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Point Pleasant
Presbyterian Church
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Weekly News for
Sunday,
January 11, 2015
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Dear Friends,
We have the special joy, this Sunday, of celebrating three baptisms --- and on a most appropriate occasion, the Baptism of the Lord. We'll be receiving new members as well.
The Baptism of the Lord was an important occasion for the early church. The story of Jesus' baptism in the River Jordan by his cousin, John the Baptist, is recounted in Matthew, Mark and Luke. All three of those stories tell how the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, after which words of blessing come from God on high: "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased" (Mark 1:11).
Blessings are important to all of us, in life. Chief among them are the blessings of our parents, who - in the ideal world - send us on our way assuring us that they "have our back." The curious thing about God's blessing at Jesus' baptism is that it comes before he has actually done anything in his public ministry. What does that say to us about blessings, and how they are given? Are we blessed because of what we do, or because of who we are? Worthy questions to consider, on the occasion of baptism. Come, let us worship God together!
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This Sunday
Sunday, January 11 - Baptism of our Lord
Mark 1:1-11
Dr. Wilton preaching: "BLESSINGS FIRST"
9:00 a.m. - Youth Connection 10:00 a.m - Worship/Special Music/Baptisms/Healing Prayers 4:00 p.m. - Webelos
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 During the final hymn of the Sunday service we will offer healing prayers. Those who wish to come forward for prayer with one of the pastors are invited to do so.
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Aubrey Noelle Almazan
daughter of
Gerald and Brittany Almazan
Olivia Eleanor Shapiro
daughter of
Matthew and Kerurah Shapiro
Charles Andrew Rice
son of
Greg and Heather Rice
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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 Person for the week of January 11 is Kathryn Ebner. Let us be prayerfully aware of Kathryn, as well as all our members and friends.
Other prayer concerns: The family of Jack Conheeney; the family of Margaret Olsavsky; Jean Campbell; Bettie Wagner; Jacob Balko; Agnes Skowronek (Bill Hoey's sister); Bill Blauvelt (Jacque Thornton's brother in law); Cindy Dunphy; Nancy Smith; Mary McSweeney; Marilyn Coppolino; Diane (Linda Lee Smith's sister); Nicholas Hudnut; Michelle Avary and Chris Loeffler (family of Andrea Purtell); Michael Limpantsis; Kathryn Feldman (Bill Shoppell's sister); Karen Larsen; all those in the military, as well as those struggling with addictions and mental illness.
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PANCAKE BREAKFAST
Thanks to all who had a role in last Sunday's Pancake Breakfast. $914 was raised towards Patrick Cox's Eagle Scout service project of upgrading the church office!
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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.
COFFEE HOUR THIS SUNDAY - Please join us in the Chittick Lounge for coffee and fellowship.
SESSION MEMBERS are reminded there is a Session Meeting this Tuesday, January 13 at 7:00 p.m. Session Packets are being sent by email.
CHURCH ORGANIZATION LEADERS: Information for the Annual Reports was due THIS PAST FRIDAY, January 9, 2015. If you have not handed in a report, please do so immediately. Reports can emailed directly to Kim Gaydos at mail@pointpresbyterian.org. Call or email the Church office if you would like a digital version of the 2013 report. Reports will be ready for distribution to the congregation next Sunday, January 18, 2015, in preparation for the January 25th congregational meeting.
A SERVICE OF WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION, giving thanks to God for the life of Doris Baker, has been scheduled for Saturday, April 25th at 11:00 am, in the Sanctuary.
FLOWER CHART - A new flower chart is posted outside the church office. Please consider signing up for fresh flowers to mark a special occasion or "just because." The flower prices for 2015 remain the same, $20 per vase or $25 for a bowl of flowers. A blue order form next to the chart can be filled out and sent into the office along with your payment. Future events such as Anniversaries and Birthdays can be reserved on the flower chart and payment can be submitted closer to the date. Flowers are God's gift to us all!
2015 CHURCH DIRECTORIES ARE NOW AVAILABLE - Copies are available in the Narthex or office. Please call/email the church office if you would like a pdf version emailed to you. In addition, please remember to call the office when you will be away for the winter or have updated information.
WELCOME TO KELLY ROMANOWSKI, new caregiver in the Church Nursery on Sunday mornings! Kelly lives in Point Boro and joins Cindy Coppola, our other nursery caregiver, in looking after the needs of our youngest members.
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This Sunday we will welcome the following new members
Gerald and Brittany Almazan Gerald and Brittany were scheduled to be welcomed into membership back in October, but their daughter Aubrey decided to make her entrance into the world on that day. So today we are glad to welcome Gerald, Brittany and Aubrey. Brittany attended Sunday School here at PPPC as a girl with her parents (nee Bulick). She lived in Howell until recently, when she and Gerald were married and moved to Neptune City. Brittany attended DeVry University to become an EEG technician. Gerald grew up in Monmouth County and later moved to Long Island. He has spent time in the Caribbean, Chicago, Minnesota and Kansas for school. He is a medical doctor specializing in pediatrics. Both Gerald and Brittany enjoy tennis.
Anthony, Rosanna, Michael and Joe Maimone We are glad to welcome the Maimone family who has transferred their membership from another Presbyterian church. Anthony was our first Volunteer Village seminary assistant from New Brunswick Theological Seminary during the Summer of 2013. Anthony is expected to graduate from Seminary in May 2015. For the past 25 years Anthony has been employed as Chief Compliance Officer at International Schools Services. He enjoys writing, preaching, teaching and music. Rosanna is a homemaker. She was born in Hoboken, NJ and both she and Anthony have resided in Manasquan since 2001. She is a certified home health aide and is currently taking care of her elderly parents who live with them at home. Joining also are their two sons. Michael is a Freshman at Penn State majoring in Meteorology. He enjoys both science and photography. Joseph is a Freshman at Manasquan High School. He enjoys video games, TV, school and hanging out with his friends. He is planning on working for NASA in the future as an engineer. |
 The Annual General Meeting of the Congregation and Corporation of the Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church will take place on Sunday, January 25 at 11:00 a.m.
The Congregation will elect officers, elect the Nominating Committee (for the election of officers), approve the Pastor's terms of call, and conduct any other business that may properly come before the Congregation.
An extended program for Church School children will be available in the Education Annex, so parents may attend the Annual Meeting. |
Undecorating the Sanctuary
What does up, must come down.
Thanks to all who have helped with the undecorating of the Sanctuary, following Christmas!
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Did You Miss New Year's in November?
No, you didn't! Even though we received New Year's giving resolutions (estimates of giving for 2015) back in November, if that somehow slipped your mind, we'd still be very glad to hear your best estimate of how you will be able to support the work of Christ through Point Pleasant Presbyterian in the coming year.
The Session will be finalizing the 2015 budget at their meeting on January 13th.
The easiest way to submit your estimate of giving is to send a (confidential) email to financial secretary Donna Ferry,
donna@pointpresbyterian.org .
CAMPAIGN UPDATE - The latest "prayerful resolutions" figures from the fall stewardship campaign are 91 households for a total of $218,044. Thanks to all who have submitted an estimate of giving for 2015!
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New Offering Envelopes
 2015 offering envelope boxes may be picked up in the Narthex. If you cannot find your envelopes, please write your name on the pad provided.
Please use only 2015 envelopes for the remainder of the year. (Please note: your assigned envelope number may have changed.)
You can also call the church's Financial Secretary, Donna Ferry, in the church office with any questions. Thank you!
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Sunday Sunday Recap
 Last week: Last week, we came back from our break and eased back into the swing of things. We had a smaller group than usual so we did some review and played some Bible games. We had so much fun playing Bible Bingo!
This week:
Bible Verse: Luke 2:39-52
This week, we will be discussing the time when Jesus went to the temple at 12 years old. We will be talking about our calling, and how sometimes we just know things, with God.
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Covenant Bible Study to Begin Again
 The Covenant Bible Study second unit, "Living the Covenant," will begin again on the week of January 26. There will once again be two separate groups, meeting weekly: Mondays, 10:00-11:30 am, led by Rev. Linda Chase
Wednesdays at 7:00-8:30 pm, led by Rev. Dr. Carl Wilton
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.
If you're interested in joining one of these groups, please call or email the church office! Books are available in the office for $20. Did you get a new tablet for Christmas? The best rate of all is available to iPad users. Search for "Covenant Bible Study" is also available from the iTunes Store, for $9.99 - half the price of the printed version.
You can learn more about the program at the CovenantBibleStudy.com website.
Don't miss the sign up sheets in the Narthex |
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News from Point Beach Prep
 We are off to a great start in 2015! Lots of smiling faces came back from break ready to learn about the letter M.
This week our Pre-K met Miss M and her monkey. We learned sign language for the letter M and "mom." Our sight word was "me." We read The Missing Mitten Mystery, The Mitten, and our books on tape, If You Give a Moose a Muffin and Mousetrap. We explored with magnets in our sensory table and did some experimentation to determine what was metal and what wasn't. At our blue table we made "meatballs" out of play dough. We sang 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, On Top of Spaghetti, Spaghetti Worms and Meatballs, and Making Muffins. We made mittens, marshmallow M's, moose hats, and marble art. It was marvelous!
Our Nursery class met letter puppet M the mouse. They sang The Muffin Man, 5 Little Mice, 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, and Old MacDonald. They read Melvin and the Boy, She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain, Meerkat Mail, If You Give a Moose a Muffin, The Mitten, Old MacDonald and The Messy Room. Some of their activities were making masks, playing with macaroni, painting monsters, marble painting, using magnets, and making monkey puppets. What a magnificent week!
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Blanket Sunday
Next Sunday January 18 we will be collecting for Church World Service Blankets+. Contributions to CWS Blankets mean Church World Service will be ready to help families around the world recover from disasters and displacement, and build viable, sustainable lives and communities.
CWS helps to provide primary health care for displaced and other families in need. In such far-flung places as Sudan, Pakistan and Nicaragua, CWS gives comfort and care to moms and babies, and helps children get the nutrition they need to grow up strong and healthy
And here in the U.S., CWS Blankets provide comfort in many communities
hit by disaster, and in shelters or agencies assisting those experiencing hard times.
- $50 can provide five warm blankets for a family left homeless by a tornado or other disaster.
- $110 can provide an emergency food package for a family of five for one month.
- $200 can provide 20 mosquito nets to help keep families safe from the bite of mosquitos and the illnesses they bring.
- $1,000 can equip a village well with a pump and provide hygiene training.
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A Good Week of IHN
 Thank you to everyone who helped this past week with IHN. Your support and care for the IHN families is always appreciated.
Besides the delicious dinners church members make for the families, we also provide families with breakfast and lunch for the week. IHN will be returning in 2 months (March 8). We ask that you please consider making a monetary donation to help cover the cost for such items as breakfast and lunch when they are here. In addition we are always in need of hygiene items (shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes, etc).
Hygiene items can be dropped off in the baskets in the North Hall. For monetary donations for IHN, please mark "IHN" in the memo line of your check. All donations go directly towards the families' needs while they are here.
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The latest edition of the church calendar is available online, on the church's website. 
Sunday, January 11
IHN Leaves
9:00 a.m. - Youth Connection
10:00 a.m. - Sunday School begins in Worship
10:00 a.m - Worship/Special Music/Baptisms/Healing Prayers
4:00 p.m. - Webelos
Monday, January 12
11:30 a.m. - EliSabeth Verdella Circle
6:15 p.m. - Choral Bells
Tuesday, January 13
10:00 a.m. - Eye Openers
1:00 p.m. - Lydia Day Circle
4:30 p.m. - Daisy Troop 175
7:00 p.m. - Session Committees
8:00 p.m. - Session Meeting
Wednesday, January 14
9:00 a.m. - Women's Breakfast at the Rainbow Diner
5:00 p.m. - Dove Choir, Choir Room
Thursday, January 15
7:30 a.m. - Men's Breakfast at US Subs
4:30 p.m. - Brownie Girl Scouts
7:30 p.m. - Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Friday, January 16
6:30 p.m. - Webelos Den
Saturday, January 17
10:00 a.m. - Troop 6 Communications Merit Badge, CE Classroom
Sunday, January 18
9:00 a.m. - Youth Connection
10:00 a.m. - Sunday School Begins in Worship
10:00 a.m - Worship/Chancel Choir/Blanket Sunday
11:00 a.m. - Sandwich Sunday
4:00 p.m. - Webelos
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 Birthday Blessings
Jan 11 Brianna Harvey
Jan 12 Madeline Iadarola, Pat Shoppell,
Jan 13 Judy Antonucci, Jason Krayl, Rod Smith
Jan 14 Jean Whittaker
Jan 15 Stephen Ferguson, Nicholas O'Hara, Calvin Potter
Jan 16 Chris Nelson
Jan 17 Allison Milancewich
Jan 18 Patricia Hewitt
Jan 19 Ann Lappke
Jan 20 Lauren Braaten, Mary Beth Schroeder
Jan 21
Jan 22 Michele Cleveland, Donald May, Trevor Sellman, Londa Scarpone, Joan Vitale
Jan 23
Jan 24
Jan 25 Jason Braaten, Christopher Muraglia
Jan 26
Jan 27 Samantha Trainor
Jan 28 Jordan Cooper, Connor Durante
Jan 29 Blake Birdsong, Jaime Williams
Jan 30 Michael Fanizzo, Ronald Krayl
Jan 31 Vincent DeMartino, Donna Ferry, Maria Tirpak
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Sunday, January 18, 2015
Blanket Sunday Special Offering
Sunday, January 25, 2015
10:00 am Worship
11:00 am Annual Congregational Meeting
4:00 pm American Guild of Organists Concert, Christ Episcopal Church, Toms River
Saturday, January 31, 2015
10:00 am - 12:00 pm Point Beach Prep Open House
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
6:00 pm - Ash Wednesday Soup Supper, followed by Communion Service
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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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