Letter from

Rev. Brett

Page

2

The Lord’s

Day

Page

3

Make a Joyful

Noise!

Page

4

Fun &

Fellowship

Page

5

Education &

Discipleship

Page

6&7

Calendar &

Birthdays

Page

8

Volunteer

Schedule

Page

9

Financial

Information

Page

9

The Highlander The Newsletter of The Presbyterian Church of Punxsutawney - 106 E. Union St., Punxsutawney, PA 15767

September

2013

Mark Your

Calendars

September 1st

Final Summer

Worship

September 8th

RALLY DAY

Sunday School

at 9:45 a.m.

Worship featuring

our Choir

at 11:00 a.m.

After-Worship Lunch

at 12 Noon

September 15th

Saturday Friends Out

at Gimmicks

2013-2014 Rally Day Kick-Off

Sunday, September 8th

Sunday School Treasure Hunt • Adult Sunday School Begins •

Special Worship with Choir • After-Worship Lunch in the Dining Room

Join us Sunday, September 8th as we

begin our adventure together!

On Sunday, September 8th we will celebrate Rally Day

2013-2014 The Adventure Begins as we look forward

to all the new places the Spirit will be leading us in the

coming seasons. Come and join us for Sunday School

for all ages, worship featuring the return of the choir,

and a great post-worship lunch in our dining room.

Invite a Friend and Bring the Family

Rally Day Schedule Children’s Sunday School

Treasure Hunt 9:45 a.m.

Adult Sunday School

“Top 5 Funniest Bible Stories”

11:00 a.m. Rally Day Worship

featuring the Choir

Post-Worship Lunch for Everyone

in Dining Room

T h e H i g h l a n d e r

It is easy to become a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. Names like Clemente, Stargell, Mazeroski, and Wagner remind you of the baseball history found at just about every position. Modern day players like Andrew McCutchen are just as easy to love as their home turf of PNC Park. As a transplant to Steel

City Baseball, I have found it easy to root for the Pirates,; especially this season where the playoffs are all but a lock. It is easy to become a Pirates fan. I imagine that is a whole lot harder to be a Pirates fan. During the three summers I’ve been in Pennsylvania, the Pirates have had two good seasons. A perfect time to jump on the bandwagon. The Pirates I’ve been rooting for since 2011 are tied up exactly at 228 wins and 228 losses* and with every victory they come closer to snapping their record of 20 consecutive years of losing seasons. Now is the perfect time to become a Pirates fan: no wallowing through the +100 loss seasons of 2001 and 2010, no trading away the only decent players, no seven years finishing at the bottom of the division. Raising the Jolly Roger hasn’t been this easy since the late 70’s and early 90’s when they were winning big. Actually being a Pirates fan, on the other hand, requires something all together different. It is a commitment; it is a patient pursuit that builds a long memory for the ups and downs that bandwagon fans cannot tolerate. Being a Pirates fan means knowing there will always be another season; another opportunity to “get them next year” if this year doesn't work out. Becoming a Pirates fan when they are winning is easy, being a Pirates fan when they aren’t takes resolve. Becoming is always the easy part. It is the being that is ripe with pitfalls and opportunities to jump ship and go for greener pastures be they better baseball teams or easier truths that go down smooth. This Rally Day 2013-2014 we renew our adventure together as we seek to be the Children of God through the ups and downs, through the wins and loses, through the easy and tough times of life that no fair-weather fan could tolerate. Through the “regular season” we will listen for the Holy Spirit and follow where that Spirit leads. Together we will explore what it means to be a person of faith in body, soul, and mind, and what that commitment means for our everyday life. This truly will be an awesome adventure!

Thank you letters from Hurricane Sandy Victims Members of our congregation worked along the New Jersey coastline doing Hurricane Sandy relief from August 5th - 8th.

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart

for all your help with my home. I don’t know what I

would have done without your kindness. You are such

wonderful people to help me, give up your time, and you

worked so hard. I hope someday I can thank each and

everyone in person. May God bless you. I really needed

help and you Angels came to help me.

Thank You,

Nancy Flipowicz

We’ll bet it was very nice to sleep

in your own bed last night!

Words alone are not enough to express our gratitude for

your group’s work as volunteers. We believe you are

angles here on earth.

Thank you so much; we are so appreciative.

Love,

Nancy & Angela

Nancy Flipowicz and her husband purchased a home in Ocean Gate, New Jersey many years ago. Following her

husband’s death, Nancy struggled to keep up with the repairs to the property that she hoped she could pass on to her

children and grandchildren. On October 29, 2012 Hurricane Sandy crossed the New Jersey coastline and the resulting

wind and flood damage to Nancy’s home threatened to be the last straw for this home already in need of repairs.

Thankfully for Nancy, a volunteer from Lancaster, Pennsylvania named Angela took a special interested in Nancy and her

home and, along with her husband, began to coordinate the repair efforts from her home in Lancaster. The Mission Trip

Team from our church worked on Nancy Flipowicz’s home extensively the second and third day of our trip.

P a g e 3

T h e H i g h l a n d e r

Our September 2013 Worship Calendar ***Worship Begins at 11:00 a.m. ***

September 1st Final Summer Worship &

Celebration of Communion

Fake It ‘Til

You Make It

Psalm 112

& Hebrews 13:1-8,15-16

September 8th

Rally Day

The Adventure Begins

1 Timothy 1: 12-17

& Jeremiah 18: 1-6

September 15th 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Lost and Found

Psalm 51:1-10

& Luke 15:1-10

September 22nd 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Guest Preacher

while Rev. Brett Swanson is

on Vacation

September 29th

A Special 5th Sunday Service

is in the works! Stay tuned for

more information.

September

is a great month to

invite a friend to

worship!

The Lord’s Day at PCOP

World Communion

Sunday is October 6th

featuring the PCUSA

Peacemaking Offering

P a g e 4 S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 3

Make a Joyful Noise! PCOP Music

Calling All Ringers!

Both experienced and first-time ringers are always welcome to

come and make beautiful music with our collection of hand

bells. Practice is usually Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m. and

typically last less than one hour. Join us!

Questions? Talk to Jessica Suntheimer

The Bell Choir Begins Practice

Thursday, September 19th at 6:00 p.m.

Let Everything that Has Breath Praise the Lord!

Kick-Off Choir Pot-Luck Picnic Open to Current Choir Members & Those Interested In Joining

Thursday, September 5th - 6:00 p.m. at Ginger Momyer’s Home 115 Elm Road, Punxsutawney

Calling all Choir Members and those interested in learning more about our choir.

The kick-off pot-luck picnic will be at Ginger Momyer’s home on Thursday, September

5th. Invite family members & bring a sweater. For more information contact Ginger.

Good News! The Choir Begins Singing on Sunday, September 8th

Thank You to all our Summer Musicians Tom Curry • Holly Hartman • Debbie Dinsmore • Ann Mumper

Karina Blose • Chani Blose • Nicole Williams • Kassy Buente

Julie & Nikki Gutowski • Nick & Jessica Suntheimer

D3 Vocal Group • Kathy Dinsmore

and a big thank you to Nancy Pearce & Ginger Momyer

P a g e 5 S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 3

Fun & Fellowship

Final Summer Walk & Talk

is Tuesday, September 10th at 8:00 a.m.

Thanks to all who came out this Summer!

Special Thanks to Bill & Jean Deeley,

and Bill & Joyce Cooper

Saturday Friends Out for September

SATURDAY FRIENDS OUT WILL MEET AT

Gimmick’s

466 Harmony Road Punxsutawney

12:00 p.m. Lunch on Saturday, September 21st

Please call the church office to make your reservation

by September 19th

2013 PAHS Varsity Football Schedule

August 30 Away vs. Brookville

September 6 Home vs. Union

September 13 Away vs. Dubois

September 20 Away vs. AC Valley

September 27 Home vs. St. Mary’s

October 4 Away vs. Clarion Limestone

October 11 Homer vs. Karns City

October 18 Home vs. Clarion Area

October 25 Away vs. Moniteau

All games at 7:00 p.m.

COME ON OUT AND SUPPORT

OUR STUDENT ATHLETES

Haley

Hartman (Cheerleading)

See Haley Hartman

in action at Varsity Football Games

P a g e 6 S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 3

Education & Discipleship

T h e H i g h l a n d e r P a g e 6

Tuesdays at Ten Fall Kick-Off!

Towards the Back:

Little Books & Big Ideas Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. - Seminar Room

Adult Sunday School Kick-Off!

Rarely read and stuck in

the back of the New

Testament, the “little

books” of Titus, Philemon,

the Letters of John (all

three of them) and Jude

have only 12 chapters

between them but these

little books cover some

REALLY BIG IDEAS.

Join us this September and

October for an in-depth

study of six of the shortest

books of the Bible.

Starting Tuesday,

September 10th

Sept. 10th Titus

Sept. 17th

Sept. 24th Philemon

Oct. 1st 1 John

Oct. 8th

Oct. 15th 2 & 3 John

Oct. 22nd Jude

Funniest Bible Stories

Grossest Bible Stories

Fun Old Testament Facts

Crazy Rumors about Jesus

JOIN US FOR

THE TOP 5 COUNTDOWN

Begins Sunday, September 8th at 9:45 a.m.

Available for Grades 7 –12 An Informational Meeting for Parents & Families

will be held on Sunday, September 29th following worship

Fall 2013 Confirmation Dates and Time • Attendance Obligations

Purpose of Confirmation • Confirmation Retreat

and Q & A about Confirmation

Join Rev. Brett Swanson for refreshments and information

about Confirmation this Fall for Grades 7th -12th.

P a g e 7 S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 3

Education & Discipleship

T h e H i g h l a n d e r P a g e 7

Fall 2013 (Sept. - Nov.)

Mary & Martha

Miracles of Jesus

Advent 2013 (December)

Singing Practice with Nancy

and Shepherds & Wise Men

Winter 2014 (Jan — Feb 9)

Children’s Mission Project

Lent 2014 (Feb - April 6)

Singing Practice with Nancy and

Passover & The Last Supper

Pentecost 2014 (April & May)

The Holy Spirit & Pentecost

The Early Church

Children’s Sunday School for 2013-2014

Life in Bible Times

This year the theme of our Children’s Sunday School

is Life in Bible Times - a fun and interesting

exploration of what everyday life would be like for

the people of the Old and New Testament. Using

stories, crafts, food, special projects, multi-media,

guest teachers and more, students will gain an inside

look into both the bible story and the world where

the story took place. It is going to be a great year!

We are excited to bring back our two amazing

teachers Bev Keeley & Joyce Cooper! Both Bev and

Joyce are already hard at work getting everything

ready for this Sunday School year.

Guests, family, and friends are welcome to join us

anytime, and Sunday School is a perfect opportunity

to get children integrated into our church family.

Join us for RALLY DAY

Sunday, September 8th for a special

TRESURE HUNT and other activities

for children of all ages!

SEPTEMBER 2013

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

Final Summer

Worship

at 11:00 a.m.

2

Labor Day

*Office Closed*

3

4

Choir Picnic

6:00 p.m.

5 6 7

8

RALLY DAY

Sunday School

at 9:45 a.m.

Worship

at 11:00 a.m.

Lunch

at 12:00 Noon

9

10

FINAL

Walk & Talk

8:00 a.m.

~

Tuesdays at Ten

BEGINS

at 10:00 a.m.

11

Stewardship

Committee

at 7:00 p.m.

12

Choir Practice

at 7:00 p.m.

13

14

15

Sunday School

at 9:45 a.m.

Worship at

11: 00 a.m.

Session

and Lunch

at 12:00 Noon

16

Crosstown

Food Pantry

at 5:30 p.m.

17

Tuesdays at Ten

at 10:00 a.m.

18 19

Hand-Bell Choir

Kick-Off

6:00 p.m.

Choir Practice

at 7:00 p.m.

20 21

22

Sunday School

9:45 a.m.

Worship

11:00 a.m.

23 24

Tuesdays at Ten

at 10:00 a.m.

25 26

27 28

29

Sunday School

at 9:45 a.m.

Special 5th

Sunday

Worship

at 11:00 a.m.

30

Happy Birthday To You! 3rd Richard Fetterman 16th Emily Eyler 27th Kellan Cessna

5th Barry Eyler 20th Patty Chambers 28th Ann Mumper

7th Emma White 21st Dee Blose 30th Roberta Dinsmore

10th Andy Phillber 26th Doug Harrold & Guy Lester

Rev. Brett Swanson—Out of Office

Rev. Brett Swanson on Vacation (September 21st to September 28th)

Rev. Brett Swanson—Out of Office

T h e H i g h l a n d e r P a g e 9

Thank You to our September Volunteers

September 1st

Communion

Screen George Momyer

Sound Barb Hanley

Liturgist Muriel Grube

September 8th

RALLY DAY

Screen Nick Suntheimer

Sound Nick Suntheimer

Liturgist Carole Haire

Acolyte Holly Hartman

September 15th

Screen Ben Fye

Sound Bruce Williams

Liturgist Dana Hartman

Acolyte Jackson & Ben Fezell

September 22nd

Please Welcome Our

Guest Preacher

Screen Bill Cooper

Sound Nick Suntheimer

Liturgist Haley Hartman

Acolyte Madelyn Fye &

McKenzie Reiter

Screen George Momyer September 30th

Special 5th Sunday

Worship

Sound Barb Hanley

Liturgist John Hughes

Acolyte Holly Hartman

September 2013

“Green Team” Volunteers

Week Watering Mowing

September

2-7

Wick & Bev

Divelbiss

Joel Anderson

September

8-14

Bill & Jean

Deeley

Barb Hanley

September

16-21

Brett Swanson

& Kate Hopta

THANK YOU TO ALL OURTHANK YOU TO ALL OURTHANK YOU TO ALL OUR

SUMMER VOLUNTEERS! SUMMER VOLUNTEERS! SUMMER VOLUNTEERS!

FINANCIAL STATEMENT - June & July 2013

June

Current

July

Current

June

Year to Date

July

Year to Date

Budgeted

Receipts $13,341.58 $14,978.65 $80,938.72 $95,917.37

Disbursements $14,787.75 $13,905.45 $94,517.56 $108,423..01 $184,039.00

Excess

(- Deficiency) of Revenues over

Expenditures

$(1,446.17) $1,073.17 $(13,578.84) $(12,505.64)

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it ~ Psalm 24:1

Those Needing Our Prayers

Betty Brumbaugh Otto Grube

Ed Craig Lois Leksell

Kathy Kopp Joe Kareteski

Nancy Lazorchak Glenn McMillen

Annie Laurie Williams Debbie Wright

Barb Bullers Jackie Walker

Bill Myers Maddie Indre

Jane Wineberg Emily Osborne

Bill Ward Eleanor Hemphill

Those Who Mourn Soldiers Overseas

The Presbyterian Church of Punxsutawney

106 E. Union St.

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania 15767

Office: (814) 938-5560

Visit Us Online at punxsypc.net

Reminder

Deadline for

October 2012’s

Highlander Articles

is Monday,

September 17th

Looking Ahead Winter will be here before you know it!

Don’t forget the Year-Round

Tri-County Children’s Gloves &

Mittens Project

or the Christmas

Toys for Tots

Gift Drive

This reminder is brought to you by the

PCOP Mission Committee punxsypc.net

Check out the

newly

redesigned

PCOP website