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theInvitationPROVIDENCE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OCTOBER 2015
Kirk Night Begins Wednesday, October 7
In the name of the Father, the Son, and ... the Holy Spirit.
We pray in the name of all three, but how often do we live with an awareness of only the first two? As Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised to send the Holy Spirit—the Helper—so that we could be true and living witnesses for Christ. Unfortunately, today's church has admired the gift but neglected to open it.
Using the study and DVD of author Francis Chan’s Forgotten God, our Fall Kirk Night series will examine the true source of the church's power—the Holy Spirit. Chan contends that we've ignored the Spirit for far too long, and we are reaping the disastrous results. Through scripture and compelling narrative, we’ll be invited to stop and remember the One we've forgotten, the Spirit of the living God. Kirk Night begins on Wednesday, October 7, with dinner at 6:00pm (just $7) and study at 6:30. Children are invited to join Valetta for Kirkmusik at 6:30 in the Choir Room for rhythm, music, and joy.
Celebrate the flavors of Autumn at our Fall Festival, Sunday, October 11, immediately following worship. All are asked to bring your favorite fall-themed food using items such as apples, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, squash, zucchini, etc. Come enjoy a cup of apple cider and seasonal treats.
Fall Festival on Sunday, October 11
Upcoming Events at Providence
‣Men’s Dinner Out at Gordon Biersch Thursday,October 1
‣ Elder Nomination Submission Deadline Sunday, October 4
‣Children’s Class on Communion Sunday, October 4 at 9:45am
‣Mission Matters Youth Group Sunday, October 4 at 12:30pm
‣Gad-Abouts Tuesday, October 6 at 11:30am
‣ Kirk Night and Kirkmusik Wednesdays, October 7, 14, 21, and 28 Kirk Night - 6:00pm, Kirkmusik - 6:30pm
‣ Parents Group Social Event Saturday, October 10 at 4:00pm
‣ Fellowship Fall Festival Sunday, October 11 at 12:15pm
‣Columbus Day - Church Office Closed Monday, October 12
‣Women’s Fall Retreat to the Outer Banks Friday, October 16 - Sunday, October 18
‣ YF: Youth Fellowship Sunday, October 18 at 6:00pm
‣Meals on Wheels Delivery Week Monday, October 26
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From My Open Door Jeffrey S. Bell, Pastor There’s a difference between success and
excellence. Success is measured by comparing ourselves to
others. Excellence is all about being the best we can be and maximizing our gifts, talents and abilities to perform at our highest potential.
We live in a world that loves to focus on success and loves to compare. We all do it. But to be our best we must focus on excellence and not success. We must focus on being the best we can be and realize that our greatest competition is not someone else but ourselves.
For example, coaching legend John Wooden often wouldn’t tell his players who they were playing each game. He felt that knowing the competition was irrelevant. He believed that if his team played to the best of their ability they would be happy with the outcome. In fact, Wooden’s teams never focused on winning. They focused on teamwork, mastering the fundamentals, daily improvement and the process that excellence requires. As a result he and his teams won A LOT.
Focusing on excellence was also the key for golfing legend Jack Nicklaus. His secret was to play the course not the competition. He focused on playing the best he could play against the course he was playing. While others were competing against Jack, he was competing against the course and himself.
The same can be said for Apple’s approach with the iPod, iPhone and iPad. When they created these products they didn’t focus on the competition. Instead they focused on creating the best product they could create. As a result, rather than measuring themselves against others they have become the measuring stick.
We have a choice as individuals and as a church. We can focus on success and spend our time looking around to see how others are doing, or we can look straight ahead towards the vision of greatness that Christ has for us and claim the vision for ourselves and our teams. We can look at competition as the standard of what church should look like, or we can become the standard for others to measure themselves against. We can chase success or we can embark on a quest for excellence and focus 100% of our energy to become our best... and let success find us.
Ironically, when our goal is excellence the outcome and byproduct is often success.
See you in church, Jeff
The Session met on September 21, 2015 and conducted the following business: • Cheerfully received new members Mike and Michelle Lathrop and Laura Gravely. • Approved Brent Nielson as a Sunday school substitute for the children's class led
by Laura Nielson and George Fitzgerald. • Did not approve a motion that the softball budget be moved to a line item under
Congregational Care. The softball budget line will remain under Fellowship. • Approved a motion to authorize the Workcamp Virginia Beach 2016 team to host
a golf tournament as a fundraiser for the 2016 Virginia Beach work camp. • Approved a motion to authorize Valetta Fellenbaum and Robin Birdwell to host a
Youth Hand Chime workshop in the choir room on Saturday, December 5 from 9:00 to 11:00am. The workshop will be open to the public.
SESSION NOTES
RIDE WITH PROVIDENCE Do you, a family member, or a neighbor need help getting to Sunday school or worship? Why not ride the church bus? If you would be interested in this new ministry by riding the Providence bus to church, or if you are able to offer to drive your neighbor, contact the church office or Kevin and Cecilia Daley at (757) 479-5558. If church is your destination, ride with Providence!
NEW MEMBERS
Mike & Michelle Lathrop 901 Shelter Rock Lane Chesapeake, VA 23322 410-4596
Laura Gravely 945 Legacy Landing Apt. 312 Virginia Beach, VA 23464 410-0772
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1 6:30pm Men’s Dinner Out
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2 Helen Pennington’s Birthday Paul Ashcraft’s Birthday
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 Kaehla Barlow’s Birthday
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4 Elder Nomination Deadline 8:45am Merry Bells 9:45am Sunday School 9:45am Children’s Class on Communion 11:00am Worship and Communion Peace Offering Received 12:30pm Mission Matters Youth
MONDAY, OCTOBER 5 7:00pm Committee Chairs 7:00pm Boy Scouts 7:30pm Committee Night
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 11:30am Gad-Abouts 7:30pm Bells of Providence Rehearsal
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7 Eric Pennypacker’s Birthday 6:00pm Kirk Night 6:30pm Kirkmusik 7:30pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8 Bob North’s Birthday 7:00pm Women’s Bible Study
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 Don Douglas’ Birthday
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 Maryilyn Kemmerer’s Birthday 4:00am Parents Group
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11 8:45am Merry Bells 9:45am Sunday School 11:00am Worship 12:15pm Fall Festival
MONDAY, OCTOBER 12 Columbus Day Church Office Closed Dorothy Brangan’s Birthday 7:00pm Session Meeting New Members Received 7:00pm Boy Scouts
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13 Judy Cole’s Birthday 10:00am Dorcas Circle 7:30pm Bells of Providence Rehearsal
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 Don Bielmann’s Birthday 9:45am Mary & Martha Circle 6:00pm Kirk Night 6:30pm Kirkmusik 7:30pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 Newsletter Submission Deadline 7:00pm Care Team Leaders
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 Women’s Fall Retreat Cristy Martin’s Birthday Ashley Polychroni’s Birthday
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17 Women’s Fall Retreat Elle Tyler’s Birthday 9:00am Courtyard Graces
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18 Women’s Fall Retreat Chris Bell’s Birthday 8:45am Merry Bells Rehearsal 9:45am Sunday School 11:00am Worship 6:00pm YF: Youth Fellowship
MONDAY, OCTOBER 19 Mil Cluverius’ Birthday Dawn Hill’s Birthday 7:00pm Boy Scouts
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20 Eric Custer’s Birthday Nick Passarella’s Birthday 7:30pm Bells of Providence Rehearsal
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21 Barry Davis’ Birthday Art Freeberg’s Birthday Kevin Daley’s Birthday 6:00pm Kirk Night 6:30pm Kirkmusik 7:30pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22 Michelle Bolton’s Birthday
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 Dolores Hickman’s Birthday Jackie Sawyer’s Birthday Rebecca Lindgren’s Birthday
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 Julia Foust’s Birthday Garrett Finch’s Birthday
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25 Reformation Sunday ODU Campus Ministry Meal 9:45am Sunday School 11:00am Worship 12:15pm PW Coordinating Team
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26 Meals on Wheels Delivery Week Sebastian Bell’s Birthday 7:00pm Boy Scouts
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27 Lu Steger’s Birthday Julia Bauman’s Birthday Allison Lindgren’s Birthday Johnny Dortch’s Birthday 7:30pm Bells of Providence Rehearsal
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 Jennifer Zimmerman’s Birthday 6:00pm Kirk Night 6:30pm Kirkmusik 7:30pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 Lynn Carré’s Birthday Catherine Hensly’s Birthday
THIS MONTH AT PROVIDENCE
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PARTNER IN EDUCATION The school year has begun and so have the programs we support at Fairfield Elementary School as a Partner in Education. We need your help! The Lunch Buddy program will begin October 7 and will continue the first Wednesday of each month through May. Simply share your time and presence with designated students during their lunch period in the cafeteria. Hours are 10:50am – 1:30pm. Many students are in need of an adult buddy/mentor who can share a little time and conversation with them. The program needs as many people as possible to participate. Can’t begin in October, make it every month, or for the full lunch time? Something can be worked out. Contact the PTA coordinator, Kristin Fitch, at 366-0199 or email her at [email protected]. You can also see or talk to Deborah Hensly if you have questions. The Farm Fresh 123-4 Community Program has changed. Key tags will be provided to scan at the checkout each time you shop, now through May 31, 2016. Right now we only have a paper version to use. See Deborah Hensly or stop in the church office to get yours. Plastic key tags are on order through the school and will be available at a later date. Kroger is continuing their program the same as in the past. Each shopper who has a Kroger Plus Shopper’s card must scan the school bar code only one time to be enrolled for the entire school year. See Deborah Hensly or stop in the church office if you need a bar code. Box Tops for Education, found on many grocery items, will continue to be donated to Fairfield Elementary. Box Tops are redeemed for educational supplies much like the store programs. Please deposit yours in the specially marked container located at each entrance to the sanctuary.
OCTOBER PARENTS GROUP SOCIAL EVENT While this group targets parents with school-aged and younger children, empty-nesters are also invited to participate. We’ll gather outside the church once a quarter at 4pm (starting on October 10 at Billy & Loretta Ricketts’ home). The church will supply a main dish and bottled water. Attendees are encouraged to bring a dessert or side dish and any other beverage of their choice. On the two following months, we’ll meet at the church (November 14 and December 12). Parents are encouraged to arrange childcare so that they’ll have some time for uninterrupted adult conversation. If childcare is needed, please contact Pastor Billy, ([email protected]).
MISSION MATTERS YOUTH GROUP The Mission Matters Youth Group focuses on serving others. Over the last year, PPC middle & high school students worked closely with mission partner, Blankets for the Homeless, where they made countless meals for those who have no place to live and provided lots of supplies (blankets, shoes, backpacks, sun screen and much, much more) to this mission. This group also organized an Alternative Advent Gift Market where they raised over $1,800. Part of the money raised financed the purchase and installation of a well that supplied clean water to an entire village. The group’s first meeting of the season will take place from 12:30 until 2:00pm on October 4 at in the Parlor. Afterwards, gatherings will happen on the first Sunday of each month to focus on mission opportunities. This group will be led by Pastor Billy.
YF: YOUTH FELLOWSHIP YF: Youth Fellowship will meet from 6 until 7:15pm on the third Sunday of each month through May. The YF season will begin with food, fellowship, fun, discussion & activities on October 18. YF will be led by Pastor Jeff.
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PEVA PW Fall Gathering, Saturday October 10 The Presbyterian Women of Denbigh United Presbyterian Church, Newport News, are hosting the Fall Gathering for the women of PEVA! All are invited to attend. Keynote speaker will be Sushma Ramswami from India. She has served, for the past 20 years, as the communications Secretary of the Church of North India and has been leading movements for the empowerment of women, children and youth. Registration and Breakfast begin at 8:15am followed by worship and workshops with closing at 1:15. Check for details and transportation on the PW bulletin board. PW Fall Retreat, Outer Banks, October 16-18 Join us as we head to Corolla for a time away to relax and reflect. Fellowship time, devotions, strolls on the beach, food, free time and even some shopping. Take the bus (14 spots) or carpool; come for the weekend or for the day! See more details and sign-ups on the PW bulletin board. ODU Campus Ministry Meal, October 25 The due date for the October meal is October 25. The recipes are Norma Barnes’ Beefaroni, Marie Tuttle’s Corn Pudding and Cecilia Daley's Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars. All were selected from our Providece cookbook. For those in need of a container, there are a few in the old kitchen. Jane Pritchett is grateful to all who take time to cook.
PRESBYTERIAN WOMENPPC MEN’S GROUPFor years, the Providence Presbyterian Church
Men’s Group had always gathered once a month for dinner at the church. While attendance has always been fine, it has become obvious that the gentlemen might appreciate a little variety!
On September 12, we gathered at the church at 7:30am for a good old-fashioned breakfast and headed out afterwards to do a few mission projects (for the Presbytery’s ODU Campus Ministry House and a Blankets for the Homeless mission).
On Thursday, October 1, we’ll venture outside the walls of the Fellowship Hall to try Gordon Biersch, located at Virginia Beach’s Town Center, for dinner at 6:30pm. Check out their web page: www.gordonbiersch.com. On Thursday, November 5, we’ll get back to our roots and enjoy dinner in the Fellowship Hall.
In the following months, we’ll follow the same pattern (breakfast & mission; dinner out; and dinner at the church) each quarter. The many folks who have been a part of this group for years are encouraged to continue to participate (and bring a friend). We’re also excited about the possibility of increasing the size of the group by trying some new things. If you have any questions or plan to participate in October’s event, please contact Pastors Jeff or Billy in the church office.
WORKCAMP VIRGINIA BEACH 2016 Hello, everyone, from the Workcamp 2016 Committee! We continue to prepare for Workcamp Virginia Beach 2016. There are currently 500 campers registered and we expect them to arrive on Sunday, June 26 for a week of home repair and life transformation. The difference between a great camp experience and a marginal one is the co-sponsor’s effort to make the campers feel at home. Some options for ensuring that Workcamp Virginia Beach is a welcoming and positive experience include providing goody bags when the campers arrive on Sunday, possibly having a snack and water available when the campers return each day from working, and possibly treats at night after their evening program. We are coordinating with other churches in the area to assist in these areas. Also, we are required to write up directions to all the sites from the school so we will be looking for volunteers to assist in this area. Sign-up sheets are posted on the youth bulletin board if you are interested in assisting in any way. Our biggest challenge is finding homes to repair. We are required to find 80 homes for the campers to work on from interior/exterior painting, weatherization, step repair, wheel chair ramp construction/repair, and porch repair/construction to mobile home repairs. We are not allowed to do plumbing, electrical, or HVAC repairs. We have passed out numerous applications and applications for home repairs are available from the church office and on the Workcamp bulletin board if you are interested or know of someone that may be in need of repairs to their home. Thanks again to everyone for your continued prayers for this great event. For more information contact Kevin Daley at [email protected], or (757) 572-3977.
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JUVENILE DETENTION MINISTRY Our September visit to Norfolk Juvenile Detention Center went quite well. Stephanie Boose and Louann Bielmann gave short talks on topics from Our Daily Bread. Dewey Buschert shared a story… a young man, living far from home, shipped his dad a bird. A couple of weeks later, the son checked with his family to see how the bird was. The father exclaimed that the bird was the best he'd ever had. Apprehensively, the son inquired, "You didn't EAT the bird, did you? " The reply was that the mother had seasoned and roasted the bird and it was the tastiest and juciest ever. The horrified son exclaimed, "Dad, that bird could speak seven different languages." "Well", replied the father, "He should have said something." All, kids and volunteers, burst into laughter. The visit included Bingo, prayer requests, and refreshments. We shared hope, laughter, and planted a few seeds. The detainees and our group of volunteers are grateful for your prayers.
A Look In The Toolbox written by Julia Bettencourt; submitted by Kevin Daley Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
2 Timothy 2:15 talks about being a "workman". If we are workmen, we'll need some tools, so let's take a look in our toolbox and see what we can find. Safety Goggles. When we are working on projects, safety googles are a must to protect our eyes. As Christians we need to protect our eyes as well. There's so many things that the world offers that will spark or skew our direction. We have to have some safety measures in place, such as what type of television and movies we watch. What type of magazines we read. What type of places we allow ourselves to go as Christians. Level. A level is a device that helps us line things up by establishing a horizontal line. It helps us do things with precision. That's how we need to approach life. The Word of God should be our level. The things in our lives should line up with the Bible and what it has to say. Screwdriver. A screwdriver is one of those most commonly used tools. It's a tool for turning curves such as when we put a screw into something and it goes the opposite direction when we remove one. How about us? Do we go the way that God wants us to, even if it's not the direction we want to go in? Do we follow His leading? Nuts and Bolts. Nuts and bolts are amazing little things. They are used to put things together and make them sturdy. They allow for tremendous pressure. How about us? Do we lean on Christ? It's the only way that we will withstand that tremendous pressure of the world. Adjustable Wrench. These are handy little tools for our toolbox. They have adjustable heads to accommodate various sizes of nuts and bolts. How about us? Are we flexible to situations that arise? Do we react to unforeseen things in a Christian way? Chisel. A chisel is a tool with a sharp edge at one end. It is used to chip and carve into something that is solid, such as wood, stone, or metal. Are we busy chipping out all the things that aren't necessary in our lives as Christians? We should be constantly working on getting rid of that "old man". Hammer. As workmen, we are going to have to use a hammer from time to time to put things in place. How about us? Do we have things hammered in place in our Christian lives such as regular Bible reading, regular prayer, regular church attendance? Pliers. Pliers are tools used for holding things by pinching it. It allows us to work on things that need precision work. There are going to be some things in our Christian lives that need some attention. There may be times that we need to just grab hold of something and work on it. We may need to work on our faith, our prayer life, our witnessing, or something else that we stuggle with. Tape Measure. No matter what type of DIY or building project we do, there are going to be times when we need to measure things. When we are working on our Christian lives, we need to measure it from time to time. Are we doing more for Christ than we were a few years ago? Are we growing in God's Word? Conclusion: Our verse in 2 Timothy talks about being a "workman" but it also talks about studying God's Word. That's what hones our craft. Staying in God's Word and knowing it helps us with our skills as a Christian. Knowing the Word of God will help us understand it and put biblical principles into place in our lives. The Bible is full of things that we can use as tools to improve our Christian lives and our relationship with the Lord. So, what's in your toolbox?
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR RULING ELDERS
The Congregational Nominating Committee is seeking nominations for Ruling Elder: five positions in the Class of 2019. Elections will be held at the Annual Congregational Meeting in January with terms beginning February 28, 2016.
You may offer candidates for nomination either by using the form below, or by contacting a Nominating Committee member. Nominees will be compiled and reviewed by the Nominating Committee. The final nominees will be contacted to ensure they are willing to serve, and the nominations will be brought before the congregation for election at a called congregational meeting.
• Ruling elders should be persons of faith, dedication, and good judgment. • Their manner of life should be a demonstration of the Christian gospel, both within the church and in the world. The ruling elders’ charge is to strengthen and nurture the faith and life of the congregation. • They should have a knowledge and commitment to our Presbyterian system and traditions, or a willingness to learn them. • Together, with the Teaching Elder, Rev. Jeff Bell, they exercise leadership, government, and discipline in our local church and the church at large. • Ruling elders provide administrative and program leadership in cooperation with church staff. • In addition to monthly session and committee meetings, ruling elders perform many other duties through their involvement in Worship, Christian Education, and other programs offered both inside and outside our church.
Nominating Committee members: Tom Barrow Carol Hickman Annette Molleen Rich Lindgren Kevin Daley Mike Stockmeier Gary Toone
Nominations should be submitted on or before October 4, 2015. Complete the form below with your nominations and submit to a member of the Nominating Committee,
to the Providence church office, or place in the offering plate during Sunday morning worship. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ELDER NOMINATIONS
Name of nominee ________________________________________________________________
Reason(s) for nomination ________________________________________________________________
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Name of nominee ________________________________________________________________
Reason(s) for nomination ________________________________________________________________
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Name of nominee ________________________________________________________________
Reason(s) for nomination ________________________________________________________________
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What does the Bible say
about qualifications for elders, overseers,
and deacons?
See 1 Timothy 3:1-13
and Titus 1:6-9.
PROVIDENCE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH5497 Providence Road Virginia Beach, VA 23464 757-420-6159 ・ www.provpres.org ・ [email protected]
Please e-mail newsletter items no later than the 15th of each month for the following month’s edition to:
NEWSLETTER INFORMATION
SAVE THE DATE
Pampered Chef Fundraiser to benefit Workcamp 2016
Saturday, November 14 2-4pm
Fellowship Hall
Hands-on cooking demonstration, new recipes, and tastings! These quality kitchen products and spice blends make perfect Christmas gifts.
Providence Presbyterian Church 5497 Providence Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23464
757-420-6159 ・ www.provpres.org ・[email protected]
Church Staff Pastor Rev. Jeffrey S. Bell Parish Associate Rev. Tom Chadwick Pastor of Family Life Ministries Pastor Billy Ricketts Director of Music Valetta Fellenbaum Organist John Dixon Administrative Assistant Karen Cagni Nursery Supervisor Michelle Wofford Treasurer Carolyn Knowles Financial Secretary Ted Salter Sextons Gus and Mary Ann Villies
The Session Moderator: Rev. Jeffrey S. Bell ・ Clerk of Session: Gary Reese
Administration *Glynn Rogers, Mike Schroeder, Dianne Stockmeier Christian Education *Robin Birdwell, Ray Maxwell Congregational Care *Anita Matteson, Don Singletary Fellowship *Carol Hickman, Susan Ayers
Mission/Outreach/Evangelism *Sandra Rushton, Cecilia Daley Property *George Fitzgerald, Riley Hensly Worship *Tom Barrow
*committee chair
