Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church 
Weekly News For
Sunday, Sept 20, 2015
 
Friends,

This week we continue our sermon series on the parables, "Stories Jesus Told," with a story about a corrupt judge and a very persistent widow who keeps pressing him for justice.

Called by various names - "The Parable of the Persistent Widow," "The Parable of the Unjust Judge" and "The Parable of the Widow and the Judge," to name a few - this is a baffling story. Although Luke explains that it's a parable about the importance of persistence in prayer,  there's a problem with seeing that as the main message of the parable.  The difficulty is that  the judge in the story is a real crook - hardly an accurate stand-in for God!

This is but another example of the trouble that comes of reading parables as allegories - simple fables in which each of the characters has a one-to-one correspondence with a real person. Later interpreters - like Luke - came along and tagged them with their ideas of what the story means, but those explanations are not always accurate.

Jesus was a master storyteller. Many of his parables are meant less as theology lessons than as engaging tales that set our conventional thinking off-balance and lead us to look at ourselves, the world and God in new ways.

This parable is a good example. Come to worship this Sunday, join us in delving into this ancient tale, and see if it lives for you as it lives for me, and many others!
Pastor Carl
This Sunday
Sunday, September 20, 2015
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dr. Wilton preaching: "QUITTERS NEVER WIN"

 10:00 a.m. - Worship/Chancel Choir
10:00 a.m. - Sunday School begins in Worship
11:00 a.m. - Coffee Hour
Prayerfully Consider
 
"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 Person for the week of September 20 is Carol Eckenfelder. Let us be prayerfully aware of Carol, as well as all our members and friends.

Prayer concerns: Carol Walker Clayton; Vincent DeMartino; Lois Francello; Ethel Lemke (mother of Carole Smith); Erna Meyerle (friend of Susan Robbins); Courtney Norton Rzeplinski; Les Thornton; Barbara VieBrock.

Long term concerns: David Allen; Bill Blauvelt (Jacque Thornton's brother in law); 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; Bill Williams; those struggling with addictions and mental illness.

Military: Michael Fahey III; Matthew Warren; all those in the military.

         PPPC NEWS


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COFFEE HOUR HOST NEEDED - Please see the sign up sheet in the Church Kitchen.  Just signing up once, is a big help.  We will be having a coffee hour this Sunday following the service.  
 
THESE DAYS For October November and December are now available in the Narthex.  These daily devotional booklets are $3 each.   Sue Smith, our past seminarian student intern for the Volunteer Village wrote the  October 8 devotion. 

welcome_mat INQUIRERS GROUP - An Inquirers Group, for those exploring membership in the church, will take place on Sunday, October 4, 2015. 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 18. Please call the Church Office to sign up, or to find out more!

HOW ABOUT AN ADVENTURE FOR YOUR CHILD?  Boy Scout Troop 6 is looking for new members. Parents of boys in first grade through 5th should contact Suzanne Hanf  at 732-581-1059 and Boys in 6th grade - 18 years old should call Troop Leader Jim McGuire at 908-783-7193.  

BREAD TEAM - The "Bread Team" is a mission to welcome visitors to our church. If a visitor has signed the pew pad, a cloth bag (provided by Donna Whitman, thank you Donna) is filled with a loaf of fresh baked bread and brochures about our church and all of its activities. How welcoming it must be to arrive home after a busy day and find the bag hanging on your door or share a welcoming word with one of our members dropping off the bread. If you are interested in joining our small band of missionaries, we would love to have you. We each take a month for bread and delivering it. It is not a lot of work and very rewarding. Please contact, Karen Norby 732-295-8174 or e-mail [email protected].

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN VIEW OUR ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER THROUGH OUR CHURCH WEBSITE?  Our Church website http://pointpresbyterian.org lists all current and archived newsletters under News and Events.  In addition, through our website you can read past sermons, see the complete Church Calendar, as well as make an online donation. Thank you to Elder Frank Perkowski who does a great job keeping our website current and easy to read.  

Congratulations to GREG AND SHERRI HALL, whose food blog, "Watch Learn Eat," was recently featured - along with an interview - on The Daily Meal website. Watch Learn Eat is the home of recipes and short how-to cooking videos.

BEN WILTON has released his first full-length CD,"Dreaming Big." You can listen to and download individual tracks or the entire album on his Bandcamp.com site, or purchase a copy of the CD for $10 (contact church office for details).


At their meeting on September 15, the Session took the following actions:

1. Initiated a review of the church's Child Protection Policy, with respect to the needs of certifying short-term volunteers.

2. Noted that Alyson Shotwell has been hired as a new teacher for Point Beach Prep. This is in response to office manager Meg Weber's decision to seek full-time work elsewhere. The Point Beach Prep Director, Devlin House, will be taking on the administrative responsibilities formerly covered by Meg, and Alyson will cover some of the classroom teaching Devlin has been doing.

3. Decided to book YMCA Camp Zehnder for next summer's Church Picnic, which will take place on August 7.

4. Designated a committee of Carol Bonebrake, Dee D'Amore, Greg Hall and Diane Legreide to work on a new church membership photo directory that will be produced in-house. Members will be able to contribute their own photos if they wish, or may use photos Greg will take of them at one of a number of photo sessions that will be scheduled this fall. There will be no outside vendor, and no sales of photos.

5. Congratulated Jacque Thornton on her election as the new moderator of Presbyterian Women.

6. Learned of a continuing need for volunteers for Interfaith Hospitality Network hosting. The next IHN dates are November 15-22.

7. Discussed expanded electronic giving options, and decided to look into the matter further.

8. Discussed a proposal that the late Christmas Eve service be moved from 11:00 to 10:00 pm. Decided to survey the congregation for their views on the matter.

sunset_ocean.jpg
 
Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church
701 Forman Avenue
Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742

Will be hosting
"GRIEVING WITH HOPE"
A Sandy Survivor Support Group
Leaders: Pat Greeley (Mental Health Association of NJ)
and Lynn Hahm

Wednesdays in the Chittick Lounge beginning at 7:30 p.m. 
Contact Pat Greeley 908-872-5096

This support group "workshop" approaches grieving as a unique process in that every individual responds differently to losses - of a loved one, a way of life, possessions, peace of mind, etc. - but all must come to that place of radical acceptance. This is the place where we understand we may not have chosen to come to, but where "life" has taken us. Therefore, we embrace it and choose to live a full life in it. 

What to Expect in Grief
Coping With Grief
Healthy Ways to Grieve
Feeling Alone
Adjusting to New Realities
How Thinking Shapes How You Grieve
Anger With God
Grieving With Hope and Joy
Caregiver Volunteers logo
Caregiver Volunteers Recruitment

Mary Malagiere from Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey (CVCJ) will be sharing their special message of care giving with us at service on Sunday, September 20, 2015. CVCJ is seeking volunteers and for congregational support to spread the word about the free services that Caregiver Volunteers provide to the frail elderly homebound 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. We invite you especially to take some information home with you today to share with a neighbor who may need assistance from CVCJ! For additional information about CVCJ please call Mary at 732-505-2273 ext. 211 or email her at [email protected]

                              YOUTH CONNECTION

Youth Connection Logo
You're Invited

Who: Students in grades 6 through 12
What: Youth Connection at the Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church
Where: The church basement
When: Fridays from 6pm - 8 pm
 
 
Youth Connection is gearing up for another great year. This year, we are moving to FRIDAY NIGHTS from 6-8 pm. We will still meet in the Church basement, so you can use the side or back door entrances.

You are invited to come hang out with us. Whether you have been with us for years, or maybe just want to see what we are all about, we encourage you to come to our first meeting on Friday September 18th.

Please bring your registration form to your first meeting, and keep an eye on our calendar of events for special meeting times throughout the year.

Any questions? Call the Youth Connection Coordinator, Courtney Rzeplinski, at 732-552-6737

                               SUNDAY SCHOOL

Sunday School This Sunday

I hope you all had a wonderful summer- I can't believe how fast it went by.  One positive thing about summer ending is that Sunday School is back!  I am so excited about this year and our new curriculum.  I can't wait to see how the kids like it, as well!

Some of you have already registered.  If you missed Rally Day, I will be leaving some registration forms in the Narthex or can be downloaded.  Please fill one out and send over with your child.  If you prefer, you can walk your child over- I will also have forms in the CE Annex.  As always, we welcome friends, neighbors, family, and any other kids who might want to take part in our program.

I can't wait to see you all on Sunday

Peace and Blessings
Tricia Stoffers
POINT BEACH PREP

We hope everyone had a wonderful summer!  Summer Camp was a big success and now Point Beach Prep is off to a fantastic start of our 2015-2016 school year!  

We have 43 students enrolled this year!  We have already made lots of new friends and enjoyed seeing old friends return.  

We had fun exploring the classrooms and playground and playing games such as Duck Duck Goose and London Bridge.  We are looking forward to our adventures with our letter and number dolls as we learn our ABCs and 123s.  We will also be learning shapes, colors, sign language, problem solving skills and so much more.  We have been working on our arts and crafts, enjoying music, and story time.  This week we read The Night Before Preschool and other stories about children and animals beginning school and having fun, just like we did!

Thank you for your continued support of the preschool!
Devlin House
Director
      VOLUNTEER VILLAGE

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


Thanks to the Volunteer Village for these beautiful new
granite countertops in the CE Annex Kitchen!
 
PDA Volunteer Recognition Dinner and Care for the Caregivers Workshop

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is doing a wonderful thing for volunteers from our church who have helped provide hospitality through the Volunteer Village. They're holding a Volunteer Recognition Dinner and a Care for the Caregivers workshop the next day. You can attend either or both of these events.

The Volunteer Recognition Dinner will take place in the 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.

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.

Another, longer Care for the Caregivers workshop is taking place at the Morning Star Presbyterian Church, Bayville, on Friday, September 25, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm.

Invitations have already gone out in the mail for these events. If you believe you should have received an invitation but didn't, please call the church office.

An email has also gone out that includes links for a Survey Monkey online response form that PDA is using to keep track of the RSVPs. If you can't find your email, please call the church office.

 
                     PPPC IMAGE OF THE WEEK

Fun at the Rally Day barbecue last Sunday!  

      THIS WEEK'S CALENDAR

 
CHURCH CALENDAR - The latest edition of the church calendar is available online, on the church's website. 

Sunday, Sept 20
10:00 a.m. - Worship/Chancel Choir
10:00 a.m. - Sunday School begins in Worship

Monday, Sept 21
6:15 p.m. Choral Bells
6:30 p.m. - Princeton Review SAT class, CE Annex

Tuesday, Sept 22
9:30 a.m. - Busy Hands, Fellowship Room
10:00 a.m. - Eye Openers, Chittick Lounge

Wednesday, Sept 23
9:00 a.m. - Women's Breakfast at the Rainbow Diner
5:00 p.m. - Dove Choir Rehearsal 
6:00 p.m. - Bear Den
7:30 p.m. - Grieving with Hope, Chittick Lounge

Thursday, Sept 24
8:00 a.m. - Men's Breakfast at US Subs  
5:30 p.m. - Wolf Den
7:00 p.m. - Webelos Den
7:30 p.m. - Chancel Choir Rehearsal 

Friday, Sept 25
6:00 p.m. - Youth Connection Begins

Saturday, Sept 26
9:00 a.m. - Princeton Review SAT class, CE Annex
6:00 p.m. - PDA Recognition Dinner, CE Annex
 
Sunday, Sept 27
10:00 a.m. - Worship/Chancel Choir
10:00 a.m. - Sunday School begins in Worship
12:00 p.m. - PDA Care for Caregivers Luncheon
1:00 p.m. - PDA Care for Caregivers Retreat, CE Annex
2:30 p.m. - Claremont Care Center  Worship
Birthday Blessings 
 
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, Tricia Stoffers
Sept 27
Sept 28 Quintessa Baker
Sept 29 Rylie Rampone, Leigh Reinwald
Sept 30 Donna Fahey, Dalton Garner, Taylor Van Wagenen
 
      COMING UP


                   Coming Soon

October 4, Inquires Group 11:15 a.m.
October 18, CROP Walk Toms River
October 24, 7:00 - Heartbreak and Healing After Sandy film screening
October 25, 11:00 a.m. Youth Connection Pancake Breakfast 
 

       CONTACT US

 

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

Quick Links 

Full Calendar of Events

Make a Safe, Online Contribution

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]