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Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church
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Weekly News for
Sunday,
Sept. 15, 2013
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Church School Classes
And Youth Connection
Begin this Sunday!
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 Friends, When I was a kid in the second grade, we had something called the "New Math." Our class was chosen as a pilot project for this new way of teaching mathematics. The old addition and subtraction problems were gone. We learned, instead, about things called "sets."
I have only vague recollections of the New Math, now. Our school went back to the old math pretty quickly. Third- and fourth-grade math was pretty tough for me, as I recall: the students from the other classrooms were so far ahead of our group when it came to arithmetic.
Comedian Tom Lehrer came out with a song about it, called "The New Math." He zeroed in on the baffled parents who suddenly had no idea how to help their kids with their homework. The song has an ironic refrain: "It's so simple, so very simple, that only a child can do it."
Later, I learned that bringing the New Math into elementary schools was a panicky attempt to make American kids more competitive with our Soviet Cold-War rivals. A few years before, the Ivans had surprised us Yanks by launching the Sputnik satellite. The idea was to lay the foundations of higher math - algebra and such - very early. Maybe the country was figuring we'd all grow up to be rocket scientists.
The New Math was a bust. Some things, it seems, can't be rushed: and the teaching of mathematics is one of them.
Did you know there's a sort of New Math in the Bible? Jesus tells a little parable about a shepherd who goes off to rescue a lost sheep, leaving the ninety-nine other sheep behind. Could Jesus really be saying that one is greater than ninety-nine?
Sounds illogical, does it?
Well, it turns out the logic of heaven is just a bit different from earthly logic. The difference is that love has entered the equation. Just as a shepherd will take extraordinary steps to rescue a lost sheep, so our fellow human beings look very different to us, once we come to know them personally and not as abstractions.
In Jesus Christ, God comes to know us in that same, very personal way. That's one form of New Math I'm happy to keep on learning about!
Come to worship this Sunday as we explore that thought further. (And don't forget, Church School and Youth Connection are starting up again!)
See you in church! Pastor Carl
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This Sunday
Sunday, September 15
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 15:1-10
Dr. Wilton preaching: "GOD'S MATH"
9:00 a.m. - Youth Connection Begins, CE Annex Classroom 2
10:00 a.m - Worship/Chancel Choir
10:00 a.m. - Church School begins in Worship
11:00 a.m. - Coffee Hour hosted by PW
11:15 a.m. - Sandy Work Site Coordinators training - CE Annex
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 The Presbyterian Women are hosting a special coffee hour in the Chittick Lounge. Program and Circle information is available. The PW Circle Information Brochure is also available online. |
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Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey (CVCJ) is an interfaith nonprofit agency which provides free support and assistance to Senior Citizens and rewarding volunteer opportunities. Our volunteers provide transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping, relief for Caregivers and friendly/pet visits to reduce loneliness. Mary Malagerie from Caregiver Volunteer will be at the Coffee Hour for more information. Come find out how you can make a meaningful difference in someone's life.
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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 person for the week of September 15 is Courtney Norton and John Rzeplinski. Let us be prayerfully aware of Courtney and John, as well as all our members and friends.
Other prayer concerns: Jean DeMartino; Jake Yersin (nephew of Donna Norton); Marion Fittin; Allison Driver and family; Judy Prince; Ralph Smith; Steven Budrick; Eric Erlandsen; all those in the military, as well as those struggling with addictions and mental illness.
Please pray for our Volunteer Village work group for this week, Lend A Hand.
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 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 can 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! AIR CONDITIONERS - Point Beach Prep is looking for two window air conditioners. If you have some you would like to donate please call the office. Thank you!
 BOOM MICROPHONE STAND - We could make very good use of a boom microphone stand for the Sanctuary, to allow us to properly position a microphone for someone speaking from a lectern or playing the piano. Do you have one in good shape you'd like to donate?
NURSERY PARENTS - A reminder: when you leave your children with Lacey in the church nursery, please don't forget to SIGN IN with your name, your child's name and - most important - your cell phone number, so Lacey can reach you in an emergency (please put your cell phone on "vibrate"). Thanks! THESE DAYS DEVOTIONAL - For the months of October, November and December are now available in the Narthex or Church Office. Devotionals are $3 each.
SESSION PACKETS - Session members please pick up your packets in the Narthex.
SEAFOOD FESTIVAL - Next Saturday, September 21, is Point Pleasant Beach's annual Festival of the Sea. This has no effect on our worship service the next day - UNLESS there is bad weather on Saturday, AND the town decides to postpone the Festival to its rain date, which is Sunday. In the unlikely event of a postponed Seafood Festival (with all the difficulties finding parking places that entails), please plan accordingly. |
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CHILD PROTECTION TRAINING - SEPTEMBER 25
Child Protection Training, which is required for all who work with children or youth in our Church, will take place Wednesday September 25 at 7:00 p.m. Elder Jim McGuire will lead a Child Protection Training session. Jim is an experienced trainer with the Boy Scouts of America. At the training, forms will be available to apply for the criminal background check the church requires. Certifications are only valid for two years. All initial certifications will need to be renewed. No one will be able to work with children or youth without participating in this training. To register for this training event please email or call the Church office.
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Hospitality Bread Team
 Our church is pleased to welcome guests at the Sunday Services. To let them know they are special to us and that we are interested in them, the Hospitality Bread Team hangs a loaf of bread (either homemade or store bought) and a brochure about our church on the visitor's front door. What a welcome surprise to find a caring gift at one's door! If you would like to become a part of this team and "spread the word" by delivering bread on a rotating basis, please contact either the church office or Karen Norby at 732-295-8174.
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Prayers for our Church
If you are interested in praying each month for Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church, please join Linda Chase in the sanctuary the first Monday of each month at 9:30 a.m. Our first gathering will be October 7th.
The purpose of this gathering is to offer prayers for our church; prayers of thanksgiving as well as prayers for guidance, intersession and direction. Mainline denominational churches such as ours are experiencing difficult times in an increasingly secular society. More than ever, we need to be guided and undergirded by prayer.
This prayer time for our church is open to anyone who has an interest. We will meet from 9:30 to 10.00 a.m. Should you have questions or should you like to express an interest in this new endeavor, please speak to Linda Chase.
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Come Join Us For a Sunday Morning Bible Study
We will be studying an excellent book by Marcus Borg called The Heart of Christianity." Borg is a top notch Biblical scholar who writes in a manner which everyone can understand.
From the preface of this book: "What is the heart of Christianity? What does it mean to be Christian today? In this book, I describe two quite different answers to this question. The first is an earlier version of Christianity; the second, an emerging vision. Both are present in the churches of North America today, deeply dividing Christians. We live in a time of conflict and change in the church."
If you want to tackle the thought-provoking insights written in this book, come join me (and hopefully others) on the following Sundays: October 13, 20, 27, November 3 and 17. (I will be away on the 10th). The class will be from 11:30 - 12:30 p.m. We will meet in the CE Annex and on the Sundays when we have food, we will get our food and eat together.
Each participant will need a book and the cost is $15. Monies available to help with the cost if needed.
There are actually 6 more lessons but I have found that 11 sessions in a row are too many for most people's schedules. So we will plan together for the remainder of the book.
Let me know if you want a book ordered for you or sign up in the narthex.
Pastor Linda
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First Day of Church School
 Today is our first day of Church School. All children ages 3-13 are invited to leave church after the Time for Children and go to Sunday School. This week we will be learning about Isaac and the promises God makes. The lesson comes from the scripture Genesis 18: 1-15; 21:1-3, 5-6. The main idea of the story is: God fulfilled the promise of a child to Sarah and Abraham. We will be making crafts, playing games, and creating murals to reinforce this story. Thank you, to all of you who came out for Rally Day. It was a huge success. Thank you, also to all the volunteers who made it wonderful. I could not have done it without you. I am so lucky to have great volunteers like you. Sarah Morrison |
First Communion Instruction
 Please join us if you have a child in Kindergarten or above who has not received instruction about First Communion. We will be having a class on September 29 at 11:00 am, directly following Church School.
Please let Sarah Morrison know, if you would like your child to receive First Communion on October 6 during the worship service. World Communion will be celebrated that Sunday. We encourage you to invite your family to share in this joyous occasion.
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Jr. and Sr. High Team Building Retreat
A Team Building Retreat will take place on October 4-6 at Camp Johnsonburg. With the help of our Johnsonburg facilitators, our group will get to know each other with some team-building exercises, do some group dynamics work on our low ropes course, and return home enthusiastic and excited about the upcoming year. We will leave on Friday night and return Sunday evening. A $25 deposit to hold your spot is due to Courtney Norton by September 29.
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Confirmation Classes This Fall
 We are making plans for the Confirmation Classes to begin this Fall. Confirmation is for young people in grades 7 and up.
Classes will take place on Sundays at various times throughout the year.
There will be an organizational meeting for parents and young people next Sunday, September 22 at at 9:00 a.m. in the Chittick Lounge.
We will be using the book Way To Live, Christian Practices for Teens, edited by Dorothy Bass and Don Richter. Books are available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble in Brick. A few are also available for purchase in the Church office for $16. If you are unable to attend the informational meeting and would like to participate in this years class or purchase a book, please call the church office at 732-899-0587 |
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Exciting Start
 What an exciting first week of school! We met new friends and welcomed back old ones! Our themes this week were Welcome to School, Friendship, and All About Me. During story time we read "Curious George Goes to School" "Franklin Goes to School" "If You Take A Mouse to School" "The Kissing Hand" and "D.W. Guide to Preschool." Friendships blossomed in the Nursery and Pre-K classes combined on the playground. Together we played many fun games with the parachute, rode the tricycles and slid down the slides! The children are learning intellectual, social, emotional, and physical skills they will need to learn and grow in community with others. We are teaching kindness and respect to everyone. Next week we begin our adventure in learning and reinforcing their knowledge of each letter of the alphabet. We will devote an entire week to each letter, with a curriculum designed to expose the children to learn in a variety of ways. We cannot wait to introduce our letter doll friend, "Miss A." Have a nice weekend.
Ms. Devlin
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HURRICANE SANDY RECOVERY NEWS
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Sandy Recovery Volunteer Hosting in the CE Annex
Volunteer workers will once again be arriving in the Volunteer Village this Sunday night. 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.
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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
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(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, September 15
9:00 a.m. - Youth Connection Begins, CE Annex Classroom 2
10:00 a.m - Worship/Chancel Choir
10:00 a.m. - Church School begins in Worship
11:00 a.m. - PW Coffee Hour
Monday, September 16
6:15 p.m. - Choral Bells, Fellowship Room
Tuesday, September 17
7:00 p.m. - Session Meeting
Wednesday, September 18
9:00 a.m. - Women's Breakfast, Rainbow Diner, all women welcome
5:00 p.m. - Dove Choir Rehearsal
7:00 p.m. - Sandy Recovery Team
Thursday, September 19
7:30 a.m. - Men's Breakfast, US Subs, all men welcome
5:30 p.m - Youth Connection to America's Keswick
7:30 p.m. - Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Friday, September 20
Saturday, September 21
10:30 a.m. - Grimm/Zimmerman Wedding
Sunday, September 22
9:00 a.m. - Parents Confirmation Meeting, Fellowship Room
9:00 a.m. - Youth Connection Begins, CE Annex Classroom 2
10:00 a.m - Worship/Baptism/Special Music/Noisy Offering
10:00 a.m. - Church School begins in Worship
11:30 a.m - Sarah Hope Circle, Chittick Lounge
2:30 p.m. - Claremont Care Center
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 Birthday Blessing
September Birthdays
Sept 15 Heather Rice
Sept 16 Susan Reilly
Sept 17 Dane Bongiovi, Laura Cullerton, Jacklyn Cutting, Donald Williams
Sept 18 Kevin Conheeney, Robert Mullin IV, Jack Tolley
Sept 19 Michael Nevil, Joan Whitman
Sept 20 Douglas Holton, Benjamin Koolidge, Kaitlyn McKay, Paula Pennypacker, Robert Robinson
Sept 21
Sept 22 Sharon Morris, Ann Van Wagenen, Jonathan Viggiano
Sept 23 Kate Norby, Logan Milancewich, Jessica Pazienza
Sept 24 John Wisniewski
Sept 25
Sept 26 John Brzyski Jr., Kathy Durante, Robin Fiorentino
Sept 27 David Mowder
Sept 28 Quintessa Baker
Sept 29 Rylie Rampone, Leigh Reinwald
Sept 30 Donna Fahey, Dalton Garner, Taylor Van Wagenen
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Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendar
September 15 - Special Informational PW Coffee Hour
Sat., September 21 - Seafood Festival
September 29 - First Communion Training for Parents and Children following 10:00 a.m. Worship
Sat., October 6 - Leadership Retreat for Church officers and Staff of our church
October 20 - CROP Walk, Toms River, NJ
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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