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on what's happening at the Pennington Presbyterian Church
Pastor: Nancy Mikoski Associate Pastor: Susan Fall Office Administrator: Mary Coleman Director of Music: William Alford Phone: 609-737-1221 Fax: 609-730-9665 Church Office e-mail: office @pennpres.org Home page: www.pennpres.org (Newsletter Deadline is Monday 9:00 a.m.)
WORSHIP SCHEDULE ~ SUNDAY @ 10:15 AMMarch 7 Seminarian Seth Normington will deliver the sermon Theme for 3rd Sunday in Lent: "Learning to Pray”
March 14 ~ Stewardship Sunday Rev. Nancy Mikoski will deliver the sermon Theme for 4th Sunday in Lent: "Loving with Your Life”
CHURCH SCHOOL FOR ADULTS, 9:00 AM SundayFORUM (Heritage Hall) – Contemporary issues from a Christian perspective March topic: Christianity in China & Chinese Christianity in America March 7 – "Chinese Christianity in Beijing” with leader Dennis Olson, Princeton Seminary Professor and Pennington resident.
ADULT BIBLE STUDY (The Upper Room) – Bible Study for beginners through advanced learners. All are welcome!
MAKING FAITH REAL (room 206) – Exploration connecting our daily lives to faith. A team led adult study
OUR CHURCH NEWSLETTER Next issue of FOCUS: March 17 Deadline: Monday, March 15
SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWSSunday School has transformed into J.A.M.!! Jesus and Me!! Each week children in kindergarten – grade 5 participate in a different hands-on workshop and gain new insights into the spiritual message behind a Bible story. Workshop examples include Science - Drama – Music – Art – Cooking. Reminder: K – grade 5 please be in the sanctuary at 9:00 a.m. Sunday to find out what your rotation assignment will be.
JR. AND SR. HIGH FELLOWSHIP NEWS – March 7Sr. Highs ~ The group will meet in the "pit” 7 – 8:30 p.m. Theme: "What is Your Personality Type?” Jr. Highs ~ Join the group In Heritage Hall, 7 – 8 :30 p.m.
WEDNESDAYS IN LENT
Please join us for our Wednesday morning Lenten devotions, 7:30 a.m. in the Reception Room. Our soup supper (6:00 p.m.), vespers (6:30 p.m.) and Adult Lenten Study (7:00 p.m.) are also held on Wednesdays during Lent. Questions? Speak to Nancy or Su.
NURSERY SCHOOL REGISTRATIONPennington Presbyterian Nursery School has begun registration for the 2010-2011 school year. PPNS offers half-day classes for two, three and four-year-old children.Call (737-6622 x12) or e-mail director Hope Anderson at hopeanderson.ppns@gmail.com for further information and a tour of classes in action.
PPC INQUIRERS CLASSAre you looking for a church home? If so, come to our Inquirers Class during the education hour (9 – 10 a.m.) to learn more about Pennington Presbyterian Church. Child care is available. Remaining dates: March 7 & 14. Please contact Rev. Nancy Mikoski or Joe Tully if you are interested. (nancy@pennpres.org or call 737-1221 x 14 or jmp.tully@verizon.net )
MUSIC FOR BAGPIPES & ORGAN
The Fourteenth Annual Music for Bagpipes & Organ Concert will take place on Sunday, March 21, beginning at 3 pm in our sanctuary. The program will feature the talents of veteran piper Edith Silver, together with piper Pam Silver, drummer Doug Clark, and organist Michael McCormick performing traditional Irish and Scottish tunes arranged by Silver and others. Soloist Karen Evanetz will again sing a selection of favorite Irish folk tunes. Admission to the concert is free. A complimentary post-concert reception will feature homemade Irish soda bread. All proceeds of a free-will offering will be given to ChildFund International (formerly known as Christian Children's Fund), to support its response to help children and families affected by the disaster in Haiti.
ANOTHER CONCERT TO BE PERFORMED THIS WEEKVoices Chorale will present "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” this Friday, March 5, 8 PM in our sanctuary. Highlighted singer is Gerry Dignan. For tickets or more information visit http://www.voiceschorale.org/ or call 637-9383
SPAGHETTI DINNER AND TALENT SHOW
Once again the Sr. Highs will host a special evening of food and entertainment on March 21. This is a very talented group that is looking forward to sharing that talent with you following a delicious spaghetti dinner. It will be fun for all ages! Dinner begins at 5:30 PM with entertainment to follow. Come enjoy the fun and support the youth summer mission trip to West Virginia. We can't do it without you! Cost for the evening is $10 for adults, $5 for children 3-12 yrs. old. Children under three are free. Sign up following worship on Sunday or call the church office.
HOMEFRONT MEALSThe next time we prepare and deliver meals to those in need who are part of the HomeFront program is Thursday, March 18. If you can provide cookies, bring them to the church kitchen by 3:00 p.m. that day or call Dee Wilson at 737-7675. She will be happy to pick up your cookies.
HELPING OTHERSReminder: We are a red wagon congregation for Crisis Ministry in Trenton and Princeton, collecting canned goods for local families and individuals in need. We also collect canned goods for TASK (Trenton Area Soup Kitchen). The red wagon sits in the hallway outside the church office and the TASK collection baskets are just inside the south front entrance of the church – closest to the driveway.
EASTER FLOWERSPlease see this week's insert if you would like to order Easter Flowers. Note the deadline: Thursday, March 25.
CAMPAIGN BROCHURE AND PLEDGE CARDS The Stewardship brochures and pledge cards will be mailed out this week. Please watch for them and spend good, prayerful time considering the brochure contents and your pledge. You will also find a special Stewardship message from Nancy in this issue of Focus.
COLLEGE STUDENT CARE PACKAGESIt's that time of year again when we send our college students a care package from their church family. Paper hearts with items needed are available after worship. Hearts and items need to be returned no later than Sunday, March 7. The Deacons will put the packages together and mail them.
JR. HIGHS TAKING ACTION FOR HAITIWorking through the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program, the Jr. Highs collected items for hygiene kits to be sent to Haiti for the relief effort. Many thanks to all who participated in this project.
SUNDAY FLOWERS
If you would like flowers placed on the alter during a Sunday service, please fill out the form found underneath the flower chart on the wall next to the Deacon's kitchen. Include a check (minimum$35) with your flower request andnote on the formany specific wording to be included in the bulletin, orpreferred flower colors. Reminder: You will need to fill out a form each and every time you want flowers, as there is no notification for individual preferred yearly dates. P.S. Please don't write on the flower chart!
OUR CHURCH FAMILY. Patrice Gensel is recovering from knee surgery. . Please keep Jean Koeppel and Alyssa Torrens in your prayers. . Congratulations to Ruth & Glenn Eshbach who recently celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary. PASTOR'S THOUGHTS
March 2, 2010
It was just a year ago that we conducted our Blessed to be a Blessing capital and stewardship campaign. The Holy Spirit was in our midst as the congregation gave more than $1.1 million for the capital effort, enough to secure the safety of our sanctuary for decades to come, and increased donations for the annual operating budget. The gifts are also allowing us to engage in a new ministry of building a clean water system in the Yucatan and reduce our debt from the Vision Campaign of a decade ago.
Now is the time for us to Count our Blessings.
Now is the time to look up to God with prayers of thanksgiving, review our blessings, and consider our response for the coming year. Our elders, deacons and committee members are hard at work and active in prayer, eager to follow where Christ leads us. Your giving to our operating budget allows the church to expand our programs, support the staff and launch new ministries.
Some have asked me, "How much should I give?” The Bible offers the model of the tithe, offering God 10 percent of one's income. It's a spiritual discipline that reminds us that all we are and all that we have are gifts of God. If tithing is not part of your spiritual life, I would encourage you to pray about it and to move toward a tithe in incremental steps.
The prayer from our Blessed to be a Blessing campaign last year is appropriate each time we ponder our gifts to the church: "Lord, what do you want to do through me to accomplish your vision for this church?”
Stewardship dedication Sunday will be March 14. Please bring your pledge card to worship, drop it by the church office or put it in the mail. Every gift of every size is a blessing when given in response to God's love. I count this church as a wonderful blessing in my life. I hope you do, as well.
In Christ,
Nancy Mikoski Pastor
EASTER FLOWER ORDER FORM Each year at Easter we decorate the front of our sanctuary with a bank of Spring Flowers – tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, pansies and lilies. If you would like to share in this project as a memorial or in honor of a loved one, please send this form and a check payable to the Pennington Presbyterian Church (writing ‘Easter Flowers' on notation line), to Pennington Presbyterian Church, 13 South Main Street, Pennington, NJ 08534, or place the order form and check in an envelope and put it in the offering plate. Price is $10.00 each.
Please write a "T” on the flower line if you wish to take the plant(s), i.e.1 (lily) T. Unless you indicate you wish to take the plant(s), they will be delivered to someone who is in a hospital, nursing home, home bound, sick, or recently bereaved. Thursday, March 25, is ordering deadline.
________ ________ ________ ________ ________ # of tulips # of daffodils # of lilies # of hyacinths # of pansies
_______________________________ enclose donation of $_______ Name of giver(s) This form will tell us how you would like the acknowledgement to appear in the bulletin. Thank you so much for helping to beautify the sanctuary at Easter.
Name(s) M (in memory) H (in honor) ________________________________________________________ ________
________________________________________________________ ________
________________________________________________________ ________ Something new and exciting is
transforming our Church School!
9:00 AM
Sunday J.A.M. Jesus and Me! For kids K-thru-5th grade Each week children participate in a different hands-on workshop and gain new insights into the spiritual message behind a Bible Story or theme. Workshops include: Science~Drama~Music~Art~Cooking and more! Youth Programs
· Preschool meets in Room 102
· JAM (K thru 5) meets in the Sanctuary
· 6th and 7th Grade meets in Lower Titus 1
· Confirmation Class (8th Grade) meet in Balcony
· Senior Highs meet in the Pit
Adult Programs · Adult Bible Class meets in the Upper Room · Forum meets in Heritage Hall
· Making Faith Real meets in Room 206 |
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FOCUS
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13 South Main Street ~ Pennington, New Jersey
(609) 737-1221
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Copyright © 2000 - 2008, Pennington Presbyterian Church |
