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Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church
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Weekly News for
Sunday,
September 14, 2014
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 After Sunday worship, come to the Education Annex, 11:00 am to 12:00 noon, to enjoy some delicious food and to find out about opportunities for learning and serving!
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 Dear Friends,
What a way to run a bank!
In Jesus' Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, a wealthy man loans out an unimaginably large sum of money to one of his servants, way more than the man could repay in a dozen lifetimes. When he calls in the loan, the servant - no surprise - begs and grovels, asking to have the loan forgiven.
Incredibly, the lender cheerfully agrees to write off the entire debt. But then, the servant turns around and refuses to forgive a much smaller debt another servant owes to him!
The wealthy man is not amused. In fact, he's angry - spitting nails - at his servant's skinflint ways.
So, what sort of banker is this high-rolling bazillionaire, to make such an abominably bad loan in the first place? And what kind of a customer is the unforgiving servant, whose heart is so untouched by his creditor's unexpected generosity?
Call in the Roman Imperial Securities and Exchange Commission! This is a bank in deep trouble.
Or is it?
It's not the First National Bank that Jesus is talking about, here. No, it's more like the First Heavenly Bank. In that bank, they sure do play by different rules.
You don't need to wait till you get to heaven before you start living life by these rules. Join us this Sunday, as we celebrate God's grace and forgiveness!
Pastor Carl
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This Sunday
Sunday, September 14
Matthew 18:21-35Dr. Wilton preaching: "FIRST HEAVENLY BANK: DEPOSITORS WANTED" 10:00 a.m. Worship/Healing Prayers/Chancel Choir 11:00 a.m. - Rally Day!
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"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 September 14 is the Jason and Elizabeth Krayl family. Let us be prayerfully aware of Jason, Elizabeth, Ella and Kellan, as well as all our members and friends.
Other prayer concerns: The family of Audrey Pearce; Marion Fittin; George Lund; Karen Larsen; Fred Johnson; Trudy Petersen; Jane Lambie; all those in the military, as well as those struggling with addictions and mental illness.
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BAPTISMS - Baptisms will take place on Sunday, September 21 at the 10:00 a.m. worship service. Ordinarily, at least one parent must be a member of PPPC. For more information, please call the Church Office.
HELP US WELCOME OUR CHURCH'S GUESTS - Our church is happy to welcome guests and to let them know that they are special to us! The Bread Team hangs a loaf of bread (either homemade or storebought) 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 committee and "spread the word" by delivering bread on a rotating basis, please contact either the church office or Karen Norby at 732-295-8174.
CHRISTMAS DINNER COORDINATOR NEEDED - We are in need of someone to coordinate the Christmas Dinner on Christmas Day. We have a lot of people who volunteer on Christmas Day but we are in need of someone to coordinate the logistics of the day. Jacque Thornton will arrange for the food to be ordered ahead of time. For questions or more information please speak with Jacque or with the Rev. Linda Chase.
THESE DAYS devotional booklets for October November and December are now available in the Narthex. Three months of daily devotionals are $3 each.
USHERS NEEDED - Each Sunday our ushers quietly blend into our service as quiet guides and servers. We are in need of a few more ushers to fill out our many teams. If this kind of quiet serving is something that appeals to you, please contact Scott Smith at 732-840-0279.
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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, Sunday School, Music, Presbyterian Women, Worship, Point Beach Prep, the Volunteer Village and more. There are many, many ways you can become more involved in the Church.
Come join us in the CE Annex following the 10:00 a.m. service to browse the displays and take advantage of the opportunity to volunteer or join a committee. The Kitchen Team will provide a delicious food Extravaganza. Join us as we mark the beginning of a new program year!
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Inquirers Group
 An Inquirers Group, for those exploring membership in the church, will take place on Sunday, October 5, 2014. We will begin at the Communion Brunch following the service that Sunday. We will continue until 2:30 p.m. Child care can be made available upon prior request. New members will be received in worship on October 19.
Please call the Church Office to sign up, or to find out more!
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"Someday I want to learn more about the Bible."
Well, "someday" is
TODAY!
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There's still room in our two (and possibly three) Covenant Bible Study groups that will be meeting for 8 weeks this fall. Groups will meet on:
Mondays, 10:00-11:30 am, starting September 22, led by Rev. Linda Chase
Wednesdays at 7:00-8:30 pm, starting September 24, led by Rev. Dr. Carl Wilton
If you're interested in a Sunday-morning group, please call or email the church office. Here's YOUR invitation to join us at the table: Want to see what's in store? Check out this good word from Christine and Shane, who will be our guides through the scriptures, via video:  | | Covenant Sampler |
COVENANT is an in-depth group Bible study that centers around our relationships with God, with each other and with the world. It emphasizes the biblical concept of covenant - the enduring commitment between God and people - as a unifying pattern throughout the entire Bible.
This is a learning experience where scripture meets everyday experience - not only within the church, but in every area of our lives.
We come to the table as who we are: bringing our hopes, our dreams, our pains and our sorrows. We share as much - or as little - of our experiences as we're comfortable talking about. No one knows too much about the Bible to benefit from this approach - nor can anyone know too little.
A study book will guide us: CREATING the Covenant (this Fall's study)
LIVING the Covenant (coming in Winter, 2015)
TRUSTING the Covenant (coming in Spring, 2015)
The study book will introduce us to a different Bible reading for each day, as well as a longer weekly reading to prepare us for the video and the group discussion.
You can join any one of these 8-week series, or participate in all three. If you're a child of God, wanting to explore how Jesus can make a difference in your life, COVENANT Bible study is for you!
The cost of the first-term Participant Guide, Creating the Covenant, is $20. You can buy just that book, or you can save by purchasing all three for a combined cost of $50.
The best rate of all is available to iPad users. Search for "Covenant Bible Study" in the iTunes Store, and you'll find a special iPad app. For a cost of $9.99 - half the price of the printed version - you get the first-unit book in electronic form, as well as interactive note-taking features. An Android tablet app will be out soon. (If you plan to use the tablet version of the book, please do be sure to call the Church Office and sign up for one of the two times, so we know you're coming!)
Each of our Covenant groups will have its own password-protected web page, as an optional way to keep in touch. Those who register for the website will receive daily emails of the Bible readings, as well as reminder emails for group meetings.
You can learn more about the program at the CovenantBibleStudy.com website. |
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Sunday School Starts on September 21st
 It's going to be a great year in Sunday School!
Beginning on Sunday, September 21st, kids ages pre-K through 6 come into the Sanctuary at 10:00 am with their parents, then leave with their teachers (following the Children's Sermon) to go across the street to their classrooms. Following worship and coffee hour, parents walk over and pick their kids up around 11:20. Registration forms are available online and in the Narthex
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! To find out more, please email the Church School Coordinator, Tricia Stoffers, or leave a message for her through the church office - she'll gladly call you back!
If Tricia 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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SEEKING A CHURCH TREASURER
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Still Seeking a Church Treasurer
 The Session's Finance Team has rewritten the job description for PPPC's volunteer Church Treasurer position. This key position in the life of the church has been completely redesigned, so as to require a visit to the church office just one or two times per week, for about 3-5 hours total. Got some financial savvy? Got basic computer skills? Want to help your church's many ministries have the strong support they deserve? If so, please give a call to the church office. We're eager to tell you more!
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IHN Guests Will Be Arriving This Month
Families from Interfaith Hospitality Network will be here September 21-28.
We will need people to help in setting the rooms up, providing meals, spending time with families in the evening as hospitality hosts, serving as overnight hosts and washing laundry after the week is ended.
Sign up sheets will be in the Narthex. Please indicate where you can help. For more information please speak with Dorothy Tolley at 732-892-9306.
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Caregiver Volunteers Recruitment
Mary Malagiere from Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey (CVCJ) will be sharing their special message of care giving with us at our service on Sunday, September 21st.
CVCJ is seeking volunteers and for congregational support to spread the word about the free services that Caregiver Volunteers provide to the frail and elderly in our community.
CVCJ volunteers provide:
- Transportation to your medical appointments
- Grocery shopping (they shop for you)
- Friendly/pet visits, reassuring phone calls
- Respite care for families caring for loved ones with dementia or Alzheimer's disease
Please take a few moments to stop by their display and say hello to Mary. For more information about CVCJ please call Mary at 732-505-2273 ext. 211 or email her at marym@caregivervolunteers.org
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Groups Staying in the Volunteer Village
We've been having a couple weeks off from hosting groups in the Volunteer Village. Here are the groups who are currently scheduled:
Sep 14-20 Kiskiminetas Presbytery, PA
Sept 28-Oct 4 Presbytery of Detroit and Webster Presbyterian Church, NY
Oct 5-11 Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian Church Livonia, MI
Oct 12-17 Lend A Hand (Carlisle Presbytery, Pennsylvania)
Oct 19-25 Scioto Valley Presbytery, Columbus, OH
Feb 6 Abington Presbyterian Church, Abington, PA
Apr 5 Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church, MD
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We Support Princeton Theological Seminary
A spirit of generosity has always supported Princeton Theological Seminary. Students arrive in Princeton with a desire to serve God with their heart, soul, mind, and strength. They leave with much more: a world-class education in biblical and theological thinking, practiced and tested skills in preaching and worship leadership, and spiritual preparation for ministry in the church and outside its walls, in the United States and around the world.  Princeton Seminary is committed to remaining affordable and to providing financial assistance to minimize the burden of student debt. Gifts from generous donors keep Princeton's tuition well below the actual cost of educating a student, and provide scholarships that enable students in financial need to say "Yes" to God's call to ministry. PPPC supports Princeton Seminary through our mission giving. Thank you for your support of this church, which allows us - through our mission giving - to make a difference to Christ's church for generations to come!
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The latest edition of the church calendar is available online, on the church's website. 
Sunday, September 14
10:00 a.m. Worship/Healing Prayers/Chancel Choir
11:00 a.m. - Rally Day!
Monday, September 15
6:15 p.m. - Choral Bells, Fellowship Room
Tuesday, September 16
7:00 p.m. - Session Meeting
Wednesday, September 17
9:00 a.m. - Women's Breakfast at the Rainbow Diner
5:00 p.m. - Dove Choir, Choir Room
Thursday, September 18
7:30 a.m. - Men's Breakfast, US Subs
7:30 p.m. - Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Friday, September 19
Saturday, September 20
Sunday, September 21
9:00 a.m. - Youth Connection
10:00 a.m. Worship/Chancel Choir/Baptism
10:00 a.m. - Sunday School begins in Worship
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 Birthday Blessings
Sept 14 Monique Drugas, Suzanne Perkowski
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 Chase Lovgren, 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., Katherine 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 
October 18 - Presbytery "Nuts and Bolts" Officer and Leader Training event
October 19 - CROP Walk
October 25 - Monmouth Presbytery PW Fall Gathering
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
Music Staff
Sara Hoey, Organist
William Shoppell, Chancel Choir and Choral Bells Director
Rebecca Muraglia, Acting Dove Choir Director
Christian Education Staff
Courtney Rzeplinski, Youth Connection Coordinator
Tricia Stoffers, Sunday 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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