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Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church
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Weekly News for
Sunday,
August 25, 2013
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Friends,
One of the most famous "call" stories in the Bible is that of Jeremiah. God speaks to the young Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you..."
Think of it: God knows us us through and through, before we're even born! God has a plan for our lives, something special we're meant to do. There's no one else who can fulfill that commission, no one on earth who can carry out our particular calling. It's ours alone.
At the junction-point of our lives and God's will is this experience known as "call." It's not so much something we hear with our ears as something we just know, deep within our hearts. Frederick Buechner calls it "The place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."
It may be something we do for a living. Or it may be something we live to do.
It happens at any age. Jeremiah has just stepped off his skateboard. Abraham has just cashed his first Social Security check.
God's call is not an easy thing to accept. It beckons us outside of our comfort zone. When Jeremiah first hears the call, he responds by saying: "Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy." (Not every call has public speaking at its center, of course - although it goes with the territory for someone God's appointing as "prophet to the nations.")
"I am only a boy." In Jeremiah's fencing match with God, that's his parry to the divine thrust. It does no good, because God responds: "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you." (In other words, "Don't worry, kid, I've got your back.")
"I'm only...." what? What's your "I'm only...?"
Your spirit suddenly stirs within you at some need you see or experience, some work worth doing. You find yourself thinking, "I could do that!"
But then, the nagging voice of logic kicks in: "Are you crazy? What responsibility is that of yours?"
It's then that we so often find ourselves objecting: "But I'm only..."
"I'm only... an ordinary person... a student... a retiree... a high-school drop-out... a screw-up... a homemaker... a follower, not a leader... a working Joe... a chronic worrier... a shy person... a rolling stone... a bundle of insecurities..." Whatever limitation or fault you may care to name, God's heard it all before - from you!
But the Lord doesn't take "no" for an answer. God will make sure you have what you need to get the job done. The Lord has your back.
This Sunday, we'll take a look at those "I'm only..." statements that come all too easily to our minds - statements that are typically about running ourselves down in some way.
You're not "only" anything. You're a child of God. And the Lord has big plans for you...
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This Sunday
Dr. Wilton preaching: "NOT ONLY"
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Sunday, August 25
10:00 a.m - Worship/Special Music/Noisy Offering
2:30 p.m. - Claremont Care Center service
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Noisy Offering
This Sunday we will be receiving the "Noisy Offering." Please empty out that coin jar for the Cents-Ability hunger ministry of the Presbytery of Monmouth!
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Prayerfully Consider
"Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people." - Ephesians 6:18 (CEV)
The Prayer family for the week of August 25 is the Joe DeRosa, Jr. family. Let us be prayerfully aware of Joe, Kharinna, Micaella and Isabella, as well as all our members and friends.
Other prayer concerns: The family of Linda Flannery (Tisha Cox's mother); the family of Robert Stuhler; the family of Bill Griffiths (Uncle of Heidi Steinert); Elaine Flannelly; Ched Church; Jacque Miscavage; Judy Prince; Emery Wheeler; Diane Sikora; Ralph Smith; Steven Budrick; Eric Erlandsen; all those in the military, as well as those struggling with addictions and mental illness.
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COMMUNITY FEST this Sunday, 4:00-7:00 pm
The churches of Point Pleasant and Bay Head will again be sponsoring COMMUNITY FEST, an evening of musical entertainment and fellowship at the bandshell in Community Park, Point Pleasant Boro!
Come along anytime during those hours, bring a folding chair, and be prepared to enjoy some great times with fellow Christians from around our local area!
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 BAPTISMS - Baptisms will take place on Sunday, September 22 at the 10:00 am worship service. Ordinarily, at least one parent must be a member of PPPC. For more information, please call the Church Office. INQUIRERS GROUP TO MEET - An Inquirers Group, for those exploring membership in the church, will take place on Sunday, October 6, 2013. We will start with Communion Brunch in the Annex around 11:15 a.m. and will continue until 2:00 p.m. Child care will be made available upon prior request. New members will be received in worship on October 13. Please call the Church Office to sign up, or to find out more! USHER SCHEDULE IS NOW AVAILABLE - The Usher Schedule for September and October is ready by the Usher Table. Please find coverage if you are unable to Usher on your assigned Sunday. AIR CONDITIONERS - Point Beach Prep is looking for two window air conditioners for the fall. If you have some you would like to donate please call the office. Thank you A SERVICE OF WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION, giving thanks to God for the life of Linda Flannery (the mother of Tisha Cox) will take place Thursday, August 29 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary, with a reception to follow in the Education Annex.
A SERVICE OF WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION, giving thanks to God for the life of Robert Stuhler, will take place on Saturday, September 14 at 11:00 a.m. at the Bay Head Chapel. |
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Rally Day September 8
 Rally Day provides an opportunity for you to check out the many committees and volunteer projects at PPPC. There will be displays in the CE Annex of the church's various ministries including Fellowship, Mission, Church School, Music, Presbyterian Women, Worship and more. There are many, many ways you can become more involved in the Church!
Rally Day is September 8 following the 10:00 a.m. service. Come join us in the CE Annex to browse the displays and take advantage of the opportunity to volunteer or join an action team (committee). A special coffee hour will take place in the CE Annex. There will be games and fun for the kids. Join us as we mark the end of summer and the beginning of a new program year!
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Welcome, Dee! Welcome Back, Nancy!
 We're pleased to welcome Dee D'Amore a member of our Board of Deacons, as our part-time Volunteer Village Bookkeeper.
Nancy Stout, who had resigned as (volunteer) Church Treasurer, reapplied for the new and improved Treasurer position - with much of the increased detail work that had been taking up so much time shifted to Dee and to Financial Secretary Donna Ferry - and was cheerfully welcomed back!
We're grateful to all who applied for our vacancies in recent weeks - Volunteer Village Bookkeeper and Church School Coordinator. We wish we could have offered a position to all who applied, because the skills demonstrated by the applicants were awesome!
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Buildings and Grounds
Meeting September 5
Volunteers are always needed for a variety of short-term maintenance and improvement, paint and repair projects around the church buildings. The church simply cannot afford to hire out every little maintenance or projects that are constantly needed. And there is too much work for just a few to handle it all.
Some of you may be expert in certain areas such as painting, carpentry or cleanup. We certainly can use your time and talent. Families are encouraged to pitch in together on projects such as painting or planting seasonal flowers. Teens should also consider volunteering.
Join Jim McGuire on September 5 at 7:00 p.m in the Chittick Lounge for a Buildings and Grounds Team meeting, to talk about some of the Fall projects that are planned. If you are unable to attend, but would still like to help out, please speak with Jim or contact the Church Office.
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Get Ready for Youth Connection
 The Youth Connection will be shaking things up this year! We had a great year last year, and have learned a few lessons along the way. Youth Connection is open to all youth in grades 6 through 12.
The first meeting is planned for Sunday, September 15 at 9:00 a.m in Classroom #2 in the CE Annex.
Youth Connection plans for the year:
● Time changed to the MORNING! We will now be meeting from 9 to 10 am.This change will allow more youth to participate, and allow youth the opportunity to have the rest of their Sundays free.
● Upgraded Youth Room - We now have a large entertainment center and a TV right in our youth room.
● All back together - Many weekly meetings will involve both Jr. and Sr. High school students, but we'll also split into small groups from time to time.
● The Youth Connection is going viral! We have made a website designated for the Youth Connection. There you will find all sorts of things from a calendar of events to a member directory, so you can keep in touch with each other outside of the youth room.
● We will focus on mission, and doing for others! We have various mission events and activities planned throughout the year.
● Special events planned - bowling night, movie night, a cookie-baking night, game night, and lock-ins are being planned. Watch for details.
● Return of favorite activities- Oktoberfest, Italian dinner night, and Messy Game Night. Who knows? We might even make up some new traditions!
● Come learn new things and have a say in what goes on!
For more information contact Courtney Norton . |
Can you help with Church School? Sarah would love to talk with you!
 Our new Church School Coordinator, Sarah Morrison, is now on the job, and is hard at work planning for the upcoming Church School year! Because we're continuing with our single 10:00 a.m. worship service this fall, that means Church School will begin an hour later than what we've been used to. The kids will come into the Sanctuary at 10:00 with their parents, for the first 20 minutes or so of the worship service. Then, they will leave after the children's sermon to walk with their teachers across the street to their classrooms. Following worship, parents are invited to enjoy a cup of coffee for a few minutes, then go over and pick their kids up around 10:20. We need teachers! We need helpers! We need "crafty" people to help with art projects! We need an office assistant to help manage records! We need help communicating, on the web and through social media!  Please email Sarah, or leave a message for her through the church office, if you'd like to find out more - she'll gladly call you back! And if she should happen to call YOU, to ask if you can help - occasionally, or even every Sunday - please prayerfully consider it. There are few things more rewarding than watching youngsters learn about God's love in Jesus Christ!
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Choral Bells
 The Choral Bells' first rehearsal will be on Monday, September 9, 2013 at 6:15 p.m. in the Fellowship Room. Rehearsals are every Monday evening, 6:15-7:30.
As of now, there are three vacant spots at the bell tables. Unlike a vocal choir, that can keep on singing if one of the four vocal divisions is a little low in numbers, a bell choir CANNOT play if all the positions aren't filled. Potential ringers must have the ability to read music. Beginners are VERY WELCOME, even if you've never picked up a handbell before. There are lots of experienced ringers who can teach you. Both men and women are welcome!
There's great camaraderie among the Choral Bells members. Bell-ringing is FUN!
The Choral Bells are scheduled to ring on:
October 13
December 22
February 9
March 16
May 11
For more information, please contact Bill Shoppell.
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Chancel Choir Members Needed
Rehearsal for the Chancel Choir begins Thursday, September 5, 2012 at 7:30  p.m. We extend a warm, ongoing invitation, to anyone who likes to sing, to come and join us. If a full-year commitment does not fit your schedule, please consider joining us in the Fall until Christmas; or, join us in the New Year until Easter.
For more information on the choir speak with Bill Shoppell or call the Church Office.
Top Reasons to Join the Choir 1. Rehearsal every Thursday night means one night without the kids. 2. Single men, we have a three-to-one ratio of women to men. 3. You always have a great, reserved seat for Christmas and Easter. 4. Friends! (You'll no longer be able to complain, "I don't know anyone.") 5. You will be setting a good example for all the children and teenagers. 6. From St. Augustine: "To sing is to pray twice." 7. Psalm 100 will come to life for you as you make joyful noise unto the Lord. 8. There's a clock at the back of the sanctuary and you want to be the first to know what time it is. 9. Men, when people ask you whether you've been behaving yourself, you can say with the utmost sincerity, "Hey, I'm a choirboy." 10. Choir robes are flattering for every body type. And the colors are smashing! 11. It's just like American Idol, but for God - and we let you stay each week. 12. Every time you sing, an Angel gets his wings. 13 When Carl starts preaching to the choir, he'll be preaching to you. 14. Find out what "Ssssssssst" means. 15. In heaven, you will know all the words to the songs. 16. It's always cooler up in the choir pews. 17. Help uplift and inspire your fellow congregation members. 18. The offering plate isn't passed in the choir pews.
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Dove Choir
2013-2014
What: Calling all children to join the Dove Choir!
When: Rehearsals are held Wednesdays from 5:00-5:45PM (during school year)
Where: Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church
All children ages 3 to 15 years of age are invited to join the Dove Choir at Point Presbyterian Church. Learn to sing, read music and perform in a traditional children's choir. You need not be a member of the church (though you are most welcome to join). If you are interested in being a part of this great musical experience you are welcome to attend rehearsals every Wednesday from 5:00-5:45 at Pt Presbyterian Church on Bay Ave. Entrance is on the side of the church facing Forman Ave. For further information please email rmuraglia@comcast.net.
****September 11 first rehearsal Wednesday from 5:00-5:45****
September 29 10am service (With Chancel Choir)
October 20 10am service (With Chancel Choir)
November 10 10am service (With Chancel Choir)
November 17 10am service (With Chancel Choir)
December 8 10am service
December 24 4pm service (Christmas eve play)
*January 18 9:30am REHEARSAL at St Andrews United Methodist;
Church Rd. Toms River)
January 19 10am service (With Chancel Choir)
*January 24 7pm DRESS REHEARSAL: Organ & Choir Festival;
Christ Episcopal Church Toms River, info.TBA
*January 26 2:30pm FESTIVAL DAY Christ Episcopal Church,
Washington St Toms River, info. TBA
(parent helpers needed for 4:00PM performance)
February 23 10am service
March 30 10am service (Youth Sunday)
April 6 10am service
June 1 10am service (Dove Recognition Day)
* The Organ and Choral Festival of Ocean County is a new and exciting event for the DOVES to take partnership with the Chancel Choir. More information will follow soon.
Rebecca Muraglia
732-551-7115
rmuraglia@comcast.net
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A Word From the Director
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom - Welcome to Our New Room! 
As this beautiful summer is coming to a close, our teachers are busy preparing lesson plans and getting ready for a brand new school year! We are welcoming Ms. Cindy as Head Teacher and Miss Abby as Assistant Teacher to our new Nursery classroom. They will be utilizing Room #4, which has the eye catching Noah's Ark Mural. Their students will be "Fishing for Literacy" as they are introduced to the letters of the alphabet, story time , music, art, math, and dramatic play. During this early childhood development, Point Beach Prep will be fostering new motor, cognitive, language and social skills. We are honored to be their first home for education!
Old McDonald Had a Farm!
In the Pre-K classroom, Ms. Kerry and I will be "Farming for Knowledge" with our students. Our dramatic play area is set up as a farm, complete with an interactive bulletin board. For their first science project, the children will put a seed with a paper towel in a bag on the bulletin board, water it daily, and watch it grow! Our little farmers will learn about life cycles, graph their favorite animal, count spots on cows and make their own butter! With a moo moo here...and a moo moo there...
We are proud to say this is our biggest enrollment year to date! If you or someone you know may be interested in registering a child, please call 732-701-9900 or email us at pointbeachprep@hotmail.com. We offer a 10% sibling discount and a 15% church member discount. Come see how we are education and fun, all in one!
Devlin House
Director
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HURRICANE SANDY RECOVERY NEWS
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Sandy Recovery Volunteer Hosting in the CE Annex
After a long spring and summer with no let-up, we've now got a two-week window ahead of us with no work groups coming. For all our hard-working Volunteer Village helpers, it's a long-anticipated time to rest and regroup!
The following is the latest schedule of groups who will be staying in the CE Annex. This list will be changing as more groups are added. Watch for an up-to-date list, to include cooking teams to posted on the bulletin board in the kitchen upstairs in the Annex.
 | Woods Memorial Presbyterian, Severna Park, MD
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Sept 8-14 Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church,
Severna Park, MD
Sept 15-21 Lend A Hand
Sept 22-28 Presbytery of Detroit, Detroit, MI
Sept 29-Oct 5 Pass A Grille Beach Community Church St. Pete Beach, FL and Presbytery of GenesseeValley, Rochester, NY
 Oct 6-12 Westminster Presbyterian Church, Ann Arbor, MI and Helping Hands, Allentown, PA
Oct 13-18 Lend A Hand
Oct 27-Nov 2 Scioto Valley Presbytery, Columbus, OH
Nov 3- 9 First Presbyterian Church, Pittsford NY and Summerville Presbyterian Church, Summerville, SC
Nov 10-15 Lend A Hand
Dec 1-6 Lend A Hand
Now booking for 2014!
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Volunteer Site Coordinators Needed
We're learning as we go along with the Volunteer Village, and one of the things we've been learning is that it's taking longer than anticipated for the Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group to get up and running with its construction management services. Eventually, we anticipate that all the work done by the groups we're hosting will be coordinated by the OCLTRG - at which time we'll just provide hospitality for the workers - but we're not there yet. Bill Williams and Frank Jones have been doing yeoman work in negotiating with the homeowners and planning the jobs for each weekly work crew, but it's way too much for someone who has a full-time day job to do. We'll continue to depend on both of them for overall planning and consulting about technical matters, but we need a small group of people who are willing to be trained to be site coordinators, visiting the work sites daily, funneling questions to those who can best answer them, and doing some light "go-fer" work in delivering supplies they run out of and transporting tools. Continuity is important for each visiting group, so we'll be asking each individual or couple who are serving as site coordinators to relate to that group over a 5-day period. We'll be asking you to come meet your volunteers at the Sunday evening welcome dinner, then pay them a brief visit each day, sometime between 11:00 and 2:00 pm, just to check in with them, see what they may need, and offer a few words of encouragement and thanks. You don't need to be a construction expert - far from it! Bill and Frank will still be taking care of the technical end, but what we need is some cheerful residents of our local area with a heart for relating to people.  We're purchasing a cell phone that will be passed around among these site coordinators. Work crew leaders will be given that number, and asked to call you if there's anything they need that they can't send one of their crew members out to get. If you can help them with that yourself, fine. If it's something beyond your expertise, you can call Bill or Frank, Dee D'Amore (the Volunteer Village bookkeeper) or Kim in the church office, as appropriate. The volunteers who come to the Jersey Shore to do this work are WONDERFUL people. You'll be inspired as you get to know them, and you'll truly enjoy being a part of this effort to reach out and help neighbors in need. Questions? Please call Peter Farwell or Pastor Carl Wilton. We'll be holding a training meeting for the site coordinators in the next several weeks. |
(908-675-7287)
is serving as our church's Hurricane Recovery Coordinator. (732) 580-1857 is coordinating the Volunteer Village. (732) 978-0940 is coordinating job assignments for the work teams.
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Calendar For The Week
 The latest edition of the church calendar is available online, on the church's website.
Sunday, August 25
10:00 a.m - Worship
2:30 p.m. - Claremont Care Center service
Monday, August 26
9:15 a.m. - PW Coordinating Team, Chittick Lounge
12:00 p.m. - Lunch at Rainbow Diner, all welcome
Tuesday, August 27
10:00 a.m. - Busy Hands
10:00 a.m. - Eye Openers
7:00 p.m. - American Guild of Organists, Ocean County Chapter
Wednesday, August 28
9:00 a.m. - Women's Breakfast, Rainbow Diner, all women welcome
Thursday, August 29
7:30 a.m. - Men's Breakfast, US Subs, all men welcome
7:00 p.m - Memorial Service with Reception for Linda Flannery
Friday, August 30
Saturday, August 31
Sunday, September 1
10:00 a.m - Worship/Communion
11:00 a.m. - Sundae Sunday
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 Birthday Blessings
Aug 25 Sean McCrossan
Aug 26 Joan Borduin, Vincent Robinson, Linda Quimby
Aug 27 Danielle Allgor
Aug 28 Courtney Bixby
Aug 29
Aug 30 Lynn Hahm
Aug 31
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Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendar
September 8 - Rally Day
September 15 - Church School and Youth Connection Begin
September 22 - Confirmation Parents Information Meeting
Additional information will follow
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Pastors
The Rev. Carl Wilton, Ph.D., Pastor
The Rev. Linda Chase, Associate Pastor
Office Staff
Kim Gaydos, Church Secretary
Donna Ferry, Financial Secretary
Dee D'Amore, Volunteer Village Bookkeeper
Nancy Stout, Treasurer
Music Staff
Sara Hoey, Organist
William Shoppell, Chancel Choir and Choral Bells Director
Rebecca Muraglia, Acting Dove Choir Director
Christian Education Staff
Courtney Norton, Youth Connection Coordinator
Sarah Morrison, Church School Coordinator
Devlin House, Point Beach Prep Preschool Director
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Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church
701 Forman Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
(Corner of Bay and Forman Avenues)
Church Office: 732-899-0587 Fax: 732-899-2946
Visit us at http://www.pointpresbyterian.org
Church Office: mail@pointpresbyterian.org |
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