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Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church
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Weekly News for
Sunday,
December 22, 2013
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 These Days Daily Devotions for Living by Faith in a daily devotional book that we have available in our Narthex. Taking the time for daily devotions is very important, as they help us build our relationship with the Lord. Devotions should not be something you have-to-do, but a choice you make to spend time in his presence. A donation of $3 covers the cost of this three month booklet. That ends up only being a dollar for a whole month of inspiration. These Days devotions for January, February and March are now available in the Narthex. The following excerpt is from this Sunday's devotion (SPOILER ALERT For Those Who Already Read These Days). Sunday December 22 The Surprising Love of God 4th Sunday of Advent Scripture: Matthew 3-12 An Unexpected Visitor "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." Matthew 3:3 In the days leading up to visitors coming to my house, I am busy with preparations. I place fresh sheets on the beds and put out the guest towels. I make my home perfect as possible so that my guests will feel like they are expected. We are not required to clean up our houses or our hearts for Jesus to come visit us on Christmas morning. God's love comes into our lives just as we are. Whether we are ready or not, Jesus' entrance into our lives will be as unexpected as the Savior of the world coming as a tiny baby wrapped in bands of cloth and laid in a manger. Let us be open to welcoming a surprise visitor to transform our lives with love this Christmas. Action Step: Be welcoming to a stranger this week with a kind word or gesture. Everlasting God, come into our lives anew this year. Prepare us for unexpected transformation, and straighten up the messy areas of our lives. Amen. Jill N. Terpstra, Park Ridge, Illinois This Sunday, we welcome the Rev. George McDonald to the pulpit. Won't you take that "Action Step" and warmly welcome him this Sunday. Don't forget to get your These Days on the way out too!
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This Sunday
Sunday, December 22
Fourth Sunday of Advent
9:00 a.m. - Youth Connection Cookie Bake
9:45 a.m. - Special Session Meeting
10:00 a.m - Worship/Choral Bells/Noisy Offering
10:00 a.m. - Church School begins in Worship
11:30 a.m. - Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
11:30 a.m. - Sarah Hope Circle, Chittick Lounge
2:30 p.m. - Claremont Care Center
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Noisy Offering
 This Sunday, the fourth Sunday of the month, we will be collecting loose change for the "Noisy Offering". All donations will go towards Cents-Ability, a hunger ministry of the Presbytery of Monmouth.
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Special Session Meeting
There will be a BRIEF Special Session Meeting this Sunday December 22 at 9:45 a.m. Please make every effort to be prompt and attend.
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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 December 22 is the Reilly family. Let us be prayerfully aware of Geoffrey, Susan and Keith, as well as all our members and friends.
Other prayer concerns: The family of Eric Erlandsen; Sajen Hendricks; Colin Wykoff; the family of Jim Duffy; Marion Reinhardt; Nicholas Hudnut; Lincoln (grandson of Joan Kocur); Brad Mogenson; Carl Wilton; Ralph Smith; ; all those in the military, as well as those struggling with addictions and mental illness.
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Important Sunday School News This Sunday
This Sunday we will be celebrating the winter holidays with pajama and hot cocoa Sunday. All children are welcome to wear their pajamas to church, enjoy hot cocoa, and create fun holiday crafts. We will also light the Advent Candle and remember Jesus' mother Mary.
We will also have a dress rehearsal after church for about 45 minutes.
On December 24th I would like all the children to meet at the church at 3pm to do a final run through, a small snack will be provided.
If there are any questions please contact me
Sarah
[email protected]
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DECEMBER 24, 2013
4:00 - Service for
Families with Young Children
Christmas Pageant with the Church School and Dove Choir
7:00 - Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols
Linda Chase preaching
Special music by Ben Wilton, Morgan Daniels, Morgan Sarbello
11:00 - Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols
Linda Chase preaching
Music by the Chancel Choir
DECEMBER 25, 2013
12:00 to 2:00 p.m. Christmas Day Dinner
DECEMBER 29, 2013
10:00 a.m. Worship with a carol sing
Elder James McGuire preaching
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 CHECK FOR SNOW CANCELLATIONS - In case of snow, please check the main page of the church website or the voice mail message about worship service times (732-899-0587) for the latest information about cancellations of church activities. NEED A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL? - Presbybop Jazz Noel DVD/CDs are now available for sale. This is a 2-disk set, including both a DVD video of Presbybop's Jazz Noel concert recorded last year on WVIA public television and an audio CD. It contains many of the jazz Christmas carols the band played at their benefit concert at PPPC last year. By special arrangement with Presbybop, the 2-disk set is available for purchase for $16 each or 2 for $28. These DVD/CDs make great Christmas gifts. Proceeds benefit the church. CHRISTMAS BULLETIN PREPARATION - Volunteers are needed once again this year to come in on Monday, December 23 to help fold bulletins in preparation for our Christmas Eve Services. We will be folding in the Fellowship Room beginning at 1:00 p.m. CHURCH AVAILABILITY - The CE Annex will be inaccessible on December 26-28 due to the waxing of the floors. Please note the office will be closed on the following dates, December 25, 30, 31 and January 1. The answer machine will be checked for any emergencies during this time. The office will open January 2 at 9:00 a.m. CHURCH ORGANIZATION LEADERS: Information for the Annual Reports are due by Monday, January 13, 2013. One paragraph highlighting events in the past year is sufficient length for most reports. Also, if your organization maintains a separate treasury or bank account, these reports must include a financial reporting. Reports can be emailed directly to Kim Gaydos at [email protected]. Call or email the Church office if you would like a digital version of the 2012 report. Reports will be ready for the congregation on Sunday, January 19, 2014. CHOIR REHEARSALS - Following the Christmas Eve services, there will be no rehearsals for the Choral Bells or Chancel Choir. All choirs will begin again the week of January 6, 2014. Thank you for your hard work throughtout the month of December, especially last Sunday.
IHN ARRIVES JANUARY 19 - Signup Sheets are in the Narthex. |
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Christmas Eve Ushers Needed
We are in need of three ushers for the 11:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Service. If you are able to usher at either of those services, please call the Usher Coordinator Scott Smith 732-840-0279.
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Joan Valentine House Giving Tree
Giving Tree Thanks to all who have signed up to purchase Christmas gifts for our friends from the Joan Valentine House! The pile of wrapped presents under the Sanctuary Christmas tree is growing larger by the day.
A reminder to those who have taken envelopes, but have still not purchased your gifts: although some of the lists may contain quite a number of items, please choose no more than TWO items from the list to purchase. This is important to preserve a sense of equality among all the residents.
Please bring your wrapped gifts into the Sanctuary no later than Christmas Eve, and place them under the Christmas Tree, with a gift tag indicating who the gift is for. Gifts will be handed out at an Epiphany Party early in January.
Thank you for bringing some extra Christmas cheer into someone's life!
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Christmas Card Project
During December, EliSabeth-Verdella Circle will present two ways to send Christmas greeting to your church family members. This annual project raises money for local mission.
You may place cards for individuals in the box, to be sorted alphabetically for easy pick-up. We aks that you donated the money you would have spent on postage by placing it in the donation box on the table in the Narthex.
There will also be a decorated poster board in the Narthex for you to write a brief message to all your Church family and friends. If you choose this option, we would appreciate a small donation to our mission project placed in the donation box on the table.
The circle members thank you for your participation in our mission project
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St. Gregory's Pantry Christmas Dinner
 Once again we will be having a Christmas dinner in the CE Annex, from 12:00-2:00 p.m on Christmas Day for those who, for whatever reason, have no place to go for Christmas and would like to enjoy an old-fashioned holiday feast with congenial company. In order to make this dinner a continual success, we need the following:
Cookie Bakers - Christmas cookies are once again needed for dessert at our annual Christmas dinner. In baking your own cookies, please plan on baking a little extra for our Christmas dinner guests. Cookies can be dropped off at the Church starting December 20th.
Christmas Morning Volunteers - There are various times to help on Christmas day. We need volunteers to help from 8:30-10:30 a.m to bring the food up to the kitchen; 10:30 a.m - 12:00 p.m to make local home deliveries; and finally cleanup beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Jacque Miscavage is coordinator of this event, please call her at 732-255-8186 if you have would like to volunteer or have a van or truck for her to use.
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 Offering envelopes can be picked up in the Narthex starting on Christmas Eve. If you cannot find your envelopes please write your name on the pad provided. You can also call the church's Financial Secretary, Donna Ferry, in the church office with any questions. Please note your assigned envelope number may have changed for the new year. In order to credit your giving properly, please use only 2014 envelopes starting on Sunday, January 1. Please remember: December 29 is the last Sunday of the year. Contributions received in the Church Office through that Sunday, will be credited towards 2013. For your convenience, we are accepting: Estimates of Giving By E-Mail You can submit yours by simply sending a confidential e-mail to: Donna Ferry, at [email protected] Thank you! |
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This week we met Mr. L and he brought a lock. We learned to sign the letter L and the word love. We read Llama, Llama, Mad at Mama, The Snowy Day, Clifford's Christmas Presents, and The Night Before Christmas. At our project table we made Christmas lights, laced Christmas stockings, and made magic reindeer food. We had lots of fun!
It was a party week! On Tuesday and Wednesday we had pajama parties. The children loved it! We also heard great Christmas stories from Miss Tina, the Point Pleasant Beach Children's Librarian. On Wednesday, we watched The Polar Express in the movie room. On Thursday andFriday we will be having our Christmas parties and sing-a-longs with our families. What a great way to kick off Christmas vacation!
 On behalf of the staff of Point Beach Prep, we would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy and Healthy New Year! We are looking forward to many more great memories in 2014! |
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Calendar For The Week
 The latest edition of the church calendar is available online, on the church's website.
Sunday, December 22
9:00 a.m. - Youth Connection Cookie Bake
10:00 a.m - Worship/Choral Bells/Noisy Offering
10:00 a.m. - Church School begins in Worship
11:30 a.m. - Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
11:30 a.m. - Sarah Hope Circle, Chittick Lounge
2:30 p.m. - Claremont Care Center
Monday, December 23
Tuesday, December 24
4:00 - Service for Families with Young Children
(Dove Choir; Christmas Pageant)
7:00 - Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols
(Special Music; Linda Chase preaching)
11:00 - Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols
(Chancel Choir, Linda Chase preaching)
Wednesday, December 25
12:00 p.m. - Christmas Day Dinner, CE Annex
Thursday, December 26
7:30 a.m. - Men's Breakfast
Friday, December 27
Saturday, December 28
Sunday, December 29
10:00 a.m - Worship/Carol Sing
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 Birthday Blessings
Dec 22 Craig Lambie, Harry Van Wagenen
Dec 23
Dec 24 Jennifer Nase, Dorothy Tolley
Dec 25 Mary Ann Miller
Dec 26 Anna Landre
Dec 27 Christopher Cook, John Curtis
Dec 28 Dustin Cottrell
Dec 29 Aubreigh Garner, Patricia Januszeski, Kenneth King
Dec 30 Magda Giase, Thomas Millar, Christopher Shekon
Dec 31
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Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendar
 January 5 - 10:00 a.m. Worship with Communion
January 12-16 - IHN
January 13 - Annual Report Information Due January 26 - 10:00 a.m. worship, followed by 11:00 a.m. Annual General Meeting of the Congregation
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: [email protected] |
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