

The shepherds on the Bethlehem plain had angels totell them what sign to look for. The Magi had a star tofollow. We have ancient words and the testimony of theearly church to lead the way for us, that we might followsingingO Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

Isaac Watts great Christmashymn, Joy to the World, includes aphrase that I think fits well with the

Advent theme of preparation:Joy to theworld the Lord is Come; Let earth receive herKing: Let every heart prepare Himroom...How we get that room in ourheart ready, how we prepare for thegreat arrival of the one who becameflesh and dwelt among us, and thenhow we receivethe news that the Lord iscome is the stuff of the season of

Advent. Its not a season to rushthrough-theres too much value in theprophets words. I encourage you

instead, to savor these Advent days forthey are each growing shorter anddarker as the earth makes its wayaround the December sun.

On the four Sundays of Advent we will light a candle, and add light

one flame at a time to the wreath until we get toChristmas Eve. Then on that Holy night, we will entrustour light to the true light that is coming into the world,and pray that Gods light might shine through usbrightly. I invite you to come and worship in this

wonderful Advent season, the first part of a new church

year, even as fast away the old year passes. As we prepare to celebrate our fifth Advent andChristmas with the Pisgah family, my family and I wishyou all a merry Christmas.

Grace and peace,Jon

The Pisgah PostPisgah Presbyterian Church December 2006 Versailles, Kentucky

Our Mission: to worship God, study the Scripture, practice the teachings of Jesus


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A Note from the AdministrationCommittee

We are well into the stewardship season and theAdministration Committee is finalizing our 2007 budget.For 2007, the Asking Budget increased for threereasons: (1) increased Presbytery per capita (from $2,874for this year to $8,476 for next year), (2) increasedspending for education, and (3) salary increases with a

full staff.If you have questions about the asking budget please

see any member of our committee. If you havent made apledge please prayerfully consider these needs. Making apledge is important as it provides the Session withinformation necessary to manage Pisgahs finances and itprovides the members and friends of Pisgah to make acommitment to the ministry of our church. As ofDecember 10, the bookkeeper had received 52 pledgestotaling $111,035, toward a requested amount of$185,069.

May God bless you and your family during this

holiday season.Don Schmidt

Property Committee UpdateRemember the Ice Storm of 2003, the remnants of

which are still obvious. At the time you receive thisnewsletter we are in the process of some preventivegrounds maintenance which has been approved Session.

We have contracted to have the large tree which sitsdirectly between the Sanctuary and the AcademyBuildings removed. This tree along with many others onthe churchs property suffered much damage. Most

likely, you have not seen the damage to this tree, butduring the ice storm a large section of it was broken offand removed. Since that time a large crack has formedthrough the rotted area causing some concern. If notremoved, we would be facing the chance of about athirty or more foot tall section of this tree falling into theSanctuary.

Along with the removal of the tree the tree service will be also going through the trees which are in theimmediate area of the buildings and parking areas toremove any damaged limbs.

Please bear with us during the time of this work, theremoval of the tree and stump may be done over acouple of days, so some debris may be on ground until

work is finished. We are doing this work for the safety of our

buildings and the safety of the Pisgah family whenattending church.

John W. Walker Jr., Property Committee

SnippetsoCongratulations to Ike Graddy who is engaged to

be married to Lindsey Hollenkamp. They will bemarried in 2007!

o Matthew Fister, who won the Stewardship FairCake Making Award, made the cake entirely byhimself, selected it that week and made it thatmorning before church. It had been reported inthe last Post that Martin Fister had helpedhim.not true.

Additional Snippets are posted on the PisgahFridge in the Academy Building.

Session Notes The Session met in the Academy Building at 7:00pm on November 28, 2006.

Deacon Joan Crowe attended the meeting.Met with the elders-elect (Ed Clark, Lindsey

McHatton, Jim Nelson, and Pam Stiltz) and set thedate of Sunday, January 21, 2007 for theirordination and installation.

Called a Session meeting for January 9 at 7:00pm tofinalize the 2007 budget based on pledges receivedthrough December 31, 2006.

The minutes of all Session meetings are available for

anyone in the congregation to read. The SessionCommittee chart and monthly financial report is postedon the Session bulletin board in the Academy Building.

A Note from the Bookkeeper2006 gifts to the church should be received by

December 31, 2006.Ted Bendis, Bookkeeper

The Pisgah Post is published monthly by the PisgahPresbyterian Church, 710 Pisgah Pike, Versailles, KY40383. The deadline for the January 2007 issue of thenewsletter is December 17. Please submit articles tothe church office or email them [email protected].

Christmas Pageant with Children!

Sunday, December 10 at 5:00pm

A Potluck dinner will follow the program!


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Quotable QuotesFrom The Stewardship Committee

Overheard at another church. The good news is-weve got plenty of money. The bad news is- it's still inyour pockets.

Please continue to send in your pledges! The OldTestament counsels us to give 10% to the church.

We are blessed at Pisgah to have an historic

sanctuary in which to worship God, peaceful groundsand space in the Academy Building in which we studythe scripture, and resources from the congregation whichPisgah puts towards practicing the teachings of Jesus.

Please submit your thoughtful pledge amounts byDecember 31st to the attention of our bookkeeper (TedBendis) or drop it in the offering plate during Sunday

worship.

Adventures of Troop 1784By: Ian OCanna, Troop Historian

Hello again Pisgah! Nice to write you again. We willhave a Court of Honor on Monday December 4 at

Pisgah.Last month we went on a much enjoyable biking trip

in Pisgahs surrounding area. That night we hadhamburgers and homemade macaroni & cheese. Yum!

Took keep us warm Joe Johnson helped make a roaringfire. (No synthetic fuels used!)

We are soon going on our annual planning weekendat Cumberland Lake. We will plan all of our activities forthe following year. We will be staying in cabins on theresort. Also we will be swimming in the indoorswimming pool at the lodge, eating there on Saturdaynight, and play games in the arcade.

Yours,Ian OCanna, Troop Historian

Christmas Eve CommunionWine and Juice at the 11:00pm Service

The Session approved serving both wine and grapejuice for communion at the late Christmas Eve service.

Whenever a Presbyterian Church serves wine forcommunion, it is constitutionally bound to (1) have juicealso present, and (2) clearly mark which vessel containsjuice and which vessel contains wine.

In the history of Pisgah Church, wine was used forcommunion from 1784 until 1955. The minutes of theSession from January 8, 1935 describe a discussionamong the elders about the continued use of wine forcommunion. Those minutes note that no action wastaken to change from wine to juice. There is nothingmore recorded in the minutes about this until January 9,1955. In those minutes its recorded that the Session

voted unanimously to use grape juice rather than winein our communion service.

Reflection from SueToday is November 28, 2006 and I am writing my

article for the Pisgah Post. To most people, this is not aday of any significance -- but November 28th is mypersonal holiday. You see, November 28, 1988 was theday of the car accident that in many ways re-defined mylife. It was that event that became my reference point:life before the accident and my life since theaccident. For several years, as this date approached, itrepresented a mixture of anxiety and yet praise, as I was

flooded with memories of the accident and the longrehabilitation that followed, as well as, a time ofgratitude for the grace and mercy God showed to me bysparing my life.

Everyone knows of Gods goodness and greatness,and we believe in Gods wisdom but sometimes I justhave to acknowledge just how cool God really is.

November 28, 2005 is the day that I started myposition here at Pisgah Church. What a year this hasbeen! The anxiety I used to feel of that approaching datehas now been replaced with joy and thanksgiving. Somany wonderful memories come to mind: getting to

know each of you by name, learning Pisgah traditions,experiencing different seasons during the year, havingthe opportunity for growth in areas such as preaching,

working with others and being part a new church familyand with some new programs. I still get a kick out ofdriving to the church each day and seeing the beautifulcountryside with the horses up against the fence.

I love you Pisgah, and I know that I am loved byyou. That sounds simplistic but its true and I dont ever

want to miss the opportunity to express that sentiment. The intimacy of this church family has allowed us toshare everything from joy and laughter to sorrow and

tears together and that, is truly a gift.

ScheduleDecember 24, 2006

11:00a.m. Morning Worship(4th Sunday of Advent)

5:00p.m. Church Family and Candlelight(Christmas Eve Service)

11:00p.m. Communion and Candlelight

(Christmas Eve Service)


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I wish you could have met my Mom. I shared withJon that during what was to be my last visit with her inSeptember, she told me that as soon as she wasdischarged she wanted three things: 1) to have a cup ofcoffee again, 2) to drink a can of Diet Coke and 3) to getin the car and head for Versailles. I teased her by saying,So a trip to my place is 3rd on your list? to which shereplied, I can drink the other two while in route. I amso happy that I took my photo albumshe saw pictures

and put faces with the names of people in the stories Ishared with her.

The care and concern this church has expressed forme and my family have been greatly appreciated. Ireturned to find hand-made cards from our children anda poster from the youth on my desk. I was touched tolearn that the church had tried to send flowers to thefuneral home. Thank you all, for your prayers, cards,hugs, phone calls, invitations to dinner and mealsbrought over to my house. From this point on,November 28 will bring to mind so many kindnessesexpressed. I am happy to be back home with you.

One of my favorite sayings is that God shows Hisgreat love for us through our friends. Thank you myfriends, and have a blessed holiday.

Sue

Pisgah Family Christmas Program The Worship and Education Committees have

worked together this year assisting the children andyouth in their presentation of a Christmas pageant thisSunday night. A flexible piece written by Sue Henryallows the natural charm of the children of all ages to usetheir interpretation of characters in the telling of theChristmas Story. Roles are for readers as well as non-readers.

It takes many hands to make such a programpossible and Lesley Kindred has coordinated it well.

Aimee Baston and Jamie Torp have worked with thechildren on selected carols. Linda Scott has servedhelped the children reherse their lines and Sheila Bakerassisted as childrens coordinator getting kids ready. SueFosson helped the children with costumes and JohnBaston worked on the set design. Kelly Hill, Laura Lillyand the Youth Group all assisted with the activities forthe Parents Night Out and rehersal.

The cast of characters include:Narrator Sarah KindredStar Erin MacLeodMary Taylor JohnsonJoseph Albert ChandlerCaesar Augustus-- Andrew Johnson

Innkeeper Olivia HinesShepherd 1Eric JacobsonShepherd 2 Johnnie McClanahanLead Angel --Kendall Johnson

Angel 1Katherine MartinAngel 2Kelly LakeAngel 3Aubrey HinesProphet Micah Hunter BakerKing Herod Courtland Johnson

Wise Man 1 Chauncey HillWise Man 2 --Grant WellingWise Man 3 Samuel WellingLittle Lambs, Shepherds and Chorus of Angels:Preschool -Kindergartners

Villagers: Middle and High School

Help Wanted We have all seen the company Two Men and A

Truck but the Childrens Ministry is in need ofTwoDads and a Minivan! Jim and Wanda Rodgers have a32 television they are willing to donate for the children

to use in their Sunday School activity room. Thetelevision is heavy and needs to be carried downstairs inthe Academy Building. If you would be able to help,please talk to either the Rodgers or Sue Henry. Thankyou.

Happy Birthday to You in December1 Bill Gray, Carlee Miller2 Joe Graddy, Chad Scott4 Beth Straub5 Jesse Smith8 Toland Lacy, Phil Lacy9 Sue Fosson, Judy Simpson

10 Sally Dunlap11 Albert Chandler, Mary Hinton, Doug Jones,

David Pryor, Elizabeth Shropshire12 Nancy Florence15 Branham Chandler, Dee Harper17 Sarah Kindred, Carry Jacobson, Ted

Jacobson18 Leon Creek19 Tonya Budovsky20 Todd Mobley23 Hart Gay James25 Jesus, Patsy Field, Art Ortenburger

27 Leslie James28 Jud Davis29 Martha Prewitt30 Bill Robinson31 Jessica Garrett, Jackie Prewitt

And in early January 1 Louise Lagrew, Herb Marting3 Charlotte Easley, Willa Thomas4 Todd Graddy8 Jac Fey9 Jamie MacLeod10 Susanna Creek, Cathy Johnson

Please hel us kee this list u to date!


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Sundays at Pisgah Church

8:45a.m. Early Worship9:30a.m. Coffee Fellowship9:45a.m. Sunday School11:00a.m. Morning Worship

The Staff Email Jon: [email protected]

Sue: [email protected]: [email protected]: [email protected]

Presbyterian Web Sites:Presbyterian Church (USA): www.pcusa.orgTransylvania Presbytery: www.transypby.orgSynod: www.synodoflivingwaters.orgPby. New Service: www.pcusa.org/pcusa.brief.htmPresbyterians Today:www.pcusa.org/pcusa/today

Pisgah Church StaffJon Martin, PastorLinda Jones, OrganistSue Henry, Director of Christian EducationLaura Lilly, Youth DirectorPeggy Graddy, SecretaryTed Bendis, BookkeeperBob Keller, Groundskeeper

And One More Thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!! !

Youth Group InvitationJoin the Youth for The Nativity Storymovie on

Dec. 17. We will be meeting at Cinemark FayetteMall for the 2:40pm showing. If any of the youthneed a ride please let me know and something willbe arranged. My new number is 606-923-1077 oremail [email protected]. Laura Lilly

The Pisgah PostDecember 2006Pisgah Presbyterian Church710 Pisgah Pike

Versailles, KY 40383

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Versailles, KY 40383Permit No. 192

Web: www.pisgahpresbyterian.org, Voice and fax: (859) 873-4161, email: [email protected]

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