December 16, 2011

APC's traditional Alternative Gift table will be set up this Sunday in Fellowship Hall for those ready to give a more meaningful Christmas gift to family and friends.  You can stop shopping for the person who has everything or worrying about buying that sweater that might be the wrong size or color.  These gifts fit everyone, plus they multiply peace in the world.  Selections include shares from Heifer International and La Gonave Haiti Partnership projects such as nutrition, goats, children's education and adult literacy.  Bring your checkbook!

APC Karate Program Demonstration  / Christmas Celebration - Please join us on Saturday, December 17 for a morning of Soo Bahk Do Festivities! We will have karate class as usual, starting at 10:00am.  During class, we will be asking our Gup members (white, orange, green, red belts)
for a brief demonstration, followed by Gup rank promotions!

After class, we will have cookies, cakes and beverages to celebrate the Christmas holiday and the close to our first successful year as Moo Duk Kwan of North Georgia (the formal name of our APC Karate Studio).

This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about the Karate program at APC to come check us out! Hope to see you Saturday the 17th!
 

Regards, 

Dave Berry

We have about 50 people taking the 13-week Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University and learning how to change their lives through good financial management strategies.  If you wanted to take the class but were unable, you have an opportunity to attend a 5-hour seminar hosted by Dave Ramsey himself at Gwinnett Arena on Saturday, January 21.

This seminar will be a condensed version of the 13-week course and past attendees have said that it's life changing.  APC members and friends can attend the class for a discounted rate of $25 (and no extra fees) using the coupon code "APC" when ordering online.  Tickets are also available by contacting Ted Lynam, tedlynam3895@comcast.net.  This event will sell out, and it will be two years before Dave is back in Atlanta, so get your seats early, and tell your friends about it, they can use the discount code, too!

Children's Christmas Pageant - December 18, 2011 - 9:45 AM

The Children's Christmas Pageant is one of the longest-running and most unique traditions at APC.  It is a little chaotic, a little messy.  It never goes exactly as planned.  It is exactly as it should be. YOU are invited to participate!

Our Christmas Pageant is open to all.  EVERY child is invited to participate.  There will be no try-outs, no rehearsals.  This is not as much a performance as an experience.

Our pageant, this year, will be at 9:45 AM on December 18.  Children of ALL AGES are invited to dress up as a participant in the Nativity story.  We need Marys, Josephs, Shepherds, Animals, Wise Ones, and Angels. 

• Costume creation, simple or elaborate, is up to each child's parents.  (Marys - don't forget a baby doll!)  Don't have a costume?  Come anyway!  We'll have extra.
• Please arrive by 9:30 on the morning of December 18 and gather with the other participants in designated rooms.  (Angels will gather in the Choir Room.  All others will gather in classrooms set-up in Fellowship Hall on the sanctuary side.) 

We will need youth to "corral" each group and to help them with their entrances and exits. To volunteer, please contact Lisa McKemey 678-462-5597; lmckemey@comcast.net.

If you've attended the Children's Christmas Pageant before, you know how special it is.  If you haven't, make this the year.  Consider yourself personally invited to be a part of this heartwarming APC family tradition.

Children's Ministry is currently organizing an International Event for Epiphany Sunday, January 8.  This will be held at 9:45am in Fellowship Hall.  If you are interested in setting up a small display to share about the culture, customs or foods from a specific country, please contact Kathy Ailts at kathy@alpharettapres.com.

Find us on Facebook!  That's right Alpharetta Presbyterian Church has a facebook page!  You can "like" APC at http://facebook.com/alpharettapres.  Look for the latest information about activities and missions of the church!  

APC Career Transition Program - Recently the unemployment rate in Metro Atlanta dropped to 9.9 % from 10.2 %. While this is a move in the right direction, it is not the whole story. Since 2007, Georgia has lost 360,000 positions, so the state now has approximately the same number of jobs that existed in 1999. When individuals are no longer job hunting, as well as those who seek full-time jobs are counted, the real rate of unemployment is a conservative figure of 15%. Elder Bill Harris leads efforts at APC to address the employment concerns of our congregation and needs your help.  We are trying to get a handle on the reality of how many of our members are unemployed and underemployed - whether or not you currently attend the Career Transition Group at APC, if you fit either category, please email Bill at w.m.harris@att.net.

In addition, the job market is tight and the impersonal internet has made it difficult to get recognized.  If you work for or own a company, we would appreciate any information on positions that might represent opportunities that become available or contact names that would ensure a more effective outreach. We need our employed professionals to reach out and make information available that will give a competitive  chance to members of our congregation who are struggling to get a sense of the real jobs versus automatic postings, and to get noticed!  Please email Bill with any help you can offer as we renew our commitment to serve our members in this challenging and prolonged recession.

FW Dinner Reservations 

You can now make your Fun Wednesday Dinner reservations on-line. Go to www.alpharettapres.com/dinner and follow the directions to make your dinner reservations. Please make your reservations in advance as stated in the example on the website. If you are not making your reservations on-line, you may fill out the reservation cards on the table in the church lobby. 

FUN WEDNESDAY WILL RETURN JANUARY 11, 2012!

The Session

Class of 2011                                           Class of 2012                                           Class of 2013       

Pat Chisolm-CE/Worship                       Dianne Berry-Children's Ministry         George Bancroft-Property

Anne Dantzler-Worship/Dayschool       Michelle Burton-Youth Ministry             Jodie Barger-Children's Ministry

Mike Marcin-Personnel                           Morris Estes-Finance                             Patrick Dennis-Property/Youth

Nancy Lofdahl-Fellowship                     Jim Gray-Clerk of Session/CE      Stacy Guy-Membership/Commitment

Ross Mynatt-Long Range Planning     John Shevlin-Mission                         Nancy Hill-Commitment/Personnel

Elizabeth Shevlin-Children's Ministry   Jessie Prigge-Youth Ministry           

Kelly Vandever-Comm./Nominating     Amy Rogers-Communications

Sue White-Mission                                  Jean Williams-Membership/Nominating  

Deacon Care Teams

Hospitality - Scott Doll, 678-984-3389, scottd@ymcaatlanta.org

Companion Care - Wendy Cory, 770-663-4141, coryswa@yahoo.com

Hospital & Recovery - Tyler Jones, 404-625-5324, tyler@mac.com

Sympathy & Celebrations, Ken Bogle, 770-355-5360, lyons26@aol.com