Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church
| Weekly News For Sunday, Sept 6, 2015 | |
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Friends,
One of the hot-button political issues these days is that of the minimum wage for fast-food workers. Some maintain that the present minimum is fine, because most of those workers are teenagers or second-income adults anyway. Others point out that fast-food chains pay out vast sums to their stockholders and reward their executives in the six-figure range, but pay the people who fry the burgers and ask "Do you want fries with that?" at rates that are by no means a living wage. They challenge the stereotype that most of these workers are casual employees earning a little extra money. There are a great number of primary wage-earners toiling in those places, they insist - people who can find no other work and struggle to make ends meet for their families. Is it really a big deal if customers are asked to pay a nickel or dime more for their burgers?
The question of minimum wage may sound like a modern issue, but it actually comes up in one of Jesus' parables. In Matthew 20:1-16, the owner of a vineyard returns several times to a muster zone, to hire groups of farm workers to bring in his grape harvest. The last group of workers arrives in the vineyard just an hour before quitting time.
At sundown, it's time to cash out. The workers are astonished to see, gleaming in the palm of everyone who's picked grapes that day, exactly the same wage: a shiny silver denarius.
"It's not fair!" cry the exhausted workers who've been picking since the crack of dawn. We agreed on a wage when you hired us. Those latecomers should get less!
"Yes, we agreed on the wage," explains the vineyard-owner. "You received that wage - everything that I promised you. So what if I decide to give others the same amount?"
This is a disturbing parable. It challenges our preconceptions of what is fair and just. It stretches us to look beyond our own situation and put ourselves in others' shoes (or sandals, as the case may be). It's what a good parable does.
Plenty to think about, for this Labor Day weekend. Please join us in worship!
Pastor Carl
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Sunday, September 3, 2015
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
10:00 a.m. - Worship with Communion
11:00 a.m. - Sundae Sunday
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"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6
The Prayer Family for the week of September 6 is the Fittin family. Let us be prayerfully aware of Marion and Tom, as well as all our members and friends.
Prayer concerns: The family of Margaret Crawley (mother of Tom Crawley); the family of Rose Marie Ritota (mother of Frank Ritota); Carol Walker Clayton; Vincent DeMartino; Lois Francello; Ethel Lemke (mother of Carole Smith); Joanne McGuire; Courtney Norton Rzeplinski; Bill Shoppell; Barbara VieBrock.
Long term concerns: David Allen; Bill Blauvelt (Jacque Thornton's brother in law); Fred Bierach; Jules Bierach, Jr; Kathryn Feldman (Bill Shoppell's sister); Elise Cason; George Griffiths (Cousin of Heidi Steinert); Nicholas Hudnut; Margie McGhee; Jane Millar; Cherisse Petruzzi; Edith Pula; Gemma Roberts; Nancy Smith; Gail Ward; those struggling with addictions and mental illness.
Military: Michael Limpantsis; Matthew Warren; all those in the military.
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SUNDAE SUNDAY - Please join us following the Sunday service for our last Sundae Sunday. Thank you to those who have continually provided us with this delicious treat this Summer.
BAPTISMS - Baptisms will take place on Sunday, September 20 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.
A REQUEST FROM THE DEACONS - We who serve on the Board of Deacons are ever grateful for our congregation's continued monetary support as we offer emergency financial assistance to those in need. If you are in a position to help the Deacons, please consider making a donation this Sunday, September 6 (Communion Sunday) using the Deacons Fund envelopes in the pews. In reviewing the previous years requests, the Deacons anticipate an influx of requests as the colder months approach. All donations received are fully used to help people directly and immediately. Thank you. The Board of Deacons
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Rally Day 2015 - NEXT Sunday!
Attention, attention! We are doing a new thing at PPPC for Rally Day this year. Our focus will be on our children and youth ministries which include Sunday school, Youth Connection and Dove Choir. We will be hearing from our young people and the leaders of each ministry as they talk about what excites them about being part of the childrens and youth programs here at PPPC.
IMPORTANT NOTE!
On September 13, Rally Day,
WORSHIP WILL BE IN THE ANNEX at 10 am.
It will be a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led worship helping all of us to get "pumped" for the new programs in the church. Following the worship service there will be BBQ for everyone, also in the Annex. Come and worship together. Come support our young people. Come.
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CHOIR OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL - Point Pleasant Presbyterian is blessed with a wonderful music ministry. There's a place for EVERYONE, young or old, to make a joyful noise to the Lord!
Calling all children to join the Dove Choir! Rehearsals begin this Wednesday, September 9 from 5:00-5:45 p.m. during the school year. All children ages 3 to 15 are invited to join. Dove Choir kids learn to sing, read music and perform in a traditional children's choir. If you're interested in seeing your kids enjoy this great musical experience, please plan to bring them to rehearsals every Wednesday from 5:00-5:45. For further information please email Dove Choir director Rebecca Muraglia or call her at 732-551-7115. Chancel Choir rehearsals begin this Thursday, September 10, 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, please speak with Bill Shoppell or call the Church Office.
The Choral Bells is our handbell choir. The first rehearsal will be Monday, September 14, at 6:15 p.m. in the Fellowship Room. Rehearsals are every Monday evening, 6:15-7:30. The Choral Bells enrich our Sunday worship approximately every other month, about five times a year. There's great camaraderie among the Choral Bells members. 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! Bell-ringing is FUN! Please contact Bill Shoppell at 732-223-6274 for more information on the Chancel Choir and Choral Bells.
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NEXT SUNDAY'S the time!
The church's worship that day will be a special, kid-friendly service in the CE Annex at 10:00 am,
followed by a barbecue lunch! Parents will be able to register their kids for Sunday School. BEAT THE RUSH - download the registration form and bring it with you that day!
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The Photo We Won't Show You You've probably seen the photo that's gone viral on the internet. The one of the 3-year-old Syrian boy, drowned in the surf on a Turkish beach. He and his family were lost when their small boat capsized on the way to Greece - the gateway to Europe for desperate refugees from Syria's civil war.
He had a name: Aylan Kurdi. Parents don't bring their three-year-olds with them to cross the sea on overcrowded boats unless they're very, very desperate. The sad situation in Syria breeds such desperation. Aylan's tale is repeated all too often, in too many places around the world. We view photos like that, on the internet or in the newspapers, and wish there were something we could do. There is. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) has a partnership with an international aid organization, the Geneva-based ACT Alliance. It's a coalition of more than 140 churches and faith-based organizations working together in over 140 countries to create positive and sustainable change in the lives of poor and marginalized people. PDA is receiving donations on behalf of ACT, to aid refugees like little Aylan's family, who are seeking asylum in Europe from nations of the Middle East (including Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq) and also from Northern and Middle Africa. Gifts to help in this response can be designated to account DR000156 -International Refugee Programs. You may give by check or online through the church's direct-debit option, putting "International Refugee Programs" on the memo line. Or, you may make a donation directly through the PCUSA website. Thank you. |
Here are the upcoming volunteer groups who will be staying in the Volunteer Village this fall:
Sunday, Oct 4 - Helping Hands of Lehigh Presbytery, PA and First Presbyterian Church, Warren, PA Sunday, Oct 11 - Lend A Hand, Carlisle, PA Sunday, Oct 18 - Scioto Valley Presbytery, Columbus, OH
Sunday, Oct 25 - Crossroads Presbyterian Church
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Volunteer Recognition Dinner and Care for the Caregivers Workshop Church members and friends who have been active in the Volunteer Village ministry over the past tow and a half years have received invitations in the mail to two significant events coming up on the last weekend of the month - both of them sponsored by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.
The Volunteer Recognition Dinner will take place in Education Annex on the evening of Saturday, September 26 at 6:00 pm. Food will be provided by Joe Leone's, and the program will be provided by PDA representatives. If you've given your time as part of the volunteer village, please check your mailbox for your invitation (your real, physical mailbox).
On the next day, Sunday, September 27, 1:00-4:30 pm, following lunch at 12:00 noon in the PPPC Education Annex, PDA will offer a Care for the Caregivers Workshop. Participants in this informative and inspiring event will gain an understanding of the causes and effects of compassion fatigue; understand why self-care isn't enough; and learn powerful tools to immediately integrate into their lives.
Both events are invitation-only. If you believe you should have received an invitation but didn't, please call the church office.
PDA asks volunteers to please RSVP to the invitation, using a special online Survey Monkey link. We'll be sending that out via email in the near future. The invitation that was sent out asks volunteers to phone the PDA Call Center to RSVP - and that's still an option for those who can't access the Survey Monkey link - but PDA prefers the online method. If you experience any difficulty at all with the RSVP process, please phone the church office and we'll do our best to help.
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Film Screening - Heartbreak and Hope after Sandy
On Saturday evening, October 24th at 7:00 pm, we'll commemorate the 3-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy with a free screening of the documentary film, "Heartbreak and Healing After Sandy: Legacy of a Superstorm." Please mark your calendar now for this very special event.
This moving film, by local filmmaker Sandra Levine, tells the story of 5 or 6 families from the Toms River/Ortley Beach area, portraying the challenges they faced in the first year after the storm. She's donating all proceeds from the film to the Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group. Sandra will be with us the evening of the screening to speak about the process of making it and to answer questions.
The documentary has been broadcast once by WHYY-TV, the public-TV station out of Philadelphia. It hasn't yet been shown by the statewide New Jersey public-TV affiliate, but Sandra tells us that the New Jersey PBS affiliate will be showing it sometime around the anniversary of the storm.
You could stay home and watch it on the small screen, or you could come to the church and view on a large screen, with a question-and-answer time with the filmmaker afterwards. A 5-minute trailer can be viewed here:
| Heartbreak & Healing After Sandy - documentary trailer |
The film contains many familiar local scenes. Those who see it are impressed both by how far we've come in the recovery, as well as the problems that are still being addressed. |
It won't be long now. Peaceful Barnegat Bay vistas like this will again be part of our lives. Happy Labor Day!
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CHURCH CALENDAR - The latest edition of the church calendar is available online, on the church's website.
10:00 a.m. - Worship with Communion
11:00 a.m. - Sundae Sunday
Monday, Sept 7
Labor Day - Office Closed
Tuesday, Sept 8
10:00 a.m. - Eye Openers, Chittick Lounge
4:30 p.m. - Daisy Troop 175
7:00 p.m. Sandy Team Meeting
Wednesday, Sept 9
9:00 a.m. - Women's Breakfast at the Rainbow Diner
5:00 p.m. - Dove Choir Rehearsal Begins
6:30 p.m. - Princeton Review SAT class, CE Annex
Thursday, Sept 10
8:00 a.m. - Men's Breakfast at US Subs
7:30 p.m. - Chancel Choir Rehearsal Begins
Friday, Sept 11
9:00 a.m. - Point Beach Prep Orientation
Saturday, Sept 12
9:00 a.m. - Princeton Review SAT class, CE Annex
Sunday, Sept 13
10:00 a.m. - Worship, CE Annex
11:00 a.m. - Rally Day Extravaganza with Barbecue, CE Annex
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Birthday Blessings
Sept 3 Sept 4 Laura Desiderio, Christa Lomuscio, Rebecca Muraglia Sept 5 Nicholas Duino Sept 6 Connie Curtis, Charles Vitale, Jack Vitale Sept 7 Glenavie Gauer, Connor Kells, Mark McDermitt Sept 8 Claire Meany, Susan Findlay Sept 9 Elaine Conheeney, Karissa Leek-Clayton, Shirley Young-Callari Sept 10 Tyler Johnson, Lois Lang, Evelyn Leach, Louis Pazienza Sept 11 Kiera King Sept 12 Virginia Claeys, Melissa Erb, Todd Ferry, Christine Hamilton Sept 13 Thomas Crawley, James Scott Sept 14 Sue Perkowski Sept 15 Heather Rice Sept 16 Susan Reilly Sept 17 Dane Bongiovi, Jacklyn Cutting, Donald Williams Sept 18 Kevin Conheeney, Jack Tolley Sept 19 Chase Lovgren, Joan Whitman Sept 20 Kaitlyn McKay, Paula Pennypacker Sept 21 Sept 22 Sept 23 Kate Norby, Logan Milancewich, Jessica Pazienza Sept 24 Sept 25 Sept 26 John Brzyski Jr., Katherine Durante, Robin Fiorentino Sept 27 Sept 28 Quintessa Baker Sept 29 Rylie Rampone, Leigh Reinwald Sept 30 Donna Fahey, Dalton Garner, Taylor Van Wagenen
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Start Up Dates in the Fall
September 13 - Rally Day
September 15 - Session Meeting September 16, 7:30 - "GRIEVING WITH HOPE" Sandy Survivor Group Begins September 18 - Youth Connection Begins September 20 - Sunday School Begins
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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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