Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church 
Weekly News For
Sunday, Dec 6, 2015
Friends,

Sometimes it takes so little to make a big difference in another's life. Once again the Presbyterian Women are selling a variety of soups, dips and cookie mixes as a mission project to help under-employed and impoverished women through the Women's Bean Project. 

The names of each woman who put together the soup and cookie mixes is written on each package. For the one who buys the item, it gives a personal connection to the woman whose hands put the mix together. When you buy these mixes, consider saying a prayer for the woman whose name appears on the outside of the package as you are making the soup or baking the cookies.

Each product has a story behind the hands of the woman who spent hours packaging it. From the beans that go into each bag or the dog biscuits (new this year) that are counted out, these products provide hope and a chance for a woman to earn her future through the skills she gains at the Women's Bean Project.

Each Sunday there will be a table set up with the items for sale. This year new items have been added to the popular soups, chilies and cookie mixes. In addition to the dog biscuits, there is a salsa mix and chocolate espresso beans. 

Why not consider buying these mixes as teacher's gifts, stocking- stuffers, hostess gifts and for the hard-to-buy-for-has-everything person on your list. Believe me, Nicole, Becky, Shirley, Angela and many other women involved in the Women's Bean Project will thank you.

Peace and Blessings,

Pastor Linda
This Sunday
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Second Sunday of Advent
The Rev. Linda Chase preaching:  "BLOOMING IN THE WILDERNESS" 

10:00 a.m. -Worship/Communion/
Dove and Chancel Choir
10:00 a.m. - Sunday School begins in Worship
11:00 a.m. - Communion Breakfast
11:00 a.m. - Pictures Taken for Directory, Chittick Lounge
11:15 a.m. - Christmas Pageant Registration and brief Parents meeting, CE Annex downstairs
Church Photo Directory  
Photo Directory Photos To Be Taken This Sunday in the 
Chittick Lounge
 
We will be taking pictures in the Chittick Lounge following the Sunday service.  Stop in the Chittick Lounge before you head over to the Communion Brunch. In order for our directory to be a success we are looking for everyone's participation.  We will continue to take pictures at various times.  As a reminder photos can also be emailed to [email protected].  Files must be in jpg format.  
breakfast_coffee_orange.jpg Communion Brunch

Please join us in the C.E. Annex for our monthly Communion Brunch, in lieu of coffee hour. A free will offering helps to defray the expense of the brunch

Women's Bean Project In the North Hall

This Sunday, as well as the remainder of December, the PW will once again be selling prepackaged soups, dips, cookie mix and cornbread mix from the Women's Bean Project.  In addition, we have three new items:  salsa mix, chocolate covered espresso beans and for your favorite pooch, chicken-and-cheese dog biscuits!

The Women's Bean project employs chronically impoverished and unemployed women through a transitional job in gourmet food and handcrafted jewelry manufacturing so they are able to receive immediate income.  

These make great holiday gifts and stocking-stuffers as well as items you can serve yourself.   Look for our display in the North Hall before you go to Communion Breakfast!
 Deacons Fund

Helping the Hurting We who serve on the Board of Deacons are ever grateful for our congregation's continued monetary support so we may fill the requests for assistance we receive. 

At this time we are experiencing several requests for help during the holiday season.  With the cold weather approaching we anticipate a lot of requests for help with heating bills.   This past year we received approximately $5700 in donations and yet we provided over $8,000 in assistance due to funds available from the previous year.  Our ability to help others in the future, like in the past, will be carefully monitored.  With donations to the Deacons fund in decline, we might not be able to help others like we have done in the past.  

If you would like to help the Deacons with their benevolence, kindly make a donation in the Deacons envelope this Sunday on Communion Sunday so that we may continue assist others

Thank you. 

The Board of Deacons 
Valentine House Seeking Donations for Their Holiday Store
 
For the past five years the Valentine House has given their residents a chance to be part of a special gift buying and giving program for the holiday season. The holiday store is an opportunity for residents to buy gifts for family members of friends.

The residents earn "Valentine Bucks" during the year for maintaining good hygiene, helping other residents, and helping out around Valentine House. By saving the Valentine Bucks during the year, the residents can buy gifts for loved ones at the holiday store.

All the gifts come from donations from local businesses and individuals. It's a great opportunity to re-gift items that are new or items never used. Examples of items for the store are candles, costume jewelry, books, perfume or cologne, clothing items, household items that are unused, games and toys and Christmas decorations.

The staff and volunteers staff the store and help residents pick out gifts and wrap them. There is also a need for gift bags, tags and ribbon. They have plenty of wrapping paper from last year.

(This is different from the Valentine House giving tree we have each year, by which we choose individual Valentine House residents and buy a gift or two they've specifically asked for. The giving tree will be back again this Advent.)

this Monday, 
December 7
 
Diane Legreide will deliver them to the Valentine House. 
 
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 Family for the week of December 6 is the Stoffers family. Let us be prayerfully aware of Tricia and Peyton, as well as all our members and friends.

Prayer concerns: The family of Vito DeTrizio (Rosanna Maimone's father); Jean DeMartino; Susan Larsen; Jacob Mendelsohn; Jim Millar; Courtney Norton Rzeplinski; Brandon Shoppell; Les Thornton; Bill Williams.

Long term concerns: Bill Blauvelt (Jacque Thornton's brother in law); Cliff Brendler; Kathryn Feldman (Bill Shoppell's sister); George Griffiths (Cousin of Heidi Steinert); Kim Kearns (Sister in Law Rusty and Mindy Gilbert); Ethel Lemke (mother in law of Scott Smith); Margie McGhee; Erna Meyerle (friend of Susan Robbins); Gerda Mooney; Cherisse Petruzzi; Edith Pula; Gemma Roberts; Mary Steinert; Stan Thornton; those struggling with addictions and mental illness.

Military: Michael Fahey III; Matthew Warren; all those in our nation's service.

         PPPC NEWS




STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN -  Thank you to everyone who has submitted estimates of giving through our We Have A Story stewardship campaign. To date, 74 estimate of giving cards have been received, for a total of $171,538.   If you have not yet had an opportunity to submit your card, cards can be found in the pews; or,you can download one online; or, you can send a confidential email to Donna Ferry, the church's financial secretary, at [email protected].  Cards can be placed in the offering plate or can be mailed into the office. These cards and pledges are now needed for us to plan for our 2016 operating budget which will be formed by the Session in early January and reported at the congregation's Annual General Meeting.   
 
CHRISTMAS CARD PROJECT - During December, EliSabeth-Verdella Circle will present two ways to send Christmas greetings 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. The circle asks that you donate 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, the circle would appreciate a small donation to their mission project, placed in the donation box on the table. The circle members thank you for your participation in their mission project, which is purchasing Christmas gifts for residents at Claremont Care Center.
 
CHRISTMAS EVE USHERS NEEDED - We are in need of ushers at the 4:00 p.m, 7:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m services.  Please call Scott Smith at 732-840-0279 if you are available to usher on Christmas Eve.
 
COOKIES AND PIE ORDERS ARE IN - If you did not get your order this week, Kerry Jones will be at the Communion Breakfast with your order.  There will also be a limited amount of cash and carry items.  Cookies are $5 for a tin.  

Giving Tree
JOAN VALENTINE HOUSE GIVING TREE 

Once again this year, we'll be collecting gifts for our neighbors at the Joan Valentine House, to make their Christmas a little brighter. The Valentine House is a non-profit residential home for adults living with mental illness.

Look for the Giving Tree in the Narthex this Sunday; it will include envelopes with the names of Valentine House residents, and what gifts they've asked for. 

IMPORTANT: Please don't just take an envelope, but also write your name on the clipboard that's near the tree, so we know which person you'll be shopping for.

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! 
poinsettias.jpg
Christmas Poinsettia Orders Now Being Taken
 
Poinsettia donations in honor or in memory of loved ones are $15 each, and payment must be included with the order form.  
 
Please be sure to indicate "Christmas Plants" on the memo line of your check! Order form and payment may be placed in the offering plate or mailed to the church office. 
 
Once the quantity of flowers needed for sanctuary decorations has been reached, additional gifts will be used for purchase of sanctuary paraments and banners. 

Deadline:
December 13, 2015. Thank You!  
 
St. Gregory's Pantry Christmas Distribution
 
The Pantry is now accepting unwrapped NEW toys for the Christmas clients. Through your generosity, 2-3 gifts per child are given to needy familIes. Teenage gifts are especially needed - CDs, gift cards, sweaters, hats, nail polish etc. Please leave them - clearly marked for St Gregory's - or deliver them to St. Mary's By-the-Sea, 804 Bay Ave, Pt Pleasant Beach. Cash donations will be used for purchases.

Important Pantry Dates:
December 13-14 - Toyland Setup in CE Annex
December 15 - Distribution
December 16 - Deliveries and Clean up
Community Christmas Dinner

Celebrate Christmas Day through the joy of serving others! Our free Community Christmas Dinner - 12 noon-2:00 pm in the CE Annex, is for anyone with no place else to go on the big day who would enjoy and old-fashioned holiday feast with congenial company.  We need:

Cookie Bakers - 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 - 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 noon to make local home deliveries; and finally, cleanup beginning at 1:30 p.m.

Donna Wittmann  is coordinator of this event. Please call her at 732-965-5637 if you have would like to volunteer.

                               SUNDAY SCHOOL

  Hello everyone!
  Last week in Sunday School, we had a ton of fun! The Pre-K/Kindergarteners listened to the story of the birth of Jesus and then they decorated Christmas trees. The 1st-5th graders listened to a story about the long journey of Mary and Joseph. Then they drew a picture of the journey, including perils and problems they may have run into along the way.

This week, we are going to continue with our Advent lessons and we will watch Charlie Brown's Christmas. 
After which, Ms. Becky
will be going over parts of the Christmas Pageant with this who are interested in participating.

There will be a brief meeting after Sunday School for those interested inparticipating in the Pageant.

See you on Sunday
Peace and Blessings, 
 
Tricia Stoffers
Upcoming in Sunday School
Sunday December 13, 2015

Next Sunday, December 13 please try to get the kids to Sunday School by 9:45. The Chancel Choir will be performing highlights of the Messiah, so we will be starting Sunday School a little early and watching the Polar Express. The kids can feel free to wear their pajamas, we will be serving hot chocolate and snack through the movie.
POINT BEACH PREP


PBP Logo The children did a wonderful job at their Thanksgiving Show.  December is here already and we are moving along to the letter I.  Our Nursery class had fun having an ice cream stand, ice painting, making icicle drips, making puffy paint ice cream, and sorting insects.  The Pre-K class set up an I Spy station in the sand box, did ice-pop letter matching, and had a sensory bucket with ice cubes.  We set up 2 new dramatic play areas that both classes enjoyed.  One was Insectropolis, where the children explore the world of insects.  There are magnifying glasses and other instruments to look at different pretend insects.  The other area is a playschool.  There is a chalkboard, desks, pencils, paper, etc. where the children take turns being students/teachers.

Both classes enjoyed a visit from the Point Pleasant Beach Children's Librarian on Monday.  She brought her "magic envelope" and made imaginary hot chocolate.  She also read "If You're Happy and You Know It" and we all enjoyed being interactive with the story.   

See you next week with letter J!
                     CELEBRATE THE SEASON

NJ Chamber Singers
NEW JERSEY CHAMBER SINGERS 

This December, the New Jersey Chamber Singers are joined by the Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble to present an unforgettable concert entitled Ding Dong Merrily on High.

This program features music for choir and handbells consisting of new carols in addition to highly imaginative arrangements of familiar carols. Collaborations between ensembles of this caliber are few and far between, so don't miss your chance to experience this dazzling display of handbells while hearing the warm choral sounds of the season.

Concerts are:
Dec. 11, 2015, 7 p.m., Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton NJ. 
Dec. 12, 2015, 7 p.m., Church of St. Luke and The Epiphany, Philadelphia, Pa.
Dec. 19, 2015, 7 p.m., Doylestown Presbyterian Church , Doylestown, Pa. 
Dec. 20, 2015, 5 p.m., Laurita Winery, New Egypt NJ.

To purchase tickets visit http://njchambersingers.org/njcs/ 
                     PPPC IMAGE OF THE WEEK

   

Hark, The Christmas Sound,
the Presbyterian Women's Christmas Service
this past Wednesday night. 
 



      THIS WEEK'S CALENDAR

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

Sunday, December 6
Second Sunday of Advent
10:00 a.m. - Worship/Communion/Dove and Chancel Choir
10:00 a.m. - Sunday School begins in Worship
11:00 a.m. - Communion Breakfast
11:00 a.m. - Pictures for Directory, Chittick Lounge
11:15 a.m. - Christmas Pageant 
Registration and brief Parents meeting, CE Annex downstairs

Monday, December 7
5:30 p.m. Wolf Den
6:15 p.m. - Choral Bells, Fellowship Room
7:00 p.m. - Deacon's Meeting, Chittick Lounge

Tuesday,  December 8
1:00 p.m. - Lydia Day Circle
4:30 p.m. - Daisy Troop
7:00 p.m. - Lydia Evening Circle

Wednesday, December 9
9:00 a.m. - Women's Breakfast at the Rainbow Diner
5:00 p.m. - Dove Choir Rehearsal 
6:00 p.m. - Bear Den, Basement
6:30 p.m. - Youth Connection, Chittick Lounge
7:00 p.m. - Sandy Team

Thursday, December 10
8:00 a.m. - Men's Breakfast at US Subs 
6:30 p.m. - Tiger Den
7:00 p.m. - Judith Rachel Circle
7:00 p.m. - Webelos Den
7:30 p.m. - Chancel Choir Rehearsal 
 
Friday, December 11
6:00 p.m. -  Troop 6 Pack Night
 
Saturday, December 12
6:00 p.m. - Aiello/Somma Wedding Rehearsal

Sunday, December 13
Third Sunday of Advent
10:00 a.m. - Worship/Handel's Messiah
10:00 a.m. - Sunday School begins in Worship
2:00 p.m. - Aiello/Somma Wedding 
2:30 p.m. - St. Gregory's Pantry Christmas Distribution Setup, Annex

BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS

Dec 6
Dec 7
Dec 8
Dec 9 Brian Potter, Barbara Reid, Nancy Ritota
Dec 10 Abigail Davis, Lynn Donley, Christine Duane, Jack Muraglia
Dec 11 Frances Kunz, Richard Vadimski
Dec 12 Tara Oquendo, Harry Van Wagenen Jr.
Dec 13 Elise Durrof, Lauren Durrof
Dec 14 Jason Borkowski, Michael Dunham, Travis Dunham, Kristen Jensen, Liam Murphy
Dec 15 Peyton Viggiano
Dec 16 Laurie Pearce, Ruth Werner
Dec 17 Linda Cottrell, Dawn Holton
Dec 18
Dec 19 Jeffrey Kells, Joan Panuska, David Rogers
Dec 20 Stanley Davis
Dec 21 Corina Collins
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 Patricia Januszeski, Kenneth King
Dec 30 Magda Giase, Thomas Millar, Christopher Shekon
Dec 31 
      COMING UP


                   Coming Soon
 
December 13 - Highlights from Handel's Messiah with the Chancel Choir
December 15 - St. Gregory's Toyland Christmas Distribution, CE Annex
December 24 - Christmas Eve (services at 4, 7 & 11)
December 25 - Community Christmas Dinner - CE Annex

       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]