Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Can you believe that summer is almost over? Many of you will be glad to shed some of the heat that we have experienced this year. But the end of summer also means the gearing up of a new church year. Those hazy, crazy, lazy days of summer will come to an end and we will return back to our “normal” church time and all of our activities.
Sunday school is a huge part of church formation for all of us, especially children. In Sunday school, we learned that "God is great and God is good." We learn to thank God for our blessings. We learn that God is big and strong and mighty and there is nothing that God cannot do. God made this world. God made the animals and the birds. God made you and me.
We learned that "Jesus Loves Me." You have probably heard the name Karl Barth, probably the best theologian of the twentieth century. He was asked near the end of his remarkable career to state the most significant truth he had come across in his lifetime of study. After a moment of thought he is reported to have answered, "Jesus loves me; this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
Sunday School taught, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." We learned that Jesus is living and dying proof of God's love for you and me. We learned, "Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world; red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight; Jesus loves the little children of the world."
We who lived through the sixties remember the Civil Rights struggles of the decade. We remember the assassinations. We remember the race riots and the tear gas. But if we ever gave thought to that Sunday School song that we sang, we knew that things had to change. Fortunately for all of us, changes have come - not finished yet, but on the way.
We learned "The B I B L E, yes, that's the book for me. I stand alone on the word of God, the B I B L E." There are many good books in the world, but there are none like THE good book. It has been called a Christian's Owner's Manual. That was one of the lessons of my Sunday School class.
We learned, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine." We believe, because of what we learned in Sunday School, that we have a mission in this world. The gospel is good news and it demands to be shared - it deserves to be shouted from the housetops, printed on balloons, slapped on billboards, chanted at ballgames, scrawled across the sky. Can't do all those things? We learned in Sunday School that one of the best ways to share the gospel is by the way we live.
Sunday School taught us so much. "The Lord is my Shepherd," Abraham and Isaac, David and Goliath, and all of the parables of Jesus. In Sunday School, we learn that there is more to life, more to Christian discipleship, than just the basics.
And Sunday School is not just for children. We all need to continue learning as disciples of our risen Lord. There is so much more we have to learn if we want to grow in faith. And I know just the place for you to learn it. See you on Sunday mornings and at Bible studies and at Sunday school!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Bonnie
Callie’s Email and Address:
Callie Crowder, our Princeton Summer Intern has returned to her busy schedule of seminary, working and taking care of her two teenaged boys, Omar and Messiah. When you are in the midst of seminary, it is such a joy to hear from someone who is not expecting a response. If you have a moment, during this year, send Callie a word of love and encouragement and remember to keep her in prayer. You may send her an email at: callie.crowder@ptsem.edu. Her address for cards is 1763 6th Street, Ewing, New Jersey 08628
Church email address:
Check out our website: http://www.mayfieldpresbyterianchurch.org
Greg Hitchcock is maintaining the website. If you have information or pictures (past or present) to put on it give them to him or e-mail them to him at greg@greghitchcockonline.net.
September 1Food Pantry Meeting
The Food Pantry Committee will meet on Thursday, September 1 at 3:00 pm. Anyone who is interested in helping with the Food Pantry is invited to attend. There are many more jobs that need to get done besides handing out food.
September 1110:30 Worship & Sunday School Rally Day
We will return to our 10:30 worship time on September 11and Sunday school will begin that day. We will commission our teachers and welcome our students back from summer vacation. Join us for a day of learning and fun. We will share a picnic lunch to celebrate our new season of learning the stories of the Bible.
September 12 & 13 Bible Study - Confronting the Controversies
Join us beginning September 12 at 12:00 noon as we resume our Bible studies. We will begin with a very interesting book by Adam Hamilton called Confronting the Controversies, Biblical Perspectives on Tough Issues. Many of us do not really take the time to think through tough issues until we have a personal experience. We often do not know how to have dialogue on these issues, especially with people who fall on the opposite side from where we believe. This Bible study will help us learn to think through complex moral issues, applying both biblical teaching and theological thinking. It will provide a model for how to have dialogue about moral issues while maintaining respect for people on both sides of the issue. The issues we will be looking at include: separation of church and state, creation and evolution in public schools, the death penalty, euthanasia, prayer in public schools, abortion and homosexuality. I will also offer several sermons on these topics demonstrating the necessity to truly listen to opposite opinions on difficult issues that are dividing churches throughout the world. The Bible study will be repeated on Tuesday evenings at 5:00 pm, beginning on September 13.
September 21PresbyterianWomen
PW will meet at 7:00 pm on September 21 in Fellowship Hall to finalize plans for the Networking dinner and discuss upcoming events. Bring a Bible verse that begins with the letter “H”.
September 25Barbecue Meeting
Sunday, September 25, after church there will be a brief meeting to discuss next year’s barbecue and the changes that Brooks is making to their policies and numbers of chicken that have to be ordered. Come give your ideas and if you have other preparers of chicken we would like to know about them.
September 25Pastor Appreciation Day
Our fourth annual Pastor Appreciation Sunday will be held on September 25. Mark your calendars and plan to be at the church for this special celebration. We will also mark Pastor Bonnie’s 15th anniversary as our pastor. Anyone who would like to help can speak to Nancy Frank (661-5328).
September 26Session Meeting
The Session will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, September 26. Speak to Janis Frisch or Rev. Bonnie if youhave something to bring before the Session.
September 28Storytelling
To continue our storytelling activities, Pastor Bonnie will be offering a class in learning scripture by heart. This is an easy way to read scripture and to internalize the scripture so that you learn it by heart. You can then participate in worship as we “tell” rather than read the scriptures. The first class will be offered on Wednesday, September 28 at 7:00 pm. This is a lot of fun! Try it, you’ll like it! If this night does not work and you are interested, talk to Pastor Bonnie because she is planning a second training.
October 1Craft Fair & Blessing of the Animals
Plans for our 22nd Annual Craft Fair are underway. Saturday, October 1st is the date when we will be ushering in fall and the holiday season There is still time to be a sponsor of the Fair or rent a table to “show your stuff/crafts” (contact Sue Cichy). The “Garden Maze” raffle quilt drawing will take place at the end of the Craft Fair. Tickets are available to purchase or sell - $1.00 each, see Deb Hall. We will be looking for gently used items for Granny’s Attic - any questions please see Deb Hall. The ladies of the church will once again have a table with crafts and a bake sale and serving lunch. There will be lists posted on the board in Fellowship Hall to sign up to help and/or bring baked goods and make hamburg soup.Anyone interested in helping please speak to Sue Cichy or Jane Brower.
Blessing of the Animals will take place also that day at 1:00 pm as part of our annual craft show. Bring your pet on a leash or in a cage for a blessing. Animals refer to all the living creatures people bring to worship—such as cats and dogs, birds, reptiles, and fish, domesticated or wild. When people are not able to bring an animal, they may wish to bring a picture of an animal they love or an endangered species in the wild. This is a public expression of the bond we have with all animals. This custom is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is October 4.
October 5PW Night in Zambia
On Wednesday, October 5 at 6 p.m. the women of the church will host another special program-" A PW NIGHT IN ZAMBIA". This year we have chosen our menu from Zambia and added YAV to our offering reciepients along with Presbyterian Relief Fund, which supplies relief supplies after every major disaster in this country and around the world, and CEDEPCA, Evangelical Center for Pastoral Care in Central America, the organization that Rev. Bonnie works with. Sign up on the sign-up board to help and to let us know if you are coming or call Ann Mallin (773-8198) or Chris Dahl (661-5800).
LOOKING AHEAD
October 18Interfaith Tea
Our church will host this year’s Interfaith Tea on Tuesday, October 18 with registration beginning around 11:30 am. There is no decision as to the program at the time of the printing of the newsletter.
October 28 & 29Rummage Sale
PW’s Fall Rummage Sale will be held Friday, October 28 from 7:00 am to noon and again on Saturday. Since storage space is limited we ask that you do not bring in rummage until two weeks before (after October 18). This will allow us to keep the coat area available and the church looking presentable for guests during the Networking Dinner and Interfaith Tea.
BBQ NOTES
Thank you so much to everyone who contributed and/or helped in any way in making this year’s Chicken BBQ a big success! What a great group of people to work with! We netted over $2,000. Last year’s suggestions were put in place successfully and I have started planning how to implement this year’s suggestions - thank you for the feed back!
On September 25th after service, a planning meeting will be held for the 2017 BBQ. Brooks minimum requirements have changed and we need to decide how we will proceed. Please come and share your ideas for a successful 2017 BBQ.
CHURCH SCHOOL NOTES
Sunday School will begin on Sunday, September 11 and everyone is encouraged to BRING A FRIEND. We will have a picnic lunch afterwards. Other exciting things are planned for this fall so come and get on the Sunday School Band Wagon.
MUSIC NOTES
Choir members, take note. Practice will begin on September 6 and singing for church services will start Setember 18.
We have some new music to look at and will fine tune some anthems that we did not get to last school year. Please join us for our practices. We have more robes and more music folders and always welcome new voices.
One of the highlights for me this summer was the concert of Kyle Price at our church. Kyle gathers his string-playing friends in August and provides lovely music at various venues in the Gloversville/Johnstown area. The programwas innovative and pleasureable. One of the numbers was a jazz version of a Gershwin standard played by violinists.
Kyle, a cello player, composed an exquisite requiem in memory of his late aunt. Eight cellists formed a semi-circle in thefront of the sanctuary to play the piece. A group of Lexington clients sitting behind me were so touched and moved by the first movement that they began to cry. Many in the audience felt similar emotion. Music can touch the deepest part of our souls.
Another highlight was the summer chourse concert directed by Luke Horst. We had over 40 singers participate this summer. To celebrate the 240th birthday of the Unied Atates, emphasis was given to patriotic songs and honor to area vetrans and current servicemen.
Musicians are keenly appreciative of the fine acoustics in our sanctuary and the quality of the piano and the organ. We welcome area singers and instrumentalists to use our space and share their gifts.
Mary Lou Bryan
MISSION NOTES
OUTREACH COMMITTEE
The food pantry at Mayfield Presbyterian Church needs your help in serving the needs of our community. Assistance is needed in assembling food bags, picking up food from the Regional Food Bank’s drop off points, and volunteering to hand out food to families during regular food pantry hours.
Pastor Bonnie said the church is looking into cutting down food pantry hours, ending at 3 p.m. instead of 4:30 p.m., because recipients come early in the day.
Two grants will help give the church more access to nutritious food like fresh fruit and vegetables. One Regional Food Bank grant will allow us to buy a freezer and full refrigerator that will store more produce and frozen foods. A second grant will provide the church with more fresh fruit and vegetables. Both grants will augment existing canned food and fresh eggs delivered by a local farmer.
If you feel called to this mission and wish to volunteer, let Pastor Bonnie or Chrystal Hinkle know. God bless!
Greg Hitchcock
FOOD PANTRY
We're having a food pantry meeting Thursday, September 1st at 3pm. We’d love to have anyone who is interested in helping out attend.
We could use strawberry and raspberry jam, condiments, and as always cereal. Food Pantry Sunday is the third Sunday of each month (Sept 18) and every little bit helps. Or you can just leave it in the Food Pantry any time.
Reminder that there is a sign up sheet for passing out food in Fellowship Hall. This is not a difficult job and I am usually there to get things started. Blessing to all and thank you for your continued support.
Crystal
WORSHIP COMMITTEE
Now that the Storytelling Grant has ended, the Worship Committee will begin meeting regularly again to help Pastor Bonnie with worship planning. When we return to our fall hours, we will need to line-up liturgists for each Sunday. World Communion is the first Sunday in October and soon after that Advent will be starting. Bonnie shared with me that she has “some ideas” and we all know what that means. I have sincerely appreciated all the help that the Committee has given with planning lunches, decorations and all that went with having the Storytellers each month. It was a very successful Grant and Worship Committee members were a large part of that success. Of course, newcomers are always welcome. Anyone who is interested can speak to Nancy Frank (661-5328).
Current Members: Sharon Brower, Mary Lou Bryan, Nancy Frank (chairperson), Janis Frisch, Ginnie Hall, Greg Hitchcock, Vicki Kucel, Deb Lair, Bonnie Orth, Joan Rorick, Mary Seaman, Danielle Walter
DID YOU KNOW?
…that over 40 kids participated in Vacation Bible Schoool this summer. Thank you to all who helped make it another successful, fun-filled week.
…that Alex Hetrick’s father, Mark Hetrick, and Gary Butler, who played for us before Alex, will be playing the piano for us this fall. Alex will fill in when he is able to.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Kevin Putman September 1
Janis Frisch September 3
Sherin Akey September 8
Denny Van Nostrand September 9
Tom Jacobs September 9
Brianne Walrath September 12
Dave Evans September 14
Barbara Hatcher September 14
Dorothy Person-Burdick September 14
Carol Parry September 15
Katherine Bant September 16
Mid Ellithorpe September 18
Russell Ford September 18
Ed Fitzgerald September 19
Meara Fitzgerald September 19, 2006
Mikayla Simek September 19
Hank Gieseler September 21
Deb Lair September 22
Terry Young September 22
Katie Frisch September 26, 2000
Don Perry September 26
Larry Akey September 28
Ann Mallin September 29
Georgia Dutcher September 29